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Theo Epstein on D&C: ‘No villains’ in Red Sox management 06.14.12 at 10:52 am ET
By Morley Quatroche

Theo Epstein (AP)

Theo Epstein joined the Dennis & Callahan show Thursday to talk about his time with the Red Sox, including his relationship with ownership and the difficulties of being a big market general manager.

As Red Sox GM, Epstein brought in John Lackey and Carl Crawford at a significant cost as free agents. When asked if he was pressured to do so by the team’s business interests, he waved off the notion.

“There are no villains here,” Epstein said. “It’s the reality of what happens in a big market, especially when you win, especially when there’s incredible performance on the field as well as off the field and things get bigger and bigger. … I always had a concern about it getting too big and when it starts to grow and it stars to become insatiable it becomes hard to take a reasonable long-term approach on the field and off the field.”

Despite not feeling pressure from ownership, Epstein wasn’t always perfect at handling his own pressure.

“If anything I blame myself,” he said. “At the end it certainly became too big. I didn’t do a good enough job of managing that tension, managing the reality of being a big market team when things start to fall off a little bit, which is natural. I certainly should have executed in big name free agency.”

He added later: “I finally gave into the [tension]. I started executing moves that gave into it and were a little more convenient and that is a lot of the reason I wanted to move on. … After ten years it’s hard to attack things from a fresh perspective. It’s hard to be as adamant about your philosophy as you are at the beginning.”

Many people believe that the Red Sox keep their players in the minors longer than other organizations and the former Red Sox GM offered up an explanation to why that may be the case.

“You want to focus on the player’s overall development. There has to be certain criteria for the advancement of the player. The goal should be to fully develop the player so he’s actually ready to play in the big leagues, not just that he’s capable of coming up and not embarrassing himself in the big leagues. It is especially important in a competitive place like Boston, where you actually want to develop a player, in an ideal world, to be ready to come up and step right into a pennant race and perform.”

Epstein was general manager when the Red Sox won the World Series in ’07 and it has a special place in his mind.

“The ’07 [Red Sox] team was the most meaningful part of the whole experience for the guys in baseball operations,” he said. “To have [Jonathan] Papelbon close it out, have [Dustin] Pedroia, [Jacoby] Ellsbury and all those guys and to have Jon Lester start the deciding game, that was meaningful for everybody.”

Epstein admitted that he enjoyed homegrown talent, but understood the reality involved with it.

“What I think I enjoy most when I think of pure baseball is developing from within,” the Cubs GM said. “The reality is that I think it would be very difficult to take it to it to that kind of extreme in [fielding a completely homegrown team].”

Epstein added: “There’s always going to be a bit of a dichotomy between how you handle the present, sell tickets, boost ratings versus how you plan for the future, ensuring there are better days ahead.”

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  • Erockstar

    Dont like this trade at all.

  • Hitdog100

    why? they traded nothing.

  • Flatapril1

    Love it.  Gave up nothing to get another body.

  • Dano S

    Very good trade and if Celtics could do another similar deal I think fans would be very enthused with this team going into playoffs.

  • Charlie

    @erockstar they gave up nothing… how is it terrible? answer meeeeeee

  • Scott

    Cause you’re a twit. You read what the scouting report from a hack is, and negate the fact your just replacing an injury with a body. Who knows how much playing time he will get, but I do remember this meathead a few years back saying he’s better then Jordan.

  • Advjoplin

    How many shooting gaurds are we going to have

  • Baker

    He’s 24 years old, and a decent player. Who knows, with some veteran influence he may become a valuable future asset. We shall see.

  • Cfn

    Good trade, since Barbosa is hurt and not happy here; but don’t know much about this guy Crawford; is he in the mold of Courtney Lee?

  • DJKuulA

    So psyched that we gave up a piece of paper instead of Melo. :) Maybe Paul and KG can teach this kid how to play. He certainly has talent.

  • Cfn

    But why did Wizards give him up; there must be some reason.  Does anybody know why?

  • PhilRa70

    This is a great trade! actually, a no brainer

  • Hindle1976

    Great move Danny!!! Something for nothing!!! Only if the Sox can make moves like this!!!

  • Soxfansince75

    Good bench player and another body.

  • Erockstar

    Simply stated LB was a known quality player with skills and great track record of playing hard.  JC is a chucker with questionable attitude… bad trade for a warm body

  • Boris

    Great trade. Woeful wiz just looking to make room and save a few bucks. Their future backcourt are Wall and Beal.

  • Erockstar

     hope Im wrong but LB seemed like a better fit for our team going forward… JC has lots of question marks.  That said he can play this year and LB cant so I see your point.  If LB comes back next year and plays well and JC is a bust we can revisit it.

  • Mike

     what’s not to like? Traded a hurt player for a young player who can score! no brainer!

  • Mike

     Because they are the Wizards!

  • Srogan12

    Seems like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/ZVFM2HRNC5CTO2OUXD4XTX65O4 Dennis

     And that’s all folks. See ya next year. 

  • Chris Kelley

    Barbosa was a free agent anyway.  Celtics lose nothing.   Wish they done something bigger.

  • c-gator

    Barboza is FA at years end, can certainly resign (though he wasn’t happy here).

  • Armand

    Erockstar is an idiot.  They gave up a dude who won’t play again this year.  They got a much needed guard for NOTHING.  

  • Armand

    Erockstar is an idiot.  They gave up a dude who won’t play again this year.  They got a much needed guard for NOTHING.  

  • Sally Seaside

    AND he can guard Lebron! 18th Banner here we come!!!!

  • Sally Seaside

    AND he can guard Lebron! 18th Banner here we come!!!!

  • Rilawman

    They need to re-work Crawford’s deal to 3 years 39 million!!!

  • Rilawman

    Collins got send to to Washington as well!!

  • Sharon Cox

    I wish all the Brazilian bashing would stop here. Why are we still putting down players just because of their nationality. I wish this bigot ignorance would stop.

  • Dano50

    Give this kid a chance.  He’s been playing for a horrible team.  This is an awesome opportunity for him.  So I like the chances for success.  He sinks or swims and Leandro was probably going anyway by the time he’s healthy.  No lose situation for all.  

  • mike

    Do none of you guys saying Barbosa was not happy here not realize he already said he hopes to come back next year? I also think this trade may include Jason Collins as well but of course modern media can’t even wait for factual info before they post this article.
    All those big trades thrown around by all the blow hards (and I am not just taking Celtics here) and this is the number of trades that happened? Mannix, Broussard and the like should all be FIRED. Much ado about nothing.

  • Jimmy Freeze

    At best LB won’t be ready for 12 months…since he’s older…may be done for good.  His contract is up after this season, so there was no “going forward” for LB in Boston.  He was a 1 year roster-filler.

  • Kobra543

    celtics traded jason collins as well!!

  • Sean L

    Where the hell are we going to get siz big man fouls now that Jason Collins is gone?? This is BS!!!!

  • Ty

    Now THAT is an intelligent comment.  He’ll have to work on his defense, but seemingly every player who has come to Boston since Garnett came here improves defensively… and watching Bradley and Lee play will only motivate this kid further.  Like you said, awesome opportunity for him, and he’s in a much better environment & situation here.  Another thing people can’t overlook here is the fact the Celtics didn’t have to give up Melo.

  • DJKuulA

    Rilawman, this is the Celtics page. The Red Sox page is two clicks to your right. :)

  • Anonymous

    Celtics didn’t give up much.  For those that are worried about losing LB, he was only signed for one year, so he can come back next year regardless.  Losing nothing here except a contract. 

    I get the impression we will now start seeing Fab Melo as someone has to take Collin’s minutes.

    This is a low risk that has some upside if Crawford does some growing up.  If he doesn’t, he won’t be here next year.

  • mike

    I imagine you will see more bodies brought in. I am sure they have someone in mind to take some of Collins minutes because if you think Fab Melo is ready to play on a regular basis your basketball knowledge is in real question. Fab has potential but is clearly not ready to contribute on any regular basis.

  • Chris Kelley

    Jason Collins is gone too.  He never played anyway.  Thinking Fab Melo has no value to anyone.  Chris Kelley – Framingham. 

  • Kobra543

    jason collins now with it, kinda dont like that, we need rebounding!

  • Anonymous

    I agree that the Celts didn’t give up much, it’s just that “shoot happy guard that takes terrible shots” part… UGH!

  • Sean L

     Hey Chris, where you from?

  • Chickey19

    On another matter. Meloni’s Jr. high side kick. got all excited about the summer JayZ and Timberlake concert at Fenway. What is he , 14 years old? Grow a pair.
    Please open the door and have him follow Ordway, Winter, and Meter.

  • Guest

    Fan Melo is garbage! He’s a sloppy center and I wish we would’ve traded him.

  • Gilley Todd

    This is a joke. I understand that it is another body but it certainly doesn’t strike fear in the heart of the Heat fans. Great start on the west coast trip

  • Gcesar6901

    Celts have turned into a team of SG & SF.  Lee, Bradley, Terry, Pierce, Williams, Crawford, Green 

    Why did they not try and get a PG, someone that can actually handle the ball.

  • Geetsolboy

    Glowing reviews. Wow.

  • Jon Smiff

    Good deal.

  • Grygor_c

    Ahhhhhh, gooood trayde Mon!

  • Boston_Sports

    Wow……hang the next banner. Celtics are done. Season over.

  • Bruinman86

    Something for nothing isn’t a bad deal.  The only negative I see is that the C’s end up losing another big body to spot KG minutes. But I’m not realistically expecting them to contend anyway.
     
     

  • Dano50

    What’s Shaq doing?

  • Dano50

    Look at who he’s been playing for.  He better not pull that here or he won’t see the court much.

  • Dano50

    Apparently he does to Danny.  He refused to part with him in the deal according to reports I read and heard.

  • Keebs

    At least you got SOMETHING & you didn’t really have to give anything up. They need bodies.

  • Hambergertime

    only in the NBA can you trade a player who is out for the year to another team and get something in return.

  • gamma

    you guys realize barbosa is a free agent at the end of the year, it is not like the c’s couldn’t have him come back when he is healthy.

  • doing a lot with a little

    Obviously LB was a better player but what’s your point….hes not playing this year and his contract is up at the end of the year.  If your implying that because they traded him they won’t have a chance at getting him back next year, I don’t believe it was a given he would return anyways.  I doubt he would hold a grudge that they traded him when he couldn’t play anyways…hes still getting paid and can always return next season if he wants, but even then we don’t know what Danny has in mind (who will be available/what type of team we’ll be).  This has nothing to do with LB….you mine as well have been talking about Lebron James for the purpose of your argument…irrelevant.  We gave up a center who didn’t play much, but to be fair he played solid D, set screens, and was a true professional.  Clearly Danny sees more quality big guys out there or soon to be out there than he did back court players.  And to the guy asking how many guards do we need, just look at how many we started with and we lost two.  We have no pg so we need to have 4 guards that can play and help facilitate the offense and bring up the ball.  With Rondo, we could have gotten away with just two other guards, but without him, we needed to replace LB.  We were playing good when we had 4 capable guards stepping up.  It’s fine to think JC isn’t that great, but he is better than a torn ACL and an average at best Center, in an NBA that already lacks quality Centers.

  • Mmg151

    Oh No! Another Crawford?

  • Schwank

    Agreed.  Collins vs Wilcox….looka the numbers. We won’t even know he’s gone.  Barbosa, I liked him but he was here for just this year and he’s hurt and likely won’t be back playing,if he does, until the year after next ( I presume he’s on ayear to year deal.  So yes they gave up nothing. 

    Today the Celt’s are a better team.

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