Talkin' baseball: Guardians' Bob DiBiasio stops by Ashland Rotary Club
ASHLAND ‒ Spring is here, almost time for the Guardians.
Bob DiBiasio, the team's senior vice president of public affairs, swung by the Ashland Rotary Club meeting Tuesday at Brethren Care Village's Wellness Center to talk all things baseball and future plans for Progressive Field.
DiBiasio, a native of Lakewood, is in his 44th season with the Cleveland Guardians and his 45th year in Major League Baseball.
While showing a video, DiBiasio told the group about the plans for renovating Progressive Field for opening day of the 2025 season, a concept they are calling Progressive Field Re-Imagined.
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"This season we will be 30 years old, imagine that. It's gone by in a blink of an eye. We are the 11th oldest ballpark in America. So we need to address some things at the ballpark," DiBiasio said.
"We have no problem selling our lower bowl in our building; the upper deck has been a little more difficult," said DiBiasio.
The planned renovations include changes to the left field Terrace Club on both the third and fourth levels, which will be renamed the Terrace Hub. The windows will be removed from the Terrace Club and the fourth level will be more of a social gathering place.
Other renovations include Grab and Go concession areas, View Box bars, and they will be expanding the right field area to East Ninth Street for a group outing area and social gathering area. A Dugout Club, an exclusive area, will be added to the area behind home plate replacing the individual dugout boxes. The ballpark's clubhouse will be expanded to better accommodate the athletes, and they will be adding a fifth floor to the administrative offices.
Guardians coming off successful 2022
"It's pretty remarkable what transpired last year. Coming from nowhere, in one sense, to really taking hold of the league and making a postseason run," said DiBiasio of the Guardians 92-win season.
DiBiasio said he's been asked how the team has been able to do what they have done as a smaller-market club.
"It's about creating a culture; it's all about acquisition of talent; it's about developing that talent; and it's about giving that talent the opportunity to show what they can do."
The Guardians had 17 players make their Major League Baseball debut in 2022 and were the youngest team in MLB with an average age of 26.
"How do you know if a young player can play Major League Baseball? You gotta play them. You gotta let them make that decision for you," said DiBiasio.
The Dolans and Terry Francona
DiBiasio also spoke about the ownership of the franchise by the Dolan family.
The Dolans have owned the team for 23 years and are the longest tenured owners in franchise history, he said. The team has had 14 winning seasons and the ninth best win-loss record in the last 23 years.
Under the leadership of Manager Terry Francona , the Guardians have created and been able to sustain a winning culture, he said. DiBiasio pointed out that in the last 10 years, the Guardians are No. 2 in the American League and No. 4 in all of MLB in total wins at 845. The rest of the top four are LA Dodgers with 931 wins, New York Yankees with 858 wins and the St. Louis Cardinals with 848 wins.
DiBiasio also spoke about third baseman Jose Ramirez and his commitment to the team by agreeing to a seven-year contract extension last season for less than his market value.
"The one thing I have learned in my 44 years doing this is I believe your highest paid player better be your best player but also be your best person because character matters in this game."
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Guardians guru Bob DiBiasio swings into Ashland to talk baseball
