The New York Yankees might be Boston's fiercest rival, but they know a thing or two about winning.
"The goal is to play a small part in helping the Red Sox become an organization that can have sustained success," Epstein said this week. "We had been in the postseason only twice in seven years going into '03. We set a goal of trying to be a team like the Yankees or the Braves, a team which you can almost count on to be in the playoffs every year."
So far, Epstein and the Red Sox are doing a pretty good job. They ended that 86-year drought by winning the World Series in 2004, and have made the playoffs four times in the past five years.
Boston won its first AL East crown in 12 years this season and advanced to play Cleveland in the AL championship series. The Red Sox trailed the Indians 3-1 in the best-of-seven series entering Game 5 on Thursday night.
Boston was a better-than-average team when John Henry and Tom Werner led a group that bought the club in February 2002, with some of the most loyal - and die-hard - fans in sports. The Red Sox had only six losing seasons in the previous 35, and were the team most likely to challenge New York's dominance in the East.
But Henry and Werner's group spent a record $700 million for the Red Sox, Fenway Park and the team's TV network - more than double the previous high for a franchise. No one spends that kind of money for a perennial runner-up.
Just 28 when he was hired in November 2002 - then the youngest general manager ever - Epstein immediately set about shaping the Red Sox into a powerhouse. In his first few months on the job, he hit the jackpot when he took a chance on slugger David Ortiz, and bolstered the bullpen with reliever Mike Timlin. Epstein also added infielders Kevin Millar and Bill Mueller.
After the Red Sox lost to the Yankees in a seven-game ALCS in 2003, Epstein pulled off his biggest coup, talking Curt Schilling into coming to Boston. Schilling had a no-trade clause with Arizona, and initially said he would only go to the Yankees or the Philadelphia Phillies. But Epstein won him over, flying to Arizona to make his pitch over Thanksgiving dinner with the Schillings.
Epstein also signed closer Keith Foulke that offseason and hired manager Terry Francona.
The boy wonder GM hasn't been afraid to let people go, either. He sent Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline in 2004 in a four-team deal that brought Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz to Boston.
Three months later, the Red Sox were world champs, with Mientkiewicz catching the final out.
"The most rewarding thing is to win while also setting the organization up for the future," Epstein said. "Building a real foundation for the organization through young players and through a strong scouting department, a strong player development department, so you know the winning isn't a fluke. That, hopefully, there will be more good times ahead."
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