Progressive Field renovations delayed until after 2023 season

You have one great year where all your rookies come up and look sensational and suddenly everyone wants your player development staff. Brian Sweeney and Justin Toole are the latest of Cleveland’s development system to be plucked away. The former joined the Royals, and the latter is leading the Mariners’ entire player development system.

Toole has been the Guardians’ hitting analyst for three seasons and surely had a hand in helping craft the crafty group of improbable rookies who made it to the ALDS. One fun fact — Toole once played all nine defensive positions in one game when he was in Single-A back in 2012. The promotion, dubbed “Toole Time,” saw him moving around the outfield, infield, catching, and pitching as the ultimate utilityman.

He wrote a book about the experience titled “9 in 9,” but it doesn’t appear to be in print anymore. Grab it on Kindle or something. I’ve read it, and it’s great.

Cleveland Guardians news

Cleveland Guardians delay Progressive Field renovations until after 2023 season | WKYC

“The Guardians Ballpark Improvements Project Management Team is in the process of finalizing scope across a series of construction projects and timeline for project completion,” the team said. “We expect to announce in the coming weeks our final plans, with construction not beginning until the conclusion of the 2023 baseball season. Pending hitting our timelines for Schematic Designs, Design Development and Construction Documents, we hope to start preparing bid packages by mid to late Spring of 2023.”

Hall of Fame hurler Gaylord Perry passes away at 84 | MLB
Gaylord Perry, the Hall of Fame spitballer who pitched for Cleveland from 1972 until midway through 1975, passed away at the age of 84 yesterday. Very little of Perry’s illustrious 24-year career was spent in Cleveland, but he pitched well enough to be ranked 17th among all starts in fWAR (21.3). Among the 37 pitchers to throw 1,000 innings in a Cleveland uniform, he ranks 5th in ERA (2.71).

Justin Toole leaving role as Guardians hitting analyst to take over as Seattle’s player development director | Cleveland
Cleveland’s player development system was poached heavily yesterday. First, it was bullpen coach Brian Sweeney leaving to be the Royals pitching coach, then later in the evening, it was announced that Justin Toole was leaving to join the Mariners as their new director of player development.

Around the league

• The Braves are also in on Sean Murphy.
• The Mariners are Baseball America’s “Organization of the Year”.
• Zach Eflin signed the biggest free agent deal in Rays history, a whopping $40 million.
• Cody Bellinger, the most interesting free agent in world.
• Steamer hates Alek Manoah.
• The Astros aren’t close to signing Justin Verlander.
• The Mets think Jacob deGrom will stay in New York.
• An analysis of rookie swing rates.