Red Sox hire John Farrell to replace Bobby Valentine
- John Farrell most recently managed the Toronto Blue Jays
- The Blue Jays will receive compensation in return for Farrell leaving for Boston
- Farrell's hiring was far smoother than the process that culiminated in Bobby Valentine's hiring
This time around, the Boston Red Sox did not dawdle in naming a manager, nor did they buck the expected norm in the man they hired.
The Red Sox announced late Saturday they've handed their managerial reins to John Farrell, most recently the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays and a known commodity at Fenway Park, where he served as Red Sox pitching coach from 2007-2010.
He also figures to be far less of a lightning rod than Bobby Valentine, who lasted just one year with the Red Sox and guided the club to its worst record this century.
To compensate the Blue Jays for Farrell's move from Toronto to Boston, the Red Sox will send infielder Mike Aviles to the Blue Jays, as first reported by WEEI.
Farrell's hiring was widely expected; the Red Sox indicated almost immediately after firing Valentine that Farrell was their top choice.
The process was a marked contrast from Valentine's hiring, which came in December 2011, more than two months after the club parted ways with Terry Francona. Valentine was not the top choice of new general manager Ben Cherington, and his hiring came after several candidates went through multiple interviews following Francona's September 2011 departure.
Valentine's lone season in Boston - a 69-93 campaign - reflected the dysfunction under which he was hired.
This time, Cherington was ceded control of the process. He settled quickly on Farrell, who posted a 154-170 mark in two seasons in Toronto. The Blue Jays were 73-89 this season, but finished four games ahead of the Red Sox.
Farrell was far more successful as Red Sox pitching coach, as the club won the World Series in his first season in Boston. Red Sox pitchers, particularly Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, have regressed significantly since Farrell's departure.