Red Sox owner John Henry says he won’t see the Red Sox, also suggests fans have unrealistic expectations for the organization
It’s not often that Red Sox owner John Henry speaks publicly to the media. Henry came out of hiding for a recent interview with the Financial Times and said he has no intention of selling the Red Sox. The billionaire owner also addressed the recent fan criticism, suggesting Red Sox nation holds unrealistic expectations of the ball club.
In a lengthy interview with FT via email, Henry discussed a few topics, like the proposals to take a stake in the PGA Tour and the status of Fenway Sports Group.
"My wife and I live and work in Boston," Henry said. "We are committed to the city and the region. So the Sox are not going to come up for sale. We generally don't sell assets."
Henry defended the club’s decision to spend heavily on free agency and suggested the Red Sox fan base holds unrealistic expectations.
"Because fans expect championships almost annually," he said, "they easily become frustrated and are not going to buy into what the odds actually are: one in 20 or one in 30."
The embattled owner also addressed chairman Tom Werner’s comments regarding “Full Throttle” this winter.
"(Werner's comments) overshadowed every other word, paragraph, and interview of the winter because it reaches so deeply into the false belief that many fans and media have that you should mortgage the future each year for the present," he said. "You have to base acquisitions and dispositions on the future, not the past. That is unpopular generally."
Former custodian of the Yawkey trust, John Harrington, provided a quote for the piece calling Henry “stranger” despite owning the team for over 20 years.
“That’s part of John Henry’s problem these days. He’s been in town for 22 years, and he’s still a stranger,” said John Harrington, chair of the Boston-based Yawkey Foundation and who Henry bought the Red Sox. “If you ask around town now, you’re gonna find most people don’t have a good fix on him . . . I think he doesn’t mind that.”
Henry also addressed why he doesn’t speak to the media or fans over concerns and the state of the ball club.
"I don't think people in my position can win publicly; your words are often used against you, so the less I say, I generally think the better," he said.
