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Ben Cherington: Changes coming for Red Sox – Metro US

Ben Cherington: Changes coming for Red Sox

Ben Cherington is under no illusions.

The new Red Sox general manager, who was formally introduced to the media today, knows the team has screwed up recently.

And he’s out to make it better.

“We’ve let our fans down in some important ways recently,” Cherington said at a Fenway Park news conference this afternoon. “The last few weeks have been painful and difficult. But what I’m left with is an incredible conviction that the Red Sox will be the best organization in baseball.”

That doesn’t mean a wholesale purge, or scapegoating. Even John Lackey is relatively off the hook — Cherington revealed today the disappointing righthander needs Tommy John surgery this offseason.

“John Lackey pitched through circumstances this year that I don’t think any of us can truly understand,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, departed GM Theo Epstein gave the Sox’s hire his stamp of approval.

“Ben is infinitely more prepared than I was when I took over nine
years ago,” Epstein told the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham. “He’s been an area
scout, an international scout, an advance scout, a farm director, and
he’s supervised drafts. Ben is honest and insightful, fearless and
friendly. And he is ready to lead this organization forward.’’