CLEVELAND -- If you want to understand the relationship between Rays manager Kevin Cash and Guardians manager Terry Francona, you just had to hear the two ways Cash described Francona during his press conference Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field.
First, Cash called Francona “the most impactful person for me as far as baseball goes,” and raved about the way he treated people when Cash played for him in Boston and coached under him in Cleveland. About 30 seconds later, asked if he viewed Francona like an older brother, Cash grinned.
“No,” Cash said. “I consider him a child. Like a young toddler.”
That’s how it goes between Cash and Francona, even as they prepare their clubs to face off in the American League Wild Card Series beginning Friday afternoon. They express their admiration for each other as much as they trade barbs and pranks -- which is quite often.
“I think we’ve always had a really good relationship. When you’re in the middle of the season, you don’t always pick up the phone,” Francona said. “I probably get more calls from him when something happens that’s funny or something stupid. He doesn’t have to call me. I know he cares about me, and he knows I care about him.”
When informed that Francona said he didn’t always have time to talk during the season, Cash quipped back, “What was he doing?” Cash was a backup catcher for Francona with the Red Sox in 2007-08 and ’10, joined him as Cleveland’s bullpen coach in 2013-14 and learned a great deal along the way.
“Being the 24th or 25th guy on the roster, it’s very easy to overlook that player -- and Tito never did that for me,” Cash said. “And I’ve watched other guys that were that way. He treated that type of player very similar to the David Ortizes, the superstars. That goes a long way when you know that this game’s really tough and you’ve got a guy that is being consistent with you every day.”
But yes, Cash admitted, he did check the desk drawers in the visiting manager’s office on Thursday, just in case Francona had another trick up his sleeve. There’s still plenty of give and take between the two, and that won’t change even as they compete for a trip to the AL Division Series this weekend.
"We were reminiscing a bit the other night,” Francona said. “He had mentioned that, my first year, remember [Carlos] Santana was catching and Santana had back-picked in a situation that I didn’t think was very good. I had my arm around him and I said, ‘Now, Carlos, this is why we don’t do this.’
“[Cash] looked at me and he goes, ‘Do you remember when I did that in Boston? You put your arm around me and you said, ‘Dumbass, if you ever do that again ...’”
Díaz good to go
Third baseman Yandy Díaz started only two of the Rays’ last 15 games in the regular season, with a couple pinch-hit appearances mixed in, while resting an injured left shoulder. But Díaz said he feels good enough to play three days in a row, if necessary, during the Rays’ series against the Guardians.
“Thankfully, I still feel good. Still a little bit of a bother, but for the most part, it's a lot better,” Díaz said through interpreter Manny Navarro. “A hundred percent, I’m ready to play three games and some more.”
Around the horn
• Cash said he talked to shortstop Wander Franco and outfielder Randy Arozarena, and both appeared to be geared up for another strong postseason. Arozarena made history during the 2020 playoffs and didn’t let up last postseason, and Franco often looked like Tampa Bay’s best player during the ALDS last year.
“Their eyes light up for these moments,” Cash said. “They’re very talented. They’re talented throughout the regular season, and it does feel -- not putting added pressure on any player, but it does feel they have that ability to take it to another level.”
• The Rays worked out for about two hours at Progressive Field on Thursday afternoon. Before the workout, Cash said the club was “not quite there yet” finalizing its Wild Card Series roster, which is due Friday morning.
• High-leverage relievers Pete Fairbanks and Jason Adam haven’t pitched in a game since Sept. 28, but both threw extended bullpen sessions on Tuesday at Fenway Park.
• Kevin Kiermaier, Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Thompson, all on the 60-day injured list and out for the year, are expected to be with the club on Friday.