Official Cleveland Guardians (fka Cleveland Indians) 2022 Season Thread

[OhioPlayer]

have been watching some Grapefruit League games--Arias looks legit-skipped AA ball and was the third youngest player in AAA. i'm sure the Guardians will keep him down to control his years. The outfield looks like a trainwreck unless they can get franmil reyes to play out there regularly. Bullpen is Clase without many other experienced relievers.

[RobTheGood]

Maybe this thread title doesn’t need the old team name displayed…

[JRamIsTheKing]

I have to admit, as a lifelong Indians fan dating to Super Joe, I am really struggling to connect to the team. Listening to a game and they are talking about some team I've never heard of. Most players that are unknown, and those that are known are being offered for trade. The team does nothing to improve year after year. I no longer live in Ohio.

Leaning toward becoming a free agent.

[tribefan1979]

My username is tribefan1979 and I'm not sure I could name half the players that will be in our starting lineup on opening day.

[lambeauleap87]

Love that the two free agent signings were in the form of a AAAA back-up catcher and Bryan Shaw. This team isn't even going to pretend to try to be watchable with a $45 million payroll and holes at catcher, 1B, 2B, LF, and RF (and throughout the bullpen). All while disconnecting from the fan base with a botched rebrand.

At least they went all-in on their NRI deals this year with Enyel de los Santos, the retread corpse of Sandy Leon, Jake Jewell, and Ian Gibaut.

[callou2131]

Bobby Bradley is the GOAT

[asujbl]

I've never cared about a Baseball season less than I do right now

[fungi2510]

So maybe the axe should fall on this thread. Kinda useless, don'tcha think?

[Raleigh504]

It will be useless until they go on a run and some how become playoff relevant for a month or so.... or if:

- Franmil stays healthy and hits a ton of HR
- J-Ram is top 3 in MVP voting through the whole year with a shot at winning
- Bieber/Civale/Plesac all have a great year and are top 15 in Cy Young with one of them winning it
- McKenzie looking like a legit #1 starter


This could all happen, but we will have no run support. J-Ram will go 2-4, Franmil will hit a HR with no one on. The starter will either have no runs and then the bullpen gives up the 1-0 lead or give up 1 run in a 0-1 loss.

[Raleigh504]

Originally Posted by tribefan1979

My username is tribefan1979 and I'm not sure I could name half the players that will be in our starting lineup on opening day.

Granted nobody is a real lock for starting except

3B J-Ram (unless they trade him)
CF Straw
DH Franmil

To me, every position is really open and the guys who are competing for them are AAAA players, farm system guys, some old guy they signed as an invite or someone who started 2-3 years ago and then lost their job.

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by Raleigh504

It will be useless until they go on a run and some how become playoff relevant for a month or so.... or if:

- Franmil stays healthy and hits a ton of HR
- J-Ram is top 3 in MVP voting through the whole year with a shot at winning
- Bieber/Civale/Plesac all have a great year and are top 15 in Cy Young with one of them winning it
- McKenzie looking like a legit #1 starter


This could all happen, but we will have no run support. J-Ram will go 2-4, Franmil will hit a HR with no one on. The starter will either have no runs and then the bullpen gives up the 1-0 lead or give up 1 run in a 0-1 loss.

IF Biebs returns to form I expect the SP to be among the league's best ERA wise. Im expecting strong showings from T McK and Quantrill. Both are talented enough to not need Civale and Plesac to be world beaters IMO.

The offense though, yeah lots and lots of question marks. Maybe a Steven Kwan -type surprises and becomes a solid OF for them. Maybe Bradley is consistent enough to let the power play all year. Maybe Bradley Zimmer isnt a total stiff. Who knows.

[Raleigh504]

Originally Posted by LVDan

IF Biebs returns to form I expect the SP to be among the league's best ERA wise. Im expecting strong showings from T McK and Quantrill. Both are talented enough to not need Civale and Plesac to be world beaters IMO.

The offense though, yeah lots and lots of question marks. Maybe a Steven Kwan -type surprises and becomes a solid OF for them. Maybe Bradley is consistent enough to let the power play all year. Maybe Bradley Zimmer isnt a total stiff. Who knows.

Agreed, if we let up 2+ runs then realistically we won't have a chance to win. Hopefully Bradley can hit 35+ HR (with limiting Ks) and Franmil can get 42+. I expect Ramirez to hit a lot of doubles like he did in 2017 when he led the league. That will help out in getting (hopefully) an easy run each time.

Also, I think they shut down a lot of their staff last year because they didn't have a shot at going to the playoffs/wanted the young guys to play and see for this year. So I think Bieber will be fine, it is just getting off the rust from not facing competition in so long.

[JRX]

You mean the 37M payroll isn't going to fill the seats? Another cheapskate owner that has completely ruined a franchise and decided to just bank the revenue sharing money. I remember when they set the records for sellouts. Ramirez probably gets traded this year or next. Bieber as well.

[lambeauleap87]

Originally Posted by LVDan

IF Biebs returns to form I expect the SP to be among the league's best ERA wise. Im expecting strong showings from T McK and Quantrill. Both are talented enough to not need Civale and Plesac to be world beaters IMO.

The offense though, yeah lots and lots of question marks. Maybe a Steven Kwan -type surprises and becomes a solid OF for them. Maybe Bradley is consistent enough to let the power play all year. Maybe Bradley Zimmer isnt a total stiff. Who knows.

I can't figure out what they are doing in the outfield - you know at this point Zimmer (850+ career PAs with a .657 OPS/79 wRC+), Mercado (800+ career PAs, .686 OPS/82 wRC+), and Naylor (650 career PAs, .695 OPS/87 wRC+ coming off a massive injury with -- defense) are not legitimate MLB players, at least not on good teams.

Nolan Jones was bad last year and still hasn't resumed full activity off of his injury late last season. George Valera has 100 PAs above A-ball. They want to try Amed Rosario in LF (with all of 126 career innings there as a career SS).

I think their complete lack of planning in the OF is the most discouraging part because it's like they didn't even fake an attempt - the AAA outfield right now is going to be failed prospects/TTO guys Will Benson/Oscar Gonzalez with Daniel Johnson too, who belongs in the Mercado/Zimmer bucket. Not even any NRI signings to hold out fake hope for!

[tribefan26]

Originally Posted by tribefan1979

My username is tribefan1979 and I'm not sure I could name half the players that will be in our starting lineup on opening day.

I’m with you.

[LVDan]

Originally Posted by lambeauleap87

I can't figure out what they are doing in the outfield - you know at this point Zimmer (850+ career PAs with a .657 OPS/79 wRC+), Mercado (800+ career PAs, .686 OPS/82 wRC+), and Naylor (650 career PAs, .695 OPS/87 wRC+ coming off a massive injury with -- defense) are not legitimate MLB players, at least not on good teams.

Nolan Jones was bad last year and still hasn't resumed full activity off of his injury late last season. George Valera has 100 PAs above A-ball. They want to try Amed Rosario in LF (with all of 126 career innings there as a career SS).

I think their complete lack of planning in the OF is the most discouraging part because it's like they didn't even fake an attempt - the AAA outfield right now is going to be failed prospects/TTO guys Will Benson/Oscar Gonzalez with Daniel Johnson too, who belongs in the Mercado/Zimmer bucket. Not even any NRI signings to hold out fake hope for!

I have moderate hopes for Johnson and Benson maybe. Mercado at his best seems league avg across the board. Zimmer wouldve been cut long ago if it weren't for A- their OF dire straits. B- Him losing so much time due to injury before last year. C- Showing super high sprint speed and and an occasional 450'+ HR. Now is his last best shot.
There are plenty of semi talented OF/1B/DH types blocked in MLB that coulda been had for a bag o balls to create some more competition in camp but as it looks now lets just say that it's the worst OF in MLB, again.

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by fungi2510

So maybe the axe should fall on this thread. Kinda useless, don'tcha think?

Once they trade Jose, which they will, it can shut down

[SaltyCracker]

[OhioPlayer]

Franmil Jram Bieber and Clase are fun to watch. Team will be interesting if they play the kids.

[beavers]

Steven Kwan has looked good. Does he not have any cards?

[Tanker1812]

Originally Posted by OhioPlayer

Franmil Jram Bieber and Clase are fun to watch. Team will be interesting if they play the kids.

Arias was optioned to Columbus today.

I wish they’d give up on the Bobby Bradley experiment already and move Chang to 1st and let Arias see the bigs playing 2nd and platooning at SS with Giminez.

Our infield talent thru the organization is amazing but it’s so clogged up right it’s a wonder when we will ever be able to see guys like Arias, Freeman and Rocchio

[Chris Lyle]

I usually try to be optimistic with the team, but there is nothing really to be optimistic about.
The outfield will be a revolving door with no one getting an everyday shot to even see if they can perform.
JRam will be gone at some point (the extension may happen just to make his value go up)
The front office literally signed a back up catcher and Bryan Shaw.... YIKES.... They are not even trying.
This will be like when Kevin Milwood won the ERA title and had a losing record... Sorry Biebs...
Bullpen is the worst it has been in quite sometime

The Dolan's need to go and I was hoping for the minority owner but not sure what happened there...

[Chris Lyle]

Originally Posted by lambeauleap87

I can't figure out what they are doing in the outfield - you know at this point Zimmer (850+ career PAs with a .657 OPS/79 wRC+), Mercado (800+ career PAs, .686 OPS/82 wRC+), and Naylor (650 career PAs, .695 OPS/87 wRC+ coming off a massive injury with -- defense) are not legitimate MLB players, at least not on good teams.

Nolan Jones was bad last year and still hasn't resumed full activity off of his injury late last season. George Valera has 100 PAs above A-ball. They want to try Amed Rosario in LF (with all of 126 career innings there as a career SS).

I think their complete lack of planning in the OF is the most discouraging part because it's like they didn't even fake an attempt - the AAA outfield right now is going to be failed prospects/TTO guys Will Benson/Oscar Gonzalez with Daniel Johnson too, who belongs in the Mercado/Zimmer bucket. Not even any NRI signings to hold out fake hope for!

I still think though that the revolving door of outfielders that Francona uses and never just giving someone the job is part of the problem with the OF. Now I'm not saying any of the guys you mentioned would be great, but Francona's style does not help younger players.

[OhioPlayer]

Originally Posted by Chris Lyle

I still think though that the revolving door of outfielders that Francona uses and never just giving someone the job is part of the problem with the OF. Now I'm not saying any of the guys you mentioned would be great, but Francona's style does not help younger players.

They don’t want to pay a dime for outfielders. If you were jram why would you want to sign long term? It seems the days of investing in a winning team are over

[Raleigh504]

Originally Posted by Chris Lyle

I usually try to be optimistic with the team, but there is nothing really to be optimistic about.
The outfield will be a revolving door with no one getting an everyday shot to even see if they can perform.
JRam will be gone at some point (the extension may happen just to make his value go up)
The front office literally signed a back up catcher and Bryan Shaw.... YIKES.... They are not even trying.
This will be like when Kevin Milwood won the ERA title and had a losing record... Sorry Biebs...
Bullpen is the worst it has been in quite sometime

The Dolan's need to go and I was hoping for the minority owner but not sure what happened there...

From what I heard, there is a new minority owner (other one sold his shares to buy Royals) has options/ability to buy the team in 5-6 years. Not sure how the new guy would be about spending, but I assume he would be better.


https://calltothepen.com/2021/12/21/...inority-owner/