It is the perfect time for the Cleveland Guardians front office to strike: Meisel

CLEVELAND – Midnight had passed, trade deadline day had officially arrived, and Cleveland management had finalized an agreement to acquire the top prize.

Andrew Miller, the 6-foot-4, slider-throwing left-hander, an otherworldly reliever who achieves strikeout-to-walk ratios unimaginable to ordinary people, was coming to Cleveland. Club executives, rejoicing over their blockbuster trade with the New York Yankees, didn’t want to disturb Miller or the other players involved so late at night, so they contained their excitement and kept the deal secret until morning.

All the while, another key target kept them in limbo. The team had committed to sending four rookies to the Yankees and another four to the Milwaukee Brewers for catcher Jonathan Lucroy—that is, if he would agree to a move to Cleveland. Lucroy eventually vetoed the deal, so Cleveland changed its strategy and traded two rookies to the Tampa Bay Rays for Brandon Guyer.

It was a hectic end to weeks of transfer talks that had the club battling with a handful of others for the best record in the American League. A 14-game winning streak in late June had changed the front office’s mindset from cautiously optimistic to fully invested. This was the start of a competitive window and Cleveland was ready to stock up on talent. In case they lost the bidding war for Miller, they had also been negotiating with New York for Aroldis Chapman. It was impossible to leave the transfer deadline without a major upgrade or two.

The signing of Andrew Miller at the trade deadline proved to be crucial in Cleveland’s path to the championship in 2016. (Tommy Gilligan / USA Today)

When is the right time for management to strike and flex the muscles hidden beneath the team-issued quarter-zips and moisture-wicking khakis?

This certainly seems to be another opportunity that baseball president Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff cannot pass up.

Something is brewing at the corner of Carnegie Avenue and Ontario Street. The Guardians entered the All-Star break with the AL’s best record, surpassing the 1 million mark in attendance faster than in any other season since 2008. They rewarded the sold-out crowds with a 30-11 home record.

The first half was characterized by an outstanding atmosphere and offered a refreshing change from Cleveland baseball, which is usually strong pitching and weak offensively. Now the pressure is on.

The front office can help ease some of that burden by addressing the roster deficiencies that are jeopardizing what could have been a memorable summer. The Guardians have plenty of contact and hitting tanks. They have the best bullpen in the league. And, well, the rotation needs to be improved. There are ways to fix their weaknesses, but doing so will require the same aggressiveness the front office showed in 2016.

An aggressive approach… in this starting pitcher economy?

Yes, even with inflation rampant in management circles, with so few teams completely eliminated from the postseason spots, with pitchers’ UCLs torn so often and the resulting increase in demand, the Guardians are able to address their weaknesses.

If their Plan A doesn’t pan out, the Guardians don’t have to be too picky. A frontline starter would certainly help, but a mid-rotation innings eater and another reliable reliever would also keep their bullpen from burnout before the playoffs. A proven right-hander would prevent a bunch of rookies from dictating whether the offense is adequate. There are plenty of ways to improve the roster.

As the deadline approaches and more teams move to one side, the market will become clearer. The Rangers and Blue Jays and Rays and Tigers and Giants and Cubs and others will decide on a strategy. There will be more sellers to prevent the poor clubs from demanding ransom for everyone they release. There will be teams trying to part with their payrolls that they will soon give free agents to. There will be more desperation to get something done.

The Guardians have plenty of trade chips in the farm system and their new draft class – generally regarded as a resounding success, and not Only Since they signed Travis Bazzana as their first choice, this can help the management to cope with the departure of some promising young players.

It’s up to Antonetti and Chernoff — and the owners, who, after a quiet winter and a steady stream of traffic through the turnstiles, have nothing to hamper operations during the transfer deadline — to make sure this isn’t the climax. No one will be hanging a banner at Progressive Field that says “Best AL record at All-Star break: 2024.”

Part of the rationale for the white flag sale last summer was that the team had been playing listlessly for four months and there would be more reasonable opportunities for new additions in the future. Well, here’s one, even if it came sooner than expected. The AL is waiting to be taken from you.

You know the saying that in baseball, all you have to do is make the playoffs and hit the ground running at the right time? The best teams, the ones with the fewest weaknesses, are the ones with the best chance of hitting the ground running at the right time.

Since 1901, when Charles W. Somers’ team was a founding member of the AL, the club has had a better start in 95 games only four times in franchise history.

In 1920, they started 63-32 and eventually won the organization’s first World Series. A year later, when they were trying to defend their title, they started 61-34 but ended the season a few games behind the Yankees. In 1954, they started 66-29 and achieved a club-record 111 wins and an AL pennant.

Four decades of misery followed until 1995, when they steamrolled their opponents, starting with a 65-30 record, a season that captivated the city and, despite a bitter finish to the Braves in the World Series, ended with an AL pennant and a Monday afternoon parade through downtown Cleveland.

So far, as unlikely as it may sound, this team can compete with the titans of Cleveland baseball history. However, it could use a boost.

So when is the right time for a management strike? Anytime between now and 6 p.m. ET on July 30.

(Photo of Chris Antonetti, Stephen Vogt and Mike Chernoff: Ken Blaze / USA Today)