One month ago, the Cleveland Indians may have seemed like a longshot to make the playoffs. Things changed in a hurry. Terry Francona led his team to a 21-6 record over the month of September. The Indians have clinched one of the two American League wild card spots by getting hot at the perfect time. So what was the secret, Skip?
What was Indians' secret to success in September? "We stayed away from chicken and beer," Francona quipped.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) September 30, 2013
Ah, yes — it was only a matter of time. The September Francona enjoyed with his new team this season was one that ended with 10 straight victories. It was the complete opposite of what happened in his last season as the manager of the Boston Red Sox, when Boston’s pitching staff was accused of caring more about beer, fried chicken and video games than winning. Some even blamed Francona for losing control of his team.
Most people believe the Red Sox tried to smear Francona’s name on his way out the door, and it’s hard to disagree with that. He was one of the most successful managers in franchise history and he had his name sullied by a few morons who obviously didn’t care about anything other than their paycheck.
Good for Tito. He inherited an Indians team that went 68-94 last season and led it to the playoffs in his first season in Cleveland. John Farrell did the same in Boston with a team that had 69 wins in 2012. The situation appears to have worked out for everyone. It’s now officially safe to joke about it.
H/T CBS Boston
