Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona joined ESPN as an MLB analyst on "Sunday Night Baseball," "Baseball Tonight" and various other outlets. He will be part of the net's coverage of the Little League World Series and will be a guest on ESPN Radio’s national shows and a contributor to ESPN.com and ESPNBoston.com. Francona made his debut last night on "Baseball Tonight" from the Winter Meetings in Dallas. He replaces Bobby Valentine in the "SNB" role; Valentine last week replaced Francona as Red Sox manager (ESPN). In Boston, Peter Abraham notes Francona “impressed during a two-game stint for Fox” during the ALCS in October. Francona has since said that he hopes “to manage again but was open to working in television” (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/6). Also in Boston, Chad Finn notes Francona “chose ESPN over Fox Sports” and was “informative, understated, and funny, and came across as a natural” (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/6). YAHOO SPORTS’ Kevin Kaduk noted Francona’s move to ESPN completes "what is perhaps the first broadcaster-for-manager swap in history.” Kaduk noted it will be “interesting to see how Francona treats the Red Sox during his analysis, considering their separation after the September collapse was far from amicable” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 12/5). Francona last night said he was "thrilled” to be part of ESPN. ESPN's Karl Ravech asked, “Is this a free agent signing or is this a trade for Valentine?” Francona: “There’s so much knowledge dying to come out!” (“Baseball Tonight,” ESPN2, 12/5). Angles announcer Victor Rojas wrote on his Twitter feed, “Congrats to Terry Francona on the ESPN gig...he killed it when he filled in for Timmy Mac on FOX during playoffs.” The Toronto Star’s Richard Griffin wrote, “Francona joins ESPN as analyst basically replacing Valentine who replaced him. The guess here is Tito better at his job than V at his.” Newsday’s Neil Best wrote, “Terry Francona will be a welcome addition to ESPN's SNB booth alongside Shulman and Hershiser. He showed on Fox he's not afraid to critique.”
BARNABY OFF ESPN: USA TODAY’s Michael Hiestand reports ESPN “dropped NHL analyst Matthew Barnaby on Monday, and law enforcement authorities are raising the possibility he might be deported back to Canada.” The former NHLer was charged with drunken driving early Monday morning "after driving erratically in an SUV that was missing a front tire.” ESPN VP/PR Josh Krulewitz said, “We spoke with Matthew and informed him we terminated his ESPN contract, effective immediately” (USA TODAY, 12/6). In Buffalo, Lou Michel noted Barnaby “caught a break earlier this year and avoided the possibility of deportation in a domestic violence case that also involved alcohol when he showed up at his estranged wife’s home.” He was hired by ESPN in ’08 “about a year after retiring from the NHL because of concussion problems” (BUFFALONEWS.com, 12/5).
