AL WILD CARD SERIES: RAYS VS GUARDIANS

October 7, 2022

Terry Francona

Progressive Field

Cleveland Guardians

Postgame Press Conference

Cleveland Guardians - 2, Tampa Bay Rays - 1

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Tito.

Q. Could you start with how good Shane was today?

TERRY FRANCONA: He sure was. He sure was. What did he have eight strike outs, one walk. We talked, I don't know if it was before the game or yesterday about how athletic they are, how well they run the bases. Not giving 'em walks and keeping 'em off the base, not pitching out of the stretch was really big because we saw, we get somebody out of the stretch, they're going to run.

Q. You always talk about whenever guys are going the other way you know that they're going right in the seats. José takes a home run the other way and slapped a single the other way --

TERRY FRANCONA: I actually even the other day, the last day, I know he was hitting on 29, and everybody was wanting it -- and I understand why they want him to get 30. But he hit the double the other way. He had a bunch of hits that were staying through the ball. Balls will go out just because he's a really good hitter.

Q. What did you see with Amed at second base and did you have any concern when they went to the replay?

TERRY FRANCONA: There's always concern. We called Barney and Barney said no, he touched it. Just when they start huddling like that, you start to get a little nervous.

Q. It didn't look like your guys were, like the moment wasn't too big. Did you feel like they were themselves and not covertly --

TERRY FRANCONA: I hope not.

Q. Well, no --

TERRY FRANCONA: That would be not good. We're not shooting for that. No. I thought, again, everything they do this year a lot of it is because for the first time. They can't help it. It's just, they're living through it for the first time.

But all the things we try to live by, they do, and hopefully that will carry us awhile longer. I mean, I understand why we have to answer those questions, because they haven't done it before. But it's not their fault. Some of them did it in AA and they actually won. But, I mean, it's just, they're just young.

Q. Is there any irony in the fact that we're talking about this style of play and stringing hits together and taking extra bases and it's the home run ball?

TERRY FRANCONA: Two home runs, theirs and ours. Yeah, I know. Well, thankfully that or we might still be playing because both pitchers were, I mean, their guy was really good. When you start touching 98 and you got this and that, that was pretty impressive.

Q. What's the thought process for someone like Clase who typically doesn't get an out and then sit and then have to ramp back up and go for the 9th? Is there a certain amount of time in the dugout that would be too long or something to send him back out for a 9th inning?

TERRY FRANCONA: In a playoff game? I would say an hour, hour and a half. I mean, we told him a couple days ago that this is what we plan on doing, just so, we're not trying to surprise our guys. But he's so efficient. I think he only threw like 12 pitches. But, no, unless there's a rain delay, he's going back out. That's why we brought him in.