The cliche “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” is an interesting thing to think about in the context of the Guardians.
When it comes to keeping proven talents in Cleveland, the team is certainly a proponent of holding on to the bird in hand. To wit, signing José Ramírez to a long-term deal might end up being the best thing Chris Antonetti does in his entire career. The strategy dates back to John Hart, however, who retained guys Jim Thome, Sandy Alomar, Manny Ramirez, and other young players to build a long-term contender.