Motor mishap: Indians manager Francona's scooter wrecked

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) The Indians have their first major injury of the spring - manager Terry Francona's red scooter is on the disabled list.

Francona said Thursday that the scooter he rides around during training camp and to and from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland during the regular season was wrecked recently by a team employee during a promotional video shoot.

Francona was pleased to report that the unnamed rider is doing fine, but that his two-wheeled vehicle is going to require some maintenance.

''It's in the shop,'' he said, ''as is the kid.''

Francona didn't reveal the exact nature of the scooter's problems, but indicated it could be some time before the motorized bike is back on the streets. It's day to day with dings and dents.

Now in his third season with Cleveland, Francona, who won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox, joked that the accident has created some tension.

''It's probably the first time in my experience with the Indians that there's been a little bit of a rift,'' Francona cracked.

The motorized mishap may have remained a secret before Francona mentioned to reporters that he needed a ride to one of the back fields at the Indians' training complex to watch a ''B'' game.

The scooter has become almost as symbolic of Francona as the large wad of bubble gum he chomps in the dugout during games. The Indians are having a Francona scooter bobblehead giveaway later in the season.