Article: Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow: "We Are Taking Meaningful Steps"

[Hitch]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I underlined the part about them making bad decisions and wrong turns while on a path of eventually succeeding. That's what I believe they are trying to do.

Got ya. Sorry, didn't see that on my phone.

If people genuinely think it's option 2, they've done a bigger number on this fan base with their mistakes than I imagined.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Hitch said:

You've missed my point. I'm not commenting on whether you believe they are dumb or not (surely only a fool would answer yes), my point is you're saying that they are actively sitting there, gleeful over the fact they're spending less while getting fans to come along and watch an inferior product. 

What do you think is more likely -

They have been making bad decisions and taking wrong turns while thinking they're edging towards the way they believe is the right way?

They are twiddling their thumbs and laughing evilly to the sky because the fans have yet to see (not true in itself) that they are hoodwinking them?

I truly believe they are actively making decisions based on how they can minimize losing fans (and adding fans) while spending the least amount of possible. I think they honestly believe they have been successful in doing that.

Of course, they wish we'd win more, and I think they actually believe they built teams that they felt should have did better, but they knew all along these teams were never legit contenders.

I don't know about "sitting gleefully," but I think they are happy with their profit lines, but do worry about losing fans or potentially losing some, going forward.

They like the way the farm has rebounded. They are putting a lot of trust in that. They just used some farm capital to add Crochet. That has not happened since DD. I fully believe they believe in their plan. They are not happy with the W-L results, of course, but they are happy with the profits.

Sorry, if I was not clear about what they were happy with.

[Bellhorn04]

2 hours ago, Hitch said:

What do you think is more likely -

They have been making bad decisions and taking wrong turns while thinking they're edging towards the way they believe is the right way?

They are twiddling their thumbs and laughing evilly to the sky because the fans have yet to see (not true in itself) that they are hoodwinking them?

I think it's a combination of a) trying to be smart running the team and b) trying to maximize return on investment for FSG shareholders.  Some would argue that there's nothing smarter than maximizing return. 

[Bellhorn04]

As far as how Henry feels about the fans, I think he expressed that pretty clearly in his interview in which he talked about fans having unrealistic expectations, thinking their team should win the trophy every year when the odds are really 1 in 30.   

He doesn't have a lot of regard for our intelligence.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I think it's a combination of a) trying to be smart running the team and b) trying to maximize return on investment for FSG shareholders.  Some would argue that there's nothing smarter than maximizing return. 

I used to think maybe JH was trying to show/prove how smart he was by building a team on a lower budget than others, but that won more often. Sort of a pride thing.

I don't think that anymore.

I think he got the 4 rings and lost the desire or need to get more. It's more about making money, now, and in a way, he resting on his laurels.

I do think he wants to win, and I mean another ring, but not by becoming Cohen North. I honestly think he and his minions may have felt they were putting a competitive team on the field for most year- maybe not ring faves, but better than they actually turned out to be. The never seemed to get any sense of urgency, however, so that kind of hints at an ownership group that felt okay with what was going on, as long as the profits were still good enough. Wanting to win, thinking your team is good enough to win and actually winning are three different things.

I kinda feel like the Story signing was a stab at appeasing the fans while also making us a decent playoff contender. Maybe they felt that way about Yoshida, too. Maybe these two failed deals and all the $10M/1 failures got the top brass to decide it's just not worth spending more and more: throwing good money after bad. While some owners might think, maybe we need a management team that actually signs good players, they decided to build the farm and make only short-term deals.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I used to think maybe JH was trying to show/prove how smart he was by building a team on a lower budget than others, but that won more often. Sort of a pride thing.

I don't think that anymore.

I think he got the 4 rings and lost the desire or need to get more. It's more about making money, now, and in a way, he resting on his laurels.

I do think he wants to win, and I mean another ring, but not by becoming Cohen North. I honestly think he and his minions may have felt they were putting a competitive team on the field for most year- maybe not ring faves, but better than they actually turned out to be. The never seemed to get any sense of urgency, however, so that kind of hints at an ownership group that felt okay with what was going on, as long as the profits were still good enough. Wanting to win, thinking your team is good enough to win and actually winning are three different things.

I kinda feel like the Story signing was a stab at appeasing the fans while also making us a decent playoff contender. Maybe they felt that way about Yoshida, too. Maybe these two failed deals and all the $10M/1 failures got the top brass to decide it's just not worth spending more and more: throwing good money after bad. While some owners might think, maybe we need a management team that actually signs good players, they decided to build the farm and make only short-term deals.

We know Henry doesn't need the profits, so maybe his approach to team-building the past half decade is just his hobby -- if he could ever actually win it all without spending big, his legacy wouldn't just be as the most successful Red Sox owner, but as the most clever boss in the business. At this point, that might be all that's left driving him.

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

We know Henry doesn't need the profits, so maybe his approach to team-building the past half decade is just his hobby -- if he could ever actually win it all without spending big, his legacy wouldn't just be as the most successful Red Sox owner, but as the most clever boss in the business. At this point, that might be all that's left driving him.

That could still be the "driver," but I do think he still is a business man at heart. In baseball, the largest profit might be when the owner sells, and you look at what he bought the team for.

It's hard to know what makes JH tick, and if whatever it is has changed.