Behind the scenes at Jose Ramirez's contract announcement

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1:14Welcome back to the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast. I'm Joe Noga joined by Paul Hoynes. Hoynesy, the guardians have the Jose Ramirez contract signing out of the way. The trucks are on their way to Arizona. Everything seems to be heading towards you know, pictures and catchers reporting in about what less than two weeks actually for those who were playing in the other world baseball classic. We still don't have a lot of confirmation on some of the names of the guys from the organization who are going to be on those rosters. You know, the biggest mystery I guess right now is Will Jose Ramirez be playing for the Dominican Republic. We've seen some superstars have their names rolled out by the Dominican team there and Jose has yet to be announced, but his reaction yesterday when asked about it kind of leaves it up in the air kind of a mystery. What are we expecting over just the next few days after such a big day with the the signing of the contract for Ramirez yesterday? Yo, I saw something on social last night that Nelson Cruz, the general manager of the Dominican Republic WBC team said that

2:20Ramirez would not be on the original roster for the WBC, but could be on if they advance. So I don't know if that's I have not confirmed that, but you know, they you know, that's what this on X they they quoted Nelson Cruz saying he would not be available on the you know, on the original roster. And that kind of makes sense based on the reaction that Jose, you know, gave when when he was first asked about it, it was kind of almost like he was not have said at the question, but just upset at the circumstances. It sort of felt like maybe there's some some politics or some games being played there with the roster spot and whether or not the the Dominican Republic, you know, wants them there. I would imagine they would want him there, but no, maybe they're holding spots for for other players. Yeah, you know, that's such a talented, you know, it's such a baseball crazy nation. They have so many good players that are in the big

3:22leagues currently from the Dominican Republic. It's it's tough to pick a, you know, starting nine out of that team out of that group. And we don't know if Jose wants to play or doesn't want to play, he has not played in it before. He remember he caught some flak for not playing in the all-star game last season, Joe, because injuries and most of it came from the Dominican Republic. His fans there were were upset. So who knows if what's going on there, but it's interesting because it's tough to keep Jose Ramirez off any team, I would think. You know, they they do have options. You do have a superstar like I'm Annie Machado, a place third base, you know, up and coming stars like Junior Caminero, who seems to be the heir apparent behind Ramirez in the American League at third base. Maybe there's carryover from that all-star game controversy that really seemed to be more of a controversy in the Dominican Republic than it did here. You know, a guy like Ramirez, who constantly puts his body on the line and plays hurt and plays injured, you know, he wants to

4:26take a couple of days during the all-star break. And he's been to, you know, multiple all-star games. So if he decides to not play in one, I think around here it's not as big of a deal as maybe, like you said, it was for him in his in his home country. Maybe there's some sort of carryover from, hey, we saw Bill Belichick get punished for a spygate by being held up, passed over by the Hall of Fame Committee this week. You know, it seems like less of an offense than what Jose Ramirez, well, it's a pretty big offense. So people have been punished for less, I guess, is what the point I'm trying to make. But I don't know. We'll see if the Dominican team advances and they re-evaluate in quite Jose to come out. Maybe he joins up for the second round of play once they get to the states in the World Baseball Classic. And I guess Joe, there's there's some there's a little bit of controversy. Nelson Cruz has been quoted as saying that Jose will not play in the first round,

5:27but the president of the Dominican Baseball Federation said it's false that Ramirez was sitting out and that he's on board. What Cruz said will probably hold sway at least for the first round. Yesterday at the press conference announcing the deal, we talked about this a little bit yesterday, but the first time that we had heard David Blitzer's name sort of come up and it came up organically, it came up without being asked in a question that that Chris Anthony mentioned that David Blitzer and Paul Dolan both were working together as part of these negotiations. Makes sense if David Blitzer is in line to eventually become the majority owner of the Guardians that he would be part of those negotiations because he's going to inherit this contract. He's going to be the guy signing those checks eventually. What was your reaction to hearing his name brought up so casually? Do you think it really was casually or do you think that there was some intent behind that?

6:29Yeah, I think there was some intent behind that, Joe. We've been to a lot of press conferences with the Guardians. Blitzer has been a minority owner since 2022. That was the first time I ever heard anyone bring his name up without being asked. Yeah, I think that was there was a message behind it and who knows? Maybe the he does have an option to become the majority owner of the Guardians from Paul Dolan. Maybe that's in progress. Maybe that's kind of got some legs now. We'll just have to see where it takes us, but yeah, I think that was his name was intentionally mentioned yesterday. And then Chris Antoinette even brought, you know, he was asked, he was talking about the complexities of this deal with Ramirez and he was asked was one of the complications that you know, the team could be changing hands ownership in ownership. And he said, yes, you know, that had to be taken into consideration and that Paul Dolan and David Blitzer were closely

7:34together on this Ramirez extension. Yeah, all of that seems to point to the idea that the window is starting to close on the Dolan ownership era, which it makes a lot of sense that they're starting to get things lined up for time beyond the end of that. We had, you know, a bunch of different fun conversations sort of pop up after this Ramirez contract signing. It was a nice day, they put his picture on the scoreboard and at the ballpark and there was all sorts of promotional materials and videos on on social media and everything. A lot of people asking the obvious question about if he does play his entire career in Cleveland, if he does finish top pretty much every offensive statistic and category, they're going to retire his number, they're going to hang him in the rafters, they're going to build a statue to him. And I found it interesting and what some people think that the statue should look like, you know, immediately when the contract

8:34was announced, people reacted to it. I saw people putting up images of fake statues of him standing over the body of Tim Anderson after the fight. I've seen ideas where he's sliding into a base and his helmet is flying off of his head. I think Jose rounding the bases with his handpoint into the sky maybe would be one after he hits a home run, especially if he becomes the all-time franchise home run leader. Eventually in the next couple of years here, what would your idea be for a Jose statue? How would you like to see him immoralized? See him diving head first in the second base with his helmet flying up in the air and dirt flying everywhere and, you know, for just for honest stolen base attempt. I think to me that captures how he plays and I'd love to see that. I don't know if you can make that, you know, put that in bronze, but I'd love to see, you know, it has to be some action. It just can't be Jose swinging a bat because he does so much

9:38more than that. Yeah, if you go to what's outside Great American ballpark in Cincinnati, don't they have a Pete Rose statue that I'm even to Pete Rose is rose sliding into a base and it's I don't want to say it's messy, but it looks like a messy statue. You know what I'm saying? It looks like he said there's a there's a lot of action. You can you can really tell that there that he's a dirt bag, you know, a kind of ball player in that sense that, you know, he takes takes a bit of the field away with him when he he walks out of the ballpark. Yeah, I could see something like that. To me, you're talking about a guy who's, you know, his his stature and his his deme, diminutive nature has been sort of this underdog, this calling card of his career. And I would like to see a statue that's sort of larger than life. I would like to see Jose, you know, three times the size of Jose in real life. That's the possibility. Even if it's even if it means sacrificing some of that action that you're talking about, just a huge statue of Jose Ramirez, I think would

10:42would be appropriate because this is a guy who took every bit of being in the little guy and turned it into his advantage. And basically his story is the the one that they Cleveland fell in love with with, you know, being the little guy overlooked from Bonnie and the Dominican Republic coming all the way to being the icon in Cleveland. I think a huge statue, something with a bit of size to it would would be appropriate. And Joe, Joe, it would have to have Paul Dolan's common item from yesterday that, you know, I think Dolan said, Jose's appeal to this community is not just about numbers, the wins in the offensive production. It's really about who he is. It's the strut. The look that says, if you underestimate me, you do so at your own peril. I mean, if Cleveland was looking for a slogan, they should they could copy that put that in granite right now. Yeah, that's that's that's the epitome of Jose Ramirez and how he approaches things. So definitely looking forward to the day when we're standing outside the gates of

11:46progressive field and at that statute dedication will be a lot of fun. All right. Hey, what do you say? We get into some some hay hoingsies here. We got some reader submitted questions from our textures on Cleveland.com slash subtext. You can go to that and sign up for 399 a month. Lindsay and I text every day all the inside information we get. We pass it along first to our subtextures before we post it on Cleveland.com. Your best way to stay in touch with the team and any of the the latest developments. Ed and Sandusky writes, if Jose Ramirez didn't sign that long term deal in 2022 and thank Lord, he did and didn't stay in Cleveland. What do you estimate? He could be earning as a superstar in today's current climate. Lindsay, I think it's safe to say Jose would be at least a 300 million dollar player. Well, that about it, Joe. I mean, I would think he could he might not make as much as Lindor did with the meds, but I think he would, you know, he a 10 year, 300 million dollar contract somewhere in that range. He'd be sitting on that right now. But he chose

12:53not to do it. His agent, I think, urged him was not a big fan of him signing up that initial extension. But as he said, as Rafi Neave has said, Jose marches through the beat of his own drum, did that and then push for this extension. And Joe, let's face it. I mean, Jose is going to be all right for the rest of his life. So are his kids and so are his kids kids. Yeah, it's a great way to look at it. This from Bill in Tennessee, he says, it seems like if the team is playing 500 at the break and still close to the top in their division, then they can look for an impact player for at the trade deadline, but at the break to make a run for it. Could that be what Chris Anthony and the front office are thinking? And really, Anthony pretty much said as much yesterday when asked about it at the press conference. Yeah, you know, Joe, he was, he was very forthcoming as has been all, or that they're going with their young players, come hell or high water. But yes, he kind of

13:55said, and I can't, I can't, when he said, this plan doesn't work, you know, we can always pivot during the season and try to make some of, you know, corrections. You know, I just wonder if there's so far out of it, you know, I mean, that's a dangerous, that's a gamble to take. I mean, when do you pull the trigger? If you think you're out of it, or you still have a chance to win a division, you know, it's, it's really an interesting take. But, you know, this is, and Joe, they're going to have the money to do it because, well, they could open, they could open this season, depending on what happens with the Emmanuel Class A's $6.4 million that he's owed for this season. They could open, they could open this season with the payroll of less than 70 million dollars. Yeah, it's pretty crazy. When I heard Anthony say, you know, that they would have the ability or the flexibility to pivot or do something if the, the approach isn't working during the season, what great confidence you have that you can go into the season, sort of with this, this young roster

14:59and say, hey, if this doesn't work and if it isn't working, we can pivot and still have the ability to try and, and make, make the postseason. You know, that's the belief that you, you get instilled in you when you come back from a 15-and-a-half game deficit in a matter of a month, I guess, and that's sort of sustaining the franchise right now. Yeah, I like the idea that if, hey, if this isn't working, we can pivot and still make the playoffs and they believe that, so. Yeah, you're doing credit for being confident, but, and they're still going to have the money to do it, Joe. I think that's, you know, they, they could make it because he said this, you know, this has a plan of going with the younger players has nothing to do with money, that they have the money to, to go out and add players. Right. Yeah, that's, that's exactly it. Hey, Hoynesy, what's the latest on Daniel Espino? That's from Kurt in Worthington, Ohio. Yeah, Joey, all we know on a, Espino is he's healthy.

15:59I would imagine he's probably still, he's in spring training right now, you know, just, we have to remember, this is a guy that hasn't pitched in three years, maybe more than three years, you know, on a consistent basis. I mean, I don't know, well, you know, I'm sure what he did in the Arizona fall league gave him some confidence. We made what seven starts and pitch seven total innings. I mean, but this is a guy that's, you know, going to have to be built up and he's got, he has, I think earlier we said he was out of options, but he does have an option left. He does maybe two options left. So there's still some room to work with this guy. So he's not out of options and, but he's going to have to, he's going to have to, you know, I would imagine starting to Arizona, Arizona, complex league, then, you know, maybe go to A ball. He's just going to have to build some volume up withinnings pitch. Yeah, he's going to need to get out there and improve that he can stay on the mound and then recover and, and get back out there, start after start. So that, that will be what they're looking for out of a spin. Oh, and I think, you know, would you,

17:03do you think maybe he is there a level that he should be aspiring to get to like double A triple A this year before maybe being ready to possibly make a major league debut? Yeah, you know, I would think it would be, you know, he, he did reach double A before he got her and he's still throwing over a hundred miles an hour, Joe. That's the thing. But if he's a reliever, you, you only need, you know, the, you know, the, the kind of that he gets on a faster track to the big leagues. So I would think he's got to make a significant move this season because they've waited so long for him. The last thing you want to do is if you have an arm like that is push him too fast. But I would think if he would, if he could get to high A or or double A this year and really kind of settle in and what pitch 50 to 60 innings or just pitch enough that that he's feel starting to feel comfortable again. I think the Guardians would be happy. Yeah. All right. This from Pat Gritchick. He writes, hey, Hensy, when do tickets for 2020 regular season go

18:08on sale? I haven't seen anything. They used to be Christmas presents. Pat, I think you should hang on tight within the next week to 10 days. I think there might be an announcement coming as to when public on sale will be coming out as well as some promotional items. I think circle that that range that week to 10 days is what I'm hearing. You might, you might be staying tuned for the announcement of when public on sale is going to happen. Yeah. I agree. It's something a lot of people are asking about is when when tickets go on sale. We just got the schedule last week in terms of the times and the the TV broadcast. So it's all all starting to come together. Hey, Hensy, Greg in Sylvania wants to know when will the Austin Hayes signing be announced? You're talking about that flexibility. He said it's tongue in cheek that he's asking this. But you know, there's a real possibility out there. If this guy's still hanging around that maybe they

19:12they take a flyer on him. Yeah, you know, I don't think it's going to happen before opening day just the way Anson Eddie and the other front office guys were talking yesterday and have been talking all winter. I mean, I think they still have some irons in the fire of this winter. But I just don't see. I mean, it just doesn't sound like that. That's a guy. I mean, he's he had a good season last year. I mean, he hits lefties. Could he fit into a platoon? Maybe if he's still out there in February or, you know, early March, you know, you would think maybe the guardians would come around and kick the tires on him. But right now, it just doesn't seem like that's the course they're taking. Hey, Hensy from Dave in Baton Rouge, he wants to know how does the money dedicated to extending Ramirez's contract impact the already dim prospects of being able to keep Stephen Kwan. Yeah, Joe, I think you and me, I was surprised yesterday when we asked, you know, Chris Anson Eddie about the the 70 million deferred on on Ramirez's contract, I thought that might give

20:19them some extra flexibility to either, you know, bring in another player or perhaps use that money to help pay, you know, Kwan's and you know, entice him to take an extension. Anson, any kind of shot that down, I'd say it's really not not that big savings where, you know, they it gives them payroll flexibility because, you know, they have to fund that money. They still have to pay Ramirez that money. So they and they have to fund it every years. I would imagine most of that, the 10 million deferred is going into the funds to a pay Ramirez down the road. If that makes sense, I'm not sure I make it. Yeah, it almost sounded like they almost had to do like an escrow situation where they had to, you know, put set the money aside for them to eventually be paid, but I don't know, I don't claim to know the the ins and outs of a major league baseball finance, but it seems to me, if you're not paying him that that $10 million every year, then, you know, there's 10 million

21:25that's around and available to be used elsewhere. What Anson was saying sort of contradicts that, but again, we don't get to look at the books every year. We don't get done. We can only sit here and estimate and guess about what's been reported as to what what the payroll is and all that. So it's hard to hold them sort of accountable. And they don't necessarily have to tell us anything they don't want to. And Joe, I guess, you know, 10 million, you know, 10 million deferred is a lot different than the 68 million. So it's a bigger, we're talking about a bigger chunk of change. And maybe that's why the Dodgers have been able to do what they've been able to do by taking advantage of the money. Otani deferred. Yeah. And the Dodgers deferring more money than the Guardians have in their entire payroll is kind of ridiculous. All right. Hoynes, that's going to wrap up today's edition of the Cleveland baseball talk podcast. Busy week, looking forward to next week. I think the sports awards coming up next Thursday might be something to talk about the greater Cleveland sports awards as well. And we get closer to spring training. I will

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