Healthy offseason should work wonders for Naylor

Cleveland's slugger is further removed from gruesome 2021 injury

Mandy Bell

Jan 28, 2023 12:06 PM CST

There was so much speculation about Josh Naylor’s condition last season.

He was fresh off one of the most gruesome baseball injuries that I have ever witnessed. On June 27, 2021, the 25-year-old was in right field and collided with second baseman Ernie Clement. Naylor flew through the air and felt a snap in his lower right leg upon crashing to the ground. His screams were so loud as he rolled in the grass, writhing in pain, that he could nearly be heard in the Target Field press box above home plate.

Naylor missed the rest of the season and started the first couple weeks of 2022 in Triple-A to ease into game action. He had been cleared by doctors to play again, but the road to recovery during the previous nine months was so grueling that he wasn’t at 100 percent, and he and the team knew that.

It didn’t matter. Anyone who watched a single highlight from the Guardians’ season last year knows the passion (is that a strong enough word?) Naylor has for the game. Sometimes he expresses it with yells; other times, headbutts. Despite being seen limping, hobbling or moving slowly a handful of times throughout the year, Naylor insisted upon being in the lineup.

“It wasn't easy,” Naylor said. “It wasn't fun necessarily all the time, but I just try to put my teammates first and remember that this is the big picture, I'm doing it for them. … You want to be an everyday player, you want to be out there as much as you can to win for your teammates. And if you're in pain doing it, then you're in pain doing it; it is what it is.”

While dealing with lingering aches and pains, there was also speculation about Naylor’s physical condition. Did his rehab program prevent him from entering the 2022 season in optimal shape? The Guardians wanted to limit him to first base instead of bouncing him back and forth with right field to make sure he wasn’t taking on too much too soon. Could he have handled it after the limited workouts he was able to do in the winter?

As Naylor explained it, that winter included 90 straight days of leg-only workouts. He was so fixated on trying to simply walk and run in time for the season that he was left little time to dedicate to other conditioning work. Now, with more rest and recovery for his leg, Naylor has spent the offseason doing all different kinds of workouts, which can only benefit him moving forward.

“I had one or two upper-body workouts that whole [rehab] offseason,” Naylor said. “So yeah, being able to mix things up this year, work on running stuff, agility work, and then going to the gym and doing upper back workout versus doing legs so often -- I feel more complete this offseason.”

The Guardians desperately needed a first baseman last year, so it made sense to have Naylor play that position more often than right field. Now, they have Josh Bell to handle some games at first, which will require Naylor to move back to right at times if Cleveland wants his bat in the lineup.

“I expected to go back out there this year, and I'm excited for it,” Naylor said. “I love playing the outfield. It's honestly a really cool position. And having the honor to play besides [Myles] Straw and [Steven Kwan] and learn from those guys is something I want to do every day.”

Naylor is convinced he’ll enter Spring Training in much better shape than he did a year ago -- just months after his injury. And even with his recovering leg, he gave Cleveland pivotal moments throughout their unexpectedly successful season, most notably a big night in Chicago in which he plated eight runs starting in the eighth inning, including a walk-off homer celebration that nearly concussed manager Terry Francona.

If he can do that in a suboptimal state, it could be fun to see what a fully healthy Naylor could bring to the table in 2023.

“I try to be like that every day,” Naylor said. “I love baseball, I love playing this game. I love those moments cause you dream of them as a kid. … You want to have that opportunity in the big leagues versus the best players ever. Being in the big leagues is a blessing.”

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Guardians promote JT Maguire to complete manager Terry Francona’s coaching staff

By Paul Hoynes

Jan. 28, 2023, 12:47 p.m.


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manager Terry Francona’s coaching staff is complete.

The Guardians have promoted JT Maguire to replace Kyle Hudson as their outfield coach. Hudson was hired by the Red Sox to be their first base coach and outfield coach in late December.

Maguire, 36, just finished his fifth season coaching in the Guardians’ minor league system. Last season he served as the organization’s outfield and baserunning coordinator.

Hudson was the Guardians’ outfield coach last year and saw two of his players, left fielder Steven Kwan and center fielder Myles Straw, win Gold Gloves.

Maguire, a Baltimore native who lives in Phoenix, joined the Guardians in 2019 as a bench coach for their Arizona Rookie League team. He coached at Cleveland’s alternate site in Eastlake at Classic Park during the 2020 pandemic and served as the bench coach at Class AAA Columbus in 2021 before becoming a coordinator.

He began his coaching career at Hartford Community College in Maryland from 2013 through 2014. He also coached at Wofford College in South Carolina from 2015 to 2016 and at Lander University in South Carolina from 2017 to 2018.

Maguire played at Delaware Tech Community College and St. Andrews Presbyterian College in North Carolina.

He is the third new member of Francona’s staff since the end of last season. Rigo Beltran replaced bullpen coach Brian Sweeney and Jason Esposito replaced assistant hitting coach Justin Toole. Sweeney left to become Kansas City’s pitching coach, while Toole left to become Seattle’s director of player development.

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Can the Guardians’ Steven Kwan continue to hit ‘em where they ain’t? Hey, Hoynsie

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Jan. 28, 2023, 11:23 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Do you have a question that you’d like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here. You can also subscribe to Subtext here or text Hoynsie at 216-208-4346 for a two-week free trial.

Hey, Hoynsie: I’ve read some things in the national media that Steven Kwan cannot have another season like last year because he doesn’t hit the ball hard enough. I think he’s a pure hitter. -- Carey B., Bethesda, Maryland.

Hey, Carey: I agree with you. Kwan’s exit velocity and barrel percentage were among the lowest in the big leagues, but he runs well, walked more than he struck out last year (62 walks to 52 strikeouts), doesn’t chase pitches out of the zone and the shift restrictions should give him more opportunities to pull the ball to right field.

He goes to left field a lot, which means teams may have their left fielder play shallower this season. But they were doing that last year when Kwan was a rookie and he still batted .298 with 168 hits, including 25 doubles, seven triples and six homers. Hitting coach Chris Valaika believes Kwan’s home-run power will increase as he gets older and more experienced.

Hey, Hoynsie: When outfield prospect George Valera signed as an international free agent for $1.3 million in 2017, does he also get paid a yearly salary? -- Ed Lekan, Independence.

Hey, Ed: The $1.3 million is a signing bonus. After that all players get paid a seasonal salary. Valera, who is on the 40-man roster, will probably sign a split contract, which would pay him a certain amount in the minors and at least a pro-rated version of the major league minimum ($720,000) if he’s promoted to Cleveland at some point this season.

Hey Hoynsie: What’s the over/under on the date the Guardians announce Bryan Shaw has been invited to spring training? Do you see any way Tyler Freeman, Will Benson and Will Brennan see regular playing time with the Guards? -- Skip B, Broadview Heights.

Hey, Skip: I think there’s a chance Shaw could re-sign with the Guardians before camp opens on Feb. 14. I don’t see Freeman, Benson or Brennan getting regular playing time in Cleveland unless something unexpected happens.

It’s a different story if there’s an injury or a player isn’t performing well. If Myles Straw continues to struggle at the plate, I don’t think they’ll wait as long as they did last season.

Hey, Hoynsie: I heard Jensen Lewis might not be coming back to Bally Sports for the Guardians pre and postgame shows. -- Jim Harris, Lancaster.

Hey, JIm: Good news. Lewis just ended Guardians Fantasy camp in Goodyear, Arizona, and escaped unscathed. He is currently negotiating a new contract to return to do pregame and postgame shows with the Guardians.

Hey Hoynsie: The Guardians have made a number of great trades and roster moves over the past few years. Do you think teams are wary about talking trades with them? -- Frank Glen, Gardner, New Jersey.

Hey, Frank: No, I don’t. When two teams talk trade, I don’t think they go in with the idea of ripping the other guy off. You go into a trade trying to make a deal that will help both teams so down the road you might be able to make another trade.

The thing that impresses me about the Guardians is their preparation and the fact that they recognize their place in the MLB food chain. They know what they can and can’t give up in a trade because they always have to have an eye on the future.

Hey Hoynsie: Who do you think is Cleveland’s top target to sign a long-term contract among Triston McKenzie, Steven Kwan or Andres Gimenez? -- John Kyle, Westfield Center.

Hey, John: I think they’d be happy to extend any one of those players. The G’s start this season with five years of control with Kwan and four years of control with McKenzie and Gimenez.

Hey Hoynsie: The Guards still have a middle infield logjam. Amed Rosario is in line for a big free agent payday and unlikely to be back in 2024. How do you see the middle infield roles play out over the next couple of years? -- Doc, Hickory, North Carolina.

Hey, Doc: I think the chances of Rosario coming back after 2023 are slim. The natural move, to me, would be to shift Andres Gimenez from second to shortstop to replace Rosario. But Gimenez has taken to second base so well, winning a Gold Glove there, that there’s a temptation to leave him there.

We haven’t seen a whole lot of Gabriel Arias or Tyler Freeman at shortstop in the big leagues so it’s hard to make a call on where they fit. Brayan Rocchio graduated to Triple-A last year and would certainly be an option at shortstop in 2024. Angel Martinez and Jose Tena are on the way as well.

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Touki Toussant

5 Under the Radar Moves from the Offseason

Five potential impact moves you may have forgotten.

By NICOLE CAHILL

BASEBALL

1/27/2023

We all remember trades and free-agent signings that sent Twitter into a frenzy, like Arson Judge to San Francisco or Carlos Correa to the Giants, Mets, Twins!

Sometimes lost in that frenzy or the excitement of our favorite teams making a big move is a player that flies under the radar. By the time spring training rolls around, we all have that moment of “He’s on what team?!”

Here are five offseason moves you may have forgotten about and why these players have the potential to impact their new teams.

Kyle Lewis to the Arizona Diamondbacks

After winning the American League Rookie of the Year in 2020, Kyle Lewis had a rough two years plagued by injuries. His season was cut short in 2021, having played just 36 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The following season wasn’t any better. Lewis didn’t return from the meniscus tear until the end of May. In his fourth game back, he was hit in the head by a pitch, suffered a concussion, and missed nearly two months. He struggled when he returned, going 4-for-41 in 14 games before being demoted to Triple-A for the remainder of the season.

This offseason, the Mariners traded Lewis to the Diamondbacks for Cooper Hummel. In Arizona, he’ll get a fresh start in a much more hitter-friendly ballpark. During his breakout rookie season, Lewis displayed above-average barrel (11.7%) and walk (14.0%) rates. Inconsistent contact and a high strikeout rate (29.3%) were Lewis’ drawbacks.

The Diamondbacks are banking on a clean slate serving Lewis well. They hope to see him healthy and looking like the first-round prospect he once was. In the outfield, he’ll join Corbin Carroll, Baseball America’s No. 2 prospect and newly acquired Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Zach Eflin to the Tampa Bay Rays

I’m not sure a player signing the biggest free agent contract in franchise history can be considered under the radar, but we are talking about the Tampa Bay Rays. Zach Eflin and the Rays agreed rather quickly this offseason to a three-year, $40 million deal.

The right-handed pitcher spent parts of seven seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, pitching almost exclusively as a starter. About mid-way through this past season, Eflin began dealing with some knee pain which caused him to miss time. When he returned, the Phillies began using him in a relief role down the stretch and in the postseason in 2022.

In 2022, he pitched to a tune of a 4.04 ERA with a 20.8% strikeout rate and a 4.8% walk rate. Eflin did a fantastic job limiting hard contact, especially on his curveball — 6.5% HC%, league average 24.2%.

On a recent episode of In The Deep, Jordan and Shwebsi talked about a bunch of late-round starting pitchers to keep in mind for the upcoming fantasy season. I was tossing around the idea to include Eflin in this under-the-radar article when listening to the episode and they started talking about Eflin. They put into words exactly what I was thinking…

.....Shwebsi: “I think I’ve just been conditioned to trust the Rays. … Going from the Philadelphia coaching staff to the Tampa Bay coaching staff is like the coaching equivalent of upgrading from Spirit Airlines to Air Force One.”

.....Jordan: “You phrase it like you learn to trust the Rays, but for me it’s more of I‘ve learned to not bet against the Rays. … They’re very savvy in acquiring certain players from other teams that seem like spare parts and turn them into great players. … They just do such a good job getting every single bit of juice they can out of every single one of those juicy, juicy Florida oranges that are their players.”

Touki Toussant to the Cleveland Guardians

Similarly, the Guardians are another team that seems to have a knack for developing pitchers. In a recent article on MLB.com, MLB executives were polled on the best farm systems in baseball. A few different questions were asked, including which team is the best at developing pitchers—46% of respondents said the Guardians. Jonathan Mayo noted in the article that eight of the 12 pitchers on the team’s 2022 Wild Card roster were players they drafted, many in the later rounds.

So when I saw that Cleveland had signed Touki Toussaint to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training, it seemed like a match I couldn’t bet against. Toussaint was a first-round draft pick in 2014 but never put it all together. Pat Ellington Jr. wrote about the righthanded pitcher when he was with Atlanta, saying he “yo-yo’d between starting and in the bullpen during his time in the major leagues” because of command issues.

At 26 years old, Toussaint leaves behind a career 5.34 ERA across five seasons with Atlanta and the Los Angeles Angels. He’ll get a fresh start with Cleveland, a team that has been said to make “incredible hay plucking pitchers off the scrap heap and turning them into, perhaps not gold, but at least some good hearty iron or tin that helps build the greater structure of the team and season.”

Rangers Rebuild Rotation with Pitchers Not Named Jacob deGrom

When you sign the best pitcher in baseball, any other moves are bound to be under the radar by default. The Texas Rangers remade their entire rotation, going from the first four names on the table to four new options on the bottom for 2023.

When healthy, Jacob deGrom is the best pitcher in baseball. He’ll slide right into Texas’ ace role, with Martín Pérez, Nathan Eovaldi, and Andrew Heaney settling in comfortably behind him. Pérez and Heaney are coming off the best seasons of their careers. Eovaldi has battled his fair share of injuries and inconsistencies, but is an impact arm when he’s right and certainly is an upgrade from Texas’ 2022 back-end starters.

Los Angeles Angels Make Slow and Steady Upgrades

The Angels find themselves in a predicament that is totally self-induced. They have Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, two of the best baseball players on the planet. Trout is already a first-ballot Hall of Famer and every time he laces up his spikes Ohtani is doing things the game has never seen before.

Still, they’ve found ways to waste the talent other teams could only dream of having. Trout has played in only three total playoff games over his 12-year career, and the team has gone 328-380 during Ohtani’s tenure with the Angels.

Ohtani has voiced his displeasure with the way the Angels have played, telling Japanese media that he had a “rather negative impression of [the] season.”

The Angels have one last chance to turn things around, as the two-way star is set to become a free agent after the 2023 season. The team hasn’t made any earth-shattering moves this offseason, but they’ve quietly made several that have improved the team.

.....Signed SP Tyler Anderson to a three-year, $39 million contract
.....Signed UTIL Brandon Drury to a two-year, $17 million contract
.....Signed RP Carlos Estévez to a two-year, $13.5 million contract
.....Signed OF Brett Phillips to a one-year, $1.2 million contract
.....Traded for 3B Gio Urshela
.....Traded for OF Hunter Renfroe
.....Signed OF Jake Lamb to a minor league contract

The starting rotation has been a struggle for the Angels in recent seasons, so the addition of Anderson is the most important move. The other players they signed or traded for are fine. Drury had a career year in 2022, Urshela has shown flashes of promise with the Yankees and Twins, and Renfroe will be a solid addition in the outfield.

The team will be better than last year, but I’m not sure that the culmination of these moves is enough to compete in the American League. If the Angels don’t come out of the gates strong, I’m worried that Angels fans will see Ohtani traded by mid-season. Here’s to hoping that isn’t the case because everything falls into place and the Angels make a serious push in 2023.

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Cleveland Guardians: What can we expect in 2023? What about Bally’s Problems?

By Terry Pluto

Updated: Jan. 28, 2023, 6:06 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio –

I’m still feeling good about the Guardians for 2023.
The Guards Fest was a terrific event. So I’m talking some baseball:

QUESTION: Are the Guardians done making major moves?

ANSWER: That’s what I heard. They signed Josh Bell to play first base and bat cleanup behind Jose Ramirez. They added veteran catcher Mike Zunino. They’ll bargain shop for some bullpen arms and other players as spring looms.

Q: That’s it?

A: That’s all, folks. But remember, the Guardians rarely have an exciting offseason when it comes to player moves. Now they and many other teams will be extremely careful with their spending due to the Bally’s/Sinclair Broadcasting mess.

Q: What mess is that?

A: Bally Sports is heading toward Bankruptcy, according to Bloomberg. The Guardians are one of 14 MLB teams with games broadcast by Bally Sports. According to Bloomberg, Bally is $8.6 BILLION in debt. They have a $140 million INTEREST payment coming up this spring, and they’re not likely pay it.

Q: The bottom line?

A: MLB teams rely heavily on local cable TV revenue. It’s also why major market teams such as Boston, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago often are paid five times as much for their games as Cleveland, Cincinnati and other middle market franchises. MLB teams are usually paid in the spring. The Bally’s deal is worth about $50 million annually to the Guardians. It’s doubtful they’ll be paid on time, or how much when they finally are paid.

Q: What happens if Bally Sports goes into bankruptcy?

A: Who knows, but it won’t be good for teams such as Cleveland, Detroit, Cincinnati and Minnesota – all with their games on Bally Sports. Long term, this may force MLB to rework how local teams handle their TV rights. Streaming has led to customers dumping cable TV, crushing the revenues of Bally and other providers. Too many people now in various markets can’t even get the games through their providers. That has to change.

Q: I thought this was going to be an upbeat story?

A: It is as we let the billionaires figure out the TV situation. But it will explain why many teams will be very careful how they spend in the future until it’s resolved. The Guardians have raised their payroll from $68 million in 2022 to $91 million in 2023, according to FanGraphs (I like their site for money matters).

Q: That means what?

A: The Guardians will do what the Guardians do. They will rely on a few pricey veterans (Jose Ramirez, Shane Bieber and Bell) along with lots of talented young players. Some fans get tired of hearing how Cleveland has had nine winning seasons in 10 years, six trips to the playoffs. This is not luck. They know what they’re doing.

Q: Don’t you think they were at least somewhat lucky to win 92 games and the Central Division?

A: They won a franchise record 29 games in their last at-bat. Seven were walk-off victories. It’s doubtful that can be repeated. But the roster suffered no significant losses. The Guardians were MLB’s youngest team in 2022 and they will again be close to that in 2023. A strong case can be made for them to win 90 games again thanks to young players improving.

Q: But they also can decline? Some guys start out well, then falter.

A: I’ll start with what Terry Francona has said: “The team took a lot of pride in playing the game correctly. We didn’t hit the ball out of the park much. We had to get on base and cause some havoc. We had to pitch and catch the ball. This needs to be a jumping off point, not a feel good story.”

Q: What does that mean?

A: If the Guardians are going to win the Central Division again, they have to play the same way. They led MLB in infield hits and running hard on everything. They can’t let up. They have to be strong defensively. The analytics site Fielding Bible ranked Cleveland No. 3 in defensive efficiency. FanGraphs had them No. 5 out of 30 teams. They were very good. It’s what Francona meant about “playing correctly.” It’s also what made them the favorite of the purists.

Q: They ranked 29th in homers. That’s not good.

A: That could improve of Bell and Zunino stay healthy and have good years. It’s possible Oscar Gonzalez, Andres Gimenez and Josh Naylor can develop some more power. But the Guardians are like a basketball team that relies on a pressing defense. As Francona said: “With experience, the game can slow down, but our pace can’t. Our pace. can’t slow down. We have to make other teams play our pace.”

Q: Don’t you wish they’d hit more homers?

A: Of course. But as Francona also said, “We want our guys to learn how to hit, then grow into power. If you try for power first, you won’t hit as well as you can ... one of our challenges is to increase our offense, but also realize how much defense helped us win. We can’t sacrifice that.” I believe Will Brennan will push for playing time in the outfield.

Q: Is defense that important, even sacrificing offense to get it?

A: It is to this team. It helps the pitching staff. It makes up for a lack of power. Myles Straw is an elite center fielder. He was one of the team’s four Gold Glove winners, along with Steven Kwan (LF), Andres Gimenez (2B) and Shane Bieber (P). This really matters.

Q: What about the pitching?

A: Suppose someone told you at the start of the 2022 season that Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac would combine for an 8-18 record and a 4.62 ERA? It would seem impossible for Cleveland to win 92 games with that production from its fourth and fifth starters. But it happened. Those rotation spots are still a concern in 2023. I was told Civale is healthy. That’s not been the case for the last 1 1/2 seasons. Triston McKenzie, Cal Quantrill and Bieber are all relatively young pitchers. The Guardians are excited about starters in the farm system who could help in 2023: Cody Morris, Gavin Williams, Logan Allen, Konnor Pilkington and one of my favorites – Joey Cantillo.

Q: Who’s Cantillo?

A: He’s a 23-year-old lefty Cleveland received in the Mike Clevinger deal with San Diego. In his minor league career, he’s 17-12 with a 2.38 ERA. He’s struck out 327 in 242 innings. He rarely hit 90 mph on the radar gun when acquired by Cleveland in 2021. He’s now throwing in the 92-95 mph range. Gavin Williams also could be ready fast, even though this is only his second pro season.

Q: So you really are excited about the season?

A: They are led by Jose Ramirez, who is a great player who loves Cleveland. He sets the hustling pace for the team. Emmanuel Clase is probably the best closer in baseball. Cleveland’s bullpen had a 3.05 ERA, third best in the American League. Only Houston (53) had more saves than Cleveland (51). The Guardians will have to win it the hard way: close games, lots of hustle and playing smart. But they are capable of doing exactly that once again in 2023.

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Michael Brantley’s decade in Cleveland: 3 scenes from an illustrious tenure that feels incomplete
By Zack Meisel
Jan 27, 2023



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.

Let’s revisit three painful scenes.

One: Michael Brantley, standing on the outskirts of a Cleveland clubhouse celebration at Fenway Park in 2016, careful to protect his surgically repaired shoulder as he feasts on a plate of meat and mashed potatoes and watches teammates soak each other with champagne.

Two: Michael Brantley, sitting in the outfield grass at Progressive Field on an early August evening in 2017, knowing his season was in jeopardy after injuring his right ankle.

Three: Michael Brantley, sitting at a table in the Convention Center in downtown Cleveland during a media availability before the 2019 All-Star Game. Instead of being the hometown host for the week, he’s an outsider donning the gear of the team that eliminated Cleveland from the playoffs the previous fall.

There are plenty of on-field moments that tell the story of Brantley’s illustrious tenure with Cleveland, but those three snapshots detail a tenure that feels… incomplete. It’s difficult to examine what Brantley accomplished in Cleveland without also considering the injury-marred seasons at the end, the way his departure unfolded and the way his healthy presence in manager Terry Francona’s lineup might have altered the club’s October fortune one of those years.

Everyone knows the story by now. We could be recounting how the CC Sabathia trade was one of the most epic failures in front office history, how the team shipped out a reigning Cy Young Award winner for four players who never amounted to much in the majors. Matt LaPorta was the prized acquisition, but the first baseman didn’t pan out. Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson offered little to the pitching staff.

And then there’s the infamous player to be named later.

Taylor Green spent 78 games in the majors in 2011 and 2012. He posted a .609 OPS. He’s worked in the Brewers front office for the past seven years and now serves as their assistant director of scouting/international player development. If Sabathia hadn’t dragged Milwaukee to the postseason in 2008, Green would have been the fourth player headed to Cleveland in then-general manager Mark Shapiro’s nightmare.

Instead, Brantley was the last piece to the puzzle. And 15 years later, he’s still playing, still chatting about swing mechanics with his dad, a former big-league hitting coach. He’s still slapping singles and doubles across the field, still showing he’s allergic to strikeouts.

He signed a one-year, $12 million deal to return to Houston for the 2023 season. It’ll be his fifth year with the Astros, half the length of his run in Cleveland. Yet, it still feels like that run in Cleveland was cut short.
Scene one

Brantley underwent right shoulder surgery in November 2015 and was initially expected to be on the shelf until April or May. He rejoined the roster in late April for a two-week stretch, but landed back on the injured list and never returned. When the team charged toward the World Series, he could only watch.

José Ramírez emerged as a lineup mainstay, Mike Napoli injected leadership into the clubhouse, the pitching staff hung on for dear life and the club made a surprising run. But what difference would a healthy Brantley have made? Something tells me Michael Martinez wouldn’t have been replacing Cleveland’s left fielder in the late innings of Game 7 if Brantley was that left fielder.

After all, Brantley’s peak had come the two previous seasons, when he posted a .319/.382/.494 slash line, recorded more walks than strikeouts, tallied 38 stolen bases in 40 attempts and racked up a league-leading 90 doubles. He finished third in the American League MVP voting in 2014, when he registered a career-best 148 OPS+.
Michael Brantley slashed .295/.351/.430 in 10 seasons with Cleveland. (Frank Jansky / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Scene two

His 2017 injury was just as unfortunate.

A couple weeks before Cleveland embarked on its historic, 22-game winning streak, Brantley wrecked his right ankle. At first, he thought he tore his Achilles tendon. He actually suffered a severe ankle sprain.

Abraham Almonte replaced him.

Then Jay Bruce, by way of a trade, replaced him.

Brantley worked his way back to the postseason roster, but he saw action only when Edwin Encarnación sprained his ankle in the early moments of a chaotic Game 2 against the Yankees in the ALDS.

Brantley rebounded to deliver another All-Star season in 2018, but after a quick postseason exit, that was it. When he met with Francona and president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti for his exit interview, tears were shed. Everyone knew he had played his final game for Cleveland.

Cleveland opted not to extend him a qualifying offer out of fear he might accept it and saddle the club with a salary it preferred not to pay, especially given his injury risk. He hasn’t stopped hitting, though. In four seasons with Houston, Brantley owns a .306/.368/.464 slash line.
Scene three

Years later, Brantley still looks a little strange in a different uniform. The Astros won the World Series three months ago, but Brantley was again sidelined with a shoulder injury.

In Cleveland, you almost expect every left fielder to corral baseballs off the 19-foot-tall wall and in one swift motion deliver an on-target throw to second base to nab a greedy runner trying to stretch a single into a double. (Steven Kwan has done an admirable impression thus far.)

Brantley was a steady staple in Cleveland’s lineup, and one of the last links to a bygone era. When he debuted on Sept. 1, 2009, he did so in a starting nine that featured Grady Sizemore, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo and Jhonny Peralta at the top, with Carlos Carrasco on the mound. (The bottom part of the lineup, for those curious, had Luis Valbuena, LaPorta, Andy Marte and Kelly Shoppach hitting in front of Brantley. A bygone era indeed.)

It felt like if Cleveland was ever going to win a World Series, Brantley needed to be there. And, well, he continues to produce at the plate and he’ll hit the free-agent market again next winter, so, who knows, maybe that door isn’t completely closed. Ramírez authored his signature playoff moment this past season. Francisco Lindor had his in that zany ALDS Game 2 against the Yankees. Brantley’s Cleveland playoff story is missing some pages.

Brantley spent a decade with the big-league club, blossoming from a singles-hitting outfielder into a well-rounded All-Star. After Nick Swisher was traded, Brantley occupied the most prestigious locker in the clubhouse, a double-stall setup that’s closest to the exit and typically granted to a team leader. Brantley was a calming presence in the dugout, a leader by example on the field and a guide for younger hitters, especially Lindor.

Brantley might never capture that elusive Cleveland World Series ring. He might just have to settle for a plaque in Heritage Park.
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.
• No. 15: Carlos Baerga
• No. 14: Carlos Santana
• No. 13: Travis Hafner

Josh Naylor 'Excited' To Play Outfield For The Guardians In 2023

The Guardians may need Josh Naylor to play the outfield at times. However, this is something he's not worried about.

By TOMMY WILD

1/29/23 4 HOURS AGO

The Guardians coaching staff is going to have some difficult decisions to make when constructing their lineups in 2023.

The organization signed known slugger Josh Bell over the offseason and his primary position is first base. They also have a number of good hitters on the roster that could fill in at designated hitter.

All of this may push Josh Naylor back to the outfield at times.

Naylor played outfield all throughout his MLB career including his time with the Padres and Cleveland. Right field is where he suffered the gruesome leg injury that left him out for half of the 2021 season.

In 2022 Naylor made the transition to first base for two reasons. The first was that there were no other true first basemen on the roster and someone had to play the position. The other reason was to limit Naylor's mobility as he continued to rehab from his ankle injury.

However, now with Bell on the roster, who has played first base his entire career, Naylor may be making the transition back to the outfield at times in order to keep his bat in the lineup.

This is what Naylor had to say about possibly playing both positions in 2023:

“I expected to go back out there this year, and I'm excited for it,” Naylor said. “I love playing the outfield. It's honestly a really cool position. And having the honor to play besides [Myles] Straw and [Steven Kwan] and learn from those guys is something I want to do every day.”

Having Naylor play back in the outield will definitely be a readjustment for him. There were multiple times least season when he could be seen limping around or clearly uncomfortable after a slide.

This was all a part of his rehab, but as a fan you almost hurt for him seeing the pain and discomfort he was in.

Obviously, the team isn't going to put him into a position where he could injure himself again. So they must feel alright with Naylor playing in the outfield too. A

An encoiring part about all of this is that Naylor does feel like he's been able get in much better shape heading into this year by being able to do a variety of workouts. He had this so say about this offseason:

“I had one or two upper-body workouts that whole [rehab] offseason,” Naylor said. “So yeah, being able to mix things up this year, work on running stuff, agility work, and then going to the gym and doing upper back workout versus doing legs so often ... I feel more complete this offseason.”

Where we see Naylor playing in the field will continue to be an interesting storyline to follow and keep an eye on as Spring Tranining is just around the corner.

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Francona’s managing style, more at Hot Stove Banquet

Jan. 29, 2023, 5:30 a.m.

By Marc Bona

AKRON, Ohio –

When Triston McKenzie takes the mound for the Cleveland Guardians, what fans see is a lanky right-hander who came into his own in 2022, his third big-league season, winning 11 games.

But the other side is a 25-year-old who is seriously considering becoming a doctor in his eventual post-baseball life, a personable, articulate, easy-going young man who spent two and a half hours Saturday meeting patients and playing with Legos with kids at Akron Children’s Hospital. He was simply “playing hero” said Christopher Gessner, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer.

“And,” he said, “we really need heroes today.”

McKenzie spoke Saturday night at the Akron RubberDucks’ annual Hot Stove Banquet at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Akron.

It was a bit of a homecoming for McKenzie, who played for the RubberDucks in 2018. McKenzie, a first-round pick of Cleveland out of Royal Palm Beach Community High School in Florida in 2015, had started the 2018 campaign injured but remembers his time fondly.

“This was by far the best minor-league affiliate I played at,” he said. “Being a step away from Cleveland was a blessing.”

He had to overcome self-doubt and “doubled down on what mattered to me” to grow into the pitcher he has become. McKenzie went 11-11 last season and 2.96 ERA. He recorded 190 strikeouts in 191.1 innings.

“Going through rehab, I definitely saw how quickly for me a little elbow injury almost (derailed his career),” he said. “The first thing I did when I found out, the doctors told me, I left the room to give myself a second. And then I started crying. I didn’t know what to do. I felt like - not that my life is over – but my dream can be at an end right now. It’s a scary feeling.”

For his Major League debut in 2020, he said, “I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous before a baseball game ever in my life.” He shook off the nerves enough to strike out 10 over six innings to gain a 6-1 victory against Detroit at Progressive Field.

He had a rocky 2021 season highlighted by striking out eight consecutive batters against the White Sox for a club record.

“I’ve had a couple of high-performance games like that. … that one was – I don’t even know what was going on – they just missed the ball,” he said.

McKenzie’s humility before baseball fans and youth players assembled for the dinner was refreshing. Rather than rant about greatness, he seemed generally aware of enjoying the game every time he takes the mound. When asked when he knew he was special, he paused.

“I don’t think I ever knew. I think it was just always something that I always wanted,” he said. “There was never a moment in time when I felt that I was different from anyone else. I felt like I was good and could play the game at a high level. But I never thought I was better than anyone else.”

This from a self-described “late bloomer in high school” despite always being around a diamond. From about age 5, McKenzie said, he spent most of his time in rec-league baseball – either playing in games or playing with a tennis ball with friends when his brother had a game. That period of his life, learning the game, having fun and not worrying about stats and finding your friends “is what led me to where I am now.”

And where he is means being ingrained in a rotation that includes ace Shane Bieber, who McKenzie says he tries to watch when he’s throwing in the bullpen and from whom he seeks advice.

“It’s a blessing” he said, being able to play with Bieber, Cal Quantrill and others while knowing younger players with potential like Daniel Espino and Xzavion Curry are waiting in the wings.

McKenzie also spoke highly of Terry Francona’s management style, balancing his gut with analytics.

“Once we got to the halfway point … and we had a talk with Tito and he brought us in the locker room and said, ‘Look boys, one - great job for being in that position. Second, no one expected us to be here, so why not go out and win the whole damn thing?’ If we can play our best, there was no reason we couldn’t win the division,” he said.

“I think he has that old-school feel. If a guy is out there and throwing good, even if they say, ‘Don’t leave that guy out there,’ he’s going to go with his gut and let the game of baseball tell him. Which as a baseball player I really appreciate.”

“He leaves us alone. He lets the team be the team. He’ll interact with guys one on one. I think he’s a player-first manager. He always puts the players first; he always wants to make the guys feel comfortable. I think he has the utmost respect from every one of us. When he does say something, it’s more shut up and listen as opposed to more of a back and forth. Tito never really says anything to you unless he really feels it means something to him. I think we have the trust and respect in him to really listen to what he is saying.”

For now, McKenzie, sporting a shorter haircut than last season, is spending his off-season playing video games and going to Topgolf with friends. McKenzie – tabbed “Dr. Sticks” because of his affinity for Doc Gooden and Doc Holliday and his interest in medical studies – said he is unsure about his potential next career down the road.

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about. I don’t honestly know. Some people tell me I should do communications and be on TV. I’m kind of open to anything. I very much would like to go back to school and be a doctor. … I enjoyed hanging out with the kids, I enjoyed being in the hospital earlier and trying to help people in any way, shape or form.”

McKenzie fielded a variety of questions from host Ray Horner of WAKR and those in the audience at the event, which packed a ballroom with about 250 people.

Did he tire of hearing about the team being so young?

“I think we played with a chip on the shoulder, and I think we did it from the beginning to the end,” he said. “We played as a unit.”

On what he does between starts:

McKenzie spends time preparing, running, weights and throwing. “All the position players like to make fun of us because they say we don’t do anything,” he said.

Would he have done anything differently when he was younger:

“I wish I would have thrown more strikes when I came up,” he said to the crowd chuckling, and then: “That was not a joke.”

Elite player has he had success against:

Shohei Ohtani.

Elite batter toughest against him:

Mike Trout.

On what pitching coach Carl Willis says on the mound:

“I think he does a good job of coming out there and calming us down and getting back to the game plan. … The best thing to do is to eliminate the past and focus on the present. Execute the current pitch, executing the current strike. If you’re a hitter, executing the current swing. If you’re worried about the last swing or the last at-bat, you’re already kind of defeated.”

On what Francona says on the mound:

“Good job, kid.”

On his favorite pitch to throw:

“The one they don’t hit.” He said he likes his curve ball, “but I don’t think anything beats trying to throw a heater right by a guy. There’s just a machismo thing. I call them ‘ego heaters.’ It’s your best vs. his best.”

On what it’s like to hit in the big leagues:

“Career average is .500. Let’s go DH!”

RubberDucks general manager Jim Pfander called the event a “kick-off” to the baseball season, which Akron opens Thursday, April 6, at home vs. the Erie SeaWolves.

“Hot Stove” is a 19th century reference to informal, off-season winter baseball chats. Previous speakers at the Ducks’ banquet include Jim and Andrea Thome, Carlos Baerga, Roberto Alomar, Rajai Davis, ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian and actor Corbin Bernsen (“Major League”).

The final question at Saturday’s banquet came from a woman at the back of the room.

“Some of us are getting older,” she told McKenzie. “Will you please win us a World Series?”

Said the pitcher: “I will try my best.”

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joez - thanks so much for these articles!

“Some of us are getting older,” she told McKenzie. “Will you please win us a World Series?”

Some of us ARE old....Hurry up !!!

You are welcome TFIR

John Adams’ greatest hits over 50 years as Cleveland’s legendary baseball drummer: Timeline

Jan. 30, 2023

By Joe Noga

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

The steady “thump, thump, thump” of John Adams’ drum rang out from the top row of the bleachers at Progressive Field whenever there was a chance Cleveland could score a run. For nearly 50 years, Adams and his drum provided the heartbeat of baseball that was instantly recognizable to generations of fans, whether they cheered for the Guardians, or the Indians before them.

Adams beat his drum at three All-Star Games, 11 playoff series, three World Series and was even present the magical night that Len Barker tossed a perfect game on the lakefront.

With Adams’ passing on Monday at age 71, Cleveland’s baseball community is left with wonderful memories of a man who simply wanted to cheer his team and his town on to victory. “I do it for the players,” Adams once said. “I love the organization. It’s my way of drumming up enthusiasm for the team.”

Here is a look back at some significant moments that Adams and his drum had an impact on baseball in Cleveland.

August 24, 1973

Adams brings his drum to the bleachers at Municipal Stadium for the first time and the Indians defeat the Rangers, 11-5. When he was asked about the bleachers, Adams responded “I’ve found the perfect place and I love it.”

May 15, 1981

Adams’ drum could be heard in the background as Len Barker hurled a perfect game against Toronto. No Cleveland pitcher has tossed a no-hitter or perfect game since that night, whether Adams was in the stands or not.



October 2, 1993

The White Sox beat the Indians, 4-0, in the final game at Municipal Stadium. Adams closes the house down, beating his drum until the very last fan has left the ballpark.



April 4, 1994

President Bill Clinton is on hand to throw out the first pitch at Cleveland’s new ballpark, Jacobs Field, as Adams and his drum take up their new permanent residence atop the left field bleachers.



Sept. 8, 1995

Jim Thome squeezes the final out on a pop foul against Baltimore and the Indians clinch their first playoff berth in more than 40 years with Adams in the stands.



October 24, 1995

Baseball reaches a fever pitch in Cleveland as the Indians win Game 3 of the World Series against Atlanta in 11 innings. Adams and his drum kick off the celebration after Alvaro Espinoza scores on an Eddie Murray single to win it.

July 8, 1997

Sandy Alomar Jr’s two-run home run in the seventh inning against Sean Estes gives the American League a 3-1 victory in the 68th All-Star Game as Adams and his drum witness history from the bleachers.

April 22, 2001

John and Kathleen Adams were chosen by the Indians to help commemorate the franchise’s record 455-game sellout streak, carrying the numbers across the park to where they would be permanently displayed alongside “The Fans” to mark the record.



July 9, 2006

Adams and his drum are honored with their very own bobblehead figure giveaway at Progressive Field.

October 4, 2007

Adams throws out the ceremonial pitch before Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.



April 27, 2011

Adams plays his drum at his 3,000th Cleveland baseball game and is recognized by the team.



April 5, 2012

Great Lakes Brewing Company releases Rally Drum Red Ale in honor of Adams and Opening Day.

November 2, 2016

Adams celebrated with Cleveland baseball fans as Rajai Davis took Aroldis Chapman deep to the home run porch in left field, tying Game 7 of the World Series. The roar of the crowd nearly drowned out the sound of Adams’ drum. but he kept on beating it anyway.

April 5, 2021

Patrick Carney, drummer of The Black Keys, filled in for Adams on Opening Day when Adams missed his first home opener in nearly 50 years due to health issues.



August 24, 2022

On the 49-year anniversary of when Adams started drumming at Cleveland baseball games, the Guardians announce he had been inducted into the Cleveland Guardians Distinguished Hall of Fame. A bronze replica of his drum, attached to his seat, is now on display at Heritage Park beyond the center field wall.



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The Odds Show An Intriguing Guardians Record Prediction

By Andres Chavez

January 31, 2023

The Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins got caught in an exciting duel for the top spot of the AL Central division last year come early September.

Little did we know that the Guardians would go on to win 92 games and the Twins would completely collapse and finish 78-84, a whopping 14 games behind Cleveland.

A lot of things went right for the Guardians last campaign, but they are one of the most evident up-and-comers in baseball and are capable of putting together a similar performance this year.

In fact, oddsmakers are setting the over/under for their wins total at 87.5 wins.

These are reasonable odds, given the fact that every team in the division should be a bit better in 2023, perhaps with the exception of the Detroit Tigers.

The ones making the odds also have to consider the Twins’ vast improvement since the offseason began.

We don’t know who will win the AL Central this upcoming campaign, but we do know that Minnesota should be way better, especially if Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa are healthy.

But Cleveland is also very, very good.

They managed to put together a strong rotation led by Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie, and their lineup could be sneaky good, too.

They added power hitters Mike Zunino and Josh Bell to a core that already had Jose Ramirez, Andres Gimenez, Amed Rosario, Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan, Oscar Gonzalez, and other talented players.

And their bullpen is lights out, led by Emmanuel Clase but deep in other options.

In the end, the Guards should be able to clear that win projection.

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Considering over and under, how much will the
balanced schedule change this.

Ah Yes.

Blowing Spring Training smoke.

Best team they've had in years.

I think I heard that somewhere before.

1987 March Sports Illustrated Cover with Cory Snyder and Joe Carter proclaiming them the best team in the AL.

Snyder hit over 30 HRs and Carter had about 30 HRs and drove in over 100 runs.

Brook Jacoby, Julio Franco and Pat Tabler all hit over 300

Well the best team in the AL finished 61-101.