The Official a2k Virtual Red Sox Luxury Box is Now Open!

In his first interview since his farewell press conference at Fenway Park on Friday night, former Red Sox manager Terry Francona on Wednesday talked for 45 minutes on Boston sports radio WEEI about his perceived shortcomings this season, the flaws he saw in the team and why he didn’t think he was the right person to manage in Boston going forward.

Whether Francona’s departure was his choice, a mutual decision or whether he was pushed out the door by Sox brass is a topic that’s been debated ever since it was announced that he would not return late last week. As he did Friday, Francona again stressed that it was his decision to leave. He also said, however, that if the ownership group -- which he described Wednesday as “second to none” -- had exercised his contract at some point either before or during the season, he’d still be managing the Red Sox.

Would he have returned if the Sox had asked him to come back at the meeting between Francona and Sox brass two days after the season ended?

“I don’t know, to be honest with you,” Francona told WEEI’s Big Show. “That didn’t happen.”

[snip]

One of the things that has become a symbol of Sox disharmony this season is the reported drinking in the clubhouse during games by some starting pitchers on their off days, which a source told ESPNBoston.com had been going on not only this season, but last season as well. Francona on Wednesday said he wasn’t aware it was happening, though he did say he was “uncomfortable with a lot of the things that were going on with our team.”

He didn’t take issue with the idea that there may or may not have been players drinking, but rather with what they weren’t doing.

“If someone walks around with a cup full of beer … I don’t think it’s the end of the world,” Francona said. "I don’t think it’s like it’s being portrayed. More in general was the idea that I wanted the guys that weren’t down on the bench I wanted them on the bench, I wanted them to support their teammates. Things like that. Whether they had a cup of beer or not wasn’t the end of the world to me. It was more of an attitude toward our team that distressed me.”

Another issue with the team, Francona said, was that players’ personal goals seemed to be coming before the team’s goals.

"I used to say, when a team would come up after the game, if they were mad it was because we lost not because they were 0 for 4,” Francona said. "I felt a little bit different this year, especially at the end. The personal goals were outweighing some of the team goals. That’s my responsibility to change that. That falls on me. I was distraught that I wasn’t able to change that all the time.”

Theo Epstein is "on the cusp" of joining the Chicago Cubs

THIS JUST IN!
Theo Epstein was seen driving away from Fenway Park in a gorilla costume; on his way to Chicago to GM the Cubs.

A source with knowledge of the talks told ESPN's Karl Ravech Tuesday that the compensation would involve
prospects and/or cash, but no major league players would be part of the deal, following traditional precedent.

[snip]

The Red Sox also have had informal conversations about candidates other than assistant GM Ben Cherington
to replace Epstein. But Cherington appears to be the heir apparent.

Epstein likely will be restricted, in an agreement between the teams, from bringing any Boston employees with him
without approval from the Red Sox, according to an American League source.

Inside the collapse
Dedication waned, unity unraveled, and manager lost influence as a once-inspiring Red Sox season ended in epic failure

Teams only have seven days to communicate and get a deal done after they ask for permission to talk
to an employee of another team, two major league sources told Levine Friday.

The source told ESPNBoston.com Friday that he would not be surprised if negotiations continue until
Tuesday.

That's the day before the World Series is scheduled to begin, and the commissioner's office prohibits
any major personnel announcements from being made during the Series.

"I can't imagine that either team would want to go another 10 days (until after the World Series ends),"
the source said.

"You know what? We didn't play good baseball. People are making us out to be a bunch of drunk,
fried-chicken eating SOBs, playing video games. You can ask my wife, for the last 10 years I don't
think I've played a single video game, and Josh (Beckett) and Lack (John Lackey) are the same way.
But one person writes an article, and things have gotten blown way out of proportion, almost to
another planet. We're getting crushed."

The Chicago Cubs may be able to announce the hiring of their new baseball executive
during off-days of the World Series despite Major League Baseball's traditional ban on
major announcements during the Fall Classic, according to a source familiar with the situation.