2024 Season | Series #3 | Guardians @ Twins | April 4-7, 2024

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Just a final note, last year Fry chased 43% of pitches out of the zone, well below league average. This year he's at 10.5% so far. A complete turnaround.

My guess is he sat down after the season and watched every at-bat, smacking himself in the head as he watched himself repeatedly get himself out or down in the count chasing bad pitches. He must have decided that he wasn't going to chase bad pitches in 2024 no matter how often he was called out on strikes. Like the coaches have been preaching, it's better to be down 0-1 than 0-for-1.

Fry seems to be the hitter that has really taken that to heart, along with Gimenez, who has also been laying off a lot of bad pitches early in the count (and hitting .294/.861). Because right now Fry is only swinging at pitches in the center of the zone, at least until he has two strikes. He has taken a lot of strikes. If he can keep doing that he should have a really productive season because guys with a lot of power that don't chase bad pitches tend to do a lot of damage.

 

[sportscoach]

Just a final note, last year Fry chased 43% of pitches out of the zone, well below league average. This year he's at 10.5% so far. A complete turnaround.

My guess is he sat down after the season and watched every at-bat, smacking himself in the head as he watched himself repeatedly get himself out or down in the count chasing bad pitches. He must have decided that he wasn't going to chase bad pitches in 2024 no matter how often he was called out on strikes. Like the coaches have been preaching, it's better to be down 0-1 than 0-for-1.

Fry seems to be the hitter that has really taken that to heart, along with Gimenez, who has also been laying off a lot of bad pitches early in the count (and hitting .294/.861). Because right now Fry is only swinging at pitches in the center of the zone, at least until he has two strikes. He has taken a lot of strikes. If he can keep doing that he should have a really productive season because guys with a lot of power that don't chase bad pitches tend to do a lot of damage.

Also with the fact he can fill in at C, 1B, 3B and play a bit of OF... Helps a lot as well...

It's almost like he has mentally calmed down and the game isn't too fast for him plus from what they said yesterday, he has embraced his role and even seemed to welcome it.

I petitioned from the get go, he would be our bench guy in 24... He would be an utility not just a catcher...

 

[TxBuckeye]

Game already cancelled for today

 

[petes999]

Game already cancelled for today

Will help as this creates a 3-game series w day off followed by 10 game and 6 game stretch…. So, they can let Curry/Lively one more game to lengthen at AAA before callup.

 

[Gson]

A complete gully washer coming into the St Cloud/Minneapolis area.. Having a lid on their field would prevent this being a "problem"..

 

[eChameleon]

 

[sportscoach]

A complete gully washer coming into the St Cloud/Minneapolis area.. Having a lid on their field would prevent this being a "problem"..

It should have a retractable roof... wish we could get one in Cleveland too

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Damn, and I put up such a good preview!

But we still have the Cavs and the NCAA Women's Finals.

 

[Lee]

The Guardians are 7-2, all on the road, so they need to keep doing what they're doing until it stops working, then consider some changes.

Are you suggesting all of our starting pitchers should under go Tommy John surgery?

 

[CATS44]

Will help as this creates a 3-game series w day off followed by 10 game and 6 game stretch…. So, they can let Curry/Lively one more game to lengthen at AAA before callup.

Big break.

Curry threw 53 pitches in his first rehab. He's due to pitch Tues, and can probably go 70. That would put him at around 85, if he gets the call up.

Lively threw 45 pitches, and is due to pitch Wed.

 

[avs2000]

Here's an example of Fry's plate discipline - his first at-bat of the season.

Strike looking
Strike looking
Foul ball
Ball, ball, ball
Double

Talk about patience and plate discipline. Next at-bat:

Strike swinging (changeup down the middle)
Ball
Strike looking
Ball, ball
Single

Again, he gets down in the count, lays off multiple pitches out of the zone to get to 3-2, then gets a hit. Next at-bat:

Ball
Strike looking
Single

In his fourth at-bat he took four pitches and with the count 2-2 they got him to ground out on a breaking ball on the edge of the zone at the knees.

On the 3-run homer yesterday he took a fastball on the outside edge, then crushed a slider middle of the zone. Fry has shown a tremendous ability to take strikes early in the count if the pitch is on the edge of the zone. He is very comfortable being down in the count and doesn't expand the zone as so many hitters do when they have two strikes (I'm looking at you, Jose).

Fry also has three walks and has been hit by a pitch. He's 5-for-11 with 2 sac flies so something good has happened in 11 of his 17 PA's. So far he is teaching his teammates a lesson in what happens when you 1) don't chase pitches out of the zone, 2) don't swing at strikes on the edge of the zone early in the count, and 3) stay disciplined with two strikes and be willing to risk being called out rather than chase a bad pitch.

My point is that Fry hasn't been lucky in a small sample size and he isn't just riding a hot streak. When you break down his at-bats you can see he's doing exactly what successful hitters do. He has not struck out once in 17 PA's. There's a reason for that; he doesn't swing at balls or marginal strikes, unless there are two strikes on him.

He should be a everyday player until he proves he shouldn’t be We went through 2 years of straw with no proof he could do anything offensively

Fry can play multiple positions. Play him
5 days a week

 

[xmasbuck]

so we sweep the twins at their place and w/o Biebs

 

[MadThinker88]

Big break.

Curry threw 53 pitches in his first rehab. He's due to pitch Tues, and can probably go 70. That would put him at around 85, if he gets the call up.

Lively threw 45 pitches, and is due to pitch Wed.

Assuming no rain/ weather postponements on the coming home stand, CLE would need a starter (beyond those already in the rotation) for the Tuesday game in Boston on 4/16..

 

[sportscoach]

Assuming no rain/ weather postponements on the coming home stand, CLE would need a starter (beyond those already in the rotation) for the Tuesday game in Boston on 4/16..

I would keep an eye on the waiver/AAA rosters as well... Cleveland could do a cash considerations for a guy with some MLB experience on a AAA roster to fill in a couple starts and try to outright/option him when they are fully stretched out...

 

[Gson]

I would keep an eye on the waiver/AAA rosters as well... Cleveland could do a cash considerations for a guy with some MLB experience on a AAA roster to fill in a couple starts and try to outright/option him when they are fully stretched out...

yeah.. good idea.. get that player on a waiver.. and MiLB him until sometime.. smh...