Cleveland Guardians era off to inauspicious start

The Cleveland Guardians became official on Friday. After months of trying to determine the future name of the franchise, and a lawsuit brought forth by a roller hockey team, the Indians were no more. Signs were put up, new merchandise would theoretically be available, and a new chapter would be written in the organization’s history.

The word ‘were’ is important. It did not take long for the Guardians’ history to get off to an inauspicious start, as one of the new signs fell over Friday morning.

Cleveland Guardians get a sign of the future?

The Guardians’ franchise has not exactly had a lot of success. In 120 years of franchise history, they have won the World Series twice – in 1920 and 1948. They have captured six American League pennants, and have made it to the postseason just 15 times. Not much has gone right n franchise history.

With every new chapter, there is hope. There is hope that maybe this time, things will be different. While the Guardians may be rebuilding or reloading, there was the belief that the future would be brighter. That was especially the case when the Dolans announced that they are looking for a new minority owner, with a potential path to take over a controlling interest in the franchise.

But in order for that hope to last, the new chapter needs to start on a positive note. The lawsuit was already enough to raise an eyebrow, but the amicable settlement allowed one to believe that the Guardians could overcome their history.

People have a tendency to look for signs that they are moving in the right direction. Fans look for those same signs for their team, hoping that this will be the year that they win a championship. For Guardians’ fans, this is not the type of sign they were hoping for.

The Cleveland Guardians’ sign at the team shop broke on Friday just after the name change became official. It may be a sign of the future.