Longtime Guardians Manager Terry Francona will be returning to the team in 2023 on a new contract, The Athletic’s Zack Meisel reports. Said contract has yet to be finalized, but Meisel says that Francona expects to take things “one year at a time.”
Francona just completed his tenth year as Cleveland’s manager, having gone 845-671 during his time with the organization. Cleveland has made the postseason six times under his management, with the highlight of those postseason runs coming in 2016, when Cleveland captured the AL pennant and made it all the way to game 7 of the World Series before ultimately falling to the Cubs. Prior to his time in Cleveland, Francona spent 8 years as manager of the Red Sox, collecting two World Series championships during his time there. He also spent four years as manager of the Phillies.
It should come as no surprise that the Guardians want to retain Francona, seeing as 2021’s 80-82 record is the only sub-.500 finish the organization has suffered under his management, a remarkable accomplishment for a small-market club. That being said, Francona has struggled with health concerns in recent years, with his latest procedure being one to remove drains from his back that he will undergo this offseason. Given this, it’s no wonder than Francona and the Guardians front office plan to assess his managerial status on a year-to-year basis.
Francona staying put in Cleveland takes another possible managerial seat off a market that has already seen the Rangers fill their vacancy with Bruce Bochy and each of the Angels, Blue Jays, and Phillies re-up with their interim managers. Managerial positions with the Marlins, Royals and the White Sox still remain up for grabs, however.
Going forward, the Guardians can be expected to try and build on their surprise success in 2022, where they captured the AL Central title with a 92-70 record and made it to the ALDS, where they fell to the Yankees in five games. Fortunately for Cleveland fans, the team was exceptionally young in 2022 and is unlikely to suffer major losses headed into 2023. With star third baseman Jose Ramirez having signed an extension earlier this year, only catcher Austin Hedges and reliever Bryan Shaw are expected to hit free agency this offseason.
Best manager in MLB.
Best manager in Cleveland Spiders / Indians / Guardians history.
HOF slam dunk.
One of my favorite Tito moments was when o’l Trev tried to get cute by chucking the ball 320 feet into the stands from the mound and Tito came out and gave him what for…
Sam hahahahah Spiders….Just caught that hahaha love it.
But not the Naps?
Hard to look past the player the team was named after
Mike Napoli?
Oh I just thought of something …. what if the Astros were re-named after LJ Hoes.
Samuel – Best manager is probably Bruce Bochy.
3-time World Series Champion.
4-time NL Champion.
His teams were never loaded with talent like Tito’s was in Boston.
Buster was their star! I miss that guy already…He better get in the hall or we are going to have problems…
Bochy should be in the HOF, but the fact that he was under .500 overall will be held against him.
I think the most telling thing is with Cleveland, not Boston. He’s averaged 90.2 wins with Cleveland, while Bochy averaged 81 wins with SF.
But even with Boston, he won 95 or more 5x in 8 years. In the subsequent 11 years, we won 95+ only 2x, and the subsequent years were when we had Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley and Devers.
Also keep in mind that Tito was one of the pioneers in how the game was played. I assume other managers thought about these things, but Tito is the one devalued the CS, the sacrifice, and the IBB.
Since Tito tool over, CS have decreased from 39/AL team to 27/team. Sacrifices have gone from 38/team to 15/team (using 2021). And IBB have gone from 37/team to 15/team. That all started in 2004 with the RS.
Joe – Don’t ya think playing in the weakest division in MLB year after year has helped Tito’s win total?
This year no other team in the AL Central had a winning record, and two teams had 96 or more losses.
Last time they won the division, in 2018, no other AL Central team had a winning record and three teams lost between 98-104 games.
It’s been like that for most of Tito’s tenure in Cleveland.
Then I should focus on the 93 wins a year in the toughest division in baseball?
Patsy Tebeau was a very successful manager for the Spiders. Anyway it was a different franchise.
Well not sure of the above post, but loved him in Philly. A lot of us felt he was a scapegoat.
Many more were happy, not pissed that he found THAT MUCH success….!
HOF may be an option…..
Poet, harder to judge a managers HOF candidacy than a players. Like Sam said in another post, has as much to do with what they do OFF the field than on the field.
Jumbo – I think managers get into the HOF based more on their teams’ success than anything else. Which of course is unfair to the great managers that are constantly dealt bad hands due to their inept front office or cheap owner.
I’ve always liked Tito as a person, and am glad he’s gotten over his personal issues, but as a Red Sox fan it’s hard to reconcile some of the costly decisions he made while managing the team. I think several other modern day managers would have won titles with the 2004 and 2007 Sox.
But he’s definitely ten times better than other Sox managers such as Alex, Grady, Jimy, and Johnny Mac.
And right now I know plenty of Cleveland fans who are absolutely livid at his decision to not start Bieber in Game 5.
Fever, I definitely agree. Personally, I never got into the managers and the HOF thing…If you get the gist of what I mean…They deserve their place of course, but I have always been to enveloped with the players and such….Like why isn’t Albert Belle in? Or maybe even Juan Pierre?
If Juan Pierre got in the HOF then I should be in. You gotta have some higher standards than that for the HOF. Maybe Pierre could get in to the HOE, the Hall of Ehhh.
Jumbo – Funny you should mention Pierre. I met him at a Marlins preseason event some years ago, great guy.
Albert? I think it’s a combination of a short playing career (only 10 full seasons) and criminal background and widely being disliked for his behavior over the years, and of course the corked bats (teammate Omar Vizquel said all of Albert’s bats were corked).
Mystery, how many 200+ hit seasons does he have? What is his career batting avg? How many hits does he have? What about his prowess in the OF? How many STEALS??? You obviously don’t know Mr. Juan Pierre.
LMFAO Fever Pitch @ “corked bats.” Criminal record etc…hahahahaha Sorry I mentioned him haha. Belle was incredibly dominant for a time though…His stats are truly off the charts….Frank Thomas is the next comp (provided longer career) don’t ya think?
P.S. Fever, Pierre seems like an awesome guy/personality. Would love to talk ball with him. He could be a solid bunting coach/baserunning consultant/secret weapon for a lucky team perhaps. I think very highly of that guy.
Trumbo – Absolutely! He had great numbers, nobody can deny that. One of the most feared hitters in the game at the time.
Trumbo – I have a picture of him and I together, it’s one of the favorites in my collection. His performance in the 2003 postseason won’t be forgotten.
Very true! I was playing ball in HS at the time when he was in his prime, I remember mentioning him to a good friend/pal on the team, and he didn’t even know who he was…Always flew under the radar. Him and Tim Salmon probably the best 2 players to never make an all star team haha
Fever that is so darn cool!!!!!! Man I am jealous now ahh!! I keep hoping the Dodgers will bring him in in some capacity!
Juan Pierre single-handedly won me fantasy baseball years ago with steals
Three pennants and two World Series championships is usually enough to get in the HOF for a manager.
How about Mike Scioscia? Does he get in?
No.
Agreed haha
I agree and would be very surprised if he’s not in the HOF when his career is finished.
I enjoy his interviews, especially in-game. He’s brutally honest at times, even when an ump is bad I’m favor of his own team.
Best quote of the postseason was his, regarding Judge’s HR: “I’ll probably pick that ball up on my way home” haha.
HOF may be an option…..
=========================
He’s a lock, IMO.
When/if Bochy gets in, the discussion will be about whether or not a sub-.500 manager should get in.
When Tito gets in, the articles will be about where he belongs in the top-10 of all-time.
Why did Boston get rid of him?
They needed the money for Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford’s contracts.
One Bite, you promised you would change your profile pic!! It’s scaring the children AND ME!!!
It looks like a blow up doll that you stick cocktail weenies into its mouth.
Donny, I’ve already had 3 bad dreams about that insidious profile pic!! It needs to go! It’s nihilist Donny!!
Is he going to hurt me? My heart is starting to race.
There was a lot of stuff happening in 2011 where we missed the postseason and a lot of players came to take advantage of Tito. I think the dismissal was mutual.
Probably yes, but I have a feeling Lucchino was behind some of this. Many people thought Theo & Tito were first-ballot HOF’s, and I think LL didn’t think he got enough credit.
That and Henry only likes to take credit when things go right, and is quick to find scapegoats when things go wrong.
As it turns out, LL basically gets fired after the Lester disaster, and Theo & Tito get even more famous than they already were.
Tito had lost control of the clubhouse. It is too bad, he’s still my favorite manager. I would say the best manager in Red Sox history.
As bad as it sounds, I prefer Cora. He wasn’t so great this year but the guy has a feel for the game and won for us in 2018 and nearly in 2021. We don’t beat the Rays and Yankees in 2021 without Cora.
Braves – He had a lot of personal issues in 2011, and it contributed to one of the worst collapses in MLB history.
They went 7-20 in the month of September, becoming the first team in the history of Major League Baseball to have a nine-game lead in September and fail to make the playoffs that season.
I didn’t think it was personal issues but rather losing control of the clubhouse but it could be both I suppose.
pwndroia – Separated from his wife, living in a hotel, allegedly addicted to painkillers … that would affect most anybody in any occupation.
It’s hard to control a clubhouse of highly paid athletes when your life is totally out of control …. and the historic collapse, chicken and beer etc are all proof.
espn.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7091109/report-terr…
True, I didn’t know all of that went on in his personal life. I didn’t follow the media as closely then.
The chicken and beer part I knew about.
Tito denied the painkiller issue, and the Boston writers are notorious for making up schitt.
Good manager, hope he gets through his health issues though.
Great manager. The Indians should keep him as long as possible.
Gonna need a time machine for that one
They’re the Indians. If they choose the Spiders I would have let it be.
Highest IQ, I hear ya. Chargers are still “San Diego” to me.
Why? So many people want to erase that even happened
Still made a bad call starting Civale over Bieber though Cleveland was likely going to lose anyway. I still would’ve put my best pitcher on game 5.
I think the decision was made almost exclusively to protect Bieber. He’s coming off of a shoulder injury last year and had a pretty big workload in 2022. That’s not to say it was the “right move”.. but Tito often talks about making decisions for player welfare, even when it’s difficult or inconvenient.
CK – That right there has always been a knock on Tito, overly protective.
If a 27-year-old pitcher is really so fragile that he can’t pitch one time on 24-hours-shorter rest, then he shouldn’t be playing MLB.
From October 8th thru October 17th he threw a grand total of 101 pitches … gimme a break, it’s not like he threw a ton of pitches in the days/weeks leading up to Game 5.
Fever- again, I didn’ say it was the right move. Just pointing out that he is looking out for Bieber’s health.
I’m sure Francona and Willis have access to a lot more information than we do and the decision does not just come down to something really simple “From October 8th thru October 17th he threw a grand total of 101 pitches, so let’s give him the ball”. You never know what is going on in the training room and I’m sure there are a plenty of other variables.
You still need all the marbles in a winner take all game. They’re going home now, could’ve lived another series and spread Bieber out more then.
I really wanted Tito to start Bieber, since I don’t want the Yankees to win, ever. But I knew starting Civale was the right move., no doubt in my mind. I’d have brought Bieber in for 1-2 innings, had Cleveland had the lead, but I never thought for a minute that starting was the right move.
Civale had an ERA north of 4.00. If not Bieber, put in someone serviceable. Civale was not the right choice as he didn’t get through 2 innings.
Civale had a 3.00 ERA since July 8th. IMHO, I would not have anticipated that bad a start.
I would’ve anticipated Bieber to have a better start but without the offense, they don’t win anyway.
For me, it is the consideration of the Houston series. A 3-day rest start is already fairly uncommon, and just going by memory, not highly effective either. Couple that with losing a start against Houston, would make them a prohibitive underdog.
But it could also be my perspective. As a RS fan, the difference between the ALDS and the ALCS doesn’t matter that much.
Got a typo in here “it should come as known surprise”
Great manager, for sure but the true genius behind Cleveland’s success is the person who made sure that they play in the central not the east. In the east it would be an entirely different story.
Geography is not genius.
You apparently don’t know the story of how they ended up in the central or the battle between the baseball operations group who argued for the central while the marketing side wanted more games against New York and Boston.
nurse – For a period of time, Detroit was in the AL East while Cleveland was in the AL Central …. even though Cleveland is obviously more East than Detroit.
Forgot about the Tigers being in the East before Tampa Bay joined. Thanks.
Get em Donny!!
Will any of the Guardians coaches be considered for managerial positions with other teams?
tfrient – Hale has been trying for a managerial position for years, wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually gets one.
The best.
Go Indians!
I will always root for Francona, but man, given his health I’d think he’d be ready to take some time off and focus on himself.
I think he feels very attached to the kids on the team, and vice versa. This is very much family for him.
That said, I heard his last interview. He sounded brilliant, but physically? The dude needs a month or two at one of those physical rehab places that practicing athletes go to (EXOS?).
Tito. Tito? Nickname is Tito. Why?
That was his dad’s nickname and Terry inherited it.