On and off the field, there were changes during the Red Sox’s first season. NESV opted to rebuild Fenway Park instead of moving elsewhere. The historic nature of the stadium meant there was a great desire to stay, and NESV invested money to make the Ballpark a high-tech 38,000 stadium. Although it was still a relative modest size in Baseball terms, every Red Sox game has been sold out since May 15th 2003, a run of 500 contests.
On the pitch, after a relatively good 2003 campaign, the management opted to change the General Manager and manager once again, bringing in Theo Epstein for Mike Port as General Manager and Terry Francona for Grady Little as manager. Combined with some excellent acquisitions for the team’s roster, Red Sox fans were very optimistic for the 2004 season with Francona as manager. Getting to the playoffs, they played arch rivals New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series for the right to go to the World Series. They lost the first three games but won the next four to win the seven game series.
They faced the St Louis Cardinals in the World Series. They had lost in the seventh and deciding match in Four World Series previously in 1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986. The “Curse of the Bambino” was blamed for all the losses. They banished this curse however by beating the Cardinals 4-0, claiming their first title since 1918. Good management, a winning mentality and sensible acquisitions were credited for the victory, and another World Series followed in 2007. Since the arrival of NESV, they have qualified for the playoffs every time with the exception of one year. This came this season when half of the team’s best players were injured. The NESV took out a full page advert in the Boston Globe to apologise for the team’s failure to reach the playoffs; something that indicates that they care just as much about winning as they do about making the business profitable.
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Hodgson has a number of big targets which include Brede Hangeland, Ashley Young, Mario Gomez, Keisuke Honda, Fabio Contreau and Daniele De Rossi , with big investment in the squad this may be achievable and he is looking to sell a number of players which include Babel, Lucas, Krygiakos, Rodriguez and even new boy Jovanovic, Roy is also willing to allow Aquilani, Insua, Degen , El Zhar and Ayala leave on a permanent basis once there loan spells are over , so if Hicks doesnt manage to block this move we may actually sign some top quality players, have a new stadium and good owners
one easy decision that will make a difference.
sack the manager!