According to Tom Caron, the Red Sox have fired manager Bobby Valentine.

Hired on November 21, 2011 after a disastrous end to the 2011 season, Valentine was a controversial hire due to his combative nature and reputation as not being a players’ manager. Valentine clashed with coaches and players throughout the season, most notably calling out ex-Red Sox player Kevin Youkilis in the press. Some coaches stopped communicating with Bobby V during the year.

Although this conclusion was clearly going to occur, General Manager Ben Cherington gave Valentine a vote of confidence, at least until the end of the season. The Red Sox wasted no time in dispensing with Valentine’s services after the Red Sox finished the 2012 season with a 69-93 record, the worst Red Sox record since 1966.

John Farrell, currently the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, is the favorite to become the next Red Sox manager but Farrell still has one year remaining on his deal with Toronto.