Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Cleveland Guardians.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.

Last year, the Guardians entered the season as a World Series contender, and competed in the American League Championship Series, losing to the New York Yankees in five.  There was one new entry, though that was based on the new algorithm.   There were also changes on the list, based on 2024.

As always, we present our top five, which had a major change based on the algorithm.

1. Nap Lajoie

2. Bob Feller

3. Tris Speaker

4. Lou Boudreau

5. Bob Lemon

You can find the entire list here.

On the top five, we have a brand new number one, based on our adjustments.  Nap Lajoie takes over the pole position.

Jose Ramirez made a significant jump from #13 to #7.   

Pitcher Shane Bieber remained at #47.

With the new algorithm, Catcher Steve O’Neill enters at #48.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Durable and defensively sound, Steve O’Neill played for Cleveland Indians for over a decade, debuting in 1911, and settling in shortly after as one of the top defensive catchers in the American League. 

O’Neill was a wizard behind the plate, but it was not until 1919 that he had his first season with at least 100 Hits, and he kept that up over the next three seasons, with Batting Averages over .3000 from 1920 to 1922.  A member of the 1920 World Series Championship Team, O’Neill finished sixth in MVP voting in 1922, a testament to his overall play.  He remained with the Indians until he was dealt to the Red Sox in 1924.

O’Neill was inducted into the Guardians Hall of Fame in their first class in 1951.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Cleveland Guardians.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in Major League Baseball.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Guardians failed to make the playoffs and there were no new entries to the Top 50.  However, two players did see moderate elevations on the list.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Bob Feller

2. Nap Lajoie

3. Tris Speaker

4. Lou Boudreau

5. Bob Lemon

You can find the entire list here.

Jose Ramirez climbed to #13 from #16 and Shane Bieber moved up from #49 to #47.

We thank you for your continued support for our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top 50 Cleveland Guardians.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Cleveland had a great year, making the playoffs, and showing that they have a roster that could go deep this year.  This resulted in two changes, one new entrant, and one elevation.

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Bob Feller

2. Nap Lajoie

3. Tris Speaker

4. Lou Boudreau

5. Bob Lemon

You can find the entire list here.

Slugger, Jose Ramirez, climbed to #16 from #21.

The lone new entry is 2020 Cy Young winner, Shane Bieber, who debuts at #49.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

As of this writing, Shane Bieber is the top arm for the Guardians, and the second most famous Bieber.

Debuting for Cleveland in 2018, two years after he was drafted (4^th Round), Bieber was 11-5 as a rookie, though his ERA was 4.55.  He shaved more than a run off his ERA as a sophomore (3.28), and added a first All-Star while going 15-8 and fanning 259 batters. 

Bieber’s best year to date was in the COVID-shortened 2020, where he won the Cy Young, and won the Pitcher’s Triple Crown (8 Wins, 1.63 ERA & 122 SO) and was also the league-leader in ERA+ (273), FIP (2.07), H/9 (5.4) and SO/9 (14.2).  Since then, he added an All-Star in 2021, a Gold Glove in 2022, and he enters 2025. under 30, but recovering from Tommy John surgery.  If he has a bounce back season, he will rocket up this list.

After a brief time with the Texas Rangers, Travis Hafner was traded to the Cleveland Indians, where he brought a solid power game to the Tribe.

Ray Chapman made his Major League debut in 1912 with Cleveland, and a year later, he was a fixture in the Indians' infield.

Sonny Siebert was a multi-sport athlete as he was not just a coveted baseball player but was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA.  Siebert focused on baseball, which proved to be the right move.

The most successful baseball player to be born in The Netherlands (although he was raised in California), Bert Blyleven played five of his 22 seasons in the Majors with the Cleveland Indians.

Charley Jamieson had already played in the Majors for four years before being traded to Cleveland before the 1919 season.  He didn't do much early, but in 1920, he began to see more playing time, and he helped the Indians win the World Series. That would be the only time he was in the playoffs, but his best years were about to occur.

The “Player to be Named Later” doesn’t often amount to much.  Michael Brantley was that player, as he was an eventual throw-in to deal C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee.  It was one hell of an add-on.

Whenever we hear a nickname we love, we have to open with that.  “Slamtana."  How awesome is that?

Luis Tiant is far more known as a member of the Boston Red Sox, but his early work in Baseball with the Cleveland Indians should not be slept on.

An Olympic Gold Medalist in 1988, Charles Nagy debuted in the Majors for the Cleveland Indians in 1990 and remained with them for 13 seasons.

As Baseball spread in Mexico, it was only a matter of time before a Mexican would gain traction in the Majors.  The first such player was Bobby Avila.

A throw-in as part of a 2002 trade with Montreal that sent also sent Cliff Lee to the Indians when he was still in the Minors, Grady Sizemore would be the Indians' best position player for a brief spell in the late 2000s.

The story of Willis Hudlin is a simple one. He was not a superstar Pitcher, but he was a dependable middle of the rotation starter who could also be used out of the bullpen where needed.

Born in Canada and raised in the United States, Jeff Heath made his way to the Major Leagues in 1936, where two years later, he was a starting Outfielder with Cleveland.

Hal Trosky is a fascinating baseball player when it comes to "rating" their overall contributions.  Very early in his career, some writers viewed him as the next Babe Ruth, which were about as lofty expectations as you can get.  It goes without saying that Trosky was not the next "Bambino," but now historians look at him as one of the best players never to be named an All-Star.

As of this writing, Puerto Rican Shortstop Francisco Lindor has played six seasons with the Cleveland Indians, which is the only team he has ever played for at the Major League level.