Event Recap - Discussion with Bob DiBiasio, March 22, 2023

The Club met with Cleveland Guardians Senior VP for Public Affairs Bob DiBiasio on March 22.

DiBiasio had only recently returned from Guardians Spring Training in Arizona. He caught up the Club on recent lineup adjustments, including Will Brennan as a fourth outfielder. “Last year we had a young team and still won more than 90 games,” he said. “And our farm team system is very good.”

Accordingly, DiBiasio is optimistic for the season and for the future of the Guardians. In our recent past,” he said, “we came within a few pitches of winning a World Series. We can get into a World Series again and win.”

“One of our advantages,” he said, “is Terry Francona,” who, according to DiBiasio, should be a Hall of Fame Manager. “His leadership style is remarkable, for one, because he is genuine and authentic. There is nothing fake about him; he is excellent with the players and the whole organization. In addition, he emphasizes dedication to the team and not to the glory of individuals. He understands that the Guardians is a collection of players from different backgrounds and cultures. Each can express rather than suppress his culture.”

Asked how the new rule changes put in place for 2023 (larger bases, no infield shift, time limits for pitchers and batters) will affect the Guardians, DiBiasio said the changes should help rather than hurt a ball club like the Guardians. “Our club does not emphasize home runs, but rather connecting with pitches and getting on base. The slightly shorter distance between first and second and second and third will help us. With respect to limits on infield positioning, it’s a rule that has been in the minor leagues already. So the young players are used to it, and that will be to our advantage also.” DiBiasio also said that he was pleased with the pace of play that he witnessed during Spring Training.

Asked about “analytics” that have impacted baseball, he noted that he had had script approval of the Cleveland portion of the 2011 movie Moneyball. “There are some good things statistical analysis has brought to the game,” he said, “but some not so good things as well.”

Asked how fans have reacted to the change of name from Indians to the Guardians, he said that “reception to the name change has been generally as expected. Fans 55 and older are having trouble with the change, whereas fans under 50 have been receptive to the change.” He said that the Dolans, who have owned the ball club for decades, talked to the Browns, the Cavaliers and the city government as well as held 25 forums with the public and came to the conclusion that changing the name was the right thing to do. “The ownership felt that a spirit of inclusiveness for the community was very important and that in keeping with this as a goal, the new name was a step forward,” DiBiasio said.

Asked about the challenges of having less money to spend than such teams as the Yankees and the Red Sox, DiBiasio rattled off statistics that ranked the Cleveland ball club as well or higher than better-heeled teams. “It’s where and how you spend the money and not how much that counts,” he said. “The only thing we do not do is give one player $30 million or more per year, which is not unique in our market. Our focus is on providing all the resources necessary to make our players the best they can be.”

“Is there hope for a World Series?” he asked rhetorically. “Very much so.”

Event Recap - Discussion with Cong. Shontel Brown, March 14, 2023

Congresswoman Shontel Brown met with the Cleveland Club on March 14.

Having had the experience of one Congress (with Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi), Cong. Brown sees success in the present 118th Congress (with Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy) as hinging on unity and coalition building. “Collaboration is going to be very important,” she told Club members. She added that she was warmly welcomed by members of the Ohio Delegation in the last Congress and has a good working relationship with its Members.

Cong. Brown accentuated her hopes for work on behalf of expanding access to opportunities for people in Ohio’s 11th District. She emphasized the importance of small businesses and described the visit of U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to Cleveland for work in bolstering minority entrepreneurs. 

She also described her work co-sponsoring legislation to strengthen the federal SNAP program, especially as it applied to children with medical difficulties. She also expressed her support for President Biden’s effort to grant some debt relief to persons with student loans. 

Asked about her feelings on gerrymandering in Ohio, she acknowledged that powers concerning district lines resided far more in Ohio than in Washington. Nevertheless, she pointed out that she would do what she could in Congress to strengthen legislation dealing with federal voting rights.

She noted that besides her work on the Agriculture Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, she had been asked to serve on the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party in the 118th Congress. “This is a committee that includes members from a wide range in Congress and will work with the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committees to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity, guard against disinformation, and maintain strength relative to that of China,” Cong. Brown said. 

She answered a Club member by saying that Democrats are still discussing universal health care but that she could not be sanguine about its moving ahead soon.

Asked how she skirts Washington distractions and connects to her constituents, she said that she keeps her ears open in grocery stores and talks frequently after church with people who are not policy wonks or even particularly engage in political issues. 

Asked about Congressional Caucuses, Cong. Brown said they are effective and stimulating. “Caucuses focus your attention on specific issues,” she told the Club membership. “In addition, some are quite large and engage Representatives from different parts of the country who have differing outlooks. You can learn a lot about what people are thinking for shaping legislation; there can be lots of passionate discussion,” she said. She added that the Caucuses both charge fees and make note of attendance, so they are serious groups engaged in serious work. 

Asked how the recent Infrastructure Bill could impact Cleveland, Cong. Brown said that work is already underway bringing high-speed internet to NE Ohio neighborhoods. She added that efforts would be forthcoming for roads, bridges, Hopkins airport, and lead pipe replacement. She also noted that she, Mayor Bibb, and County Executive Chris Ronayne would be working with the U. S. Transportation Department to bring improvements to Cleveland. “When you go back,” she said to the Club’s collection of NE Ohio exiles, “you will see we are planning again to have Cleveland become ‘the best location in the nation.’”

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