Why the Guardians will win over 100 games this year

[Gson]

I have Toussaint as a RP not a SP in 23... We have no room in AAA for another SP... I also have Cantillo and Morris piggybacking/have kiddie gloves on to start 23... They will both be limited in innings early, so those two together makes the most sense...



Both of those guys aren't going to be starting in the bigs in April/May for Cleveland... If someone takes Plesac's spot, it's Allen, Battenfield, Pilk or Curry... Not Morris or Cantillo...

If Plesac is traded then Morris or Cantillo can take his spot. My actual guess is Plesac is moved at the trade deadline with one of those 6 taking his spot...

Disagree with this..

 

[sportscoach]

Disagree with this..

We will see...

 

[petes999]

I was going to post in the off-season thread but put it all here for now as it migrated here ...

The top 3 starters to fill in on day 1 are: Morris, Pilk and Curry - If someone goes down, Morris gets called up, innings limit be damned because
The next tier of starters to supplant Pilk and possibly Curry are - Allen, Cantillo (already on 40) who can take over for a longer duration injury for Morris, if need be. If Plesac gets injured/traded in May/June, I don't mind Morris going 2-3 months full and then Allen/Cantillo come up and send Morris to pen to limit innings.

Last year, we needed 5 other starters Pilk (11), McCarty(2), Gaddis(2), Curry(2), Morris(5). This year, we may only need 3-4 extra starters with fewer DHs and if they do more MiRP openers like Herrin and others to take Shaw(2) and Morgan(1) starts. So when we talk about every game matters, it is really focusing on that 6th and 7th starter you are talking about (rest of games are who is ready to go for a game here or there in an emergency start based on current rest schedule). If you lose 3 starters at once, you are probably SOL anyways.

--Morris has 6th man locked up -- sorry -- but he is best of the best. He is in AAA to keep his length and manage innings on 7 days rest.
--Curry, Pilk, Battenfield and Gaddis will battle for 7th spot in ST but if Curry is close to Pilk with offseason work, he gets the 7th starter spot in AAA as Pilk can hide out in that 8th man spot (get a spot start here or there with Herrin/Morgan combo) and quickly go down to AAA to be extended if/when Morris is called up.
-- Rest of AAA starters should be dedicated to who are your starters in 2023 and the start of 2024 -- on that list I have Allen, Cantillo, Bibee and Williams as getting first crack at things. Fine, if Williams and Bibee start in AA, someone like Battenfield, Gaddis and others should know it is put up or shut-up time because I would not hold our top 8 pitchers (Big 3, Allen, Morris, Cantillo, Curry, Campbell, Burns - maybe) over a 30+ tier prospect like Gaddis and Battenfield who are probably more MiRP in our system.

By June (July latest) our AAA starters should be -- Morris/Cantillo, Allen, Curry, Bibee, Williams and possibly Gaddis/Battenfield winner if Cantillo doesn't slip into his own 6th man slot. By then Gaddis/Battenfield are on top-20 prospect list due to figuring it out or in a MiRP AAA role.

 

[Tondo]

I doubt Toussaint would have signed off on the deal if the plan was to move him to RP. Too much good stuff. He signed here because he wants that CLE magic dust to revive his SP career

 

[sportscoach]

I doubt Toussaint would have signed off on the deal if the plan was to move him to RP. Too much good stuff. He signed here because he wants that CLE magic dust to revive his SP career

Cleveland has signed SPs, put them in the pen, then became SPs later (Hill)... This season for Touki is more about getting himself back onto MLB radars. It's not about weather he starts or not, it's about showing he can pitch in the bigs. He has great stuff, but hasn't shown the best command... On paper, he is a guy who could become a very good bullpen arm and I think in Cleveland, if he is smart and has smart advisors, he take the RP role if given to him, which is the spot that's really available. If he's smart, he puts aside his pride and takes any role available...

 

[petes999]

I doubt Toussaint would have signed off on the deal if the plan was to move him to RP. Too much good stuff. He signed here because he wants that CLE magic dust to revive his SP career

He can't have his cake and eat it too. He ain't going to be fixed in the matter of 2 months (Jan and Feb) before he starts competing for a starter's job. Yet, who does he kick out of AAA if he does not have an opt out clause (to get additional training)? I want to see our top-100 type prospects Morris, Allen, Cantillo, Williams and Bibee ... I will be damn if he gets to jump the line. If he is better than Curry, then fine, promise him the 7th starter spot ... but, that shows Gaddis, Battenfield and others are going into the MiRP. I doubt any promises could have been made.

 

[CDAV45]

Cleveland has signed SPs, put them in the pen, then became SPs later (Hill)... This season for Touki is more about getting himself back onto MLB radars. It's not about weather he starts or not, it's about showing he can pitch in the bigs. He has great stuff, but hasn't shown the best command... On paper, he is a guy who could become a very good bullpen arm and I think in Cleveland, if he is smart and has smart advisors, he take the RP role if given to him, which is the spot that's really available. If he's smart, he puts aside his pride and takes any role available...

Rich Hill? That's the only and best example you can come up with? He sucked ass in the 64 IP while with Cleveland in 2013.

I'm not going to even cast an opinion on what role Touki might be given/earn. He's simply a good arm/talent to bet on improving, but I'm not sure how to fit him in this logjam. Like I said, I've never seen anything like this.

 

[Gson]

Rich Hill? That's the only and best example you can come up with? He sucked ass in the 64 IP while with Cleveland in 2013.

I'm not going to even cast an opinion on what role Touki might be given/earn. He's simply a good arm/talent to bet on improving, but I'm not sure how to fit him in this logjam. Like I said, I've never seen anything like this.

Touki has seen time as a starter and as an RP.. best guess.. RP.. I also understand the Touki plays a mean game of backgammon..should give Tito a run for his Bubbliscious...

 

[AZ_]

Have they confirmed he’s going full time relief?

May as well work him out to 3+ innings by the end of ST.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

If anything the Indians/Guardians take starters and turn them into relievers; Jose Mesa, Zach McAllister, Eli Morgan, and Sam Hentges come to mind. I can't remember them changing a reliever into a starter. I think that could happen with a few of the current crop like Gaddis and Curry.

 

[sportscoach]

If anything the Indians/Guardians take starters and turn them into relievers; Jose Mesa, Zach McAllister, Eli Morgan, and Sam Hentges come to mind. I can't remember them changing a reliever into a starter. I think that could happen with a few of the current crop like Gaddis and Curry.

Tomlin was a reliever that switched to SP in the minors... Honestly most prospects start as SPs

 

[KluberSociety]

Tomlin was a reliever that switched to SP in the minors... Honestly most prospects start as SPs

I think he started as a starter in 2006 but then moved into more of a relief/hybrid role in 2007/2008 then back to being mostly a starter in 2009.

It is rare that pitchers get converted to relief so early though and then make it back to being starters. Usually they are kept starters as long as possible and it is only when they show they can't start that they get converted to reliever.

I think Curry is a great example of someone who can be the "next Eli Morgan" - moving from that not really good enough to being a reliever to getting a little extra zip on the FB and trimming down the secondary stuff to what really works.

 

[Gson]

I think he started as a starter in 2006 but then moved into more of a relief/hybrid role in 2007/2008 then back to being mostly a starter in 2009.

It is rare that pitchers get converted to relief so early though and then make it back to being starters. Usually they are kept starters as long as possible and it is only when they show they can't start that they get converted to reliever.

I think Curry is a great example of someone who can be the "next Eli Morgan" - moving from that not really good enough to being a reliever to getting a little extra zip on the FB and trimming down the secondary stuff to what really works.

There are a good number of guys who can get one to five clicks on their FB if they're not conserving themselves for a long outing.. The number is a bit smaller than you'd think.. but, there are times when it does work and work well.. The greatest closer of all time is a prime example of this: Mariano Rivera.. Rivera was throwing a low 90's cutter and two other pitches.. when he was asked to relieve.. He junked the two other pitches and humped up his cut fastball to above the mid 90's & this became his signature..

It would be a guess by anyone to say Curry can do the same thing (clearly not to the success level of Mo).. but, there is that chance.. More than just Curry could be a candidate.. too, but, he'd be a guy that would have the highest chance of success in a world where success is very rare.. very rare, indeed..

 

[bob2the2nd]

Does anyone know if MiLB keeps their 6 games vs one opponent schedule week with Mondays off? If so, teams will probably continue their 6 men rotations, with one or two piggybacks, you could easily keep 8 SP prospects on one team. Als helps control innings.

With Irvin fetching so little in return, I doubt Plesac is worth dealing at this point. Keep him, give him a spot and let it play out from there. Injuries will come, prospects will disappoint (boy was Tobias Myers a lesson learned), so you need to be 8 to 10 quality SP deep.

@petes999 point, as a season ticket holder of an A team I like to pick the brains of the team reps occasionally; I dont think baseball has any plans to go away with the 6 game series. Its help simplified a lot of the minor league travel plans, it saves money, and it allows more time for players to work on their craft. There are a ton of benefits to it, and quite frankly not that me negatives.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]