Truth & Rumors > MLB

Red Sox owner fired Francona

Views
40485
Comments
266

09:32 AM ET 10.01 | Terry Francona was fired yesterday. The longtime manager and the Red Sox brass used a lot of polite words and tried to make it sound mutual, but Francona turns out to be the first victim of the greatest collapse in baseball history. Francona blamed himself, worked hard to stay on message, but late in his goodbye press session, he veered off the rails and threw John Henry under the team charter. "To be honest with you, I'm not sure how much support there was from ownership," Francona offered. "You've got to be all-in on this job. It's got to be everybody together, and I was questioning that a little bit." Bingo. Henry has had Francona in his crosshairs for a couple of years. Ultimately, Francona was not enough of a numbers guy to satisfy Boston's Moneyball boss.

Boston Globe

Terry Francona, Icon SMI Terry Francona, Icon SMI
October 1, 2011  09:57 AM ET

It had to happen. Francona is a good man and he will land on his feet, but the axe was falling on somebody and sheeeeiit runs downhill.

October 1, 2011  09:57 AM ET

wrong...they didnt pick up the club option, his contract ended this year, the team had options for the next 2 years

October 1, 2011  10:02 AM ET
QUOTE(#2):

wrong...they didnt pick up the club option, his contract ended this year, the team had options for the next 2 years

Give it any name you want, the result is the same. OK, so they let him walk, they let him go, he was not fired.
Now tell me this: Are you saying he could have stayed if he wanted to?
Uh, I don't think so. The old bottom line-They could have picked up his option this year, and they did not. I call that a very nice way of saying get the friiiggg outta here, you are fired.

October 1, 2011  10:02 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

It had to happen. Francona is a good man and he will land on his feet, but the axe was falling on somebody and sheeeeiit runs downhill.

Wherever he lands, that team will benefit from the Sox's loss. What they needed was better pitching, conditioning and hitting coaches. They were better off in the hitting department with Farrell gone, but made it worse by hiring Madagan. Either way, Francona basically showed himself the door when he publicly criticized the team for not being team players and the ownership for the same thing.

October 1, 2011  10:08 AM ET

Another article in the Boston Globe about Bobby Valentine being the guy that is needed in Boston; sounds like a good switch to me. Francona could stand some time away from the dugouts and is articulate. Yeah, Valentine to the Red Sox and Francona to ESPN.
BTW, I'm a ChiSox fan, but believe that they will hire a man who wouldn't cost as much as Francona. Kenny Williams also overpaid for underachieving players.

October 1, 2011  10:18 AM ET
QUOTE(#5):

Another article in the Boston Globe about Bobby Valentine being the guy that is needed in Boston; sounds like a good switch to me. Francona could stand some time away from the dugouts and is articulate. Yeah, Valentine to the Red Sox and Francona to ESPN. BTW, I'm a ChiSox fan, but believe that they will hire a man who wouldn't cost as much as Francona. Kenny Williams also overpaid for underachieving players.

I don't know, if th Sox are truly lookming for a "numbers" guy, Valentine definately doesn't foot the bill.

October 1, 2011  10:22 AM ET
QUOTE(#6):

I don't know, if th Sox are truly lookming for a "numbers" guy, Valentine definately doesn't foot the bill.

Or fit the bill.

Not sure how it works inn Arkansas.

October 1, 2011  10:24 AM ET

Cheer up Red Sox fans, October is domestic violence month and former Red Sox star Manny Ramirez is celebrating it by being formally charged with domestic violence in Fort Lauderdale.
He may use roid rage as his defense.

October 1, 2011  10:26 AM ET
QUOTE(#6):

I don't know, if th Sox are truly lookming for a "numbers" guy, Valentine definately doesn't foot the bill.

The article does mention that Valentine doesn't fit Epstein's style, but he is no-nonsense, which better meets Boston's needs.

October 1, 2011  10:49 AM ET

I don't know that you could really call it a collapse. The way the Red Sox were playing, they were going to be swept in the first round anyway. They didn't stand a chance. I guess the Sox biggest goal was preventing the Rays from getting in. Tough **** there.

October 1, 2011  11:00 AM ET

What the hell is a "numbers guy" as a MLB manager?

October 1, 2011  11:01 AM ET

Will be an interesting off season at Fenway Park.

October 1, 2011  11:07 AM ET
QUOTE(#7):

Or fit the bill.Not sure how it works inn Arkansas.

Or IN Arkansas. But I suppose if my team hadn't made the playoffs in a couple of years, I might very well be reduced to combing the sands for typos too. Here you go:

Teh Red Socks stinck.

Have at it.

Comment #17 has been removed
October 1, 2011  11:09 AM ET
QUOTE(#14):

What the hell is a "numbers guy" as a MLB manager?

A guy who plays by the statistical matchups rather than by gut instinct.

October 1, 2011  11:15 AM ET
QUOTE(#4):

Wherever he lands, that team will benefit from the Sox's loss. What they needed was better pitching, conditioning and hitting coaches. They were better off in the hitting department with Farrell gone, but made it worse by hiring Madagan. Either way, Francona basically showed himself the door when he publicly criticized the team for not being team players and the ownership for the same thing.

Tough to blame the conditioning coach if a lot players, according to Tito didn't want to participate in the conditioning program.

The real problem I have is where was the veteran leadership on this team. IMO they are the ones who really let Tito down. I put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Varitek. You don't wear that "C" on your shirt just because it makes your uniform look cool Jason.

October 1, 2011  11:16 AM ET
QUOTE(#18):

A guy who plays by the statistical matchups rather than by gut instinct.

Another words a baseball geek.

October 1, 2011  11:21 AM ET

Remember the Yawkey years, Red Sox fans?





They are back.

October 1, 2011  11:31 AM ET

Who put this current Red Sox team together because it wasn't Francona? Epstein should have taken the blame for what happened to 'em this year.


Joe Torre should be the next Sox skipper.

 
October 1, 2011  11:38 AM ET
QUOTE:

That would be worse than the collapse.

To say the least...

Comment

Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.


Truth & Rumors

MOST POPULAR

  1. 1
    Howard considering five teams
    Views
    16228
    Comments
    1326
  2. 2
    Why A-Rod's unloading his dream home for $30M
    Views
    11053
    Comments
    528
  3. 3
    Alvin Gentry interested in Clippers job
    Views
    2117
    Comments
    338
  4. 4
    Why Tennessee's the problem in the SEC
    Views
    2948
    Comments
    142
  5. 5
    Unnamed Jet: Team through with Sanchez
    Views
    38928
    Comments
    97

SI.com

Swimsuit

SI Photos