Francona sets standard for managers

October 10, 2008|Tony Massarotti, Globe Staff

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Through it all, Francona has cultivated a relationship, too, with Sox general manager Theo Epstein, whom Francona trusts implicitly. Epstein feels precisely the same way. After the Sox elected to trade Ramírez at the end of July - a matter on which Epstein fully supported his manager despite opposition from owner Henry - Francona made it a point to say he saw the support of his boss as being unconditional at those times it mattered most.

"When the chips are down, I know where I can go," Francona said.

Does that mean the Red Sox will win another world title? More than anyone, Francona knows that is impossible to know. Baseball is an unpredictable game and managing is an unstable profession, and so the manager has come to appreciate the simple pleasures and the more complex ones.

"This is hard. This is the hardest job I've ever had. Saying that, it's the best job I've ever had," Francona said. "Striking that balance isn't always the easiest thing. There are times of the year when it gets the better of me and I'll get disappointed in myself. There are usually a couple of times of year where I'll snap at Theo or something, and he'll be like, 'Whoa.' And then the next day I'll say, 'Hey, I'm just worn out,' but he already knows. He knows me."

Francona paused.

"But it's still my job to handle it," said the manager of the Red Sox.

Tony Massarotti can be reached at tmassarotti@globe.com and can be read at www.boston.com/massarotti