Craig Breslow on what the Crimson Sox want, what he discovered in 2013, and being an ‘Ivy League nerd’

Craig Breslow is aware of what it appears to be like like.

“I perceive that a few of you will note me as one other Ivy League nerd with a baseball entrance workplace job,” he mentioned Thursday. “It’s true. I’m that. However I’m additionally a 13-year large leaguer and a 2013 Boston Crimson Sox World Sequence champion. I do know what it takes to win right here, and I’m keen to make the exhausting choices essential to ship.”

Breslow, 43, was launched Thursday because the Crimson Sox chief baseball officer, succeeding Chaim Bloom. Right here’s what he and workforce president Sam Kennedy needed to say.

Key takeaways from Breslow’s introduction

Sam Kennedy on why Breslow emerged as the highest candidate: “All through the method, Craig clearly emerged as the perfect alternative to steer the Boston Crimson Sox’ baseball operations for 3 main causes. No. 1 was his unmatched readability of imaginative and prescient of the division, and particularly his plans that he articulated for participant acquisition, participant improvement and in the end participant efficiency at each stage. Second was his baseball intelligence. You’ll have seen and it has been broadly reported on, Craig is an issue solver of the best order. He actually turned himself into a giant leaguer and turned himself right into a entrance workplace govt utilizing progressive and nontraditional strategies.

“Lastly, what stood out to us was his unbelievable expertise as a significant league baseball participant. He performed for seven main league groups over a span of 13 years, and most significantly to us, he performed proper right here in Boston at Fenway Park. Craig is aware of firsthand what it takes and what it means to win right here.

Breslow’s opening assertion: “I’ve watched numerous baseball video games at Fenway Park. Some from the stands, some from the bleachers, however most from the bullpen. I do know what it’s wish to placed on a Crimson Sox jersey, to jog via the bullpen gate throughout freshly minimize outfield grass. I do know what it’s like to face on the mound in entrance of tens of hundreds of probably the most passionate followers within the recreation. … I do know what it’s wish to hoist a World Sequence trophy overhead, the end result of a bunch of individuals coming collectively to perform one thing they couldn’t have accomplished alone.

“Crimson Sox followers deserve a regular of high quality and consistency. High quality which means a workforce that may win the AL East and contend for a World Sequence title, and consistency which means we are able to try this yr after yr.”

Breslow on his fame: “I perceive that a few of you will note me as one other Ivy League nerd with a baseball entrance workplace job. It’s true. I’m that. However i’m additionally a 13-year large leaguer and a 2013 Boston Crimson Sox World Sequence champion. I do know what it takes to win right here, and I’m keen to make the exhausting choices essential to ship.”

Breslow on what he’s trying ahead to: “One factor that I’m very, very excited to level to is the emergence of this actually thrilling younger core, a few of whom are contributing proper now on the major-league stage, a few of whom are reaching the higher ranges of the minor leagues, and a few who, candidly, should not right here simply but.”

Breslow on the Crimson Sox’ greatest wants: “Pitching actually stands out as an space of want. Protection, and I feel sure gamers getting back from harm and with the ability to solidify middle-infield protection will add to that. I feel for those who take a look at the general building of the roster, there’s the likelihood that perhaps we are able to add a right-handed bat to even it out.”

Breslow on monetary restraints: “I don’t see monetary sources as a limiting issue.”

Breslow on presumably naming a common supervisor: “I feel probably the most prudent path proper now’s to judge the panorama. Over time, the appropriate profile, the appropriate thought companion will unveil itself, however at present I’m not feeling a rush to try this. I feel there are some choices which are extra urgent.”

Breslow on Alex Cora: “Unequivocally, he’ll be the supervisor within the 2024 season, and he’s somebody for whom I’ve nice admiration and appreciation and a long-standing relationship with. We had been teammates, again longer than I’d like to recollect, however I’m excited to construct that relationship.”

Breslow on workforce possession: “One factor that grew to become clear via this course of was the unwavering dedication to profitable from possession. I feel the accountable, the prudent path of a front-office operation is to go looking all quarters for these alternatives, to overturn each stone and unearth each choice. There are a number of pathways to constructing sustainable winners, and we have to be keen to run down all of these.”

Breslow on what he discovered being with the Crimson Sox in 2013: “I might level to the pillars of wholesome organization-building being acquisition, improvement, and optimization, and the complicated interactions amongst these three issues. What 2013 instructed us above all else is that there’s heavy lifting and unbelievable work to be accomplished within the entrance workplace by way of bringing gamers collectively and organizing a baseball operation. After which there’s the chance to get extra out of the group of gamers that’s within the clubhouse on daily basis.

“What I discovered from 2013 is which you can’t take a look at any a type of issues in isolation, however it’s important to respect the complicated interactions of all three.”

Breslow on his relationship with Theo Epstein: “I spoke to Theo. He’s somebody that I might name a trusted confidant, a mentor, and somebody from whom I might search counsel, and I’m immensely appreciative not only for any of the recommendation that he’s given me via this course of, however for his function in bringing me to the Cubs and bringing me into the entrance workplace for the primary time.”

Breslow on constructing a constant workforce: “A part of constructing a constant winner on the main league stage is making actually daring, tough choices. A few of these embody buying and selling favourite gamers, and a few of these embody leveraging prospect capital to boost your main league workforce.”

Breslow on spending within the offseason: “I do know that we’ve got some must fill on our main league rosters. I feel that there are a number of methods to get there, and our job is to take as complete a glance as we are able to in any respect potential paths there.”

Breslow on creating gamers: “We tend to speak concerning the acquisition facet of issues. I feel it’s vital to not lose sight of the chance to develop our gamers and proceed to push these and actually determine clear objectives and construct actually detailed and complete plans round them and make sure that we’re executing.”

Breslow on how he’s ready for this job: “I’m able to tackle this problem. The way in which that I method downside fixing is transferable and scaleable. I can also level to 2 issues that may assist me on this regard. One, the variety of gifted and skilled folks on this entrance workplace, and two, the alternatives that I’ve needed to study from a few of the most profitable executives and people who I might name mentors on this recreation.”

Breslow on what he completed with the Cubs: “The blueprint there was determine the present state and see how we had fared relative to organizations which have reputations as being robust pitching improvement organizations, figuring out the place these gaps had been, and type of determine what we wished the perfect future state to be, after which determine the roadmap to get us there.

“Finally, the belief there was that the Cubs had a company that was perhaps missing within the pure stuff, the pure high quality of pitchers that might contribute to major-league success. So we labored backwards from perceive what a major-league pitching contributor appears to be like like in every of these corresponding minor-league ranges realizing that the aim anyplace is to not construct probably the most aggressive minor-league workforce, it’s to construct major-league worth and major-league contributors.

“Given the scale of in the present day’s workplaces, given the knowledge out there, it’s very easy to get caught up in looking for the most recent, the brightest, probably the most present info when it seems that getting a company directionally aligned behind one thing is way extra highly effective.”

Learn extra:

What’s on Craig Breslow’s to-do checklist because the Crimson Sox’ new chief baseball officer?

Craig Breslow is an issue solver. His subsequent venture? The Crimson Sox.