The Cleveland Guardians and their fans bid farewell to Terry Francona last week.
But, he did not want to have a farewell tour because he never made the game about himself.
It was always about his players and Francona wanted to keep it that way.
As a baseball lifer, Francona is ready to step down as manager but not from the game altogether.
According to Mandy Bell, Francona does not foresee managing again but he is leaving the door open to remain involved in baseball operations.
Terry Francona is officially stepping down as Guardians manager. But he will not use the word “retired.” He doesn’t foresee managing in his future again, but he’s leaving the door open to stay involved in baseball in some capacity after he gets himself healthy again.
— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) October 3, 2023
Francona is 64 years old and has some health complications that he needs to take care of.
But, when he is ready there seems to be a solid chance he will come back to baseball.
We have seen many managers step down and take a different role within an organization.
Francona would be great in any role because he is great with people and understands the game.
It will be interesting to see which way the Guardians go in their manager search.
They have a solid roster and play in a bad division.
Getting back into the playoffs next year should not be too difficult.
Finding the right manager who can get the best out of this team with be crucial.
The Guardians last made the World Series in 2016 under Francona.
Even though they are not a big-market team, they have what it takes to get back to the Fall Classic.
The first move toward getting back to October is finding the right man to lead the clubhouse.
NEXT: Terry Francona Discusses His Decision To Step Away