Francona Says No

Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona has told the Red Sox he is not interested in returning to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park because he is still upset with the team and he's not ready to make nice. One of the things that he says most upset him, besides for how his firing was handled, was the fact that someone from the Sox leaked to the Boston Globe that they thought Francona had been abusing pain medications which affected his ability to manage the team last year.

The way he was treated really should not have come as a surprise to anyone, nor should the fact that the information appeared in the Globe, because that is how the Red Sox have treated nearly everyone in recent years. The Boston Globe, which is part owner of the Sox, is the mouthpiece for the Sox, and it is pretty rare for them not to parrot the party line. In addition, they are the ones used to abuse and attack people when they leave.

When Nomar Garciaparra was traded, the Globe proceeded to publish a series of articles from sources "inside" which talked about how he had quit on the team, what a terrible teammate he was and how everyone was glad to see him go. When Manny Ramirez was traded, the Globe published a series of articles from sources "inside" which talked about how Manny had quit of the team, how everyone was tired of "Manny being Manny," and how happy everyone was to see him go. This was in spite of the fact that Manny led the team in batting average, on base percentage, and RBI during the time he was supposed to have quit. Now Manny did quit on the team in 2005, but the team and the Globe were strangely silent about that at the time.

So the treatment that Francona received should not have surprised anyone, because anyone who follows the team knew it was coming. My question is where was Francona when the same thing was happening before? Why didn't he come out and defend Nomar or Manny or any of the other players and personel who were dragged through the mud by the team and the Globe? When negative behavior is tolerated for years, even by consent through silence, you cannot then express outrage after it happens to you.

Was Terry Francona treated unfairly? No question. But, was he treated in any way that was different from how the Sox have treated everyone else they have wanted to portray in a negative light in order to protect themselves? No. This is how the Sox and the Globe operate, and sadly most Sox fans buy it hook line and sinker and they too begin to parot the party line because the Globe tells them to.

Sorry Terry, the team did what they have always done it's just that you were the victim this time instead of someone else.

Update: Grady Little, another manager who was mercilessly dragged through the mud by the team and the press, has not replied to his invitation to attend. It is assumed that he will not be there.