Terry Francona is Idolized in Cleveland…Why?
It’s true, most people in Cleveland love manager Terry Francona. The skipper took the position in 2013 and has been in control ever since. Now, there’s no way I can bring up LeBron James in this article, right? He has nothing to do with baseball, the Guardians and what not etc.
Well, no. He doesn’t. But here’s the thing about LeBron and Cleveland. He made good on his promise to win a championship for Cleveland by coming back from down 3-1 and taking the 2016 title.
Terry, where is your title here in Cleveland?
Yes, the team make the 2016 World Series but actually blew a 3-1 lead to the Chicago Cubs. The team has certainly had success throughout the years. Finishing in first place in the AL Central in ’16, ’17 and ’18. Making the playoffs in ’13 and ’20 as well as those three aforementioned years.
Currently, here in 2023, the Guardians are 11-13. These past two games at home against a terrible team in the Rockies, the Guards put up a single run in 18 innings.
The offense has been absolutely terrible this year. The team feels like it has very little life and isn’t going anywhere.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s a long season and they could certainly turn things around. It just doesn’t seem like that is going to happen.
LeBron won a championship and that is why, in my eyes, he gets a pass even after leaving Cleveland twice. Francona has done a great job at getting to the playoffs but has yet to win a World Series here in Cleveland. Sure, give him some credit on the two World Series wins in Boston (’04, ’07). Different time, different team.
Let’s be clear that Francona is a great guy, has been great for the Cleveland community as a whole. This isn’t to say anything negative about that for sure.
Even so, your job as manager is to win that coveted World Series and here in Cleveland he has yet to do that after nine full seasons and number 10 lot looking so great to begin with in The Land.
Is it time to move on from Tito?
No, it’s not like the Guardians are going to fire him today or tomorrow. However, if this season continues to be mediocre at best, the front office may start to look for other options. The window is beginning to close here in Cleveland and it might be the right time for a change in the not-so-distance future.
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