Pirates absolutely fumbled the bag with Terry Francona after Reds hire

At this point, we shouldn't even be surprised when the Pittsburgh Pirates make a bad hiring decision. Or a bad decision of any kind, really.

After all, the organization's inability to make the right moves at nearly every level is a large part of why the Pirates have logged yet another losing season punctuated by a second-half collapse that sent them careening to the bottom of the National League Central Division standings.

The poor decision making didn't stop when the regular season ended, however. After a fifth straight losing campaign with general manager Ben Cherington and field manager Derek Shelton at the helm, the former has committed to bringing back the latter for season number six. Both have had plenty of time to prove that they are capable of winning – or even trying to – but neither of them has.

Meanwhile, one state over, Pittsburgh's NL Central rivals in Cincinnati have been making moves. Not only did the Reds fire manager David Bell in the final week of the 2024 season (after a loss to the Pirates, no less); they have already hired his replacement ... and that's the worst part of all.

Pirates absolutely fumbled the bag with Terry Francona after Reds hire

News broke late Thursday that Terry Francona would be coming out of retirement to manage the Reds. Yes, that Terry Francona – the future Hall of Famer who resurrected the small-market Cleveland Guardians from the depths of irrelevance and made them consistently competitive despite facing considerable payroll limitations. (Sound familiar, Pittsburgh?)

It's also worth mentioning that Francona grew up in New Brighton, Pa., which is about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. But bringing him back to manage his hometown MLB team in a city that cares deeply about tradition and its rich sports history would just be too on the nose, wouldn't it?

Francona understands the Pittsburgh market (which is larger than both Cleveland and Cincinnati, for what it's worth). He is beloved by the media and players alike. He knows how to maximize players' talent, even on a poorly and cheaply constructed roster that lacks genuine star power. Imagine what he could have done for players who were supposed to be stars in Pittsburgh like Oneil Cruz or Ke'Bryan Hayes.

But alas, the Reds are taking meaningful steps forward, leaving the Pirates in the dust. But Pittsburgh fans should be used to this by now. After all, making a hire like Francona would be a sign that the Pirates actually care about winning.

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