Cleveland Sports Forum

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Here a list of minor league assignments.

Nice to see they give guys that have been around forever a few bucks to hang around ST as Special Assistants to Player Development.

Travis Fryman, Travis Hafner, Minnie Mendoza, Johnny Goryl and Tim Belcher return as special assistants to player development.

Minnie Mendoza and Johnny Goryl are close to 90 years old.

Excerpt from Dan Shaunessay column

· Baseball owners and players don’t seem to care about you, the fans. This will be painfully obvious if they fail to craft a new basic agreement in the coming weeks.

Demonstrating zero urgency, the sides have talked twice in the last six weeks — a seven-minute session in early December and an hourlong Zoom session Thursday. The sides do not trust one another, which means a likely delay for the start of spring training and possibly the regular season.


It’s clear that owners care most about postseason TV revenue and would be happy to lose some of the 162 if they can get a favorable new deal. Meanwhile, ballplayers have made their disregard for fans clear with their insistence on maintaining a still-life pace of play that has turned off millions of baseball watchers.

I’ll spare you the saber-rattling over issues of minimum salaries, arbitration eligibility, service-time manipulation, and luxury-tax limits. You don’t care. Same here.

Excerpt from Dan Shaughnessy Boston Globe column

· Baseball owners and players don’t seem to care about you, the fans. This will be painfully obvious if they fail to craft a new basic agreement in the coming weeks.

Demonstrating zero urgency, the sides have talked twice in the last six weeks — a seven-minute session in early December and an hourlong Zoom session Thursday. The sides do not trust one another, which means a likely delay for the start of spring training and possibly the regular season.


It’s clear that owners care most about postseason TV revenue and would be happy to lose some of the 162 if they can get a favorable new deal. Meanwhile, ballplayers have made their disregard for fans clear with their insistence on maintaining a still-life pace of play that has turned off millions of baseball watchers.

I’ll spare you the saber-rattling over issues of minimum salaries, arbitration eligibility, service-time manipulation, and luxury-tax limits. You don’t care. Same here.

So there. A sport already endangered by declining interest is now giving its remaining fans another reason to turn away.

From Baní to Cooperstown: Is there a realistic Hall of Fame path for Guardians third baseman José Ramírez?



Cleveland Indians' Jose Ramirez bats during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
By Zack Meisel 3h ago 6
CLEVELAND — As José Ramírez blitzed through Cleveland’s farm system nearly a decade ago, the team’s front office evaluators were giddy. They knew they had unearthed the heir apparent.

To super-utility infielder Mike Aviles, that is.

They admit they never imagined Ramírez would blossom into a lineup cornerstone, a perennial MVP candidate and the heartbeat of the franchise. An everyday regular? Maybe. A versatile, singles-slapping super-sub? That seemed more plausible. They certainly wouldn’t have envisioned his name and the quaint village of Cooperstown, N.Y., weaving their way into the same sentence. Granted, it’s premature to declare anything about the direction in which Ramírez’s career is heading. It might be a bit presumptuous to even forecast what might be possible.

But is there a way? Is there a path to the Hall of Fame for the hitting savant whom manager Terry Francona once dubbed “Little Shit” for the way he wreaked havoc on the basepaths as an early-20s big leaguer?

Only 17 third basemen have residency in Cooperstown, so the odds appear daunting. It’s actually more exclusive than it appears, too: Nine of those 17 played in either the 1800s or the first half of the 20th century.

Deacon White played around the time the stapler was invented (the late 1870s, by George McGill, Henry R. Heyl or Charles Henry Gould, depending on which version you prefer). Jimmy Collins played in the 1890s and Home Run Baker — how do you not induct a guy named Home Run Baker? — in the 1910s. Pie Traynor and Freddie Lindstrom played during the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression. Judy Johnson, Ray Dandridge and Jud Wilson played in the Negro Leagues in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. George Kell played in the ’40s and ’50s.

Only eight third basemen who played in the last 60 years have been elected to the Hall. Perhaps Ramírez, Manny Machado, Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant will reverse the trend. Scott Rolen is drawing plenty of consideration on the ballot. Adrián Beltré will soon join him.

To determine what Ramírez must accomplish to position himself well, let’s start by examining the resumes of the eight modern-day Hall of Fame third basemen.

Brooks Robinson: 16-time Gold Glove winner, 1964 AL MVP, 1970 World Series MVP, .267/.322/.401 slash line

Paul Molitor: 10th-most hits in major-league history, 1993 World Series MVP, .306/.369/.448 slash line

Wade Boggs: Five-time batting champion, two-time Gold Glove winner, .328/.415/.443 slash line

Chipper Jones: 1999 NL MVP, one batting title, .303/.401/.529 slash line

George Brett: 1980 AL MVP, one Gold Glove Award, three-time batting champion, .305/.369/.487 slash line

Mike Schmidt: Three-time NL MVP, 1980 World Series MVP, 10-time Gold Glove winner, six-time home run champion, .267/.380/.527 slash line

Eddie Mathews: Two-time home run champion, .271/.376/.509 slash line

Ron Santo: Five-time Gold Glove winner, .277/.362/.464 slash line

Hall of Fame 3B, last 60 years
Brooks Robinson
2848
268
105
2896
Paul Molitor
3319
234
122
2683
Wade Boggs
3010
118
131
2439
Chipper Jones
2726
468
141
2499
George Brett
3154
317
135
2707
Mike Schmidt
2234
548
148
2404
Eddie Mathews
2315
512
143
2391
Ron Santo
2254
342
125
2243
Robinson was the best defensive third baseman of all time. Molitor, Boggs and Brett were hitting machines who ripped single and double after single and double in a bygone era. It’s difficult to compare those four to Ramírez or any other Hall hopeful. Jones, Schmidt and Mathews are the better comparisons. Santo was elected by a veterans committee nearly 30 years after his career ended.

Ramírez’s numbers through 2021: 987 hits, 163 home runs, .278/.354/.501 slash line, 126 OPS+

Overall, nothing at the moment shouts that Ramírez is destined for Cooperstown. There’s one absolute, undeniable requirement for him to change that: He needs to play for a long time. It helps that he loves the sport. He participates in pickup games in his hometown during the offseason. He built an infield in his backyard, right beside a basketball court and a pool. He can’t get enough baseball.

Over the last six seasons, 2016 to 2021, when he has been an established major leaguer who received daily playing time, Ramírez has posted an .895 OPS (and a 135 OPS+, or 35 percent better than a league-average hitter). In that span, he ranks second in the majors with 398 extra-base hits and seventh in the majors with 134 stolen bases.

The longer Ramírez maintains that level of production, the less influence his dismal 2014-15 showings will have on his overall numbers.

Rolen has been trending in the right direction on the Hall of Fame ballot the last few years. The eight-time Gold Glove winner holds a significant edge, defensively, over Ramírez. On offense, it’s a close comparison.

Ramírez: .855 OPS, 126 OPS+
Rolen: .855 OPS, 122 OPS+

Rolen had only one top-10 MVP finish in his career. He won one Silver Slugger Award. Ramírez has three top-three MVP finishes and owns three Silver Slugger awards.


José Ramírez in 2017, the first of his three top-three MVP finishes. (Raj Mehta / USA Today)
Obviously, Ramírez’s chances are predicated on him preserving his 2016-21 pace well into his 30s. Based on OPS+, he has been at least 40 percent better than league average in four of the last five seasons. That needs to continue. Ramírez will turn 30 in mid-September.

The eight aforementioned Hall of Fame third basemen averaged 2,533 games. Ramírez is only 40 percent of the way there. He needs another 1,553 games to reach that mark, which equates to another decade’s worth of healthy seasons and means he’ll need to play until he reveals some gray hair every time his helmet goes airborne.

That’s a tall order, and probably the greatest obstacle standing in the path from his hometown of Baní in the Dominican Republic to Cooperstown. At some point, he’ll encounter some age-related decline. Health can become more fickle in the later stages of one’s career, too.

Ramírez has appeared in 93.1 percent of Cleveland’s games the last six years. If he plays in 93.1 percent of his team’s games the next 10 years — that’s asking a lot of anyone, let alone someone in their 30s — that would equate to 1,508 games, which would leave him just shy of that 2,533 average.

So, he’s already at a bit of a disadvantage in terms of accumulating counting statistics. Over the last five seasons, Ramírez has averaged a home run every 4.5 games. That pace will eventually decrease, but 400 home runs is certainly not out of the question. He stands 237 shy. Let’s say he doubles his career total (163) over the next five years (32.6 per season, pretty close to the expected output based on his track record of availability and his home run rate). That would take him to 326. He would need 74 more home runs after his 33rd birthday. A daunting task, perhaps, but not an impossible one.

Something to consider: Have we seen the very best of José Ramírez?

His profile is far from a secret: The guy loves to yank fastballs over the fence. Pitchers can’t throw him junk on the outside corner because Ramírez boasts elite strike zone awareness. He doesn’t chase pitches. He doesn’t swing and miss. He doesn’t strike out often. He lures pitchers into his web and forces them to throw the one pitch he covets. They know it. He knows they know it. They know he knows they know it. And it still doesn’t matter.

Teammates and coaches stress he’s as smart as any player they’ve seen, and backed by brilliant instincts. How else does a guy with unspectacular wheels steal so many bases and at such a high clip? That mental edge should aid his cause as he ages and can no longer catch up to a 98 mph fastball like he once could or can’t leg out an infield single. He’s a shrewd and skilled enough hitter to adapt to his shortcomings.

If MLB ever imposes restrictions on infield shifting, Ramírez should flourish, given how frequently he socks a sharp grounder to the short-right fielder. When batting left-handed last season, Ramírez faced a defensive shift in 96.4 percent of his plate appearances. Only Carlos Santana saw an altered alignment more often.

We should also consider WAR, as voting strategies adjust to incorporate more advanced statistics. (We’ll use FanGraphs’ WAR for this exercise.)

HOF-worthy third basemen, by WAR
Mike Schmidt
106.5
Eddie Mathews
96.1
Wade Boggs
88.3
Chipper Jones
84.6
George Brett
84.6
Adrian Beltre
84.1
Brooks Robinson
80.2
Ron Santo
70.9
Scott Rolen
69.9
Paul Molitor
67.6
José Ramírez
34.4
Where might Ramírez wind up? It’s a bit tricky to estimate. His 3.5 fWAR total from 2020 covered only 58 games because of the pandemic. He was on pace for 9.5, an absurdly productive season. If we use that number, Ramirez has averaged 6.5 fWAR per full season over the last six years. Since he’ll soon be entering his 30s, that number figures to dip. If he averages 6.0 fWAR per season over the next six years, he’ll pass Rolen by his 35th birthday. It won’t be easy for Ramírez to keep up that pace, but it might be necessary for his Hall hopes, given where Jones, Beltre, Brett, Boggs and others stand. Beltre amassed most of his fWAR total after he turned 29; when he was Ramírez’s age, he’d posted a 35.2 fWAR, a tick ahead of where Ramírez stands.

At minimum, Ramírez can build an intriguing case if he maintains his offensive output and avoids lengthy stints on the injured list for another seven or eight years. That would vault him past the 2,000-hit mark, nudge him toward 400 home runs and offer him ample opportunity to capture that elusive MVP honor. That would also prop him up in comparisons with Jones, Schmidt and Mathews.

It’s far too early to start scripting his speech, but it’s at least interesting to think about. Hey, Ramírez has already slugged nearly twice as many home runs as Home Run Baker. That’s a good start. Odds are against him, but that’s nothing new for a guy once destined to fill a utility infielder role.

(Top photo: Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

Just goes to show you there's nothing going on in Baseball.

Why write that article?

Hey, Ramirez is a good player but I doubt Cleveland is his path to the Hall of Fame.

Call me in 10-15 years.

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José Ramírez is the best 3B in the Major Leagues

January 20, 2022

The bonuses of the Dominican José Ramírez, of the Cleveland Guardians, continue to rise.

The Dominican is considered the best third baseman in the Major Leagues for the 2022 campaign, according to the ranking of the 10 best made by ESPN's Buster Olney.

Agencies point out in a cable that the list is completed by:
Manny Machado, also from the Dominican Republic, of the San Diego Padres;
Nolan Arenado, of the St. Louis Cardinals;
Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros;
Rafael Devers Dominican, of the Boston Red Sox;
Austin Riley of the Atlanta Braves;
Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers;
Matt Chapman of the Oakland Athletics;
Josh Donaldson of the Minnesota Twins
Yoan Moncada of the Chicago White Sox.

Ramirez remains one of the game's great all-around players, a monster who adds balance to Cleveland's offensive lineup and defense.

The note explains that the third baseman has become the face of the Cleveland organization and throughout his career has won three Silver Sluggers, has attended the All-Star Game three times and has been very close to winning the award of Most Valuable Player of the American League.

For his worth, Ramírez is one of the most sought after players in trade by other teams, but he is two years away from free agency and assuming the Guardians accept his obvious option of $13 million for 2023, it will be very difficult for them to trade him..

In his nine-year Major League career, Ramírez is batting .278 with 163 home runs and 540 RBIs in 980 games.

Who is the Guardians’ best prospect? Taking stock of the system’s top talent entering 2022



Tyler Freeman (86), Beau Taylor, center, and George Valera celebrate after scoring on a double by Indians' Christian Arroyo off Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Kyle Crick during the eighth inning of an exhibition baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

By Zack Meisel 16m ago

CLEVELAND — Who is Cleveland’s best prospect?

It’s a simple question that lacks a simple answer. Baseball America insists it’s Tyler Freeman, the middle infielder with the career .319/.378/.446 slash line and the microscopic strikeout rate. Baseball Prospectus contends it’s George Valera, the power-hitting, walk-compiling outfielder with the mesmerizing bat flips.

Some might argue that Daniel Espino, whose fastball breaks radar guns and whose slider shatters hitters’ confidence, possesses the most potential. Others might daydream about Brayan Rocchio evolving into the second coming of Francisco Lindor. A year ago, Nolan Jones would have been perhaps the most popular response.

What does it mean for the Guardians’ farm system that this is such a complicated prompt?

The club landed five prospects on both Baseball America’s Top 100 list and Baseball Prospectus’ Top 101 list last week, but each quintet is quite different.

Baseball Prospectus:

33. OF George Valera
43. SP Daniel Espino
47. SS Brayan Rocchio
57. SS Gabriel Arias
84. SP Gavin Williams

The Pirates are the only other team with four prospects ranked in the top 60.

Valera turned 21 in November. Rocchio and Espino turned 21 earlier this month. Valera made A-ball look like T-ball last summer, as he recorded a .977 OPS and nearly as many walks as strikeouts before a promotion to Double-A Akron. Rocchio also reached Double A, and posted an .865 OPS, despite being nearly four years younger than the average player at that level. He submitted a prolific performance in the Venezuelan Winter League, too, with a 1.034 OPS in 76 plate appearances. Espino racked up 152 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings in A-ball.

There’s certainly volatility in projecting players barely old enough to guzzle down an IPA. That can’t be understated. Surfacing on these lists doesn’t guarantee anything. However, given their ability to handle levels that would seem a bit daunting at their age — that’s a quality Cleveland’s front office especially covets — a strong 2022 could vault any of those three into the top 25 a year from now. It’s also easy to forget that Arias is 21 (for another month) and that he skipped Double A, a pretty significant stage, altogether because of the pandemic.

Williams is an oddly fascinating choice because he has yet to pitch professionally. That’s a strong endorsement of the right-hander, a first-round pick who made a massive leap in his final year at East Carolina in 2021, as he registered a 1.88 ERA with 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Baseball America:

63. SS Tyler Freeman
65. SP Daniel Espino
66. SS Brayan Rocchio
68. OF George Valera
100. SS Gabriel Arias

Baseball Prospectus didn’t even include Freeman among Cleveland’s top five prospects, but Baseball America considers him the best of the bunch. Freeman underwent a procedure in early August to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder.

Baseball America declared Jones as Cleveland’s second-best prospect when the publication unveiled its midseason rankings update in late July. He fared better as the season progressed before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in late August, but he was still leapfrogged by a handful of players in the organization.

A few more thoughts …

1. For an organization that has developed a reputation as a pitching factory, the team’s most well-regarded prospects are mostly position players. This isn’t really surprising. The Guardians have done more with less (in terms of prospect pedigree and hype) on the pitching side, and have done less with more on the hitting side. Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac never sniffed a top 100 list. Cody Morris, Logan T. Allen and Tobias Myers, among others, could follow that path in 2022.

2. Top 100 lists have become MLB’s version of NFL mock drafts. They are addictive to study and debate. Fans love analyzing them no matter the time of year. They provide a helpful road map for learning about the game’s next wave of stars, but they are far from an exact science. It’s important to remember that there isn’t necessarily much of a difference between, say, the No. 39 prospect and the No. 53 prospect. It’s not easy to compare the potential of a 19-year-old shortstop to a 21-year-old starting pitcher, or for instance, Williams, who hasn’t pitched yet for the organization, to Arias, who is on the doorstep of the majors.

There also remain pandemic-related gaps in knowledge. Some prospects spent the 2020 summer at home. Others spent it taking daily batting practice in an empty ballpark. Some skipped levels as a result. Some needed time to knock off the rust. Others took sizable steps forward that may have surprised evaluators who hadn’t seen them play in two years.

3. It can’t be underscored how tangled of a web Cleveland’s middle-infield situation is. It’s obviously a compliment to have three shortstops considered top 100 prospects, but all three should be major league-ready in the next year or two. And that doesn’t even include Andrés Giménez, who is only 23 and checked in at No. 66 on Baseball America’s top 100 list last January. Plus, Amed Rosario, and he just turned 26. The Guardians will have to be expert evaluators and clairvoyants — and quickly — as they determine which middle-infield pairing will be most proficient, and which young players will be trade bait.

4. Valera’s placement on these lists (and at such a young age) would indicate that an eventual path toward being an All-Star-caliber player isn’t far-fetched. Cleveland hasn’t employed a homegrown, All-Star outfielder since Manny Ramirez in 2000 (drafted in 1991).

Cleveland’s All-Star outfielders, since 2000:

Michael Brantley (acquired via trade)
Grady Sizemore (acquired via trade)
Matt Lawton (acquired via trade)
Juan Gonzalez (signed as free agent)
Manny Ramirez (first-round draft pick)

That’s not to say All-Star Game nods are the best way to evaluate players. They only capture a player’s first-half performance, and often depend on fan or peer voting, or the requirement that every team must be represented. And while Sizemore, for instance, was acquired in the Bartolo Colon trade, he had reached only A-ball (and hadn’t done much at the plate) with the Expos. By 2004, he was the No. 9 prospect in the game, per Baseball America. Obviously, the organization deserves credit for helping Sizemore and Brantley realize their potential.

Since 2000, here’s Cleveland’s fWAR leaderboard, among outfielders:

1. Grady Sizemore, 30.4
2. Shin-Soo Choo, 20.5
3. Michael Brantley, 19.8
4. Casey Blake, 13.5
5. Coco Crisp, 10.0
6. Lonnie Chisenhall, 8.0
7. Milton Bradley, 6.2
8. Kenny Lofton, 5.0
9. Manny Ramirez, 4.8
10. Juan Gonzalez, 4.3

Six were obtained in trades. Two (Blake, Gonzalez) were signed in free agency. Ramirez and Chisenhall were first-round draft picks (and the latter was initially an infielder). No pressure, George.

I guess reading about lists is better than nothing.

I guess reading about "players not yet ready for Prime Time" is sort of like covering practice squad members in the NFL.

At my age, I care more about the present and less about what the future holds.


Sorry for the blahs, guys. Pissed there's not much else going on with settling this lockout

some of us like to follow the prospects, it's a hobby

Just me, Civ.

Grouchier than normal today.

Glad there are guys like you that follow the prospects.

Who else can answer "Who's that" when a newcomer pops into the lineup.

It certainly would be nice if there were something about actual baseball to talk about.
It's getting pretty close to get the truck on the road to Goodyear, if they intend to play this year.

Heated MLB bargaining includes mention of canceling games — but progress, too


By Evan Drellich Jan 24, 2022 107

NEW YORK — In a meeting with the Players Association on Monday, Major League Baseball deputy commissioner Dan Halem said that MLB is willing to lose games over some of the outstanding issues the sides have, people with knowledge of the talks said. Whether Halem was issuing a threat, or merely providing a statement of the obvious — the owners did start a lockout, after all, and there’s been no agreement since, so what else would happen if there’s no movement? — depends on whom you ask. Some on the players’ side indeed thought it was notable that Halem would verbalize the possibility of missing games, that it did amount to a threat, while the commissioner’s office disagreed.

Some on the players’ side were irked, too, by Rockies owner Dick Monfort, the chair of commissioner Rob Manfred’s seven-owner labor policy committee. Monfort, people with knowledge of the meeting said, complained about the difficulty at least some owners have affording teams, and the ancillary costs of ownership such as security and COVID-19 measures.

Glen Caplin, a former political operative who serves as MLB’s spokesperson for collective bargaining, wrote in a statement that The Athletic’s “reporting about comments from our negotiating session is mischaracterized and not a fair representation of the discussion.”

“We think the parties’ decision not to have a public back and forth and keep our discussions private has been a positive,” Caplin said. “It’s unfortunate that someone has chosen a different path and we are going to remain focused on making an agreement.”

For as much arguing as there was in the roughly two-hour meeting at the union’s offices — and arguing in collective bargaining is not abnormal — the meeting also probably represented the most positive step the sides have taken in months.

Making its first economic proposals since owners started a lockout in December, the Players Association withdrew a proposal that would have allowed players of a certain age to become free agents with fewer than six years of service time. That means that when a new deal is reached, it’s one area that’s likely to look the same as it did in the last: players will still need six years before they hit the market.

Importantly, that topic, time elapsed to free agency, was one of three the owners have pegged as non-starters. The union’s decision to back away from it was described by one official at the commissioner’s office as “a good thing.” Since negotiations began last spring, there haven’t been many moments where one side would talk about the other’s choices that way.

MLB and the MLBPA now plan to meet on consecutive days, a hastening of the pace as the purported start of spring training looms in mid-February. The commissioner’s office plans to make a proposal of its own Tuesday afternoon, although it won’t be as broad a proposal as the one the union made Monday.

The progress is ultimately relative. The chasm between the two sides is still immense. What the union did on Monday, though, was narrow the field of play.

On the one hand, it wasn’t easy for the union to step away from its proposal to allow some players to reach free agency with fewer than six years of service time. Yet, of the three topics MLB has said it will not negotiate over — time to free agency, time to arbitration and revenue sharing between teams — this was always the one that seemed likeliest to fall by the wayside.

Players, certainly, would love to shorten how much time it takes to reach free agency. But, compared to other areas of bargaining, it never appeared their most pressing concern. The players have more often talked about matters such as the competitive balance tax thresholds, draft order, and getting players paid at younger ages.

With time to free agency off the list, perhaps the most interesting subjects of bargaining will be the two that MLB continues to posit it will not move on: revenue sharing and time to arbitration. The union wants to reduce the amount of money that flows through revenue sharing, believing that the current system allows teams to operate profitably without having to invest enough in their product. The league doesn’t want to drop the amount shared, on the premise that doing so would hurt competitive balance.

Historically, revenue sharing has always pitted owners against owners, a politically difficult matter for any commissioner to manage.

The union’s previous proposal on revenue sharing would have reduced the amount of money moving between teams by about $100 million. Monday’s proposal was more modest: a reduction the union estimates to be about $30 million.

Between the updated revenue sharing proposal and the withdrawal of the time-to-free-agency proposal, the union thought it made two significant steps in the league’s direction on Monday. But MLB wasn’t pleased, and there’s no indication the league will budge on revenue sharing with this proposal, or any other.

MLB is positioning both revenue sharing and time to arbitration as third-rail issues. Whether the MLBPA eventually accepts those positions, and could find a way to accomplish what it wants without touching those areas, is a major question.

MLB and the union do not see eye to eye yet on minimum salaries, or on draft order, or on CBT levels. But there’s at least been some movement from both sides on those topics over time. And with time to free agency out of the picture, the scope of the talks has been whittled down some — with still great lengths to go.

From a Jason Lloyd article in The Athletic:

If you were told that one player — and only one player — currently on the Guardians would make the Hall of Fame, which one would you predict it to be? — Tyler B.

There are two strong candidates here, obviously, in Jose Ramirez and Shane Bieber. I originally thought Ramirez before shifting to Bieber. Now I’m back on Ramirez. Final answer.

Ramirez enters his age-29 season with a career 34.3 WAR. He needs to get to at least 50 WAR to be on the low-end threshold for most Hall of Fame candidates. Since he has averaged 5.3 WAR over the last five years, this is extremely doable. Three more years as a 5.0 WAR player and he’s in the conversation.

Bieber, for his part, has done things few other pitchers have accomplished by his age. He’s well on his way, also. But pitchers are always a bit more dangerous to project because of the injury factor and Bieber already missed significant time last year with a shoulder strain. It’s a good question and a good debate. The true answer is both may very well make it.

David Blitzer and his group have been busy expanding their sports ownership portfolio after becoming controlling owner of Real Salt Lake. We know he’s part of the ownership group that controls the 76ers and Devils, but he also is part owner of three European football teams (Crystal Palace, FC Augsburg, Waasland-Beveren), as well as a minority owner of the Steelers. Does any of this impact the possibility of becoming a minority owner of the Guardians? — Cody T.

Why would David Blitzer want to buy a franchise that can’t turn a profit and continues to lose money every year? Seems like a poor investment. — Brent W.

I lumped these together because of their similarities. Why would Blitzer want to invest in a team that can’t turn a profit? That’s if you believe Major League Baseball teams bleed as much money as the Dolans have insisted for years. Regardless, if Blitzer’s eventual involvement comes with a path to majority control of the Guardians, the long-term value of owning sports franchises cannot be denied. The Dolans purchased the Indians for $320 million in 1999. The team is worth three times that today. That’s a healthy return on investment for two decades.

As for Blitzer’s activity in sports franchises, I take that as a good thing. Real Salt Lake, the MLS team Blitzer and his partner recently purchased, faced many of the same budget issues facing the Guardians. Blitzer and his soccer partner, Ryan Smith, all but assured fans in Utah the payroll will increase with them in charge. I’d suspect the same is true if and when Blitzer arrives in Cleveland.

How much still needs to be done at Progressive Field to complete the team’s rebrand? How does the organization plan to display images of past players who were wearing Indians uniforms? — Brett H.

All of the signage should be updated before opening day. It’s my understanding all the photos of past players (celebration shots) and statues will remain Indians.

What’s the best way besides team performance for the Guardians to increase attendance? — Ethan O.

That’s the only way. I’ve written a couple of times since the name change that it doesn’t matter what you call the team, just win. Win and a lot goes away. There is distrust between this fan base and ownership and it’s hard to repair that. A new minority investor, such as Blitzer, would certainly help. Short of signing a couple of key players to extensions and making the playoffs, I’m not sure anything can be done at this point.

Which of the Cleveland sports teams would you trade for an NHL franchise? You must pick one. — Brian M.

I don’t like hockey. So, none.

Besides Jose Ramirez, who is going to play infield for the Guardians? Rosario seemed to butcher a double play every game at SS. Gimenez was disappointing. Bradley is a below average major leaguer, and Hedges is a backup. — Andy G.

A lot of this is a work in progress, but the Guardians feel like Amed Rosario’s strong performance at the plate last year has earned him the right to start this season at short. I don’t believe he’ll end it there, however. I still like Rosario either at second base long term or in sort of a Ben Zobrist/Mike Aviles role as someone who can play every day and play anywhere on the field. Andres Gimenez needs to prove he can hit big-league pitching or Gabriel Arias is probably next in line. Brayan Rocchio was the highest-ranked Guardians prospect (No. 22) on Keith Law’s Top 100 list released today and isn’t far behind.

Barring a trade, I believe Bobby Bradley is probably the first baseman — although I wouldn’t rule out Josh Naylor returning there if they acquire another outfielder and Naylor is healthy. First base was once his natural position. Austin Hedges is presumably the starting catcher and placeholder until Bo Naylor is ready.

My two cents - Naylor looked much more comfortable at 1B.

And more comfortable there then anyone else they played there.

I like Naylor at 1st; he was beginning to hit a little better before Ernie Clement ran into him. And he's actually a year younger than Bradley.

I'm ok with Hedges behind the plate: focus is on a good defender to work with our quality pitchers; just a bit of hitting is required