LAKELAND, Fla. -- Add former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona to the list of Justin Verlander's longtime admirers.

Asked about Verlander earlier this week, Francona offered the reigning American League MVP unending praises, stopping just shy of calling him a “freak of nature.”

“He doesn’t get people out, he embarrasses them,” Francona said. “I don’t want to call him a freak of nature, but he’s close.”

Francona visited the Tigers spring training facility early Tuesday as part of ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight Goodyear Express Tour.” He was joined by analyst Tim Kurkjian.

It was the second stop for Francona, who was hired as an MLB analyst for ESPN in early December, and sixth stop on the networks’ 11-stage tour.

Verlander is coming off a 24-win season that included career highs in ERA (2.40), WHIP (0.92) and innings pitched (251). Francona said it’s “probably unfair to ask him to do more” in 2012.

“He's the very best," Francona said. "Even when you see baseball everyday, you watch him do it and it’s unbelievable."

Detroit Tigers' 2012 Photo Day 69 Gallery: Detroit Tigers' 2012 Photo Day

Baseball Tonight’s tour of spring training destinations will include visits to team camps in both Arizona and Florida over a four-week span.

The crew previously visited the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves before arriving in Tigertown.

A former third-base coach for the Tigers in 1996, Francona said he expects the club's other four starters to pitch deeper into games this season, which will benefit Verlander.

"The deeper (Rick) Porcello and (Max) Scherzer get into the games, the better it’ll be for Verlander," Francona said. "They won’t have to lean on him as much and it'll be much better for the bullpen."

Francona also touched on the Tigers' newly revamped offense, which he said quickly rebounded following the loss of Victor Martinez, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in January.

Martinez batted a career-high .330 with 103 RBIs and 52 extra-base hits as the club's No. 5 hitter behind Miguel Cabrera.

“Victor was more important than just his numbers,” Francona said. “He’s such a good switch-hitter and he protected and complimented Miguel Cabrera. That was a big piece.”

But Francona, who managed Martinez for two seasons in Boston, said the Tigers somehow “eased that blow” by replacing a 100-plus RBI veteran with Prince Fielder, an RBI-generating slugger.

"There’s a lot to be excited about," Francona said.