The Red Sox fired manager John Farrell on Wednesday in a move that was both somewhat expected and mysterious at the same time. There were rumblings that Farrell's job could be in jeopardy, but GM Dave Dombrowski said at a news conference that it was "not a snap decision" based on Boston losing in the ALDS to Houston while declining to elaborate on why the manager was let go.
Dombrowski also said that "managerial experience helps" when he was asked about who might be considered as Farrell's replacement.
Whenever someone in a high-level sports position is fired, there is inevitable and immediate speculation about who could be hired as a replacement. That is particularly true and intense with the job of managing the Red Sox.
There are already a lot of candidate lists out there, and one consistent name near the top is former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
