Terry Francona is No Bill Belichick

  COACHING GENIUS   COACHING DUNCE      

Terry Francona pinch hit Alex Cora for Mark Bellhorn in yesterday's game against the Yankees (July 17) instead of pinch hitting back-up first baseman John Olerud because he was afraid of who was going to play second base should the Sox come back to the tie the game and the game go into extra innings.

                                  ''Who would take his place at second [if the game went extra innings]?" Francona asked. '

                                                                                'If you have a guy I'll listen."

Well it was at this case that a reporter told Francona that he would have pinch hit Olerud for Bellhorn and if the Sox came back and tied the game 5-5 then he would play Kevin Millar at third, Bill Mueller at second and John Olerud at first. Terry had an explanation for this:

                                ''We've talked to Billy," Francona said. ''We're not going to put Bill Mueller at second anymore."

Just because Billy Mueller has knee problems probably doesn't mean that he wouldn't be up to playing second base for an inning should the game go into extra innings. Mueller does not strike me as the person that would sit down and say "No, not playing second. Not me." No Billy Mueller does not strike me as that type of player.

And another thing is this something that a coach just a few miles south of Boston would do? Would Bill Belichick think of doing this? No. He won the ESPY for Best Coach of the Year for a reason. He won three Super Bowl Championships for a reason. He is 10-1 in the playoffs for a reason. Belichick does things that people don't think of. He put Troy Brown at Cornerback when both Ty Law and Tyrone Poole went down with injuries and still got to the playoffs being the number two seed and travelled through Pittsburgh, slaughtered the Steelers and killed the clock on the McNabb and the Eagles in the Super Bowl to bring the Patriots 3rd Super Bowl Championship in four years back to Foxboro. That's what makes Belichick a Coaching Genius.

If Belichick had been in Francona's place he might have played Kevin Millar at second to win the game. Coach Belichick does anything to win the game. That's what makes him a Genius and that's what makes Francona a DUD!!

Also have you ever noticed that the Patriots have a lot of respect for Bill Belichick that they call him COACH Belichick. What do the Red Sox do to show Terry Francona respect? Nothing. They call him Terry and not Coach Francona. That just shows disrespect to Francona according to me.