Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Thursday 12 OcTOber 2017
Red Sox fire manager Farrell after 2nd straight ALDS defeat

By KYLE HIGHTOWER team’s 2007 World Series
AP Sports Writer title. He began his major
BOSTON (AP) — John Farrell league managerial career
racked up a lot of wins and with Toronto and went 154-
World Series title with the 170 over two seasons.
Boston Red Sox. But past “Despite an end to this sea-
success wasn’t enough to son that we all wanted to
save his job after consecu- be different, I am proud of
tive early playoff exits. this ballclub and the resil-
Boston fired Farrell on iency shown,” Farrell said
Wednesday after the in a statement released by
team’s second straight loss the Red Sox. “I have en-
in the AL Division Series. joyed every moment of this
The Red Sox announced job — its peaks and its val-
the move less than 48 hours leys. There are few, if any,
after they were eliminated positions in life that create
from the World Series hunt so much passion on a daily
with a 5-4 loss to the Hous- basis.”
ton Astros . Farrell’s con- He also thanked the or-
tract had been scheduled ganization for its support
to run through the 2018 “through a challenging
season. and scary period in my own
Boston won back-to-back life,” referring to when he
American League East ti- was diagnosed with lym- In this Oct. 8, 2017, file photo, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell watches from the dugout
tles for the first time in fran- phoma in 2015. during the second inning in Game 3 of baseball’s American League Division Series against the
chise history this season “I remain forever indebt- Houston Astros, in Boston.
despite losing the bat of ed,” Farrell said. Associated Press
retired slugger David Ortiz. Dombrowski wouldn’t go tory to finish in first place in Ortiz retired, even though the clubhouse .
It also did it despite starting into specifics on his thought the division three times. the team had baseball’s Dombrowski reiterated that
the season with $217 million process, but said “a lot of Dombrowski said the base- third-highest payroll. Sev- the organization was past
pitcher David Price on the different factors” went into line for success in Boston is eral players also had health that incident and said his
disabled list and watching the decision to make the different. issues, including second personal relationship with
as 2016 Cy Young Award move. He said the team “I think you can weigh suc- baseman Dustin Pedroia Price is “fine.”
winner Rick Porcello stum- plans to move swiftly on cess in a lot of different and pitcher Drew Pomer- But Dombrowski conceded
bled to an 11-17 record. its next hire and that the ways and that’s very suc- anz. that being able to thrive as
“I thought it was the ap- next manager would “most cessful. ... For me, the ul- There also was an off-field a manager under Boston’s
propriate time to make a likely not” be a member of timate success is winning incident in June when Price unrelenting spotlight is a
change for the betterment Farrell’s current coaching the world championship,” confronted Hall of Fame must. He said he’s talked
of the organization,” presi- staff. Dombrowski said. pitcher and current televi- to quality managers in the
dent of baseball operations Dombrowski said it would Farrell said after losing to sion analyst Dennis Eckers- past that he respects that
Dave Dombrowski said. be important to be com- the Astros that the team ley on a team flight. won’t manage in Boston.
Farrell managed the team fortable in front of media didn’t meet its goals but Price was upset Eckersley It will make his search
to its eighth World Series and relatable to the team’s had some good young didn’t make himself avail- tougher, but he believes he
title in 2013, his first season current young core. players continue to devel- able to the players after can find the right person.
in charge of the club. Farrell leaves with a win to- op. what they felt were criti- “You have to be prepared
Farrell went 432-378 over tal that ranks sixth in club “We had a number of chal- cal comments about the to take it,” Dombrowski
five seasons with Boston. He history and he is second in lenges thrown our way from team. Farrell later said the said. “This is a great base-
began his coaching career postseason appearances individual injuries to perfor- team had “moved on” ball city. ...But there’s a lot
with the Red Sox as a pitch- (three) behind Terry Fran- mance,” he said. “But as a from the incident, but the of scrutiny. ...I think it’s for
ing coach from 2007-2010. cona (five). He is also the team they stuck together.” way it lingered raised ques- some people and it’s not
Farrell also was part of the only manager in in club his- The offense slumped after tions about his control of for others.”q

Diamondbacks had great year despite postseason loss

By BOB BAUM beat the Colorado Rock- hired from the Boston Red
AP Sports Writer ies 11-8 in a crazy game Sox. “We had a hell of a
PHOENIX (AP) — When the before a raucous capacity run,” reliever Archie Bradley
pain of the way it ended crowd. Then everything un- said. “This is a great group
finally fades, the Arizona raveled against the Los An- of men here.” Zack Gre-
Diamondbacks will real- geles Dodgers, who swept inke, in the second season
ize just how successful their Arizona in three games in of a six-year, $206.5 million
season was. They literally the NL Division Series. “It contract he signed with the
flipped their record, from was a pretty magical year previous regime, went 17-7
69-93 in 2016 to 93-69 this for a lot of reasons,” first- with a 3.20 ERA but faded
year, third-best in the Na- year manager Torey Lovul- down the stretch. He was
tional League. Outscored lo said. “... But we’re still yanked in the fourth inning
by 138 runs in 2016, Arizona aching a little bit, we’re still of the wild-card win over
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, right, speaks outscored opponents by a little bit frustrated.” Still, it the Rockies, replaced by
during a news conference as Diamondbacks general manager 153 this year. The Diamond- was a triumphant debut for Robbie Ray, thereby ruining
Mike Hazen, left, listens at Chase Field Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, back earned the league’s Lovullo and new general plans to start Ray in Game
in Phoenix.
Associated Press No. 1 wild card spot and manager Mike Hazen, both 1 against the Dodgers. q