Terry Francona’s Hall of Fame Career By: Hank Indictor

On Wednesday, September 27th, 2023, Terry Francona managed the last home game in his long career as the skipper of the Cleveland Indians/Guardians. He earned a well-deserved standing ovation in front of many adoring fans. Francona was one of the most well-respected managers in the game of baseball, and with 1,948 wins (as of this writing), 3 Pennants, and 2 World Series Rings under his belt, there is no doubt that he'll eventually receive a plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But more than that, Francona has won the respect of many people, whether it be players who played for and against him, his fellow managers, and, of course, the fans due to his class and his modest sense of humor.

To say that Francona was a baseball lifer would be the understatement of the year. As the son of a former big leaguer (Tito Francona), Terry would get an early taste of the Major League lifestyle as the elder Francona bounced around with various teams. He followed in his father's footsteps, having a successful college career with the University of Arizona before being drafted by the Expos. Unfortunately, though, his Major League Career was marred by a series of knee injuries likely due to playing his home games primarily in Olympic Stadium in Montreal, a park notorious for its turf. However, it wouldn't be long after he retired from playing when he would eventually become a coach and then manager for several years in the White Sox minor league system (one such player he managed just so happened to be Michael Jordan during his NBA hiatus). However, after being promoted to the Detroit Tigers as a 3rd Base Coach in 1996, he would finally get his first managing shot a year later with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Unfortunately, during Francona's four years in Philadelphia, the team was in a rebuilding phase. There wasn't nearly enough talent to stay competitive, and as a result, he never finished above 4th place and was fired after a dismal 65-97 season in 2000. Following brief coaching stops in Texas and Oakland, Francona would get his redemption with the Boston Red Sox, where he would become their longest-tenured manager since Joe Cronin and their most successful manager. The Sox would end their notorious "Curse of the Bambino." In the first six years of his tenure, his Red Sox teams would average 94 Regular Season wins featuring stars such as David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Dustin Pedroia. In addition to the memorable run in 2004, the Red Sox would also have a "wire to wire" 2007 season that established themselves as a Powerhouse under Francona's watch with their 2nd World Series Championship. However, after falling one game short of returning to the World Series in 2008, Francona would never win another postseason play with the Sox as they were swept by the Angels in '09. Then, two consecutive 3rd-place finishes, capped off by the infamous collapse in September 2011, ended what remains the most successful managing tenure in Red Sox history.

Although he could not bring home a championship to Cleveland's long-suffering fans of Cleveland, he still positively left his mark on the franchise. For instance, he was the longest-tenured manager the franchise ever had, and he also retires with the most wins in the history of the Indians/Guardians. During his 11 seasons as their manager, Francona only posted two losing seasons and never finished below 3rd place. He would also lead his teams to the playoffs six times, winning 4 division titles and 1 Pennant. It was also in Cleveland, where he won his 3 Manager of the Year Awards. All of which elevated him to a Hall of Fame Certainty. In fact, of the 12 men that rank ahead of him in terms of Major League wins, 10 of them are already in, while 2 of them (Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker) are still active and will also receive plaques after their careers conclude. And how much was he beloved in Cleveland? In his final home game despite his best efforts to avoid fanfare, Guardians star 3rd Baseman Jose Ramirez blocked Francona from entering the dugout so that he could appreciate the standing ovation given by his legions of fans. Congrats to an all-time legend on an incredible career!