An explanation from Francona

I would have sent Manny Ramirez up in that spot

You gotta go with Casey. Professional hitter, great in the clutch. This is one of several times this season that Cora has been allowed to hit in pivotal situations. I don't get it.

I asked myself that very question and would have gone with Casey. Cora should NEVER bat when the game is on the line and that was a big spot right there.

Once again we're commenting on Francoma! Another opportunity to change the course of the game with a pinch hitter or a a BUNT! But noooooo! I ask; " Why not have Sean Casey come in to pinch hit for Alex Cora with men at 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs in the 8th?" But then again it's Francome time. Another game lost to the sands of time. I guess home field advantage means NOTHING to this idiot! When will this guy actually manage a baseball game! OMG! Then to top all of this off, he says " I did think about pinch hitting for Cora." WHAT! I thought about it! When, at the after the game buffet? OMG#2 But I am glad that he thought about it!

Francoma strikes again. What a lousy manager. Now that Schilling is going to be history let's get a manager. Never been a Francoma fan....I know about the two WS Championships...thank you. He is continually being out managed or asleep at the wheel.

I think Francona is an excellent manager and he has done a fantastic job here, so it always feels a bit unfair to be nitpicking and second guessing him. However, today in that situation it was hard not to. I think the decision today was a poor one, but indicative of the loyal guy he is. "AC" was about as likely to get a big hit there as I was. When he says Carter was going to get the at bat that is like making excuses to get away from the issues, as it non-sensical. Casey should have been the batter, he is the major league hitter that was needed in that situation be it a single or a double or whatever else. The best chance of those two runs coming in was with Casey at the Bat! Francona knows that in his heart of hearts. I could not believe it when I saw "AC" up there, but I think it is just the one area of weakness we have to accept about an overall great manager. But it was frustrating today, because it was a bad decision and an even worse explanation.

Love the moronic posts here from "fans" who have never played at a higher level than Little League. Francona has only given us 2 rings in 5 years? Hang him!

joe maddon, joe torre, tony larussa, all the really good ones - they send up casey there in that spot. no brainer. the thing i don't understand in francona's response is when he says "if we needed an extra base hit we we"re going with carter". two issues there: one - you DIDN'T NEED an extra base hit. it was second and third! single brings home both runs. and two - CHRIS CARTER?? who the hell is chris carter? is francona serious??? just this week he says he's not playing van every b/c the sox aren't playing in pawtucket but yet he considers pinch hitting chris carter, who has 6 at bats all season, in perhaps the biggest game of the year??? he baffles me more times than not. very very frustrating. casey would have gotten a hit there. game tied

I would have stayed with Cora, I have confidence he can hit singles and that's what we needed. He damn near had a hit to tie the game which would have won me five bucks not lost it for me!

Francona is a great manager of men; regarding in-game strategy, not so much. With an assembly of talent and egos like the BRS have each season, it's probably more important, over the course of a 162-game schedule, to have a guy like Terry manning the dugout and clubhouse. He knows how to get the most out of his players and keeps them happy. But often we'll see him getting outmaneuvered or simply failing to try something different to score one run....he'd rather sit back and let his guys rally for a big inning. Kind of explains his non-success in the NL, where managers are seemingly more 'on their toes' throughout the game and are always making substitutions, double-switches and the like.

Terry was never a good "game time " manager but he handles the players to perfection in a tough media town. Don't expect Terry's moves to win a ton of games but expect him to be there in the end....can't knock to WS championships, it was surely not dumb luck....pinchhit? sure, anything but what he did in hindsight lol

I would have pinch-hit with nearly anyone at that point since Cora had no hits to that point in the game. Granted, I don't get to see how hard Cora's hit was (they don't show that on the ESPN GameCast but the fact remains there was no hit.
At least the pitching, for the most part, seems to be steadying, in spite of Masterson giving up a run the bullpen has been much better and Lester kept us in the game and went a decent 7 innings (only giving up runs in the first 2 innings).
As for pitching in the post season, unless Wake's back comes up sore again this year we ALL know who Tito will opt into the rotation instead of Byrd and I don't know if Wake's still got it. But if Lugo heals and makes the roster, someone shoot me.

I would have pinch hit Casey, like most any rational manager would have done. Casey has been under-used (& under-appreciated) all season.

A lot of idiot Sox fans in here.

Ditto on comment #7...who knows more about the game, someone who has been in it and around it his whole life (and who should have a statue built for guiding two WS championship clubs in four years) or the nitwit second-guessers of the world?

Tito's explanation makes perfect sense. That's why he's a major league manager with two WS rings and we're watching (and enjoying) him .

If you're not happy with Francona in general, there's no time like the present to find a new team, because I think he's going to be here a while. And I'm happy about it. The NL still has plenty of hot bunting action if you're into that sort of thing.

"I would have sent Manny Ramirez up in that spot"

Sorry, his knees are sore. That contract clause is killin' him.

Give credit where credit is due. Kilgore asked the question, which doesn't happen often enough. The follow up would have been, "you say you didn't consider Casey. Does that mean you think Cora in that situation is as good as Casey or was it the particular match up?"

Because why was Casey not factoring in the equation?

Carter makes sense folks. If you haven't watched him hit, you should. The guy is a picture of fundamentals and can hit dead fastballs as well as anyone from the limited sample I've seen. He should have been used over Cora either way.

Anyway, nice job getting the comment for us to beat around like a drum.

I thought Chris Carter was the guy who created the X-files....do agree that he should have PH for Cora, but give the guy some credit...he has won 2 RECENT WS titles. How many did the Sox win prior or how recent?? Good Lord!!!