Tony Massarotti, co-host of the radio show that featured an hour-long interview with Red Sox owner John Henry on Friday, said Henry's surprise appearance was a message to the fans that "the Sox owners hear you" . . . and that it went over well with those fans.
"We saw a number of texts and e-mails from fans, from people who said, 'You know what? At least I know he cares.'," said Massarotti, who, along with co-host Michael Felger, questioned Henry on the 'Felger and Mazz' show on 98.5 The Sports Hub. "And I think for the first time in a long time, people felt like the owner cared about the team. And I think that some of that has disappeared . . .
"I think that part of the problem since the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007 is that there's this growing sentiment among the fan base, rightfully so, that the Red Sox aren't as important to John Henry as they once were. Well, Friday he fought for his team a little bit."
Massarotti thinks the reason Henry went on the air with two of his most vocal critics -- he dropped into the studio unannounced after hearing them roast the Sox on his car radio during the opening of the show -- was that "the Red Sox are now concerned that they're losing segments of their fan base. That's what this is about . . .
"Clearly, Henry felt the need to address fans about the state of the team. To me, what that should tell people more than anything -- especially if you're a fan -- is that they hear you. They hear you. They know you're pissed off, and they hear you.
"Good for the fan base. You should be pissed off. When something like that happens, and they do to the manager what they did, fans have a right to be angry."
Massarotti was referring to the Boston Globe story in which team sources -- Henry denied the information came from upper management -- cited Terry Francona's personal issues as a reason for both the Sox' September collapse and the team's decision not to pick up the 2012 option on his contract.