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Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Building the all-time Cleveland baseball All-Star team, from Boudreau to Thome to Clase
With Jose Ramirez needing to find some rest and time for recovery before the second half of the season, the Guardians won't have a representative in the All-Star Game starting lineup. Ramirez was voted in as the AL's starting third baseman but is opting to rest for a few days as the Guardians try to climb back into the playoff race. Steven Kwan is on the All-Star roster, but as a reserve. But how would an all-time, all-Cleveland All-Star lineup look? Let's put together that roster, using individual all-star seasons to construct an all-Cleveland squad. The All-Star Game wasn't implemented until 1933, and we'll be using that as the benchmark, so some Cleveland greats from the previous eras — like Tris Speaker and Nap Lajoie — won't be eligible for this roster. If they wanted to be on this make-believe All-Star team, they should have been born later. So with that in mind, here's the all-time Cleveland All-Star roster in the All-Star Game era. Catcher: Sandy Alomar Jr., 1997 Everyone remembers Sandy Alomar Jr.'s home run (and eventual game MVP) in the 1997 All-Star Game in Cleveland, which might make this an easy decision. But this could actually be controversial considering just how good Victor Martinez was in 2007. Alomar hit .324 with a .900 OPS in 1997 after a scorching first half that included a 30-game hitting streak and then his historic home run in the All-Star Game, which stands as one of the best moments in that ballpark. Martinez, though, hit .301 with 25 home runs and 114 RBIs. But we'll go with a little '90s magic with Alomar behind the dish. First baseman: Jim Thome, 2002 This one is much easier. Jim Thome in 2002 launched a franchise-best 52 home runs while posting a pretty absurd .304/.445/.667 slash line. The Hall-of-Fame slugger was at his best, and he'll be at first base for this lineup. Amazingly, though, Thome was left off the 2002 All-Star roster in favor of Jason Giambi, Paul Konerko and Mike Sweeney, possibly giving him a case as one of the biggest All-Star snubs in recent memory. Second baseman: Roberto Alomar, 1999 Robbie Alomar put together a tremendous season in a loaded 1999 Cleveland lineup, hitting .323 with a .422 on-base percentage, 24 home runs, 120 RBIs and 37 stolen bases, all while playing Gold Glove defense at second base. Third baseman: Jose Ramirez, 2018 It's difficult to pick one season from the Guardians star third baseman, especially when he almost pulled off a nearly unheard of 40/40/40 season just last year, but 2018 might be Ramirez's best season to date. Last season, Ramirez finished with 39 home runs, 39 doubles and 41 stolen bases en route to his sixth career top-six MVP finish. In 2018, though, he had a similarly great year (39 home runs, 38 doubles, 34 stolen bases) while drawing nearly double the walks he did in 2024 and posting a .387 OBP. And if you're already penning an angry email with the 1953 season in mind, don't worry, we're going to get Al Rosen into the starting lineup a bit later. Shortstop: Lou Boudreau, 1948 The last Cleveland squad to win the World Series gets some representation at shortstop. In 1948, Lou Boudreau slashed .355/.453/.534 while scoring 116 runs and driving in 106 en route to a 10.9 fWAR season and the AL MVP. Oh, he also acted as manager. All things considered, it might be the most impressive season by any player in Cleveland baseball history. Left field: Albert Belle, 1995 In one of the biggest MVP snubs of all time, Albert Belle's 1995 season lands him in left field. Belle was a force for the '95 lineup, one of the best of all time, becoming the only hitter in history to belt 50 home runs and 50 doubles in a single year. And he did during a strike-shortened season, making it that much more impressive, even though Mo Vaughn won MVP. Center field: Grady Sizemore, 2008 The last truly great season before injuries derailed his career, the 2008 edition of Grady Sizemore will roam center field in this starting lineup. That year, Sizemore hit 33 home runs, 39 doubles and five triples while driving in 90 runs and stealing 38 bases. He also won a Gold Glove for his defensive play in center. You don't often see Gold Glove center fielders participate in the Home Run Derby in the same season. Right field: Manny Ramirez, 1999 Another member from that 1999 lineup, Manny Ramirez's franchise-best RBI season in 1999 puts him in right field. Ramirez drove in 165 runs that season, which still stands as the club's record. He also hit .333 with a .442 on-base percentage along with 44 home runs. It was one of the best seasons by one of the best right-handed hitters of all-time. Designated hitter: Al Rosen, 1953 We'll let Ramirez handle the hot corner on defense, but there's no way 1953 Al Rosen isn't in this lineup. Rosen won the AL MVP award that season while slashing .336/.422/.613 and leading the AL with 43 home runs and 145 RBIs. It's arguably the best offensive season by a Cleveland infielder in franchise history when accounting for eras. All Cleveland All-Star lineup So let's place these nine hitters into a lineup. How about: 1948 Lou Boudreau 2018 Jose Ramirez 1995 Albert Belle 1999 Manny Ramirez 2002 Jim Thome 1953 Al Rosen 2008 Grady Sizemore 1997 Sandy Alomar Jr. 1999 Roberto Alomar And now for the pitching staff: Starting pitcher: Bob Feller, 1946 The 1946 version of Bob Feller takes the mound to start this fantasy All-Star Game. That year, Feller won 26 games, posted a 2.18 ERA and struck out a league-leading 348 batters. He also led the AL in complete games (36), shutouts (10) and innings (371⅓). Starting pitcher: Sam McDowell, 1965 It can be debated which McDowell season goes here, but he's definitely in the second spot behind Feller. We'll go with 1965, when he posted an AL-best 2.18 ERA with 325 strikeouts in 273 innings. Starting pitcher: Shane Bieber, 2020 It was a shortened season, but it was also a dominant one. Shane Bieber in 2020 was electric, winning the Cy Young unanimously after going 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 77⅓ innings during the 60-game season. It also came the year after he won All-Star Game MVP at Progressive Field in 2019. Yes, it wasn't even 80 innings, but it's also all he had to work with that year. Starting pitcher: Luis Tiant, 1968 Luis Tiant's best season came in 1968, when he compiled a 21-9 record with a 1.60 ERA in 258⅓ innings. Bob Gibson had arguably the best season of any pitcher in baseball history that season in the NL, but Tiant was exceptional in his own right in the AL. Tiant also continued a pretty remarkable run of individual Cleveland pitching seasons in the late '60s and early '70s. Gaylord Perry put together a fantastic season in 1972, but it's just behind Tiant and McDowell from that era. Starting pitcher: Corey Kluber, 2017 There are two Corey Kluber seasons that warrant this spot, but we'll go with his second Cy Young season when he went 18-4 with a 2.25 ERA with 265 strikeouts in 2017. And that season came on the heels of the 2016 playoff run, during which Kluber pitched 35⅓ innings and had Cleveland one win away from beating the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. Relief pitcher: Emmanuel Clase, 2024 It was one of the best seasons by a reliever in recent memory, and it put him into the Cy Young conversation as Emmanuel Clase dominated hitters throughout the 2024 regular season. He ended the season allowing only five earned runs (0.61 ERA) and saving 47 games — even if October didn't play out as well for him. Relief pitcher: Jose Mesa, 1995 Yes, Josa Mesa is mostly remembered in Cleveland for the final pitch he threw in 1997, but his 1995 was borderline historic, especially when considering the offensive era in which he pitched. Mesa had one of the best seasons of any reliever in history with at least 60 innings pitched, finishing with a 1.13 ERA, 46 saves and a second-place finish in Cy Young voting. Pitcher: Cliff Lee, 2008 With five starters and two relievers already on the roster, this final spot on the Cleveland All-Star pitching staff has several strong contenders, including Doug Jones in 1988, CC Sabathia in 2007, Cody Allen in 2016 (especially if his postseason counts) and Andrew Miller in 2017 (his only real full season in Cleveland). But 2008 Cliff Lee gets the nod here. That year, Lee went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA in 223⅓ innings to become the second consecutive Cleveland pitcher to win the AL Cy Young. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland baseball All-Star team: Building the franchise's best lineup
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Bodybuilder Victor Martinez rushed into emergency surgery for serious health issue
Bodybuilder Victor Martinez rushed into emergency surgery for serious health issue (Image via Getty) One of bodybuilding's most beloved names has sent shockwaves through the fitness world. Victor Martinez, known to millions as 'The Dominican Dominator,' has undergone emergency surgery this week for a serious medical issue. While the exact reason for the procedure has not been shared yet, fans and fitness professionals are expressing deep concern and sending prayers for his full recovery. Victor Martinez rushed to hospital for urgent medical procedure On Monday, July 15, 2025, it was confirmed that 51-year-old Victor Martinez had undergone emergency surgery. The news was first made public by Generation Iron, a large bodybuilding website that also houses Martinez's podcast. Though the exact nature of the operation was kept under wraps, sources close to the athlete indicated it was a severe ailment requiring urgent medical care. Victor Martinez is presently recuperating in the hospital; he has not yet issued a personal statement. Generation Iron says, however, he intends to address the circumstances when he is strong. His family or management have made no official statement as yet. Social media is flooding with support for the former bodybuilder. Many thought he was among the most "respected and humble" players in the game. Comments below his latest Instagram postings reveal an overwhelming love; several followers write, "Stay strong, champ," and "Victor, wish you a full recovery. " Victor Martinez's legacy in bodybuilding continues to inspire Victor Martinez is a well-known personality in the fitness world. Starting his professional bodybuilding career in 2001, his physique and dedication drew attention. In 2007, Martinez reached his best ever by placing second at Mr. Olympia and winning the much sought-after Arnold Classic, amongst the most sought-after honors in the game. Also Read: Bodybuilding Legend Ronnie Coleman Rushed Into Surgery After Serious Blood Infection Discovered Victor never left the spotlight even if he stopped working in 2021. Through podcasts, interviews, and social media, he is still quite engaged in the bodybuilding scene. On Instagram, he has over 830,000 followers and keeps inspiring a new generation of fitness enthusiasts. Proudly representing his Dominican heritage, Victor Martinez is regarded in sports as a symbol of discipline and tenacity. Now his followers support him as he battles a different kind of battle, one for his health. For now, the bodybuilding community awaits more information and wishes to see Victor Martinez back and grinning shortly. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
New York Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Presenting the Guardians' All-Quarter Century Team, the best in Cleveland since 2000
Editor's note: The Athletic is marking 2025 by naming an MLB All-Quarter Century Team, selected by Jayson Stark. We invited readers to take our survey and make their picks for the best players at each position since 2000, with the results announced in an upcoming story. Some of our beat writers are picking All-Quarter Century Teams for the teams they cover. Check this page to find all of our All-Quarter Century Team coverage. Advertisement CLEVELAND — An exercise like this tends to spark debate, but in sifting through the names and numbers of Cleveland's finest over the past quarter-century, one thing became apparent: This one's pretty straightforward. There was a brief internal debate over a couple of spots, but for the most part, the answers were obvious. The choices highlight the different eras of Cleveland baseball since 2000, from the twilight of the powerhouse '90s teams to the up-and-down Eric Wedge tenure to the lean years under Manny Acta and the Terry Francona days. There are Hall of Famers, elite talents with unparalleled peaks and future Hall of Famers on this roster. There's also Casey Blake. Without further ado … Stats: .297/.369/.463, 103 home runs, 18.2 fWAR from 2002-09 Martinez cried when Cleveland traded him to Boston in 2009. He can take solace, 16 years later, in the fact that he spent enough time with the franchise — and supplied ample oomph in the middle of Eric Wedge's lineups — to land the starting catching spot on the All-Quarter-Century Team. He was a three-time All-Star with the Indians, a switch-hitting catcher with a smooth swing that usually produced a .300 average, 20-some homers and 30-some doubles. Stats: .288/.418/.602, 141 home runs, 17.6 fWAR from 2000-02, 2011 There's an argument to be made for Carlos Santana, if you prefer longevity over peak, since this exercise limits Thome to his final three seasons in Cleveland (well, and that five-week stretch at the end of the 2011 season, when his back was being held together with toothpicks and Elmer's glue). Consider those three seasons for Thome, though, and try to argue against him occupying this space. 2000: .269/.398/.531 slash line, 37 homers, 33 doubles, 118 walks (132 OPS+) 2001: .291/.416/.624 slash line, 49 homers, 26 doubles, 111 walks (170 OPS+) 2002: .304/.445/.677 slash line, 52 homers, 19 doubles, 122 walks (197 OPS+) Advertisement That 2002 season, his last before he left for Philadelphia, is one of the best offensive showings in team history. Yeah, every hitter put up gaudy statistics in those years. But the OPS+ indicates Thome was still head and shoulders above most of his peers. Santana's best OPS+ in a full season is 136. Thome's 52 homers are a single-season record for a Cleveland hitter. That year, he led the AL in walks, slugging and OPS. Stats: .261/.333/.417, 123 homers, 20.5 fWAR from 2011-19 Asdrubal Cabrera has a case to start here, too. Their numbers are nearly identical (Cabrera's slash line was .270/.331/.410), and both were twice All-Stars, but we'll give the nod to the guy who spent far more time at second base. José Ramírez is riding a 21-game hitting streak, and it's the first 20-gamer by a Cleveland player in a decade, since … Jerry Sands. Just kidding. Kipnis went bonkers at the plate in the first half of the 2015 season, with 51 hits in May and a 20-game streak in June. Stats: .285/.346/.488, 138 homers, 30.6 fWAR from 2015-20 Lindor ranks second, behind his former partner on the left side of the infield, in fWAR among position players since 2000. In Cleveland, Lindor was a four-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner and a shortstop who always seemed destined for the spotlight of a big market. Stats: .280/.353/.505, 264 homers, 53.5 fWAR from 2013-25 By the end of next season, he might have twice the fWAR total of any other position player on this list. By the end of his career, he could be the franchise leader in home runs, RBIs, doubles, hits, runs and airborne helmets. You know, just as everyone predicted when he broke into the big leagues as a pinch-running specialist and then struggled at the plate for two seasons. Advertisement Stats: .295/.351/.430, 87 homers, 20.0 fWAR from 2009-18 The final piece in the return for CC Sabathia, Brantley sprouted into a hitting savant who could roll out of bed and bat .300. If he wasn't sidelined with a shoulder injury in 2016, would Cleveland have topped the Cubs in the World Series? Brantley was a three-time All-Star and finished third in the AL MVP balloting in 2014, when he posted a .327/.385/.506 slash line with 20 homers, 45 doubles and 200 hits, the only 200-hit season by a Cleveland batter since 1997. Stats: .269/.357/.473, 139 homers, 30.3 fWAR from 2004-11 Oh, what could have been. From 2005-08, Sizemore was a five-tool center fielder who hit homers, piled up doubles, drew walks, swiped bases and played award-winning defense. He was a treat to watch. And then injuries derailed his career. That peak is enough to earn him a starting spot in this lineup, but when Sizemore's name is mentioned, it's hard to resist wondering what sort of numbers he might have produced had he stayed healthy. Stats: .292/.383/.469, 83 homers, 20.4 fWAR from 2006-12 There's not a ton of competition here. Manny Ramirez left after the 2000 season. Juan Gonzalez starred for only one year in right. On the fWAR leaderboard for Cleveland right fielders this century, Casey Blake and Lonnie Chisenhall follow Choo. Then, Ramirez and Gonzalez for their lone seasons. Next on the list? Franklin Gutierrez. Stats: .278/.382/.509, 200 homers, 22.3 fWAR from 2002-12 Hafner hit in the center of Cleveland's lineups for a long time, but let's zero in on his peak, because, frankly, he doesn't receive enough attention. MLB's OPS leaders, 2004-06: 1. Barry Bonds: 1.213 2. Albert Pujols: 1.070 3. Travis Hafner: 1.030 Advertisement So, that's maybe the most prolific hitter of all time, then the most prolific hitter of a generation and then unquestionably the most prolific hitter to be nicknamed Pronk. That three-year run did the heavy lifting for Hafner's career, as shoulder issues sent him spiraling, but what a glorious reign that was. 2004: .311/.410/.583, 28 homers, 41 doubles 2005: .305/.408/.595, 33 homers, 42 doubles 2006: .308/.439/.659, 42 homers, 31 doubles Santana, Cabrera and Gomes are locks, because of their longevity and production and because, on this make-believe roster, they actually fit specific roles. That leaves one spot for a host of candidates. We'll tab Blake, who was better than you think (.266/.337/.451 slash line, with defensive versatility), but Steven Kwan could very well be the answer in a couple of years … or weeks. Imagine that pestering bat off the bench. (Oh, and his Gold Glove defense.) Jhonny Peralta, Coco Crisp, Ellis Burks and Edwin Encarnacion received consideration, too. Stats: 3.16 ERA in 1,341 2/3 innings, 34.6 fWAR from 2011-19 The ace of this staff is the only guy in team history with two Cy Young Awards. In terms of overall franchise lore, he might be the only pitcher in Bob Feller's stratosphere. If Game 7 of the 2016 World Series unfolded differently, there would probably already be a statue of Kluber looking out at traffic on E. 9th Street with the same unflinching, stoic gaze he offered every time he took the mound (or spoke with reporters). During his five-year peak from 2014-18, he and Max Scherzer were in their own league, in terms of workload and effectiveness. Stats: 3.83 ERA in 1,528 2/3 innings, 30.2 fWAR from 2001-08 Sabathia is entering the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer as a New York Yankee, but the first chapter of his big-league career should be studied, not skimmed. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2007, was a three-time All-Star and, for seven and a half years, he was a workhorse who rarely missed a start. He has stressed how much he regrets pitching poorly during the 2007 postseason. Advertisement Stats: 4.01 ERA in 1,117 innings, 19.0 fWAR from 2002-09 Lee had his moments outside of the 2008 season — he finished fourth in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2005 — but that award-winning 2008 campaign was a masterpiece. He walked more than two hitters in only three of 31 starts. He allowed more than two earned runs in only nine of 31 starts. He went at least six innings in all but four starts (and lasted at least five in every one). He never finished a start with a season ERA higher than 2.58. Stats: 3.22 ERA in 843 innings, 21.5 fWAR from 2018-24 And, finally, it's the fourth Cy Young Award winner of the century, and the fifth winner coached by Carl Willis. There's still time for Bieber to pad his Cleveland résumé, one that shines even though he's missed significant chunks of three of the past four seasons because of injuries. Bieber is the only All-Star Game MVP on this team. Stats: 3.91 ERA in 1,346 innings, 25.3 fWAR from 2009-20, 2024 Only Sabathia made more starts or piled up more innings than Carrasco, who emerged — after a few years of inconsistency and injuries — as the centerpiece of the Lee trade. From 2014-18, he was a steady Robin to Kluber's Batman. Stats: 1.82 ERA in 312 innings, 9.0 fWAR from 2021-25 There are a few options here, but we have to go with the guy who became the club's all-time saves leader at the age of 26. Clase had a 1.36 ERA in 2022, and that's his third-best ERA in his four full seasons in Cleveland. He has led the American League in saves each of the past three years and even with some early-season struggles in 2025, he still boasts a sub-2.00 ERA in his career. Miller was only in Cleveland for two and a half years, but it only took two and a half months for him to leave a lasting impact on the organization. His performance in the 2016 postseason was the stuff of legend, a 6-foot-7, slider-slinging android sent from Planet Whiff to destroy every hitter in his path. And he'd be the first to tell you that his dominance that October was made possible because of Allen's ability to cover the ninth (and sometimes the eighth). Betancourt and Rafael Perez formed a dynamic late-inning tandem for Eric Wedge. Wickman and Chris Perez often made the ninth inning a recovering smoker's nightmare, but they do rank third and fifth, respectively, on the team's all-time saves list. Speaking of stress-inducing relievers, Bryan Shaw totaled six seasons with an ERA between 2.59 and 3.52. Honorable mention to David Riske, Vinnie Pestano, Brad Hand, Paul Shuey and, eventually, I'm sure, Cade Smith. (Top photo of Jim Thome: Getty Images)
