The Cleveland Guardians, known to be one of the cheapest organizations in all of baseball, have money! This may be breaking news to fans of the team but, unfortunately for them, the Guardians would rather spend money on a theme song than a free agent outfielder — an outfielder who they’ve needed for two decades.
The Cleveland Guardians throw money at a theme song but not outfielders
In the 2021 season, the Cleveland Guardians had a comically bad outfield. Not a single player played 100+ games in the outfield but instead of addressing it, they decided to get a new theme song.
Total, they had an fWAR of 3.1, which was 27th in baseball in 2021. That included Eddie Rosario, Jordan Luplow, and Harold Ramirez, none of whom are returning to the team this season.
Since 2002, Cleveland outfielders have an fWAR of 137.7, which is 20th in baseball that span. For comparison, for the best stretch in franchise history (1994 through 2001), their outfield had an fWAR of 106.7, which was the best in the sport by 2.8 WAR over the San Francisco Giants, a team that had Barry Bonds who had 63.8 of that 103.9 WAR.
Coincidentally, the Guardians also have a payroll that is lower than what the team had in 2000 … by one-third.
Furthermore, since 2019, their outfield has an fWAR of 8.1, which is 27th in baseball.
But rest assured Guardians fans, the front office has their finger on the pulse of things and they know you wanted a theme song more!
Don’t pay attention to the comments on the theme song on YouTube (like the most liked comment saying, “We literally just wanted an outfielder in free agency”) or anything else. Just listen to the theme song, the song that has chants in it that makes you think of the team’s former name.
At least the theme song isn’t talking “Indian fever spreadin’ around” … but it’s a catchy, albeit cringey, song.
This theme song is cringey, not catchy, and it shows the team’s priorities.
That’s part of the reason why they have the longest World Series drought in the sport and an F for the offseason. Nothing to see here, folks! Move along!