This years team is not a legit WS contender so Shane needs to get dealt for 2025 and beyond. A really nice core is coming together around Jose/Naylor and the young pitchers but they're not quite there yet.
This is a recurring sentiment, and it has become an annual mantra.
Every year this franchise is waiting for next year. It hasn't made a significant win now move since trading for Brad Hand, and before that signing Encarnacion.
This in spite of having significant assets in the farm system to do so. We made several significant trades in order to add significant assets to our farm systems. Almost all those assets have turned to dust.
At the beginning of 2021, we had 17 MIFs 25 yrs old or younger who were either in Cleveland or listed as legit prospects. Five of them are gone with no return of any mention, and we still don't have a legit shortstop.
We've also had a boatload of RF prospects, mostly LHed, and the only thing we have to show for it is Brennan.
We go into this season with five legit regulars.
Jose
Kwan
Gimenez
J Naylor
Bo...whose still unproven, but I'm counting him.
We have no clue what we have at the other three, outside of possible platoons of guys who are little more than a wing and a prayer.
Our SS ranked 27th last year.
Our RF ranked 29th.
Our CF and DH ranked last.
We've made no significant move to fix any of them.
We ranked 29th in wRC+ vs lefties.
We've made NO move, significant or otherwise, to improve that.
The FO just hopes that some kid will come along and solve the problem. Of course, we have so many kids trying out for all these positions that either...
1) Nobody gets the time to get a legit shot.
2) One kid gets a legit shot, while several others are lost due to roster needs.
Under the present SOP, the Guardians will never attain a win now situation. By the time a 26 man roster of productive youngsters are in place, the FO will be looking to trade away the most experienced.