So Long Tito

[fishbones]

Thanks for the 2 World Series Championships.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Shame....not his fault they sucked in September.

8 years, 5 playoff appearances and 2 world series titles......now we'll run the Gammit of Schmucks managers for the next 20 years

[Raider Ronnie]

I guess Tito demanding that Theo sign stiffs like Drew,Crawford,dice K, Lackey and a long line of stiffs at short stop. Did him in !
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[nightfighter]

Where do you get him demanding these players, Ronnie? Never heard that, felt he made it his place in the braintrust to do so.... During his renure he was smart, well spoken, and had the respect of his players. But he did not look himself in the dugout the last month, Makes you wonder what else was doing on....

Sorry to see him go. If he was fired, it was a mistake. If it was of his own choice, good luck to him. Time to clean house of some of these players.... especially some who they will have to eat some contracts on (DiceK, Pap, Lackey, Drew,) . Some have to realize their time has come (Wake, Tek) I'm prone to give Crawford one more year, but the lasting image of that last ball dropping in front of him sticks in my craw.....a ball 80% of starting outfielders would have had with a dive. Also sorry to hear a story circulating that Youk had become a bad egg in the clubhouse, especially since he got hurt....

A lot of issues, so for them to digest it overnight and fire him is a bad move, at least from this fan's view.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

Where do you get him demanding these players, Ronnie? Never heard that, felt he made it his place in the braintrust to do so....

I think Ronnie was being sarcastic.

In retrospect, maybe it was Manny and Papi's, uh, training habits, and not Theo's "genius", behind those 2 WS titles.

I mean---what hasn't blown up in their faces as far as FA decisions--starting with not making an effort at re-signing Cabrera and going with Rent-a-wreck?

[vineyardblues]

Theo who ?

[Backbeach Jake]

Thanks Tito. The best the Sox ever had.
Shame the team turned into a horror show. Grown men and athletes should know better. From what I've gathered they, for the most part, had a real "My contract is guaranteed so eff you " attitude. I hope the new sherrif is a royal pain...

[Rob Rockcrawler]

I think he realized that he lost control of the team. It can happen in any management role, and it takes some stones to walk away. I dont know if they would have dropped the axe on him, i doubt it though. Thanks for the good years Tito...

[striperman36]

How much did he actually have as a say in the trades? I thought that was mostly Epstein.

He was quite bitter about the lack of cohesiveness in the playhouse, un named individuals not contributing.

[Strike_King]

I think that was one of the most glaring examples of a team quitting on its coach/manager that I've ever seen. Francona stuck his neck out for those guys,much to his detriment,and in the end it got him canned. Hope they all remember that.
In regard to Theo,people forget that the 04 team was in large part signed/drafted by Duquette. I don't consider signing Shilling a genius move. The list of FA busts is amazing,if you look at it.
Ownership knew all along what they were doing. Not picking up his option all year,even when the team was rolling during the summer? Then last week,releasing a story through their hit man Peter Gammons, that Francona lost the clubhouse. That set the wheels in motion for his exit.Pretty bush league move IMO...

[Backbeach Jake]

I think that the players should be investigated for gambleing on games. Sure looks like they threw a few. Start with the pitching staff.

[afterhours]

from what's coming out the inmates ran the asylum. wonder how they treated crawford? eff these bad eggs which there are more than a few. beckett, lester, bucholtz and a few more starting picthers had thier own tight clique and they would hang around drinking in the clubhouse during games, beckett is the leader and it seems to have rubbed off on lester *&&^%$... gee no wonder the rotation SUCKED! bad chemistry here- gonna cost a ton of henrys $$ to get rid of these overpaid jerkoffs who have slapped the fans in the face.

[Strike_King]

Jackie MacMullin wrote a great article on the Sox clubhouse. Real good read: Underachieving Boston Red Sox flunked chemistry - ESPN Boston

Unlikable Red Sox flunked chemistry
Somehow the team became what it once abhorred -- arrogant, complacent and entitled
While the Rays were young, hungry and edgy, the Red Sox were arrogant, complacent and, worst of all, entitled.

They took their baseball gifts for granted, and when those gifts abandoned them, as they almost always do during a long baseball season, they were either too lazy or too cocksure to recognize what was required of them to maintain the consistency that is so vital in baseball.
Ellsbury is a 2007 alum and an MVP candidate, a magnificent player with the brightest future of them all. His teammates like and admire him, but he keeps to himself, confides only in Jed Lowrie.

Can you blame him? His teammate two or three lockers to his left continued, as recently as two months ago, to publicly question Ellsbury's decision to retreat to Arizona last summer for treatment for broken ribs. Kevin Youkilis has always been a hot button. On occasion, his intensity and his honesty were his biggest assets, but not this season. The injured Youkilis showed up every day the way he wanted Ellsbury to, but he turned so sour and cynical that his carping and insistence on inserting himself into other people's affairs turned him into a detriment.

[ProfessorM]

all good things come to an end. Thanks for your part in me finally getting to see a world series end in a good way, twice too. I wish him the best of luck and we will see what the future holds for the sox. IMO he did a great job and knew when it was time to move on. Happy trails.

[t.orlando]

[QUOTE=Mike P;890254]In retrospect, maybe it was Manny and Papi's, uh, training habits, and not Theo's "genius", behind those 2 WS titles.

Boston Roid Sox

[nightfighter]

Can they get Tony Pena away from the Yankees? First name to be bandied about....

[MarshCappa]

I think Buckner would be up for a promotion. Hey he's got one season under his belt after his Rox debut this year. Seriously though this ownership is showing some cracks now. Lots of PR work to keep the fans interested. Tito was a great manager and the best in Sox history. Good luck to you Tito!

[Strike_King]

We'll see if there's any truth to this one:

Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link) has spoken to many executives over the last two days who believe Epstein will be granted permission to interview for the Cubs' GM opening, and that he'll end up in Chicago.

@Joelsherman1
I am shocked, but in last 36 hrs every exec talk to says believe #Redsox will give permssion and Theo will go to #Cubs to be GM

[Charleston]

Welcome to the next 86 years.

[Charleston]

Originally Posted by Strike_King

We'll see if there's any truth to this one:

If he goes he'll hire Francona as manager.

[Saltheart]

I didn't see Francona strike out , make a bad pitch or make an error in the field all season. Too bad the coach gets blamed when the $140M players stink out the ballpark.

The whole preseason conditioning complaints make no sense in light of the fact they were the best team in baseball from May to August. Anyway , when the owners spend hundreds of millions to come in 3rd place , somebody has to be blamed and traditionally that has been the Manager.

Two world series for the Sox in 8 years...the guy was a freakin miracle worker! History will look back on him as a Red Sox Great!