Why We Should Be Grateful, Optimistic For Cleveland Guardians Baseball

It's hard to reflect in a moment of despair. But the summer of 2022 was about as unexpected and enjoyable as anyone could have hoped for.

You've seen all the memes and social media posts by now.

Nobody outside of the organization thought there was even a slight chance that this team was going to be anything special.

Most teams that give 17 players a chance to make their Major League debut are in full-blown rebuild mode and the focus is more on development than winning.

But not the 2022 Cleveland Guardians. Not the "Guardiac Kids."

What a way to usher in a new era of professional baseball in our town. As Tom Hamilton likes to say, "Cleveland, you sure had an October to remember."

Emmanuel Clase delivers a four-seam fastball to a Yankee hitter

It's really hard in the moment to appreciate what these guys accomplished this year while we watch the Yankees celebrate on the field. I don't want to downplay the agony of what just happened. In the moment, I don't really care that this team is "so young" and their future is "so bright" ... nothing in this game is guaranteed and you don't have to look any further than the 2016 team that came within a couple outs of a World Series title. Their future was bright too and they never won another playoff series.

Today really hurts and it will for awhile.

"I’m not sure I quite appreciate when people say, ‘Hey, you’re playing with house money.’ You know what? When we lose, it bothers me and it bothers them," Terry Francona said on Monday.

But the reality is the 2022 season was an overwhelming success and we should look forward to several years of meaningful baseball at the Corner of Carnegie and Ontario with this group.

Terry Francona looks on from the Cleveland dugout

I'm not going to run through every single superlative, but since we played seven playoff games, here are seven things that are worth mentioning:

• Maybe the least talked about addition to the Guardians this year was hitting coach Chris Valaika. I'm of the opinion that he deserves MASSIVE recognition from this season. Cleveland's offensive approach this year was outstanding and Valaika spearheaded that. The Guardians led baseball in infield hits and contact rate. They stole lots of bases, didn't strike out often and they set the franchise record for most comeback wins in a season. So much of that was because of a better approach offensively this year.
  
• Steven Kwan is an obvious staple on this team moving forward. He plays an excellent left field, hits for contact better than just about anybody in the league and he responded from a frustrating Wild Card Series by going 9-for-21 in his first playoff opportunity against the Yankees. He's a burgeoning superstar and it feels like he's the posterchild for the Guardians youth movement.
  
  
• Speaking of blossoming stars, Oscar Gonzalez is a cult hero in Cleveland sports forever with what he's done in the last couple weeks. You want to talk about something being "meant to be"? Gonzalez was left off the 40-man roster last winter and was exposed in the Rule 5 Draft, which never happened because of the lockout. What a remarkable story. He sure feels like a guy that will be in Cleveland's lineup for years to come.
  
  
• I'm feeling especially grateful that Terry Francona's health cooperated enough for him to be in the dugout for every game this year. Whenever they day comes that he steps away from the game, Cooperstown will come calling. But his energy is still contagious and I think this young team really benefitted from having him around. Kudos, too, to Mike Chernoff and Chris Antonetti for helping build a fantastic roster. This team had two champagne celebrations in the last couple weeks and that shouldn't be lost on anybody.
  
  
• The starting pitching was a bit shaky at the beginning of the year, but Cleveland unquestionably has three great arms in Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie and Cal Quantrill that should be a part of the rotation moving forward. The bullpen was terrific - Emmanuel Clase, James Karinchak, Sam Hentges and Trevor Stephan are the building blocks of a pretty special bullpen. Eli Morgan, Enyel De Los Santos and Nick Sandlin all had some pretty bright stretches this year too.
  
  
• The only player on the entire roster that is a free agent this offseason is catcher Austin Hedges. Just my guess, but I don't think he'll be on Cleveland's Major League roster come April with Bo Naylor having played the way he did all year in the minor leagues, plus Bryan Lavastida and Luke Maile are still options. Cleveland needs more offense out of that spot in the order, but Hedges did a fabulous job defensively this year.
  
  
• On September 5, the Guardians were tied for first place in the AL Central and needed to play well to make the postseason. They finished the regular season with a 24-6 mark and won the division with nine games to play. They became only the eighth team in MLB history to make the playoffs as the youngest team in the league. Then went 4-3 in the playoffs with two walk-off wins before losing tonight to New York.

Steven Kwan makes a running, basket-style catch in left field

Yes, there needs to be a couple upgrades to this roster in the offseason to make this team a bona fide favorite going into 2023. Nothing is guaranteed, but the future appears extremely bright.

Considering that the season was locked out in March and we weren't even sure if we were going to play at all this year, it sure feels good to have had some real fun October memories.

We have lots more to come on Cleveland Baseball Insider as we put a bow on a terrific 2022 season.

-----

Read More:

Cleveland's World Series Drought Continues, Yankees Knock Out Guardians In A.L.D.S. Game 5, 5-1

Should The Guardians Have Gone With Bieber? Aaron Civale Pulled In First Inning Of Game Five Of ALDS

Yankees Force Game Five In ALDS With Win Over Guardians

WATCH: Josh Naylor Goes Deep Off Of Cole To Cut Into Yankees Lead

ALDS Game Four Live Updates And Highlights: Cleveland Guardians Vs. New York Yankees

-----

Be sure to stay locked into Cleveland Baseball Insider all the time!

SUBSCRIBE to the CBI YouTube channel
Follow Cleveland Baseball Insider on Twitter: @CBI_FanNation