There is a new era of Cleveland Guardians baseball and fans should take notice

The Cleveland Guardians have done something magical over the last year.

I’m not one for over-paying athletes in any sport, least of all baseball. Guys like Bryce Harper and Fernando Tatis are unlikely to ever meet the financial expectations their contracts dictate, which is why I’m wholly against locking up players to massive contracts that are nearly impossible to ever see dividends from. So when I tell you that I love what the Cleveland Guardians have been up to in recent months, that should tell you something.

Starting last year, the Guards locked up Jose Ramirez to a seven-year deal, then Emmanuel Clase to a five-year deal. After that, Andres Gimenez got a seven-year deal, while Trevor Stephan also was extended this offseason. Other names like Steven Kwan and Triston McKenzie could be locked up relatively soon. Even Amed Rosario is in talks, though he’s less of an impact player compared to everyone else.

When you couple the long extensions to core guys and the signings of Josh Bell and Mike Zunino, things are looking a bit different in Cleveland. A new, magical era is here in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Guardians have made smart signings, which bucks trends

The Guardians have often been accused of not spending money. Something that was simply untrue, as there are many instances of them opening up their checkbook for guys. The problem is, fans far too often want name value over production. So when the Guardians pass on giving a 31-year-old a 10-year, $300 million contract, people freak out.

Yet, recent history has shown that locking up a guy who is over the hill, or untested to long deals often blows up in a person’s face.

I’ve been very against giving out big deals, mostly due to the fact those players never produce enough to warrant the deal. So am I all of a sudden now a fan of the big-spending that the Guardians are doing? No, because this isn’t the same scenario.

I’m all aboard the Guardians locking up young, home-grown players to decent deals. None of the contracts the Guardians have given out over the last year are huge. They’re all pretty modest and digestible.

I support this. This is the type of spending and contracts I can get behind. I’ll never be on board, be it in football, basketball, or baseball, giving an aging star a huge deal. You’re paying for name value, not production value.

Locking up guys like Ramirez and Gimenez, among others, is the right call. They’ll be able to prove their worth far more easily than if they were given a contract at twice the rate. If signing young players becomes the standard for the Guards, fans are going to have a hard time claiming they don’t spend.