Are the 2012 Red Sox the most dysfunctional team in history?

I'm serious about this -- where else does stuff like this happen? It never ends. And the latest chapter is the most troubling and most telling.

If one is to believe Jeff Passan's report on Yahoo! Tuesday -- and we all believe Jeff Passan's report -- players were upset with Bobby Valentine because they felt he "embarrassed" Jon Lester by leaving him in to give up 11 runs to the Blue Jays on July 22.

Let's put aside for a moment the idea that Lester probably should have been embarrassed for collecting a paycheck for that disaster and focus on what happened next. Adrian Gonzalez texted ownership and articulated the displeasure many of the players felt toward Valentine for his treatment of Lester. Yup, that actually happened. 

It should be noted that the Boston Red Sox had a record of 48-49 after the Lester loss and were in last place in the American League East, 10 1/2 games behind the Yankees. They had just been swept at home by the Blue Jays, a team that had started the series in last place. The Red Sox -- at the time -- were 53-69 since last Sept. 1. 

When you look at it, the arrogance of these players is breathtaking. They were smack in the middle of a massively underachieving season -- coming after the worst collapse in baseball history and all we learned in the offseason -- and their instinct wasn't to leave ownership alone, or maybe apologize for this epidemic of failure, but rather to bitch and moan and blame the manager for a pitcher, their supposed ace (making $7.5 million), giving up 11 runs. That tells you all you really need to know, doesn't it? 

No accountability, no contact with reality and no perspective.

And what is the result of the text message? Does ownership tell Gonzalez and his teammates to shut up and start producing? Do the bosses quietly tell Valentine that there is a problem and leave him alone to fix it? Do they collectively shake their heads and wonder which player has to be traded first in an effort to root out the poison? Do they make it clear that the lines of communication go through the manager?

Nope. Ownership was so offended by the actions of Gonzalez and other players that it waited three whole days before holding a meeting at a New York hotel to let the players trash Valentine behind his back.

And we arrive at the real problem.

Look, the players are an absolute joke. Spoiled, sensitive, delusional, entitled and tone deaf. Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia, according to the Passan story, were the most vocal at this meeting, a meeting that had several players asking ownership to fire Valentine. 

It's hard to read the Passan story and not lose respect for Pedroia, who clearly never wanted Valentine to manage this team. He was quick to tell Valentine how "things are done around here" after the Kevin Youkilis debacle in April. Evidently, going behind the manager's back and trying to get him fired is how things are done around here. Anyone still think he should be the next captain of the Boston Red Sox? 

Pedroia -- having the worst season of his career -- tried to go into full spin mode after Tuesday's loss to the Orioles, telling reporters that he gets along with Valentine and doesn't want him to lose his job. Raise your hand if you believe him. 

As for Gonzalez, who knew he was a clubhouse lawyer? And wasn't it God's plan for Lester to give up 11 runs? 

The players -- and there were 17 at the meeting, according to Buster Olney -- are plenty to blame for this mess. These are grown men, after all, who probably shouldn't have tanked so spectacularly last year if they didn't want Bobby Valentine to manage their team. They'll receive zero sympathy for having to deal with a manager they dislike, and that's exactly how much they deserve. 

But it all goes to back to the owners. This culture exists because John Henry and Larry Lucchino allowed it to grow completely out of control. What has to happen for ownership to stand up to the players? These are guys who are being paid millions of dollars to play baseball but seem more focused on mutiny, backstabbing and mediocrity. Is there a line in the sand, or will it always be excuses and intelligence-insulting emails?

If Bobby Valentine is truly the man John Henry wants managing this team, he would have never agreed to that meeting (in fact, ownership called the meeting, its idea). That vote of confidence turns out to be just the same as every vote of confidence ever given by an owner, a stay of execution and nothing else. 

And that's OK. John Henry should fire Valentine right now if he thinks he's the wrong guy for the job. It's OK to admit you made a mistake. Valentine is not the reason for 57-60, but he's also not the long-term solution. It's just not working. But the team can bring in any other manager in history and it'll mean nothing if Henry continues to be a pushover for the players.

It's mind-boggling that this meeting took place. This was an attempted coup d'état, and Henry was seemingly OK with it. Again, where else does this stuff happen? Owners meeting with 17 players over a decision to leave a pitcher in a game? Open access for players who want to complain when the manager criticizes another player for a defensive miscue? 

It has to end. John Henry, not Larry Lucchino, not Ben Cherington, not Dustin Pedroia, not Bobby Valentine, needs to stand up, show some backbone and gain control of this organization. Because right now there is no question -- none -- that the players are in charge. They do what they want, say what they want, choose to stay in shape or not. The thought of possible repercussions never enter their mind, and why should it? The players have no fear of anyone in the front office or ownership and absolutely call all the shots.

It's time for the owners to stop rolling over. Take a look at the standings for the last three years and then read Passan's story. What they are doing simply isn't working. 

But will they have the guts to do something about it?