Hope you and yours are better than good. I had no intention of starting these musings this way but as I sat at my desk to collect my thoughts I opened a pack of TOPPS Baseball cards from 1990 that I got at the great Greenie Sports Cards show at the Independence Field House recently. The excitement of walking up to Lamboy’s Deli on Harvard Avenue when I was a kid all came back as I flashed back to anticipation of whether or not I would get an Indians or Giants (my fave NL team) player or one of my favorite players with another team. The excitement warranted the moment as the first card in the deck was none other than TERRY FRANCONA! Tito was a BREWER and a youthful 31. Of course I needed to flip the card over to check on his MLB odyssey and it was noted that this was the start of his second season with the Brewers after playing a year with the Indians, Reds, Cubs and 5 with the Expos! Duly noted was that he was a career .274 hitter at this stage if his game. The sole Indian in the pack was Brad Komminsk. Brad, I hardly knew ya’.
Let’s get to the meat and potatoes here and talk Cleveland Guardians. Wisely Terry Pluto has noted a few times recently and just the other day extensively that the team is looking for an identity. Last year it was the Pen, Fielding, and Guards Ball with some long ball mixed in. This year…we are not really sure. Wednesday night’s win over an excellent San Francisco Giants team displayed some of the traits that made last year very successful. The bullpen was lights out tossing 3.2 innings and giving up 2 hits, 1 walk and fanning 3. The team hustled on the bases (although they always play that way especially going from home to first), played DEFENSE and got a long ball to put away SF. Now the team has won 2 in a row from the 2nd place squad in the NL West. I will reiterate that JOSE RAMIREZ is the best base runner in the game. The guy MUST feed off of him plus watch and learn! You win games this way.
I will say this – the Cleveland Guardians are a much better team than their record. WHAT??!! They are what they are but surely are disappointing when they play like deer in the headlights. That has happened too much this season and here are few things that are puzzling:
– Did the team borrow depodesta’s laptop for analytics with the lineup? The best players need to be in the lineup almost every day. I understand the lefty/righty thinking but my gosh, REAL PROS and big-time players need to bat against whoever is pitching! Schneeman for certain at second base and the hot bats need to be in there too!! Great problem to have if EVERYONE is hitting. Also, Manzo and Carlos need to be in the lineup. Nolan Jones seems to be finding his was and that leaves some pretty darn good bats and ready to pinch hit. Fry comes to mind. PLEASE do not worry about hurting anyone’s feelings.
– Catching is still a huge hole, offensively and defensively. There is no doubt Bo’s struggles at the plate are messing with his defense behind the dish. Will it be time at the deadline to look at teams who have drifted away from winning to see if they have a worthwhile catcher?
– Do the Cleveland Guardians have a few more AAAA players? I thought that Sponge Bob then Big Christmas would be that power bat in RF. Oscar is rockin’ in the Land of the Rising Sun and Noel is tearing up AAA along with IF Wilson, who just was overmatched in the bigs.
– This should have been the lead item here, but I am “Mr. Broken Record” guy when it comes to talking about WALKS! Munch Bishop is issuing a cease and desist – KNOCK THIS OFF. Sure, a free pass will happen now and then but my gosh, the team is abysmal in the League rankings with walks and no doubt walks to the leadoff man in any inning should be illegal!
Above pretty much summed up the Good and some Bad with the team that WINS AND WINS and keeps winning year after year. You are welcome.
Now for some ugly (and I’ll save the best for last)…
– There is no doubt in my kind that many players, fans, and so-called sports ‘casters are jealous of Caitlin Clark. You see it and hear it. I’ll depart from this topic by saying “it’s a bad, foolish look.”
– Now for the blockbuster and I will stand on my proclamation from the past that many people having children simply should not! With that noted again, still, I will say that I like Shedeur Sanders. However, this was totally another flat out ridiculous draft choice, as is the norm, by Berry and his PC loving henchman. How they still are employed here blows my mind. Good chance jimmy had his hand in this one but with all the needs on this team (WR, DB’s, LB’s, OL) let’s take another QB! Hey, we need 5 QB’s on this team. Throw them against the wall and hopefully someone will stick.
As long as I am on Shedeur, I loved the fact that he visited schools when he first arrived in town especially the “Court House,” the home of the John Marshall Lawyers. I truly treasure that school along with so many in the CMSD. Some got on him. WHY???? He showed he cares plus as a Pro Athlete you need to be a role model, something the Haslams do not understand or with their past and present could care less! Now Shedeur got stopped for going 101. FLAT OUT STUPID and hoping this was a one time case of youthful indiscretion. Please tell me where there are speed limits in NE Ohio near that speed. Now what is worse and more disgusting than this traffic miscue is the browns rabble raising their collective ugly heads to chime in. Responses (and some are from successful business folks in NE Ohio) range from “SO” to “people going that fast pass me all the time.” C’mon…I see folks speed WAY over the 8-10 mph we supposedly get above the limit but never to that degree. Just when the disgust boils in me I realize these same fans made excuses for johnny donkey, Deshame, Gordon, Callaway, Hall and so many more. It really is horrifying.
Take care and hope to see you, meet you and greet you at the ballpark (Lake Erie Crushers stadium or Progressive Field) soon or out and about.
Read more of my thoughts and musings on NEO Sports Insiders. Munch on Sports is powered by the Ken Ganley Automotive Group & Ken Ganley Chevy Of Aurora.
Please take care of each other and it’s your world, pay attention. Indeed, enjoy every sandwich and for now ADIOS AMIGO, long may you run.
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