Terry Francona was not oblivious to the news that Ozzie Guillen, who guided the White Sox to the World Series title in 2005, a year after Francona did the same with the Red Sox, had been given a contract extension through 2012. Francona is going into the final year of the two-year contract extension he signed in March 2006, one reportedly worth $1.65 million this season and $1.75 million in 2008. Customarily, teams satisfied with their managers don't let them enter the last year of their contracts, essentially placing them in lame-duck status. In 2006, the Sox acted even though they held an option year on Francona for 2007, in part because Francona was paid in the lowest quadrant of big league managers. Yesterday, Francona spoke carefully when asked whether his contractual future had been discussed. "I think my answer is, I refer you to Theo on this," Francona said.