Scout.com > Boston Year In Review: Terry Francona Story URL: http://redsox.scout.com/2/576601.html Jerry Beach DiehardMagazine.com Oct 6, 2006 BOSTON—Despite battling health woes throughout the 2005 season, Terry Francona showed up to a press conference the day after the Red Sox were eliminated from the playoffs by the White Sox wishing there were more games to manage. (FREE PREVIEW OF MAGAZINE CONTENT) There were no such sentiments this year. Francona’s work ethic and commitment were as strong as ever this season, but the Sox’ freefall over the final two months took a considerable toll on him. The spate of injuries and illnesses left Francona with little to work with and forced him to mix and match just to field a lineup, particularly during the nine-game trip to the west coast in late August just prior to roster expansion. “It’s weird, it’s hard to explain,” Francona said prior to the season finale Oct. 1. “The minute the season’s over, I’m done. And this is the first time. I am done. There’s no game tomorrow, and it’s like I turn into a different person. I can turn my engine off.” As trying and as ultimately unsuccessful as the season was, it was not a complete loss for Francona, who appeared more secure than ever heading into the winter. With a hands-on and demanding front office, it has been difficult for a Sox manager to establish his own identity during the John Henry Era, but Francona—whose contract was originally scheduled to run out after this season—appeared more confident and empowered after signing a three-year contract extension in spring training. Francona wasted no time making the most pivotal decision of the season: With the Sox nursing a one-run lead heading into the ninth inning of the third game of the season in Texas, he handed the ball to rookie Jonathan Papelbon instead of struggling veteran Keith Foulke. Papelbon set down the Rangers in order and a legend was born. Most notably, Francona finally seemed to run of patience—publicly—with Manny Ramirez, whose unpredictability has been a thorn in Francona’s side since he took the job in 2004. Ramirez pulled himself out of the finale of the five-game series against the Yankees Aug. 21 citing a sore knee. Numerous tests revealed nothing other than a long-standing case of patella tendinitis, but Ramirez recorded just 25 at-bats in the Sox’ final 38 games and started just once after Sept. 9, a span of 20 games. At times, Francona didn’t even attempt to disguise his disgust with Ramirez. “He said he couldn’t play,” Francona told reporters Aug. 27. “So what the [expletive] do you want me to do? If a guy says he can’t play, I’m not going to make him play. You might like to ask the question, but it just doesn’t work. If a guy can’t play, he can’t [expletive] play.” Ramirez apparently told Francona he was healthy enough to play during the final week of the season, but Francona only started him in the penultimate game of the season Sept. 30. Ramirez hit a homer and struck one of his familiar “Rocky” poses as he watched it leave the park. Afterward, Francona didn’t seem amused. “I actually thought maybe we won the World Series,” Francona said. “I don’t know, I think maybe he was just kind of happy to get back in there and do something. I didn’t ask him. I checked the scoreboard to make sure I had the right score.” Francona’s most interesting statement regarding his feelings for Ramirez didn’t require a word. Francona and Theo Epstein held a joint press conference following the 9-0 win over the Orioles Oct. 1, during which Epstein was asked if he thought Ramirez gave a full effort. As Epstein carefully complemented Ramirez’ effort “…while we were in the pennant race,” Francona—his arms crossed—stared down at the table and didn’t look up until Epstein called him “Skip” and sought confirmation that Ramirez lived up to a bargain he made with Francona upon arriving to spring training Mar. 1 to “…make sure he gave it his all.” His differences with Ramirez aside, Francona’s relationship with Sox players didn’t seem to suffer during the miserable final two months, and he said he was pleased with the performance of the Sox on and off the field as the season became increasingly irrelevant. “The one thing I guess I can hang my hat on this year—and I said it all year and I don’t think it ever changed—was I like the professionalism,” Francona said. “We went through a pretty rough time—injury, illness, losses. And things that I almost think normally happen on a [struggling] team didn’t. Didn’t see the finger-pointing that can happen, especially in a place like this, just because there’s so much interest and so many people asking questions that can easily get misinterpreted if you don’t watch what you say. And I thought our guys handled those types of things very professionally.” Francona said he didn’t feel any more secure or manage any differently with the long-term extension. He said he approached the possibility of replacing Foulke with Papelbon the same way he approached the idea of benching Kevin Millar in favor of John Olerud last season. He stuck with Millar, as much because he didn’t believe the aging Olerud could handle full-time duty. “There’s not too many ‘Paps’ around,” Francona said. “Until you have that guy, you let [the incumbent] have a chance. Like Millar last year—everyone’s clamoring to have Millar out, but I knew Olerud could only play so much. The more Olerud started playing, the less he’s going to hit. And I knew that. “So you just do what you think is right. Contract doesn’t even enter into it.” Nor does the contract make Francona less aware of the realities of life as a manager, particularly in Boston. And as badly as he needed a break this October, Francona is just as desperate to feel the electricity of meaningful fall baseball in 2007. “It’s not a good feeling—it’s been real different these last couple weeks, when you come to the ballpark but the nervous energy’s not there,” Francona said. “There’s nothing that can compare with the nervous energy and excitement of being in a pennant race. You kind of find yourself looking at the scoreboard and feeling a little nervous.” Without that nervous energy next September, he might get the chance to cool his engines permanently. Diehard managing editor Jerry Beach can be reached at diehardmag@yahoo.com. To receive a free issue of Diehard, call 888-979-0979. Copyright © Scout.com and DiehardMagazine.com