CLEVELAND — There's a new skipper in town. And for Stephen Vogt , Terry Francona' successor , it's starting to really sink in.
The new Guardians manager and several of his players were all in town over the weekend for Guards Fest, which was held Saturday at the Cleveland Convention Center.
When Vogt was introduced as the man who will take over for Tito, he noted then he'd try to give players some space, as the offseason makes for valuable family time. He's spoken with everyone, but wanted to keep it brief.
But after seeing so many players and fans in Cleveland on Saturday, it all began to feel real for the first-time manager.
"I felt like [Friday] when I got to the stadium and the players were there, it felt like, now we're [at the] baseball, finally," Vogt said. "It's one thing when you're on the phone or Zooming or you're in the office, but when there's baseball [activities] being done, it feels like we're getting close."
As much as anything else, all eyes are on Vogt, who takes over for Francona after an 11-year run in which the Guardians had one of the league's best overall winning percentages, made six trips to the postseason and won the American League pennant in 2016. In many ways, Francona embodied Cleveland baseball for more than a decade. During many Opening Day lineup instructions, the largest roar from the crowd was often reserved for Tito.
Vogt enters the managerial job with relatively little experience, though he's effectively been groomed for the position for years , both at the end of his playing career and as a coach.
Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the team liked his humility during the lengthy interview process. It's a similar trait Francona possessed. And Vogt's hope is the Guardians also continue a style of play with which they succeeded under Francona. It's something Vogt experienced first-hand as an opposing player for years.
"We're going to continue to play the way the Guardians have played, and play hard," Vogt said. "The best thing, the way I described this team last year playing against them, was, 'That's a great baseball team, makes you do the little things well.' We're going to put pressure on you. We're going to make it a tough game for you and we've got a lot of talent that can win this game."
It was Vogt's first impression to Guardians fans. And aside from a few interactions as an opposing player or phone calls, it was his first impression to his new club.
"I've had a couple of phone calls but, yeah, seeing him in person was really cool," Steven Kwan said. "You kind of get this energy right away. Super genuine, really authentic. It was a good little interaction."
Quite a few players knew Vogt, but will not watch him make the transition to manager in real time. It'll be a learning experience for all involved.
"It was 2021, I played against him, and he's a great guy. He's a gamer," Josh Naylor said. "It sounds like you look for people who think he's a great human being. So we're all super excited to have him and the rest of the staff."
Vogt noted he has, of course, been working closely with the rest of the staff as the team prepares to open spring camp. Pitchers and catchers will have their first workout on Feb. 15 , with the first full squad workout falling on Feb. 20.
Players will be learning about him. And he's hoping to enter camp with an open mind.
"I mean, I've done a lot, obviously, just trying to get up to speed on what guys have done in the past and kind of what their skill sets are but, at the same time, I want to see it with my own eyes, and it's a fresh start for everybody," Vogt said. "I don't want to go into it with a ton of preconceived notions about everybody.
"So obviously asking questions and doing some research on my own, but really want to see how guys play and just kind of watch them go about their business once we get to Goodyear."
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians new manager Stephen Vogt makes first impression
