Welcome to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network. Guardians Weekly is brought
to you by Progressive helping Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance. Hi,
everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rose and House along with you from
Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland where the Guardians are taking on the Minnesota Twins this
weekend. Coming up a little bit later on in our show, we'll have
a full farm report with Rob Sorfolio, the director of player Development. We
will also hear from closer Emmanuel Clause, assistant hitting coach Dan Quente, and
also starting pitcher Logan Allen. But first, our week in review, and
we begin on Monday night in Texas against the defending world champion Texas Rangers.
It was all Cleveland on this night. Tanner Bibby was on the mound for
the Guardians and his strong stretch of good pitching continued in this one. Tanner
Bibby with a one two count on Odalis Garcia, the right hander with the
long set. Here's the pitch, swung on foul tip, hung on to
by nailor. That strike three in Garcia is retired, so are the Rangers.
We are headed to the fifth, Cleveland nothing, Texas nothing. On
the other side, Michael Lorenzen was pitching well for Texas. In fact,
he didn't give up a base hit until Tyler Freeman came to the plate in
the sixth inning the next delivery, and it swung on, grounded in the
hole and in the left base hit Tyler Freeman. There will not be a
no hitter tonight. Texas has two hits. Tyler Freeman has Cleveland's first look
like you got a hanging slider in the middle of the plate and pounded it
through that left side. The game remained scoreless until the Guardians finally broke through
in the eighth Estevan Florio got it started with a double and then Brian Rochio
delivered scoreless in the eighth and it swung on a little looper into shallow center
base hit hitting third being wave, Thomas Florio thro out of the plate,
hits the mound, kicks to the left into scores Florio and rochiout of second
on the throw. Oh my, they would have had a play at the
plate on the throw by Tavers. But that throw, when it took its
one bounce, it hit the side of the mound. And squirted to the
left. You didn't get that true hop. You wanted back to home plate,
and that gives Cleveland the opportunity to score. Give Rokio on RBI bloop
single, it's his seventh ARBI. He went to second on the throat of
the plate. Tyler Freeman followed with a walk, then a single for Andre
Semenez brought Jose Ramirez to the plate. The next delivery swing and a smash
up the middle base it into center field. That is going to score Rochio.
Freeman right behind him, front of the plate, way off mark.
Everybody else moves up a base. Guardians laid at three to nothing and runners
at second and third with one out as Jose Ramirez comes through with a two
run single to center and the Guardians, who until yesterday had had such a
quiet road trip and that included tonight being no hitt it until the sixth inning,
have broken through here in the eighth and Cleveland's late inning offensive magic continues
and they now ladd three to nothing, give Jose Ramirez a league leading thirty
five RBIs. A wild pitch brought in another run to make it four to
nothing after eight, and in the ninth, the Guardians looking for more,
had two men aboard and andre Cemenez stepping in swinging a line drive toward the
gap left center. It's going to get down for a base hit, cut
off nicely by Duran but Rocchio in the score stopping at third is Freeman and
in the second with the double is andre Cemenez. Boys. He swung it
tonight. Two line drive outs for andre Cimenez. Dennis single in the four
run eighth and now an RBI doubled a left center here in the ninth and
Cleveland is removing all doubt. They laid five to nothing. Then Jose Ramirez
continue to add his league leader RBI total. Now the two to zero.
Pitch a swing and a smash up the middle base it into center field.
That'll score Freeman. Here comes he Menez. They pitched a Jose Ramirez with
a pair of two run singles in the last two innings, giving him four
RBIs tonight thirty seven on the year, and there is no longer any doubt
about this baby. Seven nothing Cleveland and the bullpen of Texas has been torched
for seven more runs. And in the ninth a Manuel Classe, in a
non safe situation was trying to complete the shutout bid one and two. The
count Texas down to its last strike Classe A. He is just machine like
right now. He fires a swing and a roller to second. Hemenez gloves
it, throws it bulgy and the Guardians have another shutout. Back to back
shutout for Cleveland. They got one yesterday in the Windy City, and tonight
with the roof closed here in Arlington, Texas, they beat up the Rangers
by the same scores they won yesterday seven to nothing. So a nice win
for the Guardians and the series opener in Arlington, and they backed it up
with another strong effort on Tuesday night. The Guardians got the scoring started in
the second inning, after the first two batters had reached bow Naylor came through
with a big hit. The bitch a swinging a long drive to deep right
center field and this ball is off the base of the wall. Naylor on
his way to second, Manzardo coming home, Flori all right behind him.
It's a two run double off the base of the wall and right center by
bow Naylor and the Guardians take a two nothing lead and Bowe Naylors, who
hit two rocket line drive outs last night, finally gets rewarded and he smoked
one off the base of the wall and right center for his seventh double,
giving him thirteen RBIs. And this time the Guardians make Lighter pay for they
hit batter and then the walk. Later in the inning, once again two
men on for Andre Semenez. Now the pitch swung on line shot base hit
left center field. Bo Naylor is going to score hitting second big turn,
but stopping there is Freeman and it's three nothing Cleveland and another clutch RBI hit
from Andre Semenez as he rifles an RBI single to left center. And in
this inning, Cleveland has really made Lighter pay for every mistake. And two
batters later, Josh Naylor capped off the biginning in a big way. Well
they just put Josh Naylor on. You would think they would, But then
again, what I know about managing, wouldn't fill a thimble. Second and
third, two down, second inning. Now the pitch to him, he
drives one deep to right. This ball's got a chance gone on an O
two pitch. Josh Naylor with a towering three run homer to write, and
this Bowl Game may be over and fans are booing as Bruce Bochie with a
slow walk to the mound six nothing Cleveland Naylor on an O two pitch hit
his twelfth home run, giving him thirty three RBIs and for the young man
tonight, Jack Lder just couldn't put hitters away. When he got to two
strikes. The Rangers crept back into it three solo home runs and a run
scoring base hit that made it six to four Guardians after eight innings. But
in the ninth, another clutch at bat from Andre Semenez gave Cleveland a little
more breathing room. Now the one two delivery swung on hit in the air,
medium deep center. This will get a run home. Tavares makes the
catch. Both runners are tagging into scores. Rochio to third is Freeman and
the Guardians have a seven to four lead on another clutch at bat by one
of the best clutch hitters in the game, Andre Simenez, and then,
working back to back days, Emmanuel Classe was on to try and close it
out. Now, the one two pitch swing in a week chapter to second,
Jimena's gloves throws to first ballgame. The Guardians have won another series,
and they have now won three in a row as they beat the Texas Rangers
tonight seven to four, so the Guardians had won the series. Looking for
the sweep Wednesday night, but it was all Texas in a four nothing Rangers
win off day Thursday in a new home stand started on Friday night for the
Guardians against the Minnesota Twins. The Twins jumped on top with a solo home
run from Alex kirol Off in the third inning, but otherwise Tristan McKenzie continued
his recent stretch. If strong starts for Cleveland, the one to zero pitch,
a swing and a towering flyball to left, not deep, Brennan toward
the line, and for Tristan McKenzie, this was a seven pitch sixth inning,
so it stays one nothing. Twins have the lead on Cleveland middle of
the sixth. Then at the bottom of the sixth the Guardians broke through with
a runner on and David Fry at the plate. Now the O two pitch
swung and hit high, hit deep to left. HiT's got a chance.
Go Hey hung a slider and David Fry sent one to the porch and left,
and the Guardians have a two to one laid here in inning number six,
David Fry continues to be one of the most important hitters on this ball
club. Home run number four for David Frye. On an o to two
pitch, he hits a two run home run to the porch and left and
the Guardians just like that have a two to one lead. But the Twins
tied the game at two with a run in the top half of the eighth
inning. It wouldn't stay that way for long thanks to some two out magic
in the bottom of the eighth from Jose Ramirez. Here's the wind up in
the two to one pitch, swing on hit, high hit, deep hallway,
back to right, and Jose Ramirez with a joyous junt around the bases
as put Cleveland back on top three to two. Here in the eighth inning,
a solo home run to right field by Jose. It's number ten for
truly one of the faces of the game of baseball, Jose Ramirez being serenaded
by thirty thousand and then once again, Classe was on to try and nail
down another c Cleveland clinging to a three to two lead ninth inning, two
outs. Nobody on, boy, this game sure doesn't feel like it's May
seventeenth. The pitch swung on a Tampa to short charged by Arius Gloves throws
pulgame, what a way to start the homestand Jose Ramirez a game winning home
run in the eighth inning, Tristan McKenzie a tremendous effort going into the seventh,
and then Emanual Classe about his auti manic as it gets, and the
Guardians take Game one of this weekend series, beating Minnesota three to two when
it was and the series opener for the Guardians on Friday night with the Twins
in town for the remainder of the weekend Saturday night at six ten Sunday afternoon
at one, stay tuned when we come back. We'll hear from starting pitcher
Logan Allen after this time out on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network. When
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favorite teams. Terrible and frankly embarrassing performances now forever and the pit swung im
banged on the ground to third arius bobbled goes to second one. He meant
us turned a double play inning over. How about this weekend for starting pitching
on both sides and Cleveland has gotten six shut out from Logan Allen. Today,
Jimmers announced back with you from Progressive Field in downtown to Cleveland. It's
Guardians Weekly Guardians in the midst of another homestand three with the Twins and then
three with the Mets starting on Monday night. Logan Allen, He's on the
mound on Saturday night for the Guardians. His last start was Sunday when he
threw six scoreless innings against the White Sox in Chicago. A seven nothing went
for the Guardians and when we caught up with him earlier this week. He
talked about how he was able to rebound after a tough start prior to that
game in Chicago on Sunday. Yeah, I think you know, if you
have a battle one late, like I said, you just want to get
out back out there and you know, go out there and can be a
chance to compete again. And I think you know, yesterday we kind of
wanted to just get a little bit back to just competing, not worrying so
much about the Scott report, worrying so much about the other team, and
get back to you know what we thought I do well and just try to
go out there and next to you my own plan and you thought me and
David had a good plan going into the game, and you know, we
just were able to stick to that. And nextecue you mentioned that balance between
scattering report and doing what you do well. How difficult can that be sometimes
to find that happy medium that allows you to really have good success. I
mean, it's definitely easy to get caught up in the data. You know,
there's just so much information now that it's it's easy to get caught up
in it. But uh, you know that's why it's good to have the
staff that we do. Carl, Joe and BG. We're kind of big
on just hey, you just get back to being you and you know,
went in doubt kind of go riverbat that side instead of reverting so much and
trying to trust the reports and just go out there, trust your eyes,
trust your stuff, and just roll. The first battery of the game that
you face, you get hit with a line driving in the lower back.
Not the first time that's happened to you this year, but if I remember
correctly, the last time you pitched really well too, that that something happened
where you were hit by a line drive. What goes through your mind when
that happens in terms of trying to stay in the game. I guess the
biggest thing I was thinkful for, you know a couple of times have gotten
hit is that it has been too serious where it's like got immediately come out
of the game. So thankful for that, but uh yeah, I feel
like, honestly, if anything, it kind of just like lights of fire.
I was definitely really really frustrated after I got hit out there, just
you know, giving it being like the third time this season. But yeah,
I think like I said, just lights the fire a little big at
the adrill and going and just getting back out there, just trying to get
those outs. And you're progressing through your your second season in the major leagues.
What are you learning this year that that maybe it didn't last year about
the trials and tribulations of trying to have success on a consistent basis at this
level. I think I'm just learning that in the course of the season,
like you're gonna have those good days, You're gonna have those bad days.
It's just being able to just manage those bad days and just trying to you
know, raise the floor of those bad days in a sense, not too
caught up in one out in good or bad, and just kind of trusting
the process, sticking sticking to the work that we've been doing, and allowing
the work that we put in, you know, in the week building up
to the start, to let the work take care of itself when the game
goes. And an indication of how good a start it's been for the team
yesterday that the team going in on a three game losing streak, which seems
ridiculous at this point in the season, that that's the first time that's happened.
Do you approach it any differently when when obviously the team would love to
get back in the win column. I think, especially in a game like
that, we're just you know, getaway day. It's been a couple of
tough ones. I think for me as a star, of the job is
to go out there and try to be efficient, trying to get the guys
back in here swinging the bat. I think that's the biggest way to kind
of get your confidence back as a as a team is to you know,
have the bass in your hand, put a few good at bats together.
So any opportunity we can to get off defense, get back with the bats
in their hand, get back on offense. I think that that's big for
especially in those type of games, to kind of get some momentum back.
And you know, we were able to do that to strink some good at
bats together, you know, David Fry, hittings, homer, and I
think put up seven. So definitely good. You know, good to take
in to this game today. Excellent finish to the Chicago series and it's in
Texas tonight. Logan, thanks Lopper Comb, I appreciate it. Yeah,
thank you appreciate it. At starting pitcher Logan Allen, stay with us while
we come back. We'll hear from closer Emmanuel Classe and assistant hitting coach Dan
Puente that says, we continue on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network one and
two. The count Texas down to its last strike. Class A. He
is just machine like right now. He fires a swinging a roller to second.
Hemanus gloves it, throws it. Paulgate and the Guardians have another shutout.
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhause back with you at Progressive Field.
Well, the top closer in all of baseball, save wise, the
last two years has been a manual Class A and he's at it again.
What a start to the season for Class A. Who picked up save number
thirteen on Friday night. And although he pitched really well last year, he
seems to have taken it to a new level this year. And he talked
about some of the keys that have led to that great start over the first
month and a half or so of the season with some translation help from Augi
Rivero, and I believe I mean the keys. I was able to have
a better preparation for this year to being ready for the get go compared to
last year. So I think this year wherever it's in some other fruits of
having such a different off season for me, and when you look back at
a season ago, you lead the major leagues and saves again, but how
did you view last season in terms of things that you'd like to work on
in the offseason and even at the start of this year and simple, I
think the main focus was to start this year on the best way possible.
Normally I have like a slow star of my season. This year, the
focus was to start, you know, first game, have my best my
best performance from the day one. When you look at your stuff, gosh,
it seems that the same all the time, and hitters are always trying
to stay one step ahead. I'm sure, what are you doing to try
and stay ahead of them with the stuff that you have? And another yeah,
I feel like you know, they know what I throw. But obviously
for me is able to execute the same pitches and jestady for a temple,
I was able to use more of my quick pitch and a couple of situations,
I was getting them off balance with my quick pitch and I was able
to get two strikeouts and I feel the three one even though he went to
he missed over to the second base. I was really closest strike came out.
So I think the focus was to keep it impredictable and try to get
as many strikeouts as possible. And when you look at the mentality of a
closer, obviously you got that that short memory. Uh you've been at it
a while now, and it seems like you're relaxed all the time. I'm
sure that's not the case. But do you feel comfortable in the role now,
maybe more so than when you first were asked to start closing games here
Melussi and Melussi. Fianza really allows me to have a better preparation, to
be a little more calm, to know when I'm going to pitch and what's
the fish are going to pitch. I know my numbers in those instances,
So he allows me to be a little more calm and prepare better for those
innings, and I think allows me to be the best question of myself and
the team's winning a lot. You having fun a lot. It's really fun.
Emanuel, thanks for coming. I appreciate it. Thank you. That's
Guardian's closer, Emmanuel Clause. What a year he has going with thirteen saves
after his save on Friday night. Now, the Guardians are scoring runs at
a much better clip this season, and under hitting coach Chris Valaka, he
has some new help, as it were, with a new assistant hitting coach,
Dan Puente. And we caught up with Dan last week in Chicago and
he talked about joining the Guardians and what his role entails part of the hitting
group. Yeah, the roles really really changed. A lot of orgs have
gone to more of the team approach. You know, it's just hard to
find that one hitting coach that is really good at mechanics and game planning and
has you know experience, you know, performing at the highest level. So
we really tackle it in a lot of different phases. You know, my
role, you know, I have a certain group of hitters that I work
with. We all pick apart, you know, the opposition's bullpen their starters.
We look for trends, we look at biomechanical data. So we really
just kind of split up the work, divvy up the work, and then
that's everything we do on the front end. And then you know when we
get when we get to the field, you know, guys go through their
cage routines and we take BP and and then a lot of guys you know,
will go and then hit some vlo in the cage before the game to
get their eyes going. So it's a long day, but you know,
it doesn't feel like work. It's a lot of fun. And nothing's better
than seeing like a good game plan executed and having a good work day and
see and everything, you know, develop into a win. Dann Puente joining
us. He's the assistant hitting coach for the Guardians. And Dan, you
have that Chicago background coaching wise too, with both the Cubs and the White
Sox. And it's okay if you want top cups because I know you were
with them, or at least very much interested in the twenty sixteen World Series.
Explain where you were then and why it meant so much to you.
Yeah, So in twenty sixteen, I was working at a facility at Elite
Baseball Training, and you know, I grew up probably about two miles away
from Wrigley. I went to high school, you know, very close to
Wrigley. And I know I might not endearing myself to many Guardians fans with
it, but you know, it was it was cool to see them win.
But you know, that's what we're trying to do here, is we're
trying to get back to the World Series and bring a winner to Cleveland.
Did you have to be deep briefed when you when you got the job here,
You know, definitely, definitely, you know a little bit. You
know, it's just interesting, you know, being on the other side of
it, and you know, just you know how difficult that is. But
you know, well, I'm confident with this young core and you know,
with what we have in our minor league system. You know, Cleveland's always
been a competitive team every single year, and I'm confident that we'll be back
there and hopefully bring a ring. And you work with Chris Fialaka, who
I know you had a prior relationship with with the Cubs. How does that
work between the two of you making a click so that you can be the
best for the team here. Yeah, it's been it's been outstanding. You
know, you feel like, you know, me being new to the Org,
we were able to hit the ground running right away. Vowel was the
hitting coordinator when I started in Chicago, so you know, he knows how
I work. I know how he works. You know, we pair well
together. You know, I just think it's you know, really good dynamic
that we have going right now, and we're just hoping to carry that out
the rest of the season. It's been going great so far, for sure,
some real improvements from a run scoring perspective. And Dan, thanks toft
for coming b I appreciate it. Thank you. That's new assistant hitting coach
Dan Quente talking hitting with us as the Guardians certainly have some good pieces in
place for success, as they have been swinging the bats at a much better
clip than they were a year ago. Stay with us while we get back.
We'll hear from robs Ortfolio, the weekly farm Report that's next on the
Cleveland Clinic, Guardians Radio and network. When you switch and save with Progressive,
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front of you at the game, rendering your excellen seats just okay. Welcome
back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhouse back with you from Progressive Field in downtown
Cleveland. Now we wrap up our show this week with our weekly check in
with Rob Sir Folio, the director of player development for the Guardians. We're
talking double a Akron this week, and we begin with reliever Andrew Walters,
who's been just tremendous. His stat lines across the board outstanding. Now,
we asked Rob how they determine when's the right time for a player of Walters
caliber to make that jump to the next level of the farm system. Yeah,
the age old question of when's the right time? You know, these
are really difficult ones to wrestle with, and I think at least in Walt's
case. First off, to your point in the spring Breakout series, anyone
that saw him for the first time throw probably came out of there with a
pretty high opinion of just some of the things he can do, and he's
essentially kind of mimicked that out in Times eight or nine at this point,
which is, you know, for a guy that's coming straight. Obviously he
played in a difficult conference in college in the ACC being a Miami guy,
but it's rare to see you guy go right to double A and just do
some of the things that he's done. And I think the reason why,
you know, we're starting to think about, like what's the right challenge for
this guy is because of what he does when he's not pitching in game,
of how he takes care of himself, his routines, like how quickly he's
adjusted to pitching two three times a week, which he had never done in
his career before. You know, those are we're kind of have a little
bit of like a checklist for these relievers that tend to move fast. You
know, some guys like Nick Sandlin and Walt probably falling in that category of
what are they going to be asked to do in the major leagues and how
do we work backwards from that? And so finding ways to pitch these guys
when you know they threw thirty five pitches a night ago and they have to
come back out and find a way to answer the bell that night. And
pitching him, you know, three plus times in a week is is another
one of those things that you know, we've really exposed him to for the
first time over the last couple of weeks. So as he starts to check
some of these boxes, you know, we're we're looking at ways to try
and answer that question of just where's the proper developmental challenge for this guy?
And you know, think Triple A offers some unique elements of adjusting to the
Major League baseball or really having to like pitch end zone with abs. You
know, the umpire's zone doesn't change Tuesday through Thursday and Triple A and so
like a lot of good comes out of that when relievers that have really high
quality stuff benefit from you know, a lot of chase and strikes out of
the zone. We've seen that be a little bit of a learning curve and
you know, I suspect Walt we'll have an opportunity to adjust to that.
And you know, here in the short term, you've been doing this for
a little while now, are there certain players or pitchers that that may get
difficult to check the boxes and do the proper steps before they get here.
Sure, you know the way they're used in college, and you know some
of that too is just like the circumstances of what's happening in Triple A,
Like what can we accomplish realistically in Triple A given that you know, you're
managing so many things at the Triple A level. And you know, I
always tell Andy Tracy he probably is the hardest job in baseball because you're protecting,
like you're not pitching certain guys on on certain day, you're staying away
from them intentionally just in case something happens at the major league level. You
need guys ready to go. And so you know, that's why we try
and do a lot of this work with guys in Double A and and really,
you know, make sure that we're delivered about our process to prepare guys
effectively. Let's move to the rotation down there, and you have two young
kids who are making good progress. Let's start with Ryan Webb. What are
you seeing from Ryan Webb so far this season that as you excited that he
can keep moving. Yeah, it's the guy that you know had Tommy Jones.
He acquired him in the draft, so kind of got off to a
little bit of a slower start, missed about a month last year due to
you know, a minor oblique item, and we were able to pitch him
in the Fall League and felt like that would be a, you know,
a really good developmental challenge for him. And you know, off season had
a lot of velocity focus. You know, lefty really good four pitch mix.
His secondary or especially his change up in curveball or are really you know,
pretty impressive weapons and can throw a pretty good slider to lefties as well.
So just been fun to watch him continue to develop against upper level hitters.
And he's a he's a great competitor and you know, really has been
able to maximize his stuff so far and just continue to learn and and make
that adaptation to facing upper level hitters each each time he toes the rubber.
And how about Tommy Mace seems like he's progressing nicely. Yeah, you know,
this is this this is one of those fun development stories because Tommy's just
like you know, Clubhouse, a great makeup guy, just as awesome work
ethic, just like a lot of these guys and Acron and they really kind
of push each other from a players standpoint, which is awesome. It's a
it's a fun clubhouse to be around. And you know, Tommy's another guy
that like didn't have the year he wanted when he got moved to double A
last year. He did some really good things in Lake County at the front
half of the year and got challenged at the upper levels and so was really
using his off season to try and you know, take that next step to
be able to perform effectively against upper level hitters. And and he's done just
that. You know, another guy that has a deep mix, throws a
lot of strikes, great competitor, and it's been awesome to see him really
out of the gates. Have have a lot of success for the Rubber Ducks
so far. And a young guy who got off to a good start minor
injury as back doesn't look like Doug mccasey has missed a beat. What's going
on there? Yeah, you know that was unfortunate because you know, we
talked about this last time a couple of weeks ago of just all that work
he did in the off season of you know, tinkering with his slot a
little bit to you know, try and find a way to get some of
his better velocity to show up more consistently. And we've seen that when Doug's
been healthy, had that couple of weeks shut down, but was up to
sixty pitches his last outing and has been feeling good. And when he's been
healthy, even going back all the way to spring training, was one of
the most impressive arms that we had out in Arizona. And he's you know,
when he's got out there and been able to pitch, you know,
we've seen some impressive stuff. I think he's gone. I don't think he's
given up a run all year, So that's that's not easy to do when
you're bitching in Double A. And again another guy that didn't have the year
he wanted last year, an incredibly hard worker and fiery competitor and and just
used his offseason to his advantage. And it's fun when you know you see
some of that fruits of the of those guys labor show through Rob sir Folio
joining us. He's the director of player development for the Guardians. We're talking
double A acron Chase still Ouder obviously the talk of spring training position player wise,
and sustain an injury early on in the Double A season. It sounded
extremely serious, like we might not see him till much much later in the
season. But it sounds like maybe some promising news. What are you hearing?
Yeah, so, you know, obviously unfortunate with Chase to your point,
having a pretty loud, bad pun intended spring training and and I think
the nature of the injury we were obviously like all intent is up of not
a secret. He's had some issues with his foot, He's had it surgically
repaired in the past. You know, he's going to you know, we're
utilizing the best specialists in America to help us work through this. And I
know Chase has been frustrated to seeing him this week of not being able to
be out there, but we did get some you know, I'll use the
word encouraging. It's it's never a good thing when somebody gets hurt, but
it could have been a lot worse. And you know, he's at least
on a path to potentially be back in game action at the back end of
this month and early into June. So you know, I think we were
pretty excited about that outcome. And some of the you know, the items
with you know, some orthotics and some some other things that you know,
we're trying out and you know, knock on wood approach to the return to
play, but we're hoping to see him back out there in a couple of
weeks. Right, guys playing on the position player front, Khalil Watson and
intriguing young man because draft status with the Marlins and acquired last summer. How's
he doing? Is he moves around a little bit position wise? Yeah,
this this has been a fun one. You know, you get a really
talented, great athlete from a different organization and he's a young kid, so
you know, he didn't he didn't have the experiences of playing college baseball,
and he's probably been the best athlete on any sports field he's ever walked on.
He's a big football player. And it's just been really fun to get
to know Khalil and learn a lot about you know, what he was doing
with Miami and you know their approach, you know, maybe a little bit
different than ours in a couple of different areas, but just being able to
kind of work with Khalil and really spend the time sitting down with him,
like, you know, who do you want to be? Like, who
do you see yourself as and like how can we best coach you? And
and kind of like, you know, expose him to some of the standards
and and things that like Voter and Albion, our whole major league staff like
this is what we view being a winning baseball players about. And it's been
really fun because you don't get many guys as talented as Khalil, But anytime
you bring someone over from a new org like you kind of have that almost
like you're onboarding for a new job. And that's kind of what the back
half of last year was when we had him at the end of the summer
and then just being able to spend a full off season in spring training with
him is has been great and that's kind of why we thought he was ready
for that challenge in Double A. And we've continued to expose him with center
field, left field, second base, and you know, our manager there,
Greg Descenzo, has done a great job of, you know, kind
of building that relationship that's required with any player, but Khalil, being a
new player in our organization, find in a way to you know, what
makes this guy tick? How can we, you know, push him to
be the best version of himself? In practice, in game and and Khalil's
responded well to that and it's the uh, it's been awesome to have them
in our org so far, so really talented young player. Let's finish with
us. You mentioned manager Steven Vote and several members of his coaching staff.
You're just finishing up a meeting with them that you have on a regular basis,
whether it's via phone or in person. Why is that so important from
your perspective and theirs? Oh, it's huge. I mean, you know,
first off, just being able to keep those connections and you know,
I'll share some of the things that we're wrestling with on on the minor league
side, and getting a chance to you know, talk with with Voter once
a week or you know, whether it's chaling with Albi today or Kay Kra
or you know, Jason Esposito, guys that have been in our minor league
system as coaches. One, it's great to catch up and and just see
how the guys are doing up here, but also like hear their thoughts on
things that that we're wrestling with and it just kind of allows the whole org
to you know, kind of read off the same sheet of music and you
know, be aware of things that are going on, whether it's players in
Triple A or you know, things were trying to do with a guy in
low A and you know, like what ideas you guys have on that,
how would you tackle that problem? Or you know, whatever it is.
It's it's just fun to to be able to stay in touch with those guys.
And I think you know, from the second voters come in, just
his his interest in in like, you know, learning our minor league staff
and players. And because you know that's that's not a secret that developing players
from within is going to have to be something you know, we hopefully do
better than the average team. As you know, a lot of the guys
you know playing out here at seven o'clock or guys that played in Lake County
and Akron or wherever. So it's just it's really fun to you know,
be on the same page with those guys and and then have a chance to
come in here and see them and then some of the players as well.
That's Director of Player Development rops orfolio and that will do it for this week's
edition of Guardians Weekly. Thanks as always to Brian Matze for all of his
help and putting together our show each week until next week when we join you
from Anaheim, California. The Guardians on another road swing. This is Jim
rosen House reminding you that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Planet
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