Guardians Take First Step Toward Replacing Terry Francona
One of the biggest offseason storylines surrounding the Cleveland Guardians is the search for a new manager. Terry Francona has coached his final game as skipper after 11 wonderful years, leaving a huge hole in the dugout.
While the answer to the manager question is likely weeks (if not months) away from being revealed, Cleveland is wasting no time finding its solution.
The Cleveland #Guardians have already begun their interview process to replace manager Terry Francona.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 2, 2023
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Guardians' interview process for their next manager is already underway.
This honestly shouldn't be much of a surprise. Replacing a baseball giant like Tito is by no means easy, and the team would be lucky to find someone who enjoys even half the success he did in Cleveland.
It's going to take time to find someone the front office trusts to lead the next chapter after 11 seasons under one of the sport's best, so it's wise for the Guardians to already be in the throes of interview process.
Being a team eliminated from postseason contention actually helps in this case. Instead of balancing winning a series right now and thinking about the future, Cleveland can solely focus on this club's long-term outlook. That'll include finalizing a list of dream candidates to speak with and possible backups.
Watching the playoffs from home also means the front office can scout some coaches they think are deserving of a promotion to manager. After all, getting back to the postseason is the Guardians' goal, so this is the perfect time to see how potential candidates help their clubs perform on the biggest stage.
Expect a wide-ranging search as the Guardians look for their next head honcho. They could stick close to home, or they could take a chance on up-and-comer to lead the next era of Cleveland baseball.