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- Guardians skipper Terry Francona admits 'physically, it's getting hard' to continue managing
Guardians skipper Terry Francona admits 'physically, it's getting hard' to continue managing
Sat, Sep 10, 2022
MLB News (AP)
Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona admitted that "physically, it's getting hard" to remain an active participant in the dugout, and he is expected to reach a resolution with the organization about his future soon. The 63-year-old Francona missed time in 2020 and 2021 with multiple physical issues that required multiple surgeries.
"I want to enjoy what I'm doing. It's getting harder to do that, just because physically it's harder. I just want to be careful. And at the same time, I want to be fair to the team," Francona told Ken Rosenthal. Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti indicated the team will have Francona as long as he wants to manage, though they will not pressure him into returning.
In 2020, Francona missed 46 of the 60 regular-season games as well as the team's two Wild Card Series games with gastrointestinal and blood-clotting issues, then he developed a staph infection in his toe that offseason. Last season Francona stepped away in July to undergo a hip replacement and later toe surgery. He will have another surgery on his back after this season.
Bench coach DeMarlo Hale served as interim manager after Francona stepped away last season and first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. filled in as acting manager during Francona's absence in 2020. Alomar has long been considered a future manager and would seem to be the heir apparent to Francona, though no succession plans are known.
Francona joined the Guardians in 2013 and the club is 824-666 (.553) under his watch despite running one of the lowest payrolls in the league each year. He guided the club to three AL Central titles as well as to Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. Cleveland enters Saturday in first place with a 1 1/2-game lead and a 71-65 (.522) record.
Prior to joining Cleveland, Francona managed the Philadelphia Phillies (1997-2000) and Boston Red Sox (2004-11). He was at the helm for Boston's curse-breaking World Series win in 2004, as well as their 2007 title. Francona's career record is 1,853-1,581 (.540). He is a two-time Manager of the Year with Cleveland (2013 and 2016).