Cleveland Sports Forum

Manzardo certainly deserves more than a handful of games to prove his worth!
Laureano on the other hand has more than established his lack of value.


Arias threw the game away for us and is back on his no offense streak again. I hadn't realized that he NEVER walks, well once in total for the season vs 20+ strikeouts.

After his outstanding game at 2nd base, Arias starts at SS today. He's one of 2 RH bats in the lineup vs Clevinger; the other is everyone's favorite Ramon Laureano with his 4 RBI average of 156 and OPS 536.

The "new offense" is familiar from 2023 with the exception of the number of solo homers.
Absence of Kwan seems to have removed the spark.

Arias got to show off his poor defensive skills at 2nd and SS in back to back days.

"Eloy Jimenez sent a double-play grounder to Gabriel Arias at short. But Arias, who made a game-changing error at second base on Friday, made an offline throw to second and the Guardians had to settle for one out thanks to a great catch by Andres Gimenez."

Pathetic but not unexpected. I knew there was a chance of getting swept in this series. Chances look good since this lineup ha difficulty hitting rookie pitchers with 0-4 records and era's over 5. Three straght quality starts and zero to show for it. Looks like the magic show has ended and no reinforcements at Columbus ready to help except for Rodriguez and Schneemann. I guess it is what it is. This is the best we got. Gotta make the best out of a bad situation. This is shaping up to be a long season.

I want to add Brito to that list.

And of course, I did mention Straw. He's the only viable solution and the most experienced lead off hitter we have right now. His defense in center is invaluable. Screw his batting average. It was a mistake to place him on waivers. Kwan was a huge setback. Wholesale changes. Brito for Arias. Rodriguez for Laureano. Straw for Freeman. I' like to squeeze Schneemann in her somewhere.

I would like to give Brito a lot more than 6 weeks in AAA before he comes to the majors. He is starting to hit but he's only at 200.
Arias is awful but he came just as well advertised as Brito. Gabriel gets a chance to mess up at 3rd base today with Jose as the DH

Logan Allen takes his 6.41 ERA against Soroka's 6.34. He's not a rookie just a newcomer to the AL so perhaps the Guardians can hit him a little.

LIneup features only sub-200 hitters: Freeman who does have 4 homers and 4 steals and OPS of 637; and Florial 3 homers 2 steals OPS 635.

Both of those OPS figures surpass Giminez who's average has slipped back down to 241 and has only 1 homerun He's hitting 132 in May

Jose and Josh have 20 homers between them 1/4 of the way through the season. 80 HR total would be impressive.

Nice recovery by Logan Allen after some bad starts, 6 shutout innings earns his 4th win despite a 5,62ERA

Fry's 3rd homer with a man on plus two walks leads the offense. Hitting 309 with 952 OPS
Florial's 5th double and 2nd triple match up against 3 homers and six singles. He's not a big star but his offense is far more potent than Freeman and certainly Laureano

Let there be chaos: Guardians avoid sweep with 7-0 victory over White Sox

Updated: May. 12, 2024, 6:02 p.m.|Published: May. 12, 2024, 4:24 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CHICAGO -- When it comes to the Guardians, a little chaos can go a long way.

The Guardians returned to form Sunday to beat the White Sox, 7-0, and prevent being swept in a four-game series by the last-place team in the American League Central.

Yes, they hit home runs, as they did in the first three games of this series. But on Sunday they scored runs by other means as well. A few of them came courtesy of the basepath chaos that manager Stephen Vogt champions.

First, let’s talk long ball.

In the fourth inning, Andrés Giménez fouled a ball off his right knee against Mike Soroka. Giménez was down for several minutes before walking it off.

When he stepped back in the box, he hit Soroka’s next pitch into the right-field seats for a 1-0 lead. It’s doubtful Giménez was playing possum because he was limping the rest of the game.

“I don’t know how he got back up after that one,” said Vogt. “I’ve never seen him down that long. You know he was really hurting.

“He just turned his brain off and hit a homer. All he could think about was the pain in his knee.”

David Fry made it 3-0 two batters later with a two-run homer to left. Josh Naylor was on base after doubling off the wall in right center field.

The Guardians hit seven homers in the series, but came away with only one win. The lesson? Don’t be afraid to try a little chaos before the ball starts sailing over the fence.


“That’s our offense,” said Fry. “One through nine we can hit for damage. Then we get on the bases and run them hard and put pressure on the defense. We were able to do that.”

The chaos started in the first when left-hander Logan Allen was hit in the back by a ball off the bat of Tommy Pham to start the inning. The ball deflected off Allen, and Josh Naylor picked it up and stepped on first for the out.

Allen stayed in the game, but it’s the second time this season he’s been hit to start a game. New York’s Anthony Volpe hit him in the elbow with a liner on April 14. He stayed in that game as well, with the Guardians winning 8-7 in 10 innings.

On Sunday, Allen (4-2, 5.66) threw six scoreless innings for the win. He struck out three, walked one and allowed six hits.

Cleveland’s rotation in the series posted a 2.52 ERA (seven earned runs in 25 1/3 innings).

“It’s familiar territory,” said Allen. “I’ve been hit a few times now. You just have to shake it off and get right back to it. The adrenaline fired me up.”

The chaos continued in the third.

Center fielder Ramos Ortega misplayed Estevan Florial’s single into a triple with one out. Brayan Rocchio followed with a fly ball to not-so-deep left field. Florial came sprinting home and arrived at the plate at the same time as Pham’s throw.

The headfirst-sliding Florial was called safe for a 1-0 lead when the ball skipped past catcher Korey Lee.

It was the kind of run Cleveland had spent the whole series trying to score.

“This was a tough series for us,” said Vogt. “We have a lot of things to work on. But it’s nice to get a win today.”

The Guardians really turned to their wild side in the three-run sixth.

José Ramírez drew a one-out walk against Soroka (0-5, 6.50). When lefty Tim Hill relieved to face Josh Naylor, he tried to pick off Ramírez, but threw the ball away as Ramírez went to second.

After Fry was intentionally walked, his third of the year, Will Brennan sent a soft grounder to second baseman Zach Remillard. Ramírez scored when Remillard threw the ball past first, with Fry going to third and Brennan to second.

“Will Brennan’s hard 90 (to first base) caused that,” said Vogt. “I was joking with him. Hey, when you run hard you put the pressure on the defense. That why we push the limits because it causes chaos.”

he inning just kept rolling

Fry scored on a passed ball, with Brennan going to third. After Gabriel Arias walked, Florial doubled to left to make it 7-0.

Following Saturday’s 3-1 loss, Vogt said the Guardians needed more traffic on the bases. The sixth inning looked like Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

Next:

The Guardians open a three-game series against Texas on Monday night at Globe Life Field. RHP Tanner Bibee (2-1, 4.91) will start for the Guards, while RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-2, 4.66) will start for the Rangers at 8:10 pm. Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.


CONDENSED GAME

https://www.mlb.com/video/condensed-gam ... 0Games&p=0

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It’s lonely at the top without Steven Kwan: Guardians takeaways

Updated: May. 12, 2024, 3:17 p.m.|Published: May. 12, 2024, 3:05 p.m.

......Tyler Freeman, hitting .193 (21 for 109), was at the top of manager Stephen Vogt’s lineup for the series finale against the White Sox on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field. He follows Estevan Florial and Brayan Rocchio, who went a combined 2 for 26 in seven games at the top of the lineup.

These guys have something against Straw? The minute Kwan went down, the call should have been made to Columbus. Maybe, with Straw, we pick up an extra win or two. Still no mention that I've seen or heard of Straw being promoted.

No one on the team has the ability to lead off. Gimenez? Maybe.. Ramirez?? Definitely! If they don't want to deal with Straw, Ramirez would make the perfect fit until Kwan gets back in the saddle.

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2-31 after Freeman's 0-5 yesterday. There is no one on the team who can come close to matching Kwan

FYI, Richie Palacios is hitting 280 with OPS over 800 in Tampa. DFA'd by Cleveland at age 25 after 54 big league games. No team is perfect; and this year is a small sample for Richie. Will Benson and Nolan Jones certainly have not shone in their second years with new clubs

A touch of chaos goes a long way in Guardians’ 7-0 win over Rangers

Updated: May. 14, 2024, 12:15 a.m.|Published: May. 13, 2024, 10:54 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

ARLINGTON, Texas -- It wasn’t a big dose of chaos, just enough to get the pot boiling. After that, chaos reigned.

Some daring baserunning by Estevan Florial and a bad hop off the mound on a throw home from center field popped the cork on some bad times for Texas as the Guardians beat the defending World Series champion, 7-0, Monday night at Globe Life Field.

Florial, in a scoreless game, started the eighth inning with a ringing double to right field. Brayan Rocchio, with one out, followed with a bloop single to center field. Florial, with third base coach Rouglas Odor waving him home, rounded third as center fielder Leody Taveras threw to the plate.

Normally, Florial would have been out by 20 feet. But this is Chaos Baseball, spawned by manager Stephen Vogt. Taveras’ throw skipped off the third base side of the mound as Florial scored for a 1-0 lead, and Rocchio went to second.

“I trust Ruggie there 100%,” said Vogt. “He’s been phenomenal as our third base coach this year. It was a very aggressive send, but that’s what you have to do in a game like that.

“In the moment I was like, ‘ooooooooh.’ Then the ball hit the mound and we got a break. He had some unbelievable holds and sends the rest of the game.”

The Guardians sent seven more men to the plate against Jose Leclerc (3-3) and Jacob Latz. When the inning ended they were leading 4-0.

José Ramírez had a two-run single after Tyler Freeman walked and Andrés Giménez singled to load the bases. After Josh Naylor was intentionally walked and Will Brennan flied out to left, Giménez scored on a wild pitch for the fourth run of the inning.

Ramírez and the Guardians caused more disruption in the ninth with three more runs. Giménez doubled home the first run and Ramírez added another two-run single. Ramírez ended the night at 2 for 3 with four RBI, two walks and two of Cleveland’s three steals.

“Jose is always looking to win,” said Vogt.

Ramírez’s two steals moved him past Elmer Flick into sixth on the franchise stolen base list with 208. Ray Chapman is next at 233 steals.

The Guardians are 2-3 on this seven-game trip. The Rangers have lost four straight, their longest losing streak of the season.

Most of the night was ruled by starters Tanner Bibee and Michael Lorenzen. They were coming off bad starts, and they pitched like they were trying to atone for them.

Bibee held the Rangers scoreless on three singles through 5 1/3 innings. Lorenzen allowed one hit through seven scoreless innings.

“The first five innings tonight were as good as we’ve seen Bibee attack the strike zone,” said Vogt. “He kept the counts short. He was getting early outs. He was putting people away.

“He lost his command a little in the sixth, but there’s not one negative to takeaway from tonight.”

The Rangers’ first hit was a shot to short in the fourth by Nathaniel Lowe that Rocchio made a diving stop on. His throw to first beat Lowe, but Josh Naylor couldn’t hold the short hop.

In the fifth, Travis Jankowski sent a single into right field. Bibee had a 0-2 count on Ezequiel Duran, but tried to pick off Jankowski at first. The ball skipped past Naylor as Jankowski went to second. Bibee was charged with an error, but there was no damage as Duran flied out to center.

Lorenzen, facing the Guardians for the 11th time in his career, but for just the third time as a starter, didn’t allow a hit until Freeman’s one-out single in the sixth. Freeman was erased when Giménez lined to Lorenzen to start a double play.

Ramírez beat out a deep grounder to short in the first for what appeared to be a single. The official scorer, however, ruled it an error on Corey Seager.

Cleveland’s only other baserunners against Lorenzen came on walks -- Ramírez in the fourth and seventh; and rookie Kyle Manzardo in the fifth.

The duel between Bibee and Lorenzen ended when Bibee loaded the bases with one out in the sixth on a single and two walks. Nick Sandlin, however, continued the confrontation.

Sandlin struck out cleanup hitter Adolis Garcia, a right-handed hitter. Then he retired Josh Smith, who hits from the left side of the plate, on a broken-bat grounder to second after a nine-pitch at-bat.

Right-handers entered the game hitting .094 (3 for 32) and lefties .171 (6 for 35) against Sandlin.

“Over the past couple of years, I’ve gotten used that,” said Sandlin. “You come in and sometimes have to get out of jams. Just knowing who’s coming to the plate, having a good plan of attack and going from there.

Recently, Vogt called Sandlin his “pacifier.” In other words, he brings peace to stormy situations.

“I haven’t heard that before,” said Sandlin with a laugh. “But for all of us it’s just a matter of staying ready not matter what the situation is.”

Said Bibee, “That was awesome. Bases-loaded, less than two outs. Getting out of that with no runs was impressive.”

Ramírez started the seventh with a walk. Lorenzen struck out Josh Naylor, but Ramírez stole second. It was his second of the game and seventh of the season. He went to third on Brennan’s slow grounder to third, but stayed there when Manzardo took a called third strike.

n his last start, Bibee lasted just four innings, while allowing four earned runs on five hits in a no-decision against Detroit. Lorenzen allowed six runs on nine hits over six innings in a 8-4 loss to the A’s.

On Monday, Bibee walked two and struck out four. Lorenzen struck out four and walked four.

Bibee, Sandlin, Hunter Gaddis, (2-1), Tim Herrin and Emmanuel Clase combined on the four-hit shutout. Including their six-hit shutout on Sunday against the White Sox, it’s the first time they’ve had consecutive shutouts on the road since Aug. 11-Aug. 12, 2017 against the Rays at Tropicana Field.

Next:

RHP Ben Lively (1-2, 2.63) vs. undecided on Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.


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RAMIREZ 2ND 2-RUN SINGLE

https://www.mlb.com/video/owen-white-in ... st-popular


CONDENSED GAME

https://www.mlb.com/video/condensed-gam ... 0Games&p=0

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Finally got to watch an entire G's game on TV. Had to be 2021. Not mentioned in the article was the 9th inning hit by Jose that plated 2 runs. Throw was off line and could have scored another run but I can't remember but one our runners helmets went flying off his head about 30ft from home, and the ball hit the helmet and caramed directly to Tx pitcher.

It certainly didn't hurt that the top of the order got on base before Jose hit; Freeman with a single and two walks; Giminez two hits and one walk.
And Jose came through with 2 2-run singles: he's batting only 242 but his 37 RBI lead the AL.
And Rocchio at the bottom of the order with a pair of hits added to the baserunner opportunities for the middle of the order to bring in.

Rocchio's 212 average and 7 RBI are not overly exciting, but I like his walk to strikeout ratio: 14 to 24 and his 7 steals.
Arias average is higher at 235 but I am really turned off by a 27-3 K/BB ratio.