I vividly remember the 2011 season, when the Red Sox famously collapsed coming down the stretch to miss the playoffs. Yankees fans refused to hear, let alone listen to any sentiment that even hinted at any sort of positivity with regards to the 2011 Red Sox season. In didn’t matter that the Red Sox were 81-40 – one of the highest winning percentages in baseball history over a 120+ game stretch – through more than 3/4 of the season. Nope, it just didn’t matter.

I’m happy to say that in the last week, the tides have begun to turn.

The Yankees first place finish, fancy record, and all of their superstars are no longer seen in the positive light they should be – now the negativity is all the focus. It’s not just Red Sox fans looking at the Yankees this way – it’s seemingly the whole country. Following arguably the worst offensive performance in ALCS history, the Yankees are is disarray. They weren’t not clutch; they were pitiful. The highest paid player in MLB history suddenly needs to be moved and is flirting with girls in the stands during playoff games. Bros throughout New York who have for years worshipped Nick Swisher are now calling for his head. Curtis Granderson’s 43 home runs suddenly don’t matter, but his .232 average and 195 strikeouts do. Derrick Jeter and Mariano Riveria are old as dirt, just two of the veterans on the oldest roster in baseball.

What are the Yankees to do? I don’t know, but I’m happy to say that their biggest division rival has taken a significant step towards righting their own ship. John Farrell is coming back to Boston, and yes, he is the right man to lead a rebuilding Red Sox franchise.

Let’s start by getting a few things straight – John Farrell is  not Terry Francona. He’s not as charismatic, he’s not a “players manager” to the extent that Tito was. But he is a guy that’s respected by the veterans, who can handle pitchers, and who is solid at evaluating talent. While Farrell had some mixed results in his years managing Toronto, it should be noted that other teams were quick to gobble him up and make him a big league manager – the Red Sox aren’t the only ones that see something in this guy. Perhaps more importantly, Farrell served as the Director of Player Development for the Cleveland Indians from 2001 to 2006. In 2003 and 2004 Cleveland would be voted the “Organization of the Year” by Sports Weekly. In 2003 the same publication voted Cleveland as having the best farm system in baseball.

Don’t get me wrong – John Farrell is no savior, and I don’t think he’ll ever be what Terry Francona was to the organization. But that’s also not a fair comparison. What I do think Farrell will bring is stability, a bit more rigidity, and an eye for evaluating young talent – which is exactly what the Red Sox need. He’ll also immediately garner the respect that Bobby Valentine never could.

All in all, Mike Aviles is a solid infielder but I’m happy to sacrifice him to bring in this much more important piece of the puzzle. Red Sox rebuilding? So far, so good.

Today the Red Sox organization and everyone who has grown up loving the Red Sox celebrates the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park. There will be various on-field ceremonies throughout the day, and the park is open to the public. While so much has changed in the past 100 years, Fenway remains much the same.

Fans of other teams will never understand the connection that Bostonians have with Fenway Park, with the possible exception of Cubs fans and Wrigley Field. At this point these parks represent the last two truly great historic stadiums. The parks are unique in their designs and  in the history that they’ve seen throughout the years, but while Chicago is a two-team city, Fenway alone competes for the attention of New Englanders each summer.

For Boston fans new and old, going to Fenway for the first time is something of a right of passage. I vividly remember my dad pulling me out of my kindergarten class to bring me to Fenway for the first time when I was 5 years old (thanks Dad!). I remember the Red Sox hat he bought me on Yawkey Way, and I remember seeing Cal Ripken Jr. take the field as the shortstop of the Baltimore Orioles. Hell, I even remember the date  - April 13, 1992.

So what is it that makes Fenway so unique? It’s the 100-year-old brick walls, that are anything but towering or impressive as you approach the park; you feel like you could scale the wall and hop over, just as you might with a chain link fence. It’s the guts of the place, which make you feel as though you’re in a high school stadium with the green cement walls and concrete floor. It’s the old wooden seats, and the couple of feet that separate you from the players when you’re in the front rows. It’s the inside of the Green Monster, with the names of all the players who have played there etched into the wall. You’ll never be served a fig and goat cheese flatbread along with your craft beer while at Fenway, but that’s OK with everyone in Boston – the place is a ballpark goddamn it, not a resort.

While opposing players like the bitch and moan about the lack of amenities the field offers (teams have to share a weight room!), those very players should look their baseball forefathers in the eye and ask themselves in Babe Ruth ever spent time in a hyperbolic chamber pre-game. Red Sox players who have spent any amount of time playing for Boston will tell you that Fenway offers an amenity found in no other park in the league – the noise of the crowd. The noise of the crowd on their feet for a 3 and 2 count in the 5th inning of game #92 of the season. From a players perspective as well as a fans, that’s a major part of what makes the Fenway experience unique.

In the mid-90′s I was on a received some materials in the mail that outlined the plans for a new Fenway Park. The idea was vehemently shot down by Red Sox fans such as myself, and the Park would go on the see its first Championships in decades soon thereafter. I for one am thrilled that Terry Francona decided to attend the ceremonies at Fenway today, feeling that he owed it to the fans if not his prior employers. Francona deserves to be there, and he will be cheered like no one else. It’ll be a tough pill to swallow for Bobby Valentine, but Tito is now very much a part of Fenway’s lore.

When I go to the park these days, I still make sure to enter the park from one of the entrances that drops you behind the Red Sox dugout on the first baseline. The enormity of the Green Monster and the Fenway green strike you first, and it hasn’t gotten old for me yet – not one bit.

100 years ago the Red Sox had one World Series title to their name. The Chicago Cubs actually had two. As for the Yankees? They hadn’t won the first of their many championships yet. A lot can change in 100 years, and there’s no chance that Fenway will last another 100. Like the $8.00 Naragansett’s they sell throughout the park, let’s soak it up while it’s still here.

I started following the Red Sox, and really following baseball, during the 1995 season – Tim Wakefield’s first year calling Fenway Park home. Two years later a 25-year-old Jason Varitek joined the club, a young catcher battling for playing time. For 17 years I’ve watched Wake, for 15 I’ve watched Tek, and with Varitek set to join Wakefield in retirement on Thursday their ever-present lockers in the Red Sox clubhouse will be eerily empty. These guys both left it out on the field for the Red Sox, and it’s too bad that neither of them were given the opportunity to leave Fenway Park a final time to a standing ovation.

Jason Varitek is no Hall of Famer. Neither is Tim Wakefield. At the peak of their careers both were second tier players, but their tenure and contributions to the Red Sox far surpassed their skill. I think that Wake will retire and pursue other interests, maybe spend a little time in the color booth at best. Varitek will eventually find his way back to the game, and I’d expect it to be with the Red Sox. His playing days are over, but I don’t think he’ll stay away for too long. I think that both of these guys realized that their ability to contribute to the 2012 Red Sox was greatly diminished – their ships had sailed. But while that’s a difficult realization for any professional athlete, I hope that they captured a degree of solace in leaving Boston with Terry Francona, giving a new era of Boston baseball an opportunity to blossom.

Jason Varitek retires with arguably the most blessed baseball career of any player in the history of the game. He played in the Little League World Series Championship, the College Baseball World Series Championship, and two World Series Championships with the Red Sox. He also played in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic – the only player in the history of the game to play in all five events. He became the third Red Sox captain since 1923 when he assumed the role in 2004, and was a three-time All-Star, and well as a Golden Glove and Sliver Slugger award winner. While Varitek’s best offensive season was likely 2003 when he hit .273 with 25 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 31 doubles, ultimately he should be remembered for his ability to call a great game. If his two World Series rings aren’t evidence enough, the fact that he was on the receiving end of four no-hitters – the most in MLB history – speaks to his abilities.

Wakefield’s career is perhaps even more difficult to quantify. I distinctly remember his 1995 season, when he went 16-8 with a 2.95 ERA. He finished third in the AL Cy Young voting that season, and may have won had Randy Johnson not thrown down a little 18-2 season. Wakefield is second on the Red Sox all-time wins list, just 6 behind both Roger Clemens and Cy Young – pretty decent company. He won the Roberto Clemente award in 2010 and recorded his 200th career win this past season – he was even an All-Star at 43-years-old. Perhaps most importantly, he’s the last of a dying breed on knuckleballers – a pitch that enabled him to throw 140+ innings every year he was in Boston with the exception of 2009.

There guys weren’t the studs – they weren’t Manny Ramirez or Pedro Martinez. But they were a big part of ending the Curse of the Bambino, bringing Boston another championship, and once they landed in Boston they never left. As a fan, what more could you ask? For my generation of Red Sox fans, these guys won’t soon be forgotten – and I’m sure they’ll be cheered on and off the field whenever they return to Fenway Park.

Ben Cherington, I’m rooting for you buddy. But with multiple sources now saying that the Red Sox managerial search is down to two candidates – Bobby Valentine and Gene Lamont – I must admit that I’m skeptical. It certainly feels to me like the score is Theo 1, Ben 0. Dale Sveum got away, and I can’t say that I’m surprised. I don’t blame Ben Cherington for this, as he had little shot of contending with Theo in my eyes. But I am holding Benny Boy responsible for selecting the Red Sox next manager, and I can’t say that I’m thrilled with either of these two candidates. My preference is for Valentine, and as Lamont is not nearly as well-known, I’ll focus on him here.

Gene Lamont… lifetime Chicago Cubs fan. I betcha he’s sad that Theo didn’t select him for the Cubs’ managerial vacancy. Lamont is currently the Detroit Tiger’s third base coach, and has spent much of his big league career following Jim Leyland around. At 65 years old, he’s nearly Leyland’s age. I’m not sure a 65-year-old is the right guy to connect in the Red Sox clubhouse, not to mention the right guy to have a long tenure in Boston. Let’s just say this guy doesn’t look to be super fit, and health concerns could be a serious issue. I mean, does anybody remember how ripped Terry Francona was?

Age being beside the point, let’s focus on Gene Lamont the baseball player. Lamont was a catcher, spending a total of 87 games in the bigs mostly as a back up catcher. For his career he hit .233 with 37 hits and 4 home runs. The highlight of his career was hitting a home run in his first career at bat… against the Red Sox. Needless to say, this is not a “but he was an awesome player” hire.

Now, let’s focus on his career as a Manager. Lamont had two stints as a manager, for the Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates, respectively. Both times he landed the job when the club’s existing manager left. In 1993 Lamont did win AL Manager of the Year honors, when he led a Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura, Ellis Burks, and Jack McDowell led White Sox team to a 94-68 record before losing in the ALCS. He was then fired in 1995. In 1997, Lamont would take over the reigns of the Pirates when Jim Leyland left town. After some initial success with a lousy team, he was eventually fired in 2000. Overall, Lamont accumulated a 553-562 record in his managerial career, good for a .496 winning percentage.

To be fair, Lamont coached some lousy teams in Pittsburgh and had some good results with a young team. But neither his playing career nor his managerial career was filled with much success. There are plenty of guys that this is true of, who are still floating around the major leagues because they are great baseball minds. Many of them are bench coaches, or base coaches like Lamont. He may very well be one of them, and I hope for the sake of the Red Sox that he is. But let’s just say that his resume would never have found its way to the top of my pile.

This is Cherington’s first major decision as GM, and one on which his which his own personal success (and likely his job) hinges.  Here’s to hoping that Ben Cherington knows something about Lamont that we all don’t.

In the aftermath of the Red Sox September collapse and the subsequent cleaning of house that has already begun, I’ve been pleased to see that several people within the Red Sox organization have been very vocal in defending the organization. There’s no doubt that the media is having a field day with this one, and many of the voices I’ve wanted to hear from have since surfaced; Terry Francona, Theo Epstein, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Heidi Watney, John Henry and now Jon Lester. Lester’s voice has been amongst the most important, as he’s one of the players being dubbed as a delinquent fried chicken eating and beer guzzling asshole. In a rare move, Lester directly contacted several Boston area media outlets yesterday to tell his side of the story – one that directly reflects the sentiments I’ve been sharing all along, and one that reflects the feedback we’ve heard from the others who have already spoken.

On food and drink being clubhouse commonplace – and not the issue:

Jon Lester, October 17, 2011 – “Did we drink an occasional beer? Yes. Did it affect our performance in September? No. This stuff has been going on long before September, and not only in this clubhouse, but 29 other clubhouses too. We ordered fried chicken maybe three times in six months. Other guys who were not playing that day would come in and have a bite to eat. This sort of thing has happened for 100 years. I’ve been trying to say that all day. This is not something new. We didn’t invent rally beers. Babe Ruth was smoking cigars and eating hotdogs in between at-bats.”

howiGit, October 13, 2011 – “I personally work in an office that encourages beer, friend chicken, and ping-pong - and I can tell you that it’s not an issue – in fact, it likely improves job performance among most employees. The issue is not these freedoms, it’s when they’re taken for granted. Look in the majority of the clubhouses in major league baseball and I bet you find plenty of beer and video games.”

On searching for a scapegoat:

Jon Lester, October 17, 2011 – “But what people are trying to do is a witch hunt. They’re looking for any reason to basically tear somebody’s head off because we lost, and people right now are saying it’s because we did this. I’m not shying away from saying I did it. I admit it, and I’m sure the other guys would say it too. In 2004 those guys were celebrated as ‘The Idiots’ and they were drinking shots. What’s the difference? They won and we lost, so we’re devils, we’re bad people.”

howiGit, October 13, 2011 – “And while Hohler’s article certainly touches on many questionable behaviors throughout the Red Sox organization this past season, I think it’s time everyone takes a step back and swallows this article for what it is – an attempt to find a scapegoat. In other words, Hohler set out to point out the negatives – not to provide an accurate assessment of why things didn’t work out for the Sox. And while Hohler spent plenty of time detailing ‘what went wrong,’ I think he missed the point.”

On whose fault the collapse was:

Jon Lester, October 17, 2011 – “This was not a frat party. This was not mayhem with guys going every which way, not answering to anybody. That was not the case at all. When all is said and done, none of this was Tito’s fault, or Theo (Epstein)’s fault, or the fault of Larry Lucchino or John Henry or Tom Werner. It was not the trainer, Mike Reinold, or (assistant trainers) Greg Barajas or Masai (Takahashi) or (strength coach) Dave Page. It was not their fault. It was our fault. That’s the message I’m trying to get across. It’s not about beers, it’s not about Tito, it’s not whether there were no rules, it’s not anything. It’s performance. And we didn’t do it. I’m not making excuses for what we did. I’m owning up to what I did. But I can honestly tell you that I was prepared every five days — and so were the other guys — to go out and perform. We were physically prepared to perform. But I stunk, plain and simple. I’m not going to shy away from that. I stunk. But we lost because we did not play good baseball. We did not execute Boston Red Sox good baseball.”

howiGit, October 13, 2011 – “The Globe got it wrong this time – it’s not the beer or the video games’ fault. It’s the players that should be held accountable for their own inability to perform.”

On chipped shoulders:

Jon Lester, October 17, 2011 – “I think a lot of guys are going to have chips on their shoulder next spring, there will be an urgency, they want to prove people wrong. We still care about each other, we care about winning. That’s the main issue I’m trying to express. We care. We want to win. We want to be professional. We’re all still good guys, regardless of what the public thinks of us.”

howiGit, October 14, 2011 – “Chipped shoulders – The guys that do remain from the 2011 team (and their will be plenty of them) will play next season with a chip on their shoulder. Most of the “problem” guys should land elsewhere. There is no way than anyone involved in this collapse will forget it – you better believe they’ll be playing with some extra fire to avenge what happened. In my eyes, that’s a very dangerous X-factor. You better believe Jonathan Papelbon wants that ball back in his hand if he sticks around – that attitude coupled with talent can be scary.”

The point of this all this that while the Red Sox undoubtedly had some issues, the picture being painted of them in the media is a deliberate attempt to find something, anything but the players’ performance to blame this collapse on. I think so, Lester thinks so, Pedroia thinks so, Ortiz, Henry, and my girl Heidi think so.

Want something new to think about with regards to the Red Sox? Think about how bad Jonathan Papelbon must feel now given the Francona / Epstein fallout. If he hadn’t blown that final save when he needed only one more out, this whole fiasco might have been avoided – and who knows where the Sox would be this late in October.

Believe it or not, Boston is currently the place to be if you are a major league baseball player looking for a new home – at least that’s what I’ll attempt to argue here. After our New York writer’s article yesterday – “Why Would Anyone Want to Join the Red Sox?” – it’s clear that there is plenty of reason to be disenchanted with the Red Sox, as the organization steers its way through the fallout of the team’s September collapse. That said, I think there’s still plenty of reason to jump at the opportunity to join the Red Sox – as bad as things are, how many other teams would you really rather go to?

1) It’s Boston – This may sound dumb, but it’s not. Boston is baseball’s best market – we’ve got the most historic park, a fully committed ownership, and the most passionate fan base in the game. What you do here matters, more than you would ever believe. The stadium is filled, every day. If you play well you’ll be cheered, if you suck it up you’ll be jeered. You’re in the AL East, where the spotlight shines the brightest. The city revolves around this team – who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

2) Committed ownership – There’s no questioning the commitment of the Red Sox ownership. They have increasingly opened their pockets to attract top talent, have developed one of the best farm systems in the game, and are committed to putting the best product on the field that they can. They’re all in, no ifs, ands, or buts.

3) Talent – There’s not much to be said here – the Red Sox have crazy talent. Regardless of who comes back or is traded, this team has crucial pieces locked down for a long time. They’ve got two aces, a dominant closer, and an offense that was the best in baseball. Ellsbury is under contract, as is Pedroia, Youkilis, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and Clay Buchholz. That’s a pretty good group to build around any way you cut it.

4) A fresh slate – You may be a journeyman, or you may be just busting into the league. Regardless, the 2012 Red Sox team will be given a fresh slate. New manager. New general manager. Undoubtedly an influx of new talent and some old baggage shedded (sorry Varitek and Wake). Things will be different, and based on how things ended in 2011, that’s a great thing.

5) Chipped shoulders – The guys that do remain from the 2011 team (and their will be plenty of them) will play next season with a chip on their shoulder. Most of the “problem” guys should land elsewhere. There is no way than anyone involved in this collapse will forget it – you better believe they’ll be playing with some extra fire to avenge what happened. In my eyes, that’s a very dangerous X-factor. You better believe Jonathan Papelbon wants that ball back in his hand if he sticks around – that attitude coupled with talent can be scary.

We’ll see what happens, but let’s be honest – the situation could be far worse.

Much has been made in the last 24 hours about Bob Hohler’s front page story in yesterday’s Boston Globe entitled “Inside the Collapse of the Red Sox.” The Globe’s sports editor went on record saying that the paper sought to explain to Bostonians what really went wrong with the 2011 Red Sox. And while Hohler’s article certainly touches on many questionable behaviors throughout the Red Sox organization this past season, I think it’s time everyone takes a step back and swallows this article for what it is – an attempt to find a scapegoat. In other words, Hohler set out to point out the negatives – not to provide an accurate assessment of why things didn’t work out for the Sox. And while Hohler spent plenty of time detailing “what went wrong,” I think he missed the point.

Case in point, the whole John Lackey, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett love fried chicken, beer, and video games ordeal. Frankly, Hohler has followed this Sox team far to closely to paint the picture that he did – one of a bunch on delinquents with no interest in the team. Thankfully two guys who you would expect to open their mouths did – David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia. It was Ortiz who came really came to the rescue, stating what’s obvious to anyone who spends much time around the Red Sox. “”We had that when we won the World Series in 2004,” Ortiz said. “We had that when we won the World Series in 2007. Beer in the clubhouse, it’s always been there. Video games, that’s always been there; guys eating fried chicken, that’s always been there.”

Frankly, few people would know this better than Bob Hohler, which leaves me scratching my head. Why is he trying to make this the issue? I am a big fan of the Globe’s sports section, and was surprised to see this take from one of their own usually knowledgeable writers. I personally work in an office that encourages beer, friend chicken, and ping-pong - and I can tell you that it’s not an issue – in fact, it likely improves job performance among most employees. The issue is not these freedoms, it’s when they’re taken for granted. Look in the majority of the clubhouses in major league baseball and I bet you find plenty of beer and video games. So what was the real issue? David Ortiz sums it up as exactly as I have all along. “I don’t know why people want to blame (Francona) for all of this,” Ortiz said. “He can tell us what to do. But he is not the one who has to go out there and perform.” Bingo. Dustin Pedroia agrees – “We had the best record in baseball up until September and then we ran out of gas,” Pedroia said. “We didn’t play well in the end. That doesn’t have anything to do with Tito or Theo or any players or what went on in the clubhouse. The leadership was there. We had guys that cared. We just didn’t play well in the end. That’s it.”

As for other issues raised in the article, the whole Terry Francona is addicted to pain medication and his marital problems distracted him sentiment is an incredible reach at best. Find me one person who has had 20+ knee surgeries that doesn’t take pain medication. Does it mean their addicted? No. Did Terry exhibit any questionable behavior? If he had, don’t you think that would have been wildly easy for the media to pick up on? Give me a break – this is smearing in every sense of the word. Where these rumors came from who knows, but I will say everybody has been far to quick to point their fingers at the Red Sox ownership and just assume that they leaked this. Come back to reality everybody – I’m sure Terry has issues with his marriage and his knee, just as anyone else may. But there is zero evidence that any of this is true, and God knows Terry Francona’s every move is under endless scrutiny.

The point is, while there are undoubtedly some clubhouse practices that could be spun as negative, the real issues are not the beer, the chicken, or incompetent leadership – it’s a group of players that weren’t as accountable as they should have been for their own performance and who ultimately didn’t rally together as a team.

So where does this leave us? Still with a team in need of a new manager, a new GM, and some clubhouse issues that need to be ironed out. But let’s not ride this wave of speculation and join the quest for an imaginary pill-addicted, wife-hating, fried chicken loving scapegoat. The Globe got it wrong this time – it’s not the beer or the video games’ fault. It’s the players that should be held accountable for their own inability to perform.

Worst of all, what got lost in the shuffle of this article is Theo Epstein’s departure. As opposed to Call of Duty and KFC, Theo’s time in Boston is well worth reflecting on.

By Jimmy Cunningham, howiGit New York Writer, Manhattan, NY

In light of the recent Boston Globe article about what went wrong with the end of the Red Sox season I got to thinking, why would anyone want to join this organization right now? The Red Sox are in need of a new manager, GM, and will be active in the free agent market as usual. Every person considered for these roles really has to ask themselves, is this an organization that I want to join? This really does not have anything to do with the Boston media, yes they are intense, but there are intense baseball markets throughout the country, and my impression is that 90% of the time the Boston media does a lot to protect and build up their players. Or the fans that have shown to have little patience with high-priced new guys not performing, here’s looking at you Carl. This has more to do with the way the organization is run and the players that prospective managers/players/GM’s would have to deal with.

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?

Thank you, Terry Francona. While there is little that has not been said over the past week regarding Francona or his Red Sox team, one thing I think every Bostonian owes Francona is a Thank You. While the sting of this year’s collapse has left many disgusted or frustrated, let’s not forget where the Red Sox were before Francona came aboard. They hadn’t won World Series in 86 years and were fresh off of a crushing loss in the 2003 ALCS. In the subsequent 8 years Francona would win 2 World Series titles (the most in baseball over that stretch) and compile a .584 winning percentage (2nd best over that period). He managed a cast of characters called idiots, he managed Manny Ramirez. He managed in the toughest market in baseball, and he managed to win games while winning the respect and admiration of his players.

While I can’t say that I ever even remotely liked Kevin Kennedy, Jimy Williams, or Grady Little, Francona was a “players manager” from day one – exactly the type of coach I would want to play for. But don’t take it from me – take it from Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia:

“I love him. He’s given me every opportunity in the world and given me the respect to play the game with a freedom, and that’s what he allows us players to do. Geez, man, he’s done everything for me and everything for my family … he’s done everything for me in the five years I’ve been in the big leagues. My heart’s broken for him and I wish he was back and I wish I could have played my whole career for him. It’s going to be hard. I’m sure he’ll come back a better manager and a better person for it. Us, as an organization, we’re going to move forward together.”

How many of you out there could say the same about your boss? There’s no doubt that many of the Red Sox core players – Pedroia, Youkilis, Ortiz, Lester, Beckett, Papelbon – all echo the sentiments expressed here by Pedroia. It’s unfortunate that these guys will have to move forward without Francona at the helm, and I know it will hurt their chances of resigning some players – David Ortiz included.

You also have to give it to Terry for his press conference where he announced that he’d be leaving – Francona left as he entered, spilling class out of his pockets the entire way. He was frustrated in his ability to get results out of this team. He was frustrated by this team not coming together as others have done. He took full responsibility for not getting the job done.

“It’s hard, man, with the way we played this year, but by no means is it Tito’s fault,” said Pedroia. “We get paid a lot of money and the biggest thing that I am upset with, and I think a lot of guys are upset with, is the accountability of each other. It’s not the manager’s fault. We need to hold ourselves more accountable as a team, as players. That’s basically it, but Tito’s had every single guy’s back in that clubhouse from Day 1.”

Francona identified a need for “a new voice” in Boston, and hey, maybe he’s right. Perhaps Francona’s time in Boston did run its course, perhaps his ability to effect his team’s attitude and play has declined. That said, I have no doubt that the best man for the job will not be with the Red Sox next season. That is unfortunate, and I have no idea who will be Francona’s replacement (talk about tough shoes to fill).

All that’s left to do is thank Terry for his time in Boston – Red Sox fans will forever be indebted to the man. And all we can do now is look forward to next season with hope – hope that Theo can find us the new right man for the job, hope that the Sox can iron our their issues and come back as strong as ever next season.

Boston may be short a manager, but Boston is never short on hope.

After a wild weekend of baseball at Fenway, the Red Sox clinched their season series against the Yankees and remained atop the AL East standings. Friday night saw a nailbiter as John Lester, Bartolo Colon, and their respective bullpens battled it out to a 3-2 Yankees victory. On Saturday the Red Sox continued their dominance of CC Sabathia en route to a 10-4 victory. Sabathia is now 0-4 with a 7+ ERA on the season versus the Sox while going 16-2 against all other opponents.

As for last night’s series concluding match-up, well, it was befitting of this rivalry to say the least. Josh Beckett pitched 6 innings of 1-run ball, yielding yet another no decision as Freddy Garcia threw 5 innings allowing a single earned run as well. The Red Sox squandered bases loaded opportunities in the 2nd and 6th innings, displaying nothing but an ineffective offense until the bottom of the 9th inning when they found themselves down 2-1. All of a sudden, three players executed perfectly. Marco Scutaro drove a double high off the monster, Jacoby Ellsbury laid down a perfect bunt to move him to third, and Dustin Pedroia (who was 0-10 against Mariano Riveira in his career) drove a ball to deep left field scoring Scutaro and tying the game.

Surprise surprise David Ortiz doubled in the bottom of the tenth, setting up a Josh Reddick game winning single. This hit was huge for Reddick, who has come out of the AAA gates hot as could be. After cooling off  bit as of late, I think this hit will help Reddick keep his momentum going and realize that he can contribute the the team’s success at the highest level. As I watched this game go into extra innings just after midnight you couldn’t tell from the atmosphere at Fenway that it wasn’t October.

The Red Sox are now 10-2 against the Yankees this season, so I have few major concerns there. But I must admit that watching Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon pitch so well against the Sox only adds to my hesitations about whether or not Boston will be able to beat the Phillies in October. We’re still a few months away, so for now we’ll savor this win.