Let’s start with the ownership and upper management. After seeing the smear campaign done to Terry Francona by the Red Sox higher-ups why would you ever want to go there? Terry Francona managed the Red Sox to two World Series Championships. The Red Sox never have to hear “1918” chanted ever again, and this man was a major part of it. Now all we hear about is how he lost control and did not let management know. That very well may be the case. But in this Globe article his marriage and “substance abuse” problems are dragged through the mud. This substance abuse was apparently diagnosed by the Red Sox team doctor, so either the doctor on this team is running to the media, or what you would assume to be a small group of upper management is. This is disgraceful behavior. As Buster Onley has stated, the Red Sox are using this substance abuse against Francona now, but did not feel the need to get him the help when he was with the team? If they knew about this problem and thought it was this serious why not do anything? If this is the way you are treated after being the most successful manager in the history of the Red Sox, why would a manager sign on to work for these owners?
Another reason a manager should not coach this team is the players he is inheriting. Apparently Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and the great John Lackey spent the month of September eating chicken and biscuits, drinking, and playing video games. These guys reportedly put on 15 pounds or so during the season and would not listen to the strength coach. I don’t watch every game and I have asked why it seemed like the Sox pitchers couldn’t get through the 5th inning. Maybe it is because their fat asses were winded from too many biscuits on their day off. Maybe they just wanted to trash talk some 13 years olds in Call of Duty. When 3/5ths of your pitching staff sounds more like my junior year of college than a major league starting rotation why do you want to manage this team?
This manager is taking on a team that has no accountability. After this collapse the players have complained about rain, God didn’t want them to win, too many late games on tv, when double headers were scheduled, and not receiving one break for the entire month. Wah. Where is the leadership on this team, why can’t the captain, who apparently is so great with the pitchers, say “Hey lets give Gears of War and Popeyes a break for 25 minutes and get on the treadmill, Josh” or “Jon, I know playing NHL with a case of beer is fun (trust me I know it is) but let’s go out and cheer for our teammates.” I have heard that Pedrioa is the only one that really cared but does not have the stature to really step up and say anything. Big Papi is a big guy, where are you? Too busy complaining about an RBI? Why would a manager want to come in too lead this group of fat, lazy, cry babies who have no accountability and no leadership?
If you are player being courted by the Red Sox you also have to take a hard look at what is going on there. Kevin Youuuuuuk apparently froze out Jacoby Ellsbury. Does this have to do with Jacoby apparently not battling through an injury like Kevin tried to this year, or maybe is Youk a little jealous that he was moved to third base (which given his injury history, can he really even play a full season there?) and saw his replacement receive a huge contract? Players must have seen John Lackey screaming at everyone but himself on the field, but the guy couldn’t drag his fat ass away from the Colonel long enough to watch someone else pitch? Apparently Big Papi and Tim Wakefield were too wrapped up in individual stats then caring about what happened in the win column. So lets see what you are joining; a jealous/pissed off 3rd basemen, a guy who would not fight through injury to play with his team at centerfielder, 3 fat selfish drunk gamer (and not in the good way) pitchers, a selfish DH, another selfish me first pitcher, a catcher and captain that has no control of the team, and an overpaid left fielder whipping boy. “Sign me up John Henry; I can’t wait to be part of this team.
When this collapse happened I heard that this wasn’t like the Met’s collapse from a few years ago, that this team would not completely fall apart and become a joke like the Metropolitans. The season ended 2 weeks ago and things are bad, real bad. It should be a very interesting off season, and if I was looking at the Red Sox for a job I would have to ask myself, why would I want to join this mess?
