In his long front-office career, Dave Dombrowski never has been shy about pulling the trigger on a blockbuster deal or trade.
In fact, Dombrowski and the Boston Red Sox were one of the first notable movers this month when they dealt for right-handed pitcher Andrew Cashner two weeks before the MLB trade deadline on July 31.
But Dombrowski noted to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that trading in the current MLB landscape is very different from how things used to be.
“For me, if you have in your heart you can win a World Series,’’ Dombrowski said, “you do everything you can to win it, by whatever means. But there’s been a general change in (trade) philosophy over the years.
“One big thing is that there is so much scrutiny attached to players that you give up these days. There’s so much media coverage that everyone knows these players. Years ago, nobody knew who these prospects were. So there’s hesitation to make bigger moves.
“It’s changed also with the wild card. It used to be as long as you got in, you were fine because you play a best-of-five wild card. Now, with a one-game wild-card, anything can happen. To me, that’s a difference-maker.”
It’s a valid point made by Boston’s president of baseball operations. Thanks to internet resources, social media and more expansive media coverage of the sport, most fans know and can track their favorite organization’s prospects from the second they sign. And they certainly love to let GMs hear it when “prospect-X” goes on to become an All-Star five years after being dealt for that middle of the rotation veteran to help bulk up the postseason roster.
