Fred Claire
Encyclopedia
Fred Claire is a former major league baseball
executive who served in numerous roles for the Los Angeles Dodgers
from 1969–1998 including the role of general manager
from 1987–1998.
of Los Angeles
. Fred graduated from Torrance High School, then went onto attend numerous colleges before obtaining his bachelor's degree
in journalism. Attended El Camino College, located in Torrance. Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, Claire worked for a number of local newspapers in and around the Los Angeles area, mostly as a sports editor. He married and had three children, Jen, Jeff, and Kim.
in Vero Beach, FL for the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Claire continued to cover the Dodgers for the Press-Telegram through the 1969 season. During this season, one of the assistants in the public relations department for the Dodgers was fired. Claire expressed his interest in the position to Dodger executives and was hired in July 1969. Fred worked in that same position until 1975 when his boss, Dodgers vice president
of public relations, Red Patterson, left to work for the California Angels
. Fred moved into Patterson's position. During his time as VP of Public Relations, Fred was instrumental in beginning the legendary "Think Blue" campaign and also the hiring of announcer Ross Porter. Porter would remain a Dodger announcer from 1977 until 2004.
accepted the offer to appear on the Nightline television show to talk about his thoughts on the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson
breaking the color barrier. Campanis did not alert anyone in the Dodgers organization that he would be on the show. When Campanis was asked why he felt there were not African American
baseball managers, he stated, "I truly believe they may not have some of the necessities to be, let's say, a field manager, or perhaps, a general manager. Why are black people not good swimmers? Because they don't have buoyancy
." These comments stunned the baseball world. Campanis, who did not have a reputation as a racist and was one of the few Dodger players to welcome Robinson during his debut, was forced to resign his post with the Dodgers with Claire assuming player personnel responsibilities.
Dodgers president Peter O'Malley
moved Claire into the general manager position. After a dismal 1987 season, Claire rebuilt the team into an instant playoff contender. During the offseason before the 1988 season, Claire acquired veteran outfielder
s Kirk Gibson
and Mike Davis
, veteran shortstop
Alfredo Griffin
, and pitchers Jay Howell
and Jesse Orosco
. The Dodgers would go on to win the 1988 World Series
against the heavily favored Oakland Athletics
in just five games.
Unfortunately, the rest of Claire's time as the Dodgers General Manager was less successful. Claire made three transactions in the early 1990s which turned out poorly for the Dodgers and unfortunately overshadowed the success of his early time as the GM.
outfielder Darryl Strawberry
a five year contract worth $20 million. At the time it looked like a good deal. Strawberry hit 37 home run
s with a .277 batting average
in 1989 for the New York Mets
. However, Strawberry's time with the Dodgers was characterized by chronic back problems, drug abuse and overall underachievement. Strawberry was given his outright release on May 26, 1994 after he failed to show up to a game.
The second transaction took place on November 27, 1991 when Claire traded pitchers Tim Belcher
and John Wetteland
to the Cincinnati Reds
for outfielder Eric Davis and pitcher Kip Gross
. It was supposed to set up a glorious reunion of childhood friends Strawberry and Davis. However, Davis was also plagued by injuries throughout his less than 2 year stint with the Dodgers. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers
in August 1993. Wetteland, was traded from the Reds to the Montreal Expos
less than a month after he had joined the Reds. Wetteland went on to become one of the most dominating relief pitchers in the MLB throughout the rest of the 1990s.
The third, and final, poor transaction made by Claire was the one that had the worst results for the Dodgers. In need of a second baseman
after a contract dispute with Jody Reed
, Claire sent the talented Pedro Martínez
(a dominant set-up man for the Dodgers in 1993) to Montreal for Delino DeShields
. Martinez became one of the best pitchers in the MLB for the next decade and a half. Martinez was selected to 8 All Star teams and won the Cy Young Award
in 1997, 1999 and 2000. Deshields spent 3 mediocre years as the Dodgers front line second baseman in which he was more known for his various injuries and numerous complaints that the Dodgers did not have enough black players on the team.
's News Corporation
, owner of the Fox network and 20th Century Fox
purchased the team in 1998, officials stated that Claire and Field Manager Bill Russell
would remain in their positions. On May 15, 1998, new Dodger officials made a blockbuster trade without the involvement or knowledge of General Manager Claire, a move that was unheard of in baseball at the time. The trade was one of the biggest in Dodger history. The Dodgers traded Mike Piazza
and Todd Zeile
to the Florida Marlins
for Gary Sheffield
, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich
and Bobby Bonilla
. Claire was furious that the new FOX officials would make such a deal as Piazza had been with the organization for over a decade and Zeile had signed for less than market value
to be closer to his home in suburban Santa Clarita, CA. Claire, who had full control of player transactions before FOX took over, pulled no punches when he was asked his feeling on the trade. On June 21, 1998 Claire and Russell were both relieved of their duties in what was deemed by those in baseball as the "Sunday Night Massacre." Russell was replaced by Glenn Hoffman
, Claire by Tom Lasorda.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
executive who served in numerous roles for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
from 1969–1998 including the role of general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
from 1987–1998.
Early life
Claire was born on October 5, 1935 in rural Ohio. His father owned and operated a drugstore. Claire has one brother and a sister. In 1950, Martson and Mary Claire moved their family to Torrance, CA, a suburbSuburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Fred graduated from Torrance High School, then went onto attend numerous colleges before obtaining his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in journalism. Attended El Camino College, located in Torrance. Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, Claire worked for a number of local newspapers in and around the Los Angeles area, mostly as a sports editor. He married and had three children, Jen, Jeff, and Kim.
Beginning of career with the Dodgers
In the spring of 1969, Fred was assigned to cover the Dodgers during spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in Vero Beach, FL for the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Claire continued to cover the Dodgers for the Press-Telegram through the 1969 season. During this season, one of the assistants in the public relations department for the Dodgers was fired. Claire expressed his interest in the position to Dodger executives and was hired in July 1969. Fred worked in that same position until 1975 when his boss, Dodgers vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of public relations, Red Patterson, left to work for the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. Fred moved into Patterson's position. During his time as VP of Public Relations, Fred was instrumental in beginning the legendary "Think Blue" campaign and also the hiring of announcer Ross Porter. Porter would remain a Dodger announcer from 1977 until 2004.
Dodgers General Manager
On April 6, 1987, Dodgers General Manager Al CampanisAl Campanis
Alexander Sebastian Campanis was an American executive in Major League Baseball. He had a brief Major League career as a second baseman, playing for both the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' minor-league team...
accepted the offer to appear on the Nightline television show to talk about his thoughts on the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
breaking the color barrier. Campanis did not alert anyone in the Dodgers organization that he would be on the show. When Campanis was asked why he felt there were not African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
baseball managers, he stated, "I truly believe they may not have some of the necessities to be, let's say, a field manager, or perhaps, a general manager. Why are black people not good swimmers? Because they don't have buoyancy
Buoyancy
In physics, buoyancy is a force exerted by a fluid that opposes an object's weight. In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. Thus a column of fluid, or an object submerged in the fluid, experiences greater pressure at the bottom of the...
." These comments stunned the baseball world. Campanis, who did not have a reputation as a racist and was one of the few Dodger players to welcome Robinson during his debut, was forced to resign his post with the Dodgers with Claire assuming player personnel responsibilities.
Dodgers president Peter O'Malley
Peter O'Malley
Peter O'Malley is the former president and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers of American Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
moved Claire into the general manager position. After a dismal 1987 season, Claire rebuilt the team into an instant playoff contender. During the offseason before the 1988 season, Claire acquired veteran outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
s Kirk Gibson
Kirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
and Mike Davis
Mike Davis (baseball player)
Michael Dwayne Davis is a former Major League Baseball player.Over his 10 year career he played with two different teams: the Oakland Athletics , and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, veteran shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Alfredo Griffin
Alfredo Griffin
Alfredo Claudino Griffin is a former Major League Baseball player, who played shortstop for four teams from 1976 to 1993. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Playing career:...
, and pitchers Jay Howell
Jay Howell
Jay Canfield Howell is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers .Howell was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers when they won the 1988 World Series...
and Jesse Orosco
Jesse Orosco
Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,...
. The Dodgers would go on to win the 1988 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
against the heavily favored Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in just five games.
Unfortunately, the rest of Claire's time as the Dodgers General Manager was less successful. Claire made three transactions in the early 1990s which turned out poorly for the Dodgers and unfortunately overshadowed the success of his early time as the GM.
Questionable Transactions (Viewed Entirely in Hindsight)
The first of these transactions took place on November 8, 1990 when the Dodgers gave free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
outfielder Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
a five year contract worth $20 million. At the time it looked like a good deal. Strawberry hit 37 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s with a .277 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in 1989 for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. However, Strawberry's time with the Dodgers was characterized by chronic back problems, drug abuse and overall underachievement. Strawberry was given his outright release on May 26, 1994 after he failed to show up to a game.
The second transaction took place on November 27, 1991 when Claire traded pitchers Tim Belcher
Tim Belcher
Timothy Wayne Belcher is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He won the Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award in for the National League...
and John Wetteland
John Wetteland
John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who specialized as a closer. During a 12-year career , he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers.-Playing career:Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second...
to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for outfielder Eric Davis and pitcher Kip Gross
Kip Gross
Kip Lee Gross is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.Gross played for four different ballclubs during his career: the Cincinnati Reds , Los Angeles Dodgers , Boston Red Sox , and Houston Astros...
. It was supposed to set up a glorious reunion of childhood friends Strawberry and Davis. However, Davis was also plagued by injuries throughout his less than 2 year stint with the Dodgers. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in August 1993. Wetteland, was traded from the Reds to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
less than a month after he had joined the Reds. Wetteland went on to become one of the most dominating relief pitchers in the MLB throughout the rest of the 1990s.
The third, and final, poor transaction made by Claire was the one that had the worst results for the Dodgers. In need of a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
after a contract dispute with Jody Reed
Jody Reed
Jody Eric Reed is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career from 1987-1997. The 5'9" second baseman played with the Boston Red Sox from 1987–1992, and in 1990 he led the American League with 45 doubles and finished 10th in the AL with 173 hits...
, Claire sent the talented Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
(a dominant set-up man for the Dodgers in 1993) to Montreal for Delino DeShields
Delino DeShields
Delino Lamont DeShields is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who enjoyed a 13-year career with 5 teams. He is currently the manager for the Dayton Dragons in the Cincinnati Reds organization....
. Martinez became one of the best pitchers in the MLB for the next decade and a half. Martinez was selected to 8 All Star teams and won the Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
in 1997, 1999 and 2000. Deshields spent 3 mediocre years as the Dodgers front line second baseman in which he was more known for his various injuries and numerous complaints that the Dodgers did not have enough black players on the team.
FOX takeover/Claire's removal
Claire continued as the Dodger general manager through the 1997 season. When Rupert MurdochRupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
's News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
, owner of the Fox network and 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
purchased the team in 1998, officials stated that Claire and Field Manager Bill Russell
Bill Russell (baseball)
William Ellis Russell is a former shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. Russell played his entire 18-year, 2,181-game career with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the starting shortstop for four National League pennant winners and one World Series champion...
would remain in their positions. On May 15, 1998, new Dodger officials made a blockbuster trade without the involvement or knowledge of General Manager Claire, a move that was unheard of in baseball at the time. The trade was one of the biggest in Dodger history. The Dodgers traded Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
and Todd Zeile
Todd Zeile
Todd Edward Zeile is a former catcher, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1989 to . After graduating from UCLA, where he played as a catcher, Zeile played for 11 Major League teams during his career: the St...
to the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
for Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich
Jim Eisenreich
James Michael Eisenreich is an American former Major League Baseball player with a 15-year career from 1982–1984 and 1987–1998. He played for the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals of the American League, and the Philadelphia Phillies, Florida Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers of the National...
and Bobby Bonilla
Bobby Bonilla
Roberto Martin Antonio "Bobby" Bonilla is a former player in Major League Baseball who played from 1986 to 2001. Known in his playing days as "Bobby Bo," Bonilla is of Puerto Rican descent.-Playing career:...
. Claire was furious that the new FOX officials would make such a deal as Piazza had been with the organization for over a decade and Zeile had signed for less than market value
Market value
Market value is the price at which an asset would trade in a competitive auction setting. Market value is often used interchangeably with open market value, fair value or fair market value, although these terms have distinct definitions in different standards, and may differ in some...
to be closer to his home in suburban Santa Clarita, CA. Claire, who had full control of player transactions before FOX took over, pulled no punches when he was asked his feeling on the trade. On June 21, 1998 Claire and Russell were both relieved of their duties in what was deemed by those in baseball as the "Sunday Night Massacre." Russell was replaced by Glenn Hoffman
Glenn Hoffman
Glenn Edward Hoffman is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball and the current third base coach for the San Diego Padres...
, Claire by Tom Lasorda.