Guardians team chemistry starts in the clubhouse | Jeff Schudel
Jul. 2—The Cleveland Guardians truly enjoy being around each other, and that often shows on the field for fans to see.
What fans aren't privy to is how that friendship grows in the clubhouse hours before players are required to show up for batting practice, fielding practice or treatment from trainers if necessary.
One table is reserved for playing cards. On any given day, all the seats will be filled with some teammates waiting their turn, others learning or still others willing to offer free advice.
A ping pong table stands in one section of the clubhouse. A chessboard is set up on another table. A Super Mario Brothers video game is often used. A Nerf basketball hoop is another competitive way to unwind before or after a game — usually before, because after a game, win or lose, players are eager to get home.
"With COVID (the last two years), the guidelines kind of changed," manager Terry Francona said July 1. "We were bringing guys in in groups and telling them when they could come in. The trainers really liked that. They wanted to continue that. I'm like, 'No man, if the players want to be here, I don't care if they're playing cards. I like the fact that maybe they want to be here."
Jose Ramirez is the unofficial Mario Bros. champion. Ramriez speaks some English, but Spanish is his primary language. The Spanish-speaking players don't hold long conversations with reporters, but somehow the language barrier between English-speaking and Spanish-speaking players vanishes when they are playing a game in the clubhouse (and on the field). And like all good workers, they know when it's time to put away the cards and turn their attention to their jobs.
"If they like being around the ballpark (early), good," Francona said. "Shoot, they might learn something by accident. I think it's good. We've talked to them a lot.
"We don't have rules for when the card game has to be over. Because if we do, we're not going to be any good anyway. If I have to go out there and tell them at 6:30 'Hey guys, stop!' we're not going to be very good anyway. They just need to be ready to play, and they always are."
