Dodgers News: Andrew Friedman Identified As Red Sox Candidate
Soon, we will all find out how coveted Dodgers’ president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is within baseball circles. Remember, just recently Stan Kasten said he expects a return in 2020 for his head guy in the front office.
However, situations like this are always fluid. Then, the Red Sox weren’t a player in game. Now, Yahoo Sports is identifying Friedman as the perfect candidate to succeed Dave Dombroski in Boston.
The perfect #RedSox GM candidate just became a free agent — Dodgers boss Andrew Friedman – @jtomasehttps://t.co/O3r2x9MOYT pic.twitter.com/gaJX6aQkfz
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) October 10, 2019
Obviously, Friedman has built an impressive resume which will always be his legacy in Los Angeles. No one can take away the things he has helped the organization accomplish. In case you forget – and like him or not he has done it – they are spoken of within the article.
All he has done since is build one of the game’s most sustainable success stories. L.A. has won seven straight division titles, first by spending limitless amounts of money — their $291 million payroll in 2015 remains the highest ever — and then by doing it in a way that should certainly capture the attention of Red Sox owner John Henry.
More at Dodgers Nation
- Dodgers Off-Season: Friedman, Roberts, Ryu; What Comes Next?
- Dodgers That Would Benefit From A Change Of Scenery: 2019 Edition
- Dave Roberts Reportedly Returns as Dodgers Manager
Of course, no front office leader does things on his own. Friedman has had help from quality people, including big names who are highly-regarded amongst the sport as the best in the business. This is key, because if Friedman were to depart; he would likely take key people with him. Simply, it’s just part of a process when a regime leaves town or arrives to take over.
In Los Angeles, Friedman built an All-Star front office featuring no fewer than five former GMs: Josh Byrnes, Alex Anthopoulos, Tommy Lasorda, Ned Colletti, and Gerry Hunsicker. He hired liberally from the Red Sox, stealing respected figures like Dave Finley and Galen Carr. He has built the Dodgers into an analytics-driven powerhouse, which is how they ended up on the forefront of the launch angle revolution.
Finally, there are legions of Friedman supporters and detractors in the Dodgers’ fan base. However, one cannot deny that since he took over, results have followed. While the ultimate goal has not yet been reached in winning a world title, Friedman has helped put the Dodgers in position to do such perenially.
And the question that remains: do you want to see the Dodgers go all-in to keep Friedman, or are you fine with letting him go if the price is too high?
How could the price be too high? It doesn’t count against any cap – excuse me luxury tax threshold – and the team has the money. They can compete with anyone for management talent and, as you pointed out, he’s one of the best.
I understand the frustration of his detractors. The team hasn’t won a title for 31 years and Friedman’s been at the helm for the last 4 of them but he’s had them in the World Series twice and – this year’s ugly ending not withstanding – they’re not going away anytime soon. Eventually – like even the old Brooklyn Dodgers – they’ll win one.
Wish him well if he wants to go to Boston.
I hope he fails
He got us Pollock and Kelly while missing out on Cole Brantly Yelich Lemeiheu and left the team without a serious closer. He also hired one of the worst in game Managers Dave Roberts I can ever remember. No way he’s all that good.
lol. CLUELESS
Latos.
you fail to remember what it would have cost the Dodgers in prospects to get Brantly, Yelich etc…He’s done it the Dodger Way, built from within…Dave Roberts…Ha I will give you that one insofar as running a bull pen…then again same thing has been or had been said about Tommy after losing twice in a row to Yanks….Keep the Pres…sign Nats free agent third baseman…and keep sweeping Frsco last series of the year….then just don’t lose your last game in the playoff
He’s a good GM. But the reality of the Dodgers this year is that they were a abirishen. They weren’t as good as people think. They played in a watered down NL east. You saw how the Yanks handled them in august. Their bullpen is horrible. And they self proclaimed themselves as the chosen champions before they played the games. Truth is even if they got past washington they probably would of lost to Houston or my Yankees. But with that said Friedman is a very good Good GM that brought your team a lot of young talent.. problem is quite a few teams in NL who have a lot of young talent eg.. washington ,Atlanta, Sandiego, The Giants. And the Mets. So I dont know their window has gotten a lot smaller. But I’d keep the Fiedman and his formula of success.
Sure glad you aren’t a Dodger fan there Levi. Here’s hoping the dingbat Friedman goes to “your Yankees”. By the way next time you post something please learn to spell, use correct punctuation and try to sound like you’re not drunk. Oh Vay.
This isn’t working. That’s the reality. However, if he leaves, it’s a poison pill. The entire organizational approach has to be restructured if they go to a Dombrowski type paradigm. If they want to return to a more conventional type of play, they will have to potentially determine what kind of player that would look like and could be available. The ultimate three true outcomes player, Joc Pederson, and that ilk may have to be phased out. The entire organization has been remade from top to bottom in Friedman’s image. That being the case, it could take upwards of five years just to restructure the farm. it’s a big do over if they move away from the current regime. It needs to be done.
This guy has been an analytical disaster. He has let good pitchers pass by while bringing in other players that have hurt our team. Many feel that he calls every pitch, on the hitting side and the pitching side. His way of thinking needs to go away.
Tony, I don’t think it will take that long to rebuild the team. We have great talent and a few good pitchers that I felt were brought up too fast under Friedman. He ruined Urias. Let’s hope it’s not too late for May.
No one is irreplaceable. If Friedman does not want to be in the Dodgers organization let him walk. My guess, the only reason he leaves is if the Red Sox, or another team, offers him the equivalent of Stan Kasten’s job, President and CEO. Trade him to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts.
This is a tough decision. Dodgers have the money to keep Friedman. As much as I hated his decisions signing Pollock, Kelly, extended Kershaw, keeping Dave Roberts; he did keep the young players Dodgers drafted, plus the 2016 class of May, Gonsolin, Smith, Lux. If guys like Jeter Downs, Ruiz, Dennis Santana, DJ Peters can come through in the next couple of years, Friedman would really cement his legacy as Dodgers GM/President.
The uncertainty is whether the replacement will be any better than Friedman? If they get Dombrowski he will probably clean house and sign a bunch of veterans on long contracts that might not work out. Also Dombrowski got fired mainly because he didn’t make any trade to improve the bullpen before trade deadline, isn’t that the same non-move by Friedman?
One thing is for certain, whoever makes the decision to re-sign Friedmand or signing a replacement GM will bear the responsiblity of this consequence.
How are you, SoCal? Not sure what to make of this but my initial guess is Kasten extending him in an attempt to complete the job that still has not been completed for 31+ years now but WSS
AZUL, I am still mourning the loss even though I did not feel the Dodgers were as strong as they were last year. If AF leaves, so be it. Our cupboard is well-stocked!!!! I remember an Asian lady, Kim Ng, who was well thought of by the organization. It might prove interesting to look into her interest in the position. Go Blue!!!
Get lost and you won’t be running the show with Cora there to put you in your place
Andrew Friedman should move on. He is talented; however, it’s disappointing to see the same mistakes repeated every year. Clayton Kershaw was made to be the hero or some kind of superman (he isn’t). He consistently desegregates in the post-season (and this is no secret). It’s more of the same. Why was he even pitching on Wednesday night? Clearly management was aware of this (and that includes Friedman).
Losing AF would be absolutely devastating to the organization. If you have to even think twice why, then please stick to fantasy baseball.
Don’t let the door hit you in The it on your way out!
Please leave he’s an idiot. Everybody keeps pointing at the seven division titles. In this division it’s really not that hard. He’s also a believer that a manager should not make more money than he does. That’s why he hired Roberts who’s one of the lowest paid managers. Roberts can continue to win division titles, but will never win a World Series. I think Orel Hershizer should be GM. And bring Joe Madden. Last time they had a chance to get him idiot Andrew Friedman kept Mattingly. He’s available again.
He’s gone.
Friedman is the reason why we went to the Series? Friedman also took the Rays to the series. All 3 losses,so yes he can build a inexpensive team that is competitive but proof once again that moneyball is a failing way of playing the game of baseball. The lefty righty, platoon B.s. is just that in the long run. Not being able to sacrifice runners with runners on 2nd and no out is a losing game plan. We need a team that is built on total bases, not total Home runs,solo shots. Friedman is perfect for a small market team that won’t pay for superstars, and plays the sabermetric game of shifts and a different player every game whether they are hot or not. He is truly good at what he does, but not the best at judging pitching talent. Especially Bull pen and relief. I would like to see a Old school man such as Mike Scoscia run the team, and bring in Joe Madden. The truth of the matter is this new game of sabermetric baseball is bad for the game. The teams that win still have players that can move runners over and pitch more than 5 innings. My biggest complaint about Friedman is he will not sign a superstar long term, and that is exactly why he hasn’t won the title. Get someone who will take the chance and go for it all….
I’ve never been a fan of Friedman and would be happy to see him in Boston. My preferred place would be taking over the Yankees and making them a team that is always looking towards next year, but never doing anything about this year.
Friedman was always shopping for beat up pitchers served up on the blue light special shelf at K-Mart. The club needed a quality reliever this year. Nothing done. Up until the trade deadline everybody in baseball knew the Dodgers needed another arm in the rotation, and the need for a solidcloser was obvious before that. Friedman consulted his cyber-psychic crystal ball and got us nothing. Now we’re in the off season and right after the series SF will make a qualifying offer to Will Smith and if he doesn’t take it he’s available. Or is the FO betting on Kenley suddenly becoming better? Friedman is probably out looking for a couple guys in their late 30’s with burned up arms and head cases to boot.
So many chances to solidify the club and so little done. Friedman’s slogan, “Nothing I never did never hurt me.”
Which reliever are you referring to??? The ones who blew up with other teams or the pedophile? We don’t know if Smith was ever on the table. Kolarek did everything he was asked to do. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, October armchair GMs have a perfect record.
Fired Friedman for : Pollock and Kelley sign.
I kept thinking about this Andrew Friedman dilemma all day, I’ve convinced myself the Dodgers need to pay him whatever money he wants and keep him.
1. I echoed the sentiments from Dodgers fans that support Friedman, he didn’t lose the NLDS for the Dodgers, Dave Roberts did. Dodgers had Game 5 won, Dave Roberts blew it.
2. In Game 5 had Dave Roberts got Kolarek to face Soto in the 8th, Dodgers would have won the series. Max Muncy would have been the MVP of the series. Then everybody would have been praising how brilliant Andrew Friedman is, for signing the series MVP Muncy (a player no other team wanted), and trading for Kolarak on the last day of the trade deadline (a little known pitcher who literally shutdown Soto the entire series).
Friedman also traded for Kike Hernandez, took a chance on Chris Taylor, signed Maeda. He really had done so many great things building this current roster, the good overshadows the bad. Dodgers absolutely must bring him back for another run at the World Series.
Yes, Friedman’s Dodgers do always run “at” the world series, but if or when they arrive, it’s not so good. Friedman is a guy who completes 90% of a bridge and then wonders why no one is patting him on the back.
Oh I hope so. For the sake of everything good, I hope so.
…I hope the Red Sox hire him.
I remember lots of batters who could not move runners over and score with RISP more than Kershaw giving up the two home runs. I mean, come on, we should have had 6-8 runs had the bats done their job.
Before you all boot Friedman out of town, tell me who’s better? Better AND available? Ummmmmm……crickets.
The Dodgers just won 106 games. Most in franchise history. How is that a fail?
I get that they didn’t win it alL. I’m crushed too. And they still won 106 games!
The reason they are so deep and competitive is because he shops for bargains and (usually) evaluates talent well. Taylor, Muncy, Kike, Urias, May, Lux, on and on. These guys are LOADED, all under Friedman’s regime.
Pollock was a solid gamble. Good bat, injury history. But tell me, dollar for dollar, who was better this year, Pollock, Harper, Machado, or Stanton?
Has Friedman blown it by not stocking the bullpen effectively? Yes, glaring weakness.
His greatest error, IMO, is sticking with Roberts. Sign Dino Ebel! We need some grit in the clubhouse
Other that those factors, like Friedman a lot
Wheres my bullpen…let him walk
Bring back Colletti! He couldn’t do any worse! And I’m pretty sure he would dump Roberts
I’ll take anybody else as long it’s a package deal with Roberts gone too.
I say let him go! It’s time to put a little more emotion into our team! The analytics are fine but when u consistently use a shift and your pitchers can’t pitch to that shift, stop shifting! Knowing not to do something is part of analytics also! I hate to think that on field decisions were being made by bean counters! Goodbye Andrew
He’s not the guy for Boston. John Henry does not care if Friedman puts the Red Sox in the playoffs every year. He only cares if they win. That’s why the Red Sox have won four titles in the 2000s and the Dodgers have won zero. The Red Sox will not sacrifice being occasionally great simply to be consistently good as the Dodgers have.
Let him go he sucks at making decisions when it matters,fire both him and Roberts bring Sciocia back,Mike would have won at least 6 world series during last 8 years.Look at Bruce Vichy he won 3 titles with less talent than Dodgers had during last 8 years forget about analytics.
Good , leave . The End !!!
LET HIM GO!!!! Maybe we get someone who see Roberts worthlessness and get rid of him too.. twin killing… be best for Didger!!!