Call to the pen
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AL Central: A mid-season front office assessment of the division

By Bill Felber

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 21: Minnesota Twins senior vice president and general manager Thad Levine looks on before the start of the game between the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins at Target Field on June 21, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Reds 7-5 in twelve innings. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 21: Minnesota Twins senior vice president and general manager Thad Levine looks on before the start of the game between the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins at Target Field on June 21, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Reds 7-5 in twelve innings. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Guardians front office, +1.6

Aside from their new name, the Guardians weren’t supposed to be especially interesting this season. The extent to which Antonetti and Chernoff deserve credit – it’s possible the existing talent base was simply under-valued – is open to debate.

But the numbers give the Cleveland front office at least some share of the credit.

The Guardians have only made a modest 21 personnel moves involving major league players since the end of the 2021 season. And of those, only eight have to date worked in favor of Cleveland; 12 were negative and one was neutral.

But the positive moves were more significant, resulting in a net improvement of 1.6 games that can be credited to those moves.

Here are the five most significant thus far.

April 14: That’s the date Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez signed a new seven-year, $141 million deal to remain in Cleveland through 2028. He has very much made good on that deal. Ramirez is hitting .292 with 16 home runs,  a league-leading 63 RBIs and a .966 OPS that ranks with the game’s best. It works out to +2.5 WAA. Through July 2, that was the sixth best total in the entire American League.

April 7: Rookie outfielder Steven Kwan made the opening day roster, went 5-for-5 in his third start, and hasn’t looked back. Kwan is hitting .276 and has more bases on balls (29) than whiffs (21).  The power numbers aren’t much, but Kwan’s arrival still works out to the benefit of his team by +0.9 WAA.

Nov. 5: Among players released to free agency was Nick Wittgren, a reliever coming off two good seasons and one unremarkable one. The Cardinals took  a chance, signing Wittgren for one season in March. The evidence so far suggests the Guardians were right and the Cardinals were wrong; Wittgren has a 5.90 ERA in 29 appearances and on Sunday the Cardinals designated him for assignment.

April 8: The Guardians shipped Bradley Zimmer to Toronto in order to add pitcher Anthony Castro to their bullpen. Three months into the season, Castro has a 7.94 ERA in 10 appearances, explaining his four round trips between Cleveland and his current home at Triple A Columbus. When last seen, Castro had cost the Guardians -0.7 WAA.

March 25; Bryan Shaw fits like an old, comfy glove in the Guardians bullpen. He ought to; a mainstay from 2013 through 2017, Shaw returned for the 2021 season, was released and then re-signed in March. It may have been one family reunion too many. In 33 appearances, Shaw has a 3-1 record but a 4.91 ERA and he’s sporting a troubling 1.33 WHIP. It adds up to -0.5 WAA.

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