However, on Monday the Red Sox owner put an end to rumors about a rift in their relationship, according to ESPN.
“We talked extensively and agreed that we had waited far too long in speaking and both of us had probably come to some wrong conclusions as to why we hadn’t,” Henry said in an Email on Monday, according to ESPN. “We are looking forward to sitting down in Fort Myers this spring for lunch or a game.
“He will always be part of the Red Sox family.”
The email was in response to a Boston Herald report from last Saturday, where Francona said he hadn’t heard from Henry since last September despite calling him “seven or eight times.” He also said he hasn’t spoken much to former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein.
Henry said in the email: “We spoke about a number of things, but regarding what you inquired about he said he had called on my cellphone but didn’t leave any messages. We simply missed each other apparently a few times. Had he left me a message I would have certainly called him back.
“Tito was the best manager the Boston Red Sox ever had,” he added.
Francona will join ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball crew for the 2012 season.