After two years, 188 regular season wins, and a trip to the American League Championship Series, the Red Sox have parted ways with Grady Little. Are the Sox making the right move? Who should get his job?

Page 25

I have mixed emotions about Grady Little's option not being picked-up (he wasn't fired). There is no way the Red Sox brass made this call based on the one game 7 decision to leave Pedro in the game, nor should they. They aren't that reactionary. However, if you look at the last two seasons with Grady at the helm, you see improvement from one to the next. 93 wins and no playoffs, to 95 wins and game seven of the ALCS the next. With a modest improvement projected for the 2004 season and a Yankees team that will be heavily retooled over the winter (once they let Furious George out of his padded accomodations in Bellevue), you can easily make a case for the Red Sox as favorites for the division title and World Series Champs. Instead, you oust a manager that is extremely popular with the players and replace him with who? Their isn't a very long list of men that can handle the egos, media, fans, front office, history, curse, and as Grady himself put it, 162 'seasons' the Red Sox play each year. I don't know the numbers off hand for first year managers winning it all (I am aware that McKeon did it in less than a year), but are 'We, the Nation' going to expect a World Series out of the gate from our new manager? If we don't win it, does he get fired next year too? And what will become of our soon-to-be free agents after 'their' manager was let go, Pedro, Nomar, Tek, Trot, D-Lowe... why rock the boat when you have players coming up for contract renewals who enjoyed playing here for the first season in a while? I for one will miss Grady Little. I hope they can find someone who can manage this team and all the problems they will face the next several seasons, I'm not convinced. I may not have believed in all of Little's decisions, including the one to leave Pedro in that late in Game Seven, but ask yourself this. Who is the nucleus of this team? Who has been solely responsible for more victories than any one player over the last six seasons? Who is our ace? Doesn't he deserve (if he wants it) a chance to be on the mound when it is all on the line? I would trade anything we do next year for the chance at a ALCS game seven with a tired Pedro on the mound in the eighth inning, wouldn't you?

Chris G., Orlando, FL

As fans they will look upon this as a decision based on a game and the decisions made in it. Yet the fans, fanatics, and get-a-lifers of this grand ole game fail to realize that the reasons and actions based on this decision are on a need to know basis. Fans do not know the WHOLE story, and may never know. So how can the fandom make a comment on only half the knowledge behind the action. Lets just sit back and trust that the ownership has made the best decision for the team. I am confident that John Henry, Larry, and Theo have the best interests for the future of the franchise, at heart.

Karl, Brattleboro, VT

Cito Gaston. He has the demeanour, the experience, the know-how, and oh yeah, two world series rings. All he needs now is an opportunity.

Jason, Ottawa, Canada

First Bad Move by Theo, John, and Larry. This move is contradictory to everything they have worked hard to build. The Sox spent the last few seasons trying to build chemistry and team unity and after enjoying a season where guys genuinely cared for each other and supported each other the Sox fire the skipper? I do not agree with this at all and hope Grady lands with a team soon. I hope the next Red Sox manager can get 96 wins a season or else he will be viewed as a loser and sent packing as well.

John, Newton

I hate to see him go. Everyone loves bashing Grady Litte, but where would that team be if he wasn't there to pull that clubhouse together. If you want to point fingers, why not point fingers at the lack of hitting duirng the ALDS and the ALCS? Grady isn't up there swinging the bat. If I were him I wouldn't want to come back. Everybody loves the guy after Game 6 (remember how everyone was screaming for him to change the batting lineup and he didn't... and it worked??) and they spit in his face after Game 7. If theSox don't get back to the ALCS with another manager next year, and they will deserve what they get.

Dan, West Newton

Bad move - if the Sox got blown away in game 7, none of this would have probably come up. Grady brought something special to the team. The worst thing that could happen to this Sox team is too many moves...

Ammiel, Brooklyn

I love reading responses from the absolutely clueless people out there. The best is from the dude from Brighton who thinks that Don Zimmer or Butch Hobson would be a great choice for manager of the Sox. Be careful with this dude, we may be driving home on the same roads as him tonight.

Gerry, Chelmsford

Although Little's overall record is one that any manager would envy in his first two years in the big leagues, Grady made a huge error in judgement on the biggest stage of his baseball life. If he was retained for 2004, he'd be subject to cat calls on his every trip to the mound. It's unfortunate that he has to go, but that is the way that the baseball business is run. As to who should succeed Grady, two candidates fit the bill to keep the BOSOX focused. Tom Kelly would be a perfect fit. He's been there before and has a ring on his finger. The second choice would be right up there in the TV booth. If Tom Kelly is not available, go for the Rem Dog. He knows the Sox better than anyone. The main thing that the Sox should not do is recycle the usual suspects - Fregosi or Hargrove.

Charlie, Bayonne, New Jersey

I think Grady did a fabulous job, the Red Sox haven't been this far in years. If they didn't renew his contract because of game 7, then they are wrong! Anytime would be glad to have Grady

msle, dedham

Very bad move for the Sox. Little has been the only manager for the Sox that has been able to keep the team together and as a family. Team chemistry has never been better.

Luke , Worcester MA