Speaker 1: Welcome to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network.
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Speaker 2: Hi everyone, Jimmer House along with you for Guardians Weekly
Speaker 2: as we join you this week from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, American
Speaker 2: Family Field, where the Guardians are taking on the Brewers
Speaker 2: this weekend. Two of the best teams in baseball having
Speaker 2: at it as the Guardians went into play on Friday
Speaker 2: with MLB's best record and the Brewers not that far
Speaker 2: behind as they had the third best record in the
Speaker 2: National League. Couple of division leaders, and it's been a
Speaker 2: good series, or it looks to be a good series
Speaker 2: shaping up over the weekend in Milwaukee. We'll have more
Speaker 2: on that as we get rolling, but we can tell
Speaker 2: you coming up on our show this week, we will
Speaker 2: hear from former Cleveland Indian a big part of the
Speaker 2: twenty sixteen World Series team, Mike Napoli. He was in
Speaker 2: town with the Chicago Cubs earlier this week as their
Speaker 2: first base coach, and we'll visit with Mike Napoli a
Speaker 2: little bit later on in the show, along with veterans
Speaker 2: starting pitcher Matthew Boyd and outfielder John Kenzie Nowell. But
Speaker 2: first our weekend review that comes your way shortly after
Speaker 2: this time out on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
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Speaker 2: Kim Row's anounce back with you. It is Guardians as
Speaker 2: we join you from American Family Field in Milwaukee this weekend.
Speaker 2: Time now for the weekend review and a good week
Speaker 2: it has been for the Guardians, as after taking the
Speaker 2: final two games of their series last weekend in Minnesota,
Speaker 2: the Guardians welcome the Cubs to Progressive Field wild Ballgame
Speaker 2: on Monday Night one of the more entertaining games of
Speaker 2: the season, as the Cubs jumped in front in the
Speaker 2: third inning on a two run home run from Ian
Speaker 2: Happ and a solo shot in the fourth by Pete
Speaker 2: Crow Armstrong, and just like that, it was three to
Speaker 2: nothing Chicago. The Guardians answered in the bottom half of
Speaker 2: the fourth inning, a couple of men on base for
Speaker 2: Josh Naylor. Here comes his payoff pitch, swung on, loop
Speaker 2: to shallowwrights center that falls in for a base at
Speaker 2: Kwan will score on his way to third is Ramirez
Speaker 2: and Naylor comes through with a two out RBI single
Speaker 2: and the Guardians are on the board. It's now three
Speaker 2: to one Cubs who that bat for Josh Naylor, who
Speaker 2: fell behind oh two, but battled back, worked the count
Speaker 2: full and then was able to stay on that pitch
Speaker 2: and loop it in the right center for a base hit.
Speaker 2: And then John Kenzie Noel stepped to the plate one
Speaker 2: into the count. Here it comes, and that swung on
Speaker 2: and launched high and deep left field, way on out
Speaker 2: of here home run John Kenzie Noel, and with one
Speaker 2: swing he has put the Guardians in front. Oh my,
Speaker 2: four hundred feet onto the home run porch, and just
Speaker 2: like that, the Guardians have taken the lead with a
Speaker 2: four run fourth inning. It's now four to three Cleveland.
Speaker 2: The Guardians extended the lead in the fifth inning with
Speaker 2: a man aboard and Stephen Kwan stepping in top of
Speaker 2: the lineups even quant steps in. Here's the pitch swung
Speaker 2: on and that's lifted high and deep to right. This
Speaker 2: has a chance head it's gone another home run. Kwan
Speaker 2: goes deep and the Guardians tack on here in the
Speaker 2: fifth inning, six to three Cleveland. Kwan with his thirteenth
Speaker 2: home run of the season. Later on in the fifth,
Speaker 2: Jose Ramirez singled, stole second and then another big two
Speaker 2: out hit, this time from David Fry. Two down in
Speaker 2: the inning. Ramirez at second, the pitch swung online left
Speaker 2: field line and it's a fair ball into the corner.
Speaker 2: Hare comes Ramirez. He will score. On his way to second.
Speaker 2: Is Fry the slide the tagg and he's out. Fry
Speaker 2: tried to stretch it. Ramirez scored. The run counts and
Speaker 2: the Guardians have another big inning. Three runs on the
Speaker 2: board that inning, and we'll head to the sixth Cleveland seven,
Speaker 2: Chicago three and in the sixth, there was more of
Speaker 2: the John Kenzie Noel show.
Speaker 1: The pitch swings and drives, this one deep left field,
Speaker 1: it's got a chance. It is gone. The big band
Speaker 1: has a multi homer game and the Guardians have and
Speaker 1: eight to three lead. It looked like he was out
Speaker 1: on his front foot and hit a breaking ball.
Speaker 2: He is some kind of strong, so a big lead
Speaker 2: for the Guardians, but the Cubs did not give up.
Speaker 2: They scored four times in the seventh to pull the
Speaker 2: within a run, and then another run in the eighth,
Speaker 2: and just like that it was all even eight eight
Speaker 2: on to the bottom of the eighth we went Jose Ramirez.
Speaker 2: Let things off.
Speaker 1: Now the pitch swung on, ripped to deep bright field,
Speaker 1: down the line, it goes. It'll take one bounce, go
Speaker 1: up against the wall. Ramirez going for two. He's on
Speaker 1: his way sliding with a double. That's number twenty six
Speaker 1: for arguably the best all around player in baseball. Will
Speaker 1: Brennan followed with a pinch hit single, moving Ramirez up
Speaker 1: to third, and then Josh Naylor stepped in with a
Speaker 1: chance to break the tie. Game tied at eight. Nobody
Speaker 1: out runners at the corners a swinging a high chopper
Speaker 1: over the head of parades into left field of as
Speaker 1: hid that'll put Cleveland up nine to eight. Josh Naylor
Speaker 1: with an opposite field kangaroo bounce over the head of
Speaker 1: parades at third and in the left his second r
Speaker 1: and behind tonight, giving him eighty seven on the year,
Speaker 1: and just like that, Cleveland.
Speaker 2: Is back on top. And in the ninth a Manuel
Speaker 2: class A came on to try and save it for
Speaker 2: a third consecutive day.
Speaker 1: Classe again trying to save a third consecutive day in
Speaker 1: all of these games. Incredible drama. Now the one two.
Speaker 4: A swag and a mess bow game Classe not just
Speaker 4: his twenty third consecutive save Cleveland with one of their
Speaker 4: wildest wins of the year, knock off the Cubs nine
Speaker 4: to eight.
Speaker 2: So a wild win for the Guardian's Monday Night. Couldn't
Speaker 2: have a more different game on Tuesday Night, not nearly
Speaker 2: as much offense, but still a very entertaining game. Nonetheless,
Speaker 2: as it was the season debut and Guardian's debut on
Speaker 2: the mound for Matthew Boyd and he was sharp early.
Speaker 1: Now the two swung out a week chopper to short
Speaker 1: Rokio charges glove sens throws and got him by a step.
Speaker 1: Boy Bellinger made that close eighteen pitch inning for Matthew Boyd.
Speaker 1: He's back in the big leagues, and he probably never
Speaker 1: looked more forward to having his club inspected by the
Speaker 1: home plate umpire than he did right now walking off
Speaker 1: the field. He's back in the major leagues. With a
Speaker 1: scoreless first.
Speaker 2: Chicago scored a run in the second on a Dansby
Speaker 2: Swanson sack fly, but the Guardians got that run right
Speaker 2: back in the bottom of the inning. It was Brian
Speaker 2: Rochio batting with runners on the corners infield bank double
Speaker 2: play depth the pitch, Rochio bunts a safety squeeze, bare
Speaker 2: hand grab by Asad throw to the plate off the line,
Speaker 2: scoring with the head first slide him and hiss Noel
Speaker 2: the second and a great bunt by Rochio. He's at first.
Speaker 2: That may end up being a base hit. That was
Speaker 2: a safety squeeze. It was perfectly executed.
Speaker 1: By Rochio and the runner Jimenez, bare hand grabbed by Assad.
Speaker 1: He threw in a hurry to the plate. He had
Speaker 1: no chance to get him Inez. He spiked the throw
Speaker 1: knocked down by Bethencourt and it goes as a bunt
Speaker 1: single and the Guardians tied up at one.
Speaker 2: And then Matthew Boyd continued to shut down the Cubs lineup.
Speaker 1: Matthew Boyd has had eleven two counts and zero two
Speaker 1: oh counts. Think of that kind of command fourteen months
Speaker 1: after Tommy John surgery. Incredible, the one two swinging and
Speaker 1: a miss in the dirt. Dugout Nailer steps out in
Speaker 1: front of the plate, throws to first six drakeouts for
Speaker 1: Matthew Boyd and his night is done. As manager Steven
Speaker 1: Vote will make the call after an eighty pitch night
Speaker 1: by Matthew Boyd, he will get a rousing ovation coming
Speaker 1: to the third base. Dugouty slaps his manager on the
Speaker 1: chest and they're on their feet at the corner of
Speaker 1: Carnegie and Ontario. A standing ovation. Matthew Boyd a tip
Speaker 1: of the cap heading to that third base, Dugout slaps
Speaker 1: his hands against his club, high fives in that Dugout
Speaker 1: all those tedious hours of rehab and that moment is
Speaker 1: one that he, his wife and children will never forget. Then,
Speaker 1: in the bottom of the sixth John Kenzie no Weell
Speaker 1: went deep one more time. The wine by smiling and
Speaker 1: the two two swinging and.
Speaker 4: Rip to dape left away back.
Speaker 5: Hair a prodigious blast beyond the porch and left, and
Speaker 5: the Guardians have a two to one lead.
Speaker 1: Here in the sixth and no Well on pitch number eight.
Speaker 1: He hit at four hundred thirty feet, so his third
Speaker 1: home run in two days. Good luck getting him out
Speaker 1: of the lineup.
Speaker 2: Kate Smith and Hunter Gaddis kept the Cubs off the
Speaker 2: board in the seventh and the eighth before turning it
Speaker 2: over to Emmanuel Class who was pitching for a fourth
Speaker 2: straight day, tying run out second. Here's the two ozer pitch.
Speaker 1: Swanson hits a chapter to third, Ramirez charges gloves, looks
Speaker 1: the runner back to second. He's in a rundown. Throw
Speaker 1: goes to third, he is still in the rundown. Ramirez
Speaker 1: takes him out.
Speaker 3: Ball game.
Speaker 1: How about that? A chapper to third and Ramirez with
Speaker 1: a speedy Swanson running to first, got a hoarder in
Speaker 1: a rundown between second and third. And the Guardians keep
Speaker 1: rolling and four saves in four consecutive days. Free manual closse.
Speaker 1: Four straight wins for Cleveland and the Guardians keep the
Speaker 1: best record in baseball beating the Cubs tonight two to one,
Speaker 1: so on Wednesday, that's set up a chance for the
Speaker 1: sweep for the Guardians, and the game was scoreless until
Speaker 1: the fourth inning. That's when Chicago scored a run on
Speaker 1: a Cody Bellinger sack fly, giving them a one nothing lead.
Speaker 1: But the Cleveland's offense got going in the bottom of
Speaker 1: the fourth. Jose Ramirez let things off with a walk
Speaker 1: and that brought Josh Naylor to the plate. The pitch
Speaker 1: to Naylors swung on and drilled right center field, pick
Speaker 1: gets down for a base, it splits the gap, rolls
Speaker 1: to the wall, rounding third. Heading for home is Ramirez.
Speaker 1: He will score on the double off the bat of
Speaker 1: Josh Naylor, and just like that, this game is tied
Speaker 1: ad one.
Speaker 2: When Naylor's been swinging it well again for a while now,
Speaker 2: and that time wasted little time in lining one up
Speaker 2: the gap in right center double number nineteen for nailor
Speaker 2: RBI number eighty eight, and we have a brand new
Speaker 2: ballgame quickly here in the fourth. Two batters later, Andre
Speaker 2: Cemenez delivered to put the Guardians in front. The two
Speaker 2: to one pitch swung online drive right field that gets
Speaker 2: down for a base hit. Nailer will round third, he's
Speaker 2: heading for home. The throw is cut off, Naylor scores
Speaker 2: standing up. It's an RBI single for andre Cemenez and
Speaker 2: the Guardians take a two to one lead.
Speaker 6: All right there.
Speaker 2: It is that smooth approach, not trying to do too
Speaker 2: much lately for andre Cemenez. Just a sharp single to
Speaker 2: shallow right center and he picks up is forty eighth
Speaker 2: run batted in on the season. They went back to
Speaker 2: work in the fifth Stephen Kuan singleed and then it
Speaker 2: was Will Brennan coming through Ty owned delivers and it's
Speaker 2: swung on RiPP to first fare ball passed the first basement,
Speaker 2: down the line and right all the way into the corner.
Speaker 2: Kuan motoring around thirties heading for home. The relay goes
Speaker 2: to third. Quan scores into third with a trimple. Is
Speaker 2: Brennan and the Guardians had another run. HiT's now three
Speaker 2: to one Cleveland. Brennan with his second triple and he
Speaker 2: has now driven in twenty six. Jose Ramirez followed and
Speaker 2: drove in Brennan with a ground out, making it four
Speaker 2: to one Cleveland, and then Alex Cobb continued to impress
Speaker 2: on the mound in his second start since joining the
Speaker 2: ball club.
Speaker 1: Hamp swing since a week bouncer the first right over
Speaker 1: the bag and went nailer the flip to Cob two down. Boy,
Speaker 1: here we are getting exactly what pitching coach Carl Willis
Speaker 1: has been longing for. Alex Cobb right now has given
Speaker 1: up one run on three hits, striking out three heads
Speaker 1: and walk the matter.
Speaker 2: In the eighth, the Guardians added a little more insurance
Speaker 2: with two men on and another clutch hit from Andre Simenez.
Speaker 2: The next offering swung on drill toward the aptep left
Speaker 2: center field. It'll get down, it'll bounce up against the wall.
Speaker 1: That'll score Ramirez and Thomas and Hemenez was a two
Speaker 1: run double up the alley and left center and that
Speaker 1: breaks it open six to one. Cleveland. A three arby
Speaker 1: night for Andre Simenez and Andre Simenez three hits, three
Speaker 1: arby eyes. The Cubs elected Depitts to him and he
Speaker 1: has both hits tonight that Cleveland's had with men in
Speaker 1: scoring position.
Speaker 2: And with the big lead. Finally, a day off for
Speaker 2: Emmanuel class as Scott Barlow was on to finish things
Speaker 2: up in the ninth Scott Farlow.
Speaker 1: Sets fires a swing and a little weak fly ball
Speaker 1: shallow rights center. The right fielder Noel makes the catch.
Speaker 1: Ball game, and the Guardians have made it five straight wins.
Speaker 1: And the Guardians maintained the best record in baseball now
Speaker 1: twenty three games above five hundred as they sweep the
Speaker 1: Cubs tonight, winning it six to one after an op
Speaker 1: day Thursday Friday, the opener of the series here in Milwaukee,
Speaker 1: and it was the Brewers racing out to a five
Speaker 1: run lead and they hung on for the five to
Speaker 1: three win. So that's your weekend review. Stay with us.
Speaker 2: When we get back, we'll hear from starting pitcher Matthew Boyd,
Speaker 2: who made his Guardian's debut earlier this week. That's next
Speaker 2: on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
Speaker 1: Now the two too swag get a mess son of changeup.
Speaker 1: How about that four hundred and fourteen days between mainche
Speaker 1: league outings and he's back striking out Ian half to
Speaker 1: start tonight's ball game. That's incredible. That's one of those
Speaker 1: Hollywood scripts that maybe even Hollywood would say is too unbelievable.
Speaker 1: Welcome back to Guardian's Weekly.
Speaker 2: Jim rosen House along with you as we join you
Speaker 2: from American Family Field in Milwaukee, where the Guardians are
Speaker 2: taking on the Brewers this weekend. Earlier this week, veteran
Speaker 2: left hander Matthew Boyd made his return to the mound
Speaker 2: following Tommy John surgery that has kept him out of
Speaker 2: action for more than a year. He was signed by
Speaker 2: the Guardians a couple of months back. He's worked his
Speaker 2: way back with good rehab starts and was outstanding in
Speaker 2: his debut on Tuesday. As we heard in the highlights
Speaker 2: last segment. We had a chance to sit down with
Speaker 2: them after the win and he talked about how he
Speaker 2: felt things went in this his first start of the
Speaker 2: season with his new ballclub.
Speaker 7: It was I was really grateful for last night Bo called,
Speaker 7: called and caught just a great game back there. I'm
Speaker 7: a you know, It's something I've wanted to do. Was
Speaker 7: just that I didn't get in me to the big legs.
Speaker 7: Was just you know, using my whole repertoire, using all
Speaker 7: four pitches, all five pitches and uh, you know, pitching,
Speaker 7: and you know we did a good job of that,
Speaker 7: and defense played great behind me and it wasn't all around.
Speaker 6: It was a great win.
Speaker 2: And it's interesting you mentioned that. So do you feel
Speaker 2: that in that year that you've been out that maybe
Speaker 2: you were a different pitcher and someone that maybe you
Speaker 2: wanted to be at some point and now can do that.
Speaker 7: I mean, I I think it's more it was the
Speaker 7: ability was always there to do it.
Speaker 6: I just I mean, it's more.
Speaker 7: The fact that you have a four hundred plus days
Speaker 7: of reflection to think about, how old do I want
Speaker 7: to do things when I get back and just watching
Speaker 7: a lot of baseball and you watch the trends of
Speaker 7: the game, and uh, it's just, you know, something I
Speaker 7: just always prided myself on was using everything, and so
Speaker 7: that's what you know, it's a it was it was
Speaker 7: fun to go out there and use it all and
Speaker 7: uh and and just you know, just get out there
Speaker 7: and compete.
Speaker 2: So many times a player or a picture is injured,
Speaker 2: they miss significant time and you hear about the rehab
Speaker 2: and how tedious it is. But is that maybe a
Speaker 2: if you look at it in a certain way, a
Speaker 2: positive way, that maybe you can get better by just
Speaker 2: watching the game and studying some things. Is that a
Speaker 2: byproduct of maybe unintended of an injury situation for you?
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think so, I mean, I I think in
Speaker 7: any facet of life, reflection is key, right. If you
Speaker 7: want to grow, you have to look at the man
Speaker 7: in the mirror or woman in the mirror and be
Speaker 7: honest with you know what you see. And I've had,
Speaker 7: you know, I think I've had lots of success in
Speaker 7: this game. I've also had some years where been dragged
Speaker 7: through the mud. And it's in those times if you
Speaker 7: can look at those honestly and understand how there can
Speaker 7: be growth in any kind of circumstances, it's it can
Speaker 7: lead you to something good and positive ahead. So you know,
Speaker 7: it's there were times last year where I felt like
Speaker 7: I was going really good and things didn't go right,
Speaker 7: you know, in the field, and you know you're going, okay,
Speaker 7: stay the course. You know, maybe I don't have the
Speaker 7: box score resort but a result, but we're on the
Speaker 7: right path. And then there's times where you go, man,
Speaker 7: I really wish I could have done something differently. And
Speaker 7: sometimes those those moments come when you're removed from the
Speaker 7: game and you're you're you're watching the game through TV
Speaker 7: and not sitting in the dugout, you know, preparing for
Speaker 7: a start, and it's in that time of way that
Speaker 7: you use that for growth and you know, be honest
Speaker 7: with yourself and then go forward from there saying okay,
Speaker 7: let's uh, let's let's go implement this and go work.
Speaker 2: Matthew Boy joining us following a really good performance in
Speaker 2: his debut for the Guardians. And we talked to you
Speaker 2: when you got here and signed you add options you
Speaker 2: could have signed other places. Now that you've been here,
Speaker 2: has that just validated some of the belief you had
Speaker 2: in this organization that it would be the right fit
Speaker 2: for you.
Speaker 7: I mean, yeah, without a doubt. It was one of
Speaker 7: those things that everything just was aligning to this is
Speaker 7: where I wanted to be and you know, and talking
Speaker 7: to Albie and talking to Kai and talking to Steven,
Speaker 7: you know, it's just like.
Speaker 3: It it was.
Speaker 1: It was true.
Speaker 6: It was like this is this is.
Speaker 7: You know, I I I trust all those guys.
Speaker 6: You know.
Speaker 7: I was like, this is a spot that's that's special.
Speaker 7: So there was a I didn't need the validation, but
Speaker 7: the proof is definitely in the pudding, and it was
Speaker 7: it was cool to see a firsthand and I'm just
Speaker 7: grateful to be part of this Fall Club.
Speaker 2: And sometimes it takes a little while for a player
Speaker 2: to fit in his teammates to welcome him. But man,
Speaker 2: it seemed like this has happened very quickly for you
Speaker 2: and your teammates, especially judging from the reaction after it
Speaker 2: came off the mount Are you surprised at that that
Speaker 2: it's happened at quickly or is that maybe just your nature?
Speaker 2: And and that's happened in other places too.
Speaker 7: No, I mean, I I gotta say it's a I
Speaker 7: haven't felt part of a team so fast as I
Speaker 7: did here, and I think it speaks to the the
Speaker 7: quality and the character of the guys here, and it's
Speaker 7: it's it's special and unique. You know, I feel like
Speaker 7: I fit in everywhere that I've been, and I've been everywhere.
Speaker 7: I've been on amazing ball clubs from Toronto to Detroit
Speaker 7: to San Francisco, Seattle and and you know, now here.
Speaker 7: But how fast that happened here was really really unique
Speaker 7: and really really really special on I think just the
Speaker 7: character of the staff and the players here, and I'm
Speaker 7: just I feel very fortunate that I get to put.
Speaker 6: On this uniform.
Speaker 2: It was a fun night. Great to see you back
Speaker 2: on the Big League Mountain. Thanks for coming back.
Speaker 7: Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2: Great story, Matthew Boyd, and it could be an even
Speaker 2: bigger story as the season develops down the stretch. Another
Speaker 2: big story could be John Kenzie. Know well, he's already
Speaker 2: had a big week for the man they call Big Christmas,
Speaker 2: his first multi homer game on Monday, then another big
Speaker 2: blast and Tuesdays win to make it three home runs
Speaker 2: in two days. We talked to John Kenzie your Monday's
Speaker 2: game and explain how he's been able to stay sharp
Speaker 2: despite not being in the lineup every day.
Speaker 8: I mean, you know I would stay Uh. I just
Speaker 8: to prepare every time, you know, when the money you
Speaker 8: call me, you know, be ready for everything, you know,
Speaker 8: and uh yeah, I always be ready in my machine.
Speaker 8: Uh here fast slying that slow coal uh and just
Speaker 8: keep you know, my mind in the game, say every
Speaker 8: time like y'all won't play and uh yeah, just waiting
Speaker 8: for the opportunity, you know, and just want to have
Speaker 8: the team win.
Speaker 2: And for someone who's played every day in the minor leagues,
Speaker 2: how difficult is it to to not play every day
Speaker 2: here but still be be good when you do play.
Speaker 8: I mean I feel I don't play every day, but
Speaker 8: I feel like I play every day, let's say, because
Speaker 8: I got always my mind, like I'll go play because
Speaker 8: I take a prosing like game. You know, I checked
Speaker 8: when the guy's hitting and stuff like that. And you know,
Speaker 8: keep my body the more important thing, you know, because
Speaker 8: when like I said, when the money you come, my name,
Speaker 8: be ready, you know, for play thief and or he
Speaker 8: whatever the money you want me to do, I'm gonna
Speaker 8: do it.
Speaker 2: You and and your teammates. Nobody had seen last night
Speaker 2: starting pitcher for the Cubs before h but you seem
Speaker 2: to have a good approach against him. How do you
Speaker 2: prepare for someone that you hadn't seen before.
Speaker 8: I mean I was watching, I was watching like today,
Speaker 8: I was watching the video. You know, he's a good
Speaker 8: it's a good picture. But I was just seeing fastball,
Speaker 8: you know, and least to a strike when I get
Speaker 8: to a strike. So now, you know, try and pull
Speaker 8: the bone and play with him, you know, don't try
Speaker 8: to do it too much. I mean, I tell that
Speaker 8: that's split. That was good s plea. But I say,
Speaker 8: I'm always more better than than that's split, you know,
Speaker 8: And uh yeah, I tell the the shay and thank
Speaker 8: god that make the.
Speaker 2: Content Kensey Noel's joining us. Two home runs last night
Speaker 2: and a great catch in right field. Uh, take us
Speaker 2: through that catch and how you decide if you're gonna
Speaker 2: die for it and try and make that grab or
Speaker 2: just lay off and try and pick it up on
Speaker 2: the bounce.
Speaker 8: I mean it's uh, that was tough play. Let's say
Speaker 8: right now the months let's say the more difficult play
Speaker 8: I make because the what's a slow, you know, fly ball,
Speaker 8: and and I was like, Ia, I don't know if
Speaker 8: you're gonna be I'm gonna drop. Uh. And my mind
Speaker 8: was was I just got a catch the ball because
Speaker 8: I can say the game with a and yeah, and
Speaker 8: I make it and we won the game.
Speaker 2: You mentioned saving the game at the time. How aware
Speaker 2: were you that that was a huge play because of
Speaker 2: what the score was and things like that.
Speaker 8: I mean, I think the goal was three nothing. I think,
Speaker 8: so you know we're good hitting, you know, And uh, yeah,
Speaker 8: like I said, when I play defense, man, I know why,
Speaker 8: I know they passed me there. You know, when I
Speaker 8: play right field, I think I'm the best right feel
Speaker 8: in the league, no matter who is the best right
Speaker 8: fee there. But I think every time I Miami the
Speaker 8: best right fee there. So every time the heat that
Speaker 8: was over there and I'm just gonna try and cash,
Speaker 8: you know, and if it passed me, it's okay. But
Speaker 8: every time fly ball line right, and I know I
Speaker 8: can make that play. How we do it?
Speaker 2: Obviously a lot of confidence there. And your team just
Speaker 2: went through a seven game losing streak, but now you're
Speaker 2: you're winning games again. But it seemed like everybody handled
Speaker 2: things well during the losing streak. And what was the
Speaker 2: key during that time to being able to come back
Speaker 2: and play good baseball again?
Speaker 8: I mean the same the grown minds. You know, we
Speaker 8: know we the best team in the league, you know,
Speaker 8: great team. They bad like that. You know, they can
Speaker 8: lose seven, they get louten, but we never get up,
Speaker 8: you know. And it's a lot of one game left,
Speaker 8: So we forgot about the seven. Now we got I
Speaker 8: don't know four now, So yeah, now we're gonna get
Speaker 8: the other one. You know, today, yesterday past. Now we're
Speaker 8: gonna and focus now and this game today for us
Speaker 8: important too. Every game right now for us is very important.
Speaker 8: So it's no matter whole pitching or web team we face,
Speaker 8: we more better into them.
Speaker 2: With all that said, fun game last night. When when
Speaker 2: you look back on it.
Speaker 8: Yeah yeah, yeah yeah, what a great game. But the
Speaker 8: more import that we won the game. That's the more
Speaker 8: important thing. I came to home and you know that
Speaker 8: in cash. But the more important thing is win Bowl games.
Speaker 2: Well said John Kenzie. Thanks a love for coming back.
Speaker 8: Appreciate him, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2: That's outfielder John Kenzie. No, well, I mean quite a
Speaker 2: rookie season one that didn't start until late June. Stay
Speaker 2: with us when we come back, we'll hear from a
Speaker 2: blast from the past. Mike Napoli joins us after this.
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Speaker 1: Three three tie game in the seventh. Here's the old one.
Speaker 4: Swung out of Belton today, Clift Hohay back way.
Speaker 1: Out of here, bring out the tape measure halfway up
Speaker 1: the bleachers and left for my Napoli.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to Guardians Weekly, our final segment from Milwaukee
Speaker 2: where the Guardians are taking on the Brewers this weekend.
Speaker 2: Don't forget night baseball on Saturday with a seven to
Speaker 2: fifteen first pitch and then a day game on Sunday
Speaker 2: to ten the start time in Milwaukee against the Brewers
Speaker 2: to close out the series. Well, Mike Napoli was in
Speaker 2: town with the Chicago Cubs as their first base coach
Speaker 2: earlier this week. The former a big part of the
Speaker 2: twenty sixteen Cleveland Indians World Series team. He was a
Speaker 2: fan favorite then and still very popular certainly when he
Speaker 2: comes back to town. And we talked about his days
Speaker 2: in Cleveland when we had a chance to visit with him,
Speaker 2: and we also asked him about how the coaching role
Speaker 2: has suited him so far in his post playing career.
Speaker 9: Yeah, I mean it's been a good experience for me.
Speaker 9: You know, first getting into coaching, you know, I got
Speaker 9: a job being a caall the assurance guy, and kind
Speaker 9: of just jumped around everywhere. They called me the Swiss
Speaker 9: Army Knife, to where I was just trying to do everything,
Speaker 9: being everything and talking to the guys a lot. And
Speaker 9: you know, there was a period of time to where
Speaker 9: I had to get over that I wasn't playing anymore.
Speaker 9: You know, sometimes I would look at the game and
Speaker 9: be like, man, I could still do that, and what
Speaker 9: are they doing? And but once I got past that
Speaker 9: and let go of not playing anymore, and you know,
Speaker 9: becoming a coach, I think just helping the guys out
Speaker 9: and I.
Speaker 6: Think I could just I could relate to what's.
Speaker 9: Going on with them. So I knew how most of
Speaker 9: the guys were feeling at the time, if I had
Speaker 9: to have a talk with them or if I was
Speaker 9: trying to make them better in a certain area. But
Speaker 9: it's been real enjoyable for me to to, you know,
Speaker 9: be a part of that and seeing guys get better
Speaker 9: on a daily basis and pushing them to you know,
Speaker 9: try to get better every single day and focus on winning.
Speaker 2: You mentioned having an impact on players while you've played
Speaker 2: and to come to mind right here, I Loo Santana
Speaker 2: and Jose Ramirez in twenty sixteen. When you look at them, now,
Speaker 2: what do you think about when when you think back
Speaker 2: to those times when they were just really getting going.
Speaker 9: Yeah, I mean, that's that's what it's all about. You
Speaker 9: try to have impact on people, you know. I think
Speaker 9: I tried to do that everywhere I was and me
Speaker 9: being in a situation I was being an older player
Speaker 9: kind of seeing a lot of things being been through,
Speaker 9: trying to help people, young guys on a daily basis.
Speaker 9: It was fun for me to see them and interact
Speaker 9: with them and try to make them better and make
Speaker 9: them feel comfortable and make them feel part.
Speaker 6: Of you know, our group in a team. You know,
Speaker 6: I think that's what it's all about.
Speaker 9: Is when you get a bunch of guys that come
Speaker 9: together and care about, like, genuinely care about each other.
Speaker 6: It's it's important.
Speaker 9: And you know, I think I showed them a lot
Speaker 9: of love and it was genuine and we had good relationships.
Speaker 9: And it's cool to see how they've grown. I mean,
Speaker 9: Jose is one heck of a baseball player.
Speaker 1: Man.
Speaker 9: It's you can even hear, you know, we we have
Speaker 9: conversations that Doug out we're here and people are just like, man,
Speaker 9: they just love how he plays, the way he goes
Speaker 9: about his business.
Speaker 6: He plays hard, and he's just a really good.
Speaker 9: Hitter, and he's really good defensively. So and then Santana,
Speaker 9: you know, I got to see him about a week ago.
Speaker 9: You know, it came in we we played in Minnesota,
Speaker 9: and uh, we were always excited to see each other.
Speaker 9: We reminisce and it's amazing to see, you know, the
Speaker 9: career he's had, and you know, I wish both of them,
Speaker 9: you know, more and more success.
Speaker 2: Mike Napoli joining US first page coach for the Cubs,
Speaker 2: but a huge part of the twenty sixteen World Series
Speaker 2: team for Cleveland. And Mike, you look back at that,
Speaker 2: You're one of your best on the field home run wise,
Speaker 2: rbi wise, and you add some some good seasons along
Speaker 2: the way for some really good teams. What was it
Speaker 2: about that year that allowed you to really break loose
Speaker 2: and be just a key figure in that lineup.
Speaker 6: I think there's so many things to it.
Speaker 9: I think one, uh, Frank ConA, you know, getting to
Speaker 9: know Frank ConA on a daily basis, him pushing me
Speaker 9: and and uh reassuring me always about me being in
Speaker 9: the lineup and hitting forth and uh.
Speaker 6: Being a big part of it.
Speaker 9: I think coming back and can link back up with
Speaker 9: ty Van Berkeley of you know, when I got I
Speaker 9: was came into the minors, he was our hitting coordinator
Speaker 9: with the Angels, and we always had a good relationship.
Speaker 9: I kind of got into a routine and learning, you know,
Speaker 9: some of his philosophies.
Speaker 6: So I think getting back.
Speaker 9: With him and him understanding my swing and being able
Speaker 9: to talk to him about certain stuff definitely was a big,
Speaker 9: big key to it. But uh, I mean it's just
Speaker 9: I think overall the group that we had, you know,
Speaker 9: it was it was a fun time.
Speaker 6: It was a fun year.
Speaker 9: We all enjoy each other and and you know, you
Speaker 9: never know what's gonna happen, but we we got onto
Speaker 9: into a good role and and became a tight knit
Speaker 9: group and played for each other, and uh, you know,
Speaker 9: I think I definitely fed off that, and it was
Speaker 9: I don't know, just that things worked out. You know,
Speaker 9: I got a lot of a lot of at baths.
Speaker 9: I was in the lineup every single day, and uh,
Speaker 9: you know, I was just able to.
Speaker 6: Roll with it.
Speaker 2: You mentioned fun, and maybe it's because we were getting
Speaker 2: further and further away from it by the day. But
Speaker 2: the party at Napoli's shirts and and the team just
Speaker 2: seemed to have that good vibe and it doesn't happen
Speaker 2: every year. And and was that a special team When
Speaker 2: you look back at your career at some of the
Speaker 2: teams that you played for.
Speaker 9: Yeah, I mean, I mean I've been so fortunate in
Speaker 9: my career to play on a lot of good teams.
Speaker 9: And the thing that stands out about all those teams
Speaker 9: is is what you said. I mean, it's just were
Speaker 9: They're a really tight knit group and you really genuinely
Speaker 9: care about each other and play for each other and uh,
Speaker 9: you know, you check you or you go out the door,
Speaker 9: and it's all about winning. So I think all those
Speaker 9: teams that were really successful that I've been on is
Speaker 9: they they've all had that. But you know, the whole
Speaker 9: party Atnopolies thing was amazing. Especially you know, the biggest
Speaker 9: thing I'll take away from it is being able to
Speaker 9: raise money for the children's hospital. You know, we raised
Speaker 9: a lot of money while having fun with it, and
Speaker 9: I think that was, you know, most important, especially now
Speaker 9: looking back you know, I didn't have kids then, but
Speaker 9: I have kids now and it just meant means so
Speaker 9: much more to me now just thinking back, you know,
Speaker 9: being able to get back to the children's hospital is
Speaker 9: just it was an amazing year.
Speaker 1: I know.
Speaker 2: Fans always love it when you're back. Good to see you,
Speaker 2: Thanks laugh for coming by. Thanks having a That's Mike Napoli,
Speaker 2: the former Cleveland India a big part of that twenty
Speaker 2: sixteen team. His best season in the major leagues, by
Speaker 2: the way, with thirty home runs and one hundred and
Speaker 2: two RBIs both career highs for him and a big,
Speaker 2: big part of that team and a big reason why
Speaker 2: they went to the World Series that season. That's going
Speaker 2: to do it for this edition of Guardian Weekly. Is
Speaker 2: always thanks to Brian Motsee for helping to put together
Speaker 2: our show each week until next week when we join
Speaker 2: you once again from downtown Cleveland and Progressive Field. This
Speaker 2: is Jim rosen House reminding you that you've been listening
Speaker 2: to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
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