Sox deal Francona in

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- We always thought the manager who won the World Series in Boston would be a local god forever. Eat free for life. Get his own cereal box and TV show. He'd be remembered more fondly than Dick Williams or Joe Morgan, the two most popular Red Sox skippers of the last half-century.

Funny how it didn't work out that way for Terry Francona. It's been almost 17 months since that magic night in St. Louis, and Francona never has come close to the lofty perch where Bill Belichick sits atop the New England coaching pyramid. Francona's success has elevated him above the sad status of unfortunate sons like Grady Little and Don Zimmer, but he's not considered a genius on a par with Coach Bill. Affable Tito still gets routinely hooted on sports talk radio, and there are a lot of Sox fans who maintain that Boston won its championship in spite of the man in the corner office.

Until now, this lack of reverence and respect has been demonstrated even by the very men who pay Francona's salary. Red Sox ownership gave Francona a three-year, $1.65 million deal before the 2004 season and never tore it up after the Sox won the World Series. Seems a little odd given that Joe Torre makes $5.5 million per year and Dusty Baker gets $4.5 milllion. Oh, and then there's Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who makes almost 10 times what Francona makes and probably won't make the playoffs.

Until this week, it seemed the Sox were willing to let Francona start the 2006 season as a lame duck manager, but yesterday the ballclub announced that Francona's contract has been extended through the 2008 season. No details were released, but the Sox no doubt gave Francona a significant bump in salary.

''I'm very pleased and very appreciative for a lot of reasons," said Francona after yesterday's 9-7 loss to the Reds.

According to Francona and general manager Theo Epstein, Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino told the manager that his contract status would be addressed in spring training. About a week before the exhibition games started, Francona went out to dinner with Epstein and Sox executives John Henry, Tom Werner, and Lucchino.

''I came out of that feeling like we would get something done," said the manager, who was represented by agent Pat Rooney. ''They had me that night. I just needed to try and get some more money."

Epstein said, ''There was never really a question for us. It made all the sense in the world to give him and the organization some security. We feel he's grown on the job and getting better. It was best to get it done now. He's been everything we've hoped for and more. He's exactly the guy we want to lead us on the field."

Francona added, ''I think you know I have not been real shook up about this the whole spring. I did not want this to become a story."

Would he like to be here a long time?

''How do you know how you'll feel in six or seven years?" he answered. ''This market is very volatile. But I don't want to be a rental manager. I'm not planning on quitting anytime soon, but I'm not sure I want to do this until I'm 70."

Francona moved his wife and four children (two already in college) from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts last August, a commitment Rivers has been unable to make.

''I think showing a commitment to the organization is important," said Francona. ''Being able to walk in there in the winter.

''I just don't believe in managing and going home. I just don't think you can do the job correctly and do it any other way. Moving this time was a big commitment. We were unsure how fair it was to the kids. It's very difficult.

''And to be brutally honest, it's unfair to be in Boston and to be my daughter. One of the topics [at her school] was 'should I be fired?' I want them to have a chance to grow up like you want your children to grow up and have a chance to be successful and be good people."

Now that he has the new deal, you still won't see Francona driving a new Rolls-Royce or wearing Armani suits. Money is for tuition and family security. Meanwhile, he claims not to know about the darts and arrows that come his way on the airwaves and in print. He said he doesn't know who Glenn Ordway is (this is where the columnist resists the temptation to interject an easy cheap shot).

''I have no idea how I am perceived," Francona said. ''That's the times we live in, and in a major market that's what sports radio has become -- who can out-smart-aleck each other -- and it doesn't interest me."

Newspapers?

''I can't say I don't read the paper, but I don't go get a paper. If it's there -- if I have to go to the bathroom or something, you've got to do something [thanks, Tito]. But I don't wake up to see how I'm perceived.

''It's not that I disrespect what you're writing, I just feel like I have a job to do. If somebody writes that you're an idiot, it's probably going to either hurt your feelings or piss you off. And I don't think that's the best way to do my job."

How's the mail running?

''Our mail is so screwy here. I got a batch the other day and it must have gotten stuck somewhere because it was all after the White Sox series. It was horrible.

''It's an interesting dynamic. But if I'm not confident enough to know what I'm doing, they got the wrong guy. If I wake up in the morning and I let what somebody said affect my day, then shame on me. If I let it affect the way I manage, that's a very bad move on my part."

He remembers only a couple of times that it got to him. There was a column by a guy in Philadelphia he felt was unfair and unprofessional. There was the time his youngest son started crying after hearing something on the radio when riding home from a Little League game. And then there was the time his older daughter was touring Harvard, watched a Yankees-Red Sox game in a student lounge, and came home to say, ''Dad, they really hate you up there."

It'll be easier to tune out the negative stuff now that he has a little security for the next three years.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. His e-mail address is dshaughnessy@globe.com.