Ok, so this is an old article, and I had a whole big post brewing up in my head and then BAM! I had to actually do work. Anyways, start by reading the link and then I will offer my comments...
Ok, so the idea of the article is that Theo Epstein can afford to make more mistakes than almost every other GM because he has a huge pile of cash behind him. In some respects, this is true. Epstein has more to play with and, thus, has a large margin for error. However, he is the GM of the Boston Red Sox, has built a team that has won 2 World Series in the last 5 years, and has to answer to 'Red Sox Nation' which is not easy. Thats fine though, because like I said, he has won 2 World Championships and has been a great GM. Of course, we do need to look at the good and the bad.
Bad:
Julio Lugo. One of the worst contracts the Red Sox have given out in recent times. Lugo slumped when he went to LA and the Red Sox hoped that was a fluke. It was, Lugo's offense was not terrible but it was not good. He glove, however, was the most atrocious display of fielding since....
Edgar Renteria- Awful. Awful Awful Awful. He was the absolute worst defensive shortstop I have ever seen. According to FanGraphs the Red Sox (Theo) signed him after his worst year since 1998. He was probably worth more in 1998 than I am giving him credit for, but the point being is this. He was worth $6 Million in 2004, so the Red Sox signed him for $10 Million a year for 4 years...then he put up a $6.4 million year and he was out of town. Why didn't we resign Orlando Cabrera?
J.D Drew. 5-years $70 Million. He will never live up to this contract. He had a good walk year and cashed in...the Red Sox were the suckers. If he could stay healthy he would be decent. I have more of a problem with the two guys above than I do with Drew though.
Daisuke Matsuzaka- The king of them all. Ok, so it was unfair to think that he would come in and dominate the league and live up to the $100 Million spent to acquire and sign him. Now we know he is lazy, doesnt like the Red Sox pitching coaches (no matter how much he tries to cover that up) and cares more about pitching in a tournament no one cares about than he cares about winning the World Series. He is a diva. Worse, he is a diva who sucks at pitching.
Now, onto the Good...
Drafting- Theo is a draft master. Ellsbury, Pedroia, Papelbon, Lester, Buchholz, and Bard. Theres a great lead off hitter, an MVP, a RoY, the second best reliever in the game, an elite lefty, 2 no hitters, and a fireballing rookie who up until lately was unhittable. Not to mention the talent that is in the farm system. Yeah, Theo has done well for himself in the draft.
Jason Bay- Ok, so Manny is a legend. I don't care what anyone says, Manny and Ortiz will always be Manny and Ortiz. If one Red Sox fan says they didn't like seeing them together you can disregard everything they will say after that. However, Manny became a sideshow. It was time to let him go and that was that. In return we received a great player who can play defense and knock the cover off the ball (In April and May). Sometimes there is addition by subtraction, and this was one of those cases.
Trading Nomar- When Jeter lunged face first into the crowd at Yankee Stadium and bashed himself up while Nomar sat on the bench with a sore hammy...that was the final straw. This trade won the Red Sox the World Series.
Ballplayers- If there is one contribution to the game that Theo brought it was this...put together not just a team of good player, but a team of good ballplayers. Guys who are there to hustle, win, and have a fun time doing it. No need for guys like Roger Dorn (see Major League), no Theo wanted ballplayers. 2004 is the team by which most teams should be structured. Stars, role players, and everyone having a blast while doing what they love to do, and that is play baseball.
Side Note: Theo's hand was not involved with the HanRam deal...which can be debated as bad or good.
So overall, 2 World Series, 4 ALCS appearences, and 5 playoffs in 6 years since taking over. No one has accomplished more in that time frame so I think it is safe to say that Theo has done quite well for himself. Of course, would he be able to afford the mistakes he has made with a mid-market club? Hell no, he would be probably be on his way out the door (see J.P. Ricciardi). I hesitate to label him an elite GM, but it is hard not to. In fact, with a $130+ Million payroll there are few people I would rather have run my team (Terry Ryan, Billy Beane, Pat Gillick, and John Schuerholz would be some people I would think about) but lets face it, Theo can build a team and build it well. Until he proves otherwise, I don't see how he is anything less than the #3 GM in the game when he probably sits atop the list.
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