David Wilder, director of player personnel for the World Series champion White Sox, is interviewed to be Boston's GM.

01:00 AM EST on Sunday, November 20, 2005

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- It never hurts to be associated with a winner, and when your contributions to a championship effort are obvious, the benefits can be greater.

For David Wilder, that could translate into an opportunity to be a major-league general manager.

Wilder, the director of player personnel for the world champion Chicago White Sox, interviewed for the Red Sox GM vacancy yesterday. Wilder, who has spent the last two seasons with the White Sox, was largely responsibile for Chicago's acquisition of closer Bobby Jenks from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Jenks was a key for a Chicago team that won 11 of 12 games in the postseason.

"David made a significant contribution to the White Sox," said Red Sox senior adviser Jeremy Kapstein, who took part in the five-hour interview. "It's no secret he was the one who made the decision to target Jenks off the waiver wire and he's also played an impotant role in the

success of the Atlanta Braves." Wilder was director of scouting and player development for the Braves.

Said Wilder: "I definitely feel like it's important to be affiliated with a winner. There are 30 teams trying to win. If you're part of a championship team, you have something going for you."

Wilder met with Kapstein and another senior adviser, Bill Lajoie, along with front office assistant Jed Hoyer, CEO Larry Lucchino and chairman Tom Werner.

"I met a lot of different people," said Wilder. "It was exciting and fun, just getting a chance to talk about baseball and my experience in the game."

Wilder was asked for his opinions on free agency, the state of the Red Sox major-league roster and the minor-league system. He was also asked about his philosophy. More specifically, he was asked whether in evaluating players he would favor statistical analysis or more traditional methods.

"It's a combination," said Wilder, who played in the minor leagues for seven seasons and has also worked in a front office or scouting capacity for the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. "It's definitely an informational tool and you use every tool you have."

Wilder was asked his opinion on a potential trade for slugger Manny Ramirez, who has requested a deal. Wilder told reporters that he would consider any deal that would benefit the club, but added that Ramirez's talents wouldn't be easily replaced.

Wilder is the first minority candidate to be interviewed for the Red Sox vacancy, but he said yesterday that he didn't feel that he was a token candidate to help the club fufill an obligation to the commissioner's office.

"Coming in here, I knew that wasn't the case," said Wilder.

Kapstein insisted that the club was conducting business as usual even without a general manager.

"We have a group that is working around the clock on free agency, possible trades and internal business that must be addressed in real time," he said. "In that group are Bill Lajoie and myself, Jed Hoyer, Ben Cherington, Peter Woodfork, Craig Shipley and Brian O'Hallaran. And Larry Lucchino is working closely with us."