World Series champ gets chance to manage, leads Cincinnati Reds to walk-off victory
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona took the final few innings off during the March 21 game against the Chicago White Sox. He turned the lineup card over to his associate bench coach, Mike Napoli. The former big-leaguer who won a World Series with the 2013 Boston Red Sox aspires to be a manager.
If the results of the Cactus League game are any indication, Napoli is on the right track. MORE: Dodgers cut World Series champion who made final out of 2025 three days before Opening Day According to Reds beat reporter Charlie Goldsmith , Napoli engineered key moves as Cincinnati earned a walk-off win over the White Sox. P.
J. Higgins’ grand slam finished the 11-7 victory. “Good old baseball.
Get the first two guys over and put it into the hitter’s hands to score the runs,” Napoli said, per Goldsmith . “It was fun. I want to manage one day.
It’s nice to be at the head and making the calls, watching the game, trying to stay ahead of the game. ” Goldsmith asked Napoli what Francona was doing during the rally. “He was behind me with (catching coach Bill Hassleman) telling stories the whole time,” Napoli said.