The Red Sox are not "retreating from analytics," as the team is "expanding its commitment to that aspect of its front office," according to Alex Speier of the BOSTON GLOBE. Based on their actions, the Red Sox "remain as committed to the pursuit of competitive advantages through statistical analysis" as they have been since team Owner John Henry's group gained control of the team in '02. There has "been no drawback in the resources committed by the team to quantitative analysis." The team has "expanded the budget of its analytics department and plans to add staff." Its belief in the "ability of analysis to create an edge remains very much intact." Henry's remarks earlier this week "represented not an indictment of numbers, but instead in how they were being applied" by former GM Ben Cherington. Speier writes the team's "evaluative framework appeared to have faltered." President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski will "be guided by different decision-making criteria than Cherington" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/26).
HUMAN ELEMENT: YAHOO SPORTS' Jeff Passan noted Dombrowski has a "stranglehold on the direction of the franchise unlike any previously given by Henry." If he is not an "avowed opponent of sabermetrics, Dombrowski places himself squarely on the scouting side of the divide through his actions and deeds." The Red Sox are "emphasizing the human element, paring back on the analytics, another 180 for a franchise doing a lot of do-si-do of late." This is Dombrowski's team, "complex and dynamic and, starting now, guided by the same human beings" Henry "never could trust" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/24). CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam noted Henry "wouldn't articulate exactly what's replaced the numbers." McAdam: "Does this mark a return to more traditional scouting? Or is there another approach the Sox are pioneering? Who knows?" Henry "was full of contradictions" (CSNNE.com, 2/24).
