Francona beginning 11th year in Cleveland

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Terry Francona is about to launch his 11th season as manager here in Cleveland. “I came here for the right reasons,” he said recently at Guards Fest. “It was for people.”

Francona already had a great relationship with Chris Antonetti and the rest of the club’s front office before he took the job as manager, and those bonds have grown even stronger over the years.

He knew when he took the job it would be different than his previous stops in Boston and Philadelphia, this team cannot spend like those did. “Chris told me when I came here, he walked me through it,” Francona said. “Just so I wouldn’t get frustrated. He hasn’t. Francona has never complained about payroll. He loves it in Cleveland.

“It is a wonderful working environment. I know Paul [Dolan] catches some grief here from time to time and that bothers me,” he said. “If you’re around him, he is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. It’s just a good place to work. A great place to work.”

It is assumed by many that whenever Francona retires, he’ll have a spot reserved in Cooperstown. He gets a lot of credit for the club’s success. “I get probably too much credit for some things that happen here,” he said. “I think there are so many people in place here that certainly make me better.”

Francona has done everything a manager can do in Cleveland other than win the World Series. He’ll get another shot here in 2023.