LEN3: Derek Falvey Declined Red Sox Interview

[Parker Hageman]

When the Boston Red Sox fired Dave Dombrowski, there was some chatter that the organization could target the Twins' Derek Falvey, who grew up in Red Sox Nation and might find the challenge of running his childhood team appealing. 

 

The Red Sox announced they hired Chaim Bloom away from the Rays but it sounds like they had inquired about interviewing Falvey. According to the Star Tribune's Lavelle Neal, Falvey said nah. 

 

Despite the opportunity to return to the area he grew up and run the Red Sox — winners of four World Series titles since 2003 — Falvey declined to even interview for the role. According to a source, Falvey who was hired by the Twins after the 2016 season as their chief baseball officer, feels he has the Twins positioned for a run of success after overhauling the coaching staff and building out the baseball operations department. He simply wasn’t prepared to leave after bringing in so many new faces.

 

 

 

The Twins are experiencing some coaching harvesting -- first Pete Fatse to the Red Sox and then James Rowson to the Marlins -- and that's a good sign. Even better, Falvey remains on to backfill and target more of these high caliber, high quality coaches. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

I suddenly like him a lot more... 

[Riverbrian]

Red Sox owner John Henry seems like such a smooth guy. Buying scarves for his assistants. Coffee in the press box during interviews but something isn't right. 

 

First Brad Pitt turned him down now it's Derek Falvey. 

 

Somewhat surprising but in reality... It's not like the job he chose to remain to see through to completion is terrible. 

[Vanimal46]

Don't worry, he'll have the same opportunity to interview for that same role 3 years from now.

 

Unless that's his absolute dream job to run the Red Sox, there's no reason to leave an organization that will give him a lifetime role no matter how his teams perform.

[Battle ur tail off]

 

Don't worry, he'll have the same opportunity to interview for that same role 3 years from now.

Unless that's his absolute dream job to run the Red Sox, there's no reason to leave an organization that will give him a lifetime role no matter how his teams perform.

 

That and this team is setup for a pretty good long run of success, IMO. They have a lot of guys here that are performing for cheap right now. It SHOULD last for a little while. Or that's the hope anyway.

[Otto von Ballpark]

It's also possible that Falvey suspected there was no way he'd get the job over Bloom at this point.

[Riverbrian]

It's also possible that Falvey suspected there was no way he'd get the job over Bloom at this point.

Yep... I can’t help but assume that Bloom is at the head of the class.

 

Bloom in the mix gives Falvey the chance to look good declining a job that requires Bloom declining first.

[Parker Hageman]

 

It's also possible that Falvey suspected there was no way he'd get the job over Bloom at this point.

 

You think Falvey didn't interview with the Red Sox because he believed he wouldn't get the job?

[Vanimal46]

You think Falvey didn't interview with the Red Sox because he believed he wouldn't get the job?

Yeah, I don't believe that either. People in sports have egos and want to be known as the best at their craft.

 

Ricky Bobby said it best, "If you ain't first, you're last."

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

You think Falvey didn't interview with the Red Sox because he believed he wouldn't get the job?

No, not as a primary factor. But there are a lot of factors that go into a decision like this, and his odds of actually landing the job might have been one.

 

We talk all the time about GMs and coaches showing interest in other jobs to try to get a better raise/extension -- but maybe he thought enough interest had already been signaled to the Twins for him to forego the actual interview and work on the extension. Who knows?

 

I'm sure it's more complicated than that, just like the hypothetical decision to interview would have also more complicated than "it's my hometown team." I was just throwing out one thing that hadn't been mentioned here yet. (Bloom is a few years ahead of Falvey's career trajectory, and probably has more appeal for his AL East accomplishments at this point -- and by adding Bloom, the Red Sox simultaneously subtract from their direct competitor Rays -- another contributing but not primary factor.)

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Yeah, I don't believe that either. People in sports have egos and want to be known as the best at their craft.

Ricky Bobby said it best, "If you ain't first, you're last."

Definitely true, to a degree. Which is why I think "money talks" frequently for FA offers.

 

At some point, though, I think some pragmatism can creep into the decision-making process, especially as the money drops from player-level compensation. Again, not as a primary factor, but a contributing one (of many).

[Mike Sixel]

I think we will be seeing this kind of article for the next few years, until he does leave at some point.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Yep... I can’t help but assume that Bloom is at the head of the class.

Bloom in the mix gives Falvey the chance to look good declining a job that requires Bloom declining first.

Yeah. Even if we assume that Falvey is confident, with a healthy ego (which is fair, for someone in his position), it's not like he's living in a vacuum either. He's probably heard a lot better "inside info" about the Boston search than any of us ever will.

 

Falvey knows people with Boston. He knows Bloom. If he hears, on good authority, that it's Bloom's job if he wants it, and knows Bloom wants out of Tampa (which seems obvious), then it doesn't really take a lack of ego to shift gears a bit toward a different goal. (And declining the interview can save some ego, too, as opposed to an interview and rejection.) Heck, maybe he thinks he can spin himself to Twins ownership in extension talks as Boston's #1 target if he doesn't interview and finish runner-up to Bloom.

[Parker Hageman]

Falvey knows people with Boston. He knows Bloom. If he hears, on good authority, that it's Bloom's job if he wants it, and knows Bloom wants out of Tampa (which seems obvious), then it doesn't really take a lack of ego to shift gears a bit toward a different goal. (And declining the interview can save some ego, too, as opposed to an interview and rejection.) Heck, maybe he thinks he can spin himself to Twins ownership in extension talks as Boston's #1 target if he doesn't interview and finish runner-up to Bloom.

 

 

Well this is certainly a nice little one-man play you've written here. 

 

As far as Bloom being "ahead of Falvey" in his career, Falvey is three full seasons ahead of Bloom in the exact position they hired Bloom to do. 

 

Frankly, Falvey comes off as a very aspiration individual. If his ultimate goal was to lead the Boston Red Sox, he'd certainly have taken the interview. If Falvey declined an interview with the Red Sox, it likely had nothing to do with Bloom. 

 

But, in the end, I will admit that none of us know Falvey's actual intentions for turning down an interview. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Well this is certainly a nice little one-man play you've written here. 

 

As far as Bloom being "ahead of Falvey" in his career, Falvey is three full seasons ahead of Bloom in the exact position they hired Bloom to do. 

 

Frankly, Falvey comes off as a very aspiration individual. If his ultimate goal was to lead the Boston Red Sox, he'd certainly have taken the interview. If Falvey declined an interview with the Red Sox, it likely had nothing to do with Bloom. 

 

But, in the end, I will admit that none of us know Falvey's actual intentions for turning down an interview. 

No one can know what Falvey's intentions are, but LaVelle can know what the Boston owner's intentions were?  

 

spycake's story is completely plausible to me. Bloom looks like a great candidate given what he's done in Tampa. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

As far as Bloom being "ahead of Falvey" in his career, Falvey is three full seasons ahead of Bloom in the exact position they hired Bloom to do. 

Thanks. I mistakenly thought Bloom was promoted higher when Friedman left after 2014, but I guess he was technically just "VP of baseball operations" at that point. My bad. But he was further promoted in 2016 too -- and I think titles and divisions of responsibility can vary a lot between organizations. Both Bloom and Falvey seemed to take big steps forward in their respective careers in 2011 and 2016, so I'd call them roughly even in that regard.

 

 

Frankly, Falvey comes off as a very aspiration individual. If his ultimate goal was to lead the Boston Red Sox, he'd certainly have taken the interview. If Falvey declined an interview with the Red Sox, it likely had nothing to do with Bloom. 

Yeah, if that's his ultimate goal, he probably takes the interview and doesn't think twice about Bloom. I don't know what his ultimate goal is, though, and the fact that he *didn't* take the interview suggests that maybe it wasn't his ultimate goal? Which opens us up to speculating about other factors, which is all I was doing in this thread. And speculating that he may have calculated low odds seems just as valid here as citing his hometown.

 

FWIW, worth keeping in mind that it wasn't a quick decision either -- the Boston job has been open since early September. There's been plenty of time for Falvey to see Boston's approach, time for information to spread, and time for a variety of factors to influence the decision.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Given revenue limitations, I'll also readily agree that it's an easier decision to leave Tampa than Minnesota! So there's something to be said for the notion that Falvey was more comfortable staying here too.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Frankly, Falvey comes off as a very aspiration individual

Out of curiosity, if Falvey is aspirational, why do you think he turned down the interview?

[Riverbrian]

Well this is certainly a nice little one-man play you've written here.

 

As far as Bloom being "ahead of Falvey" in his career, Falvey is three full seasons ahead of Bloom in the exact position they hired Bloom to do.

 

Frankly, Falvey comes off as a very aspiration individual. If his ultimate goal was to lead the Boston Red Sox, he'd certainly have taken the interview. If Falvey declined an interview with the Red Sox, it likely had nothing to do with Bloom.

 

But, in the end, I will admit that none of us know Falvey's actual intentions for turning down an interview.

Turning down an interview establishes trust.

 

Going to a job interview establishes doubt.

 

If you had any information that the job is a long shot. Turning down the interview is savvy. It didn’t matter the industry... you will get useful credit from superiors.

 

Interviewing for a long shot just tells your superiors that it’s only a matter of time.

[Parker Hageman]

 

Out of curiosity, if Falvey is aspirational, why do you think he turned down the interview?

 

I don't have any particular insight into this but I get the sense that he is driven by building an organization. He has that opportunity here. Boston may be another challenge but he seems set to take on this one. If he were motivated by personal goals such as running his hometown team, then he would have likely taken the interview. After all, he beat out Bloom before for a job. 

 

Bloom is someone who has been clawing to work his way into another organization. To the best of my knowledge, Falvey never took another interview outside of Cleveland despite having almost the exact same position as Bloom (both vps of baseball operations for their respective orgs). It wasn't until the opportunity to redesign the Twins' system became available that he interviewed. As crazy as it sounds, the Red Sox wants to copy that model. It would stand to reason that targeting a person who has three years of experience creating that system would be a highly sought after candidate. 

[Parker Hageman]

Interviewing for a long shot just tells your superiors that it’s only a matter of time.

 

 

Keep in mind Falvey already beat Bloom out for the same job once.

[Riverbrian]

Keep in mind Falvey already beat Bloom out for the same job once.

Sure but that was yesterday. Everyone is raiding the Rays organization now. Bloom’s attractiveness isn’t static... it’s fluid.

 

Listen... I think what you say makes sense. He’s still building here... he wants to finish what he started. Admirable and sensible. I’m a goal oriented loyal guy myself, I can certainly understand that sentiment.

 

However... the scenario floated by Spycake is also very plausible.

 

Adding the Boston resources to the Falvey model is an advantage. He’d be crazy not to listen. Not many will turn it down. The opportunity to publicly turn down an attractive job is cred that can be cashed in later. If He knows he isn’t first choice. Declining the interview is smart.

 

Both are plausible theory’s. Either way we are all guessing.

[ashbury]

I thought Spy's "inner dialog" was useful mainly to demonstrate how little we can actually know, and that almost everything is speculation.

 

Possibly the most important attribute for someone in Falvey's job is judgement. You would hope that he'd exercise good judgement in all aspects of his life, including his own career arc. If he judged correctly that he'd be an underdog for this opening, good for him (recognizing the circularity of the argument).

[jorgenswest]

I see this as a message to the organization that he is committed to being in Minnesota. I don’t think he sends that message unless he feels the Pohlad’s are at willing to keep minimally a league median budget.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Well this is certainly a nice little one-man play you've written here. 

 

As far as Bloom being "ahead of Falvey" in his career, Falvey is three full seasons ahead of Bloom in the exact position they hired Bloom to do. 

 

Frankly, Falvey comes off as a very aspiration individual. If his ultimate goal was to lead the Boston Red Sox, he'd certainly have taken the interview. If Falvey declined an interview with the Red Sox, it likely had nothing to do with Bloom. 

 

But, in the end, I will admit that none of us know Falvey's actual intentions for turning down an interview. 

 

Has anyone considered ownership? The RedSox have had a history of being a bit of a dumpster fire from an organizational standpoint from time to time... Meddling owners can cause this and make it very difficult to succeed. 

 

Flip side... I know this will be popular... but maybe he likes it here.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Has anyone considered ownership? The RedSox have had a history of being a bit of a dumpster fire from an organizational standpoint from time to time... Meddling owners can cause this and make it very difficult to succeed. 

 

Flip side... I know this will be popular... but maybe he likes it here.

 

I'm confused, I thought no one wanted to be in MN, and that's why big time FAs won't sign in MN? Is it different for FO people?

[Riverbrian]

 

Has anyone considered ownership? The RedSox have had a history of being a bit of a dumpster fire from an organizational standpoint from time to time... Meddling owners can cause this and make it very difficult to succeed. 

 

Flip side... I know this will be popular... but maybe he likes it here.

 

Win a World Series and then tossed before the next season finishes suggests a certain amount of expectation.

 

 

 

 

 

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Win a World Series and then tossed before the next season finishes suggests a certain amount of expectation.

It also suggests a certain amount of dysfunction. There's definitely been some odd behavior coming out of Boston over the few years... not sure if that's an ownership problem or something else, but without question the type of org worth being wary over when thinking of significant career moves...

 

Taking a promotion isn't necessarily a good thing if you have reason to believe you're going to be setup to fail. 

[Riverbrian]

 

It also suggests a certain amount of dysfunction. There's definitely been some odd behavior coming out of Boston over the few years... not sure if that's an ownership problem or something else, but without question the type of org worth being wary over when thinking of significant career moves...

 

Taking a promotion isn't necessarily a good thing if you have reason to believe you're going to be setup to fail. 

 

I've been reading articles. It seems the bill is coming due while Henry and Dombroski disagree on the payment method.

 

I'm also reading reports that Dombrowski simultaneously increased the size of the analytics department while ignoring the information produced from the larger department. 

 

The Red Sox were built from a young core that is reaching arb and free agent age. Dombrowski spent money and prospects to supplement that core and it won a World Series. 

 

Now the farm is dry while the contracts are wet. They have the highest payroll in baseball and finished 12 games behind the lowest payroll in baseball, while the Dodgers and Yankees are trying to get under the competitive balance tax and still pushing out 600K talent to help them do that. 

 

IMO...We are about to witness a mini-rebuild in Boston. I think Henry is absolutely involved but I'm not sure dysfunction is the right word.

 

Owners hire the people who hire the people, clubs are always a reflection of the ownership. 

 

[beckmt]

From what I have read, Boston was ready to move on and probably would have, if they had not won the World Series.  Owner seems very impatient, and hard to work for.  Falvey was correct is not wanting to work for that type of an organization.  I know I would not.