http://msn.foxsports.com/video/MLB?vid= ... /headlines

Ken Rosenthal says that Francona is going to Cleveland because he trusts the front office.

rusty2 wrote:Peter Gammons ‏@pgammo

Tony LaRussa based team culture on trust, respect, caring. Indians believe that is what they have brought in with Terry francona

I think we we were all asked to bite on that bill of goods with Eric Acta and Manny Wedge......

Francona seems to be a good guy, as did Manny and Eric, but the nucleus of decade plus misorganization of this front office and team, is still shooting the most important marbles of organizational prep.

That "Cleveland '95" NFL thing you thankfully touted showed that Ozzie Newsome learned much about player evaluation and drafting from Bill Belichick. I doubt Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti ever took draft advice from Charlie Manuel, Eric Wedge, or Manny Acta.

And with the backgrounds of Antonetti and Shapiro, ESPECIALLY not Charlie Manuel.

They dissed him as a dunce, real time. As did the Cleveland news media in his last season as manager.

As did the Cleveland news media in the last seasons of Bill Belichick as a Cleveland Brown Head Coach.

Cleveland Indians have always been Tito Francona's home team, now his son Terry Francona is their manager
Published: Sunday, October 07, 2012, 5:44 PM Updated: Sunday, October 07, 2012, 8:17 PM
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tito Francona never thought his son Terry would be a manager, big leagues or minor leagues.
"He never gave me any indication that's what he wanted to do," said Tito Francona, who spent six of his 15 years in the big leagues playing the outfield and first base for the Indians.
When it became clear that was the path Terry would take after he was done as a player, his father gave him two pieces of advice.
"No. 1, I told him to never lie to a player," said Tito. "No. 2, I told him don't let anyone else sink your ship. If you're going to go down, do it yourself.
"That's the only advice I ever gave him about managing."
Monday at 11 a.m. Terry Francona will be introduced as the Indians' 42nd manager. The news became official Saturday night, but the Indians couldn't make a formal announcement until Monday because the MLB doesn't like teams to do anything to distract attention from the postseason except on specific days. The postseason started Friday.
Tito Francona, 78, will be there when his son his is introduced as the Indians' new manager. New Brighton, Pa., is only about a 90-mile drive from Cleveland. Tito was born in Aliquippa and raised his family in New Brighton.
"I played for nine different teams in the big leagues and Cleveland was the best place I ever played," said Tito. "Cleveland was my home team. There was always a great atmosphere there and it was only 90 miles from home."
Terry Francona played 10 years in the big leagues. He was the Montreal Expos' No.1 pick in 1980 after playing three years at the University of Arizona, where he helped the Wildcats win the College World Series as a junior. He received the Golden Spikes Award that year, symbolic of the best college player in the country.
Francona played for the Expos, Cubs, Reds, Indians (1988) and Brewers. In his lone season with the Indians, he hit .311 (66-for-212) with one homer and 12 RBI.
"Terry was a good player," said his father. "He didn't hit the long ball, but he could do things I couldn't do with the bat. He could go the other way and hit and run.
"His problem was he couldn't stay healthy. He must have had 12 surgeries on his knee."
Francona's last year playing was 1990. Former Indians third baseman Buddy Bell, working in the minors for the White Sox, got him interested in coaching and managing. Francona, 53, managed four years in the White Sox farm system from 1992 through 1995. In 1996, he coached third base for Bell's Detroit Tigers before being named the Phillies' manager before the 1997 season.
He was fired after four seasons in Philadelphia, where he went 285-363. After spending the 2001 season as a special assistant to the Indians' baseball operations department, Francona was hired as the Rangers' bench coach in 2002 and Oakland's bench coach in 2003. He replaced Grady Little as Boston's manager before the 2004 season.
Francona led the Red Sox to World Series championships in 2004 and 2007. Boston made the postseason five straight times under Francona. In September 2011, the Red Sox fell out of contention by going 7-20. They missed the postseason despite winning 90 games and Francona's two-year club option for 2012 and 2013 was not exercised.
After the season there were reports that players had stopped listening to Francona, while some pitchers were eating fried chicken and drinking beer in the clubhouse while games were going on.
Francona, whose Boston teams went 744-552, spent this year working as a baseball analyst for ESPN.
"I think it was good for him to get away from Boston," said Tito. "Everything about baseball is blown out of proportion there. He went into that season as a lame duck because they wouldn't pick up his option. That wasn't good."
Terry Francona said many of his friends were surprised that he even interviewed for the Indians' job. They were 68-94 this year and have lost 93 or more games in three of the past four seasons.
"They don't know me very well," was Francona's response. "I like a challenge and I'm not afraid of a challenge."
His father backed him.
"He didn't take this job just to take a job," said Tito. "It's not about the money. He's excited about it and I'm very happy about it."
The Indians signed Francona to a four-year deal, which has to be one of the longest contracts ever given to a new manager in franchise history.
"He's a player's manager," said Tito. "He's always been that way. I think the players are really going to like him."

Charlie Manuel was literally drinking himself to death when he was the manager of the Indians.

Shapiro also knew that Manuel was a back stabber of epic proportions. Manuel was John Hart's clubhouse mole who wanted Hargrove's job badly.

They did not consider him a dunce but they did not consider him trustworthy either. Manuel thought he could push Shapiro around. His strategy did not work.

But Shapiro did the right thing by not accepting his resignation, fired him and paid the rest of his contract. That's what the Colorado GM should do.

Bowa was a tough manager and he was one tough coach. He was Torre’s enforcer, the bad cop who would get in players’ faces if he felt they weren’t doing their part. Every manager needs this type of guy. Obviously, Terry Francona had Brad Mills and then DeMarlo Hale.

Thought this was interesting. Maybe one or both Mills and Hale might be involved with the Indians.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... cart_river

Video of Francona pc

Terry Francona reportedly has 'out clause' if Tribe front office is shaken: Cleveland Indians Insider

Published: Monday, October 08, 2012, 11:01 PM Updated: Monday, October 08, 2012, 11:02 PM

By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer



CLEVELAND, Ohio -- GM Chris Antonetti and new manager Terry Francona would not comment on a Tweet by ESPN's Buster Olney that Francona's four-year deal includes out-clauses in case some of his superiors are fired.
"I'm not divulging additional details of the contract," said Antonetti in a Tweet on Monday night.
In Monday's press conference, Francona said the main reason he took the job was to work with Indians President Mark Shapiro and Antonetti. Both men have been coming under increased public and media criticism for their running of the club. The Indians haven't been to the postseason since 2007. They've lost 93 or more games in three of the last four seasons and have come out on the short end on big-ticket trades involving CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Ubaldo Jimenez.
On Sept. 27, manager Manny Acta was fired as the Indians were putting the finishing touches on a 24-53 post-All-Star break collapse. CEO Paul Dolan, at the time of Acta's firing, was quoted in a team release saying he had absolute trust in Antonetti finding the right man to manage the Indians. It was seen as a vote of confidence.

Good sign: Sandy Alomar Jr., who has one year left on his contract with the Indians, said Monday he expects to join Francona's coaching staff.
Alomar and Francona were the only candidates to interview for the Tribe's vacant manager's job.
"I'm a professional with one more year on my contract," said Alomar in a text. "I expect to come back. Terry said he wants me on the staff."
If Alomar returns, it's believed he'll resume his duties as bench coach. He moved from bench coach to interim manager when Acta was fired on Sept. 27.
"Sandy knows how I feel," said Francona. "Sandy knows that he's very welcome on this staff. That's as honest as I can be."
Said Antonetti, "We've talked to Sandy multiple times. Sandy wants to make sure that it's the right fit and that it makes sense for everyone. Terry and I have both re-assured Sandy that we want him on the staff so he can continue to impact the organization.
"We're certainly not going to rush Sandy into making a decision. We're going to give him some time to work through it."
Alomar is expected to draw interest as a potential manager this winter. Boston and Colorado have openings. Alomar interviewed with the Red Sox last year before they hired Bobby Valentine. The Rockies are looking for a new manager after the resignation of Jim Tracy. In 2002, Alomar played 38 games with the Rockies.
"I expect he'll get chances to interview for other manager's jobs because he has a lot to offer," said Antonetti. "Selfishly, I hope he stays here because he's had such a huge impact on us. Ultimately, I want what's best for Sandy and I'm confident there will be other opportunities for him as a manager."
Next: Antonetti and Francona will spend the next day or two trying hire a coaching staff. Brad Mills, Francona's bench coach in Boston, is a candidate.
Antonetti said the coaches who ended the season under Alomar -- interim pitching coach Ruben Niebla, first-base coach Tom Wiedenbauer, third-base coach Steve Smith, hitting coach Bruce Fields, bullpen coach Dave Miller and bullpen coaches Armando Camacaro and Francisco Morales -- will receive consideration on the new staff.
Asked if Tim Belcher would be considered as pitching coach, Antonetti said, "When Tim stepped away from the job, there were personal reasons. That would be something that we'd have to work through. Tim has remained in the organization because we value his contribution."
Belcher stepped down as pitching coach after the 2011 season to spend more time with his family.
Francona's health: After the 2011 season, the Boston Globe reported that Francona may have been misusing pain pills because of back and knee pain.
"What I'll say is that we talked extensively to Terry about what unfolded in Boston as the end of the 2011 season," said Antonetti. "He was very forthright and honest on things that happened. Everyone we talked to from people in the [Boston] front office, to Terry to players, no one has any concerns."
Francona gave this update on his health: "Back in 2003, I had a pulmonary embolism. I had staph infections. I was in intensive care for about six weeks. It aged me.
"I have to take care of myself. You might see me during batting practice, maybe the last group of hitters, come sit down and get off my feet a little bit.
"When I travel, I'm on blood thinners. If I get hit with a foul ball, it's going to last a little while."
Francona, 53, says works hard to maintain his health.
"I swim every day," he said. "If I do that I'm OK. ... My heart is good. I have two artificial knees. I'll find a place to swim in spring training. If I do that, I can be a working coach."
On Twitter: @hoynsie

It was my opinion that Shapiro and Antonetti were helping to save their jobs by hiring Francona and this article tends to justify it.

Dolan must be a dolt to agree to it.

loufla wrote:It was my opinion that Shapiro and Antonetti were helping to save their jobs by hiring Francona and this article tends to justify it.

Dolan must be a dolt to agree to it.

Pretty obvious that you still don't understand that Shapiro and Antonneti have more job security then you think.

Pretty obvious that you still don't understand that Shapiro and Antonneti have more job security then you think.

I'll note that I think you are correct. Others may get p.o.'d thinking Dolan is cheap.

I get p.o.'d believing Dolan is stupid.

Mark Shapiro inherited a team in the top tier of fan attendance when he took over in 2001.

He now has NINE consecutive years of falling below average American League attendance.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/cleiatte.shtml

And just TWO winning seasons in the past twelve.

And with a decade of mostly dismal drafts on his watch.

And a bleak future.


And true to form, he has now hired damaged goods......this time as Manager, with a hope of catching lightning in a bottle.

Francona was dismissed by the Boston Red Sox after a calamitous 2011 late season free fall, and then the stories broke about the team dissension and oh my, drinking during the game in the locker room.

So Shapiro has gone out and hired a guy best known recently for presiding over a late season free fall.....to replace the last guy he hired who presided as manager of two seasons of 2nd half free falls.

Dolan is way more dumb than he is cheap.

I hope Francona is able to help the two clowns in the front office and the owner who does not seem to give a horse puck but I kinda doubt it. How can he make much of a difference in dealing with the same two who missed on every draft for a decade and got marginal return from trading two Cy Young winners and an All Star player.

And as for the "family" aspect, does anybody know Francona's salary yet? If not it does seem that Papa Shapiro doesnt want the other kids to yet know what Terry's allowance will be.

It will come out eventually of course. But then I wonder,I mean we are still kind of in the dark about Nick Hagadone, had to do a lot of searching to find out about that.

As for the front office letting the manager make the personnel decisions, how did that work out with Wedge and Brandon Phillips?

No, in my opinion the front office does not deserve any of the imagined accolades that many give them.

In a just world this should absolutely be the Front Offices' last chance.

Please Dolan, wake up and smell the double latte.

Bottom line. Francona only came to Cleveland because of the front office. Indians get the number one free agent manager that was available.

Tribe Fan-----I also have been stating the obvious about Shapiro and the crap that came down on his watch the past 10 or so years. Gotta agree, Dolan may be more dumb that he is cheap. What effectively run operation in ANY business would have put up with all those failures for such a prolonged period of time. I'd book his percentages as 85% failures and 15% successes. Some of those failures have been huge. Just a guess on those percentages of course but all one has to do is look at what's been achieved in the last 10+ years. If Shapiro was running our business, he would have been gone years ago along with his cronies.