Guardians of The Land

Today, we celebrate #DobyDay! On this date 78 years ago, Larry Doby broke the color barrier in the American League. While @MLB has an honorary day for Robinson, Gehrig, and Clemente, Doby doesn't receive league-wide recognition - yet. Here's why that should change. 🧵

Vote for @Zips_Managers!

"How many times are you going to run the Kyle Manzardo doing tee work commercial?" @GuardsTV:

@MrNikkiG James Harden is never happy anywhere for long. It will happen in Cleveland too, within a year or two. Giannis genuinely seems to love Milwaukee and want to try to win there. I can't hate on him for that.

With all due respect, I can’t take Giannis seriously when he says he wants to win but gives up multiple years in his prime for a team that’s going to just take the best deal for themselves at the end of the day. Winning cleary isn’t the most important thing. Say what you will about James Harden, but at least demanding trades shows me you want to win and won’t waste time.

Outfielder Miguel Andujar and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a one-year, $4 million contract, sources tell ESPN. @JonHeyman had the agreement first.

BREAKING: Star left-hander Framber Valdez and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a three-year, $115 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Valdez, 32, gets the highest AAV ever for a left-handed pitcher as well as the highest for a Latin American pitcher. Huge move for Detroit.

@EdGreenberger If your definition of carrying a team is putting up big numbers but losing, there's a lot more than 10 players in the league that fit your description. I think of carrying a team as what LeBron did in 2007, players so good they carry their team further than they should truly go.

That doesn’t mean he hasn’t carried his team. Against IND, he had games with 38, 48, 43 and 35. He had 9 rebounds in two of those games and 9 assists in another. He also had 4 steals twice. Against ORL in 2024 he had games with 50, 39 and 30. In Utah’s 6-game loss to the Clippers in 2023, he scored 45, 37, 30, 37, 21 and 39. In their 7-game loss to Denver in 2020, he averaged 36.3 points with two 50+ games while shooting 52% from 3 and 95% from the line. It is not Donovan Mitchell’s fault that he’s never been past the second round. He has carried his team on many occasions.

Let’s be honest… there are maybe 10 players in the NBA who are worth a max contract — elite guys who can absolutely carry a team by themselves. Darius Garland isn’t close to one of them. Yet he’s being paid like one now, and likely will be for years to come. The #Cavs got out of it at the right time. #LetEmKnow

@EdGreenberger He's never led a team beyond the 2nd round.

@OurCLEGuardians Actually, he is… and he has.

Great to see Nick Wittgren back in the organization

@Stonewall1117 Not sure that player is out there, at least in free agency.

@OurCLEGuardians All these guys profile too much as DH. They should want someone who can play CF/RF.

Andujar and Rengifo both make some sense. Conforto, Grichuk, Tauchman, and McCutchen could, too. Maybe Hoskins, although the fit isn't as clear there. Kopech could be interesting in our lab. Plenty of reclamation-type starters still unsigned, too.

@EdGreenberger He is not a player who can carry a team by himself.

@OurCLEGuardians That’s ridiculous. He is absolutely a max player.

Antonetti noted that the Guardians had made offers to several free agents, but the roles they offered weren't what those FAs desired. As spring training nears closer, you start to wonder if those desires start to soften a bit and they just start looking for a deal somewhere.

Donovan Mitchell conveyed to Cavs that he did not think team should stand pat at trade deadline, per @joevardon, @byJasonLloyd. Mitchell specifically wanted James Harden as a teammate.

They'll try to move Ball, obviously, and possibly Strus. They'd need to add value to Ball to move him, but again, lack of draft capital. They're in on Giannis, but nobody knows what the Bucks will end up doing. I think the Bucks still want to try to keep him.

Donovan Mitchell was influential in trading Garland. He wasn't happy with the team's direction and wanted change. Cavs are working to do more, but it remains to be seen if they can pull off other moves. Their lack of draft capital may limit them.

@Only1Jantz I heard it was done when I posted that.

@OurCLEGuardians At the time you posted that - Cavs were not at all interested in giving a pick. Maybe we have the same circle of trust (people we talk to) - so you can at least confirm that.

Harden-Garland is a done deal.

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

@Only1Jantz You sure?

@OurCLEGuardians No it isn’t.

@SPCCleveland389 Will be announced soon.

@OurCLEGuardians Officially?