For the first two months of this baseball season, the Cleveland Guardians were on a magic carpet. After beating Washington 7-1 on May 31st, they were 38-19 and had a four-game lead in the AL Central Division.
Since that victory, the Guards are 36-36. Notice the number of games played in each segment we’ve talked about. They have been a “meh” team longer than they were great.
We remember in 1984 after the Detroit Tigers got off to a 35-5 start, someone asked manager Sparky Anderson about Toronto, who the interviewer told Anderson had the same record as Detroit since a specific date.
Anderson snapped back and told the media person something to the effect that it was too bad the season didn’t begin on the later date.
So, while the Guardians have been struggling for two and a half months, they’ve earned their spot on top of the division because of the fast start.
But that only lasts so long.
Their division lead is down to just two games over the Royals and Twins, but what is more disturbing is a playoff spot isn’t even guaranteed. Their lead over Boston, the first team out if you will is .5 games, and really is 7.5 because the Guards won the season series.
However, if you don’t get things straightened out soon, even that lead could dwindle. And there is still plenty of baseball to be played.
We have talked about the offense lately, and since the All-Star break, a period of 34 games, the offense has scored three runs or less 19 times! And in the last 17 games, dating back to the doubleheader loss to Arizona on August 7th, they have scored four or more runs in just five games.
One huge problem has been the production of two of the team’s three best offensive players since the break.
Jose Ramirez has been, well Jose Ramirez, hitting .273 with 9 homers in that time, but prior to last night, he was in a 1 for 20 slide over the last week, and during the past 14 days, he’s 9 for 42.
Josh Naylor is batting .214 with a 703 OPS after the break. Before last night’s 13-5 win over Texas, he was in a 1 for 22 slump, and 7 for 44 over the past two weeks.
As for Kwan, who batted .352 heading into the Midsummer Classic, he’s batted just .206 with a 603 OPS since. And he’s 3 for 24 over the past week, and 7 for 47 over the past 14 days.
That means over the last seven days, that trio, without a doubt the Guardians’ best hitters, have gone 4 for 46. And with the rest of the lineup not looking like the 1999 Indians, who scored over 1000 runs, it’s no wonder the Guardians cannot score runs.
Some Guardians’ broadcasters and supporters will point out that some other good teams have struggled lately. While that’s true, over the last 50 games, Cleveland’s record is worse than all of the contenders, and actually ranks with teams like the Angels, Nationals, and Rockies.
Those are teams you shouldn’t want to be associated with.
There are still 33 games to be played, and who knows, maybe one solid game, a walkoff win, Ramirez and Naylor get hot, Kwan has a four hit night, something turns it around for the Guardians and they go on a run.
But it’s fair to be concerned. We are sure Steven Vogt and the front office are, even if they don’t show it publicly. It would be a shame if this season, which started out as so much fun, didn’t wind up with baseball in October.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 