Francona had a great 2007, too
Nov 15th, 2007 by Bill Burt
OK, we knew Terry Francona wasn’t going to win AL Manager of the Year (He finished fourth). Not with that payroll.
But let’s be honest, with no disrespect to Indians manager Eric Wedge (the winner), Francona’s best work this season was in October.
Here are 10 reasons why Francona could have won the award if not for his team’s $143 million payroll:
1. Dustin Pedroia.
Francona stuck with him when very few managers in his position of pressure (Boston!). He saw something most people didn’t in April. He saw a kid who was going to be good once he settled down.
2. He survived with Lugo, Drew and Crisp struggling for most of the season.
Let’s be honest, those three were as close to automatic outs as the Sox had. And when Doug Mirabelli was in, that number grew to four. I realize he had the pitching, which is most important, but the lineup was subpar for most of the regular season.
3. No true leadoff hitter.
Lugo and Crisp were flops at the top. He tried everyone, literally, before settling on Pedroia in August. It’s not easy manufacturing runs outside of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, especially with little help at leadoff.
4. Ortiz and Manny were good, but not great.
They combined for “only” 55 homers and 198 RBI during the regular season, by far their lowest production as a tandem (’06: 89 HRs, 239 RBI … ‘05: 92 HRs, 292 RBI … ‘04: 84 HRs, 269 RBI … ‘03: 68 HRs, 205 RBI).
He wasn’t able to rely on these two to take over weeks and even months as they had done many times before.
5. Starting pitching good, not great.
Other than Josh Beckett, there was not a ton of consistency. Dice-K, Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield had decent seasons, but each had prolonged slumps. The bullpen, particularly Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon were superstars in their roles at the back, saved the starters a lot. And that’s where Francona gets credit.
6. He beat Joe Torre.
That’s right, he beat the guy with the $200 million payroll in New York. And he did it from the opening bell ’til the final pitch in September. The Sox halted a nine-year streak.
7. The Sox never panicked.
While Francona does have a nervous rocking motion during games, the team never wavered, even when it got a little uncomfortable in late August and late September. While David Ortiz, Mr. Cool gets credit too, Francona stuck with guys when not many did. He never panicked like many people in his position before him did.
8. He saved Papelbon for playoffs.
With the Yankees closing in, he could’ve bit the forbidden fruit and overused Papelbon in August and September, but he never did. He stuck to his guns. And Papelbon was at his best in the post-season (0 runs in 10-plus inning). Remember, in six of Papelbon’s seven playoff outings he got four or more outs. The fact that he pushed for Papelbon to be the closer, after Papelbon met with him in Fort Myers in March, was a big move, too.
9. He worked youth into key roles.
Pedroia was one. Ellsbury was another. You could include Manny Delcarmen, Jon Lester and, for a little while, Clay Buchholz. Dennis Eckersley said what impressed him most about this team was the blend of youth with the veterans and the injection of energy they brought. We have to credit Francona for that.
10. Manny hustled in 2007.
This was the one year that Manny, despite his “slump,” hustled. You have to credit Francona with having a role in that. There was a time a few years ago that Francona would have signed off a Manny trade. Well, Manny reaped benefits in the post-season. He continued to hustle and then found his stroke. Francona gets a lot of credit here. I believe he may have won over Manny.
I’m sure I could come up with more, but 10 is enough. Again, Wedge is one of my favorites. He knows what he is doing, though, there was nothing he could do to stop the oil from leaking beginning in Game 5 of the ALCS in Cleveland.
But a case could have been made for Francona in 2007, without his great post-season work (pulling pitchers earlier than ever before, swapping in Ellsbury and getting the most out of guys like Bobby Kielty, Jon Lester and Mike Timlin).
Do you agree?
2 reader comments to “Francona had a great 2007, too”
-
1GaryFromChapelHill said:
And despite all of that, I could swear that I still saw him referred to as “Francoma” during the playoffs.
Takes all kinds, I guess.
Thank you, Terry Francona, for giving me the chance to enjoy TWO “Rolling Rallies” in the last four seasons (from my couch).
-
2pasta diving lugo said:
oh gary, do you ever give up? you know, one of the points of the crown of thorns is how much the pain of humiliation stings and how long it lingers. if you can’t deal with someone pointing out your hypocrisy, you ought not to get into public situations (like an internet sports chat site) and make flaky gratuitous observations. chances are you’ll get called on them, doncha think, huh?
you know surer than he–, I was the one who called terry “francoma” during the year and it was well deserved. how quick we are to forget this team blew a 14 1/2 game lead over the Yankees. this could have been a very different looking season and if you are not deeply appreciative at the way it turned out, you really are becoming one of those obnoxious yankee fans who think winning is deserved rather than fortuitous.
francona is a good manager but has very little control over a team that lollygagged its way over the second half of the season. since they won, these issues will not be addressed in 2008 and i really don’t see this as any kind of a cinch to win anything next year until they change that clubhouse chemistry that allows the what-me-worry, don’t-run-out-ground-balls-to-first attitude. i really thought Lowell was leaving because he was sick of it.
anyways, chill out, gary. if you need an apology, happy to give you one. i will never respond to one of your posts again, so get back to your bubble of unquestioned “dad of the year” manliness.
