Notes: Tito returns to dugout; Kipnis reunion

CLEVELAND -- Terry Francona may have had more on his plate to deal with on Tuesday than he expected in his first day back with the Tribe, but both the skipper and the team are excited that he’s back at the helm.

Francona had to leave before first pitch of the series finale against the Twins on Aug. 1 due to a minor gastrointestinal condition and he spent the last 10 days in and out of the Cleveland Clinic for appointments and procedures to help him get back to the ballpark.

“I felt awful being away and I really feel like I need to be here to help,” Francona said. “I can’t promise this is going to go perfect, but I’m certainly going to give it the best shot I can.”

Francona spared the details of what he’s gone through, but did explain that he’s had five or six surgeries over the past year. In typical Tito fashion, he used humor to best describe what he’s going through.

“The muscle that helps you go to the bathroom has been in spasm and it’s been that way for about 11 months,” Francona said. “It’s uncomfortable and anybody who knows me, knows me well, that’s some of the best parts of my day, so it’s not been real fun.”

Along with his stomach condition, Francona was also dealing with hip problems that caused even more back pain. When the combination of his ailments became too overwhelming, he realized his presence was not helping the team. First base and catching coach Sandy Alomar Jr. stepped up to manage over the last 10 days and Mike Sarbaugh moved off third base and hopped on the bench to help with in-game decision making. Both will return to coach the bases on Tuesday.

“I was so proud of those guys,” Francona said. “That’s not an easy thing to do. … It’s hard enough to manage the game but then when you’re managing and somebody has been doing it this way for a number of years, and I told Sandy this, I said, ‘Sandy, don’t look over your shoulder. You’re a great baseball guy, just do what you think is right. Don’t call me, don’t be asking me, just do it.’ And he did a terrific job and the coaches all pitched in and it’s not surprising, but I was really proud and I thought they really shined.”

For anyone who knows Francona, they know it takes a lot for him to admit that he needs to temporarily step away from the game. While he was away, he was able to experience something so foreign to him: watching his own team on television.

“It’s a different perspective for sure,” Francona said. “Sometimes I see guys when I’m sitting in the dugout and I’ll be like, ‘How are we going to hit this guy?’ And then you look at it on TV and you’re like, “How are we not hitting this guy?’ It looks so easy on TV and then when you get down on ground level, it’s really not.”

Francona knows that his health situation will not be fixed in the next week, but he’s determined to try to manage as much as he can despite the circumstances.

“[The doctors] said I’m not a real picture of health,” Francona said. “But it’s not like heart-related things. It’s mostly orthopedic-type things. I’ve been at the Clinic, I feel like I know everybody on a first-name basis at the Clinic, and they’ve been incredibly helpful. They’re scratching their heads a little bit, too. But they’re trying. As long as they keep trying, I’ll keep trying.”

Reunion with Kipnis
After calling Progressive Field home for nine years, second baseman Jason Kipnis returned on Tuesday in an opposing uniform. Although the homecoming is quite different without fans in the stands and limited exposure between the two clubs, Francona is looking forward to seeing Kipnis in the other dugout.

“When guys play for your team for however long, you become really fond of all of them,” Francona said. “When they go other places, it doesn’t mean you immediately root against them. Except when you’re playing against them. So it’ll be fun to wave at him and say hello, because we’re really fond of him. But I hope he makes a bunch of outs. And I’m sure he’s probably hoping to get four hits and beat us because you always want to do good against people you’re friends with.”

“I stay in touch with a couple of the staff throughout the year,” Kipnis said. “I know they’re probably going to be in batting practice, maybe I’ll pop out and say hi to a bunch of them. Listen, I’ve invaded these guys’ personal spaces for about nine years, I think I can take a day off from giving them a hug. They’ll confirm that. I’ll charge them with a bull-rush hug on some of these guys. And now I’ve got to keep my distance and keep it safe and I think they understand. It’s just good to see a bunch of familiar faces that I missed.”