Five Big Wins For Guardians This Year

It was an improbable road to the Central Division championship for the Cleveland Guardians. Most folks thought Terry Francona’s squad would be around the .500 mark, yet here they are, poised to begin the playoffs Friday at Progressive Field.

All the victories, and it appears they will win more than 90 games, are important, but to us, some were more relevant than others.

Here are our five most impactful triumphs for the Guardians this season.

Game 3, April 10th: Cleveland 17, Kansas City 3

After scoring one run in the first two games, the Guardians exploded for six runs in the first and four in the second, highlighted by Oscar Mercado’s grand slam home run. Owen Miller started at first for Bobby Bradley, who started the first two games, and Steven Kwan went five for five in a portent of things to come.

Miller had three hits and four RBIs and became a fixture in the lineup for a while. Bradley never got back in the lineup, and this was the first step toward a more contact-oriented approach for the Guards’ offense.

By the end of that week, Yu Chang came down with COVID, and he never got his job back either, as Andres Gimenez became a fixture.

Cleveland scored 27 runs over the next three games.

Game 29, May 9th: Cleveland 12 Chicago 9, 11 innings

This was the Josh Naylor game. After losing 7 in a row to the Yankees and Angels, Cleveland won 7 of 9, going into Chicago.

The Guardians trailed 8-2 going into the ninth, but got two back on a Gimenez home run and an error. With two outs, Miller singled to load the bases, and Josh Naylor hit a grand slam off All-Star closer Liam Hendricks to tie it, and hit a three-run shot off Ryan Burr to give the Guards a 12-9 lead in the 11th.

Cleveland lost the next two, but this one demonstrated the Guardians never thought they were out of a game.

Game 61, June 19th: Cleveland 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 3

Francona’s club started a key nine game trek to Colorado, LA, and Minnesota by sweeping the Rockies and splitting the first two with the mighty Dodgers. Jose Ramirez missed the last two games of the series, including this one.

Trailing 3-2 going into the top of the 8th, the Guards tied it on a pinch-hit double by Richie Palacios, and then scored two off LA closer Craig Kimbrel on a Gimenez single and a sacrifice fly by Ernie Clement, subbing for Ramirez.

Emmanuel Clase pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, and the Guardians wound up 7-2 on the trip.

Game 101, July 31st: Cleveland 5, Tampa Bay 3

The Guardians were going with a bullpen game because Aaron Civale was hurt, while the Rays started All-Star Game starter Shane McClanahan.

The Guards worked the southpaw hard, making him throw 96 pitches in 4-1/3 innings, scoring three in the 2nd and two in the 5th. Myles Straw had a two-run single in the second, and Austin Hedges had the single in the fifth to provide the cushion.

Unsung hero Kirk McCarty threw 3-1/3 frames allowing one run, before Eli Morgan, Trevor Stephan, and Clase finished off Tampa.

Game 136, September 9th: Cleveland 7, Minnesota 6

Cleveland took the division lead on August 10th and had a four-game edge on August 25th before a disastrous stretch against Seattle and Baltimore, where they lost 8 of 10.

Heading into Target Field with a two-game advantage, the Guards took an early lead on a Naylor single and a three-run homer by Oscar Gonzalez. That lead stretched to 7-0 after four and a half before the Twins rallied with two runs in the 5th, 6th, and 8th innings.

The 8th inning was highlighted by Twins’ skipper Rocco Baldelli checking James Karinchak’s hair for sticky materials.

Clase finished it in the 9th and the Guards swept Minnesota, practically ending Minnesota’s hopes.

All wins were important to be sure, but to us, these had deeper meanings for the 2022 Guardians. Hopefully, more important ones are still on the horizon.

All Year, It’s Been Out With The Old, In With The New For Guards

There is a clear organizational philosophy change in terms of player development with the Cleveland Guardians. It’s been evident for much of the season, but fans were reminded of it again in the past few days.

Since the beginning of the year, the team has cut ties with several players who have been around for a long time, and maybe, just maybe, the lack of success those players have had in other places has emboldened the team to keep making these moves.

First, on Opening Day, the Guards traded Bradley Zimmer to Toronto, basically opening up a spot for Steven Kwan.

Zimmer has continued his struggles up north, going 8 for 71 with two homers, and 31 strikeouts against five walks for the season.

The next to go was Bobby Bradley, a power hitter with contact issues. Bradley went unclaimed after being designated for assignment and is currently playing at AAA Columbus, where he is hitting .186 with five dingers and a 632 OPS. His contact issues have continued in the minors as well.

Yu Chang might be the ultimate test because he went to Pittsburgh on waivers, went 7 for 42 there with a home run, was released and picked up by Tampa Bay, where to date he has gone 2 for 7, albeit with three strikeouts.

We say Tampa is the test case, because they have some kind of voodoo magic with players like Chang. If they can’t find a way to use him so he can be a productive big-league player, there isn’t an organization out there who can.

Oscar Mercado was DFA’d, claimed by the Phillies, suffered the same fate there, and came back to Cleveland.

On Friday, the Guardians brought up Nolan Jones, formerly their top prospect, but a player who fell down those lists after an injury plagued poor season last year.

He changed his stance over the winter and was hitting .311 with a 917 OPS at AAA when he was recalled, and in the four games he played at the major league level, he certainly made an impact, knocking in a run in his debut, homering on Saturday, and driving in two more runs last night.

Prior to last night’s contest, the organization decided to designate Mercado again in favor of 27-year-old Alex Call, who was having a good year at Columbus, hitting .281 with 11 homers, and his strikeout to walk ratio, once very high on the swing and miss side, was even.

His first year in the Cleveland organization, 2019, after coming over from the White Sox in a trade for Yonder Alonzo, he fanned 93 times at Akron against 22 walks.

Clearly, the organization has decided to stop looking at the same players over and over again and are willing to look at players who are succeeding in the highest level of the minor leagues.

We are sure part of this is based on having to make decisions on the 40-man roster this winter, but it is refreshing, nonetheless. With Oscar Gonzalez on the injured list, we are sure Call will get some at bats for the Guardians.

The more success players like Kwan, Gonzalez, and Jones have, the more confident the organization will be in giving more young players a chance.

Maybe, they will use the same theory in regard to the bullpen…

Some Questions On Guards’ Roster Makeup

Major League Baseball expanded the rosters to 26 players a few years ago, presumably because teams were keeping so many relief pitchers on the team, many managers were stuck with a three man bench.

When the rosters were expanded, part of the rule said a maximum of 13 pitchers could be eligible, although up until June 1st of this season, teams can keep 14 pitchers because of the shortened spring training.

It is a challenge for managers of all big league clubs to keep his reserves fresh, so if and when they are needed, they will be somewhat ready. It’s a difficult task, and is one reason many teams do not want to keep a young player on the roster if they cannot get regular at bats or innings.

Terry Francona is reported to be excellent in communicating with every player on the roster as to how he is going to be used and when. And we use the word “reported” because we aren’t in the clubhouse. But when was the last time a Cleveland player came out in the media and complained as to how he is being used?

Since Yu Chang came off the COVID list on May 13th, he has appeared in just one game, Friday night against the Tigers, because a lefty was pitching for Detroit, and Josh Naylor was just coming off the same list, and Francona didn’t want his first game back to be against a tough southpaw in Tarik Skubal.

With the latest defensive configuration of using Naylor at first because of the leg he injured a year ago, and thus Owen Miller moving to second base, if seems like Chang has no real place on the roster.

And both Miller (861 OPS) and Naylor (1044 OPS) are among the best bats in the lineup, so the Guardians want those guys playing for sure.

Perhaps the front office is working on a deal for Chang, but right now, his spot on the roster could be better used by someone else.

Detroit’s closer is a lefty in Gregory Soto, and Francona allowed Andres Gimenez and Steven Kwan, both left-handed hitters to bat. Chang didn’t even get a chance there.

You could probably make an argument that Ernie Clement isn’t benefiting either. He’s had just four at bats since May 7th, although he’s appeared in four games as a pinch-runner, so at least he is contributing there.

And if the organization views Clement as a bench piece, utility guy, then there isn’t a problem using him this way.

We don’t like wasting roster spots. There are only 26 of them, so why not have guys who can contribute.

And on another matter…

From a pitching standpoint, it will be interesting to see how the club handles Eli Morgan. The young right-hander made the team because they wanted length from some relievers due to the shortened spring.

Remember, in addition to Morgan, they also kept Konnor Pilkington and Logan Allen. But now that the starters are stretched out, is Morgan needed as a long man?

If Francona uses him that way, for say, three or four innings if a starter gets knocked out early, then fine. However, we wonder if he wouldn’t be better served going back to Columbus and getting stretched out so he is available as a starter?

Especially with the doubleheaders coming up later in the season with all the rainouts and games that were canceled due to the lockout.

Guardians Get Patient, Start Scoring.

What a turn around for the Cleveland Guardians, right?

That’s if you can use a two game sample size as the basis for any discussion, which of course a rational human being would not do.

Still, it is eye opening. After the first two games of the 2022 season, in which the Guardians played 19 innings and scored a lone run, Sunday’s game against the Royals featured Kansas City starting Kris Bubic, a left-hander.

Terry Francona gave Bobby Bradley the day off vs. the southpaw and curiously also gave Yu Chang the day off after the pair went 0 for 10 in games one and two with five strikeouts, four of them from Chang.

It was probably a coincidence on that day, but the Guards scored six in the first inning on their way to a 17-3 win, their first of the season.

They scored 10 runs the next two games as well.

It would not be fair to put the blame on the first two games on Bradley and Chang, and if you visit this site often, you know how we feel about both players as hitters. We were never fans of them, or really, anyone with bad strikeout to walk ratios.

However, in moving contact master Steven Kwan up to the #2 spot in the batting order, the first three hitters in the Cleveland lineup all make the opposing pitcher get the ball in the strike zone.

Leadoff man Myles Straw had the second best on base percentage on the squad last season, and the guy he trailed, Jose Ramirez hits third. It sets the tone in the first inning with this trio grinding out at bats and taking walks.

When Franmil Reyes starts hitting, he will no doubt have a boatload of RBI opportunities.

Another young player, Owen Miller has started the 2022 season like he did in AAA last season, that is to say, raking. He has fanned just twice on the season while compiling seven extra base hits (5 doubles and two home runs).

Amed Rosario has dropped into the #5 hole, not a traditional spot for a guy with little power, but he’s also putting the ball in play, fanning just once on the season.

And Ernie Clement hasn’t played much, but he’s walked twice and been hit by two pitches. He’s another guy with a contact profile in the minor leagues, despite striking out three times yesterday.

Some fans have speculated that Bradley and Chang’s future with the team is coming to an end, but we think it’s just about Tito going with the hot bats. It isn’t the organizations style to end a player’s tenure (especially ones that came up through the system) after a couple of games.

On the other hand, if this team keeps hitting, it will be hard for those two to get bigger opportunities.

Look, the first two teams the Guardians have played aren’t known for their pitching, so is the offensive explosion sustainable? That remains to be seen, and the next two series are against the Giants and White Sox, a step up in competition.

But the shift from all or nothing at bats by most of the batting order to a patient, put the ball in place approach seems like it should help score more runs, and that was a problem last year for Cleveland.

The first two series have spurred some interest in Cleveland baseball fans. That’s the best result.

Guardians Still Making Decisions As Season Gets Underway.

Two things happened for the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, one surprised and one not so much.

The Guards scored one run in the season opener, which is hardly a shock based on last season. We felt the offense would struggle and be the reason for a below .500 campaign.

The surprise was the trading of Bradley Zimmer after the game to Toronto for reliever Anthony Castro, clearing up the outfield situation a bit.

Castro, who will turn 27 in a few days, seems like a decent return. Yes, he has a career ERA of 5.26 in 26 big league appearances with Detroit (1 game) and the Blue Jays, but he has 33 strikeouts and just nine walks in 26-2/3 innings. He’s allowed five homers, which is a concern.

The trade would seem to open up at least a platoon spot for rookie Steven Kwan, who went 1 for 2 in his debut with two walks. And remember, the Guardians need guys who can get on base.

We hope this is the first move to clear up the roster as the 2022 season moves along.

We understand it is just two games into the season, but the middle infield, which are key defensive spots, are in a state of flux.

Andres Gimenez started at short in one game, and at second on Saturday. Amed Rosario played LF and then SS. Yu Chang started at 2B, moved to first during the game, and sat in game two.

In the radio broadcast of the opener, Tom Hamilton noted the Guardians must play a clean game defensively to win. We would say moving players in and out of key defensive positions is not a good way for that to occur.

It also seems odd to back what is the backbone of your team, your pitching staff, with poor defense at key positions.

First, let’s remind everyone that Rosario is not a good defensive shortstop. So, the infatuation with playing him there is odd. And although he had a good batting average in 2021 (.282), he’s not a real good offensive player, because he doesn’t walk (his career high is 31), and doesn’t have a lot of pop, with just a .409 slugging percentage last season and .404 lifetime.

We have not been a fan of Yu Chang, but the organization needs to make a decision on him once and for all, and the way to do it is to play him, let’s say 10-15 games in a row. They need to see if the surge at the end of 2021 was real or not.

In the meantime, give Owen Miller enough at bats so he is ready if Chang doesn’t hit.

Just put Rosario in left and leave him there or make a decision to move him. It’s not like he’s blocking someone right now, and he would have better offensive value not hitting at the top of the order.

Also, in the name of defense, we would make a commitment to play Josh Naylor at 1B when he is activated. An outfield of Myles Straw in center, Kwan/Oscar Mercado in right, and Rosario in LF would seem to have the gaps covered pretty well.

We know that Terry Francona likes to give everyone some at bats early to keep everyone on the roster involved. So, the lineup turmoil could be just that.

It’s also a delicate balance trying to get the most offense the current roster can provide with good defense to back the pitching.

However, it’s why not clearing up the roster duplicity over the winter is an issue. The inability of the front office to make decisions didn’t help the current situation.

Guardians Have To Be Better On Right Side On Infield

In reviewing the American League teams position by position using WAR (wins above replacement), the Cleveland Guardians worst spot was behind the plate. We understand the organization values defense first at catcher, but Austin Hedges’ and Roberto Perez’ offensive numbers are tough to take in.

The next two bad spots (according to Baseballreference.com) were the two spots on the right side of the infield, first base and second base. What are the current prospects for each position heading into the off-season.

First Base. Cleveland opened the season with a platoon of Jake Bauers and Yu Chang at the spot, but Bauers hit just .190 in 100 at bats (557 OPS), so the organization turned to Bobby Bradley to replace him in early June.

The left-handed hitting slugger started out like a house afire, getting 11 hits in his first 25 at bats (.440) with three homers and striking out just four times. No one expected him to keep that pace up, but after that stretch, Bradley hit just .182 in 220 at bats, fanning 95 times.

Chang was horrendous in the first half, batting .176 (498 OPS) before the All Star break, but rebounded in the second half and hit .271 (857 OPS) with seven homers. Is that sustainable? Even in the hot second half, Chang still had a poor strikeout/walk ratio, fanning 39 times with just six walks.

What happens when pitchers figure out they don’t need to throw Chang a strike to get him out?

If the organization goes out and gets some outfielders who can hit, it would also bring Josh Naylor into play. Naylor had a 700 OPS this past season in 250 plate appearances, but hit .287 with an 805 OPS vs. right-handed pitching.

Our vote would be to move on from Bradley. Sure, the power is enticing, but he doesn’t give you much when he’s not hitting home runs, and certainly consistency is a big key.

Moving Naylor to first would help the outfield defense, and we believe in the long run, he will be the better all around hitter. Naylor does need to do better vs. southpaws, as a career .237 and 608 OPS won’t cut it if he wants to hold down an everyday spot.

Second Base Cleveland started with Cesar Hernandez at the position, but when he was moved at the trade deadline, a combination of Owen Miller, Chang, Andres Gimenez, and Ernie Clement manned the position.

There is a lot to sort out here, especially involving Gimenez, who came over to the team in the Francisco Lindor deal.

First, what are the Guardians going to do with Amed Rosario, who had a solid season (.282 BA, but just 731 OPS) at the plate, but whose defense at shortstop is below par. If the organization decided it can’t live with his glove there, does he also become a candidate at second?

Gimenez did hit .245 (702 OPS) after his recall when Hernandez was dealt, but does he give you enough with the bat? By the way, he did walk more after his recall.

Miller came up in May after scorching AAA at an almost .400 clip early in the season, but struggled mightily once he arrived, swinging at everything. He hit .162 (449 OPS) in the first half. After the break, he was better, batting .250 (659 OPS) in 100 plate appearances.

With Miller, we lean on the minor league pedigree. He is a .303 (818 OPS) hitter in three minor league seasons. The hit tool is there, but can he relax enough at the big league level to approach that level in The Show?

And to us, Clement has the look of a solid utility man.

You also have the specter of Gabriel Arias, who hit .284 (802 OPS) with 13 homers at AAA this season. Arias’ issue? 110 strikeouts vs. 39 walks at Columbus. He’ll be just 22 next season, so is there a need to rush him?

Our thought would be to give Miller the first look based on his minor league numbers. That is, of course, unless Rosario slides over to second base because the Guardians feel they have a better option as SS.

Improving at these two spots will be important for Cleveland going into 2022.

A better right side of the infield is definitely needed.

Tribe Roster Decisions That Don’t Seem Difficult To Us

The last season of the Cleveland Indians is slowly winding down with just a little over two weeks remaining, a total of 18 games.

Of course, some would say the Tribe hitters have already taken the bats home, as they have scored more than three runs in a game just twice in the last 11 games. And in that span, they’ve been one hit and no hit, and were shutout three times.

When the season ends, besides the name of the team changing to Cleveland Guardians (still difficult for us to type), the next piece of business will be who will remain on the 40 man roster.

This front office is well known for their patience, so will they take into account some flashes from some of borderline players on the roster or will they look at an entire body of work, like more than 300 to 400 at bats in the majors.

For us, it wouldn’t be that difficult of the decision, we could release 5-7 players as soon as the 162nd game is played and wouldn’t look back.

First would be the perpetual prospect group, particularly those getting a little old to be considered prospects anymore.

Bradley Zimmer is the first name that comes to mind. Yes, Zimmer has hit some long home runs this year, and that’s impressive, but he’s also fanned 103 times in 290 plate appearances and has a 698 OPS, and will be 29 next season. The only saving grace would be his skill set (great speed, great defense) could be ideal for a 26th man on a roster, but if the brass is thinking he’s an everyday player, they are mistaken.

Oscar Mercado is another of those frustrating players who seem to have a lot of tools, yet aren’t real good baseball players. He will be 27 next season and has good speed and is a good glove, but can’t get on base enough or have any pop in his bat.

The third is this group is Yu Chang, who has received his most playing time in the big leagues this year, and has managed just a 659 OPS. His biggest issue? 199 plate appearances and just nine walks to go with 54 whiffs. He has some power and has played shortstop so he is solid defensively, but if the organization wasn’t going to play him when he was hot, it’s probably best for him to move on.

There are also some guys in the bullpen we believe won’t be kept either. The organization might be inclined to make another non-roster invitee situation for Blake Parker and Bryan Shaw, but we would doubt either stay on the 40 man.

And Nick Wittgren is likely to be looking for a new organization as well. His performance has declined in each of his three seasons here, and has become prone to giving up the long ball. We should also note that Parker, Shaw, and Wittgren are also all over 30 years of age.

Southpaw Alex Young, picked up on waivers from Arizona earlier this season, may join them even though he’s only 28. Having a 7.84 ERA and having really one effective performance (out of ten) doesn’t seem to engender any confidence in him.

The only thing that could be in his favor is if Carl Willis and Reuben Niebla see something in him they believe would unlock a good pitcher.

It will also be interesting to see how the team handles players like Harold Ramirez (we’d keep him), Scott Moss (who has pitched 20 innings since 2019), and Daniel Johnson (they really don’t seem to like him at all).

That’s a lot of players to make decisions on, but do any of them really catch an eye as a potential everyday player in the big leagues?

Again, the Cleveland baseball team (we are transitioning) is known for patience, but for us, it’s time to make a decision on these players.

Is The Tribe Finding Out About Anyone?

Since the Major League Baseball trading deadline on July 30th, the Cleveland Indians have been focusing more on the 2022 season than on securing a post-season berth. But six weeks into the process, have they learned anything that will help them?

The Tribe has used a revolving door at second base, in both corner outfield spots, and in the bullpen. We feel they know they have a leadoff man and centerfielder in Myles Straw, but do they know anything more about the players they have been running in and out of the lineup.

First, let’s discuss Straw, who has played 39 games with Cleveland, getting on base 37.5% of the time, stealing 10 bases, and playing tremendous defense in center. Straw plays shallow, which we love, because he has a tremendous ability to go back on the ball.

At the other spots, though, do we know any more than we did before the end of July.

In the outfield, Bradley Zimmer had a nice hot streak where he belted some long home runs, but in the last 28 days, he’s hit .203 with a 613 OPS and just two homers. Perhaps the front office has finally learned he isn’t a part of the future, but if that’s true, then why not get more of a look at Daniel Johnson, who has had just 42 at bats since the All Star Game.

Oscar Mercado? He’s gone 22 for 97 since the trade deadline, with 3 home runs. He’s improved his strikeout/walk ratio but he’s still not getting enough hits. On the other hand, he’s only had 96 at bats, so is that enough to make a judgment on him?

At second base, the Indians has used a mixture of Owen Miller, Andres Gimenez, Yu Chang, and when he was here, Ernie Clement at the position, and to date Chang has been the hottest hitter, and seems to have received the least amount of at bats.

Perhaps that shows what the organization thinks of the 25-year-old infielder, who over the last month has gone 14 for 49 (.286) with four home runs.

Miller has gone 16 for 61 (.262) with two dingers, and Gimenez is 14 for 67 (.209) since the deadline.

The bigger question is does a 70 at bat stretch give you any insight as to who should the organization thinks can help the Guardians next season? Or will the team go through the process of being unsure in spring training and then into April and May about who can play everyday?

Wouldn’t it have been better to just say, Miller will play second base after the Cesar Hernandez deal, and given him 150-200 at bats to see if he’s the answer there? Or just play Zimmer or Mercado everyday to find out if either is a viable everyday player in the bigs?

To us, this is a major flaw for the front office, they are afraid to trust their judgment and possibly make a mistake. We are called this the “Aguilar Syndrome”, named after Jesus Aguilar, who received 58 at bats in three seasons for Cleveland, and then went on to have solid career (a 30 HR season, and likely his second 100 RBI season this year) for Milwaukee and Miami.

That should be a regret, but a player like Gio Urshela, who had over 400 at bats with the Tribe and hit .225 should not.

The Indians could have used the last two months to pick two or three players and make firm evaluations. Instead, they went with the revolving door method to give everyone a chance. Do they know any more about any of these players?

Maybe Zimmer, who is going to be 29. But we fear not anyone else.

Things To Watch For Tribe In September

In many ways it feels hard to believe that the Major League Baseball season has just one month left. It seems like yesterday that Shane Bieber allowed a home run to Miguel Cabrera in a snowstorm at Comerica Park in Detroit.

But here we are, and the Indians have just 33 games remaining. And that’s literal too, because once the campaign is over, the name goes away, and when spring training starts next February, the Cleveland baseball team will be the Guardians.

Even though the front office seems to be focused more on the 2022 season and finding out what players currently on the roster will be able to help next season, the Tribe is still just five games out in the lost column for the second wild card spot and we have always felt there is a chance if you enter September five games or less out of a playoff spot.

That’s a long shot, obviously.

What else is there to look for with the season winding down towards a conclusion?

One thing to watch is the return of Aaron Civale and Shane Bieber. If all went well for Civale last night, he should return to the rotation when the team returns home on Labor Day. By the way, we know pitchers’ wins doesn’t hold the cache it used to, but even though the right-hander has missed a little more than two months, he’s still 7th in the AL in wins with 10.

Bieber could start to make rehab appearances in minor league games next week, which could have him back on the mound in a major league game by the middle of the month.

We have said before it would be important for the organization and the pitchers’ themselves to know they are healthy heading into the off-season.

And we will be left imagining a rotation of Bieber, Civale, Cal Quantrill, Triston McKenzie, and Zach Plesac heading into the ’22 season.

A baseball axiom is not to trust anything done in April or September, but the outgoing position battles in the outfield and at second base bears watching.

At second, we will likely see a revolving door with Andres Gimenez, Owen Miller, and Yu Chang getting opportunities.

Chang has hit well over the last month (12 for 34, 5 HR), Miller has an excellent minor league pedigree as a hitter, and Gimenez, the only left-handed hitter of the trio, hasn’t hit well since being recalled, but has shown a much better eye at the plate.

Can one of them get a leg up on the starting job heading into Goodyear?

The same goes for the ongoing competition in the outfielder, really in the corners, because it appears Myles Straw has taken command in center.

Harold Ramirez has returned and he will be added to the mix along with Bradley Zimmer, Oscar Mercado, and Daniel Johnson.

Zimmer has had a great deal of success since the All Star break, hitting .272 with 6 homers (806 OPS) in that span. However, he’s also fanned 48 times in 142 plate appearances (33.8%), which is very high. He’s hit long, long home runs, true, but is that type of production sustainable.

Mercado has improved his walk rate, but has hit just .223 in the second half (625 OPS), and for the year hasn’t done well vs. RHP (.205 batting average). As a right-handed hitter, he isn’t as good as Ramirez, who has decent enough numbers against righties, although Mercado is a better defender.

As for Johnson, he’s gone 15 for 50 with four dingers in the second half of the season, even though he was sent to AAA during that stretch. It looks like the organization has decided he can’t hit lefties, because he’s pinch hit for whenever a southpaw is throwing.

Johnson has a terrible strikeout to walk ratio (23:3), but we would like to see him get some opportunities vs. lefties.

It would be interesting to see what would happen though, if the Tribe won five or six in a row and got within, say, three games out in the loss column? That would be fun to see.

Is Zimmer’s Rope Getting Shorter?

Besides trying to win baseball games, it feels like the Cleveland Indians’ organization has another objective during the 2021 season. That would be making final decisions on some players.

The Tribe decided to keep Jake Bauers on the Opening Day roster, despite Bobby Bradley having a better spring (not that spring training statistics should be meaningful), because Bauers was out of option and couldn’t be sent to the minors without being put on waivers.

Bauers didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, hitting just .190 (557 OPS) in 113 plate appearances, with just two home runs, before being traded to Seattle. (We do have to point out, he is hitting .315 with a homer in 54 at bats with Seattle).

Yu Chang is getting his first extended look on the roster, and he is struggling too, batting just .167 (488 OPS) in 102 at bats. Chang is 25 years old, and our guess is his roster spot is currently on a day-to-day basis.

Right now, it feels like Bradley Zimmer, a former first round pick in 2014, is in the same situation. Zimmer, who is a tremendous athlete, can run like a deer, and is clearly the best defensive outfielder on the roster.

Unfortunately, he also has to put a bat in his hands every once in awhile.

When Zimmer got the call to the big leagues in 2017, he hit the ground running, batting 285 in his first 151 at bats, with five home runs and a 790 OPS. However, since the All Star break that season, the 21st pick in 2014, has 370 at bats, and has hit .200 in that period, with just six dingers and 151 strikeouts.

That latter total is astounding, considering the lack of pop and the lack of walks. The only two things that stand out to us offensively is he has been hit by 10 pitches in 2020-21, in just 128 plate appearances, and he has stolen six bases.

Terry Francona loves his defense in the middle of the outfield for sure, who wouldn’t? Cleveland has gone through Ben Gamel, Amed Rosario, Jordan Luplow, and Harold Ramirez in center, and by far Zimmer is the best at going out the catching the ball.

However, we always maintain the as great as Ozzie Smith and Omar Vizquel were defensively, if they could not hit respectably, they would have found themselves on a bench more often than not. You have to be able to hit to play.

The best role for Zimmer right now might be as a defensive replacement late in close games where the Indians have the lead. Start Ramirez in center, and if you have the lead after six, move him to another spot and let Zimmer patrol center.

The question is will the organization give him more rope, and if they move on, who gets the next shot? Oscar Mercado is hitting just .220 at Columbus, but his walk rate has improved, and that has been a big problem in the past. We have seen opposing pitchers seemingly try to walk Mercado, only to see him keep swinging.

Daniel Johnson is batting just .223, but has banged out 20 extra base hits, leading to a .458 slugging percentage. And perhaps he has the same problem Bobby Bradley had when he was sent out after spring training. That is a feeling he should be in the bigs.

Or could Andres Gimenez be brought back to play SS, with Amed Rosario going back to centerfield. Gimenez has an 834 OPS at Columbus, but has a poor 35:8 strikeout to walk ratio.

Is Bradley Zimmer getting his last shot with Cleveland? He still can be sent to the minor leagues or he can be useful as a 26th man. Either way, if he can’t improve his hitting, he likely won’t get another shot with the Tribe.