Boston Red Sox 2012: Who Is the Face of the Franchise?

The 2012 Boston Red Sox have an identity problem.

The problem is that they don't have one.

Obviously, it is a little early to be concerned about what personality the team is going to take on. However, the toxic environment (real or perceived) that surrounded this team last year has fans and media on edge already.

Pitchers eating and drinking during games was a symptom, not the actual disease. The downfall of the 2011 Red Sox can be attributed, instead, to a lack of leadership. While players and management claim otherwise (I certainly wasn't there, so I can't argue with them), this sentiment is the common perception among fans.

If they want to win back their fanbase, the Red Sox will need to change this perception. They need something to eliminate the lingering scent of fried chicken and beer that has followed this team into spring training. More specifically, they need a leader to step up and become the face of this team. 

As a veteran-laden unit, this group should have no problem finding one or two players to step up and be a leader on and off the field. In Boston, a city with many teams competing for fans' time and interest (and money), the Sox need a signature player to represent their team.

The Patriots have Tom Brady. The Celtics have Paul Pierce. The Bruins have Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas and the emerging Tyler Seguin.

In the past, players like Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez have held the dual post of leading the team on the field and representing the franchise off of it. They were beloved by fans, which led to some of their foibles being dismissed as mere quirks and streaks of poor play being overlooked. 

So, who will be the face of this team in 2012, if anyone? Here are several candidates.

Josh Beckett

The center of controversy at the end of last season, Josh Beckett has done a nice job facing the music in spring training. He has apologized for his behavior and seems ready to shift his focus to this season.

The problem with Beckett is all in the presentation. In many of his interviews, he barely hides his disgust at the questions he's asked and his disdain for those asking them.

While fans don't bat an eyelash at Beckett's demeanor when he's winning, his defiance does not play well when he struggles. Ultimately, his brashness prevents him from stepping into a more prominent role in representing his team.

Jacoby Ellsbury

Now would seem to be the ideal time for Jacoby Ellsbury to step into a public leadership role with the team. He is coming off of a breakout season. Fans like him. He’s young and is one of the few who escaped criticism at the end of last season.

However, Ellsbury has been reluctant when it comes to the spotlight. He has never been a go-to guy for sound bites, and he does not have the typical gregarious personality one thinks of when describing a leader.

Further complicating things is his contract status. Ellsbury will be a free agent after 2013, and after his 2010 injury fiasco, he may look to start the next chapter of his career in a new city.

Adrian Gonzalez

As a Triple Crown contender every season, Adrian Gonzalez has the on-field pedigree to represent the Red Sox going forward. And given that he is in the first year of his seven-year contract extension, he’s going to be there for a while.

However, Gonzalez showed in his first season that, like Ellsbury, he is pretty reserved with his emotions on the field and when talking to the media.

While this suits him well as a hitter, it fails to resonate with a fanbase that privileges oversized personalities and fiery temperaments. 

Jon Lester

Had we done this assessment on August 31, 2011, Jon Lester would have been a prohibitive favorite. He was enjoying a Cy Young-caliber season, and when coupled with his admirable comeback from cancer just five years ago, he was as beloved a member of the Red Sox as any.

But people have short memories.

After a poor September and his involvement in the clubhouse controversy, Lester now will have to win back the support of fans.

He has held himself accountable for his struggles and promised to do better, but until fans see concrete results, Lester cannot be regarded as a true leader of this team.

Kevin Youkilis

Kevin Youkilis has been a vital part of the Red Sox for many years. His fiery temper, willingness to sacrifice his body to make a play and steady production have often made him the subject of the fans’ adulation.

It may come as a surprise, though, that Youkilis is now 33 years old. The years of selling out for ground balls at either of the corner infield spots are beginning to take their toll, as injuries have slowed him the last two seasons.

A free agent after the season, Youkilis will be focused more on staying healthy and productive on the field than leading the rest of the group.

David Ortiz

With Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek’s retirement, David Ortiz is now the longest-tenured member of the team.

Big Papi's multitude of walk-off hits and playoff heroics have cemented him as a Red Sox legend, and he will be forever beloved by the Boston fans.

Unfortunately, he is also getting old. At 36, Ortiz is nearing the end of his career. The Red Sox seem to think so too, refusing to give him a multiyear contract this winter.

Ortiz has also shown his leadership style to be a bit hands-off, saying during spring training that he is “not a babysitter or anything like that.” To lead this group, he would have to be.

Dustin Pedroia

Like David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia’s brilliance on the field is beyond reproach. He was the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year and 2008 AL MVP, and has won two Gold Gloves and appeared in three All-Star Games.

At age 28 and locked up long-term, he should be a shoo-in for becoming the face of the Red Sox.

The one knock on Pedroia would be his seeming reluctance to accept a public leadership role. When asked during spring training if he thought he’d make a good captain, he said, “I don’t even think about that stuff," according to The Boston Globe.

While it is a good thing that Pedroia is not focused solely on himself, the team needs a strong leader unafraid to publicly call out his teammates when necessary. It seems, then, that there is only one person who fits that description…

Bobby Valentine

Perhaps it is not a great sign that the Red Sox’s signature player is actually their manager. Bobby Valentine has been a lightning rod at each stop along his managerial tour and a media-savvy guy who seems to genuinely enjoy all the attention he gets.

While Valentine has never won a division title in 15 seasons of managing, he has a solid track record of getting the most out of his teams. And even though he is a newcomer, his oversized personality and occasional bluster will play well in Boston.

Valentine knows what fans in Boston like.

His early shots at Derek Jeter and the Yankees show that he is unafraid to stir the pot with the Sox’s arch rival, and unlike previous manager Terry Francona, he has no interest in maintaining the relative peace that has existed between the teams over the past several years.

Now all he has to do is win. If he doesn’t, the Bobby V lovefest will end as quickly as it began.