While Terry Francona has some difficulty using the term “retirement,” his managerial duties are coming to an end as he steps down after the 2023 season.
He’s leaving his 11th seasons with the Cleveland Guardians, but more importantly—a legacy only Tito can leave behind.
Francona doesn’t want a distraction as he bids adieu, but that’s not stopping the team from celebrating him.
He’ll receive a video tribute Wednesday at Progressive Field ahead of the Cincinnati Reds matchup. The first 20,000 fans will receive “Thank You, Tito” t-shirts, and the upper-deck tickets are going for $11 in honor of his 11 seasons in Cleveland. He finishes his stint in the organization with a franchise-record 919 wins.
“Once you give out T-shirts,” Francona said on The Athletic Baseball Show podcast this month, “there’s no going back.”
It’ll be the final home game of the Guardians 2023 season.
The retirement was dubbed the worst-kept secret by Tito after he toyed with the thought for a while. He even told the Associated Press last month he was feeling, “Old and beat up.”
Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli spoke about Tito who was his skipper in Boston in 2009
“He’s one of the reasons I’m actually managing,” Baldelli said. “He showed me that you’re allowed to really enjoy coming to the field every day. There’s a way to play hard and play tough and play competitively and also have a good time.”
Tito began his managerial stint in 1997 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He then took over for the Boston Red Sox from 2004-11 where he earned two World Series championships. Francona also won the American League Manager of the Year Award three times, all with Cleveland.
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.