Are A Change of Sox in Francona's Future?

With Ozzie Guillen taking his talents to South Beach earlier this week, the White Sox are shopping for a new manager. White Sox GM Kenny Williams mentioned Monday night after Guillen's final game that he already had a list of candidates he was considering for the post. But the best option may not have even been on the list.

After the Boston Red Sox's epic collapse in the AL Wild Card race, local sports radio in Boston were calling for manager Terry Francona's head. Apparently, team management had similar feelings because reports suggest that they will not pick up Francona's options for 2012 or 2013. Like Ozzie's situation, it sounds like the Red Sox management are showing Francona the door without formally firing him, even if Francona could return, in theory, for less than the $4.25 million stipulated in the option for next season.

Even before these reports surfaced, Francona's name began circulating as a possible candidate for the White Sox managerial job, in part due to his past history with the organization. Francona managed in the White Sox minor league system from 1991 to 1995. In fact, he was Michael Jordan's manager during MJ's year with the Birmingham Barrons. He made the jump to the big leagues in 1996, holding a couple coaching and managerial positions before being hired to manage the Red Sox in 2004. Francona led the BoSox to a World Series title in 2004, ending Boston's own long championship drought, and won another World Series in '07. Even if his stock is down in Boston, few managers have had the success Francona has had during his tenure in Boston. He might just be the best option for the White Sox.

Fallout from Boston's collapse might actually end up benefiting both Chicago ball clubs. The Cubs are in the market for a new general manager following the dismissal of Jim Hendry a few weeks back. While interest by the Cubs in Theo Epstein goes back a while, recent events might actually make him available for the Cubs to pursue. Again, while one year's performance might cost him his job in Boston -- or at least cause management to let him explore other opportunities -- he built two World Series champion teams for an organization that had been waiting almost as long as the Cubs. Can he work that magic on the North Side, too? Cubs fans might soon find out.