Cherington wished Epstein well and said it would be his job to balance what the Red Sox already do well with a need to move forward from a troublesome year.
"There will be changes," said Cherington. "There will be small things we do differently, but we're going to continue to build on the culture that Theo helped create with the Red Sox. I wish him great fortune in his next venture, other than on June 15, 16, and 17 of next year [when the Red Sox play the Cubs]. But he's a great friend and we wish him well.
"That said, I think Theo would tell you that there comes time when it's time for a change. It's my job as part of that change to preserve what we're good at and also serve as a catalyst for the change that we need. Because what's going to work moving forward is not exactly what's worked in the past. And it's my job to manage this transition, and really the job of the entire organization to move forward and identify the things we need to do differently to get the kind of success that the Red Sox fans deserve, and our ownership deserves."
A 37-year-old New Hampshire native, Cherington actually preceded Epstein in the Red Sox organization, starting with the club as an amateur scout in 1999. He's a graduate of Amherst College and has a Masters in sports management from UMass.
Photos: Epstein, Cherington press conferences
“Ben is infinitely more prepared than I was when I took over nine years ago," Epstein wrote in a Globe op-ed piece. "He’s been an area scout, an international scout, an advance scout, a farm director, and he’s supervised drafts. Ben is honest and insightful, fearless and friendly -- and he is ready to lead this organization forward.’’
The Red Sox missed the playoffs this season after leading the American League East for a good chunk of the year, leading to the ouster of manager Terry Francona and the eventual departure of Epstein. Among Cherington's major tasks are hiring a new manager and changing an undisciplined clubhouse culture that contributed to the team going 7-20 in September.
