In this new age of media coverage, the messenger is certainly controlling the narrative, and sports is no different. We watch the telecasts of the Cleveland Guardians and we and several others call it the “propagandcasts” because it you watch, you certainly get a skewed message.
The picture is rosier if Chris Gimenez is the game’s color analyst, but that’s another subject for another day.
One of the things the announcing team is pounding through our head is that the offense is much better since the trades for Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe were made. To an extent, it is true,
Cleveland has averaged 4.6 runs per game since August 1st, compared to 3.9 before that date. However, they still rank 27th in the sport in scoring ahead of just the Angels, Blue Jays, and Mariners. In addition, they’ve also been shutout six times since the trading deadline. So, the offense has become a bit “feast or famine”, in a sport where consistency is most important.
The major league average OPS is currently 718. Right now, the Guardians have two players over that figure and crazily they are both rookies, Chase DeLauter at 830 and Travis Bazzana at 721. Jo Adell has a 729 OPS with the Guardians, but including his time with the Angels, his figure is 696.
So, Steven Vogt gets to write just two better than average offensive players in his lineup every night. Keep in mind that before Bazzana’s big game on Tuesday, he was below average too. Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez, and Angel Martinez are close, but still below the league average.
And of course, since the All-Star break, Kwan has a tremendous 856 OPS, a big number considering he doesn’t hit for power.
Certainly, Ramirez hasn’t had his usual great season, and we are sure he is not 100% healthy due to the surgery to remove the broken hamate bone. However, it’s not like he is dreadful and calls for him to be removed from the lineup and get ready for next year are just silly.
Even with him not being healthy, he is still one of the better hitters currently available. His 24 doubles are second on the team (DeLauter has 28) and his on base percentage is 5th best. In fact, we wish he would take more walks, particularly with his injured hand. He still goes out of the strike zone too often in our opinion to try to get runs home, although the home run pop isn’t there.
Meanwhile, the front office puts a guy like Petey Halpin or David Fry in the lineup and no one bats an eye. Neither is remotely close to being as productive as the seven-time all star, who also by the way, is fourth in the AL in stolen bases.
And note to the viewers of the telecasts, giving Halpin a nickname like “Speedy Petey” doesn’t make him a good hitter. It’s just another attempt to divert your attention that the team has given 173 plate appearances to someone with an OPS under 600.
For the season, the Guardians have given 689 plate appearances to hitters with an OPS under 600, Halpin actually doesn’t have the most, that honor (?) goes to Daniel Schneemann with 287.
We checked the Twins (at random), and they’ve given under 500 plate appearances to hitters in that category.
We guess our point is the offense is better for sure, but it’s a long way from being in the top half of the game.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 