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    After the departure of Terry Francona as Boston Red Sox manager after last season, not only were the Red Sox hoping to find a successful replacement for the man that won them two World Series in 4 years after an 86 year drought, but they were hoping to find someone to right the ship after a historically bad September amid controversy that surfaced about certain players quitting on the team at the end of the season. They had hopes that Bobby Valentine was the answer, hoping that his recent success coaching in Japan. Instead, what they got was a manager struggling to control his team's record on the field and his players off of it. However, despite reports, is Bobby really to blame?

    The Red Sox are 59-63 and in fourth place in the AL East. They are struggling to score runs and their pitching has been less than bargained for-both similar attributes to their collapse last September. Flashback: On August 31st 2011, the Red Sox were 83-52 and heading for a playoff spot under Francona. Then September hit...Boston's worst nightmare. They went 7-20 in the last month of the season, blowing a 9 game lead in the AL East- the worst collapse in baseball history-and missed the playoffs altogether. Terry Francona subsequently resigned after reports surfaced that he had "lost control" of the team and that many of the players, including starting pitchers Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, were drinking beer and eating chicken in the clubhouse during the game. Boston hoped to put that "season to forget" behind them coming into 2012, but instead, encountered more of the same with Valentine as manager. Players are refusing to play for him and have expressed their displeasure with him as manager.

    The players, however, are singing a different song. On July 26th, a players-only meeting was called to discuss the state of the team. Initial reports said that the team had asked for Valentine's job in the meeting, but second baseman Dustin Pedroia came to his team's defense, trying to explain the real meaning behind the meeting. "We try to play baseball the right way. I don't think Bobby should be fired. We haven't played well." 

    However, I'm not entirely buying that the players don't want Bobby fired. It's no secret that the Boston's season has been a disappointment, but shots of confrontations between Valentine and his players, Pedroia included, suggests that some players think he's the problem. The reality is that it is September 2011 all over again. The players have quit on Bobby the same way they quit on Valentine. Josh Beckett, the main piece in last year's 'Beer Gate' reports, has 'struggled' again this year, losing 5 of his last 6 decisions and surrendering 42 earned runs in his last 56 innings pitched during that span. Lester has also struggled this year.

    So, in my opinion, Valentine is not totally to blame. Red Sox players just seem to be quitters who don't want to work for the success they long for. The Red Sox have a long history of players quitting, no matter the manager: Josh Beckett, John Lester, Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez to name a few. Sure, Valentine may not be doing the job they'd hoped for, but the team's woes should not fall entirely on him. The same team quit on Francona-no doubt a great manager and the only Boston Red Sox manager to win a World Series in over 90 years. The players owed their success, and for some, their careers to Francona and they still quit on him. So, Francona wasn't the problem and neither is Valentine...it's the players. So, we must ask the question: If these players wouldn't play for Francona, is there anyone they will play for?