For much of the last decade, the Red Sox have been regarded by talented professionals as a desirable team for which to play.

That may not be the case any longer.

"I don't know," Jon Lester said. "It's always been a demanding place to play, but until the last two years, it always was about baseball. Now we've got things written and said about guys' personal stuff as human beings, as people. Now you're starting to question people's manhoods. That's where it gets hard."

It all started last September when the Red Sox collapsed and missed the playoffs. The team then parted ways with Terry Francona and hired Bobby Valentine.