Cleveland Guardians win 6 of 7 heading in to the break!

Cleveland Guardians win 6 of 7 heading in to the break!

Welcome one and all to the Allstar Break edition of the Ultimate Cleveland Guardian Show. Along with Zack Misel, I’m Adam the Bull. And Zach, what are you doing this all-star break? Anything? Anything Allstar E? Uh yeah, my three-year-old loves baseball cards, as you know, Bull. And yeah, uh it was pretty cool when they showed the graphic of the home run derby participants last night. He runs up to the TV and just starts naming everybody. So that’s wild. Uh I feel like this is year one of hopefully many to come of my kid or kids. Yeah. Being into this stuff and it’s it’s it’s evoking, you know, we spent all morning talking about players that I watched in the All-Star game in Home Run Derby growing up. So, you know, you get that nostalgia. You get this is these are like the joys of parenthood, right? That’s certainly true. It’s always fun. I I still have an audio recording my wife and I do of my son Aaron when he was I don’t know probably three or four uh do you know doing the Cubs lineup like I was like who plays first you know like and those are things that that are fun and and uh capture those moments it’s my you want to be in the moment but you also want to capture the moment so it is cool and did he enjoy watching the big dumper hit the home hit the uh win the home run derby Yeah, he loves that nickname. That’s the best. He uh his picks though were he had Brent Rooker and O’Neal Cruz were his two guys. So, um you know, he didn’t stay up to watch the whole thing. He’s three, but he watched part of it. And then when I he woke up this morning, I told him Cal Raleigh won and and because Brent Rooker was his guy and at the time he went to sleep, Brent Rooker was in the lead. Yeah. He thought Brent Rooker had won and it did not go over well. Oh, okay. It’s always bad when the kids are sad. That and more coming up on today’s Ultimate Cleveland Guardian Show. [Music] It It hurts when the kids are crying about sports. You know, you remember those things when you’re a kid, but when you when your own kid is is bummed, it’s uh it it’s tough. It pulls on the heartstrings there a little bit. And uh those were good picks. Actually, I saw this scientific breakdown from some guy who does analytics as to why he thought O’Neil’s Cruz was going to win the uh the home run. You know, it’s interesting. I hadn’t really thought about this. And you know, guys like the the the guys who are good home run hitters but not as big guys like Jose Ramirez don’t usually do well in these tournaments. And I was like I I didn’t really think about I never really thought gave reason. I I never really thought about why that was the case. And and this guy pointed out that like, well, they’re pitching so much slower, so you got to generate your own power more and so a big guy is naturally gonna have that advantage in that situation. Think about a normal batting practice session before a game and you’re going at your own pace, right? You’re just trying to get in a rhythm and then this is furious. You’re taking 40 swings in 3 minutes. So you see these guys are gassed at the end of these rounds and it’s a completely different animal. You’re you’re you’re going at a pace you don’t normally go at, right? And you’re swinging harder than you normally do. And you’ve got a different sort of adrenaline, too, right? Like you normally take batting practice and there’s like a handful of fans in the ballpark and music’s going and it’s pretty quiet and then this is a spectacle. So it’s very different. I think it it’s an advantage to guys who are just athletic freaks or guys who have a big backside. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, it’s funny. Um when he obviously he was very good, uh Ryan Howard was really good at this competition and I remember when I was calling his games in Battavia in a ball, right? And you know, I’d always be there for B when they did batting practice on the field because I traveled with the team. And um so he was drafted by the Phillies in 2001 and in his first year Pro Bowl, he played in Battavia and he was just so much bigger than all the other guys on the team. And Battavia and just in general at the time, the New York Pen League was not a big home run league. Like there were not a lot of home runs. There was one year I think seven home runs led the league. I mean, it was all the most of the ballparks were hard to hit home runs, especially for guys, you know, a lot of guys that may have been playing with wooden bats for the first time or, you know, besides a, you know, uh, the some of those leagues they did in the summer or whatever. But, um, so they were adjusting and it was big ballparks and but anyway, like in batting practice, most of the guys wouldn’t hit home runs even in batting practice. they did, you know, if you and he would just go bomb bomb bomb to right field and then he he hit a like he hit a home run to center field once at the stadium in a game that I want to say was like a 100 feet past the home run. It probably wasn’t that far. It probably just seemed that far to me, but it was like out by a mile and the rest of the, you know, the second leader and I think he hit like 15 home runs or something like that and the next guy had like three or four. It was just it was just weird. But the guys, the big guys like that, it’s just noticeable. It’s It’s just easier for them to hit home runs in those type of situations. It’s crazy, too. I was, this is not this is not to get on like the things were better back in the day, soap box, but I was I your favorite Cubs writer, Patrick Mooney, and I combined on a a Matthew Boyd feature today on The Athletic and Oh, nice. I got to read it. And you know, Boyd, who was who was in Cleveland last summer and and had an awesome run and has been incredible this year. He’s got the second best erra in the National League. Yep. And he’s an all-star. And I was talking to him a couple weeks ago and he was saying, you know, he grew up in the Pacific Northwest, not far from where the Mariners play and and his dad surprised him with tickets to the 2001 festivities. So, they went to the All-Star game. That was when Cal Ripken Jr. hit a home run in his last right his last All-Star game. It’s And I I had no recollection of the home run derby that year. So I was looking it up because they went to that too. Yeah. And Luis Gonzalez won it and that was I mean that year was insane in baseball um for many reasons, but that was Luis Gonzalez hit 57 home runs that year. Kind of random. Uh, the Diamondbacks won the World Series in an epic game seven, but I was looking at the field and Luis Gonzalez somehow outslugged Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa and Jason Giani had like a crazy display in the first round. So, you think about I mean look look like last night there were some young like Junior Commonro is a star in the making, right? And I know that that had to pain Chris Antinetti and Mike Chernoff to watch that. Oh yeah. Um and like O’Neal Cruz has a ton of talent and it’s good to see Cal Raleigh and the year he’s having get even more attention. Right. Sure. But like you look at some of the names that used to do this thing every year and it was like that was the year Barry Bonds had 73 home runs. I I mean even until recently it’s I feel like it’s just the last year or two that guys are starting to drop off and you know because Pete Alonzo I mean like you want to see I want to see Pete Alonzo again because he’s great at it. You want to see Judge obviously you want to see Otani out there. Um here here’s the you know you do you do you know offhand who won the first home run derby in 85? Uh no it wasn’t uh Brook Jacobe. It definitely was not. He He recently went into the Hall of Fame based on like the Veterans Committee or whatever they’re calling it now. Recently, as in he will next weekend. I You know what? I can’t remember now. Like Dave Parker. Dave Parker. Yes, it is this week. I couldn’t remember if it was last year or or this year, but who also recently passed. Rest in peace. Yes. One of the greatest nicknames. The Cobra. It was So, that’s another thing that’s not as good these days as nicknames. Nicknames. Oh, Big Dumper is pretty That’s a good one. Yes, but there’s not stand the test of time. Yeah, but it’s it’s crazy. I’m looking at this 2001 field. I mean, Barry Bonds was so that’s the year he set the record. And also, I think he was like 37 years old. Oh, yeah. No 37y old is going to do the home run derby anymore. You had Sammy Sosa, Jason Giani. I mean, those guys are at the peak of their power. You had A-Rod also. It was the year after he left Seattle for Texas. Oh, yeah. Um, Brett Boone is kind of random, but he was that was he was incredible that year. And the Mariners won 116 games. Yeah. Todd Helton was an awesome hitter. Troy Gloss is the one guy who maybe like Yeah, it doesn’t fit. But he had some 40 homer hitter, though. Yeah, but he also he hit zero in the competition. So, I I just look, it’s not to like say things were better way back when. Also, Barry Bonds did it the year after, too. He did it a bunch of I mean like you have a lot of like Hall of Famers or borderline Hall of Famers that have won it, you know, go you got Parker in 85, Strawberry won in ‘ 86. I mean, if Strawberry had stayed clean, he probably would have been a Hall of Famer or was trending in that direction. Uh 87 was Andre Dawson a Hall of Famer. 88 got cancelled. 89 was Eric D. Oh, it was ended up a tie between Eric Davis and Ruben Sierra. I mean, He won it three times. Yep. Samberg, Al Ripken, Maguire, Bonds, Frank Thomas, Ken Griffy Jr. three times. Sammy Sosa, Jason Giani, not a Hall of Famer, but big- time power. The weirdest Ryan Howard, Bobby Abrau won in 2005. Uh, and seven years later, almost signed almost signed with Cleveland. Bobby Abrao. Yeah, there was like a spring training where that was close to happening. Oh, really? I didn’t know. 2012, maybe. Yeah. Anyway, you are you uh the National League is a slight favorite tonight. The American League has dominated the All-Star game, but the National League if they don’t win tonight. I mean, it’s it’s a much better team. So, I wanted to have I wanted to mention this just because I don’t want to sound like audience folks in a minute. But the the crotchety old man here um who’s saying I missed when things were better. Um the National League lineup looks like the lineup that I watched growing up. You know, it it I just I I saw the highlight the other day. Remember in 99 Pedro Martinez started at Fenway. And by the way, like that’s the height of the steroid era. Everyone’s putting up crazy video game numbers at the plate and then you look at Pedro Martinez’s numbers pitching. I know. It’s like that that guy deserved MVPs. Yeah. Um and he So he’s facing like Maguire, Sosa, Helton, like it’s insane the six hitters he faced and he struck out five of them. Yeah. Um was just incredible. But I I’m was looking at the National League lineup and I’m like, you know what? This is like this is one of those lineups you’re going to look back in 20 years and say, “Man, that thing was loaded with Otani and with Freddy Freeman and Ronald Akuna. I mean, you have Francisco Lindors hitting eighth.” I think that says a lot. Yeah. My guy Paul Prow Armstrong hitting ninth. The guy might be uh the MVP in the National League. Yeah. Contrary to popular belief. Um Yeah. It’s great. And then the American League, you know, I I wanted him on the Guardians, but Glyber Torres, Riley Green, uh, and then six through nine, Ryan O’Harn, Junior Camro, Jav Bayz, Jacob Wilson. It’s not it’s not a who’s who list, but yeah, I mean, if the National League doesn’t win this year, I don’t know when the hell they’re going to win. And I think I’m predicting a unusual surprise high-scoring game this this year. I think it’s gonna be like a lot of pitchers with good stuff. I know. I know. But I just feel including some who have made five starts in their career. That’s You know what? Ultimately, whatever the fans want is fine. I don’t know if the fans want him to pitch or not. The guy’s been incredible in those five starts or four of the five. It’s absurd. I mean, it’s silly. It’s unfair. And and there’s guys there’s truly deserving allstars that didn’t make the team. And that that affects, you know, guys have like contract clauses or it it could play into, you know, someone’s Hall of Fame consideration down the line or Yeah. or contract stuff down the like it’s it’s it’s if I were him, I’d be a little embarrassed to go. I mean, I guess not, but up until the point where he’s firing 102 miles an hour and then I think everyone’s going to forget about it. That’s right. Uh it has been pretty impressive. Uh the the Brewers are are a sneaky like we talk about the Rays and the Guardians all the time of being like the smart franchises and they they always uh you know outkick their coverage or whatever and the Brewers are you know and they haven’t had any success in the postseason but man they’re always good. They’re always good in this in the you know this this most recent group that’s been there and they consistently I you know a couple weeks ago I was hearing people say oh the Cubs are going to run away with the Central and the Cubs are good. They’re a good team this year but I I didn’t think they were going to run away the Central because I knew the Brewers I didn’t believe in the Cardinals but I I knew the Brewers were legit. I I doesn’t matter. They lose players and they just find guys to replace them. They’re really good at that. They’re one of the few teams in the league that has like too much starting pitching. I mean, that’s how crazy. Yeah, they they had to end up trading away Aaron Savali because Savali was moved to the bullpen because they didn’t have a spot for him. I know Tobias Myers who had pitched nicely for them last year. He’s been up and down between the majors and the minors. Now he’s, you know, he’s out of their pen right now, too. Yeah. They they just Tobias Meyers is the the example. The Guardians lost that trade twice. I’ve never seen anything like it. Yeah, trade away Junior Commo who’s 22 years old, starring in the All-Star game and home run derby. And they traded him for Tobias Myers, who was terrible for like twothirds of a season at Triple A. And so they cut him and then he goes on and becomes a really good pitcher for the Brewers. Yeah. All right, let’s talk about the Guardians and did they keep their season alive? Are they still in the playoff mix? Before we do that, uh I want to hear uh from a couple of sponsors. First, let’s start with FanDuel. Zack, what do we got going on at FanDuel? 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Uh, take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. again. Game time. Uh, download, create an account, redeem the code locked on NFL, L O C K D O N L for $20 off. Download the Game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest prices guaranteed. Okay. Um, the Guardians have been playing terrible baseball. They had lost 10 in a row last time we spoke, Zack, and they turned it around, at least for a week. They swept the Astros and I would say their most impressive series of the year. They pitched well. They hit well in that series. Uh they they crushed Hunter Brown who had been one of the best pitchers in baseball. They hit a grand Angel Martinez. It’s a grand slam off of uh Josh her after they had blown that six nothing lead or 6-1 lead, whatever. Grand Slam popup, but yes. Yeah. All right. Yeah. Fair. It wouldn’t have been a home run in any other park. Uh but but nonetheless, he was playing at that park, so that’s all that matters. Uh and it was a great series. They followed it up by taking three of four versus the White Socks. We know the White Socks stink. We also know that after the break, the Guardians have a fairly favorable schedule. Now, a lot of those teams are also going to look at the Guardians and say, “Well, we got a favorable schedule playing the Guardians.” That being said, do you feel like and with with 15 16 days to go till the trade deadline, do you feel like what happened last week will change the game plan at all for this front office? Yeah, it’s it’s it’s a tough question because this is a an organization that doesn’t like to make decisions based on small sample clearly, right? like yes, we’re still watching Nolan Jones and Bo Naylor and everybody else, right? Um I I think I think a lot’s on the table still. Uh I I I think there’s a few things in play. Number one, just me personally, I’d feel better about their path forward if they had more guys who I could see the vision with. And what I mean by that is you can convince me that Nolan Jones is an acceptable member of this lineup, right? Like he’s been better for about two months. I don’t know why he doesn’t hit for power anymore. Like everything is just singles with him. Mhm. Um I think it’s just my assumption is it’s it’s the approach and it’s the the swing path and it’s um it’s just a choice in in trying. you know, he’s hit for a good average for two months now, but and he’s drawn a bunch of walks, but there he’s got three home runs this season, and this is a guy who had 20, 30 home run potential. So, like, okay, fine. Like, he’s been better, and that’s trending in the right direction. I still think Kyle Manardo, I mean, he had a great weekend. I think he’s a guy I want to see more of, right? The issue to me is for this team to be at its best, they really need Lane Thomas. They really need David Fry. They really need Bon Naylor or Brian Rokio. And honestly, they really need Chase or someone of that ilk who has more potential than, you know, like there there’s a couple days a week where this lineup 5 through nine is like Angel Martinez, Jonathan Rodriguez, Will Wilson, Austin Hedges, Brian Rochio, and that’s just not a major league lineup. So, I’d feel better if if there was just evidence of some changes taking place or more guys looking like they’re figuring it out. So, that that’s part one. That’s why I’m still skeptical. Um, you know, they they have the 12th best record in the American League. Okay. So, there’s only three teams worse. There’s a lot of teams that they have to leaprog here. And I think that has to, you know, factor into the equation, too. You can say, well, they’re four and a half games behind the final wild card spot. Yeah. But sitting between them in that final wildard spot are the Royals and the Twins and the Angels and the Rangers and the Rays and you know the Red Sox and the Yankees and the Mariners are all kind of clustered together. And so it’s just there’s a lot of clutter to sift through. The the thing that you’re that keeps you on the hook, I guess, is that coming out of the break you do get the Athletics and the Orioles at home and those are winnable series. You go to Kansas City for three. you can win two or three there for sure and then you have the Rockies for three at home. So there’s a way the team can maybe force the front offic’s hand whereas two years ago which this season has been eerily reminiscent of 2023 that team was just hovering around 500 forever, right? and they got to the deadline and part of the thinking from the front office was they had a brutal schedule in the second half and they didn’t like their chances and so they traded Aaron Savali for Kyle Manzardo. They dumped Josh Bell, they dumped Ahmed Rosario and in some cases they went younger. They also brought in Cole Calhoun for clubhouse purposes. Yeah. Um so I think I I really think everything’s still on the table. Um, I think a lot of this is just going to depend on the market and it’s going to depend on what other teams are buying and selling and what things cost. You know, I I have I have heard from teams asking is Class available, is Quan available? Like there are a lot of teams out there that want to know what the Guardians plans are and how motivated they’ll be to sell. Um, I think the Guardians I think everything’s on the table. Like there’s there are things they could do that could improve their chances in 2025. Like I think if they if they got rid of Carlos Santana and that cleared a spot for Cafis that might help them this year. Yes. And it certainly would help them in the future. Right. There are moves they could make that would be clear selling moves for the future like trading class A for some hitting prospects. Right. So there’s just a lot on the table. Usually when there’s a lot on the table a lot of times that means that not much happens. Yes. Um because you’re kind of sitting and waiting around to see, but I think this is going to go right up to the deadline and with that in mind, like how they play against a softer part of the schedule, I think is pretty important. So, uh a lot of interesting things you said there. The Guardians, um you talk even after well, the deadline the last game they would play is the Colorado game. So, let’s we’ll we’ll we’ll stick with the the 13 games they have between now and the allar and the um the deadline. Obviously, as you said, they’re playing bad teams. Let’s say they go, you know, they do really well. They go nine and four in that uh 13 game stretch. They go nine and four in the 13 game stretch. That’s that’s five games over 500. That would put them at two games over 500 at the trade deadline. But it would also mean they had won what 15 of 19 I believe. 15 and 20 I think. Yeah. Something like that. So on one hand 30. Yeah. I mean you’re right. So on one hand you could say well they’re playing great baseball for three weeks. On the other hand they’re two games over 500 and outside of the Astros they’ve done it against crappy baseball teams. Does that prove that they can compete with the good teams in Major League Baseball who are you going to have to play in the playoffs? Piling up wins against bad teams uh doesn’t mean that that that things are fixed and they’re a much better team. I look at this team and the flaws have not changed. The flaws have not changed. Now, what could be a significant ad? Shane Bieber certainly can make a big difference. You’ve lost Luis Ortiz. You know, I’m assuming he’s going to be done for the year at the very least. So, and when are you going to get Bieber back? A month from now. Yeah, he’s starting tonight. Yeah. In Arizona. So, start that 30-day clock, right? I would think you know, second week of August. Yeah. So, what are you going to get out of B? Like, what’s best case scenario regular season? Six starts. Probably like eight. Okay. Maybe you get eight. Okay. Could that make a difference between them making the playoffs or not? Could be. It’s possible. Um, if they make the playoffs and they have him and, you know, Sikone and these other guys cooking, would they have a shot? Sure, I’d give them a shot. But ultimately, are they going to be able to get through teams that, you know, where they can’t hit? They just can’t. I just to me there’s no hope with the lineup right now. I know they they hit well this past week, but, you know, even the worst the the Rockies had a good week offensively. You know, it happens. Um, I don’t believe in this team, which is unusual for me. I don’t believe that they’re going to be a playoff team. Now, um, would I give the team a chance and maybe hold off on on trading a future, you know, a player like Class or Quan? I’d be shocked if they traded Quan, but but uh, yeah, maybe. But like you said, trading Santana, I think, makes the team better or at least at the very least it raises their upside and potentially makes them better because if that leads to Kay coming up, I mean, obviously his upside is way higher than Santana. Yeah. And you also, if you plan for Kay to be your first baseman or DH next year, let him Yes. Let him like break in over the next two months. And by the way, I just want to defend Colin Manzardo a little bit because he’s clearly been their third best offensive player and yet he’s the only one that gets constantly benched, which I don’t understand. And everybody went nuts. You know that obviously that game where he made the three errors and you Well, when you have a young player playing DH every day for two years, it’s hard for him to be good at first base. You know, you can practice all you want. You got to get those real game reps. And I think it’s unfair like, oh, he’s a terrible fielder. I don’t know how good a fielder he is. I I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him play first base enough, but I can’t write the guy off as a first baseman because of a couple of bad days when he never gets to play first base. And it’s ridiculous how little he has played first base. And I do think if they call up Kus, they should have Cus and Manardo both play half the time at DH and half the time at first base so they both get good opportunities to play the position. Nobody on this team can hit, so I’m not worried about first base defense. Yeah. At the moment. We’ll figure that out later. Right. Like I I so I think yeah I the tough thing for me is you think about everything that would need to go right for this team to make a run. And I was right I wrote this on the Athletic yesterday and I was I was scripting out like their path back to contention and and you think about the series they played against the White Sox there. Yeah. And I mean those games are tough. like every game was close and it it took and so so they don’t score enough runs to ever blow anybody out. So when you win games you are always using Class and Kate Smith and Hunter Gatis and then you get in a game like uh what day was it? Sunday maybe Saturday or Sunday. one of those games where they had to use like Fesa and Junis to protect the lead and they did but so you think about okay well the offense isn’t good enough and like they’ve they’ve trotted the same out lineup out there for so long that at this point like you know you call up Delau provided he’s healthy and and maybe maybe that’s a little bit of an upgrade like you just you don’t know right so no there’s there’s no reason not to do that but I’m just saying like I don’t the offense is what it is and I don’t think it’s going to just magically become a great offense overnight. So that’s going to put a lot of strain on the bullpen because you’re going to be playing all these really close games. And so it’s just like so much has to go right. They have they have no margin for error. And I think that that’s what makes it tough is like you could argue that if if they believe that they can still be a contender. I mean you could also look at this trade deadline as a way to get a head start on whatever you’re going to need next year. Like if you can find it in in 2021, remember that was the year they got rid of um Eddie Rosario and Cesar Hernandez. Oh yeah. And they tried to get Brian Reynolds from the Pirates at that deadline. Pirates didn’t move him, so they settled for Miles Straw. Uh but but you could see like they were they weren’t good that year and they still went and they got they were seeking an outfield solution for the future and the present. Like you there’s nothing stopping you from doing that now. No, it’s tougher to do at the deadline because you’re vying with teams that are actually in the race who need those things. But like it wouldn’t be the crazy could could you go get a reliever that could help you, you know? It could help you especially if you might move class A. Yeah, you know, even this winter, like it wouldn’t be the worst idea to look into a reliever or an outfielder or something like you’re going to have these needs this winter, right? Anyway, so there’s a way there’s a there’s a scenario where you could do some buying and selling. Um, but I got you’re not going to turn this into a juggernaut overnight. So, you have to you have to be thinking about the future as much as you are the present. Yeah. And I do think and and you know maybe I’ll be proven wrong or maybe we won’t know because they ultimately won’t trade him but I do think um while I’d normally say you know if you’re going to trade class A maybe you wait till the end of the year or whatever but I think I look at three teams the Cubs the Yankees and the Blue Jays they’re big market teams they’re all three I feel like all three are very desperate to win this year for the Cubs they’ve been they’re GMs on the final year of his contract. contract. They’ve been pretty bad since the since co and they traded they went all in on a trade for Kyle Tucker. He’s a free agent at the end of the year. The Yankees are always desperate to win and they’re they’re getting beat up more than usual, especially how they’ve played the last month. And the Blue Jays, you know, they’re always the bridesmaid on these big players, right? And plus, Bett’s a free agent at the I know they signed Guerrero, but Bette’s a free agent at the end of the year. And all three of those teams need bullpen help. So, it could be a scenario and I’m just going with those three. It’s pro I’m sure there’s I think you’re missing a big one. The Dodgers. Who? The Phillies. Phillies. Yeah, that’s another one. You’re right. They really They They’re even more desperate. You’re right. They’re even more desperate than those other teams in the bullpen. They would do anything for Class A and for Quan. Yeah. You know, how’s the Phillies farm system? I really haven’t looked at the Phillies farm system as much. I know they’ve got some they’ve got some pieces, you know, they’ve got Andrew Painter, Mick Ael. Yeah. Uh Aiden, what’s the shortstop’s name? Do they have top Aiden Miller and Justin Crawford is an outfielder? And the the Guardians have liked Justin Crawford in the past. I there’s a lot of skepticism on whether his hit tool will translate to the majors. Super athletic though. Um, but yeah, the well and Dave Tumbroski only knows how to operate one way and that’s that’s true. Good boy. Sell the farm for the present tense and that roster is their their starting rotation is loaded but their their lineup’s pretty old and I think they know that that window is closing. That’s a great point. I should have added them in that group. So there you go. And the do and and the Dodgers you you know they their bullpen’s been a bit of a disappointment. Tanner Scott has struggled um and they’ve had they always seem to have a thousand injuries in their pitching staff because they can afford to take a chance on injuryprone players. Um so they’re always in the mix on any good player. So that’s a lot of firepower in those just you know those five teams that could lead to something and and ultimately and and and no matter what the Guardians record is you know better than anybody Zach that if they get a deal that they love they’re going to trade class 100%. Now they’re not going to settle in this situation nor should they but if they get blown away with an offer they’ll trade them no matter what their record is. Yeah, it’s an interesting case because you you get the the motivation to move someone in July is teams are super desperate, right? Like that’s and that’s like I know the Phillies really like like they they’re they want to know what the Guardians are going to do. Um part of the motivation for waiting till the off season is you just have more suitors. So maybe the desperation level, the urgency isn’t there, right? But there are more teams who think class A would be a good fit. Like we think we’re we think we’re going to win this year. The thing is he’s got three and a half years of control, right? So the Guardians have the leverage. They don’t have to deal him now. He’s going to have just as much value this winter. But you know them like they’re always going to listen. They’ve listened on Class A before. And they’re always they’re always going to trade a pitcher too soon instead of too late. So yeah, I I I wouldn’t be surprised if if he’s dealt this winter. I I it’s tough for me to wrap my head around a deal that they’d like this month, but I don’t think that’s off the table. And you can read about, you know, the Guardians maybe saying like, oh, like guys aren’t for like ne never never buy into what GMs are publicly saying. Oh, yeah. this time of year if you see something like this guy’s not for sale. Well, of course, you know, you’re not going to say, “Oh, we’re open for business. Come get a right.” So, um, you know, we’ll see. I I the the Guardians are one of the more interesting teams to monitor, I think, this month because I think I think there’s a lot of teams that want to know what they’re going to do. Our last thing I want to hit on, and that’s the obviously the MLB draft. By the way, could baseball get anything right? Why would you start the draft on Sunday when there’s still game? Like, why not do the draft? Why would you play the f why do you play the futures game on a Saturday afternoon when there’s a full slate of games? Idiotic. Yeah. Why not why not have the futures game like the Monday of the home run derby or or even the Sunday night? Sunday night. Fine. You’re right. Because there’s no game Sunday night and then do the draft tomorrow and Thursday when there’s no games on. There there is not a person in the baseball industry aside from maybe the league office who likes to draft this time of year. You know, it used to be a month earlier and they’re they’re trying to figure out who they’re trading and do all this work with 29 other front offices and at the same time you have to be fully focused on the draft. and and it’s it’s part of the reason why a lot of trades now don’t happen until July 30th because they can’t focus on that until the draft is completely in the rear view. It’s a good point. Why not? And if it helps to move like move the All-Star game up a week or two weeks, whatever. I you know, like if that helps get the draft going earlier, yeah, it is it is a a weird circumstance that they’re in. the Guardians. Um I I have a a guy I work with for my podcast who is lives down in Louisiana. He’s a big college baseball guy. I I don’t know much about college baseball, but he he was just telling me this morning that he loved the Guardians draft. He thought they had one of, if not the best draft. Now, you never know, even for guys who know college baseball, but the Guardians took almost all college players, uh, outside of a couple of guys, and he he he thought they they hit an absolute home run. Jay Slavlet of Texas&M is the guy the Guardians picked. This guy is kind of out of character for what the Guardians normally do. I mean, he’s a big He’s like 66, big slugger, you know, strikeout. He strikes, he’s gonna strike out. You know, he’s just It was kind of unusual that they drafted that type of player. It’s a fascinating choice because he is going to need help, right? Like, you need the right hitting development people around him cuz he had such a good sophomore year that he was there was chatter about him going number one overall. Yeah. This was a dude who just had I think he had 29 home runs in 68 games and um had a good chase rate and like the ingredients were there where he could have been like a Jack Kaggleon or a Nick Curts type of hitter. guys who were taken early in the first round last year and made it up to the big leagues pretty quick. And then he struggled a little bit and there were a lot there’s been a lot of concern about him swinging and missing at pitches in the strike zone which is usually a big warning sign. Yeah. And so, you know, I talked to some like Keith Law is is our guy at the Athletic and Yeah, he’s great. um he he has major concerns about this guy, but also loved the pick because at 27 like why not you’re gonna bank on the upside and and take a risk. The Guardians have taken risks like they they took Brady Aken with their first pick. Remember that that whole saga he went number one overall and didn’t sign with the Astros and then had Tommy John surgery. The Guardians still took him and he never made it. Um they’ve done this kind of thing before. So, so it’s interesting, but it’s the Guardians and like do you trust that they’re going to help this kid make the right swing changes or just get him on the right developmental path? Like this is a big test that Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um any anything stand out with the rest of their draft? I mean, any notes on some of these other guys? No, the only thing was just the sheer number, especially early on, of just college hitters, right? So if you look at their top prospects list right now, it’s all like the top 10 is almost all position players, right? So this is an organization that has done really well at developing pitchers. We know that and they’re doing everything they possibly can to replicate that on the other side. And so here you go. You’ve already got Bazana Delauer, Jason Churio, Angel Hanal, Ralphie Velasquez, Cooper Engel, Juan Breurto. All those guys are at the top of your prospects list and you’ll see those guys in the next couple of years. And now you’re going to add a bunch more 21 year olds who you hope can join them. And so it’s it’s it’s almost like we could look up a few years from now and either this is a colossal failure or they’ve figured it out. And let’s hope for the the ladder there. Yeah. Um the only thing um something that stood out to me two the only two things that stood out to me is like you said a lot of lot of college players and a lot of college players from big-time programs and they love the SEC. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh and then they drafted a guy with a great name in the 17th round. They drafted a catcher out of Tennessee named Cannon Peebles. How do you not love that name? I mean that’s such a good name. We got to get him to the big leagues. I was reading about him. They say he’s like one of these uh I he’s like a a great leadership guy. I don’t know if he’s good enough to play in the majors, but but uh yeah, Lonnie Chisenhal’s two sons are named Cutter and Cannon. And so if they’re not if they don’t become major league pitchers, it’s quite the disappointment. It is wild now how old you feel when you see like Mark Maguire’s son was in this draft. CC Sabathia’s son was in and he’s a big where how where did he go? I don’t even I didn’t realize I don’t even didn’t even see where he I didn’t see they had a they the Guardians drafted a kid in the second round I think or like the maybe the competitive battle the supplemental pick. Yeah. Um number 70 overall who was born July 7th 2007. Like if that doesn’t make you feel old. Oh god. 2007. Yeah. Wow. That that is Yeah. That’s crazy. Um, I know Craig Councel’s son got was drafted. Um, yeah, there’s a lot of there’s a lot. Well, obviously, uh, Matt Holidayiday’s other son got drafted there. Uh, unfortunately for him to the Rockies, but um I don’t know. Guess, you know, we’ll see. Anyway, let me just get some let’s get some comments from the fans, then we’ll hit the road. Jack says, “Can you explain Bieber’s option for next year? How it works? He’s gonna opt out if he’s healthy.” That’s that’s the bottom line, but go ahead. Yeah. So, so they they guarantee him 10 million this year. Then he’ll either it’s and it’s his choice. He can either take a $4 million buyout. So really the guarantee is 14 million. You’re paying him at least 14 million this year for probably eight starts. Yeah. Um or he can opt in for 16 million. So $12 million difference, which is probably not enough to make him no opt in, especially if he’s healthy. I mean, the only way he’s opting in is if he has to have Tommy John surgery again. Yeah. Like if he doesn’t come back at all, but even even if he doesn’t come back or he looks rusty or the numbers aren’t good, he could opt out and just sign a different one-year deal with anybody. Yeah, exactly. Um Ursan said last night he wants to stay in Cleveland. Why not? Well, any player is going to say that. And and I’m sure if they offered him a fair contract, he would be happy to stay or what he saw as a fair contract. He’s listen guys like Steven Quan and there’s not many of them are hard to figure out a like how much to pay them because he just is he he doesn’t hit all the only flaw in his game is he doesn’t have power and and that’s what gets you paid for the most part. Yeah. one. On one hand, I want to say like, you know, remember when he was hitting 400 last summer and Yeah. Tyus Powell guaranteed everybody that he was he was going to hit 400 and Yeah. You know, you look up at the end of the season, he hits like 290. Yeah. But he also he he was he was beat up at the end of the year and he went on the injured list for a little bit with a back injury and and you know this year he’s been he’s had some wrist issues and but then on the other hand I’m like well players go through this and and everybody’s beat up and so you know there are flashes where I’m like man this dude could hit 330 for a season and I wouldn’t be surprised right but you know most years like right now he’s down to 285. Yeah. And so I I I’m stuck trying I I really struggle to figure out what he’s worth on the open market, right? But I also know that at this point, you know, he’s going to make like 8 million bucks in arbitration next year. And so the motivation for him to sign a long-term deal is probably pretty small. Yeah, exactly. He’s certainly not going to sign a team friendly uh extension. Um, Diesel says, “What young prospect will make a real impact on this team first?” It had none, you know, besides Quan, there hasn’t been one in a long time. Yeah. I mean, Zotter could be an answer. The The one guy I’m not giving up on for this season is Juan Breurto. Okay. You know, he’s sidelined right now. I think there’s a path for him to be up in September. Uh, I just I just like his profile. like he started hitting for a lot of power last year. He had 40 doubles, 21 homers, and he’s always been a guy who’s got good walk to strikeout numbers. Um I don’t know where he fits defensively. You know, he second base is his natural position, but he’s played some third, first, corner outfield. Uh but I just a switch hitter who can be patient at the plate and maybe have a little pop. Like that’s they desperately need that. Yeah. All right, we’re going to leave it there for now, folks. Thank you everybody for joining us today. Uh we’ll probably be back on Monday next week. We’ll let you know. Uh and we’ll talk to you then after the All-Star break. Hopefully the Guardians get off to a good start and then we’ll see what happens. We’ll talk to you next time on the Ultimate Cleveland Guardian Show.

The Cleveland Guardians came back from the dead last week by winning 6 of their final 7 games before the All Star break.

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