By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff

The Red Sox have fired Bobby Valentine after the franchise's worst season in decades. The Sox were 69-93 and finished in last place in the American League East.

Not since 1934 have the Red Sox fired a manager after only one season. But the 62-year-old Valentine was controversial choice to replace Terry Francona and his tenure proved rocky.

Valentine was not the choice of first-year general manager Ben Cherington. Team president Larry Lucchino engineered the deal after the Red Sox interviewed five other candidates, believing the 62-year-old Valentine would restore order to a team that tuned out Francona and collapsed down the stretch in 2011.

But the situation grew worse. Valentine had almost no allies within the organization beyond Lucchino and a handful of players.

Now the pressure will fall squarely on GM Ben Cherington to reverse the fortunes of a team that has plunged to the bottom of the American League.

The Red Sox have missed the playoffs for three seasons in a row and have not won a playoff game since 2008. Eighteen teams in the majors have qualified for the postseason since the Red Sox last did.

The Red Sox will start 2013 with their third manager in as many years. To end that George Steinbrenner-like disarray, the next choice must be a good one.

John Farrell, who has had a rocky two seasons as Toronto's manager after spending five years as the Red Sox pitching coach, may be the team's first choice if the Blue Jays are willing to let him go.

The release from the Red Sox: