Cleveland Sports Forum

Not to worry ! No way the FO has any interest in Hoerner at all. Why would they want an 11 million dollar 2nd baseman ?

Guards thrilled Vogt's right-hand man is sticking around

10:06 AM CST

Mandy Bell

The Guardians were nervous entering this offseason.

You hear the words “culture” or “chemistry” so often during the baseball season, especially with teams who are at the top of their division leaderboard. Success can stem from homers and good pitching, but it can also stem from creating a fun brotherly bond with every teammate in the room. It’s what fueled the Guardians all through 2024.

A lot of that is credited to Austin Hedges, as it should be. The man who wore a vintage red Cleveland crop top before every game to make everyone laugh and also had an effortless ability to connect with anyone who walked into the room is the obvious ringleader in the clubhouse. But there has to be someone above him to allow this comfortable environment to exist.

Enter Stephen Vogt and Craig Albernaz.

When Vogt was named the manager of the Guardians, he already had a little bit of a national reputation of being the funny guy. He’s been seen on TV doing Chris Farley impressions and singing Disney songs. But Albernaz bringing a similar -- but different -- life to the party was more of a pleasant surprise.

Both Albernaz and Vogt interviewed for Cleveland’s managerial opening last winter. Part of that process included giving a fake Spring Training speech to those on the hiring board, pretending it was a clubhouse full of eager players. Albernaz, in his thick Boston accent, opened his speech by asking for an interpreter so that everyone in the room could understand him.

Immediately, he was a crowd favorite.






The Guardians wanted both Vogt and Albernaz on this staff. Luckily for them, the duo have been close friends for years. Vogt and Albernaz played together in Tampa Bay’s Minor League system in 2011 and ’12, creating a bond that would flourish more than a decade later as manager and bench coach in Cleveland. Their families spent the All-Star break together at Walt Disney World. They both share the manager’s office on road trips. Vogt loves to make jokes about Albernaz’s height (or lack thereof, at just 5-foot-8) and Albernaz comes back at him with a vengeance.

It’s a beautiful friendship that allows everyone who watches to know that it’s a jovial environment for everyone to have fun.

It’s also why the Guardians were on edge entering the winter.

At the time they hired Albernaz as their bench coach, they knew other teams would soon be calling to offer him manager roles. It was inevitable. And when the Marlins and White Sox both had a managerial vacancy, Albernaz quickly became a finalist for each position. And as much as the Guardians supported him to make the decision that was best for him, it was hard not to think about what they’d be losing if he took another job. After much deliberation, Albernaz decided to decline them both, returning to Cleveland to be Vogt’s associate manager for 2025.

“I was just very humbled to even be considered for both spots,” Albernaz said. “I just want to be around great people and where I can learn and grow, continue to get better. … Ultimately, just to be around this group, the players, it doesn't get better for me.”






The Guardians were ecstatic.

“It was one of the highlights of the offseason for us,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “He's endeared himself to so many people in such a short time. I think about how he didn't have many preexisting relationships coming in, and he's built so many great relationships across the organization.”

Almost any bench coach you talk to would say that their dream is to one day become a manager. It’s the goal of a lot of coaches. And for Albernaz, who shares that same dream one day, to have it dangling right in front of him, it wasn’t necessarily easy to turn it down.

“It was difficult. It was,” Albernaz said. “It was tough, but also it wasn't tough in the same regard, because I know where I'm at, I know what I value, what my wife values. … I think it's when you get to that position that you're fortunate enough to have those conversations, you can kind of decipher what you value and what you want to see your future should be.”

Albernaz chose a future in Cleveland. And now, the Guardians know they have an even better chance at repeating the same unprecedented chemistry that radiated their clubhouse last year in 2025.

“He's a huge part of our culture and what the group created as an identity,” Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff said. “So just from even a personal standpoint for all of us, we're really excited about that.”

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Guardians Infielder Receives Cool Reminder Of Winter Success Last Year


December 21, 2024

By Andres Chavez

Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio experienced an exciting 2024 full of ups and downs.

He was at the peak of form and happiness early in the spring after winning the 2023-24 Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional (LVBP) with Tiburones de la Guaira.

Then he went to spring training and won the starting gig at shortstop with the Guards.

Rocchio’s regular season was extremely disappointing from an offensive standpoint, but he was nominated for the Gold Glove award.

He didn’t win it, but he experienced a key offensive surge when it mattered most: in October, at the postseason.

He got to feel what it’s like to lose at the doorstep of greatness, in this case the World Series.

Now, as he prepares for next campaign with Cleveland, he received a nice reminder of the success he experienced last year with Tiburones.

“Cleveland #Guardians (SS) Brayan Rocchio just received his championship ring he earned with his club @Tiburonesbbc_ in the @LVBP_Oficial last season,” Guardians Prospective posted on X, with a photo of the customized piece of jewelry.






Rocchio was excellent for Tiburones last year, hitting .377 with a .998 OPS in 19 games during the regular season.

He then had a .766 OPS in the semifinal round and five RBI in five games in the final.

His regular season was below average, with a .614 OPS that left a lot to be desired.

He managed to up that number to .906 in the postseason, though, in 33 at-bats.

Rocchio is entering a crucial season: with so much talent coming up in the next year or two (Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez, Angel Genao, Juan Brito and more), he will need to hit to remain the Guardians shortstop.

He knows it and is prepared for the challenge.

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Guardians Relief Pitching Prospect Goes To Driveline With High Hopes For 2025


December 21, 2024

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians are one of the most prolific pitching factories in MLB.

They are particularly adept at producing high-end relief pitching prospects, which has certainly contributed to a league-best bullpen in 2024.

They have drafted, signed, or traded for exciting relievers like Cade Smith, Andrew Walters, Pedro Avila, Tim Herrin, Emmanuel Clase, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis, and many more currently in the minor leagues waiting for their chance.

One of those in the last group is Jack Leftwich, a 26-year-old righty.

Leftwich was a seventh-round draft pick in 2021 and spent the entire season in Double-A Akron.

Determined to maximize every drop of talent he has in his body, Leftwich went where dozens of aspiring minor leaguers and even experienced major leaguers go when they want to improve their overall performance: Driveline.

“Cleveland #Guardians RHP relief prospect Jack Leftwich currently training @DrivelineBB this off-season. Leftwich struckout 68 batters over 59.1 innings collecting 10 saves for Double-A Akron in 2024,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1870332404298105006

With an above-average strikeout rate stemming from a good fastball and an even better slider, Leftwich definitely has a future in MLB and it could potentially come as early as 2025.

According to Guardians reporter Justin Lada, he experienced an amazing turnaround in performance this year in the summer, after a couple or rough opening months.

“From April-June, Leftwich compiled a 7.97 ERA with a 5.65 FIP. He had a 32/10 strikeout to walk rate in 35 innings. From July-on, it was 2.93 with a 3.53 FIP, with 38 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43 innings,” he wrote.

His final ERA in Double-A was 4.25, but he showed he can be a factor in MLB one day with his second half performance.

He will probably start next year in Triple-A, and from there, everything will depend on his performance.

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Cleveland Guardians
@CleGuardians
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1h
We have acquired RHP Slade Cecconi and Arizona's 2025 Competitive Balance Round B Draft Pick from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for 1B Josh Naylor.

Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
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1h
First baseman Carlos Santana and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year, $12 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. The Guardians traded Josh Naylor, and now they bring the 38-year-old Santana back for his third stint with the organization.

Just keeps getting better.. Cecconi, 25, was Arizona’s No. 1 pick in 2020 out of the University of Miami. He went 2-7 with a 6.66 ERA in 20 games, including 13 starts, for Arizona this year. In 77 innings, Cecconi struck out 64 and walked 17. But he allowed 92 hits, including 16 homers. WoW.

Can't believe this is the best we could have done for Naylor and Gimenez
Could have problems winning the division much less the playoffs.
Hope all the money they just saved means we're setting up to make a big splash for a starting pitcher like a Cease..

Carlos Santana. Are you kidding me? 12mil???

Why did Guardians trade Josh Naylor? – Terry Pluto

Updated: Dec. 21, 2024, 8:49 p.m.|Published: Dec. 21, 2024, 8:38 p.m.

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – At the Guardians' postseason press conference, I asked about Josh Naylor’s weight and physical conditioning.

Team president Chris Antonetti gave a bland non-answer. Manager Stephen Vogt gave Naylor credit for playing through a variety of minor injuries, praising his toughness.

I listened politely, a follow-up question didn’t yield much other than Naylor had a very good season for Cleveland – which he did.

But I sensed a trade was coming, despite Naylor’s 2024 All-Star season. I had been hearing whispers that the Guardians were concerned about Naylor’s weight for quite a while. He’s listed at 5-foot-11 and 250 pounds by Baseball Reference. I was hearing from scouts about Naylor looking as if he was gaining weight during the season – and he was well over 250 pounds.


Not all about the money

For real, this wasn’t a pure salary dump.

Naylor is projected to make $12 million in his final arbitration season. The Guardians signed Santana for $12 million. Both players are on one-year contracts.

So what’s the story?

Naylor made the All-Star team, batting .243 (.776 OPS) with 31 HR and 103 RBI. It was a big year. He did it batting fourth, behind Jose Ramirez. That helped the superstar have a huge season (.279, 39 HR, 118 RBI, .872 OPS). Teams just couldn’t continually walk Ramirez because Naylor had a power bat.

The surface numbers don’t dictate a reason to move off Naylor, who should be motivated to get into better shape as he’ll be a free agent after the 2025 season.
The Guardians traded Naylor to Arizona for pitcher Slade Cecconi, a Competitive Round B pick and Carlos Santana.

Yes, that Carlos Santana … back for a third tour of duty with Cleveland.

Technically, Santana wasn’t part of the deal. He was a free agent and signed with Cleveland. Adding Santana opened the door for Cleveland to make the trade.

After the All-Star break, Naylor batted .240 (.717 OPS) with nine HR and 38 RBI in 62 games. He had 22 HR and 70 RBI in 89 games before the All-Star break.

Was the decline due to Naylor simply cooling off, or was it because of weight impacting his swing – which seemed longer and slower later in the season.

The Guardians aren’t saying anything about his conditioning, but it has to be a factor.

Naylor missed only 10 games in 2024. In 2022-23, he missed a combined 81 games due to injuries.






Then there’s Santana
He will be 39 on April 8.

He played 150 games for the Twins in 2024, batting .238 (.749 OPS) with 23 HR and 71 RBI. He won the first Gold Glove of his career … yes, at the age of 38.

The Guardians love Santana. He’s respected as a leader and is very close to Ramirez. This deal says Cleveland believes his production can be close to Naylor’s in 2025.

The deal also sets up Kyle Manzardo for more playing time. One of their top prospects, Manzardo struggled early in 2024 and was sent back to the minors. When he returned after the All-Star break, the lefty batter had a .270 average (.873 OPS) with five HR in 69 plate appearances.

Then there’s Santana

He will be 39 on April 8.

He played 150 games for the Twins in 2024, batting .238 (.749 OPS) with 23 HR and 71 RBI. He won the first Gold Glove of his career … yes, at the age of 38.

The Guardians love Santana. He’s respected as a leader and is very close to Ramirez. This deal says Cleveland believes his production can be close to Naylor’s in 2025.

The deal also sets up Kyle Manzardo for more playing time. One of their top prospects, Manzardo struggled early in 2024 and was sent back to the minors. When he returned after the All-Star break, the lefty batter had a .270 average (.873 OPS) with five HR in 69 plate appearances.

He can play first and DH.

They also added 25-year-old righthander Cecconi, who was 2-7 with a 6.66 ERA for Arizona. In the minors, he was 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA for Class AAA Reno. He was the No. 14 prospect for the Diamondbacks, according to Baseball America.

The Guardians had no intention of signing Naylor to a long-term deal. They offered the lefty hitter to several teams. Interest was limited, despite his big numbers. His conditioning was a concern.

Of course, Naylor could have a huge season for Arizona, especially if he gets in shape. And age can finally catch up with Santana.

It’s worth noting Naylor originally was a first-round pick by Miami in 2015. He then was traded to San Diego. Then traded to Cleveland. Now, Arizona.

Like with the Andres Gimenez trade, I’m giving the front office the benefit of the doubt because they earned it. That said, I was very worried about Naylor’s future, be it injuries or adding more weight.

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Guardians Trade Josh Naylor To The Diamondbacks For Pitching And A Pick


December 21, 2024

By Andres Chavez

There had been trade chatter surrounding Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor for weeks, ever since the off-season started.

That’s how the Guards operate: players reaching their last year of team control are at great risk of being flipped to another squad.

Naylor was very solid for Cleveland this past season, but his time with the team has officially come to an end.

redictably, the team traded him to the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitching.

“We have acquired RHP Slade Cecconi and Arizona’s 2025 Competitive Balance Round B Draft Pick from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for 1B Josh Naylor,” the team announced via X.

Naylor says goodbye to the Guardians after hitting 31 home runs and driving in 108 runs in 2024.

He was fairly productive during his time with the Guardians, but the combination of his service time clock with the fact that they have Kyle Manzardo ready to take over at first base made Naylor a lock to go for pitching help.

Reports also indicate that the team is signing Carlos Santana, who would also help at first base.

Cecconi is a nice get for Cleveland.

He has multiple years of team control and top prospect pedigree, even though he just posted a 6.66 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 20 appearances — 13 starts — and 77 innings in 2024 for the D-Backs.

He has multiple years of team control and top prospect pedigree, even though he just posted a 6.66 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 20 appearances — 13 starts — and 77 innings in 2024 for the D-Backs.

He has youth on his side, at 25 years old, and the backing of a fantastic pitching development environment in Cleveland.

There is a chance he wins a rotation spot, but he could also make it as a multi-inning reliever.

The draft pick makes it an even better trade for Cleveland.

Naylor will be missed, but the Guardians weren’t going to extend him.

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Guardians Sign Old Friend To Play First Base


December 21, 2024

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians acquired another pitcher, Slade Cecconi, on Saturday by trading first baseman Josh Naylor.

They already had a ready-made replacement for Naylor in young first baseman Kyle Manzardo.

However, the team decided to bring in a veteran slugger to alternate first base and designated hitter duties with Manzardo.

It happens to be an old friend who is now going for his third stint in the franchise: Carlos Santana.

“First baseman Carlos Santana and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year, $12 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. The Guardians traded Josh Naylor, and now they bring the 38-year-old Santana back for his third stint with the organization,” MLB insider Jeff Passan posted on X.

Santana has 324 career home runs and a .785 OPS.

In 2024 with the Minnesota Twins, he returned a .748 OPS, so while he is not the hitter he used to be (which is obvious, since he is 38), he is still performing at a high level and can certainly help the Guardians with his power and ability to get on base.

Santana played for Cleveland from 2020 to 2017, then in 2019-20.

He is now returning where it all started for him.

In addition to his contributions at the plate, where he has shown he still has plenty of gas left in the tank, he will serve as a clubhouse leader and mentor for the next wave of Guardians stars, including Manzardo of course.

Slowly but surely, the 2025 Guardians are taking shape and adding a respected veteran with history in the franchise is always a plus.

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MLB Analyst Confused By Recent Cleveland Guardians Trade

Did the Cleveland Guardians get enough assets back in their Josh Naylor trade?

Tommy Wild | 39 Minutes Ago

Many people have questions following the Cleveland Guardians' recent trade that sent Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Guardians gave up their All-Star first baseman and immediately signed veteran Carlos Santana to take his place in the lineup and field.

Keith Law of The Athletic did his best to break down this trade, but he still appears confused about what Cleveland's front office is doing.

"I'm flummoxed by Cleveland giving Naylor away for so little, then turning around and spending most of the savings on a reunion with Santana, who'll turn 39 in April and offers more downside risk than upside," wrote Law.

"I'm not sure if that's enough to make me switch from Naylor to Santana given the latter's age, and since the Guardians didn't even save any money here, they aren't any better positioned to go get another power hitter to replace Naylor's bat."

Check out Law's fall breakdown and analysis on The Athletic here.

Law makes some great points, especially the financial implications in all of this.

One area where the analyst is spot on is that the Guardians easily get better in the field, with Santana paying first. This will be especially critical after losing Andres Gimenez in a trade from earlier in the offseason.

It is interesting that Cleveland only got one player and a pick in return for Naylor, given his resume as a power hitter. However, this could indicate what the market for a first baseman is right now.

Teams who needed to upgrade at that position found their solutions already, and the players who are still available have a higher upside than Naylor.

This group includes Paul Goldschmidt and Christian Walker, who just signed with their new teams, and Pete Alonso is still on the free-agent market.

After this trade, there is warranted confusion, but it will be interesting to see if Cleveland's front office stops here or makes more moves before spring training.

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Who Is Newest Guardians Pitcher Slade Cecconi?

Slade Cecconi could be a solid piece in the Cleveland Guardians' rotation during the 2024 season.

Tommy Wild | 4 Hours Ago

The Cleveland Guardians made another significant trade on Saturday evening, sending Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Part of the package the Guardians got in return is RHP Slade Cecconi, who could be an intriguing piece in Cleveland's pitching staff next year.

Let's take a look at who exactly Cecconi is and what he brings to the team.

He made his Major League debut on August 2, 2023, and played a key role in Arizona's bullpen on their run to the World Series that season.

The right-hander has experience as a reliever and starting games, but given Cleveland's current roster needs, it would make a ton of sense for the Guardians to plug him into their rotation.

In 17 career starts, Cecconi has a 5.72 ERA and a 1.322 WHIP.

He has also demonstrated a tremendous feel of the strike zone throughout the first two years of his career. Cecconi has an SO/9 of 7.6 as a starter and ranked in the 92nd percentile in BB% in 2024.

Along with his command comes Cecconi's fastball, which can have an average velocity of 94.4 but can top out close to triple-digits. However, he still needs to develop a better off-speed or breaking pitch to go along with that.

Cecconi's extension on his pitches is the other stat that should spark curiosity.

The Guardians love pitchers with high extension. Examples include Shane Bieber, Tanner Bibee, and Triston McKenzie. Cecconi ranked in the 64th percentile in extension during the 2024 season.

Cecconi's counting stats may not jump off the paper as being the team's next ace. However, he has shown the potential to be a middle-of-the-rotation arm, and the Guardians still need all the rotation help they can get.

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Diamondbacks Acquire Josh Naylor

By Nick Deeds | December 21, 2024 at 10:56pm CDT MLBTR

The Diamondbacks are acquiring first baseman Josh Naylor from the Guardians for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported that a deal between the sides involving Naylor was close. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the draft pick’s inclusion in the deal. The teams have since announced the trade.

An All-Star for the first time in 2024, Naylor hit a solid .243/.320/.456 (118 wRC+) with a career-high 31 homers in 152 games for the Guardians this past year. That continues a three-year run of solid production from Naylor in Cleveland, as he’s posted an even better .267/.330/.465 (121 wRC+) slash line since becoming a regular fixture of the Guardians’ lineup in 2022. In addition to that solid 20-to-30 homer power Naylor has displayed, he’s posted impressive contact numbers with a strikeout rate of just 15.6% across the past three seasons. He’s paired that low strikeout rate with an improving walk rate that reached 9.2% in 2024. In Arizona, the 27-year-old Naylor joins an offense that not only lost Christian Walker at first base when he landed in Houston on a three-year deal earlier this week but also figures to provide the left-handed pop the club lost when DH Joc Pederson elected free agency last month.

He’s a solid fit for that role, though with free agency just one season a way at an arbitration salary that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects to land at $12MM he lacks the surplus value more attractive trade targets typically offer. That increasing price tag in arbitration combined with the presence of youngster Kyle Manzardo as an obvious successor at first made Naylor somewhat expendable for the Guardians, however, and this evening’s addition of veteran first baseman Carlos Santana to the Cleveland lineup on a one-year deal suggests that the Guardians may have preferred to reallocate Naylor’s projected salary and playing time to the 15-year MLB veteran.

In exchange for parting ways with the slugger they’ve added some draft capital and an intriguing young arm in Cecconi. Competitive Balance Round B encompassed the 66th through 73rd picks in the 2024 draft. As noted by MLB.com’s Joe Trezza, the Guardians already had the first pick of Competitive Balance Round B in 2025. Now, the club will get a second pick in that same round as the Diamondbacks were slated to pick third behind Cleveland and Baltimore.

Meanwhile, Cecconi is a former first-round selection by the Diamondbacks who has pitched in parts of the last two seasons for the club but has yet to establish himself in the majors. He flashed league average numbers in an up-and-down role with Arizona in 2023, pitching to a 4.33 ERA (102 ERA+) with a 4.37 FIP in 27 innings spread between four starts and three relief appearances. Those numbers took a tumble in a longer stint with the big league club this year, however. Cecconi struggled to a 6.66 ERA (63 ERA+) in 77 innings of work. While his 5.02 FIP was substantially better, that figure was still well below league average. Cecconi enjoyed an excellent 5% walk rate in the majors last year, but his 18.9% strikeout rate was lackluster and he allowed an eye-popping 16 homers in just 20 games.

Disastrous as his 2024 season was, however, Cecconi will now get an opportunity to move to a club well-regarded for its ability to develop young pitchers. Still just 25, the right-hander’s 3.04 ERA and 29.5% strikeout rate in 47 innings at the Triple-A level this year offer some reason for optimism regarding his future in the big leagues, whether that winds up being out of the rotation or the bullpen. After losing Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb in free agency and with Shane Bieber expected not to pitch until midway through the 2025 season, Cleveland already added Luis Ortiz to their rotation earlier this winter. Cecconi may not be able to break a rotation that now projects to include Ortiz alongside Tanner Bibee, Ben Lively, Gavin Williams, and Triston McKenzie on Opening Day, but he’ll provide value depth for the club nonetheless.

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