Smoke signals
• Down 5-1 in the ninth inning of Friday's loss to the Giants, Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera successfully stole third base. Francona has appreciated Cabrera's aggressive style of play of late, but he also said the shortstop better know he is going to be safe in that kind of situation.
"You better always be safe," Francona said Saturday. "That's the last thing you want to do, is run into an out in a situation like that. You can kind of say, 'OK, what did it do?' because we needed four runs. Still, though, Cabby's been very aggressive in all of his game. He laid a bunt down. He moved up on a ball in the dirt. So, I'm kind of OK with what he's [doing].
"He's out there trying to do something to kind of spark us. Even though it didn't really impact the game, I still think he's trying. I'm OK with that. Cabby's not the kind of guy to try to pad a stat. He's just trying hard to do something."
• Entering Saturday's game against San Francisco, Indians first baseman Nick Swisher was tied with his American League positional peers with a league-worst three errors on the season. Francona expressed confidence that Swisher could clean up his defensive game as the season progresses.
"He's made a couple errors," Francona said. "But he's got good hands. It's just sometimes he gets himself in a position where he gets a little too much movement. Any time you move your head -- when you're hitting or fielding -- [it doesn't help]. When he's quiet fielding a ball, he's got good actions."
• The wife of Indians catcher Yan Gomes is due to give birth to their first child any day now, meaning a trip to the Major League paternity list is in his near future. Without a third catcher on the 40-man roster, Cleveland would need to make a subsequent roster move once Gomes leaves. Two options at Triple-A Columbus are veteran George Kottaras and prospect Roberto Perez.
• San Francisco had a little fun at the Indians' expense Saturday, giving out replica World Series rings from the Giants' 1954 sweep of Cleveland to the first 30,000 fans in attendance. That Fall Classic included Willie Mays' famous catch in center field at the Polo Grounds in New York.