Another day, and yet another off the field story coming out and taking over the airwaves and media attention surrounding the Red Sox.

According to a Yahoo! Sports report, Red Sox players had an intense meeting with ownership in New York late last month on their off day before a weekend series with the Yankees.

Adrian Gonzalez reportedly texted ownership and complained that he and other players felt manager Bobby Valentine “embarrassed” starter Jon Lester by letting him stay in a game where he allowed 11 runs, including four home runs in just four innings.

Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia were reportedly the most vocal in the meeting, in which the players voiced their displeasure of playing for Valentine.

Also in the report was Red Sox players sharing a picture message of Valentine apparently asleep in his office chair with Pedroia in front of him with his tongue out and thumbs up. The caption read, “Our manager contemplating his lineup at 3:30 p.m.”

As each of these stories come out it becomes more and more apparent the players are the ones running the Red Sox organization, rather than the front office and the manager.

Have you ever heard of a team where the players constantly go to management to complain about their manager or coach’s decisions? Imagine Tom Brady complaining to Robert Kraft about the way Bill Belichick was coaching. Imagine Paul Pierce complaining to Danny Ainge about the way Doc Rivers was coaching. Unfathomable right?

Making matters even worse is management siding with the players.

How did Lester’s worst start as a major leaguer become about Valentine? Why should Valentine have taken Lester out earlier in the game and ruined his bullpen for the next few days of the road trip? Lester, being the veteran he is should realize the situation and take one for the team.

Once again there was no player accountability, rather the blaming of Valentine and no sign of a team. Instead, just making sure individual players are happy.
           
As for Pedroia mocking Valentine in the picture message, this is the so-called leader of the team, and the player some wanted to be named the next Red Sox captain? What he did, if the report is correct, was extremely unprofessional, something you would see with a Babe Ruth team, not a professional major league baseball team. Whether you like your manager or not, act professional. Give your manager a little respect and leave all the drama outside the ballpark.

The players control the organization. Because of this they got their manager fired last year and are well on their way to getting another one fired this year. It should now become clear to ownership that the managers are not the issue with this team. It is the players.

If ownership really is committed to winning, there needs to be a drastic change in culture next season. That can only happen if ownership takes control of the team and eliminates the problem players and/or coaches. They know who they are, they see it first-hand.

It’s your move ownership, make it count.

Sox dumped by O’s

Boston fell again in Baltimore Wednesday night, losing to the Orioles, 5-3.
Aaron Cook had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning but things quickly unraveled. The O’s scored five runs in the sixth inning as the Red Sox fell to 57-61 on the season.