WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:07.480 Welcome to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Guardians Radio network. Guardians Weekly is brought 2 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:52.520 to you by Progressive helping Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance. Hi, 3 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:57.679 everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosen House along with you this weekend 4 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:03.320 from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland. Tax show lined up for you today. 5 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:07.200 In the second half of our show, we will have a final look back 6 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:10.640 at the twenty twenty three season. We've been taking a look at some of 7 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:15.599 the exciting great games of the season gone by, and we will complete that 8 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:19.719 look in this our final show before our holiday break with a look back at 9 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:29.280 an unexpectedly entertaining ballgame in early August against the Chicago White Sox. Spoiler alert. 10 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:34.799 Jose Ramirez and Tim Anderson will be featured prominently, and then also we'll 11 00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:41.840 take a look back at Terry Francona's final home game as Cleveland Guardians manager this 12 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:45.680 past September. So a lot to get to in the second half of our 13 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:49.319 show, but when we return after this short break, we'll hear from Zach 14 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.159 Misel, the Guardians beat reporter for the Athletic He was at the Winter baseball 15 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.200 meetings in Nashville, Tennessee earlier this week, and I'll bring us up to 16 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:04.840 date on all the news from Nashville, including the Guardians surprisingly so winning the 17 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:09.360 draft lottery so they will pick first in next year's amateur draft. So a 18 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:14.280 lot to hear from from Zach, and that's coming your way shortly after this 19 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:19.879 time out on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network. Don't go away, folks, 20 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:23.879 Progressive. We love sports and saving your money, so we bundled them 21 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:27.879 together. Two seconds left on the clock, third field goal range, and 22 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.240 it looks like he's gonna go with a five buyed. No wait, the 23 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:35.280 quarterback is skating back on the ice. He's talking with his caddy. They're 24 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:38.599 pulling the goalie. He skates off the fairway, has to catcher lives off 25 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:44.919 his foot right away. They've buggled their home and Autowa charts with progressive touchdown 26 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:49.319 savings, berting go Forgrissa kesh ten Juran's company affiliates and other injuris just gont 27 00:02:49.400 --> 00:03:05.639 not available in all states are situations. Welcome back to Guardians Weekly, Zach 28 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:12.879 Meisel joining us from the athletic just back from Nashville and the baseball winter meetings, 29 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:19.719 and Zach, I think compared to past years in terms of blockbuster news, 30 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:24.000 very quiet winter meetings, but some things happening for the Guardians. So 31 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:30.639 I don't know, from your standpoint, an interesting week. Yeah, it's 32 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:36.039 you never know what's going to happen, and yet things happen that no one 33 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:39.319 expected. For Cleveland, so you win the draft lottery when you had a 34 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:43.919 two percent chance of doing so. I think they took a kid in the 35 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:49.680 Rule five draft they really like. So they actually have had a recent history 36 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:53.960 of being pretty active and in making trades or assigned Josh Bell during the winter 37 00:03:54.000 --> 00:04:01.120 meetings last season. So things tend to happen their new developments, maybe nobody 38 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:08.680 rarely expected. So it's always busy one way or another. And you're at 39 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:15.080 one of the biggest hotels in America. So I would imagine if you keep 40 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:17.519 track of your steps, which a lot of people do these days, you 41 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:21.160 mean you might have broken some records. Huh, Yeah, not very many 42 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:29.879 steps outdoors, But I think it's like four million square feet the Gaylord Opryland 43 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:35.240 Resort and Convention Center, with more ballrooms than you can imagine, and paths 44 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:41.079 that wind left and right, and you can get lost pretty easy. But 45 00:04:41.160 --> 00:04:45.000 hey, sometimes you get lost and you stumble into someone who can give you 46 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:53.319 some little tidbits of trade or free agent gossip. So it's quite the labyrinth 47 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:58.079 of a building, and it's honestly, it's maybe the perfect setting for an 48 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:02.879 event like this lottery. NBA I think rules the roost in terms of draft 49 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:08.759 lottery and the exposure it gets. It seems like MLB is trying to get 50 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:14.680 there maybe, But the Guardians they don't make the playoffs, but certainly not 51 00:05:14.759 --> 00:05:17.519 the worst team in baseball. Yet they will have the first pick in next 52 00:05:17.639 --> 00:05:24.480 June's amateur draft. Tell us about just the the event that this year's draft 53 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:29.319 lottery became, especially for fans here in Cleveland. So right, the Guardians 54 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:34.439 had the ninth best chances of landing the top pick, So they weren't thinking 55 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:41.120 about that whatsoever. You know they've been You start your scouting process about thirty 56 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:46.079 seconds after each year's draft, looking ahead to the next year's draft. But 57 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.879 they weren't sitting there thinking, well, we'll have whoever we want to take, 58 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:51.959 we'll be able to take. That's not how they were thinking about this, 59 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:59.600 certainly, And so what happens is they have the broadcast on MLB network, 60 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:03.240 and a few hours before that they actually do the drawing. And it's 61 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:08.800 exactly how you think where they're they're putting ping pong balls into a hopper, 62 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:12.959 you got air propelling them all over the place, and then they pull a 63 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:17.079 few out of a tube. Those numbers create a combination that corresponds with a 64 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:25.000 team. It's extremely confusing, but what they do is each team is allowed 65 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:30.399 to send a representative to be in this secret room when this is happening, 66 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:34.360 just to make sure everything's going the way it should and to see how it 67 00:06:34.439 --> 00:06:39.360 works. You know, the Guardians are sitting there with two percent odds of 68 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:43.639 getting the first pick. They sent their new scouting director, Ethan Purser, 69 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:46.839 who had been on the job only a few days, and it was just 70 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:51.480 to watch how it happens and nothing more. Now the thing is, go 71 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:57.199 watch this happen, campering your cell phone, campering your Apple watch, campering 72 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:02.720 any method of communicating with the side world, because they need some time from 73 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:10.360 the time that they do the drawing until the broadcast reveals publicly who has a 74 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:14.120 which pick. You got to sit in a room and just keep to yourself. 75 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:19.079 So this was about two point thirty on Tuesday Central Time. Ethan Purcer 76 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:25.079 goes in this room the two forty five. He knew the guardian said the 77 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:27.879 first pick. He couldn't believe it. That's you know, this is the 78 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:30.600 best news this organization is hurt in a while. And I'm sure he wanted 79 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:35.519 to go to the top balcony in the resort and just shout it from the 80 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:39.959 rooftops, and he couldn't tell anybody. He had to sit in this room. 81 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:44.000 There's about fifteen people in the room, and he had to sun that 82 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:48.000 secret for two and a half hours because the broadcast needs time to set up 83 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:54.600 graphics and the envelopes that country music star Brad Paisley would open on stage, 84 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:59.720 and they had to get John McDonald and all the other on stage representatives in 85 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:03.519 their seats, And so there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes. 86 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:07.519 And meanwhile, the guardians had the first round pick, but only one person 87 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:11.360 knew it. That person couldn't tell anybody. And the crazy part too, 88 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:16.959 is it was actually the Wington Nationals who got the first pick. But because 89 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:20.040 of the way the lottery works, and it's a somewhat confusing system, it's 90 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:24.160 it's I think the NBA is a little simpler, but with revenue sharing and 91 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:30.160 where the Nationals are on that scale, and the fact that they were a 92 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:33.759 lottery team last year, they were ineligible, so the Guardians another stroke of 93 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:39.039 luck there, so you end up with the first pick. At about four 94 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:43.279 fifty seven pm Central, they released Ethan Purser from the room. He had 95 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:48.519 been playing cards and board games for a couple hours, and then he's able 96 00:08:48.759 --> 00:08:52.519 to rush out of the room, go grab his cell phone. He had 97 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:56.480 fifty some miss text messages, a bunch of missed calls, and then go 98 00:08:56.679 --> 00:09:03.559 celebrate with the front office, who certainly wasn't planning a five pm celebration, 99 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:09.000 but I think they were more than happy to Zach Meisel joining us just back 100 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:13.879 from Nashville in the baseball Winter meetings, he writes for the Athletic. Other 101 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:18.039 news for the Guardians. In the Rule five draft they were a participant and 102 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:22.759 they pick up a young man from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Was very highly regarded 103 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:26.639 there. Davis Sindlo Santos. Where does he fit, Zach? He has 104 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:30.279 to stay on the roster to keep him. Is there a fit? You 105 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:35.480 think, Well, there's always a fit for someone who could hit for as 106 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:41.360 much power as he can, a really strong kid. But that last word 107 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:46.480 is important too. He's gonna spend the first half of next season as a 108 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:50.919 twenty year old and this team is already young. That's really young, and 109 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:54.399 he's never played above double A, so I'm curious too. I mean, 110 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:58.919 he's not a strong defender, but what he can give you with the bat, 111 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:05.879 Understanding that there's probably some fine tuning to do, some growing pains to 112 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:09.679 go through, some polish that's needed. You know, there's a lot of 113 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:15.159 potential in there with someone who's who's got the just the power ability that he 114 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:20.960 has and can he tap into it consistently? So the Rule five makes things 115 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.279 tricky. He has to stay on the big league roster, you know, 116 00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:28.200 if he's injured. That we've seen that. You know, the Guardians lost 117 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:33.600 Anthony Santander in the rule five years back in the Orioles. He was injured, 118 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:37.879 The Orioles stowed him on the injured list all year and then he eventually 119 00:10:37.879 --> 00:10:43.000 blossomed into a really good outfielder with Dyal Santos. I mean, it's it's 120 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:46.399 tough. I don't know if he fits at first base DH. Obviously they 121 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:50.679 have some some players, some young players there too, but maybe you bring 122 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:54.720 him along slowly, make him a part time guy, let him, let 123 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:58.960 him platoon or something. But I think they just felt like the bat had 124 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:05.720 too much potential not to take this sort of risk and just hope that they 125 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:09.440 can figure it out. And just because if he stays on the major league 126 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:11.600 roster this year, it doesn't mean he can't go down to TRIPAA at some 127 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:18.120 point if he does need that fine tuning in the future. When you look 128 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:22.960 at Steven Vote in the new staff, those that were there, did you 129 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:26.720 get to spend much time and get a feel for how things are going for 130 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:31.399 him, very very early on in his career as manager here. You know, 131 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:35.080 it's funny. It's, first of all, you have thirty managers under 132 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:39.799 one roof, and it seems like every single one is either someone Steven Vote 133 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:45.679 played for or someone he played with. It's unbelievable, And I guess that's 134 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:48.519 what happens when you bounce around the major leagues. You play for a long 135 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:54.200 time, and you're a manager who just retired from baseball fourteen months ago. 136 00:11:54.279 --> 00:12:00.399 So yeah, it's sometimes you get tired of, like say, saying this, 137 00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:03.720 but no one has a bad thing to say about the guy, and 138 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:07.639 it's it is true. I mean I feel like we over use that sort 139 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:11.679 of death phrase, but it's it's remarkable. I mean, everybody loves him. 140 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:16.480 He can't walk down a hallway for more than a minute without someone coming 141 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:20.159 and giving him a bear hug, or shaking his hand, or or or 142 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:24.600 catching up with him. So it's I think he's really excited about the staff 143 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:30.120 in place. I think there's a nice blend of different perspectives. I mean, 144 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:35.000 he can't stop raving about Carl Willis. We obviously have known a long 145 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:39.639 time, but but talking about the youth and the energy of Craig albern As 146 00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:43.960 his new bench coach, or Kai Korea, a new field coordinator, and 147 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:48.039 how those guys It's it's not just being young and being having fresh perspectives, 148 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:54.480 but guys that he's known, who he knows can challenge him on decisions he 149 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:58.039 makes ideas he has. I think that's important for a staff too. The 150 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:03.360 one other thing with him is I think it's helpful in some ways that he 151 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:07.240 has played so recently. He was saying he's reached out to pretty much every 152 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:13.559 player on the roster, and it's been interesting learning about the responses the players 153 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:16.519 have had. He said. Some guys say, yeah, call me any 154 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.799 time, like let's catch up, but let's talk for an hour. And 155 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:22.080 some guys are like cool, great to hear from you, like we'll be 156 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:26.720 a touch, and then other people are just responding, all right, see 157 00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:31.240 you in February, and it's you know, that's everybody's different and there's a 158 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:33.440 different personality. But he was even saying, you know, I'm not certainly 159 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:37.320 not offended by that because when I was a player, the last thing I 160 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:41.919 wanted to do in November and December was have long chats with my manager. 161 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:46.000 I'm just trying to escape and clear my head. So I think he's got 162 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:50.039 a good view and good good outlook on what players need and what they're thinking 163 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:56.960 because he played so recently and roster wise. The two names that you heard 164 00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:01.320 a little bit about that might be available Shane Bieber, a manual class A. 165 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:05.320 What was the buzz down there, maybe more so from other teams than 166 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:11.080 the guardians about those two. Yeah, I think especially with with Bieber, 167 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:16.039 you know, there's like a an order of operations here because a lot of 168 00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:22.559 every team has different ways of procuring the player that fits their roster. Right. 169 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:26.039 So some teams say, well, we're going to go the free agent 170 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:30.000 route first because we have money to spend, and if that doesn't work, 171 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:33.559 then we'll look at the trade market and we'll acquire who's available. And I 172 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:39.600 think other teams maybe don't want to pay twenty five thirty million dollars per season 173 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:43.799 for a free agent, and so they're going to trade route. So that's 174 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:48.080 what I think leads to a lot of this unfolding at such a deliberate pace 175 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:52.600 during the off season, is the market has to set itself and you have 176 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:58.600 to go in order of who's available. And so I think with Bieber there's 177 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:03.159 certain interest from teams, and it's some teams that would prefer to sign a 178 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:07.759 free agent. It's other teams who are waiting for other dominoes to fall. 179 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:11.679 But certainly someone of his caliber, there's going to be interest. It's just 180 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:15.879 doesn't move the needle for the Guardians. Does it make them a better team 181 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:20.240 in twenty twenty four or beyond if it's prospects that they settle on with Class 182 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:24.759 A. I think it's more they know they have certain holes on the roster. 183 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:28.919 They need to upgrade the outfield, which combined for eighteen home runs last 184 00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:33.240 season. They know they they need They have some holes in the lineup, 185 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:37.039 and I don't think they're going to go to the free agent route to fill 186 00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:41.519 them. So you're just you know, you're compared it to a game of 187 00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:46.720 whack a mole. You're trying to hit one of the moles before another one 188 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.720 springs up, but inevitably the game never ends, and there are moles popping 189 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:54.720 up all over the place. So you have to decide are you blown away 190 00:15:54.879 --> 00:16:00.159 by an offer for your closer and is it convincing enough to move him? 191 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:02.440 Knowing that then you're going to have a hole in your bullpen that you're going 192 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:06.399 to have to fill, or you know, it depends on the deals that 193 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:10.720 you get. I don't think they're out there calling every team begging them to 194 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:14.200 take their all star closer, but you have to consider things. And this 195 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:18.399 is a front office that will listen to a phone call from pretty much every 196 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:22.039 front office across the league at any time. So I think that's how you 197 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:29.639 wind up with someone of class's ability maybe being discussed a little bit. All 198 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:33.200 right, we'll finish with this two part question. Can you reveal if indeed 199 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:37.519 you did have a meeting with show hey Otani and if not, were you 200 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:42.200 allowed to obviously your home, but did it take an effort to be allowed 201 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:47.120 to leave before he made his decision on which team he's going to play for 202 00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:52.320 at the Winter Meetings. I can't decide if I think it's more fascinating to 203 00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:59.080 have this spectacle shrouded in secrecy, or or if it's better to just let 204 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.960 it play out the natural way, where you get all sorts of rumors of 205 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:04.240 flying all over the place. I think I like the secret. I think 206 00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:10.039 I like the fact that teams are hesitant to even reveal who met with who 207 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:15.200 and where they met and where they're doing. A zoom call from I did 208 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:18.519 not meet with shohe Otani. I don't have six hundred million dollars in my 209 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:22.599 bank account yet, and if I did, I think I would spend it 210 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:27.559 in other ways. What a thing for him? Huh? Quite an off 211 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:32.759 season. Well, Zach, listen, welcome home. Good to have you 212 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:36.240 back in town, and thanks so much for the update on the Winter meetings 213 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:41.200 in Nashville. You got a rosie. That's Zach Misel from the Athletic Stay 214 00:17:41.279 --> 00:18:33.000 tuned a lot more to come after this. Welcome back to Guardian's weekly Jim 215 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:37.720 Rosenhouse. Back with you from Progressive Field in downtown and Cleveland, where the 216 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:42.319 renovation work continues throughout the off season major changes to the ballpark which will be 217 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:48.119 completed in two years, but certainly a lot of crane activity and activity in 218 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:52.559 the upper decks, both in right field and left field taking place as we 219 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:57.039 record this week's show, our final show of twenty twenty three, and just 220 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:03.079 a reminder, we will be dark now until January the sixth, so certainly 221 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:07.119 happy holiday wishes going out in a happy new year to everyone, and thanks 222 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.920 as always for tuning in. So we leave you in the second half of 223 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:15.160 our show this week with our final games of the year that we look back 224 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:22.079 on exciting ball games and none more exciting even though it was a Guardian's defeat 225 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:26.160 to the Chicago White Sox than the game on Saturday, August the fifth, 226 00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:30.160 and I'm sure many of you are starting to put it together now with White 227 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:34.359 Sox in town August. Great game and maybe really it was just a great 228 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:41.640 ten minutes of action unexpectedly so that did not really involve baseball. We'll get 229 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:44.680 to that in just a bit, but first to set the scene, the 230 00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:48.559 White Sox struggling mightily with their season well off the pace and out of playoff 231 00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:53.000 contention, the Guardians still trying to hang in there. They were only two 232 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:57.680 games under the five hundred market this point. At fifty four and fifty six. 233 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:02.640 It was game two of a three game series at Progressive Field. The 234 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:06.319 Guardians won the opener of the previous night four to two, and the pitchers 235 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:11.359 in this one Michael Kopek for the White Sox and newly acquired Noah Cinderguard, 236 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.559 making his second start for Cleveland since joining the ball club. Cindergard was trying 237 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:18.640 to help out the young rotation in the final couple of months of the season, 238 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.319 and he got a big lift from his defense early on to keep the 239 00:20:22.359 --> 00:20:27.480 socks off the board. In the first inning, the set the pitch and 240 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:32.799 it's slung on Grinded to third, Ramirez to second. One he Menus turns 241 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:38.480 the double play bass has loaded nobody out. White Sox not able to score, 242 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:45.240 and after a half inning, Noah Cinderguard continues to what gun finn ice 243 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:51.279 but it hasn't broken yet. But then the White Sox power bats came to 244 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:55.799 life, as over the next five innings they hit three solo home runs Luis 245 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:59.680 Robert, Andrew Vaughan and Oscar Colos, all going deep, and a two 246 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:02.519 run blast from Elvis Andrews, and all of a sudden, it was five 247 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:06.200 to nothing White Sox heading to the bottom of the sixth inning. But the 248 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:08.920 fans on hand, they had no idea what was coming next. As the 249 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:12.440 Guardians were looking to cut into the lead, they got things started with a 250 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:18.160 double for Andre se Menez and then jose Ramirez stepped in for what became a 251 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:25.279 memorable at bat that ignited the fireworks. Josey again awaits the two to two 252 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:29.960 pitch from Copek. Here it comes. I was swinging a smash to first 253 00:21:29.960 --> 00:21:33.119 by the diving Vaun down the right field line, kicks into the corner. 254 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:38.279 Ramirez on his wait a second head first slide, say Fenning. The score 255 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:45.839 is Jim Andz and another household double right over the bag at first. Now 256 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:53.319 Hosey and Anderson's square off. They're fighting. They're swinging down Gozanderson down, 257 00:21:53.519 --> 00:22:00.880 Goesanderson. Ramirez went in with a head first slide. Hosey never gets upset 258 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:07.519 about anything. They came up chewing. Anderson squared off, Hosey dictum. 259 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:15.880 It's a five to one Chicago lead. But everybody from the dugouts and the 260 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:23.680 bullpens congregated around second base. You never see Jose Ramirez get upset like that. 261 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:30.720 And Tim Anderson was on the wrong side of that punch. And we'll 262 00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:37.920 see how this is all sorted out. Hosey went in with a head first 263 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:45.920 slide and it was a bang bang play at second Not sure what was said 264 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:52.240 that prompted it, but Josey popped up immediately, he said something. The 265 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:56.680 next thing you know, Anderson squared off and Jose Ramirez dictum. And now 266 00:22:56.759 --> 00:23:03.240 Anderson's being dragged to the first base dugout. Now Tim Anderson doesn't want any 267 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.319 advice rate now, but the advice would be, don't mess with Jose Ramirez. 268 00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:11.759 You've already learned once the hard way. Everybody else, for the most 269 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:18.119 part, is just kind of standing around. Well, the fans that came 270 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:22.119 for Rock and Blast and now here we go again's at the mound and the 271 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:30.079 manager Tito Francona and Pedro graffal pointing fingers at each other and being separated and 272 00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:37.559 everybody now goes to the pitcher's mound. So this escalated after it de escalated, 273 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:44.119 and now the two managers are now we got another scrum at the first 274 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:48.519 base fouly and here comes another blast, Gonzalez trying to get in it. 275 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:56.559 And we have got scrums all over the field, breaking up in different areas 276 00:23:56.920 --> 00:24:02.319 around the first base foul line. And this is one of the few times 277 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:08.160 you're truly seeing a baseball brawl. Normally it's a lot of shouting, a 278 00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:15.920 lot of pointing fingers, but this one had numerous skirmishes that have been broken 279 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:22.200 up and then restarted. And when Tito and Griffal got after it, that's 280 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:26.680 when it started up around the pitcher's mound, then moved to the first base 281 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:33.440 foul line, and Anderson's back out of the dugout and he is nearly being 282 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:38.200 tackled by his teammates. He's being carried off the field by Andrew Vaughan, 283 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:45.039 and this thing is going to take a little while now to get sorted out. 284 00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:51.640 There were so many skirmishes that broke out, and now injured in all 285 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:56.480 of this was Aloi Jimenez, who's had a history of not being able to 286 00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:03.240 stay healthy, and something happened to Hi Metez with a leg or a foot 287 00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:08.839 that he had to hobble off the field. Meanwhile, Jose Ramirez is going 288 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:14.680 back out to second base, and we have got more pushing and shoving. 289 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:19.839 Now Emanuel Closse is being dragged out of there by his teammates. It's Josh 290 00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:26.200 Naylor dragging Klasse out of there with an oplaque injury. And we have not 291 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:34.319 seen anything remotely like this, with the escalation that took place numerous times, 292 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:40.839 and the guys that are going to have to sort this all out, the 293 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:47.240 four umpires have got their work cut out for them. Several ejections on both 294 00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:51.759 sides followed, including Ramirez, so Jose Tana came on to run for him, 295 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:55.559 and Cole Calhoun delivered to pull the Guardians a little bit closer. Now 296 00:25:55.640 --> 00:26:00.519 the pitch Calhoun with a bullet to right. There's his first Cleveland one pase 297 00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:04.839 hit teena will score, gunsale smoters to third, throw comes all the way 298 00:26:04.920 --> 00:26:10.559 to whole plate, backed up by the catcher Grandall and it's a five two 299 00:26:10.680 --> 00:26:17.480 ball game. And Cole Calhoun gets into the spirit, ripping another bashit to 300 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:23.720 right all four hits have been shots to right field, and Calhoun with his 301 00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:30.000 first Darby I and first base hit in the major leagues in twenty twenty three. 302 00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:33.559 But the White Sox pulled away with two runs in the top half of 303 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:36.759 the eighth inning. Guardians scored two and they're half of the eighth to make 304 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:40.839 it seven to four, but that would be the final score. The following 305 00:26:40.920 --> 00:26:45.359 day, Tom Hamilton talked with Terry Francona about the wild game. Just another 306 00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:49.839 routine night last night. He don't that was incredible, Just another whole hum 307 00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:53.079 night at the ballpark. Huh, Yeah, that was That's not what you 308 00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:57.559 expect when you show up with the ballparking. That's the first time in eleven 309 00:26:57.640 --> 00:27:00.480 years since I've been here the day, you know, something's kind of got 310 00:27:00.519 --> 00:27:06.599 out of hand like that. And again, you know, you hope one 311 00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:10.119 that nobody ever gets hurt, because that's the biggest thing, I think, 312 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:14.880 because people are going to say things, do things that when you're got emotions 313 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.039 going, you just hope everybody comes out of it, you know, where 314 00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:22.160 it doesn't get in the way of future games. So while it was a 315 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:26.240 Guardian's loss on August the fifth, certainly a memorable night will always go down 316 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:33.119 as the night Jose Ramirez dropped Tim Anderson with one punch. Down goes Anderson, 317 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:37.920 and that was something else great call Miami that he certainly gained some notoriety 318 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:41.920 for. And we jumped ahead to the final week of the season and the 319 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:47.599 final home game of twenty twenty three for both the Guardians and manager Terry Francona, 320 00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:52.279 Tito retiring after eleven seasons at the Helm for the Guardians. Prior to 321 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:56.240 that the Indians, and before the game, we had a chance to talk 322 00:27:56.279 --> 00:28:00.599 with owner Paul Dolan as he reflected on Tito's time as Cleveland manager. You 323 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:07.319 couldn't have scripted, you know that the Terry Francona a tenure with the Cleveland 324 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:11.559 Indians now Guardians any better than what it was. And you know part of 325 00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:15.960 that script was that he was playing where his dad played. And there are 326 00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:21.720 pictures of Tito as a kid in the dugout all over our organization. It 327 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:27.440 really really has meant so much to our organization, into our community. And 328 00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:33.640 Tito's last home game came on Wednesday, September the twenty seventh, the Reds 329 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:37.480 in town at eighty one and seventy seven, the Guardians out of playoff contention 330 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:41.880 at seventy four and eighty four, Andrew Abbott against Shane Bieber. That was 331 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:45.160 the pitching matchup, Bieber making just his second start after returning from a long 332 00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:49.400 stint on the injured list that began in early July. And we picked things 333 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:52.680 up in a scoreless game. Second inning, the Guardians looking to get the 334 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:57.000 scoring, started with Ramon Loriano leading things off with a double. He stole 335 00:28:57.119 --> 00:29:00.559 third and that brought Tyler Freeman to the plate. Down the three to one. 336 00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:04.920 A swing in a shot up the middle base hit Rick Ache's off the 337 00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:10.640 bag at second, Karen's into center field, and the Guardians tago one nothing 338 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:17.960 lead on Tyler Freeman's RBI single to centers, scoring Ramon Loreano Freeman's fourteenth RBI. 339 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:22.440 Next up another of the Guardians young infielders, Brian Rocchio, now the 340 00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:26.799 one. Ozero hit on a line toward the right center base hit Freeman hits 341 00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:30.319 thirties being waved home. Here's Friedo's throw out of the plate, cut off 342 00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:37.799 at the mound and then the throw by Incarnassion strand A Dela Cruz at second 343 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:42.720 and they tag out Rochio no idea why Rochio was going the second there. 344 00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:48.720 That's just over aggressiveness. But give the kid an RBI single to put Cleveland 345 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:53.359 on top two to nothing. As Rochio just up from Columbus as his sixth 346 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:59.599 RBI on the single to right center, Cleveland was looking for more in the 347 00:29:59.640 --> 00:30:03.200 bottom. The third was Stephen Kuan in scoring position at second base and Josh 348 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:07.079 Naylor at the plate. A swing in a long drive to right. This 349 00:30:07.400 --> 00:30:14.880 ball is off the wall into scores Kwan. Naylor holds with a long single 350 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:19.400 as he nearly knocked down the wall and right, and Cleveland leads three and 351 00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:26.640 to nothing. Josh Naylor's ninety seventh RBI as he hit a two iron that 352 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:30.680 just didn't get high enough to get out of here, but he has knocked 353 00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:34.680 Andrew Abbott out of this game. In the fourth, they had another runner 354 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:40.160 in scoring position and yet another youngster coming through in Jose Tena. Here's the 355 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:44.920 old one swung on. There's a chopper near the middle and under the glove 356 00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:48.480 of India. How it goes into the outfield. Scoring on the play is 357 00:30:48.599 --> 00:30:56.119 Rochio onto third goes Straw and it's an RBI single for Jose Taena just passed 358 00:30:56.160 --> 00:31:00.599 the second baseman, Jonathan India, and the Guardians now lead it four nothing, 359 00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:04.519 FOURTEENA. That's his third run batted in in the big leagues and he's 360 00:31:04.599 --> 00:31:08.640 now two for two on the night. The red scratched out a run in 361 00:31:08.680 --> 00:31:11.240 the sixth to make it four to one, but Bieber was still out there 362 00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:15.960 for the Guardians, and he looked sharp heading into the offseason. Bieber's ready 363 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:23.400 now the two strike three ball he was guessing breaking ball locked them up with 364 00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:30.240 a fastball and canasion Is biab seventh strake out victim. The Reds, still 365 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:33.279 battling for a playoff spot, got back in it with two runs in the 366 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:37.119 eighth inning to make it a one run ball game. So in the ninth 367 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:42.400 it was up to Emmanuel Classe trying to nail down his career high forty third. 368 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:48.319 Say the pitch down in the dirt ball one fans on their feet, 369 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:56.480 channing Tito, you know how badly this Cleveland club wants to win it for 370 00:31:56.640 --> 00:32:02.839 Tito and twenty nine on their feet want it just as badly. The pitch 371 00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:07.920 swing a little tamper right side, trickling down the line, fair ball. 372 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:14.640 Naylor grabs it, steps on the back ball game, Dela Cruz never left 373 00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:20.400 home plate, David Bell coming out to argue once at a foul ball off 374 00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:29.440 the foot. Cleveland will celebrate as the game ends in a weird fashion and 375 00:32:29.799 --> 00:32:35.680 Emanuel claus A will get his forty third save, a new career high, 376 00:32:36.759 --> 00:32:40.960 and Cleveland hangs on to win four to three. David Bell is pleading his 377 00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:47.119 case with the entire umpiring crew as the fans are on their feet shanding Tito. 378 00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:54.599 Tito. So the ball game ends and the Rents, frustrated, will 379 00:32:54.720 --> 00:33:02.039 head to the clubhouse. Final tonight, Cleveland four, Cincinnati three. What 380 00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:07.119 a way for Tito to wrap up his managerial career at Progressive Field, and 381 00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:10.440 after the game, he talked about how special the night was for him. 382 00:33:12.039 --> 00:33:15.799 Well, I guess what I'm just trying to convey is the eleven years here 383 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:20.519 are what is the best part. It's not like the last day. It's 384 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:24.640 everything that I lived through here with the people that I was with, and 385 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:30.319 that's what that's what I care about. I Mean, I know I'm not 386 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:34.640 the smartest person in the room by far, but I was smart enough to 387 00:33:34.680 --> 00:33:40.240 pick a place where I believed in the people, and that only grew and 388 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:44.480 I think anybody's ever spent ten minutes with me knows how much I like it 389 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:49.079 here. It's so close to kind of how where I grew up two hours 390 00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:52.519 away, and it was a good decision. It just seems like it got 391 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:58.240 better. You kind of said a little your last message be to the fans 392 00:33:58.359 --> 00:34:04.240 now, I think tonight it would just be thank you. I have tried 393 00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:07.960 to do my best all the time. Sometimes it's been better than others. 394 00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:14.920 But I appreciate my time here very much. I hope that they support these 395 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:20.119 guys moving forward because there's a lot to like. We didn't get things accomplished 396 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:23.360 this year like we wanted. That doesn't mean it's not going to happen very 397 00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:29.719 much. A special night for Terry Francona, wrapping up the home portion of 398 00:34:29.880 --> 00:34:35.480 his Cleveland managerial career eleven memorable seasons with Tito at the helm of this ball 399 00:34:35.559 --> 00:34:38.960 club. He will be missed greatly, but the contributions he made to this 400 00:34:39.159 --> 00:34:45.119 organization over his eleven seasons may not ever be matched, as he will step 401 00:34:45.239 --> 00:34:51.519 down as the winningest manager in Cleveland Indians and Guardians history. Stay tuned will 402 00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:54.840 have some final thoughts after this time out on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network. 403 00:34:57.000 --> 00:35:00.960 Folks, this puppy isn't over Progressive. We love sports and saving you 404 00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:05.559 money, so we bundled them together. It's forty love here in the third 405 00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:08.480 set, and there's the bell. She's coming off the bench hop looking for 406 00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:13.039 a quick knockdown. But wait, she's driving to the hoop. Co tew 407 00:35:13.400 --> 00:35:16.199 goes the champ. That's another double fault. She'll be shooting too to serve 408 00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:21.679 us up and here comes the left hook. She's bundled her home and auto 409 00:35:21.719 --> 00:35:27.199 insurance with Progressive Swish ace savings to BKO for christ keshl Teensurns company up the 410 00:35:27.239 --> 00:35:40.840 l It's other insurans discompment not availble in all statser situations. Kim Rose announced 411 00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:45.440 back with you from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland. It is our final show 412 00:35:45.559 --> 00:35:51.320 of the twenty twenty three calendar year. We'll take a hiatus for the Christmas 413 00:35:51.400 --> 00:35:54.960 holiday and New Year's as well. Our next show January the sixth. We 414 00:35:55.079 --> 00:36:00.320 look forward to chatting with you then and things will start to happen pretty quickly. 415 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:02.960 We may have some news on player moves and such coming out of the 416 00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:08.039 winter meetings and things that happen over the holidays. Guards Fest is coming your 417 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:13.159 way on January the twentieth, is Saturday afternoon and morning. If you're a 418 00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:16.960 season ticket holder and if you want more information and the opportunity to purchase tickets 419 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:22.360 for that great event, which will feature most of the new coaching staff, 420 00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:27.239 including new manager Steven Vote, and a lot of the current roster as well. 421 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:30.920 They'll be on hand. Always a great time, highlighted by that tremendous 422 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:37.920 field in the middle of the Huntington Convention Center, and all kinds of opportunities 423 00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:42.360 to meet and greet and bump into some of your favorite Cleveland Guardians. That's 424 00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:45.039 all part of Guardsfest coming your way on January the twentieth. Just go to 425 00:36:45.239 --> 00:36:52.039 cl Guardians dot com for information and tickets, and then it won't be long 426 00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:57.559 after that. Spring training begins in mid February, and we'll have spring training 427 00:36:57.639 --> 00:37:00.360 broadcasts coming your way to starting at the end of February, so a lot 428 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:05.760 of baseball will look forward to but enjoy the holiday season and the new year. 429 00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:08.199 As always. Thanks to Brian Motse, my good friend, for it 430 00:37:08.440 --> 00:37:12.800 helping to put together our show each and every week. Matze you have a 431 00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:15.679 good holiday as well, and we will talk to him after the break. 432 00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:21.519 As well as everyone else out there who tunes in each week to Guardians Weekly. 433 00:37:21.639 --> 00:37:30.280 This is Jim Rosenhause. Have a great holiday everyone. Guardians Weekly has 434 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:36.920 been brought to you by Progressive Helping Guardians. Fans say hundreds on car insurance