If they think Naylor is ready defensively, that would make good sense.

Do they bring both Plesac and Civale back to battle with Cody Morris for 2 spots?
Knowing that WIlliams and Bibee should be shoving their way into the rotation during the summer

But they would also have Hedges there, coaching Bo on.

I think sadly the issue is whether Hedges can get more money elsewhere.

Or would he take a Roberto Perez type 1 year $5 million deal to be a backup?

Jose Ramirez To Undergo Hand Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
By Anthony Franco | October 19, 2022 at 4:18pm CDT

Guardians star José Ramírez will undergo surgery on his right hand early next month, agent Rafa Nieves tells Enrique Rojas of ESPN (Twitter link). The procedure is not expected to impact his readiness for next Spring Training. Tenchy Rodriguez was first to report (on Twitter) that Ramírez would have to undergo surgery.

Ramírez first suffered the injury midseason, Rojas adds, but he played through the issue as the Guardians ran down and eventually cruised to an AL Central title. He remained in the lineup on a more or less everyday basis, appearing in 157 regular season games and starting all seven of the club’s postseason contests at third base. Ramírez did miss two games in late June due to a right thumb injury but avoided the injured list all season.

Whether directly related to the thumb issue or not, the four-time All-Star slowed down after an otherworldly first few months. Ramírez carried a .292/.389/.641 line through 244 plate appearances on June 13. By measure of wRC+, he was the fifth-best qualified hitter in the game to that point. Ramírez first suffered the thumb injury at some point during a series against the Rockies that ranged from June 14-16, however (link via Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com). From that point forward, he posted a .273/.336/.446 line in 441 trips to the plate. Even the seemingly diminished version of Ramírez was an above-average player, but his second half was well below the MVP-caliber form he’s shown at his best.

After Cleveland’s elimination at the hands of the Yankees yesterday, Ramírez has decided to go under the knife. The expectation is that the issue will be corrected in plenty of time so as not to interrupt his preparation for next season. Assuming all goes according to plan, the 30-year-old should head into 2023 as one of the top handful of players in the sport.

That does explain a lot there.

2022 Gold Glove finalists announced; Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado going for 10th straight award

Sep 13, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) fields a ground ball against the Milwaukee Brewers during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
By The Athletic Staff
6m ago
Save Article
Rawlings announced the 2022 Gold Glove Award finalists on Thursday, with Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado among the candidates. If he wins, the 31-year-old will earn his 10th straight Gold Glove.

This season sees a new addition to the finalist list: utility players. Last month, Rawlings announced it would begin awarding a Gold Glove to utility players from the American and National Leagues, effective this season. This is in addition to the nine Gold Gloves given to the top defensive standard position players in each league.


To earn consideration for a Gold Glove as a standard position player, an infielder or outfielder must have played in the field for at least 713 innings through his team’s 141st game. Pitchers must pitch in 141 innings of their teams’ first 141 games and catchers must play in a minimum of 71 of their teams’ first 141 games to qualify.




For the utility position, Rawlings worked with SABR to create a “specialized defensive formula separate from the traditional selection process.”


Rawlings will announce the Gold Glove winners on Nov. 1.

Here’s the full list of finalists:

Utility:
American League:

Whit Merrifield (Royals/Blue Jays)
DJ LeMahieu (Yankees)
Luis Rengifo (Angels)
National League:

Brendan Donovan (Cardinals)
Tommy Edman (Cardinals)
Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks)
Right Field:
American League:

Jackie Bradley Jr. (Red Sox/Blue Jays)
Max Kepler (Twins)
Kyle Tucker (Astros)
National League:

Mookie Betts (Dodgers)
Juan Soto (Nationals/Padres)
Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks)
Center Field:
American League:

Cedric Mullins (Orioles)
Myles Straw (Guardians)
Michael A. Taylor (Royals)
National League:

Trent Grisham (Padres)
Victor Robles (Nationals)
Alek Thomas (Diamondbacks)
Left Field:
American League:

Andrew Benintendi (Royals/Yankees)
Steven Kwan (Guardians)
Brandon Marsh (Angels)
National League:

Ian Happ (Cubs)
David Peralta (Diamondbacks)
Christian Yelich (Brewers)
Third Base:
American League:

Matt Chapman (Blue Jays)
Ramón Urías (Orioles)
José Ramírez (Guardians)
National League:

Nolan Arenado (Cardinals)
Ke’Bryan Hayes (Pirates)
Ryan McMahon (Rockies)
Shortstop:
American League:

Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox)
Carlos Correa (Twins)
Jeremy Peña (Astros)
National League:

Ha-Seong Kim (Padres)
Miguel Rojas (Marlins)
Dansby Swanson (Braves)
Second Base:
American League:

Andrés Giménez (Guardians)
Jonathan Schoop (Tigers)
Marcus Semien (Rangers)
National League:

Jake Cronenworth (Padres)
Tommy Edman (Cardinals)
Brendan Rodgers (Rockies)
First Base:
American League:

Luis Arráez (Twins)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)
Anthony Rizzo (Yankees)
National League:

Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals)
Matt Olson (Braves)
Christian Walker (Diamondbacks)
Catcher:
American League:

Sean Murphy (Athletics)
Cal Raleigh (Mariners)
Jose Trevino (Yankees)
National League:

Travis d’Arnaud (Braves)
Tomás Nido (Mets)
J.T. Realmuto (Phillies)
Pitcher:
American League:

José Berríos (Blue Jays)
Shane Bieber (Guardians)
Jameson Taillon (Yankees)
National League:

Tyler Anderson (Dodgers)
Corbin Burnes (Brewers)
Max Fried (Braves)

Meisel: A few Final Thoughts on the Cleveland Guardians’ 2022 season


By Zack Meisel
6h ago
54


NEW YORK — The story of the 2022 Guardians started with the team shop sign plummeting to the sidewalk and the new ballpark marquee tilting to the side.

The story ended one step from the American League Championship Series, in the environment every player dreams about during spring training, when boisterous crowds, crisp temperatures and playoff-induced pangs of anxiety seem like elements from another dimension.




Baseball is twisted. It invites its followers along a menacingly deliberate build of a 162-game grind that ultimately amplifies whatever final emotions consume a player, coach or fan at the finish line. There was plenty of apathy about the Guardians six or seven months ago. They were a middling team with a murky future, a star third baseman stuck in soon-to-be-traded purgatory, and players occupying roles on the roster despite inspiring little confidence they would capitalize on the opportunities. Remember the Bradley Zimmer debates?

After pushing their way to Game 5 of the American League Division Series, a development no one foresaw, the reward for those in the clubhouse, those watching at home and those absorbing grief from New Yorkers while donning Guardians gear at Yankee Stadium, is a stinging sensation. And yet, when you recover from the emotional crash-landing that occurs at the end of a baseball season, you might feel grateful you had the chance to even feel that stinging sensation in the first place. It sure beats apathy. It sure beats anything anyone would have imagined when that sign fell, or when the lockout ceased, or when the José Ramírez contract talks reached an impasse, or when the team was five games below .500 in late May. It probably won’t erase your disappointment in the Guardians’ inability to conquer the Yankees, or the frustration of tacking on another tally to the league’s longest title drought. But in a way, that stinging sensation serves as proof that this team brought this season to life.

“I just got done talking to a bunch of guys who are broken-hearted,” manager Terry Francona said after Tuesday’s Game 5. “And they have shown that, although we didn’t get to our final destination, it’s a pretty good year. A lot of things happened that I don’t think people were expecting. Where it goes from here, that’s up to us. We are going to have to take it and do better.”


The Guardians celebrate after their walk-off win in Game 3 of the ALDS. (David Richard / USA Today)
The Guardians have a lot working in their favor. They arrived ahead of schedule, and they did so without tapping into the upper ranks of their top prospects list. They boast one of the healthiest farm systems in baseball. They have their perennial All-Star — who’s headed for surgery to repair a torn hand ligament that bugged him all summer — signed to a long-term contract. They should have at least a little financial wiggle room, with a new minority ownership group on board.




But there’s never a guarantee a team will be better positioned to make a playoff run. The 2016 and ’17 Cleveland teams taught us as much.

Francona knows from personal experience. As a rookie on the 1981 Montreal Expos, he reached a decisive Game 5 of the NLCS. With the score tied in the ninth inning, manager Jim Fanning lifted starting pitcher Ray Burris for Steve Rogers, who served up a two-run homer to Rick Monday, which vaulted the Dodgers to the World Series.

Francona thought the Expos would return to the postseason every year after that. He figured he’d become familiar with lengthy October runs. Instead, the Expos never again made the playoffs — well, at least not until they relocated to Washington and qualified for the postseason 31 years after Francona’s rookie campaign. The franchise did not win another playoff series until 2019, when the Nationals won the World Series.

As for Francona, he didn’t make the playoffs again as a player. Twenty-three years later, as a first-year manager in Boston, he led the Red Sox to a championship.

During games, Mike Barnett sits in an office in front of a couple of monitors, with the door closed. You won’t see him in the dugout. You might spot him on the field before a game, taking in batting practice and conversing with the club’s hitting coaches. But he’s not a forward-facing figure in the Guardians organization. You might not have known his name until the team made a few odd replay review decisions the last couple of games against the Yankees. Francona said after Game 5 they ran out of time to challenge before they had a definitive angle on the play when Andrés Giménez slid into first base in a bid for an infield hit. Overall, Barnett and company had 23 of 39 replay reviews overturned this season (a 59 percent success rate).

Barnett is the team’s replay coordinator and a longtime hitting coach for several organizations. He also served as the Guardians’ good-luck charm during their playoff run. Barnett is the target of many of Francona’s pranks or urges to tap into his inner class clown. For instance, he’ll pelt Barnett with grapes on the team plane. He also shaves chunks of Barnett’s hair without warning. Each time, Barnett races to bullpen catcher/part-time barber Ricky Pacione to clean up the mess Francona created. It doesn’t help Barnett’s case that his hair seems to grow back rapidly. There’s always more to trim. Francona might just be jealous.


A top target for Terry Francona’s pranks is Mike Barnett. (Kamil Krzaczynski / USA Today)
Prior to the first game against the Rays in the Wild Card Series and the first game against the Yankees in the ALDS, Francona encouraged his players to join in on the ritual. Steven Kwan was hesitant at first, but Myles Straw insisted the rookie partake. Eventually, the players ran out of hair atop Barnett’s head, so they shifted to his chest. Consider it their version of the cardboard cutout in “Major League.”




“He’s been lending his heart and his body to us in special ways,” Kwan told The Athletic during the ALDS, “and we appreciate that.”

Barnett was a willing participant, routinely saying he’d do anything for the team and chuckling at each swipe with the clippers. It helped that the club made T-shirts in his honor in mid-September, with his face plastered on the red top, and his catchphrase, “This ain’t Nintendo,” on the back, which is his way of saying winning requires effort and hard work. Francona refused to wear the shirt — “I just couldn’t,” he said, laughing and shaking his head — but he did place one over a chair in his office, with Barnett’s face staring back at him as he penciled the names into his lineup each day.

“They have a unique relationship,” Kwan said, laughing.

Barnett has one rule for the shenanigans: Leave his hair alone when he’s scheduled to visit his mom.

Cleveland’s contact-oriented offense worked, to an extent, because of the team’s personnel. The Guardians started stressing their strengths in spring training, after new hitting coach Chris Valaika studied the skill sets of his batch of batters during the lockout. They’ll continue to prioritize hustle and intelligent aggressiveness on the bases. They have base-running coordinator J.T. Maguire and others working with prospects in Arizona on those elements. But they aren’t married to basing the entire offense around those tenets if it doesn’t fit their personnel, and this team could use some thump in the middle of the order.

As demonstrated in recent days, it can be difficult to win with the Guardians’ style of offense when battling almost exclusively elite pitching. The Yankees didn’t out-hit Cleveland in any of the five games. They out-muscled the Guardians, though.

Cleveland’s slash line: .247/.289/.337
New York’s slash line: .182/.273/.370

It’s tough to overcome two- and three-run homers in games in which runs usually come at a premium anyway. There are also bound to be more strikeouts in the postseason, with the pitching prowess enhanced. The Guardians struck out in more than 26 percent of their plate appearances in the playoffs, as opposed to a league-best 18.2 percent during the regular season. That makes it harder to string together hits, move runners over or drive them in from scoring position with less than two outs.

The Guardians could use another right-handed stick; they struggled all season against left-handed pitching. They need more reliable bench options. They need better production at catcher. They might need an upgrade in the rotation, too. Some of those needs can be fixed from within, but there should be ample opportunity to convert their prospect capital into a noteworthy acquisition or two.

It’s difficult to construct a well-rounded roster during a season in which 17 rookies make their major-league debut. But the Guardians also stood pat at the trade deadline, when a deal or two might have shored up some of their deficiencies and proved helpful in a short series. Sure, there’s hindsight involved here, but we can use foresight to say there are some moves the club must make this winter to fortify its roster. We’ll cover that in depth in the coming weeks.

Thanks to everyone for reading and following along this season. It was quite the unexpected, dramatic ride. I already have a story list for the offseason that stretches longer than Josh Naylor when scooping up José Ramírez’s off-balance throws across the diamond. Talk to you soon.

Zack Meisel
@ZackMeisel
·
1h
José Ramírez decided to play through his thumb injury since there was no risk of making it worse.

Also, Andrés Giménez played through a non-displaced fracture in his left thumb for the last month. He will not need surgery.

I feel better now !

Can confirm José Ramírez is scheduled to undergo surgery on his right hand in the coming weeks.
It was an option midseason, a source said, but he would have missed substantial time and preferred to play through it.

Zack Meisel

Zack Meisel
@ZackMeisel
·
Oct 19
José Ramírez sat out two games against the Dodgers in mid-June after suffering the injury and undergoing an MRI.

Before those missed games: .305/.397/.642 slash line
After those missed games: .264/.329/.437 slash line

Hayden Grove
@H_Grove
·
1h
Terry Francona said that the Guardians were preparing for Jose Ramirez to have surgery when they were in Los Angeles. Tito was preparing to address the team.

Jose walked into his office and said, “not only am I not having surgery, I’m playing tomorrow.” #Guardians

Guardians notes: José Ramírez’s surgery decision, Steven Kwan’s rookie season, contracts

By Zack Meisel
Oct 21, 2022
19


CLEVELAND — After José Ramírez underwent an MRI on his right hand in mid-June in Los Angeles, the Guardians were convinced he was headed for surgery that would wipe out most of his regular season.

But as the medical staff pored over Ramírez’s options, they concluded he couldn’t inflict more damage upon the torn ulnar collateral ligament. So after he sat out two games against the Dodgers, Ramírez entered Terry Francona’s office and said not only was he not choosing the surgery route, but also he insisted the manager pencil his name into the lineup the next day.


Ramírez didn’t want to sit out for up to eight weeks, so he opted to play through the pain. He even participated in the Home Run Derby — batting from the right side, where the injury wouldn’t interfere with his swing as much — and the All-Star Game.

“How do you ask a kid not to?” Francona said. “He bares his soul for our ballclub.”

Francona said Ramírez felt the pain most in cold temperatures or when he got jammed at the plate.

“(The derby) was in July, and if he got jammed in that,” Francona said, “he probably deserved it.”


José Ramírez takes a swing during the Home Run Derby. (Gary Vasquez / USA Today)
Before the two missed games in Los Angeles, Ramírez posted a .305/.397/.642 slash line. After those missed games, he logged a .264/.329/.437. He received daily treatment and sometimes wore a brace on his right hand.

“It’s amazing to think about what he played with from that day forward,” team president Chris Antonetti said.

Ramírez is scheduled to have surgery to repair the torn ligament in early November in Dayton.

In other injury news, second baseman Andrés Giménez was dealing with a non-displaced fracture in his left thumb over the last month. It will not require surgery and is expected to fully heal in a couple of weeks. Giménez was plunked by 25 pitches this season, most in the American League.

Josh Naylor will soon visit with Dr. Robert Anderson, who performed his leg surgery last year, in Green Bay to confirm he’s cleared for a normal offseason.

Steven Kwan passed every test the Guardians tossed his way during spring training, but since camp was shortened because of the lockout, they still had questions about what the rookie left fielder could handle. Francona consulted with Johnny McDonald, Tom Wiedenbauer and other members of the organization’s player development staff.

The resounding opinion?

“What you’re seeing is what you’re getting,” Francona said.

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Kwan forced his way into a daily spot in the Guardians’ lineup with a scorching start to the season. He battled through a funk at the plate in May, then thrived as the team’s leadoff hitter throughout the summer and fall. Francona raved about how Kwan was a quick learner and rarely seemed like a rookie. Asked if he had encountered anyone else who adjusted so well to the majors, Francona said Dustin Pedroia was the only name he could come up with.

“That’s pretty good company,” Francona said.

Kwan finished the season with a .298/.373/.400 slash line and 19 stolen bases, and he tallied more walks than strikeouts. He posted similar numbers in seven playoff games (.300 average, .777 OPS) and was named a finalist for a Gold Glove Award.

“All that happened in the first month of the season was amazing, probably even to Steven, honestly,” said general manager Mike Chernoff, referencing Kwan’s .959 OPS and aversion to strikeouts in April. “But then he struggled a little bit, and he was able to adjust and respond in such an amazing way to get through that. He never had a bad day mentally, despite all those struggles.”

Related: Even Kwan couldn’t have predicted a rookie season like this

The Guardians have one free agent on their roster: catcher Austin Hedges. Antonetti said the club and the 30-year-old have expressed mutual interest in a reunion for 2023 but noted both sides have plenty to sort through before further discussions.

Bo Naylor, who made his big-league debut in the closing days of the regular season, figures to factor into the club’s catching plans for next season. Luke Maile, the team’s other catcher, is one of at least eight players who will be eligible for arbitration, along with Shane Bieber, Amed Rosario, Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor, Anthony Gose, Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale. James Karinchak could qualify, as well.




Antonetti also said the club will consider multiyear extensions with “some players.” The front office typically holds those discussions at the start of spring training.

Cleveland’s bullpen emerged as a team strength during the second half of the season, with Karinchak returning to his dominant, early 2021 form, Emmanuel Clase blossoming into perhaps the league’s most consistent closer, and Trevor Stephan, Sam Hentges, Nick Sandlin and Enyel De Los Santos carving out roles as reliable options.

During his exit interview with Francona, Antonetti and Chernoff, Hentges told the group: “At the beginning of the year, Tito was looking to find opportunities for me to succeed. And by the end of the year, I felt like Tito was looking for opportunities for me to help the team succeed.”

Over his final 25 appearances of the regular season, Hentges allowed one earned run and held opponents to a .311 OPS.

Asked for a favorite moment from the season, Chernoff joked he had “about 29 of them,” a nod to the team’s 29 wins in its last at-bat, a franchise record. Francona said he hopes the team grabs leads more often, since maintaining such a reliance on late rallies might not be realistic. Handing more leads to the club’s bullpen might not be a bad strategy, either.

Over his final 25 appearances of the regular season, Hentges allowed one earned run and held opponents to a .311 OPS.

That's pretty solid! Years back as a Class A or AA struggling starter I'd seen projections Sam could eventually become a big league closer. It looks like that projection was spot on. Although setup man is OK too.

Can you name all 54 Cleveland Guardians players from the 2022 season?


Cleveland Guardians' Yu Chang is called out on strikes during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Thursday, April 7, 2022 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
By Zack Meisel
5h ago

CLEVELAND — It took a village. Well, it took 54 players. Well, not all 54 actually appeared in a game.

There were a ton of new faces in Cleveland this season. There were players who didn’t survive April, and others who came and went in an instant. In all, 50 stood on the field for at least a pitch. Four others were members of the active roster but never escaped the dugout or the bullpen.

Fifty-four is not an outrageous number — the total typically falls somewhere in the 40s — but it is pretty high when considering a couple of factors:

• The Guardians didn’t endure many injuries. They cycled through rookie after rookie trying to find the proper combination, whereas other teams simply searched for healthy bodies.

• September call-ups aren’t what they used to be. Now, rosters only expand to 28 from 26. They used to balloon to 40.

The question is, can you name all 54 players who contributed (OK, maybe not all 54 contributed directly) to the Guardians’ memorable season? We’ll break it down into several sections to make it more reasonable. Consider this a refresher on everyone’s individual performance this season.

The players described in the numbered writeups are listed at the bottom of each section.
The easy ones (1-12)

1. As several teammates described during the postseason, he’s the “heart and soul” of the club, with a long-term contract and another stat line-stuffing season to his name, despite dealing with a torn ligament in his right hand for the final four months.

2. His fastball velocity may have dipped, but his output didn’t. He reached the 200-inning mark for the second time in his career, a milestone that meant a lot to him after he was sidelined with a shoulder injury for a large chunk of 2021.

3. He led the league in appearances (77) and saves (42), and posted a microscopic ERA (1.36) for the second straight season. He also struck out the side on 10 pitches to seal the American League’s victory in the All-Star Game.

4. His historically proficient start to the season was a harbinger for his impressive rookie campaign, in which he hit .298 with a .373 on-base percentage and recorded more walks than strikeouts.

5. He went from needing a demotion to Triple A in 2021 to starting at second base in the All-Star Game in 2022. Also, in the time it took you to read this, he was hit by two pitches.

6. Remember all the concerns about his durability? Well, he totaled 191 innings, struck out 190 and permitted less than one base runner per inning as he emerged as a front-line starter.

7. The headbutt of his manager will prevail as the lasting image of this slugger, but his most noteworthy storyline from 2022 was how he battled through a full season after suffering a traumatic leg injury the previous summer.

8. He’s as famous for restoring the “SpongeBob SquarePants” theme song into the public stream of consciousness as he is for his three postseason game-winning hits. His power and opposite-field acumen arrived in a timely manner, considering the swift downfall of his fellow slugger and fellow native of Sabana Grande de Palenque, Dominican Republic.

9. You may know him for his constant fidgeting on the mound, his exaggerated celebrations after he records a third out or the Pantene commercial he filmed with umpire Ted Barrett in Minneapolis in September. He returned to his reliable form, with a 2.08 ERA and more than 14 strikeouts per nine innings.

10. He’s as consistent as they come. For context, look at his last three full seasons:

2019: .287/.323/.432 slash line, 30 doubles, 15 homers, 19 stolen bases, 31 walks, 124 strikeouts

2021: .282/.321/.409 slash line, 25 doubles, 11 homers, 13 stolen bases, 31 walks, 120 strikeouts

2022: .283/.312/.403 slash line, 26 doubles, 11 homers, 18 stolen bases, 25 walks, 111 strikeouts

11. His goal was to log 200 innings. He reached 186, though he did that without ever exceeding the 100-pitch mark. His ERA stayed between 3.27 and 4.08 all season.

12. He had a rough season at the plate, but any ball hit in his zip code resulted in an out, which explains why he’s one of the team’s five Gold Glove Award finalists.

1. José Ramírez
2. Shane Bieber
3. Emmanuel Clase
4. Steven Kwan
5. Andrés Giménez
6. Triston McKenzie
7. Josh Naylor
8. Oscar Gonzalez
9. James Karinchak
10. Amed Rosario
11. Cal Quantrill
12. Myles Straw
The second tier (13-24)

13. He landed on the injured list three times, and though he pitched better as the season unfolded, what you’ll surely remember most is the first inning he failed to escape in New York when the Guardians’ season hung in the balance.

14. Things this player didn’t do very often: wear a shirt, compile a lengthy hitting streak. He was, however, the vocal leader of the team, and you won’t find a Cleveland pitcher who has anything negative to say about him.

15. It was a bumpy season for this starting pitcher, and it became even more trying when he bumped his knuckles on the mound after surrendering a home run in Seattle in late August.

16. He seemed to be a bit miscast as a platoon first baseman, though he never really did much convincing that he deserved more opportunities, with a .652 OPS and six home runs.

17. From Rule 5 draft pick to ruling the seventh and eighth innings, this reliever cemented himself as one of Clase’s primary setup men with a 2.69 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings. He was even more impressive in the playoffs, with 5 2/3 hitless innings.

18. Manager Terry Francona’s favorite cribbage partner, he was dropped from the active roster in late September, but he stuck around to serve as a mentor to his fellow relievers during the postseason run.

19. He had a nightmarish 2021 season in a starting role, but this 6-foot-8 left-hander thrived as a reliever in 2022, thanks to a killer curveball and an effective two-seamer. He recorded the final three scoreless innings of the team’s marathon win against the Rays in the Wild Card Series.

20. This sidewinding reliever struggled to throw strikes in the first half, but flourished down the stretch before suffering a season-ending injury in that marathon against Tampa Bay.

21. He morphed from a back-end starter into an eighth-inning reliever before settling into more of a middle-relief role. His devastating changeup proved critical for Cleveland’s bullpen in the early months.

22. The club’s only addition before the lockout, this reliever with a spotty track record in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh took a minor-league deal and blossomed into one of Cleveland’s more reliable bullpen options.

23. One of two free agents signed to a major-league contract last offseason, he will serve as the answer to this trivia question: Which player registered the final hit of the Guardians’ 2022 season (playoffs included)?

24. He throws in the upper 90s and no one could touch his slider this season — in fact, no one did touch his slider this season, as it carried a .000 batting average against and an absurd 66.7 percent whiff rate — but an elbow injury considerably shortened his season, and leaves the next chapter of his transformation from center fielder to pitcher a bit unclear.

13. Aaron Civale
14. Austin Hedges
15. Zach Plesac
16. Owen Miller
17. Trevor Stephan
18. Bryan Shaw
19. Sam Hentges
20. Nick Sandlin
21. Eli Morgan
22. Enyel De Los Santos
23. Luke Maile
24. Anthony Gose
The other rookies (25-38)

25. A Red Sox fan who admired Francona as a kid, this outfielder joined the club in late September and registered a .900 OPS in 45 plate appearances, with only four strikeouts. He started the season in Double A and batted .314 with 40 doubles and 20 stolen bases in the minors.

26. He joined the big-league roster during the final week of the season and batted one spot behind his older brother in one of Francona’s final lineups of 2022. He made the team’s postseason roster, but never appeared in a game.

27. Once the organization’s top prospect, this third baseman-turned-right fielder received a promotion to the majors and promptly splashed a home run ball into the fountains at Kauffman Stadium.

28. Cleveland’s first-round draft pick in 2016, this outfielder known for his size, speed and power broke into the big leagues this summer but played sparingly. He’s Kwan’s roommate, meditation partner and common chess opponent.

29. This infielder spent most of August and September in the majors after heating up at the plate in Triple A. The former second-round draft choice owns a career .311 average and .804 OPS in the minors.

30. An upper back/shoulder injury foiled his bid for an Opening Day roster spot, but this pitcher ultimately reached the big leagues in September. He posted a 2.28 ERA in 23 2/3 innings, but his most impressive showing came in Game 4 of the ALDS, when he retired all six Yankees he faced.

31. The most highly touted prospect included in the Mike Clevinger trade in 2020, this infielder started the season as a well-regarded shortstop vying for consideration for the Opening Day roster and ended the season as the club’s first baseman in the ALDS.

32. This left-hander, acquired from the White Sox in 2021 for César Hernández, made 11 starts for Cleveland and logged a 3.88 ERA.

33. In the minors, he did a little of everything: hit for average, rack up doubles, steal bases and make a bunch of contact. He didn’t get a lot of opportunities to do that in the majors this year — he posted a .578 OPS in 123 plate appearances — but he did single in his first two career trips to the plate during his debut in Anaheim.

34. Maile’s stint on the IL at the start of the season paved the way for this catcher to break camp with the big-league club. He ended up appearing in six games and notched his first hit off New York’s Jameson Taillon.

35. For much of the season, he played the role of the guy who covers a bunch of innings in a lopsided loss and then gets designated for assignment the following morning. That’s how he wound up on the Orioles for a few minutes and then back with the Guardians. But at various points in the second half, he provided some pivotal scoreless frames, with his shining moment coming in the club’s 15-inning win to dismiss the Twins from the AL Central race.

36. His Baseball Reference page isn’t a pretty sight at the moment, because he was essentially the Guardians’ sacrificial lamb in a pair of late-season starts against the Astros and White Sox. He surrendered 15 runs in 7 1/3 innings. In the minors, he logged a 4.01 ERA, while totaling 158 strikeouts and only 90 hits allowed in 121 1/3 innings.

37. He made his first minor-league appearance in 2021. In 2022, he made his first (and second) big-league appearance. He split this year between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, but he did make a pair of spot starts in Cleveland.

38. The Ohio State product made three appearances for the Guardians — one in April, one in late June and one in mid-July. The lefty was ultimately designated for assignment, outrighted to Triple A, and became a free agent at the end of the season.

25. Will Brennan
26. Bo Naylor
27. Nolan Jones
28. Will Benson
29. Tyler Freeman
30. Cody Morris
31. Gabriel Arias
32. Konnor Pilkington
33. Richie Palacios
34. Bryan Lavastida
35. Kirk McCarty
36. Hunter Gaddis
37. Xzavion Curry
38. Tanner Tully
They came, they saw, they vanished (39-50)

39. He predicted the Guardians would surprise people. He was right. But he didn’t stick around to see it for himself. He was a mess at the plate for 70 games. After Cleveland severed ties with him, he joined the Cubs, with whom he was a tick better (.689 OPS versus .603 OPS).

40. Cleveland’s Opening Day first baseman lasted only eight games before the team changed directions. There was too much bust to accompany the boom in his bat.

41. He collected 127 plate appearances with the Guardians and one plate appearance with the Phillies this season, so a healthy playoff share should be headed his way this winter. It’s been a steep fall for this outfielder since a solid rookie showing in 2019.

42. He’s played first, second, short, third and left. He even pitched this season, though he owns an 18.00 ERA and a 16.11 FIP. Now, he’s an Oakland Athletic after the Guardians cut him loose in late September.

43. This infielder’s season started with the Guardians, for whom he tallied 10 hitless at-bats around a lengthy COVID-IL stint. He later played for the Pirates, Rays and Red Sox in his 2022 MLB tour.

44. With a strong start for Triple-A Columbus, he forced his way into a call-up in July. After logging 16 plate appearances with the Guardians, he moved on to the nation’s capital, where he posted a .772 OPS in 115 trips to the plate.

45. He caught for Cleveland in 2020, rejoined the franchise this spring, shifted to the Reds in April, came to Cleveland again in late June and then was traded to the Twins in early August as a favor to a veteran player. Like a boomerang, he’ll be back eventually.

46. A key piece of the Trevor Bauer trade in 2019, this former top-100 prospect couldn’t find his footing with the Guardians, who DFA’d him a few weeks into the season. He caught on with the Orioles, and then the Rockies.

47. The club acquired him from the Blue Jays on Opening Day in a trade for, well, we’ll get to that name shortly. His Cleveland tenure didn’t go so well, culminating in a dreadful outing against the Twins in June. The Orioles eventually scooped him up.

48. He’s a native of Westlake, Ohio. Just as fascinating: He totaled one-third of an inning for the Guardians this season. (He did make 10 appearances for the team last year.)

49. Signed to a minor-league deal when the lockout ended, he made one appearance for the Guardians in late June against the Twins, his former team. He proceeded to pitch 33 times for the Reds this season.

50. Another member of the One Appearance Club, this righty started the season with the Mariners, made his lone cameo for Cleveland in late June and then made 22 appearances for the Pirates.

39. Franmil Reyes
40. Bobby Bradley
41. Oscar Mercado
42. Ernie Clement
43. Yu Chang
44. Alex Call
45. Sandy León
46. Logan Allen
47. Anthony Castro
48. Alex Young
49. Ian Gibaut
50. Yohan Ramirez
It’s like they were never here (51-54)

51. After the season opener in Kansas City, he was traded to Toronto. Four months later, he was claimed by the Phillies. Eleven days after that, he was re-claimed by the Blue Jays. In all, he batted .124 with a .435 OPS in 2022, though none of his 117 plate appearances came with Cleveland.

52. Before 2022, he last pitched at short-season Mahoning Valley, which no longer exists in its Cleveland affiliate form. Tommy John surgery and the pandemic essentially wiped out two seasons for him. He returned to the mound this year, and even spent a few days on the big-league roster in mid-September, but never saw the mound.

53. He joined the club for three days, during its trip to Toronto in mid-August in place of Karinchak, who was placed on the restricted list for the series. He didn’t pitch in any of the games, though. He logged a 3.63 ERA in 28 starts with Triple-A Columbus.

54. He signed a minor-league deal with Cleveland in spring training and received a call-up in early August, but never pitched for the Guardians. The Twins claimed him later that month.

51. Bradley Zimmer
52. Carlos Vargas
53. Peyton Battenfield
54. Jake Jewell

I did OK until Castro; missed on Palacios. Of the non-performers I certainly remembered Zimmer and got Battenfield