Boston Red Sox managerial merry-go-round from last decade

The Boston Red Sox have had four managers in the past decade and three met the same fate as most managers do.  A look back at the history and circumstances of all four.

Managers in baseball have an extremely short shelf life with the exception of Connie Mack. Mr. Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics for the first 50 years of their existence, but Mack – who always managed from the bench in street clothes – happened to be the owner of the team. Mack had also previously managed as a player-manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates back in the dusty days of the late 1890s.

Boston has an illustrious history of disposing of managers rather routinely with the possible exception of Joe Cronin. Cronin was acquired from the Washington Senators in a purchase/trade agreement by Tom Yawkey. Clark Griffith – Senators owner – was strapped for cash and sent his player-manager to Boston despite Cronin being married to Griffith’s niece.

Managers – as the old baseball axiom goes – are hired to be fired and in this past decade, the ax has had a regrettable workout disposing of those that even have a history of winning. At one time a .500 finish at the helm of the Red Sox was considered a remarkably successful season. No more.

This century the Red Sox had four managers who have won a flag, but for one manager it was in Japan and not Boston. Now a look at the four who face the local gauntlet of ownership, media, fans, and players.