I hate the Red Sox. I always have and I always will.
I will never forgive them for the death of my boy.
Well, they didn’t kill any boy I know, but I did sound a bit Kirk-esque in my announcement that I hated the Red Sox.
In all seriousness, I have to give credit where it is due. The Red Sox, from an HR perspective, turned there ship around very quickly by doing some smart moves:
1. They rid the team of malcontents (Josh Beckett, Alfredo Aceves)
2. They rid the team of bad contracts and bad fits (Beckett, Crawford, Gonzalez)
3. After ridding the team of people, they changed the system by firing the manager
4. They brought in a leader who had success with a team before in John Farrell
5. They brought in likable players and fun back to the clubhouse
For a Yankee fan, it has been difficult to see this happen, but you have to give the entire organization props; they changed the demeanor of the team and the clubhouse to reflect a more professional (sans the beards) team that was likable.
Build a likable team, and you will see success, just like the Red Sox.