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We’re back with another edition of Around the Horn. If you’ve missed the first two installments, our goal is to go position-by-position and examine what questions the Guardians may need to answer before the end of Spring Training.
Last time, we took a look at first base. Today, let’s cover second base. |
Projected starter: Andrés Giménez
The Guardians have been spoiled by Giménez's defense at second base over the last two years. A back-to-back Gold Glove Award winner in 2022 and '23 and Platinum Glove recipient in '23, it’s hard to imagine finding a slicker, more agile or sounder defender at second base than Giménez. When it comes to his bat, he had a breakout year in '22, hitting .297 with an .837 OPS. He struggled offensively in '23 (.712 OPS), but finished the year strong, hitting .333 with an .859 OPS in September and reminding everyone that he can get back to being an All-Star-caliber player.
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Backup options: Tyler Freeman, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias (and eventually Juan Brito and Angel Martínez)
Ah yes, the middle-infield headache we’ve all been missing. The Guardians have so many candidates to play either second base or shortstop that they’re running out of room to keep them all. Freeman has been a good utility option in the past. Rocchio, who has played 88 games at second base in the Minors, could have the versatility to play second. If Arias isn’t starting at shortstop, maybe he could play a few games at second. The problem is that the Guardians have yet to settle on who’s their shortstop, making it harder to predict who could back up Giménez in 2024.
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Question to answer: Will Giménez stay at second?
Answering this question plays a enormous role in determining who could be a backup for Giménez at second base because … is Giménez even going to be at second?
The Guardians are open-minded to moving Giménez to shortstop, but the front office continues to bring up the concept of, “If it’s not broken, why fix it?”
Sure, there is concern about Cleveland's offensive production at shortstop. If Giménez is playing short, he has a proven bat and an exceptional glove. That said, the offensive concerns would then shift from shortstop to second base. Maybe it’s a spot that doesn’t demand the same production, but if the Guardians are getting that production out of Giménez regardless, does it really matter if he’s at shortstop or second base?
Now, if this is an argument about making sure the best defender is at shortstop, then that’s a different story. Giménez -- a natural shortstop -- is more than capable of playing that position. He’s said that he spends the offseason fielding grounders there; he believes if you can play a sound shortstop, you can play second base.
The defense of Arias, the current favorite to win the shortstop job, hasn’t been in question with the Guardians. But moving Arias, who has a career .630 OPS, from shortstop to second base -- a less familiar spot -- could end up rattling him more. Maybe it’s a change that could prompt more production.
Everything is on the table at this point. There’s no question that the middle infield will be one of the toughest position battles to sort out this spring.
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• The Marlins are set to hire Yankees Minor League manager Rachel Balkovec as their director of player development, according to sources.
• It’s difficult enough for players to learn that they have been traded, then move to a different part of the country for the upcoming season. But what happens when you get that news when you’re playing volleyball in a pool on your honeymoon?
• We still have a month remaining before Spring Training gets underway, which is more than enough time for more offseason headlines. Make sure you’re following along here for all the latest free agent and trade rumors.
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WHO IS ARBITRATION ELIGIBLE? |
The deadline for arbitration-eligible players and clubs to agree to terms on a contract before exchanging 2024 salary figures is Friday, and the Guardians have seven players to chat with.
Players begin their Major League careers making the league minimum salary. Once you reach three years of service time, you become eligible for arbitration, which means a player and team must agree upon a contract instead of defaulting to the league minimum salary (some players with less than three years of service time, called “Super Two” players, can get an early start with arbitration). This process lasts until you reach six years of service time.
From the start of the offseason until this deadline, the organization can negotiate with the player on a contract. Both sides must agree to the deal. If not, the player and the organization are required to exchange figures for the upcoming season, meaning the player documents what he believes his salary should be and the team does the same.
An arbitration hearing is then scheduled (usually in February) to determine which of the two salaries the player will make, primarily based on comparable players who have signed contracts in recent seasons. The two sides can continue to reach an agreement up until the date of the hearing.
The goal for the Guardians is always to avoid arbitration. They’ve already done so with outfielder Ramón Laureano, who signed a one-year, $5.15 million deal. The remaining seven who will try to settle before figures need to be exchanged on Friday are Scott Barlow, Shane Bieber, Josh Naylor, James Karinchak, Triston McKenzie, Sam Hentges and Nick Sandlin.
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