The Indians announced that they have agreed to a two-year contract extension with manager Terry Francona that runs through the 2018 season. Francona’s new contract also contains club options for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Francona’s previous four-year contract with the Indians ran through the 2016 season, but the Indians will now have as many as four additional years of control should they choose. Francona just wrapped up his second year as Cleveland’s skipper, and in his two years on the job he’d led the team to 92 wins and a Wild Card playoff berth in 2013 as well as a solid 85-win campaign in 2014.
Best known for his role as Boston’s manager during their curse-ending World Series run in 2004 and their follow-up World Series victory in 2007, Francona has spent a total of 14 years as a big league manager. In that time, he’s posted a 1206-1062 record and taken home AL Manager of the Year honors. Somewhat surprisingly, his first Manager of the Year Award didn’t come until 2013 — his first with Cleveland.
Francona is regarded by executives, coaching peers and players as one of the most respected managers in the game. He’s the type of established and admired skipper that is an asset in luring free agents to come to a team. “You don’t bring a guy like this over here if you don’t plan on winning,” Nick Swisher said to reporters at the press conference to announce his signing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Good move by Tribe top brass.
For me, one of the best 4 or 5 managers in the game today.
If they had a FO that could keep up with him, that team would be a WS contender. Fortunately for Indians fans, Terry has been training them for 2 years now.
And for those that believe that managers don’t make a difference, one needs to investigate the Indians situation. Terry was Manager Of The Year in 2013, and should be in 2014, as he had far less of a roster to work with.
Terry can prop that team up as long as the Sox and Twins remain in rebuild mode.
Congratulations Terry on the well deserved extension…. You’re missed in Boston… Thank you for the memories….
Well missed in Boston that’s for sure. I like Farrell, but man do I miss Tito.
Wonder if this means the Indians are going to be opening up the wallet a little more. Doesn’t make much sense for Tito to commit to staying in Cleveland for the rest of his career unless he knows the team is going to be able to acquire the talent it needs to remain in contention. He did it with smoke and mirrors this year, but that’s not going to happen every year no matter how smart you are.