Guardians' DiBiasio says team has work to do in 2024

It’s never a bad time to talk about Cleveland Guardians baseball.

Members of the Alliance Rotary Club got some insight during a recent weekly meeting from Bob DiBiasio, senior vice president of public affairs with the Cleveland Guardians.

DiBiasio, who is entering his 45^th year with the Cleveland franchise and 46^th overall in Major League Baseball, provided a wrap-up of the 2023 season and gave a quick look at 2024 as well as outlining the changes being made to Progressive Field.

“Progressive Field is undergoing an incredible renovation,” said DiBiasio, noting that even after 30 years the stadium still feels like the jewel of Major League Baseball, but needed a little TLC after being beat up by the winter weather that blows off the Lake Erie shore.

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Most of the renovations, including those being made to the Terrace Club, the upper deck and the club level seating area, will allow spectators different options rather than traditional bleacher seating with more opportunity to congregate in small groups and in lounge-type settings.

These modern seating choices will come at varied price points and are being made in response to how spectators say they want to experience the games. And when you aim to pack the stadium each night over the course of an 81-game home season, you listen to your fans, according to DiBiasio.

“To keep ticket prices affordable, we need to take real estate in our ballpark and redesign it so we can generate more revenue in order to continue to pay players so we can continue to have a winning culture down at Progressive Field,” said DiBiasio, who noted that the front office has proven it knows a thing or two about winning, especially over the last decade.

For instance, the Guardians have amassed a 921-757 record over the last 11 seasons, which is the fourth-best overall mark in that time frame behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros, who have just one more victory over the Cleveland franchise.

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In that same time, the Yankees have spent $1 billion more on players and only have 19 more wins than the Guardians.

“Our guys know what they are doing,” said DiBiasio, who came armed with several more enlightening statistics that he hurled out during a half hour of entertaining remarks.

Following the success Cleveland enjoyed in 2022 when it went 92-70 and won the American League Central, attendance was up 40% in 2023 at Progressive Field. A total of 1.8 million spectators watched the Guardians at home, which was an increase of 600,000 over 2022.

The increase could also be due to a schedule format change in 2023 in which the number of times the Guardians faced division rivals was reduced from 19 to 12, allowing more room on the calendar to face other teams that brought out more fans.

Unfortunately, Cleveland did not have the same success in 2023 as it did the previous season, finishing third in the AL Central with a 76-86 mark.

It was a disappointing end to Terry Francona’s tenure as manager.

But why didn’t Cleveland have that same success in 2023?

“That magic that we had in 2022 just wasn’t quite there in 2023,” said DiBlasio, who backed up his comment with several statistics.

The Guardians were in 58 one-run games in 2023, losing 14 more one-run games than it had the previous season. In those contests, they were 20-10 at home, but fizzled on the road, going 7-21.

And while Cleveland was struggling to find those much-needed runs, its pitching staff also struggled.

The bullpen went from being the best in baseball in the first half of the season to falling off the cliff in the second half of the season.

Meanwhile, starters Shane Bieber, Cal Quantrill and Triston McKenzie combined for 90-plus starts and hurled more than 700 innings in 2022. Decimated by injuries, that trio combined for 44 games and a total of 240 innings in 2023.

Stepping in for those three, however, were three talented rookies as Logan Allen, Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams, combined for an ERA of 3.35 – lowest of a trio of rookies (minimum of 200 innings pitched) in 10 years in big league baseball. They also racked up 341 strikeouts, tied for most by an AL rookie trio since 2000, and tied for second-most since 1974.

Meanwhile, closer Emmanuel Clase was the MLB leader in both saves (44), as he recorded back-to-back 40-plus save seasons, as well as blown saves (12).

“Guys just weren’t swinging and missing on a 99 mph cutter the way they did the year before,” said DiBlasio. “But we go into the offseason knowing that he can make 40-plus saves, hope that the way he is willing to learn and work hard, he can get that cutter a little more out of the strike zone.”

Overall, DiBlasio said the club is positive it has many of the key pieces it needs to try and make a run for the pennant in 2024.

“Power is what we really need to address,” reflected DiBlasio.

The Guardians went from being ranked 15^th in runs scored in 2022 to 27^th in 2023. Some of that was due to second-baseman Andres Gimenez getting off to a slow start and first baseman Josh Naylor, who was among the MLB’s leaders in RBI and RISP, missing all of August and not being able to provide those clutch hits.

Both are expected back next season, barring any blockbuster trades or devastating injuries, along with third baseman Jose Ramirez and left fielder Steven Kwan – two of the best in the game at their positions.

Also back will be Bo Naylor, who grew into a leader over the second half of the season as he took on a starting role, trying to lead a pitching staff decimated by injury and full of fellow rookies.

“That’s really a lot to ask from a young man,” said DiBlasio, noting he went from hitting .138 in his first 38 games to hitting .328 with eight doubles, seven home runs and 18 RBIs in the last 28 games. “We think he’s the real deal.”

The big question marks is who will settle into starting roles in the outfield and in finding a starting shortstop, which could be Gabriel Arias, who has one of the best arms in baseball, or Brayan Rocchio, who followers of minor league baseball think will be a superstar.

And they will all be playing under the guidance of rookie 39-year-old manager Stephen Vogt

“We have a little work to do in the offseason,” said DiBiasio. “We have to touch up the bullpen and find some power in the outfield, and then we’ll be right back in the thick of things.”

Those interested in joining the Alliance Rotary Club should contact Mark Locke at mlocke@neo.rr.com.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Guardians' DiBiasio says team has work to do in 2024