Cleveland Sports Forum

Rocchio's First Homer Of The Spring

https://www.mlb.com/video/brayan-rocchi ... the-spring

Guardians waive Straw (sources); Fry, Arias make Opening Day roster

By Mandy Bell @MandyBell02

March 22, 2024

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- “It is messy.” Three words muttered through Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti’s lips Friday morning before the club's 10-0 win against the Rangers as the team tried to start piecing this roster puzzle together.

We learned three big pieces of information, some confirmed by the team, others not.

Let’s start with what wasn’t confirmed by the club. Per sources, Myles Straw has been placed on waivers, as reported by The Athletic. Let’s start here.

The last two seasons have been largely underwhelming for a center fielder that the Guardians locked up with a five-year, $25 million contract with options for two more seasons just before the start of the 2022 season. Since then, he’s slashed .229/.296/.284. He spent the offseason working on swing adjustments. He gained 10 pounds of muscle. He’s looked relatively decent at the plate this spring, but missed a chunk of time due to an illness.

It appears the Guardians have decided that it’s time to look at different options. Straw still has an option remaining, but placing him on waivers allows other teams a chance to claim him (and therefore, take on his salary) and removes him from the 40-man roster.

If he’d clear waivers, it’d be assumed that he’d head to Triple-A and the Guardians would have to continue paying the rest of his salary. Because his service time is between three and five years, he could elect free agency, but he’d, in turn, forfeit his current contract. That seems unlikely.

That’s all we have on Straw for now. The other two bits of news were confirmed by the Guardians.

One, Carlos Carrasco and Tyler Beede were told they’ll both make the Opening Day roster. One will be the fifth starter and one will work out of the bullpen.

Secondly, the team has informed the following 11 players that they’ve also made the roster:

Infielders

José Ramírez
Andrés Giménez
Brayan Rocchio
Josh Naylor

Catchers

Bo Naylor
Austin Hedges

Utility

Gabriel Arias
David Fry

Outfielders

Steven Kwan
Ramón Laureano
Tyler Freeman

This brings us to a handful of other questions.

Why did Arias and Rocchio both make the roster?

Rocchio is expected to get the bulk of the playing time at shortstop. Arias will fill a utility role. But when they also have Fry and Freeman who can bounce all around the field, why do they need Arias, too? I think the Guardians are still working through how exactly everyone will get time. It’s clear that the theme of this roster, though, is versatility.

“When you have a team that has a third baseman, a second baseman, a left fielder and a first baseman that are going to play virtually every day,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said, “you want to have as many options as you can for off days, for moving guys around and to create more opportunity for yourself.”

If Arias and Fry are handling the utility roles, where does that leave Freeman?

With so many guys who can bounce around, it’s clear that Freeman is mostly being looked at in the outfield right now. And because Straw seems to be out of the equation, Freeman has a legitimate possibility of claiming the center field job.

“I think Tyler has done, in our view, an extraordinary job in transitioning as a very capable center fielder and outfielder in general,” Antonetti said. “So we view him as a very, very good and real option for us in the outfield, as well as the infield.”

What’s left to sort through?

The Guardians are halfway there on the fifth spot in their starting rotation. They know that the spot will be occupied by Carrasco or Beede, but that’s still being decided. The bullpen will have one of those two plus at least Emmanuel Clase and Scott Barlow. Xzavion Curry and Ben Lively may not be ready by Opening Day (set back by respiratory virus).

The hope is that Nick Sandlin can bounce back from the virus quickly. That leaves Eli Morgan, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith to fill out the bullpen. If Lively and/or Curry could be available, then someone of this group would make the cut.

The last decision to make will be the outfield. There are two remaining spots on the position player side. Straw seems to be out of the running, which means it comes down to Rule 5 Draft pick Deyvison De Los Santos, Estevan Florial and Will Brennan.

The most likely scenario is that Cleveland decides against trying to carry De Los Santos, but as Antonetti already said, this is a messy situation. Anything can happen.

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Tanner Bibee made his final Cactus League start on Saturday.


GUARDIANS

Guardians blank Diamondbacks, 5-0, as Tanner Bibee tosses six scoreless innings

Updated: Mar. 23, 2024, 7:34 p.m.|Published: Mar. 23, 2024, 7:23 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians hitters got to Arizona ace Zac Gallen for three runs in the first inning and Tanner Bibee tossed six shutout frames as Cleveland picked up a 5-0 Cactus League win against the Diamondbacks on Saturday at Salt River Fields.

Manager Stephen Vogt said at this point in training camp, the club is developing excitement and energy for the start of the regular season.

“We’re ready,” Vogt said. “We’re ready to go. These guys have been putting in energy and effort all spring. We’ve seen it from day one and they’ve kept it through today, and they’re going to continue for the next three days until we head to Oakland. Whether they’re tired, whether they’re not, they’re working hard and they’re putting in the effort and that’s all we ask for them.”

Bibee, making his final spring start, finished with five strikeouts and one walk while allowing just two hits. In five spring starts, the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year runner-up went 3-1 with a 4.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Vogt said Bibee looked strong.

“Just commanding the strike zone, pounding it,” Vogt said. “He was getting ahead, finishing guys quickly, really efficient with his pitches and just had everything working for him.”

Bo Naylor put Cleveland in front with an RBI single after a leadoff double by Brayan Rocchio in the first. Will Brennan later added an RBI single of his own and then worked a double steal with David Fry on third base that allowed Fry to score on a throwing error by Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno.

Cleveland added runs in the third and fifth innings on base hits by Gabriel Arias. Informed Friday that he would make the club out of spring training as a utility player, Arias upped his spring average to .237 with four RBI and has hits in each of his last four games, including multiple hits in his last two.

Vogt said Guardians hitters are relaxing and settling in with the competition phase of camp behind them. Cleveland has outscored its opponents 15-0 in its last two games.

“We’re putting good swings on the ball, but I really like the way we’re running the bases,” Vogt said. “Our situational hitting has been really, really good the past few days. And when you do that well, you’re going to put up crooked numbers.”

Hunter Gaddis, added to the bullpen after a spring that saw him strike out 17 in 11 2/3 innings, whiffed a pair of Arizona hitters in a scoreless seventh. Jaime Barria, informed that he would not make the club on Friday, pitched two innings and struck out four without issuing a walk.

Next: The Guardians wrap up their Cactus League schedule with a date at Goodyear Ballpark against the Reds. Left-hander Logan Allen (1-1, 3.38) will take the mound for Cleveland, while righty Hunter Greene (1-2, 8.25) goes for the Reds. Cincinnati will be designated the home team for this game. The contest will air on Bally Sports Great Lakes.

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Infielder turned outfielder Tyler Freeman is expected to see a lot of time in center field this season.


Guardians finally find a solution to their shortstop explosion: The week in baseball

Updated: Mar. 23, 2024, 2:42 p.m.|Published: Mar. 23, 2024, 2:17 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Guardians have finally figured out how to use all the middle infielders they’ve been collecting over the years.

They’re just going to play them at other positions. If you can play shortstop, you should be able to play anywhere on the diamond, right?

With center fielder Myles Straw on waivers, Tyler Freeman is scheduled to see a lot of time center during the regular season. Freeman spent much of spring training working at his new position, while balancing his infield duties.

The team announced Friday that they’re keeping shortstops Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias. They started camp competing for the job, but they both came out winners. Rocchio will see most of the time at short with Arias filling in at different positions instead of starting the year at Class AAA Columbus.

Last season Arias made 14 starts at first base, 11 starts at third, one at second, 46 at shortstop and 16 in right field.

“We think Arias in particular is not just a guy you move around,” said Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations. “He can excel defensively in a lot of those places.”

The question with Arias is will he hit? In 122 games last year in Cleveland, he hit .210 (66 for 315) with 10 homers and 26 RBI. He’s struggled this spring as well, while trying to make adjustments at the plate.

Rocchio, a switch-hitter, has spent most of his career at shortstop, but he can play second and third as well. He’s coming off a big winter ball season in Venezuela, but in spring training he didn’t start hitting until late in camp.

Making sure Rocchio and Arias get enough playing time will be important.

“We looked at it through two lenses,” said Antonetti, on keeping Rocchio and Arias. “No. 1, what helps make us better? No. 2, how can we best advance their development?

“In both cases, it made sense to have them on the major league team. We’re going to have to work to get consistent playing time. But we think it will be available at this time in the season.”

Should replacements be needed, the Guardians’ endless supply of middle infielders is ready.

Angel Martinez had a great spring. If not for a bone bruise on his right foot, he may have been a factor in the final roster decisions. Jose Tena, who made his big league debut last year, was one of the final cuts in camp. As was Daniel Schneeman, who impressed with his bat and his ability to move around the infield.

Deyvison De Los Santos didn’t make it

The Guardians, in naming their opening day 26-man roster, came down to this final choice on Saturday. They had three players for two spots -- outfielders Will Brennan and Estevan Florial and Rule 5 pick Deyvison De Los Santos.

They went with Florial and Brennan for one reason:

They liked De Los Santos’ power potential -- 20 home runs at Class AA last year -- but team-wise they didn’t feel they could compete for the AL Central this year while carrying a player in a non-contributing role. Remember, they had to keep him on the 26-man roster all year after drafting him from Arizona in December.
They certainly gave De Los Santos a look. He hit .227 (10 for 44) with one double, one homer and three RBI. He received special attention from the hitting coaches to try and get a truer read on him.

The Guardians will have to offer him back to the Diamondbacks, and they almost assuredly will take him back. The D-backs probably consider themselves lucky because they tried to sneak De Los Santos through the Rule 5 Draft.

The fact that the Guards kept David Fry, a right-handed hitter who spent most of his time behind the plate this spring, didn’t help De Los Santos. Fry can play first base, right field, DH and pinch-hit.

Don’t forget the rest of the infielders and catchers

The Guardians have 1B Josh Naylor, 2B Andres Gimenez, 3B Jose Ramirez, C Bo Naylor, C Austin Hedges and C Fry. It sounds like the DH will be a revolving door among Fry, Arias and whatever outfielder isn’t in the starting lineup.

What about the pitching

The rotation is set with Shane Bieber, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, Triston McKenzie and either Carlos Carrasco or Tyler Beede.

The bullpen has finally come into focus as well with Emmanuel Clase, Scott Barlow, Nick Sandlin, Eli Morgan, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, Carrasco/Beede and rookie Cade Smith. The Guardians did say that Smith was on the bubble because they might bring in an arm from outside the organization before opening day.

The pen definitely went through some changes this spring. Regulars Trevor Stephan (right elbow), James Karinchak (right shoulder) and Sam Hentges will open the season on the injured list. So will swing men Xzavion Curry and Ben Lively, who lost too much time to the viral infection that swept through Cleveland’s spring training camp.

Some people were concerned about Morgan’s poor showing this spring. He pitched similarly in the spring of 2023. Three months into the regular season he had a 1.89 ERA. The desert does not treat fly-ball, changeup pitches well.

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Cleveland Guardians Promote Top Prospect, Drop Expensive Veteran

March 22, 2024

Ryan Giglio

Mandy Bell of MLB reports that the Cleveland Guardians informed a mix of top prospects, veterans, and an old friend about their status on the Opening Day roster. The roster decisions also saw the team move away from a veteran with three years and just under $20 million left on his contract.

First, the Guardians announced that Carlos Carrasco will open the year as the team’s fifth starter. Another veteran arm, Tyler Beede, also made the team and will pitch out of the bullpen.

On the position player side, Cleveland rewarded roster spots to David Fry and infielders Gabriel Arias, Brayan Rocchio, and Tyler Freeman. Fry provides depth at catcher, first base, and in the corner outfield. Arias and Freeman are former top prospects who have yet to establish themselves in the majors. They will get another chance in utility roles as current prospect Rocchio will serve as the primary shortstop.

Jettisoned from the roster is Myles Straw and his golden center field glove. Despite the elite defense, the Guardians are desperate for offense, and Straw continuously provides awful production. Cleveland wants to reclaim the American League Central this year, and this move shows their aggression toward achieving that goal no matter a player’s contract status.

Cleveland Guardians Roster Moves

Carlos Carrasco

Leading off this slate of Cleveland Guardians roster moves is the retention of Carlos Carrasco in the rotation. Carrasco is a fan favorite and clubhouse leader who spent his prime years in Cleveland. The team dealt him to the New York Mets in the Francisco Lindor trade, and his production in Queens was rocky. The Venezuelan native followed up a solid 2022 with a disastrous 2023. In 90 innings across 20 starts, he produced a 6.80 ERA (62 ERA+) with an awful strikeout rate. He looked either finished or like he failed to adapt to the pitch clock.

However, the veteran made the 2024 Guardians roster party due to a solid spring. In 14 innings, Carrasco has a 2.57 ERA with eight punch-outs. It’s possible he could have made the team as a reliever, but he joins the rotation due to a Gavin Williams elbow injury. Carrasco will likely receive a few starts to show he deserves to remain in majors as Williams rehabs. If he struggles, Cleveland can cut him pretty easily.

Tyler Beede

Beede is a former top San Francisco Giants prospect who struggled in the majors before and after Tommy John surgery. The former first-round pick flamed out in America and left to play in Japan last season. Like many Americans that go overseas, Beede returns after pitching great in 49 2/3 relief innings for the Yomiuri Giants. His rebound earned him a minor-league deal with Cleveland this winter.

The 31-year-old turned a solid spring (1.69 ERA) into a spot in the Guardians bullpen after Trevor Stephan‘s season-ending elbow injury. His first outing this season will be his first in the majors in two years. Beede lacks minor league options, so he must continue pitching well if he wants to stay in the bigs. Like Carrasco, the Guardians made a small commitment to Beede and can drop him from the roster easily.

Brayan Rocchio

The Guardians roster lacks the star power it had at the end of last decade. A plethora of young infield prospects have not developed as hoped, but Rocchio will be the latest to try. Currently ranked as the organization’s third-best prospect, per MLB Pipeline, Rocchio will see plenty of time at shortstop to start the year.

Evaluators like his solid baseball IQ and disciplined approach at the plate that produces line drives. Although he struggled in a brief MLB debut last season (.247/.279/.321), the Guardians expect him to play solid defense and improve offensively as he gets more comfortable.

The Guardians roster seems to be full of young players with decent upside. If they play well, the team will likely seriously compete for the division. But if they struggle, like young players tend to do, Cleveland’s offense could leave much to desire. Rocchio seems like the poster child for this complex.

Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman

In 2022, MLB Pipeline ranked Arias as the third-best prospect in Cleveland’s system while Freeman ranked fifth. Now, both will serve as utility players while Rocchio attempts to fill Lindor-sized shoes at shortstop.

As a prospect, Arias showed great bat speed and power, but lacked discipline at the plate to get the most out of his potential. Since his prospect days, Arias has failed to make necessary adjustments and has struggled in the majors. In 138 games (402 plate appearances), he has hit .207/.282/.348 with big strikeout numbers. Arias competed with Rocchio this spring to earn the everyday shortstop job, but struggled and lost it.

To his credit, the 24-year-old produced solid hard hit rates and ran the bases well last year in a relatively full season (122 games). Cleveland likely projects that if he continues to hit the ball hard – and walk at around league-average rates – his numbers should improve as a result.

Like Arias, Freeman has provided well below-average offensive production since debuting in 2022. Additionally, advanced metrics don’t love his defense at third base, but say he is closer to average at shortstop and second. Even as a prospect, Freeman’s career was going to rely on his bat.

He came up as a contact-first, line-drive hitter with little power and low walk rates. In the majors, he has carried over his poor walk rate, but has posted solid strikeout rates and Whiff percentages. To stick in the majors, he will need to get on base more often, either by walking more or hitting the ball harder.

Arias and Freeman both have one minor league option remaining. If they struggle, Cleveland can just send them down while keeping them on the 40-man roster. However, this might be their last chance to stick in the majors.

Myles Straw

Straw came to Cleveland in a 2021 deadline deal with the Houston Astros. In the final two months of that year, Straw impressed with a career-best offensive stretch (.285/.362/.377). He coupled this with his signature excellent defense and looked as if he was developing into one of the best center fielders in the game. It even led the Guardians to give him a five-year extension that guaranteed him $25 million.

That might not be a lot for most clubs, but every penny counts for low-revenue organizations. Straw continued to field and run well, but just couldn’t hit enough to save his spot on the Guardians roster. Since 2022, Straw’s offensive production, per wRC+, measures out to be 32 percent worse than the league average. This offense has been among the worst in the sport, and even elite defense and base running couldn’t save him.

If a team claims him on waivers, they will absorb his contract. But, this is unlikely, and Straw is expected to clear waivers and stay in the organization. While he has the right to reject the minors assignment and become a free agent, he would forfeit his contract by doing so. Odds are, he stays in the organization and has a chance at being recalled if he hits in Triple-A.

David Fry

Despite experience at multiple positions, Cleveland wanted Fry to focus solely on catching this spring. That’s interesting considering he is behind Bo Naylor and Austin Hedges on the depth chart. Naylor should get most of the reps behind the plate due to his offensive potential, while Hedges will see plenty of time due to his elite defense.

It appears that Cleveland will carry Fry as a third catcher and primary pinch hitter late in games against southpaws. Fry made his debut last season after being acquired from Milwaukee and held his own. He produced a 104 OPS+ in 113 at-bats.

The 28-year-old likely earned this spot due to a solid spring (.854 OPS and two homers in 12 games). The Guardians roster lacks power (and guaranteed offense in general), and that likely factored in the decision to keep Fry on the roster.

Perhaps the decisions on Fry and Straw show that Cleveland’s priorities will slightly shy away from run prevention and focus more on run production. The old thinking allowed the club to get the most out of a little, but it seems that strategy has gone stale. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in a weak AL Central.

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Arias, Naylor, Brennan Base Hits Bibee Strikes Out 5

https://www.mlb.com/guardians/video/gab ... efault-vtp

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Cleveland Guardians Spring Training Prospect Report 3/23/24

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 24

Game 29 - Cleveland Guardians 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 0

STARTERS

Brayan Rocchio (2B-SS-3B): 1-4, 2B -

Arias, Rocchio and Freeman all logged time at short, second and third in this game, a potential look at all the versatility this roster has in the regular season. Though Rocchio is expected to play the bulk of the time at short.

Daniel Schneemann (CF): 1-4, 2K -

The coaching staff has talked up Schneemann quite a bit this spring. It sounds like he’s endeared himself to them. And truly, Schneemann is a versatile defender who can probably handle most positions minus catcher, and shortstop would be at the bottom of his list too. But he’s worked hard and seems like a scrappy utility guy. They’ve talked like he has a chance to be on the roster this year. I could see him getting a cup of coffee here to reward his work and attitude. But how he’d fit in with Rocchio, Arias, Freeman and Tena on the roster, plus Martinez, Brito an Gimenez. One, maybe two would have to be moved for him to have a realistic future on the roster here outside of the cup of coffee. He deserves the look, but it might be served somewhere else where he has a clearer path.

ALSO PLAYED

Milan Tolentino (3B): 0-1

Jeffrey Mercedes (2B): 0-1

CJ Kayfus (1B): No plate appearances

Alex Mooney (SS): No plate appearances

Justin Boyd (RF): No plate appearances

RELIEVERS

Hunter Gaddis: IP, 2K -

Technically still a rookie, Gaddis has made the bullpen out of spring training. He was hitting 94-96 with this one with a firmer changeup. He could be poised for an important year out of the pen.

DRESSED BUT DID NOT PLAY

C Kody Hufff

OF Lexer Saduy

RHP Trey Benton

BOX SCORE

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/guardians-v ... dium=email

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This is the second straight season that left-hander Tim Herrin has earned a spot on the Guardians' opening day roster.

Who made the final cut, who didn’t: Guardians spring training breakfast

Updated: Mar. 24, 2024, 10:55 a.m.|Published: Mar. 24, 2024, 8:25 a.m.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians’ 26-man roster is set, with one caveat.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Starting rotation (5):

Shane Bieber, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, Triston McKenzie and Carlos Carrasco or Tyler Beede. Carrasco or Beede will be the fifth starter. The other pitcher will go to the bullpen.

Bullpen (8):

Emmanuel Clase, Scott Barlow, Nick Sandlin, Eli Morgan, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, Carrasco/Beede and Cade Smith. The Guardians have told Smith not to celebrate too hard because they may add another pitcher through a trade or waiver claim before the regular season begins on Thursday.

Catchers (3):

Bo Naylor, Austin Hedges and David Fry. The versatile Fry is part utility player as well.

Infielders (5):

Josh Naylor, Andres Gimenez, Jose Ramirez, Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias. Like Fry, Arias will be bouncing around the diamond.

Outfielders (5):

Steven Kwan, Estevan Florial, Will Brennan, Ramon Laureano and Tyler Freeman. Like Fry and Arias, Freeman will see action in the outfield and infield. He’s expected to see a lot of time in center field with Myles Straw being waived.

The Guardians should find out by early Sunday afternoon if another team has claimed Straw and the $19.25 million that remains on his five-year, $25 million contract. If not, Straw can accept his outright assignment and report to Class AAA Columbus, or he can refuse the waiver and become a free agent. If he does that, he’d forfeit his salary.

On a lesser scale from a contract point of view, this is what the Guardians did with with Zach Plesac last year.

Rule 5 pick Deyvison De Los Santos will be returned to the Diamondbacks. The Guardians liked his power potential, but they felt he still had a lot of development to do for them to justify giving him a spot on the 26-man roster for the full season.

They spent $100,000 to draft De Los Santos off Arizona’s unprotected roster in the Rule 5 Draft. They’ll get half of that back.

Roster makeup

Two things stand out about this roster. Manager Stephen Vogt has three utility players to mix and match with right-handed hitters Freeman, Arias and Fry. That’s going to give him flexibility in making out his lineups and his in-game moves.

The other thing is the change in the pen from Day One of camp to right now. Trevor Stephan, James Karinchak, Xzavion Curry and Sam Hentges, who combined to make 203 relief appearances last season, will open the season on the injured list. Stephan and Karinchak are expected to open on the 60-day IL.

Outside of Clase, a lot of new roles in Cleveland’s reshaped pen will have to be defined over the first month of the season or so.

Saturday’s game

Tanner Bibee threw six scoreless innings as the Guardians beat Arizona, 5-0, at Salt River Fields.

Bibee struck out five, walked one and allowed two hits in his final spring start. He will face the A’s in the second game of the regular season on Friday night at Oakland Coliseum.

If Bibee’s line sounds familiar, it should.

Shane Bieber on Friday pitched six scoreless innings, striking out seven with one walk and two hits in a 10-0 win over a split-squad of Texas Rangers.

“Tanner commanded the strike zone, finished guys quickly and was really efficient with his pitches,” Vogt told reporters after the game.

What’s next

Here are the Guardians’ final two spring training games after Sunday and their first series of the regular season:

@Chase Field in Phoenix on Monday to play the Diamondbacks at 9:40 p.m. ET. MLB.com webcast will carry the game.

@Chase Field in Phoenix on Tuesday to play the Diamondbacks at 3:40 p.m. ET before breaking camp and heading to Oakland for the season opener. MLB.com webcast will carry the game.

The Guardians will open the regular season with a four-game series against the A’s at Oakland Coliseum on Thursday. Game times are 10:07 p.m. ET Thursday, 9:40 p.m. ET Friday, 4:07 p.m. ET Saturday and 4:07 p.m. ET on Sunday. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the series.

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Guardians poised to add power via 'complete hitters' among prospects in spring camp

By Jonathan Mayo

March 23, 2024

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- It’s pretty clear by now that the Cleveland Guardians know how to develop guys who know what they’re doing at the plate. In 2023, the big league team finished in the top four in contact rate (80 pct, second in MLB), z-contact rate (87.9 pct, third in MLB) and swinging-strike percentage (9.9 pct, fourth lowest).

All that contact, however, has come without much in the way of impact. The Guardians finished dead last among all 30 teams in home runs (124) and 29th in slugging percentage (.381). It’s not something the club is unaware of, obviously, and there have been efforts made to address that down on the farm. The 2022 Draft brought in first-rounder Chase DeLauter, who looks like he’s putting the injuries behind him after slugging .528 in 57 games in 2023, then posting a .914 OPS in the Arizona Fall League. Their 2023 first-round pick Ralphy Velazquez, could have at least above-average power once he’s ready for Cleveland.

They’ve also brought in some pop that should be able to help soon via trade. Kyle Manzardo was hurt when he arrived in the Aaron Civale deal, but he did slug .590 in 21 games after he came off the injured list, then posted a .565 SLG in the AFL. He didn’t homer during his extended stay in big league camp this spring, but no one is complaining about his .381/.458/.476 showing over 13 games. Using various methods of player acquisition, it’s pretty clear the Guardians are all rowing in the same direction.

“The job everyone has done to create a common language provides a framework for our scouts, our people in player development, talking in both directions and kind of knowing what great looks like in the Major Leagues, and then we work backward from that,” Guardians farm director Rob Cerfolio said. “Everyone’s kind of reading off the same sheet of music when it comes to the acquisitions and development, which creates a lot of synergy and a lot more conversations across departments. I think because of that, we’ve had a lot of success developing from within and hopefully we can continue to do that with some different types of profiles.”

That missing profile, again, has been of the run-producing power hitter who can anchor the middle of a lineup. What’s been so great about DeLauter, Velazquez and Manzardo is that while they do offer more thump than what the Guardians' system has produced lately, they’re far from all-or-nothing power guys. They fit the current philosophy while expanding it. Case in point: In his interview with MLB Network earlier this spring, Manzardo said plainly: “Strikeouts are bad.”

“We’re trying to create complete hitters and contact is certainly a pillar that we think matters quite a bit,” Cerfolio said. “But you have to be able to impact the baseball. Even guys like Steven Kwan that have come through, finding the right ways to continue to push their own improvement in those areas.

“With Chase, or Ralphie in last year’s Draft class, Manzardo coming over, it’s nice to inject some different profiles as part of your group. I think the cool thing about those guys is they also have some of those same contact and zone control traits that we think will help those guys at the highest level.”

Camp standout: Alex Clemmey

The Guardians went over slot to sign Clemmey in the second round of last year’s Draft, giving him $2.3 million in the second round. They proceeded cautiously because he hadn’t thrown in a while at the time he signed and guided him through instructional league play without sending him out for an official outing. Given that, the fact that he had a “thrower over pitcher” evaluation and was a high school lefty from a cold weather state (Rhode Island), they weren’t exactly sure what to expect from him in his first Spring Training.

Needless to say, they’ve been thrilled -- and it started early on. The stuff speaks for itself, with a 70-grade fastball and a plus curve, not to mention a newer slider he added since signing. But the 6-foot-6 southpaw had trouble in the past keeping his delivery in sync and finding the strike zone. He’s already made strides in that regard and opened some big league eyes right from the start of camp.

“We had him out here early with [manager] Stephen Vogt and [bench coach] Craig Albernaz and our new Major League staff,” Cerfolio said. “Those guys were really inviting with some of our young players getting the chance to pitch against Kwan and Will Brennan and [Josh] Naylor and guys who are in our lineup every day.

“Clemmey had been out here for almost a month and just to see him compete with the stuff he did against guys 5-6-7 years older than him … just talking to the hitters afterward, it was pretty cool to watch for a high school kid. He did a pretty impressive job just with how he handled himself, and then what he actually did out on the mound facing those guys.”

One of the things the Guardians' player development staff emphasizes is for players to really attack the things they aren’t good at. It’s been clear, in camp at least, that Clemmey really worked on the two things he needs to address to advance in the system.

“Refining the depth of the arsenal, we hope he can start for us long-term -- how can we push his secondary quality in the right direction?” Cerfolio said. “And how can we stabilize that delivery just to give him a consistent opportunity to throw strikes and allow those profiles to really stabilize from fastball all the way down to his third or fourth pitch? He’s worked very hard on that. Sometimes that’s hard for guys in their first year; they want to fall back to the things that have made them great, and he’s done just the opposite of that.”

Breakout candidate: Joe Lampe

Lampe put up huge numbers at Arizona State in 2022, with his .340/.394/.590 line helping him land in the third round of that summer’s Draft, where he got an over-slot bonus of $800,000 to join the Guardians. It looked like a tremendous pick when he broke out with a .348/.416/.493 line in April in his first full season. The wheels kind of came off after that, as he hit .211 with a .617 OPS the rest of the way. Like with Clemmey, Cerfolio and his staff pressed Lampe to use the rough lessons he learned during the offseason and they have been very pleased with how he showed up to camp this spring and how he’s performed.

“He did a heck of a job taking what he learned from it and dedicated himself in the offseason to prepare himself for Spring Training,” Cerfolio said. “He came back in really good shape and really worked on a lot of the things that we were hoping he would. We’re excited for him.”

Something to prove: George Valera

Valera, who signed for $1.3 million back in July 2017, has teased with his potential since signing, at times showing the kind of left-handed power the Guardians really need in Cleveland. He had a .910 OPS in 2021, albeit in just 86 games, and then hit 24 homers in 2022 as a 21-year-old in Double-A and Triple-A. But he’s had trouble staying healthy, not to mention the missed reps due to the pandemic.

Still only 23, Valera missed most of the first two months of last year with hamate and hamstring issues and when he was on the field, he slashed just .211/.343/.375. The hope is he can put the injuries behind him (though a hamstring issue this spring will slow him out of the gate) and get back to tapping into that power while getting his strikeout rate (26.6 percent last year) in check.

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March 24, 2024 14 Min Ago





What we learned about the Guardians’ farm system this spring

Only FOUR more days until Opening Day, but who’s counting? (Me, I’m very much counting.) I’m Mandy Bell, preparing for my sixth season on the Guardians' beat. I’ll do my best to deliver all the insight from Spring Training until the regular season arrives. Let’s get into the good stuff:

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt had his hands full this spring.

First, he had to learn how being a manager of a Major League Baseball team works. He had to memorize the names of more than 200 new coworkers. He had to form opinions of the guys in big league camp and narrow his options to 26 players.

But aside from all of that, he got a look at how bright the future is of this organization. Let’s take a look at three things we learned this spring about Cleveland’s farm system.

1. DeLauter is the real deal

OK, we can’t make any grand declarations based on a handful of games but … we can try. Cleveland’s top prospect Chase DeLauter (as ranked by MLB Pipeline) was everything the Guardians could’ve asked for. He wasn’t part of big league camp, he was part of a depth camp the team put together to help fill the late innings of early Cactus League games. As a perk, they could also practice with the Major League squad.

These guys weren’t there to fight for Opening Day roster spots. They were there to leave a lasting impression, and that’s exactly what DeLauter did. He hit four homers in 13 games and showed a veteran-like level of poise at the plate while facing Major League pitching. When he wasn’t hitting the ball over the fence, DeLauter was constantly finding ways on base. There’s a reason he’s Cleveland’s top prospect, and by the way he performed in this small showing, it wouldn’t be surprising if his debut comes quickly.

2. Manzardo is close





Speaking of debuts just around the corner…

Kyle Manzardo showed he’s ready for the big leagues. The Guardians have a checklist of things they hope a player can experience in the Minors before they’re asked to contribute at the big league level. One of those is overcoming struggles. It’s much easier if the first setback in a player’s professional career comes in the Minors. If it happens while you’re trying to prove yourself to the Major League coaching staff, it leads to more pressure (which, in turn, leads to longer slumps). Manzardo hit a rough patch last year and proved to himself that he can get out of it. By the time he entered the Fall League, he was one of the most exciting players on the field.

There’s very little left for Manzardo to prove to get the call-up. Maybe he can shore up his defense. Surely, he’ll benefit from everyday at-bats if the Guardians weren’t ready to give him that in the Majors. But this team can’t go much longer without having him on the roster. He could be the bat Cleveland has been looking for.

3. Pitching depth might be thin (for once), but the system as a whole is strong




So many Spring Trainings in recent memory include hiding starting pitchers from former manager Terry Francona. Shane Bieber wasn’t included in big league camp in 2018 to prevent the skipper from wanting him in the Majors right away. Gavin Williams was in the same boat last year. It always seems like someone (if not multiple people) is waiting in Triple-A Columbus for their chance to shine. Right now, it’s unusually quiet.

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about someone like Joey Cantillo. But aside from him, there aren’t big-named prospects or head-turning starters itching for their debuts. The Guardians will need their starters to stay healthy this year to prevent the headache of piecing together a rotation with guys who might not be ready for that role just yet. But even if there doesn’t seem to be the extra cushion in the pitching department right now, that doesn’t mean the system as a whole is lacking.




If nothing else, this spring has reminded us all that this farm system is strong. DeLauter and Manzardo were the talk of camp. Angel Martinez dazzled everyone before he fouled a ball off his foot and was sidelined for the last few games of Cactus League play. Juan Brito left a tremendous impression on the big league coaching staff before he was sent to Minor League camp. Andrew Walters was the highlight of this year’s Spring Breakout game.

Maybe they aren’t there just yet, but their arrivals are just around the corner. And they all have the possibility of being special.

QUOTABLE




For the first time, Vogt was in charge of filling out a 26-man roster instead of being in the player’s seat, waiting to hear if he made a team. Now that it’s over, he took a moment on Saturday to reflect on going through the process for the first time:

“Meeting with everybody over the last few days and talking with everyone, obviously there’s a lot of not-great news, but there’s also a lot of really good news. And we feel really excited about the group. It’s just crazy to see how it got to this point. It’s been a lot of fun.

“There’s so many layers to it and there’s so many different things. But really what I learned is kind of how I’ve been speaking all camp: It’s not putting too much into one thing or the other. It’s the entire process of camp, the work, the practice, the games, the interactions, just observing and getting to know everybody. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot.”


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bGuardians right-hander Carlos Carrasco will be the fifth starter when the season opens.


GUARDIANS

Guardians will open the regular season with Carlos Carrasco as their fifth starter

Updated: Mar. 24, 2024, 7:38 p.m.|Published: Mar. 24, 2024, 7:12 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- This is the time of spring training when information comes in dribs and drabs.

The Guardians announced their 26-man opening day roster on Friday and Saturday, but there are still tiny bits of subterfuge scattered about.

A bit of that was solved Sunday when Carlos Carrasco said he would be the Guardians’ fifth starter. The team announced Friday that the fifth starter’s job would be decided between Carrasco and Tyler Beede, with the other pitcher going to the bullpen.

“I’m going to start,” said Carrasco. “That’s nice, but at the same time I’m here. No matter what, if I start or I’m in the bullpen, I just want to be part of the team. I just want to play for Cleveland.”

Carrasco, 37, became a free agent for the first time following the 2023 season. He’d spent the last three years with the Mets, but this winter he set his mind on returning to Cleveland.

In a game where even great players rarely stay with one team their whole careers, Carrasco made his first big-league start with the Indians on Sept. 1, 2009. He made his last appearance with them on Sept. 25, 2020. In 11 years, Carrasco pitched in 245 games, including 195 starts for Cleveland. He went 88-73 and pitched 1,242 1/3 innings.

The idea of adding to that total excites Carrasco. So does the thought of returning to Progressive Field for the home opener on April 8.

“That’s going to feel very nice,” said Carrasco. “I already have in my mind (what it could be like). On April 8 we’ll see.”

The Guardians signed Ben Lively before they reached terms with Carrasco on a minor league deal in January. Lively requested jersey No. 59. Clubhouse manager Tony Amato, aware of the rumors that Carrasco could be coming back to Cleveland, told him OK, but added, “If we sign Cookie, he gets No. 59.”

Carrasco has worn No. 59 throughout his big-league career with Cleveland and the Mets. He’s still trying to figure out what to give Lively to say thank you.

This spring Carrasco went 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in five games, including three starts. He allowed four earned runs on eight hits in 14 innings. He struck out nine and walked six.

“I think I did everything I could do this spring,” said Carrasco. “The day I got the call that I was a free agent, I started working. I worked the same way I do every year. I worked the same way when I was in the minor leagues trying to get to the big leagues.”

Manager Stephen Vogt says the order of the rotation has yet to be decided with the exception of Shane Bieber starting opening night on Thursday night against Oakland. The other four starters are Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, Triston McKenzie and Carrasco.

Beede, like Carrasco, came to camp on a minor league contract. In four Cactus League appearances, including two starts, he posted a 1.69 ERA in 10 2/3 innings. He struck out 10, walked four and allowed 10 hits.



Last year Beede pitched in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants. He made 30 appearances, 29 in relief, and went 0-6 with a 3.99 ERA. He struck out 36 and walked 21.

Vogt played with Beede in 2019 with the Giants. Beede was San Francisco’s No. 1 pick in 2014.

“He’s been on a journey these last few years going from San Francisco to Pittsburgh and then overseas,” said Vogt. “His stuff is elite. But he has a different focus about him. He’s determined. He knows what he’s had to do to get back to this place.

“We just feel really good that whenever we give him the ball, he’s going to take it and go out and compete. I see a different edge out of him than I’ve seen in the past.”

Beede, 30, came to camp with the idea of making the ballclub, but the odds are long for a player from outside the organization on a minor league deal.

“It’s an tremendous honor,” said Beede after making the club. “It’s something I was hopeful for, but you never know what the final rosters are, and how they make those decisions. It’s tough on the team and tough on those guys (making the decisions).

“I’m just incredibly grateful. It was nice to call the family after that.”

The Guardians had to re-arrange their pitching staff because of injuries. Starter Gavin Williams will open on the injured list along with relievers Trevor Stephen, James Karinchak, Sam Hentges, Xzavion Curry and Lively.

Those injuries created openings for several pitchers, including Beede and Carrasco.

“There are so many things that have to happen for a non-roster invitee to make it,” said Beede. “Unfortunately, there are injuries that might have to happen. Your performance has to prove you can be part of a team, but it can also work against you. There are just so many things outside of your control.

“I just tried to stay zoned in on my routine and let everything else just kind of happen.”

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Myles Straw (left), waived by the Guardians, cleared waivers and will start the season at Class AAA Columbus.



GUARDIANS

Guardians’ Myles Straw clears waivers, accepts assignment to Class AAA Columbus

Published: Mar. 24, 2024, 8:58 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

GOODYEARS, Ariz. -- Myles Straw, as expected, cleared waivers and accepted his outright assignment to Class AAA Columbus.

Straw, who won a Gold Glove for his play in center field in 2022, leaves for Columbus on Monday.

The Guardians placed Straw on waivers Friday. He went unclaimed and cleared waived early Sunday afternoon.

During the Bally Sports Greats Lakes’ broadcast of the Guardians-Reds game on Sunday, they showed Straw and Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, talking in the stands at Goodyear Ballpark.

It was a long conversation.

Straw could have declined the outright assignment, but he would have forfeited the $19.25 millions left on his five-year $25 million contract that runs through 2026 with club options for 2027 and 2028.

The Guardians acquired Shaw from Houston for right-hander Phil Maton and catcher Yainer Diaz. Straw hit .285 (68 for 239) after the trade and played great defense in center, which had been a weakness for Cleveland.

Straw, however, went into a serious decline offensively in 2022 and 2023, which led to him being waived.

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Jose Ramirez hit his fifth homer of the spring on Sunday as the Guardians closed their Cactus League season at Goodyear Ballpark with a 10-7 win over the Reds.Norm Hall,


Guardians rally for three runs in ninth for 10-7 spring win over Reds

Updated: Mar. 24, 2024, 9:09 p.m.|Published: Mar. 24, 2024, 8:30 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians said goodbye to Goodyear Ballpark for another year Sunday with a 10-7 spring win over the Reds.

Cleveland entered the ninth with the score tied, 7-7, but it didn’t stay that way long. Minor Leaguer Johnny Tincher scored from second on a throwing error and Daniel Schneemann followed with a two-run homer as the Guardians scored three times to improve to 14-13-2 in Cactus League play.

It was Schneeman’s second homer of the spring. The Guardians had three homers among their 15 hits. Jose Ramirez and Andres Gimenez hit the first two.

“How about Schneeman with the backside (late-inning) bomb,” said manager Stephen Vogt after the game.

Left-hander Logan Allen (1-1, 5.50) made his final spring start. He allowed six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit home runs off Allen.

Encarnacion-Strand’s two-run homer was part of a five-run fourth inning which gave the Reds a 6-1 lead.

“I thought he was pretty good,” said Vogt. “They hit a couple of homers where he made a couple of mistakes. The inning where it got away from him, there were a couple of soft-hit balls where we couldn’t get the plays done.

“The biggest thing today is he got his pitch count up. I thought he’s had a really good camp. He came in with a lot to prove, as did all those young guys from last year, and they did. "

Jonathan India beat out an infield hit to Ramirez at third. Elly De La Cruz followed with single off Gimenez’s glove behind second base in the fifth.

Ramirez gave the Guardians a 1-0 lead in the first with his fifth homer of the spring. He fouled a pitch off his left shin and calf against Hunter Greene. Jeff Desjardins, Cleveland’s head athletic trainer, and Vogt checked on Ramirez as he limped around.

After Desjardins gave Ramirez’s calf a quick massage, Ramirez homered on the next pitch.

“Give credit to JD (Desjardins) for the magic shin rub,” said Vogt. “His calf was tightening up that why we got him out of there early. But knowing Josie, he’ll be fine.”

Gimenez homered in the fourth.

The Guardians matched the Reds’ five spot with one of their own in the sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead. The big hit of the inning was a two-run triple by Gabriel Arias. Josh Naylor, Will Brennan and David Fry drove in runs as well.

Mat Nelson’s home run off John Benton in the eighth pulled the Reds back into a 7-7 tie. But they had no answer for the Guardians’ three-run ninth.

Lenny Torres Jr. pitched the ninth for his second spring save.

Next: RHP Tyler Beede (0-0, 1.69) will face the Diamondbacks and LHP Tommy Hendry (1-3, 6.88) on Monday at Chase Field in an exhibition game. Game time is 9:40 p.m. ET. MLB.com webcast will carry the game.

RAMIREZ HOMER

https://www.mlb.com/video/jose-ramirez- ... st-popular

GIMENEZ HOMER

https://www.mlb.com/video/andres-gimene ... st-popular

SCHNEEMAN HOMER

https://www.mlb.com/video/daniel-schnee ... st-popular

ARIAS TRIPLE

https://www.mlb.com/guardians/video/gab ... ame-at-six

NAYLOR RBI DOUBLE - LET IT RUN FOR ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

https://www.mlb.com/guardians/video/jos ... rbi-double

florial hit one to the wall in left center and smashed a line drive to second but ended in a DP.
Florial's 1-4 day could have easily been a 3-4 day
Going out on the limb and making Florial my breakout player this year

BOX SCORE

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/guardians-v ... /final/box

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Closer Emmanuel Clase is one of the few members of the Guardians' reshaped bullpen who will have a defined role when the season begins Thursday in Oakland.


Guardians’ reshaped bullpen, with few exceptions, must define roles during the season

Updated: Mar. 25, 2024, 6:55 p.m.|Published: Mar. 25, 2024, 6:21 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Something happened to the Guardians’ bullpen on the way to opening night in Oakland.

It not only hit a Cleveland-sized pot hole, it took out a fire hydrant and light pole as well.

Except for closer Emmanuel Clase and a couple of other holdovers, this is a collection of strangers. The idea is to still get the ball to Clase with a lead in the ninth inning, but how good the new pen will be at doing that remains to be seen.

The Guardians’ bullpen was an average to slightly above average unit last year. The only relievers returning from that pen are Clase, Nick Sandlin and Eli Morgan. The other five are new or almost new to the job.

Lefty Tim Herrin and right-hander Hunter Gaddis had some exposure to life in the late innings last year. Herrin, up and down five times between Cleveland and Class AAA Columbus, made 23 relief appearances. Gaddis mixed in four relief appearances along with seven starts.

In December the Guardians acquired Scott Barlow from San Diego for fellow reliever Enyel De Los Santos. Tyler Beede was brought to camp on a minor league deal after pitching in Japan, and Cade Smith was a spring training invitee from the minors.

Barlow had a spot guaranteed in the pen as soon as the trade was made. The other three were question marks if not long shots.

Beede has had a solid spring after making 30 relief appearances for the Yomiuri Giants last year. He was in competition with Carlos Carrasco for the fifth starter’s job, but that went to Carrasco. It means Beede will open in the pen.

Smith is holding the last spot on pins and needles. The Guardians have told him if they find a reliever or a player who they feel is a better fit before Thursday’s opener, he’ll be optioned to the minors. Last year Smith went 5-3 with a 4.02 ERA with 15 saves at Class AA Akron and Columbus. He struck out 95 and walked 28 in 47 games covering 62 2/3 innings.

Injuries caused the influx of new arms.

James Karinchak never got out of the blocks in camp before coming down with a sore right shoulder.

The same goes for Trevor Stephan, last year’s set-up man for Clase. A bone bruise in his right elbow shut him down before he appeared in a Cactus League game. Further tests revealed that Stephan would need Tommy John surgery on the elbow and miss the season.

Left-hander Sam Hentges, with 113 appearances behind him over the last two years, will open the year on the injured list because of swelling in his left middle finger.

Xzavion Curry, who made 32 relief appearances last season, will join Karinchak, Stephen and Hentges on the injured list when the season opens. Curry and Ben Lively, another other possibility for the pen, were stricken by a viral infection during camp and didn’t have enough time to get back to game speed.

Last year the injured Guardians pitchers made 207 combined relief appearances. Stephan led the way with 71.

How exactly will new manager Stephen Vogt replace those appearances, while defining roles for each of his relievers?

“It’s going to be a little bit of everything,” said Vogt. “We’ve talked a lot about versatility this spring. I’ll continue to say that word a lot.

“We have a number of guys we feel can pitch length, leverage, you name it. We have Clase and Barlow at the back end. They both have closing experience. We feel really good about that.”

Clase has led the big leagues in saves over the last two years with 86. He went off the rails last year with 12 blown saves. Cleveland’s bullpen led the big leagues with 34 blown saves in 2023.

Barlow saved 13 games with the Royals last year before being traded to San Diego. He saved 24 games for Kansas City in 2022.

“We’ve got Gaddis, Herrin, Beede, Sandlin and Eli. . .a ton of guys that have experience pitching in leverage situations,” said Vogt. “A ton of guys who can bridge us from the starter to the (late innings). We feel really good about all those guys as we continue to get into the season.”

Regarding the bullpen injuries, Hentges will break camp with the club and go to Oakland. He’s expected to open the year on the 15-day injured list.

Karinchak will stay in Goodyear and continue his rehab. Stephan is set to under go surgery in the near future. Curry and Lively will start in Goodyear and then go on rehab assignments.

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Well, ST is finally over and the real games are ready to start.

Not a great finish at Chase Field.

Better hope yesterdays' and todays' games aren't any indication of this team's ability to score runs.

Looks like there are pretty good options waiting in the minors incase this group can't produce.

Thursday starts a 4 game series against the worst team in baseball. Anything less than 3 wins will be disappointing.