Francona wants out

By Daryl Van schouwen Sun-Times Media September 29, 2011 10:58PM

Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona returns to the dugout after an argument with the umpires after a David Ortiz fly ball to right was ruled foul in the fifth inning of the first game of a day-night doubleheader baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Boston, Monday, Sept. 19, 2011. The Red Sox lost 6-5. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

If the White Sox have designs on making Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona their successor to Ozzie Guillen, one important door has been opened.

Francona has had enough of his eroding Boston experience, a major league source said, and will ask the club not to exercise the option on his contract.

“He has had his fill of the whole thing,’’ the source told the Sun-Times.

Francona, who guided the Red Sox to two World Series championships, decided it was time to cut ties before the Red Sox’ September collapse came to its horrifying conclusion Wednesday night. His contract has options worth $4.25 million for 2012 and $4.5 for 2013, more than double what Guillen was paid this season.

Francona, 52, would have options, of course, including possibly the Cubs or Cardinals. And whether he is the top guy on Sox general manager Ken Williams’ and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s wish list is not known.

Francona has close ties to the Sox, with whom he began his coaching and managing career in the minor leagues. He was interviewed by Williams in 2003, when Guillen was hired and was the manager at Class AA Birmingham for three years during the “Michael Jordan baseball experience” of 1994. Sox pitching coach Don Cooper, who received a four-year extension this week, was the Sox minor-league pitching coordinator at the time.

In 1996, Francona was third-base coach for the Tigers, whose manager was Buddy Bell, the Sox’ current farm director. The Phillies made Francona their manager in 1997.

At a Thursday news conference in Boston, Francona and Red Sox GM Theo Epstein were noncommittal about their status for next season.

“It’s a fair question,” Francona said. “Theo and I talked today a little bit and we’ll continue to talk tomorrow. It’s all still pretty fresh and raw.”

With a $161 million payroll, the Red Sox, who lost 20 of their last 27 games to blow a nine-game lead for the wild card, were criticized for lacking heart and complaining about everything from injuries to their schedule. The perception in Boston is that they’re overpaid underachievers.

At worst, Francona is taking heat for having the collapse happen on his watch, and being something of an enabler.

“There were some things that did concern me,” he said. “Teams, normally, as a season progresses, there are events that make you care about each other and [with] this club, it didn’t always happen as much as I wanted it to.”

Epstein said “nobody blames Tito for what happened in September — that would be totally irresponsible and totally short-sighted.”

Williams said Tuesday there is no timetable on a decision but there is a “clear direction as to the way I want it to go.’’ He said it could be done before the World Series, “but we have to wait and see who the players are in the World Series and if there’s someone on a playoff team that I ultimately might want to talk to. It might have to drag a little bit.”

Cleveland Indians first-base coach Sandy Alomar Jr., who was promoted to bench coach on Wednesday, is thought by many to be high on Williams’ wish list, though major-league sources say the Sox have yet to seek permission from the Indians to interview Alomar. Rays bench coach Dave Martinez is also a top candidate. Both have ties to the Sox as former players.

The Sox and Marlins on Thursday completed the transaction that freed Guillen from his Sox contract. The Sox acquired right-hander Jhan Marinez and infielder Ozzie Martinez in exchange for right-hander Ricardo Andres.

Andres, 20, was 1-0 with a 6.32 ERA in 12 relief appearances for Bristol of the Appalachian (advanced rookie) League.

Marinez, 23, made four relief appearances for the Marlins last season, going 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA. He was 3-8 with a 3.57 ERA in 56 games at AA Jacksonville this season.

Martinez, 23, was 3-for-23 in 20 games for the Marlins. He batted .245 with three homers and 26 RBI for Triple-A New Orleans.

Catcher Donny Lucy and right-hander Jhonny Nunez were outrighted to make room for Martinez and Marinez no the 40-man roster.

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I doubt Francona would want go to a place like the Sox where the team is only going to get worse in the future.

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Git on back there.

Coaches/managers that Jerry has under his helm (excluding Phil Jackson)

-Bevington
-Manual
-Ozzie
--
Floyd
Cartwright
Skiles
Thib

Jerry hates paying coaches. They nearly lost Skiles who was severely underpaid and got a decent bump after he almost walked.

They still currently have a manager.

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There is no way in hell the Cubs are paying over $4 mil for a manager.
They'll want Ryno cause he's cheap. Or some dude you never heard of. Or Quade.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

When FOXSports.com's bow-tie wearing Ken Rosenthal reported late last night that Terry Francona was on his way out in Boston, I tweeted that a 2-time World Series winning-manager doesn't come along everyday and that I felt the White Sox would be wise to get him to replace Ozzie. That being said, I heard Mac & Spiegs discuss the Francona possibility on their show today with the Daily Herald's Barry Rozner. Based on what they said, I might have to cool my enthusiasm towards Francona, who might take a year off after 8 seasons filling out the lineup card at Fenway Park.

Francona is the kind of big name that GM Ken Williams prefers, but I'm not sure that Uncle Jerry wants to pay whatever Francona might be asking for.

Jerry and Terry, go back even before he coached in the Sox system. Jerry can be quite persuading,

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Oh, he's got tickets to see a game at Wrigley?

Quade is under contract and the Cubs have enough money on the books already for 2012. So, try again.

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There are few teams that would pay a coach 4 million per year.

Ozzie set the current market and its 2.5 million. There is not a remarkable difference in their abilities to manage.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

But Theo isn't going anywhere.

#Year103

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