Can Guards Deal From Strength And What Would That Mean.

People say the best baseball trades come when a team is dealing from a strength. That almost certainly means if the Cleveland Guardians make a deal this winter, it will involve someone from their pitching staff, right?

We would say the offensively challenged Guards can’t move anyone who shows any talent when swinging the bat. However, Cleveland still has a glut of middle infielders, on both the big-league level and the high levels of the minor leagues.

How they rate (and how other teams rank for that matter) the talent at these positions will show everyone how they feel about these players. Unfortunately, based on how they handled the players this past season, we don’t have a lot of confidence they will do the right thing.

And by the way, that doesn’t mean we think the front office should be revamped. It does mean we hope whoever the new manager will be can change the minds of Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff.

Maybe, hopefully, the decision makers move off of the great defense above all else when it comes to the middle of the diamond and they settle for solid glovework with an ability to swing the bat a bit.

You would think that any move made to strengthen the lineup would involve a trade for a starting pitcher, but which player to move?

Many people would say to move Shane Bieber, the most accomplished of the starting rotation, but he is also a free agent after the 2024 season. How much could he bring in return? We believe it wouldn’t be as much as you might think.

Besides the contract situation, Bieber’s price could be muted by injury issues in two of the last three seasons. Although he pitched 200 innings in 2022, he threw just 97 frames in ’21 and 128 innings last season.

It’s hard to imagine he would get the kind of haul in terms of bats that the Guardians would be looking for.

We also would be very reticent to move either Tanner Bibee and/or Gavin Williams. We believe both hurlers have ace potential. Bibee made 25 starts last year, compiling a 2.98 ERA in 142 innings pitched, and maybe pitched his best in the biggest games when the team was still in the race.

Williams looks the part at 6’6″, 250 pounds and fanned 81 hitters in 82 big league innings. The walks may have been more than we would prefer, and he had periods where he may have given major league hitters more credit than they deserve.

So, the most enticing piece to move might be lefty Logan Allen (7-8, 3.81 ERA in 125.1 IP). We like Allen, but as they say, you have to give up something to get something. And if they move the southpaw, they would still have Bibee and Williams, and the durable Cal Quantrill.

We still don’t know about Triston McKenzie’s reliability because of his elbow injury. He did make two starts at the end of the year, totally six innings. He did walk nine hitters in those two starts. Hopefully, he can be a fixture in next year’s rotation, but we can’t feel confident in him being available for all of 2024 right now.

Trading Allen would mean someone would have to emerge from the minors, perhaps Joey Cantillo or Hunter Gaddis to fill out the rotation.

And even if they got a bat in return for a pitcher and Kyle Manzardo hits like projected, the Guardians probably still need another bat to have a very good offense.

No One Will Know What To Expect With Guards’ New Skipper (Probably).

Likely, the first order of business for the Cleveland Guardians is to find a new manager to replace their all-time leader in wins as a skipper in Terry Francona.

We find it funny seeing some fans trumpeting candidates when the names come out that Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff are interviewing. It has been reported that Giants’ bullpen coach Craig Albernaz and Yankees’ bench coach Carlos Mendoza have had conversations with Cleveland.

And add in the other speculated candidates like Rangers’ bench coach Will Venable, who was with the Guards in spring training a few years ago and went to college with Chernoff, Astros’ bench coach Joe Espada, and current Cleveland third base coach Mike Sarbaugh.

We would guess the Guardians would be interested if Kevin Cash (739-617) with Tampa Bay) or Craig Counsell (707-625 with Milwaukee) came available. The great Peter Gammons speculated last week that Cash would love to manage in Cleveland, and the front office would love to have him.

However, outside of Cash and Counsell, we really don’t know what you are going to get as from any of the men who have never managed at the big-league level. Bench coaches would seem to have good experience, but there is still a big difference between being someone who “suggests” moves rather than making the ultimate decision.

And it’s also different piloting a minor league team where player development is the goal rather than winning games. We would agree though that handling minor league players well should translate to the big leagues.

If you hire guys who have had success at the big-league level, not only do you get that, but they also understand all that goes along with the job in the majors, meaning dealing with the media, and being exposed to players who have been in the game for a while.

We think the ideal candidate is someone who can combine the old school type of managing, with a feel for the game, with analytics. We thought it was insane for John Schneider to remove Jose Berrios from his start against Minnesota in the wild card series because it was scripted, and the numbers said to do it.

If a starting pitcher is doing his job, let him keep doing it until the hitters tell them he is losing effectiveness. We understand sometimes it’s too late to take action, but remember, some people treat analytics as a way to explain why they made a decision that didn’t work.

We don’t want a manager who goes strictly by the numbers, but we don’t want someone who will ignore them either. At this point in baseball though, we doubt you could find a manager described by that second statement.

At the end of the day, what you want is someone who has the trust of the players and has everyone pulling in the same direction. And with the Guardians still being a very young team, the new guy in charge will also need to guide them.

Terry Francona liked to have a veteran around to help with that, be it Jason Giambi, Jose Uribe, or Mike Napoli. And we agree having an experienced player around is important.

The truth is, we really won’t know anything about the new manager (if he has no big-league experience, that is) until the games start for real next spring. And even then, you have to allow a new major league skipper to grow into the job.

Good Road Trip Changes Mind Of Guards’ Front Office?

Perhaps the Guardians going on the road versus two teams with playoff aspirations and winning both series had an impact on the minds of Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff.

We have not been shy in saying the front office of the Guards has not been totally in on making a playoff push since the trade deadline after moving Amed Rosario, Aaron Civale, and Josh Bell. The players weren’t happy which caused Antonetti and Chernoff to fly to Houston to meet with players about the moves.

Players think about the season they are playing. They don’t care about the 2024 edition of the Guardians because they may not be in Cleveland next season.

And we repeat, our problem was not in trading the people they did, it was not getting anything that could help the team this season, seeing as though they were a half game out at that time.

We have always been under the opinion that if a team is five games or less out of a post-season spot on September 1st, they are legitimately in the race. And today, Cleveland sits five games behind the Twins.

So, the Guardians’ management saw an opportunity on the waiver wire and took advantage. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim decided to dump salary with a month to go in the regular season and Cleveland took advantage, claiming three pitchers: Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Matt Moore.

Giolito is the most familiar name, having had three very good seasons with the White Sox (2019-21), going 29-21 in those campaigns with ERAs under 3.53. This season, he is 7-11 with a 4.45 ERA combined with Chicago and the Angels, giving up just 139 hits in 153.2 innings, striking out 165.

He has been plagued by the long ball with the Angels, giving up 10 in 32 frames. He gave up three each in losses to Atlanta and Philadelphia. He can soak up innings and is an upgrade over Noah Syndergaard, who was designated for assignment after pitching on Sunday.

With Cal Quantrill coming back tonight, hopefully he and Giolito can ease the burden on the Guards’ young starters for the rest of the season.

Lopez, a right-hander like Giolito, figures to help the bullpen. He is 2-7 with 6 saves and a 3.93 ERA in total, and had a 2.77 ERA with the Angels. He has whiffed 71 hitters in 55 innings, but did walk 30. He has also allowed 8 home runs.

Moore is a southpaw and has been around the block at 34-years-old. He’s also been very effective this season, compiling a 2.66 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 44 innings. His last four appearances haven’t been good, he’s allowed six runs in four frames. But he was great before that.

He provides another solid lefty along with Sam Hentges, who has pitched much better of late.

It did cost the Guardians some money, but they also saved money in the deals they made at the end of July, so it’s likely a wash.

If Giolito regains something close to his old form with the Pale Hose and with the additional bullpen help, perhaps the Guards can put together the run they have been searching for all year. Their longest winning and coincidentally longest losing streak are both four games.

It’s too bad these moves couldn’t have been made sooner and let us also stop you from thinking this was some sort of grand plan. There is no way the front office could have seen the bizarre collapse by the Angels.

With Tampa in for the weekend followed by the Twins, this stretch of six games will determine whether or not this will be a fun September.

And a hot streak from Jose Ramirez and the return of Josh Naylor could be large helps too.

Important Series In Minnesota? Don’t Think The FO Thinks So

The Cleveland Guardians should be entering a crucial stretch as five of their next eight games are against the Minnesota Twins, who currrently lead the AL Central Division by six games over Cleveland.

We say should because we aren’t sure the management of the team are interested, or should we say fully invested in catching the Twins.

We are sure the players are trying to win every night, but it seems like Terry Francona, Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff are ambivalent.

In Sunday’s game, the Guards had a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning and Noah Syndergaard had thrown over 80 pitches. He allowed a runner to reach, but no one was warming in the bullpen meaning the starter was out there to complete the inning.

He gave up a two-run homer to allow Toronto to capture the league and was removed after six frames. He was also designated for assignment after the contest.

With Cal Quantrill likely to be activated on Friday, he will take Syndergaard’s place in the rotation, but to replace him, the Guardians called up retread Daniel Norris to take his place.

Norris replaced Xzhavion Curry last night and promptly gave up four runs turning a 6-5 contest into a 10-6 Twins’ lead.

Last year, the organization was very aggressive bringing up young players like Will Brennan, Gabriel Arias, Tyler Freeman, and Cody Morris, even if they weren’t on the 40-man roster to help down the stretch.

Why not bring up Franco Aleman, who has made 13 scoreless appearances at Akron, striking out 29 and walking just 3 in 19.1 innings at AA. To be fair, he didn’t have great numbers at Lake County (5.52 ERA) but did whiff 46 batters in 31 innings.

Norris is a 30-year-old journeyman who made six appearances at the big league level this year and walked 11 batters in 10.2 innings coming into last night. Heck, if they didn’t want to go with Aleman, Hunter Gaddis, who opened the season in the starting rotation would have been a better choice.

Francona could’ve turned to Eli Morgan in the 3rd and maybe went with Morris later, but no, it was Norris, just like a game in June against a team not ahead of them in the standings.

We understand the Blue Jays threw two southpaws at the Guardians over the weekend, but instead of playing Bo Naylor, the best catcher on the roster, in one of the games vs. a lefty, both Cam Gallagher and Eric Haase, who at best are replacement level major leaguers both got starts.

We have seen fans angry that Naylor only played in one game in essentially his hometown. That shouldn’t be the argument. He’s clearly the best hitter of the three, and isn’t a terrible defensive catcher. He should be in there most nights.

This shouldn’t be news. The organization told the fan base they weren’t interested in contending on August 1st. And it wasn’t trading Amed Rosario, Josh Bell, and Aaron Civale that was the main crime, it was not trading for someone to help a bad offense and a struggling bullpen.

A sweep could have cut the Minnesota lead to three games, heck, they could still walk out of the Twin Cities down five. But we don’t think that was a major consideration.

Fans can’t want something more that the organization does.

Guards’ Front Office Caps Off A Bad Year Of Decisions

After the Cleveland Guardians clinched the AL Central last season, Terry Francona told his players to make this a beginning, a springboard to future success.

Apparently, Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff didn’t get that message. Heading into the last two day prior to the trading deadline, the Guardians closed to within a half game of Minnesota for first place in the division.

The front office decided to pass on competing for the post-season in ’23. Sure, they said the right things, they are confident in the group in the clubhouse and still think they can compete, and maybe they can. But the message to fans and the players was pretty clear. They had no confidence in this squad.

It’s not trading Amed Rosario, who was going to be a free agent, or Josh Bell, who was a disappointment this season. And we can even buy the theory behind trading Aaron Civale, who has been injury prone and at best is probably a #3 or #4 starter.

The problem is the organization did nothing to address the problems this team has had all season: The offense and the bullpen.

They picked up Noah Syndergaard in the Rosario deal to essentially take Civale’s place in the rotation, but they still need a fifth starter, and for some reason, they are reluctant to give Xzavion Curry a shot at the job.

The front office has had a bad run since the division title a year ago. They signed two free agents, Mike Zunino (we didn’t like that move) and Josh Bell (we did like that) and both are gone with two months to go in the season.

The offense struggled most of April and May, and the front office and management were slow to make changes. In fact, until Rosario was dealt last week, they played two very subpar offensive players (Rosario and Myles Straw) pretty much on an everyday basis.

And while they are patting themselves on the back for adding top 100 prospect Kyle Manzardo from Tampa, let’s remember that he put up great numbers last year at high A/AA, but in AAA, he has a 783 OPS. We aren’t predicting he will be a bust, and certainly we hope he can be an everyday player.

But we look at numbers in the lower tiers of the minor leagues with a jaundiced eye. There is a prospect in the Guards’ system who had a 977 OPS at high A and an 818 OPS at AA. That would be George Valera, who is currently hitting .196 with a 633 OPS at Columbus this season.

We aren’t writing Valera off, but his ranking on top prospect lists has dropped from 2022 to 2023, and we wonder if he will appear at all prior to 2024.

After years of ownership saying they need attendance to justify spending, after last year, the crowds have returned to Progressive Field. And the front office decided not to add payroll or talent to the current roster.

To us, the activity by the front office put a cap on a nine month streak of mostly bad decisions. We understand no front office is perfect and the Guardians deserve the benefit of the doubt. But we also would comment that kicking the can down the road is an easy decision.

It’s tougher to correct the problems of the current roster and make a run at another division title. And as for those who would say the Guardians aren’t good enough to win the World Series anyway? You can’t win the lottery unless you buy a ticket.

Trading Civale? Unless More Moves Follow, Don’t Like It.

We don’t know what else is to come by 6 PM today, but it looks like the Cleveland Guardians’ front office has decided to kick the can down the road again.

They traded their most experienced starting pitcher, Aaron Civale to Tampa Bay for AAA first baseman Kyle Manzardo, who was the 60th ranked prospect according to Baseball America coming into this season.

Manzardo hit .327 between high A and AA last season with 22 homers and an OPS of 1043. This year, playing at AAA, his numbers aren’t so good, .238 with 11 dingers and an OPS of 783.

Here are the oddities to us. First, the Guardians’ second best hitter happens to play first base in Josh Naylor. Manzardo has never played the outfield in college or as a professional.

Second, the Guardians are down three starting pitchers to injuries and are relying on three rookies and they moved their best remaining veteran starter. Who replaces Civale in the rotation? That’s why another deal has to happen.

And lastly, hasn’t Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff learned about dealing with Tampa? We feel like we’ve seen this movie before, only the left-handed power hitting prospect was named Jake Bauer.

We understand that’s not fair to Manzardo, but it sure sent a shiver up our spine.

Are the Guardians a great team this season? No. But as we said to someone yesterday, you know what they call the person who finishes last in their class in medical school? That would be doctor.

Did people in 2006 think the St. Louis Cardinals, who finished 83-79, were going to win the World Series? How about the 1987 Minnesota Twins, who won the AL West with an 85-77 mark?

It’s a long shot for sure, but you cannot win the lottery unless you buy a ticket. No one thought the Guardians would get to game seven of the 2016 World Series with injuries to Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, but they did it.

So, on face, we don’t understand the move, nor do we want to hear any “big picture” stuff.

We just wrote on Sunday, the Guardians’ biggest weaknesses involved the bullpen and an offense that still ranks 12th in the American League in runs scored per game.

This deal did nothing to address either of those problem areas. It might help in 2024, but not now. And it is much easier to keep building for the future than it is to win now.

We are sure Civale’s injury history scares the front office and that is probably the biggest motivation to move him. They could have done that this winter.

We weren’t asking for Cleveland to trade players like Brayan Rocchio, George Valera, Juan Brito, or Chase DeLauter to get marginal big league players. They could get them with lower tier prospects and help this year’s team get to the playoffs.

Now, if the front office has some more deals and they can get a starting pitcher to replace Civale or maybe even get two guys to not only replace the traded pitcher and protect the young arms brought up this season, then fine.

Hope we see some more moves by tomorrow night at 6 PM. Because if the front office doesn’t improve the 2023 team by then, put up the sign at Progressive Field:

FREE BEER TOMORROW!

Is Rosario Trade The First Shoe To Drop?

The Cleveland Guardians took their first step in rebuilding their roster before the trade deadline when they dealt SS Amed Rosario to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Reportedly, the Guards are getting RHP Noah Syndergaard and cash in return.

Reports are Cleveland is not releasing the veteran right-hander.

Moving Rosario helps clear up some of the glut of middle infielders Cleveland has either at the big-league level or in the high minors.

When the Guards moved Francisco Lindor to the Mets, we said Andres Gimenez was the key to the trade because Rosario doesn’t walk much and doesn’t have much pop. He has to hit in the .280 range to have value, and he did that in his first two seasons here but dropped to .265 this year.

Add that to his poor defensive work at shortstop, and it was time for Cleveland to take a look at other options.

What didn’t or doesn’t help Rosario’s cause is he didn’t seem to either embrace or take to any position changes. He played 24 games combined in the outfield his first two years with the Guardians but didn’t appear to be comfortable. He could be a bigger asset to a team playing vs. lefties and being a “super utility” type player.

Terry Francona always referred to Rosario and Jose Ramirez setting the tone for the team in terms of playing hard and being aggressive on the basepaths, and that was invaluable to the young Guardians in 2022 and carried over this season.

Now, who moves into the SS role in Cleveland? Gabriel Arias is the best defender, but he hasn’t been able to hit (590 OPS, 52 strikeouts in 162 plate appearances). Brayan Rocchio is probably the future at the spot, and is hitting .295 (804 OPS) at Columbus.

However, we would like to see Tyler Freeman get the first shot there. Freeman would be an upgrade defensively, and in his limited appearances seems to be a better offensive player with a 723 OPS. Rosario’s OPS was 675.

It seems in the organization’s best interest to see what Freeman, a career .312 hitter in the minors (813) can do with everyday playing time.

Syndergaard has been terrible with the Dodgers, compiling a 7.16 ERA this season in 12 starts, allowing a whopping 71 hits and 12 long balls in 55.1 innings. He is currently on the 15 day injured list.

He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since June 7th when he allowed six runs in three innings at Cincinnati. So, don’t look for him to jump immediately into the Cleveland rotation.

It’s probably a little bit of we will make the deal if you take the balance of Syndergaard’s contract.

What the Guardians do get to do is have the opportunity to diagnose whatever problems he’s been having, perhaps it’s a mechanical issue. Last year, he was 10-10 with a 3.94 ERA in 135 innings between the Angels and Phillies. So, it’s not like he is far removed from being an effective starting pitcher.

Our guess is this isn’t the only move team president Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff will make before Monday.

You also have to wonder if the front office made the move to eliminate the temptation to put him in the lineup on a daily basis.

Guardians Going Free Agent Route Is A Bit Of A Surprise.

The Cleveland Guardians had two big needs heading into the post-season, another power bat and a catcher since Austin Hedges was a free agent.

It is a surprise that Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff filled both via free agency though, signing catcher Mike Zunino to catch, joining Josh Bell who came to the Guardians a week earlier.

Remember, Cleveland values defense and handling pitchers first and foremost from their backstops, and Zunino certainly is very good defensively. With a bat in his hand, think Hedges with a lot more power potential.

When Hedges first arrived in the big leagues with San Diego, he had some pop, hitting 18 homers in his first full year with the Padres, and then 14 in 91 games the following season. In the four years since, Hedges’ high in roundtrippers was 11 in 2019, and his best batting average was .178 with Cleveland in 2021.

Zunino does two things more frequently than the man he replaces: Hit dingers and strikeout. He missed much of last season after shoulder surgery, but since 2017, he belted more than 20 homers three times, including a career-high 33 in 2021. His lifetime slugging percentage is 79 points higher than Hedges.

However, his strikeout to walk ratio per 162 games is 196:39. As a comparison Hedges, who is one of the game’s worst hitters, has a ratio of 148:33. That’s how often Zunino fails to make contact.

We would not be surprised if prized catching prospect Bo Naylor (Guardians’ #3 prospect according to Baseball America) opened the season at AAA and another free agent signee, Meibrys Viloria, starts the year on the Opening Day roster as a left-handed hitting option behind the plate.

Not that Viloria is much of a hitter, he has a career OPS of 553, with a .201 batting average and three homers.

That the Guardians filled their biggest need via free agency means they haven’t addressed the glut of middle infield prospects. Yes, they did move Owen Miller to Milwaukee for a player to be named later or cash to clear a roster spot for Zunino, but they still have Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman, who both played in Cleveland for a bit, with Brayan Rocchio (#5 prospect) knocking on the door.

Not to mention what to do with the back end of the starting rotation. We believe Aaron Civale will be the fourth starter behind Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, and Cal Quantrill, but we wouldn’t be shocked if Zach Plesac is moved to make room for say, a Cody Morris.

If a move is made to thin out the prospect glut, what do the Guardians get in return? Younger prospects to guarantee a promising future, or do they someone on the big-league roster and try to upgrade the spot they are dealing from?

So, as a result of the Bell and Zunino additions, not only does Cleveland have a stronger major league roster, but they still have one of the five best farm systems in the sport.

That gives the front office a lot of options as spring training approaches. That’s an awful good position to be in.

Bell Fits Perfectly For Guardians

A couple of weeks ago, we wrote about what the Cleveland Guardians might be looking for this off-season and pointed out they have a “type”.

Really, it’s an organizational philosophy and the front office tries to stick to these principles when building their roster, and who can argue with them. They’ve had a lot of success over the past 10 years.

In that framework, Tuesday’s signing of 1B/DH Josh Bell makes all the sense in the world.

First, it’s a two-year deal with the potential of a buyout by Bell after the first season, meaning if the switch-hitter has a huge season, he’s going to be a free agent again after the 2023 campaign, but the Guardians will be the beneficiary of that big season.

They say there is no such thing as a bad one-year contract, so committing a lot of cash to a player for two years isn’t a tremendous risk for an organization who treasures payroll flexibility.

Second, the Guardians appear to be embracing a more contact-oriented approach, and no doubt it paid off for them in 2022. Bell fits the bill here too. His strikeout to walk ratio per 162 games is 118:77, a relatively low whiff rate for someone who averages 25 homers per year in that same span.

And readers of this site know we love hitters who have a good walk to strikeout rate. The Guardians need to walk more often, and Bell’s 81 free passes last season would have led Cleveland in 2022.

Bell also fills a couple positions of need. Cleveland hitters batted just .240 with a 646 OPS vs. left-handed pitching a year ago, and for his career, the new Guardian has a 767 OPS against southpaws, and last year hit .276 with an 816 OPS.

And remember, for most of the season, when Terry Francona gave Josh Naylor a day off against a tough lefty, his usual choice was Owen Miller. Bell is much better with a bat in his hands.

It goes without saying that having Bell as an option will allow Francona to keep Naylor’s legs fresh too.

A short-term deal for a power hitter who can play 1B/DH and has success against lefties? Sounds like a match made in heaven for Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff.

What does it mean for the rest of the roster? Well, right now, you have to wonder if Miller has a spot. It would seem he has a battle on his hands to make the team with Gabriel Arias. And don’t forget Tyler Freeman as well. One would think a trade is on the horizon for one, if not, more of those players.

You have to think getting at least one catcher is next on the agenda for the front office, and likely whoever they trade for, or sign will be an offensive upgrade. When your primary catcher had an OPS of 489, that’s not a big stretch.

After an off-season where the big moves were signing Luke Maile and Enyel De Los Santos, it’s good to see the organization understanding how close they were to getting to the AL Championship Series and a shot at another World Series visit.

A Brief Guide To Guardians Off-Season

Every baseball fan loves the off-season, at least the Hot Stove portion of it. It used to be the winter meetings would signal a bevy of trades and signings, but sadly, that has lessened over recent seasons because teams wait until the big free agents are signed before making deals.

When it comes to the Cleveland Guardians, a few things need to be remembered. First, the organization seems to have a new philosophy when it comes to hitting. They like guys who make contact, and preferably they want hitters who have decent strikeout to walk ratios.

Second, there is the payroll restriction. We know president Chris Antonetti has said the payroll will likely increase from 2022, but we would be stunned if the organization went out and signed someone like Aaron Judge. They made a long-term commitment to Jose Ramirez, so if a free agent would be inked, it will likely be no more than a three-year deal.

There are also some other organizational ideals that people need to remember when they look at possible moves. The Guardians value defense and handling the pitching staff at the catching position. If the guy can hit, that’s a bonus, but they better be able to block pitches and work well with the pitchers.

Since Yan Gomes was traded and Roberto Perez had his big year in 2019, offense has been absent at the position for Cleveland, and they don’t seem to care much. So, if they do go after a catcher via free agency or trade, it will be for someone who is solid defensively.

And yes, Oakland’s Sean Murphy, the guy wanted most by Guards’ fans, does check all of the boxes.

We’ve seen people talking about newly non-tendered Cody Bellinger, formerly of the Dodgers. Yes, Bellinger was the NL MVP in 2019, which coincidentally was his last good year in the big leagues. His batting averages since then? Try .239 in ’20, .165 in ’21, and .210 last year.

OPS? 789 in ’20, 542 in ’21, and 654 in 2022. And last season, he fanned 150 times with just 38 walks. He has a tremendously long swing, and again, it has been three years since he was a productive big leaguer.

Our guess is the Guardians have no interest in him. Plus, he’s a left-handed hitter and that doesn’t seem to be an area of need for Cleveland.

We think the Guards will be trading a starting pitcher this winter, but it will be curious to see if they will obtain an established starter from another team. According to our research, the last time Cleveland traded for or signed a starting pitcher who went straight into the rotation was when they traded for Derek Lowe in 2012, a year after they made a trade for Ubaldo Jimenez.

That’s a long time. Now, they have traded for other teams’ prospects and had them spend time in the minors or the bullpen before putting them in the rotation, but it’s been 10 years since they put someone from outside of the organization and made them a starter right away.

We think the Guards need to get a right-handed bat, and ideally that guy can play first base and the outfield. Again, we said ideally. The right-handed part is the bigger need, as really, the only power threat Cleveland has from that side of the plate is Oscar Gonzalez.

Our belief is Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff will do something in December besides signing a defensive catcher like Luke Maile.

By the way, thank you to all of you who read Cleveland Sports Perspective. We are grateful to our readers, not just of the blog but our followers on social media. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day!