Boston Red Sox: Why Terry Francona Should Not Have Been Fired

Ex-manager of the Boston Red Sox, Terry Francona, is now taking the 2012 season off, according to espn.com.

Francona need to "re-energize" before he goes back into a managerial position and that is probably due to the stress of working in a city such as Boston that puts the focus on winning.

Franocona's firing is one that should not have happened, and now is the crucial time to have had him in the manager's seat because of the free-agency period.

Papelbon, Others, Would Stay Woth Sox

Jonathan Papelbon was the greatest closer in Red Sox history, and now he is off with the Philadelphia Phillies. Francona and Papelbon had a pretty good relationship, and if Francona was still the manager, there is no doubt in my mind that he would have stayed in Boston.

Now the Sox have to go out and find someone to replace him, which is a very tough task indeed.

Also, David Ortiz had a close relationship with Francona and loved him as a manager. Ortiz may find himself in another uniform, since he has no idea how the new manager will treat his situation.

If Ortiz starts 2012 off slow, then maybe he will actually be benched, unlike Franoca who stuck with Ortiz through the early season struggles the past few years.

Dustin Pedroia is going to stay with the Sox, but Francona would always play him in cribbage before each game. No other manager can have that kind of connection with Pedroia. This will be the toughest part of losing Francona in the dugout and clubhouse.

Cherington Would Have a Manager in Place

Ben Cherington as the GM as been very reserved in his role so far. He is still out interviewing managerial candidates, but there has still been no decision.

Dale Sveum may even end up going to the Chicago Cubs, and I don't blame him for running scared.

Francona would have been a great fit if he stayed. He might have even spoken up even more to the players that were drinking beer and eating chicken.

Free Agents Would Want to Come to Boston

Heath Bell is one of the best closers in the game and would be a great fit for the Red Sox. However, with all the scandal and firings going on, many free agents, including, Bell, maybe be scared to even get a contract offer from the team.

Francona being welcomed back after the historic collapse would have made free agents more willing to come to Boston. He was a proven voice that could have the lead the Sox to another World Championship in the near future.

Aramis Ramirez is a third base option for the Sox who could split time at DH and third base for the team along with Kevin Youkilis. Ramirez would rather have someone who can relate to the players like Francona did, but now that he is gone who knows if Ramirez will still want to come to Boston.

Sox Fans Would Be Happy for 2012 Season

The Red Sox fans are the ones hurt the most with Francona out as the team manager. The fans are the ones who pay for seats and food at Fenway, and they are now not looking forward to the 2012 season.

The Sox still have a great team, but the manager now needs to prove his worth to the fanbase. This could take years or it could never happen at all. Francona was loved by most fans and was a sad, sad day when he was just let go.

There is no manager out there who can replace the leadership that Francona possessed. No one has experience with a big market club and that could hurt the Sox in the long run.

Candidates Look Down Upon Sox Ownership

Let's just say, if I was a candidate for the Red Sox manager position, I would not touch it with a 10-foot pole. The Sox owners, including John Henry, treated Francona like a scapegoat. They won't admit it, but Francona was just an easy target to take the blame.

It was not Francona's fault that the players took advantage of him or that they felt entitled to make the playoffs. Players still have to play the game correctly to get the job done.

The players need to shape up in order for the correct manager to be named. Many managers are afraid of the Boston environment in general and adding this dimension of it will just make them even more frightened.