MLB WINTER MEETINGS

December 6, 2022

Terry Francona

Cleveland Guardians

Press Conference

Q. Talk about what Josh Bell brings to the table. What have you seen from him?

TERRY FRANCONA: We can't talk about players that we haven't signed. So I think hypothetically we can say we're certainly looking to get better. And when it's appropriate, I'll be happy to talk about anybody when it's appropriate. Not something we can do right now.

Q. From afar, just as a baseball connoisseur, to improve your team, what are some of the areas you feel you want to improve?

TERRY FRANCONA: It can kind of change because one (indiscernible), our catcher is a free agent. So he's earned that right. We love him. There's no getting around that. But he's earned the right.

So things don't always happen like at the Winter Meetings. I laugh when I see people say, well they won the Winter Meetings. The season hasn't even started. And we try to stay in our lane a little bit, because if you don't, sometimes you don't get anything done.

So our guys do a good job of that, trying to figure out how we can get better. And if it makes a splash, good. Sometimes they don't make a splash but they still make us better.

Q. How far in advance do talks between yourself and upper management as far as planning out seasons ahead and things of that nature?

TERRY FRANCONA: We talk probably almost every day. We don't have to have meetings just because we talk so much. They know how I feel and how they feel. Like, we don't have to set up meetings. We just talk. It's good.

Q. How important is it to find a little more right-handed balance in the lineup?

TERRY FRANCONA: That would be something that's on our radar. Maybe we could, I don't want to say put a little fear, but put some thump against some lefties in the middle that maybe we were lacking at times. So that's something that's definitely our radar.

Q. You guys got a little bit of an extended look at Bo in Spring Training because I know you guys loved what you saw from him and then quick look at the end of the season. But in that limited time and what you heard from the scouting reports, what did you learn about him more this year than --

TERRY FRANCONA: You talking about Bo Naylor? We love the kid. How do you not? He's a great kid. And his year this year was phenomenal. I mean, he went back to repeat Double-A because it was a little bit of a struggle the year before.

Not only does he do great there, but he goes to Triple-A and continues, not just continues hitting, but learning how to run the game and caring about the right things.

His future is really, really bright. Is that Opening Day? I don't know if we know. Not even sure if we know it's -- there's things we need to answer. But if you're asking if we love him, yes.

Q. Tito, how concerned are you about catcher? Right now you don't have one.

TERRY FRANCONA: I know. But I'm telling you, and I'm being as honest as I can, when the season starts we will have a catcher catching. I promise you. Just, the Winter Meetings, you hear, like, these guys won the Winter Meetings. We need to be patient sometimes.

Chris and Chernoff, they -- I don't know how it's viewed from afar, but from us that are with them, they've earned our trust. We know how they operate and how they work. And they'll figure something out.

Q. Is Hedges still on the radar?

A. Yes.

Q. How (indiscernible) to be named first-team for the All-MLB team? How enjoyable is it for you to watch?

TERRY FRANCONA: It allows me the platform to brag, which I love. He's come so far in a short period of time. And pretty cool. I mean, not just the results on the field but watching him grow as a teammate and the responsibility, the accountability of being available so much. And he had a lot of appearances. It was really fun to watch.

Q. Do you anticipate many of your guys playing in the WBC?

TERRY FRANCONA: Probably. Probably. I know we have a lot that are eligible. Even guys that aren't on our Major League team yet. I think there was, like, 19 potential names. I don't think it would be anywhere near that. It's a little difficult because huge arm. Huge arm.

At the same time, as a pitcher, we've got guys like Triston. Triston threw close to 200 innings last year. He would be a guy that, if anything, we'd probably slow play any in Spring Training to build him up. Then you're throwing in front of 50,000 people, breaking off breaking balls, trying to -- before you're ready.

So it worries us. But we will do our best to support the guys that want to because it is an honor.

Q. You've got three guys from Canada.

TERRY FRANCONA: I know.

Q. Would you let Bo Naylor go? Is it important for him to play --

TERRY FRANCONA: How do you not? I mean, I do think -- like I remember Gomes that one spring didn't go and he stayed. And it really helped him. But how do you tell somebody they can't represent their country? I don't feel good about that.

Q. Do you think there will be many changes for preparation purposes in Spring Training with the rules changes, with infield shift limitations or pitch clock? Do you foresee any of that being different?

TERRY FRANCONA: So the pitch clock, they're going to introduce it in the spring, which is good because my guess is in April you're going to probably see some incidents. It's inevitable. Hitters are going to step out or somebody's going to get a ball. There will probably be some a few things that happen.

I do think from listening how it was introduced in the minor leagues, knowing our players, they'll make the adjustment -- they'll make the adjustment. You might see it, a couple things in April. But I think because you're working on spring -- plus, we're young. Our guys are probably going to have less trouble than maybe some of the veterans.

Q. Does the shift rule, is that going to help Jose and Naylor and those guys like that?

TERRY FRANCONA: I think you're going to see those hitters, their batting average probably -- the ball you're going to see that is that line drive to short right because you're still going to see shifting. Like you're going to see the guy up the middle, just not all the way over.

You'll see the second baseman way over, but you can't go out and get that short line drive to right. I just hope that it doesn't encourage bad hitting. Like I hope that the unintended consequences don't leak in where guys are really trying to pull now and you see more strikeouts.

Q. Does the hope that with a normal offseason with Josh Naylor is that he would be able to be almost back like 100 percent preinjury, or do they have an idea how much he can get back to normal?

TERRY FRANCONA: I think our trainers really think that another year removed is going to be really good for him. I think he's committed to trying to slim down just a little bit because he does have an issue with his leg. It's real.

So we've talked to him about that. I'm even going to reach out to him -- in fact, I was thinking about it today about going back to the outfield a little bit just to create some versatility. If we can do things like that, DH somebody. But I didn't think last year -- we started the year the first maybe two weeks in right. I didn't think sending him back and forth was fair to him.

Q. Losing Brian Sweeney, how big a loss is that for you?

TERRY FRANCONA: My cribbage partner. I know in Cleveland he's viewed as the lineman that misses the block. They don't appreciate the dirty work he does, but when he gives it up, they kind of -- he just he saved our staff so many times.

There would be games where we run out of pitching and he would pop his head in and go I've got three tomorrow. I'd be like -- he goes I can do it. And he goes -- and he meant it. Now, he probably meant more to me maybe than or was appreciated more by me and the coaches than maybe some of the fans.

Q. Speaking of that, Matt Quatraro, when he was on your staff, did you see him as a future --

TERRY FRANCONA: No, I thought he was brutal. (Laughter) I'm so happy for him. He's so good. Such a good guy. I don't know what their win loss record was because you don't know. Teams are different. But he's really good. He'll be a fun guy to play for. Those guys will enjoy him.

Q. When you guys brought him over, what were your first impressions or what did he bring to you guys?

TERRY FRANCONA: He was the second hitting guy. So you're kind of in a -- what's the word -- subservient, when you're second; you're not really leading.

We didn't really get to -- his ideas, it was more like Vanbow's (phonetic) ideas and Q was there to support. But we had heard so many good things about him we wanted to get him in the organization.

And when you get good guys, you know they're going to get better jobs and leave. And that's what happened.

Q. Chris was saying looks like you're going to replace the bullpen coach internally. Are you close to that?

TERRY FRANCONA: It will be internally. We're kind of working through that right now. But we are going to stay internal. We know that.

Q. Is Arizona going to keep scoring 95 points a game?

TERRY FRANCONA: Did you see the Utah game? Not you -- you're not allowed to -- I mean I love Tommy Lloyd. I have like a man crush on him. But I don't know if they're as good as fourth.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

TERRY FRANCONA: Yeah, but I mean they're probably like 12th, 13th, like they're going to lose some games this year.

Q. How many players on that roster can you spell their name?

TERRY FRANCONA: Two. (Laughter.)

It's unbelievable. It's like a European professional league. But he's a really good coach.

Q. When you think about what happened last season, do you almost -- is it hard to repeat a year like that? Just kind of really not come out of nowhere, but really take a lot of people by surprise?

TERRY FRANCONA: You know what? So you want to be a little careful about, like, pounding your chest, like, how many come-from-behind wins we had. I was really proud of them for that because they kept playing. There's something to be said for that.

But could you have the same approach next year and you might not win some of those games. Josh Naylor hits a home run to left field with two strikes. I mean, there were some games -- again, you're proud of the way they competed. But you might play the same exact play and have to win or have to play better to have the same record.

I mean, I think we're going to have to find ways to be ahead and not play from behind or it's going to be harder for us to win that amount of games. I think there's something to be said for that.

But some of these guys also have a year of experience under their belt. We just have to remind them as you gain experience, the game slows down for you, but we can't slow down the way we play. We still need to make teams try to play at our pace. And I'm confident that they'll be fine with that. It was a pretty fun group.