Lads From Liverpool

I don’t know what John Henry does all day. I don’t really give it all that much thought. I assume he eats a few meals. Spends some time with his family. Spends some time at his office. That’s all I’ve thought about.

Why are so many other people so concerned with how he spends his time?

What do they have against soccer?

John Henry is a wealthy man. That’s pretty obvious. He made his money by starting and running a larger company. That’s not a story unlike many owners in baseball. When he bought the Marlins, he didn’t stop running the other company. When he bought the Red Sox, he didn’t stop running it either (although, he has since). As long as he’s been a baseball owner, he’s had another company to run. When he was winning his two rings in Boston, he was running another company. He clearly knows how to do it.

So, why are people so concerned about one branch of one of his companies? Why is LFC taking him away from his duties with the Red Sox? Do people think Larry Lucchino comes to Henry and says, “We’d really like to sign Albert Pujols. What do you think?” Only to have Henry say, “I don’t have time to think about that right now. I’m trying to find a new player for Liverpool.” Even if he did say that, would it stop anything? Isn’t that why the Red Sox have a team president? To run the day-to-day operations? Isn’t it up to Lucchino to pursue the deal, and just bring it to Henry for a signature?

Or, do people want a meddlesome owner? Do we expect Henry to be in Cherington’s office every day for four hours going over scouting reports with him? I know I don’t expect that. I’m pretty sure I don’t even want that. Once again, that’s why companies have presidents and vice presidents. So that the owner doesn’t have to get bogged down with everything. It’s why the Sox have a pitching coach, a bullpen coach, a hitting coach, and a bench coach. So the manager doesn’t have to get into detail with all of it. Does anyone think that John Farrell can’t put together a line-up because he also has a starting rotation? No. The two aspects run themselves, but he just oversees them.

Just like Henry. Each portion of Fenway Sports Group is really its own entity, with its own head. Henry just oversees it all. There’s no conflict.

It’s just the way you do business.