WASHINGTON — Terry Francona did not make the decision to change Cleveland’s franchise name to the Guardians, and he’s no longer their manager, and will be half a state removed from any thoughts of revising it.
But the Cincinnati Reds manager was in the room where it happened before the 2022 season – and remains adamant owner Paul Dolan made the right decision.
Even in the wake of President Donald Trump insisting Cleveland and the Washington football franchise change their names back to their previously offensive monikers.
“I wasn’t the one that had to kind of have the (fortitude) to do it,” Francona said before the Reds’ game against the Washington Nationals. “Paul Dolan ultimately was the one that had to pull the trigger.
“I was really proud of him, because I don’t think it was real popular with a segment of probably the older fans that kind of, I guess like Trump, ‘Why can’t it be like it used to be?’
“And I guess my retort would be, ‘There’s probably a lot of people in this country who don’t want it like it used to be.’ And if you’re white, (you’re) probably just fine.’
“That’s not how it’s supposed to work. Like, I didn’t even care what they made the name in Cleveland. I really didn’t. I just know how I was in on those conversations, and we were trying to be respectful. And for that, I gave those guys a lot of credit.”
After Trump’s social media screed on the team nicknames, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told reporters Sunday that revising the club name was not something he was “paying a lot of attention to.”
“We’ve gotten the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future,’ says Antonetti.
Francona concurs, and believes the franchise he managed to a 2016 World Series appearance can continue to do what it believes is right.
“Not everybody’s gonna be happy.
‘That’s never gonna be the case,” he said. “But I think as long as what you’re trying to do is respectful, you can go ahead and let people complain.”