Tito gone, per Heyman

[Moonlight J]

decided not to pick up his option.

If this wasn't a mutual decision, this is so dumb I do not even know where to begin.

[DJBeasties]

decided not to pick up his option.

If this wasn't a mutual decision, this is so dumb I do not even know where to begin.

From all the peripheral stuff I have read, I think he was ready to go.

[Moonlight J]

In all seriousness, I thought the guy was the manager of the year last year with what he did there with everything falling apart. I guess it's too much to do for a second straight season but if I'm the White Sox, I give him whatever he wants.

[Bob Kohm]

Are we going to pretend to be surprised by this development? First and foremost, someone has to take the blame for the performance of that club and Francona deserves it more than anyone else-- he's the manager, he's supposed to have some influence in the clubhouse and he apparently has none. He was manager of the year last year? Fantastic, that should help him get a new job with a new set of players who he can hopefully influence. Boston was right to toss him. Second, this is Boston-- the organization and the fanbase always eat their young. Look at the way guys like Boggs, Garciaparra and Clemens were treated by the Boston fans and media when they failed to meet expectations. There was no way that Francona was going to survive this.

[BuckyBuckner]

I always felt he was (I guess is) a bad in game manager but he's a player's manager, they all love him. He only has one gear and that's to pat you on the back and say "We'll get em next time." While it's obvious they got screwed this year with a ton of injuries the feeling here in Boston is he did nothing to rally the troops in September. He acted like nothing was wrong when he should have been kicking people in the butts. The only way he knew to rally the troops was to argue with the umps and get thrown out of a game and that probably only works so many times.

Another theory from a friend is that they came into the season unprepared, assuming they would destroy everyone and the slow start can support that. If they were unprepared then that is Tito's fault.

I'm glad, I'm tired of watching that slob of man wander around without his jersey on. He's always looks like some dude from the stands who sneaked into the dugout.

[DJBeasties]

I agree with Bob but i wouldn't put this seperation in the same breath as Nomar, Boggs and Clemens, This ends the right way in my opinion and I think that if you can't change the core of this team in 2012, then you might need to change the manager.

I think Boy Wonder (Theo) stays but the next scapegoat, most likely a player, is coming. Whether it's in a month or what have you, but someone else on the player side is going to take an axe for this.

[Kevin Seitzer]

While it's obvious they got screwed this year with a ton of injuries

Wait, what? Last year they struggled with injuries, but this year? Their offense stayed very healthy--did they lose any key hitters for any length of time more than the usual 2-week DL stint here or there? (Scutaro for a month, but I don't know if he's exactly key to the offense, and they could replace him with Lowrie, anyway.) And pitching-wise the really only unpredictable injury was to Buchholz. Bedard and Matsuzaka have not been icons of health, so it should not come as any shock that they were hurt.

I really think this was as good a health year for Boston as you can expect to have, unless you're expecting a miracle.

[DJBeasties]

Wait, what? Last year they struggled with injuries, but this year? Their offense stayed very healthy--did they lose any key hitters for any length of time more than the usual 2-week DL stint here or there? (Scutaro for a month, but I don't know if he's exactly key to the offense, and they could replace him with Lowrie, anyway.) And pitching-wise the really only unpredictable injury was to Buchholz. Bedard and Matsuzaka have not been icons of health, so it should not come as any shock that they were hurt.

I really think this was as good a health year for Boston as you can expect to have, unless you're expecting a miracle.

Youk was useless largely this year in my opinion from playing third base and being dinged up all year. Back, ankle, hernias, torn labrum.

Also Gonzo apparently had a weak shoulderr from mid-august on.

Excuses though if you ask me.

[wannabegriffey]

Youk was useless largely this year in my opinion from playing third base and being dinged up all year. Back, ankle, hernias, torn labrum.

Also Gonzo apparently had a weak shoulderr from mid-august on.

Excuses though if you ask me.

Everyone has injuries. Excuses are for the weak.

[TopChuckie]

I agree with Bob but i wouldn't put this seperation in the same breath as Nomar, Boggs and Clemens, This ends the right way in my opinion and I think that if you can't change the core of this team in 2012, then you might need to change the manager.

I think Boy Wonder (Theo) stays but the next scapegoat, most likely a player, is coming. Whether it's in a month or what have you, but someone else on the player side is going to take an axe for this.

My guess is Lackey first and foremost, but probably others, maybe Papelbon, but he's hard to blame except for that last game.

Gammons notes that other teams who suffered late-season breakdowns underwent major organizational changes, though he thinks Francona will return as manager.

If Gammons doesn't even have his finger on the pulse of the Red Sox anymore, what good is he?

[mgwiz22]

In all seriousness, I thought the guy was the manager of the year last year with what he did there with everything falling apart. I guess it's too much to do for a second straight season but if I'm the White Sox, I give him whatever he wants.

No manager is worth giving him whatever he wants. Some managers are better than others but they are all player dependent. I never viewed Francona as a great manager. I viewed him as a manager with great players.

[DJBeasties]

@MLB: BREAKING: Theo Epstein says in statement "there are no immediate plans for an announcement" on manager Terry Francona

[Piney Boy]

No manager is worth giving him whatever he wants. Some managers are better than others but they are all player dependent. I never viewed Francona as a great manager. I viewed him as a manager with great players.

This is what we all believed here in the Philly area. He got lucky with a bunch of veterans in Boston that knew what to do. In Philly he had no clue except to let Schilling do what he wanted.

[Bodhizefa]

I guess I won't really be surprised when it finally goes down (I'm assuming it will). After listening to Bill Simmons' last podcast with Jacko, it seemed pretty obvious to the both of them that Francona had to go, and they both thought it necessary. They brought up Torre and how he eventually just lost the vets' ears after so long. Really, there's only so long a single individual can motivate guys to do their thing. Do I think it's Francona's fault that the Red Sox nosedived in September? Absolutely not. But obviously his brand of leadership didn't help them pull out of the tailspin either. Maybe they need a Pinella-type to go in there and throw some chairs next year. Who knows.

I tend to side with Simmons on this simply because he's watched a heckuva lot more Boston baseball than I have, and he's got a good pulse on what sports teams need to do in general. In any case, I don't think Francona would be out of work for very long. Heck, maybe he'd enjoy a change of scenery (and getting away from the media-thick atmosphere of the New England area).

[Erik]

This is what we all believed here in the Philly area. He got lucky with a bunch of veterans in Boston that knew what to do. In Philly he had no clue except to let Schilling do what he wanted.

I do think he improved from his Philly years, mostly from his time working in Oakland. But yeah, he was awful in Philly, especially when it came to deciding when to remove pitchers, and not all of that was cured by the time he got to Boston.