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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.357640974461
EAN num: 9780061458545
ISBN number: 0061458546
Label: HarperEntertainment
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 224
Printing Date: April 01, 2008
Publishing house: HarperEntertainment
Release Date: March 25, 2008
Sale Popularity Level: 16373
Studio: HarperEntertainment
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Product Description:
Michael Holley, bestselling author of Patriot Reign, provides an inside look at how it all happened. With the exclusive cooperation of Terry Francona and stories from the clubhouse and the conference room, Holley reveals the private sessions and the dugout and front-office strategies that have made the Boston Red Sox a budding dynasty.
When Grady Little's job prospects were dimming during game seven of the Red Sox-Yankees playoffs in 2003, Oakland A's bench coach Terry Francona was puttering around his house, unaware of his fate. General manager Theo Epstein and owner John Henry sat in their Fenway box, praying that Little would pull Pedro Martinez. And fans throughout New England howled when Martinez remained in the game and the Sox lost the series. They wanted Little's head, and they got it.
In Epstein and Henry's search for a manager, they wanted someone from the new school, someone who could manage wealthy and/or sensitive players and rely not only on gut and instinct but also on the cold science of statistics. Francona, the son of a professional baseball player and a major leaguer himself until devastating knee injuries ended his career prematurely, was a dark horse candidate. After all, he'd been a mediocre manager while with the Phillies. But he had a great head for the game, and as the manager for the minor league Birmingham Barons, he had managed none other than Michael Jordan without a glitch.
After Francona's job interview with Epstein, which included a written test and a game simulation, the Red Sox felt they'd found their man. And now, after two championships in four seasons, they have their proof.
With a team of disparate personalities, from the inscrutable Manny Ramirez to the affable David Ortiz, Francona and the Red Sox have overtaken their hated archnemesis, the New York Yankees, as the American League's elite team.
Insightful, fascinating, and surprising, Red Sox Rule is the story of the changing face of baseball and the inner workings of its finest organization.
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Rated by buyers 
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A team almost never repeats as World Series Champions. But if the Red Sox should repeat this year, this book is as good an insight into the reasons why. Terry Francona has seen his share of ill fortune, but his approach to his players and to the Red Sox brass illustrate why he got, and deserved better fortune in Boston than he had in Philadelphia. A good man, and a good story well told.
Rated by buyers 
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I purchased Red Sox rule because I am a huge Red Sox fan and a huge fan of Michael Holley's work. The book definately contains the Holley trademark style, but was far less insightful then I had hoped. The book gives quite a bit of background on Terry Francona's career, but not a whole lot of insight into the Red Sox organization, or Francona's true relationship with the players, or his philosophy of management. The book does move around a lot with a chapter or two on Francona (not in chronological order, which can be a bit confusing) and then a chapter about a particular incident during the 2007 season, it might be a particular Yankees series during the season, the Gagne trade, etc.. But for the most part its a book about Terry Francona's life. Its not a bad book, I found it interesting, but its not what I expected. If you are looking for insight into the rise of the team and the organization "Feeding the Monster" is a better option. If you want to learn more about Terry Francona's life in baseball this is the book for you.
Rated by buyers 
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Red Sox Rule: Terry Francona and Boston's Rise to Dominance
Red Sox Rule is a well written, entertaining book about the Boston Red Sox and their rising gain of respect in baseball, culminating in two World Series victories in four years. In the forefront is the Manager, Terry Francona, and the book tells the Red Sox story through Francona's life story.
This is a baseball book that will appeal to more than baseball fans, as it is a very appealing story of a family whose business happens to be baseball.
Michael Holley is a skilled story teller, and knows how to tell a lot in succinct style. His chapter on Birdie Francona's battle with cancer will ring true for anyone who has had the illness strike his family.
For parents of children who love baseball, the book's positive storyis worthwhile, and with a minimum of strong language.
Rated by buyers -
In this book, Michael Holley writes a book that seems unclear as to what it is trying to do. Is it trying to profile the new dynasty of the Red Sox as the title suggests or is it trying to show what type of management style works best in baseball as the work suggest or is it trying to do something else? I find this book to oftentimes be muddled and confusing as to what it is trying to do exactly. I agree with a lot of the other criticism that the book lacks focus and also seems to lack a frame other then when it suites the immediate need of the story
I also find interesting that Holley managed to write this book without hardly a mention of Curt Schilling. Schilling is in there when discussing Terry Francona in Philadelphia and of course when he pitches in the playoffs, but other than that there is hardly a mention of him.
All in all I think Red Sox fans will enjoy this book but in my mind it provides very little insight into the team.
Rated by buyers -
This book is less about the team than the manager who is so low key, Sox fans may underrate his accomplishments.
To place my review in context, I began following the Sox in the early sixties and suffered through the terrible (Higgins, Herman), the incomprehensible (Kasko, J. Williams), the lost (Hobson, McNamara), the temporary (Kerrigan, Popowski) and the flawed but effective (D. Williams, Houk, Johnson, Kennedy). We fans waited for the leader to bring us to the promised land and found him in the unassuming guise of Tito. This guy not only led the not quite believable comeback against the Yankees in 2004 but is 8-0 in the World Series with a team which recently lost 13 straight post-season games.
The book describes Tito as the son of a major leaguer, one of the best college players in the country, manager of Michael Jordan in Birmingham and failed player due to injuries. He had the strength to fight through the lost dream of being a productive major leaguer and the cauldron of managing in the meanest sports city in the US (Philly)to become part of the troika who saved the Red Sox. Of the 3 (Owner, GM and manager), somehow Tito has gotten the least attention.
Red Sox Rule can also be read as a business book with insights into the changing requirements of management sucess in a changing business. It explores the transition from directive leadership (Dick Williams) to servant leadership (Francona) and how the latter fits the times.
I appreciate the game and Francona more after reading this book. Sox fans should remember that the press ripped Ted Williams when he played and fans bood Yaz early in his career. We probably should understand and respect the best manager the Sox have had in our lifetime while he is here even if his personality and management style is not nearly as self promoting as Bill Parcells or as in-the-face as Bill Belicek.
I was in a Red Sox bar in Denver prior to Game 3 of the 2007 World Series and one Sox fan was reaching the panic point concerning the decision to have Ortiz play very first base. I quietly said to the stranger, "Tito always makes the right decisions in post-season." He replied, "That's right," smiled and instantly calmed down. It is a new era for Sox fans.
After a close loss in which you want to debate a manager decision, remember: 86 years, end of Curse, 4 straight vs. NY, 8 consecutive World Series wins and, most of all, 2 championships.
Along with Big Popi and the Schill, Tito gets a lifetime pass from this fan.
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