It wasn’t like Terry Francona was walking out the door.
He didn’t need to be.
The Cleveland Indians obviously realize they have the right man for their managerial job. The Tribe thus made a very sensible move Tuesday in agreeing to a two-year contract extension with Francona, despite the skipper already being under team control through the 2016 season.
It’s often difficult to measure how much of an MLB team’s success — or failure — should be attributed to the manager. However, the Indians undoubtedly have returned to relevance over the last two seasons in large part because of Francona’s work. Signing him to an extension that runs through 2018 and carries club options for 2019 and 2020 not only gives Francona security, in turn ensuring the sides’ relationship remains as amicable as ever. It also makes Cleveland a more desirable landing spot for players.
Francona has long been considered a players’ manager. It helped him thrive in Boston, where an abundance of personalities came and went, and it’s a reputation that’s being confirmed in Cleveland. The Indians went 68-94 in 2012 en route to a fourth-place finish, yet notable free agents Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher signed with Cleveland before the 2013 campaign. Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis and Yan Gomes have since signed multiyear extensions, creating a promising foundation that Francona has been instrumental in assembling.
“Tito has always been one of my favorite guys,” Swisher said at the time of his deal. “I just played golf with (Francona) the other day. He’s easy for me to talk to.”
Swisher isn’t alone in his love for Francona, who guided the Boston Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. It’s therefore reasonable to think Francona can continue to be used as a recruiting tool in negotiations with potentially impactful players. The pitch is even stronger now that free agents can view Cleveland with the assumption Francona will remain part of the mix for at least four more seasons. There’s a clear sense of direction for a club that finished .500 or below in nine of 11 years and that was on the fritz before Francona’s arrival.
The Indians lost in the American League wild card game in 2013 after a 92-70 regular season. They finished in third place in the AL Central behind the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals in 2014. The team has bought into its manager and an 85-77 record this season is extremely impressive when one considers just how in flux Cleveland’s roster remained throughout the year.
Did the Indians need to prioritize an extension for Francona this offseason? Not necessarily. But with a winning culture being constructed in Cleveland, the Tribe were wise to lock up the man responsible for the turnaround.
Photo via David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Images
