Francona out?

It certainly looks that way.

http://www.nesn.com/.m/2011/09/reports-terry-francona-parting-ways-with-red-sox-after-eight-seasons-on-bostons-bench.html

I think it's a shame. He's taken the Red Sox to two world series titles, but they've failed to make the playoff for the last two years. It's going to be an interesting off-season that's for sure.

Wonder how secure Kenny Dalglish feels now? Red Sox owners show their true colours.

You've got the nucleus of a super team, Jane, shouldn't worry too much about the players, but probably need to replace Ortiz, Papelbon and Drew, and get back to basics with the starters.

Who's going to manage?

from the interviews i have seen and read it looks like it was very much francona's own decision so cant really blame the owners

I think technically his contract had expired and the Sox elected not to take up their option for 2012.

Whatever, there's clearly something going on in the clubhouse but it's unrealistic to think Francona would not have been asked back if they'd've won the Division - which six weeks ago it seemed they would.

Perhaps Grady Little will return? Nah.

yeah i know about the options, there was a 10 day window for a decision

but francona could still have made it clear to the ownership that he did not want to come back so they would have then not taken up the option and from the interviews i have seen that looks like what happened , he said he had had enough basically and it was time for a change

he said that, not the owners

rich,
Francona is quoted as saying: "I'm not sure how much support there was from ownership." In such circumstances at the end of a contract, you have to expect managers to watch out for themselves. Just a bit!
Meanwhile, in this world of banana skins, had to smile at the report that John Henry was whisked off to hospital after an accident on his yacht, left the boat wearing a neck brace.
Should have been at Goodison, serves him right.

you seem determined to blame the ownership , i still think that francona decided he wanted to go

however even if he was pushed dont you think that when a team who was a big favourite to win the world series at the start of the season fails to even make the playoffs, especially with the complete capitulation in september, then the manager has to take the blame ?

2 years in a row with no playoffs is gonna get you the sack in boston

rich,
Technically of course he wasn't sacked, his contract expired.
What I really think is that Francona blamed Epstein for some of the bizarre moves made during the past 24 month. One of the two had to go and, as a Yankee fan, I'm glad it was Francona.
Epstein makes Cashman look a genius.

Important question now is: Who next?

Second important question is: Will Boston do any better under a new manager? I'd think they'll struggle to finish 3rd next year - more likely John Farrell (ex Red Sox pitching coach of course) will take his Blue Jays past the Sox. What then?

on paper i thought boston had a great team this year

its hard to explain why they had such a terrible start and then the disaster in september

the boston starting rotation in theory looks a helluva lot stronger than the yankees does, the players just didn't perform however, and to use francona's own words "maybe its time for a different voice"

even saying that i wasn't as impressed with some of the signings they made last off-season

signing gonzalez and letting beltre go and switching youklis from 1st to 3rd i think weakened them defensively altho gonzalez definitely is a class act with the bat

crawford hasn't performed up to his contract either

and boston cant really blame injuries as the yankees have had a much harder time of it with inkuries than boston over the course of the season

I really thought that Pedroia and Youkilis gave the Sox more clubhouse leadership than it seems they did.
Whither Youkilis is one of the first things the Red Sox need to figure out. He can't play anything better than a hard-nosed, range-deficient third base and Gonzales is at first. Surely too early to DH?

Assume they'll start next year without Drew, Ortiz and perhaps Papelbon (as well as Cameron), figure out where to play Crawford and Youk, find a rotation and a closer (Bard?) and go from there. Lots of middle infielders though!

I would love it if we could entice Farrell away from the Blue Jays. It's not going to happen, but I always liked him. Names being bandied here are Joe Torre, Bobby Valentine, DeMarlo Hale, Trey Hillman and, believe it or not, Jason Varitek (!!).

Hey Kwini, I was in your neck of the woods last week. Had a road trip to Montreal (great city, can't wait to go back) and also stopped in Burlington - loved it, will definitely go back there.

really not sure what the free agent market is going to look like this winter

if i was a redsox fan i would be really worried about the prospect of replacing papelbon as closer with bard tho

the redsox do have a good rotation beckett, lester, bucholz are a solid top 3. lackey has never really impressed me and could end up being the redsox equivalent of AJ. getting paid too much money for anyone else to want him so you end up having to keep him.

prince fielder could be a ready made replacement for ortiz

jane,
Don't you love Montreal??!! Always think that's the best thing about B'ton, how close it is to Montreal! We'll get up there for a Canadiens game or three before we're much older. Glad you enjoyed B'ton tho', some nice places to eat and drink for such a small town. Still small though!!

You could do worse than Bobby V for a couple of years of stability, New England boy and all that. Varitek could be the answer in a year or three; nice article about him the other week - where? Sports Ill?

rich, Sox don't need another DH; half the problem has been Ortiz, his Big Papi persona, and his immobility. Youk can do all that, field, get hitbypitch!, and be productive too. Groom Lowry or Scutaro (is he a free agent?) for third. But the outfield either side of Jacoby is a real problem; Crawford to right? Some power in left??

i just cant see where fielder is going to end up as a first baseman and given the relative success ortiz had in boston and his popularity with fans then they might decide to just bring in a younger and better version of him

after a couple of seasons with no playoffs i would expect them to try and do something dramatic this offseason to placate the fans

And now the rumour is that Theo Epstein has been given permission to talk to the Cubs about becoming their next GM. Interesting times.

Just heard that, jane.
Maybe they'll hire Kenny Dalglish?