Francona not surprised by interest in Shapiro

Terry Francona: "Because I like him so much, I hope he -- whether it's in Cleveland or Tokyo -- I hope he's doing whatever is fulfilling to him." (Getty) NEW YORK -- Indians manager Terry Francona has made it no secret that he came to Cleveland largely due to his relationship with general manager Chris Antonetti and team president Mark Shapiro. Given the kind of communication that group has established, Francona was not caught off guard by the speculation about Shapiro's future.

Before a report came out Thursday night indicating that Shapiro is a "strong candidate" to replace outgoing Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Beeston, Francona and other staff members had already been looped in on the…