Alan Greenwood

It can be reasonably stated that the Red Sox’ new leader of baseball operations is the anti-Dave

Dombrowski.

Merely skimming Chaim Bloom’s baseball bona fides will reveal the difference before reaching the second paragraph: He was assistant general manager of the Tamp Bay Rays.

Any executive in the Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball operations should be taken seriously. Regardless of who comes and goes, or how lean the bankroll becomes, the Rays are never far from contending in the American League East.

Rays executives know how to make-do on a budget so thin it casts no shadow. We live in the age of doing more with less, as corporate cheerleaders say when asking the impossible of their worker bees. The Rays actually accomplish that mission more often than not.

Dave Dombrowski took plenty of knocks as he hit the Jersey St. pavement, but before dismissing him as a free-spending fool, the man did win a World Series. Revisionist historians should at least acknowledge that, even with a grudging nod.

In that vein, Bloom deserves a shot at constructing the Red Sox baseball operation the way John Henry wants it. Fans addicted to immediate gratification will struggle with the concept of building an organization from the ground up. If Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez or both are in someone else’s lineup on Opening Day, the screeching will be deafening.

So dig deep and find whatever semblance of patience your soul holds.

And if Bloom produces a World Series champion the hard way, just think how that will disarm critics who don’t think the Red Sox can win without tossing gobs of money in the wind.

Maybe John Henry is thinking of his ownership legacy.

TIME TRAVEL: Oct. 24, 1964 – “Nashua High’s much-improved and highly polished football forces toyed with arch-rival Manchester Central for the first period, exploded for 21 points in the second period and never looked back until they had posted a 31-6 triumph last night at Athletic Field in Manchester.

“One of the coldest evenings of the fall was responsible for the small gathering estimated at less than 2,500 persons.

“Those that braved the frigid air got their money’s worth, however. They watched Lou Sardonis, Nashua’s fleet halfback, reach a peak performance by scoring three touchdowns. They also saw some superb and flawless ball handling by Tommy Peacock and Dick Dyer and they witnessed a crushing Purple defense that staggered the

opposition.”

Telegraph legend Mike Shalhoup’s reference to “Athletic Field” is the facility we now know as Gill Stadium. Previously facilities at that location went by the names Beech Street Grounds, Varick Park and Textile Field, with its final name change in 1967.

And that reference to a “small gathering estimated at less than 2,500 persons” may be startling to those accustomed to an estimated 1,000 persons being declared a great crowd.

Alan Greenwood can be reached at 594-1248, by email: agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com, or on Twitter

@Telegraph_ Alan.

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