Terry Francona, Red Sox Officially Part Ways

Remember last week, when Terry Francona wasn’t going to join the big 100th Anniversary celebration at Fenway Park this Friday, despite entreaties from both John Henry and Larry Lucchino?

Well, forget that. From ESPNBoston.com:

This is Fenway Park’s 101st season, and the Red Sox are celebrating Fenway Park’s 100th anniversary.*

* math nerds, unite!

The only big remaining question was whose decision this was. And it turns out that the decision was mutual. In a statement from the organization:

This, of course, was part of a carefully prepared press release, but Francona did a lot of good in his time as Boston’s manager, and the Red Sox most certainly appreciate it. Sometimes a manager just loses his effectiveness after a while, though, and a new voice is needed to shake things up. Eight years is a long time to manage one team. Some managers have lasted more time, but the overwhelming majority have lasted much much less.

SI.com’s Jon Heyman is reporting that even after winning a World Series in 2004 and 2007, Francona is out after eight years in Boston. The Red Sox will decline to pick up the option on Francona’s contract.

The outcome follows the second consecutive season in which the Red Sox missed postseason — this year that absence was the result of a historic collapse that included a 7-20 record in September. Still, it’s a somewhat surprising end to the relationship between a team, and a manager that presided over the most successful run for the franchise since the early 20th century.

So which party is pushing for a split? According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Francona is the one who wants out.

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