Red Sox Owner John Henry ranks third on the list of the "20 most important people" within the franchise, according to the BOSTON GLOBE's Peter Abraham, who wrote Henry has "stayed in the background in recent seasons, making only rare public comments about the team." However, what "hasn’t changed is the level of commitment." The Red Sox had the "third-highest payroll last season and will be in that stratosphere again in ’17." Abraham: "Don’t take that for granted." There are "wealthier owners who invest far less in their teams." Red Sox Chair Tom Werner comes in at No. 13, as he, much like Henry, has "kept his opinions out of the media in the last 18 months." However, Werner has "strong beliefs about such issues as pace of play and how best to market the game." That "may not necessarily affect the Sox on a daily basis, but Werner has considerable influence." Ranking No. 14 is Fenway Sports Group President Michael Gordon, who is "anonymous to most fans but wields a lot of power within the organization." The ownership is a "triumvirate at this point with Gordon taking the spot once held by Larry Lucchino." Team President Sam Kennedy comes in at No. 15, as he "keeps the engine running on a daily basis." The Red Sox have "assorted side businesses that are successful and help keep the baseball payroll so high." Abraham: "That doesn’t happen by accident." Red Sox RF Mookie Betts, who finished second in the AL MVP race, topped the list, followed by President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/26).
