Guardians Success Proves Why Terry Francona Is The Manager Of The Year
I still remember after the Guardians Home Opener all the way back on April 15, Terry Francona was asked about the name change and the upcoming season. Way before anyone knew what this team had in store for us.
He said, "I'm always proud to represent Cleveland. I was proud before and I'm proud now."
Well, Tito, we're proud that you're here in Cleveland and Guardians manager. Fans aren't the only ones happy that Francona is around every day.
Just look at what his peers and his own players have to say about him. Chris Antonetti said,
"Tito is a master at bringing a group of people together, putting individuals in a position to succeed, and then forming a team identity as the season builds. That's been a characteristic of his teams certainly without his tenure certainly with us is that the momentum seems to build as the year moves on. The team identity grows and we usually play our best baseball in the second half and that was the case again this year thanks to Tito's extraordinary leadership"
After playing for him for just one year, Steven Kwan said,
"Tito's the goat. He's the man for a reason, he's won for so many years for a reason. I think it's just because he trusts in his guys he has the level of expectation and accountability. At the beginning of the year, he stressed that we were going to have to do the little things right.
The Guardians had very few expectations heading into the 2022 season. They were the youngest team in MLB and all signs pointed toward a lengthy rebuild. Many major news outlets chose them to finish at the bottom of the AL Central or even dead last.
But Tito wasn't going to let that happen.
Sep 25, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona (77) celebrates with his team in the locker room after the Guardians clinch their first AL Central title since 2018 after the victory over the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Just like what Antonetti and Kwan said, Tito's leadership ability is unmatched and he encouraged this group to believe they could win. Just look at what they did late in close games.
The Guardians had 29 final at-bat wins.
That doesn't just happen by accident. That's a result of a leader who has inspired their team and a team who follows their manager.
Baltimore's Brandon Hyde and Seattle's Scott Servais are the other candidates for manager of the year. The Mariners had a good year, but they also had a lot of expectations heading into the year. Hyde did a great job for the Orioles, but they still finished fourth in the division.
I'm not trying to say either of these managers doesn't have leadership ability. Obviously, they do or else they wouldn't be finalists either. But Tito's guidance had on-field results.
The Guardians were the only team out of the three that consistently succeeded even when they were counted out by many.
Terry Francona has support from his front office and players. He also inspired his team to never give up which directly led to a number of wins. Finally, he defied all expectations and led the Guardians to the AL Central crown.
These are all qualities of a manager of the year.
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Read More:
Chris Antonetti Hints At Major Moves For The Guardians This Offseason
Chris Antonetti Named MLB's Executive Of The Year
Steven Kwan Represents Guardians As An American League Rookie Of The Year Finalist
Guardians Manager Terry Francona Named 2022 American League Manager Of The Year Finalist
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