Myles Straw was as good defensively as he was bad offensively

A gold glove and a brown bat

Myles Straw had a good month of April.

Fresh off signing a five-year, $25 million contract extension with the Cleveland Guardians, Straw slashed .291/.387/.380, posted a career-high 14% walk rate, and produced 125 wRC+ in the first month of the season, all while providing Gold Glove-level defense in center field.

Unfortunately, the calendar turned to May.

Over the next four months, Straw was one of the worst hitters in all of Major League Baseball, carrying a .178/.245/.221 slash line with 35 wRC+ in 384 plate appearances. It was brutal. To perfectly illustrate his decline, Straw went from batting leadoff on Opening Day to batting dead last in the lineup in the final game of the regular season.

It’s difficult to determine the root cause of his struggles, and I won’t pretend to have the answer, either. Guardians hitting coach Chris Valaika is much more qualified to troubleshoot the issue, and I imagine he and Straw will spend this offseason evaluating his swing and plate approach. September did offer a glimmer of hope, as Straw slashed .308/.364/.364 with 112 wRC+ in his final 119 plate appearances of the regular season.

The question that dogged Straw throughout that miserable four-month stretch of the season was how much his defensive value offset his negative value at the plate. Because Straw provides a lot of defensive value.

This season, he finished third in outs above average among all qualified center fielders according to Baseball Savant. FanGraphs ranked Straw first among all qualified center fielders in defensive runs saved (17), outfield arm runs (7.8), ultimate zone rating (13.2), and FanGraphs defense (16.3). He was rewarded for his efforts with a Gold Glove.

But you need look no further than FanGraphs to see the debate over his value. Straw’s FanGraphs defense this season was 16.3, compared to -16.4 for his FanGraphs offense. So does his defensive value make up for his lack of offensive value, or do they cancel each other out? FanGraphs’ offensive and defensive valuations would seem to lean towards the latter, but he was also worth 2 WAR, which I have to imagine was driven entirely by his defense.

Cleveland is likely betting that the Straw we saw at the plate between May and August is not the real Myles Straw. He may not be the Straw we saw in April and September either, but if he is able to settle in somewhere in the middle, merely average production at the plate moving forward would more than justify his place in the lineup.

I mean, this is a man who was prepared to go to war with Yankees fans. You don’t cut bait on an elite defensive center fielder willing to scale the wall at Yankee Stadium to defend Steven Kwan

Hey civ thanks for that series of articles!

Ten Cleveland Guardians predictions for a promising 2023

Aug 24, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) gestures after hitting a home run against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
By Zack Meisel

CLEVELAND — Think about how much has changed in a year.

Last January, baseball stood still, and we were left to talk ourselves into Bradley Zimmer, ponder José Ramírez trades and evaluate commissioner Rob Manfred’s negotiating tactics. It was bleak.

But the lockout ended, Ramírez signed a long-term deal, Zimmer lasted one day of the regular season with Cleveland, and the Guardians made a run to the American League Division Series. Now, this team comes with some actual expectations and some discussion topics that aren’t painful for fans to broach.

Before we forecast the year ahead, let’s stagger down memory lane and revisit the 10 predictions from this space a year ago.

1. The Guardians will trade for an established corner outfielder.

Nope. Well, I mean, they tried. They came up empty. And then they pivoted to the kids. And, somehow, that worked.

2. Franmil Reyes will hit at least 40 home runs.

Nope. I used to predict this every year. I’ll have to find a new shtick. What a rapid downfall for Reyes.

3. The middle-infield puzzle will remain a confounding logjam.

True. There’s a bit more clarity because Andrés Giménez blossomed into an All-Star. But plenty of questions remain about the future for Amed Rosario, Gabriel Arias, Tyler Freeman, Brayan Rocchio … and on and on.

4. Logan Allen — no, the other one — and Cody Morris will be two names you can’t stop discussing this summer.

Remember Logan S. Allen making four appearances for the Guardians last April? Me neither. After a strong stretch at Double-A Akron, Logan T. Allen had an underwhelming showing in his first taste of Triple A. As for Morris, if not for an injury, he might’ve broken camp with the big-league team. Instead, he became someone worth discussing late in the year.

5. You or someone you know will be clamoring for George Valera to be promoted to the majors by July.

Maybe not. But it could happen this year. You and everyone you know were clamoring for, well, anyone to take over for Reyes. Oscar Gonzalez did a sufficient job.

6. Shane Bieber will piece together an ace-worthy season.

Yep. There was initial skepticism when he came out of the gate throwing 90 mph, but he located and mixed pitches at an elite level once again.

7. The bullpen will be a team strength.

Was it ever. It felt like the club’s relievers didn’t allow a run from July through October.

8. José Ramírez will not be traded.

Ding ding ding. I tried explaining that the seeds were there for a contract extension, in large part because of how comfortable Ramírez is in Cleveland. If not for his insistence on executing a deal, though, this prediction would’ve been wrong.

9. Many will forget the rebrand even happened.

Winning helped. There are still dissenters, of course, but it feels like the Band-Aid was ripped off eons ago.

10. An expanded postseason setup will help Cleveland’s cause.

At the time, we didn’t know what the playoff format would be. In the end, it didn’t matter. The Guardians won the AL Central, in a fashion no one could have forecasted given their youth.

That wasn’t a terrible effort. Now let’s peer into the crystal ball to see what 2023 has in store for the Guardians.

1. Josh Bell will be one-and-done in Cleveland.

Josh Bell (Ray Acevedo / USA Today)
What type of hitter does Bell want to be? He has hit for power in the past. He has hit for average. He has swung for the fences. He has startled every earthworm by pounding pitches into the ground. There’s been a different Bell each year. He seems to think he’ll benefit from the new shift limitations. “If I can be a line-drive hitter first, with a little bit of extension, I can drive the ball to the gaps and get them over the fence. But if I’m focused so much on pull-side homers or trying to hit the ball as high as I can, the pitchers across the league are too good, and defensive alignments have been so good in the past that the game was getting too hard in regards to that.”

What will fuel a strong season for Bell, though, is why he should fit so seamlessly into manager Terry Francona’s lineup: For a guy with enough power to smack 30-plus home runs, he doesn’t strike out all that much, and he draws a ton of walks. That gives him an awfully high floor, production-wise, and will lead to him opting out of his contract after one season to again explore the free-agent market.

2. José Ramírez will put together his magnum opus.
If we want to get wild, let’s go ahead and say Ramírez will, at last, win his first AL MVP Award, after a slew of close calls. But let’s be honest: Shohei Ohtani’s presence in the AL (for one more season, at least) makes that difficult. It took Aaron Judge setting the AL home run record to unseat Ohtani.

Before tearing a ligament in his right hand last summer, Ramírez logged a .305/.397/.642 slash line. Those are MVP-caliber numbers. He’s healthy now, and he, too, could benefit from the shift restrictions in 2023. Teams have regularly placed an infielder in short right field or used a four-outfielder alignment when Ramírez batted. Not anymore. He’s positioned to enjoy a career year, one worthy of some hardware.

3. A newly converted starting pitcher will wind up being a key member of the bullpen.
It worked for Eli Morgan in 2022, though his shift to the bullpen stemmed from the shortened spring training and the club’s intent to ease its starters into the season. This time, the organization has so much starting pitching depth in the upper levels that such a move might be a necessity. Maybe it’ll be Hunter Gaddis, Xzavion Curry, Joey Cantillo or Cody Morris. Maybe it’ll eventually be Zach Plesac. Maybe Daniel Espino will emerge as a late-inning threat in August and September.

Pitchers who could start the year at Triple A: Curry, Gaddis, Cantillo, Morris, Konnor Pilkington, Peyton Battenfield, Logan Allen.

Pitchers who could join them, either at the start of the season or not too long after: Espino, Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Tanner Burns.

So, uh, the Guardians probably will need to figure something out there. By converting one or two pitchers into a relief role — and it doesn’t have to be permanent, but for, say, Gaddis, it might allow him to limit his arsenal to fastball/changeup, which could result in both pitches playing up — the club could also expedite their path to the majors. The Guardians don’t have much relief depth at Triple A anyway, and it’d be unwise to assume the bullpen will be as dominant as it was in 2022; Tim Herrin is the only reliever on the 40-man roster who hasn’t debuted.

4. Aaron Civale will reassert himself as a No. 2/3 starting pitcher.
“The Chemist” was on his way to a standout season in 2021, with a 3.32 ERA and nearly seven innings per start before a finger injury derailed his campaign. He had a messy 2022, with three injured list stints. But take a peek under the hood:

Civale in 2021, pre-injury: 3.32 ERA, 4.28 FIP, .229/.279/.415 opponent slash line, 2.1 BB/9, 7.0 K/9, 1.3 HR/9

Civale in 2022, overall: 4.92 ERA, 3.86 FIP, .249/.300/.424 opponent slash line, 2.0 BB/9, 9.1 K/9, 1.3 HR/9

The difference in ERA can’t be dismissed, because the results are what ultimately matter, but the other numbers are awfully similar and, in some cases, they were even better in 2022.

If this prediction winds up looking foolish, then here’s another: The club will trade for an established starting pitcher in July.

5. Steven Kwan/Myles Straw/Oscar Gonzalez will be the Opening Day outfield alignment, but not the end-of-season outfield alignment.
The jury’s still out on Gonzalez because of his atypical profile. That’s not to take anything away from what he accomplished last season in an unexpected, impressive (and pivotal, team-wise) rookie campaign, or to downplay his skills. Atypical doesn’t have to be a bad thing. He wields a ton of power, decent contact skills and speed. We just need to see what it all translates to over 162 games. Can he make adjustments, exhibit more patience, resist offering at pitches out of the zone and tap into his strength? And can Straw boost his on-base percentage? He spent a few days in Cleveland last month for a hitting clinic. The new rules encourage base-stealing and reward speed, so if Straw can improve upon his abysmal .291 mark from 2022, he could use his wheels to provide more value than “just” his Gold Glove defense. Will Brennan, Will Benson and George Valera are waiting for opportunities if anyone falters.

6. Bo Naylor will lead Cleveland catchers in plate appearances.

Bo Naylor (Frank Jansky / Icon Sportswire)
Here’s what Francona said a few weeks ago when asked where the signing of Mike Zunino might leave Bo Naylor.

“I think we’ve been pretty honest about how much we like Bo Naylor,” Francona said. “Does that mean he’s ready for Opening Day? I don’t know if we’re ready to say that. And if he isn’t, that’s not a knock on him. But let’s let his play dictate how much he’s ready, not what I say in December.”

Zunino said he wanted to help mentor Naylor, and he plans to reach out to initiate that relationship before spring training. Team president Chris Antonetti said he’s hopeful Zunino “can absorb the bulk of the innings behind the plate,” but even Zunino noted there’s been a widespread shift in recent years to catcher timeshares. Only nine players in the majors registered more than 100 games with at least one plate appearance as the catcher last season. J.T. Realmuto led the way with 132 games. Austin Hedges totaled 99 games for Cleveland. Zunino appeared in 36 games for Tampa Bay before undergoing shoulder surgery.

So, even if he starts the year with Triple-A Columbus, Naylor should enter the equation at some point. And if he plays well (or if Zunino disappoints or gets injured), he should earn a larger share of the workload.

Another prediction: Naylor will be the only recipient of a celebratory headbutt from his brother this season. Bo and Josh should provide some special sibling moments this year.

7. Fewer than 17 rookies will debut … but a couple of Top 100 prospects will be among them.
We witnessed a once-in-a-generation rookie invasion last year, when 17 players made their major-league debut for the Guardians, tied for the most in franchise history for a season. And yet, Cleveland’s most prized prospects have yet to join the big-league roster. That should change in 2023. The number of debuts will decrease — though the number of rookies and second-year players will remain jarring — but we’ll see some long-awaited arrivals.

Valera could force his way into the lineup. Espino, Williams and Bibee could pitch their way onto the big-league team (if they can bypass a bunch of their colleagues at Columbus). It’s difficult to chart a near-immediate path to the majors for Rocchio, but he’ll start the season at Columbus, a phone call away.

Even after the Great Rookie Parade of 2022, there are well-regarded reinforcements who could aid the team’s cause in 2023. (More on them in the coming days.)

8. Angel Martinez will be Cleveland’s next Top 100 prospect.
A new addition to the 40-man roster, Martinez is likely ticketed for Double-A Akron to start the season. He’ll turn 21 in a few weeks. He posted a .288/.384/.477 slash line at High-A Lake County last season, demonstrating power, speed and plate discipline. At the end of the year, he got a taste of Double A, where he was nearly four years younger than the average player. The only issue is, if he masters Double A this year, will there be room for him in Columbus?

As it stands, Cleveland has six Top 100 prospects, per MLB Pipeline: Espino, Williams, Bibee, Valera, Rocchio and Bo Naylor.

9. The middle-infield logjam won’t start to clear up until next winter.
Rosario will do what he always does: rack up a bunch of hits, run amok, and send fans sprinting to opposite sides of the debate about whether he should remain the team’s shortstop or if the Guardians should turn to one of their prospects. Rosario will play out the season as the shortstop, leaving Arias and Freeman in utility roles, before a competition is held in spring 2024 to determine Giménez’s next middle-infield partner.

10. The AL Central will be a two-team race from about June on.
The Royals and Tigers have reached the “Gulp, is this just not going to work?” stage of their lengthy rebuilds. The Twins seem directionless. The White Sox are hoping health and a new manager will translate into better results for a talented roster. The Guardians won’t sneak up on anyone this year.

The AL Central receives a lot of criticism, and rightfully so, though the National League Central isn’t exactly filled with juggernauts, either, and 60 percent of the AL West was dreadful last season.

So much in October hinges on matchups and postseason randomness, and my crystal ball isn’t quite that clear. But I’ll say Cleveland claims the AL Central again, with the White Sox presenting a far more formidable challenge in September than they did in 2022. Then, Cleveland and Seattle will clash in the ALCS in a rematch of 1995. Kenny Lofton, who sealed that series with an unforgettable 180-foot scamper, will throw the ceremonial first pitch before the first game at Progressive Field.

Jim Bowden

AL Central


Guardians — a complementary bat; an impact bat if one becomes available.The Guardians fulfilled their biggest offseason goals by signing first baseman Josh Bell (who gives them a much-needed middle-of-the-order bat with power from both sides of the plate) and catcher Mike Zunino (a special defensive player who gives them more pop at the position). Now, they are mostly focused on offseason development and preparing their players for the season. However, they’re still looking to add a complementary bat. The Guardians would love to add an impact bat in a trade but don’t see that happening given the market — at least to this point.

Got to be willing to give something to get something. Can't hold on to all those prospects forever.

You certainly can hold on to all of the pitchers.

More bats the Guardians could add before Opening Day

A Jim Bowden rumor produces some food for thought

By Quincy Wheeler Jan 5, 2023, 11:00am EST

As we all emerge from the dearth of baseball news over the holidays, there isn’t a lot to analyze at the moment. So, desperate times call for desperate measures, namely, reading Jim Bowden articles where Bowden shares what he is hearing about what teams are still looking to do before the season starts.

In his piece for the Athletic, Bowden says the Guardians “are still looking to add a complementary bat” and “would love to add an impact bat in a trade but don’t see that happening given the market - at least at this point.” Who knows where Bowden is getting this information, whether he has a source with the team, a source with another team in trade talks with the Guardians, sources with agents of players to whom the Guardians are talking, or whether he’s just speculating. But it’s all we’ve got right now, so let’s talk about it.

I was somewhat surprised to hear the Guardians are looking to add a bat, because my impression was that the Josh Bell and Mike Zunino signings were probably it for major league offensive additions until July 2023. I was under the impression that players like Gabriel Arias, Tyler Freeman, Will Brennan, and Will Benson were going to get the chance to claim major league bench/right-handed platoon option (in the case of the former two) spots on the 26-man in the spring.

However, I am fully aware that the Guardians could certainly use at least another proven option to hit left-handed pitching. Tyler Freeman put up an .814 OPS and .621 OPS against LHP in 2021 and 2022, respectively, while Arias’s OPS’s against lefties in those two years were .757 and .707. While we can hope that they will both be solid major league hitters who are right-handed and so will handle southpaws well, I would absolutely support acquiring a player who can spell Josh Naylor at first base or designated hitter against LHP as well as fill in at some other positions.

Even with the vast majority of free agents signed and several expected trade targets moved, there are still some options the Guardians might be considering to fortify the lineup in 2023. Let’s take a look at a few below:

Option 1: Chad Pinder, right-handed hitter, IF/OF, free agent, 31 years old in the 2023 season
Career 114 wRC+ against LHP

The Guardians have been rumored to have an interest in trading for Chad Pinder in the past, so there’s at least a hint that there might be something here. Pinder has played all infield and outfield positions at the major league level and been average to above average at most of them (he should not be played at second base or shortstop, to be clear).

Pinder can play right field against LHP, letting Oscar Gonzalez DH and Josh Naylor come off the bench, but can also fill in as needed at first base, third base, or left field. Adding Pinder would allow the Guardians to field a lineup with seven hitters who all have wRC+ at 100 or above against LHP in their career which should help improve their numbers against lefties for the coming season.

Option 2: Robbie Grossman, switch-hitter, OF, free agent, 33 years old in 2023
Career 122 wRC+ against LHP

Robbie Grossman had a rough 2022, putting up an 82 wRC+, overall, but he still managed a 157 wRC+ against LHP. The numbers seem to indicate that you shouldn’t count on Grossman for anything except being a professional lefty masher — which is exactly the kind of “complementary” bat Cleveland could use.

Grossman’s career defensive numbers are not good in left or center field, but they are solid in right field, but he has never played first, so he would likely only play right field or designated hitter against left-handed pitching, but that actually fits the roster very well, since Josh Bell can play first base. Neither Grossman nor Pinder should cost much, and I wonder if Grossman might even fall to the level of a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training when it’s all said and done. If so, he could see an opportunity to make the Guardians in the spring if he wants it.

Option 3: Darin Ruf, right-handed hitter, 1B/OF, New York Mets, 36 years old in 2023 (club option in 2024)
Career 143 wRC+ against LHP

Darin Ruf didn’t have a great 2022, with only an 89 wRC+, overall, but he still put up a 116 wRC+ against LHP. However, he faded down the stretch quite a bit, leading some to wonder if age has caught up to Ruf.

The Correa signing is still up in the air, but one would guess the Mets are still looking to free up some roster space. Does the $3 million Ruf is owed mean much to Steve Cohen? Assuredly not, but the Mets would certainly listen to the right offer for Ruf — perhaps a depth relief arm they like would get the deal done?

Ruf’s career defensive numbers indicate that he should never be played in the outfield, however, so he’s a first base/designated hitter option, and having three of those players on the Guardians’ roster doesn’t seem to fit the team’s goal of maintaining some roster flexibility.

Option 4: Austin Slater, right-handed hitter, OF, San Francisco Giants, 30 years old in 2023, under team control through 2024
Career 132 wRC+ against LHP

A bit of a late bloomer, Austin Slater has established himself as a certified lefty masher who can competently play any outfield spot (which is saying something given the tricky nature of the Giants’ home field).

The Giants have added Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger, so the outfield is a little crowded at the moment. Slater would cost noticeably more to acquire in prospects than Ruf would, being younger and more versatile, but perhaps the Giants would be interested in a young, depth starting pitcher and one of Cleveland’s excellent middle infielders (infielders not named Andrés Giménez or Brayan Rocchio) to ease the sting of losing Carlos Correa?

Slater would bring the added bonus of being an option to play centerfield competently if Myles Straw struggles at the plate continue in 2023. I don’t think the Giants are looking to move Slater, but they certainly want to improve their roster and have a fair amount of other outfield talent on hand, so I wonder if a deal is there for the right taker.


Slater was also trying to help journalists figure out what MLB is doing to the ball before MLB’s goons came after him, so I’d like to see him stick it in the league’s eye by making the World Series in a Guardians uniform.

Option 5: Garrett Cooper, right-handed hitter, 1B/OF, Miami Marlins, free agent in 2024, 32 years old in 2023
Career 113 wRC+ against LHP

The nice thing about Garrett Cooper is that he is not only a solid hitter against left-handed pitching, but he is also a solid hitter overall. He is an above-average defender at first base and has been not terrible in corner outfield spots in past seasons as well. Cooper would be a great choice to spell Josh Naylor at first base or DH and possibly fill in for Kwan in left or Brennan and Gonzalez in right on certain occasions.

However, due to Cooper’s lack of outfield prowess, I don’t think he fits the current roster as well as Pinder, Grossman, or Slater would. I do think the Marlins would likely trade him seeing as he is in his last year of arbitration and they are always looking to save money, but given that he’s one of the few hitters in Miami projected to be above league average, the asking price is probably more than what the Guardians would deem fair.

Other Possibilities: OF Andrew McCutchen, 3B/OF Brian Anderson, and IF Donovan Solano
Andrew McCutchen has amazing career numbers against left-handed pitching (154 wRC+), but is in an offensive decline at age 36 and can’t play first. Brian Anderson and Donovan Solano are both in the 90 wRC+ range for their careers against LHP and neither are probably capable of filling in at right field if that flexibility is important. Between the three, McCutchen on a one-year deal would be of most interest to me.

Bottom Line: I would still guess the Guardians are more likely to enter spring training with the major league roster as it currently is than to make another move. However, if, as rumored by Bowden, they do want to continue to upgrade the lineup in a complementary fashion, it would not surprise me to see them sign a Chad Pinder or Robbie Grossman to an inexpensive one-year deal. Having done the research for this article, I now have visions of Austin Slater dancing in my head, but it’s probably best to keep my feet on the ground and be content with the upgrades that either Pinder or Grossman would provide if a move is made.

Not sure if I have mentioned this but the addition of 2 playoff slots last season and Philly making the run to the World Series (from a lower playoff slot) has incentivized teams to go for it.

Also the draft system now has a lottery for the top picks - so you just might not get that pick you wanted.

And there IS financial incentives to get to the playoffs - tv and attendance bumps.

So recent deals are more major leaguers - prospects are NOT as coveted as they used to be when there were so many tankers.

They are still valuable internally but not as much in trades.

(Not to mention teams like SD, Texas and NY Mets spending has sort of blown the cover of tight spending owners)

Don't get me wrong they still have value but their value has been over-inflated since we can remember.

Cleveland Baseball Countdown, No. 15: Carlos Baerga — Mr. Enthusiasm — is still everywhere

Cleveland Baseball Countdown, No. 15: Carlos Baerga — Mr. Enthusiasm — is still everywhere
By Zack Meisel
4h ago
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Editor’s note: This story is part of the Cleveland Baseball Countdown, a series of 30 features on the club’s 30 best players of the past 30 years.

Welcome back. We started this countdown a year ago, made it to the midpoint and then the MLB lockout ended and all hell broke loose, pushing this series to the back burner. But now it’s time to reveal the remaining half of the list. To catch up on any entries you missed, or for a refresher on the players we have already covered, tap or click the Cleveland Baseball Countdown link above or go to the bottom of this article for links to Nos. 16 through 30.

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Nearly a quarter century after his final game with Cleveland and nearly 30 years after his last full season with the franchise, Carlos Baerga is still everywhere you look. You’ll see him at the team’s complex in Goodyear, Ariz., for fantasy camp, or on a random morning on a back field before a Cactus League game. You’ll see him in his role as alumni ambassador at Progressive Field, with his slicked-back hair and flashy tracksuit, signing autographs for fans before a Friday night tilt. You’ll see him mingling with players in the clubhouse before batting practice, watching their warmup sessions on the field, interviewing them on a live Instagram video in the dugout or enjoying the game from the Hargrove Suite down the first-base line. You’ll see him at City Tap after a game, or at a Wahoo Club function at Winking Lizard, or at the team’s annual fan fest.

He’s everywhere, as connected to the organization and city as he was when he was an All-Star second baseman in the 1990s. Baerga and Sandy Alomar Jr. made the 1989 Joe Carter trade one that general managers have tried to replicate for decades, the sort of transaction that jump-starts a lowly franchise. As Cleveland was transitioning from annual American League doormat to AL titan, Baerga and Albert Belle served as the primary offensive catalysts. They were later joined by the cast of characters that made manager Mike Hargrove’s lineup as feared as any, maybe ever.


Carlos Baerga talks with Albert Belle in the dugout in 1994. (John Cordes / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Baerga was a pure, natural hitter who slapped singles across the field and collected doubles from both sides of the plate. His career went south in a hurry, and without much warning. He hit third in Cleveland’s star-studded 1995 lineup. He collected 10 hits in the ALCS against the Mariners. He made the final out of the World Series, a flyout to center against Braves closer Mark Wohlers. Nine months later, he was a floundering New York Met, his career never the same, even after a brief reunion with Cleveland in 1999.

But from 1992 to ’95, Baerga posted a .315/.350/.476 slash line. He was durable and consistent. His energy was contagious. He stole some bases (even though Kenny Lofton would joke that Baerga waddled sideways when running forward). He made three All-Star teams in that span, won two Silver Slugger awards and notched 10th- and 11th-place finishes on the AL MVP ballot.

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He cherishes his home runs from both sides of the plate in the same inning in April 1993 — off two pitchers named Steve, he’ll remind you. He first tagged Steve Howe with the score 6-5. Twenty-some minutes later, with Cleveland holding a 14-5 lead, he conquered Steve Farr to cap a nine-run inning.



He cherishes his 200th and final hit of 1993, the second consecutive year he reached that milestone. He was sidelined the previous week with an infection in his leg after he fouled a ball off it, which even landed him in the hospital for a few days. He rejoined the lineup for one game as the designated hitter during the final series of the season (and the team’s last-ever series at Municipal Stadium). After two strikeouts and a popout, he beat out a bunt down the third-base line to notch his 200th hit in his final trip to the plate.

He welcomes the chance to reminisce about those ’90s teams, about his late nights, clubhouse celebrations and pranks with Manny Ramirez, Omar Vizquel and Julian Tavarez.

That enthusiasm Baerga had for baseball, the zest he had for showing up to the ballpark every day — it hasn’t vanished. He still feels like that mid-20s second baseman who would smack three hits for a team full of rock stars in front of a sellout crowd in the shadow of Lake Erie, and then go and mingle with those people in the Flats on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. He interviews former teammates and current All-Stars. He breaks news, like when he reported last month (before anyone) that Justin Verlander was signing a two-year deal with the Mets, or when he first suggested this week that the Red Sox were signing Rafael Devers to a long-term deal. He can’t get enough baseball. He’ll talk with anyone about anything, as long as that thing relates to a bat or a glove or a ballpark.

He didn’t want to hang up the phone when I called him about Ramirez a couple of summers ago. He’s not the sort of athlete to prattle on about his own exploits when convenient (or not), like some high school jock who never moved on from those autumn Friday nights under the lights. That afternoon in 2021, Baerga truly didn’t want to stop waxing poetic about Manny’s hitting prowess and goofy antics. As he spoke about Manny, he pulled up his former teammate’s Baseball Reference page and rattled off his yearly home run and RBI totals and gaudy batting averages. He recalled the first time he met Manny, when the 19-year-old first-round pick took batting practice with the big-league club after signing his professional contract.

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“When I saw him taking BP, I said, ‘Wow, this guy is special,’” Baerga said. “‘This guy is hitting homers to center field, left field, right field.’ Everything was easy for him.”

Baerga reminds you about what’s great about the game, about how impressive the sport’s top talents are. He harnesses that child-like passion that drew many of us to the Little League diamond in the first place. Baerga is a great promoter of a sport in need of great promoters. And despite his eventual ventures to the Mets, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Padres and Nationals, no player is more proud to consider Cleveland home.

About the series
The Cleveland Baseball Countdown is a series of features on the club’s 30 best players of the past 30 years. There surely will be debate about the rankings. I tried to balance longevity with dominance, but this is an inexact science. Feel free to spout off in the comments with your frustrations about where I placed Albert Belle or how I omitted Ryan Garko. Just please keep it lighthearted. This isn’t a definitive ranking. It’s supposed to be fun. Throughout the series, we’ll have some bonus pieces, extra anecdotes, honorable mentions, one-year wonders and more.

• No. 30: José Mesa
• No. 29: Travis Fryman
• No. 28: Andrew Miller
• No. 27: Shin-Soo Choo
• No. 26: Asdrúbal Cabrera
• No. 25: David Justice
• No. 24: Shane Bieber
• No. 23: Cody Allen
• No. 22: Jason Kipnis
• No. 21: Cliff Lee
• No. 20: Carlos Carrasco
• No. 19: Bartolo Colon
• No. 18: Charles Nagy
• No. 17: Victor Martinez
• No. 16: Sandy Alomar Jr.

THAT LIST WAS fun to review with my son who has been a fan for about those 30 years. He did a pretty job of filling in that 15-30 group but has no recollection of Choo or Asdrubal. And only vaguely Fryman.

He and I figure the top 10 are pretty obvious going to be led by Thome and Vizquel, Kluber and Sabathia. The 2 Ramirezes and Lofton and Belle.

Need to fill in memory gaps for the other half dozen. He will be notifying me his rankings after a business meeting this afternoon.

Lindor is another no doubter

Pipe Dreams

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/fo ... 5b8c781338

Grady Sizemore?
Travis Hafner, or course

we were thinking robbie Alomar wasn't around long enough, but after looking at list of all time CLE all stars he represented us 3 times; that should got him on the top 1/2 of the top 30.
Brantley is another
Bob Wickman I guess; all time saves leader?
And Sizemore was an all star 3 times; so that should fill the list

If you’re the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez, are you having second thoughts? Paul Hoynes

Updated: Jan. 05, 2023

By Paul Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

With every big contract that an infielder signs this winter, I’ve got to wonder if Jose Ramirez has any regrets.

The money he may have left on the table is staggering. Just before the start of the regular season last year, Ramirez and the Guardians agreed to a seven-year $141 million deal. Under his old contract, he was signed through 2022 with a club option for 2023.

It is the largest contract in franchise history, but it has been dwarfed several times this winter:

SS Trea Turner, 29, signed a 11-year $300 million free-agent contract with the Phillies.
SS Xander Bogaerts, 30, signed a 11-year $280 million free-agent contract with the Padres.
SS Dansby Swanson, 29, signed a seven-year $177 million free-agent contract with the Cubs.
SS Carlos Correa, 28, agreed to a 12-year $315 million free-agent contract with Mets. The deal is not official because of concerns with Correa’s physical.
3B Rafael Devers, 26, agreed to a 11-year $331 million extension with the Red Sox.

If Ramirez hadn’t signed the extension, there’s a good chance the Guardians would have traded him before opening day. San Diego, which has spent large sums of cash over the last two years, was interested.

Acquiring Ramirez would have allowed the Padres to move Manny Machado to shortstop. Or Ramirez could have moved to second with Machado staying at third, leaving shortstop open for a healthy Fernando Tatis in 2023.

The Padres may have even been convinced to hand Ramirez a Bogaerts-like extension to keep him from turning free agent after the 2023 season. Ramirez, like Bogaerts, will play the 2023 season at 30.

Not only did Ramirez choose to stay, but he insisted on a no-trade clause in his extension that will keep him in one uniform for the rest of his career. The extension paid him $22 million in 2022 followed by $14 million in 2023, $17 million in 2024, $19 million in 2025, $21 million in 2026, $23 million in 2027 and $25 million in 2028.

Needless to say, Ramirez has secured generational wealth for himself and his family.

When he signed the extension, Ramirez said he wanted to do three things before saying goodbye to the game. He wanted to help the Guardians win a World Series, have his No. 11 retired and be elected to the Hall of Fame. He’s certainly on his way to two of those goals.

It was and is an admirable stance by Ramirez. It was costly as well, and he and his agent Rafa Nieves knew it. Nieves and others tried to talk Ramirez out of signing.

Nieves told ESPN after the deal was complete, “They (Cleveland) told him that they can’t afford what he’s worth, and he told them that he didn’t care. He wanted to stay there, and they made it work. He knows that he left money on the table, but he says, ‘$150 million or $200 million, my life is gonna be the same. I’m happier with $150 million in Cleveland than $200 million somewhere else.’”

That $200 million has turned into $300 million. Who knows what Ramirez’s value would have been if he had become a free agent after the 2023 season. That’s assuming the Guardians exercised his club option if they didn’t trade him before that.

Devers would have been a free agent after the 2023 season if he didn’t agree to his extension. Devers is four years younger than Ramirez so if they both hit free agency after the upcoming season, his value would have been higher. Still, Ramirez would have probably been in for a $280 million to $300 million contract.

Anyone who watched him play the final 3 1/3 months of last season with a torn ligament in his right thumb knows that.

Check out these stat lines from 2022:

Ramirez: .280 (168 for 601), 157 games, 44 doubles, 29 homers, 126 RBI, 69 walks, 92 strikeouts, .869 OPS, 309 total bases, fourth in AL MVP, 6.0 WAR.

Devers: .295 (164 for 555), 141 games, 42 doubles, 27 homers, 88 RBI, 50 walks, 114 strikeouts, .879 OPS, 289 total bases, 14th in AL MVP voting, 4.4 WAR.

Jose Ramirez makes a lot of money. So much so that the idea of making even more money didn’t seem all that important to him. Could his view have changed this offseason now that he’s seen what his services may have been worth?

If you’re human, the answer is yes. But I get the feeling Ramirez is happy right where he is. At least he better be.

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