CLEVELAND — Indians supervisor Terry Francona went skydiving in Arizona throughout spring coaching. He insists his thrill-seeking days are over.
“My feet are on the ground,” he mentioned.
They’ll keep that method in Cleveland.
The Indians signed the favored Francona to a two-year contract extension by way of the 2022 season on Wednesday, giving him extra safety and an opportunity to grow to be the longest tenured supervisor in Cleveland’s wealthy historical past.
Francona’s deal was set to run out after 2020, however as he begins his seventh season, the Indians determined to elongate its profitable partnership with the person referred to as “Tito” for no less than two extra years.
Since being employed in 2013, Francona has led the Indians to 3 consecutive AL Central titles and the World Series in 2016, when Cleveland misplaced Game 7 in 10 innings to the Chicago Cubs. The Indians, favored to win the division once more in 2019, have made the postseason 4 occasions, had a successful report six occasions and have the AL’s finest report below Francona.
“We had exceedingly high expectations when we hired Tito, and the unbelievable thing, is as high as those expectations were, he’s gone on to exceed those every day,” mentioned Chris Antonetti, the group’s president of baseball operatiions. “And it’s not simply with what occurs on the sector, it’s what occurs behind the scenes.
“In these moments after we’re struggling or we’re going through challenges or there these moments of adversity, that’s when Tito is at his finest.”
Francona joined the Indians after a wildly profitable run in Boston, the place he helped the Red Sox finish their 86-year World Series title drought in 2004. He led them to a different championship in 2007 earlier than his stretch led to 2011.
Cleveland was a brand new starting, and a well-known place as his father performed six seasons for the Indians.
He can’t think about being anyplace else.
“I will say this: I have no ambition to ever work somewhere else,” mentioned Francona, who will flip 60 later this month. “There’s going to come a time when I can’t do this job the way I want to, because of age. That may happen some point, but I don’t have any ambition to ever go somewhere else and that’s because of the people here.”
If he stays round three extra seasons, and there’s little motive to assume he received’t, Francona will surpass Lou Boudreau for the longest managerial run with the Indians. Boudreau, who was additionally an All-Star shortstop, managed the Indians from 1942-50. He led them to their final Series title in 1948.
The Indians are an AL-best 547-427 (.562) since 2013 below Francona. His 1,576 profession wins with Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland are second most amongst present main league managers, behind San Francisco’s Bruce Bochy.
Francona mentioned a key to his success in Cleveland has been as a result of robust relationships he’s constructed with Antonetti and basic supervisor Mike Chernoff. He may be himself, and that in flip has made him a stronger communicator and supervisor.
“I know it’s made me a better person,” he mentioned. “We collaborate so much. And there’ll be times at meetings and I’ll say something and when I leave the meaning, I’m like, ‘Why would I say that?’ And then about two days later, I’ll say, ‘Chris, I don’t know why.’ And he’ll be like, ‘Yeah, I knew you’d come around.’”
While the Indians are presently in a championship window, there could come a time after they need to rebuild. If that occurs, Francona’s ready to do his half.
“I’m not afraid. I want to be a part of the solution here — regardless of where we are,” he mentioned. “Sometimes things happen in our game that are sometimes out of your control. Sometimes you make wrong decisions. Sometimes things don’t work. I’m not afraid of that. I’d like to be a part of the solution, whatever it is.”
After occurring his first sky-diving journey, Francona satisfied Antonetti and a number of other Indians coaches to affix him for an additional leap.
“That was a fun experience,” Antonetti…