Theo Epstein vowed to create a scouting and player development “machine” when he became general manager in November 2002.
Two championships later, the Red Sox’ machine keeps churning out blue-chip players, and the product line is now diversifying to general managers. Since last year, the names of Ben Cherington, 33, the vice president of player personnel, and Jed Hoyer, 34, assistant general manager, keep popping up whenever GM vacancies occur, with Seattle being the latest example. To Epstein, it is a matter of when, not if, for the two to get promotions.
There is already one successful product to come out of the Sox’ GM farm system: Arizona’s Josh Byrnes. Byrnes, Epstein’s assistant general manager for three years (2003-05), brought Peter Woodfork, former Sox director of baseball operations, with him. Along with Cherington and Hoyer, Woodfork’s name is in the next-GM mix just as often. Yet with regards to the Red Sox’ crop of future GMs, it is Cherington’s and Hoyer’s time. Cherington has been with the Red Sox since 1999, filling his resume with stints as an area scout, coordinator of international scouting and director of player development. Hoyer joined the ballclub in 2002. A year later he joined Epstein for Thanksgiving dinner at Curt Schilling’s house before that trade, then became assistant to the GM. Cherington and Hoyer were co-GMs during Epstein’s job hiatus after the 2005 season.Epstein will not be left empty-handed if Cherington, Hoyer and Shipley leave. In Mike Hazen, director of player development, Jason McLeod, director of amateur scouting, and Brian O’Halloran, director of baseball operations, the training grounds of the next wave of GMs is already in full operational mode.
Nation Notes: Mike Timlin pitched a clean 8th inning vs. Richmond last night. Timlin on a rehab assignment, will pitch three or four one-inning stints for the PawSox. If all goes according to plans, Timlin is expected to be activated on July 4 against the Yankees.
