Francona out as Red Sox manager

The Red Sox's epic collapse claimed its first victim Friday. Terry Francona, who won two World Series titles in eight seasons as their manager, is out.

"Tito said that after eight years here, he was frustrated by his difficulty making an impact with the players, that a different voice was needed and that it was time for him to move on," the Red Sox and Francona wrote in a joint statement. "After taking time to reflect on Tito's sentiments, we agreed that it was best for the Red Sox not to exercise the option years on his contract."

Francona had team options for 2012 (for $4.25 million) and 2013 ($4.5 million), with $750,000 buyouts for each.

Just a month ago, such an action appeared unthinkable, as the Red Sox were cruising to a spot in the playoffs. But the team's 7-20 September, combined with a surge by the Tampa Bay Rays, eliminated Boston on the last night of the regular season.

As Boston couldn't lift itself up from its doldrums, word spread throughout the baseball industry of Francona's dissatisfaction with his players and of ownership's unhappiness with Francona and his coaches.

Had closer Jonathan Papelbon been able to hold a one-run lead against the last-place Orioles on Wednesday night, perhaps those differences could have been transcended with October success. Instead, as the Red Sox missed the postseason for the second straight year, it took less than 48 hours for Francona and Boston to part ways.

"Nobody at the Red Sox blames Tito for what happened at the end of this season; we own that as an organization," general manager Theo Epstein said in a statement. " . . . His next team will benefit more than it knows from hearing Tito's voice. I will miss seeing Tito every day in the manager's office, and I wish him and his family nothing but the best in their next chapter."

The White Sox are looking for a new manager after letting Ozzie Guillen go to Florida, and the Cubs might dismiss skipper Mike Quade once they hire a new general manager. Given the context of Francona's departure, the Red Sox probably will go outside the organization for a replacement.

Francona joined the Red Sox in 2004 after Grady Little was let go following Boston's infamous 2003 American League Championship Series loss to the Yankees, and in his first year, he led the club to its first world championship since 1918, overcoming an 0-3 ALCS deficit against the Yankees to get there. When Francona and the Bosox added a championship in 2007, it seemed as though he could manage the team for as long as he wanted.

Epstein lost his golden touch in recent years, however, committing questionable contracts to starting pitcher John Lackey and leftfielder Carl Crawford, both of whom had poor seasons in 2011. The Boston farm system didn't provide much help, either.