Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom was a controversial figure. What did he do well as the leader of the team? Bloom’s firing has brought out a lot of opinions from Red Sox fans but there were a lot of positives that will benefit the future from his time in Boston.
Positives of the Chaim Bloom Era
Player Development
The player development through the minor leagues improved during the time Bloom was in Boston. Many minor-league prospects had shown a lot of improvement, especially on the hitting side. The Red Sox hired Jason Ochart this past year to be the Director of Hitting Development and Program Design, and he brought in a focus on bat speed. This helped in the majors as well as the minors, as players like Jarren Duran have seen an increase in bat speed. The number of employees focused on that development increased in the Chaim Bloom era.
Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are excellent at player development. That is one reason they have been able to sustain success for so many years. Increasing the value of players in the minors can help your major league team but also make certain players more valuable in trades. The commitment to player development Bloom had will show in Boston over the next few years, and whoever the team hires should continue his efforts.
Re-Signed Devers
Locking up Rafael Devers was very important for the Red Sox, and they got that done last offseason. Devers is a force offensively who already has three 30-homer seasons in his short career. They need him in the middle of the lineup for years to come, and at age 26, he hasn’t even reached his prime yet. When he hits his prime, look for Devers to consistently be in the MVP conversation while also becoming a leader in the clubhouse.
Rafael Devers is the 3rd player in Red Sox history with 3+ seasons of 30+ HR before turning 27. pic.twitter.com/nru4BTNJn6
— Red Sox (@RedSox) September 12, 2023
Held Prospects and Didn’t Give Silly Long Term Contracts
The prospects that Bloom hung onto will only benefit whoever takes over next. Triston Casas should be a stalwart in the lineup for years to come. There are plenty of others on the verge of contributing who have already gotten experience, including Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Enmanuel Valdez. Two of those players were part of a great 2022 trade deadline deal involving Christian Vazquez. After that, they have a few players on the horizon including Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel, Nick Yorke, and Roman Anthony. The prospect list as a whole is very promising for the Red Sox’s future.
The previous regime led by Dave Dombrowski gave out some silly long-term contracts like Chris Sale, which in retrospect prevented the Red Sox from having enough money to sign Mookie Betts. The ownership mandated Bloom get under the luxury tax and he did a good job of that. Fan favorite Xander Bogaerts got a ridiculous offer from the San Diego Padres which now looks like the worst contract in baseball, and Bloom was smart not to match. This upcoming offseason was what Bloom and ownership had set up to start spending money.
Takeaway
Overall, Bloom was not perfect, but whoever takes over his job is set up in a great position for the future. If the ownership is willing to start spending again, that will only benefit the next Chief Baseball Officer. Many people will have opinions about Bloom, but if the Red Sox have success in the future he should get credit for modernizing the Baseball Operation Department. Whoever takes over needs to continue his progress and try to achieve the sustained success that other top-level teams have had. It’s unfortunate he won’t be able to see his plan through, but despite some fans’ opinions, he left the organization in great shape.
Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
