Terry Francona

Long before he recruited him to play at the University of Arizona, Jerry Kindall knew Terry Francona, not that his first impression was favorable. Kindall and Francona's father, Tito, were teammates on the Cleveland Indians. "We were in spring training in 1962," Kindall said, "and my daughter, who was 4 at the time, was playing in the sandbox outside of the bungalow where we were staying. She comes in the house, crying, saying some boy had thrown sand in her eyes. "It was Terry Francona, the little rascal.

BALTIMORE — The Red Sox were a few days away from starting the season when they learned their closer, Andrew Bailey, had torn a ligament in his thumb. They replaced him with Alfredo Aceves, who had been a starter throughout spring training. He blew two saves in his first four chances. The pitcher they acquired to be the primary set-up man, Marc Melancon, was hit so hard in four appearances to start the season that there was little choice but to send him to the minors. He faced 18 batters and 13 reached base.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox players friendly with stricken prospect Ryan Westmoreland said the 19-year-old outfielder learned of his rare brain condition after experiencing a series of headaches and other symptoms while working out at the minor league camp last month. The team announced Saturday night that Westmoreland has a “cavernous malformation’’ of weak blood vessels in his brain and would have surgery tomorrow in Phoenix. ESPN reported that the malformation is located in Westmoreland’s brain stem, which could complicate the procedure and leave severe neurological damage.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff BALTIMORE — The Red Sox were a few days away from starting the season when they learned their closer, Andrew Bailey, had torn a ligament in his thumb. They replaced him with Alfredo Aceves, who had been a starter throughout spring training. He blew two saves in his first four chances. The pitcher they acquired to be the primary set-up man, Marc Melancon, was hit so hard in four appearances to start the season that there was little choice but to send him to the minors.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff BALTIMORE — The Red Sox were a few days away from starting the season when they learned their closer, Andrew Bailey, had torn a ligament in his thumb. They replaced him with Alfredo Aceves, who had been a starter throughout spring training. He blew two saves in his first four chances. The pitcher they acquired to be the primary set-up man, Marc Melancon, was hit so hard in four appearances to start the season that there was little choice but to send him to the minors.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff Based on this photo from the Sports Illustrated vault, Red Sox manager Terry Francona was quite a stud when he was in college. Check out that hair. "That's a disgrace," Dustin Pedroia said. "Who did he think he was fooling?" The shot was taken when Francona was playing summer ball in Alaska. He's better known for being a manager, but Tito was the NCAA player of the year at Arizona and the 22nd overall pick of the 1980 draft.

This release from ESPN: Terry Francona, two-time World Champion manager of the Boston Red Sox, has joined ESPN in a multiplatform role which will include serving as an analyst for Sunday Night Baseball, the network's exclusive national game of the week. Francona will join Dan Shulman and Orel Hershiser in the Sunday Night Baseball booth, replacing current Red Sox manager and former ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine. He will make his ESPN debut tonight, Dec. 5, on SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight from the Winter Meetings in Dallas.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff PHILADELPHIA — Remember the scene in "Vacation" when Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) was at the motel and Christie Brinkley asked him to go swimming? "This is crazy, this is crazy," he said before jumping in. Terry Francona is Clark W. Griswold. You can tell when he talks about playing Adrian Gonzalez in right field that he thinks it's crazy. But he also hates the idea of putting David Ortiz on ice for another five games. So into the pool tomorrow night and hope for the best.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff If you see Terry Francona today, wish him happy birthday. He is 53. And you well could see him. Francona is in Boston with the ESPN crew for tonight's game. The network has him set up for a press conference at Fenway and Francona will have to be at his diplomatic best when people ask him about the state of this season's team. Before nationally televised games, the announcers get some time with the managers of both teams in their offices.

Don't turn into that guy, Terry Francona. Don't become ESPN's baseball version of Jon Gruden, an analyst whose charisma only sometimes masks an annoying reluctance to offer criticism of past and perhaps future peers. Gruden, the former Raiders and Buccaneers coach who is now a "Monday Night Football" analyst and helped recruit Francona to ESPN, is an enjoyable personality with a sharp sense of humor. He is already a television star. But he could be much more if not for his habit of cheerleading pretty much every player and coach in the league.

Staff reports Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona will headline a group of five players, coaches, and USA Baseball alumni scheduled to participate in the Prospect Classic, set for June 29-30, and July 2-3, in Durham and Cary, N.C. Francona will serve as an honorary manager during the Prospect Classic and will be making his first appearance in the red, white, and blue since managing USA Baseball's 2001 World Cup Team. Francona competed on the 1978 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team as well, suiting up for the US at the Italy Cup, and he took home the 1979 USA Baseball Golden...

The Red Sox honored former pitcher Tim Wakefield before they played the Mariners on Tuesday at Fenway Park. Former teammates -- including Mike Timlin and Mike Stanley -- along with relatives and friends of the recently retired knuckleballer turned out for "Thanks, Wake" Day. NESN's Don Orsillo was the emcee for the event, which featured a heartfelt speech by the Red Sox's David Ortiz, and a touching moment when members of Tim Wakefield's...

Bill Greene/Globe Staff By Seth Lakso, Globe Correspondent The Red Sox honored former pitcher Tim Wakefield before they played the Mariners on Tuesday at Fenway Park. Former teammates -- including Mike Timlin and Mike Stanley -- along with relatives and friends of the recently retired knuckleballer turned out for "Thanks, Wake" Day. NESN's Don Orsillo was the emcee for the event, which featured a heartfelt speech by the Red Sox's David Ortiz, and a touching moment when members of Tim Wakefield's charity, Wakefield's Warriors, emerged from center field and surrounded...

It's easy to be outraged about Josh Beckett and crack lame jokes about fried chicken, beer, and golf. But the problem isn't Beckett. The problem is that nobody with the Red Sox — from ownership down to his assorted pitching coaches — has required him to be accountable or demanded that he change. Beckett is a money pitcher. He is 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 14 postseason games over his career and has two World Series rings. The belief is that once you get to the postseason, he'll deliver.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff It's easy to be outraged about Josh Beckett and crack lame jokes about fried chicken, beer, and golf. Knock yourself out. But the problem isn't Beckett. The problem is that nobody with the Red Sox — from ownership down to his assorted pitching coaches — has required him to be accountable or demanded that he change. Beckett is a money pitcher. He is 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 14 postseason games over his career and has two World Series rings.

MINNEAPOLIS - If he was running for president, Daniel Bard would have excellent favorability ratings. He has transitioned well from his setup role to starter, but should Bard be a flip-flopper? Could he be viewed as Boston's savior, the man who could rescue the Red Sox bullpen? Monday night, in a 6-5 win over the Twins, he was all that. Manager Bobby Valentine had contemplated where and when would he use Bard, who had agreed to make one relief appearance before his next start Friday night in Chicago after his Sunday start vs. the Yankees had been...

Staff reports Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona will headline a group of five players, coaches, and USA Baseball alumni scheduled to participate in the Prospect Classic, set for June 29-30, and July 2-3, in Durham and Cary, N.C. Francona will serve as an honorary manager during the Prospect Classic and will be making his first appearance in the red, white, and blue since managing USA Baseball's 2001 World Cup Team. Francona competed on the 1978 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team as well, suiting up for the US at the Italy Cup, and he took home the 1979 USA Baseball Golden...

The Boston Red Sox have gone from easygoing player's friend, Terry Francona, as manager to tough-minded, blunt-speaking Bobby Valentine. Whether it is true or not, the rumor is that during the Francona era, pitching coach John Farrell (now manager of the Toronto Blue Jays) was the disciplinarian. There is no question that Francona did a great job during his reign. But there is also no question that toward the end of his time with the Sox, the players began to take advantage of Francona.

Here are the links to our Red Sox coverage on line today: The Red Sox blew a nine-run lead and lost to the Yankees. It's an ugly start for Bobby Valentine in Boston. Dan Shaughnessy writes that bad times never seemed so bad for the Sox. (Subscription only) Nick Cafardo writes that the Red Sox bullpen should be blown up. The Yankees partied like rock stars at Fenway led by Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira. Michael Vega has the story. The notebook has the Red Sox obtaining Marlon Byrd from the Cubs.