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After 43 years, J.P. Ricciardi adjusting to life outside baseballemailEmail to a FriendShare on FacebookShare on TwitterPrint this ArticleView CommentsEmail to a FriendShare on FacebookShare on TwitterPrint this ArticleView CommentsShare

J.P. Ricciardi got started in professional baseball in 1980 as an infielder for the Little Falls Mets of the New York-Penn League.

He went on to become a coach, an amateur scout, a front-office executive, and general manager of the Blue Jays for eight seasons. Stints with the Mets and Giants followed. In all, he spent 43 years in the game.

But as a new season gets started, Ricciardi finds himself in a much different position: staying at home.

At 64, the Worcester native has decided he’s done with the game because he fears the game is done with the qualities he brings to a job.

“I wanted to work until I was 66, but the last five years weren’t enjoyable,” Ricciardi said. “The game has changed so much. It felt like this was the right time for me.”

As baseball becomes increasingly driven by data and predictive analytics, there is less of a role for executives who are grounded in scouting and player development.

“Experience doesn’t matter in our game anymore,” Ricciardi said. “So many people experience success and failure and can draw from those events. But they don’t want to hear it. Everything is quantified now.”

Ricciardi doesn’t want to come off as an “angry old man” complaining about modern times. He believes Major League Baseball was right in improving the pace of the game by using a pitch timer.

He also supported the idea of starting extra innings with a runner on second base.

“I love the pace of the game now,” Ricciardi said. “The next generation doesn’t want to sit there four hours to watch a game. When I was an advance scout, you’d watch a Red Sox-Yankees game and it lasted until midnight.”

The new rules returned the game to how it was once played and made it better. Front offices won’t embrace the past any time soon, but Ricciardi believes there should be more flexibility.

“The organization that successfully embraces and blends in personal [and] experienced evaluation with the analytical data will have a real advantage in today’s game,” he said.

“Many teams are not taking advantage of the untapped resource of proven evaluators with years of experience in scouting, player development, or front offices.

“Focusing on one school of thought has not produced any perennial winners.”

Ricciardi spent six seasons with Oakland working for Billy Beane, the executive most identified with bringing analytics into the game. But Beane, contrary to how it was depicted in the movie “Moneyball”, also believed in trusting scouts who saw something in a player the numbers couldn’t.

The Athletics signed players such as Buddy Groom, Carlos Reyes, and Matt Stairs based on qualities scouts observed. Ricciardi did the same in Toronto, taking chances on players other teams passed on.

Jose Bautista was a journeyman outfielder when Ricciardi obtained him in 2008 for a player to be named later. Bautista went on to hit 288 homers over 10 seasons with the Blue Jays.

Now executives often make decisions based on avoiding risk.

“If you had an opinion on a player, Billy wanted to hear it,” Ricciardi said. “We took a lot of chances. Some of them worked out and some of them didn’t. He trusted people.”

It was Beane who encouraged Ricciardi to interview with the Blue Jays. It’s not on his résumé, but Ricciardi also worked for the Red Sox — for one day.

After he was fired by the Blue Jays late in the 2009 season, Ricciardi joined ESPN and spent one season on “Baseball Tonight.” Theo Epstein then offered him a position with the Red Sox in November 2010 and Ricciardi accepted.

“I signed a contract with Theo,” Ricciardi said. “It was great; I was going to work for the Red Sox.”

He spent a day at Fenway Park taking part in a team-building simulation exercise. The Mets then called and asked permission to hire Ricciardi for a position that would have more responsibility.

Epstein gave Ricciardi the choice and he went to New York, where he spent eight seasons.

His short stint with the Sox aside, Ricciardi had connections to New England throughout his career.

He was once hired by Dan Duquette as an instructor for the Brewers. Maine native Bill Livesey gave Ricciardi a job with the Yankees as a minor league coach.

“I was very fortunate in my career,” Ricciardi said.

The high point, Ricciardi said, was his time as Toronto’s GM. He hired Alex Anthopoulos, who succeeded him with the Blue Jays and is now enjoying success as president of baseball operations for the Braves.

Ricciardi also hired Keith Law away from Baseball Prospectus to be a special assistant with the Jays. Billy Gasparino, who runs amateur scouting for the Dodgers, was another Toronto product. Angels GM Perry Minasian also worked for Ricciardi.

“Having the autonomy to run a team was something special,” Ricciardi said. “We were able to do a lot of things.”

The low point? That didn’t exist.

“I was always doing something I loved,” Ricciardi said. “Scouting, coaching, signing players and seeing them get to the big leagues. It was always fun.”

Ricciardi isn’t leaving baseball behind. He started a podcast — “The Brushback with JP” — to keep talking about the game. He’s also open to another front-office position if the right fit is there.

For now, he’s home in West Boylston and following the career of his son, Dante, who is an amateur scout with the Red Sox covering Florida. Another son, Mariano, played in the minors from 2021-23.

“I have a lot of miles in. I’m sick of traveling,” Ricciardi said. “I’m home with my wife [Diane] and it feels good.”

Devers aggravated

Rafael Devers has always been below average at third base, something that is unlikely to change. But it’s not from lack of caring.

As the Red Sox went through drills on Wednesday, Devers charged a ball that took a bad hop and rolled up his arm. Frustrated, he threw his glove at the ball and cursed.

He fielded the next ball cleanly and shook his head as if to say, “Why can’t I do that all the time?”

Alex Cora believes a big part of the issue with Devers is that one bad play leads to another because he gets upset. That’s an issue for mental performance coordinator Rey Fuentes, who is around the team every day.

The Sox also are working with Devers on how he sets up before the pitch is thrown. That routine has been inconsistent.

Cora also has faith that playing a full season with Trevor Story will aid Devers. Story’s uncommon range will allow Devers to play closer to the line and have less ground to cover.

“That’s a different athlete,” Cora said.

However it works, the Sox need Devers to stay at third and improve as much as he can. They have Triston Casas established at first base and don’t want a 27-year-old designated hitter set to earn $313.5 million through 2033.

A few other observations on the Red Sox:

▪ Craig Breslow played a big role in convincing Jon Lester to make a two-day visit to camp. Lester respected Breslow as a teammate and agreed to put on the uniform again.

Given his bitter departure in 2014, it was a good sign. Lester has a lot to offer given his success on the field and the adversity he overcame.

▪ The cover of the 2024 media guide features Devers, Casas, Story, Brayan Bello, and Masataka Yoshida.

Kenley Jansen, the lone All-Star from 2023 and the fifth-highest-paid player, didn’t make it. That doesn’t seem like a coincidence given the persistent trade rumors.

The media guide also revealed the Sox have 35 staffers listed under “Baseball Research & Development.” That’s up from 33 last season.

They had nine in 2018. That increase is pretty typical in the game.

▪ Russell Nua, who worked for the Sox as a massage therapist since 2004, has retired. He was with the Diamondbacks before following Curt Schilling to Boston. Nua has five World Series rings.

Nua was replaced by Edwin Rodriguez, who had been with the Triple A staff.

▪ Arthur D’Angelo, who died Thursday at the age of 97, was likely a big part of your Fenway Park experience whether you knew it or not.

He was one of the founders of the Twins souvenir store across from the park on Jersey Street. It was a mandatory stop when we drove up to Fenway from New Bedford. Bet it was when you went to the park, too, and probably still is.

It had pennants and hats for every team in the league and what was surely the largest collection of Red Sox merchandise in the world. Many a tough decision was made over the years on how best to spend the money my dad doled out.

Arthur was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2018 and his family is now working with the team on a real estate venture in the area around the park.

It’s an impressive legacy for a man who immigrated to Boston from Italy in 1938 at the age of 12 and built a business with his twin brother, Henry, who died in 1987.

A celebration of Arthur’s life will be held from 1-3 p.m. Monday at Fenway Park.

▪ Condolences as well to Trevor and Brianna Wakefield on the deaths of their parents only five months apart. It’s profoundly sad and unfair and no uniform patch or other such memorial, however appropriate, will assuage their grief.

Given Tim and Stacy Wakefield’s devotion to charity, perhaps a fund-raising campaign that encompasses the team, Tim’s former teammates, and the fan base would be the most fitting way to pay tribute.

Bowden takes shot

Lynn’s Ben Bowden is up for a challenge.

The 29-year-old lefthander signed a minor league contract with the Braves that included an invitation to spring training knowing it would be difficult to crack the roster of a team that won 104 games last season.

Bowden was a second-round pick of the Rockies out of Vanderbilt in 2016 and made his major league debut with the team in 2021, appearing in 39 games. He has since pitched in the minors with the Rays, Giants, and Phillies.

Bowden chose the Braves because of their success with pitchers in recent years.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the way they treat their guys and that made it easy,” he said. “They had a lot of interest early on in free agency. I wanted to go somewhere where I’m wanted. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised.”

Bowden has tried to take something from every organization he’s been with — “Some more than others,” he said — and feels like he has improved.

“I know I still have big league stuff and I can consistently get hitters out,” he said. “I’m far from done. I have a lot left in the tank. The thing that keeps me going is I know I have so much more to improve on. I’m 29 but I don’t feel like I’m 29.”

Lefty relievers always seem to get opportunities. Bowden is likely to open the season in Triple A, but even a team like the Braves is sure to have needs arise over the course of the season.

“What keeps me going? I love baseball and being around the guys,” he said. “I’m excited about the season.”

East Longmeadow’s Nick Ahmed agreed to a minor league contract with the Giants that included an invitation to spring training. Ahmed, who turns 34 this month, has a good chance to make the roster as a veteran presence on the bench. He would essentially replace 37-year-old Brandon Crawford, who signed with the Cardinals after 13 seasons in San Francisco . . . It was a surprise to see Ken Giles in the Braves clubhouse. The 33-year-old former Astros closer is in camp on a minor league deal. He has appeared in only nine major league games the last four years and pitched poorly in the minors during stints with the Blue Jays, Mariners, Giants, and Dodgers as injuries took a toll. But Giles struck out Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, and Alec Bohm in order on Wednesday, all swinging at sliders. He also hit 95.3 miles per hour with his fastball . . . Steve Garvey is running for senate in California as a Republican. Former Dodgers teammates Dusty Baker and Dave Stewart endorsed Representative Barbara Lee, a Democrat from Oakland. Rickey Henderson also backed Lee . . . Shohei Ohtani surprised everyone Thursday when he announced he had gotten married in the offseason to a “normal Japanese woman.” It was a scene reminiscent of Yankees spring training in 2008 when Hideki Matsui got married on an offday and announced it to the Japanese media the next morning. Matsui described his wife as a “civilian who worked for a reputable company” and produced a black-and-white drawing of her to show reporters . . . Tigers manager A.J. Hinch does not allow his coaches to speak to reporters as he wants to be the only voice representing the team. How silly. Bench coach George Lombard is on a managerial track and should have the opportunity to refine his media skills. The Tigers wouldn’t even allow third base coach Joey Cora to talk about reconnecting with his brother on the field when Detroit played the Red Sox at JetBlue Park on Thursday. In addition to coaching third base, the Tigers hope Cora will be able to get the best out of Javy Baez, who has been a huge disappointment since agreeing to a six-year, $140 million contract before the 2022 season . . . Thoughts while driving across Florida: The Marlins conduct spring training in Jupiter, 82 miles north from Marlins Park. The ballpark the Astros and Nationals share is actually 10 miles closer to Miami. On the other side of the state, the Rays have their spring training complex 80 miles from Tropicana Field. The Phillies (20 miles), Yankees (21 miles), Blue Jays (22 miles), Pirates (26 miles), Orioles (47 miles), and Braves (65 miles) are all closer to the Trop . . . Congrats to Double A Portland broadcaster Emma Tiedemann and Sea Dogs director of ticket operations Jesse Scaglion on the birth of their daughter. Lucy Ruth Scaglion was signed to a lifetime contract this past week and looks like a top prospect . . . Happy birthday to Zack Kelly, who is 29. The righthander made his Red Sox debut on Aug. 22, 2022, at Target Field. Every debut is special. But Kelly’s was particularly so. He was an undrafted free agent who took $500 to sign with Oakland and was soon released. He then had elbow surgery and rehabbed on his own during the pandemic. The Sox signed him and he has since earned a place in the bullpen.

Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him @PeteAbe.

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