Jayson Stark's MVP, Cy Youn, ROY; also LVP and Cy Yuck awards
I'll just highlight re: Guardians
ROY: Bibee is his runnerup to Gunnar Henderson
NY Cy Yuk: Noah Syndegard, so get partial credit
Unfortunately we missed out on similar partial credit for the same award in the AL: Grienke out-stunk Giolito in his opinion
one of Cleveland's favorites also won the AL LVP: Tim Anderson, who couldn't hit, couldn't field, and couldn't fight
Re: Articles
9977Terry Francona’s path to stepping down as Guardians manager and what lies ahead
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 03: Former manager Terry Francona of the Cleveland Guardians talks with members of the media about his 11 years with the club at Progressive Field on October 03, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
By Zack Meisel
47m ago
CLEVELAND — The last time Terry Francona worked in Cleveland’s front office, he sat in the last row of the upper deck at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, watching outfielders run routes like a little kid studying an ant hill.
That summer spent scouting with Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti followed four years of racking up losses and absorbing fans’ profanity while at the helm with the Phillies. Francona wasn’t sure he wanted to manage again, so he joined Cleveland’s organization as he sorted out his next chapter.
Another role in Cleveland’s front office awaits, two decades later, as Francona again ponders his future. His exact assignment is to be determined — likely some sort of adviser or special assistant — but he cast doubt about ever managing again.
First, he’s bound for another round of surgeries: a shoulder replacement and a couple of hernia repairs scheduled for next week. Then, once he’s recovered, a lot of swimming and golf, perhaps even a trip next summer to Ireland with his Tucson, Ariz., buddies.
More than anything, he’s looking forward to having a blank canvas for the first time since he was a kid. Eventually, he’ll figure out what he misses about the game and how he thinks he can contribute to the Guardians. That could entail visits to minor-league affiliates or big-league batting practice.
But that’s a conversation for another day, not the day Francona officially stepped down after 11 years as Cleveland’s manager.
Francona has resisted to utter the word “retired,” but he said not to confuse that with a desire to return to a managerial role.
“I don’t foresee managing,” he said. “I don’t have a crystal ball. Nobody does. If I was going to manage, I like doing it here. But I also don’t want to just turn away from the game. I don’t feel that way, either.”
go-deeper
GO DEEPER
Terry Francona, quintessential baseball lifer, is ready for uncharted territory
Francona won’t have input on Cleveland’s next manager, a process already in motion. The Guardians’ front office has narrowed an initial list of 45 or so candidates to a more reasonably sized group of internal and external options. The parade of interviewees will not include Sandy Alomar Jr., the only other contender 11 years ago, when Francona landed the job. Alomar spent all 11 seasons on Francona’s staff, but he declined to interview for the position. Antonetti said the club expects him to remain part of its staff.
As for Francona, his mind started to drift once summer arrived. He couldn’t shake a conversation with Daniel Bard, a former member of his Boston bullpen. Bard reminded him how, the afternoon following a particularly rough outing on the mound, Francona approached him in the outfield and told him to be ready for the eighth inning that night. The previous night’s meltdown was inconsequential, a distant memory, a blip. The manager had no qualms about calling upon Bard again the next game. That vote of confidence meant a lot to Bard and spoke to how Francona could connect with and inspire his players.
And as Bard recalled that sequence, it struck Francona: He couldn’t do that anymore.
“I was catching myself not being as eager to tackle things,” Francona said. “There’s always a list every day. I used to be like, ‘OK, boom, here we go.’ … Conversations that were so easy and so ingrained and so fun, I can’t do. That started to eat at me, too. I’m like: ‘Wait a minute. There’s a way to do this job the right way.’ I don’t care any less, but I don’t feel like I’m doing it the way I’d like to.”
Fans in Detroit displayed posters honoring Terry Francona during the final weekend of the season. (Mark Cunningham / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Everything had grown more challenging. He started managing as a 37-year-old a few breaths removed from his playing career. Now he’s a 64-year-old grandfather with 40-some surgeries on his ledger. Rain delays and doubleheaders and cross-country flights crush his spirit and sap him of energy to a degree he’s never experienced.
Francona had a monitor placed on his chest one morning ahead of a day game at Progressive Field. He was heading to the ballpark from the hospital at about 9:30 a.m., and as he rode down Euclid Avenue, he noticed people sitting on benches, sipping coffee. No one was rushing or stressing. He’s always in a hurry, always has somewhere to be and is always disheveled as a result.
He can finally relax.
“I’m ready to rest a little bit and let somebody else be in charge,” he said. “That part’s been hard for me. My life can be a little disorderly.”
After mulling his decision for two months — a period of internal discord that left him frustrated and, he admitted, unfairly short with others — Francona finally brought the topic to the attention of Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff in mid-August. When he felt a weight lifted from his conscience, he knew he was making the prudent choice.
“The more I talked, I knew,” he said. “And I think they knew.”
The new role will bring everything full circle, as Francona’s path to the manager’s seat in Cleveland was paved by the year he spent with the front office in 2001, when he flew around the country to find the team’s next center fielder. The idea of a post-managerial adviser role was initially discussed in September 2022, when Francona signed a new contract, a document the disorderly manager accidentally covered in hamburger grease in his office in Kansas City.
That contract included open-ended terms, with Francona essentially having tenure. As long as he was physically sound and mentally motivated, the job belonged to the guy with the most wins in franchise history. A year later, he’s ready for an empty schedule and, eventually, a new challenge.
“I came here for the right reasons,” Francona said. “I think I’m leaving for the right reasons. And in between, it’s been really good.”
By Zack Meisel
47m ago
CLEVELAND — The last time Terry Francona worked in Cleveland’s front office, he sat in the last row of the upper deck at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, watching outfielders run routes like a little kid studying an ant hill.
That summer spent scouting with Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti followed four years of racking up losses and absorbing fans’ profanity while at the helm with the Phillies. Francona wasn’t sure he wanted to manage again, so he joined Cleveland’s organization as he sorted out his next chapter.
Another role in Cleveland’s front office awaits, two decades later, as Francona again ponders his future. His exact assignment is to be determined — likely some sort of adviser or special assistant — but he cast doubt about ever managing again.
First, he’s bound for another round of surgeries: a shoulder replacement and a couple of hernia repairs scheduled for next week. Then, once he’s recovered, a lot of swimming and golf, perhaps even a trip next summer to Ireland with his Tucson, Ariz., buddies.
More than anything, he’s looking forward to having a blank canvas for the first time since he was a kid. Eventually, he’ll figure out what he misses about the game and how he thinks he can contribute to the Guardians. That could entail visits to minor-league affiliates or big-league batting practice.
But that’s a conversation for another day, not the day Francona officially stepped down after 11 years as Cleveland’s manager.
Francona has resisted to utter the word “retired,” but he said not to confuse that with a desire to return to a managerial role.
“I don’t foresee managing,” he said. “I don’t have a crystal ball. Nobody does. If I was going to manage, I like doing it here. But I also don’t want to just turn away from the game. I don’t feel that way, either.”
go-deeper
GO DEEPER
Terry Francona, quintessential baseball lifer, is ready for uncharted territory
Francona won’t have input on Cleveland’s next manager, a process already in motion. The Guardians’ front office has narrowed an initial list of 45 or so candidates to a more reasonably sized group of internal and external options. The parade of interviewees will not include Sandy Alomar Jr., the only other contender 11 years ago, when Francona landed the job. Alomar spent all 11 seasons on Francona’s staff, but he declined to interview for the position. Antonetti said the club expects him to remain part of its staff.
As for Francona, his mind started to drift once summer arrived. He couldn’t shake a conversation with Daniel Bard, a former member of his Boston bullpen. Bard reminded him how, the afternoon following a particularly rough outing on the mound, Francona approached him in the outfield and told him to be ready for the eighth inning that night. The previous night’s meltdown was inconsequential, a distant memory, a blip. The manager had no qualms about calling upon Bard again the next game. That vote of confidence meant a lot to Bard and spoke to how Francona could connect with and inspire his players.
And as Bard recalled that sequence, it struck Francona: He couldn’t do that anymore.
“I was catching myself not being as eager to tackle things,” Francona said. “There’s always a list every day. I used to be like, ‘OK, boom, here we go.’ … Conversations that were so easy and so ingrained and so fun, I can’t do. That started to eat at me, too. I’m like: ‘Wait a minute. There’s a way to do this job the right way.’ I don’t care any less, but I don’t feel like I’m doing it the way I’d like to.”
Fans in Detroit displayed posters honoring Terry Francona during the final weekend of the season. (Mark Cunningham / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Everything had grown more challenging. He started managing as a 37-year-old a few breaths removed from his playing career. Now he’s a 64-year-old grandfather with 40-some surgeries on his ledger. Rain delays and doubleheaders and cross-country flights crush his spirit and sap him of energy to a degree he’s never experienced.
Francona had a monitor placed on his chest one morning ahead of a day game at Progressive Field. He was heading to the ballpark from the hospital at about 9:30 a.m., and as he rode down Euclid Avenue, he noticed people sitting on benches, sipping coffee. No one was rushing or stressing. He’s always in a hurry, always has somewhere to be and is always disheveled as a result.
He can finally relax.
“I’m ready to rest a little bit and let somebody else be in charge,” he said. “That part’s been hard for me. My life can be a little disorderly.”
After mulling his decision for two months — a period of internal discord that left him frustrated and, he admitted, unfairly short with others — Francona finally brought the topic to the attention of Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff in mid-August. When he felt a weight lifted from his conscience, he knew he was making the prudent choice.
“The more I talked, I knew,” he said. “And I think they knew.”
The new role will bring everything full circle, as Francona’s path to the manager’s seat in Cleveland was paved by the year he spent with the front office in 2001, when he flew around the country to find the team’s next center fielder. The idea of a post-managerial adviser role was initially discussed in September 2022, when Francona signed a new contract, a document the disorderly manager accidentally covered in hamburger grease in his office in Kansas City.
That contract included open-ended terms, with Francona essentially having tenure. As long as he was physically sound and mentally motivated, the job belonged to the guy with the most wins in franchise history. A year later, he’s ready for an empty schedule and, eventually, a new challenge.
“I came here for the right reasons,” Francona said. “I think I’m leaving for the right reasons. And in between, it’s been really good.”
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
9978Jason Lloyd
Guardians
20. Team president Chris Antonetti acknowledged this week that the Cleveland Guardians have to get more out of center and right field next season, which perhaps means finally moving Myles Straw out of an everyday role.
21. Straw’s contract, however, is getting worse by the year. He’s due $4.5 million next year, $6 million in 2025 and $7 million in 2026. As of now, he’s the third-highest-paid player on the team next year, behind José Ramírez and Andrés Giménez. It’s unsustainable to keep trotting him out to center field given how little he has provided offensively the last two years.
22. Antonetti called Steven Kwan “among the best left fielders” in the game but didn’t seem to rule out the idea of Kwan switching positions next spring. A move to center for Kwan, coupled with a pair of offensive-minded corner outfielders, makes sense for a team desperate to score runs.
23. “Those are all things we’ll talk through,” Antonetti said. “Both (Giménez) and Steven, they’re two of the best defenders at their position, which is something that we don’t take for granted. So moving them off of those positions or contemplating that, we recognize could come with cost. So those are discussions that we’ll have as we continue to move forward through the winter.”
24. Moving Giménez to shortstop could be a solution if the Guardians ultimately determine both Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio aren’t right for the role. It should theoretically be a bit easier to find a second baseman than a shortstop, although Gimenez was perhaps the best defensive second baseman in the game this season. His fielding run value of 15 runs saved, according to Statcast, was tops among American League second basemen and tied for fifth among all defensive players at all positions.
25. For now, the competition between Arias and Rocchio will resume in spring training. Arias will play winter ball in Puerto Rico when the hairline fracture in his wrist heals and Rocchio will play in Venezuela. I was told a couple of years ago that Arias and Gimenez were viewed as the up-the-middle combination of the future. Now it’s up to Arias to prove he can consistently hit major-league pitching.
26. “I think what we saw was (Arias) has a lot of tools and skills to impact the game,” Antonetti said. “He’s got a great arm at shortstop, he’s a gifted defender. He can play multiple positions on the diamond. He has power and he’s shown the ability at times to manage the strike zone. I think the challenge for Gabby is to be consistent in all of those areas, and if he can, it’s exciting to think about what he can become.”
Guardians
20. Team president Chris Antonetti acknowledged this week that the Cleveland Guardians have to get more out of center and right field next season, which perhaps means finally moving Myles Straw out of an everyday role.
21. Straw’s contract, however, is getting worse by the year. He’s due $4.5 million next year, $6 million in 2025 and $7 million in 2026. As of now, he’s the third-highest-paid player on the team next year, behind José Ramírez and Andrés Giménez. It’s unsustainable to keep trotting him out to center field given how little he has provided offensively the last two years.
22. Antonetti called Steven Kwan “among the best left fielders” in the game but didn’t seem to rule out the idea of Kwan switching positions next spring. A move to center for Kwan, coupled with a pair of offensive-minded corner outfielders, makes sense for a team desperate to score runs.
23. “Those are all things we’ll talk through,” Antonetti said. “Both (Giménez) and Steven, they’re two of the best defenders at their position, which is something that we don’t take for granted. So moving them off of those positions or contemplating that, we recognize could come with cost. So those are discussions that we’ll have as we continue to move forward through the winter.”
24. Moving Giménez to shortstop could be a solution if the Guardians ultimately determine both Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio aren’t right for the role. It should theoretically be a bit easier to find a second baseman than a shortstop, although Gimenez was perhaps the best defensive second baseman in the game this season. His fielding run value of 15 runs saved, according to Statcast, was tops among American League second basemen and tied for fifth among all defensive players at all positions.
25. For now, the competition between Arias and Rocchio will resume in spring training. Arias will play winter ball in Puerto Rico when the hairline fracture in his wrist heals and Rocchio will play in Venezuela. I was told a couple of years ago that Arias and Gimenez were viewed as the up-the-middle combination of the future. Now it’s up to Arias to prove he can consistently hit major-league pitching.
26. “I think what we saw was (Arias) has a lot of tools and skills to impact the game,” Antonetti said. “He’s got a great arm at shortstop, he’s a gifted defender. He can play multiple positions on the diamond. He has power and he’s shown the ability at times to manage the strike zone. I think the challenge for Gabby is to be consistent in all of those areas, and if he can, it’s exciting to think about what he can become.”
Last edited by rusty2 on Thu Oct 05, 2023 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Articles
997921. Straw’s contract, however, is getting worse by the year. He’s due $4.5 million next year, $6 million in 2025 and $7 million in 2026. As of now, he’s the third-highest-paid player on the team next year, behind José Ramírez and Andrés Giménez. It’s unsustainable to keep trotting him out to center field given how little he has provided offensively the last two years.
I would think Bieber makes more than 4.5 million.
I would think Bieber makes more than 4.5 million.
Re: Articles
9980Kwan in CF certainly sounds like the answer.
Gimenez....I wouldn't move him.
Gimenez....I wouldn't move him.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
9981Peter Gammons
@pgammo
·
8h
The first person Terry Francona told Mark Shapiro he wanted to hire was Kevin Cash, who would be his bullpen coach. Many believe that the person Francona would like replacing him is Cash. -
@pgammo
·
8h
The first person Terry Francona told Mark Shapiro he wanted to hire was Kevin Cash, who would be his bullpen coach. Many believe that the person Francona would like replacing him is Cash. -
Re: Articles
9982Nobody is going to trade for Straw straight up. Not with that contract. He probably has to be packaged with someone valuable, perhaps even Bieber
Re: Articles
99834.5 million is nothing. Next year Straw will have about the 6th or even lower contract on the Guardians.
Re: Articles
9984Projected arbitration figures for 2024 Guardians
Guardians (10)
Shane Bieber (5.097): $12.2MM
Cam Gallagher (5.073): $1.3MM
Ramon Laureano (4.165): $4.7MM
Cal Quantrill (4.132): $6.6MM
Josh Naylor (4.127): $7.2MM
James Karinchak (3.099): $1.9MM
Triston McKenzie (3.074): $1.8MM
Enyel De Los Santos (3.015): $1.2MM
Sam Hentges (2.157): $1.1MM
Nick Sandlin (2.157): $1.1MM
Guardians (10)
Shane Bieber (5.097): $12.2MM
Cam Gallagher (5.073): $1.3MM
Ramon Laureano (4.165): $4.7MM
Cal Quantrill (4.132): $6.6MM
Josh Naylor (4.127): $7.2MM
James Karinchak (3.099): $1.9MM
Triston McKenzie (3.074): $1.8MM
Enyel De Los Santos (3.015): $1.2MM
Sam Hentges (2.157): $1.1MM
Nick Sandlin (2.157): $1.1MM
Re: Articles
9985Debating our way-too-early Guardians lineup predictions for 2024
Updated: Oct. 07, 2023, 10:53 a.m.|Published: Oct. 07, 2023, 6:01 a.m.
What will Cleveland's opening day lineup look like in 2024?AP
f
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.comJoe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The dust has barely settled on the 2023 Guardians season, but it is never too soon to start thinking about next spring. What will Cleveland’s lineup look like? Which current roster players will be gone and what new additions will the front office try to plug in? Can a new manager turn things around on offense with a tweak here or there?
With plenty of time betwen now and the start of the 2024 campaign, cleveland.com MLB beat writers Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga engaged in a lineup debate aimed at predicting what we can expect to see on the field once the season gets underway. Hoynsie and Noga emailed each other back and forth with their thoughts. We’ve collected them below for you to read through.
Oct. 6, 11:24 a.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie!
I’ve been sitting here trying to think of what the Guardians’ 2024 lineup card might look like on opening day. Based on the players available to them on the 40-man roster, I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s not a lot of wiggle room for the new manager when it comes to changing things up from last season. As I see it, guys like Gabriel Arias and Will Brennan need to take the next step in their development as hitters in order to provide more punch at the bottom of the order.
But maybe you, in your many years of experience with this sort of thing, can change my mind. What do you think of this “way too early” opening day lineup for 2024, and what changes would you make?
LF Steven Kwan
2B Andres Gimenez
3B Jose Ramirez
DH Josh Naylor
C Bo Naylor
RF Will Brennan
SS Brayan Rocchio
1B Kyle Manzardo
CF Myles Straw
------
Oct. 6, 12:18 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I think you’d agree with me that this lineup was a disappointment in 2023. It’s still a young lineup and perhaps players such as Gabriel Arias, Will Brennan and Tyler Freeman will improve in 2024.
Still, by sticking to players already in the system, there isn’t a lot of room to maneuver in this “way too early” look at the 2024 opening day lineup.
But with more than four months to go before the starts of next season, here’s my lineup.
LF Steven Kwan
3B Jose Ramirez
DH Josh Naylor
CF Ramon Laureano
2B Andres Gimenez
1B Gabriel Arias
C Bo Naylor
SS Brayan Rocchio
RF Will Brennan
------
Oct. 6, 12:34 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
I like what you did there with Laureano in center. He gives you a little more at the plate and does not hurt you defensively. But I’ve got to believe Gimenez with 30 steals last year is going to bat higher. As long as he is the Gimenez we saw in September.
Unless Josh Naylor comes back next spring looking like a bodybuilder, he’s going to spend a good part of the season at DH, with perhaps Oscar Gonzalez is an option against left-handers. Maybe that opens a spot for Kyle Manzardo to see some playing time as well. With the new rules that reward teams with draft picks for promoting young players and keeping them on the roster all season, I could see the Guardians trying to take advantage if Manzardo seems ready.
------
Oct. 6, 12:58 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I have no problem with using Naylor at DH at least part of the time. When he’s on the field, he plays so hard that the risk of injury is always there. It might be premature to think Manzardo is going to be in the opening day lineup. That’s why I’m going with Arias at first base. I know it’s not taking full advantage of his defensive skills, but I like the power he showed. Plus he’s a right-handed hitter on a roster that leans heavily to the left.
------
Oct. 6, 1:14 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
Tito was a big David Fry advocate, but Tito will not be making out the lineup next year. Has Fry done enough as a catcher to earn the full time backup role behind Bo Naylor, or is he just a good third option whose versatility allows him to play all over the field? I believe Fry will be the No. 3 catcher next year and the Guardians will bring in another veteran on a team friendly deal to be Naylor’s full time backup.
------
Oct. 6, 1:28 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
Bo Naylor should definitely open the season as the No. 1 catcher. I like him lower in the order, which will give the Guardians the ability to ambush a pitcher or two because of his power. Terry Francona had a habit of picking a utility guy and sticking with him. Fry was that guy in 2023. We’ll see if the new manager feels the same, but I’ve got no problem with him being the backup catcher. If he is the backup catcher, it limits his ability to be a late-inning replacement at other positions.
------
Oct. 6, 1:39 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
Arias got plenty of opportunities to put a stranglehold on the shortstop position in the final two months of the 2023 season, but he never seemed to claim the job for himself. Meanwhile Brayan Rocchio looked smooth and strong at the position. I think he’s the guy next year, with Arias seeing more time at first base and Tyler Freeman filling in as a utility player. All of that is assuming Gimenez stays put at second base, where he could very well win a Platinum Glove this offseason. I don’t think the Guardians are going to move Gimenez to shortstop, but I also don’t think Gimenez would try to stop them if they did.
------
Oct. 6, 1:28 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I agree with you on the Guards keeping Gimenez at second base. Rocchio certainly has the actions of a shortstop, plus he’s a switch-hitter who can run. If the G’s start him at shortstop, they’re going to have to be patient because all young shortstops make errors. That’s the one thing about Arias, he was sound defensively at short and he has a great arm.
I noticed you moved Jose Ramirez back to the No. 3 spot. I like him in the No. 2 spot because it means Ramirez and Josh Naylor, as long as he continues to hit behind Ramirez, get to bat in the first inning. Freeman can play a variety of positions and I like the way he swung the bat coming off the bench. But how many utility men can one team have?
------
Oct. 6, 1:51 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
I think Jose moved to the No. 2 spot because Tito asked him to, but deep down he believes he’s a No. 3 hitter, and that’s where the new manager will bat him. The big question for me is whether or not a new manager will want to move Steven Kwan from left field, where he has been one of the most productive defensive outfielders in the American League and put him in center while moving Myles Straw to the bench. It’s one way to inject some power into the lineup if you can free up a corner spot for somebody like George Valera. But it has to make sense if you’re going to move a Gold Glove to another position. I don’t see it happening, and I expect Kwan to continue in left while batting leadoff.
------
Oct. 6, 2:19 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I don’t see them moving Kwan from left field. Chris Antonetti, in the end of the season press conference, seemed to indicate Kwan would stay in left and Gimenez at second. If that is the case, I don’t see how they can stay with Straw in center. Love his glove, but unless he starts to hit like he did in the second half of the 2021 season after Cleveland acquired him from Houston, we already know how this story ends. Granted, Laureano isn’t the best solution, but we limited this exercise to players already under contract with Cleveland.
Right field needs a big upgrade as well. Can Oscar Gonzalez recapture the magic from 2022? Will he even be on the team?
Is what we saw from Will Brennan in 2023 what we’re going to get in 2024? Valera was beset by injuries this year and never got chance to show what he could do.
It’s easy to make rash decisions on young players like Gonzalez, Brennan and Straw. But Cleveland’s offense has to improve and the outfield is a good place to start.
Updated: Oct. 07, 2023, 10:53 a.m.|Published: Oct. 07, 2023, 6:01 a.m.
What will Cleveland's opening day lineup look like in 2024?AP
f
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.comJoe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The dust has barely settled on the 2023 Guardians season, but it is never too soon to start thinking about next spring. What will Cleveland’s lineup look like? Which current roster players will be gone and what new additions will the front office try to plug in? Can a new manager turn things around on offense with a tweak here or there?
With plenty of time betwen now and the start of the 2024 campaign, cleveland.com MLB beat writers Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga engaged in a lineup debate aimed at predicting what we can expect to see on the field once the season gets underway. Hoynsie and Noga emailed each other back and forth with their thoughts. We’ve collected them below for you to read through.
Oct. 6, 11:24 a.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie!
I’ve been sitting here trying to think of what the Guardians’ 2024 lineup card might look like on opening day. Based on the players available to them on the 40-man roster, I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s not a lot of wiggle room for the new manager when it comes to changing things up from last season. As I see it, guys like Gabriel Arias and Will Brennan need to take the next step in their development as hitters in order to provide more punch at the bottom of the order.
But maybe you, in your many years of experience with this sort of thing, can change my mind. What do you think of this “way too early” opening day lineup for 2024, and what changes would you make?
LF Steven Kwan
2B Andres Gimenez
3B Jose Ramirez
DH Josh Naylor
C Bo Naylor
RF Will Brennan
SS Brayan Rocchio
1B Kyle Manzardo
CF Myles Straw
------
Oct. 6, 12:18 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I think you’d agree with me that this lineup was a disappointment in 2023. It’s still a young lineup and perhaps players such as Gabriel Arias, Will Brennan and Tyler Freeman will improve in 2024.
Still, by sticking to players already in the system, there isn’t a lot of room to maneuver in this “way too early” look at the 2024 opening day lineup.
But with more than four months to go before the starts of next season, here’s my lineup.
LF Steven Kwan
3B Jose Ramirez
DH Josh Naylor
CF Ramon Laureano
2B Andres Gimenez
1B Gabriel Arias
C Bo Naylor
SS Brayan Rocchio
RF Will Brennan
------
Oct. 6, 12:34 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
I like what you did there with Laureano in center. He gives you a little more at the plate and does not hurt you defensively. But I’ve got to believe Gimenez with 30 steals last year is going to bat higher. As long as he is the Gimenez we saw in September.
Unless Josh Naylor comes back next spring looking like a bodybuilder, he’s going to spend a good part of the season at DH, with perhaps Oscar Gonzalez is an option against left-handers. Maybe that opens a spot for Kyle Manzardo to see some playing time as well. With the new rules that reward teams with draft picks for promoting young players and keeping them on the roster all season, I could see the Guardians trying to take advantage if Manzardo seems ready.
------
Oct. 6, 12:58 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I have no problem with using Naylor at DH at least part of the time. When he’s on the field, he plays so hard that the risk of injury is always there. It might be premature to think Manzardo is going to be in the opening day lineup. That’s why I’m going with Arias at first base. I know it’s not taking full advantage of his defensive skills, but I like the power he showed. Plus he’s a right-handed hitter on a roster that leans heavily to the left.
------
Oct. 6, 1:14 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
Tito was a big David Fry advocate, but Tito will not be making out the lineup next year. Has Fry done enough as a catcher to earn the full time backup role behind Bo Naylor, or is he just a good third option whose versatility allows him to play all over the field? I believe Fry will be the No. 3 catcher next year and the Guardians will bring in another veteran on a team friendly deal to be Naylor’s full time backup.
------
Oct. 6, 1:28 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
Bo Naylor should definitely open the season as the No. 1 catcher. I like him lower in the order, which will give the Guardians the ability to ambush a pitcher or two because of his power. Terry Francona had a habit of picking a utility guy and sticking with him. Fry was that guy in 2023. We’ll see if the new manager feels the same, but I’ve got no problem with him being the backup catcher. If he is the backup catcher, it limits his ability to be a late-inning replacement at other positions.
------
Oct. 6, 1:39 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
Arias got plenty of opportunities to put a stranglehold on the shortstop position in the final two months of the 2023 season, but he never seemed to claim the job for himself. Meanwhile Brayan Rocchio looked smooth and strong at the position. I think he’s the guy next year, with Arias seeing more time at first base and Tyler Freeman filling in as a utility player. All of that is assuming Gimenez stays put at second base, where he could very well win a Platinum Glove this offseason. I don’t think the Guardians are going to move Gimenez to shortstop, but I also don’t think Gimenez would try to stop them if they did.
------
Oct. 6, 1:28 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I agree with you on the Guards keeping Gimenez at second base. Rocchio certainly has the actions of a shortstop, plus he’s a switch-hitter who can run. If the G’s start him at shortstop, they’re going to have to be patient because all young shortstops make errors. That’s the one thing about Arias, he was sound defensively at short and he has a great arm.
I noticed you moved Jose Ramirez back to the No. 3 spot. I like him in the No. 2 spot because it means Ramirez and Josh Naylor, as long as he continues to hit behind Ramirez, get to bat in the first inning. Freeman can play a variety of positions and I like the way he swung the bat coming off the bench. But how many utility men can one team have?
------
Oct. 6, 1:51 p.m.
From: jnoga@cleveland.com
To: phoynes@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Hoynsie,
I think Jose moved to the No. 2 spot because Tito asked him to, but deep down he believes he’s a No. 3 hitter, and that’s where the new manager will bat him. The big question for me is whether or not a new manager will want to move Steven Kwan from left field, where he has been one of the most productive defensive outfielders in the American League and put him in center while moving Myles Straw to the bench. It’s one way to inject some power into the lineup if you can free up a corner spot for somebody like George Valera. But it has to make sense if you’re going to move a Gold Glove to another position. I don’t see it happening, and I expect Kwan to continue in left while batting leadoff.
------
Oct. 6, 2:19 p.m.
From: phoynes@cleveland.com
To: jnoga@cleveland.com
Re: Guardians 2024 lineup
Joe,
I don’t see them moving Kwan from left field. Chris Antonetti, in the end of the season press conference, seemed to indicate Kwan would stay in left and Gimenez at second. If that is the case, I don’t see how they can stay with Straw in center. Love his glove, but unless he starts to hit like he did in the second half of the 2021 season after Cleveland acquired him from Houston, we already know how this story ends. Granted, Laureano isn’t the best solution, but we limited this exercise to players already under contract with Cleveland.
Right field needs a big upgrade as well. Can Oscar Gonzalez recapture the magic from 2022? Will he even be on the team?
Is what we saw from Will Brennan in 2023 what we’re going to get in 2024? Valera was beset by injuries this year and never got chance to show what he could do.
It’s easy to make rash decisions on young players like Gonzalez, Brennan and Straw. But Cleveland’s offense has to improve and the outfield is a good place to start.
Re: Articles
9986Whomever plays left field and prefer Kwan, but they to be better at playing the ball off the wall. Maybe that's a change in defensive philosophy, such as the center fielder or shortstop rotating out when Kwan, at the wall, it's over his head and off the wall.
Re: Articles
9987You're saying that Kwan doesn't do that well to this point? [no debating; just asking]
Re: Articles
9988Just saying that he needs to learn to play that 19ft wall. Heard Hamilton say too many times that Kwan goes back to wall only to have the ball carom high off the wall. With his arm, maybe he turns that double into a single.
Re: Articles
9989
Zack Meisel
Oct 11, 2023
CLEVELAND — The man with the chestnut-colored beard, navy shirt and gray necklace walked off the elevator and onto the service level of Progressive Field, where he met resistance from a security guard.
That man’s image is plastered onto brick wall murals in the tunnel that connects the home clubhouse and dugout. With Cleveland stitched across his chest for nine seasons, he collected 1,120 base hits. But on an early September weekend, Jason Kipnis had left behind his media credential. As he returned to the radio booth to retrieve his pass, Kipnis’s thoughts turned again to one near-home run from almost seven years ago, a moment that could have changed Cleveland sports history forever — but didn’t.
“If it was fair, you would know who I was,” he thought.
Kipnis represented Cleveland in a pair of All-Star games. He ranks in the top 25 in team history in hits, runs, home runs and stolen bases. If he could go back in time and change the flight path of that one particular baseball, though, he wouldn’t need extra documentation to gain access to the locker room he once called home.
Few outsiders are better equipped to understand the plight of the Cleveland baseball fan than Kipnis. October 11 marks the 75th anniversary of the club’s last championship, the longest spell in the league and one of the most tortuous, yet under-the-radar hexes in sports history, when considering the decades of despair and the spirit-crippling close calls.
In the last 20 years, the Red Sox, White Sox and Cubs have all exorcised demons, dispelling long-standing, conversation-dominating droughts. Cleveland’s supporters continue to wait their turn, shouldering the pain in the shadows of baseball’s big markets.
Every day, Cleveland buries some devotee who despondently uttered at one point or another, “Just win one before I die.”
Kipnis was raised in the Chicago suburbs, a half-hour north of Wrigley Field, where he lived down the street from Steve Bartman. He monitored the police cars camped outside of Bartman’s house after the guy in the black crewneck and green turtleneck and cheap headphones in Seat 113 became Chicago’s greatest villain during Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS. Kipnis’ uncle delivered one of Ryne Sandberg’s children. Kipnis listened to Harry Caray, tuned in for every Sammy Sosa at-bat in the late ‘90s and pinched himself when he played defense behind Kerry Wood during an Indians spring training game a decade after Wood struck out 20 in a rookie-season masterpiece.
As the Cubs secured a World Series berth in 2016, their first in 71 years, Kipnis teared up, unsure of how to navigate the flood of emotions of his childhood team — the one with the high-profile curse — serving as the last line of defense between his Indians and a desperately sought-after championship.
That autumn, Kipnis had the chance to convert backyard fantasy into World Series reality, but with a twist. When he blasted a three-run homer in Game 4, the hollering from his friends and family was drowned out by a seething Chicago crowd, a scene he never could have fathomed.
In Game 7, though, he held the fate of baseball’s two longest droughts in his hands. In the bottom of the ninth, with the game tied, a fatiguing Aroldis Chapman uncorked slider after slider. Kipnis knew he couldn’t dismiss Chapman’s heat, even if the southpaw was on fumes.
So when he connected on a slider, despite a split-second of intrigue from his vantage point in the batter’s box, Kipnis knew he was out in front. The TV camera angle and the initial “oooh” from the Cleveland crowd deceived Indians fans watching from their living room couch or from an overcrowded bar.
Kipnis followed the ball’s trajectory. He saw it tail toward foul territory and plunge long before it would have reached the right-field fence. If he were to be immortalized in Cleveland sports history beside LeBron James and Otto Graham and Lou Boudreau, and in larger baseball lore beside Bill Mazeroski, Joe Carter and Kirk Gibson — if he were to earn the right to strut around Progressive Field without a credential — it wouldn’t be on that pitch.
“I would have been half-naked by the time that ball hit the outfield wall, doing cartwheels,” Kipnis says.
Instead, the Indians fell short in extra innings, an agonizingly familiar outcome for a fan base starved for a November parade. The Cubs’ drought, a suffocating national baseball topic, ceased at 108 years. They formed a dogpile on the soggy grass at Progressive Field, where they bequeathed the burden to those in the opposite dugout.
Cleveland’s spell now sits at 75 years.
“It’s been a long time,” said Carlos Baerga, second baseman for the runner-up 1995 Indians. “I don’t think people talk about it. They should talk about it.”
There’s an old joke about miserable nights at Municipal Stadium, the cavernous venue that stood on the shores of Lake Erie. You’d call the Indians’ ticket office early in the day to ask for the first-pitch time that evening, and an employee, desperate to fill an empty seat or two, would reply: “What time can you get here?”
The decrepit dungeon hosted four decades of bad, irrelevant baseball between a World Series appearance in 1954 and the Indians’ exodus to Jacobs Field in 1994. The Cubs may have been synonymous with losing, but when Hollywood screenwriters penned “Major League” they didn’t choose a story about the north-siders defying their owner and sparking a pennant chase. The fictional script reflected a dose of Cleveland’s depressing, everyday reality.
In the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals technically own the longest title drought, dating back to 1947. But they won that championship, 20 years before the first Super Bowl, as the Chicago Cardinals.
In the NBA, the Sacramento Kings have suffered the longest, their last title coming in 1951 as the Rochester Royals. The droughts for the Hawks, Suns, Clippers, Knicks and Pacers also date back at least a half-century.
In the NHL, the Stanley Cup has eluded the Toronto Maple Leafs since 1967. The Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks, who joined the league in 1970, have never won the title.
In MLB, half the league’s 30 teams have won a title since the turn of the century. The Rangers, Brewers, Padres and Mariners, who all joined the league between 1961-77, have never won a World Series.
Longest MLB title droughts of all time
Cubs
1908-2016
108
White Sox
1917-2005
88
Red Sox
1918-2004
86
Phillies
1903-1980
77
Indians/Guardians
1948-present
75
The Guardians’ drought is the longest active stretch in professional sports for a franchise that has remained in one city.
Kipnis: “’48, right? I’m not doing the math.”
Guardians GM Mike Chernoff: “Seventy-five years? Are we on 75?”
Brian Sweeney, former Guardians pitching coach: “It’s Cleveland. Was it 1947? ’48? When I was here, I never even thought about it. It was, ‘How do we get to the World Series? But it wasn’t like, ‘Oh s–t.’”
At the same time, there’s no sense of a great tragedy unfolding over a century’s time, as there was with the Cubs, or with a curse traced to the trade of perhaps baseball’s greatest player to the franchise’s ultimate rival, as there was with the Red Sox. If Cleveland’s drought isn’t the longest baseball has ever had, it might be the quietest.
Kole Calhoun, who joined the Guardians in August, figured the franchise won a title during its ‘90s glory days. He guessed the Rangers held the dubious distinction once the Cubs vanquished their curse. Many of the Guardians’ players — they’ve had the youngest roster in baseball the last two years — have no idea they’re representing the team most desperate for a title, or that the most recent triumph occurred around the time their grandparents were born.
Just how long ago was 1948? Here’s an actual dispatch from the last baseball championship parade in downtown Cleveland.
Broadcaster Van Patrick: “Here’s Bob Lemon, the guy who won two of the ballgames. Bob, come over here, will ya? Fella who got two World Series victories. Congratulations to you. You didn’t shave this morning!”
Lemon: “Well, I didn’t have time, man.”
Patrick: “Congratulations to you, Bob.”
There are two types of suffering, and Cleveland has mastered both. There were the dreadful, forlorn years at the old building, the seasons that left a dull pain, the ones that chased away fans from the stadium and resulted in the franchise coming within a handful of residents’ votes from relocating to Tampa or Denver in the early ‘90s. And there’s the sharp, stabbing sensation that accompanies thoughts of 1995 or 1997 or 2007 or 2016 or 2017, haunting flashbacks to generous strike zones and José Mesa and Joel Skinner and an ill-timed rain delay and to moments that transformed relative nobodies such as Troy O’Leary and Craig Counsell and David Ross and Greg Bird and Didi Gregorius into the city’s sworn enemies.
“There’s a lot of good history, and some demoralizing history, too,” said 57-year-old Sandy Alomar Jr., a player-turned-coach who has spent nearly half his life in the organization.
(Audio from Cleveland’s parade in 1948 / Courtesy of the team)
Terry Francona’s ties to the organization trace back to his father’s six seasons in Cleveland from 1959-64. As a toddler, Francona tagged along to the ballpark with his father. As a veteran big-leaguer, Francona spent a productive season in Cleveland in 1988. As the winningest manager in franchise history, Francona guided the club for 11 years.
But there’s no storybook ending here, either. And it’s not the 2016 shortcoming that sticks with Francona.
“The easy answer is 2016. I wish we had won, bad,” Francona says. “But 2017 still eats at me. If I start thinking about 2017, I get mad. I can’t help it. We’re up 2-0 (in the ALDS) and we didn’t put our best foot forward and I thought that team was built to win and we didn’t. That will always eat at me.”
Jeremy Goldberg was sitting on the third-base line at Fulton County Stadium when Marquis Grissom squeezed the 27th out for Atlanta in 1995. He watched his grandfather, a Braves fan, celebrate a long-awaited triumph as Albert Belle, Cleveland’s hulking cleanup hitter, traipsed to the dugout from the on-deck circle after the 1-0 defeat in Game 6.
Goldberg was standing in the aisle at Pro Player Stadium, itching to head for the exit, when the Marlins loaded the bases against Charles Nagy in the bottom of the 11th in Game 7 in 1997. He couldn’t bear to witness Edgar Renteria’s walk-off single that snuck past Nagy’s outstretched glove. He refuses to listen to Queen’s “We Are The Champions” after hearing it on a loop in the stadium parking lot. It still irks him how fans started The Wave in the crowd that night, and how they prioritized watching Florida State-Virginia on the concourse TVs during Game 6.
“These guys don’t even get it,” he says, “let alone get the pain of a midwestern city that’s had a team since 1901. I didn’t think I would ever recover from ’97.”
Goldberg was sitting in the lower bowl at Progressive Field, behind Eddie Vedder, when Bill Murray snatched a handful of popcorn from his bucket during Game 7 in 2016, before Murray’s Cubs completed their comeback from down 3-1 in the series.
“Extra innings, Game 7. Twice,” Goldberg says. “It’s hard to even say out loud.”
“Sorry, I blocked that out of my memory,” Chernoff says about 2016. “I don’t even know what you’re referring to.”
Had the Indians emerged victorious on that unseasonably warm evening in early November, Rajai Davis might have a statue on E. 9th Street.
“Mmm …” Davis says, shaking his head while pondering his likeness greeting fans entering the center-field gates. “It was 16 years of preparation for one moment to shine. My mindset was, ‘I’m gonna win this battle. He’s Goliath. I’m David. I have my bat. He has the ball.’”
Davis choked up on his bat as he fouled off one Chapman fastball after another. Then, he yanked one to left field, and the ballpark shook as the baseball disappeared onto the home run porch. But the high stemming from the most dramatic singular moment in the last 75 years of the franchise lasted less than an hour.
Davis’ 8-year-old son still regularly watches the video of his father’s game-tying, eighth-inning blast, but to some, Goldberg included, it’s more a footnote in a loss than a historic baseball feat.
“It’s a labor of love,” Goldberg said. “I don’t think there are a lot of people out there who have seen them lose three World Series in person. That’s not a club I’m proud to be in. The Marlins and Cubs losses, I think about a lot. I’ll never, ever get over them until, if and when we win. I’m turning 50 this year. Who knows? There are no promises.”
In September, with the Guardians teetering on the edge of playoff race elimination, Alomar and fellow coach Victor Rodriguez peered up at the pennants painted onto the wall in the upper deck in Cleveland and recounted the club’s close calls. Alomar was Cleveland’s catcher in ’95 and ’97 and has been a member of the coaching staff for the last 15 seasons, a rare link between the two eras, the sole soul to suffer through it all.
Friends will tell him MLB Network is re-airing Game 7 from 1997 or 2016, and he’ll supply his usual refrain.
Let me know when the outcome changes and I’ll watch it.
Alomar admits he found himself daydreaming about the eventual celebration when the Indians seized a 3-1 series lead on the Cubs.
“People around the world said it was (the Cubs’) turn,” he says. “Then our (drought) was brought up. But nobody hears about it anymore.”
Alomar surmises it’s because the team has avoided being a league doormat for much of the last 30 years, even though the ultimate prize remains elusive.
“We’ve had so many winning seasons that they don’t put it together,” he says. “But it’s about a World Series championship, not just being a winning team. One of the reasons I hang around here is to try to do something special for this franchise, the city, the people.
“I really would love to see something happen before I head home.”
Jimmy Keis always told his kids he didn’t want to wear any Cleveland gear with a player’s name on the back. He was devoted to the team, not the individuals who filtered onto and off of the roster over the course of his 63 years of attending games.
Keis watched his first Indians game in 1960, at the age of 9. He dreamed of being a sportscaster. His work buddies at the steel mill nicknamed him “Hawk” after Ken Harrelson. As a teenager, Keis saved money from his paper route to buy a Greyhound bus ticket to ride to Municipal Stadium.
He attended every home opener from 1969-2023, a string of 54 in a row, aside from the 2020 opener, attended by only cardboard cutouts. He took his kids to games in Detroit, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Toronto. He befriended ushers and fans and ticket reps. He witnessed Len Barker’s perfect game in 1981 and World Series contests in 1995 and 1997. He had season tickets for more than 30 years.
When he and his daughter drove home from the Cleveland Clinic after visiting his ailing wife, they passed Progressive Field on I-90 and he would wax poetic about what he dubbed “heaven on Earth,” an Eden where he could ditch his troubles for a few hours. After his wife passed, he pleaded with his children not to bury him in a suit. When he died in May, they dressed him in a Guardians polo with a red C logo and requested anyone attending his funeral to wear sports attire.
Keis was born 19 months after Lou Boudreau steered the Indians to the franchise’s most recent championship. The guy who paid extra for paper tickets that he kept in a plastic case so they wouldn’t bend or tear, who stapled his stubs and his completed scorecard to the game program for his collection — he never witnessed a title for himself.
“Seventy-five years. Seventy-five,” Goldberg says. “I don’t want to be reminded of the details, because it’s too painful. But I want people to know the plight of the 75 years, so when we do win, people can appreciate it that much more.”
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
9990CLEVELAND, Ohio — The best defensive second baseman in the American League once again played for the Cleveland Guardians in 2023, and there should be little debate when offseason awards roll around.
Andrés Giménez led AL infielders and was third in all of baseball with 23 defensive runs saved, trailing only San Diego right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (26) and Toronto center fielder Daulton Varsho (29). He topped all AL defenders with 400 assists, ranking second overall behind Nico Hoerner of the Cubs (411) in the National League.
More Guardians coverage
Did Emmanuel Clase have another AL Reliever of the Year season for the Guardians?
MLB postseason winners are exposing Guardians’ power deficit (Podcast)
Who’s in, who’s out in the Guardians’ search to replace manager Terry Francona
Since the start of the 2022 season, Giménez’s 39 defensive runs saved is the most for any middle infielder in baseball. This year, his 14.9 defensive runs above average according to Fangraphs.com was the best among AL second basemen, out-pacing Marcus Semien of Texas (13.4).
Through mid-August, Giménez topped the SABR Defensive Index rankings at second base in the AL with a score of 8.9, ahead of Semien’s 6.9. The SABR Defensive index is one of the metrics used to help select the winners of the Gold Glove Awards each season, accounting for 25% of the scoring process when added in with votes from managers and coaches.
That’s a pretty good indicator of Giménez’s chances at bringing home back-to-back Gold Gloves, making him the first Cleveland second baseman since Roberto Alomar (1999-2001) to earn the honor in consecutive seasons.
Andrés Giménez led AL infielders and was third in all of baseball with 23 defensive runs saved, trailing only San Diego right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (26) and Toronto center fielder Daulton Varsho (29). He topped all AL defenders with 400 assists, ranking second overall behind Nico Hoerner of the Cubs (411) in the National League.
More Guardians coverage
Did Emmanuel Clase have another AL Reliever of the Year season for the Guardians?
MLB postseason winners are exposing Guardians’ power deficit (Podcast)
Who’s in, who’s out in the Guardians’ search to replace manager Terry Francona
Since the start of the 2022 season, Giménez’s 39 defensive runs saved is the most for any middle infielder in baseball. This year, his 14.9 defensive runs above average according to Fangraphs.com was the best among AL second basemen, out-pacing Marcus Semien of Texas (13.4).
Through mid-August, Giménez topped the SABR Defensive Index rankings at second base in the AL with a score of 8.9, ahead of Semien’s 6.9. The SABR Defensive index is one of the metrics used to help select the winners of the Gold Glove Awards each season, accounting for 25% of the scoring process when added in with votes from managers and coaches.
That’s a pretty good indicator of Giménez’s chances at bringing home back-to-back Gold Gloves, making him the first Cleveland second baseman since Roberto Alomar (1999-2001) to earn the honor in consecutive seasons.