He also was called upon to pick up the pieces and try to find a solution to the problems that gripped the club following the 2011 season.
All of that might seem easy in hindsight.
Now, the Red Sox are in last place in the AL East, and some of the Fenway faithful are begging for Cherington to trade starting pitcher Josh Beckett.
Red Sox fans are not happy with Beckett. The right-hander, who was arguably the most important piece to the 2007 World Series title, is viewed by many as the biggest reason for the team's recent problems — on and off the field.
On the field, Beckett has struggled dating back to last September. In fact, since Sept. 1 of last season, he's 3-6 with a 5.77 ERA. Off the field, things may be even worse as his name is associated with beer, chicken and golf.
For Red Sox fans, a few choice words also come to mind at this point. If fans haven't reached their tipping point yet, they're one short outing — accompanied by another stubborn news conference — away from calling for Beckett's head.
The airwaves and Internet were flooded Thursday night with pleas — and in some cases demands — for Beckett to be shipped out of Boston.
As is often the case in sports, however, making a trade is not that simple. If the Red Sox were interested in trading Beckett (a big if), they would be in a difficult position.
At the risk of oversimplifying things, Beckett would run the show if the Red Sox decided to move him. Beckett has achieved 10-5 status, meaning that he has 10 years of major league experience, and five coming with one team. Because of that, Beckett would have to approve any deal before the Red Sox could trade him.
Now, is it possible that Beckett is so fed up with the Boston experience (fans, media, etc.) that he'd jump at a chance to move? Maybe, but assuming that would be awfully presumptuous. On the other hand, is it possible that he says "No way, Jose," just to be stubborn and throw the whole thing off? Anything is possible.
If both sides think that a divorce is best for all involved, maybe 10-5 doesn't matter. But it's worth noting that it's there.
If the Red Sox were to move Beckett, there's also a strong possibility that they would have to eat some of his salary. He's under contract through the 2014 season, and he's owed almost $16 million per season until that contract runs up. That's not exactly an easy contract to move. Maybe if you're dealing with a big-payroll team, say, the Rangers or Marlins, that won't matter. Either way, though, the Red Sox would have to embrace the idea that they probably will have to wear some of that salary.
Finally, there's Beckett's performance of late. If he continues to "pitch like [expletive]" — his words — then obviously the market won't be as strong as if he was pitching well and acting like a model citizen. Then again, if he's pitching well and acting like a model citizen, the Red Sox are not trading him. Instead, they are probably among the best teams in baseball, just like they were last season, when Beckett was really good for much of the year.
Perhaps the biggest argument against trading Beckett, at least for those who call the shots on Yawkey Way, is that a Beckett trade hurts the Red Sox' chances of winning, at least for this season. Beckett can pitch. It's very unlikely he has lost it and has no hopes of finding it again. He was 9-2 with a 3.00 ERA combined in July and August as recently as last season.
Assuming Beckett is healthy, an All-Star pitcher (who turns 32 on May 15) does not regress that quickly. The things away from the field, however, may be a bigger concern.
It's a tricky situation for Cherington and the rest of the decision-makers at Fenway. If they're even slightly entertaining the idea of trading Beckett, they'll have to think long and hard about that option because such a move would drastically alter the franchise.
Regardless, don't expect the decision to be easy. It never is.
