AL DIVISION SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 17, 2022

Terry Francona

Yankee Stadium

Cleveland Guardians

Pregame 5 Press Conference

Q. I'm guessing you were in this weather meeting, anything to glean out of it?

TERRY FRANCONA: Yeah, we're going to meet again at 6:00, just knowing that there's some potential weather. So we'll meet again at 6:00 and go from there.

Q. This is your seventh winner take-all game, I know you're not a guy that looks back on anything in the heat of the moment, what is it like today? Is it different than a normal day or normal playoff game when it's a Game 5 or a Game 7?

TERRY FRANCONA: You're right, I don't look back much. I try to stay in the moment, but I've been in the game a long time because of that. My feeling is that we really need to win tonight. That's kind of what I've learned over the years (laughter) That's kind of how I feel.

I would say there's a lot of excitement. We have a chance to come into Yankee Stadium, knock them out and move on. If you can't get excited for that, man, you don't have a heartbeat.

Q. Have you or do you plan on addressing your team, and if so, what would your message be to them before tonight?

TERRY FRANCONA: I'm not planning on addressing them, and I don't want to make them nervous.

They are fine. We meet before the series and we talk about certain things that we think could be relevant. But once the series starts, we're fine. This isn't like a Sunday football game where we need to get them all charged up and they're going to hit the Coke machine and try to run over the line and gain three yards.

They know what's going on. They are excited to play. I'm excited to watch them play, and hopefully, we're one run better and we can keep playing.

Q. What did you see from Civale down the stretch that made him effective? Was it health?

TERRY FRANCONA: Health. He had a lot of bumps in the road this year, different things. Once he was able to pitch with health, he looked like the guy that was going to make an All-Star Team last year. Spins the ball very well. And again I just told him last night, I said, hey, go pitch, you are probably going to see guys warming up in the pen, and I said don't let it -- just pitch. I'll come get you when I think it's the right time.

Q. Do you think that some of the bigger situations he pitched in down the stretch when you were fighting for the division helps prepare him for a night like this?

TERRY FRANCONA: It's up to us to take everything we have done and use it to our advantage. That's how we always feel, and whatever it may be, we try to take that and use it to our advantage.

Q. With the bullpen rested, was there a thought to more of a bullpen game today?

TERRY FRANCONA: No thought to an opener. And when you say bullpen game, I mean, there's a lot of guys that are available. But no, we like Civale. The longer he stays out there, the better off we are.

Q. With Taillon, you haven't faced him much --

TERRY FRANCONA: Who?

Q. I know I screwed that up.

TERRY FRANCONA: I'm like, the Italian guy (laughter)? Once a day, you get me.

Q. What do your scouting reports say about him?

TERRY FRANCONA: It's less hits than innings. Maybe not as many as Cole and maybe Cortes. Kind of an even-split guy, more even-split, left and right. He had a good year for them. He's a good pitcher. Again, we've got to make them work for everything they get and you hope that maybe they have to go to the bullpen before they want to. And then you hope you have something to show for it.

Q. With the weather, do you have a preference or would you not want to postpone the game for a couple hours or something or just say we'll play tomorrow? What are your thoughts?

TERRY FRANCONA: I think everybody was on the same page when we spoke; that as long as we can play the game and not have it look like it's going to get interrupted and have that force a little bit of an outcome, like to play.

But if the forecast gets worse, I get it. Just try to do what's right. If we're supposed to play; play.