Francona plans to manage Indians as long as his health will let him
Since being hired by the Cleveland Indians in October of 2012, manager Terry Francona has won two American League Manager of the Year awards, guided the club to two postseason appearances, and nearly won the World Series this past season, losing in extra innings of Game 7 to the Chicago Cubs.
It's no wonder the skipper wants to continue to manage the Indians as long as he can, but apparently his health is the one calling the shots.
Francona recently spoke on the podcast "Newsmakers," according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, and said his history of medical issues, which includes blood clots and a pulmonary embolism, is making managing tougher with each passing year.
"It gets harder and harder physically. It really does. It takes me longer to recharge every year," Francona said. "I've had a lot of surgeries, a lot of health problems. It just takes a toll on you. I love (the game of baseball). I really do, but I can't see myself doing something else. But there is going to come a day when I feel like I'm shortchanging the team or the organization. That's not fair.
"Even now, during batting practice, I'll come in and get off my feet a little bit. I think everybody understands. But when there comes a day when it gets in the way, I'm going to have to pull back, and it's not because I don't love managing. You have to have a certain amount of energy to do this job right."
Francona has been one of baseball's best managers since taking over for the Indians, but his accolades extend back to his time with the Boston Red Sox. The skipper won two World Series titles with the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, accumulating 744 career wins before parting ways with the organization in 2011.
Since coming to Cleveland, Francona has earned more than 350 wins and developed a great, and healthy, relationship with his players and the club's front office, which makes the thought of not being able to manage them one day even tougher for the 57-year-old.
"Regardless how tough the night before was, that next day before I get in there, I give myself a talking to because they don't deserve to see me with my tail between my legs. I think it sends a terrible message," Francona said. "There have been some days when I say, 'Boy, this is harder than any other day.' ... I love being here. I think anyone who has spent 10 minutes with me knows how much I like it here."