John Farrell and moving forward

By Marie Torto, Boston.com Staff

On the surface, the biggest difference between this year’s team and the last-place team from last season is the manager. New manager John Farrell seems to have the right attidude. “You seek the best available people and give them the freedom to do their work.,” said Farrell. “To look over one’s shoulder all the time and micromanage, I think that’s a de-motivator and doesn’t allow for the creativity of the individual to come out. We’ve got that in place with our staff and the individuals that comprise the staff.”

Third baseman Will Middlebrooks welcomes the change. “[Farrell] knows how to handle the city, he knows how to handle the media, he knows how to handle the characters and the personalities that are here. He’s a perfect fit for us.”