Terry Francona's Proclamations Maddening, but He's Doing the Right Thing

Red Sox third base coach Tim Bogar made a dunder-headed decision last night when he sent 1B Kevin Youkilis home on David Ortiz’ sixth-inning double into the right field corner. I don’t care how he tries to rationalize the decision, the fact of the matter is that there was NO reason to gamble in that situation.

I am well aware that it was raining and the ball was wet, but the public explanation that was offered by Bogar—a nd supported by manager Terry Francona— is specious on several accounts. As I said in last night’s article , the decision was reminiscent of numerous calls made by Wendell Kim during his tenure as the Red Sox third base coach. And frankly, I expect Francona to replace him if he makes many more such embarrassingly-erroneous decision.

As I said, there are several reasons the decision was faulty:

1) There was no one out and you NEVER make the first out of the inning at home plate— let alone in those circumstances;

2) It was a tie game AND there was no one out— which means the club would have had three shots to drive Youkilis home with the lead (game-winning) run from third base;

3) It was going to be a bang-bang play at the plate— there was no need to gamble with the lead run in a tie game against a key divisional opponent… 2nd and 3rd with no one out beats the heck out of 2nd base with one out;

4) It was raining and the game could have ended at any moment with a victory— a little patience in that situation would have caused TB manager Joe Maddon to play his infield in, and ultimately would have resulted in a two-run single by Adrian Beltre a few minutes later (2B Reid Brignac was barely able to get a glove on the grounder playing at regular depth);

5) Finally, Bogar later rationalized the play required the right fielder to make a clean play in the right field corner and a clean throw to the cutoff man with a wet baseball, and then required the cutoff man to make a good relay to the catcher with the same wet baseball. He also proclaimed the throw home was a good throw and said: “It’s not like he was out by 30-feet or something.” The problem is the play unfolded right in front of Bogar. So prior to waving Youkilis home, Bogar knew RF Ben Zobrist had already fielded the ball cleanly and made a good throw to the cutoff man…and he knew the ball was with the cutoff man with Youk barely at third base.

If Bogar didn’t study physics in high school, his years of baseball experience should have taught him that a baseball travels A LOT faster than the runner. In spite of Bogar’s claim to the contrary, the throw home was NOT a good one— it was actually ten feet up the third base line. Yet, despite that fact, Youkilis was out— pretty easily. If the throw home had been a good one, Rays catcher Dioner Navarro would have been able to haul in the throw, drink a cup of Earl Gray tea, and then still have time to tag Youkilis out.

It was embarrassing to listen to him rationalize his decision after the game… and makes me fearful he will make the same kind of horrible decision again. Francona had better tell bench coach DeMarlo Hale not to get too comfortable on the bench… he may be needed in the third base coaches box again.

(Bogar: “Obviously, you can always go with the percentages with nobody out and hold him and then take your chances, but at that point I just felt like it was a good opportunity for us to pick up a run with nobody out.” And here I was thinking that the ownership and front office was all about playing the percentages… silly me!)

Afterwards, Francona said: “We knew the rain was coming. I don’t think any third base coach is going to be perfect all year. That’s a tough job. You get the ball down in the corner and if it rattles another step, he scores. If he scores, we’d have all been praising [Bogar].’’

Ah, there he is—Tito The Apologist.

Terry, the play was right in front of him. Your coach already knew the ball hadn’t “rattle(d) around another step” when he made the decision to send the baserunner. And honestly, you’re wrong. No one would have been praising Bogar if Youkilis had been safe, and I suspect YOU KNOW THAT. Even IF the run had scored I would have written that the decision was idiotic… because the play was right in front of him and THERE WAS NO NEED to take a chance. When he sent Youkilis I screamed: “What are you thinking of?” And even if the runner had been safe I would have written that Bogar got VERY lucky and that the manager had better have a talk with him.

But he wasn’t lucky… and neither was his team.

With all of that said, I believe Tito said exactly what he needed to say in his post-game presser. He has succeeded as Sox manager in large part because he doesn’t throw his players or coaches under the bus. He is loyal… and his actions build loyalty in those around him. I would expect nothing less from him.

I suspect that, in spite of his public support, the manager pulled the coach aside sometime last night and imparted his opinion that he would prefer the coach not take such cavalier chances (or that he will pull him aside sometime today if he already hasn’t spoken with him).

Tito has never shown a predilection for covering his own butt—not before the success of a couple world championships and certainly not since. He is loyal, oftentimes to a fault. I can’t recall a single instance when he threw someone under the bus. Public embarrassment does not make a player or a coach any smarter… it only humiliates and builds resentment.

I have to believe that Francona does not believe Bogar’s decision was acceptable… and that at some point he will have expressed his sentiment to Bogar in private. It’s that belief that helps me to sleep at night.