If you haven’t already, it’s time to finally recognize Terry Francona as one of the great managers in baseball.  Huh? Well let's take a step back for a half a second and see what he’s accomplished:

Made playoffs 3 out of 4 years with a winning percentage 100 games over .500.

First Red Sox manager in 12 years to win AL East. 

First Red Sox manager in 86 years to win World Series. 

First Red Sox manager in 90 years to make World Series 2 times in 4 years.  The man’s batting .500 in World Series appearances!

People say the manager doesn’t have a big influence in baseball - well during the regular season that might be true, but in the playoffs where every at bat and pitching change is magnified x1000, it’s absolutely true.  You can’t f*ck up.  One mistake (Grady) and you’re toast.   Francona hasn’t. 

Of course he couldn’t say this publicly, but Tito knew that once the Sox were down 2-1, all they needed to do was win 1 game in Cleveland to get the series back to Boston.  It’s not like the ’04 Red Sox who were there the year before in Yankee Stadium; this young Indians team was just not mentally ready to win a Game 6 or 7 in Fenway Park.  

Francona went with Beckett in Game 5, that worked. He went with Ellsbury instead of Crisp, that worked.  And he stuck with JD Drew when a lot of people wanted him benched. That worked.

Next thing you know the Red Sox outscored Cleveland 31-5 the last 3 games and completed probably the easiest 3-1 comeback in baseball history. Credit goes to a lot of people, but it starts at the top with the manager for not panicking like a WEEI host/caller and sticking with his gameplan. 

The bottom line is at some point you have to start looking at results.  Once you do that, you’ll see Francona’s the most successful manager in Red Sox history since WWI.  Again, 2 World Series from 1975-2003, Tito matches that number in 4 years!  Win or lose against Colorado, Francona’s earned the benefit of the doubt.  It’s about time you gave him it.