Eric Seidman over at Statistically Speaking is working on a book, and as part of this book, he takes a look at the Michael Jordan baseball era. Who was the manager? None other than our very own Terry Francona, then in the Chicago White Sox system. In 1994, Francona was coming off a season where he was named Baseball America’s Minor League Manager of the Year and did a Q+A session with a commemorative program from the Birmingham Barons, unavailable anywhere else online. Eric was gracious enough to type up the interview for Fire Brand of the American League, so thank you, Eric! Here, we break down Francona in 1994 with the Francona of now…
Terry, congratulations on the accomplishments, please explain to us how it makes you feel.
Thank you. I am very proud of that. I look at this as an organizational award because I was fortunate enough to be around players who cared about improving. They worked hard, followed instructions, and played well together. That made my job easier.
Typical Francona. He looks at an award awarded to him as an organizational award. If (when) he wins the Major League Baseball Manager of the Year award, I have a feeling you’re going to hear a similar answer given — that it’s an organizational award more than anything else because everyone committed themselves to Francona and got Francona the award. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one self-serving statement by him made publicly, and the closest was during the recent contractual negotiations when he was unsure if they would be able to strike an agreement.
You’ve been around baseball all of your life. Your father played in the majors and your playing and now coaching career. Is there a manager or player who has influenced you more than any other?
I played for 22 managers and I’ve been around so many great players I think a little has rubbed off from everyone.
Again, typical Francona. He doesn’t single out any one person for influencing him to be the manager he was, because naming some people without naming some others might be viewed as a slight — “they didn’t help me be Minor League Manager of the Year” — so he says he’s been influenced by everyone he’s come in contact with. Probably true, but I bet if you got his candid thoughts, he’d come up with a few who really influenced him. But only off the record.
Baseball is a game of firsts: first strike on a batter, first out in an inning, first run in a game. How important are “firsts” to you?
Extremely important. I preach with the pitchers to throw strike one. It puts the offensive team on the defensive. If we are ahead by a run in the ninth inning and we get the first out it takes away a number of options for the other team, like a sacrifice, a steal, a hit and run.
I like this, because it sheds some light on his philosophy. Of course, it makes complete sense to get the first strike and first out, right? If Josh Beckett threw strike one 100 percent of the time and got the first out 100 percent of the time in 2007, his ERA would probably be 0.50. Still, it’s nice to know that even way back in 1994, Francona knew the importance of strike one. I know John Farrell, the pitching coach, stresses strike one, so it seems the two are on the same page there. Interestingly, Francona’s first thought wasn’t “It takes away a man on base that could be driven in by a homerun” as is apt to be thought of by American League managers. (Yes, he managed the Phillies, but remember — this was when he was with the White Sox.) No, he instantly thought about sacrifices, steals and hit and runs. I like this. We don’t see sacrifices (and until last year, steals) often, so the fact that Francona considers this in his decisions is nice. If the offense is struggling, he’ll turn to more smallball tactics to get things done.
As a manager you have to make some tough decisions that may result in a loss. Do you usually go by percentages or your gut feeling?
Both. In baseball you always try to play by the percentages, but when you’ve around the same guys for five months you really know them. It would be silly not to go with your gut instinct as you see fit.
He hasn’t changed here, either. There are times where he plays percentages and times where he makes inexplicable moves that sometimes pay off and sometimes not. The time to go with your gut, however, has to be the right time — not the wrong time. If it’s Game 7 of the World Series and you have Trot Nixon on-deck and the opposing team brings in Mike Myers, you really need to pinch-hit for Nixon, gut be damned.
How much of a role does a manager have in changing pitchers? If a reliever is needed; who tells the bullpen what pitcher to warm up?
It’s the manager’s decision to change pitchers. But I’ve never hesitated to ask (pitching coach) Kirk Champion if he thinks a pitcher is ready to come out. Before each game we discuss each scenario and we know who to pitch and when, so no discussions have to take place during the game.
I like this, but I also am a little apprehensive about it as well. On one hand, it’s great to know which pitchers are available and in which situations you will use them. But… isn’t there any room for flexibility? For extenuating circumstances? Let’s say the Red Sox are beating the Yankees 6-4 in September, and the Yankees are in second place, a game behind the Red Sox. It’s the last game of the series and Papelbon successfully closed out the two prior games, both against the Yankees. He’s been deemed unavailable. Hideki Okajima comes in and walks the first two batters (prompting a visit from John Farrell), then gives up a double. It’s second and third and it’s now 6-5. (This is in Yankee Stadium, by the way.) Okajima goes to a full count, then walks the bases loaded. Everyone but Papelbon and the last man standing in the bullpen (say, Kyle Snyder) has pitched. Are you telling me Francona isn’t walking out there and signaling for Papelbon? i hope he does.
Minor league teams play 140 games a year with rarely a day off. But before nearly every game you conduct batting practice. Why?
The players need practice and instruction to improve. That is why they are in the minors. The two results you want from batting practice are timing and confidence. You want the players to feel they can hit anybody in any situation.
Isn’t batting practice done all the time in the major league level too? Not sure where this question is coming from, but I couldn’t agree more with the answer — and it applies to the major league level, too.
Do you speak to other managers about coaching philosophies and, if so, do you ever incorporate someone else’s style?
I have to be myself. If I’m going to be a bad manager I want to take the blame.
He sort of already answered this question earlier, so he avoids the reporter clearly trying to pull a name out of him. Francona says he’s just going to be himself. Also, he mentions something that I talked about in an earlier article with Francona — when the going goes good, he credits his players. When it goes bad, he blames himself. That’s the name of the game as the manager, and he recognized it early on.
The Barons are trailing 12-1 in the late innings. What are you thinking?
I look for some positive situations to share with the players. I’ll give someone a chance who doesn’t play much to get an at-bat.
Of course. It’s a blowout, and you need to get your bench players into the game to prevent your starters from getting hurt and also to keep your bench players’ timing intact. There’s not much positivity in a game like this, but if he can find anything positive and work on boosting people instead of tearing them down, that’ll work every time.
Do you have any superstitions? What is your game day preparation?
No superstitions. When things are going well I don’t like to break things up, but that’s just common sense. I like to get to the park early so I can post everything. The lineup, batting practice time, and so on. I want the guys to know what’s going on when they come in.
Francona has been notorious on the Red Sox for always coming in very early (sometimes spending the night at the park) so this isn’t news. There’s also been quite a bit made (by the players) on Francona being very upfront about the lineup and telling players well in advance when they are playing and when they are sitting. I believe this is one of Francona’s best traits, and it’s evident it started early. I’m not a fan of the “common sense” of keeping things intact if things are going well. Rob Neyer actually mentioned this earlier today in his blog about playing Juan Pierre over Andre Ethier: “The worst thing is for the Dodgers to get off to a good start with Pierre in the lineup — regardless of how well he’s playing — because then Torre might resist making the sensible move until well into the summer.”
Exactly. Exactly. The Red Sox got to Game 6 of the 2006 ALCS before Francona finally caved and put in Jacoby Ellsbury. I think we got lucky. Ellsbury should have been in a lot sooner. This may be one of Francona’s (few, in my opinion) big mistakes as a manager, but you could do worse by showing your players you will stick with them through thick and thin.
Do the White Sox give you restrictions on ballplayers?
The White Sox tell us what they expect out of us and the ballclub. We want to give these guys the best chance possible to show they can play in the majors.
A standard answer.
So there you have it: a look at Terry Francona circa-1994. A lot like the same Francona 14 years later, wouldn’t you say?
Prior Terry Francona articles on Fire Brand:
- Terry Francona: One of the greatest managers in the game: January 2008, the Sox still haven’t signed Francona to an extension, and I don’t know why.
- Tito hurting Sox