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So long, Grady

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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Page 9


BYE BYE Grady. Hmmm....we all thought you got paid to make crucial decisions as the manager, not let your players (whether ace pitcher or not) make them for you. YOU lost game 7 after the team played their hearts out. What were you thinking???? Better luck next time. Maybe Detroit can use you. The RemDawg should be the new manager!

Chris, Montague, MA


Good riddance. Possibly the worst "non-managerial move" ever in Game 7 of the ALCS. I don't know one person who couldn't see it. Pedro gives up a homer to Giambi and limps out of the 7th. At the very least, if he starts the 8th and a runner is on, you go to the pen. Grady was an average manager at best, but it's just a shame his flaws were exposed in late in Game 7 of the ALCS like that. His belligerence in the press is amazing as well. I am not sure who he thinks he is. He just singlehandedly destroyed an great season because of his unwillingness to do what a manager should do. To leave the best bullpen in the playoffs unused in that situation is one of the most amazing decisions in sports history. The game was not decided on the field, but inside the warped and obviously unexperienced mind of one person. If I am the players, I am feeling extremely let down by Grady's incompetence at the worst possible time. Batters hit .364 off Pedro when he goes over 100 pitches. Most pitchers don't go more than 100 and last long. Grady chickened out and him not pulling Pedro is a great example of him catering to the superstars on the team. I hope only the Yankees hire him from here on out. Whoever they bring in next, they need to make sure that this is a team and certain players like Pedro and Manny need to be a part of it.

Russ G., Boston


I agree with letting Grady Little leave. He obviously does not have an understanding of the history of Red Sox suffering. Pedro should not have come out for the eighth inning. The game was won, crowd and Yankees under control. Why put Pedro through the exposure of an incited crowd and rejuvenated Yankee lineup. Go to the bullpen for 6 very makeable outs. Next manager? Look at Mike Hargrove. Highly exzperienced, former player, respected by Manny, at least. No Bobby Valentine for this group.

steve, Manalapan, NJ


Terrible move. Grady Little was as integral to the Red Sox success this year as any starting player, and the fact that management is getting rid of him is a pathetic attempt to appease a fickle and ignorant fan base.

Will, Sherborn


"I ain't afraid of no ghost."

Joe G, Bedford


What if the Yanks blew the Sox out in the early part of the game? Fire Little then? Little had been beaten up all year for pulling the 17 Million man early--G-d help us if Timlin or Embree had blown it. What does a guy have to do to keep his job? The ONLY guy with the cajones to take the Sox job given how high the bar is is Tom Kelly. Alas, tho', he is not that stupid...

Bruce, Princeton


No. Grady has won over 90 wins in the 2 season's he's managed the team. It is easy to question him after that one call. We failed to remember all the other decisions he made that were very good. He handled the Manny Ramirez situation very well and he took a team without a legitimate closer to the ALCS. I would prefer that a stronger bench coach and pitching coach be provided. How about some consistent starting pitching...

Roger, Roanoke


Little had to go. It's easy for outsiders to say Red Sox Brass are crazy for not re-newing his contract, but I will tell you this......I watched just about every game this year, and his managerial moves alone cost this team at least 10 games this year and that is no joke....They won this year despite of him....I hope the players will be professional about this situation and play just as hard for the next manager....They have too much talent not to get back to the ALCS and maybe win the whole thing....My Choice...Mike Stanley............Hang in there Red Sox nation, we will be back....

Kris , Agawam, MA.


this is a crock. Firing grady for sticking with his man to the end of Game 7? What's next, we fire belichick for not benching Tom Brady in the last minute of a Pats playoff game...if he throws a pick? What a bunch of idiots, Sox management. See if the new boss can get these guys going like Grady did. See if Manny dumps the team for 2-3 weeks in August as he usually does. See if Pedro whines his way into "shutting it down" in early September...there's no '05 club option to play for next year. I went to 2 ALCS games. I saw some great baseball played. My team lost, but at least they were close, decided in the late innings, and there were no Buckner-esque follies I could complain about. Grady did a better job than anyone else in recent memory. You think Fregosi or some other new guy will suddenly inspire these guys to play harder? Just you watch. When they're 81-81 next OCtober 1, you'll know I've spoken the truth.

don, nashua nh


Without knowing what went on with the organization last season, it is impossible to determine wether this is a good thing or not. Yes he may have screwed up game 7, and I am as sick about it as anyone, but what positive effect did he have? How many games would they have won without him? Can he motivate the players? These are the important issue - not one (all be it bad) decision. Perhaps an option is to keep him as manager and provide him with a strong assistant to help balance his positive qualities with some additional objective input. Could this be a win-win and ultimately win situation? in the words of colonel Hessler ..."we must measure what we might win by what we might loose..."

Mike, Winchester


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