Francona out in Chowda land???

[Carlota69]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/0...-francona.html

The Latest On Terry Francona
By Mike Axisa [September 30 at 12:18pm CST]

As we learned last night and early this morning, the Red Sox and long-time manager Terry Francona are parting ways. Let's round up the latest on both the man and the team...

* Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal says that Francona and owners John Henry and Tom Werner all left Fenway Park after a 10am ET meeting this morning without making a comment. The meeting was held to discuss the team's future, and no official announcement has been made about Francona.
* Mike Lynch of WCTB TV in Boston reports that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told management that Francona wasn't working out six weeks ago because of a "lack of urgency." Francona was voted out 3-0 a few weeks later.
* Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe says this is a truly mutual split, however (Twitter link). Francona would have been willing to stay on if some issues were worked out.
* There's a non-zero chance that Francona lands with the White Sox, but Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter) that they won't pay big money for a manager unless it's Tony LaRussa.
* In another tweet, Knobler says that an Epstein-Francona package seemed possible for the Cubs at one point, but he doesn't think it's likely now.
* Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun doesn't see Francona managing the Orioles next year for several reasons.

[Bump]

he can come to KC, lol. My friend is a real estate agent and she said that he has an appointment next week with her to look at a few houses in Leawood.

[Demonpenz]

Probably a perfect time, Dumbasses were throwing blue ray copies of Fever Pitch at him after the game.

[Carlota69]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

Probably a perfect time, Dumbasses were throwing blue ray copies of Fever Pitch at him after the game.

Thats a joke right? If true, what a classless bunch. Francona led that team to 2 WS Championships and multiple playoff appearances. I say SCAPEGOAT.

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Carlota69

Thats a joke right? If true, what a classless bunch. Francona led that team to 2 WS Championships and multiple playoff appearances. I say SCAPEGOAT.

yeah it is a joke. The players didn't play well down the stretch. As frustrating as it is the manager means very little in baseball.

[Carlota69]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

yeah it is a joke. The players didn't play well down the stretch. As frustrating as it is the manager means very little in baseball.

ok, well I wouldnt of put it past red Sox fans...lmao...

[JD10367]

Originally Posted by Carlota69

ok, well I wouldnt of put it past red Sox fans...lmao...

**** you. And learn proper English for Christ's sake.

And, for the record, almost every fan I've heard from today--both friends on Facebook, and strangers on talk radio--are pissed that Francona is gone, and are blaming Theo Epstein and Red Sox management for the whole debacle.

On his first day as manager, Francona had Pedro Martinez leave the park early while the game was in progress. He then had to balance primadonnas like Manny, Ortiz, and Schilling, while dealing with useless signings like Lugo, Renteria, Daisuke, and finally Crawford and Lackey (just to name a few). He juggled both the fragile rich egos on his team as well as the Boston media and the rabid fanbase, and delivered two WS trophies. His reward was to be shown the door by the very people (Theo and Sox ownership) who created the problem in the first place with seasons of horrible signings.

Red Sox ownership, Theo, and a good number of the players can go **** themselves. The inmates are running the asylum. If we were all overpaid and did crap work, we'd be on the street in a second; instead, these bozos are keeping the bad eggs and getting rid of the manager. ****ing brilliant.

Meanwhile, you have the Tampa Bay Rays, who are defining the word "clutch" and doing so with a total payroll around the size of Daisuke Matsuzaka's signing bonus. Good ****ing grief.

I wish Francona success in his next job (which I'm sure will be easier and more relaxing than his last one). And I honestly no longer give a shit if the Red Sox win or lose, because they've proven to be unworthy of fandom. I root for the laundry to a certain extent, and this team and ownership has passed the limit. Eat shit and die, John Henry and Larry Lucchino and Theo Epstein.

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

yeah it is a joke. The players didn't play well down the stretch. As frustrating as it is the manager means very little in baseball.

I think the Cubs would disagree

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by whoman69

I think the Cubs would disagree

That a boy luther!

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

yeah it is a joke. The players didn't play well down the stretch. As frustrating as it is the manager means very little in baseball.

I think the managing means pretty little if you're talking about the Yankees. I still believe Joe Torre was one of the most ridiculously overrated managers in the history of the game. There's enough stuff you can do "by the book" that calling a good game is much less strategic than it used to be.

The one interesting thing about baseball is that you see quite a few managers move from team to team and become extremely successful. Pinella, Leyland, Charlie Manuel, Tony LaRussa, Jack McKeon repeat success on several different teams and, in each of these cases, take bad teams and make them good. That's something you don't really see a whole lot in the NFL. I'm not sure if that's because NFL coaches become complacent or because schemes change so much, but it happens. There's something to be said for that. I think between managing people, being smart about lineup/pitching decisions, coaching up players... and I think with less steroids, teams are being forced to play more small ball, which increases the importance of a manager.

[JD10367]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

The one interesting thing about baseball is that you see quite a few managers move from team to team and become extremely successful. Pinella, Leyland, Charlie Manuel, Tony LaRussa, Jack McKeon repeat success on several different teams and, in each of these cases, take bad teams and make them good. That's something you don't really see a whole lot in the NFL.

It's a double-edged sword. Baseball is the one sport where clubhouse chemistry can make a huge impact, if teammates respect (not like, but respect) each other and everyone tries 100% and the manager actually manages. But with their guaranteed contracts and no salary cap it's also the sport where a manager is most hamstrung by the organization. Francona may have lost his clubhouse, but it wasn't because HE sucks, it's because the PLAYERS suck, and they run the asylum. The next manager will still be stuck with a fat Beckett and a useless Lackey and an underperforming Crawford and all the other baggage. Until and unless management holds the players accountable (and not the manager), things will not change. It's typical of giant mismanaged businesses that they blame the "little guy" (in thie case, Francona) instead of addressing the real issue (their own incompetence). I think the Red Sox have had more "dead money" on their payroll than many teams have for an ENTIRE payroll, and yet they'd rather fire Francona than fire the players responsible for the biggest collapse in baseball history. Makes no sense to me.

There's always a question about whether a coach should be a hard-ass vs. a softie. Maybe Francona WAS too nice early on and, thus, his hard-ass act fell on deaf ears. But I still blame the players for not playing. No matter how well (or how poorly) Bill Belichick coaches the Patriots, the players still have to go play; if they play poorly, the team will lose no matter how he coaches. So I find it hard to put real fault on Francona when you have closers blowing saves and starting pitchers sucking balls and outfielders not making plays on playable balls and baserunners making bad decisions compounded by bad positional coaches waving them home and errors in the infield and and and...

[Crush]

I hope Boston suffers another 100 years for letting him go. The guy brings them 2 championships and they fire him because Lackey has no balls.

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by Crush

I hope Boston suffers another 100 years for letting him go. The guy brings them 2 championships and they fire him because Lackey has no balls.

He's had health problems for a while now. Id put money its more him wanting to go than the Sox FO pushing him out.

[Carlota69]

Looks like they are going to think about it...

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

[Amnorix]

Seems silly to me. Very silly.

But rumor is Francona also wanted out. That would seem less silly. 8 years in Boston would give any normal man an ulcer.