Francona represented the United States at the 1979 Pan American Games and went on to play college baseball for the University of Arizona Wildcats. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eighth round of the 1981 amateur draft. After three seasons with the Red Sox' minor league system, Francona was traded to the Cleveland Indians where he spent three more years before being released by the Indians during spring training in 1994. He served as a coach for the Indians from 1995-2000 before becoming manager of the Chicago White Sox. Under Francona's leadership, the White Sox won 95 games in 2004 and made it to the ALCS before losing to Detroit Tigers. They went on to win the World Series that year, their first championship in over 70 years. After two more winning seasons, Francona was fired by the White Sox after they failed to make the playoffs in 2006. He later said that making the postseason is not what makes a good manager, but rather going all the way is. In 2007, he managed the Indian National League champion Tampa Bay Rays to a victory in its opening game. He has since been hired as the new manager of the Red Sox. As a player, Francona was a third baseman who appeared in six games for the Red Sox in 1991.