Cleveland Indians extend manager Terry Francona through 2022

The Cleveland Indians realize they have an excellent manager in Terry Francona, and are making sure he sticks around.

The youth movement is in full swing in every aspect of Major League Baseball. Not only are teams looking to lock in their younger players instead of signing aging veterans in free agency, but they are also trending towards younger managers as well. The likes of Joe Maddon and Terry Francona, managers who have been around the game seemingly forever, are coming to an end.

However, the Cleveland Indians know what they have with Francona. Rather than gamble on a younger manager, they have extended their skipper through 2022.

Should Francona last through his extension, his Cleveland tenure will be the longest of his career. This extension would keep Francona with the Indians for nine years, surpassing his eight seasons in Boston and four years in Philadelphia.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

It is not absurd to regard Francona as a future Hall of Famer. Heading into action on Wednesday, Francona had a lifetime 1576-1342 record on the bench, winning the Manager of the Year award in 2013 and 2016. His guidance helped the Red Sox end the Curse of the Bambino, as he led the team to their World Series championships in 2004 and 2007.

Although he has not won the championship in Cleveland, his tenure has been a success. The Indians have reached the postseason in four of his six full seasons on the bench, winning the AL pennant in 2016. Cleveland entered this season as the clear favorites in a weak AL Central, as Francona is expected to get his fifth crack at the postseason with the Tribe.

While he is already a likely Hall of Fame manager, Cleveland is giving him a chance to further cement his legacy. He already helped break one curse in Boston, and his run of success since leaving Philadelphia is certainly remarkable. However, if he does manage to end the Curse of Rocky Colavito in Cleveland, and bring home a World Series, Cooperstown could start creating his plaque right then.

The Cleveland Indians know what they have in Terry Francona. Extending him for an additional two seasons is the right move.