Does the front office of the Boston Red Sox appear skeptical of current general manager Ben Cherington's ability to make sound offseason decisions?
Is Cherington on his way out of Boston?
Fans and analysts may speculate all they want; however, one thing is for certain -- the Red Sox have hired former Los Angeles Angels general manager Jerry DiPoto on an interim basis to be a consultant on offseason matters.
DiPoto, who formerly worked as a scout for Boston from 2003-2004, served as the Angels' general manager from 2012-2015. Revered by the Los Angeles executive brass as someone with an excellent grasp of baseball analytics, DiPoto entered the position with high expectations.
The 47-year old instantly made a splash in Tinseltown, signing future Hall-of-Famer Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $254-million deal in the winter prior to 2012 before adding embattled outfielder Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $125-million contract before the beginning of the 2013 season.
Neither contract came to fruition during DiPoto's tenure as the team missed the postseason in both 2012 and 2013 before falling to the Kansas City Royals in a three-game sweep in the 2014 ALDS. In the process, DiPoto developed a feud with manager Mike Scioscia, who disagreed with the emphasis Dipoto placed on baseball analytics.
DiPoto also received the ire of Scioscia when he fired longtime hitting coach Mickey Hatcher early in the 2012 season. These tensions continued in 2015 as DiPoto became unsatisfied with the manner in which Scioscia and his staff delivered the statistically-based reports that the front office produced for Angels players. That was the final straw in a sour relationship that concluded on July 1 when DiPoto stepped down from his throne as general manager.
DiPoto played in the Major Leagues from 1993-2000, spending his tenure with the Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, and Colorado Rockies.
While Cherington will continue as the primary decision maker, DiPoto should expect to assume a role as a respected talent evaluator within the organization. With Boston's emphasis on statistical analytics, the New Jersey native appears to be a perfect fit for the Red Sox' system of determining which players to approach in free agency.