Now that the media has made it clear that this is Ben Cherington’s team, when will the General Manager select the manager for his team?
RECALL: CEO Larry Lucchino told WEEI that Bobby Valentine will be the Sox manager for 2012:
When he was asked by host John Dennis whether Valentine would “unequivocally” remain as manager for the rest of this season. Lucchino replied with a simple “yes.”
But, now that Cherington has re-made the Red Sox in his own image, will he also be empowered to find a manager to fit his new roster?
Did Lucchino parse his words to allow himself some wiggle room for 2013?
Did the CEO and the General Manager discuss the fate of their current manager?”
"Did it go something like this?"
[Harp strum music; fuzzy focus, gradually, to clear.]
BEN: I think we all agree that this team, as it is currently constituted, is dead in the water, until these contracts are paid off. I can’t do my job with my hands tied behind my back, financially…
LARRY: Yeah, I know. Geez, what the hell was Epstein thinking?
BEN: You told the media that I was empowered to make a bold move…
LARRY: Yeah, so what do you have in mind?
BEN: The Dodgers are really hot to get Gonzalez; maybe they would take Beckett in a package deal?
LARRY: That would be sweet, but…
BEN: I read in the Chicago Tribune that Theo said he made mistakes in his last years in Boston, mostly in over-investing in free agents. He says he will be smarter when it is time to start spending in Chicago…
"LARRY: That’s nice for him, but we are stuck with his mess now."
BEN: Look, Larry, if I am really empowered, you and John need to let me have a free hand to negotiate a deal to dump as many of these bloated contracts as I can…and understand that we may not get much in return…
LARRY: You have our full confidence and support to work up a deal…Just run it by us before you pull the trigger…OK?
BEN: Sure.
"LARRY: This is still Theo’s team; make it your team."
BEN [thinks to himself] Oh, sure, you were the man running the team, but now that the team has totally shit the bed, now, now, it’s MY team!
OK, fine, but I have to have control over how we shape the team: no more splashy free agents, no more long-term contracts…more money invested in our minor league teams, more money for scouting…even in Latin America and Asia…
LARRY: Whatever it takes, Ben…At this point, if they will take a contract off our back, we’ll be glad to just get a few beans for one of our cows…
BEN: I think I can do better than that…I’ll get on the phone with Colletti and see what I can do…
LARRY: Great! [He picks up his framed Princeton basketball team photo and dusts it with his sleeve.]
BEN: [Before opening the door.] What about Bobby?
LARRY: What about him?
BEN: Well, if it’s going to be MY team…
LARRY: Ben…Ben…we can’t blame Bobby for the mess that we handed him…the injuries, the attitudes…
BEN: Of course not…I’m just not convinced he can connect with modern day players.
LARRY: Bobby’s one of the smartest baseball guys, heck, smartest guys, I have ever known.
BEN: I agree, but I just don’t think he is the right fit for our team.
"LARRY: You wanna’ fire him?"
BEN: Well…maybe you could talk to him…tell him we are moving in a new direction and…
LARRY: Well…
BEN: Larry, I think it’s only fair that, if I am going to shape the new team, I should get to find a new manager…one who will be a good fit with the players…
LARRY: Well…OK, let me have a chat with Bobby…
BEN: We would still honor his contract for 2013…he could go back to Baseball Tonight and…
LARRY: Yeah, I know…I just feel bad that I got him into this situation and…
BEN: Maybe you’ll feel better, if get him out of this situation…
LARRY: You’re right it’s your new team, but he’s my old friend.
Ben is about to open the door, when Larry says:
LARRY: Just don’t include the Ted Williams’ statue in any deal!
BEN: Or, his head!
LARRY: His head?
BEN: His frozen head. His son had Ted’s head cryonically suspended…
LARRY: Oh, yeah…that’s right!
BEN: I just finished a book about how, in the future, they thaw Ted’s head and attach it to the body of a young tennis player…
LARRY: What’s the title of it?
BEN: EXTRA INNINGS…
LARRY: How appropriate…
BEN: You can borrow my copy; I’ll bring it in tomorrow.
LARRY: Great! Thanks!
"BEN: Now that it’s MY team…you’ll have more time to read it…"
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