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Red Sox notebook: Francona keeps to routine before must-win game

Posted October 18, 2007 11:00 pm

Mike Fine

Terry Francona walked into Jacobs Field at about 10 a.m. Thursday, about 10 hours and 20 minutes before the first scheduled pitch for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series with the Indians.

In other words, nothing had changed for the Red Sox manager. This is something he might have done three months ago for a game against the Devil Rays. Francona and his coaches followed their regular routine despite the fact that the Sox were facing elimination from the playoffs, coming in with a 1-3 deficit.

"I think we have a consistent enough approach, and that's what we try for all year, where you don't have to hit a button or give a speech or do anything like that," Francona said. "Try and approach each game as if it's the last game you'll ever play. We've tried to do that for the most part -- treat every game like it's the only one that counts, so when you get into the game it is the only one that counts and you don't have to do anything different.

"I think you're fighting odds. I understand the ramifications what you're up against, and you might use your bullpen a little differently, but as far as acting differently, I don't think it helps to act differently and I think if you try to fake it, that doesn't help, either. You try to become consistent so big games don't become too big and you play as good as you can play. That's kind of what we're shooting for."

Nor would Francona indulge in any closed-door meetings and rah-rah speeches.

It's just not his style.

"No, I don't know that I ever have," he said. "The only time I had meetings where I yelled was after games. I could never fake being mad, and you're not mad the next day."

"Sometimes in that situation, saying something is negative because it shows a sense of panic sometimes," said catcher Doug Mirabelli. "There's a lot of professional guys in the clubhouse who knew what was at stake. It just comes down to winning ballgames. It's not something where you go out there and rah-rah and win a ballgame. You put your horses on the field every day, you've got your nine guys, your 10 guys you can throw out there every day and they win you ballgames and that's what we need to happen now."

"This isn't football," Francona said. "It's not like you can get so much adrenalin that you win the line of scrimmage. Sometimes you've gotta throttle back, which can be just as important. You've gotta stay with what you do."

In the case of the Indians, at least, players have taken it upon themselves to give the speeches. Before Thursday's workouts, Indians outfielder Trot Nixon was in the middle of a huddle of players, giving a little speech.

"Yesterday was nothing out of the ordinary," said Indians manager Eric Wedge. "He's taken on a leadership role from Day One. Trot has handled things the way a leader should over the course of a year, and other people have grown right along with him."

Support for Torre

Francona and Wedge were squarely behind Joe Torre's decision not to accept a one-year offer to re-sign with the Yankees.

"I hope Joe is happy," Francona said. "I think he deserves the respect, and I think you're going to hear people in baseball, every area of baseball, say very, very kind, respectful things about Joe the next couple of days, and they're all deserved."

"I think Joe is one of the greatest managers of all time," Wedge said. "I've got a great deal of respect for him as a human being as well as a baseball man, and with what he's accomplished, I think he should manage as long as he wants to manage. I know there's a business side of it, but from what I understand, for him to look at that and say no, good for him.

"Y'know what? He's earned and deserves to do whatever the heck he wants to do."

What firestorm?

Francona said that he didn't see Manny Ramirez's rare interview session Wednesday, but wasn't overly concerned about the firestorm it apparently raised back home, when people heard him say that there's always next year if the Sox lost this series.

"I have a pretty good feeling that it's Manny saying, 'we're fine,'" he said. "A guy shows up after getting in at 5 o'clock in the morning (after a team flight) to hit. He was there yesterday hitting and taking grounders and fly balls. That speaks louder than maybe … however it came out."

Looking ahead

Scheduled to start Game 6, if there was going to be one, Curt Schilling reluctantly flew home at about 5 p.m.

Schilling came to Jacobs Field early, went through his throwing routine and then left.

No other Sox pitchers joined him.

Just a coincidence

Yes, that was Sox starter Josh Beckett's ex flame, country singer Danielle Peck, singing the national anthem.

A total coincidence, said the Indians.

"Honestly," said Indians spokesman Bob DiBiasio. "She's from Ohio. Her entire family are Indians fans. We did not know anything about her connections to Beckett. The next day, we find out the rest of the story. How are we supposed to know who Josh Beckett dates?"

Etc.

Francona said Jonathan Papelbon's role -- two innings of relief in Game 2 -- was not considered minor. "That's pretty major for me."... Ramirez came into the game needing one hit to match Pete Rose's record LCS hitting streak of 15 games. … The Indians became the 66th LCS or World Series team to hold a 3-1 advantage. The team holding that advantage went on to win the series 55 times. … Francona said his father, Tito, was going to stop by after having done so briefly twice before. Once, though, security wouldn't let him down to the clubhouse. "He lives and dies with each game," the younger Francona said. "This has been good for him. He looks terrific. It seems like every time he has a heart attack he looks better."

-- The Patriot Ledger

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