Cleveland Sports Forum

Puig is done. How long has it been since I played in the majors? Last Game: September 27, 2019 No way he comes back. He can have a nice winter ball career and if he's lucky find a job in Korea where he played in 22; He had no summer job in 23.

Reyes: IF he really is in shape again he could conceivably earn an opportunity from someone. He's still only 28 but his 2023 season in pro ball was very unimpressive: in AAA 217/317/392. Royals gave him a shot and he flopped badly: 186/231/288,'

Similar bats are on the roster and are five years younger: Noel, Rodriguez, de los Santos.

MLB.com tries to fans involved with a new list every week.
Today it is:
Each team's most likely breakout star for '24

"ecause "breakout" is a pretty flexible term, a lot of guys could conceivably have one, from top prospects to veterans who've yet to find their footing between injuries and roster crunches, to players -- including one star slugger -- who are joining new teams.
As we continue gearing up for the year ahead, here's one player set up for a breakout 2024 season."

So who would we pick for that title with the Guardians? How about Gavin Williams who was fine in his part-season debut and was rated about the top 20 prospects in the minors preseason. Will he or Bibee be the G's ace? Williams has more overpowering stuff.

And MLB chooses:

Guardians: C Bo Naylor
Naylor has had half of a season in the Majors and can return to Spring Training with a level of confidence he wouldn’t have had in 2023. As a young catcher, you’re not only trying to learn how to hit Major League pitching, you’re also trying to learn a new pitching staff, figuring out how to call a big league game and making successful game plans, which can be overwhelming. Now, with experience and his brother Josh, veteran catcher Austin Hedges and three former catchers on the coaching staff at his side, he should have ample resources to help break out in 2024.

[That's assuming he didn't break out already]

Chris Antonetti Has a Pattern

Lets try to use it to predict the future

By Bshaw125 Dec 31, 2023, 11:57am EST

The Cleveland Guardians have an outfield offensive production problem. According to the team beat writers and play-by-play announcer Jim Rosenhaus, the team acknowledges it too. What are they going to do to fix it? This isn’t about what I think they SHOULD do, or what fans WANT the team to do, it is trying to predict what they WILL do based on past behavior. We all want them to double the payroll and get a top free agent. Or be the ones to trade for Juan Soto and give him an extension. It’s just not what they do.

Chris Antonetti became President of Baseball Operations at the end of the 2015 season. Mike Chernoff was also promoted to General Manager. The 2015 Indians finished 81-80, in 3rd place in the AL Central, and had purged the contracts of Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn at the trade deadline. Sounds a little familiar.

The 2016 Indians did not start off as the World Series bound juggernaut that many want to remember. The opening day lineup had Juan Uribe at third base, Marlon Byrd in left field, and Collin Cowgill in right. Jose Ramirez was not in the lineup. He started the next game in left field. Michael Brantley missed most of the season with a shoulder injury. They took over the division lead in early June.

Uribe signed a 1 year, 4 million dollar deal right before Spring Training. Marlon Byrd was a minor league signing with an invite to Spring Training. Antonetti also signed more memorable names Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis to 1 year deals in the offseason. Twitter wasn’t nearly as popular then but looking back at the reaction, those signings didn’t inspire much excitement.

Let’s focus on Antonetti’s major league signings.

2016 Mike Napoli 1 year, 7 million

2016 Rajai Davis 1 year, 5.25 million

2016 Juan Uribe 1 year, 4 million

2017 Edwin Encarnacion 3 year, 60 million

2018 Yonder Alonso 2 year, 16 million

2020 Cesar Hernandez 1 year, 6.35 million

2021 Cesar Hernandez 1 year, 5 million

2021 Eddie Rosario 1 year, 8 million

2023 Josh Bell 2 years, 32 million

2023 Mike Zunino 1 year, 6 million

The outliers here are Edwin and Bell. Edwin was signed after a trip to the World Series and Josh Bell was signed after losing in game 5 of the ALDS to the Yankees. Everyone else was signed for less than 10 million a year. Yonder Alonso was traded after the first season and Josh Bell at the trade deadline. Edwin was traded after the 2018 season as part of a deal to bring back Carlos Santana.

Outside of Edwin, the common theme is these signings are all basically 1 year deals for less than 10 million dollars.

Then during the season, at the trade deadline, they either sell their free agent or make a trade to upgrade a need.

Traded for Andrew Miller, Brandon Guyer, Coco Crisp in 2016

Traded for Jay Bruce and Joe Smith in 2017

Traded for Josh Donaldson and Leonys Martin in 2018

Traded for Franmil Reyes, Yasiel Puig, Brad Hand, and Adam Cimber in 2019

Traded for Josh Naylor, Austin Hedges, Cal Quantrill, Owen Miller, Gabriel Arias in 2020

Traded away Eddie Rosario and Cesar Hernadez and traded for Myles Straw in 2021

Traded away Josh Bell in 2023

The outfield free agent market hasn’t moved much. Only 3 players have changed teams and 2 went to the Royals. Garrett Hampson and Hunter Renfroe. Dominoes likely won’t start to fall until the top free agents Cody Bellinger and Teoscar Hernandez sign. Nearly half of the MLB is impacted by the TV contract uncertainty with the Bally Sports bankruptcy situation. The next hearing is scheduled for January 10th. The signings of Napoli, Edwin, Eddie Rosario, and the Lindor trade all happened after the New Year.

So who’s available that fits the profile of 1-2 year deal, for less than 10 million a year, and would be tradeable if the team ends up not being contenders in 2024?

Using both Fangraphs and Spotrac projections we have Tommy Pham, Joey Gallo, Adam Duvall, Whit Merrifield, Randal Grichuk, Michael Brantley, Eddie Rosario, David Peralta, and Robbie Grossman.

While he can hit home runs, Joey Gallo doesn’t fit the team’s offensive profile with his .177 batting average last year.

Michael Brantley would be a nice return story but he just can’t stay healthy and is likely better off at DH.

They probably won’t bring back Eddie Rosario.

David Peralta was barely better than Will Brennan last season.

Robbie Grossman is best platoon hitting against lefty pitching and the Guardians have Ramon Laureano for that.

This leaves us with Pham, Duvall, Merrifield, and Grichuk.

Fangraphs projections for next season has

Pham with 18 HRs, .739 on base percentage plus slugging, and 102 weight runs created + (100 is average)

Duvall with 25 HRs, .700 OPS, and 87 wRC+

Merrifield with 10 HRs, .681 OPS and 85 wRC+

Grichuk with 17 HRs, .761 OPS, and 90 wRC+

For reference, Will Brennan had an OPS of .655 and Steven Kwan an OPS of .710 last season.

They may end up trading Shane Bieber for a longer term solution but recent rumors have them also including Emmanual Clase to get the value they want. A stop gap 1 year deal also makes sense if they believe in younger players like Will Brennan, George Valera, or Chase DeLauter.

Also don’t be surprised if someone on a minor league deal starts the season with the team. Marlon Byrd, Austin Jackson, Melky Cabrera, Rajai Davis’s second stint, Mike Freeman, Carlos Gonzalez, Tyler Clippard, Blake Parker, and Enyel De Los Santos all were Spring Training invites.

This is who Chris Antonetti is. This is what we should expect from the Guardians each offseason until the pattern changes.

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CLEVELAND GUARDIANS

'I’m able to talk now': Omar Vizquel speaks for first time since lawsuit | Exclusive

Bob Nightengale

USA TODAY

Dec 31, 2023

RICHMOND, Texas — Omar Vizquel slowly opens the front door, greets his visitor, and invites you into his home in this tree-lined community.

You go into the dining room where his fiancée sits, alongside two strategic consultants.

You talk for nearly two hours, ask uncomfortable questions, listen closely to what he says – and what he cannot say – and take a tour of his office filled with memorabilia from his career.

You see the anguish he is enduring, understand how badly he wants to be accepted again by baseball, but realize it may be impossible to ever know the entire truth.

Vizquel’s life turned upside down in August 2021, when he was sued by a former batboy who has autism, for sexual harassment while managing the Chicago White Sox’s Class AA team in Birmingham, Alabama in 2019. The civil lawsuit accused Vizquel of "sexually aggressive behavior" and alleged that Vizquel demanded the batboy wash his back. The White Sox suspended Vizquel with pay when the organization learned of the charges, and dismissed him after the season.

“When allegations were brought to our attention near the end of the season, Omar Vizquel was suspended," White Sox vice president Scott Reifert said in a message. “An internal investigation took place and his contract was not renewed."

The batboy, 22 at the time, filed a lawsuit against the White Sox and also filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He eventually dropped his suit against the White Sox, and claims against Vizquel were dismissed when the parties reached a confidential settlement in June 2022.

But only now, Vizquel says, with the encouragement of friends, his children and his fiancée, Monica, does he feel comfortable talking. He realizes that precious few may choose to believe him. He can't go into details because of the settlement, but also declines to publicly apologize.

Vizquel also was accused of domestic violence in 2020 by his ex-wife. He had been arrested in 2016, but was not prosecuted on fourth-degree assault accusations. Vizquel steadfastly denied the allegations at the time, and says today it was a smear campaign to damage his image in the wake of his divorce.

“I’m glad I’m able to talk now," he tells USA TODAY Sports, in his first public interview, “because a lot of things people were saying weren’t accurate. My conscience is clean and clear that I'm not the kind of person that they are saying about Omar. I can look at everybody in the eye and said, 'Man, do you really think that is accurate?' Come on now.

“I wish I could have spoken earlier but my lawyer told me, 'Do not say anything about it. Let the legal process play out. Your time to talk is going to come.' You see what happened. Justice spoke. There wasn’t something they could charge against me. There was nothing there. They took a look at everything. It was huge misunderstanding

“I’m a big believer of God, and God spoke."

While Vizquel says he still cannot specifically address the charges, he hopes that speaking publicly now may help him in the court of public opinion.

“I think it is time now to talk because everybody heard the version that came out," Vizquel said, “nobody had really listened to my side of the story or what really happened. It was hard to hear your name bouncing around and reading stuff that wasn’t accurate. It was really painful. At the end of the day, I knew I wasn’t that kind of guy they were talking about in there. ...

“I will say I said some words that I regret saying, but unfortunately, I cannot give details because of the agreement that I signed with this guy. But I can tell you this: the Omar Vizquel that was portrayed in the press is not the Omar Vizquel that believes in integrity and the values. Those are the facts."

In 24 big-league seasons, Vizquel was an 11-time Gold Glove winner, produced 2,877 hits and played more games at shortstop than any player in history. His resume probably should have had him in the Hall of Fame by now.

Yet, instead of forever basking in glory in Cooperstown, Vizquel’s Hall of Fame candidacy has cratered more than any player who ever appeared on the ballot.

The game that he's loved since he was old enough to pick up a ball, wants no part of him anymore.

“It’s tough to see what has happened to Omar, heartbreaking really," says his former All-Star teammate Carlos Baerga says. “He’s a very lovely person. He gets along with everyone. Omar wants everyone to be happy. Omar wants everyone to enjoy life.

“That’s why I can’t believe this because I know what kind of person he is, the way he was with everyone in the clubhouse, on and off the field, it hurts my heart. This is tough on him."

Friends and former teammates have been honored with celebrations, but Vizquel has been told to stay away.

Youth camps and instructional clinics who used to seek his guidance alongside other former greats no longer invite him.

“It’s hard not to be in the game when you see all your friends doing different things in the game," Vizquel says. “I want to do that. I want to stay in the game, and obviously I think I have a lot to give back. It’s important for me to talk to the younger Venezuelan kids, go to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic. I have lot to give back to the game."

When the lawsuit came, Vizquel says he stayed alone in his house when the news broke, not knowing whether he even wanted to live. He hired lawyers to fight the civil lawsuit, insisting it was just clubhouse antics. The former batboy’s attorneys charged it was sexual harassment.

“There was a point where I spent three days in a room with only a glass of water," Vizquel softly said. “The only time I’d leave is to go to the bathroom 10 times a day. I didn’t even know what time it was. It would be like 3 o’clock in the morning and I thought it was in the afternoon. It was really bad.

“I was living by myself. My door was closed. And I thought people were chasing me in my own house.

“I tell you what, there were a lot of bad thoughts going through my head."

Vizquel, who just returned from Venezuela, celebrating Ronald Acuña Jr.’s MVP award, and worked with youth in baseball camps, felt exhilarated the past two weeks. He felt welcomed by the baseball community. Yet, back home in the Houston area, he wonders if anything will ever change.

He wasn’t invited by the Seattle Mariners to be among their former players who were celebrated during the All-Star festivities. He was invited by the Cleveland Guardians to celebrate the career of Manny Ramirez, his former teammate and close friend – only to be told he couldn’t be on the field. His invitation to appear at a youth camp in Philadelphia in November was pulled. The only MLB-related event he has been invited to was in August when the San Francisco Giants celebrated longtime clubhouse manager Mike Murphy’s retirement.

While Vizquel has not been suspended by MLB and officials say there are no conditions or provisions preventing teams from having Vizquel participate in events, he’s still unwelcome.

His hopes of reaching the Hall of Fame are virtually extinguished, too. He has received only 12.6% of the votes first 88 public votes by the Baseball Writers Association of America, according to Ryan Thibodeaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, and has only three more years of eligibility.

No player in history has had greater decline in Hall of Fame voting history, receiving 52.6% of the vote just three years ago, and now barely hanging on for eligibility.

“Of course I would love to be in the Hall of Fame, who wouldn’t?" Vizquel said. “But what’s most important to me is just giving back, staying involved in baseball, helping others achieve their dreams.

“Baseball is my passion."

Vizquel, 56, hopes to be at the Caribbean World Series beginning Feb. 1 in Miami, assisting a team from Venezuela, but doesn’t know whether he’ll be invited. MLB officials aren’t prohibiting him from participating, but it’s unknown whether the event’s organizers will welcome him.

Really, who knows if he’ll ever be welcomed back in baseball.

Yet, no matter what happens, no matter who you want to believe, Vizquel insists he can live with himself.

“You know what," Vizquel says, “my conscience is clean. When I lay down my head in bed, I can lay down and sleep in peace. I know I’m not that type of person I was being portrayed.

“I’m just not."

<

Wow! Didn't realize Omar had all these off-the-field problems.

Sad.

today's MLB.com story

here's one bold prediction for each MLB team in 2024.

Guardians: Tanner Bibee will be an AL Cy Young finalist
Rookies can often experience a sophomore slump, but Bibee is primed to skip that step. He ended his first season with a 2.98 ERA in 25 outings, with 141 strikeouts in 142 innings. Bibee was forced to miss his last few starts due to right hip inflammation, which left a mighty chip on his shoulder, as he desperately wanted to boost his numbers for an even better case for the AL Rookie of the Year Award. He displayed a tremendous ability to adapt on the fly in 2023, and with experience under his belt, he can take a big step in ’24. --

Is George Valera in the picture for the Cleveland Guardians in 2024?

The 2024 season figures to feature the debut of numerous Cleveland Guardians prospects - will that include outfielder George Valera?


By Cade Cracas | Dec 31, 2023

Since the start of the 2021 campaign, the constant talk around the Cleveland Guardians has been about the abundance of talent within the organization's farm system. More recently, the team has greatly heightened its depth at the outfield position.

With the likes of outfielders Chase DeLauter, Jaison Chourio, Jake Fox, and countless others flooding the minor-league teams of the Guardians, the question starts to arise: Where does George Valera sit in the rotation for a spot within the big leagues?

The Guardians opted to bring in Valera in July of 2017 after he became one of the most sought-after power hitters internationally at the time. Since signing him over six years ago, the expectations around the organization and his development into a superstar have been high.

Early on, the Guardians utilized the young power hitter at the Double-A level with the Akron RubberDucks. During his time there, he batted over .260, knocked 110 hits, 20 doubles, three triples, and 18 home runs to work his way into the MLB All-Star Futures Game in the 2022 campaign.

His efforts would be noticed behind the scenes and the Guardians would place the 22-year-old in Triple-A with the Columbus Clippers. However, that is where the struggles started to begin.

He would be ruled out of numerous outings due to injury. Those injuries would occur to his wrist and hamstring, adding more concern to his reliability in staying healthy. Since joining the organization, he has not completed a full season without being injured.

Alongside injury concerns, Valera lost his temper in a contest against the Nashville Sounds resulting in punches being thrown at the opposition's catcher. This altercation resulted in Valera having to serve a six-game suspension.

With Valera's back up against the wall, and questions starting to arise about the potential "bust" he was becoming, he bounced back.

He wrapped up this past July with a clean .234/.370/.427 slashing line to go along with six home runs and 19 RBI. His power has consistently shifted to each level he has been promoted to, proving that while his lines and stats may drop, the real catalyst to his game remains.

In his career, he has hit 63 home runs and batted in 226 runs. If those numbers can translate to the majors, the Guardians will be in good hands.

Is 2024 the year of the George Valera major-league experiment?

The simple answer? It has to be.

But the more elaborate answer is hard. The Guardians, just like they always have, seemingly have prospects oozing from each crack and crevice of the farm system.

One player who has been rumored to potentially get time in the big leagues is DeLauter. With similar, but better, statistics and attributes as Valera, DeLauter offers plenty of major-league-ready qualities and the organization no doubt wants to see what the first-round pick could offer sooner than later.

Recent rumors suggest he will be a focal point for the organization to monitor throughout spring training, with the chance to place him in Triple-A or the majors after just one season of pro ball being very realistic.

That means Valera has to stand out and find his way onto the major-league roster quickly to prove himself and find a spot where he'll stick moving forward. The most likely path as of right now is right field, where the Guardians still don't have a reliable everyday option (though the same could be argued about center field as well - things aren't super great in the outfield right now).

Nonetheless, at the age of 23, Valera still has a bright future ahead of him, and his talent will be showcased in the majors in due time. The only question is: Will it be in 2024?

<

Not the most articulate author; what e.g. does this mean?

"With Valera's back up against the wall, and questions starting to arise about the potential "bust" he was becoming, he bounced back.
He wrapped up this past July with a clean .234/.370/.427 slashing line to go along with six home runs and 19 RBI.
If the point is that George improved from July through the end of season over his first months, that is correct. His actual numbers for July through the end were
230/356/435 with 10 homers and 29 RBI in 239 plate appearances, and 68 strikeouts [strikeouts picked up over those months]

And What do those numbers prove? "His power has consistently shifted to each level he has been promoted to, proving that while his lines and stats may drop, the real catalyst to his game remains. In his career, he has hit 63 home runs and batted in 226 runs [in 1503 plate appearances for reference]. If those numbers can translate to the majors, the Guardians will be in good hands."

Maybe. George needs to stay healthy and consistent and is young enough [only 23] to still be a promising contributor.

Omar = greatest infielder i have ever seen. Unfortunately he has always been a predator.

No one's perfect

Cleveland Guardians’ 9 most interesting people in 2024 KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 19: Bo Naylor #23 of the Cleveland Guardians is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting home run during the 8th inning of the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on September 19, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
By Zack Meisel
7h ago



CLEVELAND — For just one moment, let’s table talk about microscopic payrolls, unresolved TV deals, revenue sharing, deferred payments and how the pieces of the Cleveland Guardians’ roster don’t seem to fit at all. Let’s simply think about the year ahead, the Guardians and the people and storylines that pique our interest.

Here are nine members of the organization who will have my attention in 2024.
Stephen Vogt

It’s been 21 years since Cleveland had a new manager occupying the role for the first time (Eric Wedge). So many people have had so many glowing things to say about Vogt, his personality and his leadership qualities. And so many of those people have also cautioned that a new manager will endure growing pains and must learn from failure, just like any young hitter or pitcher does.

Vogt seems to understand and appreciate at least two facets of the job: One, that his staff is his greatest resource, and it will behoove him to leverage its expertise. Carl Willis, for instance, will ensure Vogt has the right reliever warming for the right situation. And, two, that communication and relationship building are critical, especially when overseeing such a young roster. He’ll be developing alongside his players, and he’ll be tasked with finding the proper tact in delivering difficult messages and instilling confidence and belief throughout the clubhouse. No one knows how it’ll play out, and that’s an unfamiliar feeling in Cleveland on the heels of Terry Francona’s 11-year tenure.
Bo Naylor

For years, Cleveland has prioritized defense and game calling with its catchers. Whether Austin Hedges or Mike Zunino or Roberto Pérez, the catcher has batted near the bottom of the order and any offensive contributions have been considered a bonus. But there’s a path, perhaps, for Naylor to hit his way to the middle of Vogt’s lineup. His .809 OPS last season ranked behind only his brother, Josh, and José Ramírez, the cornerstones of the offense. He posted a 1.113 OPS in the last six weeks of the season. He possesses 25-homer potential, draws plenty of walks and can swipe some bases. As for the other obligations — the game planning, the scouting reports, the pitcher handling, keeping his body intact for a full 162-game slate — he’ll have quite the network with Hedges, Vogt, Craig Albernaz and Sandy Alomar Jr. at his disposal every day.
Gavin Williams

Tanner Bibee finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, so his sophomore season is certainly of interest. Williams flashed brilliance, too, but in a way — perhaps because it was more sporadic — that left this viewer pondering his ceiling. Some days, Williams’ fastball touched the upper 90s. Others, it sat at 93-94 mph or lost steam as his outing unfolded. The fastball certainly plays (as supported by the Stuff+ metric The Athletic’s Eno Sarris concocted), and Willis helped him prove that as the summer wore on in 2023. But Williams’ slider and curveball might be the difference-makers. Both secondary pitches carried decent whiff rates.

Opponents vs. Williams’ slider: .157 average, .241 slugging percentage
Opponents vs. Williams’ curveball: .174 average, .391 slugging percentage (.321 expected slugging percentage, based on the quality of their contact)

There’s clearly more for Williams to achieve. His walk rate was shaky, his chase rate was low and even his strikeout rate landed in the middle of the pack. Whether it’s finding optimal spots to convince hitters to follow one of his breaking pitches out of the zone, modifying his pitch sequences or something else — and this riddle can become easier to solve with more experience — there might be top-of-the-rotation material for him to unlock in Year 2.
Kyle Manzardo

Will he be more Richie Sexson or more Matt LaPorta, more Travis Hafner or more Jake Bauers? Manzardo’s late-season output in Columbus and his performance in the Arizona Fall League have certainly sparked curiosity. He has mostly excelled as a minor-leaguer and has the look of a high on-base-percentage hitter who racks up doubles and homers. That’s what Cleveland’s lineup (or any lineup, really) sorely needs.

But will Manzardo start at first base on Opening Day in Oakland in late March? Or will the Guardians manipulate his service ti— err, make sure he has perfected his defensive footwork and the art of the secondary lead? No matter the decision, we’ll get to watch Manzardo battle big-league pitching at some point in 2024, and his profile suggests he might be pretty proficient at it.
Andrés Giménez

The ZiPS projection system forecasts 5.1 fWAR for Giménez in 2024. Here’s the list of position players who reached that total in 2023: Ronald Acuña Jr., Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson, Shohei Ohtani, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Francisco Lindor, Corbin Carroll, Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt Jr., Juan Soto, William Contreras, Austin Riley, José Ramírez and Adley Rutschman.

Decent company.

Giménez registered 6.2 fWAR in 2022, the breakout season that landed him a long-term contract extension. He’s still only 25 and has established himself as an unparalleled defender in the middle infield. Even with a step back at the plate last season, he produced about league-average offense (and an improved strikeout rate) and 3.6 fWAR. That’s a high floor. Despite a .314 on-base percentage, he hit 15 homers and stole 30 bases. If he’s a better hitter in 2024, with all of his other skills, he will be one of the more valuable players in the sport.
Andrés Giménez has established himself as an unparalleled defender in the middle infield. (Jason Miller / Getty Images)
Steven Kwan

Kwan produced a 100 OPS+ in 2023, the definition of league average. He stole 21 bases, drew 70 walks, made a ton of contact, racked up 36 doubles and won another Gold Glove Award. And even he admitted there’s more to achieve. His offensive numbers took a dip and for the lineup to succeed, the Guardians need the version of Kwan who reached base at a .373 clip in 2022. That’ll lead to more stolen bases, more runs and more opportunities for the middle of the order.

Kwan suggested he’d benefit from hitting the ball with more authority. Coaches have noted it’s about capitalizing on chances to take more aggressive swings. When he’s ahead 3-1 in the count, for instance, can he power a pitch into the gap instead of banking on BABIP fortune? Kwan’s elite contact ability makes him reliable, but how will he attempt to expand his offensive profile in 2024?
Daniel Espino

Who knows how a pitcher will rebound after missing, essentially, two years? Espino is working his way back from significant shoulder surgery, but it’s impossible not to daydream about his pre-injury arsenal: a 100-mph fastball and a lethal slider and curveball that produced jarring strikeout rates along his journey to Double A. He turns 23 on Friday, and it’s impossible to know what his future holds. Can he reclaim his spot as a consensus top-25 prospect? Does he wind up as a late-inning reliever? For 2024, given his recent history, just returning to the mound, avoiding the injured list and demonstrating he still has some tantalizing stuff would count as a win.
George Valera

“He’s shown exceptional patience and easy all-fields power. … He has bat speed, big strength and an advanced eye at the plate, along with solid-average defense for right field, and there’s just an electricity to the way he plays.” That sure sounds like someone the Guardians could use. That was the scouting report on Valera from The Athletic’s Keith Law ahead of the 2022 season. Plenty can change in two years. Valera has suffered through injuries and inconsistencies since then. Still, he was a consensus top-100 prospect last spring and he turned 23 in November. There’s time. However, this feels like a pivotal year for him to showcase that power and that patience, to shed some of the swing-and-miss, to prove he isn’t a liability against lefties and to seize some big-league playing time.

And, while we’re here, it’s worth mentioning that for as many question marks as the big-league club has, there are a host of intriguing hitters who could start the season at Triple-A Columbus and enter the conversation this summer. Valera cracked this list because it feels like he desperately needs to deliver this year, but it’ll be worth monitoring Juan Brito and Chase DeLauter, who are two potential Guardians lineup linchpins. Or, perhaps you’re intrigued by the thump offered by Johnathan Rodriguez and Jhonkensy Noel, or the endless supply of shortstops that includes Brayan Rocchio, Angel Martínez and José Tena.
Chris Antonetti

A quick aside: I had a dream this week that at some fancy shindig (oversized, filled-to-the-brim glasses of champagne were being served), Antonetti divulged during a speech that the Guardians would trade Shane Bieber this month to whichever team submitted the best offer. Antonetti didn’t realize a few reporters were in attendance and he was so appalled that his revelation reached the public that he hibernated for weeks.

First, I wish I had more riveting dreams. Second, I wish Antonetti (and his fellow front-office bigwigs) operated with such candor and disregard for the ramifications of doing so.

Bieber’s name, unsurprisingly, has surfaced on the trade market this winter, and the Guardians may deal him before the start of the season. He can become a free agent in nine months, and Cleveland’s front office is always thirsting for value, though it’s worth noting that because of injuries, a decline in stuff and his limited team control, they aren’t exactly dangling him at peak value. The front office had a shaky 2023, and the margin for error is slim enough to make any transactional misstep seem glaring. There are crucial decisions on the horizon, beginning with Bieber.

Meisel is the best writer on the Guardians. I'd skip many of those other amateur commenators. He's a pro and knows whereof he speaks and can write a clear sentence and paragraph, too.

Dodgers Have ‘Checked In’ With Guardians Regarding Shane Bieber

Ricardo Sandoval 01/03/2024

When Los Angeles Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten said the team wasn’t done improving after a billion-dollar December spending spree, he wasn’t kidding. The Dodgers have done more than any team this off-season to make the 20’s their decade.

Los Angeles’ starting rotation is already loaded, but lacks major league experience beyond recently acquired right-hander Tyler Glasnow and returning ace Walker Buehler. Pitchers and catchers are still more than a month away from reporting to spring training, and the Dodgers’ front office wouldn’t mind adding a veteran arm to that mix.

According to Dodgers insider Juan Toribio, the Dodgers “checked in” with the Cleveland Guardians on former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber.

Los Angeles has checked in with the Guardians on Shane Bieber, who will be a free agent at the end of the ‘24 season. The Guardians are a tough team to deal with, however, and don’t necessarily have to move the right-hander.

Bieber has one more season of team control and is still only 28 years old. In six seasons, Bieber has already panned out an excellent career for himself. He won the 2020 American League Cy Young award. He’s also won a Gold Glove, pitching’s triple crown, and is a two-time All-Star.

The Orange native saw his performance regress in 2023, when he finished 6-6 with a 3.80 ERA in 21 starts. Bieber did not pitch between July 9 and Sept. 22 because of right elbow inflammation.

If the elbow injury did not impede his arm strength, it’s possible it affected Bieber’s command. Although his velocity was basically unchanged from 2022, his walk rate rose, as did the contact rate on each of his pitches. Perhaps the Dodgers’ scouts and performance staff identified a correctable flaw that led to their interest in the 28-year-old right-hander.

The Dodgers have said they would do their best to improve even after getting Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and they weren’t kidding. Although it’s been a slow-paced offseason in general, Dodger fans have plenty to be ecstatic about.

Even if the discussions around Bieber prove fruitless, don’t be surprised if another established starting pitcher makes his way to Los Angeles.

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Does Brayan Rocchio Have A Head Start In Guardians' Shortstop Competition?

Cleveland Guardians prospect Brayan Rocchio is putting up big offensive numbers in the Venezuelan Winter League.

TOMMY WILD

January 3, 2024 11 HOURS AGO

Who will be the Cleveland Guardians starting shortstop in 2024?

That's the questions that all fans want to know. It's not an easy and clear-cut decision to make either. Cleveland has several options to go with and each candidate has a unique skillset that makes them a viable option.

One of the contenders to steal the starting spot is Brayan Rocchio. He may be getting a head start in the competition based on how well he's played in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Rocchio finished the 2023 season with a .247 batting average and .279 OBP in 81 at-bats. That's not too bad for a rookie hitter, but there was definitely room for improvement.

We may be seeing the next rendition of this young hitter appear in Winter Ball.

The 22-year-old has played in 20 games for Tiburones de La Guaira. In those appearances, Rocchio has put up a slash line of .377/.457/.541 with a .998 OPS. These stats include seven doubles, one home run, and eight RBI.

Rocchio's biggest strength has always been his defense. That's why seeing him put up such big offensive numbers should open up the eyes of fans and the front office. We also have to consider what the roster's biggest need is right now. That would be finding more offense one way or another.

There's still a long way to go and a lot of baseball to be played before the 2024 season starts. It's still anyone's guess on who in fact will get the nod as the primary shortstop moving forward.

One thing should be clear though, if Rocchio continues this type of production into spring training there should be a strong case that he should be starting at shortstop on Opening Day.

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Guardians Prospect Daniel Espino Making Progress In Injury Recovery

In a recent video on X, Cleveland's third-ranked prospect shows encouraging progress in his recovery from surgery on his throwing shoulder.

LOGAN POTOSKY

January 3, 2023 1 HOUR AGO

The Cleveland Guardians’ third-ranked and MLB’s 80th-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline did not play in a single game last year.

This was due to undergoing surgery to repair his right shoulder’s anterior capsule this past May.

In fact, he last played in a game on April 29, 2022. He was eventually shut down that day due to knee and shoulder soreness.

However, Daniel Espino is progressing in his recovery from last year’s shoulder surgery.

In a recent video on X, the right-handed starting pitcher is shown throwing a baseball with what appears to be somewhat strong velocity and no significant limitations.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1742367345048179071

#Guardians 22yr old RHP prospect Daniel Espino putting in some work today back home in Panama. Amazing to see how hard Espino is throwing after undergoing shoulder surgery last May & given a 12-14 month timetable for a return. He looks to be way ahead of schedule. Still look for the organization to treat Espino with kid gloves as we head toward the start of the 2024 season.

Despite not having pitched in a game in nearly two years, he was selected to the Guardians’ 40-man roster shortly before the 2023 MLB Rule 5 Draft.

Espino, Cleveland’s first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, turns 23 on Friday. In 133.2 career Minor League innings, ranging from rookie ball through Double-A, he has totaled a 1.06 WHIP, .184 opposing batting average, and 14.88 strikeouts per nine innings.