Sumith Prasad
Netflix’s sports documentary series ‘The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox’ details how Terry Francona won the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in his first season as the baseball team’s manager. He arrived at Fenway Park after playing and subsequently coaching in Major League Baseball (MLB) for around twelve years. The skipper then built his Hall of Fame-worthy career in Beantown by ending the eighty-six-year-long “Curse of the Bambino.” The success saga was only beginning in 2004. He won the championship for the Red Sox once again in 2007, winning the first four World Series games and leaving his unignorable mark in the history of the sport!
Terry Francona Managed the Cleveland Indians/Guardians After Leaving the Red Sox
After the controversial departure of Grady Little from the Boston Red Sox, Terry Francona’s position at Fenway Park was seen as the match made in heaven, especially after the 2004 and 2007 World Series wins. He wrote his name in the history of the sport by recording his 1000th win as a manager in July 2011. However, the celebrations didn’t last long, as the team marked 7–20 in September of the same year. He left the Red Sox the next month, stating, “[…] it’s time for a new voice here.” Terry was introduced as the manager of the Cleveland Indians, which is currently known as the Cleveland Guardians, in October 2012.
Terry couldn’t replicate the Red Sox saga at Progressive Field with World Series wins. However, it doesn’t mean that he didn’t write history for the Guardians. He led the team to division titles for three years in a row between 2016 and 2018. The manager won the same in 2022 as well. In addition, he brought an American League pennant to the Guardians’ cabinet in 2016. His tenure at Progressive Field was severely affected by his health issues. He missed 46 games out of 60 in the 2020 season because of stomach and blood clot issues that led him to the intensive care unit. 2021 was no better for Terry, having missed 63 games because of hip replacement surgery and an operation on his staph-infected toe.
Terry regained his form in 2022 by becoming the American League Manager of the Year. However, he eventually decided to prioritize looking after his body over baseball. In October 2023, he announced that he was parting ways with the Guardians due to his health concerns. “It’s like every winter, I’m trying to get healthy for the season, and then I get beat up. I need to go get healthy for life. This lifestyle is just too difficult,” Terry told the press in the same month. He left Progressive Field after becoming the Guardians manager with the most wins (921).
Terry Francona Will Manage the Cincinnati Reds From the 2025 Season
When Terry Francona announced his departure from the Cleveland Guardians, the baseball world wondered whether he would retire. The suspicions were cleared in October 2024 when the Cincinnati Reds hired him to replace David Bell as manager. The two-time World Series champion stated that he “just felt right” about accepting the position, especially after spending a year looking after his health. While appearing on MLB Network’s ‘High Heat’ in October 2024, Terry revealed that he had a “really good summer.” “I am up to 30 [pounds lost] now. My suit doesn’t fit anymore, which I guess is a good thing. I’ve tried really hard to be healthy. Because we didn’t have the stress of a season, I was able to take care of myself,” he added.
Terry is currently assembling his coaching staff at Great American Ball Park. He has already “reached out to every single player, every single staff member, every single support staff member” at the Reds. The manager further retained the pitching coach Derek Johnson from Bell’s backroom staff. Johnson will also serve as the director of pitching under Terry. In the same month, he brought Chris Valaika, his former colleague at the Guardians, to the Reds as the hitting coach and director of hitting. Terry has set his eyes on the World Series. While appearing in ‘The Jim Rome Show,’ he revealed that the championship is the reason “why we are here.”
“I’d like to think I could help make a difference. Be a part of turning this thing into a winner,” Terry told Jim Rome in October 2024. During his presentation as the Reds’ manager, he promised to the ardent admirers of the team that he would “spend all my energy making sure the players spend all their energy trying to play the game correctly and with respect.” Therefore, it is safe to say that the Terry Francona era has truly begun at Great American Ball Park.
Terry Francona Cherishes His Time With His Grandchildren Today
Even though Terry Francona will have his say in the decisions the Reds will make until the end of 2024, he has yet to wrap up his period of rest and relaxation. While appearing in ESPN’s ‘Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney’ podcast after his appointment as the Reds’ new skipper, he revealed that he would travel in the coming weeks. His plans mainly include a trip to the Dominican Republic. The journey is not exactly a vacation for Terry, who wants to meet some of his players after arriving in the Caribbean country. He will also drop by State College, Pennsylvania, to watch the football game between Ohio State and Penn State, likely with Alyssa Francona, one of his three daughters who is part of the Penn State Athletics.
Terry has a son, Nick, and three daughters, Alyssa, Leah, and Jamie, with his ex-wife Jacque Lang. He is also a beloved grandfather who has promised his loved ones that he will join them to celebrate Halloween by going trick-or-treating, interestingly dressed as a “Care Bear.” Terry has always cherished his time with his family, which is one thing he leaned on when he took breaks from baseball. “This has been a good year for me. And much needed. And really enjoyable… I got to see my grandkids, you know, not at the baseball field,” he said while appearing in the ‘Pitch and Moan’ podcast.
While announcing his departure from the Cleveland Guardians, one of the things Terry wanted to do was to spend time with his grandchildren. He also sought comfort in them by rushing to “play with them” after his final game for the team. When the 2025 season starts, we hope that they will cheer for their grandfather again, this time wearing the jersey of the Redlegs.
Terry Francona Received Both Honors and Criticisms in Recent Years
Terry Francona occasionally leaves the world of baseball to enjoy playing golf. He has a long history with the sport, which includes memories with his father and MLB legend, Tito Francona, who guided his son to golf. The baseball manager described himself as an “avid golfer,” and he had even served as the honorary chair of the U.S. Senior Open at Newport CC, Rhode Island, in June 2024. He also deservedly received the 2024 Dick Tomey Arizona Strong Award. Terry’s success saga is also part of the history of Arizona, where he lives when he is not at work. Many in the baseball world have already predicted his potential induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame because of his admirable career, which has its share of ups and downs.
One of the eventful periods in Terry’s career started when a group of women accused Mickey Callaway, his pitching coach at the Cleveland Indians, of lewd behavior in February 2021. His son, Nick Francona, alleged that his father “lied” when confronted about Callaway’s behavior. Nick added that “it is clear that he [Terry] simply doesn’t get it” in a statement released in March 2021. Terry seemingly moved on from this tumultuous period to conclude his tenure at the Guardians. Now, his sole focus appears to be winning the World Series for the Reds and the city of Cincinnati.
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