CLEVELAND — Throughout the 2022 season, Terry Francona pondered his future and how much longer he could physically handle the rigors of a major-league managerial role.
In the ninth inning of Game 9 of the Regular Season, however, after the GuardiansFrancona was already the winner of the division, and with nothing but a cosmetic loss of 71 or a win of 92, he felt butterflies in his stomach. Francona was aware that he would be returning to Cleveland for another year, but these emotions strengthened his decision to stay Guardians manager.
“I think that means I still care,” Francona said Friday at Progressive Field. “When the day comes that losses don’t affect you, then it’s probably time to hang it up. I’m not there.”
Francona met with Mike Chernoff and Chris Antonetti during a series held in Kansas City in early September to discuss his future. As the team’s decision-making trio described it, the oft-disorderly manager had a hamburger resting on his laptop and was sweating profusely, so it helped that they needed only five minutes to arrive at a conclusion.
Francona (63) will receive a new contract. Francona stated that they would continue to work together for one year, depending on his health. He’s scheduled to undergo a procedure on Tuesday to have drains removed from his backside.
“We want Tito to manage as long as it makes sense for him,” Antonetti said.
Francona has spent the last decade as Cleveland’s manager after previous stops in Philadelphia and Boston that lasted four and eight years, respectively. He’s Cleveland’s winningest manager, and figures to be a finalist, at minimum, for the American League Manager of the Year award. Since joining the Cleveland organization in 2013, he has been awarded the honor twice (2013 and 2016).
Francona’s last few seasons have seen him deal with gastrointestinal issues and blood clots. Francona was admitted to ICU in 2020. He spent the majority of 2021 in crutches and a walking boot.
He acknowledged that he felt like he was relying more on his staff this season than in previous seasons, but said that the 2022 team gave him energy. The Guardians’ roster full of rookies and sophomores captured the AL Central crown and advanced to the ALDS, where they fell short against the Yankees in a decisive Game 5.
“You don’t have a heartbeat if you show up and watch these guys play and not enjoy the way they play,” Francona said.
He stated that all members of his coaching team were invited back to the 2023 campaign.
“We have something, I think, that could be pretty special here moving forward,” Francona said. “I enjoyed the heck out of our players this year. I want to see that group grow and I’d like to be a part of that.”
(Photo: David Richard/USA Today)
