Terry Francona

As a Red Sox fan, I lived through much of the Tito and Sox history in the book, and attended some of those critical games. What I didn't know about was the owners' primary interest in the business, rather than the game of baseball. Owners need to "get it" that they're in charge of the careers of people playing a competitive game they devote their lives to play; they are not commodities on an exchange board (except in fantasy baseball).

The book was a walk down memory lane for me, and a show more sweetly accurate rendering of the Great Tito Years. show less

Dan Shaughnessy is a self-aggrandizing horse's ass and has, in the pages of the Boston Globe, become a parody of himself, but he mostly stays out of the way of the story here, and his voice and tone are, whether on purpose or not, pretty much exactly right for the subject, and for Francona himself.

There's maybe less dish than you're hoping for. The championship seasons are treated lovingly, and although there's analysis of the 2011 implosion, it's a little too close to the action to feel show more thorough and a little short on resolution. Everyone claims not to be responsible for the clubhouse leaks that year, and no one will admit to knowing or even suspecting who it was, and the investigation there all seems rather thin and half-hearted. There aren't really any surprises, but it's a good, quick read, and thoroughly enjoyable. show less

After losing to the New York Yankees in the 2003 playoffs, the Boston Red Sox fired manager Grady Little and hired Terry Francona in his place. Their choice paid off quickly as the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 and again in 2007. For a while all was well in Red Sox Nation but the good times didn't last as Francona lost control of the clubhouse and players and after a disastrous 2011 season Francona was fired. “Francona: The Red Sox Years” is the story of Francona's roller coaster show more years as Red Sox manager.

Written by Dan Shaughnessy and Terry Francona (Shaughnessy wisely writes in the third person and doesn't pretend the book is solely written from Francona's point of view), “Francona: The Red Sox Years” is an interesting look back at his years as manager of the Red Sox. If you are a diehard Red Sox fan you probably won't learn anything you didn't already know when reading this book, but it is still fun to look back at the excitement of two World Series wins and anguishing to read and relive the horrors of Tito's last season in Boston. While the Boston media has made much of the way Francona bashes Red Sox management in the book I found it not nearly as bad as portrayed in the media. Yes, Francona was upset at the way he was treated at the end and it is clear he is not a John Henry fan, but his biggest beef still seems to be about whoever told the media he had a “problem” with prescription drugs. Francona doesn't reveal anything in this book that isn't public knowledge - for example he acknowledges the breakup of his marriage but doesn't go into the details of why/how it happened. It is clear who his favorite players were - even David Ortiz who had his battles with Francona gets a pass in this book - and who he didn't like (not that Manny Ramirez probably cares!). Shaughnessy does an excellent job of quoting Francona - I could hear Tito's voice in my head while reading the book. In the end, I think despite the fact that Francona clearly has his opinions about Red Sox ownership, the book is pretty evenhanded. Francona admits that he made his share of mistakes and does appear to happen disinterested at times towards the end of his time in Boston.

“Francona: The Red Sox Years: may not have anything new to say but it is still an interesting look at the manager who brought a World Series win to Boston for the first time in 86 years. show less

As a Red Sox fan, I lived through much of the Tito and Sox history in the book, and attended some of those critical games. What I didn't know about was the owners' primary interest in the business, rather than the game of baseball. Owners need to "get it" that they're in charge of the careers of people playing a competitive game they devote their lives to play; they are not commodities on an exchange board (except in fantasy baseball).

The book was a walk down memory lane for me, and a show more sweetly accurate rendering of the Great Tito Years. show less