Farrell on M&M: 'I'm committed to Toronto'

Blue Jays manager John Farrell joined the Mut & Merloni show Wednesday afternoon from the winter meetings in Dallas. Following his four-year stint as Red Sox pitching coach, Farrell finished his first season as Jays manager with an 81-81 record.

Farrell was rumored to be the Red Sox' top choice to replace Terry Francona this offseason, but Farrell said he never regretted going to Toronto.

"Not at all," he said. "When opportunities come up, they arise sometimes out of nowhere. I've never been one that while you're doing your current job, that you look elsewhere. I think becomes a complete distraction. I think it's a disservice and disrespect to the people that you work for. Who would have known what took place this past year? And that wouldn't have been the reason to either stay or go elsewhere. I felt like it was a great opportunity to join … that [Blue Jays] staff and to join a club that I think, you know what? Yeah, the AL East is challenging, but I think if we're able to do it in this division, it's even that much more rewarding."

Farrell acknowledged he heard reports of the Sox' interest.

"I did hear it from the press, and I know that there was a policy that was amended after a speculative article that came out of Boston -- and really, to squelch the distraction and kind of the pushback and the feedback that was happening up in Toronto. You know what? I went to Toronto to join an organization. I didn't go to Toronto because there was a policy that allowed people to move laterally. I didn't even know that existed, to be honest with you. The fact is, I'm committed to Toronto. I love what I'm doing. And you know what? We've got a pretty good thing going. We've got a lot of work left to do, but I'm completely happy where I'm at."

The Red Sox have had some disarray since their September collapse. Farrell said it was tough to hear his former players be ridiculed.

"It was kind of disappointing to hear what was being written," he said. "And also, it makes you scratch your head. Because not only are they a talented group, I've always known them to be extremely committed and their work ethic to be excellent."

Farrell sounded even more disappointed with the Boston Globe article that implied Francona had issues with prescription pain medication.

Said Farrell: "I did read the article. And after I got done reading it, the only word that came to my mind is: Why? Why is this being brought out? For whatever reason. I don't know if it's true, I don't know to what level of truth might be there, I'm not calling anyone a liar in this, that's not what I'm getting at. But when it was out, it's like: Why? Why is this being aired?"

Following are more highlights from the conversation.

On Josh Beckett: "The four years that I spent there, Josh was our lead guy. And guys looked up to him for his work ethic, his competitiveness, he never backed down from a challenge. This is a team that won a World Series not too long ago, and one of the main reasons for that World Series title is the guy we're speaking of. He hasn't changed, I don't think. He hasn't changed as a person."

On Jon Lester: "He's in the conversation, and yearly he's in the conversation as the best pitchers in the American League. That shouldn't and I don't think has changed. I guarantee you that there's 29 other teams that would love to have Jon Lester. And I'm not suggesting any trade or anything like that. I'm just saying he is that type of person, he is that type of pitcher. And deservedly so, he should be in the conversation of a guy that could win a Cy Young in any given year."

On Daniel Bard: "He's a heck of a reliever. … He's a darn good pitcher. I know one thing: When he comes in with a lead late in a game, for a lot of games he's been out there, that's usually been a shutdown inning."

To hear the interview, go to the Mut & Merloni audio on demand page. For more Red Sox news, visit the team page at weei.com/redsox.