For the first time in four managerial stops in his Hall of Fame career, Terry Francona didn’t get a second-half improvement in the win-loss record from his team in his first season at the helm.
What he did get was a playoff berth that looked impossible at least three times in September because the Cincinnati Reds (83-79) won just enough games just in time — needing every bit of a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs on the final homestand and their first series victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in three years to close the season.
It was the Reds’ first playoff berth in five years, first in a full season since 2013.
It was Francona’s 12th playoff appearance in 24 seasons as a manager, the Reds becoming the third team he guided to October.
“Watching the guys out there have fun, that’s worth every agonizing minute we’ve had all year,” Francona said in the visiting manager’s office in Milwaukee as players celebrated in the clubhouse after their final-day clinch.
A year ago this week, on Oct. 7, the Reds introduced Francona as their new manager, hiring him out of a one-year retirement on a three-year contract that pays $5 million per year.
Thoughts a year later?
“I made a good decision,” Francona said.
He said that more than once in the past few weeks.
Here’s what those who worked with (and against) Francona said about him during this first season:
Closer Emilio Pagán
“Something that Tito is incredibly good at is just making that day the most important day of the year, no matter what any of the outside noise is or yesterday or what tomorrow looks like. It’s what makes him a Hall of Famer. He keeps each individual day as the most important day of the year.
“We’ve got the right manager. Playing for Tito has been awesome.”
Catcher Tyler Stephenson
“It’s just the consistency (of the message) and just flushing games. You’ve got to come ready to play the next day. You know he means it, and you can feel that, and I think everybody believes in that.”
Veteran pitcher Nick Martinez
“Winning. That’s what he’s about. He has those expectations and has a lot of fun doing it. All of us have bought in to what he’s about and what he expects. It’s who he is. What he’s done. His reputation and how he goes about each day and wanting to win. But there’s no pressure, no nerves associated with it. It’s just playing hard and giving it everything you’ve got.”
Reds president Nick Krall
“Everything that we heard going into it, everything that I thought, he’s been that and more. He brings a calming presence to the group. He brings energy every day.”
Outfielder Will Benson
“It’s just that force and that energy that we know we needed to bring every day in order to win. Tito just does a real good job of holding us to that standard. It’s just that sense of urgency is there when Tito’s here.”
Shortstop Elly De La Cruz
“He helps us to be better.”
Bench coach Freddie Benavides
“He expects you to play your ass off. And be on time.”
Outfielder Austin Hays
“This is the most open line of communication I’ve had with a manager in my career. And when we have had team meetings this year, the couple times he has spoken to us, the timing is spot-on. Sometimes you’re having too many meetings, so it doesn’t stick, or you wait too long to have one. When he’s called us together as a group to talk to us, it’s been right when it needs to be.
“I mean, he’s got 2,000 wins for a reason.”
Brewers manager Pat Murphy
“Tito is brilliant. He’s brilliant. There’s a lot to learn from that guy.”
Rookie Sal Stewart
“I haven’t been here too long, but he’s a great manager. He’s got – we call it the pamphlet. He’s done so many things in the game. He’s got a pamphlet of things he’s done. It’s definitely great to have somebody like that here in this clubhouse and leading the way.”
Reds general manager Brad Meador
“It’s been great. The energy that he has, the experience that he has, the connections that he has – I mean, it’s fun every day to go through it with him.
“We’re never going to be able to outspend people and just put the best roster together. It’s always going to be about culture and people. That’s what makes this (playoff berth) so special.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (who played for Francona)
“Tito just kind of lets his guys do their thing. They’re a resilient group. They play 27 outs. They play with energy. … Tito lets guys play and play with energy.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora (who played for Francona)
“He delegates. That’s something he told me one afternoon (at Fenway Park) in the dugout before a game: ‘When you become a manager you have to delegate.’ And he’s done an amazing job of that.”
Infielder Gavin Lux
“He’s got some magic in him. You really feel he believes in everybody and he believes in our group. And he’s been preaching since Day 1 about being gritty and playing hard. And I think we’ve done a good job on that. We take after our manager.
“He’s made a lot of right calls and a lot of really good decisions. Everyone in this room really loves playing for him, and that’s what matters most.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘Magic in him’: What Cincinnati Reds say about Terry Francona’s 1st year
