More details on Francona’s extension

Just a few details to add that I didn’t get to yesterday.

Francona’s extension will earn him $12 million over the next three seasons, and he’ll make $250,000 for each/any World Series appearance (I’m trying really hard not to jinx us here, but the wording is tricky).

The contract also includes a two year club option that would raise the total value of the contract to $20 million and keep Francona with the Red Sox through 2013.

If the Red Sox decide not to pick up his option, they can buy out his contract for $750,000.

It’s a well-deserved raise for Francona—his 2008 salary shot up from $1.75 million to $3.5 million. 

Francona strikes deal, will manage through 2011

Terry Francona has agreed to a three year extension reportedly worth between $3-4 million annually, putting him among the highest paid managers in the game.

His contract will run through the 2011 season.

On Thursday, Francona expressed how much he has enjoyed his stay in Boston.

“It’s hard to explain this place,” Francona said. “This is the best job I’ve ever had. It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had. I don’t know if you can have the passion people have for this team without having the criticism or whatever comes with it. I thought I had an understanding coming in. Until you live it, you don’t know. But I enjoy it. Some nights I go home with a headache, but I can’t imagine being in some other place. That would be tough.”

More details will follow once the club makes an official announcement.

Terry Francona negotiating extension

Terry Francona met with the Red Sox last night to discuss his contract extension.

Both parties had been deflecting questions on the subject for awhile now, so it’s good to hear some news of definitive talks. Hopefully the two sides can hammer something out. If they can’t...well...I hear Grady Little is looking for a job…

Francona made $1.65 million in 2007, and he’s expected to receive a significant raise after winning bringing the World Series trophy to Boston for the second time.

Coco Crisp should start in center for Red Sox

Terry Francona told reporters today that Coco Crisp will be the incumbant center fielder, meaning that Ellsbury will have to fight for his roster spot.

Seeing how all of New England has a horrible man crush on Ellsbury, this probably won’t be a popular decision. Tito will surely be criticized in the media once the season starts and Coco hits the inevitable slump. But this is the decision I hoped they would make.

Crisp is still on the trading block, and at this point it seems unlikely that he will be traded by the end of spring training. Unless Billy Beane wants to take a gamble now and hope that he can flip Crisp at the trade deadline, there aren’t a lot of potential fits out there at the moment.

In the end, what the Red Sox get from Crisp will depend on how valuable he is to them. When a team trades one player for another, the players that switch hands are essentially compensation to the other team for their loss. If the Red Sox are only giving up a backup outfielder, then they aren’t going to get a whole lot in return.

Keeping Crisp in the starting nine builds his trade value.

As an added bonus to starting Crisp in center, the Red Sox will retain control of Ellsbury for an extra year if he stays in Pawtucket until May 15th.

It’s nice to see the club making another logical decision. It’s a good time to be a Red Sox fan.

Francona wins award. Then he loses his shirt.

Terry Francona had quite a Monday.

First he was honored by Baseball America when they named him named manager of the year.

Later that day, Bob Watson announced that Francona had an official MLB rule named after him.

“There’s going to be, for lack of a better term, a Francona Rule. You can only wear your uniform top or jacket. You can’t wear your nightshirt, or whatever it is. You can wear it before games, or after games, but not during games. You have to have your uniform top at all times.”

-- Bob Watson, Major League Baseball Fashion Critic to the Stars

Francona didn’t deserve the personal attack. He wears the sweatshirt for health reasons (he has circulatory problems and the shirt keeps him warm).

Tito is no Bill Belichick—he didn’t intend to send a middle finger to the league by wearing his sweatshirt. But now he might have to.

I just hope his middle finger has a tiny little jersey on it.