Terry Francona remains at the center of Tribe's winter moves: Cleveland Indians Insider
By Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer
on January 19, 2013 at 6:37 PM, updated January 20, 2013 at 10:30 AM Print
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians fan Jason Sims looked forward to peeking into the manager's office as part of a home clubhouse tour during Tribe Fest on Saturday at Progressive Field.
He had no idea, though, how cool the few seconds would be. As Sims and his family and friends moved past the doorway, they could not help but notice a person behind the desk.
Hey, wait, isn't that ... ? Yes, it is.
"You think you're just going to see the office, which is fine, and then you see Terry Francona sitting there," said Sims, 23, from Akron. "Terry Francona. And he was working. He looked up and waved, but he was working. I was thrilled to see that."
Not long afterward, Sims and his group saw Francona again, this time on a couch in Tribe Fest's equivalent of a showroom. Francona and Tribe General Manager Chris Antonetti answered questions from fans and host Tom Hamilton.
Since being hired in October, Francona is here, there and everywhere, the face of the franchise at least until games begin. Managers don't play, but they sure can create a buzz in the off-season -- especially those who own two World Series rings.
In every corner of Tribe Fest, an inaugural event that drew more than 4,000 on the first day and ends today, his name was mentioned above all others.
"He gives you reason to be optimistic," said Devin Dyer, 14, of Avon Lake.
"An amazing hire for Cleveland," Sims said. "He's the guy so many of us wanted. Look at how enthusiastic he is; you know that is going to rub off on the players."
Mike Aviles, the Tribe's newly acquired utility man, can guarantee it. He played for Francona in Boston for 38 games in 2011 after being traded from Kansas City.
"I'd heard so much good stuff about him from afar, then in the short time I played for him I saw everything that everybody talked about," Aviles said. "He made me feel like I came up through the system in Boston. He genuinely cares about his players, and when you have a manager like that, the players will run through a wall for him."
Aviles's new teammates have raved about Francona's efforts to contact them since his hire. Francona has done so in-person and with calls and texts, and he does not stop at merely one communication.
"That's who he is," Aviles said. "He treats his players like family. You can trust him. When he says his door is always open, he means it. You can talk with him about anything at any time. That's one of the reasons guys like to play for him so much."
Aviles and outfielder Drew Stubbs held their first group interviews with reporters since their respective trades. Stubbs was acquired from the Reds in the Shin-Soo Choo deal. Within 48 hours, Stubbs received a call from Francona. The call didn't last long only because Francona was in the Dominican Republic.
"I've heard nothing but good things about him, and I'm really excited to play for him," Stubbs said.
Here are other nuggets from the Aviles and Stubbs availability at Tribe Fest:
• As of Saturday evening, Aviles was the Tribe's only arbitration-eligible player not to have agreed to terms on a one-year contract. The other six agreed Friday.
"I don't pay attention to it," Aviles said, politely but firmly. "I let my agents do what they're being paid to do. I just worry about playing baseball. I know I'll be playing for the Indians this year; that's all that matters."
• Aviles, Boston's regular shortstop, is coming to Cleveland without a position. But this much is certain: He did not come to sit. Aviles can play infield and outfield. Francona will find him at-bats, even if they first come as part of designated hitter by committee.
"I'm blessed and cursed with versatility," he said. "As long as I get a chance to play, I know I can help the team a little bit."
• Stubbs said he had mixed emotions when his trade happened because the Reds were the only team he knew. "But after talking to a lot of people here, and thinking about the situation, I think it's going to be a great opportunity," he said. "It's going to be a fresh start."
• Stubbs, whose game is built on speed, plays center field and plays it superbly. The Indians already have a quality center fielder in Michael Brantley. The Indians likely won't decide on who moves to left until spring training.
"I've played center my whole life, but I'll do whatever we need to win," said Stubbs, who is coming off a season in which he batted .213 and struck out 166 times in 136 games.
"It was the toughest year of my career at any level," he said. "I got into a mental rut, where you have a slide and aren't able to get the feet back under you. I've used this off-season to re-create myself and re-dedicate myself to being the player I know I can be."
Regarding swing mechanics, Stubbs said he has replaced his leg kick with a toe-tap.
Indians datebook
Feb. 10: Pitchers/catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz.
Feb. 12: First workout.
Feb. 13: Remainder of squad reports.
Feb. 15: First full-squad workout.
Feb. 22: First exhibition game, vs. Cincinnati, 3:05 (ET).
March 30: Last exhibition game, vs. Cincinnati, 3 p.m. (ET)
April 2: Season opener at Toronto
April 8: Home opener vs. Yankees
Re: Articles
3137Pluto:
1. New manager Terry Francona will probably use Michael Brantley in the leadoff spot. Brantley opened 2012 there, but batted only .227. In an effort to shake Shin-Soo Choo out of a slump, former manager Manny Acta moved Choo to the top of the order -- and he was terrific (.310, .881 OPS) before being traded to the Reds in the Drew Stubbs/Trevor Bauer deal.
2. Brantley had an excellent season, hitting .288 (.750 OPS) with six homers and 60 RBI. He mostly batted fifth, where he was a .307 hitter (.794 OPS). Brantley was a leadoff hitter for much of his minor-league career. He is a .263 hitter as a leadoff man in the last three seasons with the Tribe.
3. Brantley is the only regular left from the C.C. Sabathia/Cliff Lee deals. Also in those trades were Lou Marson and Matt LaPorta, who will be in training camp but not expected to start. Then there's Carlos Carrasco (elbow surgery), who the Tribe hopes is ready to take a spot in the rotation.
4. I'd forgotten the Indians also sent Ben Francisco to the Phillies in the Lee deal. He is a free agent, and the Tribe is considering bringing the outfielder back. He hit .240 (.670 OPS) with four homers and 15 RBI in 207 at-bats for the Phillies last season. He is a career .257 hitter (.751 OPS) who at the age of 31 could help the Tribe as an extra outfielder.
5. Francona has said he'll put up with the strikeouts from Mark Reynolds in exchange for 35 to 40 homers. He had 23 homers for the Orioles last season, but that still would have led the Tribe as Carlos Santana (18 homers) was tops in 2012. From 2009-11, Reynolds averaged 35 homers, 91 RBI and 210 strikeouts, batting .228. The Indians would gladly take those numbers in 2013.
6. With Stubbs, Jason Kipnis, Santana and Reynolds (all struck out at least 100 times in 2012), the Tribe knows it could be near the league lead in Ks. Last season, the Indians had the third fewest strikeouts in the AL, but ranked only 13th in runs scored. So they hope adding Reynolds and Stubbs -- who could combine for at least 50 homers -- will add to the run total.
7. Tribe third-base coach Brad Mills recently visited Cord Phelps, talking about how the second baseman could learn to play some other positions to make the team. He does have a minor-league option left. Phelps is stuck behind Kipnis at second. Not sure what will come of this, as the Tribe tried to have Phelps play some short and other positions a few years ago and then dropped the idea in 2012.
8. Francona not only likes the idea of Mike Aviles being able to play every infield spot, but also may use Aviles in left or right field. Aviles has played only five games in the outfield in his big-league career. He's played 280 at shortstop, 144 at second base and 61 at third base. He played in Boston for Francona in 2011, and Francona believes Aviles (.250, 13 HR, 60 RBI, .663 OPS) will be a very valuable player. And yes, he does give them depth if they trade shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.
9. Ah, to be a big-league player eligible for arbitration. Stubbs batted .213 with 14 homers, 40 RBI, 30 steals and 166 strikeouts for the Reds. Yet, his salary increased from $527,000 to $2.85 million as arbitration loomed for the first time. Justin Masterson (11-15, 4.93 ERA) had the worst year of his big-league career, yet his salary rose from $3.85 million to $5.7 million.
10. As of now, the Tribe has no intention to sign a full-time DH. It's possible they may add one right before training camp for a very cheap price. But the current plan is to alternate different players in the spot. It would be a way to keep Santana's bat in the lineup, but give him a break from catching.
1. New manager Terry Francona will probably use Michael Brantley in the leadoff spot. Brantley opened 2012 there, but batted only .227. In an effort to shake Shin-Soo Choo out of a slump, former manager Manny Acta moved Choo to the top of the order -- and he was terrific (.310, .881 OPS) before being traded to the Reds in the Drew Stubbs/Trevor Bauer deal.
2. Brantley had an excellent season, hitting .288 (.750 OPS) with six homers and 60 RBI. He mostly batted fifth, where he was a .307 hitter (.794 OPS). Brantley was a leadoff hitter for much of his minor-league career. He is a .263 hitter as a leadoff man in the last three seasons with the Tribe.
3. Brantley is the only regular left from the C.C. Sabathia/Cliff Lee deals. Also in those trades were Lou Marson and Matt LaPorta, who will be in training camp but not expected to start. Then there's Carlos Carrasco (elbow surgery), who the Tribe hopes is ready to take a spot in the rotation.
4. I'd forgotten the Indians also sent Ben Francisco to the Phillies in the Lee deal. He is a free agent, and the Tribe is considering bringing the outfielder back. He hit .240 (.670 OPS) with four homers and 15 RBI in 207 at-bats for the Phillies last season. He is a career .257 hitter (.751 OPS) who at the age of 31 could help the Tribe as an extra outfielder.
5. Francona has said he'll put up with the strikeouts from Mark Reynolds in exchange for 35 to 40 homers. He had 23 homers for the Orioles last season, but that still would have led the Tribe as Carlos Santana (18 homers) was tops in 2012. From 2009-11, Reynolds averaged 35 homers, 91 RBI and 210 strikeouts, batting .228. The Indians would gladly take those numbers in 2013.
6. With Stubbs, Jason Kipnis, Santana and Reynolds (all struck out at least 100 times in 2012), the Tribe knows it could be near the league lead in Ks. Last season, the Indians had the third fewest strikeouts in the AL, but ranked only 13th in runs scored. So they hope adding Reynolds and Stubbs -- who could combine for at least 50 homers -- will add to the run total.
7. Tribe third-base coach Brad Mills recently visited Cord Phelps, talking about how the second baseman could learn to play some other positions to make the team. He does have a minor-league option left. Phelps is stuck behind Kipnis at second. Not sure what will come of this, as the Tribe tried to have Phelps play some short and other positions a few years ago and then dropped the idea in 2012.
8. Francona not only likes the idea of Mike Aviles being able to play every infield spot, but also may use Aviles in left or right field. Aviles has played only five games in the outfield in his big-league career. He's played 280 at shortstop, 144 at second base and 61 at third base. He played in Boston for Francona in 2011, and Francona believes Aviles (.250, 13 HR, 60 RBI, .663 OPS) will be a very valuable player. And yes, he does give them depth if they trade shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.
9. Ah, to be a big-league player eligible for arbitration. Stubbs batted .213 with 14 homers, 40 RBI, 30 steals and 166 strikeouts for the Reds. Yet, his salary increased from $527,000 to $2.85 million as arbitration loomed for the first time. Justin Masterson (11-15, 4.93 ERA) had the worst year of his big-league career, yet his salary rose from $3.85 million to $5.7 million.
10. As of now, the Tribe has no intention to sign a full-time DH. It's possible they may add one right before training camp for a very cheap price. But the current plan is to alternate different players in the spot. It would be a way to keep Santana's bat in the lineup, but give him a break from catching.
Re: Articles
3138The more things change the more they seem to stay the same. We still have no need for manny.
Re: Articles
3139How much do you think a minor league signing and invite to ST actually is worth ? If you do not know, how could you call it a waste of money ?
Re: Articles
3140Manny signed for the league minimum in Oakland. I'm guessing the same if the Indians make an offer. Can't get any cheaper than that for the Dolans. If you ask me, a great low risk and high reward signing.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
3141Indians officially sign Ben Francisco and Ryan Raburn
Ben Francisco
By Tony Lastoria
January 21, 2013
Today the Indians announced that they have officially signed infielder/outfielder Ryan Raburn and outfielder Ben Francisco to minor league contracts with an invite as non-roster payers to Major League spring training.
Francisco, 31, owns a career Major League average of .257 (395-1535) with 104 doubles, 49 home runs and 189 RBI over 542 games with Cleveland, Philadelphia, Toronto, Houston and Tampa Bay. He made his Major League debut with the Indians in 2007, and in 235 games with the Indians from 2007-2009 he hit .261 (213-817) with 58 2B, 28 HR, 99RBI, and .768OPS. He was traded to the Phillies in July of 2009 as part of the Cliff Lee deal and spent two and half seasons with them, and last season split time between the Blue Jays, Astros and Rays where he hit .240 (46-192) with 14 2B, 4 HR, 15 RBI and .670 OPS in 82 games.
Raburn, 31, is a right-handed hitter that has spent his entire professional career with the Detroit Tigers. In 566 games with the Tigers he has accumulated a .256 batting average with 95 doubles, 54 HR, 216 RBI, and .740 OPS. He has hit at least 14 home runs in less than 400 at bats over each season from 2009-2011 and owns a career .796 OPS against left-handed pitching. He missed some time last season because of a right thumb injury and right quad strain which landed him on the disabled list and may have affected his performance. He has some versatility as he has appeared in 396 games in the outfield and 143 games at second base.
Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2012 Cleveland Indians Prospect Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.
Ben Francisco
By Tony Lastoria
January 21, 2013
Today the Indians announced that they have officially signed infielder/outfielder Ryan Raburn and outfielder Ben Francisco to minor league contracts with an invite as non-roster payers to Major League spring training.
Francisco, 31, owns a career Major League average of .257 (395-1535) with 104 doubles, 49 home runs and 189 RBI over 542 games with Cleveland, Philadelphia, Toronto, Houston and Tampa Bay. He made his Major League debut with the Indians in 2007, and in 235 games with the Indians from 2007-2009 he hit .261 (213-817) with 58 2B, 28 HR, 99RBI, and .768OPS. He was traded to the Phillies in July of 2009 as part of the Cliff Lee deal and spent two and half seasons with them, and last season split time between the Blue Jays, Astros and Rays where he hit .240 (46-192) with 14 2B, 4 HR, 15 RBI and .670 OPS in 82 games.
Raburn, 31, is a right-handed hitter that has spent his entire professional career with the Detroit Tigers. In 566 games with the Tigers he has accumulated a .256 batting average with 95 doubles, 54 HR, 216 RBI, and .740 OPS. He has hit at least 14 home runs in less than 400 at bats over each season from 2009-2011 and owns a career .796 OPS against left-handed pitching. He missed some time last season because of a right thumb injury and right quad strain which landed him on the disabled list and may have affected his performance. He has some versatility as he has appeared in 396 games in the outfield and 143 games at second base.
Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2012 Cleveland Indians Prospect Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.
Re: Articles
3143Yes I was.JOE is a fan of Ben, I think.
To be honest, I'd rather have Manny over both Rayburn and Francisco. Ramirez is doing a great job this winter and while his team has slowed down he has continued to hit.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
3145Not that I'm aware of.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
3147Both Raeburn and Francisco signed to minor league deals. The Clippers were pretty thin in the OF,this should help them and puts some pressure on Ezequiel and Tim Fedroff in ST.
Re: Articles
3148CLEVELAND -- The Indians added a pair of players on Monday in an effort to strengthen their bench as Spring Training approaches.
Cleveland signed utility man Ryan Raburn and outfielder Ben Francisco to Minor League contracts, which include invitations to attend Spring Training with the big league club. Raburn and Francisco will come into camp as candidates for backup roles with the Tribe.
As the Tribe's roster stands, each of the team's infield and outfield positions have a projected starter. Raburn could compete for a job as a reserve option at second and third base, as well as the corner outfield sports. Francisco also extends Cleveland's depth for the corner outfield positions.
The starting outfield projects to include Michael Brantley, Drew Stubbs and Nick Swisher. Ezequiel Carrera is a leading candidate for the fourth outfield role, but Tim Fedroff, Cedric Hunter, Matt Carson and Francisco will also be in the mix. Catcher Yan Gomes and first baseman Chris McGuiness might also get limited reps in the outfield this spring.
Cleveland's projected infield includes first baseman Mark Reynolds, second baseman Jason Kipnis, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall. Utility man Mike Aviles is in line to fill the primary backup job for second, short and third.
Gomes and McGuiness will also be in Spring Training vying for utility roles, along with Cord Phelps and Mike McDade. Like Raburn, infielders Nate Spears and Luis Hernandez will also be in camp as non-roster invitees.
Last season, the 31-year-old Raburn hit just .171 with one home run and 12 RBIs in 66 games for the Tigers. Raburn's showing was marred by a deep early-season slump -- one that resulted in a trip back to Triple-A Toledo at the end of May -- and injuries later in the year.
Raburn was placed on the disabled list twice over the final two months -- first for a sprained right thumb on Aug. 5, and then for a right quadriceps strain on Sept. 13.
For his career, the right-handed-hitting Raburn has posted a .256 average with a .311 on-base percentage in 566 career games (all with Detroit) over parts of seven seasons. Between the 2009-11 campaigns, he hit .274 with a .329 on-base percentage and an average of 15 home runs and 52 RBIs per year.
Raburn split most of his time between the outfield (51 games, 23 starts) and second base (32 games, 31 starts) last season. Over the course of his big league career, he has manned first base (13 games), second base (143), third base (33), left field (265), center field (35) and right field (114).
Francisco, 31, rejoins the Indians, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft. Francisco played in parts of three seasons with the Tribe before he was traded -- with left-hander Cliff Lee -- to the Phillies on July 29, 2009, in exchange for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Jason Knapp and Lou Marson.
Last season, Francisco hit .240 with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 82 games with the Blue Jays, Astros and Rays. For his career, the outfielder has hit .257 with a .326 on-base percentage and a .425 slugging percentage in six seasons with Cleveland, Philadelphia, Toronto, Houston and Tampa Bay.
Cleveland signed utility man Ryan Raburn and outfielder Ben Francisco to Minor League contracts, which include invitations to attend Spring Training with the big league club. Raburn and Francisco will come into camp as candidates for backup roles with the Tribe.
As the Tribe's roster stands, each of the team's infield and outfield positions have a projected starter. Raburn could compete for a job as a reserve option at second and third base, as well as the corner outfield sports. Francisco also extends Cleveland's depth for the corner outfield positions.
The starting outfield projects to include Michael Brantley, Drew Stubbs and Nick Swisher. Ezequiel Carrera is a leading candidate for the fourth outfield role, but Tim Fedroff, Cedric Hunter, Matt Carson and Francisco will also be in the mix. Catcher Yan Gomes and first baseman Chris McGuiness might also get limited reps in the outfield this spring.
Cleveland's projected infield includes first baseman Mark Reynolds, second baseman Jason Kipnis, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall. Utility man Mike Aviles is in line to fill the primary backup job for second, short and third.
Gomes and McGuiness will also be in Spring Training vying for utility roles, along with Cord Phelps and Mike McDade. Like Raburn, infielders Nate Spears and Luis Hernandez will also be in camp as non-roster invitees.
Last season, the 31-year-old Raburn hit just .171 with one home run and 12 RBIs in 66 games for the Tigers. Raburn's showing was marred by a deep early-season slump -- one that resulted in a trip back to Triple-A Toledo at the end of May -- and injuries later in the year.
Raburn was placed on the disabled list twice over the final two months -- first for a sprained right thumb on Aug. 5, and then for a right quadriceps strain on Sept. 13.
For his career, the right-handed-hitting Raburn has posted a .256 average with a .311 on-base percentage in 566 career games (all with Detroit) over parts of seven seasons. Between the 2009-11 campaigns, he hit .274 with a .329 on-base percentage and an average of 15 home runs and 52 RBIs per year.
Raburn split most of his time between the outfield (51 games, 23 starts) and second base (32 games, 31 starts) last season. Over the course of his big league career, he has manned first base (13 games), second base (143), third base (33), left field (265), center field (35) and right field (114).
Francisco, 31, rejoins the Indians, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft. Francisco played in parts of three seasons with the Tribe before he was traded -- with left-hander Cliff Lee -- to the Phillies on July 29, 2009, in exchange for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Jason Knapp and Lou Marson.
Last season, Francisco hit .240 with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 82 games with the Blue Jays, Astros and Rays. For his career, the outfielder has hit .257 with a .326 on-base percentage and a .425 slugging percentage in six seasons with Cleveland, Philadelphia, Toronto, Houston and Tampa Bay.
Re: Articles
3150Chat with Terry Francona
Print
Auto Update: Off
SportsNation
Francona played professional ball from 1981-90 and managed the Phillies from 1997-2000.
Welcome to SportsNation! On Tuesday, Cleveland Indians manager, and former Boston Red Sox skipper, Terry Francona stops by to chat about the 2013 MLB season, as well as his new book "Francona: The Red Sox Years" that hit stores Tuesday.
Francona took the job with the Indians after managing the Red Sox from 2004-11 and spending the 2012 season as an analyst with ESPN. He ranks second all-time in Red Sox managerial history in wins (744), games (1,296) and win percentage (57.4, minimum 500 games).
In "Francona," co-wrote by the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy, the manager recounts the ups and downs he had with one of the most storied organizations in all of sports. During Francona's time, he turned the once cursed team into a two-time World Series winner. He talks of balancing the personalities in the clubhouse with the expectations of three owners with different opinions.
Send your questions now and join Francona Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET!
Terry Francona (11:00 AM)
Good morning, thanks for tuning in!
Matt T (Boston)
Was it really difficult to manage the players with huge personalities or outspokenness like Pedro, Manny, and Schilling? And how are they different from the players you have a good relationship like Dustin or Alex Cora?
Terry Francona (11:01 AM)
Just because guys have big personalities doesn't mean they're hard to manage. As a manager, your obligation is to try to communicate with everybody on the team -- not just young, or old, or quiet, or loud -- everybody.
Bill (Weymouth, MA)
Wish you were still here in Boston Tito, it's a shame how the owners and front office treated you at the end. Good luck in Cleveland, and I can't wait to read your book. Anyway, how do you feel about the Tribe this year? One guy they have who I always liked was was Ubaldo Jimenez. I remember as a rookie he pitched against the Sox and you in the World Series. He has some pretty nast stuff.
Terry Francona (11:02 AM)
I agree -- one of our challenges is to get Ubaldo back to the form he showed prior to 2012. I enjoyed my years in Boston -- I think it was probably time to move on, and they're in good hands now.
wade (Newark, Ohio)
Welcome to the Tribe Coach!!! really excited by the team's youth and now your experience. Good Luck. another important question, what handicap do you hold in Golf and how often do you hit the links
Terry Francona (11:03 AM)
For eight years with the Red Sox, I always found an excuse not to play. It's one of my biggest passions, and I love it. Working with ESPN this summer, I got down to a five, but don't tell the guys I play with that. They think I'm an eight.
Otto (CA)
Do you think you'll win one before the Cavs and Browns?
Terry Francona (11:03 AM)
I hope we all win one together. When you go to a new city, you can't help but pull for the other teams.
Jimbo (Seoul)
Titooooo!! big fan, since I am a new englander who went to the U of A. I just wanted to say hi and ask you a quick question? Did you pick on Dustin Pedroia (since he went to ASU) when we won the NCAA championship last summer? Thank you, good luck in cleveland!
Terry Francona (11:04 AM)
I probably took every opportunity to pick on him whenever possible. It's obvious that I have admiration for him, but I'll take every opportunity to take shots at him.
John (Los Angeles)
Terry, I was suprised to hear from some baseball people sharing their memories of Earl Weaver that he did not like to bunt (did not want to give up the out). What are your thoughts on bunting and its importance in both the AL and NL.
Terry Francona (11:05 AM)
I thought Earl Weaver was really ahead of his time. You only get 27 outs in a game, and giving away outs is not something managers like to do. When you bunt, you're usually telling the whole world that you only want to score one run -- which is how much you end up scoring. Early in the game, you generally want to score more.
John (Longmeadow, MA)
If the 2004 Redsox played the 2007 Redsox in a seven game series, who would win and why?
Terry Francona (11:06 AM)
I don't know! We never played more than four games in a World Series, so I'm not sure. I think they were two equally talented teams in completely different ways.
Zach (Springfield, MA)
Hey Tito, huge fan of yours. I can't wait to read your book. Loved you as the Sox manager and you were great as an analyst. Who was your favorite player to manage? Good luck in Cleveland!
Terry Francona (11:07 AM)
My favorite player was the guy who helped us win that day, but all kidding aside, you try to find a way to like everybody. You're naturally drawn closer to certain people, but you want to find a reason to like something good in everybody.
Colin (Edinburgh UK)
Congrats on the new job!! Think you could bring the Tribe to the U.K for a exhibition Game??
Terry Francona (11:07 AM)
Not this spring, I know that! Baseball's trying to branch out, but that's not on the horizon. I do appreciate your enthusiasm!
Matt (Abrahamson)
Is Manny Ramirez the greatest hitter you've ever seen?
Terry Francona (11:08 AM)
He's probably the greatest hitter I ever had the opportunity to manage, and I've been fortunate enough to be around a lot of good ones. He certainly has to be in that conversation for one of the greatest ever.
Gregg (Santa Rosa, CA)
Paisan! Congrats on the new opportunity in Cleveland. What do you see with Justin Masterson this year? I was a little baffled by his regression last year. Any changes to his training regimen this off season?
Terry Francona (11:09 AM)
It wasn't so much his regimen -- he had a shoulder injury on his non-throwing shoulder that nagged at him more than he ever let on. Because of my history with him in Boston, I'm betting on the person. He's ready to go and we're excited to build our rotation around him.
Ted (Boston)
Tito favorite restaurant in Coolidge Corner? Good luck in CLE
Terry Francona (11:10 AM)
Coolidge Corner Clubhouse. Their menu is like six pages long. And Zaftig's.
MeisterNJ (Mendham)
As a Yankee fan, always respected you and your teams. It was a great rivalry. Will you miss it?
Terry Francona (11:10 AM)
The games were really fun. I won't miss before and after, all the things on the periphery, but there were so many good things happening on the field that the games were really fun.
Michael (NYC)
Tito, how were you able to stand dealing with Shaughnessy for the book? And if you can only have dinner with one person -- either him or Schilling -- who do you pick ("neither" is not an option!)?
Terry Francona (11:12 AM)
When Dan approached me about doing the book, I wasn't on board right away. We were adversaries by nature due to his job, but we became friends. I joked about getting my windows tinted when driving around with him, but we really had fun. I don't know if I want that publicized, but there it is.
Alan Bonneau (Nashua)
How do you plan to bring back success to Cleveland like you did with the Red Sox. By the way, thank you for all your hard work for the Red Sox.
Terry Francona (11:13 AM)
It's not a one-man show. I'll spend all my energy making sure that these players spend all their energy playing the game right, respecting the game, and making Indians fans proud. If we do that, I think we're on the way.
RyanC (Cleveland)
Hey Tito, thrilled you're on board. Is Trevor Bauer's spot in the rotation out of Spring Training his to lose, or would he really have to impress in Arizona?
Terry Francona (11:13 AM)
What we're trying to do with all our young pitchers is to have them try to succeed and earn their spot. We want them to knock the door down and claim it by the way they pitch, as opposed to just giving it to them.
Kirk (Las Vegas)
What is your plan for third base this year? Is Lonnie Chisenhall the starter, as of now, or do you see Mike Aviles platooning with him?
Terry Francona (11:14 AM)
We want Lonnie Chisenhall to get the majority of ABs at third. He's young and talented, and injuries derailed him last year, but we want him to lay claim to that position. Mike Aviles can help at a number of different positions, but we want Lonnie to take charge there.
Ben (Providence)
Hey Terry, do you miss coaching for the Red Sox??
Terry Francona (11:16 AM)
I had eight wonderful, sometimes difficult years, but that's part of the territory, but I would say no. That doesn't mean I didn't love it, but it was time to move on. I'm excited and thrilled to be where I'm at now. Sometimes as a manager, your shelf life expires, which isn't an easy thing to admit, but it's healthy to admit it.
Banks (Quantico, VA)
How hard is the adjustment from being with ESPN to going back to the daily grind of being a manager again? Best of luck to you in Cleveland.
Terry Francona (11:16 AM)
I haven't really done it yet -- I've spent the whole winter getting to know the players and the organization. I like the grind -- I like being busy and doing baseball stuff, so it doesn't feel like a grind. It's what I enjoy doing.
Terry Francona (11:17 AM)
Thanks for the questions. My book comes out today -- it's a fun read and if you like the Red Sox, I think you'll find it really interesting. Go Tribe!
Auto Update: Off
SportsNation
Francona played professional ball from 1981-90 and managed the Phillies from 1997-2000.
Welcome to SportsNation! On Tuesday, Cleveland Indians manager, and former Boston Red Sox skipper, Terry Francona stops by to chat about the 2013 MLB season, as well as his new book "Francona: The Red Sox Years" that hit stores Tuesday.
Francona took the job with the Indians after managing the Red Sox from 2004-11 and spending the 2012 season as an analyst with ESPN. He ranks second all-time in Red Sox managerial history in wins (744), games (1,296) and win percentage (57.4, minimum 500 games).
In "Francona," co-wrote by the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy, the manager recounts the ups and downs he had with one of the most storied organizations in all of sports. During Francona's time, he turned the once cursed team into a two-time World Series winner. He talks of balancing the personalities in the clubhouse with the expectations of three owners with different opinions.
Send your questions now and join Francona Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET!
Terry Francona (11:00 AM)
Good morning, thanks for tuning in!
Matt T (Boston)
Was it really difficult to manage the players with huge personalities or outspokenness like Pedro, Manny, and Schilling? And how are they different from the players you have a good relationship like Dustin or Alex Cora?
Terry Francona (11:01 AM)
Just because guys have big personalities doesn't mean they're hard to manage. As a manager, your obligation is to try to communicate with everybody on the team -- not just young, or old, or quiet, or loud -- everybody.
Bill (Weymouth, MA)
Wish you were still here in Boston Tito, it's a shame how the owners and front office treated you at the end. Good luck in Cleveland, and I can't wait to read your book. Anyway, how do you feel about the Tribe this year? One guy they have who I always liked was was Ubaldo Jimenez. I remember as a rookie he pitched against the Sox and you in the World Series. He has some pretty nast stuff.
Terry Francona (11:02 AM)
I agree -- one of our challenges is to get Ubaldo back to the form he showed prior to 2012. I enjoyed my years in Boston -- I think it was probably time to move on, and they're in good hands now.
wade (Newark, Ohio)
Welcome to the Tribe Coach!!! really excited by the team's youth and now your experience. Good Luck. another important question, what handicap do you hold in Golf and how often do you hit the links
Terry Francona (11:03 AM)
For eight years with the Red Sox, I always found an excuse not to play. It's one of my biggest passions, and I love it. Working with ESPN this summer, I got down to a five, but don't tell the guys I play with that. They think I'm an eight.
Otto (CA)
Do you think you'll win one before the Cavs and Browns?
Terry Francona (11:03 AM)
I hope we all win one together. When you go to a new city, you can't help but pull for the other teams.
Jimbo (Seoul)
Titooooo!! big fan, since I am a new englander who went to the U of A. I just wanted to say hi and ask you a quick question? Did you pick on Dustin Pedroia (since he went to ASU) when we won the NCAA championship last summer? Thank you, good luck in cleveland!
Terry Francona (11:04 AM)
I probably took every opportunity to pick on him whenever possible. It's obvious that I have admiration for him, but I'll take every opportunity to take shots at him.
John (Los Angeles)
Terry, I was suprised to hear from some baseball people sharing their memories of Earl Weaver that he did not like to bunt (did not want to give up the out). What are your thoughts on bunting and its importance in both the AL and NL.
Terry Francona (11:05 AM)
I thought Earl Weaver was really ahead of his time. You only get 27 outs in a game, and giving away outs is not something managers like to do. When you bunt, you're usually telling the whole world that you only want to score one run -- which is how much you end up scoring. Early in the game, you generally want to score more.
John (Longmeadow, MA)
If the 2004 Redsox played the 2007 Redsox in a seven game series, who would win and why?
Terry Francona (11:06 AM)
I don't know! We never played more than four games in a World Series, so I'm not sure. I think they were two equally talented teams in completely different ways.
Zach (Springfield, MA)
Hey Tito, huge fan of yours. I can't wait to read your book. Loved you as the Sox manager and you were great as an analyst. Who was your favorite player to manage? Good luck in Cleveland!
Terry Francona (11:07 AM)
My favorite player was the guy who helped us win that day, but all kidding aside, you try to find a way to like everybody. You're naturally drawn closer to certain people, but you want to find a reason to like something good in everybody.
Colin (Edinburgh UK)
Congrats on the new job!! Think you could bring the Tribe to the U.K for a exhibition Game??
Terry Francona (11:07 AM)
Not this spring, I know that! Baseball's trying to branch out, but that's not on the horizon. I do appreciate your enthusiasm!
Matt (Abrahamson)
Is Manny Ramirez the greatest hitter you've ever seen?
Terry Francona (11:08 AM)
He's probably the greatest hitter I ever had the opportunity to manage, and I've been fortunate enough to be around a lot of good ones. He certainly has to be in that conversation for one of the greatest ever.
Gregg (Santa Rosa, CA)
Paisan! Congrats on the new opportunity in Cleveland. What do you see with Justin Masterson this year? I was a little baffled by his regression last year. Any changes to his training regimen this off season?
Terry Francona (11:09 AM)
It wasn't so much his regimen -- he had a shoulder injury on his non-throwing shoulder that nagged at him more than he ever let on. Because of my history with him in Boston, I'm betting on the person. He's ready to go and we're excited to build our rotation around him.
Ted (Boston)
Tito favorite restaurant in Coolidge Corner? Good luck in CLE
Terry Francona (11:10 AM)
Coolidge Corner Clubhouse. Their menu is like six pages long. And Zaftig's.
MeisterNJ (Mendham)
As a Yankee fan, always respected you and your teams. It was a great rivalry. Will you miss it?
Terry Francona (11:10 AM)
The games were really fun. I won't miss before and after, all the things on the periphery, but there were so many good things happening on the field that the games were really fun.
Michael (NYC)
Tito, how were you able to stand dealing with Shaughnessy for the book? And if you can only have dinner with one person -- either him or Schilling -- who do you pick ("neither" is not an option!)?
Terry Francona (11:12 AM)
When Dan approached me about doing the book, I wasn't on board right away. We were adversaries by nature due to his job, but we became friends. I joked about getting my windows tinted when driving around with him, but we really had fun. I don't know if I want that publicized, but there it is.
Alan Bonneau (Nashua)
How do you plan to bring back success to Cleveland like you did with the Red Sox. By the way, thank you for all your hard work for the Red Sox.
Terry Francona (11:13 AM)
It's not a one-man show. I'll spend all my energy making sure that these players spend all their energy playing the game right, respecting the game, and making Indians fans proud. If we do that, I think we're on the way.
RyanC (Cleveland)
Hey Tito, thrilled you're on board. Is Trevor Bauer's spot in the rotation out of Spring Training his to lose, or would he really have to impress in Arizona?
Terry Francona (11:13 AM)
What we're trying to do with all our young pitchers is to have them try to succeed and earn their spot. We want them to knock the door down and claim it by the way they pitch, as opposed to just giving it to them.
Kirk (Las Vegas)
What is your plan for third base this year? Is Lonnie Chisenhall the starter, as of now, or do you see Mike Aviles platooning with him?
Terry Francona (11:14 AM)
We want Lonnie Chisenhall to get the majority of ABs at third. He's young and talented, and injuries derailed him last year, but we want him to lay claim to that position. Mike Aviles can help at a number of different positions, but we want Lonnie to take charge there.
Ben (Providence)
Hey Terry, do you miss coaching for the Red Sox??
Terry Francona (11:16 AM)
I had eight wonderful, sometimes difficult years, but that's part of the territory, but I would say no. That doesn't mean I didn't love it, but it was time to move on. I'm excited and thrilled to be where I'm at now. Sometimes as a manager, your shelf life expires, which isn't an easy thing to admit, but it's healthy to admit it.
Banks (Quantico, VA)
How hard is the adjustment from being with ESPN to going back to the daily grind of being a manager again? Best of luck to you in Cleveland.
Terry Francona (11:16 AM)
I haven't really done it yet -- I've spent the whole winter getting to know the players and the organization. I like the grind -- I like being busy and doing baseball stuff, so it doesn't feel like a grind. It's what I enjoy doing.
Terry Francona (11:17 AM)
Thanks for the questions. My book comes out today -- it's a fun read and if you like the Red Sox, I think you'll find it really interesting. Go Tribe!