2024 Season | Series #7 | A's @ Guardians | April 19-21, 2024

[Holden beach]

Quick aside to resurrect yesterday's hot dog discussion...

If you can find Ballpark Prime uncured beef franks bun size, they are excellent. Costco carries them in the summer months.

Tony Packo's pickles and peppers relish is something for the adventurous to enjoy as a condiment.

Chicago dogs contain a whole boatload of things I'd never put on a hot dog, that collectively, taste amazing.

The best weiners and knockwurst I've had in the US are from Patak Meats. The only thing I miss about Atlanta are the restaurants and The Dekalb Farmers Market that carries Patak products. https://patakmeats.com/

That is all. Go Guardians. Fun year so far.

 

[Lee]

Quick aside to resurrect yesterday's hot dog discussion...

If you can find Ballpark Prime uncured beef franks bun size, they are excellent. Costco carries them in the summer months.

Tony Packo's pickles and peppers relish is something for the adventurous to enjoy as a condiment.

Chicago dogs contain a whole boatload of things I'd never put on a hot dog, that collectively, taste amazing.

The best weiners and knockwurst I've had in the US are from Patak Meats. The only thing I miss about Atlanta are the restaurants and The Dekalb Farmers Market that carries Patak products. https://patakmeats.com/

That is all. Go Guardians. Fun year so far.

A good chicago dog is amazing, so many dogs I enjoy, starts with a good quality dog though, toppings can very depending on taste.

Here in Phoenix, there are Sonorian dogs, which is an amazing treat from Mexico with soft buns, pinto beans, wrapped in bacon, sauted onions, mustard, mayo chopped jalapano relish, ect So different from anything you have had and sounds awful until you actually have one. Have to be eaten with a fork and knife too

 

[Benway]

There's a hot dog from "Happy Dog" that's incredible. The toppings are utterly non-intuitive, but it was concocted by Michael Symon. Toppings : "Alien Green" pickle relish, Sriracha, and chunky peanut butter. Sound weird and a little gross? Utterly fantastic, with a kind of Thai slant.

Caveat: they have been serving a pale imitation at Progressive Field. AVOID. It is cheap, sloppy, and a terrible copy in every way.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

The game starts at 6:10, right?

Oops, yeah.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Nope, Freeman isn't Straw in CF. Few actually are, but Straw is the worst offensive OFer I can ever recall and these guys are required to play on both sides of the ball. This team is so much better without him on the roster and Freeman in CF.

I always wondered why Rocchio wasn't given the opportunity to play CF? Maybe he just isn't fast enough. Tena is another one that could probably be a damn good CFer based on his physical abilities. Seems like they didn't follow through with thier strategy very well when it came to converting MIFers to other positions. A couple like Freeman and Arias have moved around, but the rest seem locked in place. Then again they don't usually convert them until they get to Cleveland.

They're moving Angel Martinez to center field as well. It looks like going forward it will be Freeman and Martinez in center, Rocchio at short, and Arias at third, short, first, and right field. Also, David Fry can catch or play third, first, or left field.

If Rocchio doen't progress they can always make Arias the every day shortstop.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I think winning the opener was the key. In Boyle's previous two starts he pitched 10 innings allowing one earned run. McKenzie was coming off a start where he gave up 5 runs in 4 innings. On paper this looked like the most unfavorable starting pitcher matchup of the series and the A's best chance to avoid a sweep.

Getting seven runs off Boyle in five innings was impressive.

Today we're facing a guy with an 8.10 ERA so it's the opposite. I won't be surprised if the A's take this one.

 

[CDAV45]

They're moving Angel Martinez to center field as well. It looks like going forward it will be Freeman and Martinez in center, Rocchio at short, and Arias at third, short, first, and right field. Also, David Fry can catch or play third, first, or left field.

If Rocchio doen't progress they can always make Arias the every day shortstop.

Lots of fluidity coming to this roster. I see that as good and bad.

 

[southernflyer]

Freeman's homer hit 331 feet over a 330 foot fence.

I like that these analytics are available now. Good for Freeman!

Pesky's pole at 302 in Boston is romanticized. Yankees 318 and 314 down the lines are brought up as a positive.

Most hitters should be trying to either pull the ball or hit it the other way for 330-370 foot homers instead of 395 foot flyouts to the center fielder.

 

[thestatman]

Freeman's homer hit 331 feet over a 330 foot fence.

Was definitely a cheap. wind aided home run but I disagree that it was a home rrun in only 1 of 30 parks. Had to be a homer in Yankee Stadium no?

 

[Otsego Mar]

I like that these analytics are available now. Good for Freeman!

Pesky's pole at 302 in Boston is romanticized. Yankees 318 and 314 down the lines are brought up as a positive.

Most hitters should be trying to either pull the ball or hit it the other way for 330-370 foot homers instead of 395 foot flyouts to the center fielder.

F analytics

 

[petes999]

So Fry hitting 2nd again and at 1st w a lefty. Arias at 2nd.

HITTERS	H-AB	HR	RBI	SB	AVG
S. KwanLF	30-86	2	7	1	.349
D. Fry1B	8-26	1	7	1	.308
J. Ramirez3B	21-88	3	17	1	.239
J. NaylorDH	22-69	5	14	0	.319
R. LaureanoRF	7-38	0	1	3	.184
T. FreemanCF	12-56	3	10	2	.214
G. Arias2B	11-39	1	7	1	.282
A. HedgesC	2-21	0	3	0	.095
B. RocchioSS	12-57	0	3	1	.211

 

[Tondo]

I'd say his 137 OPS+ suggests he is being a very productive hitter. Hopefully he keeps it up.

I like Florial because he's selective and waits for his pitch, he's a lot like Bo Naylor, but he's due some negative regression. Massive gap between wOBA of 355 and xwOBA of 217

 

[Meatwad]

So Fry hitting 2nd again and at 1st w a lefty. Arias at 2nd.

Edit: I'm losing it. Gimenez hasn't missed a game. Getting some rest for a change

 

[CDAV45]

I like Florial because he's selective and waits for his pitch, he's a lot like Bo Naylor, but he's due some negative regression. Massive gap between wOBA of 355 and xwOBA of 217

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised by some regression Tondo, but I'm hoping for the best because his bat could be very exciting. It's interesting to see the offensive dynamic changing a bit.

 

[CDAV45]

Edit: I'm losing it. Gimenez hasn't missed a game. Getting some rest for a change

Well deserved IMO.