2022 Cleveland Guardians Regular Season Thread

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Civale said after the game he decided to stop pitching to the scouting report and just go with his instincts and try to read the batter. It worked really well, although the Royals are not a good hitting team.

Hopefully he can stick with this approach and finish the first half strong and take it right into the second half. I'm not going to go overboard on one good start against a very bad hitting team, but he looked like the pre-injury Civale of last season.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Another potential lineup if Rosario and Franmil get traded is an outfield of Valera (L), Kwan (C), and Jones (R). Naylor, Freeman, Gimenez, and Jose make up the infield with Oscar Gonzalez as the DH. Naylor or Lavastida takes over at catcher when they're ready.

The starters will be some combination of Bieber, Quantrill, McKenzie, Plesac, Civale, Cody Morris, Gavin Williams, and Daniel Espino. There are a couple others like Bibee and Hankins that could push their way into the mix.

That still leaves guys like Arias and Brennan with no place to play. Also Brayan Rocchio, who Fangraphs ranked second among our prospects in April.

 

[sportscoach]

This is kind of interesting as long as Kwan stays qualified for rewards, Kwan actually should win the gold glove in LF...

 

[DickyLeftridge]

Another potential lineup if Rosario and Franmil get traded is an outfield of Valera (L), Kwan (C), and Jones (R). Naylor, Freeman, Gimenez, and Jose make up the infield with Oscar Gonzalez as the DH. Naylor or Lavastida takes over at catcher when they're ready.

The starters will be some combination of Bieber, Quantrill, McKenzie, Plesac, Civale, Cody Morris, Gavin Williams, and Daniel Espino. There are a couple others like Bibee and Hankins that could push their way into the mix.

That still leaves guys like Arias and Brennan with no place to play. Also Brayan Rocchio, who Fangraphs ranked second among our prospects in April.

Also agree with this if FranGOAT gets traded. His value has to be at the lowest level it's been since he's been here. So it would surprise me if we move him. But if we assume we will, I agree with exactly what you have with two exceptions, one more certain than the other. Arias for Freeman and Arias at SS. Then possibly Jones down to 1B, NayGOAT to DH, OGOATz to the bench as a nice bat there, and Benson to the OF. I understand Jones hasn't repped any at 1B. But the lineup I proposed would be defensively superior at nearly every spot to the one you suggested. And as to 1B, this team has trotted Miller out there this year--who is an unmitigated disaster and was an invention at 1B to begin with--and Naylor who is an athletic shell of himself coming off the injury and about 5'10" 250. If they can do it, I have little doubt that the 6'4", athletic, former 3B and hockey player could make that move. I'd want Jones to get a shot at 1B. It would solve a lot of roster issues now and going forward anyway.

 

[Andrew Scheid]

I don't understand us being sellers. We already have a pending 40-man crunch, so unless we're trading for prospects who are years away from Rule 5 eligibility, then we're just adding to the problem.

 

[Urban]

Just don't get the organization's semi-obsession with Franmil playing the OF, especially with the universal DH. Seems like a great way to negate his (normally) plus bat

I think the return would be pretty disappointing for a DH having a career worst season, so I'd hope they hold onto him.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

I don't understand us being sellers. We already have a pending 40-man crunch, so unless we're trading for prospects who are years away from Rule 5 eligibility, then we're just adding to the problem.

I think we're both.

We're selling players who we feel don't fit our contention window, or who we feel we have better options internally.

We're also buying players who allow us to consolidate our glut of high-level prospects into higher-quality pieces that fit our contention window.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Just don't get the organization's semi-obsession with Franmil playing the OF, especially with the universal DH. Seems like a great way to negate his (normally) plus bat

I think the return would be pretty disappointing for a DH having a career worst season, so I'd hope they hold onto him.

Yeah, I don't ever want to see him in the OF.

If you think you have better/equal DH options internally, like Nolan Jones, Jhonkensy Noel, Josh Naylor, etc--then I get it. But I'm not sure betting on any of them to outperform Franmil's bat is a smart choice.

The only way I'm on board is if they feel the insanely high K% is going to be here to stay--and Franmil's recent hot performance is the outlier.

 

[Andrew Scheid]

I think we're both.

We're selling players who we feel don't fit our contention window, or who we feel we have better options internally.

We're also buying players who allow us to consolidate our glut of high-level prospects into higher-quality pieces that fit our contention window.

I would love that approach.

However, per Pluto who is seems to have real insight into the team's thinking, we won't be trading for any veteran player at the deadline.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

I would love that approach.

However, per Pluto who is seems to have real insight into the team's thinking, we won't be trading for any veteran player at the deadline.

I wouldn't expect us to trade for a veteran either. I'd expect us to be cautiously shopping for a premier young talent that aligns with our up and coming young talent.

The starters like Espino, Williams, TMac, Plesac, Quantrill, Curry, Cantillo, Pilkington

The bats like Naylor, Naylor, Freeman, Gimenez, Arias, Jose, Valera, Jones, Kwan

If a premier piece is available that fits into that core, and we can acquire it by paying out of an area of surplus (like MIF talent) then I'd expect us to be in.

I wouldn't expect us to give up top guys like Espino in any deal.

If that's a deal breaker, then that's fine--we'll play with what we have.

 

[Andrew Scheid]

I wouldn't expect us to trade for a veteran either. I'd expect us to be cautiously shopping for a premier young talent that aligns with our up and coming young talent.

The starters like Espino, Williams, TMac, Plesac, Quantrill, Curry, Cantillo, Pilkington

The bats like Naylor, Naylor, Freeman, Gimenez, Arias, Jose, Valera, Jones, Kwan

If a premier piece is available that fits into that core, and we can acquire it by paying out of an area of surplus (like MIF talent) then I'd expect us to be in.

I wouldn't expect us to give up top guys like Espino in any deal.

If that's a deal breaker, then that's fine--we'll play with what we have.

What premier young talent ever gets traded though?

 

[DickyLeftridge]

What premier young talent ever gets traded though?

I tend to agree. I've followed this team long enough to know that the idea that we will parlay top, blocked prospects into proven players at positions of need is simply a pipe dream. I guess you could argue we tried with Lucroy. But other than that, the history is that we'll let these top prospects matriculate to the Guardians, play only sparingly because their ABs are rightly reserved for more talented players, and then either let those players go or deal them too late for pennies on the dollar. I'd love to think we could turn some combo of Freeman, Rocchio or Arias, Tena, even Martinez into a guy like Reynolds or some other proven OF, 1B, or C bat. But I'll believe it when I see it.

That said, I think the Rule 5 crunch is equally a myth. We had the exact same frets this time last year. We lost no one, and in fact only added some scrub in Myers who didn't last half a season. We're not the Yankees. We're under .500. Successful teams have 40-man roster crunches. The theory that we have so many good players who deserve a spot on our 40-man roster that it is a problem is pure fiction. It's a favorite fret for people who love the prospects in the minors. But it is simply not borne out by the facts. We have 40-man roster slots claimed by Luke Maile, Oscar Mercado, Myles Straw, Austin Hedges, De Los Santos. As of a few days ago, we had other 40-man slots claimed by someone named Yohan Ramirez and Sandy Leon. We don't have more deserving players than 40-man spots. We have more spots than deserving players.

And I surely understand that the "crunch" would most affect guys in AAA, AA, High A who have not yet had a chance to prove themselves at the MLB level. My point is that due to the subpar quality of too many players at our MLB level, it's tough to argue with a straight face that the players "blocked" by those playing every day or at least on the Guardians roster are so talented we have to fret about it. If they are, why do we have to insist that they continue to toil away at the lower levels of the minors as opposed to pushing them ahead and even putting them in Cleveland (or at least on the 40-man roster)? The organization has taken the position that we are playing for the future and we won't sacrifice muh muh muh necessary minor league development time for MLB success. Fine. I don't even necessarily disagree with that idea. But the necessary implication of that stance is that we're willing to live with decisions today (or in December during the Rule 5 draft) that protect this muh muh muh minor league development time at the expense of losing a JhonGOATny Noel so we can hold a warm 40-man spot for Myles Straw, Austin Hedges, and company.

 

[Gson]

I don't understand us being sellers. We already have a pending 40-man crunch, so unless we're trading for prospects who are years away from Rule 5 eligibility, then we're just adding to the problem.

Perhaps, a more imaginative approach to selling could be considered?...

Let's say... Pluto is right (however unlikely that is)..

Amed goes to St Louis (who need a SS and we'll ignore defense for now.. something the St Louis organization won't do) and Konner Pilkington...

Coming back from St Louis is Josh Baez OF, Tink Hence SP/RP and Leo Bernal C...

This group of teenagers are high risk, but, talent evident. The deal fills three A to A+ level slots with a large amount of control years.. The Cardinals get two guys who would otherwise be cast aside in the next 18 months, anyway..

 

[Gson]

What premier young talent ever gets traded though?

Corey Kluber?

Fernando Tatis..

the list is endless.. and all traded..

 

[sportscoach]

I wouldn't expect us to trade for a veteran either. I'd expect us to be cautiously shopping for a premier young talent that aligns with our up and coming young talent.

The starters like Espino, Williams, TMac, Plesac, Quantrill, Curry, Cantillo, Pilkington

The bats like Naylor, Naylor, Freeman, Gimenez, Arias, Jose, Valera, Jones, Kwan

If a premier piece is available that fits into that core, and we can acquire it by paying out of an area of surplus (like MIF talent) then I'd expect us to be in.

I wouldn't expect us to give up top guys like Espino in any deal.

If that's a deal breaker, then that's fine--we'll play with what we have.

Here is what I feel could happen...

Guys like Rosario could be dealt for lotto prospects/and or bullpen arms...

Like the Chris Perez deal we did years ago, I would like to find a way to get a setup/closer potential on both sides, Lefty and righty since I don't like our RP prospects in general. We have some arms, but I just dont trust them...

I also think we will try to get a Reynolds, but without trading Espino, Williams and Valera in a sense...