Cleveland Sports Forum

Guardians Release 2024 Spring Training Broadcast Schedule

The Cleveland Guardians will play seven televised games during the 2024 spring training.

TOMMY WILDFEB 15, 2024 6:55 PM EST

Baseball fans are eager to watch their favorite team back on the field, even if that is just for exhibition games. On Thursday, the Cleveland Guardians announced their broadcast schedule for 2024 spring training giving fans a good idea of when they can see their favorite team back in action.

There will be a total of 15 games broadcasted on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network and five games will be webcast exclusives on CLEGuardians.com. The dates of these webcast games will be (all times are in Eastern Standard):

Feb 25 vs Seattle Mariners @3:10 pm
Feb 27 vs. Oakland Athletics @3:05 pm
Mar 5 vs. Seattle Mariners @3:05 pm
Mar 10 vs Cincinnati Reds @4:05 pm
Mar 13 vs Chicago Cubs @4:05 pm

Seven of the spring training games that will be broadcasted on Bally Sports Great Lakes (all times are in Eastern Standard):

Feb. 24 vs. Cincinatti Reds @3:05 pm
Feb 27 vs. Oakland Athletics @3:05 pm
Feb 28 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks @3:05 pm
Feb 29 vs. Los Angeles Angels @3:10 pm
Mar 9 vs. Los Angeles Angels @3:05 pm
Mar 22 vs. Texas Rangers @4:05 pm
Mar 24 vs. Cincinatti Reds @4:05 pm

The sporadic broadcast schedule for the Guardians is something that can be difficult to follow but that's just the nature of these spring training games. But before we know it, we'll have six months of Cleveland baseball just about every day and around the same time.

That time can't come soon enough!

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Espino ready to return after numerous speed bumps

Feb 18, 2024 12:52 PM CST

For the past seven years, Daniel Espino has told himself the same thing: “I was born with a destiny and nobody can stop that.”

Nobody. Nothing. And certainly, he hopes, no injury.

If you went back to 16-year-old Espino, he couldn’t have predicted the number of bumps he’d experience in his professional career -- all before he’d even reach the big leagues. He was on the fast track to being the next pitching star to come through the Cleveland system after he was selected in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft. His stuff has always been electric and the longer he was in the Minor League system, the more the hype around him built.

Entering the 2022 season, Espino sat at No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Guardians prospects list and No. 14 on Pipeline’s overall Top 100 list. At the time, his heater topped out at 103 mph and he had a plus-plus slider that could either work in the mid-80s with depth or could reach 93 mph with more horizontal action (like a sweeper).

He pitched to a combined 3.73 ERA with 152 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings between Single-A Lynchburg and High-A Lake County in 2021. At the beginning of ’22 with Akron, Espino racked up 35 strikeouts in 18 1/3 frames, including a 14-strikeout performance on April 23. Then, everything came to a crashing halt.

Espino was sidelined shortly after that April 23 outing with patellar tendinitis, which didn’t seem too concerning. But as he was recovering from that, he sustained a right shoulder injury that would nag him for the next year. He spent the following winter building back up, hoping that everything he suffered through in 2022 was behind him, but when he arrived at Spring Training his throwing shoulder continued to flare up. That’s when the team sought surgical answers.

Espino underwent surgery last May and was given a 12- to 14-month recovery window. Knowing just how much he’s gone through since he was last in a game nearly two years ago, the Guardians will be extra careful with his build up. That’s why his goals for 2024 are so simple:

“Get healthy. Pitch one game.”

In order to get back into a regular routine -- one that can allow him to dream about his Major League debut in the near future again -- Espino has to simply start with making one start. From there, he can let his momentum build.

Espino has been able to rely on his family, teammates and those at the Arizona complex to make sure he doesn’t get down on himself through this process. He’s taken extra time to learn about his body and figure out what it needs in order to recover properly moving forward. Although he admitted it’s difficult at times to not get antsy for his return to play, he understands what he needs to do to make this happen. And now, the finish line is in sight.

“I’m trying to enjoy being around these guys, trying to enjoy this opportunity and that’s it,” Espino said. “I’m a believer and I know that God has something prepared for me and He’s not gonna put something in front of me that I’m not gonna be able to handle.”

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GUARDIANS

Oh where, oh where will the Guardians find some outfielders? – Terry Pluto

Updated: Feb. 18, 2024, 3:43 p.m.|Published: Feb. 18, 2024, 5:44 a.m.

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Talking to myself as the Guardians have opened training camp:

QUESTION: Cleveland’s outfield was awful last season and what did they do to make it better?

ANSWER: Here are the dismal numbers and where the Guardians’ outfield ranked among the 30 MLB teams: 16 homers (30th); 150 RBI (30th), .656 OPS (30th) and .253 batting average (12th).

Q: Yikes!

A: Here are the candidates for the outfield: Steven Kwan is set in left field. They probably will platoon Ramon Laureano and Will Brennan in right field. In center, there is Estevan Florial and Myles Straw.

Q: Why not bring in another veteran outfielder?

A: They did that with Laureano. Then Guardians president Chris Antonetti explained the thinking at a press conference this week.

Q: Care to tell us?

A: Here’s the key part: “If we sign someone and commit to giving that person 500-550 plate appearances, that’s 500-550 plate appearances we can’t give to other players. We feel like our major league team and development system is at a point where some of those guys, we need to provide opportunities for.”




A former Guardian, Nolan Jones hit 20 HR for Colorado in 2023. Getty Images


Q: How can they come back with an outfield that hit only 16 homers?

A: They will look at younger players during the season. I’m intrigued by Jonathan Rodriguez. He’s 24. He batted .286 (.897 OPS) with 29 HR and 88 RBI last season between Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus.

Q: What about George Valera? He’s always on prospect lists.

A: Valera has had injuries in three of the last four seasons. In 256 Class AAA at-bats, Valera hit .211 (.718 OPS) with 10 HR and 35 RBI. He needs to stay healthy and play in the minors.

Q: Didn’t they trade two outfielders last year who would have helped?

A: It was a bad offseason for the front office. They spent $22 million signing Mike Zunino and Josh Bell. They flopped. Antonetti admitted: “Last year, we made choices to allocate some of those at-bats to veterans. In retrospect, maybe we would have been better served giving some of those at-bats to younger guys.”

Q: Will Benson and Nolan Jones?

A: That’s two. They traded Benson to Cincinnati for Justin Boyd, a Reds second-round pick in 2022. He’s dealt with injuries and had only 50 Class A at-bats last season. Benson hit .275 (.863 OPS) with 11 HR and 31 RBI for the Reds. He stole 19 bases. A lefty hitter, he was 6 of 41 vs. lefties. But hit .297 vs. righties.Q: He would have helped, the same with Jones.

A: Jones was a .297 hitter (.930 OPS) with 20 HR and 62 RBI in 424 plate appearances for Colorado. He batted .306 (.920 OPS) at home, .288 (.935 OPS) on the road. So it was not being helped by the hitter friendly Denver park.

Q: Sigh.

A: The Guardians received Juan Brito for Jones, so I’m not writing that off. Brito is my favorite prospect for 2024, although I expect the second baseman to open at Class AAA.




Steven Kwan is the one sure thing in Cleveland's outfield.John Kuntz, cleveland.com



Q: Will they find some outfielders?

A: Kwan is a Gold Glover in left field. He is an excellent leadoff hitter. If Florial can produce, that would be a major boost. As for Brennan and Laureano, they are place holders until they find a right fielder. The Guardians picked Deyvison De Los Santos in the Rule 5 draft. He’s only 20. He hit .254 (.728 OPS) with 20 HR and 61 RBI in Class AA. But he’s played mostly third and first base and not in the outfield. I believe Kyle Manzardo will hit, but he’s a first baseman.

Q: You’re the guy who raved about Oscar Gonzalez and Owen Miller.

A: You had to bring that up. Miller is with Milwaukee, where he batted .261 (.674 OPS) and played some outfield. But as he did in Cleveland, he fell apart in the second half of the season and ended up in the minors. He’s a .241 hitter (.638 OPS) in 988 MLB plate appearances. Doesn’t look good for Miller. As for Gonzalez, he’s with the Yankees and probably will open the season in Class AAA. Look, it’s spring training. The Guardians certainly have some young guys who can help. Last year showed they need pick the right ones to keep.

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Karinchak was "top reliever" or nearly top reliever a couple years ago. Now, he's competing for last spot in the bullpen.

Ten players with questions to answer this spring. In my mind, Florial ranks high on that list, since he is out of options unlike almost everyone on Hoynes' list.

Valaika dishes on bounceback, breakout candidates for Guardians

February 18th, 2024

Mandy Bell

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians have become known for having a contact-first offensive approach. They don’t swing and miss. They don’t strike out. They put the ball in play. And yet, they struggle to score runs.

Now, it’s time to add impact.

“We have the bodies to be able to do more than we’ve shown,” Guardians hitting coach Chris Valaika said. “We have to break that mold because the hallmark of the organization has been drafting good decision makers, high-contact bats -- so we have to add to more of that impact potential that we have.”

To do that, they’ll need to rely on more than just one guy. Here’s what Valaika had to say about how a handful of hitters entered camp this week:

The player: Myles Straw

The skinny:

Over the last two years, Straw hit .229 with a .580 OPS (67 OPS+) and one home run. To reclaim his job in center, he’s going to have to prove these struggles are behind him.

The quote:

“He came in more physical -- he’s heavier, he’s stronger, he’s continued the adjustments that we made over the offseason. … He knows that he’s going to have to compete for his job, and come in and show us something and [be] the player we all know he can be. … I think he’s more confident because of that body composition that he has. He’s seeing the results, he’s seeing how the ball is coming off of his bat. I think that we’re going to see a better, more intentful version of Myles this year.”

The player: Gabriel Arias

The skinny:

Arias is the favorite to win the shortstop job, but there’s concern about his bat, considering he went 9-for-108 (.083) against lefties last year.

The quote:

“He just needed reps. I think for a lot of those young guys, they fall into a trap sometimes of chasing results, trying to force their way into playing the next day, not having a result. It’s the elephant in the room, the lack of success he had against left-handed pitching. I think that just compounds. ... Him going to winter ball and playing was good.”

The player: Andrés Giménez

The skinny:

Giménez was the MVP of Cleveland’s 2022 season and earned himself an offseason extension, but when 2023 rolled around, he couldn’t find his rhythm offensively until the final month of the season.

The quote:

“As tough as it was on him, kudos to him that he fought through that year. I think there was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations coming off the year he had previously, getting the contract. … We got the player we all know he could be later in the year, and he’s made some really good adjustments this winter, so hopefully [we’re going] to see that carry over from the last month into the season this year.”

The player: Deyvison De Los Santos

The skinny:

The Rule 5 Draft pick is the perfect fit when it comes to Cleveland’s new impact-first approach. The problem is he’s only 20 years old and has never played above Double-A. In order to keep him in the organization without offering him back to Arizona, the Guardians need to keep him on the active roster for the entire season.

The quote:

“I think there’s definitely some obstacles. ... But the way he’s carried himself here, [José Ramírez has] really embraced him and kind of put his arm around him. There’s not a better guy in the game to mentor you. I think how [manager Stephen Vogt] decides to deploy him if he is with us, I think it’s just gonna be a lot around the messaging that, ‘You’re here for a reason, you have a lot of impact potential that we can live with some of the swing and misses, and some of the growing pains that you might go through jumping Triple-A.’”

The player: Kyle Manzardo

The skinny:

Manzardo has the potential to be a difference maker for the Guardians this year. But he’ll have to fight for a spot on the Opening Day roster, likely with De Los Santos. He’ll need a strong offensive showing this spring to prove he can make the transition on Day 1.

The quote:

“He looks like Wade Boggs to me. He’s been awesome in the box. … Haven’t seen him a ton in camp with just all the moving pieces, so I’m gonna try to lock in on him a little bit more.”

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GUARDIANS

Beloved former Cleveland pitcher trying to make his homecoming complete

Updated: Feb. 19, 2024, 6:07 p.m.|Published: Feb. 19, 2024, 5:53 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

GOODYEAR, Arizona -- Carlos Carrasco made his big league debut on Sept. 1, 2009 for the Indians. He was 22, a young pitcher trying to find a spot in the rotation, after coming over from the Phillies in the Cliff Lee trade.

“There were a lot of old guys (Carl Pavano, Roberto Hernandez, aka Fausto Carmona, Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers) and I was the young guy,” said Carrasco. “I learned a lot.”

Carrasco spent 11 years in Cleveland before he was traded to the Mets with Francisco Lindor in January of 2021.

There are only four players left who were Carrasco’s teammates when he was traded: José Ramírez, Shane Bieber, James Karinchak and Josh Naylor.

Carrasco’s old teammate, Corey Kluber, just announced his retirement. Kluber, 37, and Carrasco and several other players used to kick the soccer ball around before games at Progressive Field.

“It was part of our conditioning,” said Carrasco. “I talk to Kluber a lot. He had a great career. A two-time Cy Young winner. Now he gets time to spend with his family. But I’m not there yet.”

Carrasco turns 37 on March 21.

When Carrasco became a free agent after last season, he wanted to return to one place: Cleveland.

“It was really simple,” said Carrasco. “We were talking back and forth with Cleveland, and I made the decision to come back here. To come back home.

“I spent almost 12 years here. Almost everyone here knows me.

“There are some new faces. But I’m glad I’m here. I want to thank Chris Antonetti and the front office. They gave me an opportunity to come back.”

Carrasco is on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. It’s still unclear how he fits on the staff. The rotation, if everyone stays healthy, appears set with Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen and Gavin Williams.

He has pitched out of the bullpen before, but not since 2014.

“Even when I had a spot in the rotation here, I always came to spring training to compete,” said Carrasco. “That’s the only thing we have to do here. I’m going to come here and compete and they’ll make the best decision for the team.”

Carrasco, Hunter Gaddis, Xzavion Curry, Ben Lively and Joey Cantillo are among the starters in that group. Gaddis, Curry and Cantillo have options. Carrasco and Lively do not.

“We’re just going to let them get stretched out and go from there,” said new manager Stephen Vogt.

Carrasco’s best years in Cleveland came under manager Terry Francona. After last season, Francona stepped aside and Vogt was hired.

“It’s the same way as when you pitch,” said Carrasco, on playing for a new manager. “You have to make an adjustment. I faced Vogt a lot when he played for Oakland. I think I faced him when he played with Milwaukee.

“We are here to do exactly what he wants us to do. That’s part of baseball.”

Carrasco was always a popular player in Cleveland. Never more so than when fans saw how he handled the news that he had chronic myeloid leukemia in 2019. The team made the announcement following a May 30 start against the White Sox.

After an absence of almost three months, he returned to the mound on Sept. 1.

That year his teammates rallied to him during a Stand Up to Cancer moment at the All-Star Game at Progressive Field. After the season, Carrasco received MLB’s Roberto Clemente Award for his and his family’s charity work not only in Cleveland, but also around the world.

When asked about his health, Carrasco said, “Everything is good. I’m healthy. Everything is under control. I’ve already thrown two bullpens since I’ve been here. On Wednesday I’ll throw some light batting practice and we’ll go from there.”

Carrasco’s locker is in the far corner of the clubhouse where the veteran pitchers usually take residence. McKenzie is right next door. Bieber is just a few lockers down.

“Have you talked to Cookie, yet?” asked Bieber. “It’s like he never left. The energy he brings is unbelievable.”

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Myles Straw 'Came In More Physical' To Guardians Spring Training

Cleveland Guardians hitting coach says Myles Straw made clear offseason improvements.

TOMMY WILD

Feb 19, 2024 2 HOURS AGO

The Cleveland Guardians have a lot to sort through with their outfield. There are a lot of options that look at as they search for someone who can contribute consistently at the plate.

One player who is making noise for how they showed up to camp is Myles Straw. Hitting coach Chris Valaika made sure to point out the physical differences he's seen in him since arriving in Goodyear, Arizona.

"He came in more physical -- he’s heavier, he’s stronger, he’s continued the adjustments that we made over the offseason. … He knows that he’s going to have to compete for his job, and come in and show us something and [be] the player we all know he can be. … I think he’s more confident because of that body composition that he has. He’s seeing the results, he’s seeing how the ball is coming off of his bat. I think that we’re going to see a better, more intentful version of Myles this year.

This season will be a make-or-break one for Straws. Scratch that, the first month of the season could decide what his future with the team holds.

The Guardians need more offensive outfield production and Straw hasn't been able to provide for the team. Cleveland has stood by him as their everyday centerfielder even as he hit .229/.296/.284 with a 67 OPS+ over the last two seasons.

Yes, his defense and speed are a positive to have on the roster. But Cleveland should be at the point where they should be content with sacrificing some of that for a hitter who can slug double-digit home runs a year or hit a few more doubles.

Let's hope Valaika's early evaluation of Straw is correct. Any improvements this team can make the better off they'll be. But will these adjustments be enough to keep him in the everyday lineup?

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4 American League rookies who could make big impact in 2024

By Joel Wagler | Last updated 2/19/24

For a prospect to have an impact on his team, they need talent and opportunity. Many of the top prospects going into the 2024 season are on the younger side or are blocked, at least for now, by players on the major-league roster.

For example, Jackson Holliday is ranked as the No. 1 prospect by MLB.com, but is only 20 years old and might need a bit more time in the minors. The Orioles are in a position where they can be patient with their young star. Others such as Curtis Mead, Colton Cowser, Colson Montgomery, Junior Caminero, and Wyatt Langford may need to wait for injuries or poor performance by those ahead of them to get a shot. Most of these players will probably get the call to the majors sometime during 2024, but they don't have an immediate clear path.

There are, however, a few prospects who should have the opportunity to contribute right away, barring injuries or bad springs. Here are four players who could have a big impact in 2024.

No. 4: Brayan Rocchio, SS

The Tigers have a lot of talented youth on their roster, but no one seems to blocking Rocchio from an opportunity to break camp as the starting shortstop. He received 81 at-bats last season, but posted a bleak on-base Percentage of .279. This is a far different OBP than what he produced in the minors, which was a healthy .349. If he can show better patience, then his natural hitting ability should shine through. He could hit for a decent average with maybe 15 to 20 home runs. If he does these things, he will provide a nice bat in the bottom third of the order for the Tigers.

No. 3: Nolan Schanuel, 1B

The Angels selected Schanuel 11th overall last summer, and he shot through the minors like a comet. He received just 74 at-bats over three levels. He just mashed in that tiny sample size, slashing .365/.505/.486/.991 and earning himself a quick look at the major-league level. In 109 at-bats with the Angels, he slashed an acceptable .275/.402/.330/.732. While he showed very little power as a pro, at any level, he did produce some pop in college, where he hit 35 home runs over his last seasons and had a .698 slugging percentage for his career. The Angels seemed to content to give him first base and probably hope his power comes around. If it does, he could be a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year.

No. 2: Colt Keith, 2B

The Tigers made big news a few weeks ago when they signed Keith to a six-year, $28.6 million deal before he's seen even one MLB at-bat. Teams, especially frugal ones like Detroit, seldom hand out that kind of deal to a prospect, indicating they think Keith is ready and will be an impact player for them. He saw over 500 at-bats last year in the minors, slashing an impressive .306/.380/.512/.894. Keith will have every opportunity to win the second base job in spring training and should be a fixture for years to come in the Detroit batting order.

No 1: Evan Carter, OF

Carter broke into the majors late last season and performed like a veteran. He was terrific down the stretch, with an eye-popping slash of .306/.413/.645/1.058 with five homers in just 62 at-bats. As outstanding as those numbers were, he was nearly as good in 60 postseason at-bats. While he is due for some massive regression, due to his otherworldly .412 batting average on balls in play, he's been very good over the last two seasons in the minors. On a roster loaded with hitting stars, Carter won't have to carry the load, but he could emerge as an everyday player capable of putting up big numbers.

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Fans React To Curious Comments From Guardians Executive

By Andres Chavez February 19, 2024

Much has been discussed about the Cleveland Guardians and the availability of game broadcasts in the 2024 season.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Diamond Sports Group, who controls the Bally Sports networks, reached an agreement with the Guardians for the upcoming campaign.

Many teams use TV money to help fund their payroll and, in some cases, increase it.

The Guardians, however, don’t have an owner that is particularly inclined to make huge free-agent signings.

It has always been this way: it’s nothing new.

Through president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, the Guardians let fans know that TV deal or not, the payroll will remain the same.

He explained his reasons.

“Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the team’s 2024 TV deal will have no effect on the team’s payroll because they have to find out who among their young players can succeed in the big leagues,” clevelanddotcom tweeted.

The responses of fans were mostly a mix of anger, sadness, and frustration.

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Brayan Rocchio Shares Message Ahead Of Crucial Season

By Andres Chavez February 19, 2024

The Cleveland Guardians will probably give a few players the opportunity to win the starting shortstop gig in spring training.

However, they probably prefer to see a specific player take it and run away with it.

His name is Brayan Rocchio, and he is already MLB-ready as a defensive player.

His glove will impact games positively and help pitchers get some important outs that few fielders can complete.

His offense, on the other hand, is still a work in progress.

If he can hit in spring training like he did in the minors last year or in his Winter League stint, he will have the job to himself.

The player is hyped and motivated to succeed.

He went to his Twitter account to post an incredible picture of him in a Guardians uniform covered in the Venezuelan flag (it’s his home country).




He also wrote something to make people back home proud: “From La Vega.”

Rocchio was raised in the La Vega county, in the west side of Caracas, the nation’s capital.

It’s not the first time he has mentioned his hometown: he is clearly proud of it.

The 2024 campaign will be all about making them proud with his on-field achievements.

Last year, he slashed a solid .280/.367/.421 with 25 stolen bases in Triple-A, but struggled to the tune of a .247/.279/.321 line in 23 MLB games.

The potential is there for him to be an elite fielder with a slightly above-average bat, capable of hitting 10 home runs and stealing 25 bases per year.

That would be a very solid regular for the Guardians.

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Logan Allen Shares Fun Hype Video Ahead Of New Season

By Andres Chavez February 19, 2024

The 2023 Cleveland Guardians might have missed the postseason, but that doesn’t mean the year was a complete waste.

Far from it, actually.

During the 2023 campaign, the organization was able to give a proper platform to multiple young pitchers who represent the future.

Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Logan Allen, and Xzavion Curry are the most evident examples.

Allen in particular is highly motivated to perform well in spring training, because he might be pitching for a spot in the rotation.

His body and mind are both in the right place, and he can’t wait for the season to start.

In fact, he had an exciting hype video to post on his Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1759357767310324005

The short clip contains some of his best moments in a Guardians uniform last year.

Additionally, it has a couple of clocks as the caption, indicating that he is actually looking forward for the regular season to roll around.

His chances of making the Guardians rotation are good, but it’s not set in stone and will depend on certain things.

Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, and Bibee have three spots locked up.

After that, it will probably be Williams, Allen, Curry, Carlos Carrasco, and Ben Lively vying for the remaining two spots.

The competition, for Allen, starts on his own team: as it should be.

He is very talented and has what it takes to nail a spot.

In 2023, he posted a solid 3.81 ERA in 125.1 innings, striking out 119 hitters.

The fact he is a left-hander also helps.

As we have said many times, pitching is not a worry for the Guardians.

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Joel Wagler, author of an article above, sure knows his baseball I will quote him here:

No. 4: Brayan Rocchio, SS

The Tigers have a lot of talented youth on their roster, but no one seems to blocking Rocchio from an opportunity to break camp as the starting shortstop. He received 81 at-bats last season, but posted a bleak on-base Percentage of .279. This is a far different OBP than what he produced in the minors, which was a healthy .349. If he can show better patience, then his natural hitting ability should shine through. He could hit for a decent average with maybe 15 to 20 home runs. If he does these things, he will provide a nice bat in the bottom third of the order for the Tigers.

Thank you Joel for your insights. But please advise who we got from the Tigers in the deal I missed.

Don't know how I missed that one, Civ. I guess I was concentrating more on Roccho than the team. Believe it or not, I read all these articles before I post them. I guess sometimes you just see what you want to see.

'I'm in good hands': How Vogt has learned to lean on Willis

February 19th, 2024

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was talking with Carl Willis last week when he reached out and interlocked his arm with Willis’. He looked up at the towering pitching coach and said: “This is going to be me during the game. I’m just gonna hold your hand.”

The one thing that Vogt and his predecessor have in common is a self-deprecating sense of humor. Spring Training has only officially been underway for one week. Vogt has met with local media just four times. Yet somehow, the number of jokes he’s made about his lack of experience as a skipper have already been exorbitant.

Maybe he already knows what’s going to be said from onlookers all season long and he’s getting ahead of the joke. Maybe it’s his way of seamlessly fitting into a new organization. Whatever the motivation is, it’s an approach that’s disarming, making him extremely approachable -- a quality every manager needs to have.

No, Vogt won’t physically be holding Willis’ hand in the dugout, but there’s no question this entire staff is going to be leaning on his experience in 2024.

So often newly hired managers bring their own coaches along with them. Willis understood this would be a possibility last year, when Terry Francona informed him that he would be stepping down from his position. Willis knew there was a chance he wouldn’t be back in a Cleveland uniform if the next man in charge had another guy for the job. But Vogt was different.

Vogt finished his playing career in 2022. He only had one year of coaching experience under his belt in Seattle last year. He didn’t necessarily have a team of coaches ready to follow him to Northeast Ohio. There was flexibility to have some familiar faces remain in the Guardians’ organization. And that may be the key to Vogt learning the job as quickly as possible.

Vogt is now paired with a person who has 21 years of Major League coaching experience and a reputation to help pitchers compete at an elite level. Plus, Willis has been able to be with this group since 2017, making it easier for him to help Vogt and other new staffers understand the recent histories of each of these pitchers.

“I don’t have to think twice about where our pitching is. I just ask Carl,” Vogt said. “Yeah, ultimately it will be my decision. I know that. But leaning on Carl is going to be -- he’s got so many years of experience. He’s forgotten more than I’ve seen. I think having him as a resource, I feel like I’m in good hands. And that goes for the entire staff.”

This opinion regarding Willis isn’t new. Francona boasted about him regularly over the past few years. Vogt followed suit. And bench coach Craig Albernaz, who was also brought into the organization this winter, didn’t waste time seeing Willis’ value, either.

“I mean, I think the first thing that comes to mind is you’re going to lean on Carl Willis,” Albernaz said about the young coaching staff. “I think that’s going to be for everyone in the dugout, us as an organization, but especially for [Vogt], is having Carl. That presence, that's a calm presence that’s been there. He’s gonna know when to crack to joke, he’s gonna know what guy to go to, he’s seen everything and also with Carl, he’s such a great collaborator.”