If you use rings as the standard for success, then John Henry has had the same amount of success as Robert Kraft since the turn of 2003 into 2004.
Sure, rings matter and all –– but as an owner, John Henry has done nothing but follow up successes with disasters since 2010.
It seems to follow a pattern. Theo Epstein and Terry Francona were gone in 2011. Bobby Valentine in 2012. Ben Cherington left during the 2015 season, and John Farrell was fired after 2017.
The list goes on. However, less than 48 hours ago the Red Sox made the decision to relieve Dave Dombrowski of his duties as President of Baseball Operations. Whether you agree with this move or felt like it was sort of a scapegoat, that was the route that John Henry and co. felt was best for the organization moving forward.
But timing is key. The Red Sox decided to fire the man who won three straight division crowns (first time in team history), brought an ALCS and World Series title, had the fourth-highest winning percentage in the MLB, and the third-most wins in baseball in that stretch.
Why would they do that? That’s a question many people are still asking for. However, it doesn’t seem to be a question we’ll have an answer to because the only one answering questions about Alex Cora, who was just as shocked at the news when it dropped around midnight on Sept. 9.
Forcing the manager to comment on a decision you made because you can’t face the music for something you did is just cowardly –– which is exactly what John Henry is becoming with each day he doesn’t give a reason for why he fired Dave Dombrowski. A coward.
But that’s not all. They fired him in the middle of a series, fresh after a Patriots blowout win in their season opener, and on the eve of David Ortiz throwing out the first pitch. It’s a lot of ways to take the attention off of this move he made.
On top of that, there has been nothing but hit-pieces done on Dombrowski published by the Henry-run Boston Globe.
Does any of this sound like something Robert Kraft would do? Didn’t think so. Because it simply hasn’t happened, nor is there any sight of it happening in the future.
This is exactly why every organization looks at the Red Sox and laughs at them. No matter how many titles they win under this ownership –– there will always be this dysfunction.
