Francona, Tribe agree to two-year extension

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

In two seasons, Terry Francona helped turn the Cleveland Indians back into contenders.

He’ll get more time to make them champions.

Francona and the Indians agreed Tuesday to a two-year contract extension, a deal which carries through the 2018 season and includes team options for 2019 and 2020.

Financial terms of the extension were not immediately known.

Francona has been worth every penny since the Indians hired him following a disastrous, 94-loss season in 2012. He’s helped reshape the team’s culture, infused enthusiasm into the organization and made Cleveland a more attractive destination for free agents. Players want to play for Francona.

“As excited as we were on the day we hired him, we’re even more excited today, having the benefit of working alongside him for the last two years,” said general manager Chris Antonetti, who believes Francona can help sell the Indians to free agents. “If you survey the player community, Tito is as well regarded as any manager for the environment he creates in the clubhouse and how much players enjoy and respect playing for him.”

The Indians approached Francona about the extension late last season, and it didn’t take the sides long to reach an agreement.

“I always wanted to be part of the solution,” Francona said. “I just didn’t want to come for a few years and move on. That was never my goal. I wanted to come and stay.”

The Indians have gone 177-147 under Francona, who won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox. The Indians went 92-70 in Francona’s first season, winning a wild-card spot and making the postseason for the first time since 2007. He was named AL manager of the year.

Francona may have actually done a better job in 2014.

Despite injuries, trades, a leaky defense and sub-par seasons from several key players, Francona kept the Indians in the wild-card race. He was forced at times to play several rookies, but Francona was able to mix and match lineups and he got the most out of his bullpen.

The Indians finished 85-77 and dropped to third in the AL Central. However, Francona had the Indians close until the final weekend and the club finished with consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2000-01.

“I think the job he did this past season was equally as good, if not better than the job he did in 2013,” Antonetti said. “I think that consistency in the way he approaches each day allows him to be able to maintain that success year after year.”

Since 2004, Francona’s teams have posted 10 consecutive winning seasons. Francona has endeared himself to his players with his openness and honesty, and the man known as “Tito” has become popular with Cleveland fans.

Francona’s extension coincides with the Indians locking up several young players to long-term deals. Over the past year, the club has signed All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley, second baseman Jason Kipnis and catcher Yan Gomes to multi-year contracts, giving Francona a strong nucleus of players to build around.