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Henry Says Sox Owners Not Involved In Francona Smear Campaign

BOSTON (CBS) - In a surprise visit to 98.5 The Sports Hub, Red Sox principal owner John Henry denied the team's ownership had anything to do with a Boston Globe article this week about former-manager Terry Francona.

"The author of the story has gone on the record as saying we did not participate in that," Henry told Felger and Massarotti Friday afternoon.

"I don't condemn Bob Hohler for writing a story," said Henry. "I condemn personal things coming out... About medication, about someone's marital life."

John Henry On Terry Francona Saga

"Blaming me personally for being the person who said those things… that's why I came here. You're misleading the public."

Listen: John Henry On Felger & Mazz

Henry, who was driving around Boston when he heard the topic mentioned on the Sports Hub, wanted to set the record straight with Felger and Mazz. He made his driver head right to the station, so he could make sure people know the Red Sox ownership did not give out the information about Francona's marital issues and problem with pain killers.

"We didn't. That's one of things you've been discussing that I'm trying to answer but thankfully the author of the article is answering because he thinks it's wrong," said Henry. "It's just… it's unfortunate."

Read: Francona's Season Affected By Medication?

Henry said he was upset about the information coming out about Francona's marriage, agreeing it was a cheap shot.

"It's reprehensible that was written about in the first place," said Henry. "If it's someone within the team, and that's what it says in the newspaper, I'm upset about it. And I've been upset about it."

"First of all, it seems like there is nothing that doesn't get out in sports. One of the first things I learned when I came here, Larry said 'there are no secrets in baseball.' When it comes to who's giving person info from the Red Sox, you can't really go on a witch hunt and start accusing people," said Henry.

Henry also wanted to make it clear that Francona was not fired, he walked away under his own terms.

"That is just factually incorrect," Henry said of the firing talk. "We didn't fire him. He told us in the first meeting we had with him, he was not the voice to lead this team."

"We hadn't had one discussion internally about a replacement manager," said Henry "Even as of September 30 we hadn't had that discussion. Basically what we heard from Tito, the things that he said to us, we would not have picked up the options."

Francona had two options remaining on his contract, and the Red Sox would have had to pick up both of them to retain his services.

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