Behind The Green Monster Blog
Jeremy Adler is working at his dream job this summer.
The 15-year-old student at Sharon High School in Sharon, MA, is spending a month as an intern in the Boston Red Sox’ front office, courtesy of Bentley College in Waltham, Mass and Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLB.com).
BLOG ENTRY #1
As an ultimate, die-hard Red Sox fan, it is my dream to someday work in the business of baseball, and for one month this summer, I get to live the dream. Early in March, Bentley College officials told me that I was the winner of the annual “Break into the Biz” contest. The Grand Prize: A one-month internship with the Boston Red Sox!
My first ten days have been hectic, exciting, and a lot of fun. The first thing I received was a pass with my picture, giving me access to the entire park! I have worked with Fenway Sports Group (FSG), a sports-oriented, sales and marketing organization that works very closely with the Red Sox, MLB.com, Boston College, and NESN, among other companies. With FSG, I have done research on Digital Marketing and have tried to contact Digital Marketing firms that FSG may use in the future. Also, I worked with the Red Sox Foundation. The Foundation’s primary focus is in serving the health, education, recreation, and social service needs of children and families in need across New England. They had an event July 26th, called “The Monster Mash,” and I assisted in the preparation of the event.
In addition, I have done some work with the Corporate Partnership Department. All of the needs of the Boston Red Sox corporate partners are taken care of in this department, including the procuring of tickets to a game, or facilitating tours of Fenway Park for them. In the Corporate Partnership Department, I helped file receipts and organize the tickets that were sold. One day, I got to help out the Red Sox Fan Service department. All of the fan mail written to the Red Sox goes to the Fan Service’s department. When I worked there, I read some of the fan mail, and put it in the Red Sox database, so the Red Sox organization has a record of all the mail they receive.
I assisted with the Red Sox MLB Authentication department a few times too. After games, all of the game used bats, balls, bases, jerseys, and other collectibles, are given to the MLB Authentication department, to be authenticated, proving that the items were actually used in the game, and not fakes bought online. Finally, I worked in the clubhouse one day, and assisted the clubhouse attendants with the setting up of the dugout, bullpen, field, and, I got to hang out with all the players that day, which was amazing! During my first ten days with the Red Sox, I have learned so much, and seen that there is so much more to Major League Baseball then just the game on the field. I have already met many baseball celebrities and hopefully I have made some acquaintances that may help me get a job in the Business of Baseball in the future.
top of page
BLOG ENTRY #2
There aren’t many days in the baseball season as important as the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline, and this year, I got to spend the day at Fenway Park! The day started slowly, with only the Ken Griffey Jr. trade to the White Sox, and the Arthur Rhodes trade to the Marlins happening. The four o’clock deadline came and went, and everyone in the office, myself included, thought that Manny Ramirez was still a member of the Red Sox. As the minutes progressed, it began to leak that Manny was dealt to the Dodgers, and the Red Sox would be receiving outfielder Jason Bay from Pittsburgh. The announcement of the deal ended what was a long and exciting day.
After the trade, not much of my job changed. There was some public outcry after the deal, but for the most part, the fans agreed with the trade. Inside the office, most agreed that it was time for Manny to go, and were happy to receive Jason Bay, a player that will hopefully be a member of the Red Sox for a long time.
During the week, I have worked a lot with the Red Sox Foundation, helping with the preparation of Futures at Fenway, a day when both the Lowell Spinners (SS A) and Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) get to play a game at Fenway Park. The event will be taking place August 9th. I also assisted with the Red Sox Scholar program. To become a Red Sox Scholar, you must attend public school in the city of Boston, and you must apply. If you get accepted, you receive get a $10,000 college scholarship, and get invited to Fenway Park for many special events.
One of the highlights of my internship occurred recently, when all the interns working for the Red Sox got to have lunch with the Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino. Mr. Lucchino talked about how he, John Henry, and Tom Werner bought the Red Sox, and what they planned to do once they bought the team. He also answered some of our questions for about an hour. It was very insightful, and truly an honor to spend time with one of the masterminds of the Red Sox recent success.
Fenway Park is hosting the NESN/WEEI Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon on August 14th and 15th, so I have been doing all I can to help with that. This is a great event that helps try to find a cure for cancer, and since 2002, the Jimmy Fund has raised 12 million dollars from this event, and they look to add to the total this year.
My eyes have been opened to how much work needs to be done in order for the Red Sox Organization to run smoothly. It is a lot of hard work, with many moving parts, and it’s amazing to experience firsthand. It has been absolutely incredible the first two weeks at Fenway, and I’m sure it will be no different for the last two weeks.
top of page
BLOG ENTRY #3
I didn’t think it was possible for one month to go by so quickly, yet as I pack up my things, and exit Fenway Park as an employee of the Red Sox for the last time in 2008, I can’t help but think how fast this month went.
For the past week, I have done a lot of work in baseball operations, which is great because that is what I want to do when I get older. I have been working with professional scouting, trying to find talented players in Independent League Ball that have Major League potential. I have also been looking up players that are putting up superior numbers in both the Gulf Coast League and Arizona League, and seeing if there are any players that the Red Sox may be interested in trading for. Being able to work inside the same office as some of the most brilliant baseball minds was an incredible experience, and it’s something I will never forget.
Earlier in the week, New England Cable News (NECN) came to do a story about my internship. I was glad to help Bentley College and MLB.com receive some exposure about how great this program is, and also it was lot of fun to talk on camera, and tell people what I have been doing during my month long internship. Thanks to Bentley’s Margaret Menotti, I also had my name in both the Boston Globe and Boston Herald over the summer!
This past week, there has been a lot of buzz about the upcoming Neil Diamond concert at Fenway Park. Although I will not be attending the concert, it was interesting to see all the preparation that needed to go into the production. It was bizarre to see the centerfield triangle at Fenway overtaken by an enormous stage.
During this internship, I garnered so much information about all different aspects of the business of baseball, and I realized that there’s a lot more happening at Fenway Park then the game on the field. This internship also helped me gain a sense of responsibility, by taking the train to Fenway everyday. I have gotten so much out of this experience, and I recommend all high schoolers interested in the business of baseball to apply for this position, because it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and one that you will definitely cherish for the rest of your life. I know for a fact that no matter how long I live, I will never forget the summer of 2008.
top of page
