I got the chance to chat over the phone with longtime Boston Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy. Mr. Shaughnessy has been writing for the Globe for over 40 years, and in that time, done some pretty incredible things. I talked to Mr. Shaughnessy about these accomplishments. He shared his perspective on the current version of the Red Sox, the team he has loved and written about since his childhood. From his career and how he got his start, to what he thinks the Sox should do at the trade deadline, here is everything that I learned from Mr. Shaughnessy:
Jonathan Traub: What changes have you seen in journalism at the Globe and around Boston sports throughout your time working in this city?
Dan Shaughnessy: Well, I mean, the biggest change in my career has certainly been the internet. I’ve been doing this for over 40 years at the Globe and my first byline was in 1973, so really a 50-year deal counting college. People don’t read the Globe the way they used to. They certainly don’t read printed paper the way they used to. Hardly anyone under the age of 40 ever touches the paper. I walk into news stations, Channel Seven and NBC Sports Boston, there’s not a newspaper in the building. I mean, you just can’t find one! There is now more opinion-driven news rather than substance-driven news. There are more people that never leave the house and just write about what their opinions are without ever learning how to gather news or report. And finally, there has been a decline in the value of written word and long-form journalism.
Jonathan Traub: How did you get your start in journalism and how did you know that this was something that you wanted to do?
Dan Shaughnessy: Well, I was lucky that I had an older brother and sister who were really great players. I went to their games and kind of reported their games to my parents. Growing up in Central Mass, I always followed the local teams, the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, and Patriots. I would go down to the town library, and while they didn’t have a lot of sports products, I would read, for example, the latest John R. Tunis book. I played sports through high school. While I wasn’t very good, I just loved to be part of the team. And so because I knew I didn’t have a chance at becoming a professional athlete, I had to find another way to stay in the sports world. As far as how I got my start, I was lucky enough to have some great role models. I started subscribing to the Boston Globe when I was in high school. Peter Gammons is from my hometown, so when I was at Holy Cross and began writing for the school paper, Peter became an amazing mentor for me.
Jonathan Traub: Obviously in 2004 the Red Sox broke their 86-year championship drought. That was so special for you that you even wrote about that team. What do you remember from that night when the Red Sox completed the sweep of the Cardinals to win their first championship in 86 years?
Dan Shaughnessy: The ‘04 season, it’s the biblical Boston sports story. I wrote The Curse of the Bambino in 1990 and that stayed out there a long, long time. After what happened in ’03 with the Aaron Boone game, I was working on that book the whole ‘04 season just because whatever happened, it was going to be a good book. What sets that book apart from all the others, is that I was going to publish it no matter the outcome of that season. Everybody seemed to do books about them once they won, but my book was in the works that whole year. That is why I would let my book stand against anybody’s. It was thorough and comprehensive, but most of all, it was planned! To the point where after the Sox fell to that 3-0 deficit against the Yankees, Theo Epstein, the Sox GM at the time, turned to me and said, “Your book’s gonna suck.” The night that they finally won it all, I had anticipated how I was going to phrase that my whole life. Obviously, there wasn’t much drama in that series, but that was certainly an incredible night.
Jonathan Traub: You have covered a lot of Red Sox teams and therefore been close with a lot of Red Sox managers. You even wrote a book about former Red Sox manager Terry Francona. When you look at the current Red Sox manager, Alex Cora, what do you think sets him apart from other managers?
Dan Shaughnessy: With Alex, you could see he was going to be manager material, like Dave Roberts and Kevin Cash. He is just really a thinker of the game, and obviously, he’s really smart. So When John Farrell was struggling here, Alex was getting his name thrown out there a lot as a possible replacement. And although right now I think he is a little impatient with the roster that he’s got, I think he is really a great manager. I also think he is beholden to this ownership group for bringing him back after the cheating scandal.
Jonathan Traub: One of the things that all general managers are remembered best for is the huge contracts that they sign or the huge contracts that they fail to sign. How would you grade Chaim Bloom’s big contracts so far?
Dan Shaughnessy: You know, the Yoshida one looks pretty good so far. And the Devers one, it’s early, but I was happy. It’s not my money, so I’m always in favor of them spending. I’m bothered by how they are in the middle of the salary structure, at 14th or whatever they are now. I don’t like them dumpster diving for guys. I mean, the other day, that July 4th game, they used six minor league pitchers. They are the Boston Red Sox! If that’s how they want to do things, lower the ticket prices! And Bloom has been exposed in some cases, like Kiké Hernandez, who doesn’t deserve to be paid ten million like he is. Or when it comes to the Renfroe trade and their inability to keep Schwarber and Wacha. But at the end of the day, they want to have 25 guys on one-year contracts. That is the ultimate Chaim Bloom team, the ultimate John Henry team. But there’s no doubt that it would be better if he was a better evaluator.
Jonathan Traub: Do you think that the Sox should be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?
Dan Shaughnessy: I want them to be sellers, I just hope they don’t middle it again like they did last year. I mean Paxton, if he stays healthy, you can get something for him, and he’s going to leave at the end of the year anyway. Same thing with a guy like Justin Turner. While he is a great guy and a great player, he is not going to be on this team when they’re good again, he’s going to be gone by then. So why wouldn’t we trade him now? So if it was up to me I would trade away anybody with value, but I doubt they will do that.
Jonathan Traub: You were presented with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award at the Hall of Fame in 2016. How special was that award for you?
Dan Shaughnessy: That was a great honor for me. Just to be on that wall with Grantland Rice, Damon Runyon, and Peter Gammons. That’s a special thing. Professionally, that’s the greatest moment of my career. It was truly as good as it gets for a baseball writer. To be able to hang around the actual hall of famers, who were so embracing of me, was incredible. I love baseball. It reminds me of my childhood and my dad and all that good stuff. It just makes me feel good all over.
Sox Watch 