Sox fan since the infield consisted of Pinky Higgins, Pesky, Doerr, and Rudy York with the indomitable Birdie Tebbetts behind the plate and I'm here to tell you that the book Francona has given me an entirely new outlook of 'today's' Red Sox.

If you are a long-time Sox fan, you will certainly appreciate some of the off-the-field, behind-the-scene-goings-on of the players, coaches, and front office.  As well as the amount of preparation and strategy that goes into each and every game by a devoted manager.

It certainly opened my eyes as to how little I know about the year-in-year-out demands of a major league team, on and off the field, over a 162-game schedule not to mention the off-season operations.

After reading this book, you will definitely have a different perspective.   Hopefully you'll not be too disillusioned by some of the factual accounts of what has recently transpired within the organization.  And just as hopefully you will still be able to enjoy the games on the field after reading this book. 

I read the book too DC. It was a good read and also gave me even more of an appreciation than I already had to what it takes and what is involved during a 162 game season...

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In response to mryazz's comment:

man, your hatred is gonna burn a hole in your insides. time to let the past be in the past. smile! crack open a cold one and just look forward to what Big John and his staff and team can do to help us all forget what was and embrace what is.

GO SOX!

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i don't hate 'cona. it is what it is.

 

the SOX should have fired 'cona a lot sooner than 2011.

+1

Watching him mismanage the team from 2008-2011 seasons was frustrating...each year was worse than the preceding year and his cluelessness regarding pitching changes, conditoning, discipline, and basic baseball sense was exposed in September 2011. The guy had a great (free) ride....he is in a perfect situation in Cleveland - where no one cares and his poor managing wont matter...

 

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In response to georom4's comment:

Wow.  2008 the Sox were one inning from the WS, made playoffs the following year.  I wish we had more bad managing like that.

In response to SpacemanEephus' comment:

he also inherited a team one boneheaded inning away from being world champs....do you think Phillies fans would like to see Francona back - he is after a a two time world series champ...what do you think the amswer would be?

In response to georom4's comment:

 

In response to SpacemanEephus' comment:

 

In response to georom4's comment:

 

 

i don't hate 'cona. it is what it is.

 

the SOX should have fired 'cona a lot sooner than 2011.

+1

Watching him mismanage the team from 2008-2011 seasons was frustrating...each year was worse than the preceding year and his cluelessness regarding pitching changes, conditoning, discipline, and basic baseball sense was exposed in September 2011. The guy had a great (free) ride....he is in a perfect situation in Cleveland - where no one cares and his poor managing wont matter...

 

 

Wow.  2008 the Sox were one inning from the WS, made playoffs the following year.  I wish we had more bad managing like that.

 

 

he also inherited a team one boneheaded inning away from being world champs....do you think Phillies fans would like to see Francona back - he is after a a two time world series champ...what do you think the amswer would be?

 

 

yeah he inherited that great team, and then after finally getting them over the hump, then took another very different team to the promised land too.

 

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In response to georom4's comment:

he also inherited a team one boneheaded inning away from being world champs....

 

Hate to burst your bubble,  but that boneheaded inning to which you refer was in the ALCS, not the World Series.

 

 

In response to SpacemanEephus' comment:

Francona's critics -- "They should have been a dynasty!!" -- never seem to get that.

In response to softlaw2's comment:

You are certainly entitled to your opinion and your choice not to purchase the book; however, your comment "by making baseless allegations via use of meaningless phrases of generality and assumptions that can't be factually substantiated" is not representative of the content of the book. 

There may be some passages that fit your depiction, but I found the bulk of the quotes made by Francona to be concise and very much to the point.  Most of which Shaughnessy backed up with supporting quotes from other players and/or coaches, or conversely presented the other-side-of-the-coin by the parties involved.

Believe me when I say that I have never been a fan of Dan Shaughnessy's, but it is still my opinion that most true Red Sox fans, whether they be pro-Francona or anti-Francona, would find this read to be somewhere between interesting and fascinating. 

And, if you are still determined not to monetarily support Shaughnessy or Francona, which is perfectly understandable, perhaps you might consider checking it out at your local library.

I'd truly like to hear your thoughts after reading it.  Do get back to me.

 

Sounds like a good read. I'll look to pick up a copy as soon as i finish reading "A Clockwork Orange."

In response to antibody's comment:

 

Sounds like a good read. I'll look to pick up a copy as soon as i finish reading "A Clockwork Orange."

 

Spoiler alert:  It's a bit twisted. The latter, that is.

 

 

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In response to LloydDobler's comment:

In response to softlaw2's comment:

If you're seriously into playing golf, than we certainly have something in common beyond our passion for the Sox.  Incidentally, at the risk of seeming immodest, I recently had the opportunity to play the Cascades Championship course at Soma Bay in Egypt thus allowing me to now boast as having played on 5 different continents. 

If you find yourself heading in the direction of Pensacola, give me a heads up and I'll be more than happy to set up some rounds of golf at numerous fine courses in the area.  Of course your presence post-golf at some face-to-face 'the-state-of-the-Sox-discussions' around my firepit during my daily late afternoon attitude-readjustment-hours with some of the local reprobates would be welcomed, and I'm certain that it would add 'spice to the sauce.'

Do drop in anytime.

 

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In response to mryazz's comment:

 

In response to Hammah29r2's comment:

 

In response to mryazz's comment:

 

i'll put 'cona's book in the list of writers i refuse to read.

others on that list include limbaugh, glen beck, donald 'i'm not an orangatan' trump, and bill o'reilly.

if theo decides to write a book, i'll ignore that one also.

there's too many great sports books out there that deserve to be read, not one written by a dud

who is one of the worst field managers i've ever seen.

good luck cleveland, you're gonna need it.

 

man, your hatred is gonna burn a hole in your insides. time to let the past be in the past. smile! crack open a cold one and just look forward to what Big John and his staff and team can do to help us all forget what was and embrace what is.

 

GO SOX!

 

i don't hate 'cona. it is what it is.

 

the SOX should have fired 'cona a lot sooner than 2011.

 

 

Francona was exactly what our special breed of Millar, Manny and Johnny idiots needed to win at the time.  A manager who allowed them to be themselves but make no mistake he was never a great manager before coming to Boston.  His work with the Indians will show us what he can do with an average team again. 

Farrell had pretty much the same struggles with the Jays, as Francona with the Phils.  With that said I believe John will manage the Sox to his best record as a manager to date and was the right choice to replace him. 

The only real difference between the two may come down to discipline and Farrells experience with the pitching staff.

Dust+Soft, If I lived on the east coast, I'd love to be invited.

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In response to ampoule's comment:

Sox fans are always welcomed, so if you happen to be in the neighborhood (Pensacola beaches are the best), do drop by.

Pregame drinks and discussion:

Gametime seating: first-come, first-serve. (Good visibility of the 50" screen from all seats in the outdoor man-cave.)  

 

In response to selenium-'s comment:

I just don't get where you are coming from or why you would insert that very sad topic into a cordial exchange between Sox fans!