Terry Francona: Red Sox Team Sources Wrong to Bring Personal Issues to Light

The Boston Red Sox as an organization with tenets of integrity and respect are collapsing just like the team did on the field this season.

From ESPNBoston.com referencing a Boston Globe report behind a subscription wall,

“A Boston Globe report quoting team sources said the Boston Red Sox believed manager Terry Francona was distracted last season by marital issues and his use of pain medication.”

The man won two World Series for the organization, the first since 1918.

While it’s true that no manager lasts forever in this game, the team could have at least been respectful enough not to trash him and his personal life after he walked out the door.

Boston went 7-20 in the final month or so of the season and failed to make the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. With such a large fan base disappointed, the team desperately sought to appease them by choosing not to renew Francona’s contract.

It was a seemingly mutual decision, but now the Sox are looking to make it seem like they had no choice but to cut ties.

"It makes me angry that people say these things because I've busted my (butt) to be the best manager I can be," Francona said when The Boston Globe presented him with their findings. "I wasn't terribly successful this year, but I worked harder and spent more time at the ballpark this year than I ever did."

Francona split from his wife this year and had another knee surgery, of which he has had almost twenty, which attributed to him taking pain medication.

These are extremely personal matters and obviously something that needn’t be discussed in the national media. There was plenty of reason enough to let Francona go after the collapse without dragging his name through the mud.

This isn’t going to help the team's search for a new manager either as they see what this organization will do if you leave.