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 51

For all the crap about Grady not being able to "manage in game situations", his incompetence must be the stuff of legend. Two 90+ win seasons, a come-from-behind series win against the A's and a knockdown, dragout fight with the Yankees in the ALCS? It's incredible it took management that long to realize Little was so dumb. And if you're going to say "well, the talent of the team won it despite him" then there's no reason to even broach the issue of whether Little has a "good baseball mind" (or Joe Torre, or Jack McKeon, or Dusty Baker or anyone else, for that matter). This club jelled better than any other Sox team in recent memory, and we all knew it. And the more emotional of us made Grady the scapegoat (and fewer still are wondering why Pedro didn't say something if he felt he was tiring). I think we're no better than the Yankees if we go firing coaches and releasing players if they don't get us to the World Series and/or win it. This team had tremendous success these past two years and speaking as a lifelong Red Sox fan, I haven't had as much fun watching them ever, as I did this year. Now is when the Sox and the rest of us really have to cowboy up for '04. I hope we all can.

Bry , Boston

One unpopular baseball manager falls way down the totem pole of importance. What's shocking is that the Globe actually gave it higher priority than Bank of America's Fleet takeover. Despite what BofA says, anyone thinking there won't be significant job losses is naive at best. Yup, Grady Little's really important. NOT!

Jim, Boston

It is time to get a proven manager who can take a team to the World Series. Get Bobby Valentine. If the players can't handle one manager while making 10's of millions of dollars, they should be traded or released. It is not the money or superstars! Look at the Yankees and Marlins.

Ken, San Francisco

I'll miss ya, Grady. But bring on the Rem-Dog!~

Matt , Laconia

I believe Grady Little should be let go. He could not make a decision at a critical time, so he stuck with a pitcher whom he thought might wiggle out of the dilemma. Mr. Little chose to do nothing. I remember watching the Sox lose a series years ago, again with a lead, and they brought in a young man who had no experience to handle the situation. His name was Calvin (cannot remember how to spell his surname.) When the camera showed a closeup of the young man's face, I could see the fear in his eyes. He never had a chance! He should not have been put in that situation, and I blame the manager more than the young pitcher. A manager has to make tough decisions at tough times. Mr. Little could not do this. I could see Pedro was losing it in inning #7. I could not believe he started #8. The Yankees still may have won, as the Sox have this horrid habit of becoming doormats whenever the New Yorkers come calling. How did three OTHER teams defeat NY in the last three years? They did not seem to be effected by the so called Yankee aura. There is too much puppy in the Red Sox. When you get in championship games, you must be a big, mean dog. I do not recall Lombardi ever asking a player to decide the outcome of a game. Some day the Red Sox will meet the Cubs in the final series. Unfortunately, it may be 2103. Gary Mroz Ottawa,Ontario

Gary Mroz, Ottawa,Ontario

All I can say is that you Sox fans deserve what happens to you next year when the clubhouse falls apart & and all the players forget what it is to be part of a TEAM!! This past season has been a wonderful site to behold, watching the players come together like no other I have ever seen. How do you motivate a team when they see a manager lead them to 188 wins in two years be let go?!?!?

Chris, Sandhills, NC

NICE GUYS ALWAYS FINISH........................

LOUIS, MEDFORD

GRADY NEW HE WAS GONE, SO HE STUCK IT TO THE RED SOX

JACK, NAPLES, FLORIDA

GOODBYE GRADY! not sorry to see your lazy butt go!

Charlene, Woburn

Hey, Grady was cool. He helped get the Sox farther than they had been in a long time, and he made a real team out of his players. Give him credit. In any other town he'd be a hero. Still, Theo & the crew are making the right decision. I'd love to see Rem-dog as manager though I'd miss his analysis on NESN. Too bad Dusty Baker or Joe Torre aren't available.

John , Amherst, MA