Comments on: Who is better than Terry Francona?

By: bigleagues

bigleagues — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 23:14:01 +0000

Excellent choice.

By: bozosforall

bozosforall — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:52:43 +0000

“If the batters play to their career norms and the starting pitchers can give quality starts then we will win the division next year.”

Don’t count on it, Paper Tiger Boy. The Yankees youngsters will make the Yankees even more formidable while the Red Sox’s only chance to keep up will be to try once again to BUY a title via free agency.

By: bozosforall

bozosforall — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:48:23 +0000

1hysterectomy is as ignorant about baseball as he is about football on PFT.

By: madisonave99

madisonave99 — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:33:22 +0000

@sportsdrenched.com I’m actually going to humor you and explain my handle…i’m a NY Giants fan and their defense back in the 50′s and 60′s was nicknamed the Madison Ave Giants…and btw, how childish is making fun of someone’s username?? People usually resort to things like that when they can’t bring anything worthwhile to the conversation at hand

By: mogogo1

mogogo1 — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:24:16 +0000

Knee jerk reaction that will put HUGE pressure on whoever the new guy turns out to be. Winning it all will be the expected outcome…anything less and the guy will be viewed as a total bust.

By: Ari Collins

Ari Collins — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:35:10 +0000

He’s called Tito too.

By: 27yanks

27yanks — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:12:44 +0000

. . oh and GO YANKS ! ! ! !

By: 27yanks

27yanks — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:11:37 +0000

Really??
As a life long Yankee fan even I see this as a stupid move.
But as always managers get all the blame and new credit.
Some team will be getting a great new mamager, hopefully not in the American League.

By: deathmonkey41

deathmonkey41 — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:34:02 +0000

Bring back Grady Little!!!! Best manager Boston ever had- espeically in the Playoffs!!!

By: Tyree Studio

Tyree Studio — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:13:32 +0000

Trey Hilman??

By: anybodyinhere

anybodyinhere — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:55:31 +0000

Maybe Matt Millen knows a little more about baseball than football. He’s available.

By: sparkycon

sparkycon — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:49:41 +0000

Two words: Grady Little

By: Pat Gray

Pat Gray — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:47:55 +0000

Crawford is no “keeper!” Heck, I would rather they sent Kevin McHale to the outfield.

By: summerof67

summerof67 — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:46:45 +0000

As a Red Sox fan, I will be pilloried for saying this, but I have to acknowledge that Joe Girardi has done a fantastic job at the Yankees. He would never leave, because he bleeds blue pinstripes, but seeing him on a Boston bench would not make me unhappy.

By: Pat Gray

Pat Gray — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:45:53 +0000

They gotta bring in K.C. Jones or Butch Hobson.

By: sportsdrenched.com

sportsdrenched.com — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:37:48 +0000

I agree with most of what you said. But there are a lot of particulars to the situation we don’t know about. And I haven’t heard Red Sox fan per se calling for anyone’s head.

And someone with the handle: madisonave99 making this statement “something has to be done” ESPN-esque society that permeates that.
Is ironic to me.

By: thefrenchyconnection

thefrenchyconnection — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:28:20 +0000

Isn’t it painfully obvious? Bobby Cox duh!

By: missthedayswhenwedidnthavetologin

missthedayswhenwedidnthavetologin — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:27:43 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRQxRnUes94 This man is better than Tito.

By: PanchoHerreraFanClub

PanchoHerreraFanClub — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:23:54 +0000

I understand that Wally Backman is available for the right price.

By: yankeesgameday

yankeesgameday — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:20:13 +0000

When is Joe Maddon’s contract up in Tampa? Hate today it but he’d be the perfect blend of personality for Boston and a player’s manager

By: delegator

delegator — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:55:32 +0000

The job of managing a team like the Red Sox or the Yankees is all about dealing with the egos and talent brought in with the high payrolls. I think Francona has been great at that over the years, but I also think there was a complacency in this year’s team because of the offseason acquisitions and preseason hype.

I don’t see anybody better to right the ship than Francona. He has history, he has credibility, and he has a genuinely strong relationship with the key players like Dustin Pedroia. He’s also a very smart man, who would be able to look back and see what needs to be done differently this year.

Personally, I would look at third base coaching (too many runners thrown out at home…we were third worst in the majors at one point this year). I would look at the new pitching coach to determine why our starters can’t consistently last 6 innings (often not because they’ve given up too many runs, but because they’ve thrown too many pitches) and why our starters have suffered so many injuries. I’d try to get Jason Varitek to be the new bullpen coach (you have to think that it’ll be Salty & Lavarnway behind the plate next year) and decide whether a Reddick/MacDonald platoon is the answer in right field, or whether we need to bring in a free agent now that Drew’s contract is thankfully over.

The pieces are still there. If the batters play to their career norms and the starting pitchers can give quality starts then we will win the division next year. And I don’t see anybody better than Francona to guide that process.

By: kevbarnett

kevbarnett — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:53:55 +0000

Ryne Sandberg seems like a logical fit. I know his dream job is to coach the Cubs but I think Boston needs a guy with name recognition. Sandberg has done a terrific job managing in the minors, he led the Phillies AAA affiliate Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs to the post season this year. The guy will be a good manager, as a Phillies fan I’m hoping he can stick around long enough to replace Charlie Manuel after his contract is up.

By: havlicekstoletheball

havlicekstoletheball — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:52:02 +0000

There is no better manager than Francona for the Red Sox. He is the best manager in club history.

The team needs a major facelift.

Obviously gone:

Lackey
Matsuzaka
Drew
Varitek (unless he wants to be a coach)
Papelbon
Bedard
Jenks
Albers

Maybe gone:

Ortiz
Wakefield
Lowrie
Wheeler
A. Miller

Definite keepers:

Pedroia
Crawford
Ellsbury
Lester
Youkilis
Beckett
Gonzalez
Kalish
Scutaro
Saltalamacchia
Buchholz
Reddick

But I don’t think Francona is staying. Damned shame. He was such a breath of fresh air from a moron (Little), a grump (JiMy), a blowhard (Kennedy), and a drunk (Morgan).

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:51:45 +0000

Now Boston will likely save millions in double bubble….

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:49:51 +0000

Torre walked out on his last team, he doesn’t deserve to manage anymore.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:35:03 +0000

Again, Francona is an excellent manager, but the Red Sox won because of the talent on the field. I wonder how Francona would do on a team devoid of incredible talent? The answer is he would average 71 wins a season as he did over his 4 year span as Phillies manager.

By: mojosmagic

mojosmagic — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:34:23 +0000

Bozo the Clown for starters. Why you readers harken to ask? At least a Clown could lighten up the tension filled club house.

By: Jason @ IIATMS

Jason @ IIATMS — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:31:59 +0000

Anytime a talented Sox teams loses a key part, no matter by whose hand, I’m thrilled.

As a Yanks fan, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Francona. The Sox organization is worse off today (if today is the day he leaves) than it was the day before.

I hope he lands in the NL!

By: 8man

8man — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:04:50 +0000

I don’t blame Tito for this. Injuries took there toll and the remaining players just didn’t execute. If he leaves I hope he ends up in Baltimore.

Boston Bruins, 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Champions.

By: shaggylocks

shaggylocks — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:54:44 +0000

Is the world ready for the Varitek player-manager? Only time will tell…