Red Sox Rule Read Online Free PDF Page A

a clear head in his new city and to have affection for it. Liking the city was not a problem for Francona. Putting together more wins than losses, unfortunately, was another story.
    Shortly after Francona’s single season in Oakland ended with the playoff loss to Boston, he went on a couple interviews for manager’s jobs. He had one of those classic dating-nightmare interviews in Baltimore: after 5 minutes it’s clear that you don’t wantthem and they don’t want you, so the dominant thought at the table becomes, “Exit strategy.” He knew things weren’t going to go well when, right off the top, he was asked how he felt about bringing back the entire coaching staff. He replied by saying that it didn’t sound like Orioles management was truly interested in changing the team’s culture.
    Clearly, not a good fit. The Orioles hired Lee Mazzilli instead.
    He had an interview in Chicago with Ken Williams, the general manager of the White Sox. They had known each other for years, so there wouldn’t be a need for any of those awkward ice-breakers. They met at a restaurant near O’Hare International Airport, where the conversation wasn’t close to the one Francona had imagined. The interview was disjointed and full of interruptions. If it wasn’t the waiter checking in to see if the men had everything they needed, it was Williams splitting and buttering a roll just as Francona was making what he thought was a key point.
    No hard feelings. When you’re interviewed at a restaurant near the airport, you’re probably not the top candidate anyway. The White Sox decided to go with Ozzie Guillen.
    Boston? Well, Francona had a couple of conversations about Boston with Bud Black, one of his former teammates. The rumors were that Black, not Francona, was the man the Red Sox were targeting to replace the officially dismissed Grady Little. Black, the pitching coach for the Angels, wasn’t sure if he wanted to manage on the East Coast. He had already had some lengthy conversations with the Red Sox about the job, although he hadn’t formally interviewed. He called Francona for advice, and Francona tried to persuade him to do it.
    “Look at it this way, Blackie: Boston is a good job and you know you’ll have a pretty good team. If you don’t like it, you can do something else after a couple years. It’s a great opportunity.”
    It wasn’t long after that conversation—it seemed like a few hours—that Francona got word that Boston wanted to talk with him about managing the team. It was the first time since D.C. that he had heard his name in a Red Sox sentence. Maybe that fan on the Georgetown campus had been on to something after all.
    After the phone call from Boston, it was Francona’s turn to reach out to Black.
    “Blackie, I have to tell you that I’m a little embarrassed. I was talking to you about what you should do in Boston, and they just called me to interview for the job.”
    Hearing those words from his friend made Black’s decision easier. He had been going back and forth on whether it was the right time and place for him to manage. Knowing that a friend of his was also in the mix—Francona was convinced the job was Black’s if he wanted it—meant that it was time to step back. He withdrew his name from consideration. With Black deciding to stay in Los Angeles, Boston’s finalists were Francona; Dodgers third-base coach Glenn Hoffman, a former Red Sox shortstop; Angels bench coach Joe Maddon; and Rangers first-base coach DeMarlo Hale, a former Red Sox minor league manager.
    Inside Fenway Park, coming up with that list had led to some considerable hand-wringing. The fans celebrated because they didn’t have to see Little anymore, but they also didn’t have to hire the next guy. As crazy as the thought might have been to the fans, finding Little’s replacement wasn’t going to be easy. His strengths and weaknesses had both been obvious, which made dealing with him simpler. He didn’t always listen to