Theo Epstein
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Theo N. Epstein (born December 29, 1973) was appointed General Manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2002. At 28, he became the youngest GM in the history of the Major Leagues.
Epstein is a graduate of Yale University, majoring in American Studies, and has a law degree from the University of San Diego. After his studies, he took a job in the PR department of the San Diego Padres, and rose in that organization to be Director of Baseball Operations.
When John Henry bought the Red Sox in 2002, he appointed Epstein's former boss at the Padres, Larry Lucchino, as President and CEO. At the end of the 2002 season, Lucchino appointed Epstein to replace temporary GM Mike Port.
Under the regime of Henry, Lucchino, and Epstein, the Red Sox have stressed the dicipline of sabermetrics, the analysis of baseball through objective evidence and methods. In 2002, they hired the father of sabermetrics Bill James to be a special advisor to the team, and also hired statistical analysts such as Voros McCracken. This devotion to the new wave of talent evaluation has seen the team stress on-base ability as the most important ability of a hitter, and not-so-coincidentally the 2003 Red Sox led MLB in runs scored. They led the majors with a .289 batting average, set a team record with 238 home runs, and set a new record with a slugging percentage of .491, breaking the .489 mark of the 1927 Yankees.
Epstein crafted the Red Sox team that finally ended the World Series title drought for the New England Nine in 2004. Excelling in the early part of the 2004 season due to Epstein's key free agent acquisitions Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke, the Red Sox stumbled at the season's mid-point. Shortly before the July 31 trading deadline, Epstein completed the most significant trade in modern Red Sox history by sending star shortstop and Boston icon Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs in a multi-team deal that brought first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the Boston Red Sox. Theo then brought utilityman Dave Roberts to the team, who in the ALCS had one of the most significant stolen bases in Red Sox history. After the trading deadline, the Red Sox soared into the playoffs. They swept the Anaheim Angels. In the ALCS, trailing three games to none against their rivals the New York Yankees, the Red Sox executed the greatest comeback in sports history by winning four games in a row to send themselves to the World Series. In the World Series, the Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals in four games, for a historic eight game post-season winning streak, led by Epstein acquisitions Schilling, Foulke, David Ortiz, and Mark Bellhorn.
Fact
- Epstein's grandfather Philip G. Epstein and great-uncle Julius J. Epstein won Academy Awards for the screenplay of Casablanca.