Reds Manager Terry Francona Sets Sights on Better Defense and Smarter Baserunning
The Reds struggled defensively in the 2024 season and it's one of the places new Reds manager Terry Francona hopes to improve heading into 2025.
"We would like to make our defense better,” Francona told Charlie Goldsmith. “We’re talking about adding good pitching (in Nick Martinez and Brady Singer). We need to catch the ball. When you give teams extra outs and extra opportunities, it’s going to be hard to be a good pitching team, also.”
The Reds were fifth in all of Major League Baseball with 96 errors last season.
Francona would also like to see the Reds improve their baserunning by being smarter while maintaining their aggressiveness.
When asked specifically about Elly De La Cruz's baserunning, Francona said there is a balance to aggressiveness and good decision-making.
“I’d rather speak in generalities and not single guys out,” Francona said. “The idea is trying to create havoc on the bases but also being intelligent. Taking that step forward will be really big for us. That’s the idea.”
However, Francona doesn't want guys to be scared to make a mistake either.
“The game is going fast, and I don’t want guys looking over their shoulders like, ‘I don’t want to mess up. That’s not a good way to play. You try to use common sense. The idea is not for me to show everyone in the whole world that I’m a task master. The idea is if we make a mistake, not to do it again.”
You can read Charlie's full article from the Winter Meetings here.
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