Dombrowski Dishes On Sox Playoffs And Player Prospects

In Tuesday's episode of Season Ticket, a new podcast from WBUR and The Boston Globe, Chris Gasper (@cgasper) emerges from the studio and journeys to Fenway Park to talk to special guest, Dave Dombrowski, President of Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox.

On David Price's value in the postseason

Dave Dombrowski: I think having him back and being in a position where he can be used like he is right now, which is [as] a big force in our bullpen, and pitch back to back days if he needs to, and also pitch multiple innings if he needs to, is a very valuable person to have for us.

On all the criticism John Farrell receives as manager of the Red Sox

Dave Dombrowski: This is my 30th year [in the league and] I've never seen a manager's position more scrutinized than the Boston Red Sox manager's job. It's a second-guessed position in today's world, and with social media all the much more because there are so many different immediate response. And the reality is that what makes baseball and the manager's spot interesting, because there is not always one right decision. You know what the right decision is? The one that works.

On Rafael Devers' success in his first few months in the big leagues

Dave Dombrowski: He's a very talented individual. We moved him to Triple-A for a very short time period and he just tore up the league. But again, you never know until the guy comes up here. And that's where the talent takes over and you have to tip your cap to him.

"Between [Sam] Travis and [Michael] Chavis we think we have potential there, but I can't tell you that either one of them right now is the guy for next year."

Dave Dombrowski, on the talent behind Mitch Moreland for the first base job

On Mitch Moreland's strong season and his future as the Red Sox first baseman

Dave Dombrowski: Mitch has done a tremendous job for us. In the beginning of the year when we signed him, we said that if Mitch comes in and plays Gold Glove first base, hits .250 to .260, hits 20 home runs, knocks in 75 runs that would be a tremendous year. And Mitch has done that. He is a winner.

Chris Gasper: I'm not sure there's a natural successor to him in the organization.

Dave Dombrowski: Well we like Sam Travis a lot and we continue to like Sam Travis. We're also going to play Michael Chavis, who had a real big year starting at first base in the Arizona Fall League. So between Travis and Chavis we think we have the potential there, but I can't tell you that either one of them right now is the guy for next year.

On the Astros adding Justin Verlander right before the trade deadline

Dave Dombrowski: It was about twenty [minutes before the trade deadline] and there was no trade and I thought, ok so Houston is as Houston is going to be. Then I got back to the hotel, put on the TV, and they said there's a trade that's been announced. I thought, "Oh, son of a gun," because I know he's a good pitcher.

"I thought, 'Oh, son of a gun,' because I know he's a good pitcher."

Dave Dombrowski, on his reaction when the Astros added pitcher Justin Verlander at the trade deadline

On the Red Sox being underdogs in the first playoff series

Dave Dombrowski: I know that we're going in as the underdog around Major League Baseball. Frankly, I don't think that means anything. I've tried to remind people that last year 49 out of 50 [sports writers] picked us to beat the Cleveland Indians at that time.

On why he was shoeless during the celebration after the Sox clinched the division

Dave Dombrowski: I've been through a few of these things. Socks are easy to replace. Shoes aren't. As soon as I came in, I took off my sport coat and my good shirt and put those into the coach's room where there was no celebration taking place, took off my shoes, and just left my socks on. I can replace those very easily.

And finally, on how he is greeted when fans run into him around town

Dave Dombrowski: Well, it depends if we've won or lost the night before. That's really kind of a key ingredient.