The credit for the Cavaliers winning has always gone to manager Alastair Turcotte, who took over the team in 2014 and has lead them to 4 titles. But behind their scenes there is someone who never gets enough credit, his name Francisco Gonzalez. Known has Franky to the players and staff he has been in Norfolk since 2013 and has flow under the radar. Who is Franky? He is the team trainer, he has helped players of all skills get back to health and not miss as much time as they had expected.
He has come under some fire this season, however, due to the rash of little injuries, something that the Cavaliers have never had to deal with in the past. Since spring training there have been 14 injuries that have taken out players from 3 days to 3 weeks; Something we'd like to see end in Norfolk.
Franky has earned himself the tag as one of the games best, but this season has put him under the microscope. He calmly sits in his office and tells people to relax, everything is going to be alright... but is it? With one of the offensive power houses King Brock down again, this could throw up a red flag. Was King rushed back? Is Franky losing his edge?
One of the only 2 members of the original Cavaliers staff (Alastair was the bench coach in 2013 before taking over as manager in 2014) he is well liked and well respected, but that doesn't mean you still don't have a job to do. For the rest of 2019 Franky will be looked at a little closer the he has in the past.
Scott Smith an Ex-Cavalier who bounced back from 2 ulnar collateral ligaments, missing a total of 20 months over a 3 year period believes if it wasn't for Franky that he wouldn't of hurt himself a second time. In 2013, Smith missed 12 months with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, then after a full year in 2014, he suffered almost the exact same injury that sidelined him for all but 2 games in 2015. He believes that Franky gave him the ok to pitch on a full schedule way too soon, and the 134 innings in 2014 were just too many. "I don't know, I am just a pitcher and at the time I was 23, I didn't know any better. But looking back, I think 134 innings was too much for my 'new' elbow." Currently he is pitching with the Baltimore Barons (his 4th team in 5 years) out of the bullpen. Last season he threw 68 innings over 52 games with Wilmington, the most he has been used at the big league level. Now at 28 years old Scott still thinks he has some usefulness, despite a slow start in Baltimore. Since his second elbow injury and his trade from the Cavaliers (2016) he has missed a combined 8 weeks with injuries.
Mauro Candelaria, an original Cavaliers player, who has had his share of injuries, missing time 7 times in 7 years due to various ailments, including missing 3 months last year with a partially torn laburm, and 7 weeks in 2014 with a fractured finger. But he has also played in 155+ games 4 times, including 162 in 2017. And he gives Franky a lot of credit for his health and ability to play that many games. "Look what happens in that trainers room is something that you guys don't get to see, I can't tell you how many times I have had my ankles taped, my wrists ice, ice baths, heating pads, massages, whatever it has been, he has made sure I have been able to get out to the field and play. Injuries happen, you can't blame Franky when someone slides funny and sprains their ankle, or gets hit by the ball and breaks their thumb. Without him we wouldn't have had the same amount of success... "
Many people have mixed feelings about Franky, including the General Manager... Is this the end of the story or just the beginning?
General Manager Tony Luke didn't have much to say about the rumors coming out of Norfolk "Franky and I have been here since 2013 we have a good working relationship and we are lucky to have him here, that is all I have to say."