Cleveland Guardians skipper Terry Francona was named a finalist for 2022 and Cleveland's success shows why he should win the award.
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,
After playing for him for just one year, Steven Kwan said,
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.
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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