BOSTON - Larry Lucchino is stepping down from his dual titles of president and CEO of the Boston Red Sox.
The news broke yesterday that after 14 years holding the title, Lucchino is going to hand over the keys.
Sean McAdam wrote a great column on it last night - what Lucchino meant to the Sox during his tenure, and what his stepping down means going forward.
On Sunday, Lucchino released a statement. It reads:
"As far back as 2004, the year of our first world championship, I started to plan for the day when I would want to cut back a little. I even inserted a clause to that effect in my contract.
Then, after the 2013 season, I had further conversations with John Henry, Tom Werner, and Mike Gordon regarding a time in the future when I might transition to a new role and reduce my responsibilities. After all, it’s a wonderful job, but it’s a demanding job.
I believe the end of this year is a good time for this change. We would have preferred to announce all of our transition plans at once, including my new role, but I can tell you we all feel strongly that Sam Kennedy, who has been with me for 20 years, should be the next President of the Boston Red Sox. Sam will do a terrific job. He is able, well-prepared, and fiercely dedicated to the Red Sox and to Boston.
I have been blessed to have outstanding partners, and I plan to continue working with John, Tom, Mike, Sam, and all of our partners in meeting the challenges that lie ahead for the Red Sox. I am also deeply proud of our extraordinary front office. They work together harmoniously and effectively, and each member has my gratitude, admiration, and respect.
I have now been President/CEO of the Red Sox for 14 years. I love the Red Sox, I love Fenway Park, and I love Boston. It’s my home. It’s never easy to leave a job you love, but I look forward to the next chapters."
With Lucchino saying he's essentially been planning this for the last 10 years, the news can't be a surprise to those within the organization. That included John Farrell, who talked a bit about Lucchino on Sunday.
"Personally, someone who's obviously deeply involved in not only the roster construction but everything that's gone on around Fenway here," Farrell said. "I can tell you [Lucchino is] someone who is demanding but yet willing to invest the best available resources to players to get the most and highest production out of guys. While he's demanding, there's some things that Larry was always willing to go above and beyond to make available to all of us here.
The three World Series championships are evidence of that much. Though he's swung and missed on some decisions, and has to take partial responsibility for the Sox struggles as of late, none of it is due to lack of effort or interest in the organization. Lucchino does have the new PawSox stadium plans on his plate now, but Farrell wouldn't say that he was any less involved in the team recently than he has been from the beginning.
"He's clearly been a main player in an unprecedented run of success here in Boston," Farrell said. "That will carry on not just in World Series trophies, but tangible things here with the additions to Fenway and the renovation plans and programs that this ballpark went through. But I think still the thing that will stand out most is the interactions that you had with him frequently. Whether it's here at home, whether it was in spring training, and just a driving force behind being the best that we could be."