Raleigh, N.C. – Massachusetts is no doubt Red Sox country—81% of the state’s voters claim to root for the Sox—but the turmoil that has been the club’s offseason has its fans a little pessimistic about its chances this season. 82% of Massachusetts Sox fans think they will play in October, but of the various outcomes, a 43% plurality think they will not make it past the ALCS. 20% think they will win the whole thing, 19% that they will lose to the NL representative, and 11% think there will be a repeat of last season.
Fans also miss their recently departed, two-time champion skipper. 69% see Terry Francona favorably and only 7% unfavorably. New manager Bobby Valentine is also seen positively, but not nearly to the same extent. Only 6% see him negatively, but also only 44% positively, and half are still not yet sure of their opinion. Given a choice between the two, 39% would still rather Francona were in charge, despite missing the playoffs last season. 28% are glad Valentine is at the helm, and a third are not sure.
One thing Valentine has already done to ingratiate the fanbase is ban alcohol in the clubhouse after the infamous chicken-and-beer incident. 72% approve of that move, and only 10% disapprove.
After a stellar 2011 season, center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is fans’ favorite of the current squad, getting 29% of the vote. Second-baseman Dustin Pedroia and designated hitter David Ortiz, who also had great years, follow at 25% and 16%, respectively, with everyone else at 6% or less. There is less question who Sox diehards see as the greatest player in their history: Ted Williams at 45%, followed by Carl Yastrzemski at 17%, Babe Ruth at 12%, and everyone else at 6% or less.
Two of the franchise’s greatest pitchers ended up winning multiple championships with their bitter rival New York Yankees: Ruth and Roger Clemens. But Sox fans have very divergent views of the two. Perhaps because he was traded, rather than having left of his own accord, Ruth is still seen very positively (68-12), but Clemens very negatively (23-56). Ruth is also a much more distant memory, and a legendary player, while Clemens is recently retired and stained by the steroid controversy.
PPP surveyed 936 Massachusetts voters from March 16th to 18th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.2%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you consider yourself to be a Boston Red
Sox fan, or not?
Are a Red Sox fan …………………………………… 81%
Are not …………………………………………………… 19%
Q2 (Q’s 2-11 asked only of Sox fans) Do you have
a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Terry
Francona?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 69%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 7%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bobby Valentine?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 44%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 6%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 50%
Q4 Who would you rather have as manager this
season: Terry Francona or Bobby Valentine?
Terry Francona………………………………………… 39%
Bobby Valentine………………………………………. 28%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 33%
Q5 Do you support or oppose Bobby Valentine’s
decision to ban alcohol in the clubhouse?
Support ………………………………………………….. 72%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 10%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Roger Clemens?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 23%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 56%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 22%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Babe Ruth?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 68%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 12%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%
Q8 Do you think that the Red Sox should retire
Wade Boggs’ number, or not?
They should retire it …………………………………. 35%
They should not ………………………………………. 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 36%
Q9 Given the choices of Josh Beckett, Clay
Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez,
Jon Lester, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, and
Kevin Youkilis, who is your favorite current Red
Sox player?
Josh Beckett …………………………………………… 5%
Clay Buchholz…………………………………………. 2%
Jacoby Ellsbury……………………………………….. 29%
Adrian Gonzalez ……………………………………… 2%
Jon Lester ………………………………………………. 4%
David Ortiz……………………………………………… 16%
Dustin Pedroia ………………………………………… 25%
Kevin Youkilis………………………………………….. 6%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 10%
Q10 Given the choices of Bobby Doerr, Roger
Clemens, Joe Cronin, Carlton Fisk, Johnny
Pesky, Babe Ruth, Jim Rice, Ted Williams, and
Carl Yastrzemski, who do you think is the
greatest Red Sox player ever?
Bobby Doerr……………………………………………. 4%
Roger Clemens……………………………………….. 2%
Joe Cronin ……………………………………………… 5%
Carlton Fisk…………………………………………….. 6%
Johnny Pesky …………………………………………. 5%
Babe Ruth………………………………………………. 12%
Jim Rice…………………………………………………. 5%
Ted Williams……………………………………………. 45%
Carl Yastrzemski ……………………………………… 17%
Q11 What do you think the outcome of the Red Sox
season will be this year: win the World Series,
win the American League but not the World
Series, make the playoffs but not win the
pennant, or miss the playoffs?
Sox will win the World Series…………………….. 20%
They’ll win the AL but not the Series …………… 19%
They’ll make the playoffs but not win the
pennant…………………………………………………..43%
They’ll miss the playoffs……………………………. 11%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%
Q12 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 32%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 57%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 11%
Q13 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 27%
Moderate………………………………………………… 36%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 21%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 5%
Q14 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 49%
Man……………………………………………………….. 51%
Q15 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 41%
Republican……………………………………………… 14%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 45%
Q16 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 87%
Other……………………………………………………… 13%
Q17 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 13%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 27%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
