You know---with all the crap that happened to the Sox this year--Papi injured and then a shell of himself, the whole Manny circus, Beckett obviously injured, losing the best post-season pitcher of the last 20 years for the season before it even started, Varitek hitting close to the Mendoza line all year, Buckholtz flopping, Wakefield being erratic as hell--Francona's done a hell of a job getting them where they are.
Madden will probably get Manager of the Year, and deservedly so, but for my money Francona's earned a pass on a brain fart or two.