2024 Season | Series #10 | Guardians @ Astros | Apri 30 - May 2, 2024

[thestatman]

I relayed to Chris your desire to re-acquire Amed as well. Name dropped you on the email.

I'm sure Jose appreciates that. What is he now, fifth in the AL in batting?

 

[33Y0]

Have to find ways to play people and get them in the lineup.

Isn't always going to be pretty when you have to do that. And as mentioned before, DH'ing young, inexperienced hitters isn't setting guys up for success either. Not many of these young players have ever DH'd and for a lot of guys the down time between ABs creates an environment that makes it hard to stay engaged and locked in and it can get you in bad habits quick.

Age/experience curve for DH production isn't pretty for young guys or guys with less than a few thousand PAs under their belt.

So not many options if you have a handful of players who are stuck at 1 position and can't play anywhere else and you want to get your bench pieces reps to stay in tune. Hard thing to juggle.

I guess my MO is that you want to put your players in the best position to succeed and I don’t think we were doing that putting Arias in center. I totally understand and agree with what you’re saying here. But certainly, you don’t want to shatter the young guys confidence either.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Good point, I never realized that. So I guess bringing up Manzardo and making him a DH is not in the plans? The only option if we want Manzardo is to make Josh the full-time DH since he has 1,000 PA's?

I'm sure we didn't trade Aaron Civale for a guy to help Columbus win a championship, so it looks like Josh is destined to be a DH as soon as Manzardo is called up.

Manzardo is a better 1B defensively than Naylor, so that move would bump Josh to DH'ing vs RHP and playing 1B vs LHP.

And the same general rules apply for giving young guys inconsistent playing time or reps, or playing them in various positions, or sending them up and down and up and down. These are humans. They aren't names in a video game. It's hard enough to hit MLB pitching, or to get MLB hitters out, or to make MLB level defensive plays with the speed change and the added upper decks at stadiums. To not know where you are playing, when you are playing, learning a new position, etc. while all of this is going on is tough business for anyone.

Often overlooked and treated as an excuse by fans. But at the same time, pro-sports is a cutthroat business. Produce or we'll find someone else who will, doesn't matter the circumstances as to why you aren't.

 

[CBBI]

Have to find ways to play people and get them in the lineup.

Isn't always going to be pretty when you have to do that. And as mentioned before, DH'ing young, inexperienced hitters isn't setting guys up for success either. Not many of these young players have ever DH'd and for a lot of guys the down time between ABs creates an environment that makes it hard to stay engaged and locked in and it can get you in bad habits quick.

Age/experience curve for DH production isn't pretty for young guys or guys with less than a few thousand PAs under their belt.

So not many options if you have a handful of players who are stuck at 1 position and can't play anywhere else and you want to get your bench pieces reps to stay in tune. Hard thing to juggle.

With this being the case, how nervous are you about the fact that Manzardo is basically going to be spending at least half of his time as a DH?

(assuming he and Naylor split 1B/DH right down the middle)

EDIT: looks like you answered this

 

[BimboColesHair]

I guess my MO is that you want to put your players in the best position to succeed and I don’t think we were doing that putting Arias in center. I totally understand and agree with what you’re saying here. But certainly, you don’t want to shatter the young guys confidence either.

You don't play him in CF and he isn't playing today, which would make it almost a full week since he last started a game. What is worse on a players confidence? Playing out of position or not playing at all for almost a week straight?

Jose and Josh don't want the days off and can't play any other position, you want Rocchio in the lineup with the quality of ABs he's been putting up and he's not good defensively anywhere by SS, so where else are you playing him?

 

[CBBI]

You don't play him in CF and he isn't playing today, which would make it almost a full week since he last started a game. What is worse on a players confidence? Playing out of position or not playing at all for almost a week straight?

Jose and Josh don't want the days off, you want Rocchio in the lineup with the quality of ABs he's been putting up, where else are you playing him?

Feels like Arias would be *slightly* better in right field than center field if given the choice between the two?

I understand that would mean Brennan in CF or DH, but that seems ok in a one off? At least more so than Arias in CF In a one off?

 

[33Y0]

You don't play him in CF and he isn't playing today, which would make it almost a full week since he last started a game. What is worse on a players confidence? Playing out of position or not playing at all for almost a week straight?

Jose and Josh don't want the days off and can't play any other position, you want Rocchio in the lineup with the quality of ABs he's been putting up and he's not good defensively anywhere by SS, so where else are you playing him?

Fair. But I guess on the flip side, this question will be even more difficult once Manzardo is promoted, no? Good problem to have obviously, but he’s going to need playing time and that’s going to come at the cost of others. Arias and Manzardo don’t play similar positions per se, but it’s how we will be using the DH spot once he is up that could clog things up a little more.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Feels like Arias would be *slightly* better in right field than center field if given the choice between the two?

Considering he had never taken a rep in CF ever before a few weeks ago in Boston, but has had a number going back to last season in RF, I think that is true.

The only other possibility you could have done today with the same lineup was Brennan at DH, Florial in CF, Arias in RF. But then people would talk about how uncomfortable they are with Florial and Arias in the OF together, especially one as quirky as Houston's is.

There was no good answer today if you wanted to get Arias in the lineup. And you can't go a week at a time not getting him in a game with multiple ABs.

They kept him on the roster getting regular reps for a reason.

 

[Criznit]

I'd love to have Manzardo in the lineup tomorrow. But we all know that ain't happening for weeks.

Serious question. Could he still qualify to win ROY or runner up? Even if that was the case, it would shocking to see him debut with the team before the business stuff...

His call up will also mean it's either him or Naylor as the DH pretty much everyday. So until then, we're going to have to grind and see who's left.

 

[CBBI]

Considering he had never taken a rep in CF ever before a few weeks ago in Boston, but has had a number going back to last season in RF, I think that is true.

The only other possibility you could have done today with the same lineup was Brennan at DH, Florial in CF, Arias in RF. But then people would talk about how uncomfortable they are with Florial and Arias in the OF together, especially one as quirky as Houston's is.

There was no good answer today if you wanted to get Arias in the lineup. And you can't go a week at a time not getting him in a game with multiple ABs.

They kept him on the roster getting regular reps for a reason.

Do you find it odd that Florial, who has nearly 5000 MILB and MLB innings combined in centerfield, has barely been used in CF at all for the Guardians?

Only 1 game of the 20 he's played this year has been in center. Is he just not good out there or what?

 

[BimboColesHair]

Fair. But I guess on the flip side, this question will be even more difficult once Manzardo is promoted, no? Good problem to have obviously, but he’s going to need playing time and that’s going to come at the cost of others. Arias and Manzardo don’t play similar positions per se, but it’s how we will be using the DH spot once he is up that could clog things up a little more.

It depends on who makes room for Manzardo.

Think it's a good tell, all of these Florial as the DH lineups vs RHP, where the thinking will lie a month or so from now.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Do you find it odd that Florial, who has nearly 5000 MILB and MLB innings combined in centerfield, has barely been used in CF at all for the Guardians?

Only 1 game of the 20 he's played this year has been in center. Is he just not good out there or what?

A bit, yes. But, for the most part, do you want him getting CF reps over Freeman?

The only issues I have with Florial's usage to this point is these games where Laureano starts in CF vs a RHP should all go to Florial. There have been 4 of those already and those ones I don't get.

 

[CBBI]

A bit, yes. But, for the most part, do you want him getting CF reps over Freeman?

The only issues I have with Florial's usage to this point is these games where Laureano starts in CF vs a RHP should all go to Florial. There have been 4 of those already and those ones I don't get.

No I want Freeman out there as the primary guy, but Freeman has not started 7 times already and Florial has only started in CF in just one of those games.

Just seems odd that Florial would have fewer starts in CF than three other guys now more than a month into the season.

 

[MattyFos.]

What an ugly fucking loss. Defense failed Allen. Beede should be on a Greyhound to Columbus

 

[Meatwad]

What an ugly fucking loss. Defense failed Allen. Beede should be on a Greyhound to Columbus

Please don't change the topic from the Rocchio-Arias Wars