Is Firing Terry Francona the Answer?

I say no...I think he got stuck with a bunch of over-priced cry-babies.  Start with John Lackey.  I think we are all Lackey-intolerant by now.

Unfortunately, Lackey never got hurt, so Francona had to roll him out there every fifth day. 

I think the big mistake - besides overpaying and overextending for Carl Crawford this past winter and Lackey last winter, was not bringing in another starting pitcher in July.  Rich Harden would have been a nice fit...along with Eric Bedard to hedge your bet. 

Another mistake, not getting a lights-out 7th inning guy to take some heat off Daniel Bard in the 8th.  Tyler Clippard would have looked good in that position. 

Now, I'll admit, it is easy for me to pick apart the moves in hindsight, but that's part of the job of a blogger, right?  I'll give Theo Epstein the benefit of the doubt on Harden that the reports were he wouldn't make it through the Summer.  And I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that a lot of other GM's new the Sox were desperate for more pitching, so they were all asking too much.