Lovely.

Don't really understand the "hotel was overbooked" bs... So these rooms were supposed to be reserved "just incase" and the hotel sold them anyway??

The more these stupid "circumstances" add up, the more I'm convinced we're going to feed these fools to the lions tonight.

Goodness!

In the interest of fair play they should move the game to Cleveland. NY had its chance.

j/c:

Hammer these punks!

I just turned the game on and the very first play I see is the Yankees hitting a home run... Three to nothing, Yankees up on top. Not good but it's still real early in the game.

j/c:

Only 1/3 of an inning for Civale. Not good at all.

I don't second guess managers.

This is just a personal point of view that is not specific to the Guardians.

Game five no tomorrow.
I would start my best pitcher on 3 or 4 days rest planning on going to the pen as soon as I see trouble. Hoping he can give me five innings.

No problem starting Civale in game one of a seven game series.

If they say Bieber is ready to pitch today in relief. I am starting him. I will take whatever he's got.

Civale did not locate a single pitch. He got away with hanging a curve to Judge. He missed because of the velocity acting like a change-up.

I don't know Civale. Never seen him pitch. But it was clear very early that he could not locate.

Tito knows his team so I am not questioning him. It is just the way I would play things.

He must have had confidence in Civale.

Cortes is pitching inside to right handers.

Have to make him be in the zone. Jose is swinging at everything inside so far in the series.

No challenge on the Gimenez hit??

Their replay coordinator has been trash all year. That was horrendous not to challenge that.

Can Myles Straw do anything other than pop the ball up in the infield?

Ramirez has been bad at the plate lately w/ RISP.

Time to get disciplined at home base

think !

win this game Guardians !!

Pitching Civale was always going to be a controversy. He just wasn’t sharp.

j/c...

Bummer.

Heck of a season though and proud of this team. Surpassed all expecations.

Going to be interesting to see what they do in the off-season as far as moves go.

On to the Cavs!

Great season Guards

It's about options, Baseball is a game of Chess

It's a great game for strategy which all of us

Who watches knows

Been nice to have Bieber start, then there is who

would start tomorrow

The experience this young team learned this post season

will hopefully bring a WS soon

for the team and fans

--I question starting Civale. I got worried as soon as I saw his ERA, his history against some of the guys at the top of the Yanks' lineup, and how long it's been since he's pitched. He had no command. I think going all bullpen or starting Bieber would have been smarter.

--Who is the replay decision maker for the team? That was obvious.

--There is only one thing I hate more than hitters striking out. That is pitchers walking guys, especially the lead off hitter in the inning. Aaargghhhh!

--It's kinda weird that we had so many bloop hits out in left field. It's not important, but I've never seen that many in a series before.

--We caught a lot of bad breaks w/the stupid schedule [a day off after game 1] and the weather.

--Oh well, it was an entertaining series and I saw a lot of good pitchers and some good young players on our roster.

--Speaking of.......I really like Kwan. He has a nice, smooth, easy swing. Kinda reminds me a bit of a Keith Hernandez or maybe even Icharo. I think this kid is going to be good for quite awhile.

Need some bats badly.

Yep you can have all the pitching in the world but offense wins in the postseason and we have too many holes. Waay overachieved. Need to start getting behind this team and leave the mistake on the lake alone. Then Dolan can go get some legit bats

Great Year for the Guardians. Hope the fans support them next year.

It felt like they had to win game four in Cleveland.

Youngest team in the MLB. Going to NY to play game five is heavy duty. Nobody picked Cleveland to win the division. They won 92 and a playoff series.

They need to get a catcher who can hit least 250. They need another hitter to bat 6th or 7th. They have good pitching and a good pen. The owner needs to spend some money.

The Phillies and Padres look equal. Either one could win.

I don't see the Yankees beating the Astros. I don't think they can beat the Astros in a seven game series.

I think the Astros will win the World Series. Ya never know but I just think they have the best team.

Youngest team in the Majors, or the Minors.

Sad ending to an excellent season, one that no one realy saw coming. I think that the re-signing of Jose was the key to the whole season. Many of the 17 rookies who made their Major League debut showed that they belong. We need some roster tinkering, for sure, but I reallly love these kids, and hope they get a chance to conntinue to grow.

Go Guards! Thanks for a great season!

Thanks to my dad for bringing me up as a Yankees fan. - Nobody seemed to care when I was a kid strutting around the suburbs of Cleveland with my Yankees gear on back in the ‘80’s. But there was definitely some beef when the Indians rose to prominence in the ‘90’s and beyond.
My wife and daughter root for the tribe but made a good point tonight. This isn’t smack talk either. The Indians attendance was one of the lowest in the league this year- in spite of having a great young team. Opening day sold out just in time and one of the postseason games didn’t sell out. I work in Cleveland and didn’t hear a single person stop to talk about the game tonight. It’s like most people didn’t know it was on- or worse, didn’t care. - Its a bit unusual. I think that they really need to reconsider the name change as it’s driven a lot of people away from rooting for this team. I can’t think of any other reason why for the level of fan support/interest to be so low right now. - Browns are disappointing and the Cavs aren’t even in season. The Indians might be in danger of moving if things don’t change. Just my .02. And for what it’s worth, I thought
that the tribe had this series locked up after game 3.

Good season Guardians... this team is on the rise...

j/c:

GOAT.

Chills, every time... with almost all of these calls.

I sure hope he gets to call a championship. The first thing I'll do after watching it with my own eyes, is race off to hear it again through his. One will bring many more tears than the other.

My brother is a huge Hamilton fan.

He will not listen to anyone else. He syncs the radio to any national games.

I love broadcaster homers. It is what being a fan is about. Going nuts for your team.

I live in the Atlanta market so it is Braves baseball. Chip Carey is the play by play guy. His dad Skip before him and of course they are descendants of Harry Carey.

Chip is ok not great. I liked Skip better.

Announcers are so important in baseball. The game lends itself to good calls.

Mr. Hamilton is one of the best.

j/c...

Wow!

Clowney be like:

How? Man, Jose has shown incredible committment to his team, teammates, and city ... but this is just ridiculous. How does a guy hit, and hit well, with a broken hand?????

For months???

Wow.

It's not like he sucked, either. From July through the end of the season, he hit 19 doubles, 13 HR, and 63 RBI. He also made some incredible plays at 3B during that time.

I would add that even a small fracture, on a relatively small bone, would have to hurt like heck every time anything jarred that hand.

When you find out about what Jose went through to play and how important playing for this team is to him.

It makes you wonder about the owners commitment. Jose is on the team because this is where he wants to play.

Not because the team gave him fair market value but because he took less to play for Cleveland.

It really bugs me that some owners will not pay to compete. I get Cleveland is a small market team. However, if you are going to own a team.

Then damn play to win and pay to win. I don't expect $200 plus roster salary. But should be at least half of what the big market teams are paying.

I think this reporter may have made a mistake. Jose did break his hand 3 years agoi, and was lost for the season. (IIRC) I cannot find anything else reporting this broken bone.

No, I recall this being discussed on the broadcast during the season. The Indians/Guardians have always been mum on player injuries.

Thanks for the follow up.

He is incredible.

Ramirez playing through that is so crazy

The stat lines before and after the missed games are revealing.

j/c...

It seems like 2023 is the last year for Tito. I still wonder if Alomar is the succession plan. If so, he certainly has learned the Tito style of managing.

If 2023 ends up being Tito's last year, (I think he manages in 2024) I'd suspect it might be DeMarlo Hale that takes over. He's often talked about within the organization as someone that is highly respected and should have been given the opportunity to manage a team. Wouldn't be surprised to see Francona, when he ultimately retires, to stay with the organization in some sort of advisory role.

On a side note, Ramirez is an incredible team leader. This is amazing.

Well deserved!

Pretty good.

Not bad at all.

Not about the Guardians, but John Smoltz is so knowledgeable. He was a great pitcher and I thought he was the best of the Braves pitchers when they also had Maddux and Glavine. That's debatable, but I really like listening to him. He understands the game of baseball so well.

Having lived in Atlanta since 1978 and being a baseball fan; the Braves come with the neighborhood. Even when I lived in Reno for five years i got the MLB package so I could follow the Braves and Indians (at that time).

Because of coaching at East Cobb I came in contact with Smoltz on a number of occasions. He did a favor for one of my players when the youngster was diagnosed with hodgkins lymphoma. He had the whole Braves team sign a bat for the young boy. His father was very grateful. John also did a clinic at our local high school where I had a chance to talk pitching with him. And again at Georgia Tech where I was at a a coaching clinic. Real nice guy with a funny sense of humor.

He was a great clutch pitcher both as a starter and closer. But my guy was Maddux. John and Glavine both moved to the booth. Glavine on a part time basis with the Braves. John started with the Braves but was a natural and moved national coverage.

As an announcer he is very knowledgeable. But he drives me nuts because he can not stop talking. On pitch selection and location he is great.
But, he gets so deep into all kinds of psychological stuff I keep yelling at him "John shut up for a bit." It makes me laugh because that is John. He was that way as a pitcher. In fact the Braves hired a sports psychologist to work with him when he pitched because he would psych himself out.

He loves basketball and golf. He was great at basketball and is a hellava golfer.

Good story.

I guess I can understand why he might get on the nerves of some people. I enjoy analytical minds, though. Just a personal preference.

I don't want to cast a bad light on John. He is a good guy and he provides a lot of insight.

I guess having heard him so much of him when he first started as a Braves broadcaster that I have grown weary of over analysis.

Don't get me wrong. I still like John.

The years of Glavine, Smoltz, and Maddux were magic for me. I learned so much from those guys. I went to clinics with Leo Mazzone. Ned Yost's son caught my son. It gave me an entirely new perspective of baseball on a MLB level. I got to see the detail of information they work with. It fascinated me. Joe Simpson former player and Braves broadcaster was another local guy. His son, Ned's son and my son were all close. They were teammates and schoolmates.

It was a great time in my life. I have lots of terrific memories from those days.

I would put Maddux on Mt Rushmore, but that may just be me... I absolutely marveled at his performance.

A masterful artist painting the corners. Psychology at another level -- never practiced from the windup as he reasoned that he would always need his best pitches from the stretch.

And then his efficiency:

"A complete game shutout under 100 pitches is called a “Maddux” because Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux completed this feat 13 times in his career, with no one else coming close to that (a distant second is Zane Smith with 7)."

I remember a game he completed on 77 pitches.

As the loveable SHA-wan Dunston said... “He’s so good, it’s pathetic.”

My recollection from that time period is that Maddux was the best of the bunch.

Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux are all HOFer's. I doubt that will happen again where three are playing for the same team at the same time.

Greg Maddux is my favorite player of all time. Maddux is the only pitcher in MLB history to win at least 15 games for 17 straight seasons.

He won 18 Gold Gloves, the record for any position. 355-227. career 3.16.

When he pitched for the Braves. I don't think I missed a start. It was a clinic in pitching. He almost never walked a batter. He was always ready to pitch. He was incredibly durable. I don't recall him missing a start.

He did everything right. He was a unreal bunter. Ran the bases well with average at best speed. 18 Gold Gloves tells a lot about his defensive play but watching him field his position was a clinic.

He knew exactly what he wanted to throw and took very little time to throw a pitch.

Since the start of the post-1920 live-ball era, only Warren Spahn (363) recorded more career wins than Maddux. Maddux also has the most wins among pitchers who made their debuts after World War II. He is one of only ten pitchers ever to achieve both 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts, and is the only pitcher to record more than 300 wins, more than 3,000 strikeouts, and fewer than 1,000 walks (exactly 999 walks overall).

He is the best I ever saw.

Yeah, the Gold Gloves often get lost in the list of jaw-dropping stats.

I should probably go back and watch and a game or two. Highlights wouldn't cut it -- would have to go back to the moment. Just thinking, I wonder if there are any docs or mini-docs? I'll be back...

Quick baseball question. I researched it yesterday and got the answer, but I'm going to ask anyway. As a casual observer of baseball, it always seemed to me that every player got a gold glove every year - like they were giving them out like candy. Is it true that only one player at each position in each league gets a gold glove each year?

One player at each position in each league.

Pretty cool the Guardians had what, 4?

Yep. And, Jose Ramirez was a GG finalist at third base.

To add a little history in response to your question... there has been (many times) a little eye-rolling going on around the time the awards were announced. Players that received the award over the course of a few seasons often seemed like they would be the recipient in perpetuity. Many fans began to point to the fact that it seemed a lot more like a popularity contest. Rafael Palmeiro won the award for first basemen in '97 and '98... then won again in 1999 while only appearing in 28 games.

Prior to 2013, the award was based on voting of managers and coaches, each voting for only players from their own league. In 2013 a formula was developed so that 25% of the vote was based on sabermetrics.

Maybe that's why I have a bit of a tainted view of it. Thanks.

Maddux was just fun to watch. He worked on batters in so many ways.

His mantra was you can only control your next pitch. He never flinched when things went bad.

Maddux based his game on location of the fastball. Specifically being able to locate the fastball low and away. He did not throw hard. Low 90's fastball.

He had a decent change and curveball. But what set him apart was the cut fastball. When he developed the ability to cut the fastball to left handers from inside to inside on the black. And cut the fastball in two directions. He became Greg Maddux.

Maddux mastered the ability to make strikes look like balls. And, make balls look like strikes. That ability lead to pitch to contact. He pitched to contact but he knew what that contact would be. Weak grounders and pop up flies.

His father was a professional gambler. Maddux had the unique ability to read hitters. You hear of pitchers tipping pitches. But, you don't hear much about how hitters tip weakness. Maddux could dissect a hitter. He could remember damn near every pitch he threw to hitters and how they reacted. When he got the ball from the catcher. There was this very quick pause and he was ready to go. He knew precisely what he wanted to do.

The stories from guys like Chipper Jones and other infielders who played behind him were funny as hell. There would be a mound meeting. He would say things like "when the count goes to 2 and 2 on so and so. He will hit a grounder to third so be ready.

He was a notorious prankster. Loved to have fun. But when he took the hill. He was all business.

I seriously thought about writing a book about Maddux. The title would have been. "The Master of His Domain."

That is what he was.

Well that's a hell of a start to what would be a great book. Great to read your insight into a player many consider the GOAT. And yes, Mr. "All-about-his-business" lived up to the age-old cliche for any successful business... "location, location, location". Man, Maddux would just stand out there and paint the black, pitch after pitch. Glad you brought up his pace as well. I feel like he always had batters off balance because he was always "faster" than anyone else on the mound. Wasted no time warming up either.

It's funny to look back at how he flew under the radar well into his career... because he didn't have all the flash, or a devastating fastball. Just quietly went about his business; and it seemed the respect didn't come until he was already knocking on the door of the HOF. Maybe overshadowed by Clemens, Johnson, and Martinez (to name a few) because they stood and delivered with devastating power -- he masterfully navigated the "steroid era" with pinpoint control and command. Oddly enough, posting some of the best pitching seasons in history while the ball was flying out of the yard at record pace.

Someone should make a movie... or write a book.

Maddux was just a cool dude. You are right about Clemens, Martinez and Johnson. They were power pitchers who lived on intimidation.

If you saw Maddux at the grocery store. You would never think he was what he was. He looked like a dweb accountant.

It used to crack me up when you see guys pull an 0 for 4. They would go up there hacking and hit the second pitch to the second baseman on four hops. Walk back to the dugout thinking."I will get this guy next time." Come up again and take a third called strike while backing out of the box.

It was so funny to me to watch hitters reactions to Maddux. He carved guys up. You could not think with him and believe you could guess right.

People in the game and those that covered the game for a living. They got it. They knew Maddux. Joe Torre, Lasorda, Skip Caray, teammates, opposing players.
They knew.

He won four Cy Young's.

In 1993 he was 16-6 with a 1.56 ERA.
In 1994 he was 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA.

He dominated pitching in every conceivable stat. Scoring a run off him was an exception to the rule.

Because of the reputation of Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux rain delays often have interviews with them telling stories. The Maddux stories are hilarious.

Two things come to mind that he was not good at. One was holding runners especially at first. He just did not do it. It was like he did not care. He would just strand you at second rather than play with you at first.

The second thing was. He could not get Tony Gwynn out. Of course not many could get him out. But he owned Maddux. However, it did not rattle him because Tony was not a power guy. Maddux kind of just went "oh well he is base runner now."

Consistency was Maddux. He was ready to go for every start and you could bank on him keeping you in the game with a quality start. Most of the time you were lucky to score on him.

If someone wanted to learn about how to pitch. He was the man to learn the craft from.

Had to smile from ear to ear... forgot all about the Tony Gwynn oddity! I vaguely remember a back and forth between the two in the press -- all in good fun. The rain delay reminded me of another story...

Expecting rain in Atlanta, Maddux went out and tossed a complete game one afternoon in like 1:50. I could be off on the time, but I remember someone saying after the game that Maddux said, pre-game, that he would try to speed things up so that they could get the game in before the storm. I remember walking away shaking my head -- mother nature can't even beat this dude.

For anyone who really loves baseball and good pitching. He was a pleasure to watch.

George Will a real affectionado marveled over Maddux. He was like a great artist. Brilliant control.

He worked the entire strikezone. He messed with your timing. He mastered movement.

Location, velocity, and movement are prime factors of pitching. Maddux used all of them.

j/c:

Good. He should have been recognized for his leadership.

He was recognized here for the past several years ... with people calling for his scalp.

Woah! Nolan Jones??

Don’t think he fit in after Gonzo and then the possibility of Will Brennan.

j/c...

Well before my my time, but Koufax is a legend and this is such an honest man.

Really cool interview. Not for retiring because of injuries, but how well spoken he was in his announcement. I did not know he retired at 30.

Wow I didnt know he was THAT young either

This is not Guardians but it is baseball.

I saw that the Dodgers declined the signing option on Cody Bellinger. I was thinking that he would be a power option for the Guardians or Braves.
Bellinger won the MVP at 23 in 2019. He had a monster season. The last two seasons his decline was shocking.

I am a nerd about studying the mechanics of hitting and pitching. I have attended coaching clinics and spent way to much time absorbed in books and videos. I can't help it. It fascinates me.

I was wondering. What happened to Bellinger? Why did this guy fall so far?

I found this article. I have no idea if anyone else would be interested. But this shows the detail of analysis that goes into baseball.

https://www.prospectslive.com/prosp...-possible-resurrection-of-cody-bellinger

j/c...

Love this!

I think the problem is the guy isn't a power hitter who was made in to more of a power hitter. Lot's of players have been screwed up trying for the big power numbers.

I think if you look at his stat line, his 2018 stat line is more indicative of his true stat line. If a team is satisfied with a player hitting 260-270 with 25 homers, I think that is what you can get out of the guy. He just needs to get the idea of hitting 40-50 homers out of his head. That is hard to do once a team and fans expect that.

The guy just signed with the Cubs. I think with lower expectations the guy won't press and we will see the stats rise....if the guy goes in to it with a clear head.

We now have a guy with decent offensive power, potential 30- HR power, that is an actual first baseman and won't need to trot Naylor out there on a regular basis. Also the guy has an extremely good strikeout rate at roughly 16% in the past 2 years and 20% overall. For anyone following the Guardians model, a low strikeout % is very important.

And, Bell is a switch hitter, so that limits the disadvantage the Guardians had with Naylor in the lineup against a lefty and Owen Miller can take a hike.

Owen Miller always reminded me of a player like Jody Gerut. Only a place holder while the offense retools, then gone once a better option comes around.

Not terrible, but nothing special. And certainly not in the long-term planning.

j/c:

Good reference on Jody Gerut. I had Shelley Duncan in mind.

Bell was a well-liked player in Pittsburgh where he started his career. I was sad when he went to the Red Sox, but the Pirates are stuck in mediocrity forever. Hope he does great for the Guardians!

Josh Bell is a nice signing. He’ll fit in here

That's a good one too!

the Guardians really needed a bat like Bell.

He was in the National league so I got to see quite a bit of him.

He could bat behind Jose where he can provide some protection. The Guard's needed a power hitter behind Jose because he gets pitched around often.

I was really hoping that they would sign Contreras but once again. They don't spend.

The Braves have Manny Pina who they want to move. Pina did not play last year because of a broken wrist. He is an excellent defensive catcher with an ok stick. He is an upgrade but not an all star candidate.

Why would we trade for a 35yo catcher. I think they would start Bo Naylor, or sign Hedges or Perez back before that.

Dont know who it will be but here is who the A’s wanted from the Cardinals for Murphy:

The Bell signing is an excellent move for all the reasons Memphis/Milk stated.

I think I read somewhere Contreras isn't the best "team" player and was one of the reasons teams didn't go out of their way to trade for him.

Pena could act as a bridge catcher.

He is very good defensively. He would be good in rotation with a guy like Naylor coming up and maybe not fully ready.

Great guy who knows how to handle pitchers. He would not be expensive which is important to the Guardians.

A two year guy. Not many catchers can catch everyday. Pena is a good guy to have if you don't have a stud.

I agree. I tend to think we will go with Hedges or Perez since both know the staff. If Naylor isn't ready, then they might look for a trade.

The good thing is if Naylor can play the position, a team can give him time to find his bat since catchers can be an offensive throw away position if the D is good.

I am not saying that is what we want, but the majors are full of light hitting catchers. You don't find many hot hitting catchers who can't catch. They get moved to some other position pretty quickly.

For those that don’t follow so closely, I am sharing a couple pieces from an article I was reading on the Athletic. This shows how damn good they are at identifying and teaching/growing their starting pitching prospects through drafting and trades.







The bolded part of the second quote….wow, I didn’t realize it’s been eight years since a free agent pitcher has cracked the rotation! That’s unbelievable.

Pitching prospects are always a hot commodity, and as your list shows, we have plenty. A team can usually leverage them to get good major leaguers or other top prospects you might need.

We are in a good position on the trade front, either to trade one of the young guys, or one of our current starters.

Cleveland is in one of the best situations when it comes to their farm system. Lots to work with as you said

And when you are small market, you need to have a vibrant farm system.

If you are referring to Murphy, he isn't 35. He's 28 with a couple more years' control.

And I think it is pretty clear the Guardians don't think Naylor is ready. I don't think they want Hedges back as a starter....maybe a backup. But he is terrible offensively.

No doubt. It’s the only way

I was talking about Pena being 35, I knew Murphy was 20 something.

j/c:

j/c...

j/c:

Just give us the cash so we can afford gooder players!!

j/c...

The storage containers will finally be gone! $435M renovation.

The improvements look good.

I am hoping that the Guardians or Braves trade for the Pirates Bryan Reynolds.

I am hoping the Guardians trade for P Pablo Lolez from the Miami Marlins. He’s 26, under control for a few more years, and they are shopping him. Should be able to give up one or more of our middle infield prospects for him.

Seven Guardians prospects named to Baseball America’s latest top-100 rankings
Updated: Jan. 19, 2023, 1:56 p.m.|Published: Jan. 19, 2023, 1:56 p.m.


By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Right-handed pitchers Daniel Espino and Gavin Williams lead a group of seven Guardians prospects that rank among the latest top-100 list published this week by Baseball America.

Only the Baltimore Orioles, led by top overall prospect Gunnar Henderson, have more players (8) in the top 100 than Cleveland. The Guardians’ farm system ranks No. 3 according to Baseball America, behind the Orioles and Dodgers.

Espino, ranked No. 19 overall, and Williams (No. 20), are among four ranked Guardians pitchers. The others are lefties Logan Allen (No. 85) and Tanner Bibee (No. 86).

Espino, the club’s top overall draft pick in 2019, missed most of last season with a knee injury, dropping three spots from his previous ranking in 2022. Williams moved up 34 spots after a stellar campaign that saw him go 5-4 with a 1.96 ERA and 149 strikeouts and a 0.95 WHIP in 115 innings.

Top catching prospect Bo Naylor checks in at No. 68 after getting just a taste of the majors at the end of last season. Naylor hit .263 in 415 minor league at-bats last season with 21 home runs and 68 RBI to go along with a .888 OPS.

Outfielder George Valera dropped from No. 42 last year to No. 72 entering 2023, and shortstop Brayan Rocchio slid from No. 69 last year to No. 77, but both could earn a chance to impact the major league club at some point this season after starting off at Triple-A Columbus.

Allen and Bibee come in at Nos. 85 and 86 respectively. Allen went 9-7 with a 4.75 ERA between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus last season with 177 strikeouts in 132 2/3 innings, while Bibee added 3-4 mph to his fastball and mowed through opponents at Akron with an 8-2 record and a 2.17 ERA with 167 punchouts in 132 2/3 innings.

Shortstop Angel Martinez, who was added to the 40-man roster in November, slipped off the top-100 list after ranking No. 99 last year. But that’s not indicative of Martinez’s season, where he hit .278 with an .849 OPS and 13 home runs in 363 at-bats before moving on to represent Cleveland in the Arizona Fall League.




https://www.cleveland.com/guardians...ll-americas-latest-top-100-rankings.html

Luckily for us, the Guards are committed and good at investing in pitching prospects through the entry draft. If you can overload there, you can always trade for prospects or established players at other positions.

It also gives you the ability to them trade off a few of them who establish at the major league level once it becomes clear you might not be able to afford them down the road. Clevenger is a good recent example. Of the 6 players we got in return, at least 3 of them have been solid additions.

We have figured it out: If we aren't rich in money to spend, be rich in pitching prospects.

j/c:



It was Slider. We all know it was Slider.

I just hope he doesn't turf the field with it.

Mostly for Bone, thought you would enjoy this per our conversations about Greg Maddux.

Saw some 1987 Dunruss wax packs in a vintage store. I'm always hesitant because so many people would carefully open the wax, pull the stars, and reseal them for sale. Grabbed three packs... then put them back. Almost walked away. Then I said screw it, $10 was nothing for the thrill alone of opening old wax packs.

Opened tons back in the day. Could never pull a Maddux. Have a couple Bo Jackson, McGwire and Bonds. No Maddux. Said to my wife on the way out of the store, "maybe I'll finally pull my Maddux!"

First two packs were scrap (two checklists in the second pack ). Figured I had been taken...

Lo and behold, third pack had my Greg Maddux!

Yoooo, hell ya Fate!

Man, your story got me thinking. As many packs I opened as a kid, I don’t remember getting that card. I definitely remember that rhino card behind it though.

Lol. Yep. Also one of my favorite players. The Maddux card was about two or three later, my mind still thinking "at least I got a Sandberg". Then I yell out "you gotta be s#**ing me!".

RIP John.

Man, that's a bummer.

Glad he was at least able to bang the drum once last time for the playoff game(s) this past season, albeit pre-recorded from his nursing facility.

Huge score. Very cool.

When Maddux signed with the Braves as a free agent. I knew of him. Knew he was good. But never really watched him other than a game here and there.
You know a couple innings.

Because I am a Braves fan it was then that I found out. After a few starts I was hooked. I would make it a point to never miss a start. He was such a cool dude. I have been a baseball fan since I was a boy. Mickey and Hank were heros to me but I really didn't get to see them play much.

Maddux, I studied him. He played when I was coaching. Every start was like a clinic in pitching. I have seen many great pitchers. Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz all HOFer's. Seen Clemens, Ryan, Randy, Pedro.

But Maddux defined what pitching really is. His memory uncanny. His knowledge of pitching unmatched. His attention to the smallest detail. He could breakdown a hitter like nobody else.

My favorite baseball player.

Interesting stat:

Between 1991 and 1998 Braves pitchers Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz won 7 of 8 Cy Young Awards.

I doubt that three pitchers on the same staff will ever achieve that as well as all three are now Hall of Famer's.

Remember the year Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz all finished in the top five for the Cy Young? Think about that.

I was attending a coaching clinic at Georgia Tech and had a chance to talk pitching with Smoltz.

Super nice guy. Very approachable. Loves to talk pitching.

It was odd that they won only won World Series. They were so good.

The Braves right now are on the same path. They have long term deals with like eight players. That core of players will keep the Braves in the World Series hunt for many years to come. They are stacked with incredible talent. Acuna and Harris are possible 40 40 guys MVP race, All Stars.

Strider, and Fried are Cy candidates. Austin Riley MVP candidate All Star. Albies, Olson, Murphy All Stars. They have All Stars at every position except SS and LF.

I am really excited for this season.

Time never rusts.

I read that Dexter Fowler retired. He played on a 15 year old All Star team with my son. Skinny fast kid who played centerfield.

I run into now young men who I coached when they were kids quite often. Now they have kids who they coach. The drum beats on.

Coaching baseball was a labor of pure fun. I loved it. It took gobs of time but i regret none of it.

j/c...

The New York Times wrote an obit for John Adams....

John Adams, Who Banged His Drum Loudly in Cleveland, Dies at 71
He pounded away from the bleachers to cheer on the Indians (now the Guardians) and inspire his fellow baseball fans at more than 3,700 home games.
By Richard Sandomir

John Adams, a fixture at most Cleveland Indians home games who first lugged a secondhand bass drum into the bleachers in the summer of 1973 and continued to rally fans by striking it emphatically for almost half a century, died on Monday in Cleveland. He was 71.

The team, which changed its name to the Guardians after the 2021 season, announced his death but did not cite a cause. Over the past few years, Mr. Adams had undergone heart surgery and experienced broken ribs, a broken hip and other ailments, which prevented him from thumping his drum at Progressive Field after the 2019 season.

“God didn’t give me the reflexes to play on the field,” he told Fox Sports in 2016. “Every time I swing, I get a hit, so it’s like instant gratification.”

Mr. Adams’s drumming was heard at more than 3,700 home games, first at Cleveland Municipal Stadium and then, starting in 1994, at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field). Stationed deep in the bleachers, he steadily urged the team on by rhythmically banging his drum with two mallets.

“Football has its bands and its cheerleaders, and all of them help get into the spirit of the game,” Mr. Adams told The Akron Beacon Journal in 1983, explaining his long-running stadium gig. “Baseball has nothing, so I thought of the war drum thing for the Indians.”

His status as a superfan was acknowledged when the team gave away bobblehead figures of him with a drum and movable arms at a home game in 2006. Six years later, Great Lakes Brewing introduced Rally Drum Red Ale in his honor.

And last year, on the 49th anniversary of Mr. Adams’s first performance at a game, he was inducted into the Guardians’ Distinguished Hall of Fame as a nonuniformed contributor. That group also includes Bill Veeck and Richard E. Jacobs, two of the team’s former owners.

A sculptor created a bronze replica of the drum, which was affixed to Mr. Adams’s bleacher bench and installed in the team’s two-level Hall of Fame area beyond center field at Progressive Field.

Unlike Mr. Adams, who worked solo, dozens of drummers at Oakland Coliseum exhort the A’s from their seats in both left and right field. At Citi Field, a die-hard Met fan named Eddie Boison rings a cowbell at critical moments. At Yankee Stadium, a retired truck driver known as Freddie Sez urged fans on by banging a spoon against a frying pan at more than 1,500 games, from 1988 to 2010.

Perhaps the best-known ballpark musicians played from the late 1930s until 1957 at Ebbets Field, for the Brooklyn Dodgers — a band called “the Sym-Phony” (emphasis on the “phony”), a ragtag group of amateur drummers, trumpeters, trombonists and washboard players.

John Joseph Adams was born on Oct. 9, 1951, in Cleveland to John and Eva (Friedman) Adams.

He attended his first Indians game in 1954 and began playing the drums when he was 9. In high school, he performed in the marching band and the orchestra and led cheers; he graduated from Cleveland State University in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in English.

On Aug. 24, 1973, Mr. Adams asked for permission from the Indians to bring his drum to Municipal Stadium. Oddly, he was told not to disturb anyone with his drumming.

“The first time, I got a lot of stares and a few comments like ‘You’re not going to play that thing, are you?’” he told The Beacon Journal, adding that an inebriated fan during that game grabbed his arm and said: “You gonna bang on that drum? Well, then start hitting it.”

He did.

“Suddenly, I saw people clapping to the beat,” he recalled. “When the game was over, people stopped me outside the stadium. They told me I had the opposing pitcher so rattled that guys from the other team were looking all over for me.” The Indians beat the Texas Rangers that day, 11-5.

Mr. Adams continued to bang his drum — through many a losing season at the old Municipal Stadium and in mostly better times at Progressive Field — while working at AT&T in several positions, including systems analyst and quality manager, for 40 years, until 2016.

Mr. Adams is survived by a sister, Renee Dilley. His marriage in 1978 to Kathleen Murray, whom he met in the bleachers at Municipal Stadium, ended in divorce.

His medical problems, as well as the pandemic, kept Mr. Adams from the ballpark in recent years. Before the Guardians’ home opener last year, he said he was trying to build up enough strength for a return.

“There’s nothing like being down at the ballpark,” he told mlb.com. “Because it’s more than just the game; it’s all the people around you and all the people you see. It makes the experience of a baseball game way above just sitting at home.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/01/sports/baseball/john-adams-dead.html

My daughter and me will be in the Phoenix/Goodyear area in March, and I might catch a spring training game. No luck talking her into it yet, but I’ve still got a month.

So ready for Spring and baseball.

I have high expectations for the Guardians and Braves.

I could see the Guardians trading for Bryan Reynolds near the trade deadline. They have the farm prospects to make that deal.

Reynolds would really be a big add. He can play all the outfield positions. And he would add a middle of the lineup quality hitter.

The Braves are loaded. Acuna and Albies will return completely healthy. The 5th starter will go to Anderson or Soroka. Both have been star pitchers and both are still young. Top pen in baseball. All stars at six positions.

Really stoked to get back into the rhythm of regular season baseball.

Spring games start Saturday.

I look forward to baseball big time. Cup of morning coffee, check the box scores. Look around find out what cool things happened.

Check out some highlights. 162 games is a groove you get into. The season is like a drama soap opera.

Football is just over. Basketball playoffs still lots of time.

Spring is early already here in Georgia. Spring and baseball go hand in hand.

So stupid!

That's idiotic.

I'm hoping they are really stringent now but will back off during the regular season... that was ridiculous...

This is going to be chaotic until the players get used to it.

It has to become a mental timing thing like the play clock in football.

The new rules are going to have an impact. Ending the shift will up batting averages especially left handed hitters who's natural stroke is to the hole between first and second.

Pitchers throws to first are now limited. Catchers with great arms will have a bigger role both in holding runners and the throws to second. Good base runners are going to get bigger leads. The Braves trading for Sean Murphy was made because of his great defense.

Some pitchers are going to have a problem. Some guys are just naturally slow to the plate. They will have an adjustment to make for some it will be hard.

It may benefit some guys. Pitching is mental. Having been a coach for kids between 5 years old and 17. Many kids and their parents wanted to try being a pitcher. I gave lots of kids the chance. Many failed because they did not have the mental makeup. They may have had a good arm. But when things went bad. They fell apart mentally. It takes a certain kind of mind to move on from failure and mistakes.

It will be interesting to see which pitchers will struggle with the clock.

When you step out on a major league field it looks enormous.

Especially the outfield. TV is really deceptive. It looks like a short throw from pitcher to catcher or, from pitcher to first.

The camera behind the pitcher distorts the distance.

Baseball is getting closer. I can smell it.

Guardians play at Goodyear on Sunday March 19th vs the Rockies, we will be close, and I still haven’t talked her into going yet. Got my fingers crossed still.

She's waiting to be bribed!

I think I'm going to love the pitch clock. Games down to 2hrs and 20mins. Karinchak is going to have to adjust his routine.

Five Thirty Eight projecting that the Guardians will benefit largely from all of the new rules


https://fivethirtyeight.com/feature...8uv8qTbav-qJa3UZO9k8yAp34fApzi6Xobo8iK-s



also Max Scherzer is making the most of the pitch clock. I for one look forward to these little head games

Scherzer is one of those guys you might love as a teammate and hate as a player.

The Mets have become the spenders of the National League.

I hate them. I loved beating them last year at seasons end to take the division.

Their payroll is the highest in baseball at $340.

It will be satisfying to take them down again. Can't wait to see how Verlander and Scherzer both turning forty hold up for 162 games.

Anyone here paying attention to the WBC?

Lots of fun stuff happening. USA surprisingly lost to Mexico. But it looks like they'll get out of the pool. They look good. Probably gonna be top 4.

Puerto Rico just blanked Isreal.

Actual crowd sizes. People are investied.

It's a fun distraction to Spring Training IMO.

USA advances to Semis against Venezuela... game will be on Fox. 7ET



Think the other side of the bracket is far more difficult... The Puerto Rico v Mexico game is going to be a barn burner. Japan should handle Italy.

I was reading about Mike Trout and how much fun he said he is having playing in the WBC.

Myself, I care only about when the season begins.

I think it is a crying shame that Mike Trout plays for the Angels. He is one on the best players to ever put on a uniform.

He has played for a bad team his entire career.

Playing on a West Coast team that rarely plays on national TV.

It is a shame.

The Mets.

Edwin Diaz Mets closer paid big bucks this off season. In celebration with Puerto Rico teammates tears ACL done for the year.

Ouch!

That $384m payroll is hurting some now. That is about $19m off the top for a key role.

Feel bad for the player not so much for the Mets.

WHat series this has been...

Mexico v Japan
Cuba v USA

Venezuela fought hard...

THis has been amazing baseball.

It is a shame Shohei Ohtani plays for the Angels.

He may go down as baseballs greatest player and because he plays for the Angels he does not get seen much.

Amazing talent. To play both ways in MLB seems impossible to me. But Ohtani does it like no big deal.

Another name to remember is Roki Sasaki. This young man is something special. I hope he gets to the majors sooner than later.

So, MLB fans get to see him. What an arm.

He's arguably one of the most popular players in MLB right now playing in the second largest metropolitan market. He's well known and getting seen plenty.

I think that was an incredible moment. High drama. The way baseball is meant to be played. Not this current garbage of HR or SO.

When you play for a west coast team. People who live in the east don't see you much.

In addition the Angels have not been a playoff team. Playoffs is when the whole country tunes in.

He is becoming popular because of what he is doing. He will be UFA next year.

His contract will be the largest contract ever. If he goes to NY. He will become the biggest name in sports.

He is global star now but when he plays in playoffs and wins World Series. It will like Michael Jordan.

j/c...

Beer pyramids will be nuts this year. Can't wait!

I am so ready.

Once baseball begins. I am good till football ends.

This has the makings of a great sports year.

My three teams should all be serious contenders.

Braves, Guardians, Browns.

Guardians vs Rockies are on MLB network right now, top 1. 2-0 Guardians

j/c...

Not good.

Of course.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...enez-cleveland-guardians-reach-extension

7 years, $106.5 million

Great news!

Long season... let him get fully healthy before returning...

Life is better with baseball.

Really excited about the season. I have high hopes for my two teams. Really like the Guardians. They have a very good team and a great manager.

They should be in the playoffs. Once there anything goes.

The Braves have will have a good chance to post the best record in the regular season.

They have four legic MVP candidates in Acuna, Harris, Olson, and Riley. All four will hit over 30 hr's.

They have two Cy candidates in Max Fried and Spencer Strider. Fried is just good and Strider is a strikeout machine.

So, hell ya baseball is back.

Opening Day!

Really interesting to see the Guardians locking up young talent to long term deals.

It is precisely what the Braves have done. They signed Acuna, Albies, Riley, Strider, Olson, Harris, Murphy all young guys to long term deals.

The really big one that remains is Max Fried. He has two years left. His next deal will be a large contract. If they sign him to a new deal it will be this year.

I really hope they do. He is like what Bieber is to the Guardians.

One of us.

It'll be interesting to see this percentage as the season carries on.

Watched the from win 1..

Regardless on how this season plays out. This team's gonna be entertaining. Love the "Just send it" mentality to baserunning. Especially in an analytics heavy league where stealing is generally looked down upon.

Good start for the season.

Guardians look good. Got a great start from Civale last night.

Braves cooking. The lineup is deadly. Strider a K machine.

Fun to watch baseball again. Today I get to see both teams.

Fun fact: Wesley Snipes was slow and not athletic, so all of his running scenes were filmed in slow motion to hide his form and lack of speed from the audience.

Great start to the season for the Guardians. Taking 3 of 4 from the Mariners in Seattle.

He looked like that running from tax evasion.

This is nuts.

The Mariners threw 38 pitches to Kwan on Friday night. Kwan saw 16 fastballs, 11 sliders, three sinkers, four cutters, three changeups and a knuckle-curve. He had one swinging strike.

“That’s why he’s hitting first,” Francona said.

“You break the pitcher’s will,” hitting coach Chris Valaika said.

Kwan’s Friday plate appearances

1. Strikeout, nine pitches
2. Sacrifice fly, four pitches
3. Two-run double, eight pitches
4. Two-run single, eight pitches (count started 0-2)
5. Groundout, five pitches
6. Walk, four pitches

I'll say it. I've reached Donna Kelce overload. Shoot me!

On a side note, what a game by the Guardians last night. Picking up where they left off last season, this team is incredibly resilient. Pleasac gets shelled and the team is down 6-2 thrugh two innings, fight back to cut it to 5-6. Bullpen gives up a couple runs to make it 8-5 A's. Fight back again to go up 10-8 in the 9th and Clase gives up a two run shot, but pull out the win in extra innings 12-11.

Not that I place much emphasis on "Power Ranking" but after the first week:

Braves #1

Guardians #10

The Braves opened the season missing their number one starter Max Fried (hamstring) will miss at least two starts.
Their number three starter Kyle Wright had a cortisone shot in his shoulder will miss the first two weeks.
Raisel Iglesias the closer on the IL with shoulder inflammation. Not yet able to throw off a mound.

The lineup stilled delivered with two rookies Dylan Dodd, Jared Schuster, and call up Bryce Elder all getting starts.

I will not be surprised if the Braves lead baseball in scoring this year. When everyone gets back the team is certainly capable of having the best record over 162 games.

Love the way the Guardians play. They have a playing personality. They never give in to the way they play. Always ready to fight back when behind. The lineup has holes but they play hard and have the pitching.

Spiked it.

LOL - He should have let his mother throw the pitch.

Tampa Bay is 13-0.

Winning by an average of 5.5 runs per game.

I know this is a Guardians thread and I follow them daily.

But I don't get to watch them unless they are on national tv. I watch most of the Braves games.

The Braves IMO are the best team in baseball. They are stacked. Five man rotation that is really good. Deep bullpen with multiple closers.

The lineup has Acuna, Olson, Riley, Harris and now Sean Murphy. Four MVP candidates and not a soft spot from 1 to 9.

I will not be surprised at all if they end with the best record in baseball.

Post season is all about momentum and being hot. The regular season is about how good are you over 162.

They are 13-4 missing their number one starter. Their closer has not yet pitched. Their ROY has been out 2 weeks. Their prime DH out two weeks.

They have just won seven in a row. Swept 3 series. And are 9-1 on the road.

The team has accomplished that and has not yet been fully healthy.

The National League has a monster team and it's the Braves. Injury is the only thing that could derail them.

More baseball related than the Guardians.....



Not surprised, really.

Not surprised either.

If you are in a market where you can not compete. You almost have to leave.

Oakland has been been trying to scrape by for years. They have begun this season with a 3-13 record already 9.5 games out.

So, it is not like they can be expecting fans to show up.

I hope they keep the name and start a new history.

Ownership maintained the name Athletics in their locations:Philadelphia,Kansas City and Oakland.

I know we lost tonight, but Clase is back up to 100/101

I know there is some worry, but it is mid May and we are 3.5 games back. Nothing to panic about. At least yet. Lets see where things stand at the all-star break. At that point you can start to see if you are in this thing or not.

Right now we are playing poorly, and not far out. Is that play sustainable for this team? I think not. At some point we will start stacking some 5-6 game win streaks together and things will look a lot different.

Stay close enough to make a move after the break.

The Guardians have a great farm system. At the trade deadline it will be time to make some moves.

They have to score more runs. The offense is anemic.

The pitching has not been good enough to overcome the lack of offense.

Braves have Max Fried and Kyle Wright on the IL. They could have patched up enough with Wright being gone but not Fried. That really hurts.

They are going to have to try and play 500 or so until Fried and then Wright get back. Pitching is always a thin ice deal. You lose your ace. Things go downhill.

The good news is the division stinks. Nobody is running away and hiding. The offense needs some answers in terms of OBP and power.

Seems Francona teams tend to start slow and finish strong.

Tom Verducci is very knowledgeable baseball guy. He was talking with Mark DeRosa today about Ronald Acuna.

He was saying right now he is the best player in baseball. I watch him daily. He is a true five tool player.

He is hitting 348. Has 10 HR's. 26 RBI's (hits leadoff). 17 stolen bases (leads baseball). OBP 438, SLG 604, OPS 1.014

He has the strongest arm in the game from RF. Throwing out guys at every base.

Last season he played but he was not recovered from major knee surgery.

It is him against the field for MVP and he leads. He is on a pace for 40 HR and 60 SB.

This past week he hit four home runs over 450'. One was 470.

He plays with great enthusiasm. He is fun to watch. An amazing talent. He is 25 years old.

Its time for Bo!!!

It is hard to make any deals right now other than internal.

Teams wait till July to see if they have a chance to compete. That is why all the deals happen near the trade deadline.

The Guardians have some tough decisions to make. Should they use their minor league prospects in trade for established players?

Or, keep them and hope they are ready sooner rather than later.?

The offense does not score enough runs. They are the second lowest scoring team in MLB. Ahead of the Tigers by 2 runs.

If your pitching staff is dominate. You may get away with a bad offense. They are not there. If they want to compete in post season this year.

They are going to have to trade for some hitters.

Even as bad as the O has been, they are competing. They are in 2nd, 3.5 games back. It's mid May and people are talking like it is mid August and the team is 14 games out.

Maybe we need to give it another month or so before we start thinking about adding bats.

As for BO...maybe it is time to bring him up, but sometimes they hold those guys back a while to keep the rights another year. I am not sure when all of that clears.

The division is weak.

I for sure am not sweating it in May. They miss Mckenzie. They should contend.

But if they are going to make noise in the playoffs. They have to make some moves.

When the trade deadline nears there will deals to be made.

The Guardians need to be players in trades.

If we are in it, which we will, I am sure we will be looking for a bat rental, just as we have done in years past. I don't have any reason to think we won't.

j/c:

We're lucky to be in an average, at best, division.

One player is hitting over 250. Kwan is hitting 269.

The Guardians need a stud. Or, they need a multiple player upgrade.

Jose is a great player. They need another. Catcher is a black hole.

The Guardians have a rich farm system. It is time to leverage that assist and get some hitters.

Yeah, the catcher spot is a big issue

Is the Yandy Diaz for Jake Bauers trade one of the worst trades in our history? He is an absolute beast now!

Diaz was a mystery. Here is this dude who is jacked and can not hit a home run.

I always thought this guy would begin to hit.

Man he has found a home and is hitting like a madman.

The Rays are tearing it up. However, I have seen that play before. The Dodgers and Yankees were ripping through the schedule.

And then got humbled. It is a long season and although it is nice to be playing well now. It is really important to play well in September.

I see the Braves daily because they are local. Their lineup is crazy good. They are missing Max Fried and Kyle Wright. Wright maybe out a long time.
Fried should return in early July. When he returns the Braves are going to take off.

I think by the time Max returns they will figure out the 5th starter. The Braves are really good.

Glad Jose got the big knock.

Let's string some games together.

This is so cool. First time I have ever seen this camera angle.

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/arti...spencer_strider_fastball/s1_127_38862055

Like being a hitter. Great respect for anyone who can hit in the majors.

Last night Spencer Strider (drafted by Indians)(born an Indians fan)( wears number 99 as tribute to Wild Thing).

Reached 100 strikeouts in 61 innings. The fastest in AL and NL history. Think about that. Bob Feller, Clemens, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Pedro. All the great strikeout pitchers that have played.

Strider is different cat. He is compact. Long stride driven by powerful legs. His motion is tight. Very hard to pick up. Slider from the same slot that drops off a cliff. He is a machine out there.

Im REALLY starting to wander about the Guardians.

1. Why is Bo Naylor still the in AAA? Is it the super 2 date that relates to service time?

2. Why hasnt Zunino been DFA’D yet? He can’t hit or catch. Is it there ego’s, not wanting to look like they made a mistake, to me keeping him on the roster is the bigger mistake.

3. Why is Straw still playing? And don’t tell me his D! You move Kwan to C, Brennan to LF, Arias in RF or Gonzalez back up for RF, or Valera when he’s healthy. Straw doesn’t even have warning track power at this point, teams are bringing the OF in when he hits, cause he aint hitting it over their heads. Wanted to place a $100 bet on him not hitting a HR again this season, but couldn’t find that prop bet.

4. Ive always been a Rosario fan, but his time has passed for me, you’ve got some young studs (Freeman is already here) ready for SS, trade, DFA, or just plain cut him.

My opinionated answers to your questions.

1. I expect it's the super 2 date, which should be cleared this week or next. Obviously, they won't say that out loud.

2. Considering the Guardians past history (i.e. Bobby Bradley, Bradley Zimmer, O. Mercado, etc), they really tend to hold onto players way past their time to see if they break out of their slump. He will probably get DFA'd when Naylor comes up. Our catchers as usual the past couple years positionally are the worst offensive statistically in all of MLB.

3. Straw has hit a little better this year (thats really not saying much), but he does has speed and his defense. Needless to say, I was hoping he wouldn't be back this year. I knew that wouldn't happen b/c of the contract he signed last year. I would like to see one of the youngsters out there like you mentioned.

4. I agree with you on Rosario. I like him too, but Freeman should be playing SS right now. Roccio (*spelling - don't have time to look up his name) at Triple A should be next in line in case Freeman would falter.

When you look at offensive numbers. The Guardians numbers are offensive.

They have to trade Bieber and get some hitters.

The Guardians as a small market budget team have invested heavily in pitching. That is a good thing.

However, at some point they have to leverage that investment and address current weakness.

The Guardians have hit 43 HR's. Three players on the Braves have hit 48. The team has hit 114.

The Rangers have hit 90 HR's.

This is June 15th. 68 games into the season. The Guardians pitch good enough to compete. But the offense can not compete. The hitting is anemic.

They are still close in the Central. The division is weak. The Guardians do not have to do much to take over the division. Getting a few big bats could go a long way.

And there u go

When they say something like this, I really wish they would tell us who the 2 prospects rated higher than him are.

Guardians Top Prospects | MLB.com
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/guardians

Thanks for the link Y

1, Gavin Williams RHP
2023: 23 6' 6" / 250 lbs L R


2, George Valera OF
2023: 22 6' 0" / 195 lbs L L


3, Bo Naylor C
2023: 23 6' 0" / 205 lbs L R


4, Daniel Espino RHP
2023: 22 6' 2" / 225 lbs R R


5, Brayan Rocchio SS/2B
2023: 22 5' 10" / 170 lbs S R

SSDY since dolans took over.. They said way back in 2002 once we are ready to compete they will spend.. Been a bunch of lies, Same thing plagues us year after year.. we become a pitching farm for the big markets and we don't ever do anything to fix offense. Wasting some overachieving years and some masterful coaching by Tito..

Twins lost today Guards need to pour it on.

In 4 games against the Rockies the Braves scored 40 runs. They hit 12 home runs.

The Braves lineup is relentless. Hitters one through nine. The 7,8,9 hitters could bat 1,2,3. or, 4,5,6. The manager could bat any lineup and the results would be damn close. They lead all teams in home runs.

#1 rated prospect in the organization.

Super excited for tonight’s game, sucks but I gotta miss roughly the first hour of the game.

This could be our rotation next season:

1. Gavin Williams (R)
2. Logan Allen (L)
3. Tanner Bibee (R)
4. Joey Cantillo (L)
5. Cody Morris (R), or Daniel Espino (R), or Aaron Civale (R), or a FA

Is this assuming Triston McKenzie has Tommy John surgery and misses all of 2024? Cal Quantrill to the bullpen?

Glad the bats are waking up but they need to start putting more wins together. Second half of the season is going to be nail biter

Yes I think Triston has Tommy John. And Quantrill to the pen, or traded

If we can just get Bell to get going, and get Amed to quit swinging at those sliders/curveballs off the plate.

I never thought J Naylor would hit this well!!!

Good "W". One game back.

Braves have won 8 straight. They start a 3 game series against the Reds tomorrow. Then they play the Twins.

Reds have won 11 straight. This Braves team has a lineup that is really hard to beat.

After the Red's series. Maybe the Braves can help put the Guardians into first place.

Yes, we know the Braves are good. I am a Braves fan as well. Been to 1 game this year. Probably at least 1-2 more.

I like seats below the chop or in the terrace. Great view, close to anything you want, then 200 yard walk to the hotel.

Maybe we can coordinate a game and meet up? I have been watching the Braves since the days of Murphy and Horner in the mid-late 70's.


Oh... Dale Murphy should be in the HOF. If Harold Baines is in, Murph should be in.....if you asked some old timers who would you rather have on your team, Murph would win by a landslide.

ELLY DE LA CRUZ might be superstar, he is so fun to watch play. I'm a Guardians fan, but I catch myself switching over to the Reds when I know he's batting. He hustles every single play, like a ballplayer should.

I saw him play last night for the first time.

In his 16th game he hit for the cycle. Tall and fast. He looks like he will be someone to track.

That was some game last night. 11-10. Braves hit five HR's and lost.

See what happens today.

Love the Braves.

IMO the Braves are at the top of sports organizations. They have a great GM. The organization is a model of how to build a culture and sustain a winning program.

Peen I don't go to games and I live in Cobb county. It is to much of a hassle. If I can't sit near home plate and be up front and personal along with a parking pass. I don't go. Good seats are way over priced for me. I like tv.

When Murph played I use to go because I could get good seats cheap. At old Fulton County stadium I would get first row upper deck behind home plate isle 302. I sat right where the old channel 17 camera was. Lewis Grizzard was right in front of me.

Having spent so much time in dugouts seats not close don't excite me.

Braves beat the Twins last night Sony Gray vs Spencer Strider. tight game 1-1 till the 8th.

Ozuna and Acuna homered 4-1.

I have never seen a team hit like this Braves team. Never.
Last 30 days the team average is 298.

Braves Offensive rankings for all MLB:

HR's - 1st
OBP - 1st
SLG - 1st
OPS - 1st
AVG - 2nd. (271)

There is nowhere in the lineup for a pitcher to look for an out. Every player can hit and with power.

Their record of 51-27 has been done without two of their best starters Max Fried and Kyle Wright. Fried will be back after the All Star game. Wright will return in August. I could see them winning 110 games.

j/c...

Hope he checks out ok.

Half game back. Lead in the loss column.

First place with an assist by the Braves.

A beautiful thing. Playing better ball and getting hits.

Playing the Braves over the Fourth. Better have good pitching because the Braves have the best lineup in baseball.

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/arti...nthals_all_star_roster/s1_16493_38970453


Ken Rosenthal the Braves are well represented in the All Star Game.

Three starters - Acuna, Sean Murphy, and Orlando Arcia.
Reserves - Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson,
Pitchers - Bryce Elder, Spencer Strider,

Omissions with deserving numbers - Marcell Ozuna, Eddie Rosario, and Jesse Chavez (39 years old, with a 1.55 era in relief).

Seven All Stars and three others that could well have been selected.

Missing with injury due to return after the All Star game. Runner up last year for Cy Young - Max Fried.
21 game winner Kyle Wright due back mid August.

Post season baseball is unpredictable. The regular season is not. The Braves are the best team in baseball.

i can't help myself.

I have never seen a team hit like this. Record is 54-27 (at the halfway point)

Braves June record - 21-4
They hit - 61 home runs in June (they have hit 5+ HR's in a game 8 times this year)
Team average in June - .303

They have swept 8 series in the first half of the season.

This is historic stuff.

Here we go for the 4th.

Two first place teams. Guardians vs Braves.

Eight Braves selected to the All Star Game. The entire infield. Braves swept the second place Marlins. They are on their third 8 game win streak.

42-14 against the NL. 29 games over 500.

Elder goes in the first game. All Star leading in ERA. The next two pitchers Kolby Allard and Michael Soroka are the bottom of the rotation. Both are coming off long injuries. Both making their second start.

The Braves lineup is unforgiving on pitchers. They have carried the team to a 56-27 record without their two best starters who will return in July and August.

j/c

This is not about the Guardians, but I was in Long Beach last week for a conference and a few of us went and caught the Angels game on Tuesday, against the White Sox.

First thing - the pitch clock really makes a difference in the pace of the game.

Second thing - Ohtani. Pitched 7 innings, struck out 10, no walks. One run, though scored after they pulled him. Also batted second, and stayed in as DH when they brought in a reliever. 3-3 with two solo home runs and a walk. Incredible that he is so productive as a hitter while being effective on the mound. It was also Japanese heritage night so there was a good crowd and a lot of atmosphere.

Ohtani is the real deal. Complete stud.

Never thought I would see a guy do what he is doing. I am sure there are players that could pitch and hit.

But not at the level he does it. He throws 100 mph. He hit a 490" homer and he has 31 homers at the halfway point.

It is like having two MVP's in one player.

An amazing talent.

Agreed. I was talking about Ohtani with a friend and I mentioned the last player to do what he's doing was Babe Ruth over 100 years ago. I don't know if the Babe could throw 100 mph though!!

I am a huge baseball fan. The Browns are my football team. But I don't watch many games outside of the Browns. I follow it, but I don't watch much. The Sunday, Monday, Thursday, etc. rarely get further than a half.

I watch damn near every Braves game. And I follow the MLB. Read stats. Follow the standings.

Ohtani is a beast. I wonder where he will play? My guess the Dodgers or Giants.

I am loving watching this Braves team. This is the best lineup I have ever seen. Last night the catcher, pitcher, 1st, 2nd, SS, 3rd all made the All Star team.

Plus Acuna in RF is one of the best most complete players I have ever seen. His stat line - Batting .335, 21 HR's, 54 RBI's (leadoff hitter), 40 SB, 24 doubles,
SLG 599, OPS 1.012, WAR 4.9.

He is the definition of a five tool player. Incredible defense, amazing arm, hits for average, hits for power, 40 stolen bases.

First player in baseball history to hit 20+ HR's, steal 40 bases before the All Star break.

It is a pleasure to watch him play the game.

No worries, most of the thread hasn’t been about them.



The pitch clock, the shift rules, and the extended base has really made this season interesting.

Given the production of the young starters.

Bieber needs to be traded. The Guardians are good enough to win the Central if they can add a bat or two.

They have the advantage in the pitching match-up tonight. I would expect them to win.

j/c...

Was up at the Guardians yesterday and tonight with the family. Great game tonight. Not much more fun than a walk-off win!

Crowd on 7/3 was incredible, too bad they lost that one. I do not ever remember it taking so long to get into a game as last night's and that includes playoffs and World Series. The lines were insane.

Time to send Arias back down and call Oscar Gonzalez back up.

Nearly 4k over capacity on 7/3.

It is good to read that they are drawing more.

Sponge Bob needs to be recalled after the ASG. Send Arias back down. Not giving Arias any opportunities as it is.

I hope they bring OG back, he is the hottest in the organization right now, but only if they play him everyday. The OF has to be LF-Kwan, CF-Brennan, RF-Gonzalez. You can’t bring him up and give him the Arias, Jones, Benson, Diaz treatment.

I would be on the phone with the Marlins looking to trade Straw, they are really injured/hurting at CF.

Honestly I am more of a baseball fan than football. It is not that I don't like football.

It is more that football has become what it is. IMO it has become media saturated. Lots of talk and not much content. The coverage of football has grown past overflow. The most minute detail of anything that happens gets overexposed.

Some games are great entertainment. Many are not.

I remain an avid Browns fan. But that is about it.

The "game" of baseball I love. It is such a great game. I am glad that it is evolving and I think the changes are for the good. I will be glad when the strike zone becomes automated. For some that is a hard pill to swallow. Myself it is not. I am tired of the inconsistent and varying strike zone.

I was born in Cleveland. My parents were Indians fans. We moved to Harrisburg when I was three and lived there ten years before returning. As a kid I collected baseball cards. I became a Brave fan (then in Milwaukee) because I loved their uniforms. And Hank Aaron became a hero because I watched him win Home Run Derby.

I moved to Atlanta in 1978. Got heavily involved with baseball. I coached and my son was very good.

This season I am watching IMO one of the best teams I have ever seen. 2023 Braves have a lineup that will break offensive records. They don't have the pitching of the great teams of Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine. But this years offense is something to behold.

Elly De La Cruz has become must see TV. MLB should be marketing the hell out of him.

Guardians in first place in the division after today's win and Twins loss. This about the time Tito's teams usually start rolling. 18 total hits with Bo Naylor collecting 3. Another nice outing by Gavin Williams. Complete the sweep tomorrow.

Guardians Over 500.

Win today guarantees 1st place at the break. Need to make a move before trade deadline.

Braves win 11th straight series with the win last night over the Rays. Go for the sweep today.
60 wins before the break.

Thanks for those reports.

I don't get to watch much college ball. I did watch some of the College World Series.

This dude Paul Skenes who went numero uno is the real deal. He will not play much minor league ball. I would not doubt he will be in the majors his first season.

Ironically I saw the Florida pitcher Hurston Waldrep play in the series and he was drafted by the Braves. Another player who grew up in Georgia and is a huge Braves fan.

Spencer Strider is from Ohio and grew up an Indians fan and wears number 99 in honor of "Wild Thing." He leads all of MLB in K's.

I guess technically this will be Skenes 1st season. He will play somewhere in August and parts of Sept. He may start in AA. mMaybe even get a cup of coffee at AAA late this year if he commands AA. He may get the major call next year. I don't know all the rules, but probably after the time where the team still holds the rights another season....Juneish?

Major college baseball is probably about equal to AA ball...at least SEC baseball. AA has better players top to bottom, but the bats equal things out a bit, at least as far as pitchers are concerned. Guys who hit .310 in college might be .260 hitters with a wood bat.

There is a big difference in how baseball players arrive in the majors than how football players reach the NFL.

NFL football is fed by the college pipeline to the NFL. That is pretty much it. There are a few exceptions.

In MLB the path to the pros is different. College players is just one piece. The Braves as an example prefer to draft high school players. They get control of them and manage them through their minor league system.

Then there the "International draft." Some teams have "farms" in Latin America where they sign kids at 16. Then raise them up through their systems. Then there are Asian players who play in their pro leagues and come to the majors after they become eligible.

East Cobb Baseball has put a bunch of kids into the majors. Players from all over the southeast come to play for the East Cobb travel teams. Those teams compete at the highest level of play. They then get college scholarships or are drafted into the minors. I saw at least 20 players enter the majors that played for East Cobb teams. That is amazing. One county in Georgia is like a farm team.

j/c

Local kid just got drafted in the 9th round, pick number 284 - by Houston. Daughter's classmate, actually. Jaren Williams. Graduate of Archbold, 2 years at a jr. college, then a scholarship to the U. of Toledo. Led the NCAA in stolen bases this year in regular season. MAC player of the year.

He may never may the majors, but it's still kind of cool to see. Dude knows me. He's been to my house. Chatted with him a few times this summer.

Next up, a local guy that went to OSU. Kade Kern. Will be interesting to see if / where he gets drafted. Daughter tutored him in h.s.

Last year at this time the Central race looked close to what it is today. Close race no separation.
The Guardians did nothing at the trade deadline.

This year?

My hope is the Guardians do something this year. That something is go all in on a trade to get Juan Soto.
He is 24 years old.
He is one of the best young talents in MLB.

He would be a cornerstone player. He hits for average and power. Great plate discipline.

It has been so frustrating to follow the Guardians. They have this great farm system. They develop talent. Then to nothing to leverage that asset and go for it. Win the division and have the roster to contend to win it all.

Tito is a fantastic manager. They have starters and and a good pen.

They also have a major shortage of power. Their 60 home runs year to date is last in all baseball. The first place team in home runs is the Braves has hit
169 homes year to date.


The Guardians need to do something.

A less expensive option would be Cody Bellinger of the Cubs.

He won the MVP of the NL in 2019. Hitting .305 with 47 home runs. He has fallen on hard times with injury but has been ok this season. He is hitting.298 with 9 home runs and 29 RBI's.

Soto is the guy they should go all out to get.

j/c..

Jose!...

:47 second mark..

That is cool that he likes Jose.

Dude is a total stud.

Throwing a 100 pitches and then hitting the next day has to be hard. Normal pitchers are so regulated in how they prepare for each start. They need recovery time.

To DH the next day after pitching is not easy. Hitting requires everyday work.

Doing what he is doing is more than ability. It is facing the grind of doing it everyday from spring training to the end of the season.

Baseball is a daily grind that really wears you out.

Ohtani is really a unique talent.

I know we always take alot of pitchers, we sure took ALOT this year.

Where will Ohtani go?

First off I don't think he will be traded before the trade deadline. It would cost a lot of picks and he is a FA in 2024.

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/arti..._to_land_shohei_ohtani/s1_16493_39019841

The Dodgers are the favorites. He would remain of the West Coast. The Dodgers have money and are structured to remain competitive.

I do not think he will go to New York. He wants to win and neither NY team is in a great position to win.

The Braves are in the best position to win for the next 8 years plus. Seven of eight position players are locked into long term deals. Strider, Kyle Wright, and Elder are locked up as pitchers. Max Fried still has another year before FA and could be signed.

Morton and Ozuna will be off the books next year. Ohtani goes to the rotation and replaces Ozuna as DH.

That means Ronald Acuna and Ohtani could be on the same team. The two best players in Baseball.

Ohtani to Atlanta would give Ohtani what he wants. The best chance to win. The Braves are very profitable. The "Battery" a outdoor shopping complex is part of their stadium. It racks in money. Ohtani will bring in more money.

IMO the Braves are just behind the Dodgers to win the big prize.

Absolutely absurd that Oscar Gonzalez has not been called back up.

Wahoo!

I went to the Guards/Pirates game on Tuesday. Really impressive game from Cleveland. Naylor is a stud

I think the power that be believes he got a big head towards the end of last year, thought that he made it, and that was a pass to swing heavy at anything and everything. Bringing him back up this soon might not be the medicine he needs to want to not get demoted once again if he is called up. This is all speculation on my part but maybe they'd like him to mature a bit more and his "timeout" needs to be a bit longer?

(Watch him get called up in a few days, haha)

If the FO is concerned with players not earning their spot or being entitled to a roster spot, then it's time to sit Straw and Rosario down. Move Brennan to CF, Oscar in LF. Get Arias some playing time rather than languishing on the bench or just send him back down and get Freeman more ABs.. Straw should be a rotational 4th outfielder. Great glove. Trash bat and not stealing enough bases.

This FO has wasted the best manager they ever had... can you imagine tito coaching the 90's unit.. we would have had same run the braves had. I don't care about market..if owners want to win you spend the money.. if you look to say you own a team and pocket all the profit but just stay competitive enough to get fans believing this might be the year... you are the dolans..

One second too late..


apparently they're saying that the Guard got fleeced... I don't know enough to know... dodgers fans saying the trash got taken out...

The Guardians traded a roadblock at the shortstop position.

I am not a huge follower of the NL, but it looks like Snydergaard kinda fell off the cliff this season. Maybe they can fix him. Who knows?

SpongeBob is back!

Dont mind trading Rosario, just wish they would got a SP to help now. With Bieber, McKenzie, and Quantrill already on the IL, this trade really does not help us.

Sure it opens up either SS or 2B, if they move Gimenez back to SS or not, for alot of our young talent infielders like Arias, Freeman, Rocchio, Brito, Martinez, and Tena.

I think I would held onto to him thru the end of the season if thats best they could get for him, and pray for a draft compensation pick.

Hopefully Jose doesn’t request a trade, him and Rosario are best friends. Can’t find the article now, but Jose took less on his contract hoping they would give Rosario some of the money he left on the table.

.5 games behind the Twins.

Trade deadline tomorrow.

This is what so frustrates me with the Guardians. They don't seem to be in it to win it. Last year at the deadline "nothing."

The division is there to win. They have a loaded farm system.

Yet it seems like the attitude of the owner is "who cares?" Lose players to free agency. Bring up a young guy. Pay him peanuts and good luck Tito.

Play 500 ball and hope people come to the park. Keep payroll at minimum.

I don't understand that and it pisses me off. They never make moves to be a great team.

I am a Braves fan but I am also a Cleveland fan. I became a Braves when I was nine and started playing Little league in Pa. My first glove was a Warren Spahn model and I loved the Braves uniform. Hank Aaron was my favorite player. I collected Braves and Indians baseball cards.

I moved to Atlanta in 1978 and started going to games and really getting into the Braves.

They are a great baseball organization. They run the organization the right way and their record proves it. I would still like the Guardians to become a great organization but damn they are frustrating.

I get the sense that the Guards will fall back too. Not sure why I feel that way.

Side note: the Orioles are a fun team. And really balanced.

Early in the year I watched the Braves play the O's.

That was when the Rays were way out in front. The O's left a lasting impression.

I really felt that they would be in it. Here they are now in first place. They have talent. They play hard and are aggressive.

After years of dwelling at that bottom it is good to see them rise up. The Rangers and O's look like the cream of the AL.

j/c...

Not sue I get this trade. From the little I know about Manzardo, this trade doesn't seem to help us this year nor does it provide significant upside in the future.

Decent prospect. No help this year.

??????????????????????

seems like the Guards are punting. So dumb

The only thing I can figure is that they really like their young pitching, and they feel that Civale will break down again this season, and might as well get something for him.

However, getting back a broken down player in return seems a lot like settling.

Love of a prospect and fear of injury was behind the Guardians trading Aaron Civale – Terry Pluto - cleveland.com
https://www.cleveland.com/guardians...ns-trading-aaron-civale-terry-pluto.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Scribbles in my notebook after the Guarrdians traded Aaron Civale to Tampa Bay for minor league first baseman Kyle Manzardo:

1 When the trade was announced, I wondered, “They got this kid Manzardo and who else?” I was hoping for a haul like Cleveland did when trading Mike Clevinger to San Diego. That deal brought Josh Naylor, Cal Quantrill, Owen Miller, Austin Hedges, Gabriel Arias and prospect Joey Cantillo to Cleveland.

2 But it’s Manzardo for Civale, straight up. I had been hearing Cleveland was open to trading its only healthy and effective starting pitcher for that reason – Civale is finally healthy. He has been on the disabled list five times since 2021. That’s five times in 2½ seasons, including nearly two months this year with an oblique strain.

3 As the Guardians talked trade, Civale’s value wasn’t what they’d hoped. According to the Guardians media guide, his injuries included a “right middle finger strain” … “left glute tightness” … “right wrist strain” … “right forearm inflammation.” Then the oblique problem this year.

4 Part of me wonders what would have happened if Shane Bieber had stayed healthy. Tampa Bay was shopping for an experienced starting pitcher. This trade shows the Guardians absolutely love Manzardo, who is ranked as the No. 37 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. That could have been the Clevinger-type trade, starting with Manzardo and adding others. But Bieber went on the injured list with elbow problems. He’ll be out at least until the middle of September.

5 This is a tough trade for the current coaching staff and roster. Manzardo is on the injured list in Class AAA with a shoulder strain. It sounds like he’ll be out for a while, and probably not see the Majors until 2024. This trade hurt the short-term quest for the playoffs in 2023.

6 President Chris Antonetti hinted at other moves to come, possibly to bring in another starting pitcher. The trade deadline is 6 p.m. Tuesday. We’ll see.

7 As for Manzardo, the lefty hitter “comes at a steep cost,” according to Antonetti. Civale won’t be a free agent until after the 2025 season. Other than the fear of injury, there was no rush to trade him. The driving force appears to be a chance to acquire Manzardo. Antonetti admitted the team needs hitters at the upper end of the farm system.

8 Baseball America wrote this about Manzardo: “He emerged as one of the breakout prospects of 2022 when he hit .327/.426/.617 with 22 home runs and 81 RBIs in 93 games while climbing to Class AA. He’s come back down to earth some this year as his weaknesses have been exposed by advanced pitchers in Class AAA. He hit just .238/.342/.442 with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs in 73 games at Class AAA Durham while failing to make the quality of contact expected of a top first base prospect. At his best, Manzardo has exceptional strike-zone discipline and swing decisions. He avoids chasing out of the zone and sprays line drives around the park. He has the raw ingredients to be an above-average hitter, but he has struggled badly against lefties this season (.148/.262/.273) to create platoon concerns. Manzardo has just above-average raw power, which sits on the low end for a first baseman, and will have to prove he can get to it against high-end pitching.”

9 Baseball America didn’t like him. I do think a .784 OPS is good for a 23-year-old in Class AAA, where the average age is 26. His 2022 season was his first full year of pro ball. He batted .327 (1.036 OPS) with 22 HR and 81 RBI in 93 games at the Class A and AA levels. The Guardians have no one in the farm system with those type of stats.

10 I don’t know these prospects well enough to have a strong opinion. In general, I trust the Guardians on deals like this. Finding prospects in trades has been their speciality. Even this season in his first taste of Class AAA, Manzardo had 30 extra-base hits (19 doubles and 11 homers) with 11 HR and 38 RBI in 73 games, batting .238 (.784 OPS).

11 As one MLB source mentioned, “Who would have thought Civale would bring a top-50 MLB prospect at the start of the season?” It’s a fair question. Manzardo zoomed up to Class AAA after only 106 games at the lower levels. He was a first team All-American at Washington State. He’s always hit.

12 This is a wait-and-see trade. Wait and see if Civale stays healthy. Wait and see if Manzardo turns into the hitter the Guardians project. Wait and see what the Guardians do for another starting pitcher. So we wait ... and see.

The article clarifies the picture.

My problem was understanding "their plan."

I do not profess to know the organization in totality. What I know is they have a good farm system. The roster is weak offensively.
They have lots of good young pitching talent.

I thought they would leverage the farm talent to secure some offense. Now it seems clear their plan is. "We are not ready yet."

Trades now can be expensive. It is a seller's market. They love this young first baseman. He will play next year.

This off season maybe they will make some moves to really try and win.

As you said, it's a sellers market. Civale is at his height in value. The guy is a #3 pitcher IMO. Maybe a #2 in a good year. Add in his propensity to get hurt...not the bad injuries, just the nagging things and it makes sense to me.

We picked up a top prospect. The guy in known for hitting. We need hitters, so we went and got one.

No, he won't help this year. Maybe any year, but Civale wasn't either.

I thought Civale's ceiling was a #3 starter in a rotation that was healthy.

This team, even if it wins the crappy Central, is most likely going nowhere significant in the playoffs. We know it (even if some don't want to admit it) and the Guardians FO knows it. We've seen Civale for a handful of years and he has plateaued as a pitcher, and adding in the injuries, I don't think this team expected to see more growth as a pitcher. He is what he is at this point.

There are a bevy of young pitchers in the bigs right now- McKenzie, Bibee, Williams, & Allen. I'm guessing the Guardians would like to give them more innings through the end of the year. We also have young prospects like Espino and Cantillo (maybe?). If Quantrill wasn't injured, I'm guessing he would be on the trade block too or flat our DFA'd. I think they've seen enough of him and know what he is. A #4/#5 pitcher with no upside.

When you are basically tied for first. It is a hard pill to swallow.

But reality is no matter their position in the division. They are a .500 team.

Runs scored and runs given up is a telling stat. The Guardians are +2. That equals a .500 and second place.

The Braves are +148 with the best record in baseball. That is a big gap.

So, looking at the big picture. The Guardians are being honest.

j/c…

Darn that's alot of dead money for a penny pinching front office
To take on. Can someone explain to me the love
Affair Francona has for Myles Straw?
He is a automatic out in the lineup

All I can say for Straw is centerfield is one of those defense first positions.

In most cases you can find someone who can do both to an acceptable level, but if not, the defensive ability is usually going to be the determining factor.

I know that isn't the answer you or others want to hear, but that's how it works.

I grew playing baseball and watching alot of baseball
Namely the Braves and the National League.
If a team has solid power hitters 3 to 5 then yeah ok
You can get away with a banjo hitting CF.
But at least when I was a student of the game
You had guys that could bunt their way on base or beat
Out infield hits routinely.
Miles Straw rarely draws walks or try to bunt his way on.
The Guardians have one legit power hitter.
In that case you need guys that can get on base
Anyway possible.
There is a reason why the Astros happily gave up
On Straw.
Straw at best is a late inning defensive replacement.

After the deadline passed the GM for the Braves was interviewed during the Angels game last night.

He was really interesting and transparent. He made an interesting comment about post season play.

I will paraphrase.

In post season play you face the best pitchers of playoff teams and stacked relievers. It is very difficult to string together base hits to score.

The name of the game is to hit the ball into the seats.

The Braves this year have hit 204 home runs in 105 games. They are on a pace to blow past the record for team home runs in a season.

You want to be able to win games with pitching. But you will need to win games 8-6 by outscoring you opponent also.

Analytics dominate baseball. They show you need power in today's game.

Exactly. A lineup of 5 of 8 hitters that can put the ball in
The seats is so hard to beat.
I remember those Braves Teams with Justice , Gant ,McGriff, Jones, Lopez
Were so lethal. Then they had solid contact hitters like
Pendleton and Lemke....
The Guardians last year was a anomaly
You can't sustain success with punch and Judy hitters.
The Guards remind me of the Cards teams with Whitey Herzog.
Minus the bases telling. 1 power hitter in the whole lineup.

Crime dog was in the both as well. He was honored for being selected into the Hall.

He was talking about how today swings have been altered to hit the long ball.

I have never seen a team go deep like the Braves this year. Batters one through nine are deep threats.

Seven positions have over 20 HR's to date. The other two SS and CF both missed time and have 11 apiece.

They average very close to two per game.

Some don't like the long ball. Myself, I like it. I like offense. I like games that go back and forth. That does not mean I don't like a good pitching dual. I do. Overall with the rule changes baseball is better than ever. I would like to see a digital strike zone.

I would love digital strikezone. It’s hard to watch sometimes because of the strikezone. Not just for the Guards (even though I feel our rookies are getting squeezed) but I tune into alot of games and it just isn’t consistent. One team pitches and gets no calls, the other team pitches and gets the calls the other team wasn’t.

I think it was cheaper to take on Segura’s money than Bell picking up his player option for next season. Manzardo the 1B we got from TB, was rated the prospect traded for at the deadline.

Anyone watch us get no-hit last? I told the wife after after the 2nd, we were getting no-hit. No plate discipline, swinging at everything. Was 1 pitch away from a perfect game.

We really need a change in ownership and FO.. This team is stuck and is just unwatchable. Bad drafts, worse farm management and non existant FA and trade deadline moves. I don't want to hear the BS about market, plenty of money to be able to do more than we have. Can't blame attendance anymore as its picked up the last couple years.. so whats Dolan's excuse now. The adage you have to spend money to make money holds true in professional sports.. want people to come out and spend money on seats and merchandise...give us a reason.. Only player I like on this team is Jram... rest are JAGS

After missing 3 months with a forearm strain Max Fried returned to pitch against the hot Cubs.

He went 6 innings no runs. Three weak groundball singles. He was outstanding.

The continue to hit bombs win 8-0.

The first team to win seventy games. 70-37.

I see them winning 110 games.

.

Hammy’s call

The Guardians immediately playing the "Jose, Joseeeeee....." music is an all timer, lol.

I'm dead. 🤣

...why watch baseball when I can get all the good stuff on Twitter?

AP writer Tom Withers said the stadium speakers were playing "Ring My Bell" during batting practice.

Savages.

Ok. I'll keep piling on.....

The worst part for that clown Anderson is that he got clobbered while another White Sox player was putting a headlock on Jose.

When do Bieber and McKenzie come back?

Beiber
McKenzie
Williams
Bibee
Allen/The Viking

A solid rotation with a offense that needs to take it up a notch...or ten.

manny ramirez jr, dangelo ortiz, and jaden sheffield

Wow...

I think Bieber possibly mid-sept if we are close. They are still trying to figure out if McKenzie needs tommy john surgery, I don’t think he plays til 2025.

Next year here’s what I think:

1. Williams
2. Bibee
3. Allen
4. Syndergaard
5. Cantillo, Espino, or another rookie I don’t know about.

1. Kwan. LF
2. Gimenez 2B
3. Ramirez 3B
4. J Naylor 1B/DH
5. Jonathan Rodriquez RF, with Noel in the wings.
6. Manzardo 1B/DH
7. B Naylor C
8. Arias, Freeman, Rocchio, Tena SS or another SS I’m forgetting
9. G Valera CF

I think in the offseason we trade Bieber, Straw, and Gonzalez.

Matt Olson has 43 home runs. You could take him off the Braves and they would still lead baseball in home runs.

They will set the home run record most likely. If you combine their two catchers Sean Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud who split time.

They will have six positions hitting over 30 home runs.

I have never seen a team destroy other teams pitching staffs like the Braves. They average 5.88 runs per game.

They will be the favorites to win the World Series and rightfully so.

But in the post season baseball can be cruel and anything goes. The 95 Indians had an offense like these Braves.

the Braves are a really good team. One of the best I can remember

In the past 6 days the Braves have beat the City of New York 58-13

And I have been loving every minute.

The Braves have beaten the Mets 14 of the last 16 games.

They swept the Yankees and put them below 500. Two shutouts the games were not close.

The Braves are really good. But baseball can be cruel. Post season is about guys getting hot. That means pitchers and hitters.

Players are notoriously streaky. The Braves lineup can beat you one through nine. Any player on the Braves can get hot and carry you. Getting through that lineup four times in a game is tough duty.

They will win the division for the sixth time in a row. They will clinch early. They will pace players and try to keep them sharp. They will most likely have the best record and home field advantage through the playoffs.

But you have to get hot in the playoffs like they did in 2021. This team is better than the one in 2021. But it is hard to capture magic.

Since the All Star game the Guardians have the lowest ERA in baseball at 2.63 more than half a run better than second place.

They just cannot hit.

it's frustrating because they are in games with pitching ... but you never get the sense that they can hit their way out of a paper bag

Baseball fans all know the old adage that good pitching beats good hitting.

In 1995 the Indians were like the Braves this year. Scoring over 5.5 runs a game.

They faced the Braves in the World Series. The Glavine, Maddux, Smoltz Braves where all three pitchers became Hall of Fame'rs.

Pitching won that battle.

When pitchers are "on" and they are executing their pitches. They usually win. What I am beginning to see is that starters are now only going 5 or 6 innings unless they have a low pitch count. So, mostly the bullpen comes into play earlier than in the past.

When the Braves get into pens or the number 3,4,5 starters begin games. The Braves blast. They hit the ball out of the park.

They will have six positions with over 30 HR's. Olson is on track to hit 60.

I don't see right now the kind of starters in the NL to stop the Braves in a seven game series.

Never saw this one before, pretty cool.

I remember that game well.

Fun fact:

After baseball, Camp ran into some legal trouble. In 2005, Camp and four others were sentenced to three years in federal prison. They had been indicted the year prior for stealing more than $2 million from a mental hospital. Camp was convicted of conspiracy, health care fraud, and two counts of money laundering.

Camp passed away on this day, April 25, 2013 at the age of 59.

And then the Mets score 5 in the top of the 19th and go on to win 16-13.

The final out was a strikeout of Rick Camp. Crazy game.

It was kinda funny because the stadium was packed. Many came for the fireworks which was supposed to follow the game.

Not many left at 4:00 am.

wow John Sterling on the call too

j/c...

Pat Corrales died Monday. He was the first manager I remember . Read alot of funny stories about him over the years. I heard he was quite a character.

https://www.cleveland.com/guardians...er-pat-corrales-office-paul-hoynes.html

The Dodgers trail the Braves by four games for the best record in the NL.

They begin a four game series tonight. If the Braves win two or more. IMO the Dodgers will not catch the Braves.

Bad stat since the wild card was implemented. In the last 28 years the best record has only won the World Series eight times.

IMO they should reduce the regular season games to 158 or 154 and make the division series a seven game series.

I really hate the five game series. I don't think it is fair because it does not represent the true depth of a roster. A lesser team with two great starters can have an advantage.

No matter the post season outcome. It has been a pleasure watching the Braves play every game. They are a really exciting team and will set all kinds of records for the regular season.

Of course I want the ring.

The Dodgers are really good.

The Braves are just better. Going for a four game sweep today in Dodger stadium.

Braves now have a seven game lead for the best record in the NL and six game lead over the O's for best record in MLB.

90-45.

j/c...

As the White Sox announcer used to say....."He gone!"

it is time .... Tito has been an amazing manager. Thanks for the commitment

Enjoy retirement Tito, too bad the cheap ass FO wasted your talent.

yeah, he ALMOST got it done

Well since this season is basically done. Let’s see Noel, Valera, and Cantillo, and to make JRam happy bring his brother up for the rest of the season.

Then lose every game possible to get a higher draft pick, since the season is done.

I feel compelled to write this even if it is only for me.

This Braves team is special. Just clinched their 6th straight division championship.

Look at these team stats:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/_/name/atl/atlanta-braves

That does not tell the whole story. Their two best pitchers are Max Fried and Kyle Wright. Wright just pitched for the first time. It was a rehab start.
Fried has just completed his 7th start since coming back.

They have patched worked pitching all year from starters to the pen. Calling up minor league players for one start. Then sending them back down. Key bullpen guys getting hurt. Using someone else. Making minor trades for relievers. Using whoever has a good outing.

However, the offense continues to blast. Look at the numbers. They are assaulting all kinds of records. Closing in on the most homers ever hit by a team. One through nine every player is capable of getting hot and carrying a team for days. Team average is .275.
For a team to go through the Braves lineup 4 times in a game is like a gauntlet. Somebody is going to get you.
282 home runs in 146 games.

A 5 game playoff series can be a real problem because a team's top two starters can get 2 starts.

IMO the Braves in a seven game series will be near impossible to beat. Over this season they have dominated series play.

Once the post season begins. I get wacko. I just do. I wish it were not so. But I cannot help myself. I bleed from the drama of post season baseball.

If the Browns start 2-0 which they have done in 30 years. And with the Braves headed for post season. I may have to voluntarily commit myself to an asylum.

"which they have Not done in 30 years."

pipe dream but would really love to see Cash come here

Just found this, tell me that is sweet sound. This is C/1B Ralphy Velazquez the Guardians first pick in the 2023 draft. Watched the clip like 5 times, sound better every time

Won world series with the Braves in 2021...

Former All-Star.

Catchers make good managers.. or so I've been told.

hopefully he does a good job! Sounds like a good hire

typical.. go with the cheap meh no experience...at all option.. I was really hoping we could steal Cash. Well lets see how the 39 year old that look 59 fairs. I hope he gets more support from the FO than Tito did.. criminal what they did to him

I know he plays a good 2B, but didn’t realize he was the best fielder in the AL

what a weird way to put that.. did trump write that headline?

Bibee gets 2nd in AL ROY voting. Meaning he gets a $500,000 bonus, and the Guardians lose one controllable year on his contracts

I’m okay trading Clase, Bieber, Espino to get what we need. Power bat for LF, and RF, moving Kwan to CF.

Ive heard Espino and DeLauter for Arozarena

Bieber to the Reds for Edwin Arroyo (SS), and Rhett Lowder (SP), #2 and #3 reds prospects both ready 2025 or sooner.

Marcell Ozuna hit 40 home runs for the Braves last year. He has one remaining year on a contract for $16.

He can play LF but not very well. He has a weak arm. He can play first base maybe part time. But really he is a DH.

The Braves want a starter or possible a closer if they used their closer Rafael Iglesias in a possible trade for another player.

Bieber could be of interest. He was mentioned by Jim Bowden as a player the Braves may want.

Wow, that would be a huge get. He would have to agree to an extension before I would do that.

The Braves have not been a team to sign high priced free agents. Normally they trade for players who they would be able to have contract control over.

They are owned by Liberty Media. They are profitable partly because of the outdoor shopping mall in front of their stadium.

I have a wild theory. Ohtani is intrigued by Atlanta because they are in position to contend for a WS for many years. They have many long term contracts on star players. In addition Ohtani likes the Park.

Ohtani is more than a baseball star. He is a power economy on his own. He brings major money because of his international following.

He will be a DH all next year and then he will pitch again. He would be the DH if the Braves traded Ozuna. That would mean over 100 homes runs between Ohtani and Matt Olson.

Bieber would be the number three guy behind Spencer Strider and Max Fried.

The Braves have been reported as finalists for Dylan Cease. That is a trade deal. They are not alone in trying to get Cease. Bieber would be a good back up plan.

You never get a chance to sign a modern day Babe Ruth. The Braves have a bold GM and owners who would listen if a deal can make money. Ohtani can do that.

As I was looking for stories about the Guardians, I saw a phrasing that I thought was pretty cool. I don't think they did the turn of the phrase on purpose but I think we should start using it. They asked the question: Who are the Guardians of baseball. I think they were trying to explain that the Indians became the Guardians. But I think we should start referring to ourselves as The Guardians of Baseball.


Anyway, found this article - enjoy



What I’m hearing about the Guardians, Shane Bieber, the roster as Winter Meetings open – Terry Pluto
Story by Terry Pluto, cleveland.com


CLEVELAND, Ohio – What I’m hearing about the Guardians as the winter meetings open this week:

ABOUT SHANE BIEBER

1. The Guardians were working hard on putting together a big deal involving Bieber near the 2023 midseason trading deadline. Then Bieber had elbow problems, and that ended any serious talks.

2. I heard the Aaron Civale/Kyle Manzardo deal originally began with Tampa Bay wanting Bieber rather than Civale. There were several players involved, not just Manzardo. Then Bieber was hurt, and out, and they settled on Civale for Manzardo.

3. Cleveland fans were upset because Civale had a 2.34 ERA at the time of the trade. The Guardians were concerned about Civale’s health. He had been on the injured list five times since the start of 2021. Civale had a 5.36 ERA after the trade. Manzardo batted .256 (.938 OPS) with 6 HR and 16 RBI for Class AAA Columbus. Then he hit .272 (.905 OPS) with 6 HR and 19 RBI in 102 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League.

4. While they’ll never say it, there’s a sense of relief from the Guardians about that deal. There were no reports of Civale being hurt in Tampa Bay, but he pitched like it. Manzardo is a promising young hitter and the Guardians need lots of those – regardless of position. Manzardo is a first baseman.

5. While the Guardians say they aren’t moving Bieber unless they are “overwhelmed,” it remains a possibility. While Bieber missed significant parts of the 2021 and 2023 seasons due to arm problems, starting pitchers are prized – especially those with Bieber’s pedigree.

6. Bieber is expected to earn $12.2 million in 2024. Then he’ll be a free agent. The reason I began this with a discussion of the Civale trade is that some of the same themes exist with Bieber. Can the right-hander stay healthy? If Cleveland waits too long and he’s hurt (again) during the season, that destroys any trade value.

7. Suppose the Guardians had waited until the offseason to trade Civale. They never would have received anything close to a return such as a top hitting prospect on the doorstep of the big leagues such as Manzardo. That does factor into their thinking about Bieber.

8. Bieber went on the injured list July 9 and didn’t pitch again until Sept. 22. His last start of 2023 was a good one. I went to Progressive Field to watch, and Bieber allowed one run in six innings, fanning seven vs. the Reds. In that game, he looked like the Bieber who was 13-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 2022. That was his last healthy season over the last three years.

9. The Guardians are debating: Is Bieber’s trade value higher now than if they wait for the season? They want to gauge that at the Winter Meetings, where several major-market teams are shopping for starters and are willing to take a chance on Bieber staying healthy.

ABOUT THE BALLY TV DEAL

1. The Guardians TV deal with Bally/Diamond for 2024 was supposed to be for $60 million. Bally is in bankruptcy. There are reports Bally wants to dump Cleveland and Texas. It’s a mess.

2. If the Guardians become TV free agents, perhaps they can put together deals with a local TV station and streaming services … or something. The days of major cable companies bidding for teams is over. Streaming services have hammered their revenues and demolished their dominant positions for sports programming.

3. MLB is willing to take over the TV rights of any team that needs a home. I hear they have a plan in place for Cleveland and other franchises. But it won’t be close to the $60 million the Guardians expected in 2024. I heard it’s in the $40 million ballpark.

4. Because of the uncertainty with the cable situation and the likely drop in revenues, the Guardians probably will come back with the same $89 million payroll as 2023 – perhaps even less. The TV situation means the Guardians won’t be involved in any big-money free-agent deals.

ABOUT THE ROSTER

1. The Guardians believe they have their catcher of the present/future in Bo Naylor, who hit ‚252 (.893 OPS) with 10 HR and 27 RBI in 174 plate appearances after the All-Star break. They’ll sort through Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio at short to open the season.

2. I sense they’d love Arias to win the shortstop job. His arm and range are excellent. Arias is a right-handed hitter who batted .083 (8 for 108) vs. lefties. He was a .275 hitter (.791 OPS) vs. righties. That makes no sense, as righties usually are more effective hitting left-handed pitchers.

3. What about moving Andrés Giménez to shortstop? That’s doubtful, at least in the short term. He’s a Gold Glove winner, the best defensive second baseman in baseball. What can change that would be a quick rise of Juan Brito, the Guardians’ Minor League Player of the Year according to Baseball America.

4. The 22-year-old Brito advanced from Class A to Class AAA last season. Overall, he batted .271 (.811 OPS) with 14 HR and 75 RBI. He has played short, but is more suited for second base. It’s possible the Brito/Giménez combination could be in the middle of the infield at some point in 2024. Brito will open at Class AAA.

5. The problem with the roster is the outfield. Leadoff hitter Steven Kwan is set in left field. He can play center, but the Guardians believe he’s elite defensively in left. They don’t want to move him. Myles Straw is coming off two dismal seasons as a hitter in center. He could be part of a trade.

6. This brings us back to Bieber. How can the Guardians find a young outfielder who can hit without making a trade? They need two outfielders. They are bringing back Ramón Laureano, but the veteran is best vs. lefties. He is a good defensive outfielder. Trading Bieber probably is their best option to help the outfield.

7. Finally, the rumors about the Guardians trading Emmanuel Clase don’t make sense. They traded for Scott Barlow to add experience in the back end of the bullpen. They are looking for more veteran relievers. A top MLB source told me, “They (the Guardians) aren’t motivated to move Clase.”

8. The Guardians organization always had doubts about Oscar Gonzalez having long-term success in the Majors. They worried about his swinging at pitches out of the strike zone and believed MLB pitchers would figure him out. Gonzalez was a local hero and a productive hitter for several months in 2022. Last season, he struggled and showed little power. The Yankees claimed him on waivers. He does need a fresh start somewhere, because they don’t believe in him here.

ABOUT THE COACHING STAFF

1. The Guardians wanted some continuity for new manager Stephen Vogt. A big move was retaining pitching coach Carl Willis. Sandy Alomar Jr. handles the catchers and is the first base coach. He also helps the baserunners. Those two guys offer lots of experience for a rookie manager.

2. They offered DeMarlo Hale a chance to return, but the former Cleveland bench coach took the same job with Toronto. My guess is Hale knew he wasn’t in the mix to replace former manager Terry Francona, so he looked for a fresh start elsewhere.

3. The Guardians also kept hitting coaches Chris Valaika and Victor Rodriguez along with several other assistant coaches. I like the addition of Rouglas Odor, who spent 35 years in the Cleveland organization. He’s beloved by his players in the minors. Now, he comes to the big leagues. Odor is considered “an awesome leader” by the front office.

4. The bench coach is Craig Albernaz, who was a serious candidate to replace Francona. He coached and managed in the minors for Tampa Bay, then served as bench coach for San Francisco. Another former Giants coach joining the staff is Kai Correa, who worked in the Cleveland farm system at one point. It’s hard to keep up with all the moves because MLB teams have so many coaches/assistant coaches. Former Guardians third base coach Mike Sarbaugh was hired for the same job with the Mets.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ml...er-meetings-open-terry-pluto/ar-AA1kUNWq

Winning the first pick is a huge.

The projected top pick is:

1. JJ Wetherholt, INF, West Virginia
Mayo: “Unbelievable hitter. Won the batting title last year. Hit almost .450. Power showed up. Stole a bunch of bases. I think he’s going to go out in the spring and show that he can play shortstop. He’s played mostly second base before. I don’t know if this might be splitting hairs over some of the other guys at the top of the college list, but his ability to show he can handle a premium position is what kind of gave him the very slight edge over the (next) guy.”

That's outstanding!