So here we are again, looking at a disappointing year and facing managerial decisions. Last year Terry Francona was given the boot and fans went nuts. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Sox fans as frustrated and angry with the administration than they were at that moment. People argued it wasn’t Terry’s fault and that it was the fault of the players. With Bobby Valentine though, it’s an entirely different case. Why? Well fans were pitted against Bobby from the start. How on earth could a guy who hadn’t managed in the major leagues since 2002 possibly turn the ship around? In my humble opinion, all things considered, he did a fair job. He was a lineup card genius. Bobby didn’t have a whole lot to work with especially with injuries to Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, and Will Middlebrooks, yet the lineups still produced. Another problem was the pitching. When your ERA leader on the team has an ERA of over 4, that’s a problem. Yes Bobby clearly had a problem with his media suave. That’s obvious. However I would argue not that Bobby was a bad manager, but that he wasn’t the right fit for Boston. It was a chemistry issue. He couldn’t get the respect needed from the players or the staff. This isn’t the important part though. The important thing is looking ahead to the way to fix this team. We as fans have become accustomed to winning. We certainly didn’t expect to look like the Houston Astros this year. However there still is hope in Boston. Ben Cherington has already started his managerial search which we all can be glad about. So far names such as DeMarlo Hale and Brad Ausmus have come up. DeMarlo could be a good option since he has had experience with the Sox before as a base coach and a manager in the farm system. Ausmus on the other hand has never managed before but was one of the better catchers in his era. Ausmus could offer some valuable wisdom when it comes to pitching, but again he’s never managed. Maybe that’s what the Red Sox need though, something fresh. As the search continues, keep your eyes on both of these guys, they just might be what the future holds in Beantown.
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