WASHINGTON -- A year ago, the Mets' choice for general manager came down to Rays executive Chaim Bloom or player agent Brodie Van Wagenen, and with Van Wagenen assuring Mets ownership that he could find a path to immediate success, he got the job.
Because of that decision, Bloom was available for the Boston Red Sox to pursue this fall after Boston fired Dave Dombrowski, and by all accounts, the Red Sox pushed hard for Bloom, who checks a lot of the boxes necessary for success. Nobody's going to outwork Bloom, his peers report, he's diligent and trustworthy, and he works well with others.
That last skill -- his ability to connect with those around him -- is going to be essential, because the circumstances under which he takes over Boston's baseball operations will be extraordinarily challenging.