Terry Francona Rumors: Tigers, Indians Could Pursue Manager

Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona figures to be a hot commodity this winter for teams in need of a manager, and his name is being listed as a possibility for the Detroit Tigers or Cleveland Indians if there is vacancy, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com:

Francona didn't want to address any specific rumors out of respect to his current employer ESPN and especially the managers currently in the jobs. In a brief phone interview Wednesday, he said, "I work for ESPN and love it. As I've always said, if the right job came open I'd have to think about it. But I'm really uncomfortable talking about any jobs.''

Heyman notes that Francona will likely draw interest from many teams this offseason, though he says the two-time World Series winner "is a better fit for a contending team than a rebuilding one."

The Tigers would certainly qualify were current manager Jim Leyland to step down after the season. While the Indians aren’t contending this season, Heyman believes Francona would be a fit in Cleveland since he and his father played for the club.