GOODNEWS: Fans Reacts As Francona Gives Interesting Insights About Reds, Expectations And Target.

The Cincinnati Reds are reportedly hiring veteran manager Terry Francona to lead the team, replacing interim manager Freddie Benavides. Benavides stepped in after the Reds parted ways with David Bell amid a disappointing season.

This decision is somewhat unexpected, as Francona, who has a long history in Major League Baseball, left his managerial position with the Cleveland Guardians last year due to health issues. His return suggests that his health has improved.

Francona has previous ties to the Reds, having played for them in 1987, where he recorded a .227 batting average with three home runs and 12 RBIs over 102 games. Now approaching 66 years old next April, Francona brings a mix of old-school strategies to modern baseball, emphasizing fundamentals like bunting and hit-and-run plays. The Reds hope his approach will yield better results than those achieved under Bell.

Throughout his career, Francona has been well-loved, particularly during his successful stints with the Boston Red Sox, where he led the team to a World Series title, and the Guardians. His time with the Phillies was less favorable, marked by four consecutive losing seasons and negative fan reactions, including a notorious incident where some fans slashed his tires on Fan Appreciation Day.Despite past challenges, Francona boasts an impressive managerial record of 1,950 wins and 1,672 losses over 23 years, ranking 13th in career victories. He’s just ahead of Casey Stengel and Leo Durocher in the all-time standings. Francona aims to build rapport in Cincinnati as he did in his previous roles.

His first season with Boston saw him lead a team dubbed the “idiots” to a historic World Series victory in 2004, ending an 86-year championship drought for the Red Sox. After leaving Boston in 2011, he took a year off before returning to manage the Guardians, where he connected with the team’s history through his father, Tito Francona, a former player.

Over 11 seasons with Cleveland, Francona’s teams made the playoffs seven times and reached the World Series in 2016, although they fell to the Chicago Cubs. Now, Francona will aim to revitalize the Reds and guide them back to postseason play, offering fans hope for the 2025 MLB season.