Curt Schilling took to the internets todayNo fan of the media, Schilling isn't content to just celebrate his team's good play and a fourth trip to the Fall Classic. No, he has to take some time out to batter the people who gave Terry Francona a hard time when he was the manager of the Phillies from 1997-2000 as well as lob a few grenades at the media in Boston.
Congratulations to Terry Francona as well. In a city that features armchair QB’ing and media second guessing as legitimate paid professions, he stayed true to himself and true to us as players and managed his ass off. I still think he’s the most underrated manager in baseball.
Terry Francona is a genius since he arrived in Boston? Having been on his team the first day he managed in the big leagues through today I’ll tell you up front that he is not much different. He does suck much more at cribbage now than he ever did and his fantasy teams continue to suck as well, but as a manager he’s not really different. I think the interim jobs he had in Cleveland and Oakland showed him the inner workings of baseball front offices more and helped him in some areas but in the clubhouse, dugout, and on the field he’s pretty much the same non-jersey wearing guy he was in Philly, he just has a front office comprised entirely of people that understand winning games on the field matters more than anything else. The ‘know it alls’ in Philadelphia, from Conlin to Cataldi to Macnow, aren’t really know it alls are they? Their people who’s life it is, who’s entire job description, revolves around creating news or stories where there is none, to make you think their ‘in’ and you’re not, and if you want to truly know or get smarter, listen to them. Pretty cool when you can be wrong pretty much 90% of the time and still be considered an expert.
Wonder how smart Tito looks to the guys that hacked him in Philly now? 3 post seasons, 2 world series appearances in 4 years here. Nice to know he gets that last laugh.
First things first. Francona isn't underrated. He's considered a very good manager by anyone and everyone who watches baseball. Most of the reason he's considered a good manager, however, is because of who he manages. Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Josh Beckett and Schilling, of course, have made him a winning manager which is a good manager in anyone's book. The reason he wasn't a "good" manager in Philadelphia is exactly the opposite.
Rico Brogna. Kevin Stocker. Mark Leiter. Mark Lewis. Desi Relaford. Carlton Loewer. Chad Ogea. Those are just a few of the reasons why Francona was fired as manager in 2000 and if the Red Sox had a similar cast of characters he would probably have been fired again by now. Look at Bill Belichick, Joe Torre, Jim Leyland and dozens of other well-respected coaches and managers and you'll realize that pushing the right buttons and "managing your ass off" only gets you so far.
If the point of Schilling's diatribe was to excoriate the front office of the Phillies that would be fine. God knows they deserve it but you'd think after 20 years in the big league he would have realized that part of the deal when you're a manager is that you take blame for things out of your control. I'm sure Francona wouldn't pick Rico Brogna as his first baseman, at least I assume he wouldn't, but that was the hand he was dealt and he took the hits because of it. That's baseball.
Schilling's a history buff so he probably wouldn't argue with the premise that leaders, be they of countries, armies or baseball teams, get too much credit for things they had little to do with and too much blame for things largely out of their control. That's why they say heavy is the head that wears the crown.
I'll close by again forcing the words congratulations to Schilling and the Red Sox and ask them to please, once and for all, drop this persecution complex that was once charming and is now infuriating beyond belief. You guys have a great team and a smart manager, no one worth their salt is saying otherwise. Now go out and get your asses swept by the Rock.
(H/T to The Postmen)
Comments