“You’ve got to walk it, talk it, in your heart”
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
On Twitter: @Castrovince
The last club Terry Francona managed went 7-20 in September to complete one of the great collapses in baseball history and end his otherwise successful tenure in Boston.
ImageThis Tribe club managed by Francona went 21-6 in September to complete a stunning surge that, while undoubtedly schedule-aided, rejuvenated local interest in the Indians and propelled them to the postseason.
What was behind this surge?
“We stayed away from chicken and beer,” Francona said, earning a laugh and more than a few retweets in the Twitterverse.
But beyond the schedule and the off-the-field shenanigans (or lack thereof), there is definitely something to be said for the manner in which the Indians had to win games this season and the way that experience applied down the stretch.
As you know, this is not a team with a devastatingly deep lineup or overwhelmingly accomplished roster, in general. It’s a team that has had to maximize its talent level by getting contributions off the bench, by playing a clean game, by throwing strikes, etc. When the Indians have strayed from those principles, they’ve lost. Sometimes in bunches. When they put together a cohesive effort, they’ve won. Sometimes in bunches.
And so this club, despite its lack of stars or status, would seem fairly well-conditioned for what lies ahead in the win-or-go-home environment of the Wild Card game. This is the kind of club Francona wanted to manage after his experience in Boston went so awry. He wanted to be part of the baseball business, not the entertainment business. He wanted a cohesive unit that makes the most of what it has.
“That’s the way we have to play,” Francona said. “And I’m ok with that, because it’s baseball. It just goes to show you that when you play the game right, the sum of all of our parts can be a pretty good team.”
They’ve been a pretty good team, and especially lately. And the Indians’ return to the postseason brings about a triumphant return of the…
EXCRUCIATING MINUTIAE OF THE DAY (Terry Francona press conference edition)…
If the Indians are a better club than the sum of their individual statistics, then perhaps it’s only fitting that Francona believes their MVP is a guy who has a WAR mark of minus-0.6. I’m talking, of course, about Jason Giambi, who had just 34 hits all season and yet had a Win Probably Added of 0.25 or more six times this season (including five team victories). He had the biggest hit of the season with the walkoff winner against the White Sox last week, and his clubhouse influence has been touted all year. But MVP? Really? Is Francona taking his admitted “man crush” (he copped to kissing Giambi on the cheek during the post-clinch celebration in Minnesota) too far? Perhaps not. “When you’re a manager or coach or whatever, there are a lot of headaches that come with the job,” Francona said. “When you get a guy like that, sometimes it can be once in a lifetime. I would be crazy not to enjoy and use his ability throughout the club. That’s why I keep saying… Kipnis has turned into one of the best players in the league, [but] I think Giambi is our MVP. I think he’s made everybody he touches better. That’s a very special person.”
Totally understand what Tito’s saying. But I still think Kipnis is the MVP. His offensive surge saved the season when it was getting off-track in June.
Speaking of Giambi, Francona said his forearm, which he tweaked over the weekend, should be fine. Same goes for Michael Bourn, who pulled up lame on a stolen-base attempt Sunday. They were both getting treatment, but Francona seemed to think they’d both be available.
Giambi has started five of the Indians’ last six games (all must-wins, obviously) in which a right-hander was on the mound for the opposition. Will be interesting to see if Francona continues that trend Wednesday (as of this writing, it seems most likely the Rays would go with Alex Cobb and the Rangers would go with Matt Garza for that game, but stay tuned) or if he goes with Carlos Santana at DH, Nick Swisher at 1B and either Ryan Raburn or Drew Stubbs in right field.
Francona didn’t address the Wild Card roster much yet. But the roster is the biggest differentiation between this game and a Game 5 in the Division Series or Game 7 of the LCS and World Series in that teams can tailor their rosters specifically to this single game’s demands. So, obviously, the Indians won’t carry a full starting staff, though I would not be surprised to see Zach McAllister and/or Corey Kluber included to potentially piggyback Danny Salazar if a need arises. Francona indicated he’d have a nine-man bullpen at his disposal.
One man in that bullpen will of course be Justin Masterson, and Francona is downright giddy about the length Masterson can provide in the late innings. “That guy’s a weapon,” he said. “We plan to use it.” Francona did not confirm whether the “closer by committee” approach put in place in Minnesota (where no save situations arose the last three games of the regular season) will remain in use for this game. Maybe they’re hoping they get a lead and they’ll give it to Masterson in the seventh and let him run with it?
Francona said the toughest decision in a game like this is when to yank your starter. He said the temptation is there to have a quick hook because of the depth of the bullpen, but you don’t want to go to it too soon.
One thing that is confirmed about the postseason roster: Jason Kubel, Blake Wood and Preston Guilmet will not be on it. They were all informed the Indians won’t be needing them going forward and have gone home.
The real Tito Francona might be the only man Francona loves more than Giambi right about now. And Terry and his dad had a nice phone conversation while Terry was boarding the team bus after the clubhouse clinch party. “My dad, after games, he’ll leave messages after fun wins,” Francona said. “A lot of times I’ll just see him leaving a message on my cell when I come into my office. I’ve kind of gotten used to it. It’s kind of a nice reassuring thing. Yesterday, walking to the bus, I gave him a call. It was one of the funner moments for me.”
Tito has been following this season closely via the magic of the MLB Extra Innings package from his home in New Brighton, Pa. He was in town for Opening Day, but he generally likes to watch from the comfort of his couch. I remember him telling me on Opening Day that he didn’t attend a single game at Fenway during Terry’s tenure there. As of Monday afternoon, Terry was unsure if his dad would be in attendance for the Wild Card game. But if Tito’s been watching this win streak from home, superstition might ultimately guide his decision.
We’re in a bit of a speech- or meeting-obsessed sporting culture, but that doesn’t always apply to baseball. Francona said he does not plan to address this team before the game. “Sometimes you can overdo it,” he said. “The game is the game, and I think the best way to do things is pretty much the routine that you’ve done all year. So we’ll kind of stick to the routine.”
Danny Salazar began the season in Double-A. Now he’s entrusted with the season, essentially. Pretty amazing ride for the kid. And while Francona didn’t exactly see this coming, he did see something special in Salazar way back in December. “You go all the way back to when I went down [to the Dominican Republic] with Mickey [Callaway] to see Ubaldo, and he was playing catch with Danny,” Francona said. “I said to Mickey, ‘Who is that guy?’ he said, ‘You’re going to love him. He’s going to fly through the system.’” He sure has.
The Wild Card game didn’t sell out until we had actual confirmation that there will, indeed, be a Wild Card game in Cleveland. But it sold out all the same, and fans are finally buying into this team. “I don’t doubt this place will be electric,” Francona said. “I think fans have been dying for that. I think it’ll be fun. And fun means winning in front of your home fans, so hopefully that’s what happens.”
~AC
Re: Articles
4052One thing that is confirmed about the postseason roster: Jason Kubel, Blake Wood and Preston Guilmet will not be on it. They were all informed the Indians won’t be needing them going forward and have gone home.
How many fans were even aware that they were on the team to begin with?
How many fans were even aware that they were on the team to begin with?
Re: Articles
4053I knew Kubel was but not the other two.
“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
4054The 2013 Gammons Awards
October 1, 2013 by Peter Gammons 0 Comments
2013 Gammons Awards
Awards arguments are somewhere between the Academy Awards and the shtick of the CMAs. By now, we all get the Miguel Cabrera-Mike Trout debate, and while I believed in the Trout candidacy last year and do not revere the notion of a Triple Crown, Cabrera had an even better season in 2013, a season that Jayson Stark put in a museum with Foxx and Ruth, Gehrig and Hack Wilson. We all get Trout’s WAR, and it could be that subconsciously we can’t ignore the Angels season-long irrelevancy, but it just seems impossible for one of the greatest hitters of my lifetime to not win the Most Valuable Player Award in the best season of his HOF career.
I see Chris Davis, Josh Donaldson, Dustin Pedroia, Evan Longoria, David Ortiz, Robinson Cano, Adrian Beltre and Manny Machado on most ballots, not to mention Koji Uehara and Max Scherzer.
Essentially, I feel the same way about the National League. There’s a legitimate argument to be made for Clayton Kershaw, one for Paul Goldschmidt, logic for Yadier Molina’s all-around game, and it’s hard not to admit the sentiment of Andrew McCutchen and the return of the Pittsburgh Pirates to October. But, in the end, McCutchen’s doubles and homers and steals and defense, WAR and OPS make him an easy winner, and we all beg the New York Baseball Writers to bring his mother to New York for her anthem before he receives the award.
With apologies to Joey Votto, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Carpenter, Carlos Gomez, Troy Tulowitzki…
The Cy Youngs are easy, Kershaw and Scherzer. By the way, when one pitches as Scherzer pitched, it’s OK to win.
Jose Fernandez over Yasiel Puig for rookie of the year, yes. An American League Rookie of the year when none qualified for the batting or ERA titles? Tyler Kepner gets the prize for creativity. He talked me into Cody Allen.
And, as is usually the case, I simply don’t believe in the Manager of the Year. No one is going to convince me that Clint Hurdle managed better than Don Mattingly; each had to deal with managing people and issues. No one is going to convince me there has to be a choice between John Farrell and Terry Francona, Bob Melvin and Buck Showalter. Every one of them had great years managing people and empowering coaches and synchronizing their organizations.
Last year, in arguing for Trout, I was called a sun-deprived nerd. This year, I’ll probably be called a sunflower seed spitter for my Cabrera lean. Hey, we all do it. Pedro Martinez was robbed.
October 1, 2013 by Peter Gammons 0 Comments
2013 Gammons Awards
Awards arguments are somewhere between the Academy Awards and the shtick of the CMAs. By now, we all get the Miguel Cabrera-Mike Trout debate, and while I believed in the Trout candidacy last year and do not revere the notion of a Triple Crown, Cabrera had an even better season in 2013, a season that Jayson Stark put in a museum with Foxx and Ruth, Gehrig and Hack Wilson. We all get Trout’s WAR, and it could be that subconsciously we can’t ignore the Angels season-long irrelevancy, but it just seems impossible for one of the greatest hitters of my lifetime to not win the Most Valuable Player Award in the best season of his HOF career.
I see Chris Davis, Josh Donaldson, Dustin Pedroia, Evan Longoria, David Ortiz, Robinson Cano, Adrian Beltre and Manny Machado on most ballots, not to mention Koji Uehara and Max Scherzer.
Essentially, I feel the same way about the National League. There’s a legitimate argument to be made for Clayton Kershaw, one for Paul Goldschmidt, logic for Yadier Molina’s all-around game, and it’s hard not to admit the sentiment of Andrew McCutchen and the return of the Pittsburgh Pirates to October. But, in the end, McCutchen’s doubles and homers and steals and defense, WAR and OPS make him an easy winner, and we all beg the New York Baseball Writers to bring his mother to New York for her anthem before he receives the award.
With apologies to Joey Votto, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Carpenter, Carlos Gomez, Troy Tulowitzki…
The Cy Youngs are easy, Kershaw and Scherzer. By the way, when one pitches as Scherzer pitched, it’s OK to win.
Jose Fernandez over Yasiel Puig for rookie of the year, yes. An American League Rookie of the year when none qualified for the batting or ERA titles? Tyler Kepner gets the prize for creativity. He talked me into Cody Allen.
And, as is usually the case, I simply don’t believe in the Manager of the Year. No one is going to convince me that Clint Hurdle managed better than Don Mattingly; each had to deal with managing people and issues. No one is going to convince me there has to be a choice between John Farrell and Terry Francona, Bob Melvin and Buck Showalter. Every one of them had great years managing people and empowering coaches and synchronizing their organizations.
Last year, in arguing for Trout, I was called a sun-deprived nerd. This year, I’ll probably be called a sunflower seed spitter for my Cabrera lean. Hey, we all do it. Pedro Martinez was robbed.
Re: Articles
4055Indians manager Terry Francona indicated Monday that Justin Masterson could be used as closer during the playoffs.
Masterson isn't stretched out enough to start following his oblique injury, but the Indians could utilize him in the late innings amid Chris Perez's struggles. "We went from losing our best pitcher to probably being the only team left in baseball that could have a guy finish the game potentially throwing three innings," said Francona. "That's quite a weapon. We plan to use it. That's kind of the way we've played all year. Somebody picks somebody else up at a different time. We may not do it in a conventional style, but that doesn't mean we can't do it."
Source: Indians.mlb.com Oct 1 - 10:02 AM
Masterson isn't stretched out enough to start following his oblique injury, but the Indians could utilize him in the late innings amid Chris Perez's struggles. "We went from losing our best pitcher to probably being the only team left in baseball that could have a guy finish the game potentially throwing three innings," said Francona. "That's quite a weapon. We plan to use it. That's kind of the way we've played all year. Somebody picks somebody else up at a different time. We may not do it in a conventional style, but that doesn't mean we can't do it."
Source: Indians.mlb.com Oct 1 - 10:02 AM
Re: Articles
4056Jayson Stark ESPN
AL Manager of the Year: Terry Francona, Indians
Terry Francona
You thought he was crazy, right? Leaving the (ahem) cushy world of ESPN to go manage a team that just lost 94 games, with a minus-178 run differential. What two-time World Series-winning, curse-busting managerial genius would ever do that? Well, Terry Francona. That's who. In a season in which an incredible number of his AL managerial peers (John Farrell, Joe Girardi, Bob Melvin, Joe Maddon, etc.) have worked some remarkable magic of their own, it's still the guy who went to Cleveland who has managed his way to the top of this mountain.
My AL Manager ballot
1. Terry Francona
2. John Farrell
3. Bob Melvin
Terry Francona runs a game, and gets his team prepared to play, as well as anyone in baseball. But beyond that, there may not be a manager in the sport who can match his off-the-chart people skills. He "cares so deeply," said his GM, Chris Antonetti, "about each player, and works tirelessly to put them in a position to be successful." And the standings tell you everything you need to know about how well that's worked. The Indians have more talent than people seem to give them credit for. But none of this would have been possible without the manager's never-ending flow of positive energy.
AL Manager of the Year: Terry Francona, Indians
Terry Francona
You thought he was crazy, right? Leaving the (ahem) cushy world of ESPN to go manage a team that just lost 94 games, with a minus-178 run differential. What two-time World Series-winning, curse-busting managerial genius would ever do that? Well, Terry Francona. That's who. In a season in which an incredible number of his AL managerial peers (John Farrell, Joe Girardi, Bob Melvin, Joe Maddon, etc.) have worked some remarkable magic of their own, it's still the guy who went to Cleveland who has managed his way to the top of this mountain.
My AL Manager ballot
1. Terry Francona
2. John Farrell
3. Bob Melvin
Terry Francona runs a game, and gets his team prepared to play, as well as anyone in baseball. But beyond that, there may not be a manager in the sport who can match his off-the-chart people skills. He "cares so deeply," said his GM, Chris Antonetti, "about each player, and works tirelessly to put them in a position to be successful." And the standings tell you everything you need to know about how well that's worked. The Indians have more talent than people seem to give them credit for. But none of this would have been possible without the manager's never-ending flow of positive energy.
Re: Articles
4058Posts: 2735
Joined: 21 Feb 2011, 00:41
Unread postPosted: 30 Sep 2013, 17:07
“You’ve got to walk it, talk it, in your heart”
A Springsteen lyric quote.
Can't help but think about Jim right now......
Joined: 21 Feb 2011, 00:41
Unread postPosted: 30 Sep 2013, 17:07
“You’ve got to walk it, talk it, in your heart”
A Springsteen lyric quote.
Can't help but think about Jim right now......
Re: Articles
4063Five AL wild-card questions
Originally Published: October 1, 2013
By Tim Kurkjian | ESPN.com
AL Wild Card: Rays at Indians
These are tough, gritty teams with, at least lately, good pitching, and with managers who inspire players, and entertain us.
Here are five questions.
How hot are the Indians?
They won their final 10 games of the regular season, the fifth-longest streak by any team to finish any season (the 1960 Yankees won the most in a row to finish a season: 15).
The Indians outscored their opponents 57-24 in those 10 games. In their last 90 innings, they did not make an error.
The last time they trailed at the end of an inning was Sept. 22. Granted, all this was done against three terrible teams, the Astros, White Sox and Twins, but wins are wins, and the more wins, the greater the momentum. And right now, this team is really rolling. And leading the way is manager Terry Francona, who made them believe this was possible.
How accustomed are the Rays to games such as this?
Over the past six years, during which time only the Yankees have a better record, the Rays have played more "must-win" games than any team. At least it seems that way.
"We never make it easy on ourselves," manager Joe Maddon said. There was the remarkable final game of the 2011 season. There were several games down the stretch this year that the Rays won when they almost had to. There was the game this past Sunday in Toronto in which a loss might have ended their season. And then they won Game 163 Monday night.
It's like Rays pitcher Chris Archer said recently, "If you want to see exciting baseball, come see the Rays." There's no telling what they might come up with next.
Is Indians starter Danny Salazar ready for a game this big?
From all indications, yes.
Salazar
"He throws 97," said Yankees infielder Mark Reynolds, who played for the Indians this year. "He is really good."
In 52 innings this season, Salazar, 23, had a 3.12 ERA, 65 strikeouts and a .226 batting average against. In September, his ERA was 2.52.
"I have seen him several times this year, and he pitches well beyond his years," one scout said. "He doesn't look like a rookie out there."
How good is Rays starter Alex Cobb?
He is their best pitcher right now.
Cobb
He was 11-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 22 starts this season. In his past nine starts, he was 5-1 with a 2.41 ERA. Those nine starts followed two months on the disabled list after being hit in the head with a line drive.
Cobb said he hasn't flinched once on a ball hit near him, which is remarkable given how hard he was hit on June 15. Some pitchers, after being hit, alter their delivery and don't finish their motion because they are more interested in finishing in perfect fielding position so they don't get hit again.
But Cobb has gone the other way. He said he put himself "even more in harm's way" by exaggerating the finish to his delivery to make sure he didn't lose velocity or the late bite on any of his off-speed stuff. Knowing that, Cobb won't be intimidated or scared starting the biggest game of his life.
Who will get the ball for the Indians in a save situation?
There are several options, but Chris Perez is not one of them.
Masterson
Joe Smith is a possibility, and so is Justin Masterson.
Masterson, once the ace of the rotation, injured his oblique Sept. 2, and has returned as a reliever. In 3 2/3 innings of relief, he has allowed one hit, no runs, walked one and struck out seven. Remember, Masterson was an effective reliever for Francona when both were in Boston. His hard sinker, and the rest of his stuff, plays very well in relief.
The pick: Indians win.
Originally Published: October 1, 2013
By Tim Kurkjian | ESPN.com
AL Wild Card: Rays at Indians
These are tough, gritty teams with, at least lately, good pitching, and with managers who inspire players, and entertain us.
Here are five questions.
How hot are the Indians?
They won their final 10 games of the regular season, the fifth-longest streak by any team to finish any season (the 1960 Yankees won the most in a row to finish a season: 15).
The Indians outscored their opponents 57-24 in those 10 games. In their last 90 innings, they did not make an error.
The last time they trailed at the end of an inning was Sept. 22. Granted, all this was done against three terrible teams, the Astros, White Sox and Twins, but wins are wins, and the more wins, the greater the momentum. And right now, this team is really rolling. And leading the way is manager Terry Francona, who made them believe this was possible.
How accustomed are the Rays to games such as this?
Over the past six years, during which time only the Yankees have a better record, the Rays have played more "must-win" games than any team. At least it seems that way.
"We never make it easy on ourselves," manager Joe Maddon said. There was the remarkable final game of the 2011 season. There were several games down the stretch this year that the Rays won when they almost had to. There was the game this past Sunday in Toronto in which a loss might have ended their season. And then they won Game 163 Monday night.
It's like Rays pitcher Chris Archer said recently, "If you want to see exciting baseball, come see the Rays." There's no telling what they might come up with next.
Is Indians starter Danny Salazar ready for a game this big?
From all indications, yes.
Salazar
"He throws 97," said Yankees infielder Mark Reynolds, who played for the Indians this year. "He is really good."
In 52 innings this season, Salazar, 23, had a 3.12 ERA, 65 strikeouts and a .226 batting average against. In September, his ERA was 2.52.
"I have seen him several times this year, and he pitches well beyond his years," one scout said. "He doesn't look like a rookie out there."
How good is Rays starter Alex Cobb?
He is their best pitcher right now.
Cobb
He was 11-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 22 starts this season. In his past nine starts, he was 5-1 with a 2.41 ERA. Those nine starts followed two months on the disabled list after being hit in the head with a line drive.
Cobb said he hasn't flinched once on a ball hit near him, which is remarkable given how hard he was hit on June 15. Some pitchers, after being hit, alter their delivery and don't finish their motion because they are more interested in finishing in perfect fielding position so they don't get hit again.
But Cobb has gone the other way. He said he put himself "even more in harm's way" by exaggerating the finish to his delivery to make sure he didn't lose velocity or the late bite on any of his off-speed stuff. Knowing that, Cobb won't be intimidated or scared starting the biggest game of his life.
Who will get the ball for the Indians in a save situation?
There are several options, but Chris Perez is not one of them.
Masterson
Joe Smith is a possibility, and so is Justin Masterson.
Masterson, once the ace of the rotation, injured his oblique Sept. 2, and has returned as a reliever. In 3 2/3 innings of relief, he has allowed one hit, no runs, walked one and struck out seven. Remember, Masterson was an effective reliever for Francona when both were in Boston. His hard sinker, and the rest of his stuff, plays very well in relief.
The pick: Indians win.
Re: Articles
4064Cut4 Postseason Primer: Cleveland Indians
By Molly Fitzpatrick |Follow @mollyfitz
From 30 World Series hopefuls, only a few remain. In case you haven't been following every contender, here's a catch-up on what you missed and what to expect next. In this edition: The Cleveland Indians.
Cleveland nabbed an AL Wild Card spot thanks in part a dynamic offense led by Carlos Santana and first-time All-Star Jason Kipnis, becoming the first team since 1961 to sweep seven four-game series along the way.
As strong they were on the field, the Indians proved to be equally entertaining off it. Here are five favorite moments from the Tribe's 2013 season:
http://wapc.mlb.com/cutfour/2013/09/24/ ... on-preview
By Molly Fitzpatrick |Follow @mollyfitz
From 30 World Series hopefuls, only a few remain. In case you haven't been following every contender, here's a catch-up on what you missed and what to expect next. In this edition: The Cleveland Indians.
Cleveland nabbed an AL Wild Card spot thanks in part a dynamic offense led by Carlos Santana and first-time All-Star Jason Kipnis, becoming the first team since 1961 to sweep seven four-game series along the way.
As strong they were on the field, the Indians proved to be equally entertaining off it. Here are five favorite moments from the Tribe's 2013 season:
http://wapc.mlb.com/cutfour/2013/09/24/ ... on-preview
“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
4065Impact of leadership on Tribe can't be measured
Francona, Swish, Giambi have intangible qualities that trump any statistic.
By Anthony Castrovince | Archive
10/1/2013 7:49 P.M. ET
The turning point for the Tribe came not in any single game of the 2013 season or even in the eventful winter that preceded it.
It came, rather, in August of 2012.
The Indians played 29 games that month, which they had entered feeling like they were still on the fringes of the American League Central Division chase.
They won five of them.
You can find many low points in the 113-year history of a sports franchise, but when it comes to the disconnect between on-field performance and high hopes, it doesn't get much lower than that. Off the field, players grumbled about the lack of leadership in the clubhouse. On the field, they looked absolutely lost.
So, yes, changes had to be made. And though general manager Chris Antonetti knew that much of the change had to revolve around the quality and quantity of the Tribe's depth of talent, he also knew that the 2012 team -- like the 2011 squad-- was missing an intangible ingredient that could not be overlooked any longer.
He knew precisely what he was looking for.
"Someone to lead this group of 25 guys," is how Antonetti put it at the time. "I think we're looking for someone who has the ability to inspire and motivate guys to perform at their best."
The Tribe made a statement hire with Terry Francona, because that was viewed as a signal that Antonetti and Co. would not be embarking upon the kind of rebuilding project so many had prescribed for them after a 94-loss campaign.
The Tribe then made a statement signing with Nick Swisher, because that was viewed, encouragingly, as a sign that ownership had the means and the might to make Cleveland a free-agent destination and that the clubhouse would finally contain some playoff-tested veteran savvy.
And though nobody paid too much attention to it at the time, the Tribe made a much more subtle statement when the 42-year-old Jason Giambi was extended an invitation to Spring Training camp to compete for a big-league bench job, because now the Indians possessed a former MVP on which players and coaches alike could lean.
Look, this is one of those stories that lacks statistical support. Let's just put that out there right now.
Francona might be a two-time World Series winner, but at the end of the day, he's merely a manager, a guy who is only going to perform marginally better or worse than -- if not in line with -- the level of talent he's afforded. Swisher might have a ring of his own from his Yankees days, but hobbled by the sort of shoulder injury that can betray a batter's clout and confidence, he was, for much of the season, not quite the reliable run-producer the Indians hoped to pencil into the cleanup spot. And Giambi, a long ways from that MVP heyday, didn't bat above the Mendoza Line this season.
But some stories tread beyond the statistical into the anecdotal, into the physical and mental grind of a six-month season and all the beautiful, bizarre and bumbling moments that come with it.
The truth is, this 2013 Indians team might not have had much more business competing for a postseason spot than the 2012 club. After all, Swisher struggled in the first season of his four-year, $56 million contract, and the Tribe's other big-ticket additions -- Michael Bourn, Mark Reynolds, Brett Myers and even prospect Trevor Bauer, who was brought aboard in the Shin-Soo Choo trade -- had their struggles as well. The bullpen that had been such a force the previous two years took a step back, as did shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. These issues alone would have been reason enough for the Tribe to merely tread water or enter another round of irrelevance.
That never happened, though. And if you ask members of the team -- particularly those who have been around a while -- why that never happened, they'll tell you, without hesitation, that it was because of the culture that was created.
It was the kind of culture in which a franchise cornerstone like Jason Kipnis could reach his potential, the kind of culture in which bench players like Yan Gomes and Ryan Raburn could log significant contributions, the kind of culture in which Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Zach McAllister, Corey Kluber and the resurrected Scott Kazmir could post numbers better than anybody expected.
Mostly, though, it was simply the kind of culture in which the Indians never mentally crumbled. And it was that survival of the mental aspects of the 162-game grind that allowed them to maintain mathematical meaning even on the dark days, paving the way to an October berth.
"Sometimes when you do little things," Francona has said, "it adds up to big things."
You could tell, from the outset, that Francona relished this opportunity to manage in a market where the attention and emphasis was on those fundamentals and baseball's truest team-building concepts.
Not that he didn't love his time in Boston, where he won it all in 2004 and '07 and became a local legend. Not that he wasn't adept as an ESPN analyst. But Francona was more than a little uncomfortable with the off-field dynamics (and, sometimes, dysfunction) that colored his later years with the Red Sox. And the television gig simply didn't suit him. Quite literally, in fact, Francona never enjoyed wearing a suit in a Major League clubhouse, attempting to yuk it up with players he'd rather be managing.
When he decided to join the Indians because of his personal connections to president Mark Shapiro and Antonetti, Francona didn't know if this club would be a contender. But he was encouraged by the improvements made over the winter, and upon arrival to Spring Training camp, the quality of the work put in by the players. The level of professionalism in the Indians' clubhouse has risen considerably, and that's due in large part to the two men who occupy the lockers in its most accessible corner -- Giambi and Swisher.
Swisher has such a relentlessly upbeat personality that you sometimes wonder if his Gatorade's been spiked. But that perpetual positivity comes in handy on the difficult days, and there were plenty of them. And when the Indians most needed a surge, Swisher helped provide it, with seven homers and 17 RBIs in September. When they needed to lure fans back to the ballpark, he ponied up $15,000 for an extra fireworks show. Free agents don't always embrace their new surroundings quite to the degree that Swisher has his in Cleveland.
Giambi, meanwhile… well, let's just say Francona could talk all day about the impact Giambi has made. The guy hit .183, and Francona still considers him the team MVP. What does that tell you?
Remember, had things unfolded the way Giambi hoped, he would be managing the Rockies right now. He was a legitimate finalist for that job, which ultimately went to Walt Weiss, and he had a chance to remain with the Rox in a hitting-coach capacity.
Maybe next season, Giambi will be coaching or managing somewhere. But the Indians gave him one last shot at producing as a player, and though you wouldn't know it from the batting average, he's made the most of it, hitting arguably the biggest homer of the season last week against the White Sox and impacting every player who has crossed his path.
On paper, this Indians team was loaded with imperfections, or at the very least, performances that fell a bit short of expectations. It was a team that endured some very difficult losses and very difficult stretches in a season that often tried fans' patience.
But it was also a team that fit that oft-cited formula of being greater than the sum of its parts. In the end -- and quite surprisingly -- it was a playoff team.
For that, much credit can be extended to many different people and many different moments that stand out in the season storyline.
But don't forget about August 2012 and the crossroads the Cleveland Indians organization reached in that miserable month. It forced them to take a good, hard look at the clubhouse and what had been lacking.
It forced them to bring in the leadership that would guide the club to a very satisfying 2013.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Francona, Swish, Giambi have intangible qualities that trump any statistic.
By Anthony Castrovince | Archive
10/1/2013 7:49 P.M. ET
The turning point for the Tribe came not in any single game of the 2013 season or even in the eventful winter that preceded it.
It came, rather, in August of 2012.
The Indians played 29 games that month, which they had entered feeling like they were still on the fringes of the American League Central Division chase.
They won five of them.
You can find many low points in the 113-year history of a sports franchise, but when it comes to the disconnect between on-field performance and high hopes, it doesn't get much lower than that. Off the field, players grumbled about the lack of leadership in the clubhouse. On the field, they looked absolutely lost.
So, yes, changes had to be made. And though general manager Chris Antonetti knew that much of the change had to revolve around the quality and quantity of the Tribe's depth of talent, he also knew that the 2012 team -- like the 2011 squad-- was missing an intangible ingredient that could not be overlooked any longer.
He knew precisely what he was looking for.
"Someone to lead this group of 25 guys," is how Antonetti put it at the time. "I think we're looking for someone who has the ability to inspire and motivate guys to perform at their best."
The Tribe made a statement hire with Terry Francona, because that was viewed as a signal that Antonetti and Co. would not be embarking upon the kind of rebuilding project so many had prescribed for them after a 94-loss campaign.
The Tribe then made a statement signing with Nick Swisher, because that was viewed, encouragingly, as a sign that ownership had the means and the might to make Cleveland a free-agent destination and that the clubhouse would finally contain some playoff-tested veteran savvy.
And though nobody paid too much attention to it at the time, the Tribe made a much more subtle statement when the 42-year-old Jason Giambi was extended an invitation to Spring Training camp to compete for a big-league bench job, because now the Indians possessed a former MVP on which players and coaches alike could lean.
Look, this is one of those stories that lacks statistical support. Let's just put that out there right now.
Francona might be a two-time World Series winner, but at the end of the day, he's merely a manager, a guy who is only going to perform marginally better or worse than -- if not in line with -- the level of talent he's afforded. Swisher might have a ring of his own from his Yankees days, but hobbled by the sort of shoulder injury that can betray a batter's clout and confidence, he was, for much of the season, not quite the reliable run-producer the Indians hoped to pencil into the cleanup spot. And Giambi, a long ways from that MVP heyday, didn't bat above the Mendoza Line this season.
But some stories tread beyond the statistical into the anecdotal, into the physical and mental grind of a six-month season and all the beautiful, bizarre and bumbling moments that come with it.
The truth is, this 2013 Indians team might not have had much more business competing for a postseason spot than the 2012 club. After all, Swisher struggled in the first season of his four-year, $56 million contract, and the Tribe's other big-ticket additions -- Michael Bourn, Mark Reynolds, Brett Myers and even prospect Trevor Bauer, who was brought aboard in the Shin-Soo Choo trade -- had their struggles as well. The bullpen that had been such a force the previous two years took a step back, as did shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. These issues alone would have been reason enough for the Tribe to merely tread water or enter another round of irrelevance.
That never happened, though. And if you ask members of the team -- particularly those who have been around a while -- why that never happened, they'll tell you, without hesitation, that it was because of the culture that was created.
It was the kind of culture in which a franchise cornerstone like Jason Kipnis could reach his potential, the kind of culture in which bench players like Yan Gomes and Ryan Raburn could log significant contributions, the kind of culture in which Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Zach McAllister, Corey Kluber and the resurrected Scott Kazmir could post numbers better than anybody expected.
Mostly, though, it was simply the kind of culture in which the Indians never mentally crumbled. And it was that survival of the mental aspects of the 162-game grind that allowed them to maintain mathematical meaning even on the dark days, paving the way to an October berth.
"Sometimes when you do little things," Francona has said, "it adds up to big things."
You could tell, from the outset, that Francona relished this opportunity to manage in a market where the attention and emphasis was on those fundamentals and baseball's truest team-building concepts.
Not that he didn't love his time in Boston, where he won it all in 2004 and '07 and became a local legend. Not that he wasn't adept as an ESPN analyst. But Francona was more than a little uncomfortable with the off-field dynamics (and, sometimes, dysfunction) that colored his later years with the Red Sox. And the television gig simply didn't suit him. Quite literally, in fact, Francona never enjoyed wearing a suit in a Major League clubhouse, attempting to yuk it up with players he'd rather be managing.
When he decided to join the Indians because of his personal connections to president Mark Shapiro and Antonetti, Francona didn't know if this club would be a contender. But he was encouraged by the improvements made over the winter, and upon arrival to Spring Training camp, the quality of the work put in by the players. The level of professionalism in the Indians' clubhouse has risen considerably, and that's due in large part to the two men who occupy the lockers in its most accessible corner -- Giambi and Swisher.
Swisher has such a relentlessly upbeat personality that you sometimes wonder if his Gatorade's been spiked. But that perpetual positivity comes in handy on the difficult days, and there were plenty of them. And when the Indians most needed a surge, Swisher helped provide it, with seven homers and 17 RBIs in September. When they needed to lure fans back to the ballpark, he ponied up $15,000 for an extra fireworks show. Free agents don't always embrace their new surroundings quite to the degree that Swisher has his in Cleveland.
Giambi, meanwhile… well, let's just say Francona could talk all day about the impact Giambi has made. The guy hit .183, and Francona still considers him the team MVP. What does that tell you?
Remember, had things unfolded the way Giambi hoped, he would be managing the Rockies right now. He was a legitimate finalist for that job, which ultimately went to Walt Weiss, and he had a chance to remain with the Rox in a hitting-coach capacity.
Maybe next season, Giambi will be coaching or managing somewhere. But the Indians gave him one last shot at producing as a player, and though you wouldn't know it from the batting average, he's made the most of it, hitting arguably the biggest homer of the season last week against the White Sox and impacting every player who has crossed his path.
On paper, this Indians team was loaded with imperfections, or at the very least, performances that fell a bit short of expectations. It was a team that endured some very difficult losses and very difficult stretches in a season that often tried fans' patience.
But it was also a team that fit that oft-cited formula of being greater than the sum of its parts. In the end -- and quite surprisingly -- it was a playoff team.
For that, much credit can be extended to many different people and many different moments that stand out in the season storyline.
But don't forget about August 2012 and the crossroads the Cleveland Indians organization reached in that miserable month. It forced them to take a good, hard look at the clubhouse and what had been lacking.
It forced them to bring in the leadership that would guide the club to a very satisfying 2013.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.