That would be OK too!

The first half ended on a high note. The Guards took a 1/2 game lead over the Twins. Thank you Baltimore!

It appears that Bell is finally earning his paycheck. Important he produce in the second half if we expect to qualify for post season play.

Eqally important is that the lineup in front of and behind Ramirez get their jobs done by getting on base and protecting him from behind. Naylor and Bell seem to be doing just that lately.

I have high expectations for the offense the second half. It looks like the offense is finally getting their act together

On the other hand, the pitching is worrisome. I don't quite have the high expectations for this pitching staff.

I think that the relief pitching will hold their own.

The starting pitchers, in my opinion, is average at best. They just don't have the experience that it takes to make this final push much less compete in a playoff atmosphere.

The matchups in the post season will just not favor the Guards with or without Bieber.

We'll go as far as the pitching takes us, i guess.

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Unlike last season, i never seemed to ask myself which Clase is going to show up on any given night. One thing I don't like is having him come into games in a non-save situation. He just doesn't seem to function all that well in those situations.

I think its time for Oscar Gonzalez to open the second half of the season in the lineup, not in Columbus.

I also think it's time to live or die with Bo. I'd like to see him behind the plate to start the second half and stay there.

He's going to need that much needed experience for the final months of the season.

Prepare him for that final run. Prepare him for the playoffs should we get that far.

I think that it's a gamble that will payoff.

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I say roll the dice with Gonzalez and Bo!

joez wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 9:21 pm One thing I don't like is having him come into games in a non-save situation. He just doesn't seem to function all that well in those situations.

Many of the great closers do not function well in those situations. The great Mariano Rivera comes to mind but I know Craig Kimbrel is another.

Shohei himself loves Jose Ramirez

https://twitter.com/i/status/1678904984434528256

You don't have to worry about Bo getting his opportunity. He is set to catch about 5 times a week.

As for Oscar he will never draw walks but he has been hitting well and Arias has not; cannot think of a reason NOT to bring him back

no roster moves posted yet

Karinchak will come back again sooner or later; he has worked only 8 AAA innnigs so they may want him to spend some more time refining things. He's allowed 3 hits walked 5 and struck out 15.

Second half start is somewhat like the first half. Starting pitching was OK but the guys didn't stay out there long.
We scored runs in one inning of the 18 played,
Only notable difference was all the reliable bullpen guys were thwacked.

Hard to figure what Tito is doing with Arias. Seems he is not going to play him but does not want to send him down and use his last option.

At the same time you refuse to recall your current best RH bat that can play RF even after getting shut out by a lefty again. I think someone forgot how many doubles Oscar hit last year that led to runs being scored or put in position to score.

Hopefully the next couple of weeks sort all of this out.

Arias in RF today and as usual contributed nothing. Well he did walk and score a run

A big weekend of baseball. Guards host the Phils while the Chisox travel to the Twin Cities. If we are going to stay in the race, we have to take this series at home. A sweep would be wishful thinking. But, it would be nice. We are two games behind the Twins right now. That's a lot considering it took nearly 3+ months to pick up 2 1/2 games to finally surpass the Twins at the all-star break only to drop back by 2 1/2 game after the break. It won't be easy. The schedule favors the Twins in the second half. If we fall behind by more than 3 games this second half, I believe our season will be in serious jeopardy. We have a bunch of holes to fill to be the miracle team that ended the 2022 season. Where's Oscar?

Guardians rumors: Would it make sense to bring back Carlos Carrasco?

By Steve DiMatteo | 10:31 AM EDT

The New York Mets are one of baseball's biggest disappointments this season, sputtering along in the NL East and barely staying afloat in the wild-card race.

So it's a distinct possibility the Mets will be quasi-sellers at the trade deadline this year, which begs the question: Should the Cleveland Guardians consider bringing back Carlos Carrasco for the stretch run?

It makes sense for a lot of reasons. First of all, Carrasco enjoyed a long, extremely productive career in Cleveland. Over his 11 seasons with the team, Carrasco sported a 3.77 ERA, winning 88 games, and notching 1,305 strikeouts to the tune of a 114 ERA+.

That being said, the 36-year-old is having a rough go of it in 2023, nursing a 5.35 ERA in 13 starts, striking out just 48 in 65 2/3 innings and navigating a variety of injuries over the past couple years, one of the most recent being right elbow inflammation earlier this season.

So if the Guardians were interested in bringing Carrasco home, it wouldn't necessarily be to acquire a game-changing starter. It would likely be a move born out of necessity, as Carrasco is a veteran, already quite familiar with the organization, who could eat up some innings as the team tries to navigate the workloads of its numerous young starters.

It's a role that would seemingly be perfect for Cal Quantrill, but he was just placed on the 15-day IL at the beginning of July with right shoulder inflammation, and who knows if and when he even comes back this season. And if you think Carrasco's season has gone poorly, Quantrill's has been even worse, as he has a 6.45 ERA in 13 starts.

For what it's worth, though, Carrasco has been pitching better as of late. Over his past four starts, he has a 3.32 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. Nobody is saying this would be a move that would set the AL Central on fire, but there are some intriguing reasons for making it happen.

Carrasco is a free agent after this season as well, and if he decides to retire, what better place to finish out his career than Cleveland? It's a feel-good story that fulfills an actual need for the Guardians down the stretch, essentially a no-risk move that wouldn't force Cleveland to part ways with any prospects of much near-term value.

Why not, right?

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