OOTP 23 Bloopball (Cleveland Guardians est. 2022)

[U7Gohan]

Introduction

Hey y'all. I'll be running the 2022-and-beyond Cleveland Guardians with the hope of turning them into a dynasty per request of a friend. I'll be doing a check-in post every in-game month with the team, with bigger posts summarizing major moves and the trade deadline, and playoff posts going game-by-game. Not a ton else to go over, but here are some important settings.

Trade Settings: Very Hard, Moderately Favor Prospects

Job Security: Cannot Be Fired

Under My Control: 26-Man Roster, 40-Man Roster, MLB Free Agents, Transactions, Trades, Drafting, Signing International Amateurs, Signing and Firing Team Personnel (Besides Bench Coach and Base Coaches), Minor League Free Agents



Meeting the Team

Before I even proceeded with anything, I used the budget I had to replace the scouting director in place with someone more reliable. Preseason predictions for this team have us at 74-88, and while I am fairly high on the starting rotation, the bullpen is lacking in talent outside of Emmanuel Clase and the offense needs more help. The bright side is that our defense is shored up well with Andres Gimenez manning SS and Myles Straw manning CF. This first year will be for the purpose of evaluating where the team needs to go short-term and how I can get better for next year and beyond. Our farm system is ranked 20th, but we have five Top 100 Prospects, which is helpful for seeing which positions we can fill soon already. I'll check back on May 1.

Author's Note: The posts get more and more thorough quickly, so stay tuned!

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

*cue frank fleming voice* WELP THAT'S IT SEASON'S OVER. The team is 6-16. The team's AL ranks are...

Runs scored: 12th
ERA: 10th
SP ERA: 13th
Bullpen ERA: 7th

The team just isn't very good at anything right now. The roster size is decreasing from 28 to 26 players, so Eli Morgan and Owen Miller were sent to AAA. I suspect Miller will be back before too long.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

NOTE: I will use (x, y) to describe a player's current rating and potential rating, respectively, out of 5 stars.

May did not go much better, despite Josh Naylor and James Karinchak returning from starting the season on the IL. Trevor Stephan was optioned to AAA and Yu Chang was DFAd and subsequently assigned to AAA. The team is 16-33 and buried in last place of a competitive AL Central that has the 26-23 Royals in 4th place. Triston McKenzie was struggling and had a moderate day-to-day shoulder injury, so I placed him on the IL to give him a chance to get back on his feet, calling up SP Peyton Battenfield (2.5, 3) to replace him. Shane Bieber and Emmanuel Clase are also uncharacteristically struggling, with Bieber having a 5.51 ERA and 4.00 FIP mostly propelled by a 1.7 HR/9, despite excellent K/BB numbers, and Clase having a 7.07 ERA and 5.8 K/9. The bright side is that Jose Ramirez is on fire and has a 162 OPS+.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

At 28-49, we are gearing up for a sell-off at the deadline. We sit at 10th in runs scored and dead last in ERA in the AL, with the pitching struggles defined by high HR/9 numbers across the entire staff. I expect to address the pitching coach's job now as I try to figure out how to evaluate my pitchers through the rest of the season.

Roster Moves

In a similar case to McKenzie, Zach Plesac went to the IL and Cody Morris (2.5, 3) took his spot returning from the IL at the same time.

Notable Performances

Triston McKenzie had a couple of strong starts in his return from the IL before cratering again. Emmanuel Clase rebounded to expected form as he is on a hot streak now.

Hitters:

Josh Naylor: 111 OPS+, 8 HR in 178 PA
Jose Ramirez: 167 OPS+, 6 SB, 3.6 WAR
Andres Gimenez: 107 OPS+, 7 SB, 1.5 WAR
Steven Kwan: 111 OPS+, 1.4 WAR
Oscar Gonzalez: 125 OPS+, 4 SB, 1.3 WAR
Franmil Reyes: 110 OPS+, 18 HR in 334 PA

Pitchers:

Shane Bieber: 6.49 ERA, 2.1 HR/9
Triston McKenzie: 6.05 ERA, 2.6 HR/9
James Karinchak: 3.28 ERA, 2.37 FIP, 17.1 K/9
Anthony Gose: 2.78 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 10.9 K/9
Emmanuel Clase: 4.24 ERA, 2.02 FIP, 8.1 K/9, 0.0 HR/9

Across the League

Approaching the Trade Deadline, multiple superteams have emerged, with the Twins, Cubs, and Mets all having .630 Pct. or better. The Yankees and Mariners each lead their division by 3 games and the Dodgers lead the NL West to round it out. The AL Wild Card looks more competitive with the .500 Angels just 1 game out currently. The deadline will certainly shake things up.

[U7Gohan]

For the draft, I tend to pick the first 10 picks, then autodraft the rest.

Position: 16th

Round 1: Nolan McLean (0.5, 3.5), College 1B, 50 Contact, 70 HR Power, and 60 Eye Potential.

Round 2: Brock Porter (0.5, 3.5), HS SP, 65 Stuff, 55 Control, Four 55 Pitch, and Two 70 Pitch Potential.

Round 3: Chase Shores (0.5, 3.5), HS SP, 60 Stuff, 60 Movement, Four 60 Pitch, and 75 Fastball Potential.

Round 4: Micah Bucknam (0.5, 3), HS SP, 55 Stuff, 50 Movement, 50 Control, Four 55 Pitch, and Three 60 Pitch Potential.

Round 5: Luke Hill (0.5, 3), HS SS, 70 Contact, 50 HR Power, 65 Eye, and 60 Avoid K Potential. Likely profiles as a decent 2B.

Round 6: Ross Highfill (0.5, 3), HS C, 65 Gap Power, 60 HR Power, 50 Eye, and 50 Avoid Ks Potential. 65 Speed, possible utility player. Questionable C defense.

Round 7: Nazier Mule (0.5, 3), HS SP/INF, 60 Stuff, 50 Control, Three 65 Pitch, 55 HR Power Potential. Experience at SS and 3B but mediocre defensive ratings. Main upside as a pitcher.

Round 8: Dakota Jordan (0.5, 3), HS CF, 50 Contact, 65 HR Power, 55 Eye Potential. Decent CF, good Corner OF.

Round 9: Justin West (0.5, 3), HS SP, 65 Movement, 65 Control, and Four 50 Pitch Potential.

Round 10: TJ Adams (0.5, 2.5), HS CF, 55 Contact, 65 Eye, and 65 Avoid Ks potential. 75 Stealing. Decent CF.

[U7Gohan]

All-Star Roster News

Unsurprisingly, our lone All-Star was Jose Ramirez, who is tied for the AL Lead in HR with 29, is 3rd in OPS with .979 behind Mike Trout and Vladimir Guerrero Jr, and is 3rd in WAR with 4.3 behind Mike Trout and Carlos Correa. The most unexpected nods for the roster around the league were:

AL:

SP Chris Flexen: 2.57 ERA
SP Jameson Taillon: 3.58 ERA
SS Adalberto Mondesi: 155 wRC+
LF Austin Hays: 118 wRC+, 2.3 WAR
CF Chas McCormick: 156 wRC+
RF Mitch Haniger: 172 wRC+

NL:

SP Steven Matz: 3.26 ERA
SP Zack Wheeler: 5.03 ERA
1B Frank Schwindel: 135 wRC+
3B Mike Moustakas: 130 wRC+
SS Oneil Cruz: 98 wRC+

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the HR Derby and J.D. Martinez won All-Star Game MVP in the AL's 8-0 victory.

For the Prospect All-Star Game, however, we had three prospects make it, being SP Daniel Espino (2, 3, #26 Overall), C Bo Naylor (1.5, 3.5, #80 Overall), and LF George Valera (2, 4.5, #56 Overall).

News Dump

Our pitching coach was fired and replaced by Bryce Bence, who is "LEGENDARY" at teaching pitching and "Good" at handling development. He works best with groundballers, a contrast to our prior pitching coach who worked best with power pitchers.

Next up, the Trade Deadline.

[U7Gohan]

Our Trades

Trade 1: Philadelphia Phillies

Outbound: RF Franmil Reyes (2.5, 2.5), RP Anthony Gose (2, 2), SS Richie Palacios (2, 2.5), SP Raymond Burgos (1.5, 2.5), 2B Amed Rosario (2, 2)

Inbound: LF Yemal Flores (0.5, 4), LF Matt Vierling (2.5, 2.5), 2B Bryson Stott (1.5, 3.5), RP Seranthony Dominguez (3, 3).

With this trade, I sold high on Reyes and Gose who were performing well but likely didn't have places on the future team. Flores gave me a strong prospect to develop for the future. Rosario ended up being the piece requested to complete the deal and I was glad to shed his expensive arbitration salary and clear space for Bryson Stott to take over immediately. Matt Vierling and Seranthony Dominguez will also join the MLB Roster immediately.

Trade 2: Kansas City Royals

Outbound: SP Konnor Pilkington (2.5, 2.5), RP Will Dion (0.5, 2)

Inbound: SP Kris Bubic (2.5, 3), RP Josh Staumont (3, 3)

Bubic is a year away from arbitration, and based on his strong movement rating along with a well-rounded profile and working well with my pitching coach as a groundballer, I saw dealing Pilkington for him as an upgrade. I wanted the trade to be a bit more helpful, so I added Staumont in to bolster the bullpen and gave up a reliever without an impressive profile. Aaron Civale will be optioned to AAA to make room for Bubic and Logan Allen will be DFAd to make room for Staumont.

Trade 3: Milwaukee Brewers

Outbound: RP Jhon Vergara (0.5, 0.5)

Inbound: CF Lorenzo Cain (100% Retained) (2, 2)

Myles Straw landed on the IL for 5 weeks, so without a clear CF in AAA to replace him in AAA, I acquired Cain to sustain the organization's depth in the meantime. Luckily, I did not have to take any of his contract.

That concludes our 2022 Trade Deadline.

League Trade Deadline Roundup

Here are the most notable trade deadline moves around the league.

Michael Brantley to Atlanta Braves
Nathan Eovaldi to St. Louis Cardinals
Zach Eflin to Chicago Cubs
Michael Conforto signed with Atlanta Braves on a 1-year deal
Ryan Pressly to Milwaukee Brewers


State of the Team

The team now sits at 42-60 after going 14-11 in July, fueled by Shane Bieber finding his stride and winning Pitcher of the Month. The bullpen looks very strong overall now and could be an anchor going forward. The starting rotation still sports the worst ERA in the AL, but time will tell if the new pitching coach can improve that mark. The offense also has fallen to 12th in Runs Scored in the AL with cold streaks from Josh Naylor and Oscar Gonzalez.

Notable Performances

Hitters:

Josh Naylor: 99 OPS+
Bryson Stott: 54 OPS+
Jose Ramirez: 166 OPS+, 4.8 WAR
Steven Kwan: 94 OPS+
Matt Vierling: 49 OPS+
Oscar Gonzalez: 118 OPS+

Pitchers:

Triston McKenzie: 6.47 ERA, 6.30 FIP
Kris Bubic: 5.79 ERA, 5.06 FIP
Emmanuel Clase: 3.31 ERA, 1.72 FIP, 21/24 SV/OPP, 1.6 WAR
James Karinchak: 2.29 ERA, 1.43 FIP, 17.4 K/9, 1.9 WAR
Josh Staumont: 2.52 ERA, 2.82 FIP

We'll check back on the team and the standings in a month.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The team sits at 54-75 after a sub-.500 August, and with rosters expanding, Myles Straw returns from the Injured List and Triston McKenzie is demoted to the bullpen in favor of Cody Morris (2.5, 3). The offseason will be one of soul-searching as we attempt to sort the pitching staff out and try to improve the offense meaningfully where we can.

News Dump

Austin Hedges was signed to a $3.4M/1yr extension with a 2nd-year team option. His strong defense and game-calling earned him a spot on the team next year as Bo Naylor develops.

Notable Performances

Hitters:

Josh Naylor: 106 OPS+
Bryson Stott: 18 OPS+ since the trade
Jose Ramirez: 166 OPS+, 6.1 WAR
Matt Vierling: 58 OPS+ since the trade
Steven Kwan: 109 OPS+
Oscar Gonzalez: 108 OPS+

Pitchers:

Zach Plesac: 3.96 ERA, 4.44 FIP
Kris Bubic: 4.65 ERA, 4.89 FIP since the trade
Emmanuel Clase: 3.14 ERA, 2.04 FIP
James Karinchak: 1.94 ERA, 1.50 FIP, 16.6 K/9, 2.8 WAR
Josh Staumont: 2.25 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 6.8 BB/9 since the trade

Across the League

The Mets now have the best record in MLB with the Dodgers 2nd. The only division leader to have been dethroned since July 1st is the Cubs, who trail the Cardinals by 0.5 games. The AL Wild Card race is virtually wrapped up, while the Brewers and Phillies are within range, but a bit distant of, the Cubs for the 3rd NL Wild Card spot. Notably, the Brewers have won 8 straight. The WAR leaderboards are as follows:

AL Hitters:

1. Mike Trout - 7.3
2. Jose Ramirez - 6.1
3. Carlos Correa - 6.0

AL Pitchers:

1. Gerrit Cole - 5.3
2. Luis Severino - 4.0
3. Kevin Gausman - 3.9

NL Hitters:

Juan Soto - 7.1
Bryce Harper - 5.2
Trea Turner - 5.1

NL Pitchers:

Corbin Burnes - 5.6
Joe Musgrove - 4.6
Kyle Wright - 4.6

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The Cleveland Guardians finished 65-97 in 2022, a very disappointing mark but an enlightening one as there will be much room to upgrade in various areas, but most obviously the starting rotation, so that will be addressed this offseason.

Notable Performances

Hitters:

Josh Naylor: 111 OPS+, 23 HR
Bryson Stott: 49 OPS+ since the trade
Jose Ramirez: 149 OPS+, 6.5 WAR
Andres Gimenez: 102 OPS+, 22 SB, 3.7 WAR
Steven Kwan: 101 OPS+, 1.2 WAR
Matt Vierling: 79 OPS+ since the trade
Myles Straw: 99 OPS+, 20 SB, 2.5 WAR
Oscar Gonzalez: 118 OPS+, 2.5 WAR

Pitchers:

Shane Bieber: 4.97 ERA, 4.22 FIP
Kris Bubic: 4.99 ERA, 4.97 FIP since the trade
Zach Plesac: 3.97 ERA, 4.33 FIP
Seranthony Dominguez: 4.70 ERA, 4.56 FIP since the trade
Emmanuel Clase: 3.63 ERA, 2.31 FIP, 2.2 WAR
James Karinchak: 2.49 ERA, 1.86 FIP, 3.0 WAR
Josh Staumont: 5.59 ERA, 5.52 FIP since the trade
Nick Sandlin: 3.01 ERA, 3.40 FIP, 12.2 K/9



Playoffs Roundup

The AL Central, AL West, and 3rd NL Wild Card all finished in ties, creating some interesting seeding.

AL Seeding:

1. Twins
2. Yankees
3. Mariners
4. White Sox
5. Rangers
6. Rays

NL Seeding:

1. Dodgers
2. Mets
3. Cubs
4. Braves
5. Padres
6. Cardinals

The Phillies, who tied with the Cardinals at 87-75, missed the playoffs.

AL WC Series: Rangers>White Sox in 3, Mariners>Rays in 2
NL WC Series: Padres>Braves in 3, Cardinals>Cubs in 2

ALDS: Twins>Rangers in 4, Yankees>Mariners in 5
NLDS: Padres>Dodgers in 4, Cardinals>Mets in 4

ALCS: Yankees>Twins in 6, Padres>Cardinals in 5

WS: Padres>Yankees in 7

League Leaders

AL Hitter WAR:

1. Mike Trout - 9.6
2. Carlos Correa - 6.9
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - 6.9

AL Pitcher WAR:

1. Gerrit Cole - 6.0
2. Luis Severino - 5.3
3. Kevin Gausman - 4.4

NL Hitter WAR:

1. Juan Soto - 8.0
2. Trea Turner - 6.6
3. Ronald Acuna Jr. - 6.4

NL Pitcher WAR:

1. Corbin Burnes - 7.0
2. Kyle Wright - 5.4
3. Joe Musgrove - 5.2

The offseason is next.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

News Dump

Manager Terry Francona decided the team was so bad he wanted to retire. So did our Scouting Director. So, we hired Aaron Sele as the new manager on a 5-year pact, as he has good relationships with every player and has an "Outstanding" rating with handling development as a coach. We hired Will Ohman to be our new Scouting Director on a 5-year pact as well, as he was the best Scouting Director on the market.

Awards

Oscar Gonzalez won AL Rookie of the Year, and Zach Plesac and Austin Hedges won AL Gold Glove at their respective positions.

Arbitration

C Luke Maile was non-tendered. Every other arbitration-eligible player was tendered a contract. We opened discussions with Shane Bieber on a long-term contract but he was not interested in buying out any free-agent years without an opt-out or player options tacked onto the end of his deal.

Offseason Goals

My main goal is to upgrade the starting rotation, which I think begins with upgrading the defense so that we have more leeway on the type of pitchers we can acquire to improve our staff. I also want to add more thump to the offense.

Top Free Agents

Hitters:

SS Carlos Correa (4.5, 4.5)
OF Joey Gallo (4.5, 4.5)
3B Xander Bogaerts (4.0, 4.0)
OF Michael Conforto (3.5, 3.5)
OF Andrew Benintendi (3.0, 3.0)
3B Justin Turner (3.0, 3.0)

Pitchers:

CL Edwin Diaz (4.5, 4.5)
CL Taylor Rogers (4.5, 4.5)
CL Ryan Pressly (4.0, 4.0)
SP Chris Bassitt (3.5, 3.5)
RP Ken Giles (3.5, 3.5)
CL Kenley Jansen (3.5, 3.5)

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

Free Agent Signings

None. Although there are rumors that GM U7Gohan is working on something big...

Trades

Trade 1: Miami Marlins

Outbound: SP Daniel Espino (2.0, 3.0, #27 MLB Prospect), RP Tobias Myers (1.5, 1.5), CF Myles Straw (3.0, 3.0), 2B Jose Tena (1.0, 3.0)

Inbound: SP Sandy Alcantara (55% Retained) (3.0, 3.5), CF Antony Peguero (0.5, 3.5)

I noticed Espino had a lot of value for a pitching prospect with as poor control as he has, so I found a way to ship him for a high-end starter in Sandy Alcantara. Alcantara may profile more as a #2, but the team-friendliness of his contract for 5 years made him the most appealing target to me. I was willing to give up Straw to offset even more of the money and to avoid giving up more high-end prospects, although I realize I will need to now replace his defense in CF. Myers and Tena both have unimpressive profiles, and Peguero was severely undervalued compared to the other Marlins' prospects, so I worked it out.

Trade 2: Milwaukee Brewers

Outbound: RP Jack Leftwich (1.0, 2.0)

Inbound: RP Brad Boxberger (3.5, 3.5), RP Angel Perdomo (3.0, 3.0)

I made this trade to further bolster the bullpen, as I thought Boxberger had relatively low value on his $3M/1yr deal and I was able to throw Perdomo in for his elite stuff as a LHP on a minimum deal, although with horrendous control.

Rule 5 Draft

We drafted RP Denny Bentley. Bentley is a LHP with excellent movement and a strong sinker-slider combo. I figure he can battle with Angel Perdomo for a spot on the MLB roster out of Spring Training. In the process of adding prospects to the 40-man roster in preparation of the Rule 5 draft, RP Eli Morgan (0.5, 1.5) and RP Austin Garza (1.5, 1.5) were DFAd.

Around the League

Major Free Agent Signings

OF Joey Gallo (4.0, 4.0) to Dodgers, $210M/7yr
SS Xander Bogaerts (4.0, 4.0) to Phillies, $211M/7yr
SP Matthew Boyd (3.5, 3.5) to Braves, $22.9M/2yr
C Mike Zunino (2.0, 2.0) to Cardinals, $56.5M/4yr
SP Nathan Eovaldi (3.0, 3.0) to Rockies, $29.5M/4yr
SP Chris Bassitt (3.5, 3.5) to Athletics, $92M/5yr
OF Mitch Haniger (3.0, 3.0) to Rangers, $62.4M/4yr
OF J.D. Martinez (3.0, 3.0) to Rangers, $12M/1yr
CL Kenley Jansen (3.5, 3.5) to Brewers, $17.6M/2yr
C Omar Narvaez (3.5, 3.5) to Astros, $110.6M/7yr

Major Trades

1B Daniel Vogelbach (3.0, 3.0) to Marlins
SP James Paxton (3.0, 3.0) to Cardinals
2B Tony Kemp (3.5, 3.5) to Tigers
SP Justin Verlander (3.5, 3.5) to Twins
SP Hyun-Jin Ryu (2.5, 2.5) to Phillies

Major Extensions

SP Shohei Ohtani (3.5, 3.5) signs for $113.5M/6yr with Angels

I'll check back in a month. Hopefully I've made a big move by then...

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

General Manager U7Gohan said he was working on something big, and after the most intense negotiations of his career, he has done it indeed...

Free Agent Signings

SS Carlos Correa (4.5, 4.5) for $344.6M/8yr with 9th and 10th-year team options and an opt-out after year 5. The deal is also backloaded and includes a $3M bonus for winning MVP and a full no-trade clause.

Carlos Correa was the player I wanted from the start to both shore up the infield defense by allowing Andres Gimenez to play 2B and adding a huge bat to the lineup for the long term. He has consistently done well on long-term deals in my saves but these were by far the most intense negotiations I've ever had, with Correa asking for $400M/8yr in the final stage of negotiations in a bidding war that lasted over a month. With our final offer, we got it done.

Trades

Trade 1: Kansas City Royals

Outbound: SP Cal Quantrill (2.5, 2.5), CL Tim Herrin (3.0, 3.0), SP Peyton Battenfield (2.5, 2.5), RP Eli Morgan (1.5, 2.0)

Inbound: CF Michael A. Taylor (3.0, 3.0), 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (2.5, 3.5), SP Alec Marsh (2.0, 2.5)

Taylor gives me my replacement to Myles Straw in CF, with Taylor possessing similarly top-of-the-line defense. I dealt Quantrill because I was lower on him and I could match the salaries up, a necessary move. Battenfield and Herrin were necessary sacrifices, but I got Alec Marsh, a groundballer with an upper 90s fastball, back to slide back into the SP competition and depth. Pasquantino was an undervalued player that gives me another potential big bat, and the DH spot is wide open as of now, so he doesn't have to take time from Josh Naylor. 1B Bobby Bradley (2.0, 2.0) was DFAd to make room on the 40-man roster.

Extensions

SP Shane Bieber (3.5, 4) for $162M/8yr with an opt-out after year 4 and 9th and 10th-year team options.

I had previously approached Bieber looking for an extension with two years left before he was set to hit free-agency, but we never found common ground. Now, we agreed on a deal that works for both sides, and trusts in Bieber to rebound from a down year in 2022.

From here on out, the team will need to rely on its player development system to keep adding bigtime talent to the MLB roster, whether that be through trades or promotion through the system. I believe the team is set up for success in 2023 with these moves, however.

Across the League

Major Free Agent Signings

RP Ryan Pressly (4.0, 4.0) to Dodgers, $22.6M/2yr
RP Aroldis Chapman (4.0, 4.0) to Dodgers, $19.4M/2yr
SS Jose Iglesias (3.0, 3.0) to Red Sox, $31.5M/3yr
SP Sonny Gray (3.0, 3.0) to Mets, $53.3M/4yr
1B Brandon Belt (3.0, 3.0) to Yankees, $78.4M/4yr
2B Adam Frazier (3.0, 3.0) to Angels, $26.6M/2yr
RP Corey Knebel (4.0, 4.0) to Rays, $14.5M/3yr
1B Josh Bell (3.0, 3.0) to Athletics, $49.6M/4yr

Major Trades

SP Shohei Ohtani (3.5, 3.5) to Dodgers
SP Luis Castillo (3.5, 3.5) to Cubs
2B Christian Arroyo (3.0, 3.0) to White Sox

Major Extensions

SP Lucas Giolito (4.0, 4.0) signs for $121M/5yr with White Sox
1B Rhys Hoskins (3.0, 3.0) signs for $78M/4yr with Phillies

The die has been cast. We now will cross the Rubicon...

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The team is off to a 2-4 start in Spring Training, but more importantly, on a good note, C Bo Naylor (3.0, 4.5, #82 Overall) and LF George Valera (3.0, 5.0, #56 Overall), are developing quickly and figure to make their MLB debuts not long into the season.

No transactions to report on otherwise, though.

Around the League

Major Free Agent Signings

OF Andrew Benintendi (3.0, 3.0) to Orioles, $27.1M/3yr
SP Zach Eflin (2.5, 2.5) to Yankees, $24.2M/3yr
CL Edwin Diaz (4.5, 4.5) to White Sox, $11.4M/2yr
RP Taylor Rogers (4.5, 4.5) to White Sox, $32.1M/3yr

Major Trades

SP Mike Clevinger (3.0, 3.0) to Mets

Major Extensions

None

I hope everyone is enjoying reading along so far! I will try to get better and more consistent with my posting format as I go.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The team finished Spring Training with a 17-10 record, good for the 2nd-best record in MLB. Top prospects OF George Valera (3.0, 5.0) and C Bo Naylor (3.0, 4.5) shined in Spring Training, but will open the season in AAA, knocking on the doors of the players holding down the C, corner OF, and DH positions, and with other prospects like OF Will Benson and 2B Brayan Rocchio in the mix as well. Alec Marsh will take the 5th SP spot after a strong spring, but his competitors will be knocking on the door in AAA as well. Emmanuel Clase will open the season on the 14-Day IL with dead arm, but will return very shortly. With that said, let's introduce the 26-Man Roster for the 2023 Opening Day Cleveland Guardians.

26-Man Roster

Hitters:

C: Austin Hedges (2.0, 2.0), Bryan Lavastida (2.0, 2.5)
1B: Vinnie Pasquantino (3.0, 3.5), Josh Naylor (2.0, 2.0)
2B: Andres Gimenez (2.5, 4.5), Bryson Stott (2.5, 3.5)
SS: Carlos Correa (4.5, 4.5)
3B: Jose Ramirez (4.5, 4.5)
LF: Steven Kwan (2.5, 2.5)
CF: Michael A. Taylor (3.0, 3.0), Oscar Mercado (2.0, 2.0)
RF: Oscar Gonzalez (2.5, 2.5), Matt Vierling (2.5, 2.5)

Pitchers:

SP1: Shane Bieber (3.5, 4.0)
SP2: Sandy Alcantara (3.5, 3.5)
SP3: Zach Plesac (2.5, 2.5)
SP4: Kris Bubic (2.5, 2.5)
SP5: Alec Marsh (2.0, 2.5)

CL: Emmanuel Clase (4.5, 4.5)
SU: James Karinchak (4.0, 4.0)
MR: Brad Boxberger (3.0, 3.0)
MR: Angel Perdomo (2.5, 2.5)
MR: Nick Sandlin (2.5, 2.5)
MR: Denny Bentley (2.5, 3.0)
LR: Seranthony Dominguez (3.0, 3.0)
LR: Anthony Castro (2.5, 2.5)

Preseason Predictions projects us to go 85-77 and tie for the AL Central crown. I suspect we can beat that mark with contributions from our top prospects. Let's do it!

Player Development

MLB 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (2.5, 3.5) - > (3.0, 3.5)

MiLB SP Joey Cantillo (2.0, 2.5) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MiLB OF Will Benson (2.0, 2.5) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MiLB 1B Aaron Bracho (1.5, 2.5) - > (2.0, 3.0)

Minor League Report

The latest Top 100 Prospects update lands the Guardians at 20th, with four Top 100 Prospects:

OF George Valera (3.0, 5.0) - #46
2B Brayan Rocchio (2.0, 4.0) - #53
SS Angel Martinez (1.5, 3.0) - #63
C Bo Naylor (3.0, 4.5) - #68

Around the League

Preseason Predictions

Preseason Predictions expect an extremely competitive AL, with the highest win total belonging to the Houston Astros at 87-75. The NL is similar, but with the Cardinals expected to go 94-68 and the Dodgers expected to win a whopping 103 games. The World Champion Padres are expected to get a chance to defend their title as the 2nd NL Wild Card team with an 87-75 record, while the runner-up Yankees are expected to tie for the 3rd AL Wild Card spot at 83-79.

Major Free Agent Signings

1B Anthony Rizzo (3.0, 3.0) to Red Sox, $36M/3yr
OF Michael Conforto (3.5, 3.5) to Braves, $4.3M/1yr
C Jason Castro (3.0, 3.0) to Dodgers, $5.3M/1yr
2B Jean Segura (3.0, 3.0) to Dodgers, $3.2M/1yr
OF Michael Brantley (3.0, 3.0) to Nationals, $9.4M/1yr

Major Trades

RP Paul Sewald (3.5, 3.5) to Mets

Major Extensions

SP Blake Snell (3.5, 3.5) signs with Padres, $96.8M/5yr
SP Luis Castillo (3.5, 3.5) signs with Cubs, $145.4M/6yr
SP Tyler Glasnow (4.0, 4.0) signs with Rays, $37M/2yr
SP Jordan Montgomery (3.0, 3.0) signs with Yankees, $21.7M/3yr
SP Aaron Nola (3.5, 4.0) signs with Phillies, $90.8M/4yr

We'll check back in with a month underway.

[U7Gohan]

Opening Day 2023 Check-In

State of the Team

The team finished Spring Training with a 17-10 record, good for the 2nd-best record in MLB. Top prospects OF George Valera (3.0, 5.0) and C Bo Naylor (3.0, 4.5) shined in Spring Training, but will open the season in AAA, knocking on the doors of the players holding down the C, corner OF, and DH positions, and with other prospects like OF Will Benson and 2B Brayan Rocchio in the mix as well. Alec Marsh will take the 5th SP spot after a strong spring, but his competitors will be knocking on the door in AAA as well. Emmanuel Clase will open the season on the 10-Day IL with dead arm, but will return very shortly. RP Sam Hentges (2.0, 2.0) was DFAd. With that said, let's introduce the 26-Man Roster for the 2023 Opening Day Cleveland Guardians.

26-Man Roster

Hitters:

C: Austin Hedges (2.0, 2.0), Bryan Lavastida (2.0, 2.5)
1B: Vinnie Pasquantino (3.0, 3.5), Josh Naylor (2.0, 2.0)
2B: Andres Gimenez (2.5, 4.5), Bryson Stott (2.5, 3.5)
SS: Carlos Correa (4.5, 4.5)
3B: Jose Ramirez (4.5, 4.5)
LF: Steven Kwan (2.5, 2.5)
CF: Michael A. Taylor (3.0, 3.0), Oscar Mercado (2.0, 2.0)
RF: Oscar Gonzalez (2.5, 2.5), Matt Vierling (2.5, 2.5)

Pitchers:

SP1: Shane Bieber (3.5, 4.0)
SP2: Sandy Alcantara (3.5, 3.5)
SP3: Zach Plesac (2.5, 2.5)
SP4: Kris Bubic (2.5, 2.5)
SP5: Alec Marsh (2.0, 2.5)

CL: Emmanuel Clase (4.5, 4.5)
SU: James Karinchak (4.0, 4.0)
MR: Brad Boxberger (3.0, 3.0)
MR: Angel Perdomo (2.5, 2.5)
MR: Nick Sandlin (2.5, 2.5)
MR: Denny Bentley (2.5, 3.0)
LR: Seranthony Dominguez (3.0, 3.0)
LR: Anthony Castro (2.5, 2.5)

Preseason Predictions projects us to go 85-77 and tie for the AL Central crown. I suspect we can beat that mark with contributions from our top prospects. Let's do it!

Player Development

MLB 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (2.5, 3.5) - > (3.0, 3.5)

MiLB SP Joey Cantillo (2.0, 2.5) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MiLB OF Will Benson (2.0, 2.5) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MiLB 1B Aaron Bracho (1.5, 2.5) - > (2.0, 3.0)

Minor League Report

The latest Top 100 Prospects update lands the Guardians at 20th, with four Top 100 Prospects:

OF George Valera (3.0, 5.0) - #46
2B Brayan Rocchio (2.0, 4.0) - #53
SS Angel Martinez (1.5, 3.0) - #63
C Bo Naylor (3.0, 4.5) - #68

Around the League

Preseason Predictions

Preseason Predictions expect an extremely competitive AL, with the highest win total belonging to the Houston Astros at 87-75. The NL is similar, but with the Cardinals expected to go 94-68 and the Dodgers expected to win a whopping 103 games. The World Champion Padres are expected to get a chance to defend their title as the 2nd NL Wild Card team with an 87-75 record, while the runner-up Yankees are expected to tie for the 3rd AL Wild Card spot at 83-79.

Major Free Agent Signings

1B Anthony Rizzo (3.0, 3.0) to Red Sox, $36M/3yr
OF Michael Conforto (3.5, 3.5) to Braves, $4.3M/1yr
C Jason Castro (3.0, 3.0) to Dodgers, $5.3M/1yr
2B Jean Segura (3.0, 3.0) to Dodgers, $3.2M/1yr
OF Michael Brantley (3.0, 3.0) to Nationals, $9.4M/1yr

Major Trades

RP Paul Sewald (3.5, 3.5) to Mets

Major Extensions

SP Blake Snell (3.5, 3.5) signs with Padres, $96.8M/5yr
SP Luis Castillo (3.5, 3.5) signs with Cubs, $145.4M/6yr
SP Tyler Glasnow (4.0, 4.0) signs with Rays, $37M/2yr
SP Jordan Montgomery (3.0, 3.0) signs with Yankees, $21.7M/3yr
SP Aaron Nola (3.5, 4.0) signs with Phillies, $90.8M/4yr

We'll check back in with a month underway.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The team was extremely impressive in April, going 17-10 and landing at the top of the AL Central despite Jose Ramirez going on the IL to miss 4 weeks with an ankle sprain in the first week of the season as well as both Carlos Correa and Michael A. Taylor spending stints on the 10-Day IL too. The offense has been unimpressive thus far, ranking 11th in Runs Scored in the AL, but the pitching staff is Top 5 in ERA for both SPs and RPs and 2nd in the AL overall.

News Dump

LF George Valera (3.0, 5.0, #46 Overall) has been promoted to MLB Cleveland. In a corresponding move, OF Matt Vierling (2.5, 2.5) was optioned to AAA Columbus and RP Trevor Stephan (2.5, 2.5) was DFA'd. Valera is expected to take the bulk of the playing time from LF Steven Kwan.

Notable Performances

Hitters:

2B Andres Gimenez: 90 OPS+, 0.4 WAR in 119 PA
2B Bryson Stott: 180 OPS+ in 73 PA
SS Carlos Correa: 87 OPS+, 0.5 WAR in 77 PA
OF Oscar Gonzalez: 110 OPS+, 0.5 WAR in 102 PA

Pitchers:

SP Shane Bieber: 4.78 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 1.7 HR/9
SP Sandy Alcantara: 2.67 ERA, 3.00 FIP
SP Zach Plesac: 1.93 ERA, 2.84 FIP
SP Kris Bubic: 3.58 ERA, 4.31 FIP
SP Alec Marsh: 5.96 ERA, 5.58 FIP, 2.0 HR/9

CL Emmanuel Clase: 0.67 ERA, 1.54 FIP, 11.5 K/9
RP James Karinchak: 2.16 ERA, 1.81 FIP, 14.6 K/9
RP Brad Boxberger: 1.72 ERA, 2.75 FIP, 9.8 K/9, 5.2 BB/9, 0.0 HR/9
RP Denny Bentley: 1.00 ERA, 3.42 FIP

Player Development

MLB RP Seranthony Dominguez (3.0, 3.0) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MLB C Bryan Lavastida (2.0, 2.0) - > (2.0, 2.5)
MLB 2B Andres Gimenez (2.5, 4.5) - > (4.0, 5.0)
MLB 2B Bryson Stott (2.5, 3.5) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MLB OF Oscar Gonzalez (2.5, 2.5) - > (2.0, 2.0)

MiLB RP Josh Staumont (3.0, 3.0) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MiLB 2B Brayan Rocchio (2.0, 4.0) - > (2.5, 3.5)


Around the League

Standings

The Dodgers are living up to their projected dominance, with a 20-6 record in April that easily leads MLB. The AL West is the most competitive thus far, with the 5th-place Angels just 2.5 games back from the 1st-place Astros and Rangers. The NL Central, AL Central, and AL East are all pitched battles for 1st place thus far, with the Cardinals, Guardians, and Blue Jays each 0.5 games up on the Cubs, Tigers, and Rays respectively. The defending champion Padres are struggling thus far, with a 12-16 April.

Major Trades

None

Major Extensions

SP Corbin Burnes (5.0, 5.0) signs with Brewers, $209M/7yr
SP Max Fried (4.0, 4.0) signs with Braves, $119.2M/5yr

We'll check back in a month, hopefully with the team at full strength.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The team was even better in May than April, going 21-8 and bringing our record to 38-18, good for 3rd-best in baseball behind the 40-16 Cardinals and the 41-15 Dodgers. Pretty much all is going to plan, so that is very pleasing. The team now ranks 4th in Runs Scored, 1st in ERA, and Top 3 in both Defensive Efficiency and Zone Rating in the AL, so we are officially a superteam.


News Dump

OF George Valera (3.0, 4.5, #46 Overall) won AL Rookie of the Month in May. Pretty good for his first month in MLB. Additionally, C Bo Naylor (2.5, 4.0, #68 Overall) will be promoted to MLB Cleveland. In a corresponding move, C Bryan Lavastida (2.0, 2.5) will be optioned to AAA Columbus.

Notable Performances

Hitters:

1B Josh Naylor: 91 OPS+
1B Vinnie Pasquantino: 108 OPS+
2B Andres Gimenez: 111 OPS+, 8 SB, 1.6 WAR
SS Carlos Correa: 121 OPS+, 2.4 WAR in 194 PA
3B Jose Ramirez: 173 OPS+, 2.2 WAR in 148 PA
LF George Valera: 129 OPS+, 1.0 WAR in 113 PA
RF Oscar Gonzalez: 109 OPS+

Pitchers:

SP Shane Bieber: 3.78 ERA, 2.87 FIP, 1.2 HR/9
SP Sandy Alcantara: 3.13 ERA, 3.59 FIP
SP Zach Plesac: 2.70 ERA, 3.40 FIP
SP Kris Bubic: 4.34 ERA, 4.89 FIP

CL Emmanuel Clase: 0.69 ERA, 1.80 FIP, 17/17 SV/OPP, 1.3 WAR
RP James Karinchak: 2.30 ERA, 2.19 FIP, 14.2 K/9, 1.0 WAR
RP Brad Boxberger: 1.62 ERA, 2.37 FIP, 10.2 K/9, 3.2 BB/9
RP Nick Sandlin: 2.37 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 13.7 K/9
RP Denny Bentley: 0.63 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 10.7 K/9

Player Development

MLB SP Zach Plesac (2.5, 2.5) - > (3.0, 3.0)
MLB RP Brad Boxberger (3.0, 3.0) - > (3.5, 3.5)
MLB 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (3.0, 3.5) - > (2.5, 3.0)
MiLB C Bo Naylor (3.0, 4.5) - > (2.5, 4.0)
MiLB SP Chase Shores (0.5, 4.0) - > (0.5, 3.0)


Around the League

Standings

The standings have shaken up drastically since last month. The Guardians, Dodgers, Rays, and Cardinals all now have commanding leads in their divisions, while the A's lead the AL West by 4.0 games over the Angels while the Rangers and Astros, who were the top dogs at the end of April, have both collapsed to the bottom of the division. The 28-29 Mets lead the NL East by 0.5 games over the Nationals, and the 3rd-place Marlins sit 2.5 games back of the Mets.


Major Trades

None

Major Extensions

OF Ian Happ (3.5, 3.5) signs with Cubs, $77M/4yr
SS Nick Ahmed (3.0, 3.0) signs with Cubs, $72M/4yr
CF Harrison Bader (4.0, 4.0) signs with Cardinals, $101.4M/4yr
2B Max Muncy (3.0, 3.0) signs with Dodgers, $50.4M/3yr

All is well for now, but the 5th starter spot remains wide open. Perhaps a deadline trade could address that, but only time will tell.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

The team has continued its tear, going 16-11 in June and now sitting at 54-29, 9.5 games up in the division and comfortably the 3rd-best record in MLB behind the Cardinals (57-28) and the Dodgers (58-25). The team ranks 6th in Runs Scored, 3rd in SP ERA, 1st in RP ERA, and 1st in Team ERA in the AL.

News Dump

C Bryan Lavastida (2.0, 2.5) was recalled from AAA Columbus. In a corresponding move, 1B Josh Naylor (2.0, 2.0) was demoted to AAA Columbus. C Bo Naylor (2.5, 4.0) is expected to take the bulk of the DH at-bats while 1B Vinnie Pasquantino (2.5, 3.0) takes over at 1B full-time.

Additionally, a trade with the Minnesota Twins was completed to bolster the bullpen.

Outbound: SP Alec Marsh (2.0, 2.5), SS Gabriel Arias (2.5, 2.5)

Inbound: RP Jakob Hernandez (3.5, 3.5), SS Jermaine Palacios (2.5, 2.5)

The Twins approached me offering Hernandez, a lefty with elite stuff and strong movement that can improve the spot Angel Perdomo (2.5, 2.5) occupied. Hernandez also only just started his service time clock. I decided to give up Marsh and Arias, knowing they were luxuries in my system currently, and acquire Palacios in return to make up for the depth where Arias left.

In a corresponding move, OF Steven Kwan (2.5, 2.5) was optioned to AAA Columbus, RP Angel Perdomo (2.5, 2.5) was DFA'd, and SP Joey Cantillo (2.5, 2.5) was promoted to MLB Cleveland from AAA Columbus.

Notable Performances

Hitters:

C Austin Hedges: .202/.272/.408, 86 OPS+, 2.2 WAR in 235 PA
1B Vinnie Pasquantino: .255/.321/.484, 119 OPS+, 0.7 WAR
2B Andres Gimenez: .281/.337/.419, 108 OPS+, 11 SB, 2.4 WAR
SS Carlos Correa: .273/.364/.424, 118 OPS+, 3.5 WAR
3B Jose Ramirez: .275/.363/.524, 142 OPS+, 6 SB, 2.7 WAR
LF George Valera: .283/.369/.534, 147 OPS+, 2.0 WAR in 217 PA
CF Michael A. Taylor: .224/.261/.369, 72 OPS+, 0.6 WAR
RF Oscar Gonzalez: .266/.277/.424, 91 OPS+, 0.3 WAR

Pitchers:

SP Shane Bieber: 3.03 ERA, 2.72 FIP, 1.0 HR/9, 3.4 WAR
SP Sandy Alcantara: 3.17 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 8.7 K/9, 2.9 WAR
SP Zach Plesac: 3.50 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 1.6 WAR
SP Kris Bubic: 5.17 ERA, 5.03 FIP, 0.3 WAR
SP Joey Cantillo: 5.68 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 0.5 WAR

Pitchers:

CL Emmanuel Clase: 0.99 ERA, 2.16 FIP, 25/26 SV/OPP, 10.2 K/9, 1.6 WAR
RP James Karinchak: 2.01 ERA, 1.92 FIP, 15.2 K/9, 1.6 WAR
RP Brad Boxberger: 1.65 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 10.1 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 1.3 WAR
RP Nick Sandlin: 2.50 ERA, 3.23 FIP, 13.0 K/9
RP Denny Bentley: 0.82 ERA, 2.72 FIP, 11.0 K/9
RP Jakob Hernandez: 4.26 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 11.9 K/9, 5.4 BB/9


Player Development

MLB SP Shane Bieber (3.5, 4.0) - > (4.0, 4.0)
MLB 3B Jose Ramirez (4.5, 4.5) - > (4.0, 4.0)
MiLB SP Justin West (0.5, 3.0) - > (0.5, 2.0)
MiLB C Ross Highfill (0.5, 3.0) - > (0.5, 2.0)
MiLB C David Bell (0.5, 3.0) - > (0.5, 2.0)
MiLB CF Antony Peguero (0.5, 3.0) - > (0.5, 2.0)

Minor League Report

Our farm system now ranks 9th in MLB, with five Top 100 prospects, including 2022 7th-Round pick SP Nazier Mule (0.5, 2.5), who just joined the Top 100.

LF George Valera (3.0, 4.5) - #31
SS Angel Martinez (2.0, 3.0) - #38
2B Brayan Rocchio (2.5, 3.5) - #44
C Bo Naylor (2.5, 4.0) - #48
SP Nazier Mule (0.5, 2.5) - #88

Other emerging prospects are:

CF Dakota Jordan (0.5, 2.5) - R ACL
OF Yemal Flores (0.5, 3.5) - R ACL
OF Petey Halpin (0.5, 2.5) - R ACL
1B Jhonkensy Noel (2.0, 3.0) - AAA Columbus
2B Aaron Bracho (0.5, 2.5) - AA Akron
SP Tanner Burns (2.5, 3.0) - AAA Columbus
SP Lenny Torres (1.5, 2.5) - A+ Lake County

Around the League

Standings

The biggest update from the last report is that the Phillies now lead the NL East at 43-42 by 1.0 games over the Mets. The DBacks and Mets are tied for the 3rd NL Wild Card at 42-43, with the Reds 0.5 games ahead at 42-42. The Red Sox and Orioles are tied for the 3rd AL Wild Card at 4 games over .500, with the Yankees a game behind and the Blue Jays 0.5 games ahead.

League Leaders

AL WAR:

Hitters:

1. Carlos Correa (CLE) - 3.5
2. Adley Rutschman (BAL) - 3.5
3. Josh Jung (TEX) - 3.4

Pitchers:

1. Shane Bieber (CLE) - 3.4
2. Sandy Alcantara (CLE) - 2.9
3. Shane McClanahan (TBR) - 2.9

NL WAR:

Hitters:

1. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) - 5.0
2. Joey Gallo (LAD) - 4.5
3. Xander Bogaerts (PHI) - 4.0

Pitchers:

1. Max Fried (ATL) - 3.1
2. Max Scherzer (NYM) - 3.0
3. Zack Wheeler (PHI) - 2.9

Major Trades

SP Bailey Ober (3.0, 3.0) to Blue Jays

Major Extensions

C Sean Murphy (3.5, 3.5) signs with A's, $42.6M/4yr
2B Gavin Lux (4.5, 5.0) signs with Dodgers, $137.3M/8yr

Next up will be the All-Star Break Roundup, the calm before the storm of the Trade Deadline Roundup.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

We enter the All-Star Break at 59-32, now 12 games up on the 2nd-place White Sox. The team ranks 4th in Runs Scored, 3rd in SP ERA, 1st in RP ERA, 1st in Team ERA, 4th in Defensive Efficiency, and 2nd in Zone Rating.

News Dump

C Austin Hedges (2.0, 2.0) headed to the 10-Day IL with an intercostal strain. He will return immediately once his required IL time passes. 1B Josh Naylor (2.0, 2.0) was recalled from AAA Columbus in a corresponding move, but immediately was sidelined for 5-6 weeks with a torn abdominal muscle. In a corresponding move, 1B Jhonkensy Noel (2.0, 3.0) was promoted to MLB Cleveland from AAA Columbus.

All-Stars

For the MLB All-Star Game, we had a whopping 7 representatives.

SP Sandy Alcantara
SP Shane Bieber
RP Brad Boxberger
RP James Karinchak*
CL Emmanuel Clase
3B Jose Ramirez*
SS Carlos Correa

* = lead vote-getter at their position

2B Andres Gimenez finished 2nd behind Brandon Lowe, just missing the roster.

For the Prospects All-Star game, we had 3 representatives.

2B Nolan McLean (0.5, 2.5) - R ACL
2B Brayan Rocchio (2.5, 3.5, #45 Overall) - AAA Columbus
SS Angel Martinez (2.0, 3.0, #39 Overall) - AA Akron

2023 MLB Draft

The Guardians had the 8th overall pick for this draft, a good spot to get premier talent. Unfortunately, it is a weak draft class.

Round 1: HS SP Ethan Robinson (0.5, 4.0) - 65 Stuff, 50 Control, Four 50 Pitch, 75 Slider Potential.

Round 2: HS C Zion Rose (0.5, 3.5) - Well-Rounded, Solid Hitter. 60 Game Power, 60 Eye Potential. 50 Catcher Ability, 60 Arm.

Round 3: HS SP Noble Meyer (0.5, 3.0) - 60 Stuff, Four 55 Pitch, 75 Slider Potential.

Round 4: HS SP Paul Wilson (0.5, 3.0) - 60 Stuff, Four 60 Pitch, 75 Changeup Potential.

Round 5: HS CF Christopher Diaz (0.5, 2.5) - 60 Contact, 65 Gap Power, 60 Game Power Potential. Profiles as a strong LF/RF and passable CF.

Round 6: HS SP Cal Randall (0.5, 3.0) - 55 Stuff, 50 Movement, 50 Control, Three 55 Pitch, Two 65 Pitch Potential.

Round 7: College SP Dylan DeLucia (2.0, 2.5) - 55 Control, Four 50 Pitch, Three 55 Pitch Potential.

Round 8: HS SP Chance Fitzgerald (0.5, 2.5) - 50 Stuff, 50 Control, Three 55 Pitch, Two 65 Pitch Potential.

Round 9: HS SS/P Tai Peete (0.5, 1.5) - Two-Way Player. Mediocre position player. Three 55 Pitch, 70 Changeup Potential.

Round 10: College SS Michael Brooks (0.5, 2.5) - Unimpressive hitter. Mediocre 2B defensively. Elite baserunner.

The rest is auto-drafted.

Trade Deadline Goals

The team has been elite in every category, but for the playoff push, my main focus will be acquiring another starter, and possibly another reliever and corner OF bat as well. 2B Brayan Rocchio (2.5, 3.5, #45 Overall) would be a name to watch in a potential blockbuster deal.

Around the League

Surprising All-Stars

AL:

SP Domingo Acevedo (OAK) - 1.82 ERA
SP Jhoan Duran (MIN) - 2.61 ERA, 11.5 K/9
SP Eduardo Rodriguez (DET) - 2.34 ERA, 3.1 WAR
SP Noah Syndergaard* (LAA) - 3.05 ERA, 6.9 K/9
RP Aaron Loup (SEA) - 2.25 ERA
RP Nathan Webb (KCR) - 2.49 ERA, 11.1 K/9, 1.7 WAR
C Gabriel Moreno (TOR) - 128 wRC+, 3.0 WAR in 279 PA
1B Jonathan Aranda (TBR) - 127 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
2B Vidal Brujan (TBR) - 142 wRC+, 20 SB, 2.6 WAR in 264 PA
3B Josh Donaldson (NYY) - 112 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
LF Mitch Haniger* (TEX) - 120 wRC+, 1.1 WAR
RF Teoscar Hernandez* (TOR) - 140 wRC+, 2.4 WAR

NL:

SP Lyon Richardson (CIN) - 4.06 ERA, 1.0 WAR
RP Jarlin Garcia (ARI) - 3.21 ERA
RP Steven Matz (STL) - 3.10 ERA
CL Yerry De Los Santos (PIT) - 3.16 ERA, 24 SV, 11.2 K/9, 1.4 WAR
CL Dinelson Lamet (SD) - 2.61 ERA, 28 SV, 10.2 K/9
C William Contreras (ATL) - 116 wRC+, 1.8 WAR
1B Elehuris Montero (COL) - 179 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
2B Luis Garcia (WSH) - 96 wRC+, 0.7 WAR
2B Ketel Marte (ARI) - 138 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
3B Ke'Bryan Hayes (PIT) - 118 wRC+, 3.0 WAR
LF Alek Thomas (ARI) - 123 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
CF Trent Grisham (SDP) - 125 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
RF Seiya Suzuki (CHC) - 141 wRC+, 2.2 WAR

All-Star Event Recap

The AL All-Stars defeated the NL All-Stars in a thrilling 8-7 victory. The AL took a 2-0 lead before a 3-run HR by J.T. Realmuto against Eduardo Rodriguez in the top of the 5th put the NL in front. The AL then responded with 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th, with Bo Bichette hitting a 3-run HR off of Jarlin Garcia as the biggest blow. The NL made it close again on a 3-run HR by Bryan Reynolds off of James Karinchak, putting 3 unearned runs on Karinchak's line. Alek Thomas homered an inning later to make it 8-7, and Trent Grisham led off the 9th with a single against Emmanuel Clase. Clase retired the next 3 batters to win it. Bo Bichette won MVP honors. Other notable performances by the Guardians include Jose Ramirez going 2-3 and Sandy Alcantara striking out 2 in a scoreless frame.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. defeated Joey Gallo in the HR Derby finals to win his 2nd-straight HR Derby crown.

The AL Prospects defeated the NL Prospects 9-4 in the Prospect All-Star Game. RF Heriberto Hernandez (TBR) (2.5, 2.5) took home MVP honors.

Major Trades

RP David Bednar (3.0, 3.0) and SP Jared Jones (2.0, 3.5, #34 Overall) to Phillies
SS Adalberto Mondesi (3.0, 3.0) to Cardinals
OF Chas McCormick (3.5, 3.5) to White Sox
RP Collin McHugh (3.5, 3.5) to Padres
SP Matthew Boyd (3.0, 3.0) to White Sox

Major Extensions

None



The Trade Deadline Roundup will be the next post.

[U7Gohan]

State of the Team

Following the deadline, the team sits at 70-39, 13.5 games up on the 2nd-place Royals and now the 2nd-best record in baseball behind only the 77-31 Dodgers. The deadline initially seemed productive, but relatively uneventful, until a particular opportunity came along to upgrade the team's roster and farm system both short-term and long-term.

News Dump

SS Carlos Correa went to the 10-Day IL with a hamstring strain that will keep him out for 6-7 weeks. Fortunately, he is expected to return before the playoffs. In a corresponding move, 2B Brayan Rocchio (2.5, 3.5, #45 Overall) was promoted to MLB Cleveland from AAA Columbus.

Our Deadline Trades

Trade 1: San Diego Padres

Outbound: SP Aaron Civale (2.5, 2.5), SP Logan Allen (2.0, 2.0)

Inbound: SP Nick Martinez (100% Retained) (2.5, 2.5)

Martinez stood out to me among the SP options on the trading block for his 65 Movement rating and FIP of 3.74 or lower in each of the last 2 seasons. I expect that he can thrive with our defense behind him. Civale's days as a potential contributor to this rotation were already likely behind him and Allen being 24 and still underdeveloped made me willing to deal him as well. I tried to acquire another piece in the deal, but the Padres were unwilling to part with even a lottery ticket prospect, so I had them take the money.

In a corresponding move, RP Anthony Castro (2.5, 2.5) was optioned to AAA Columbus.

Trade 2: Washington Nationals

Outbound: RP Manuel Alvarez (0.5, 0.5)

Inbound: OF Michael Brantley (95% Retained) (3.0, 3.0)

The corner OF market was mostly lackluster and the rentals were expensive, but Brantley was very, very affordable and despite his league-average bat over the last 3 seasons, his contact-gap power-eye skillset remains intact, and his defense is no worse than that of Oscar Gonzalez.

In a corresponding move, OF Oscar Gonzalez (2.5, 2.5) was optioned to AAA Columbus.

Trade 3: San Francisco Giants

Outbound: 2B Brayan Rocchio (2.5, 3.5, #45 Overall), SP Triston McKenzie (2.5, 2.5)

Inbound: SP Sean Hjelle (3.0, 3.5), SS Brandon Crawford (100% Retained) (3.0, 3.0), SP Ryan Murphy (2.5, 3.0, #73 Overall), C Cooper Kinney (3.0, 3.0)

When it seemed like I wasn't gonna get a big deal done with Rocchio, I found the Giants when shopping Rocchio with Bo Naylor to see who the biggest names available were. The Giants offered Hjelle and were content with receiving only Rocchio in return, so I used that leverage to fill pieces where I needed them. Hjelle has a mediocre fastball but 75 Movement and 65/70 Control with a strong four-pitch mix, a profile I was excited to acquire. He also only has 1 year of service time. Crawford fills my SS vacancy until Correa returns, and Murphy and Kinney deepen my farm system, despite me not being incredibly high on either.

In a corresponding move, SP Kris Bubic (2.5, 2.5) was optioned to AAA Columbus.

Notable Performances

Hitters:

C Austin Hedges: .217/.284/.433, 95 OPS+, 3.0 WAR in 289 PA
C Bo Naylor: .269/.374/.500, 140 OPS+ in July
1B Vinnie Pasquantino: .251/.318/.478, 117 OPS+
2B Andres Gimenez: .278/.330/.424, 107 OPS+, 16 SB, 2.9 WAR
SS Carlos Correa: .280/.370/.456, 128 OPS+, 4.4 WAR in 356 PA
3B Jose Ramirez: .258/.343/.497, 129 OPS+, 6 SB, 2.8 WAR
LF Michael Brantley: .282/.336/.390, 93 OPS+, 1.1 WAR
CF Michael A. Taylor: .237/.282/.369, 79 OPS+, 1.4 WAR
RF George Valera: .283/.366/.495, 136 OPS+, 1.9 WAR in 322 PA

Pitchers:

SP Shane Bieber: 3.94 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 3.2 WAR
SP Sandy Alcantara: 3.60 ERA, 3.40 FIP, 3.1 WAR
SP Sean Hjelle: 3.22 ERA, 4.12 FIP
SP Zach Plesac: 3.76 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 2.1 WAR
SP Nick Martinez: 4.68 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 2.5 WAR

CL Emmanuel Clase: 0.91 ERA, 2.23 FIP, 10.2 K/9, 2.0 WAR
RP James Karinchak: 2.60 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 14.4 K/9, 1.2 WAR
RP Jakob Hernandez: 2.77 ERA, 2.65 FIP, 11.9 K/9, 1.4 WAR
RP Brad Boxberger: 1.70 ERA, 2.47 FIP, 10.3 K/9, 1.5 WAR
RP Nick Sandlin: 2.33 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 12.6 K/9, 0.7 WAR
RP Denny Bentley: 1.46 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 9.7 K/9, 0.6 WAR
RP Seranthony Dominguez: 4.21 ERA, 3.88 FIP, 9.2 K/9, 0.3 WAR
RP Joey Cantillo: 4.29 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 9.4 K/9, 1.0 WAR


Minor League Report

With Brayan Rocchio shipped out, our farm system has fallen to 20th in MLB, but still with five Top 100 prospects as SP Ryan Murphy (2.5, 3.0, #73 Overall) was acquired in the deal that shipped Rocchio out and SP Tanner Burns (2.5, 3.0, #94 Overall) also joined the Top 100.

Other emerging prospects to watch are:

C Alfredo Vera (0.5, 3) - INT
SP Gavin Williams (2.0, 2.5) - AA Akron

Player Development

MLB SP Zach Plesac (3.0, 3.0) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MLB C Bryan Lavastida (2.0, 2.5) - > (2.5, 2.5)
MiLB SP Lenny Torres (1.5, 2.5) - > (2.0, 3.0)
MiLB SP Nazier Mule (0.5, 2.5) - > (0.5, 3.0)
MiLB C AJ Shepard (0.5, 3.0) - > (0.5, 2.0)
MiLB SS Carson Tucker (0.5, 2.0) - > (0.5, 2.5)
MiLB LF Yemal Flores (0.5, 3.5) - > (0.5, 2.5)


Around the League

Major Deadline Trades

CL Tommy Kahnle (3.5, 3.5) to A's
SP Carlos Rodon (3.5, 3.5) to Rays
LF Michael Conforto (3.0, 3.0) and SP Cooper Hjerpe (2.0, 3.0, #100 Overall) to Angels
SP Mike Soroka (3.0, 3.0) to Padres
CL Scott Barlow (4.0, 4.0) to Blue Jays
3B Jake Cronenworth (3.0, 3.0) to Mariners
1B Jared Walsh (3.0, 3.0) to Cubs

Standings

The Angels have caught up to the A's, and they stand in a dead tie for 1st at 58-52 following the deadline. The Angels and A's both made moves to shore up their teams, but the Angels went bigger. The Mets now also hold a 4.5 game lead in the NL East and stand at 57-53, the first update yet in which the NL East has had a team more than a game over .500. In the Wild Card races, the AL has the Blue Jays 1.5 games back of the 56-52 White Sox for the 3rd spot, with the Astros, Red Sox, and Orioles all 3 games behind. The NL has the Cubs occupying the 3rd spot at a mediocre 55-54, but the 52-57 Phillies are the closest team next at 3 games behind. Overall, the races are becoming more and more clear, but we'll see if these deadline moves can make the difference in some of them.

League Leaders

AL:

Hitter WAR:

1. Josh Jung (TEX) - 5.3
2. Carlos Correa (CLE) - 4.4
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) - 4.0

AVG:

1. Adam Frazier (LAA) - .333
2. Vidal Brujan (TBR) - .319
3. Bo Bichette (TOR) - .306

OPS:

1. Josh Jung (TEX) - .967
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) - .958
3. Mike Trout (LAA) - .956

HR:

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR) - 33
2. Yordan Alvarez (HOU) - 29
3. Teoscar Hernandez (TOR) - 28

Pitcher WAR:

1. Shane McClanahan (TBR) - 3.5
2. Luis Garcia (HOU) - 3.5
3. Lucas Giolito (CHW) - 3.5

ERA:

1. Joe Ryan (MIN) - 2.49
2. Eduardo Rodriguez (DET) - 2.74
3. Shane McClanahan (TBR) - 2.96

SV:

1. Emmanuel Clase (CLE) - 35
2. Matt Barnes (SEA) - 30
3. Wandisson Charles (OAK) - 30

NL:

Hitter WAR:

1. Joey Gallo (LAD) - 5.9
2. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) - 5.8
3. Bryan Reynolds (PIT) - 5.1

AVG:

1. Jeff McNeil (NYM) - .319
2. Bryan Reynolds (PIT) - .317
3. Alek Thomas (ARI) - .310

OPS:

1. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) - 1.038
2. Bryce Harper (PHI) - 1.018
3. Joey Gallo (LAD) - .980

HR:

1. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) - 33
2. Bryce Harper (PHI) - 32
3. Joey Gallo (LAD) - 30

Pitcher WAR:

1. Max Fried (ATL) - 4.0
2. Max Scherzer (NYM) - 4.0
3. Zack Wheeler (PHI) - 3.6

ERA:

1. Logan Webb (SFG) - 2.65
2. Max Scherzer (NYM) - 2.92
3. Jack Flaherty (STL) - 2.97

SV:

1. Ryan Pressly (LAD) - 35
2. Yerry De Los Santos (PIT) - 31
3. Giovanny Gallegos (STL) - 31

Major Extensions

None

August will tell how the new additions fit into the team. We'll check back in a month.