2011 Boston Red Sox Off-season thread

[Tony M]

This is starting a couple of weeks too soon

If, as has been reported, Francona goes today then someone needs to get in the front office and put Epstein back in there and send this Steinbrenner-clone back to New York.

Need to re-sign Ortiz and Papelbon for next season. Apparently Aceves is going into his first year of arbitration so we should be ok there.

Trade John Lacking in return for something more useful (a batting cage for example!)

[Orcin]

I am not a Red Sox fan, but this is a topic that really interests me. Here is a franchise with money, talent, respected management, and passionate fans. The nation is gripping and ownership will feel the need to respond. What will they do? What would you do if this were your OOTP scenario? Very entertaining to watch over the next few weeks/months.

[David Watts]

Are the Sox really going to get rid of Francona?

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Are the Sox really going to get rid of Francona?

The 'word' is that Francona has had enough of the Boston limelight and has asked that his option be declined. Frankly, I think that's bull - he's got the basis of a superb team and he was able to manage the idiots into a WS winning team in 2004.

It wasn't his fault that we imploded so badly that a team that started 0-6 reached the playoffs... The manager can only do so much but once the batters reach the field they're in charge. He can affect pitching to the extent of choosing who's out there but they're the players

Shame you can't fire players for being crap.

[Big T]

The only issue with Francona is that basically he sounded like a defeated man in his presser yesterday, in fact he referred to the fact the Red Sox didn't have team unity, something best kept to yourself if you are interested in keeping your job...

Just my opinion.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by Tony M

The 'word' is that Francona has had enough of the Boston limelight and has asked that his option be declined. Frankly, I think that's bull - he's got the basis of a superb team and he was able to manage the idiots into a WS winning team in 2004.

It wasn't his fault that we imploded so badly that a team that started 0-6 reached the playoffs... The manager can only do so much but once the batters reach the field they're in charge. He can affect pitching to the extent of choosing who's out there but they're the players

Shame you can't fire players for being crap.

I just read about it on CBS Sportsline. Simply Wow! Looks like one of the Chicago teams will be the big winner here.

[Orcin]

Francona is an excellent manager. Some other team will be getting a good one. He won't be unemployed long.

[stevebydac]

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Orcin

Francona is an excellent manager. Some other team will be getting a good one. He won't be unemployed long.

Not only is he a good manager but I gained respect for the man by the way he conducted himself in interviews when the Red Sox would come to Toronto. Instead of blowing it off he would engage and do a professional job.

I have a lot of respect for Terry Francona. As you say he will not be unemployed for long. I wonder if John Farrell is asking AA for permission to go after the Red Sox job.

[captaincarl]

Francona is a good manager and will be missed.

David Ortiz should be signed but it should be for a low number of years.

Papelbon should be allowed to leave. Epstein is correct in that big money should not be given to a "closer". That's the "Moneyball" way that he has learned from Bill James. Besides, Papelbon wasn't his dominate self last season and this season, especially during the team's meltdown in September and blowing the save in the last game, wasn't really that much different. Bard will more than likely be given the job during spring training next year although he probably needs another season as a setup man to gain more experience.

[Tom the Fish]

Stay classy, Boston.

Passionate Boston Red Sox fan 1974-2002, Less so 2003-2008, Swallows fan 2009-?,
Tom

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by RchW

Not only is he a good manager but I gained respect for the man by the way he conducted himself in interviews when the Red Sox would come to Toronto. Instead of blowing it off he would engage and do a professional job.

I have a lot of respect for Terry Francona. As you say he will not be unemployed for long.

Intelligent Yankees fans feel the same way. All six of us who happen to also be forum members here.

[myasu]

I am just so sad, to think that i won't be able to see Tito on the field with his Red Sox uniform on, coming Spring.
I think we got so used to having him around, we (at least I) felt like he would be with the team forever, or at least until we win another championship...

He was one of the best managers, if not the best, for the Red Sox ever, and this is a shame the organization could not somehow find a better way to let him get off his stage. He should have, and deserved to leave Boston with much more better fashion than this. He deserved the fan's standing O in Fenway Park, wearing his uniform.

Not this way...

I do not know what will happen in this off season, but after reading all the articles (Globe, Herald), twitters, etc, I feel sick in my stomach already.

Feels like back in the early 90's or something.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by myasu

I am just so sad, to think that i won't be able to see Tito on the field with his Red Sox uniform on, coming Spring.
I think we got so used to having him around, we (at least I) felt like he would be with the team forever, or at least until we win another championship...

He was one of the best managers, if not the best, for the Red Sox ever, and this is a shame the organization could not somehow find a better way to let him get off his stage. He should have, and deserved to leave Boston with much more better fashion than this. He deserved the fan's standing O in Fenway Park, wearing his uniform.

Not this way...

I do not know what will happen in this off season, but after reading all the articles (Globe, Herald), twitters, etc, I feel sick in my stomach already.

Feels like back in the early 90's or something.

I think the media fishbowl in big markets quickens the expiry date on field managers/coaches. If the Yankees don't win especially this year (Red Sox gone) or next year changes will happen there. I think Francona's comments suggest that he may have been ordered to play certain players despite poor performance. That's what I read into the "ownership support" comments. Seems to me that any high profile manager would chafe at that situation.

The other question is, who is out there/available that has the resume/personality to take on the job?

[Tom the Fish]

Originally Posted by myasu

Feels like back in the early 90's or something.

Yay! That means seats are available at affordable prices at the gate just before the game, no sweet caroline or wally and players like the rocket, tony pena, Q, greg harris, boggs, jody reed, gator, the mechanic sweet music and double-d are back, with Vaughn, Valentien and Neahring in the wings. They may have been sub-500 teams, but I still had fun at fenway back then.

They said that no member of the 2004 sox would ever have to buy their own drink in Boston ever again. What a laugh. What a spiteful city my old hometown is.

O well, I'm 6k miles away now and all my complaining does no one no good. Good luck to Francona in the future. I wouldn't mind if he came to coach a year or two in the ***. Maybe shake things up the way Bobby V did.

Tom

[Kaaosaste]

Originally Posted by RchW

I think the media fishbowl in big markets quickens the expiry date on field managers/coaches. If the Yankees don't win especially this year (Red Sox gone) or next year changes will happen there. I think Francona's comments suggest that he may have been ordered to play certain players despite poor performance. That's what I read into the "ownership support" comments. Seems to me that any high profile manager would chafe at that situation.

The other question is, who is out there/available that has the resume/personality to take on the job?

The Herald had a story today going over some possible candidates. Among the names were Demarlo Hale, Ryne Sandberg and (!) Joe Torre.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk

[captaincarl]

Originally Posted by Kaaosaste

The Herald had a story today going over some possible candidates. Among the names were Demarlo Hale, Ryne Sandberg and (!) Joe Torre.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk

Also Bobby Valentine's name is reported to be among those as well. God help us all in Red Sox nation if he's ever manager!

[myasu]

Originally Posted by Tom the Fish

Yay! That means seats are available at affordable prices at the gate just before the game, no sweet caroline or wally and players like the rocket, tony pena, Q, greg harris, boggs, jody reed, gator, the mechanic sweet music and double-d are back, with Vaughn, Valentien and Neahring in the wings. They may have been sub-500 teams, but I still had fun at fenway back then.

They said that no member of the 2004 sox would ever have to buy their own drink in Boston ever again. What a laugh. What a spiteful city my old hometown is.

O well, I'm 6k miles away now and all my complaining does no one no good. Good luck to Francona in the future. I wouldn't mind if he came to coach a year or two in the ***. Maybe shake things up the way Bobby V did.

Tom

Isn't it funny?
You are from NE, and lives in Tokyo, rooting for the Swallows.
I live in Tokyo, was there in Boston in the early 90's (yes, from (92-'95), totally fell in love with the Sox, still stuck here in front of the MLB.com everyday to watch them...

[myasu]

Originally Posted by captaincarl

Also Bobby Valentine's name is reported to be among those as well. God help us all in Red Sox nation if he's ever manager!

Yep, I saw his name here and there.

I do not think it is possible for him and Theo to work together, given the "control freak" nature of Bobby, but what if Theo was gone to...., say, the Cubs. I have read somewhere that Henry loves Bobby V.

Scary enough just writing this...

[myasu]

Originally Posted by RchW

I think Francona's comments suggest that he may have been ordered to play certain players despite poor performance. That's what I read into the "ownership support" comments.

Wakefield? Crawford?

I thought he meant more like "his own contract for 2012 that had been up in the air for the whole summer", but you could be right.