2023 Cleveland Guardians Season Thread

[sportscoach]

I thought teams can still trade, but the traded players cannot be part of the playoff roster.

They cannot trade someone on a major league roster. So let's say, an short term injury happens to a LH middle INF and someone wanted Schneeman, they could get him, just wouldn't be playoff eligible...

How we got Giolito is the fact we got him off of waivers and didn't have to give up anything to get him other than take his salary.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

For the rest of the season I'd like to see;

1) The guys keep playing hard and hustling

2) Tito go out on a winning month (need to finish 8-5)

3) McKenzie and Bieber pitch some quality innings and prove they are healthy and ready for a normal off-season

4) No more injuries (Bibee was enough)

5) Josh get to 100 RBI's (he needs 9 in 13 games - won't be easy)

6) Brennan continue his stong finish (.355 in his last 62 AB's)

7) Bo continue his strong finish (.333 in his last 60 AB's with 4 HR's and 10 RBI's)

8) Hentges finish the season with 27 or 28 scoreless appearances (he's up to 23)

9) Straw get a hit. OK, I'll settle for a walk or a HBP.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Ramon Laureano is quietly starting to come on after a settling in period. In 103 AB's with the Guardians he is hitting .252/.762, which is fine for a center fielder although a little light for a corner outfielder.

Against left-handed pitching he's hitting .288/.828 for the season. We're scoring a run every 9.3 at-bats against lefties compared to 8.0 at-bats against right-handers. We're five games over .500 against right-handed starters and 12 games under against lefties - a 17 game difference. We desparately need batting punch against lefties.

Laureano also has a gun in the outfield and can play right or center. In 11 September games mostly against quality teams like Tampa, Minnesota, and Texas he's hitting .263/.817 with an on-base percentage of .370. Not a lot of power but an excellent OBP and he runs well. He's 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts this year, suggesting he should be running more.

I feel like Laureano is quietly starting to make a case for a regular job next year. In his first two seasons in Oakland at age 24/25 he hit .288 in 590 AB's with 29 home runs and 86 RBI's. He just turned 29. In 30 games with the Guardians his WAR is 0.5, which projects to 2.5 over 150 games. Not an All-Star, but a guy who can give us a lot more offense in center than we're getting from Straw and play acceptable defense and rake against lefties.

Best case scenario is he gets back to where he was when he broke in (.850 OPS) but he was probably on performance enhancers, which he got busted for. I'd still take him in centerfield every day next year if he can hit like he's done since the trade - in the .250/.760 area. But he might be able to do a little better than that if he's playing every day and doesn't have the pressure of being the next Big Thing and can just complement the rest of the lineup.

Edit: A platoon of Laureano and Brennan in center wouldnt' be bad. Ramon is hitting .288/.828 against lefties (.194 against right-handers) while Will is hitting .281/.703 agianst righties (.208 against lefties). Trade Bieber for an impact bat in right field, platoon Brennan and Laureano in center, and keep Kwan in left and we're good.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

By the way, if we were just .500 against left-handed starters this year (27-27) we'd be one game behind the Twins right now.

 

[Gson]

For the rest of the season I'd like to see;

1) The guys keep playing hard and hustling

2) Tito go out on a winning month (need to finish 8-5)

3) McKenzie and Bieber pitch some quality innings and prove they are healthy and ready for a normal off-season

4) No more injuries (Bibee was enough)

5) Josh get to 100 RBI's (he needs 9 in 13 games - won't be easy)

6) Brennan continue his stong finish (.355 in his last 62 AB's)

7) Bo continue his strong finish (.333 in his last 60 AB's with 4 HR's and 10 RBI's)

8) Hentges finish the season with 27 or 28 scoreless appearances (he's up to 23)

9) Straw get a hit. OK, I'll settle for a walk or a HBP.

Catcher's interference??? Error?

 

[Alabuckeye]

who would’ve bet in March that Lucas Giuliato and Noah Syndergaard would both have more wins for the G’s than Tristan McK

 

[Benway]

Bibee possibly to be shut down. Nice debut, Tanner!

https://www.si.com/mlb/guardians/news/report-guardians-rookie-tanner-bibees-season-appears-over

 

[MirORich]

Ramon Laureano is quietly starting to come on after a settling in period. In 103 AB's with the Guardians he is hitting .252/.762, which is fine for a center fielder although a little light for a corner outfielder.

Against left-handed pitching he's hitting .288/.828 for the season. We're scoring a run every 9.3 at-bats against lefties compared to 8.0 at-bats against right-handers. We're five games over .500 against right-handed starters and 12 games under against lefties - a 17 game difference. We desparately need batting punch against lefties.

Laureano also has a gun in the outfield and can play right or center. In 11 September games mostly against quality teams like Tampa, Minnesota, and Texas he's hitting .263/.817 with an on-base percentage of .370. Not a lot of power but an excellent OBP and he runs well. He's 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts this year, suggesting he should be running more.

I feel like Laureano is quietly starting to make a case for a regular job next year. In his first two seasons in Oakland at age 24/25 he hit .288 in 590 AB's with 29 home runs and 86 RBI's. He just turned 29. In 30 games with the Guardians his WAR is 0.5, which projects to 2.5 over 150 games. Not an All-Star, but a guy who can give us a lot more offense in center than we're getting from Straw and play acceptable defense and rake against lefties.

Best case scenario is he gets back to where he was when he broke in (.850 OPS) but he was probably on performance enhancers, which he got busted for. I'd still take him in centerfield every day next year if he can hit like he's done since the trade - in the .250/.760 area. But he might be able to do a little better than that if he's playing every day and doesn't have the pressure of being the next Big Thing and can just complement the rest of the lineup.

Edit: A platoon of Laureano and Brennan in center wouldnt' be bad. Ramon is hitting .288/.828 against lefties (.194 against right-handers) while Will is hitting .281/.703 agianst righties (.208 against lefties). Trade Bieber for an impact bat in right field, platoon Brennan and Laureano in center, and keep Kwan in left and we're good.

I’m still not sure you can have any of Laureano, Straw, or Brennan as starters if Kwan is also a starter

I think you have Kwan as a starter and then 1-2 of Laureano, Brennan, or Straw as 4th/5th OF

Of course to do that, you need players in CF and RF who merit starting.

Perhaps Laureano or Brennan are showing just enough pop to be considered as a platoon or one starting and one the 4th OF?

 

[DCTribefan]

Ramon Laureano is quietly starting to come on after a settling in period. In 103 AB's with the Guardians he is hitting .252/.762, which is fine for a center fielder although a little light for a corner outfielder.

Against left-handed pitching he's hitting .288/.828 for the season. We're scoring a run every 9.3 at-bats against lefties compared to 8.0 at-bats against right-handers. We're five games over .500 against right-handed starters and 12 games under against lefties - a 17 game difference. We desparately need batting punch against lefties.

Laureano also has a gun in the outfield and can play right or center. In 11 September games mostly against quality teams like Tampa, Minnesota, and Texas he's hitting .263/.817 with an on-base percentage of .370. Not a lot of power but an excellent OBP and he runs well. He's 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts this year, suggesting he should be running more.

I feel like Laureano is quietly starting to make a case for a regular job next year. In his first two seasons in Oakland at age 24/25 he hit .288 in 590 AB's with 29 home runs and 86 RBI's. He just turned 29. In 30 games with the Guardians his WAR is 0.5, which projects to 2.5 over 150 games. Not an All-Star, but a guy who can give us a lot more offense in center than we're getting from Straw and play acceptable defense and rake against lefties.

Best case scenario is he gets back to where he was when he broke in (.850 OPS) but he was probably on performance enhancers, which he got busted for. I'd still take him in centerfield every day next year if he can hit like he's done since the trade - in the .250/.760 area. But he might be able to do a little better than that if he's playing every day and doesn't have the pressure of being the next Big Thing and can just complement the rest of the lineup.

Edit: A platoon of Laureano and Brennan in center wouldnt' be bad. Ramon is hitting .288/.828 against lefties (.194 against right-handers) while Will is hitting .281/.703 agianst righties (.208 against lefties). Trade Bieber for an impact bat in right field, platoon Brennan and Laureano in center, and keep Kwan in left and we're good.

If only it was so easy to trade Bieber for an impact bat.

 

[Gson]

If only it was so easy to trade Bieber for an impact bat.

Package Huff and Garcia along with a wild card from the Rangers (assuming clean bill of health for Garcia) for a healthy Bieber and a big wild card.. ?

 

[TxBuckeye]

Package Huff and Garcia along with a wild card from the Rangers (assuming clean bill of health for Garcia) for a healthy Bieber and a big wild card.. ?

The local sports talk show here in Dallas was actually talking about Adolis possibly being a trade candidate this off season.

 

[Gson]

The local sports talk show here in Dallas was actually talking about Adolis possibly being a trade candidate this off season.

Locked on Rangers?.. that fan driven podcast... Brice Paterik.. is the host.. ? Where he's saying the Rangers can afford to give up some offense.. but need bullpen help??? That may be just one source in the Metroplex that is bandying about a possible deal for the weakness of the Rangers..

 

[TxBuckeye]

Locked on Rangers?.. that fan driven podcast... Brice Paterik.. is the host.. ? Where he's saying the Rangers can afford to give up some offense.. but need bullpen help??? That may be just one source in the Metroplex that is bandying about a possible deal for the weakness of the Rangers..

No 105.3 The Fan was just talking about it this past week. The guys on the show are pretty locked in to the local teams. They are more in on the Cowboys (Bryan Broaddus, a former Cowboys personal guy and Bobby Belt, one of the Cowboy beat guys are a couple of the guys on the morning and afternoon drive times) than the Rangers and Mavs but all the guys on the station are pretty knowledgeable. They obviously were just speculating but it was talked about.

 

[sportscoach]

I’m still not sure you can have any of Laureano, Straw, or Brennan as starters if Kwan is also a starter

I think you have Kwan as a starter and then 1-2 of Laureano, Brennan, or Straw as 4th/5th OF

Of course to do that, you need players in CF and RF who merit starting.

Perhaps Laureano or Brennan are showing just enough pop to be considered as a platoon or one starting and one the 4th OF?

I have a hunch, going into the off season we will look for another OF, but at the moment, Kwan and Brennan have starting spots with Laureano and Straw on the bench/last OF spot. If we acquire someone then the 4 OFs will change ..

 

[CDAV45]

I have a hunch, going into the off season we will look for another OF, but at the moment, Kwan and Brennan have starting spots with Laureano and Straw on the bench/last OF spot. If we acquire someone then the 4 OFs will change ..

I don't know what they intend to do. They may not be looking for much if anything at all honestly. What doesn't seem to make sense is keeping all of Kwan, Brennan, Straw and Laureano. You need to have some pop and those 4 MFers couldn't break a wet paper bag. No, power isn't the most important aspect, but you cannot be bereft of it and expect to compete either.

Are they going to continue giving OGon an opportunity? How about Rodriguez? Valera? How soon will Brito and DeLauter be ready? Lots of questions that don't have clear cut answers. Gonna be interesting(or boring as hell) to see what they do or don't do.

What I would do is look to lock up Lopez ASAP. Is Giolito someone worth investing in? If so then how much? Does Moore make any sense because he has looked very good this year?