Some were surprised when the Boston Red Sox kept manager John Farrell for the 2017 season and picked up his contract option for 2018. But Dave Dombrowski said firing him was never in the cards.
Farrell’s job was believed to be in jeopardy over a few in-game decisions — namely, his choice to pinch-run starting pitcher Steven Wright in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers that ended with the knuckleballer finishing his season on the disabled list — but Dombrowski said that wasn’t a factor in Boston’s decision. The Red Sox’s president of baseball operations told WEEI’s “Kirk & Callahan” on Thursday that the fact the club won the American League East was more important than in-game decisions.
“I don’t think we were ever in that spot,” Dombrowski said when asked if the Red Sox were ever on the brink of firing Farrell. “We had a good consistent season. I don’t think we lost more than three games in a row at any point last year. I think last year our club played well, we played solidly, we won 93 games. So no, not at all.”
In fact, Dombrowski has held the belief that in-game decisions aren’t the most important part of managing for a while.
“I think an example of the most important part is your ability — and I always tell managers this, I’ve talked to (former managers Jim) Leyland, (Tony) La Russa — (your) ability to get your players to play up to their capabilities on a consistent basis is the most important part for a manager,” Dombrowski said. “Now, you just can’t be motivational also. You have to be a lot of other things, but your players coming in and playing hard on a consistent basis, having the respect of the players is extremely important for a manager. Having control of the clubhouse, communication skills. There’s just so many things that make up a good manager to me in today’s world.”
Of course, Dombrowski doesn’t believe that decisions managers make during games are meaningless, but he had no problem with the way Farrell did his job in 2016.
“We led the league in runs scored by 101 last year,” Dombrowski said. “I’m not saying he’s the reason behind that, because the hitters are very involved and the main reason. But I think the reality is, he does a fine job.”
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
