Terry Francona leaves the organization (whether mutual or not) because of one horrendous month in which his players performed like garbage, didn't respond to his requests to clean up their act and because he was given few other options to fix the mess. Another replacement will now step in and the organization will embark in tatters into the unknown, letting go of the best manager in franchise history.
Something about that just doesn't make sense.
But that's the result in a business that almost always needs a fall guy, and when you go through something like what the Red Sox just went through, a shake-up is imperative. The first major shake of the tree sees Francona fall from up high.
His landing spot could be Chicago, where he is already rumored to be a candidate for the White Sox job. Others will have interest, for they know the incredible impact Francona had in perhaps the most difficult market to manage.
It is somewhat ironic that Francona's departure comes days after the team's collapse became complete. That may sound odd, but you might recall that one of his first great acts as a Red Sox manager was to pick a floundering, under-performing team off the mat and guide them all the way to October glory.
That 2004 team was loaded, but not coming together the way most hoped it would. Francona had been labeled a loser in Philadelphia, and was getting the same treatment in Boston. That team's sudden turnaround (both in the regular season and in the ALCS) had many heroes, but Francona's steadfast demeanor and unerring support for his players can never be discounted.
And that changed not only the organization but the city.
It is also noteworthy that Francona's departure comes one year after what may have been his shining moment, two World Series titles aside. If he proved in 2004 and 2007 that he can push the right buttons with a star-studded roster loaded with egomaniacs, then he also proved in 2010 that he can do so with their young, inexperienced replacements.
That 2010 team was annihilated by injuries. Lesser teams with lesser managers would've crumbled, especially in the American League East. Instead, Francona moved around some pieces, got what he could from whatever he was given, and had a team that wasn't officially eliminated until it fell to 87-70 with about a week left in the season.
Indeed, many of Francona's finest moments came when he had something to fix, and succeeded in doing so. He should have been given a chance to fix the mess that was September 2011, but perhaps he saw that it was time to give someone else that task; the players he was given this season just couldn't respond to the ultimate player's manager.
"We met this morning to look back on the 2011 season and to consider the future of the Boston Red Sox, including my involvement with the club," Francona said in a statement. "I passed along my frustrations at my inability to effectively reach the players. After many conversations and much consideration, I ultimately felt that, out of respect to this team, it was time for me to move on.
"I've always maintained that it is not only the right, but the obligation, of ownership to have the right person doing this job. I told them that out of my enormous respect for this organization and the people in it, they may need to find a different voice to lead the team."
Francona broke character Thursday at Fenway Park and talked about his efforts to make one of those fixes. For him to see that an 85-56 team coming off a 14-0 win was in danger of losing its way says something about his connection with the clubhouse and his understanding of what a championship team is all about. For reasons that go beyond the in-game maneuvers of their manager, the players failed to heed his warning.
And for that, he's the fall guy.
Perhaps Francona is in a better place. This is a job that can run you ragged, even though he seemed at times to relish the intense pressure that came with the position. While the bad times were bad, it made the good times that much more special, and he always appreciated that.
As he exits stage left, it's quite possible the organization is headed toward another one of those bad times, for they've bid adieu to the best manager in franchise history.
