2024 Guardians Regular Season Thread

[Wham with the Right Hand]

The most amazing stat might be that 22 of their 23 games the Guardians either won or lost by one or two runs.

The only exception was an 8-2 loss to the 16-8 Yankees in New York.

 

[Alabuckeye]

The most amazing stat might be that 22 of their 23 games the Guardians either won or lost by one or two runs.

The only exception was an 8-2 loss to the 16-8 Yankees in New York.

how is that? We won last night 4-1. Beat the A’s 10-2, 6-3…

 

[weepinwillow]

"It's only April"

 

[Tondo]

Tito and his managing style really was a problem, maybe even THE problem for such a young roster in need of regular playing time and confidence.


The stubborn set roles, the vet love (Amed, fucking washed up Calhoun), the talk about how he can't get Freeman playing time etc. He was stuck in his ways and so were the players who didn't fit his squares.


Now we're seeing and reaping the rewards of meritocracy instead of Tito's circle of trust. We're seeing this with lineups, in game PH, bullpen usage.


I've said for a couple of years that the only difference between the Guardians and Rays was the manager. We're finally doing it the Rays way of maximizing the roster and talent instead of our manager's comfort zone. Really opened things up.

 

[Tondo]

Tyler Freeman and Will Brennan now both over 100 wRc+ and both still have ample positive regression waiting for them to add on with low BABIP and xwOBA/wOBA gap. Exciting.

Freeman on pace for 25/25 season, Brennan 20/20

 

[PocketMonger]

Team wide BAIP in 298 so they've had very average luck hitting so far. They've been pretty lucky against lefties with a 357BAIP but a little unlucky versus right handers with a 278BAIP.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Fun stats from The Athletic (small sample warning):

They entered Tuesday with a team slash line of .303/.370/.483 against left-handed pitching.

Last year, they posted a majors-worst .232/.296/.367 clip against southpaws....
Arias against lefties in 2023: 9-for-108 (.083 average, .316 OPS).

Arias against lefties in 2024: 6-for-11 (.545 average, 1.363 OPS).

(Arias is following the Josh Naylor path. Naylor improved dramatically against lefties from 2022 to 2023 and this year is hitting .383 against them so far.)

The Guardians are on pace to swipe 141 bases.

The more impressive feat might be that no one has more than three steals and every position player on the roster has at least one but Josh Naylor. The team record is 210 in 1917, but the top entry from the last century is 160 in 1996, fueled by Kenny Lofton’s 75.

(When Austin Hedges swipes a bag you know the green light is on. As for Josh Naylor, he'd do better if he tried to steal second rather than third and also waited until the pitcher started his delivery).
Josh Naylor is on pace to eclipse the 40-homer mark

Josh Naylor is on pace to eclipse the 40-homer mark. No Cleveland hitter has accomplished that since Travis Hafner in 2006. The Guardians rank in the middle of the pack in homers as a team, which, after last year’s basement finish, is like upgrading from the bathroom at the back of the plane to first class. They rank fourth in extra base hit percentage...

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

how is that? We won last night 4-1. Beat the A’s 10-2, 6-3…

I meant that in all but one game this year we either won the game (by however many runs) or lost by one or two runs. I should have worded it more clearly. The point is that in 23 games we were beat by more than 2 runs just one time, which is amazing consistency.

 

[BMAN]

Tito and his managing style really was a problem, maybe even THE problem for such a young roster in need of regular playing time and confidence.


The stubborn set roles, the vet love (Amed, fucking washed up Calhoun), the talk about how he can't get Freeman playing time etc. He was stuck in his ways and so were the players who didn't fit his squares.


Now we're seeing and reaping the rewards of meritocracy instead of Tito's circle of trust. We're seeing this with lineups, in game PH, bullpen usage.


I've said for a couple of years that the only difference between the Guardians and Rays was the manager. We're finally doing it the Rays way of maximizing the roster and talent instead of our manager's comfort zone. Really opened things up.

I absolutely love the mix and matching Vogt is doing and secretly wanted us to steal Cash from the Rays for these reasons.

 

[Alabuckeye]

I meant that in all but one game this year we either won the game (by however many runs) or lost by one or two runs. I should have worded it more clearly. The point is that in 23 games we were beat by more than 2 runs just one time, which is amazing consistency.

Gotcha. Makes sense!

 

[bob2the2nd]

I meant that in all but one game this year we either won the game (by however many runs) or lost by one or two runs. I should have worded it more clearly. The point is that in 23 games we were beat by more than 2 runs just one time, which is amazing consistency.

Just like @Alabuckeye I we very much left scratching my head. Thanks for the clarification

 

[Lee]

Just as a blast from the past, I was looking at the pitching staff from that year...

Dave freaking Burba led team with most IP, but also names from that year - Bartolo, Nagy, Jaret Wright, Shuey, Assenmacher, Tom Candiotti....

And also, that was Manny's 165 rbi year, PLUS, Robbie had 120 rbis, Sexton had 116, Thome had 108, and Dave Justice had 88.

And Sandy behind the plate, Omar and Robbie up the middle, Lofton in center... say no more...

Stupid pointless question, but I will still throw it out there.

If we had Lofton in center, do we trade Kwan or do we just make the high OBP work for us at the top of the order. And if so, where would you bat Lofton and where do you bat Kwan?

 

[Lee]

how is that? We won last night 4-1. Beat the A’s 10-2, 6-3…

That and he pointed out 2 games that we won by more the 2 runs and yet he said 22 of 23.

Wham is always solid...except this one time.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Stupid pointless question, but I will still throw it out there.

If we had Lofton in center, do we trade Kwan or do we just make the high OBP work for us at the top of the order. And if so, where would you bat Lofton and where do you bat Kwan?

Forget trading Kwan....please lol.

Kenny gets the nod at the top spot. If our lineup is the same, I'd probably just shift everything down a spot. Gimmy protecting Naylor in the 5 spot.

 

[mopete12]

Stupid pointless question, but I will still throw it out there.

If we had Lofton in center, do we trade Kwan or do we just make the high OBP work for us at the top of the order. And if so, where would you bat Lofton and where do you bat Kwan?

1999 Kenny Lofton and his .405 OBP? 100% would be batting leadoff.

2024 Kenny Lofton? Batting 9th.