Joe Kelly returns to talk retirement, free agency
It was the kind of news Red Sox followers had been waiting for. Some semblance of a hint of which candidate for the front office boss job might be separating themselves.
"Breslow has been in advanced discussions with the Red Sox, according to sources familiar with the search process, interviewing for their No. 1 job in baseball operations."
The report from The Athletic's Patrick Mooney offered some light on what has been a bit of a hazy view of how the Red Sox are viewing things. We have reported plenty of candidates, but the idea of exactly what the Sox are looking for was hardly definintive.
And then came this bit about Craig Breslow.
After a 12-year playing career, Breslow has making most of the Cubs' invitation to immerse himself into life in the front office, most recently serving as Chicago's assistant general manager and senior vice president of pitching.
The success during the Yale product's tenure isn't hard to find, starting with the evolution of both Justin Steele and Kyle Hendricks, and continuing with the performance of players like 2021 first-round pick Jordan Wicks and 2022 first-rounder Cade Horton.
All of it seems like a logical fit considering the Red Sox' desperate need to unlock some semblance of pitching stability. But even though Breslow still lives in Massachusetts and obviously has familiarity with the organization fro his playing days this most likely can't be a lateral move. He is too valuable to the Cubs.
That's where putting Breslow in charge of baseball operations comes into play.
Anybody who is around the lefty for any amount of time can understand that not only is Breslow extremely intelligent (a picture that WEEI.com readers got a glimpse into when he chronicled his 2013 postseason journey for the Web site), but the kind of demeanor that would seemingly be a positive in any position.
He is a good listener. He is thoughtful. And all the while there is never a suggestion that he knows more than you do, even though most of the time he absolutely does.
But what should be one of the most intriguing aspects of Breslow's candidacy is that he actually lived the life as a major leaguer. Sure, he knows analytics. And, yes, is fascinated by the numbers and information that go beyond the baseball cards. Yet, it's the feel for what makes up a player, a team and a clubhouse that should pique everyone's interest.
Consider it the Chris Young Effect.
When looking to put the finishing touches on the Rangers this summer, Young was very aggressive in his pursuit of pitching. Aroldis Chapman. Max Scherzer. Jordan Montgomery. Those were the players he got, but they weren't the only names discussed. Mindset and mentality were seemingly of significant importance for the former pitcher-turned-GM.
"He knows what players are going through and how players feel," said one MLB executive when talking about Young's approach heading into August.
Breslow would also have a similar well-rounded perspective.
This isn't to say the 43-year-old should absolutely have the upper-hand on some of the more experienced candidates. Or that some sort of veteran decision-making support system would be a necessity. But maybe this is the kind of outside-the-box path this organization should be craving.
If nothing else, Breslow - the ultimate thinking-man's pitcher - has all thinking a bit differently.