The information was stunning given the truth that Francona, 65, stepped away from baseball following the 2023 season as supervisor of the Cleveland Guardians for well being causes. A yr eliminated, the Reds had been capable of signal Francona to a three-year deal and a membership possibility for the 2028 season.
Talking at his introductory information convention on Monday, Francona shed some mild on his determination to return out of retirement to change into the Reds supervisor.
“I truthfully did not see myself managing once more,” Francona said, through ESPN. “I had a extremely good yr away from the sport. The Reds got here out to go to and it simply felt proper.”
Considered one of Francona’s focal factors is placing emphasis on accountability, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon.
“I firmly consider that gamers get pleasure from being coached, so long as there may be all the time a stable motive and also you’re extremely organized. And that we’ll be,” Francona said. “My promise to the group and to the followers is I’ll spend all my vitality making certain they spend all of their vitality making an attempt to play the sport appropriately and with respect.”
The announcement comes on the heels of the Reds firing David Bell on Sept. 22 with only a week left within the common season. Bell compiled a 409-456 (.473) document throughout his six seasons as supervisor of the Reds group.
One issue which will have led to Francona’s determination is his time as a participant for the Reds in 1987. Francona mentioned the expertise and athletic potential of that workforce “jogs my memory a number of the group we’ve got right here now.”
Regardless of the Reds ending the 2024 season with a disappointing 77-85 document, it’s arduous to argue the level of talent on the workforce. There’s shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who led the workforce in residence runs (25), hits (160), and recorded a whopping 67 stolen bases, RBI chief Spencer Steer and second baseman Jonathan India, simply to call a number of. The Reds additionally possess a number of young pitching talent, led by strikeout chief Hunter Greene.
In his profession as a supervisor, Francona has put collectively a 1,950-1,672 (.538) document, profitable World Sequence titles with the Crimson Sox in 2004 and 2007.
Regardless of a yr away from the sport, Francona appears keen to hitch the Reds and maybe benefit from the similarities he sees between the present roster and the 1987 workforce he performed for.
