Francona was reluctant to talk specifics of how the altercation transpired, nor would he comment on any specific action taken in the wake of the incident.

�I�m in a little bit of a difficult position here,� Francona said when asked if it was unusual for an athlete to have an incident with an employee of the team. �We don�t condone sometimes things that happen, and actually very strongly. We also handle them, but we choose to handle them internally. I can�t be a whole lot more specific. That�s just the way I feel about it. Everybody�s entitled to their opinion and sometimes things don�t go as smoothly as you want them to. When I tell you we take them very serious, I hope you understand that we really do.�

Francona said a number of people could be involved in making a decision on how to handle these types of incidents.

�If we need to make a decision every day, there�s probably a lot of different reasons, or a lot of different people you confer with, depending on what it�s about,� Francona said. �Sometimes we need to talk to players. Certainly I talk to Theo about a lot of things. Sometimes actually ownership needs to be involved in things, that�s just the way it goes. We all answer to people, but try to do it right. And again, because we feel like we feel, and I do feel it needs to be handled internally, that�s just how I feel. I don�t think that that actually makes us� if spineless is a word that�s been used. I don�t agree with that. We try to handle what we handle and again, but I�m not going to go any farther than that because I choose not to��

Francona admitted it�s frustrating for him when clubhouse issues get leaked to the media.

�Yeah it actually is [frustrating],� Francona said. �And that doesn�t mean that something that was wrong shouldn�t have happened but good teams handle those types of things. Not that you don�t make mistakes but how you handle the mistakes and move forward is important. Now, our players in Houston, with the way things get out sometimes, is uncontrollable and it�s not the players fault. There�s a lot of people in that clubhouse, a lot of kids that work in that clubhouse that run to people. That�s just the way it goes. That�s the day and age we�re in so we deal with that. It doesn�t make what happened right. It means you�re gonna have to deal with it a little differently because there�s a lot of information getting out there, not all of it�s correct. Sometimes people don�t care if it�s correct.

�Everything that ever happens here is monitored, is handled, and will be continued to be monitored. Again, because of how I feel about it being internal doesn�t mean it won�t be handled. And again, I don�t expect you to understand, because I�m not telling you��

Kevin Cullan: Manny Whiffs

Kevin Cullan, Boston Globe, 7.3.08: �The Red Sox have become one of the richest franchises in sports by selling the idea that they are different, more special, than other teams.

And we bought it, because implicit in the deal is that we are different, that we are special: Fenway Park is unique; being a Red Sox fan is not a lifestyle choice, but an orientation.

But there is a fine line between being special and being insufferably arrogant, and Manny has crossed it.

If the Red Sox do not publicly rebuke him, not just for what he did to McCormick but for the countless displays of disrespect he has shown his teammates, the fans, and the game, then they should do us a favor and just drop all this Red Sox Nation jive.�