It’s exhausting to think about a sweeter vindication for Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski than the one he may orchestrate for himself this offseason.
For a baseball lifer who has gained championships in two totally different cities and simply fell two wins in need of including a 3rd title to his identify, Dombrowski is making his mark as a Hall of Fame govt and probably the greatest to ever do it.
He’s additionally simply over three years faraway from Red Sox proprietor John Henry kicking him out the door due to a distinction in opinion on the longer term path of the franchise.
We understand how Dombrowski likes to function — full throttle — and the way gratifying it could’ve been for him so as to add Mookie Betts to the names of long-term contracts he had given to Xander Bogaerts, Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi and Christian Vazquez whereas in Boston.
And we all know what Henry wished to do — go in a more cost effective, future-oriented path, which is why he fired Dombrowski in August of 2019 and changed him with Chaim Bloom two months later.
Now we all know the outcomes: the Red Sox have completed in final place in two of the final three years whereas Dombrowski took the Phillies to the World Series in his second 12 months on the helm. (In equity, Bloom inherited a tough state of affairs in Boston, the place possession didn’t envision a long-term cope with Betts, although Dombrowski didn’t precisely inherit an ideal state of affairs in Philadelphia, both.)
This winter, we’ll get maybe the very best likelihood but to see Dombrowski add one other level in his favor.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported this weekend that the Phillies “have real interest” in signing Bogaerts, who has performed extra video games at shortstop for the Red Sox than some other participant in franchise historical past.
This ought to come as a shock to no person.
Dombrowski loves Bogaerts, as nearly anyone who has hung out within the Red Sox group does.
Part of the reason being that Dombrowski, now 66 years outdated and having greater than 40 years of entrance workplace expertise, has lengthy been the form of govt who travels with the group. He’s within the clubhouse every day, understands the inside dynamics of group chemistry and has a eager consciousness of the affect Bogaerts has on his teammates.
It’s why he broke his rule of negotiating contracts in the course of the season to supply Bogaerts an extension after the 2019 season had already began. There are few gamers price breaking guidelines for, and Bogaerts proved to be one in every of them, as Dombrowski signed the shortstop to probably the greatest offers in franchise historical past, providing him simply $20 million per season whereas different top-tier shortstops would quickly signal contracts with different groups that paid them salaries price greater than $30 million yearly.
Go again and hearken to what Dombrowski stated then, in April of 2019, about why he thought Bogaerts was price investing in as a shortstop over the lengthy haul.
“We talked a lot about it but we think he can play shortstop for an extended period,” Dombrowski stated on the time. “He maybe doesn’t have as much range as a couple other guys, but he has much more offense that he brings. He’s really taken well to Alex Cora and the staff about positioning. He’s done well. We’ve talked to Alex, Alex thinks he can be the shortstop for an extended period of time.”
Even again then, there have been questions on Bogaerts’ longevity on the place. In the 4 seasons since, the 6-foot-2 Bogaerts has put these inquiries to relaxation.
“Everyone is different,” Dombrowski stated in 2019. “Look how long (Cal Ripken Jr.) played short. (Derek) Jeter is a big guy, he played it. Everybody is different. His work ethic makes a big difference in that regard. He’s athletic. He works well with Alex and he wants to do it. There have been big shortstops that have done it.”
And if Bogaerts can’t do it?
“He’s athletic enough to play a lot of different positions,” Dombrowski stated then. “If he had to switch over to second or first or left or third, it doesn’t just have to be third base. Because he’s athletic we think he can do that, but that’s nothing we’re thinking about at this time.”
Fast ahead to 2022 and Dombrowski now has an opportunity to deliver Bogaerts to Philadelphia, the place the Phillies try so as to add these last few items that’ll put them excessive subsequent season.
They actually need a shortstop and have cash to spend.
“There are four really good shortstops out there, right?” Dombrowski advised reporters, together with MLB.com, on the GM Meetings final week. “I wouldn’t get into any specifics on which ones we like, but we like all of them.”
The Red Sox can’t be ok with that.
They traded Betts to the Dodgers and watched him win a World Series in Los Angeles.
They let the Phillies steal Kyle Schwarber final offseason and watched him lead the league in homers and take his group to the World Series.
If they let Dombrowski swipe Bogaerts and convey him to Philadelphia, it’s exhausting to think about a sweeter second for the previous Red Sox boss.
And a extra painful one for the native 9.
Source: www.bostonherald.com