Guardians set to take on Yankees in a David vs. Goliath Style ALDS

Photo by Kory Callihan

The Guardians face the Yankees looking to end a 5-game Postseason losing streak against the Pinstripes.

During regular season play Cleveland is 1-5 against New York. They were swept by the Yankees on the road in April. Fans remember this series as Myles Straw scaled the center field wall to jaw with those at Yankee Stadium who were harassing teammate Steven Kwan when he was apparently injured on the field. Yankee fans proceeded to pellet Cleveland players with items on the field.

Can’t wait for Tuesday night pic.twitter.com/4uZ3s4Y4pj

— Dan Rourke (@DanAlanRourke) October 8, 2022

Many speculate that this moment solidified the team and from that point on they were a family. A picture can say a thousand words. This is the Guardians after the disrespect from Yankee fans.

This series is significant for several reasons. The Yankees rely on the longball while the Guardians style of play does not. New York’s success has been majorly reliant on Aaron Judge. The American League home run king eclipsed Roger Maris’ record with his 62nd home run this season. Judge’s team leads the majors with 254 homers, yet the Guardians are near the bottom of the list with 127 home runs. This stat may seem significant and cause people to write off Cleveland. I see it differently.

Youth

The Guardians are the youngest team in baseball and no they do not rely on power. Unlike Cleveland, the Yankees don’t have an answer for not hitting the ball out of the park. At the beginning of July, the Yankees led the American League East by 15 ½ games. New York lost steam over the last three months and saw their lead in the division dwindle. The batters surrounding Judge were hitting below the league average. Somehow, the Yankees were able to avoid what would have been the largest division collapse in MLB history.

Team effort

The Yankees need Aaron Judge, while the entire Guardians lineup can get to a pitcher. Whether it’s a lead off double by Kwan or a bunt by Straw, Cleveland finds a way to get on base. Jose Ramirez leads the Guardians with 29 home runs, and he remains their biggest power threat behind Josh Naylor with 20 home runs. However, Cleveland doesn’t rely on Ramirez or Naylor to save the game by hitting the ball out of the park. Instead, the guys are speedy on the bases. The Guardians have 119 stolen bases which is third in the league. They’ve been able to cause a stir on the base paths.

Cleveland has played consistently all season. This sets them apart from the Yankees who struggled to find a rhythm despite Judge’s greatness. The Guardians define how to play as a team. This is how they’ve defied the odds against them. No one expected them to finish above .500 let alone dominate the American League Central. The club finished with a demanding 11-game lead over the White Sox and a 14-game lead over the Twins.

Cleveland hurlers bring an 18-inning Postseason scoreless streak to New York. Pitching for the Guardians has been extremely solid from the starting rotation to the bullpen. The clubs All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase led the majors with 42 saves.

Cal Quantrill will be on the bump for Game One of the series. The right-hander had a breakout season in 2021 and joined the starting rotation mid-way through last season. He continued his success in 2022 leading the Guardians with 32 starts and finished the season with a career-high 11-game win streak. The 27-year old’s father, Paul Quantrill, was also a major league pitcher. He spent part of his 14-year career with the Yankees in 2004 and 2005.

Behind the mound the Guardians have some of the most talented defenders. Straw is one of the best center fielders in the majors. Left fielder Kwan has made SportsCenter highlight worthy plays this year. Looking at the infield, Andres Gimenez had a Gold Glove worthy season at second base. Ramirez is solid at third base. Most importantly is Austin Hedges behind the dish. He brings impressive defense by his knowledge of the balls being thrown. Hedges knows the pitching staff well and he plays a crucial role in calling the game. He’s also acutely aware of the baserunners, throwing out 10 attempted steals during the regular season.

This is a series of David versus Goliath. High payroll versus low payroll. Veterans versus youth. The Guardians have ignored the naysayers the whole season. The spotlight this series from national media will shine on Aaron Judge. His every move will be the talk of announcers. Cleveland has proven they don’t need a spotlight, nor do they want it. They are laser focused on winning.

Manager with experience

While the players on the current Guardians roster have only appeared in a combined 42 postseason games, they are led by one of the most experienced Skippers in the league. Terry Francona has two World Series wins under his belt. He concluded his 10^th regular season with Cleveland as the winningest manager in franchise history. Since 2013 Francona has led the club to the American League’s second-best win percentage (.557) behind only New York (.566.) This will be the 11^th playoff berth with Tito behind the helm. Despite the youth of the team, their manager will guide them to his place of familiarity. Tito’s belief in them has played a huge part in their success this season.

There may not be a stat to account for heart and grit, but this team exudes it. The Guardians recorded an MLB high 29 wins in their last at-bat. They do not quit. Reporters repeatedly have asked the players and Francona if the stage is too big for this young team. The answer has been…no. Cleveland’s approach to the postseason is the same approach to the season. They’ve shown they belong here and have fought against all odds to get to the stage.

Oscar Gonzalez Walk Off Home Run but it's Sweet Victory pic.twitter.com/NZeeTbC9kG

— Frankie G (@FrankieG1998) October 8, 2022

My bet would be on David taking down Goliath. Some may say that makes me a “homer” or that I’m “biased.” I can only go on what these guys have shown day in and day out. They have the ability to take down the giant and shock the world.

The five-game series can be viewed on TBS.

Game One 10/11 7:37pm Cal Quantrill and Gerrit Cole

Game Two 10/13 7:37pm Shane Bieber and Nestor Cortes

Game Three 10/15 TBD Triston McKenzie Luis Severino

Game Four (if necessary) 10/16 TBD

Game Five (if necessary) 10/17 TBD