Red Sox, Epstein Extend Relationship
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 | MLB, Sports
The Boston Red Sox and General Manager Theo Epstein recently confirmed that Epstein’s tenure with the Red Sox was extended for a period of time. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. A year after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, Red Sox management and Epstein had a severe disagreement when negotiating a new contract and Epstein resigned from the position. The Red Sox did not fill the position and within 3 months, Epstein was back in the GM seat running the show.
Epstein became the youngest General Manager in MLB history when he took over the Red Sox GM job at the age of 28 in November 2002. Epstein’s main goal was to focus on scouting and player development in order to build from within. Having top young prospects enables a team to retain certain players to star on their own team and to trade other prospects in order to bring in top talent from other teams. Epstein and the Red Sox experienced immediate success, as the team won World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. The Red Sox have advanced to post-season play in all but 1 year during Epstein’s tenure. Current stars like Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury and Justin Masterson are examples of how the system created by Epstein has shined during the last 6 years. The Red Sox were smart to lock Epstein up on a long-term deal. Epstein is one of the best GM’s in the game, and he will continue to groom a well-oiled machine to the delight of Red Sox fans all across the country.
