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Indians Hire Terry Francona

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8:16pm: The Indians aren't commenting on Olney's tweet referring to Francona's out clauses, according to Hoynes (via Twitter).

7:30pm: Francona's option contains out clauses that he can exercise if the people he's working for are dismissed from the organization, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). Presumably, that's in reference to Antonetti and Shapiro.

MONDAY, 9:57am: The Indians announced that they have signed Francona to a four-year deal through 2016.

SATURDAY, 6:25pm: The Indians have announced the hiring of Francona and will formally introduce him at a press conference on Monday morning.

4:42pm: The Indians and Francona are discussing a four-year deal, according to Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer.  The manager also implied to Hoynes that while a deal may be close, it has yet to be finalized.

3:24pm: The Indians are set to hire Terry Francona as manager with an announcement likely for Monday, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Francona, currently an analyst for ESPN, said last night that his two options at present were to either manager in Cleveland or remain with the network.

The former Red Sox skipper has linked to the vacancy ever since the dismissal of Manny Acta, but many wondered if Cleveland could offer him a satisfactory deal.  Sandy Alomar Jr. was also viewed as a strong candidate for the job, having guided the club for its final six games of the season with obvious ties to the organization.  At the same time, Tito has strong relationships with GM Chris Antonetti and team president Mark Shapiro following his 2001 stint with Cleveland as a special assistant to the GM.

Francona now takes over for a club that finished 68-94 in 2012 and has a limited budget to work with.  For his career, the 53-year-old has a 1,029–915 record across a total of 12 seasons as a big league skipper.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Indians Notes: Francona, Alomar, Masterson

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A lot of people in baseball think that Terry Francona is crazy for taking the Indians job, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd).  However, the skipper knew that Cleveland was where he wanted to be thanks in large part to his strong relationships with GM Chris Antonetti and president Mark Shapiro.  In fact, Tito showed how much he wanted the job by handing the club a 16-page breakdown of their team, the organization, and what he envisions for their future.  Earlier this afternoon, the Indians formally introduced Francona as their next manager.  Here are some highlights..

  • Francona was asked if he came to Cleveland in part because he preferred a smaller market as opposed to his previous stops in Philadelphia and Boston, tweets Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  The skipper insisted that he wasn't looking to avoid the pressures of a big market but instead came to Cleveland because he's not "afraid of a challenge."  He added that he was treated well by the media in Boston for the most part.  
  • The skipper said that negotiations for his four-year deal "took about ten minutes", according to Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer (via Twitter).
  • Acknowledging the challenge that he will be faced with, Francona said that he's in it for the long haul, Hoynes tweets.  "I don't want to be a rental manager. I want to be part of the solution. I want to stick around," said Francona.
  • Antonetti and Francona have talked to Sandy Alomar Jr. several times about a coaching job, but Alomar still isn't sure if its a good fit, tweets Hoynes.  Meanwhile, Antonetti expects to get calls on Alomar about managerial vacancies this winter (Twitter link).
  • Francona plans to keep Justin Masterson in the starting rotation next season, tweets Hoynes.  Masterson turned in a 4.93 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 34 starts last season.

Quick Hits: Pirates, Francona, Tracy, Phillies

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Sunday afternoon linkage..

  • Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wonders if the Pirates will take a step forward in 2013.  Biertempfel notes that the Bucs find themselves with the same holes to fill as they did a year ago at catcher, first base, shortstop, right field, in the bullpen, and in the starting rotation. 
  • The hiring of Terry Francona as manager gives the Indians credibility heading into next season, opines Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (video link).  Rosenthal believes that Francona was looking for a front office that he could really trust after his uncomfortable exit from Boston.
  • Unless Jim Tracy believes that the Rockies are capable of reaching the playoffs next season, the veteran skipper should opt to part ways with the club, writes Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post.  Kiszla suggests that Tracy should find a way to leave without forfeiting his $1.4MM salary, but it has been widely reported that he simply as a handshake agreement for 2013.
  • Free agent options such as Josh Willingham and Yoenis Cespedes would have been a worthwhile investments for the Phillies last winter, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  While there were missed opportunities for the club, Brookover is quick to note that injuries took their toll on the team in 2012 .

Cafardo On Johnson, Soriano, Hernandez, Hamilton

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that there are some General Managers who have a few regrets regarding last winter.  Red Sox GM Ben Cherington wishes he had done more for the rotation.  Angels GM Jerry Dipoto probably would have liked to boost the bullpen more during the team's spending frenzy which netted Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson.  Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd was asked to assess his own mistakes and said, “How long is this article? Just kidding. We all have regrets. When you make the amount of decisions we do, you make mistakes. So this year [Jeremy] Guthrie was acquired to give us innings, but Coors [Field] got him and that hurt us. We had such a lack of experience everywhere else. There was no margin for error, and I screwed up.”  Here's more from today's column..

  • Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson will be trade bait, despite talk to the contrary.  Miami could get a ton from teams like the Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Royals, Rangers, Twins, and Dodgers.  On the whole, the Marlins look like they're ready to clean house again.
  • Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano would make a lot of sense for the Rays as a DH, especially since the Cubs would pick up the bulk of his final two years under contract.  Soriano could also help the Blue Jays, Orioles, or Indians.
  • Indians GM Chris Antonetti says that he expects Shin-Shoo Choo to be back with Cleveland next season as he enters his walk year, but he will also listen to offers for the 30-year-old.  Choo could make sense for Boston as they face a similar situation with Jacoby Ellsbury.  Cafardo suggests a deal involving a pitcher like Justin Masterson.
  • Teams have offered the moon for Felix Hernandez in the past but there’s no chance that Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is going to trade him now.  King Felix is under contract through 2014 and the M's have the money to keep him beyond that.  For his part, Hernandez is well-paid and loves playing in Seattle.
  • Josh Hamilton says that he won't take a discount to stay with the Rangers, but that's where he's likely to land as it's hard to read the market for him.  The Tigers, Nationals, Pirates, Phillies, Angels, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Orioles shouldn't be ruled out.  The Yankees and Red Sox also can't be crossed off the list but neither market is a strong fit for Hamilton.
  • Jake Peavy would appear to be a target for the Red Sox once his $22MM option is declined by the White Sox.  The 31-year-old could also end up staying put in Chicago or returning to the NL.
  • Former catcher Brad Ausmus, currently serving as a special assistant to the GM in San Diego, said that he would have interest in the Red Sox managerial vacancy.  As of Friday, however, he has yet to be contacted.  Ausmus turned down a chance to be interviewed for the Astros job earlier this fall.
  • The Red Sox are pursuing John Farrell, but Ryne Sandberg could be on their list, even though he was just named as the Phillies' third base coach and is likely being groomed for Charlie Manuel's job.  Cherington tried to get Sandberg to take Boston's Triple- A job a couple of years ago.
  • While some have accused Bobby Valentine of ignoring advanced scouting reporters, Cafardo says that he saw the manager reading them every time he visited his office.

Quick Hits: Phillies, Alomar, Red Sox, White Sox

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Here are some links from around the league as the League Division Series round of the postseason opens…

  • “Center field is something we have to address. That will be one of our priorities," said Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Salisbury looked at some free agent and trade options who could fit the team's needs.
  • The Indians hired Terry Francona earlier today, and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports (on Twitter) that interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. has been offered a spot on the team's coaching staff.
  • Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter) that had the Indians not hired Francona, he would have not taken the Tigers' manager job had they fired Jim Leyland after the season.
  • The Red Sox have not yet begun their search for a new manager after firing Bobby Valentine on Thursday, a source insists to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe (on Twitter).
  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams confirmed to CSNChicago.com that the team's entire coaching staff will return next season.

Minor Moves: 28 Players Elect Free Agency

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A total of 28 players — all with big league time under their belts — recently elected free agency after finishing the year in Triple-A. Here is the full list, courtesy of the International League and Pacific Coast League transaction pages…

Managerial Notes: Tracy, Leyland, Reds, Twins

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The Red Sox officially dismissed Bobby Valentine yesterday, ending months of speculation about his job security. Of course that hasn’t put an end to rumors about managerial openings and potential openings around MLB. Here are today’s managerial notes…

  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com hears that there will be no decision made about Jim Tracy's future with the Rockies tonight (Twitter link). The team's front office will continue to discuss things, however.
  • Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told James Schmehl of mLive.com that they will address manager Jim Leyland's contract "at the appropriate time." Leyland's deal expires after the season.
  • Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe lists some off-the-grid candidates the Red Sox could consider for their managerial opening.
  • Dusty Baker hinted he'll return as the Reds' manager in 2013, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon reports. Baker said “this is my team, you know,” when asked about his future with the Reds.
  • Twins GM Terry Ryan explained to manager Ron Gardenhire that a contract extension for Gardenhire doesn't make sense right now, Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN reports (on Twitter). Gardenhire is signed through 2013.
  • The Indians announced that Terry Francona arrived in Cleveland for his job interview today. The former Red Sox manager is a leading candidate for the position along with longtime MLB catcher and current Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr.
  • It’d be a surprise if Francona doesn’t accept the Indians job and name Brad Mills his bench coach, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes (on Twitter). The Astros dismissed Mills, Francona’s former bench coach in Boston, toward the end of the 2012 season.
  • People who know Francona well say the Indians are a "slam dunk" for him, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (on Twitter). Francona knows he can work with Indians executives such as Chris Antonetti, Abraham notes.
  • The Rangers won't fire manager Ron Washington even if they lose today's play-in game against the Orioles, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Washington is under contract with Texas through 2014.
  • Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is mulling whether to fire manager Ozzie Guillen, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. The owner has kept front office executives “out of the loop” on the decision, which will be entirely his own call. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reported yesterday that the Marlins are aggressively seeking a replacement for Guillen.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Indians Notes: Alomar, Perez, Sizemore, Choo

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Earlier today, the Indians interviewed Sandy Alomar Jr. about their full-time managerial vacancy.  General Manager Chris Antonetti didn't put a timetable on making a hire, but he was quick to tip his cap to Alomar for the job he did guiding the club at the end of the 2012 season, according to the Associated Press.  Antonetti addressed the media today and we have the highlights courtesy of MLB.com's Jordan Bastian..

  • Antonetti confirmed to reporters, including Jordan Bastian of MLB.com (via Twitter), that closer Chris Perez wants to remain in Cleveland.  Perez said earlier this week that he wasn't looking for a way out this year by commenting on issues concerning the club.
  • The GM wouldn't rule out bringing back Grady Sizemore or Travis Hafner on reduced deals, but Bastian (Twitter link) believes that Antonetti was just saying the right thing in regards to two long-time Indians.
  • As of right now, Antonetti anticipates Shin-Soo Choo being back with the Indians in 2013 (Twitter link).  Choo will hit the open market after next season and it has been said that the club will consider trades for him as they are not optimistic about an extension.
  • The GM said that the decision on Roberto Hernandez's option will be difficult given the limited amount of time they had to evaluate him, Bastian tweets.  Hernandez has been sidelined both by his suspension and injury.
  • Matt LaPorta is out of minor league options going into next year and the GM said (Twitter link) that this will be a very important offseason for the first baseman/outfielder.

Indians Notes: Francona, Alomar, Antonetti, Hafner

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It was on this day in 1908 that Addie Joss of the Cleveland Naps threw a perfect game against the Chicago White Sox.  Joss basically had to be perfect to secure the 1-0 victory, as opposing pitcher and fellow Hall-of-Famer Ed Walsh recorded 15 strikeouts in the game.  Here's some modern-day news and notes about this very imperfect season for the Tribe…  

  • Terry Francona is the favorite to become the Indians' next manager, tweets Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 Radio.  Francona and current Tribe interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. will both interview for the job later this week and are the only known canadidates to replace Manny Acta on the Indians' bench.
  • Francona and the Indians are perfectly matched to fit each other's needs, opines ESPN's Jim Bowden (Insider subscription required).  While Bowden believes Alomar deserves to be a manager someday, he thinks the pressure is on Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti to deliver quick results.  "This is the wrong time and place for Antonetti to take a chance or gamble on an unproven manager. He needs a sure thing to keep his own job, and the Indians need to hire the best available, given the lack of trust from the Indians’ fan base," Bowden writes.
  • Travis Hafner "hasn't talked to anybody" in the Indians' front office about their plans for him but he would like to remain with the club, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  The Indians will surely decline Hafner's $13MM option for 2013, making the 35-year-old DH a free agent after 10 years in Cleveland.
  • As reported earlier today, Chris Perez said that he wants to stay with the Indians in 2013.

Chris Perez Wants To Stay With The Indians

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A month after criticizing his club's management and decision-making process, Indians closer Chris Perez told media (including MLB.com's Jordan Bastian) that he didn't speak out in an attempt to be traded and that he wants to keep pitching in Cleveland.  According to Perez, the firing of manager Manny Acta alleviated some of his issues with the team.

"A lot of frustration from those comments, a lot of that walked out the door last week. I'll just leave it at that," Perez said.  "It doesn't mean everything is in tip-top shape over here. Obviously, we fell short of our goals and we need to see why."

I profiled Perez as a trade candidate in the wake of his original comments and noted that even if he hadn't spoken out, the closer could have been dealt anyway given that he earned $4.5MM this season and will be in line for a raise this winter when he is arbitration-eligible for the second time.  Perez said he spoke to Indians GM Chris Antonetti on Monday and doesn't believe he will be traded (as tweeted by Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer), but if he is, it's a sign that the Indians aren't planning to contend in 2013.

"That's a business decision that they're going to have to make," Perez said. "That's not up to me. That's not my decision. I have two years left here at least. Right now, it's up to them. I think whatever they decide to do is definitely going to tell you which way the team is going one way or the other…I kind of find it hard to see them keeping me here and then trading other people. But, you never know."

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