Five days after his press conference where he announced he wouldn’t be returning as manager of the Red Sox, Terry Francona took to the airwaves today to answer some questions about his departure and his future in baseball.
Francona was a guest on WEEI radio’s “Big Show” with Glenn Ordway and Michael Holley and not only didn’t he give the rumor mill much fodder but he came across as gracious and still fiercely loyal to the Red Sox organization and his players.
For almost an hour he answered questions about the atmosphere in the clubhouse, the way he was treated by the owners and his relationship with general manager Theo Epstein.
More than once he mentioned how fond of the players he still is but he did shed some light on his earlier comments about the attitude in the clubhouse:
“I wanted the guys that weren’t down on the bench, on the bench. I wanted them to support their teammates. There was an attitude [from some of the players] toward our team that distressed me.”
He also admitted that, had ownership decided to pick up his option, he wouldn’t have left the team, keeping alive the belief that while Francona was the one to sever ties, the Red Sox didn’t make him feel like his staying on was high on their list of importance. Â But he also spoke of his respect for the team, the connection he’ll always feel with them and his called his leaving, ultimately, a “mutual” decision.
As far as the rumored disconnect between Francona and Theo Epstein, Francona made sure that there was no confusion regarding his feelings:
“I’m proud of our relationship. Â When things were tough, I knew where I could go.”
Maybe the most interesting admission from Francona was that Manny Ramirez called him after his announcement.  Francona didn’t elaborate but he sounded surprised yet amused to have heard from Ramirez.
Red Sox fans still missing Francona will get to hang on to the skipper for a while longer when he joins Joe Buck for the first two games of the American League Championship Series on Fox Sports. According to Fox, color commentator Tim McCarver is having a “minor heart-related procedure” and Francona will be his replacement until he returns for the third game in the series so Sox fans will have a reason to watch at least the first two games of the ALCS.
(Originally published on Examiner.com)