Cleveland Guardians: The 2022 Opening Day Dream Lineup

2. Amed Rosario, SS, Cleveland Guardians

It took a bit of time, but once Amed Rosario hit a rhythm he quickly became one of the more underrated players in baseball. Arriving to Cleveland as part of the Francisco Lindor, the weight on Rosario’s shoulders was heavy, needing to make the trade seem worth it. While others were part of the deal, Rosario became the focal point and ended up outplaying Lindor in more ways than one.

In the field, Rosario struggled a bit earlier on, resulting in 10 errors on the season at shortstop. However, from August 2 until September 9, he was error-free. He had a trio late in the season, but the skills are there and a full offseason of focusing on short, rather than trying to learn center, should help.

As for at the plate, Rosario finished strong over the last 14 days of the season, slashing .324/.395/.471. While that stretch was impressive, it wasn’t even his best part of the season. The month of August saw Rosario hit .372/.397/.584 with 20 RBI.

Even if Rosario regresses from those stats, which should be anticipated, and falls around the .280 mark, that would be a huge gain for Cleveland in the top trio of the order.

3. Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland Guardians

For as long as Jose Ramirez is with Cleveland he should slot in as the third spot in the batting order, unless the Dolans open up their wallets much wider than we think. A three-time Silver Slugger already, Ramirez is widely regarded as one of the best bargains in baseball and his strong 2021 season showcased why.

While Ramirez saw his batting average drop 26 points from 2020 to 2021, he did see his power continue. During the 2020 season, Ramirez posted 17 home runs in 219 at-bats, averaging a home run every 12.9 at-bats. In 2021, the home run number jumped to 36, just three shy of his career-high, over 552 at-bats. That averages out to about 15.3 at-bats per home run.

Having that power is a huge plus to the core of Cleveland’s lineup. The hope is that Ramirez can get his average to come back up a bit in 2022. He’s been a career .278 hitter, so his 2021 mark of .266 was a bit low. However, the rest of his slash line saw increases, so depending on what the team needs, Ramirez has shown to be a rather complete player at the plate over the last couple seasons.

4. Franmil Reyes, DH, Cleveland Guardians

Having a power hitter in the clean-up spot of the batting order is a staple not only in Cleveland, but throughout baseball. The spot has been occupied by sluggers that include Jim Thome, Travis Hafner and Jason Giambi, and that’s just over the last 20 years or so. The name that is slowly making its way into that conversation is Franmil Reyes.

Despite playing in just 115 games this season, Reyes was still able to club 30 home runs for Cleveland. That mark was seven shy of his career-high, hitting 37 in 2019, but that career-high came in 35 more games. He also has the ability to hit for average in Cleveland’s lineup, slashing a respectable .254/.324/.522. You would like to see the average a bit higher, but finding power and average in one hitter isn’t common in today’s game.

At 26-years old, Reyes is just scratching the surface of what could be his full potential. We saw flashes of what that could look like early in the season, but his injuries might have restricted him just a bit. If that’s the case, he could go off in 2022 and become one of the best power hitters in the game, giving Cleveland a huge weapon to protect Jose Ramirez.

5. Michael Conforto, RF, Cleveland Guardians

This is where free agent signings could become very important in Cleveland. The outfield. If ownership is truly willing to spend money to make the first season of the Guardians a success, then adding another sure-thing in the outfield is a must. Myles Straw was a good move, but adding a middle-of-the-order bat to play the outfield is the next step.

Michael Conforto is set to become a free agent after making $12.5 million with the New York Mets in 2021. Conforto has already said he won’t accept a qualifying offer, so free agency seems to be the plan. The bad news is that a qualifying offer would mean about $19 million for Conforto. If he’s looking for more, that could rule out Cleveland.

However, the Eddie Rosario situation could play itself out again in favor of Cleveland. Conforto didn’t have the most impressive 2021 season, slashing just .232/.344/.384, so that number of $20+ million might not be offered, meaning a one-year deal on a discount might be a possibility. If that’s the case, Cleveland could be the perfect place.

In Cleveland, Conforto would have ample playing time to regain his bat that hit above .320 in 2020. It would be a band-aid fix for the Guardians, but that could be the best option anyway with rising prospects showing potential.

6. Gabriel Arias, 2B, Cleveland Guardians

Second base is one of the biggest question marks entering the offseason for the Cleveland Guardians internally. There are plenty of options already with the club, but the question will be which one emerges? Owen Miller, Yu Chang, Andres Gimenez and more could be in the mix, but the one that could get the job is Gabriel Arias.

Arias had a strong showing in Triple-A Columbus in 2021, slashing .284/.348/.454 over 115 games with the club. Over the last 90 days of the season those numbers were a bit higher at .303/.341/.490.

The area that Arias will need to improve if he wants to gain a starting job will be in the field. Arias committed 14 errors, including 11 at shortstop, during the 2021 season. He also played just nine games at second base, totaling 68.2 innings at the position. That is what makes this seem like an uphill climb.

The other barrier for Arias is service time. Even if he is the front-runner for a position in Spring Training, there’s the chance he starts in Triple-A to gain the extra time on his contract. For a team like Cleveland that is always looking to save money, that could be a likely route the team takes.

7. Nolan Jones, 1B, Cleveland Guardians

This might be the most head scratching position for the front office this offseason. Bobby Bradley showed early potential, but it seemed as those opposing pitchers figured out how to pitch to him rather quickly. Josh Naylor could slot in here, but odds are against him being ready to start the season. With no other prospects at the position ready, Cleveland might have to get creative at first.

Luckily, one of the team’s top prospects is roadblocked at their natural position and could make a Jim Thome transition across the diamond. While Nolan Jones struggled at times during the 2021 season, the opportunity at first base could open the door for Jones to break into the big leagues early in the 2022 season.

Batting average hasn’t been a strength of Jones through his career, seeing his batting average drop as he climbed the ranks and hitting the lowest point of .238 in Triple-A this past season. Asking Jones to learn first base while also fixing his approach at the plate all in one offseason might be too much, but there’s the possibility that he shows up in Spring Training.

If we’re talking about a dream lineup, that should include Jones. The potential is there and flashes have been shown. The dream is that he finds consistency and a position. The one side note is the same as Arias, being playing time. Even if he doesn’t start the season in Cleveland, Jones will be a player to monitor throughout the year.

8. Yan Gomes, C, Cleveland Guardians

Call it a reunion or a homecoming, but the Cleveland Guardians should consider bringing Yan Gomes back to town. We will find out in the coming days if Cleveland picks up Roberto Perez’s option and if the answer is no, then the Guardians should try and add an offensive bat behind the plate.

Gomes was last with Cleveland in 2018 and was named an All-Star. That offseason he was traded for Daniel Johnson and Jefry Rodriguez, a deal that Cleveland might wish they could have back, at least in terms of on-field production.

Now, Gomes is set to enter free agency after being a deadline acquisition by the Oakland A’s this past season. At 34-years old, Gomes is reaching the end of his career, but there’s still plenty of pop left in his bat.

During the 2021 season, he slashed a combined .252/.301/.421 between Oakland and Washington with 15 doubles and 14 home runs. That type of production would be welcomed with open arms in Cleveland. Plus, he still can perform behind the plate, having just three errors this past season.

Given that Gomes is older and knows the staff, he could be a perfect addition to the team. He would bring veteran leadership to a young team while also being a band-aid fix until the club’s catcher prospects are ready.

9. Bradley Zimmer, LF, Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland won’t be able to fix all their problems this offseason and if there’s one spot that can be put off for a year it would be an outfield spot. The club has a plethora of options, just none of them have separated from the pool. Harold Ramirez showed signs early, but tapered off. Daniel Johnson and Oscar Mercado just haven’t been able to hit a groove. Oscar Gonzalez and George Valera are the future, but won’t be ready.

That leaves us with Bradley Zimmer. Of the options, Zimmer, arguably, showed the most potential and consistency across the board. He was far from perfect, but he can hold down the fort if needed.

The good news for Zimmer is that he saw success at the bottom of the order. Having moved all over the order, no sample size is exactly large, but the ninth spot of the batting order was actually his best.

Logging 42 official at-bats from the ninth spot, Zimmer slashed .333/.420/.429 with a double, a home run, four RBI and four stolen bases. He didn’t hit higher than .244 at any other spot in the order. So, if it comes down to needing an outfielder to bat ninth, Zimmer is clearly the choice.