“My back leg was shaking,” he said. “I was just telling myself, ‘Put the ball in play. Don’t strike out. Don’t strike out.’”
-
That reminds me of this time last year when Shane Bieber made his major league debut. I had watched him in minors and became familiar with him. His manorism's.
Well I'm watching him pitch against the Twins. 3 up 3 down in 1st. Then again in 2nd. Then again in 3rd. Then finally allowed a single in 4th. Was just cruising.
Well when he was on the mound, I could see one of his legs physically shaking. And I knew I had never seen that from him in minors. He was extremely nervous, jacked up, and fidgety.
Sure enough in the 5th he fell apart. Twins smacked him around good. He was totally gassed. He had the old adrenaline dump.
I mentioned here at the time. Some people might have thought I was making excuses for him cause I had pimped him through the minors. But it is a thing. Especially when you take into account they probably barely sleep the night before, and are all jacked up all day leading up to game. Just like Perez said above. Very mentally and physically taxing on a young guy. Can't judge them for a couple days. I'm sure most are fried.
Re: Articles
6827They dumped Hanley. I assume they'll be willing to dump CarGo: how much $ is tied up in him?Carlos Gonzalez: -0.3 WAR
Re: Articles
6828They signed him to a minor league deal, and if he made the team (which he did, and he also had a opt out option he could have chose in April which he didn't) he gets 2 million in base salary, with another 1 mill in possible incentives, which I can't imagine he will reach.
Re: Articles
6830Depends on the alternatives??
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
6831CarGo is hitting 220 with 2 homers. Pretty much any alternative can do that.
Just remember, at the time we signed him nobody had been beating on his door because most people felt he was a product of Coors Field. His splits were damning. Like 320 at home and 250 on road.
It’s not a big shock he isn’t performing and we should move on.
I think it’s about time to admit that Kipnis’ better days are behind him too. Although with Erik Gonzalez and Yandy gone we don’t have any replacements in house. They even cut Miller loose. So it would make more sense to stick with him a while longer, till maybe trade deadline.
But really, I don’t care if it’s Luplow, Naquin, Bauer, Mercado or whoever. Zimmer will be back in a while. Whoever. We would get as good as CarGo is giving.
Just remember, at the time we signed him nobody had been beating on his door because most people felt he was a product of Coors Field. His splits were damning. Like 320 at home and 250 on road.
It’s not a big shock he isn’t performing and we should move on.
I think it’s about time to admit that Kipnis’ better days are behind him too. Although with Erik Gonzalez and Yandy gone we don’t have any replacements in house. They even cut Miller loose. So it would make more sense to stick with him a while longer, till maybe trade deadline.
But really, I don’t care if it’s Luplow, Naquin, Bauer, Mercado or whoever. Zimmer will be back in a while. Whoever. We would get as good as CarGo is giving.
Re: Articles
6832Brad Miller is still in AAA with the Yankees who picked him up April 22. Still could be had.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
6834TFIR, don’t forget, Miller took a shot at Indians when he left. Saying “they obviously don’t want to keep the best players” or something like that. I don’t think either side would revisit that marriage.
Re: Articles
6835Roberto Pérez said he was ‘going to prove some people wrong’; so far, he has
Zack Meisel 22m ago 1
CLEVELAND — It was the news Roberto Pérez had long desired, but the message had trouble finding its way to the catcher.
Pérez spent a chunk of his offseason playing in the Dominican Winter League, where his cellphone service repeatedly failed him.
“I didn’t have a signal.”
The Indians traded Yan Gomes to the Nationals on the final day of November.
“No Wi-Fi.”
That left Pérez to assume the bulk of the catching duties in 2019.
“Nothing.”
Pérez had yearned for more responsibility, but he didn’t present a convincing argument last season when he posted a .168/.256/.263 slash line. Gomes, meanwhile, earned a trip to the All-Star Game.
“When they told me,” Pérez said about the trade, “I was very surprised.”
The Indians granted Pérez permission to play winter ball. He wanted the repetitions after he appeared in only 62 games and tallied only 210 plate appearances in 2018, despite seemingly snatching the starting role from Gomes the previous postseason.
Pérez started four of the five games in the 2017 ALDS against the Yankees, but his ascent to the catching throne was short-lived. His hitting suffered in concert with his sporadic playing time, as he submitted career-worst marks in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
2015: .751 OPS, 107 wRC+
2016: .579 OPS, 55 wRC+
2017: .664 OPS, 73 wRC+
2018: .519 OPS, 40 wRC+
“It was a disappointing season for me,” Pérez said. “When you play every day, you get the opportunity to make adjustments. When you don’t play, you try to make your at-bats one swing, especially if you play once or twice a week. You try to do too much. You try to make up for games you didn’t get a hit, stuff like that.”
Pérez knew he’d have the chance to redeem himself in the eyes of those who (understandably) scratched their heads when the Indians shipped Gomes to the nation’s capital for a trio of unproven commodities. He vowed he was “going to prove some people wrong.”
Through the first eight weeks of the season, he has silenced those doubters.
Pérez in 2019: .759 OPS, 100 wRC+, six home runs, 11.3% walk rate, 28.7% strikeout rate
Gomes in 2019: .614 OPS, 67 wRC+, two home runs, 7.2% walk rate, 26.1% strikeout rate
Pérez has fared better behind the plate, too, with seven defensive runs saved and a better fielding runs above average mark. The two have produced similar results with throwing out potential base-stealers.
Gomes made it difficult for anyone to object to how Terry Francona divvied up the catching innings last year. He registered a .266/.313/.449 slash line and was one of two American League catchers to tally at least 400 plate appearances and record a wRC+ of at least 100. And he led all AL catchers with 2.2 fWAR, his highest output since 2014. For his efforts, he was named to the AL All-Star team in place of an injured Wilson Ramos.
But the Indians opted to sell high on Gomes in their first budget-cutting measure of the winter. Gomes will earn slightly more than $7 million in 2019, and his contract includes club options worth $9 million for 2020 and $11 million for 2021. Pérez is under team control through 2022 for a fraction of the cost. Of course, the Indians need him to amass more than just a fraction of Gomes’ production.
It’s mid-May and no one’s stretching their calves to run a victory lap, but this is trending toward another notch on Antonetti’s trade belt. (To not use the savings from the deal to address other glaring holes on the roster was malpractice and a reflection on ownership, but that’s a separate discussion and/or venting session.)
The Indians valued Pérez for his defense and his rapport with the starting rotation. Ask any hurler to evaluate Pérez’s game-calling and defensive acumen and he’ll rattle off compliments without taking a breath as if singing “We Didn’t Start the Fire” at a karaoke bar.
The confidence he has gained at the plate is a bonus, especially considering the Indians acquired three potentially useful pieces in the trade. Jefry Rodriguez has exceeded everyone’s expectations through five impressive starts. (Carl Willis recently compared Rodriguez to the artist formerly known as Fausto Carmona, but with a higher ceiling.) Daniel Johnson boasts a .916 OPS at Class AA Akron and could be a part of the club’s future outfield. He socked six homers in a seven-game stretch last week. Even Andruw Monasterio, a player to be named later in the deal, was batting .333 and bouncing around the infield for Akron before he landed on the injured list.
One shrewd swap doesn’t excuse the rest of the unsettling offseason, especially if Yandy Díaz continues to flex his bulging biceps. But what initially seemed like a strange decision — especially at that juncture of the winter timeline, and considering the Indians originally set out to acquire a major-league-ready outfielder in return for Gomes — has proved prudent.
And Pérez appears rejuvenated and self-assured at the plate. He trails only Carlos Santana (seven) on the Indians’ home-run leaderboard.
“He’s probably never going to be a .300 hitter,” Francona said, “but when he sits back there down at the bottom of the order — he’s got pop to all fields and he can walk.”
Pérez said he tried to force himself to hit the ball to the opposite field early in the season, but fell into bad habits. He ditched that train of thought and instead fixated on driving pitchers’ mistakes.
“When you try to force it,” he said, “you end up missing pitches, rolling over, fouling those balls off. But this game is about making adjustments.”
It’s certainly easier to make those changes when receiving consistent playing time.
The Indians finally pegged him for an expanded role. This call, Pérez has answered.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for the last couple years,” Pérez said. “Now that I have it, I’m going to get the most out of it.”
Zack Meisel 22m ago 1
CLEVELAND — It was the news Roberto Pérez had long desired, but the message had trouble finding its way to the catcher.
Pérez spent a chunk of his offseason playing in the Dominican Winter League, where his cellphone service repeatedly failed him.
“I didn’t have a signal.”
The Indians traded Yan Gomes to the Nationals on the final day of November.
“No Wi-Fi.”
That left Pérez to assume the bulk of the catching duties in 2019.
“Nothing.”
Pérez had yearned for more responsibility, but he didn’t present a convincing argument last season when he posted a .168/.256/.263 slash line. Gomes, meanwhile, earned a trip to the All-Star Game.
“When they told me,” Pérez said about the trade, “I was very surprised.”
The Indians granted Pérez permission to play winter ball. He wanted the repetitions after he appeared in only 62 games and tallied only 210 plate appearances in 2018, despite seemingly snatching the starting role from Gomes the previous postseason.
Pérez started four of the five games in the 2017 ALDS against the Yankees, but his ascent to the catching throne was short-lived. His hitting suffered in concert with his sporadic playing time, as he submitted career-worst marks in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
2015: .751 OPS, 107 wRC+
2016: .579 OPS, 55 wRC+
2017: .664 OPS, 73 wRC+
2018: .519 OPS, 40 wRC+
“It was a disappointing season for me,” Pérez said. “When you play every day, you get the opportunity to make adjustments. When you don’t play, you try to make your at-bats one swing, especially if you play once or twice a week. You try to do too much. You try to make up for games you didn’t get a hit, stuff like that.”
Pérez knew he’d have the chance to redeem himself in the eyes of those who (understandably) scratched their heads when the Indians shipped Gomes to the nation’s capital for a trio of unproven commodities. He vowed he was “going to prove some people wrong.”
Through the first eight weeks of the season, he has silenced those doubters.
Pérez in 2019: .759 OPS, 100 wRC+, six home runs, 11.3% walk rate, 28.7% strikeout rate
Gomes in 2019: .614 OPS, 67 wRC+, two home runs, 7.2% walk rate, 26.1% strikeout rate
Pérez has fared better behind the plate, too, with seven defensive runs saved and a better fielding runs above average mark. The two have produced similar results with throwing out potential base-stealers.
Gomes made it difficult for anyone to object to how Terry Francona divvied up the catching innings last year. He registered a .266/.313/.449 slash line and was one of two American League catchers to tally at least 400 plate appearances and record a wRC+ of at least 100. And he led all AL catchers with 2.2 fWAR, his highest output since 2014. For his efforts, he was named to the AL All-Star team in place of an injured Wilson Ramos.
But the Indians opted to sell high on Gomes in their first budget-cutting measure of the winter. Gomes will earn slightly more than $7 million in 2019, and his contract includes club options worth $9 million for 2020 and $11 million for 2021. Pérez is under team control through 2022 for a fraction of the cost. Of course, the Indians need him to amass more than just a fraction of Gomes’ production.
It’s mid-May and no one’s stretching their calves to run a victory lap, but this is trending toward another notch on Antonetti’s trade belt. (To not use the savings from the deal to address other glaring holes on the roster was malpractice and a reflection on ownership, but that’s a separate discussion and/or venting session.)
The Indians valued Pérez for his defense and his rapport with the starting rotation. Ask any hurler to evaluate Pérez’s game-calling and defensive acumen and he’ll rattle off compliments without taking a breath as if singing “We Didn’t Start the Fire” at a karaoke bar.
The confidence he has gained at the plate is a bonus, especially considering the Indians acquired three potentially useful pieces in the trade. Jefry Rodriguez has exceeded everyone’s expectations through five impressive starts. (Carl Willis recently compared Rodriguez to the artist formerly known as Fausto Carmona, but with a higher ceiling.) Daniel Johnson boasts a .916 OPS at Class AA Akron and could be a part of the club’s future outfield. He socked six homers in a seven-game stretch last week. Even Andruw Monasterio, a player to be named later in the deal, was batting .333 and bouncing around the infield for Akron before he landed on the injured list.
One shrewd swap doesn’t excuse the rest of the unsettling offseason, especially if Yandy Díaz continues to flex his bulging biceps. But what initially seemed like a strange decision — especially at that juncture of the winter timeline, and considering the Indians originally set out to acquire a major-league-ready outfielder in return for Gomes — has proved prudent.
And Pérez appears rejuvenated and self-assured at the plate. He trails only Carlos Santana (seven) on the Indians’ home-run leaderboard.
“He’s probably never going to be a .300 hitter,” Francona said, “but when he sits back there down at the bottom of the order — he’s got pop to all fields and he can walk.”
Pérez said he tried to force himself to hit the ball to the opposite field early in the season, but fell into bad habits. He ditched that train of thought and instead fixated on driving pitchers’ mistakes.
“When you try to force it,” he said, “you end up missing pitches, rolling over, fouling those balls off. But this game is about making adjustments.”
It’s certainly easier to make those changes when receiving consistent playing time.
The Indians finally pegged him for an expanded role. This call, Pérez has answered.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for the last couple years,” Pérez said. “Now that I have it, I’m going to get the most out of it.”
Re: Articles
6836His offense numbers this season are far superior to Gomes' with the Nationals due to his walks and home runs.
Gomes: 228/297/317
RPerez: 232/325/434.
Gomes: 228/297/317
RPerez: 232/325/434.
Re: Articles
6837Gomes is hitting .228 with 2 homers.
I actually feel for the guy right now because he is dividing time with Kurt Suzuki last time I looked.
Still would like to see Haase. He can take Plawecki's spot - what is there to lose? This is the year to look at guys like that.
I actually feel for the guy right now because he is dividing time with Kurt Suzuki last time I looked.
Still would like to see Haase. He can take Plawecki's spot - what is there to lose? This is the year to look at guys like that.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
6838as for catchers splitting time, Mejia was nothing more than a backup to Hedges with the Padres; then went on the IL with a knee sprain. They used him in LF one game. It's hard to see the logic of putting a good bat like his on the bench. Seems to be a great way to waste a year's development; either play every day in AAA [at any and all possible positions] or start using him regularly in the Padres OF
Re: Articles
6839Complimenting Perez by comparing him to Gomes is weak. Even with his recent hot streak, which will not continue, he is still a very mediocre player. I previously posted where he ranked last year, which was at the bottom of catchers in the majors. Let's see how he stacks up this year. ....
Perez is 42nd among catchers in majors in batting average.
29th in OBP.
30th in SLG %
He is 58th in Fielding Percentage
13th in Range Factor
And 24th in Stolen Base Percentage.
http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/stats/ ... extended=0
You want to keep being a mediocre baseball team then keep trotting out mediocre players.
Eric Haase has 11 homers in Columbus and is slashing .252 .349 .579. Not Johnny Bench but trying him would be a start. But Perez has no business starting however you want to address it.
Perez is 42nd among catchers in majors in batting average.
29th in OBP.
30th in SLG %
He is 58th in Fielding Percentage
13th in Range Factor
And 24th in Stolen Base Percentage.
http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/stats/ ... extended=0
You want to keep being a mediocre baseball team then keep trotting out mediocre players.
Eric Haase has 11 homers in Columbus and is slashing .252 .349 .579. Not Johnny Bench but trying him would be a start. But Perez has no business starting however you want to address it.
Re: Articles
6840Oh I agree there but really the only reason to compare is the trade. Plus we got other guys back from Washington. So to me, the article is assessing that trade and that's all.Hillbilly wrote:Complimenting Perez by comparing him to Gomes is weak.
Eric Haase has 11 homers in Columbus and is slashing .252 .349 .579. Not Johnny Bench but trying him would be a start. But Perez has no business starting however you want to address it.
I totally agree that the NEXT step is to see if we can now upgrade the situation. Haase is the first step in that. IF he sucks, then you look around MLB to see if there is someone you like who under the radar and/or on a team that doesn't need him.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain