This Is A Tragedy

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by novakjr

Tragedy? Not a chance...Travesty? Maybe. Disappointing? Definitely. Honestly, there was nothing else Francona could've done. With a 9 game lead in the Wild-Card, Tito made the right decision by sticking with his slumping players. All things considered, if the team were to have any chance of winning the WS, he had to stick with those guys in the hopes that they'd turn it around. That team was built to win it all, and not just simply make the playoffs, and that fact led to the decisions and to what happened. Despite the confidence he showed in those players, and HAD to show, they didn't turn it around. Missing the playoffs under those circumstances was a freak occurrence, that even going into the rain delay, no one could've predicted.

I wouldn't fault Francona at all for what happened, because everything he did, was what he HAD to do in hopes of winning it all..

As an Indians fan, I hope he doesn't end up in Chicago..

The problem was that they didn't respond to to the confidence he showed in them. Possibly he did everything he could and made no incorrect decisions. It's also probable that during the slump they wouldn't have responded to anyone. Does doing everything correctly mean he's the right man for next year? The players aren't responding to their manager - isn't that important?

Okay, I'm the only one who sees it this way, so I'll bow out. I'm sure Francona will do a great job wherever he ends up next year - he's a very good manager.

[Fred]

Red Sox management just needed to fire somebody to keep the Red Sox nation happy.

I look at managers of teams with high pay rolls as potential scape goats when the team performance does not meet the expectations created by the payroll $$$$. Seriously, does everyone believe that Joe Torre was that great of a manager when he was with the Yanks? Look what happened when he went to the Dodgers... he totally mismanaged the team his last year at the helm. Who the heck bats Matt Kemp in the 7th position? For that fact, who bats him anywhere except 3rd or 4th.... I know, I know... Joe Torre did....

Ooops, now I 've done it... I plead the fifth here... a fifth of Jack made me type this.... go ahead, pile on you bunch of Yankee lovers... (ok, I admit it, I think Jeter is great...)

[carrigansghost]

You had me right up until the Jeter is great line.

Rawn

[YankeeCollector]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

I'm a Yankee fan but Francona is a good manager and a class act. Shame on the Red Sox.

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_19012052

Francona made it really harder to hate the Red Sox as a Yankee fan. He is a class act.

[YankeeCollector]

Originally Posted by Fred

Red Sox management just needed to fire somebody to keep the Red Sox nation happy.

I look at managers of teams with high pay rolls as potential scape goats when the team performance does not meet the expectations created by the payroll $$$$. Seriously, does everyone believe that Joe Torre was that great of a manager when he was with the Yanks? Look what happened when he went to the Dodgers... he totally mismanaged the team his last year at the helm. Who the heck bats Matt Kemp in the 7th position? For that fact, who bats him anywhere except 3rd or 4th.... I know, I know... Joe Torre did....

Ooops, now I 've done it... I plead the fifth here... a fifth of Jack made me type this.... go ahead, pile on you bunch of Yankee lovers... (ok, I admit it, I think Jeter is great...)

I totally agree on Torre. I thought he was soooo overrated as a manager and the success really went to his head. He mismanaged bullpens every year!

[chaddurbin]

torre certainly ruined jonathan broxton's career with his bullpen mismanagement out here in la...and his insistence on having larry bowa as his watchdog clashed with the younger players and stunted their development (like kemp).

successful managers are mostly about timing and circumstances...francona's perception as a good manager would change whether he goes to kc with a group of talented young guys and stacked farm system or if he ends up in the wasteland that is san diego.

[calvindog]

No one mismanages pitchers like Girardi, no one.

[19cbb]

Originally Posted by calvindog

No one mismanages pitchers like Girardi, no one.

Here's a vote for Dusty Baker

[Ladder7]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

On Sunday, September 4, Curb Your Enthusiasm ran an episode starring Bill Buckner and Mookie Wilson, and it parodied Buckner's famous error as he dropped a ball signed by Mookie out an open widow. The next day the Red Sox began their historic collapse.

Call it the curse of Larry David.

Damnit. Another 86 freakin years?

Curb, still a great show, but i really miss cheryl hines.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by 19cbb

Here's a vote for Dusty Baker

True, Dusty gets confused as well. But no manager -- even during the playoffs -- so consistently finds himself with no pitchers left in the pen by inning 9.

[kkkkandp]

Despite his prior accomplishments, he would have been crucified by the Boston media all winter and spring. And if he got the team off to a slow start next year or even hit a rough patch after getting them off to a good start, he would have been fired.

I am of the opinion that the manager doesn't lose nearly as many games as the players do. Managers don't hit or pitch or field. Can a manager make a bonehead choice here and there? Sure. Did Francona make 72 bonehead calls this year? If he did, they didn't all result in a Boston loss. Case in point - in the last game of the season he put his ace closer in and that big star blew the game.

I think Francona knew the Boston fans are rabid enough that they would have screamed for the Boston administration to take action and he probably felt the Boston administration was already leaning that way. He simply got his answer when they didn't talk him out of leaving. Stupid on the part of Boston administration, but predictable.

[Paul S]

...Same as the old boss.

[U240robert]

I don't think the Boston fans had a problem with Francona- it was the ownership group.
The Fans know who the lousy players were this year and Francona can only do so much. Every so often, no matter how good, a manager needs to move on. I'm a Boston fan and hated seeing him go, but I would've like to see him held players more accountable. He totally backed Lackey all year and he just had the worse starting pitching year in Red Sox history. Sometimes the manager needs to chew out the player(s), not necessary in the press but in some way.

[Jay Wolt]

Any word (or rumour) who is going to replace Francona?

[martyogelvie]

sometimes its just time to go.. besides if he ends up at Wrigley field in a Cubs uniform...

[howard38]

.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

I'm curious why? I didn't follow the team on a day to day as you did.....what did you see that was troubling that didn't exist over the past few years? Just that the players stopped listening to him?

He lost control of the team and his style wasn't well-suited to this particular collection of prima donnas. I think a more forceful personality would have been more equal to the challenge. I don't "blame" him but I think a change is good at this point.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by 19cbb

Here's a vote for Dusty Baker

I second that one. Between him and Cordero you need an entire bottle of antacids to sit through a Reds game. Send Dusty to Boston so they can go back to losing for another 86 years and I won't have to hear ESPN spend 98% of their MLB coverage discussing the Red Sox like they're the only team that exists.

[carrigansghost]

In breaking news from MLB, their are at least 9 teams that will outfit their stadiums with green screens during the off season so that the networks can insert fans into the seats using CGI technology. Please start contraction soon.

Rawn