A Crash Course in Dave Dombrowski

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By Siobhan Nolan, Contributing Writer

It has been reported that the Philadelphia Phillies are in the “advanced stages” of hiring Dave Dombrowski as their next president of baseball operations. A step in the right direction in what has been an otherwise chaotic and uncertain several months for the Phillies front office, this is what fans can expect from a team under Dombrowski.

He held the role of general manager or president of baseball operations with the Montreal Expos (1987-1991), Florida Marlins (1993-2001), Detroit Tigers (2002-2015), and Boston Red Sox (2015-2019). He saw three of those teams make it to the World Series, with the Marlins winning in 1997, the Red Sox winning in 2018, and the Tigers appearing in 2006 and 2012.

Dombrowski has a reputation for being the confident and serious type with a preference for more old-school tactics, favoring scouting and having a “feel” for a player rather than relying on analytics. This fits what owner John Middleton said he was looking for after Matt Klentak was relieved of his general manager duties earlier this year:

“It’s the acquisition and the development of talent that is critical, so I’ll be looking for people who have proven that they can do that. That’s where my target is.”

However, analytics are undeniably a major part of today’s game. The Phillies’ ownership have invested millions of dollars in analytics, well aware of the fact that teams must utilize that part of the game if they want to be successful. Dombrowski understands that being open-minded enough to incorporate analytics in his decision-making will get the results he will want to see in the Phillies organization.

Speaking of which, he is not the man to hire when you want to gradually rebuild. Dombrowski likes to win, and he likes to win now. The Phillies might not contend in 2021, as it is very possible that it will take longer than the offseason to fix the team’s current issues, but the team will be expected to make immense strides with Dombrowski calling the shots.

Like any figure in baseball, he is not without his faults. He is known to be aggressive and startlingly ambitious—when he sees the opportunity for a championship, he grabs it with both hands. While this approach might sound exactly like the tonic the Phillies need to bring back their edge, it should be noted that Dombrowski is not opposed to tearing apart a farm system and unloading prospects to achieve his ambitions. This team already suffers from a lackluster farm system, and Dombrowski’s willingness to sacrifice these players to win titles could worsen the Phillies’ already unfavorable reputation with prospect management.

His aggressiveness also makes itself present in his contract dealings. Dombrowski likes his superstars, having traded for Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer, David Price, and Chris Sale in his previous roles. However, the deals for Price, Sale, and Nathan Eovaldi stilted the Red Sox’ payroll and contributed to the immensely controversial trading of Mookie Betts. Cabrera’s eight-year, $240 million contract has become a burden for the Tigers that they will be dealing with for the next three years. The Phillies already have their standout contract in Bryce Harper, and are hoping to retain their other superstar in the never-ending J.T. Realmuto saga. (Dombrowski’s presence in the front office won’t make the Realmuto deal a slam dunk either.)

Despite these flaws, Dombrowski offers some welcome change from the Klentak regime. He is accountable and able to accept criticism (of which there is a lot for the Phillies right now.) He has been known to travel with the team and make himself readily available to the media, which is refreshing after months after relative silence from front office executives on the happenings within the team.

After another losing season in 2020, which added a ninth year to the playoff drought, a quiet winter in terms of player deals, and pandemic-related financial stress, Dombrowski’s hiring is the kickstart the organization needs to really start making change. His no-nonsense, go big or go home approach to the game will encourage more ambition, accountability, and edge within the team. The Phillies have been in the doghouse with fans for way too long—the time for all bark and no bite needs to end, and Dombrowski is looking to be just the man to start baring the teeth.