What Would Steinbrenner Do? Lucchino's Coup d'etat

What Would Steinbrenner Do? Lucchino's Coup d'etat

When George Steinbrenner is the voice of reason in Red Sox Nation, something is very, very wrong.

Theo Epstein's decision to resign as general manager of the Red Sox is a significant loss for the future of the organization, no matter how Larry Lucchino, Charles Steinberg and Dan Shaughnessy-Lucchino try to spin it. Not only does Epstein's resignation unveil an organization in chaos but the sudden and unexpected departure of the architect of the team's rebuilding plans could plunge the Red Sox into a prolonged funk.

And somehow the guy who comes out of this fiasco smelling like roses is none other than Lucchino's nemesis, Steinbrenner. Shortly after the Red Sox lost out on the bidding for Jose Contreras and Lucchino was busy trying to strip away his last shred of dignity by acting like a petulant 9-year old and chirping about the Evil Empire, Steinbrenner sat back and reminisced about his thirty years as Yankees' owner in an interview with the New York Daily News. In between talking about how his first Yankees' squad looked like a "poster for birth control" and how he never would part with Alfonso Soriano, Steinbrenner prophetically had this to say about Lucchino:

I've learned this about Lucchino: he's baseball's foremost chameleon of
all time. He changes colors depending on where's he's standing. He's
been at Baltimore and he deserted them there, and then went out to San
Diego, and look at what trouble they're in out there. When he was in San
Diego, he was a big man for the small markets. Now he's in Boston and
he's for the big markets. He's not the kind of guy you want to have in your
foxhole. He's running the team behind John Henry's back. I warned John it
would happen, told him, "Just be careful." He talks out of both sides of his
mouth. He has trouble talking out of the front of it.

That quote is from December 29, 2002. Almost three years ago, George Steinbrenner knew the Red Sox were headed for a meltdown and he knew that the man behind it would be Lucchino. If Steinbrenner, who by all accounts is a raving lunatic in the mold of King George III, could see Lucchino for what he truly is, then what exactly does John Henry see when he looks at his team's president and CEO? Is Henry so blinded by Lucchino's self-aggrandizing that he completely ignores the manipulations and machinations that Lucchino seems to revel in?

The entire L'affaire Epstein is a testament to Lucchino's unrepentant selfishness. As the Red Sox's president and CEO, Lucchino is responsible for the long-term planning of the organization. How does his failure to re-sign Epstein improve the long-term success of the franchise? Whether the decision was business or baseball, Lucchino obviously wanted to have the final say, which is his right. But just because it's his right to be the demigod of Red Sox Nation doesn't mean that it is right.

In fact, in the past, Lucchino was adamant that his role in the baseball operations side of the club was simply as a "participant." In a glowing 2002 feature in a Yale Law School publication, his alma mater, Lucchino goes out of his way to make sure to acknowledge that he isn't the organization's top dog in baseball decisions: "A participant, not someone who will necessarily gainsay the decisions of other people more expert in the area." Apparently, the transformation from mere mortal to genius takes about three years.

In Epstein, the Red Sox had one of baseball's best general managers. Certainly he made his mistakes, but Epstein's reputation around baseball is overwhelmingly positive. Peter Gammons practically prays in Epstein's direction five times a day. In the coming weeks, Epstein will be wooed by every team with a GM vacancy as well as a number of companies outside of baseball that value his intelligence, organization and leadership ability. Even if the Red Sox and their pet newspaper try to spin this debacle as if the organization is actually better off without Epstein (and they will), remember one thing- the team was ready and willing to sign Theo to one of the richest GM contracts in baseball. Why would a smart businessman like Lucchino, and by businessman I mean lawyer and by smart I mean not very, be willing to spend millions on someone apparently so deficient?

With Josh Byrnes smiling ear-to-ear in Arizona, the Red Sox are suddenly a one-man show- it's all Larry, all the time. Most of Theo's loyal soldiers will likely get out of Yawkey Way as quickly as possible and either follow Epstein to greener pastures or join Byrnes' staff in Arizona. Giving Lucchino exactly what he wanted: total control of the organization.

The elevation of Lucchino puts the Red Sox's immediate future in immediate jeopardy. Essentially, Lucchino controlling the Red Sox's baseball operations is akin to Jonathan Kraft firing Scott Pioli and taking over the Pats' personnel decisions. With a bevy of high-priced veterans mingling with a talented corps of youngsters, the Sox are clearly a team in flux. With serious questions about the team's pitching staff, with major decisions looming on the status of Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez and with baseball's winter meetings about to get underway, the Red Sox suddenly have no clear direction. Does Lucchino have the patience to allow players like Manny Delcarmen, Jonathan Papelbon and Hanley Ramirez develop? What will be his rationale in deciding personnel decisions- immediate financial gain or long-term baseball success? Would he trade a minor leaguer long on talent but still several years away from Fenway, players like Jacoby Ellsbury or David Murphy, for a more marketable, well-known major leaguer to put butts in the seats, even if it endangers the Sox's long-term plans? Does he have the personality to deal with the rest of baseball's decision-makers? Will he trade Ramirez for next to nothing or can he step back and remove his personal issues with Ramirez from the equation?

Theo will land on his feet- he's already been faxed a very generous offer from Barstool to be our new unpaid intern- but the Red Sox organization may not be so lucky. Removing a respected, and more importantly, legitimate, buffer between the corporate and baseball sides of the Red Sox's operation is a recipe for disaster. With Theo at the helm, fans could trust that the trades, signings and releases were baseball decisions and nothing more. Now, every player transaction will be scrutinized because Lucchino has tainted the process. Was the deal made because the player was underperforming or because revenue was down that month? The new Red Sox general manager will be Lucchino's toady and garner little authority with the team's players which will only lead to more public spats courtesy of Lucchino's other toady, The Globe.

It's almost enough to make you wish that Steinbrenner was running the Red Sox. Almost.

Jamie Chisholm