This is the question that should be answered as Tito has been out managed again and again. The Sox need a top flight manager like Lou Pinella whos been there before. Tito just wasnt the right guy for the job. Is he better than what we saw in Philly? yes...but not good enough. I think tito dug his grave in game 1 not pulling Schilling earler when it seemed like he was having problems pushing off the mound. Then later in the game when he didnt use myers at all to get Matsui, which Foulke would have came in after Bernie. As we know its easier to come back from 1 run than 3 runs.

Trash can.

I think the real question should be: Does Schilling getting hurt cause Tito to get fired.

Trash can.

Hey, it's a free country.

Francona hasn't shown much with a very good team.
He left a hurt Schilling in too long.

Clearly, this team needs some angel dust to beat NY.
A manager who's been there, done that could make a difference.
Dick Williams did.

It doesn`t matter because the FO likes him....he will NOT be fired. I don`t think he is the reason we are about to be swept. Nobody could predict that our bats would go silent, and our pitching would fall apart ( except for Pedro ), right after we swept Anaheim.

I don't even like Francona, but you can't fire the manager.

We are the idiots for reacting like this.

Francona outmanaged Scioscia in the ALDS. He's made a few mistakes this series, but they are not the reason we are in an 0-3 hole.

JD

Our bats were silenced in one game. We've scored 8 and 7 in another. That said, he's handled the bullpen awfully in this series, but the pitching falling apart completely shouldn't cause him to lose his job.

MP

Does it reallly matter if it's a sweep vs. a game 7 loss? Tito will be judged based on how he managed the games in the playoffs and in the regular season. He was virtually perfect in the Angels series and it's not because we won all 3 games. He made the right moves.

Arguably he should have pulled Schilling earlier in game 1, pulled Pedro before pitch 106 in game 2, and put Lowe or Wakefield in earlier instead of letting Medoza and Leskanic, the 24th and 25th men on the roster decide our playoff fate.

But when you're starting pitching can only give up 2, 6, and 2 innings can you really blame the manager? I don't think so. Tito doesn't get fired no matter what happens.

(Jim Ed sticking up for trash-can thread starters everywhere! )

The answer is yes. Francona will be here next year.

So stupid.

This thread had to be started after the ass-kicking we received yesterday. So no. Tito wont get fired because a pitcher on our staff couldnt keep the Yankees from scoring at will. Last night might have been the lowest point in Red Sox history for me. That was horrible.

I'd like to see the Red Sox make an upgrade at manager, but this is not the right time. The organization needs a little stability right now, and upper management would not be held in a positive light if they fired a manager 2 years in a row who took them to the ALCS. Who would want the job? It would become a no-win situation. Theo and the trio are going to show some patience this time around. The only change I see happening is they get rid of Sveum.

I'm an idiot, I accidentally clicked "no." Can someone change my vote? I thought the question said should Tito be fired.... I don't think he should be fired. I think that would be stupid actually. He will be here next year, and that is the right thing.

I don't blame Francona for our failure to execute in this series. He has overused Timlin generally, but looking at our othe options last night as they came out and got lit up one after one, I can almost understand why he has.

My question for anyone saying Francona should be fired. Who replaces him? It's nice to say Pinella would be great, Bud Black is a good pitching staff manager (I wanted him originally) but who is seriously available? No one. You wanna go get Valentine?

If the Sox do fire Francona, then the next manager should not be another $500,000 puppet to do the front office's bidding. They should go out there and get an established, proven entity. If one is not available then stick with him.

Tito didn't give up 19 runs yesterday. Tito didn't injure Curt Schilling.

Stop blaming the manager in all cases. Sometimes it's merited (Gump). Sometimes the other team is superior in every aspect of the game (this year).

If the Sox fire Tito it makes them look bad, 2 managers in 2 years...I mean it doenst look like he will be fired but that would be a BAD move on the Sox part

He'll never come here. He is too busy getting happy endings in Japan.

Tito's not going anywhere. Why bother replacing him anyway? We'll hate the next guy just as much. I can't even remember the last manager I liked for an extended period of time, if ever.

It's the roster that needs some fixing.

He will not be fired, unless said termination will allow for him to join the roster to provide middle relief out of the bullpen.

Man, that was a weak attempt at humor.

In a must-win situation, tied game, Francona uses the WORST reliever in the bullpen. When that doesn't work, he goes to the second worst. Once the game is completely out of hand, THEN, he brings in the best bullpen options.

He is terrible.

Francona makes me HATE this team.

Good thing we fired Grady, eh?

Yeah, saying the manager should be fired after one season is an easy cop-out. That is all. We just might have to face the fact that our lineup cant compete with a lineup that features Jeter-AROD-Sheffield batting 1-2-3. It will be interesting to see what this offseason brings.

We can't play the manager card two years in a row. I think the Sox lose credibility if they pin this series on him.

I just wish he would treat every out as critical like Torre does. We give up a runner at third, while Torre gets the right match up to save the run (like when he pulled Clemens for Mussina in Game 7 last year)

I thought we had the same situation in Game 1 this year with Matsui batting with the bases loaded and a damaged Schilling on the mound.

Who else was he gonna bring in? The only long relievers in the pen were Mendoza and Leskanic!!!

Don't get me wrong, Francona's slow hook has had me throwing things at the TV all season long, and especially lately... but he's not going anywhere. He's done some absolutely moronic things, but you have to pin this one on the players.

To the point of this thread, Francona can't be fired. If you fire him, no manager in his right mind that is worth our consideration would ever come here. Three straight seasons of 90+ wins, and two firings? One doesn't associate job security with any baseball manager's job, but this is ridiculous. Theo et al have made their bed, and they have to sleep in it. He's no gump in that he doesn't make as many decisions from his gut. But he's still a yes-man, and a player's guy, and he has really disappointed me. He's a great guy, but I'm ready to see a prick in the manager's spot at this point. Bobby V, anyone?

But the fact remains folks, we're stuck with Francona. Again, I blame more of the loss on the absymal performance of almost all of the players. We need to be equipped in a way to beat the Yanks in the post-season. These guys may rip it up in the regular season, but their performance in this series, in my view, justifies making some huge changes.

Can.

well this thread is as good as closed....NO SWEEP BITCHES