To say that this has been a complicated season for the Cleveland Guardians would be a massive understatement.
One could say that it’s been a disappointing season, even.
Nevertheless, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, and this season isn’t the exception to that rule.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report analyst Kerry Miller dug deep into the tape and the numbers to figure out whether this team had a ‘hidden gem’ and, if so, who was it.
That’s why he came to the conclusion that Daniel Schneemann deserved way more credit:
“UTIL Daniel Schneemann,” Miller wrote. “Through 60 team games, Schneemann had an .800 OPS, homering once for every 22 trips to the plate. He was probably the most valuable Guardian not named José Ramírez or Steven Kwan. He has now made at least three starts at each of second, third, short, left, center and right, worth both a 6 Fielding Run Value and 6 Outs Above Average, per Baseball Savant. A viable candidate for the AL’s Utility Gold Glove, Schneemann has continued to provide value as a one-man depth chart, even though his bat has cooled off considerably.”
Like he pointed out, Schneemann hasn’t been the most consistent contributor at the plate as of late.
Then again, his ability to cover multiple positions has come in handy for Stephen Vogt’s team all year long, especially considering that this team doesn’t seem to have much depth after him.
The Guardians have a somewhat thin roster.
They have countless promising prospects who might be ready to take the field and lead the way as early as next season, but they need someone to hold down the fort in the meantime.
Of course, his numbers won’t turn a lot of heads, and chances are that many fans won’t even think about his solid defense or bring his name up when talking about the best players on the team.
Still, every team needs an unsung hero and a team-first kind of guy, and Daniel Schneemann should continue to be the Guardians’ for the foreseeable future.
NEXT: Guardians Named Favorites To Sign Intriguing Shortstop Prospect
