A.J. Hinch the next Red Sox manager?

Following an epic collapse that saw them squander a double
-digit lead in the American League Wildcard race in the
final month of the season, the Boston Red Sox are in major
upheaval.

General manager Theo Epstein, who spent nine seasons as
the Red Sox general manager, has moved on to take the same
post in Chicago with the Cubs.

And manager Terry Francona, who guided the Sox to two
World Series titles during his tenure, has also left the
organization.

That leaves one of the plum managerial jobs in baseball
wide open, and the list of names that has surfaced is an
impressive one.

And in some ways, it’s a curious one as well.

That’s because a name that’s being linked to the Red Sox
opening is that of former Diamondbacks’ manager A.J.
Hinch. Yes, the same A.J. Hinch who had zero managerial
experience at any level before he was handed the Arizona
job in early May of 2009 when Bob Melvin was fired. Yes,
the same A.J. Hinch who has a career managerial record of
89-123 in parts of two seasons.

According to Bodog.net, Hinch
is the favorite to land the job, with odds of 5-to-2,
better than those of Bobby Valentine, Joe Torre, Pete
Mackanin and Ryne Sandberg.

By the way, there’s also odds on current D-backs’ bench
coach Alan Trammell to land the job. Trammell sits at
15:2.

However, WEEI in Boston is reporting that a source
close to the organization is stating that the rumors
calling Hinch the favorite for the job are “not true at
all.”

Follow @Vincemarotta