MLB club-by-club breakdown of players in 2023 Classic

February 9th, 2023

When the World Baseball Classic begins on March 8, we know you're going to scream for your country. But what about your favorite big league club? Want to know where your team's guys, Major and Minor Leaguers alike, are playing? You're in luck.

Below you'll find every player currently signed with a big league team and the country they'll be playing for.

Note: Players marked “DPP” are members of their team’s Designated Pitcher Pool. Each WBC team may choose up to 10 players as part of their pool -- these players are eligible to participate in one or more consecutive rounds of the WBC, but if replaced on their team's roster will be unavailable for the rest of the tournament. Affiliated players in Designated Pitcher Pools who are not actively on their team’s WBC roster during a given round will report to Spring Training with their Major League clubs.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Endrys Briceno, RHP (VEN – DPP), Dominic Fletcher, OF (ITA), Gunnar Groen, RHP (GBR – DPP), Merrill Kelly, RHP (USA), Ketel Marte INF/OF (DR), Eric Mendez, RHP (NED), Dominic Miroglio, C (ITA), Emmanuel Rivera, INF (PUR), Will Sherriff, LHP (AUS), Jacob Steinmetz, RHP (ISR), Mitchell Stumpo, RHP (ITA), Alek Thomas, OF (MEX), Boris Večerka, RHP (CZE).

Atlanta Braves: Ronald Acuña Jr., OF (VEN), Luis De Avila, LHP (COL - DPP), Roel Ramirez, RHP (MEX – DPP), Alan Rangel, RHP (MEX – DPP), Yacksel Ríos, RHP (PUR), Eddie Rosario, OF (PUR), Chadwick Tromp, C (NED).

Baltimore Orioles: Daniel Federman, RHP (ISR), Darwinzon Hernandez, LHP (VEN), Dean Kremer, RHP (ISR), Ryan Long, RHP (GBR), Cedric Mullins, OF (USA), Anthony Santander, OF (VEN).

Boston Red Sox: Jorge Alfaro, C (COL), Richard Bleier, LHP (ISR), Rafael Devers, INF (DR), Edwin Díaz, INF (PUR), Jarren Duran, OF (MEX), Kiké Hernández, INF/OF (PUR), Norwith Gudino, RHP (VEN – DPP), Rio Gomez, LHP (COL), Kenley Jansen, RHP (NED – DPP), Nick Pivetta, RHP (CAN), Alex Verdugo, OF (MEX), Masataka Yoshida, OF (JPN).

Chicago Cubs: Javier Assad, RHP (MEX), Owen Caissie, OF (CAN), Danis Correa, RHP (COL), Ben Deluzio, OF (ITA), Roenis Elías, LHP (CUB), Miles Mastrobuoni, INF (ITA), Matt Mervis, INF (ISR), B.J. Murray, INF (GBR), Michael Nittoli, RHP (ITA), Branden Noriega (GBR – DPP), Fabian Pertuz, INF (COL), Liam Spence, INF (AUS), Marcus Stroman, RHP (PUR), Seiya Suzuki, INF (JPN), Curtis Taylor, RHP (CAN), Nelson Velazquez, OF (PUR), Jared Young, INF (CAN).

Chicago White Sox: Tim Anderson, INF (USA), Kendall Graveman, RHP (USA), Eloy Jiménez (DR), Lance Lynn, RHP (USA), Yoán Moncada, INF (CUB), Nicholas Padilla, RHP (PUR), Luis Robert, OF (CUB), José Ruiz, RHP (VEN).

Cincinnati Reds: Donovan Benoit, RHP (GBR), Silvino Bracho, RHP (VEN), Luis Cessa, RHP (MEX), Fernando Cruz, RHP (PUR), Alexis Díaz, RHP (PUR), Arij Fransen, RHP (NED – DPP), Pedro Garcia, RHP (COL), Ian Gibaut, RHP (GBR), Kyle Glogoski, RHP (AUS), Tayron Guerrero, RHP (COL – DPP), Evan Kravetz, LHP (ISR), Brandon Leyton, INF (NCA), Nicolo Pinazzi, LHP (ITA), Henry Ramos, OF (PUR), Reiver Sanmartin, LHP (COL).

Cleveland Guardians: Dayan Frias, INF (COL), Andrés Giménez, INF (VEN), Bo Naylor, C (CAN), Richie Palacios, INF (NED), Cal Quantrill, RHP (CAN), Cade Smith, RHP (CAN), Meibrys Viloria, C (COL), Josh Wolf, RHP (ISR).

Colorado Rockies: Daniel Bard, RHP (USA), Jake Bird, RHP (ISR), Elias Díaz, C (COL), Justin Lawrence, RHP (PAN), Germán Márquez, RHP (VEN), Michael Petersen, RHP (GBR), Alan Trejo, INF (MEX).

Detroit Tigers: Javier Báez, INF (PUR), Miguel Cabrera, INF (VEN), Chavez Fernander, RHP (GBR), Jack O’Loughlin, LHP (AUS), Andy Ibáñez, INF (CUB), Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP (VEN), Jonathan Schoop, INF (NED), John Valente, INF (ITA)

Houston Astros: Bryan Abreu, RHP (DR), Jose Altuve, INF (VEN), Ronel Blanco, RHP (DR – DPP), Luis Garcia, RHP (VEN), Colton Gordon, LHP (ISR), Cristian Javier, RHP (DR), Martín Maldonado, C (PUR), Rafael Montero, RHP (DR), Héctor Neris, RHP (DR), Jeremy Peña, INF (DR), Ryan Pressly, RHP (USA), Kyle Tucker, OF (USA), José Urquidy, RHP (MEX), Derek West, RHP (NED).

Kansas City Royals: Ronald Bolaños, RHP (CUB), Max Castillo, RHP (VEN – DPP), Robert Glendinning, INF (AUS), Carlos Hernández, RHP (VEN), Nicky Lopez, INF (ITA), MJ Melendez, C (PUR), Vinnie Pasquantino, INF (ITA), Salvador Perez, C (VEN), Brady Singer, RHP (USA), Bobby Witt Jr., INF (USA).

Los Angeles Angels: Glenn Albanese, RHP (ITA – DPP), Jaime Barria, RHP (PAN), Gustavo Campero, C (COL), Alan Carter, RHP (CHN), Jhonathan Diaz, LHP (VEN – DPP), David Fletcher, INF (ITA), Jake Kalish, LHP (ISR – DPP), D’Shawn Knowles, OF (GBR), Shohei Ohtani, TWP (JPN), José Quijada, LHP (VEN), Luis Rengifo, INF (VEN), Gerardo Reyes, RHP (MEX), Patrick Sandoval, LHP (MEX), Mike Trout, OF (USA), Gio Urshela, INF (COL), César Valdez, RHP (DR – DPP), Zachary Weiss, RHP (ISR), Aaron Whitefield, OF (AUS).

Los Angeles Dodgers: Austin Barnes, C (MEX), Mookie Betts, OF (USA), Liam Doolan, RHP (AUS), Freddie Freeman, INF (CAN), Clayton Kershaw, LHP (USA), Adam Kolarek, LHP (ISR – DPP), Jose Ramos, OF (PAN), Miguel Rojas, INF (VEN), Will Smith, C (USA), Trayce Thompson, OF (GBR), Julio Urías, LHP (MEX).

Miami Marlins: Sandy Alcantara, RHP (DR), Luis Arraez, INF (VEN), Johnny Cueto, RHP (DR), Enmanuel De Jesus, LHP (VEN – DPP), Jesús Luzardo, LHP (VEN), Anthony Maldonado, RHP (PUR), Jean Segura, INF (DR).

Milwaukee Brewers: Willy Adames, INF (DR), Victor Castaneda, RHP (MEX – DPP), Alex Claudio, LHP (PUR – DPP), Sal Frelick, OF (ITA), Javy Guerra, RHP (PAN), Alex Hall, OF (AUS), Matt Hardy, RHP (PAN), Joel Payamps, RHP (DR – DPP), Carlos Rodriguez, RHP (NCA), Robert Stock, RHP (ISR), Rowdy Tellez, INF (MEX), Abraham Toro, INF (CAN), Luis Urías, INF (MEX), Michele Vassalotti, RHP (ITA), Devin Williams, RHP (USA).

Minnesota Twins: Jose De Leon, RHP (PUR), Edouard Julien, INF (CAN), Jorge López, RHP (PUR), Pablo López, RHP (VEN), Carlos Luna, RHP (PAN – DPP), Jose Miranda, INF (PUR), Jovani Moran, LHP (PUR), Emilio Pagán, RHP (PUR), Dereck Rodríguez, RHP (PUR), Christian Vázquez, C (PUR).

New York Mets: Pete Alonso, INF (USA), Jonathan Arauz, INF (PAN), Edwin Díaz, RHP (PUR), Eduardo Escobar, INF (VEN), Dominic Hamel, RHP (PUR), Elieser Hernandez, RHP (VEN – DPP), Francisco Lindor, INF (PUR), Jeff McNeil, INF/OF (USA), Humberto Mejia, RHP (PAN), Omar Narváez, C (VEN), Camrin Opp, LHP (GBR), Adam Ottavino, RHP (USA), José Quintana, LHP (COL), Brooks Raley, LHP (USA), Claudio Scotti, RHP (ITA).

New York Yankees: Nestor Cortes, LHP (USA), Indigo Diaz, RHP (CAN), Kyle Higashioka, C (USA), Jonathan Loáisiga, RHP (NCA), Gleyber Torres, INF (VEN).

Oakland Athletics: Denzel Clarke, OF (CAN), Jordan Diaz, INF (COL), Jake Fishman, LHP (ISR), Zack Gelof, INF (ISR), James Gonzalez, LHP (PAN), Adrian Martinez, RHP (MEX), Miguel Romero, RHP (CUB), Joshwan Wright, INF (PAN).

Philadelphia Phillies: José Alvarado, LHP (VEN), Erubiel Armenta, LHP (MEX), Malik Binns, RHP (GBR – DPP), Jesus Cruz, RHP (MEX), Jaydenn Estanista, RHP (NED), Vito Friscia, C (ITA), Vimael Machin, INF (PUR), Brian Marconi, LHP (ITA – DPP), J.T. Realmuto, C (USA), Kyle Schwarber, OF (USA), Noah Skirrow, RHP (CAN), Gregory Soto, LHP (DR), Garrett Stubbs, C (ISR), Ranger Suárez, LHP (VEN), Trea Turner, INF (USA), Taijuan Walker, RHP (MEX), Nick Ward, INF (GBR), Rixon Wingrove, INF (AUS).

Pittsburgh Pirates: David Bednar, RHP (USA), Tsung-Che Cheng, INF (TPE), Roansy Contreras, RHP (DR), Alessandro Ercolani, RHP (ITA – DPP), Santiago Florez, RHP (COL – DPP), Antwone Kelly, RHP (NED), Jeffrey Passantino, RHP (ITA – DPP), Josh Palacios, OF (NED), Tahnaj Thomas, RHP (GBR), Duane Underwood Jr., RHP (PUR), Chavez Young, OF (GBR), Rob Zastryzny, LHP (CAN)

San Diego Padres: Xander Bogaerts, INF (NED), Miguel Cienfuegos LHP (PAN), Nabil Crismatt, RHP (COL), Nelson Cruz, INF (DR), Jarryd Dale, INF (AUS), Yu Darvish, RHP (JPN), Jose Espada, RHP (PUR – DPP), Ruben Galindo, RHP (COL), Luis García, RHP (DR), Ha Seong Kim, INF (KOR), Manny Machado, INF (DR), Evan Mendoza, INF (COL), Jake Sanchez, RHP (MEX), Juan Soto, OF (DR), Brett Sullivan, C (ITA), Julio Teheran, RHP (COL – DPP).

San Francisco Giants: Jonathan Bermudez, LHP (PUR – DPP), Camilo Doval, RHP (DR), Joey Marciano, LHP (ITA), Joc Pederson, OF (ISR), Kai-Wei Teng, RHP (TPE).

Seattle Mariners: Matt Brash, RHP (CAN), Jose Caballero, INF (PAN), Diego Castillo, RHP (DR), Matt Festa, RHP (ITA), Harry Ford, C (GBR), Teoscar Hernández, OF (DR), Milkar Perez, INF (NCA), Julio Rodríguez, OF (DR), Eugenio Suárez, INF (VEN), Blake Townsend, LHP (AUS).

St. Louis Cardinals: Nolan Arenado, INF (USA), Génesis Cabrera, LHP (DR – DPP), Tommy Edman, INF (KOR), Giovanny Gallegos, RHP (MEX), Paul Goldschmidt, INF (USA), Ivan Herrera, C (PAN), L.J. Jones, OF (PAN), Joseph King, RHP (GBR), Matt Koperniak, OF (GBR), Noah Mendlinger, INF (ISR), Oscar Mercado, OF (COL), Miles Mikolas, RHP (USA), Lars Nootbaar, OF (JPN), Tyler O’Neill, OF (CAN), Andre Pallante, RHP (ITA), Wilfredo Pereira, RHP (PAN), JoJo Romero, LHP (MEX), Adam Wainwright, RHP (USA), Guillermo Zuniga RHP (COL).

Tampa Bay Rays: Jason Adam, RHP (USA), Jonathan Aranda, INF (MEX), Randy Arozarena, OF (MEX), Christian Bethancourt, INF (PAN), Trevor Brigden, RHP (CAN), Wander Franco, INF (DR), Andrew Gross, RHP (ISR), Joe LaSorsa, LHP (ITA), Francisco Mejía, C (DR), Isaac Paredes, INF (MEX), Harold Ramírez, OF (COL), Graham Spraker, RHP (GBR).

Texas Rangers: Mitch Bratt, LHP (CAN), Jose Leclerc, RHP (DR), Martín Pérez, LHP (VEN).

Toronto Blue Jays: José Berríos, RHP (PUR), Jiorgeny Casimiri, RHP (NED – DPP), Yimi García, RHP (DR), Vladimir Guerrero Jr., INF (DR), Spencer Horwitz, INF (ISR), Alejandro Kirk, C (MEX), Otto Lopez, INF (CAN), Luis Quinones, RHP (PUR – DPP).

Washington Nationals: Alberto Baldonado, LHP (PAN), Paolo Espino, RHP (PAN – DPP), Lucius Fox, INF (GBR), Andres Machado, RHP (VEN), Joey Meneses, INF (MEX), Tito Polo, OF (COL), Erasmo Ramírez, RHP (NCA), Rodney Theophile, RHP (NCA).



<

Mandy Bell

Welcome to another installment of the Guardians Newsletter. I’m Mandy Bell and I’m entering my fifth season covering Cleveland. Let’s get into the good stuff:

Step aside, Super Bowl, it’s baseball season.

Players will start reporting to camp on Monday, meaning the start of the 2023 season is just around the corner. What are the most pressing topics for the Guardians heading into Spring Training?

Let’s take a look at three storylines to keep an eye on:

1. Who will be the backup catcher?

It seems odd to think the biggest position battle for this spring will be the backup catcher, but that’s the reality for Cleveland this year.

The Guardians’ goal is to start Bo Naylor in Triple-A. He’s had just 66 games in Columbus in his Minor League career and Cleveland wants him to get more consistent reps under his belt before he moves up to the big leagues, which would mean more sporadic playing time, serving as a backup to Mike Zunino.

That’s the goal. If Zunino isn’t healthy, this gets trickier. Both Zunino and the Guardians seemed confident that he’d be ready for Opening Day when the team announced his signing in December. He underwent surgery on his non-throwing arm last July due to thoracic outlet syndrome. If Zunino is not bouncing back the way he thought he would, Naylor would need to get thrown into the fire and handle the bulk of the innings at the beginning of the season.

Assuming Zunino is healthy (which is the expectation), Naylor should begin the year in Triple-A, leaving Bryan Lavastida, David Fry, Cam Gallagher, Meibrys Viloria and newly-acquired Zack Collins to battle for the backup position. Lavastida is the only player of this group who is already on the 40-man roster.
Cody Morris

2. How will the Guardians fill out their bullpen?

Most of the bullpen should be easy to predict. Emmanuel Clase, James Karinchak and Trevor Stephan are locks. Sam Hentges and (assuming he’s healthy) Nick Sandlin should be in the ‘pen. The way Eli Morgan and Enyel De Los Santos pitched at times in ’22 makes it easy to give them another chance right out of the gate in ’23. But if Cleveland carries eight relievers, who gets the last spot?

Cody Morris was the answer at the end of last season, but if the Guardians want to have him as a starting option if they need to turn to their depth at some point in the year, it’d be hard to limit him to just a few innings out of the bullpen to start the season. Guys like Konnor Pilkington, Peyton Battenfield, Touki Toussaint and Joey Cantillo fall into this same category.

There are a handful of Minor League non-roster invitee relievers to keep an eye on during camp, but the two that stick out early are Nick Mikolajchak and Andrew Misiaszek. Could one of them crack the Opening Day roster? It might be difficult, but it’s far from impossible.
Brayan Rocchio

3. Which young guys will stand out?

Because so much of their roster is figured out, it’s time to start planning for depth. We know who will start in the outfield. We know all of the starting infielders. Assuming no trades or injuries occur, the starting five seems to be set. So, how can the Guardians grow their depth to be prepared for the grueling 162-game season?

This is a fun time to learn about their young players. Brayan Rocchio can showcase why he’d deserve a bench spot. Jhonkensy Noel can give everyone a taste of the power he displayed in his 32-homer season in the Minors last year. Logan Allen (yes, the new one) can give the big league coaching staff confidence that he could be called upon if the team needs another starter during the season.

It’s unknown now, but there will undoubtedly be a handful of up-and-coming players who thrive this spring.
 
TRIVIA

Before Clase did so in 2022, who was the last Cleveland player to record 40 saves in a season?

A) Joe Borowski
B) Bob Wickman
C) Chris Perez
D) Cody Allen
 
IN THE NEWS
Andrés Giménez

• The World Baseball Classic rosters are out! Click here to see which Guardians players will be participating.

• If you missed the FAQ that was put out earlier this week, make sure you have all the information on Guardians camp before it gets underway on Monday.

• I’m sure you can take a guess, but check out which hurler’s pitch MLB.com’s David Adler picked as the nastiest for the Guardians.
 
BENSON TRADE
Justin Boyd

On Thursday, it became clearer why Cleveland traded Will Benson to the Reds on Wednesday in exchange for a 2022 second-round Draft pick. The club needed a 40-man spot for righty Jason Bilous, whom they claimed off waivers from the White Sox.

Trading Benson seemed to catch many by surprise -- at least based on Twitter reactions. Benson provided power potential and was a former first-round pick. But his plate discipline was questionable, and suddenly outfielders like Steven Kwan, Oscar Gonzalez and Will Brennan started to move ahead of him in the pecking order. And with Myles Straw already in center, it would have been difficult to find him playing time.

Instead of burying Benson in Triple-A, the Guardians decided to move him to the Reds to bring back outfielder Justin Boyd, who was drafted last year out of a school Kwan is very familiar with, Oregon State University. Boyd led the Pac-12 with a .373 average and 24 steals last season, and he had been ranked as the Reds’ 16th overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. His arrival to the Majors is much further into the future than Benson’s, which allows Cleveland to see more of its current big league ready outfielders while still bolstering its depth.
 
TRIVIA ANSWER

A) Joe Borowski

Allen holds Cleveland’s all-time saves record with 149, but he never eclipsed 40 in a single season. In 2007, Borowski led the American League with 45 saves.
Joe Borowski
 
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW

To subscribe to Guardians Beat, visit this page and mark "Guardians Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Guardians or that they're checked as your favorite team.

Will catcher Bo Naylor make Guardians’ roster out of spring training? Hey, Hoynsie

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Feb. 11, 2023, 12:00 p.m.|

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Hey, Hoynsie: If Bo Naylor has an excellent spring, will he break camp with the big league club or start the season at Class AAA Columbus? -- Jim Harris, Lancaster.

Hey, Jim: Right now I think Naylor opens the year at Columbus. Especially with him playing for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, which would cause him to miss critical time in spring training.

Hey, Hoynsie: I have read a lot about the changes coming for the 2023 season. I haven’t seen anything about the runner starting on second base in extra innings. Is that going to be eliminated in 2023? I think it’s the worst rule ever. -- Glenn Tapp, Bedford Heights.

Hey, Glenn: Sorry to disappoint you, but the automatic/ghost/zombie runner at second base in extra innings will continue during the 2023 regular season. It is not used in the postseason.

Hey, Hoynsie: I always enjoy the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast you do with Joe Noga. I especially liked the one you did Wednesday on what could be baseball’s unbreakable career records. I think one that doesn’t get the attention it deserves is Ty Cobb’s 54 steals of home. -- Larry Morgan, La Mirada, California.

Hey, Larry: You won’t believe this, but that was on our list, but we ran out of time. I’m wondering how many times Cobb did it on a straight steal of home or on the front end of a double or triple steal? Either way it’s hard to imagine anyone topping that.

I read a SABR (Society of American Baseball Research) story in which Cobb stole home on the front end of a triple steal multiple times. I would have loved to have seen that.

When Johnny Goryl was third base coach for the Indians, I remember him talking about Rod Carew of the Twins. In 1969 Carew stole home seven times. Goryl was the Twins third base coach and said he never knew when Carew was going. Carew and manager Billy Martin had a special signal worked out.

Hey, Hoynsie: I’m so sorry John Adams is gone. I’ll miss him at the games. I remember the game against Seattle when we came back from a 10-run deficit. He brought the crowd back to life. It’s the end of an era. -- Sue, Hawaii and Canton.

Hey, Sue: You speak for us all.

Hey, Hoynsie: Almost every year we would make a trip to Cleveland for a three-game weekend series. Always at one of those games we would sit in left field bleachers as close to John Adams as we could get. The spirit and enthusiasm around him was Cleveland Baseball at its best. One of my greatest memories was sitting close to him for a Toronto game in the ALCS in 2016. Full house, John banging the drum, Tribe wins. Nothing like it. -- Frank, Glen Gardner, New Jersey.

Hey, Glen: It seems like every Cleveland baseball fan has a memory like that connected with John Adams. Thanks for sharing yours.

Hey Hoynsie: We all look forward to the equipment trucks heading out. But does it ever come back? What happens to all that stuff? -- Skip B, Broadview Heights.

Hey, Skip: The trucks return to Progressive Field every February, so I’m guessing they always come back from Arizona. The stuff they drop off at Goodyear is either trucked back to Cleveland at the end of spring training or stays at the complex in Goodyear.

Hey, Hoynsie: I look forward to your spring training reports. Will you be covering the team live from Goodyear this spring?-- Carl, Orlando.

Hey, Carl: Yes, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer will be covering spring training. Terry Pluto and I will be going out to Arizona at different parts of the Cactus League schedule.

Hey Hoynsie: The baseball purest in me hates that MLB is messing around with the pitcher’s ability to control the running game by limiting his pickoff throws and using a pitch timer. What’s next, not allowing pitchers to throw inside? -- John Kyle, Westfield Center.

Hey, John: I think you’re going to like the pitch clock. Limiting a pitcher’s pickoff move is going to hurt pitcher’s like Zach Plesac, who has a really good move. It’s also going to keep the game moving because pitchers won’t be able to stall for time when they’re struggling or someone is warming in the bullpen by making several non-competitive throws to first base.

Pitchers can still throw inside, but they have to know what they’re doing. The plate umpire has the discretion of ejecting a pitcher without warning if they think he’s deliberately throwing at a batter.

<

These 10 teams won the offseason

Let’s embark upon an annual tradition by puckering up our lips and applying the kiss of death.

That’s right. It’s time to name the Winter Winners!

You know how this so often goes. A team wins the winter and loses the season. That’s of course not always the case, but it’s close enough to have become a running gag in our game. Still, regardless of any dubiousness attached to this distinction, it should be the goal of teams to, you know, try to win baseball games. So kudos to those who made our list this year.

Honestly, we could have included half the league here, because you can always make an argument for why this signing or that trade will benefit a ballclub.

But these were the 10 best.

1. Mets

We knew, going into the winter, that for the Mets to merely maintain their standing as one of the best teams in the National League, it would take a massive amount of financial flexing.

They did not disappoint.

Though the Carlos Correa commitment famously fell apart over a faulty physical, the Mets and the whopping wallet of owner Steve Cohen nevertheless strengthened this squad. They remade the rotation, replacing Jacob deGrom with reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, and made up for the departures of Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker by landing Kodai Senga and José Quintana. The Mets also re-signed elite closer Edwin Díaz, center fielder Brandon Nimmo and reliever Adam Ottavino, and improved the catching spot with Omar Narváez. And underrated in all of this is that they didn’t have to give up Draft picks for any of the above.
Top 10 Starting Pitchers: #2


The only obvious complaint is that the lineup could still use more power, but the benefit of all that big spending is that it preserves the Mets’ prospect pool and leaves the door open for an in-season acquisition.

2. Padres

Continuing to outpunch their market weight, the Padres followed the trades for Juan Soto and Josh Hader with another absolute stunner -- the signing of star shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Bogaerts signs with Padres


Beyond what that move means for the middle of the lineup, it gives the Padres (who also made a late play for Aaron Judge) the flexibility to shift Ha-Seong Kim to second, Jake Cronenworth to first (a position where the Padres were below average last year) and, upon his return from suspension, Fernando Tatis Jr. to the outfield (where he might be better suited long term). The veteran bats of Nelson Cruz and Matt Carpenter could also add to the Padres’ power (and if nothing else, Cruz should prove a valuable mentor to Tatis and others), while Seth Lugo serves as a swingman for a staff that looks a little top-heavy in the rotation. San Diego also re-signed Robert Suarez and Nick Martinez.

One of these years, we’re bound to go through a Trade Deadline and Hot Stove period without the Padres making some kind of shocking splash. But not in 2022-23.

3. Rangers

The 2022 Rangers were evidence of the dubiousness of the winter win. Not only did Corey Seager and Marcus Semien experience drawdowns from their 2021 stats, but the club, as a whole, proved not yet ready for prime time.

Still, if the Rangers were to shorten their road to contention, they had no choice but to press -- and spend -- on. That’s what they did, first and foremost, with the jaw-dropping signing of deGrom, whose presence alone reinvents the rotation. The Rangers also signed Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi, re-signed Martín Perez after his terrific 2022 and made a trade for depth piece Jake Odorizzi. On paper, the Rangers’ rotation, which had a 4.63 ERA last season (third-worst in the AL), has to be the most improved of any segment of any squad in MLB, so they definitely belong on this list.
Top 10 Starting Pitchers: #9


Top 10 Starting Pitchers: #9

That said, the rotation is going to have to live up to its potential, because the Rangers’ bullpen acquisitions amount to low-profile lottery tickets, and Texas has been unable to land the impact outfield bat it sought.

4. Phillies

Coming off the glow of a surprising and stirring surge to the NL pennant after a third-place finish in the deep NL East, the Phillies were faced with two hurdles -- Bryce Harper’s elbow surgery (limiting his availability for 2023) and the potential hangover effects the deep postseason run could have on their top-heavy pitching staff.

So both lengthening the lineup and making it more dynamic from a speed and on-base perspective with Trea Turner was a huge win. He was their guy from the outset of the offseason, and they went out and got him.
Trea is #1 shortstop in MLB


The jury is out on the acquisitions of pitchers Taijuan Walker, Craig Kimbrel, Gregory Soto and Matt Strahm, but the bottom line is that the Phillies are deeper in that department today than they were before. With the division race bound to be dynamic again, the Phillies needed to maintain the momentum from their deep run, and they did exactly that.

5. Blue Jays

To be clear, the big trade the Blue Jays and D-backs made feels like a win for both clubs. But because Arizona’s return is centered on catching prospect Gabriel Moreno, the Blue Jays’ end more clearly and immediately improves the Major League club and, combined with the rest of their activity, lands them on this list.

Toronto had a rare catching excess and a glaring need to balance the lineup, so bringing in the left-handed-hitting Daulton Varsho was a really nice score. This team also had DH/first base at-bats to offer, and the capable veteran (and, yes, left-handed) bat of Brandon Belt is a good get. We know this lineup can put up runs aplenty (especially with Rogers Centre’s new dimensions), but run prevention was another emphasis of the offseason. The Blue Jays addressed it by significantly lengthening their rotation with Bassitt, as well as adding the elite center-field glove of Kevin Kiermaier and landing late-inning reliever Erik Swanson.
How adding Varsho impacts Toronto

Parting with Teoscar Hernández softens the enthusiasm for the Blue Jays’ winter slightly, and you’d like to see them go into the season with clearer answers in the back of the rotation, but the improved balance and defense make this feel like a more stable squad than it was before.

6. Twins

Nobody expected the Twins to retain Correa -- certainly not Correa. So to seize the (uncomfortable) moment when Correa had two contracts come apart and bring him back was a big win for the Twins and a rare score for a midmarket team. (Now let’s hope that leg holds up.) It was enough to land them on this list.

But of course, that wasn’t all. The Twins’ rotation looks a lot better today with Pablo López. To get him required parting with batting champ Luis Arraez, so the lineup looks a lot different, too. It will be fun and fascinating to pick apart that pact years from now. For now, let’s just assume that López was worth the risk. The Twins are also better at catcher with Christian Vázquez, they are deeper in the outfield with Michael A. Taylor and in the infield with Kyle Farmer, and perhaps their scratch-off ticket in the form of Joey Gallo will bring them a bunch of dingers.

Had Correa departed, the Twins would have been a tough sell as a contender, but they are now once again a viable threat to win the AL Central.

7. Angels

The Angels weren’t among the offseason’s splashiest spenders, but it says here that they were one of the biggest winners.

Why? Simple. Because instead of trading away the once-in-a-lifetime talent of Shohei Ohtani a year ahead of his free agency, as Angels fans understandably feared, the team instead made an earnest effort to compete, even amid the possibility of being sold (a possibility we now know is moot).

In years past, the Halos have seen some of their big swings in free agency turn out to be big whiffs. Soon we’ll see if the lower-profile, depth-oriented route taken by GM Perry Minasian with the acquisitions of starting pitcher Tyler Anderson, power-hitting outfielder Hunter Renfroe, utility men Brandon Drury and Gio Urshela, and back-end reliever Carlos Estévez pays off. The Angels still need help at shortstop, and perhaps they have not done enough to reach the playoffs. But we know a healthy Ohtani and Mike Trout would give the Angels a high floor, and this club is now better equipped to handle injuries elsewhere on the roster than it was before.

8. Cubs

It’s not exactly a novel concept, but the Cubs decided their quickest path to contention is to improve their pitching and defense. Although they didn’t land the absolute best of the shortstop crop or a top-of-the-rotation starter, the signings of Dansby Swanson and Jameson Taillon unquestionably make this a better ballclub, and those guys might both still have their best seasons ahead of them.
Cubs' new identity for 2023


Cubs' new identity for 2023

The Cubs were in perfect position to take a swing at a Cody Bellinger comeback. If it works out, he can either help vault Chicago into contention or serve as a gorgeous trade chip. They also seemingly improved their offensive floor with the signing of Trey Mancini, they added veteran reliever Brad Boxberger and they took a flier on Eric Hosmer.

Is this a playoff team? Hard to say. Is it a more capable, dependable team than the one that took the field in 2022? Almost certainly.

9. D-backs

The D-backs won’t be -- and shouldn’t be -- anybody’s pick in the ridiculous NL West. But with a horde of young talent on the roster and on the horizon, you don’t have to squint too hard to see this club making big strides this season.
Mike Hazen on Varsho trade

If you enter with the assumption that Arizona is not ready to splurge on its needs, then Mike Hazen and Co. were successful in solidifying this squad within the allotted resources. Trading Varsho just as he appears to be reaching his potential stings. But he was dealt from a position of depth, and he landed the D-backs a big league-ready, consensus top 10 prospect in Moreno, as well as veteran outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

The rest of the additions, including veteran third baseman Evan Longoria and 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis, were more on the margins of the roster. Overall, the D-backs did a good job supplementing an intriguing young core.

10. Yankees

It feels like the Yankees belong on this list because, as obvious as re-signing Aaron Judge was, it was by no means an easy deal to get done, and the Yanks also landed one of the best starting pitchers available in Carlos Rodón.

The Yankees signed two of the top 10 free agents, so they make the list. Pretty simple.

But if you want to quibble with the Yankees’ inclusion over some other clubs, it’s understandable. It’s not as if there was a great deal of creativity here, and the team’s pre-existing question marks -- the left-field situation, the right-hand dominance of the lineup and the general vulnerability to age and injury -- all remain questions in the Bronx.

5 Guardians spring training storylines: Roster battles, rule changes and prospects

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan smiles as he warms up prior to a spring training baseball game Friday, March 25, 2022, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
By Zack Meisel
7h ago



CLEVELAND — The Guardians’ facility in Goodyear, Ariz., is already buzzing. The team will hold its first official workouts later this week, but players are already cycling through the clubhouse, the batting cages, the bullpens and the back fields. As spring training gets underway, here are five storylines to watch over the next six weeks.
1. We (think we) know who the five starters are … but then what?

There’s not a ton of intrigue with the major-league rotation, other than wondering if Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac can be the best versions of themselves after rocky 2022 seasons. But there’s plenty worth monitoring beneath the surface. Who’s next in line if one of those two struggles, or if there’s an injury?

Is it Xzavion Curry? Cody Morris? Konnor Pilkington? Hunter Gaddis? Logan Allen? Joey Cantillo? Peyton Battenfield? How close are consensus Top 100 prospects Daniel Espino, Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee to being big-league ready? Those 10 starters can’t all go to Triple-A Columbus to start the season, even though none of them has anything left to prove at Double A. Will the Guardians shift anyone to a relief role? Will they swing a trade before the end of camp?

We might not know the official minor-league starting pitching hierarchy by the end of March, but the next six weeks will give everyone an opportunity to capture the attention of the organization’s decision-makers as the club sorts out all of this depth.
2. Who’s the backup catcher? And what’s the best path forward for Bo Naylor?
Bo Naylor (Frank Jansky / Icon Sportswire via Associated Press)

All winter, the Guardians have hinted their preference is for Bo Naylor to accrue some more time at Triple A before advancing to a regular role behind the plate in the majors. So instead of Naylor automatically serving as Mike Zunino’s backup — provided Zunino checks out at 100 percent in his return from shoulder surgery — there will be an open competition. Naylor. Cam Gallagher. Meibrys Viloria. Zack Collins. Bryan Lavastida. David Fry. Take your pick.

Outside of Zunino and Naylor, Lavastida is the only other member of the 40-man roster. He’s also coming off a wretched 2022 campaign. Naylor and Viloria will be participating in the World Baseball Classic, which will cut into their time to build a rapport with Cleveland’s pitchers.

There could also be a crowd in Columbus, say, if Gallagher wins the job to back up Zunino. That would leave, at minimum, Naylor, Lavastida and Fry scrambling for at-bats at Triple A. Even if Naylor begins the year in Columbus, he’ll join the major-league mix at some point, and possibly in a substantial role. Zunino hasn’t eclipsed 400 plate appearances in a season since 2018 and has eclipsed 435 only once in his decade-long career.
3. How will the Guardians handle the league’s new rule changes?
James Karinchak (Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)

James Karinchak might want to speed up that flip-the-baseball-in-the-air/run-the-hand-through-the-hair/grab-the-rosin-bag-and-say-a-prayer routine he completes between every pitch. Time is of the essence now with MLB’s new pitch clock.

Josh Bell has discussed the freedom he expects to feel at the plate without defensive shifts discouraging him from smacking a single to right field when hitting lefty. José Ramírez may enjoy a decrease in peculiar defensive alignments, too.

The leading commentary from players to this point, though, is that there will be a feeling-out period, and spring training will serve as the trial run for them to get acclimated to the new rules before teams start making adjustments to the changes in the regular season. Myles Straw and some other speedsters, for instance, said they were enthused about the league encouraging stolen bases with larger bags and pickoff limits, but exactly how much more prevalent they’ll prove to be remains to be seen.

One potential benefit for Cleveland: With such a young team, many of the Guardians players are familiar with at least some of the new rules being implemented, since they have already been in place in the minor leagues.
4. Which prospect will capture everyone’s attention?
Brayan Rocchio (Norm Hall / Getty Images)

Last year, Steven Kwan and his aversion to strikeouts headlined the spring scuttlebutt. In previous years, Brayan Rocchio, Tyler Naquin, Yandy Díaz and Oscar Mercado turned heads. Once in a while, a young player parlays his spring performance into an Opening Day roster spot, as Naquin did in 2016. Sometimes, a prospect plants himself on the radar of the club’s coaches and executives. Mercado converted a strong spring in 2019 into a May promotion to the majors. Rocchio, as a teenager, made an impression seemingly every time he was summoned for a big-league spring training game in 2019 and 2020.

Who will command attention this spring? One of the prized starting pitching prospects? Rocchio again? George Valera? One of the middle infielders, such as Angel Martinez, Juan Brito or Jose Tena?
5. How will big-league-ready players without a starting spot assert themselves?

Some of this has already been settled, with the Guardians trading Will Benson, Owen Miller, and Nolan Jones for returns who won’t require major-league consideration for at least a couple of years. Still, there are a handful of position players who are on the outside looking in at consistent at-bats. The Guardians seem content with Kwan, Straw and Oscar Gonzalez in the outfield, so Will Brennan might need someone to either falter or suffer an injury if he’s to claim a regular spot in the starting lineup.

Will Gabriel Arias or Tyler Freeman emerge as the preferred choice for utility infield? Is there enough space on the roster for both? Cleveland’s infielders don’t take many days off, so it’s difficult to envision how Arias and Freeman can land sufficient playing time. And where does Richie Palacios fit?

Seventeen rookies made their big-league debut for the Guardians last season. Now the club needs to sort through all of the candidates to make some difficult decisions over the next six weeks. The Guardians obviously should prioritize winning at the major-league level, but they also need to find ways for their inexperienced players to continue to develop.

Why did the Cleveland Guardians trade away Will Benson?

by Chad Porto

2/13/23 1 minute ago

The Cleveland Guardians made the shocking move to trade Will Benson last week, but why?

The Cleveland Guardians moved one of their young outfield prospects last week in a move that many were shocked by. The Guards sent Will Benson to the Cincinnati Reds for outfield prospects Justin Boyd. Benson, 25, debuted for the Guardians in 2022 as part of the massive crop of callups from Columbus, where he struggled to hit.

In 55 at-bats he had just 10 hits and hit just .182 on the season. Benson, who doesn’t traditionally have a lot of power, was seen as one of the young guys who’d have a shot to start in right field, challenging Will Brennan, Oscar Gonzalez, and maybe even Josh Naylor.

While he hit .279 in Triple A Columbus in 2022, it was clear the Guardians didn’t see him as a starter, at least not a starter over the players they already have. Offensively he had power, not on par with Oscar Gonzalez but more than Steven Kwan or Myles Straw. Yet, he also was among the club’s worst offenders in strikeouts. He did not have a year in the minors where he had more hits than he did strikeouts, and some years he had double if not triple the number of strikeouts to hits.

He didn’t have the power needed to justify that rate of strikeouts, and so he was clearly deemed expandable, though that’s speculation.


<




Justin Boyd gives the Cleveland Guardians a better fit

Justin Boyd may be better than Will Benson, or he may not. He’s not as big of a power hitter, but he strikes out far less, which is what the club likes. Yet, that’s not the big reason for the trade in my opinion. I believe that Boyd fits the future of the club better than Benson. Benson isn’t going to outpace any of the three starters (Kwan, Straw, and presumably Gonzalez) at any point. He’s not as good of a defender as Kwan and Straw and Gonzalez has better-hitting figures to lean on.

Benson, who’s turning 25 this season, is about four years older than Boyd and is right in the same age range as Straw. Assuming Straw keeps pace or improves his play between now and the end of his contract, that’s about four years. The Guardians have Straw under contract, counting the final two club option years, until 2028 when Starw’s 33. He could be traded away or released even before then, with 2026 being a real possibility.

In four-ish years, Benson will be 29-30 and on the downside of his prime, while Boyd will just be entering it.

So if you’re not sure why the club would choose to go with the younger outfield, it’s really threefold. One, Benson is just too streaky a hitter. Two, Boyd is a better hitter for the offense. Three, Boyd fits better with the timeline of the team.

The Guards thrive on cultivating replacements, and Boyd fits better age-wise with when a guy like Straw may be moving on. So it actually makes perfect sense when you realize, he’s younger, a better offensive fit, and fits the perpetual youth movement the club has.

<

Guardians TV situation is complicated and messy

Morning news and notes

By Paul Hoynes

Feb 13, 2023, 8:45am EST

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Major League Baseball is confident that the 14 teams holding regional sports network contracts with financially-troubled Diamond Sports Group will be able to televise their games this season without interruption.

But there could be a few challenges along the way.

The Guardians are one of the 14 teams. They have a regional sports network (RSN) with DSG, the Sinclair-owned subsidiary that operates Bally Sports, which runs through 2027. DSG, according to reports, could file for bankruptcy in the near future, which could hurt revenues for almost half of MLB’s 30 teams.

The regular season is scheduled to start on March 30, but word on DSG’s bankruptcy could come before that.

MLB prefers that DSG conducts its business and pays its clients as usual. But it is skeptical that will happen because of the amount of debt it’s carrying and has prepared contingencies.

Bloomberg reported that DSG is trying to restructure $8.6 billion in debt and may not be able to make a $140 million interest payment by mid-February. If that happens, they would have a 30-day grace period before bankruptcy talks become serious.

After the 30-day grace period DSG still may be able to control a team’s RSN, but if it is unable to pay the team -- teams are paid on different schedules during the season -- the team/MLB could get their TV rights back.

DSG could also offer teams a stake in the restructured company, which could surface as early as May or June.

“This is a situation we have been monitoring for a long time,” said Noah Garden, MLB chief revenue officer. “We have been contingency planning to ensure that no matter what happens with the RSNs, fans will be able to continue watching their favorite teams in their local market.”

Besides the Guardians, DSG holds RSNs with Arizona, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Detroit, Minnesota, Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Texas. It also has a minority stake with the Cubs’ Marquee Network and Yankees’ Yes Network.

The Guardians receive between $47 million and $52 million a year from their RSN. It is a critical source of income for them.

If DSG is unable to pay teams, MLB is prepared to step in and fulfill fans’ expectations by producing and delivering games on TV and digitally. MLB has been live streaming games since 2002, and its digital platform should allow teams to broadcast games as scheduled.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told the Associated Press on Friday, “I think you should assume that if Diamond doesn’t broadcast, we’ll be in a position to step in. Our goal would be to make games available not only within the traditional cable bundle but on the digital side, as well.”

There could be a few glitches because so much would go into handling that many games. In the 2022 season, however, MLB.TV registered over 11.5 billion minutes watched by fans. Five of the most watched games ever took place in 2022. MLB certainly has the infrastructure to do this if DSG has to punt.

A seismic change like that may even lead to teams reaching a broader audience because the blackout rules could change to allow fans more access via direct-to-consumer streaming services instead of being tied to cable. That’s what kind of revolution is percolating right now with DSG, its MLB clients and the league.

MLB, in preparation for this possibility, hired Billy Chambers for the newly created position of executive vice president, local media. Chambers worked for Sinclair when it acquired 21 RSNs from Disney for $10 billion in 2019. He also worked with FOX Sports and was the CEO when it sold 22 RSNs to Disney.

If anyone has a detailed knowledge of this situation it’s Chambers.

Should DSG be unable to pay teams their rights fees, MLB is confident teams would still be paid along the same lines that they have been paid in the past. Distributors would still purchase content (games) from the RSNs, and that money would go to the teams.

Recently Bally Sports Great Lakes released its spring training and regular season schedules for the Guardians as if everything was normal. But it feels like change is coming.

<

10 questions facing the Guardians as spring training workouts begin

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Feb. 14, 2023, 4:17 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

The Guardians, in their first season under a new name, were one of baseball’s best stories in 2022.

But all feel-good stories come to an end, which is why manager Terry Francona spent the offseason saying that he hoped his team could turn last season’s success into a long-running series. The Guardians began optional workouts on Tuesday at Goodyear, Arizona, for players playing in the World Baseball Classic.

The regular reporting date for pitchers and catchers is Friday with the first full-squad workout scheduled for Feb. 21. With the exhibition season starting on Feb. 25, it’s expected that most of Cleveland’s roster will be in camp well before that.

Here are 10 questions facing the Guardians for the 2023 season with multiple answers to each one

No. 1: Is the new balanced schedule a good thing for the Guardians?

Best-case scenario:

The Guardians, despite playing 22 fewer games (52 compared to 76) in the AL Central this season, still manage to repeat as division champion. That’s quite an accomplishment because they went 47-29 in the Central last season.

Worst-case scenario:

The fact that the Guardians play 60 games against teams with winning records in 2023, according to Jayson Stark of the Athletic, as opposed to 46 games last year, makes repeating as division champion challenging. (Those numbers are based on the final standings from 2022.)

What will probably happen:

The Guardians, despite their interleague schedule going from 20 to 46 games, hold their own with the balanced schedule. They were 12-8 against the National League last year, including a 5-2 record against postseason qualifiers Los Angeles and San Diego. They may not win 92 games this season, but they should still be in contention for the division title or a wild card spot.



No. 2. Can Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac keep the last two spots in the rotation?

Best-case scenario:

Civale, after two years of dealing with injuries, gets through spring training healthy and is able to refine the rest of his pitches to match the effectiveness of his 2022 curve (.124 batting average against). Plesac stays away from self-inflicted injuries, gets some help from his teammates in terms of run support, and has a bounce back year after going 3-12 with a 4.31 ERA last season.

Worse-case scenario:

The hard times continue for both pitchers, forcing the Guardians to dip into their deep well of prospects, and putting Civale’s and Plesac’s future with the club in doubt. The Guardians have three years of control over both pitchers.

What will probably happen:

Civale and Plesac will have normal spring trainings, break camp in the rotation, but at some point during the season Guardians fans will get to see Daniel Espino, Gavin Williams, Cody Morris, Xzavion Curry, Tanner Bibee or Konnor Pilkington to name a few.



No. 3. Should the Guardians fear an outbreak of the sophomore jinx after having 17 rookies make their big league debuts last year?

Best-case scenario:

Some of those 17 rookies -- Will Benson, Kirk McCarty, Tanner Tully, Alex Call, Nolan Jones -- are no longer in the organization. The ones that remain, Steven Kwan, Oscar Gonzalez, Gabriel Arias, Will Brennan, etc., will let the media worry about the sophomore jinx and just keep doing their jobs.

Worst-case scenario: The Guardians’ young roster isn’t going to catch anyone napping in 2023. That means a lot of attention is going to be paid to them and there could be some regression among their young players.

What will probably happen:

Consistency separates players. Players such as Kwan, Gonzalez and Pilkington set base lines last year. Others like Arias, Brennan, Richie Palacios and Tyler Freeman didn’t get enough playing time to do so. Some of those players will push above or drop below their baseline, while others will be busy establishing theirs.



No. 4. Will center fielder Myles Straw contribute offensively in 2023?

Best-case scenario:

Baseball Reference projects that Straw will hit .242 (122 for 504) with 23 doubles, three triples, four homers and 40 RBI in 2023. If projections were facts, the Guardians would be smiling right now.

Worst-case scenario:

Instead of an outlier, Straw’s 2022 season -- .221/.291/.273 -- becomes a trend. So much so that not even his Gold Glove defense can keep him in the lineup regularly.

What will probably happen:

Straw has slashed .247/.322/.313 in the big leagues. In the minors he slashed .305/.394/.379. Last September he hit .308 (33 for 107). His overall numbers, and the work he put in during the offseason, favor a return to those career numbers.



No. 5. Did the Guardians make enough moves over the winter to hang on to first place in the AL Central?

Best-case scenario:

Switch-hitting first baseman-DH Josh Bell provides the power and production that was missing from the middle of the order last year. Catcher Mike Zunino, after showing he’s healthy in spring training, leads the pitching staff and provides power from the bottom of the lineup.

Worst-case scenario: Bell’s struggles following his trade from Washignton to San Diego last season continue in 2023. Zunino shows some rust after his 2022 season was limited to 36 games because of thoracic syndrome surgery on his left shoulder.

What will probably happen:

Bell, motivated by shift limitations and an opt out in his two-year $33 million contract, has a solid year hitting behind Kwan, Amed Rosario and Jose Ramirez. Zunino, who eases into spring training, provides more pop that Austin Hedges (146 homers to 66).



No. 6. How does rookie catcher Bo Naylor fit?

Best-case scenario:

Naylor opens the season at Class AAA Columbus and continues his solid play from last year (.263, 21 HRs, 68 RBI, 20 steals, .888 OPS). He’s promoted at some point this season, learning and playing behind Zunino.

Worst-case scenario: Zunino is unable to handle the bulk of the catching and the backups the Guardians have assembled need help. That means Naylor gets rushed to the big leagues.

What will probably happen: The Guardians want to make sure that Naylor gets as much playing time as possible. If Zunino is healthy and does most of the catching in Cleveland, Naylor will probably stay in Columbus for most of the season ... and there’s nothing wrong with that.



No. 7. How will James Karinchak handle the pitch clock?

Best-case scenario:

Few pitchers go through more pre-pitch gyrations than Karinchak, but he said last season that he’ll have no problem adjusting to the pitch clock this year. Starting in spring training, a pitcher will have 15 seconds to deliver a pitch with the bases empty and 20 seconds with a runner on base.

Worst-case scenario:

In 2021 Karinchak struggled when MLB cracked down on pitchers using “sticky stuff” to get a better grip on the ball. He adjusted, but he had to go to the minors. Could the same thing happen with the pitch clock?

What will probably happen:

Karinchak will still go to the rosin bag, tug at the back of his hair and flip the ball in the air between pitches, he’ll just do it faster.



No. 8. Will the Guardians break their single-season club record of 210 stolen bases set in 1917 this year?

Best-case scenario:

The Guardians finished second in the AL with 119 steals last year. This season the bases have been expanded from 15 inches to 18 inches and pitchers are limited to two pickoff attempts. That’s an invitation to run for the five Guardians who stole 18 or more bases last season -- Straw 21, Andres Gimenez 20, Ramirez 20, Kwan 19 and Rosario 18.

Worst-case scenario:

No matter how much action MLB is trying to restore to the game, adding an additional 91 stolen bases from last year’s total is a big ask for the Guardians.

What will probably happen: The Guards, as long as their basestealers stay healthy, are going to be running this year. But Francona’s clubs never run just to run. He likes an 80% success rate -- last year they were at 82% (119 for 146). That could be hard to maintain if a track meet breaks out every day.



No. 9. Who’s next after 17 rookies made their debuts last year?

Best-case scenario:

The Guardians play well and are able to strategically add players from the farm system for spot starts, doubleheaders and injuries that don’t require a prolonged stay on the injured list. George Valera, Brayan Rocchio, Logan Allen Espino and Williams are candidates.

Worst-case scenario:

Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff are forced to promote players from the minor league system because of a rash of injuries or poor performances. It happened in 2019 when Civale and Plesac were promoted to the big leagues following several injuries to the starting rotation.

What will probably happen: The 26-man roster a team opens the season with can change quickly. Movement like that will open the door to the next wave of Cleveland prospects. The only question is how long they stay.



No. 10. Will the Guardians sign a player to an extension by the end of spring training?

Best-case scenario:

A lot of teams have spent the winter signing players to extensions, but the Guardians usually get serious about such things during spring training. Last year they reached deals with Straw and closer Emmanuel Clase. There are a lot of candidates this spring including Triston McKenzie, Gimenez and Kwan.

Worst-case scenario:

The train has probably left the station on Shane Bieber and Rosario, but they did reach a deal in the midnight hour with Jose Ramirez last spring.

What will probably happen:

The Guardians, with so many young players on the roster, have a lot of choices for an extension. They’ll probably sign one of them, and it could be someone you least expect.

<

MLB futures odds: Guardians a lock in American League Central? Not so fast

By Jared Shlensky | Last updated 2/14/23

The AL Central might have been the worst division in baseball from top to bottom in 2022, but at least it was competitive up until the last month of the season. Eventually Cleveland pulled away late in the second half to win the division, but Chicago and Minnesota kept things interesting for a while. However, does that mean the Guardians are a lock to repeat as division champs in 2023? Maybe. But maybe not.

It’s been a busy offseason for all five teams in the AL Central and similar to last year, we expect this division to come down to the White Sox, Guardians and Twins once again. Cleveland finished with 92 wins and was the only team to finish above .500, and while we don’t think only one team finishes north of .500 in 2023, we wouldn’t be surprised if 88 wins is enough to take home the AL Central.

Every team has +150 or better odds to win the AL Central, which tells us even the book is unsure who is going to win the AL Central. You can certainly make the argument that Kansas City and Detroit have improved on paper from last season, but they simply have too many holes to win this division. Chicago, Cleveland and Minnesota also have their fair share of weaknesses, but not nearly as many as the Tigers and Royals.

If there’s one thing you should remember, it’s this: If you like to put a little bit of money on multiple teams to win a particular division in order to increase your chances of getting at least some money back, this is the division to do it on. Why? Because Cleveland, Chicago and Minnesota all have a pretty equal shot of winning this division.

Cleveland (+150) is slightly favored ahead of Chicago (+160), followed by Minnesota (+290). And to be honest, we’re really surprised in how wide the gap is between the Twins and the Guardians and White Sox. Minnesota stayed in the hunt for a while, but injuries and stretches of really bad pitching were too much for the Twins to overcome, however, we’re not so certain that happens again this season. Detroit (+2500) and KC (+4000) round out the division, and as we said earlier, they both should be better than they were last year, but they’re still a couple of years away from contending for the AL Central.

Kansas City Royals

To win the Division: +4000
Win Total: Over 69.5 (-110)/Under 69.5 (-110)
Key Returning Players: RHP Zack Greinke, C Salvador Perez, RHP Brady Singer, RHP Scott Barlow, IF Nicky Lopez, IF Bobby Witt Jr.
Key Additions: LHP Aroldis Chapman
Key Losses: IF Adalberto Mondesi, OF Michael A. Taylor

Kansas City finished a game back of Detroit for last in the AL Central in 2022, and expectations aren’t all that high for the Royals in 2023. On paper KC has a couple of former All-Stars – Zack Greinke and Salvador Perez – who are on the back end of their careers, and two budding prospects – Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinny Pasquantino – who had really nice rookie seasons in 2022, but if the Royals are going to take the next step forward, they’re going to need Pasquantino and Witt Jr. to be even better in 2023.

And most importantly, they’re going to need to find some answers in the starting rotation outside of Brady Singer. The Royals finished with the fifth-worst ERA in all of baseball a year ago, and if there’s any shot of KC shocking the world in 2023, guys like Kris Bubic and Daniel Lynch will need to pitch a lot better this year. Scott Barlow was great as the team’s closer, and adding a reliever like Aroldis Chapman who has seen just about everything should certainly help KC, but this team still has a lot of holes outside of an improved bullpen.

Who knows, maybe first-year skipper Matt Quatraro is just the guy the Royals need to get this thing going in the right direction, but don’t expect a complete 360 in 2023. KC should be better than they were last year, just not good enough to win the AL Central.

Detroit Tigers

To win the Division: +2500
Win Total: Over 69.5 (-110)/Under 69.5 (-110)
Key Returning Players: DH Miguel Cabrera, IF Jonathan Schoop, IF Javier Baez, OF Akil Baddoo, LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP Tarik Skubal
Key Additions: RHP Michael Lorenzen
Key Losses: LHP Gregory Soto

The Tigers spent a lot of money in free agency two years ago on shortstop Javier Baez (six years, $140 million) and starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (five years, $77 million), and both couldn’t have performed much worst than they did last year in their first season in Detroit. Not only did Baez lead all of baseball with 26 errors in 2022, the former All-Star had his worst offensive season since he made his MLB debut back in 2014. Meanwhile Rodriguez made just 17 starts in an injury plagued season, finishing with a 5-5 record and an ERA just over four.

If Detroit is going to even finish around .500 in 2023, they’ll need both Rodriguez and Baez to perform like All-Stars. And the same goes for future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera and second baseman Jonathan Schoop. Detroit’s starting staff needs to improve significantly after finishing with the eighth-worst ERA in 2023. Michael Lorenzen definitely improves the Tigers’ starting rotation, but losing Gregory Soto to the Phillies in free agency definitely hurts. The Tigers' bullpen was by far and away the best part of last year’s team, and losing its anchor in Soto is an absolute gut punch.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Detroit finishes last in the division in 2023, so instead of even thinking about taking the Tigers to win the AL Central, take them to finish with under 69.5 wins. We know AJ Hinch won a World Series with the Astros back in 2017, but we’re not even sure Hall of Fame skippers like Joe Torre or Bobby Cox could get this club to finish .500.

Minnesota Twins

To win the Division: +290
Win Total: Over 81.5 (-110)/Under 81.5 (-110)
Key Returning Players: IF Carlos Correa, OF Byron Buxton, RHP Sonny Gray, RHP Jhoan Duran, RHP Jorge Lopez, RHP Kenta Maeda
Key Additions: RHP Pablo Lopez, OF Joey Gallo
Key Losses: IF Gio Urshela, IF Luiz Arraez

The Twins arguably made the biggest surprise of the offseason when they traded AL batting champ Luis Arraez to Miami for starting pitcher Pablo Lopez and a pair of prospects. To be honest, they might regret this trade in the end, but they desperately needed starting pitching, and Lopez is a solid No. 2 or No. 3 starter. And with the AL Central some what up for grabs, this deal makes sense for the short term, just not necessarily for the long haul.

However, offense hasn’t been the issue for the Twins. It’s been the pitching, particularly the starting rotation. Twins starters were in the bottom half of the league in ERA, and adding Lopez to mix, plus a healthy Kenta Maeda should make a big difference. Joe Ryan and Sonny Gray were solid in 2022, and they’ll need them to be just as good in 2023 if this team is going to win the division.

Re-signing shortstop Carlos Correa certainly has mixed feelings after failing a physical with the Mets and Giants in the offseason, and the Twins desperately need him to be healthy. Same goes for outfielder Byron Buxton and rookie utility man Royce Lewis.

So, if the Twins can stay healthy – we know, that’s a big if – and if the rotation is more consistent and Jorge Lopez and Jhoan Duran pitch like they did in 2023, the Twins could be scary good. Like 90+ wins good. However, we’re not convinced all that happens, and ultimately, we see them more as a Wild Card team.

Chicago White Sox

To win the Division: +160
Win Total: Over 83 (-110)/Under 83 (-110)
Key Returning Players: RHP Dylan Cease, OF Luis Robert, OF/DH Eloy Jimenez, SS Tim Anderson, RHP Liam Hendriks, RHP Michael Kopech,
Key Additions: OF Andrew Benintendi, OF Billy Hamilton, RHP Mike Clevinger
Key Losses: OF AJ Pollock, 1B/DH Jose Abreu, RHP Johnny Cueto

2023 will tell White Sox fans two things. One, Tony La Russa was the problem, or two, Chicago simply overachieved in 2021. La Russa might be a Hall of Fame manager, but he looked a little too old to be in a big-league dugout last year. So, the White Sox made finding a new skipper their No. 1 priority in the offseason, and decided to go with Pedro Grifol. Grifol won a World Series as a coach with KC back in 2015, and was the team’s bench coach the previous three seasons. Now how he does as a manager has yet to be seen, but chances are he can’t be much worse than La Russa was last year.

But you can’t put all the blame on La Russa. The White Sox had a myriad of injuries and really struggled offensively. Chicago drew the second-fewest walks last season, didn’t have one player hit 20 home runs, and really struggled to close out games in the later innings. That will need to change in 2023 if the White Sox are going to win the AL Central.

Plus, they’ll need Aaron Bummer to pitch like he did back in 2019, find a way to replace Jose Abreu’s bat in the middle of the order and leadership in the locker room, and potentially find a new closer as All-Star Liam Hendriks was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in January. Signing Andrew Benintendi certainly makes the White Sox lineup more dangerous, but this team will need a lot of guys to step up – Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Andrew Vaughn, Michael Kopech, etc. – if they’re going to win the division.

Ultimately though, we see the White Sox staying much healthier and winning the AL Central. Expect guys like Jimenez, Anderson and Robert to each have big years, maybe even career years, and lead the White Sox to the division title.

Cleveland Guardians

To win the Division: +150
Win Total: Over 87 (-110)/Under 87 (-110)
Key Returning Players: RHP Emmanuel Clase, 3B Jose Ramirez, OF Steven Kwan, RHP Shane Bieber, RHP Tristan McKenzie, RHP James Karinchak, IF Andres Gimenez
Key Additions: C Mike Zunino, 1B Josh Bell
Key Losses: C Austin Hedges

The Guardians won the division by 11 games last year, but they didn’t pull away for good till September. Cleveland went 21-8 in September, but up until the final 40 games of the season, Chicago and Minnesota were right on their tail. No matter who wins the AL Central this year, expect multiple teams to be in it till the end.

Terry Francona did wonders with this “small ball” club last year, but that might not be the team’s identity in 2023. Cleveland got a big bat in Josh Bell via free agency, and he very well could be the piece that puts Cleveland over the top. Will Cleveland hit for more power in 2023? Probably. But the bigger question is will they pitch like they did in 2022?

The Guardians finished with the sixth-best ERA in baseball, and the bullpen was a main reason why. Closer Emmanuel Clase led all of baseball in games, games finished and saves, and seven different relievers made 35+ appearances and posted an ERA under 3.50. That probably won’t happen again in 2023, meaning the Guardians are going to have find different ways to win games.

Guys like Triston McKenzie, Andres Gimenez and Clase all broke out in 2022, and they’re going to need to be great again in 2023 if the Guardians are going to repeat as AL Central champions. Just like players, teams make adjustments, and now we’re going to have to wait and see how each of them respond to the adjustments teams make on them this season.

We see the Guardians winning at least 85 games, but we’re not 100% committed to them on winning the division. Shane Bieber and Jose Ramirez are proven All Stars, but no one else on the roster has put together multiple all-star seasons. We know that’s because the majority of the guys on Cleveland haven’t been in the league all that long, but if one thing is certain, replicating multiple All-Star seasons is far from easy. Just ask Cody Bellinger, Matt Harvey or Joba Chamberlain.

<

Good news, Guardians fans: The extra-inning rule is here to stay permanently

By Steve DiMatteo

Feb 14, 2023 6:33 AM EST

Like so many other aspects of baseball, the extra-inning rule is a divisive one among the sport's fans.

Instituted during the 2020 pandemic-shortened season, we've all now gotten used to the rule over the past three seasons, which sees a ghost runner starting off at second base in the tenth inning for each team, and each subsequent inning until someone finally wins the game. It's proven to shorten games and reduce the wear and tear on pitcher's arms and the psyches of people watching brutally long extra-inning affairs.

Though the rule has been met with some vitriol among baseball purists who can't conceive of such a scenario, it's been exactly the type of thing baseball needs to help not only bring excitement to the sport, but to have another weapon in the arsenal to help reduce the overall length of games over a major-league season.

And while we've all gotten acclimated to the new extra-inning fixture, it's never been a truly permanent, etched-in-stone rule - until now. MLB's Joint Competition Committee has ruled this week to make the extra-inning rule permanent in all extra-inning regular-games moving forward. That's right - regular season only.

So how might this new permanent rule affect the Cleveland Guardians? The team was 13-6 in extra innings in 2022, and while getting a runner at second to start an inning is a plus for any team, the Guardians do have the type of offense that can manufacture one vital run perhaps better than many other teams out there. And if you're talking about going to extras at home, where the Guardians have always had weird walk-off magic, the team has an ideal setup in closer Emmanuel Clase, who can certainly shut down an opposing lineup and give his team a chance to win.

So if Cleveland is inundated with extra-inning baseball this season, it might not be the worst thing.

<

Charlie Sheen to hang out with 'Major League' fans at MGM Northfield racino

George M. Thomas

Akron Beacon Journal

Feb 14, 2023 12:12 pm

or Northeast Ohio this may be an inspired way to lead off the start of the baseball season.

MGM Northfield Park presents “An Evening with Charlie Sheen & Screening of ‘Major League,’” at 7:30 p.m., April 28 at the Center Stage.



Given the popularity of David S Ward’s classic baseball film about Cleveland's baseball team and Sheen’s character of Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, this could prove to be fun.

Released in 1989, the film often lands in the Top 10 of best baseball movies made. Will Leitch of mlb.com ranks it No. 10 (too low) on his list. The rottentomatoes.com composite has it listed at No. 11 with an 83% fresh score (still too low). What do movie critics know anyway? Javier Reyes ranks it No. 5 (probably just right) on justbaseball.com.

Therefore, Jobu would be pleased.

As is the norm in this capitalistic society there are several presales beginning for those with “access” to get through beginning Thursday at 10 a.m. Tickets for us peasants go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com No prices were available.



BEST BASEBALL MOVIE EVER

<

Carlos Baerga to headline 455 Club brunch

By Marc Bona

Updated: Feb. 14, 2023, 5:31 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio –

The 455 Club will host Carlos Baerga at its luncheon Saturday, April 8.

The luncheon is 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland, across from Progressive Field.

The club, previously known as the Wahoo Club, brings together former and current Cleveland ballplayers to speak and tell stories. Its name comes from the consecutive-games sellout streak at Progressive Field, then Jacobs Field, and is immortalized in the ballpark.

The event includes autograph and photograph session, Q and A, brunch, prizes and silent auction. Later that day, the Guardians host the Mariners at 6:10 p.m.

Baerga hit .291 over a 14-year career. He spent eight seasons with Cleveland.

Cost: $49 ($42, members); $25 (ages 10 and under). PayPal, Venmo, credit cards, cash and checks are accepted.

Write Wahoo Club, P.O. Box 221142, Cleveland, Ohio 44122, attn: April 8 brunch. Checks should be made payable to Wahoo Club. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

MLB Is About to Become Much More Exciting

Even more than you realize, the end of the shift will be a boon for left-handed hitters—and the sport’s entertainment factor.

TOM VERDUCCI

Feb 14, 2023 15 HOURS AGO

“A stalling game is a game between coaches. But the [shot] clock gives the game back to the players.”

—Jacksonville basketball coach Bob Wenzel, 1982

This is the year baseball gives the game back to the players. The bans on shifts and stationing infielders in the outfield help restore baseball as an athletic competition, not an intramural competition among analytics departments as to who can build a better algorithm.

The Shift Era is over. Good riddance. May it never come back.

It was an ugly era and even more deleterious to your enjoyment of the game than you realized. The biggest cost of The Shift Era: it destroyed left-handed hitting.

The shift turned traditional baseball upside down. By design and by human nature, baseball always was a game that favored left-handed hitting. Because players run the bases counterclockwise, left-handed hitters begin closer to first base than righthanders. Because most pitches are thrown by righthanders (73% last year), lefties get the platoon advantage far more often.

But then shifts came along. The adoption was slow at first—only 12% of pitches in 2017. Then shifts more than doubled in just two years, to 26%. And then it became mainstream as teams invested more resources in analytics and saw how much it depressed offense. Over the past three years the shift rate was 32%—but most importantly, 52% to lefties.

In that time of rapid growth, teams learned how to pitch into the shift. For instance, from 2017 to ’22 cutters from right-handed pitchers to left-handed hitters—pitches boring on a hitter’s hands and almost impossible to carve away to the opposite field—jumped 49%!

Lefties were put at a major disadvantage—not by their own making, but by the making of front offices and by MLB, which allowed the entertainment-killing scheme to continue. Shifts rendered left-handed hitting the worst it’s been in at least a generation.

(Shifts work better against lefties than righties because with a shorter throw to the pull side infielders can play deeper, covering more ground.)

This line graph tells you how fast and by how much shifts changed the game. It tracks the difference in batting averages of left-handed hitters vs. right-handed hitters since 2002. The delta shows the age-old edge for lefties—until ’20, when baseball truly became an unfair game for lefties.



If there is an argument in favor of shifts it is that they are intellectual capital that should be protected, not regulated. If my team builds a better mousetrap than your team, why should we be punished by regulations that even the playing field?

Such an argument works fine in capitalism, but it is garbage when it comes to why big-time sports exist: entertainment. Nobody bought a ticket to watch analytics departments crunch numbers. Every sport must balance innovation—or in today’s parlance, the hacking of the sport—against entertainment. A thumb must always be placed on the entertainment side of the scale.

Fifty years ago, on a Friday night in December, Temple played at Tennessee in the championship game of a season-opening basketball tournament, the Volunteer Classic. Tennessee had run DePaul off the court, 96–61, in the semis. Temple coach Don Casey wasn’t going to let that happen. With no shot clock then, he decided his Owls would milk the clock with each possession.

Tennessee coach Ray Mears had his own play. He decided to stick to a zone defense rather than play man-to-man against the quicker Temple team. What happened that night was that two coaches staged the most boring college basketball game ever played.

The score at halftime was 7–5, Tennessee. The second half did not include a single field goal. Temple held the ball—with two guards passing the ball back and forth while the Vols stuck to their zone—for 32:05 of the 40 minutes. Tennessee won, 11–6.

The fans pelted the floor with ice. Tennessee was so embarrassed that the school president asked Mears to bring the team back to the floor to play an intrasquad scrimmage.

Scoring declined every year for the next decade in men’s college basketball. Coaches ruled the game with zone defenses and stall tactics, taking the game away from the players and fans. Dean Smith of North Carolina was considered a genius for his four-corners offense. He once said he used the clock-killing, sleep-inducing tactic 107 times to protect a lead between 1966 and ’72. His record with that tactic: 105–2.

Intellectual capital? Baloney. The Sun Belt conference, which saw a 22–20 championship game snoozer in 1978, understood. It adopted a shot clock in ’81. Four years later, the NCAA introduced a 45-second clock, which became a 35-second clock in ’93. The game thrived. Players decided games, not coaches.

Baseball finally is having its shot-clock moment, an awareness that the most entertaining form of sport is when the game belongs to those who play it. The shift altered careers. Players such as Brandon Belt, Brian McCann, Jay Bruce, Kole Calhoun, Alex Gordon, Ryan Howard, David Ortiz, Carlos Santana, Kyle Schwarber and Joey Votto have statistics less than what they would have been in a traditional game—and yes, Shohei Ohtani, too.

Ohtani made 64 outs on balls hit at least 100 mph against the shift last year. Only Corey Seager and Yordan Alvarez suffered more often on such extremely hard-hit balls when facing the shift. Overall last year there were 4,080 100-mph rocket outs against the shift, about four times as many as in 2015 (1,067). Ohtani, Seager, Alvarez ... these are stars of the game being held down by “intellectual capital.”



Seager is the most extreme example of how the shift changed the game and careers. In 2016, when he saw just 11% shifts, Seager hit .333 on balls in play to the pull side. Last year, he hit .239 on those same balls while facing 93% shifts.

Seager lost at least eight hits just on balls that were hit 100 mph or more, usually with the second baseman playing in short right field. Watching a second baseman catch a line drive 210 feet from home plate is the equivalent of watching a college basketball team run the four corners. It’s a bad look for everyone except the genius who concocted how to take fun and athleticism out of athletics.

This year baseball will look better. The traditional spacing of infielders will return, inviting athleticism and effort, rather than the clusters of large appliance-sized fielders planted where a laminated card cooked up by math wizards tells them to stand. You will see more diving attempts and more well-struck balls being the hits they always have been, which means more rallies and more baserunning.

The shift turned baseball into what college basketball was before the shot clock: a more boring game dictated by people not competing on the field. After the Sun Belt adopted the shot clock, then-South Alabama coach Cliff Ellis explained why the game had to be taken out of coaches’ hands.

“When a family spends $40 on tickets, food and beverages, a 22–20 game won’t make them happy,” he said. “We’re in the entertainment business, and that’s not entertainment.”

This year you will enjoy baseball like you have not for years (and that’s not even considering baseball’s hallelujah innovation, the pitch timer). But nobody will enjoy it more than left-handed hitters. Here is how badly The Shift Era destroyed left-handed hitting:

Since the mound was lowered in 1969, there had never been a season with as few as 10 left-handed hitters with 150 hits. Then it happened in 2021. And again in ’22. That was half as many as there were in ’17 (20) and less than a quarter as in ’98 (43).

Left-handed hitters’ on-base percentage (.309), batting average (.236) and wOBA (.306) last season were the worst in at least 21 years.

Yankees left-handed hitters last year set the template to how the shift skewed the traditional reward system: Don’t try to hit through it; try to hit over it. They hit just .214 while leading the majors in fly-ball percentage and pull percentage and finishing last in ground-ball percentage. Nearly one quarter of their hits from lefthanders were home runs (24%).

The big-picture proof of the skewed reward system: left-handed hitters last year had 4,088 fewer hits than they did in 2009, a decline of 21%. They lost 29 points off their batting average (.265 to .236) and 22 points when they put the ball in play (.305 to .283). But they did hit home runs at a higher rate.

Blue Jays left-handed hitters hit just 20 home runs and had 202 hits. Both totals were fewer than Charlie Blackmon had by himself in 2017. They have since added Daulton Varsho, Kevin Kiermaier and Brandon Belt, all lefties.

Twenty-five free agents signed contracts of three years or more this winter. Only two were left-handed hitters with big-league experience: Brandon Nimmo (8 years, $162 million) and Andrew Benintendi (5 years, $75 million), neither of whom has ever hit more than 20 homers or driven in more than 90 runs. A third lefty batter, Masataka Yoshida, signed with the Red Sox for five years and $90 million after playing seven professional seasons in Japan.

To worsen matters, while the shift took away hits from left-handed hitters, the flow of lefties into the big leagues declined. There are fewer left-handed hitters in MLB than at any time in the past two decades. From 2013 to ’22, at bats by lefties dropped 12%. They accounted for 44% of at bats a decade ago but only 39% last year.

Ah, but now there is hope. Twelve of the top 29 draft picks last year were left-handed hitters, plus two switch-hitters. The baseball world that Jackson Holliday, Termarr Johnson and the other lefties of their generation will inherit is set up to be a fairer and more entertaining one.

<

Bo Naylor cherishing chance to represent Canada in Classic

Mandy Bell

Feb 14, 2023 4:45 PM CST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Freshly turned 17-year-old Bo Naylor could only imagine what his older brother was experiencing.

In 2017, Josh Naylor was a highly regarded prospect in the Padres’ system and decided to join Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. His playing time was sparse and his team didn’t win a game, but the idea of representing his country was a dream to him -- exactly as it is for his brother now.

As the younger Naylor heard stories from his older brother and their parents (who traveled to Miami to watch Josh compete) at the time, Bo, who was still in high school and a year away from being drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft, started to get the itch to one day be able to play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. Now, he has his chance.

“I think that a lot of Canadians, especially, that’s something that means a lot to them,” Naylor said. “That program really does a lot to instill that want and desire to represent their country.”

Naylor will join teammate Cal Quantrill on Canada’s roster for this year’s tournament. Josh decided against participating this time around, but Bo leaned on his brother throughout the offseason, wondering if this experience would be worth it and learning all about what Josh had gone through in 2017.

Everything Bo heard made his decision so simple: Obviously, he wanted to play.

Josh and Bo both have had experiences representing their countries before becoming professionals. They each played for Canada’s Junior National Team growing up and have beamed with pride every chance they’ve had to represent their homeland.

“When you kind of have that taste at an early age and you get an opportunity like this,” Naylor said, “it just makes things way, way more special.”



It’s so easy to say “yes” to an opportunity like this. Naylor will be able to get competitive games under his belt before the regular season gets underway and he’ll represent his country in the process. But for a player who is trying to earn his everyday spot on the big league roster, there can be concern with him being away from his team for a chunk of Spring Training. However, the soon-to-be 23-year-old backstop is up for the challenge.

“It's building those incredible relationships and really creating a great foundation beforehand,” Naylor said. “Just putting a lot of emphasis that I can while I'm here into my game, into being around a new group of guys, learning new guys, how they think and just being around that clubhouse environment.”

With the way many in Cleveland’s organization have raved about Naylor’s hunger for feedback and desire to learn, it seems like he should be able to handle this balance seamlessly. He came up at the end of the regular season last year, made just five appearances and was carried on the postseason rosters to soak up as much of the big league experience as he could.



“Going into the offseason, I knew the kind of level of the game that I wanted to get back to,” Naylor said. “Having that experience gave me that insight as to how much work I really needed to do and, with every day that passed, I really tried to make every day worth it and count.”

The Guardians have been confident that Naylor is the future behind the plate for this club, even if the future isn’t starting just yet. When the team announced that it had signed Mike Zunino -- meaning Naylor wouldn’t be the starting catcher out of the gate -- instead of getting frustrated, he was eager to learn.

“You almost ask yourself, how can you not want to take as much as you can from someone like him, who’s got a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge in this game?” Naylor said. “And me always wanting to get better at stuff, I think that when you come across someone who has the knowledge that they do like him, it only just makes you want to learn more and more.”



It’s all but certain we’ll see Naylor in the big leagues this year. When? That’s yet to be determined. So, what would a successful 2023 season look like to him?

“Ultimately, my goal is to be someone in this game who sticks around for a long time,” Naylor said. “As much knowledge as I can gain and as quickly as I can gain it, that ultimately will be my definition of success.”

<

https://youtu.be/51JPI3bqnYY

<

https://youtu.be/qIK37Erco68

<

https://youtu.be/Z3QJ1H-uEDU

<

Gonzalez out to prove breakout '22 was no fluke

Mandy Bel

2/15/23 4:33 PM CST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --

The airport doors opened and Oscar Gonzalez couldn’t help but flash an enormous grin.

He had just been a hero for the Guardians in the postseason to cap his breakout rookie year -- which was better than expected. After Cleveland was eliminated from the playoffs, Gonzalez flew home to the Dominican Republic, where he was surprised to see herds of people waiting for him to exit the airport.

t was mostly his family that was crowding those hallways, but Gonzalez said some fans from the area were there, too. Singing and chanting broke out, translating the now-25-year-old’s walk-up song -- the theme from “Spongebob Squarepants,” if you haven’t heard by now -- into Spanish.

Gonzalez’s loved ones rushed him. He was a star to them, as expected. But he was then escorted outside to a white SUV before he changed his sweater to a Guardians jersey to embark on a parade route from the airport back to his hometown.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Gonzalez said with a grin, through team interpreter Agustin Rivero. “I knew I was gonna do something, and in my mind it was maybe something simpler, smaller -- but it ended up being something significant. Somehow bigger than I expected.”

Fans lined the streets. Gonzalez waved and smiled as the top half of his body poked out the roof of the car. People were screaming for him. Fireworks were set off. It was the warm welcome of a true celebrity, one who represented his friends and family on baseball’s biggest stage.

“It was just like seeing my hometown all together rooting for me,” Gonzalez reflected.

Eventually, Gonzalez made it back to his house. Little did he know he was in store for another surprise. One of his brothers got together with the rest of his family to make a sign that read, “Welcome to Bikini Bottom, Spongebob,” in Spanish. The sign has Gonzalez batting with a big picture of Spongebob in the background.

It wasn’t just the fan base that bought into the Spongebob theme; Gonzalez’s family is fully invested.

“I never had an idea [Spongebob] was going to be this big,” Gonzalez said, with a laugh.

It was just a children’s show that Gonzalez loved growing up (or maybe still to this day, considering his profile lists “Spongebob Squarepants” as his favorite TV show in Cleveland’s media guide). All he wanted was to give kids something to enjoy when watching the game that he loved so much. Now, it’s one of the biggest things he’s known for.

Gonzalez’s other claims to fame? Well, he delivered the walk-off homer in the 15th inning of Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Rays that sent his team to the next round. Then in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees, he served a two-run walk-off single up the middle to give Cleveland the edge in the series.

“My dad always likes to replay all those games,” Gonzalez said. “We watched all those games [this offseason]. One of those times I was standing next to him and seeing the situation -- that’s when it really touched my heart.”

During his Minor League career, Gonzalez was known for his power and his ability to hit. But his lack of plate discipline was a red flag when it came to transferring his talent to the big league level. Instead, Gonzalez proved that he can produce, hitting .296 with 27 doubles and 43 RBIs in 91 games in the Majors in ’22.

<