Editing Cleveland Guardians (section)

===2002–2010: The Shapiro/Wedge years===
[[File:Mark Shapiro.png|upright=0.75|thumb|[[Mark Shapiro (sports executive)|Mark Shapiro]] – Indians GM from 2001 to 2010, President from 2010 to 2015, and two-time [[Sporting News Executive of the Year Award|Sporting News Executive of the Year]]]]

====First "rebuilding of the team"====
Shapiro moved to rebuild by dealing aging veterans for younger talent. He traded [[Roberto Alomar]] to the [[New York Mets]] for a package that included outfielder [[Matt Lawton]] and prospects [[Alex Escobar]] and [[Billy Traber]]. When the team fell out of contention in mid-{{MLBy|2002}}, Shapiro fired manager [[Charlie Manuel]] and traded pitching ace [[Bartolo Colón]] for prospects [[Brandon Phillips]], [[Cliff Lee]], and [[Grady Sizemore]]; acquired [[Travis Hafner]] from the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Rangers]] for [[Ryan Drese]] and [[Einar Díaz]]; and picked up [[Coco Crisp]] from the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] for aging starter [[Chuck Finley]]. [[Jim Thome]] left after the season, going to the Phillies for a larger contract.

Young Indians teams finished far out of contention in 2002 and {{MLBy|2003}} under new manager [[Eric Wedge]]. They posted strong offensive numbers in {{MLBy|2004}}, but continued to struggle with a bullpen that blew more than 20 saves. A highlight of the season was a 22–0 victory over the [[2004 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] on August 31, one of the worst defeats suffered by the Yankees in team history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240831110 |title=Vizquel's six hits tie AL record |access-date=June 8, 2008 |publisher=ESPN |date=August 31, 2004 |archive-date=April 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415003000/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240831110 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In early {{MLBy|2005}}, the offense got off to a poor start. After a brief July slump, the [[2005 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] caught fire in August, and cut a 15.5 game deficit in the Central Division down to 1.5 games. However, the season came to an end as the Indians went on to lose six of their last seven games, five of them by one run, missing the playoffs by only two games. Shapiro was named [[Sporting News Executive of the Year Award|Executive of the Year]] in 2005.<ref name="cleveland.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1194342071241541.xml&coll=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107073357/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/plaindealer/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fsports%2F1194342071241541.xml&coll=2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 7, 2007 |title=Northeast Ohio |access-date=September 14, 2014 }}</ref> [[2006 Major League Baseball season|The next season]], the club made several roster changes, while retaining its nucleus of young players. The off-season was highlighted by the acquisition of top prospect [[Andy Marte]] from the [[Boston Red Sox]]. The Indians had a solid offensive season, led by career years from [[Travis Hafner]] and [[Grady Sizemore]]. Hafner, despite missing the last month of the season, tied the single season grand slam record of six, which was set in {{MLBy|1987}} by [[Don Mattingly]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/14/sports/baseball/14haffner.html|title=BASEBALL; Hafner's 6th Grand Slam Ties Mattingly|date=August 14, 2006|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=October 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009143847/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/14/sports/baseball/14haffner.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the solid offensive performance, the bullpen struggled with 23 blown saves (a Major League worst), and the Indians finished a disappointing fourth.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/mlb031/11405274/detail.html |title=Cleveland Indians 2007 Preview |last=Ruddick |first=Chris |date=March 27, 2007 |publisher=News Net 5 |access-date=March 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324085206/http://www.newsnet5.com/mlb031/11405274/detail.html |archive-date=March 24, 2012 }}</ref>

In {{MLBy|2007}}, Shapiro signed veteran help for the bullpen and outfield in the offseason. Veterans [[Aaron Fultz]] and [[Joe Borowski (baseball)|Joe Borowski]] joined [[Rafael Betancourt]] in the Indians bullpen.<ref name="MLB2007">{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070328&content_id=1864413&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|title=Indians Opening Day outlook|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|date=March 30, 2007|work=MLB.com|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=April 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417161542/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070328&content_id=1864413&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians improved significantly over the prior year and went into the All-Star break in second place. The team brought back [[Kenny Lofton]] for his third stint with the team in late July.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playoffs2007/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3049840|title=Lofton keeps on ticking, delivers huge performance for Indians|last=Crasnick|first=Jerry|date=October 4, 2007|publisher=ESPN|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=December 17, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217123233/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2007/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3049840|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians finished with a 96–66 record tied with the Red Sox for best in baseball, their seventh Central Division title in 13 years and their first postseason trip since 2001.<ref name="WP2007">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101102506_pf.html|title=Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians|date=October 12, 2007|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=November 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113041150/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101102506_pf.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:CC Sabathia.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.75|[[CC Sabathia]] won the 2007 AL [[Cy Young Award]] with the Indians.]]
[[file:Cliff Lee Follows Through.jpg|right|thumb|Sabathia's teammate [[Cliff Lee]] won the AL Cy Young Award in 2008.]]

The Indians began their playoff run by defeating the [[2007 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] in the [[2007 American League Division Series|ALDS]] three games to one. This series will be most remembered for the swarm of bugs that overtook the field in the later innings of Game Two. They also jumped out to a three-games-to-one lead over the [[Boston Red Sox|Red Sox]] in the [[2007 American League Championship Series|ALCS]]. The season ended in disappointment when Boston swept the final three games to advance to the [[2007 World Series]].<ref name="WP2007"/>

Despite the loss, Cleveland players took home a number of awards. [[Grady Sizemore]], who had a .995 [[fielding percentage]] and only two errors in 405 chances, won the [[Rawlings Gold Glove Award|Gold Glove award]], Cleveland's first since 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071106&content_id=2293684&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|title=Sizemore earns first Gold Glove Award|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|date=November 6, 2007|work=MLB.com|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=March 6, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306121453/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071106&content_id=2293684&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|url-status=live}}</ref> Indians Pitcher [[CC Sabathia]] won the second [[Cy Young Award]] in team history with a 19–7 record, a 3.21 ERA and an MLB-leading 241 [[innings pitched]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3108321|title=Sabathia only second Indians pitcher to win Cy Young|date=November 14, 2007|publisher=ESPN|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=November 15, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071115160331/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3108321|url-status=live}}</ref> Eric Wedge was awarded the first [[Manager of the Year Award]] in team history.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/wedge-melvin-voted-baseball-s-top-managers-1.655284?ref=rss|title=Wedge, Melvin voted baseball's top managers|date=November 14, 2007|publisher=CBC Sports|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=November 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110054648/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story/2007/11/14/baseball-managers.html?ref=rss|url-status=live}}</ref> Shapiro was named to his second [[Sporting News Executive of the Year Award|Executive of the Year]] in 2007.<ref name="cleveland.com"/>

====Second "rebuilding of the team"====
The [[2008 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] struggled during the 2008 season. Injuries to sluggers [[Travis Hafner]] and [[Victor Martinez (baseball)|Victor Martinez]], as well as starting pitchers [[Jake Westbrook]] and [[Fausto Carmona]] led to a poor start.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/indians/2008-12-23-indiansreport_N.htm|title=Indians have closer in fold, but infield in flux|last=Antonen|first=Mel|date=December 25, 2008|work=USA Today|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725123834/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/indians/2008-12-23-indiansreport_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians, falling to last place for a short time in June and July, traded [[CC Sabathia]] to the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] for prospects [[Matt LaPorta]], Rob Bryson, and [[Michael Brantley]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/sports/baseball/08brewers.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/B/Baseball|title=Looking to Postseason, Brewers Trade for Sabathia|last=Curry|first=Jack|date=July 8, 2008|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=April 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416011936/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/sports/baseball/08brewers.html?n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FSubjects%2FB%2FBaseball|url-status=live}}</ref> and traded starting third baseman Casey Blake for catching prospect [[Carlos Santana (baseball)|Carlos Santana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=C&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=467793|title=Carlos Santana Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|work=MiLB.com|access-date=September 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901005459/http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=C&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=467793|archive-date=September 1, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pitcher [[Cliff Lee]] went 22–3 with an ERA of 2.54 and earned the AL Cy Young Award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cliff Lee Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leecl02.shtml|access-date=February 12, 2021|website=Baseball-Reference.com|language=en|archive-date=May 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503152420/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leecl02.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Grady Sizemore]] had a career year, winning a [[Gold Glove Award]] and a [[Silver Slugger Award]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081113&content_id=3678011&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|title=Sizemore adds Silver Slugger to list|last=Beck|first=Jason|date=November 13, 2008|work=MLB.com|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=March 6, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306060314/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081113&content_id=3678011&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Indians finished with a record of 81–81.

Prospects for the 2009 season dimmed early when the [[2009 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] ended May with a record of 22–30. Shapiro made multiple trades: [[Cliff Lee]] and [[Ben Francisco]] to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] for prospects [[Jason Knapp (baseball)|Jason Knapp]], [[Carlos Carrasco (baseball)|Carlos Carrasco]], [[Jason Donald (baseball)|Jason Donald]] and [[Lou Marson]]; [[Víctor Martínez (baseball)|Victor Martinez]] to the [[Boston Red Sox]] for prospects [[Bryan Price (pitcher)|Bryan Price]], [[Nick Hagadone]] and [[Justin Masterson]]; [[Ryan Garko]] to the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] for [[Scott Barnes (baseball)|Scott Barnes]]; and [[Kelly Shoppach]] to the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] for [[Mitch Talbot]]. The Indians finished the season tied for fourth in their division, with a record of 65–97. The team announced on September 30, 2009, that Eric Wedge and all of the team's coaching staff were released at the end of the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite news|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|title=Indians dismiss Wedge, coaching staff|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090930&content_id=7241814&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|website=CLEGuardians.com|date=September 30, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014083849/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090930&content_id=7241814&vkey=news_cle&c_id=cle&fext=.jsp|archive-date=October 14, 2013|access-date=July 4, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Manny Acta]] was hired as the team's 40th manager on October 25, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|title=Tribe tabs Acta to be new manager|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091025&content_id=7544218|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|website=MLB.com|date=October 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107045726/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091025&content_id=7544218|archive-date=November 7, 2012|access-date=July 4, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On February 18, 2010, it was announced that Shapiro (following the end of the 2010 season) would be promoted to team President, with current President [[Paul Dolan (baseball)|Paul J. Dolan]] becoming the new Chairman/CEO, and longtime Shapiro assistant [[Chris Antonetti]] filling the GM role.<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Hoynes |title=Cleveland Indians know what future holds, announce plan for changes in front office |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/02/cleveland_indians_know_what_fu.html |work=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |date=February 19, 2010 |access-date=February 20, 2010 |archive-date=February 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220212552/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/02/cleveland_indians_know_what_fu.html |url-status=live }}</ref>