This week, two of Boston’s behind-the-scenes stars got call-ups. The Astros hired bench coach Brad Mills to be their manager, and the Padres handed assistant GM Jed Hoyer their GM reins.
Mills and Hoyer didn’t make a lot of headlines for the Red Sox, but they were a crucial part of the club’s success this decade.
Mills joined Terry Francona’s staff in 2004 and served as the Red Sox manager’s right-hand man. According to the Boston Herald, Mills helped with everything from in-game strategy to running spring training to being a communication bridge to the players. He made life easier for Francona in the clubhouse and was as responsible as anyone for keeping the Red Sox engine running day to day.
If Mills was the glue on the diamond, Hoyer was the unsung hero upstairs. He arrived in 2002 after Theo Epstein was hired as GM and played a role in every major decision the Red Sox made. Hoyer assisted with player acquisitions, contract negotiations and player evaluations. He was a key cog in building two World Series championship teams.
Mills and Hoyer never collected a hit or threw a pitch in Boston. They never brought the Fenway faithful to their feet. They never produced goosebumps. But they did the little things that make glory possible.
Sometimes, the game exists in a vacuum. All we see are the main characters and we forget about the supporting cast whose names don’t show up in box scores. But it takes many more moving parts than nine players to win a World Series.
That’s why everyone from the clubhouse attendant to the strength and conditioning coach to the trainer gets a ring when a team reaches the pinnacle. It’s a tangible reminder – a symbol — of all it takes to win.
There will be no rings for the Red Sox this season. But when other teams are hiring away your coaches and front office personnel, you know you’re doing something right.
Mills and Hoyer will be missed. Replacing them won’t be easy. However, somebody can and will fill the void for Boston.
Plenty of bright baseball minds still call Fenway Park home — and all of them are focused on reloading.
