close game with tons of small mistakes that have cost big.
Yep. Several miscues that have been extremely costly. Also, I would have liked to have seen Tito go to the bullpen rather than let Quantrill go a third time through the lineup. Especially, with a day off in between games. Only Bieber and McKenzie should be allowed to go deep in the game given the schedule.
Either way, Guardians playing with house money so it's all good!
For sure. I started cringing in the 5th. By the 6th. It was too late.
It's a great experience for a young team. Hopefully, next year we can make a more serious run at the playoffs
Blocking those who argue to argue, eliminates the argument.
close game with tons of small mistakes that have cost big.
Yep. Several miscues that have been extremely costly. Also, I would have liked to have seen Tito go to the bullpen rather than let Quantrill go a third time through the lineup. Especially, with a day off in between games. Only Bieber and McKenzie should be allowed to go deep in the game given the schedule.
Either way, Guardians playing with house money so it's all good!
For sure. I started cringing in the 5th. By the 6th. It was too late.
It's a great experience for a young team. Hopefully, next year we can make a more serious run at the playoffs
Let's get game two! Either way, this team has overachieved. Something quite unique to Cleveland teams.
Like I said before, we just don’t have the offense. Was a amazing run, but I think this this goes 3
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
Weather forecast looks foreboding for tomorrow. Bieber will step up
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Bieber going tomorrow. Just need to get after them.
Braves today. Hopefully we can get the win. Kyle Wright won 21 games. He has been consistent. Zach Wheeler is going for the Phillies. Local kid from Atlanta. Good pitcher we have seen him a lot. Game could go either way. Have to put on our hitting shoes.
I also think Seattle blew it’s chance and could get swept now. And the Dodgers will sweep the Padres
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I don't know all the specifics. I do know he has elite speed, seems to come through in the clutch, is loved by his teammates (Jose Ramirez recently says he wants him to stay with the team so badly he'd "be willing to foot the bill") and played very well down the stretch.
I do want to add to this, Kwan takes a lot of pitches, our third batter is Jose, so you know they are nibbling when throwing to him and he can take some pitches for this reason. So Rosario being more of a free swinger "should" get better pitches to hit.
Agreed. Keep the speed at the top of lineup and not keep the lineup too top heavy. It's why Gimenez hit out of the 6 or 7 spot all year. Tito knows what he's doing.
Thanks for the info. It used to be that you wanted a guy who was good at handling the bat and working pitchers to hit second. I like what I have seen from Rosario as a player. He just seems more like a #6 hitter to me. Of course, I am realizing the entire game has changed so much. I was shocked to see Judge leading off. He seems like the classic #3 hitter to me.
--I agree w/Milk in that we probably should have taken Quantrill out. He was struggling w/his location all game long. He was too high in the zone on too many pitches. That catches up w/you.
--Rosario seems like a scrappy player.
--The announcers were a joy to listen to. They expertly filled the blank spaces w/relevant stories filled w/history, stats, and interesting facts. I always thought highly of Costas and I remember Darling as a pitcher w/the Mets. He was a damn fine pitcher.
--I'm worried about how our rotation is set-up. The reason is that there is a good chance that tomorrow's game is postponed. If that happens, Bieber would have to pitch on Friday and that would probably result in him only getting one start in the series.
--I think we could have broken the game open if we had come through w/a hit when the bases were loaded. Cole's recent playoff history would have reared its ugly head w/the fans in NY.
Last season and at the start of this season, Myles Straw was the leadoff hitter. He did really well last season but has had an off year. If he turns things around, I would like to see some combination of Kwan and Straw at 1-2 and drop Rosario down into the middle of the lineup.
This would give him more RBI opportunities and he seems like a clutch hitter, so I would expect that he would take advantage of that. It might also give Ramirez some better pitches to hit. Right now no one is afraid to pitch to Oscar or Naylor.
Of course this isn't a change to play around with this time of year. Thinking more for next season.
Don't blame the clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.
Thanks for the info. I had looked up the stats of our lineup before I asked my original question. Straw was a guy I thought looked like he could be a #2 hitter. However, I saw how pathetic his average is. I did not realize that he was better last year.
One more question. So, you think Rosario would be better in the at 4 or 5, rather than 6?
I do love Ramirez hitting 3rd.
One more note. I'm glad the league is outlawing the shift. It infuriates me watching guys not taking advantage of that.
I think TV wants to stretch it out. I think baseball is a great sport to play continuous days … this series should be Tues-Wed-Fri-Sat-Mon
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Tough question about Rosario's best spot in the middle of the lineup.
The 4 hole is traditionally a power spot. But I would like him right behind Ramirez, so I would put him 4th.
Gonzalez 5 and Naylor 6 look better than Gonzalez 4 and Naylor 5
An interesting guy is Gimenez. We have him lower in the lineup because he is still developing as a hitter but i think some day he will be a middle of the lineup guy. Not sure if that will be next year or the year after
Don't blame the clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.
Scrappy is very subjective, but I think most of our players are scrappy. I think Gimenez has the potential to develop into a superstar perennial all star 2nd baseman Good defense, high average and developing power.
Should become a cornerstone along with Ramirez.
Don't blame the clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.
I don't know much about Rosario since I don't get to watch many games. A #2 hitter should be good at hitting behind runners and be a good contact hitter if you want to play a hit and run if they aren't a classic #2 who might be a good bunter to move a runner.
Hitting behind runners is a lost art. If he can do that you can move the fast guy to 3rd. It is also a bit harder for the 2nd baseman to start a DP and the SS to turn the DP.
Just throwing out some thoughts.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
Bringing in a few stats. Rosario was 5th in all of baseball in hits. He was at least leading the AL a good part of the year in hits. He led the league in triples with 9 (second place was Kwon and a couple others with 7)
Hey guys........if I say something dumb or ask a dumb question, it's okay to let me know. LOL
Again, I was into baseball big time ever since I was a child. I was a pitcher and SS in high school. Coached my son's travel team after I quit coaching football. But, and it is a big but, I haven't followed the game in a long time. Things change. Listening to Costas the other night really drove that point home. He was probably saying stuff you guys already knew, but it was news to me.
I agree w/peen about a guy who can handle the bat in the 2-hole. I like hitting behind the runner, bunting, working the count, etc. But again, those things might not be part of the game. Hell, I am still astounded that Judge is a leadoff hitter. It's kinda cool when guys like Bobby Bonds [Barry's father] and Ricky Henderson had some pop in their bat and led off, but in mind, Judge seems to be the ultimate #3 hitter. The times have done changed. So, feel free to correct me if I am wrong. For example, perhaps my point about Bieber only getting one start is wrong? I don't know...
No doubt then that he is a contact hitter. I pulled up a spray chart of his hits and he sprays it around so he can hit behind the runner. I couldn't paste the chart.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
Billy Beane and analytics changed the game. Decisions are wrapped around analytics.
Leading off is now about getting your best hitter more at bats. That is why Judge leads offs.
"Hot bat" is another managerial move that has become common. If a player is hot. They move him up in the order. Hitters are streaky so when they are hot they want to get him AB's. The traditional leadoff and three and four hitters are not the same. Lineups do not stay the same. A guy hitting third in one game may hit 7th in another game. The "shift" caused changes. It will be gone next year.
There is so much information in the dugout today. Matchups against pitchers. Averages in ballparks. How to pitch to each batter. Defensive alignments. The scouting reports are so detailed. Tons of stats. Bullpens have become so important. They have guys for 6th, 7th, 8th, and closer. Guys come out of the minors who have never been starters.
It used to be if you could not make it as a starter. You went to the pen. That is not the case today.
I got to see a lot of these changes as they began. East Cobb baseball has put over 35 guys into the major leagues. I coached there for ten years. I coached or coached against many of those players. Their website has the players listed. That is not counting the hundreds of college scholarships that come out of ECB. The players are given the best instruction and play against the highest level of competition at a young age. By the time they are 18 these kids are so advanced.
Michael Harris of the Braves will win the ROY in the National League this year. He is the youngest player in the game. Played locally. Last night he faced Zack Wheeler with the Phillies another ECB player. Dansby Swanson Braves SS another ECB player. Buster Posey I saw play when he was sixteen.
The talent in the game today is off the charts. So many great players. I get to see the National League during the regular season. I love being able to see the American League games now in the post season so I can see the players.
The Guardians are unique. They really play "old national league" style. It was a necessity in order to compete. They lack power and can not win trying to play the power game. Tito is a tremendous manager and the right manager for this team. Fingers crossed for tonight.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I'd argue it's better for the Guardians. Yankees are going to have to figure out how to manage a banged up bullpen with three games in a row. Guardians bullpen is a big strength for them and an area where they are better than the Yankees.
[quoteSo, feel free to correct me if I am wrong. For example, perhaps my point about Bieber only getting one start is wrong? I don't know...[/quote]
It isn't wrong.
I think Tito decided he would rather take the game against Cole and call it a maybe win....not wanting to call it a throw away because I think he likes our #1 pitcher against their #2 nd our #2 against their #3 pitcher.
You can never count on a win, but I think he sees Biebers chances of winning against the #2 guy as a more sure thing than had he gone against Cole. That might have been a toss up match.
Just my opinion.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
I know you are not saying otherwise, but I want to say that I really like Tito. I always have. I remember his dad [the original Tito] as a player and had many of his baseball cards. Great baseball family.
Nice post Bone, good information and cool to hear about the ECB.
That goes for the same in the Caribbean. Kids from DR and PR grow up playing baseball all year around. And of what I know, over the years MLB has assisted in the growth of those areas. Man, remember back in the day (i think it was Orlando Hernandez?) that came over on a raft to defect from Cuba to play baseball. In 2018, MLB and Cuba struck a deal for players to play in the big leagues without having to defect. Crazy stuff.
A little off topic, but aren't our dang Cleveland teams oddballs. Last year you had the Cavs running a big lineup most of the year, which went against the small ball everyone else was playing. You have the Guardians playing small ball/fundamental ball compared to almost everyone else playing home run ball. The Browns are one of the few run first teams in a passing league.
I know you are not saying otherwise, but I want to say that I really like Tito. I always have. I remember his dad [the original Tito] as a player and had many of his baseball cards. Great baseball family.
Tito is freaking awesome, lol. When I was stationed in DC, the Tribe would play the O's once a year at Camden Yards. So I would drive up for the weekend and stay at the hotel next door and watch the whole 3 or 4 game set. The first game I would get tickets in the first row behind the dugout and the rest of the series I would buy a bleacher seat and hang out in the centerfield outside bar (the view for the game and surroundings was so cool).
So the one year (I always arrived when the gates opened), I was hanging out by the dugout and ended up talking to Andre Knott for a bit. Really nice cool guy. Afterwards, Tito came out of the clubhouse and into the dugout. I said, hey Tito! Can I get a picture? His response with a serious face/voice, "hurry up, I'm workin' here".
Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, Jason Hayward, Nick Markakis, all played at ECB. Dexter Fowler was on a team I helped coach. Brandon Phillips, he was at workout at Kennesaw college with my son.
Francoeur was a total stud. He had an incredible arm and could hit the ball a long way.
It is a private business owned by Gary Baldwin (a total jerk,) But he built a entire baseball complex and got the backing of big companies.
Baseball America lists ECB as the number one youth program in the US. It is basically All Star players from the Southeast. They play all summer and compete in every tournament. They show up with three or four teams for each age bracket from 13 to 18. It is amazing to see kids that young play at the level they play at.
I remember being confused about the Francona's at one point. I knew Tito, the player. Then, I heard about Terry Francona playing in the Bigs. All of a sudden, I hear the name Tito Francona being thrown around and I'm thinking how the hell can he still be playing? Of course, I soon found the answer.......and now I think it's cool that he has "inherited" that nickname.
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