Fansided

Francona: We stayed away from chicken and beer

By Andrew Melnick

Sep 26, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona walks back to the dug out after making a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona walks back to the dug out after making a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 26, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona walks back to the dug out after making a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona walks back to the dug out after making a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s been a fantastic season for the Cleveland Indians. They have won 10 straight games to finish with a 92-70 record and take one of the American League’s two wild card spots.

Terry Francona, who was hired as the Indians’ manager before the season, knows the reason for their success.

“We stayed away from chicken and beer,” Francona joked via the Associated Press. “That helped.”

After leading the Boston Red Sox to world championships in 2004 and 2007, Francona was fired after a disaster in 2011. The Red Sox looked like the best team in baseball for a large chunk of of the season, but collapsed and missed the postseason. Players eating chicken and drinking beer was cited as one of the reasons for the collapse.

Now, after that tumultuous end to his Red Sox tenure, Francona is enjoying his return to baseball.

“This team grew on me really quickly,” Francona said. “It’s pretty obvious, I’m pretty fond of this team. We could have lost the last couple games and I would have been very disappointed, but it wouldn’t have changed my feelings for my team. It’s not been a big secret that I love where I work. I respect my bosses. I care about them greatly.”

The Indians await the winner of Monday night’s game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers. Whoever wins that game will take on the Red Sox Friday.

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