BOSTON -- John Farrell has a lot of connections throughout major-league baseball, having met a lot of people since he debuted as a player in 1987.
But there certainly aren't many he's closer with than Indians manager Terry Francona. Farrell and Francona played together in Cleveland years back, and Farrell was Francona's pitching coach for four seasons, from 2007-10, before becoming manager of the Blue Jays. The two are great friends to this day.
So when Francona heard the news that Farrell had Stage 1 lymphoma discovered during his hernia surgery, he was "stunned" just like many others.
"I was worried about him because of the hernia and [then] you get the unexpected news of something more serious that it kind of unsettles you a little bit," Francona said. "But I do know that if well wishes and lots of people caring, if that has anything to do with the outcome, he's going to be in good shape."
Farrell is set to begin chemotherapy on Tuesday, and since Francona is in town for a three-game series against the Red Sox, he's going to join him for the first session.
It's just Francona being the friend to Farrell that he is.
"We were just talking," Francona said, "and I was just asking the normal questions and he mentioned that he was going to start on Tuesday and I was like, 'I'm right there. I'll meet you there, I'll go with you, whatever.' I may not do anything other than get in the way like normal, but being a friend the only thing I know how to do is be a friend and I think -- like probably the rest of us -- we all don't know exactly how to handle this or what to do.
"But I do know how to be a friend, and I care about him a lot."