The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Francona: Kluber’s back was not hurt
Indians manager Terry Francona is not a gracious loser, and he makes no apologies for it
“For me, personally, it will be hard to watch the rest of baseball,” Francona said on Oct. 13 when he, team president Chris Antonetti and General Manager Mike Chernoff conducted a season wrap-up news conference at Progressive Field just two days after the Indians were eliminated by the Yankees in the ALDS. “When we lost (the World Series) last year, it was over. There was no more baseball. When we lose, I want everybody to lose, and it’s not going to happen. That’s a hard one to swallow.”
“When baseball’s over, I’ll feel better because it’s a natural feeling that it hurts. You want to be a part of it and you’re not. It’s hard not to be jealous — a lot of things you’re not proud of. But when it’s over, you can take a deep breath because nobody else is playing and then maybe start thinking more positively about next year.”
It turns out Corey Kluber’s back wasn’t the problem after all. The Tribe’s ace just pitched poorly in the two biggest games of the year and now the Indians are watchers instead of players in the ALCS.
Comments by Francona the day before Game 5 of the ALDS and comments he made after Kluber
“When we lose, I want everybody to lose, and it’s not going to happen. That’s a hard one to swallow.” — Indians manager Terry Francona
gave up two home runs in the 7-3 loss in the elimination game left the impression Kluber pitched with a back injury. Kluber missed a month early in the season with the injury.
“I think he’s probably making sure that that back doesn’t act up or things like that,” Francona said Oct. 10, and then after being ousted by the Yankees a night later said, “I think he’s fighting a lot, and I think you also have to respect the fact that guy wants to go out there and he’s our horse. And sometimes it doesn’t work.”
Francona did not pin being eliminated by the Yankees, three games to two, entirely
on Kluber. He talked about the Indians’ quiet bats, too, but he got a little angry when asked about Kluber pitching injured.
“I didn’t ever say that,” Francona said. “I think you guys took that and ran with it. I said that he was maintaining his back exercises. I never said his back hurt, ever. I don’t doubt it was the interpretation but I never said that. His back was the same as it had been all year.
“The biggest thing I told Klubes before Game 5 was, ‘You’re our guy, obviously, just want to make sure something isn’t bothering you or you’re not telling us.’ And he said, ‘I’m fine.’ … He still says he’s fine. With all the things that didn’t go right, his two starts, it’s just hard to imagine he would be leaving games when he did. That was not something that we expected.
It’s going to be hard to win a series when that happens.”
Kluber was 18-4 in the regular season. He started Game 2 of the ALDS with the Yankees. He gave up two home runs, six runs in all, in 2 2/3 innings. The Indians went on to win, 9-8, and take a 2-0 series lead on the Yankees.
Francona set up his rotation to have Kluber ready for Game 5 if necessary. The Indians lost Games 3 and 4. Kluber started poorly again. He gave up two more home runs and left with the Indians trailing, 3-0 in the fourth. There was no comeback this time, which is why the Indians are out of the playoffs after winning an A.L. best 102 games in the regular season.
Kluber’s problems were physical, but not from injury.
“For whatever reason, his arm slot as he got into the
games was kind of getting lower and lower, which meant his fastball was becoming flatter and flatter,” Francona said.
The Indians had three chances to eliminate the Yankees, but were eliminated instead. They lost the last three games of the 2016 World Series to the Cubs.
Francona said it is too simple to say the Indians lack a killer instinct.
“We won 102 games,” Francona said. “The playoffs are a completely different animal. Last year we won that first game, albeit with little different methods. Then we got hot as all get-out and probably played better than we had during the season.
“This year it went the other way. Unfortunately that happens. You can’t push a button and play your best baseball, or believe me, we would.”