Guardians Win Another Series Despite Loss in Finale to Texas, Rotation, Offense Showing Improvements

Guardians Win Another Series Despite Loss in Finale to Texas, Rotation, Offense Showing Improvements

by Jeff Ellis, Locked On Podcast Network

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About This Episode

33:39 minutes

published 18 days ago

English

Speaker 10s - 55.82s

It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Barring some late game magic, the Guardians are not likely going to sweep the series in Texas GPE, but it took two or three after a bad series in Chicago, and really perception is all about time. And we're going to get into some of that. When guardians PRODUCT next no hitter is going to be because it's been a long time as of May 15th, 2024. We'll see if the rotation has taken some steps forward the month of May.Guardians also have more home runs this year than they did this time last year. Does that make them a better offense? We'll get into that and with Kyle Manzardo's PERSON early struggles, who will also get into whether there is a right time to promote a prospect or not all on today's Lockdown Guardians. You are Locked on Guardians ORG.

Speaker 056.28s - 63.6s

Your daily podcast on the Cleveland Guardians, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.

Speaker 265.5s - 99.72s

Hello everyone and welcome to the show today. Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime ORG. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use the code lockdown MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. I want to cut off the negativity because here's the thing. Yeah, they didn't get the sweep today.It would have been fun to get the second sweep of the year and get against the Texas Rangers ORG. After last year, they got their second sweep of the year in September, August against the Rangers ORG. Absolutely. This would have been great. But the bottom line here is they win another series. They've lost, what, three series is all year, I believe.And if you keep winning series.

Speaker 199.72s - 100.94s

Thank you, his white socks.

Speaker 2101.68s - 102.78s

And Astros ORG, right?

Speaker 1103.5s - 104.92s

Yes, the Astros ORG. That's been it.

Speaker 2105.52s - 138.2s

No, they lost the Braves ORG, too. I was two with three. Sorry, four. So I forgot the Braves ORG. That's trying to forget it. Here's the thing, you keep winning series is you make the postseason.You win your series in the postseason. You win the whole darn thing. Yeah, that's what you're going for. This is the whole point of it. Hopefully, you know, they'll keep everything going. You know, hopefully we'll see some of these young guys start to emerge.It would be nice to see Manzardo PERSON get a hit here. That's where we are joining this one for those who like to react. Yeah, it's sitting here with him.

Speaker 1138.2s - 139.56s

And he struck out swinging instead.

Speaker 2139.96s - 143.08s

So, there goes out. Hey, you're ahead of me. You're ahead of me for once.

Speaker 1143.18s - 149.3s

Well, I turned my TV off and I'm just following the game game. Yeah, because we just both kind of knew this wasn't going the right direction.

Speaker 2149.42s - 151.82s

And we were also trying to help off any internet issues.

Speaker 0152.12s - 155.86s

But, no, it was a, it's been a good series overall. I mean, they got good starting pitching.

Speaker 1156.82s - 265.16s

They, the bullpen obviously was fantastic. They scored enough runs. You know, even though like yesterday, they didn't add, they added on one late, which was good. The offense took some time to get on the roll on Monday's game. But, you know, they scored seven runs in back-to-back games. You're going to take that any time you can.They scored seven runs on Sunday. Everybody was mad. I mean, look, their play in Chicago was bad. They played poorly. There's no questioning that. I guess you have to wonder whether or not would they have played that bad against anybody? Like, again, this is all about timing, right? Like, everyone, you want toplay, you're trying to play your best baseball every day, and that's just not going to happen in the course of 162 games. You're going to go through these lulls. It just so happened, they played bad baseball against the White Sox ORG, and I guess the question is whether or not did they let their guard down because it's the White Soxand they're bad. Like, we want to say no, but I guess, you know, people are human. We don't know. Or would they have played that poorly against anybody else? Because they didn't play this poor, they played well against the Rangers ORG and the Rangers are no doubt a better team. Soyou know, is it six of one, half, other that's why i said before like perception is all about timing people might be upset they didn't get to sweep in this one and uh they're likely going to get shut out and that's a real bummer but they took two of three and they scored 14 runs the first two games like again if you go into every series and say hey the guardians PRODUCT are going to win two or three games they're going to score 14 runs over three games. Everybody's going to say, yeah, that sounds great.But, you know, if you get mad about the finale and the shutout, then you're overlooking the good stuff and the good stuff outweighed the bad stuff. Like that's why I said, perception is all about timing. Sorry, I was laughing there.

Speaker 2265.24s - 273.72s

Just like that I got a text alert about the calves remaining fond of their coach. It's just the weirdest phrasing. I'm fond of this guy.

Speaker 0274.96s - 285.58s

But here at the... A lot of people that I don't want. I just, it's, I don't know, the use the word bond really made me laugh. I am not fond of this game, but, you know, Carrasco PERSON didn't pitch poorly.

Speaker 2286.48s - 297.82s

You know, he had, you know, Josh Naylor PERSON made it. And it had just combined, let's be honest. It took both of them to make that brilliant play earlier in the game. Offensively, it's been an ugly one.

Speaker 0298s - 300.26s

But again, it's been bad. It's been really bad.

Speaker 2300.88s - 324s

But the, and Sandlin had his worst outing of the year. He's going to have one of those. He's been utterly unbelievable the rest of the year he's gonna have one of those he's been utterly unbelievable the rest of the year uh so with the rest of penn stepped in everyone did their job most of this game the guys you uh you needed to perform well perform well i'm expecting florida to strike out here because it's not been good for him of late but no yeah outside of of the the offense

Speaker 1324s - 334.7s

i mean it's what's six hits and two walks. That should, that's eight opportunities. That should be two runs. But they just, man, they're not putting anything together in this one. Double play. Yeah.

Speaker 2335.7s - 341.8s

Again, it's all about timing. It's getting ridding from scoring position. Because they've got no extra base hits. So it has to be all timing.

Speaker 1341.96s - 357.7s

If you don't have any extra base hits, then you have to string it all together. And that's, they haven't done that. Yeah. That's fine. That's going to happen. And that's why I want to have the conversation about, you know, Guardians ORG hit more home runs this year. Does that? And Floral does strike out to end the game. So,

Speaker 2357.7s - 363.4s

so it's a game. So, yeah, so that's game over. Well, I'm not going to complete that.

Speaker 1363.4s - 365.08s

That was almost bad. Sorry.

Speaker 2367.2s - 369.64s

Anyway, so Carlos Carrasco PERSON did have a good game.

Speaker 1369.98s - 373.56s

I think, again, it's all about perception.

Speaker 2373.78s - 378.36s

I think we have to, I think the Guardians know where Carrasco PERSON's at because he was only

Speaker 1378.36s - 475.88s

at 75 pitchers in five innings. You could have set him out for the sixth inning, but again, they know what to expect out of Carlos Carasco at this point. And you want to leave him feeling good. And you want to get, he's on a roll right now. He's got, he's arguably the second best starter in the month of May.I would probably say, yeah, I guess second based on results. Bybee has a better FIP in May than Carasco. And Carasco has the second best ERA behind McKenzie. So it's all very weird. The rotation has been okay in the month of May. They have been great. They've been improved since April, but this is three starts in row for Cookie PERSON that, you know, he's had a good outing. And he limited the traffic in this one. He only had one walk,five hits. He scattered. The fourth inning was really the only inning. He only had one walk, five hits. He scattered. The fourth inning was really the only inning. He was in any kind of trouble. Came back in the fifth and was good, except for the two-run homer, which, you know, that was it.But if you said, if I had told you before the game, Jeff, that Carasco is going to only get two runs in his start. You would have said, well, that's great, because the offense should be able to score more than two runs. They just didn't. They didn't hit today. But Carasco gave you enough to win, especially with this bullpen.And it didn't really matter if the bullpended because the offense didn't show up. But I am cautiously optimistic about Carasco's progression. He, again, he's got a now an Ea just under three or just about three in the month of may and that's three starts in a row he's giving up three runs or less or is it just

Speaker 2475.88s - 482.08s

the teams he's faced if we're doing the devil there was there was the angels yes so the angels

Speaker 1482.08s - 485.12s

the angels the white was it the white socks The Angels, the White Sox ORG stick.

Speaker 2486.36s - 486.7s

And then the Rangers ORG don't stink.

Speaker 1490.32s - 490.42s

Of late, though, the Rangers have been on a bad offensive stretch between Cleveland GPE and this.

Speaker 2493.62s - 493.78s

We've seen them struggling, sending guys down and having guys when you catch these guys.

Speaker 1501.02s - 501.32s

So it's like, I mean, if I'm going to be devil's advocate, the other side of it is that this might be the easiest three-game stretch he's had or might even have with the way.

Speaker 2505.1s - 507.6s

I mean, look, Texas was not a world beater in this series, even against Cleveland GPE's struggling pitching, starting pitching.

Speaker 1508.1s - 511.68s

And they've got their own sets of issues and injuries that they're working through.

Speaker 0512.28s - 513.16s

It is positive.

Speaker 2513.28s - 519.66s

I think to me the most positive aspect is the walk rate, because those early games with him nibbling was just too many guys on the bases.

Speaker 1519.96s - 522.16s

Three walks and three games so far this month.

Speaker 2522.32s - 530.44s

That's, he had 14 in the month of April. Yeah. I will say he does have total of 20 base runners on the month in 18 innings.

Speaker 1531.16s - 533.6s

But that puts him in a 111 whip.

Speaker 2533.6s - 538.5s

He's hitable. We know that. That's not a surprise. A 37-year-old being hitable, I'm shocked. Right.

Speaker 1538.86s - 541.96s

But if he cuts down on the free passes, then you can live with it.

Speaker 2542.58s - 545.36s

Yeah, you're going to get more starts like this where he's going five innings.

Speaker 1545.42s - 577s

He's giving up two runs. And they left him in the seventh inning the other day because he was pitching well. The defense heard him and they just needed the bullpen to catch a break because Logan Allen PERSON had a terrible start. And I'm sorry not Logan Allen PERSON, but the night before it was a rough one for them. And yeah, he caught the angels when they weren't good. And again, it's all about timing, right?When you're catching teams when they're not playing well, you hope to do good against them and get out of them before they do. And they heated up in this last game and the offense caught a cold or maybe couldn't hit a cold in this game. I don't know. But you have to look for positive.

Speaker 2577.96s - 578.96s

They won the series.

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And bottom line.

Speaker 2580.3s - 583.26s

You have to look for positive signs with Cookie PERSON because let's be honest,

Speaker 0583.84s - 588.76s

this starting five right now is the starting five you're going to go with until Gavin Williams PERSON comes back.

Speaker 2588.76s - 591s

There is no replacing any of these guys.

Speaker 1591.14s - 602.36s

Like I know, like, people have looked at Logan Allen and they're like, oh, replace Logan Allen or, you know, Carasco, replace Carasco. Like, there's no replacing any of these five guys right now.

Speaker 2602.64s - 606.5s

You and I were talking about this, Xavier, and Kerry PERSON has the worst fit in the minors.

Speaker 1607.36s - 609.38s

Yeah, he is really struggling in AAA ORG right now.

Speaker 2609.6s - 612.92s

I would have to look at the home road splits and see if Columbus ORG,

Speaker 1613.24s - 617.72s

the ballpark is hurting him at all. But the home run rate is really not great for him.

Speaker 2618.12s - 621.96s

And then there's nobody else in AAA ORG to call off.

Speaker 0622.06s - 623.16s

Like, Will Dion PERSON is struggling.

Speaker 2623.78s - 634.4s

Hunter Stanley PERSON's on the injured list. And he wasn't even an option before. Tyler Beatty is starting down there to try to in AAA to call off. Like Will Dionne is struggling. Hunter Stanley's on the injured list and he wasn't even an option before. Tyler Beatty PERSON is starting down there to try to give them an extra option. Cantillo PERSON's not back yet. The biggest disappointment amongst the pitchers in the minor so far.

Speaker 1634.5s - 638.1s

Just because I thought, you know, maybe he'd find the, you know,

Speaker 2638.2s - 646.62s

that even though he didn't have necessarily the stuff, it would be more successful and it just hasn't been there. Oh, it's because I need to. I'm going to, I'll get Curry PERSON's

Speaker 1646.62s - 896.52s

Homeroads. So, yeah, Cantillo's not anywhere near back yet. And even Gavin Williams isn't near back yet. I mean, he threw a 50 pitch bullpen on Wednesday. And that was encouraging because he reported no pain. So he is going to throw a bullpen Friday. And then after that, I'd imagine, then he gets to go on a rehab start. And so you're talking May 17th. If he goes on a rehab start next week, you're probably looking at like the mid-June, like a month from now. So we're talking the second week of June for Williams PERSON. This is just starting five for the next month. And they have improved as a staff in the month of May.And their ERA is 399 in the month of May, not including today's game. That's down from 417. So it's not down that much, but it's down. And they're on track to pitch more innings in the month of May and they did April. So those are both good signs. But yeah, this is who you have for the next month or so in the rotation.And, you know, with Carrasco PERSON, if you have to pull him after five innings because he pitched well, so be it. But that means you've got to have guys like Tanner Bybee PERSON step up and you've got to have Tristan McKenzie PERSON step up. And Tristan McKenziehas. He's been better in the month of May. So that's an encouraging sign. And he's going to pitch this weekend. Bybee's last start was pretty good against the Rangers ORG. He'll just need to put two in a row together. Logan Allen PERSON has to get it going here soon because really,really if you want to look at the rotation, Logan Allen PERSON is kind of the problem child right now. He had a good start against the White Sox ORG, so I'm not going to be too negative on him, even though the White So ORG socks are not good, but that's what you're supposed to do.So we'll take it. All right. So we talked about the rotation a little bit. And May 15th, it's been 43 years since Len Barker's PERSON perfect game. The Guardians ORG haven't even had a no-hitter since. So we're going to have a quick debate about whether or not who is going to be the next personto throw no-hitter. Because I feel like this conversation's been going on forever and the answers have changed. And it seems like it's never going to happen. And then we'll also talk about if the Guardians are a better offense this year, just because they're hitting more home runs. And we'll have a discussion about whether or not there is a right time to promote a player from the minors,all coming up on the rest of today's Lockdown Guardians PRODUCT. Well, as Jeff PERSON always says, we're not supposed to have favorite sponsors, but I can't help enjoy game time because you guys know I use this app all the time. There are some other sites that had their concert or they had their special ticket package weeks last week if you wanted to get them for a lower price. Really, the GameTime ORG app is what I'm looking for.I did check out some of those prices and I decided I'm going to wait. I want to see the Black Keys later this month in Cleveland or later this month, later this year in Cleveland GPE. And my wife and I decided we're going to wait to use the Game Time ORG app on the day of because they have last minute ticket deals, flash deals, zone deals, and they have tickets to everything, even if it'scomedy shows, your Cavs tickets for September, not the playoffs. Sorry to bring the mood down for that one. And they have the lowest price guarantee because you can get 100% of the difference if you find the same ticket in the same row for less. And I love the view, too. You can get a view from your seat before you're buying the tickets so you know what your tickets look like as well. So game time takes the guesswork out of buying. You can wait to the last minute if you want.Buy those NBA ORG tickets. Buy those concert tickets at the last minute. Don't stress about it. Download the game time app. Create an account. Use our code locked on college for $20 off your first purchase.Terms apply. Create an account redeem code locked on C-O-L-L-E-G-E, all caps for $20 off. Download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest prices, guaranteed. And you can check out, the Guardians are actually off today as you're listening to this. But Friday, they are back home against the Twins ORG.You can check out all the action on your Series 6 on app. Just search Guardians ORG. All right, Jeff, 43 years ago.

Speaker 2897.26s - 898.22s

I wasn't alive yet.

Speaker 1898.72s - 927.02s

I was not alive either. No, I was at the game. I was there. I wasn't alive, but I was there. Because that's the joke among a lot of people from that generation is that I was at the game. I was there. I wasn't alive, but I was there. Because that's the joke among a lot of people from that generation is that everyone was at the game, even though nobody was at the game because it's a, it was, nobody was there because it was,nobody was going to those games. But, man, I feel like every year at some point someone has this discussion. We did this all throughout the Klobry years and when Carerasco PERSON was good and other guys in this rotation.

Speaker 2927.02s - 931.42s

I remember when Charles Niggi PERSON was close. You know, when I was a teenager.

Speaker 1931.42s - 943.38s

Klobara Krasco and Cody Anderson got close in 2015 all in the same year. Who is going to be the next, who is going to throw the next no-hitter-perfect game for Cleveland GPE? Is anybody on this current staff going to do it?

Speaker 2943.88s - 944.76s

Daniel Espino PERSON.

Speaker 1947.66s - 950.68s

That's going to be awfully hard to do without a right shoulder, but sure.

Speaker 2951.28s - 955.28s

I'm donating mine. Is that really helping or hurting?

Speaker 1955.4s - 956.18s

No, it's hurting.

Speaker 2956.34s - 959s

I mean, I've never had any shoulder issues. It's clean.

Speaker 1960.04s - 968.98s

It doesn't have overuse unless, you know, it's like I was a soccer player more than a baseball player for most of my life.

Speaker 0969.14s - 971.3s

So it doesn't have the muscle bill if you maybe want.

Speaker 2971.86s - 973.28s

My legs are good.

Speaker 1973.58s - 975.56s

Eventually then for a guy doing that.

Speaker 2976.28s - 977.72s

He's got the best stuff to do it.

Speaker 1977.92s - 984.7s

Like, honestly, if someone's going to do it, he's the guy if he can get healthy, like that's the guy who, it's a joke, but it's not a joke.

Speaker 2984.7s - 986.48s

Like, you know,

Speaker 1986.58s - 987.9s

because there really is nobody else.

Speaker 2987.9s - 988.14s

Like,

Speaker 1988.7s - 1000.36s

I don't know. Like, I guess we want to say Bibi PERSON's the ace, so maybe Bibi PERSON. McKenzie got really close to one yearagainst Detroit ORG. Remember he was, I think he took a no-no or a perfect game into the eighth inning?

Speaker 21000.52s - 1001.88s

Remember when PLEASC ORG got close

Speaker 11001.88s - 1004.82s

against Seattle ORG? Like, it's going to be somebody random. Like, PLEASC ORG went,

Speaker 21008.34s - 1008.4s

that's true. They're having those, they're having those random ones.

Speaker 11012.92s - 1019.9s

Who was the guy in the White Sox that had one and he was like out of baseball the next year? Philip Humber. Philip Humber had one for the White Sox and he was out of baseball by the next year. Like it does happen.

Speaker 21022.46s - 1023.12s

Irvin Santana, no hit the Guardian ORG.

Speaker 11025.92s - 1051.28s

Yeah. The Yankees pitcher, Domingo Hermann PERSON. Like, he's not, I don't think he's on a team or he's in AAA ORG. Like, he had one and he's out of baseball or whatever. So it does happen randomly. So I don't know. Ben PERSON lively, Ben lively, no hitter, right? He's the ace right now.So why not? Not based on the numbers in the month of May, but, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and predict it's not going to happen in 2024. I'm going to say that the way we have done with predictions,

Speaker 21051.64s - 1052.6s

I think I should go.

Speaker 11052.6s - 1053.6s

It might happen. Yeah.

Speaker 21053.72s - 1055.7s

It's almost guaranteed if we say it's not.

Speaker 11056.8s - 1069.24s

Yeah. So go and bet on that on Fandle ORG when we get to that. See what the odds of a no hit. All right, Jeff PERSON. The Guardians have 43 home runs this year, I believe. Is that what I looked at last?

Speaker 21069.24s - 1072.76s

43 years and 43 home runs. Some nice synergy.

Speaker 11072.94s - 1078.18s

Sorry. 46 home runs. They have 46 home runs this year.

Speaker 21078.38s - 1079.2s

Not nice energy.

Speaker 11079.96s - 1105.24s

That is not nice synergy. No. Last year at this time, though, they had, I believe, 23. Let me see if I had that right. 23. Sounds about right.They were, like, awful a year. Yeah, they've played four more games. But they had double the home runs in four, even though it's four more games. Does that make the Guardian's offense better just because they hit more home runs this year?

Speaker 21106.96s - 1139.54s

It doesn't make them better just because they've hit more home runs. It makes them better because how bad the offense was a year ago. More home runs by itself does not imply betterness. But it definitely is a, I don't know if I want to say a symptom, it's a sign that they are doing a lot of things better overall. So I think it is, yeah.I mean, I don't have any doubt that it's a better offense. Scoring seven runs felt like an impossibility last year, and we just had a stretch where they had multiple games in a row where that happened. Correct.

Speaker 11139.74s - 1147.34s

Yeah, I mean, they were pretty much towards the bottom last year in home runs. Overall, they were at this time last year, they were dead last in baseball and homers.

Speaker 21148.08s - 1150s

The walk rate was, a sort of bad.

Speaker 11150s - 1157.2s

The one area last year they were better at that they are not this year is walk rate. This year, the walker.

Speaker 21157.2s - 1159.54s

And they were bad at it last year. Yeah.

Speaker 11159.66s - 1164.58s

And it was, it was actually through the month of May last year, it was almost 10%.

Speaker 21164.58s - 1166.1s

Was the Nino walk, right?

Speaker 11166.18s - 1169.6s

That's like the one guy. Bell PERSON was the guy who walked. Yeah.

Speaker 21169.66s - 1174.64s

So the Guardians, yeah, the Guardians will be scored 142 runs through 40 games last year.

Speaker 11175.06s - 1223.62s

This year through 43 games, 44, I guess, after the loss, it is at 209. So it's almost a 60-run improvement. They're still, there's still six in the league and runs scored overall at this time last year. In terms of offense, they were 28. So I would say the offense is better. It would just be great to get that walk rate.Ironically that the walk rate was almost 2% higher than it was a year ago. If you could, the Guardians could be like a top three offense this year if they had last year's walk rate, which is really ironic. But that's because Bo Nailer has essentially given you the same offense as Mike Zanino a year ago, which is troubling to say in a lot of ways. So your catcher offense hasn't improved really all that much in a year, which we were banking on.

Speaker 21223.62s - 1229.18s

And your defense hasn't really improved either, unfortunately. It's both aspects.

Speaker 11229.26s - 1229.8s

It is not.

Speaker 21230.8s - 1234.98s

And last year, you know, Kwan PERSON was, was feeding league average, right?

Speaker 11235.06s - 1236.4s

He was struggling early on.

Speaker 21236.7s - 1237.6s

He's been awesome.

Speaker 11238.64s - 1242.14s

Jose has had his struggles and both years, yeah.

Speaker 21242.32s - 1242.5s

Yeah.

Speaker 11242.5s - 1246.84s

And, I mean, Nailers ORG has beeners been pretty consistent though he the thing a year ago

Speaker 21246.84s - 1254.94s

was um he started out rough he was really bad bad luck 75 w rc plus yeah so that's one of the big shifts

Speaker 11254.94s - 1264.28s

as well ironically tyler freeman 93 w rc plus miles straw 69 so i guess tyler freeman is

Speaker 21264.28s - 1265.02s

it's just well just this is better i know it's Freeman PERSON is. It's just, well,

Speaker 11265.06s - 1266s

just this is better.

Speaker 21266.86s - 1267.12s

I know,

Speaker 11267.18s - 1267.76s

it's more than slightly,

Speaker 21267.76s - 1268.92s

but it's just the funniness

Speaker 11268.92s - 1273.1s

of early season stats. Like he was below Miles Straw before the Texas GPE series.

Speaker 21273.64s - 1279.6s

He's just, he has a good series or two than a bad series or two. And that's part of being a young guy. You know,

Speaker 11279.64s - 1283s

it's hopefully we'll see some consistency. He had a nice defensive play tonight.

Speaker 21284.14s - 1288.9s

You know, it's just in him walking. Again, that is, that is what we need see some consistency. He had a nice defensive play tonight. You know, it's just in him walking. And that is what we need him to do.

Speaker 11289.78s - 1298.9s

Ironic that right now his WRC plus is 93, which is good. He's hitting a buck 93. Ironically, it's his walk rate that is holding up his value.

Speaker 21299.7s - 1303.1s

Like that's not something you or I ever thought we would say about Tyler Freeman PERSON.

Speaker 11303.6s - 1306.5s

Was his walk rate is holding up his offensive values.

Speaker 21306.56s - 1308.18s

That gives him a little bit of a floor, which is good.

Speaker 11308.72s - 1337.72s

Will Brennan PERSON has seen improvements. I mean, he's in a 92 WRC plus as of Wednesday. Last year it was 41. So he has come a long way in the last year. Shortstop ORG essentially has, I hate to say it, offensively, it's taken a step back. Like Arias and Rokia both have a 74 WRC plus,and they've both contributed next to nothing offensively. And Medrizario, at this time a year ago, for all the struggles, was in an 85, like it's an 11 points. So maybe it doesn't matter because they're both below average.

Speaker 21337.72s - 1351.28s

And it's interesting because you got Rokio PERSON, who's completely balanced out by walks and getting on base. And you have Arias PERSON, who's there because he's actually put a little bit of a charge into it and been able to occasionally get some extra race hits.

Speaker 11351.44s - 1366.32s

So they're doing different things to be the same level of non-production. Yeah, you struggled through Oster Gonzalez last year, but through May, and he was terrible. Sadly enough, Ramon Luriano PERSON was an improvement over that. So who else was in the

Speaker 21366.32s - 1385.5s

It's a better offense and there's more hope. Like there's more hope with young players and some of the vets that were failing. So like, I don't know, maybe I'm being too positive, but it's like, I still think that there is a chance that like it's going well and I think it's just going get better. Like Manzardo PERSON, I believe in him. He's going to turn around.

Speaker 01385.74s - 1388.06s

Rokio PERSON, I think, has a chance to be a league average bat.

Speaker 21389.62s - 1399.48s

You know, Freeman PERSON, if he can just become league average, like all those things, yeah, maybe it's asking a lot, but there's so much potential in there. So I'm still a believer. I'm still buying in.

Speaker 11401.06s - 1405.76s

Kulah, I wish we had the music from, was it the monkeys who sang I'm a believer? Yeah. By just saying that, we're going to get copyright infringement on that. I wish we had the music from, was it the monkeys who sang I'm a believer? Yeah.

Speaker 21405.9s - 1409.1s

By just saying that, we're going to get copyright infringement on that.

Speaker 11409.5s - 1410.2s

I agree.

Speaker 21410.2s - 1415.78s

I agree. Right? That's that the next thing. I don't know.

Speaker 11416.64s - 1458.54s

Yeah. So the offense is better than a year ago. We agree on that. And I think it could get better by way of just moving some guys around or just seeing some improvement. It's only May.Some of these guys are still getting the first full-time gigs of their career for the most part. The offense is better. Talking about Kyle Manzardo, you know, he was playing fairly well at AAA ORG when he was called up and, you know, he's hit the, and it's been a tough one for him. So we're going to talk about whether or not there is a right time to promote a player from the minor leagues.Oh, wow, I'm just going to blow our whole segment before you even get there. All right. Stick around for that coming up on Locktime Guardians ORG.

Speaker 21463.14s - 1482s

So I was checking out our friends at Fandul, and Cleveland still is number two in the AAL Central at plus 165 to the Twins plus 120. I'm recommending you take the Chicago White Sox at plus 50,000. Think about it. If every other team has a horrific accident, that's plus 50,000.

Speaker 11482s - 1482.94s

I often think I'll say money on fire.

Speaker 21484.56s - 1492.56s

You're saying that that's not the way to go is I shouldn't I shouldn't take out all of my savings, but I'm the Chicago White Sox ORG to win the division. That's that's a poor bet.

Speaker 11492.56s - 1499.2s

Tonight, for instance, the Texas and Cleveland game had a 30% profit booster. So there's all sorts of

Speaker 21499.2s - 1525.5s

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Speaker 31525.64s - 1577.28s

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Speaker 11581.12s - 1592.22s

Guardians off on Thursday, back in action on Friday hosting the Twins ORG. It's the debut of the City Connects PRODUCT. I'm excited for that. And, you know, you can't see the City Connect on your serious XMF PRODUCT.

Speaker 21592.28s - 1596.9s

You can certainly listen to them. A lot of excitement about your hat yesterday. And then you're not wearing it.

Speaker 11596.9s - 1616.72s

Yeah, yeah. I wore my, I wore my City Connect PRODUCT hat. That was a lot of fun. I enjoyed that. Let's see if the Guardians ORG can't have a good record in those jerseys, even though that means absolutely nothing.But Kyle Manzardo off to a pretty slow start. I think he had, did he have two hits in this game on Friday? On Wednesday? I'm really getting out of myself.

Speaker 21617.22s - 1617.86s

He had one hit.

Speaker 11617.86s - 1636.32s

He had one hit, yeah, because he struck out when he had the opportunity for a second. Well, it's been a tough go for him. And I was kind of looking to see like okay what rookies so far this year are doing pretty good and you've got you know wenzel Perez from the tigers it's only 25 games so it's kind of early for him somehow davis schneider

Speaker 21636.32s - 1642.04s

is still considered a rookie even though he was at most of last year he like 45 yeah he's like you

Speaker 11642.04s - 1645.76s

whileer brayu PERSON is off to a great star. He both liked him.

Speaker 21646.42s - 1649.3s

Colton Couser, did Colton Couser make his debut a year ago?

Speaker 11649.44s - 1650.36s

Did he come up in 2023?

Speaker 21650.92s - 1655.84s

I thought he came up a year ago. See, I'm just getting confused to Colton Couser PERSON in my,

Speaker 11655.84s - 1657.64s

he had 77 played appearances last year.

Speaker 21657.64s - 1670.26s

In my OOTP game, he, uh, I just recently started over and he is like an MVP candidate yearly. So I'm like, is that in real life or is that in the game and he's off to it he's having a good year but so 17 qualified

Speaker 11670.26s - 1676.2s

rookies right now have a WRC plus above a hundred and honestly Jeff PERSON none of them are really top

Speaker 21676.2s - 1680.9s

prospects like for the most part you have Wenzel Perez Davis Schneider PERSON at the top while a

Speaker 11680.9s - 1689.82s

braean wasn't really a hot prospect Colton Couser was Joey Ortiz is off to a good start with Milwaukee. Somehow, Corey Lee PERSON is a rookie. I can't

Speaker 01689.82s - 1695.74s

with Corey Lee as a rookie. He's at 124, but he's only played 28 games. You've got Blaze Alexander PERSON,

Speaker 11695.86s - 1713s

who wasn't a highly tited prospect. Michael Bush PERSON was, he's off to a good start. Andy Pahease was a touted prospect. Tyler Fitzgerald PERSON was not. Jackson Merrill PERSON, obviously a top prospect. Max Schumann from Michigan GPE. Didn't know about him until he... Eastern Michigan ORG.

Speaker 21713s - 1718.44s

Well, he's born in the state of Michigan GPE, too. Oh, okay. I thought you meant the college.

Speaker 11718.6s - 1728s

Yeah, he's a Mac kid, and he was born in Michigan GPE. Ivan Herrera, who's taking over for Wilson Contreras PERSON because he's hurt. Austin Shenton is 15th.

Speaker 21728.08s - 1732.76s

Mason PERSON, like, former. Austin Shetton, former Guardian ORG's draft pick, by the way. Okay.

Speaker 11732.96s - 1756.36s

Mason Win is 16th who really isn't known for his bat. Evan Carter, who has actually been hurt and has really struggled this year. He's been 103 because of walks. Like, this list of guys who are over 100 WRC plus offensively for rookies is really not a who's who of top prospects. Like the only guys on here I can count are Colton Couser, Michael Bush PERSON,Andy Pahey's, Jackson, Merrill PERSON.

Speaker 21756.42s - 1758.48s

Who are like top 100 guys. Yeah.

Speaker 11759.86s - 1764.24s

Yeah. Austin, Evan Carter, Mason PERSON win. I don't know if Mason was a top hundred guy because he was.

Speaker 21764.24s - 1764.84s

He was.

Speaker 11765.78s - 1785.08s

A lot of other defense. So you got like, you got six out of this top 17 guys that were like hyped prospects. You know, you've got guys like Austin Martin PERSON who are struggling. But the thing I see is a lot of these guys on this list besides like Perez and Ortiz. Most of these guys had debuts a year ago. Bush was up a little bit last year. Wasn't he for the Dodgers ORG before he got traded?

Speaker 21785.58s - 1789.76s

He was. He was up and out of it. Yeah. All these guys kind of go up for a bit.

Speaker 11790.76s - 1825.18s

Yeah, I feel like most of this list, these guys, you know, took some bumps and bruises a year ago, and now they're good. So there is no right time to promote a prospect. I think at this point,because of how big the gap is between the major leagues and AAA ORG, is that you're going to promote guys, and they're mostly going to take their lumps early on. Like, once they'll breads off your great start, I don't think either of us, I think that's going to continue. He's got a 382 bad, so I don't think that's going to continue. But I think you just like, White Langford, White Langford's got a 68 WRC plus. He was probably the most tight prospect in spring training.

Speaker 21825.9s - 1828.88s

Yeah, him or Jackson Holiday PERSON, who also, you know, stunk, right.

Speaker 11829.04s - 1834.1s

I don't think there, I, the guardians in the past, like I said before, have studied this.

Speaker 21834.18s - 1837.16s

They've studied when to bring guys up and when is the right time to bring them up.

Speaker 11837.62s - 1874.02s

They tried to do qualitative studies on that. And I guess, I think the gap in AAA ORG and the majors is so big anymore that there's no right time. You just bring these guys up and you just want to let them take their lumps, honestly, and hope it's not so bad. You have to set them back down. Hopefully they can play through it and then get through it.But I kind of wonder now if the better method is to bring some of these guys up, like in September, when they can still retain rookie eligibility for next year based on the PPI program, if the better method is to bring some of these guys up, like in September, when they can still retain rookie eligibility for next year based on the PPI program and take their lumps light in the year and then come back next year and be better for it.

Speaker 21874.38s - 1879.56s

I think it is. I don't know if Cleveland GPE's ever going to do it, though, because it also then sets them up for service time. Service time, right.

Speaker 11879.92s - 1882.06s

You know, it's the double-edged sword when you're a small market.

Speaker 21882.06s - 1888.18s

I do think it helps. I mean, getting exposure, like a Gunner Henderson who won the rookie of the year, right? Like, he was essentially at maximum amount.

Speaker 11888.3s - 1891s

He made his debut against Cleveland and Shane Bieber PERSON.

Speaker 21891s - 1905.16s

He went the first, like the first pitch he saw. But he had almost maximum amount of time. And then they sent him down. He maintained rookie status and he got him an extra draft pick, which they held, no, they held onto that one. Or is that the one they could trade that one?

Speaker 11905.8s - 1907.44s

No, they can't trade that one.

Speaker 21907.48s - 1908s

You can't trade them.

Speaker 11908.12s - 1909.42s

They trade the competitive balance,

Speaker 21909.42s - 1915.22s

but they still, you know, yeah, I mean, they played it perfectly.

Speaker 11916.64s - 1949.06s

Yeah, I just don't think there's a right time anymore. I mean, you, no. Ideally, the case always was you want to bring him up when they're doing good in the minors. And obviously sometimes you don't always get that choice. Like they brought up Manzardo PERSON and he was doing fine.I wouldn't say he was great. But at least based on like that week, overall the numbers you're going to look up and you're going to say, wow, the numbers are great. It was just like that particular week they brought up up. He wasn't like on fire. But yeah, sometimes you have a choice.Like, Quad PERSON was on the IEL and he was the next best option to come up offensively.

Speaker 21949.16s - 1953.44s

You weren't going to bring up, you know. And he was hitting one at the time. He was,

Speaker 11953.56s - 1978.16s

yeah, overall the numbers were pretty good. So there's no arguments about bringing him up when you did. But anymore, I think when you bring these guys up, the expectation is they're going to struggle.Like, that's just the expectation anymore. You don't expect these guys to come up hit the ground running. I mean, John Gray PERSON, I think when you bring these guys up, the expectation is they're going to struggle. Like, that's just the expectation anymore. You don't expect these guys to come up hit the ground running. I mean, John Gray PERSON, I think we both agree, John Gray is probably like a mid-rotation guy, right? Like, he's number three. There are no John Gray's in AAA ORG.You're not facing John Gray in AAA ORG.

Speaker 21978.36s - 1979.62s

You're facing sevens.

Speaker 11980.18s - 2016.08s

Yeah, you're facing Will Dions and Zavion Curries and Peter Shalzekies and Adam Allers PERSON. Like those are who you're facing in AAA ORG. So yeah, you're going to crush those dudes. It's going to take time for these guys to come up and hit the John Gray's in the world. And, you know, dear God, have to hit Pablo Lopez PERSON or something. Like, it's going to take time.So I'm not worried about Manzardo PERSON at all, but I think the overall arching theme here is like, there's no right time. So when they get to the idea about bringing up Valera or Jonathan Rodriguez PERSON or, you know, if it's Daniel Schneeman PERSON or whoever they bring up, there's no right time. You just got to get the answer on these guys and let them take their lumps.

Speaker 22016.38s - 2039.62s

Yep. No. And, you know, speaking of taking our lumps, we better take our time. Well, I guess we got a little bit of space. I want to throw one other thing out there. Everyone was two things. Everyone was talking about trading relievers. The one thing I'll say is you can't make your team weaker for the possibility that someone's going to be successful. Like if they trade someone and then the one thing is if you're trading a reliever,it's to a team that's good. They're not trading you current pieces. They're trading you prospects and you're stuck in the same loop.

Speaker 12039.62s - 2040.56s

They want to get better too.

Speaker 22040.88s - 2042.94s

So you're stuck in the same loop we just talked about.

Speaker 12042.98s - 2052.96s

So that is the danger with it. I agree. It is what they have. But we're going to gonna do a mailback tomorrow so if it says there's no game so if you have questions take advantage of it this is your chance to ask about those

Speaker 22052.96s - 2073.62s

trades to talk about the draft um be part of the show be part of the show you know have your name pop up in there um be one of our our many every dayers we thank all of you who join us every single day win lose or draw. We know that it's always harder after loss, but thank you for showing up and showing up strong.

Speaker 12074.16s - 2078.62s

And speaking of that. Pablo Lopez this week, by the way. So the Guardian ORG's offense gets a little break. Yep.

Speaker 22078.78s - 2087.7s

And make sure you have clicked the little alert button and done all that stuff, rate and review, download it helps, and go, go, Guardians ORG go.