Terry Francona got used to getting out of bed whenever he wanted during his year away from managing, and his biggest decision then was whether to have a second cup of coffee before doing the daily crossword puzzle.
While it was a bit of an adjustment when he had to start getting up again in the predawn hours to get to the Cincinnati Reds spring training complex, Francona was quickly back to where he prefers to be every day.
“My mind went right back into baseball, and it kind of feels good,” Francona said soon after starting his first camp with the Reds, who hired him in October.