Reds coach Mike Napoli committed to Tito Speedo for as long as it works
· Yahoo Sports
CLEVELAND – For all those clamoring to know, the Tito Speedo made it to Cleveland.
Not that anyone had to ask, even if manager Terry Francona did exactly that when he saw bench coach Mike Napoli before the opener of the Cincinnati Reds’ big Ohio Cup series against the Guardians.
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“He goes, ‘Do you even have to ask me that? I’m offended,’ “ Francona said.
Napoli: “Then I told him I slept in it.”
The Tito Speedo is, of course, the skimpy (sexy?) undergarment that catcher Tyler Stephenson had custom-made and gifted Francona as a joke during spring training, and that Napoli procured during their daily cribbage session before the series finale at home this week against the Nationals.
“We were talking, and I looked over in his locker and saw his Speedo hanging over there,” Napoli said. “I was like, ‘Is it washed?’ He said, ‘Yeah, why?’ I said, “I’m wearing it for the game today.’ “
The rest is slump-busting history for a team that has been among the lowest-scoring teams in the majors this season, including averaging less than three runs a game during the recent eight-game losing streak.
The Reds broke out for 15 runs against the Nats as soon as Napoli squeezed into the bright-colored undies with pictures of Francona’s face as a 1980s Reds player plastered across the front and back.
As the runs started piling up during the game, Napoli shared the secret to all that success with some of the hitters.
“I might have pulled down my zipper and showed a couple of guys,” he said.
Said Stephenson: “It was a great view, yeah.”
Buckle (zip?) up. The Speedo might be headed to Philadelphia next if this series in Cleveland goes well.
“If you’ve been around this game long enough, there’s things that people will do for a win or a hit in this game,” Napoli said. “I know coming up, you’d try everything. Anything to get a hit or a win, and usually if it works you stick with it until it doesn’t.”
For now, all anyone in the clubhouse knows is they feel the need for Speedo.
“You have to do it. This game is a little-stitious,” said Stephenson, who didn’t seem to foresee this kind of added value when he presented it to the manager.
“It can be used in any way you need to,” he added. “It was just kind of a funny joke for Tito. If it helps us win some games and score some runs, sure.”
And if it does it long enough?
“I need to potentially order some more,” he said. “Didn’t know it was going to turn into this big of a deal.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds coach Mike Napoli committed to Tito Speedo for as long as it works