analysis and MLB rule compliance among a
variety of other things. A steady presence
around the office, it seems that nothing can
rattle O’Halloran.
“As an adversary, I have always respected
how he handled himself,” said Bloom.
“He is smart, thorough, calm and capable.
But if you think we are biased about him
with the Red Sox, go find out what his
counterparts think of him. He is without
question among the most respected and
trustworthy executives in the game today.
He leads selflessly and without ego, and the
good of the Red Sox is his highest priority.
In that regard and so many others, he is a
model for everyone here. That I can now
work closely with him is a privilege.”
Raquel
After joining the Red Sox in 1999, Ferreira
has now worked in parts of four different
decades for Boston. Her specialty has long
been in the minor leagues, where she has
done everything possible to make prospects
feel comfortable. Every prospect who has
come up to the Red Sox and flourished in
recent years – from Betts to Jackie Bradley
Jr. to Xander Bogaerts to Rafael Devers –
has cited Ferreira as a cornerstone. While
her interpersonal skills with the players
have set her apart, Ferreira is an ace at
overseeing budgets, handling contracts and
leading the club’s immigration program.
If there is one word to describe her, it is
indispensable.
“Where to start with Raquel? I guess to
keep it simple, I would say she’s one of
the best baseball executives in the game
and I’ve never met a better person,” said
O’Halloran. “I’ll stop right there. I’ve never
met a better person. She’s incredible to
work with. Her emotional intelligence
is off the charts. The relationships that
she develops with people throughout the
organization, whether that’s players, staff,
colleagues of all kinds, she’s an incredible
listener and just someone that you can
always rely on to give good advice, good
counsel. She contributes in so many ways,
it’s hard to even describe.”
When Ferreira became part of the interim
team to lead the front office before Bloom’s
arrival, she realized that all her hard work
over the previous two decades was starting
to pay off.
“It meant a lot,” Ferreira said. “I’m not going
to lie. Especially with the landscape, the
way baseball is, there aren’t many females
in prominent leadership roles. There’s Jean
Afterman with the Yankees. For John, Tom,
Mike Gordon and Sam to actually give me a
seat at the table has meant a great deal and
it says a lot to me about this organization.”
Eddie
Romero first started coming to Fenway Park
when he was a kid. His father – Ed Romero,
Sr. – was a utility player for the Red Sox from
1986 through ’89. At a very young age, Eddie
realized he wanted to be in baseball for the
rest of his life. But he didn’t have the skills to
play it professionally like his father.
So the native of San Juan wound up building
a front-office career in baseball, though
not until he had already worked as a
prosecutor for the State’s Attorney’s Office
in Jacksonville, Fla. Romero was hired by the
Sox in 2006 as an assistant in international
R E D S O X . C OM/MA G A Z I N E 41
MADDIEE MALHOTRA
/MAGAZINE