For Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, the team's press release of the ongoing discussions regarding a potential name change have been long overdue and discussed by him, team president Chris Antonetti, and general manager Mike Chernoff for years now in informal talks.
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 4, 2020
“I’ve been asked about, whether it’s our name or the Chief Wahoo, I think I would usually answer and say I know that we’re never trying to be disrespectful,” Francona told reporters in Sunday's press conference. “And I still feel that way. But I don’t think that’s a good enough answer today. I think its time to move forward."
Francona continued, "I think I lead the American League in errors made in life, which I'm not proud of. Even at my age, you don’t want to be too old to learn or to realize that, maybe I’ve been ignorant of some things, and to be ashamed of it, and to try to be better. I’m glad that we’re going to be open to listening, because I think that’s probably the most important thing right now, is being willing to listening, not necessarily just talk.”
You stay, I go. No following.
Francona announced that bench coach Brad Mills has opted out of the 2020 MLB season with the team to be with his family. Mills, 78, lost his 18-month-old grandson, Beau, in an accident in the family's home in February.
"I think it was agonizing for him to leave home. I think it was agonizing for him to leave here. I know in my heart that he made the right decision," Francona said regarding Mills' choice to opt out of the season. "If there’s ever a bittersweet moment, it was saying goodbye to him yesterday because I care about him enough that I know where he needs to be. But also, he’s been, I don’t know if it’s my left or right hand, but whichever one’s better, that’s the one he’s been."
Mills carried a lot of responsibility among the coaching staff. "Every coach has a description by his name," Francona said. "[Mills>, it didn’t matter that his [title> said ‘bench coach’ because he had so much responsibility with us. And that was because he deserved it and did a great job. ... “No one person will replace what he does, and we know that, and he knows that. I think it was a difficult decision for him. I almost wish it hadn’t been so difficult because I think I know in my heart where he needs to be, and that’s home right now.”
Squad Up!
Francona told reporters that intrasquad games would kickoff on Thursday evening to give a similar feel to the regular season. The team won't start out as a full simulated nine innings, but will as camp progresses. Some of the players on the taxi squad will be able to fill out the teams for full game simulating.
“My first observation is it may be different every day,” Francona said. “We're going to have to adjust as we go, even some of the things we have planned, we'll probably change depending on how players are feeling. If they feel like they're getting too much, if they feel like they're not getting enough, we'll have the ability to make changes, probably daily. And that's why we wanted to have the other camp running in a similar fashion, so we can pull guys over and have it disrupt the least amount possible.”
