The Boston Barometer: Volume 9
If Craig Breslow is on the hot seat, he should not be trusted to make important decisions.
The Red Sox had a disappointing week after a strong start going 3-3. Getting swept by the Minnesota Twins changes the vibes surrounding this team. While the Red Sox are still very much in the mix of things in a bad American League, this past week once again showed the same flaws this team has been dealing with all season. As the team heads into the final week of May and still 8 games below .500, conversations about the future of this organization are more important than breaking down the same issues with this team.
There are two conversations surrounding this team right now. The first conversation is that the Red Sox are apparently really trying to acquire a right-handed bat. According to the Athletic’s Jenn McCaffrey, Boston wants to trade for a bat that plays any position. It’s well documented just how bad this Red Sox lineup is and if they want to try to turn things around, they need another bat. The second conversation was started Saturday evening by Boston Globe writer Pete Abraham that the Red Sox should move to become sellers.
With few sellers on the market, the Red Sox could become the team that buyers come calling to because the Red Sox have some impact assets. With any trade, there is one question that must be asked. Is Craig Breslow going to be the guy calling the shots moving forward?
If Craig Breslow is not the guy to lead this organization, then a move should happen now. Breslow should not be making decisions on adding an impact bat by trading major assets from within the farm system if he will be let go at the end of the season. He also should not be trading away the team’s tradable assets for prospects and other pieces that will impact future Red Sox teams. If a move will be made, it should happen now so they can try and find a replacement and give that person some time to get to know the organization before the Trade Deadline.
It feels like this would be an obvious and logical decision however that is not how FSG as operated in the past. FSG fired Dave Dombrowski on September 9th back in 2019. That means that Dombrowski was allowed to execute the Trade Deadline that season and then he was gone in a little over a month. The same thing happened with his predecessor. Chaim Bloom was fired on September 14th, 2023. That means that Bloom was able to execute the 2023 Trade Deadline and then he was gone in a little over a month.
FSG cannot follow that same pattern with Craig Breslow if they decide to move on from him. If they still believe in his vision for the organization, then the above scenario doesn’t apply. But if Breslow is on the hot seat, giving him the keys to important trades is dangerous.
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Here at BPB (Ballpark Buzz), we have been hesitant to jump on the Breslow fire train because the last search did not go as the Red Sox had planned. Breslow was not a top choice by FSG. With the Red Sox POB / CBO position lasting as long as someone being President of the United States for one term, it makes me nervous that nobody would want to even interview for the job because there is zero job security. If you come in and struggle in the first 2-3 years, you’re on the hot seat. While I understand the frustration from fans (I’m frustrated), it takes longer than 2-3 years for someone to come in and completely set up their vision within an organization.
Since the start of the 2011 season, there have been 5 different people calling the shots for the Boston Red Sox. While FSG can say whatever they want to candidates to try and convince them to take the job, eventually the trend says you’re lying.
While the product on the field remains unacceptable, is a move the right decision? If FSG sticks with Breslow, I will be nervous. There are too many bad decisions for me to feel confident that Breslow can make the right decisions to get this organization back on track. If FSG moves on from Breslow, I will be nervous. Who could they get either in the middle of the season or at the end of the season that actually wants this messy situation?
It’s an odd time to be a Red Sox fan.
I feel like let’s stick with Breslow. The offense sucks yeah but defense is top in the league and pitching has been also very very good (aside from coughing up the two leads against Minnesota). Let him cook. But I agree on selling Sonny and Chapman and even Duran whom I love but prob has to move to greener pastures.