A review by daybreak1012
Francona: The Red Sox Years by Terry Francona

4.0

I'd say I already knew a good portion of this book's contents, but there was a significant amount I didn't before reading. Going in, I knew what to expect from anything penned by Shaughnessy (insert eye roll here -- does anyone take more seeming pleasure in spotlighting anything negative?), but try as he might, he cannot sully Tito in my eyes. What I really took away from this book is exactly what I perceived already: the Red Sox ownership is so far out of touch with what a real baseball fan wants from the game and from their team. I cannot imagine what it is like to work for them, but the words 'frustrating' and 'unpleasant' spring immediately to mind. I, like Tito, felt like this book is vindicating and redemptive. Five-plus seasons removed from the end of Francona leading the Red Sox, I had no idea I still needed that, but upon closing this book for the final time, it has become clear to me that I very much did. (I really struggled with dropping this to three stars, purely for the Shaughnessy factor, but I couldn't make myself do that to Tito, who will forever get the benefit of my doubt after everything he brought to the team I love. He deserved every one of those four stars as far as I am concerned.)