CLEVELAND — Former World Series-winning manager Joe Maddon has said that pro baseball players have five stages to their careers.

"I'm just happy to be here" is Stage 1, which happens around the time a player makes his MLB debut. "Survival mode" comes next, as once players are promoted, they almost immediately are in a frantic race to try to remain in the big leagues and never again return to minor league life.

Stage 3 can be summed up as "I belong here" as players begin to truly understand their talent is enough to compete with baseball's best, and they understand how to better deal with both the good and bad days.

Stage 4 is geared toward capitalizing on the opportunity to make as much money as possible while they can as they enter free agency, and Stage 5 is all about trying to win whatever hasn't yet been accomplished before their careers are finished.

Stage 3, the "I can do this" stage, is a crucial one. After with the initial push to the major leagues, and the stress of trying to remain there, it can take time for many younger players to relax and understand they are, indeed, good enough to battle the best in the game. They also better see how to put in their daily work.

Pitchers can start to trust their stuff is good enough to play in the strike zone rather than trying to be perfect all the time. Hitters can stop trying to do too much and let the game come to them a bit more.

Stage 3 is where Guardians first-year manager Stephen Vogt said he sees Tanner Bibee, who has had a season of validation after a strong rookie season last year. Bibee has been effective but, perhaps most valuable to this Guardians rotation, he's also been pretty consistent.

"Once you figure it out, that 'I know I belong here, I know I'm a big leaguer,' you settle in and then you just go play," Vogt said. "For a lot of our guys, they were kind of starting the year off, 'I gotta figure out how to stay here.' And a lot of them have worked their way into, 'I belong here,' and Tanner's probably one of the top examples of that this year."

Tanner Bibee does well to replace losses of Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie

Shane Bieber being lost for the season for Tommy John surgery and Triston McKenzie struggling so much with his command that he was sent down to Triple-A Columbus — where those issues have continued and even worsened — left a void atop the starting rotation. Bibee has taken one of those spots, offering the Guardians an element of stability to help support baseball's best bullpen.

Entering Friday's start against the Tampa Bay Rays, Bibee had posted an 11-7 record with a 3.56 ERA in 154 innings. His FIP was nearly identical to last year's, and his xFIP (which further accounts for home runs allowed) is actually better (3.76 this season, 4.22 last year).

Through it, Bibee has shown last year's rookie season wasn't an aberration.

"I think [it's] learning how to pitch," said Vogt, who earlier this season challenged Bibee on the mound. "Everybody who comes to the big leagues has elite stuff. You don't get here if you don't have elite stuff. And so once you get your feet under you and you start learning how to pitch, you start learning more and more that, 'OK, I don't have to go max effort now.'"

Sometimes being able to relax doesn't necessarily mean easing off the gas. It just means a player has stopped pressing as much.

"His body language, he just looks calm and cool, and that's been one of the bigger steps he's progressed in this year," Vogt said. "I mean, we all know how good this kid can pitch and how tenacious and competitive he is, but just to watch the way his demeanor has matured. It's been a lot of fun."

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Threads at @ByRyanLewis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee showing he belongs in 2024