Terry Francona just did what Reds fans begged David Bell to do for years

The Cincinnati Reds hiring Terry Francona wasn’t just a smart baseball move — it was a statement. A signal that the organization is done spinning its wheels, done with mediocrity, and finally ready to grow up. After back-to-back seasons hovering around .500 and five of the last six spent teetering between hope and disappointment, the front office clearly had enough.

Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off — Francona is a massive upgrade over David Bell. This isn’t to say Bell didn’t try, but after six seasons of inconsistency, stale messaging, and underwhelming finishes, the Reds felt like a team stuck in neutral.

The talent was there, but the results never matched. And the real frustration came from watching the same problems plague the team year after year — sloppy baserunning, bad defense, and a clubhouse atmosphere that felt more like a daycare than a competitive locker room.

Terry Francona brings something to the Reds clubhouse David Bell never did — accountability

One of the biggest knocks on Bell was his refusal to publicly hold players accountable. Often times out of his way to protect them in the media, no matter how egregious the mistake. While that may have built goodwill internally, it certainly rubbed fans the wrong way. The Reds did not need a babysitter — they needed a real leader.

Right from the jump, Francona has brought an edge this team desperately needed. The tone has shifted and performance matters now. Pedigree, potential, and contracts, no longer buy you a free pass. Just ask Alexis Díaz, who went from closer to being shuttled to Triple-A after completely losing his command —  or whatever command he had to begin with. Under Bell, maybe Díaz would’ve been given a few more weeks or even months to “figure it out.” Under Francona? Nope — go fix it in Louisville.

Or take Jeimer Candelario, one of the team’s notable offseason additions. He was expected to be a middle-of-the-order bat, a steady veteran force. But with his bat ice-cold and his situational hitting non-existent, Francona didn’t hesitate to bench him once Noelvi Marte figured his plate approach out. Lastly, the same goes for Will Benson, who struck out four times in four at-bats in a quick stint with the big-league club. He was shipped back to Triple-A before the fans made it out of the ballpark.

This isn’t about punishment. It’s about standards. The Reds finally have a skipper who isn’t afraid to shake things up, who sees the big picture while not ignoring the present. For the first time in a while, fans can feel that the accountability they’ve been longing for is finally being enforced.

So who’s next? Under Francona, it could be anybody. And that’s exactly the kind of competitive pressure the Reds have been missing. The culture is changing in Cincinnati, and it’s happening fast. Whether or not this team makes a legitimate playoff push in 2025, one thing is for sure. The Reds are no longer playing nice.

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