Indians: Tribe on pace for another post-season push despite optics

Under Terry Francona, you can bet on the Indians competing for the playoffs.

The one thing you can rely on from a Terry Francona-led Indians’ team is that the first month or so of action is going to be dodgy. He’s been the manager of the Indians for eight complete seasons and has taken the team to the playoffs five of those eight years (with an assist in 2020 to Sandy Alomar). He should’ve gone in six of those eight but 93 wins weren’t enough in 2019.

In fact, through the first month or so of the season, Francon’s record is a less than stellar 99-104. That’s not a great record through the first month and change of the regular season. In fact, he’s had a losing or .500 record in the opening month five of those times.

"’13: 11-13’14: 11-17’15: 7-14’16: 10-11’17: 14-10’18: 15-12’19: 16-12’20: 5-3’21: 12-12"

So yes, the Indians aren’t backed by the most consistent of hitters in 2021 or the best batting averages but like all of those years prior, the Indians are keeping their distance and waiting to strike.

This is how it is with Terry Francona at the helm.

The Tribe is backed by a solid, but overall underperforming, group of starters (save for Shane Bieber) and a lights-out bullpen. The offense has been spotty at best from time to time but that’s a recurring motif of the Francona-led squad. They eventually find their rhythm. They always seem to under Francona.

The other things that usually happen are twofold.

1. The Indians always call up some talent.
2. The Indians seem to always make a big (or biggish) trade for someone.

Those two things will likely happen again in 2021. Guys like Nolan Jones and Bobby Bradley are due up full-time this year, and the Tribe, despite their penny-pinching ways, has always opened up the checkbook to chase down a potential trade asset.

While names like Carlos Santana, Francisco Lindor, and Carlos Carrasco are all gone, it still feels like business as usual in Cleveland. Another typical Francona-led season and that means another chance at post-season glory.