AL DIVISION SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 14, 2022

Terry Francona

Yankee Stadium

Cleveland Guardians

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Guardians - 4, Yankees - 2

Q. Any particular plan on pitching to Judge? You've had a lot of success the first two games?

TERRY FRANCONA: I don't mean to be rude, but if I did, I'm not sure I'd really want to share it. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I think sometimes you know, hitters can't hit a button, and good as guys are, sometimes guys take 0-fors. Until you get through a series successfully, I don't think anybody is going to stand up here and pound our chest. He's too dangerous. We know that.

Q. Do you think that with the pressure he was under to hit those home runs at the end of the season, there might be some sort of letdown now?

TERRY FRANCONA: Oh, you're asking the wrong manager. You've got to ask Booney that. I've got my hands full with my group. I don't know. I honestly don't know. That's probably the last thing I thought about. He looks dangerous to me.

Q. You've been in this game for decades and decades.

TERRY FRANCONA: Long time. Thank you. That's a good way to start.

Q. Can you take us through the emotions of the game, the anxiety?

TERRY FRANCONA: You can usually tell the anxiety by the wads of gum and tobacco that are in front of me. That's a pretty big pile.

I kind of enjoyed today because we hung around. And I kept thinking, we are going to find a way. Jose is probably the only player in baseball that ends up on third with that ball. That's just -- he got that coming out of the box and he had the wherewithal knowing he could get to third. That was pretty remarkable.

Q. You're usage of Clase this year, with the playoffs in mind, extending him more in a big game like this, and does this remind you of the Papelbon usage back in 2007 with the Red Sox?

TERRY FRANCONA: Oh, boy, I can barely remember last week; way back when.

It changes. We don't script it out. It's kind of a popular saying but when you look at it, Clase threw, I think, three more pitches than Karinchak. So if he's not in a dangerous area, if he still looks effective, we are able to send him back out. If we had not scored, we weren't going to send him back out but when we scored, that's why we sent him. Try to make the best decisions you can.

Q. What does it say about the closeness of these teams that the game is decided on bloop hits?

TERRY FRANCONA: We seem to have played in a lot of games where that's the outcome. It's not an easy way to win but it doesn't mean you can't. And fortunately our guys keep plugging away and Gonzie -- he threw the ball right by Gonzie his first two pitches and then he hit it. Didn't hit it hard but he hit it. He got rewarded for it.

Q. What do games like this do for your blood pressure?

TERRY FRANCONA: I think my blood pressure is already kind of bad, so that's okay. I get it taken care of well before the game.

Q. What did you think of Bieber today?

TERRY FRANCONA: I thought he was really good. He tried to go down and away to Stanton and he went up. Stanton is so dangerous especially in this ball park. He knows he can reach those seats. Other than that, he didn't really give up anything. I thought he was terrific.

Q. Oscar has now driven in the winning run in two of your three wins in the postseason. Can you talk about what he brings to the team?

TERRY FRANCONA: Well, today, he hit it. And I mean, I'm being -- because if he strikes out, obviously we are not going to drive that run in. He has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark, like he did the other day. But he also has the awareness to shorten up enough. Getting the bat on the ball, gives you a chance. And he's young and he's still learning.

He's had a couple defensive miscues but he's still learning. Every time we play a game like this, it's good for these guys. When he was running at 3-2 Sarby is coaching from third and Sandy trying to get him to pick up the ball. Fortunately Naylor fouled off the first two because by the third time, he picked it up and he was able to score.