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?

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I do not agree with the firing of Grady Little. The reasons are plentiful; the strongest of which is that it appears that the Red Sox brass reacted to public outcry and emotion after Game 7. However there are many more reasons why Grady should have been retained: (a) He has overwhelming support of his players. Some may call this a disadvantage, however the makeup of this team thrives on it; (b) he took the heat for a few fires that fell under the microscope this past season (Manny, Pedro, etc.); (c) his option, I believe, calls for $500k next season, a relative bargain considering that anyone else who comes in here who would be more suitable than Grady would demand more; (d) the next person who comes in here, if the Sox don't make it to the World Series, will be considered a failure. Not many managers would think that joining a team already winning and taking them even higher than levels not achieved in more than a decade would be that appetizing (see Parcells, Bill)' (e) Despite all of the public outcry, I'm willing to be that the cancellation rate of season tickets is a little less than 1% and would be the same whether he gets fired or not. And finally, if the Sox retained him and picked up his option, and they get off to a slow start in 2004, they can justly fire him and get someone else. If they retained him and they did well, then this whole discussion is a moot point. Good luck in Baltimore or wherever you land, Grady. If the next manager is better suited to handle this club, I'll eat my words, but even after a devastating end to an awesome season, I still rank this season extremely high on the list of my favorite Bosox teams and like to think that keeping chemistry and the good attitude intact is the best option. Either way I will be following the Sox in 2004...

Mike, Wilmington, MA

Good Bye Grady. I won't miss you. I won't miss your bullpen antics, and I won't, let me repeat, I won't miss your inability to make crucial decisions at crucial moments. Hindsight is 20/20, but managers are required to act before crisis' begin, not respond to them when its too late. Good Bye Grady...

Tim, Newton

This whole Grady thing is a little disturbing. If the reason that his option wasn't picked was not based on the team's failure to win the 7th game against New York, then what were the reasons. It seems that he was able to keep the clubhouse in order, he handled the Manny sore throat thing pretty well, he had four guys who had career years and he won more games than nearly all the other managers in both leagues. So what was the problem? And just who is management going to trust to do a better job overall? I just don't get it. This management team hired Little, he did his job well and he was treated shabbily. I would think that it would take a lot of convincing to get someone else to take the job.

Bill , Gloucester

Got to bring in Fregosi or Hargrove. Both are guys that have proven that they can handle a clubhouse of odd personalities and characters (Fregosi managed the 93 Phillies to perfection, and Hargrove did a great job with Indians teams that included Albert Belle and Roberto Alomar, as well as a young Manny). You need a proven guy to handle the Boston media, not a first-timer. Fregosi especially has already weathered the storm in Philly, which is almost as difficult. Anyone saying that you don't want a recycled manager is being shortsighted and foolish. Joe Torre and Jack McKeon are both recycled guys--Torre especially was a consistently losing manager until he took over for the Yankees. Sometimes you've got to be in the right situation. That said, if Torre or Jim Leyland become available, they should jump to the head of Boston's wish list.

Brian, DC

I kind of feel bad for the guy but there were so many times that I couldn't believe the moves he made. Game 7 obviously was the ultimate example. I wish him luck but it had to be done. Wait until next year!

Pete, Manassas, VA

I am a diehard Red Sox fan. I listen or watch every Sox game. I recently saw an article in TSN that mentioned Valentine as a possible pick as our manager. If the Sox hire that arrogant ass I will never watch another game. Possibilities- Fregosi_- not bad Zimmer - getting old Tim Nehring (sp?)- I don't know why. Where's Cecil Cooper? Hoffman- maybe he can lure his brother to follow him over here when he's healthy

Tim, Rouses Point NY

this new Redsox front office is doing the same knee-jerk thinking as all the otherfront office dummies in the past.......another great leader gone to the Redsox manager junkyard...just like hawk,johnson,kennedy,etc

joe, san antonio

Its a sad situation for Little, The Sox, and for the fans. Those of us who love The Sox were so crushed and miserable by the result of Game 7. It was as if the Gods of baseball had handed us a cruel trick. Unfortunatly, the man at the top had to take the fall for it. There was no way that Little could have come back next year. His every move would have been analyzed and second-guessed. The championship starved fans would have never let him forget that last game. I will never forget that last game and his name will always remind me of that horrible Friday morning. To his credit, it was a wonderful and thrilling season. I was blessed to have been there and to have seen many wonderful highs and tough lows. The come from behinds, the roar of the crowd, and the silence of defeat. But the most painful low of all was the last one. And there weren't any more chances for a high to right it.

Rick, Cambridge

I would like to see Joe Torre, if the Yankees let him go, or Mike Hargrove. Both are the type of managers that players love to play for. This team does not need someone coming in that will be a total 180 from Grady. They need someone to come in that can build on what Grady Little started. Maybe even look into getting Bobby Cox away from the Braves organization.

Kevin, Warwick, RI

pedro should be let go too. they are both responsible for their actions that night.

karen c, boston