The Red Sox Managerial Search

As we all know, the Red Sox and manager Terry Francona parted ways last weekend after the most painful collapse Boston has seen since the Patriots blew Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants. Tito, as he was called, was a beloved member of Red Sox Nation and will forever be known as the man who managed the first Red Sox team to win a World Series title in 86 years.

But how hard is it to manage a baseball team? Compared to head coaches in other sports, it does not take much skill. A manager's toughest job has to be dealing with the players. Some players on this team, like Dustin Pedroia, need no guidance. They go out and play hard everyday, whether the game is meaningless or the most important game of their lives. Other players, notably John Lackey, Josh Beckett, and Kevin Youkillis, seem to be divas who need a good kick in the ass sometimes to keep them focused and productive.

However, there is very little skill, strategy or planning associated with being the manager of these Boston Red Sox. The lineup and pitching rotation pretty much fill-in themselves. Theo Epstein, the general manager, is going to sign and draft the players, and the players performance has very little to do with the manager's actions. The most a manager has to do is determine how to use the bullpen, which comes with precedent. For example, the Red Sox are playing the Milwaukee Brewers and are leading 3-2 in the 8th inning with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 3rd. Prince Fielder, a dominant left-handed hitter is coming to bat with a right handed pitcher on the mound. It has been embedded in the fabric of the game that the manager should pull the right-hander and put a lefty in to face Fielder. This move is not part of any individual innovation by any particular manager. They have been the accepted maneuver throughout generations.  

Compared to the other coaching jobs in Boston, the Red Sox managerial job may be the easiest, in terms of strategy and maneuvers. Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots coach, has to devise a different strategy for every game. Sometimes, he has to account for a dominating running game. Other times a great quarterback or an elite defense. Doc Rivers, the coach of the Boston Celtics, had to figure out the best way to utilize three future Hall of Famers who had carried teams alone throughout their entire careers. Last, Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien won the 2011 Stanley Cup without a dominant offensive player (nobody scored more than 62 points). He rode gritty play, physical dominance, the best goalie in hockey, and the most imposing defenseman to ever play the game to a title.

People say that being the Red Sox manager is one of the most sought after jobs in sports. They also say that it is tough. I have to disagree.