Bowden: Five trades that National League contenders should make


By Jim Bowden Jun 17, 2019 78

With about six weeks left until the trade deadline, contending teams are already in heavy discussions with their GM counterparts in an attempt to improve their teams. The playoffs, and home-field advantage, could be decided on the transaction wire just as much as by on-field play. Last week, I discussed potential trades for American League contenders.

Here are five trades I’d like to see National League contending teams make now:

*All stats through Sunday’s games

Milwaukee Brewers
Trade Partner: Cleveland Indians
The Brewers continue to have a strong need for an ace and acquiring Trevor Bauer from the Indians might be their best play. Bauer is controllable through 2020 and would really enhance the Brewers’ chances of winning the NL Central division or give them a much better chance of winning a win-or-go-home wild-card game come October.

In return, they would have to sacrifice their best prospect — and one of the best young hitters in all of minor-league baseball — in former first-round pick, second baseman Keston Hiura. The Indians are in need of retooling, improving their offense and acquiring cheaper, more controllable players.

With Mike Clevinger coming back to the rotation and Corey Kluber hopefully not that far behind, the Indians do have a rotation that can continue to keep them at least competitive in the AL wild-card race even without Bauer. Hiura is major-league ready and would fit in nicely near the top of the Indians’ lineup and provide some much-needed offense both short- and long-term.

Bauer, 28, is 4-6 this year with a 3.71 ERA and 1.178 WHIP resulting in a WAR of 1.4. Last year, he went 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA, finishing sixth in the AL Cy Young Award voting. Hiura, 22, is slashing .331/.399/.703 at Triple-A San Antonio with 14 doubles, 16 home runs and 39 runs batted in. He also hit .281 with five home runs in 17 games with the Brewers’ major-league club earlier this year.

The Brewers have Mike Moustakas at second base, who’s having an All-Star-caliber season, and although this deal would be painful for the team in the long-term, it might be a postseason difference-maker for them this year or next in their small window to bring a world championship to Milwaukee, something this franchise has never accomplished.

From the corner of Hamilton and Rosenhaus: An eventful day in the Indians’ radio booth

Zack Meisel 3h ago 6

As Tom Hamilton pins some stat sheets to a whiteboard in the Indians’ radio booth, a voice disrupts his train of thought.

“Thirty seconds!”

Hamilton glances toward the back of the room, where I’m sitting on an old green metal bleacher seat nailed atop a mini stage.

“See what we put up with?” he jokes.

“Ten seconds, Mr. Hamilton,” radio engineer Stephanie Hagele says in the most lightheartedly polite tone possible.

“And then the sarcasm just oozes,” Hamilton says.

Hamilton returns to his leather chair, headset on, and welcomes viewers back to the action. This is his 30th season behind the microphone for the Indians, the last 13 with Jim Rosenhaus by his side. Hagele has steered the ship from Booth 3 at Progressive Field for the last six years.

Last week, I spent a day in the team’s radio booth, listening to the banter between broadcasters, observing the preparation for and delivery of nine innings’ worth of material and witnessing a memorable scene featuring Marty Brennaman, the longtime voice of the Reds. Here’s a chronicle of how the day unfolded, with Hamilton’s radio commentary in italics.

From Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, it is game No. 67. Today, the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds wrap up this brief, two-game series. Hi again, everybody, Tom Hamilton, Jim Rosenhaus, Stephanie Hagele here in the booth.

Before each game, Hamilton and Rosenhaus make the rounds in the clubhouse, gaining insights they can store for the broadcast.

“You hope you don’t have to use 90 percent of it,” Hamilton says. If the game offers enough entertainment, they won’t need as much filler.

Hamilton spends a few minutes in Terry Francona’s office each afternoon. They record a segment for the pregame show and often chat about college hoops. Then, Hamilton sits at the round table in the booth, fills out his lineup sheet and scans stat packs and game notes.

While Rosenhaus wraps up the pregame show, Hamilton grabs a plate of food from press dining. He isn’t really feeling “top round,” the mystery meat being served, so nine minutes before first pitch, he scarfs down a granola bar. The refrigerator in the booth contains only granola bars, water bottles and ketchup. The Radio Booth Food Pyramid is shaped more like a deflated basketball.

On the desk in front of Hamilton lies a graveyard of stat sheets and media guides, a pair of binoculars, a sunglasses case, a yellow highlighter and his phone.

One important note for later: That phone has not been placed on silent or vibrate.

After Hamilton recites that familiar greeting, he describes the flawless weather and then cites the Indians’ second-place standing in the AL Central, behind the upstart Twins.

Everyone keeps saying, “They’ll come back to the pack.” I don’t know. They keep winning. And the Minnesota Twins now with the best record in baseball.

During his monologue, Hamilton isn’t staring at a script. In fact, he’s arranging his belongings to ease the burden of pinpointing a stat or some background information during the game.

Plesac kicks, fires, Senzel swings and fouls it back and we’re underway at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. A delightful 74 degrees, bathed in sunshine.

Hamilton sits on the right, Rosenhaus on the left. There’s a TV screen in each corner of the desk, and both broadcasters have their laptop screens tuned to the MLB Gameday feed.

Senzel racks one to deep left field … it is GONE to the home-run porch.

Well, that was quick.

Hamilton suggests Plesac and Senzel, a couple of rookies, could square off for years to come during the annual Battle of Ohio. He then points out the Cleveland battery’s Indiana roots. Hamilton is a college baseball connoisseur. Plesac attended Ball State. Plawecki starred at Purdue.

And Votto homers. Two batters, two home runs.

The Reds have the early 2-0 lead and a lot of folks are still out on the plaza trying to get into the ballpark, going, “What the heck is going on?”

“Sometimes when there isn’t a big crowd, you can hear either he or Rosey,” Dan Otero said, “depending on who’s on that inning. You can hear him while you’re warming up in the bullpen or if you’re sitting down in the back. When you’re warming up, sometimes it’s weird. You start throwing and all of a sudden you hear Hammy’s voice — ‘And now, the Tribe has action in the bullpen. Otero’s loosening up.’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, I am. Yes, I am.’”

Hamilton raises his voice when Senzel and Jose Peraza collide in the outfield in the bottom of the first. Rosenhaus chimes in for the first time, to say Senzel appeared to injure his lower right leg. Both players remain in the game, to their surprise.

Each plate appearance presents a new set of details for Hamilton to describe: defensive shifts, pitching strategy, a hitter’s recent feats or funk. He sprinkles in an advertisement from time to time, too.

Hamilton realizes he’s been improperly pronouncing the surname of Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani, using an “ee” sound on the penultimate syllable instead of an “ah” sound. He’s quick to correct himself.

DeSclafani only made nine pitches in that first inning. It’s one in the books. Reds 2, Indians nothing on the Cleveland Indians radio network.

He removes his headset and wonders aloud whether Senzel and Peraza will keep playing.

In the top of the second, Jose Iglesias watches a 95 mph fastball whiz past for a called third strike. Reds manager David Bell emerges from the visitors dugout.

Strike. Three. Called. Painted the outside corner with a fastball. Heeee just got thrown out of the game. He didn’t even GET to home plate. Now David Bell will get his money’s worth. … You’re never going to win an argument arguing balls and strikes.

Indians baseball information director Bart Swain announces over the PA system that Bell had not been ejected, even though home-plate umpire Lance Barrett signaled for it.

Well, somebody got thrown out!

Plesac strikes out Curt Casali to end the inning, and word trickles up to the press box that Cincinnati hitting coach Turner Ward — who made his major-league debut with the Indians in 1990, Hamilton’s first season — was the one booted from the contest.

Well, that doesn’t surprise me. He could have a short fuse once in a while. Nothing wrong with that. 2-0 Reds, middle of the second.

As Tyler Naquin bats in the bottom of the second, Hamilton explains that Jason Kipnis is receiving an extra day to rest his sore hip. Naquin takes a couple of borderline called strikes.

Hey, I see why Turner Ward got thrown out from this game. This guy’s not very good. Turner says, “Hey, come on over. I need company.” … He did not feel like Lance Barrett had a recent eye exam; he was just trying to help him. You should have one once a year.

Rosenhaus reports that utilityman Mike Freeman prepares as if he will play every day. Hamilton counters that if a player arrives at the ballpark and acts surprised to see his name in the lineup, he’s not in good shape.

Kind of like that pop quiz in high school. “Dang it, I didn’t study for it. I didn’t know she was going to do it today.” That’s when you come up with that tummy ache and you head home before you have to take the test.”

There’s one perfect example of that scenario. But we’ll get to that.

Rosenhaus credits Jake Bauers for hustling down the line to record an infield single.

Manny Machado would’ve already been going to the bench to get his glove.

Hamilton again mentions the picturesque weather.

Finally, summer has arrived — with a downpour tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed it.
Marty Brennaman and Tom Hamilton. (Zack Meisel / The Athletic)
Brennaman enters the booth. He has served as the voice of the Reds since 1974. He earned the Ford C. Frick Award in 2000 from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He’s a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame.

“This will be the low point of your career,” Hamilton quips.

Brennaman jokes that he must be careful “not to drop any F-bombs.” As he settles into Rosenhaus’ seat, Rosenhaus asks whether he can update his scorebook after each play.

The broadcast returns from commercial and Hamilton introduces Brennaman, who is retiring at the end of the season. He asks Brennaman whether he would call the action in the third inning.

“Seriously?” Brennanman replied, with a hint of sarcasm. “I wasn’t expecting that. I don’t have anything to look at here.”

Francona developed a friendship with Brennaman when he played for the Reds in 1987. When the two cross paths, laughter and profanity follow.

So when Francona was informed it was Brennaman’s final visit to Progressive Field, the manager replied: “Thank God.”

“It was he and Joe Nuxhall,” Francona said. “They just took a liking to me. I was like the team mascot. I wasn’t very good, but I tried hard. If you give it your all, (Marty) respects that. But he’s just been a friend since then. I think he’s a friend. And some of those voicemails he leaves me are historic. Like, I didn’t know somebody could curse that much in one sentence. But I love him. And when I picture him, I still see Joe next to him. To me, that was what baseball was, where you could listen to a game and feel like they’re sitting in your living room going back and forth. I just thought the world of both of them.

“And he seems happy as can be that he’s retiring. Good for him. I hope his wife’s a saint.”

Says Brennaman: “All I want to do is sit on my butt and watch television, Netflix, Amazon Prime. I’d move to Italy tomorrow morning if they said they had a place in wine country.”

Hamilton and Brennaman reminisce about the Big Red Machine of the 1970s and compare the group to the powerhouse Indians teams from the ’90s. The third out arrives quickly, and after Brennaman described Votto’s groundout, he stared at Hamilton, waiting for instruction on whether he was returning for the bottom half of the frame.

“Yeah,” Brennaman said, “I might stay here for the rest of the day.”

The Indians gave Brennaman a weekend golf and spa getaway at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., as a manner of congratulating him on his career. They aired a tribute from Hamilton and Francona on the scoreboard. Naturally, Francona began the message by dubbing Brennaman “overrated.”

“Rarely are we ever serious around each other,” Brennaman says. “He’ll go down as one of my top-five favorite people in the game. He’s self-deprecating, plus he was a terrible player.”

He recounts Francona’s Opening Day experience in 1987. All spring, Francona pestered Buddy Bell about whether he thought he’d break camp with the big-league club. One day, Doug Sisk broke Nick Esasky’s hand with a pitch. Francona immediately looked at Bell and said, “I just made the club.” On Opening Day, Francona spotted his name in the starting lineup and did a double take. He told manager Pete Rose he was thrilled to have made the team, but he never said anything about actually wanting to play.

Brennaman says when he retires, he’ll miss the people around the game.

‘It’s going to be tough,” he said. “Next February, when everybody’s packing up to go to spring training and I’m not going, that’ll be the toughest part.”

Brennaman praises Carlos Santana, saying, “This guy might have the most exciting swing in baseball. He might come out of his shoes. He leaves nothing short.” Santana walks to load the bases, and Hamilton reminds the audience that the bottom of the third is the Liberty Ford Grand Slam giveaway inning.

We have never, I mean never, given away this Liberty Ford Grand Slam giveaway. Ronald McCoy in Akron just became your best friend.

Naquin grounds into an inning-ending double play.

Ronald McCoy just cursed you out.

“Sorry, Ron,” Brennaman says.

Hamilton and Brennaman shake hands.

What you brought to this game is irreplaceable. We thank you.

Rosenhaus returns to his seat and says, “Boy, how do you follow that?”

“Good luck!” Hamilton replies.
Rosenhaus assumes play-by-play duties for the fourth and fifth innings. Hamilton rushes to the restroom and snags a snack. Rosenhaus mentions area scout Junie Melendez, who signed Plesac, is in attendance. Hamilton jokes that Melendez is at the ballpark as much for the free food in press dining as he is to watch his pupil pitch.

In the middle of the fourth, Brennaman returns to the booth so the trio can pose for a photo.

Rosenhaus shares that Mike Garcia Jr. tossed the ceremonial first pitch while donning a jersey his dad once wore. Garcia took a picture with Francona in the dugout before the game. Their fathers played together in Cleveland in 1959, the year Francona was born.

Nothing maddens Hamilton more than the constant notifications from a group text thread. So when Rosenhaus delivers a message after the fifth inning, Hamilton stares at him and shouts: “Stop texting!”

Hamilton takes over the play-by-play for the sixth, and Eugenio Suarez slugs a leadoff homer to left. Tyler Olson replaces Plesac. Then Nick Goody replaces Olson. Reds broadcaster Chris Welsh knocks on the window from the adjacent booth and asks why Francona is making so many pitching changes.

“This is a big game!” Hamilton shouts back.

Hamilton commends the Reds’ pitching staff, which ranks second in WAR and third in ERA despite spending half the season in a bandbox on the banks of the Ohio River. He notes how the Reds hired away pitching coach Derek Johnson from the Brewers over the winter. He locates the NL Central standings on the whiteboard so he can relay Milwaukee’s record.

Welsh barges into the booth before the seventh and yells: “We’re gonna get through this game!” Hamilton asks whether he thinks Bell, a former Indians infielder, will be a successful manager. Welsh says yes.

Hamilton details the Indians’ upcoming road trip through Detroit and Texas. He explains how the Rangers have surprised many with their strong start to the season, and how they, like the Indians, will have some decisions to make at the trade deadline.

He takes a big swig of water.

Swung on and missed. Senzel strikes out. Heeeeeeere comes Tito.

Another pitching change.

As Josh Smith starts Reds rookie Josh VanMeter with three off-target offerings, Hamilton consults the schedule on the back of his media guide. He details the slew of road games in the Indians’ near future, required so Progressive Field can be equipped to host All-Star week.

As Hamilton lists the All-Star festivities, his phone rings. Who would be calling him during an Indians game? And why is his phone not set to silent?

Rosenhaus: “Was it just the game back in ’97?”

Hamilton: “Yeah. And you could afford the ticket. Now if you want to attend, ‘OK, do I want the kids to get a college education, or do we want to go to the game?’ MLB sets the prices. The clubs have nothing to do with that.”

Rosenhaus: “Did you get your invite to the celebrity softball game?”

Hamilton: “I think we’re out of town, aren’t we?”

Rosenhaus: “I knew there was a reason.”

They attempt to name Cleveland celebrities, but only Drew Carey and Halle Berry come to mind.

Finally, Hamilton says: “Haven’t heard the list, outside of Stephanie.”

It’s stretch time at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, with the score Cincinnati 5, Cleveland 1.

I ask Hamilton who would call him during a game thinking he could actually answer.

“All these damn robocalls,” he says.

“Ten seconds!” Hagele says.

“HEY, WE’RE TALKING!” Hamilton shouts.

“HEY, TEN SECONDS!” Hagele yells back.

Hamilton uses Baseball Savant to track Amir Garrett’s slider usage (16 of his first 20 pitches). When Garrett tosses a 95 mph fastball, Hamilton jokes that he “took something off,” since he had previously been clocking in at 96 mph.

Rosenhaus ponders how writers create compelling content when such a game lacks drama and intrigue. When Hamilton joined the Indians’ broadcast crew in 1990, Herb Score crushed his cheery stance on the team (which would proceed to lose 190 games over his first two years in the booth). Score told Hamilton that the team’s outlook — no matter how dreary — can’t influence his effort level on the broadcast.

“There are too many people depending on you to hear that game,” Score told him, “and it might be the highlight of their day, listening to an Indians game, and you owe them your very best. It doesn’t matter what their record is.”

As Derek Dietrich opens the eighth with a double down the left-field line, Hamilton highlights his Cleveland roots. Dietrich grew up in Parma, and his parents still reside in the area.

Hamilton loads up on background information during his tour of the clubhouse each day. During spring training, Rosenhaus makes the rounds to gather insight to fill otherwise quiet moments. He’ll chat with prospects and players who aren’t necessarily bound for the big-league roster just so he has material to fall back upon should they eventually reach the majors. He also interviews players and front-office personnel for segments for the pregame show that airs a half-hour before first pitch.

When Iglesias delivers a two-run double to increase the Reds’ advantage to 7-1, Hamilton recaps the Indians’ recent play.

Well, it’s a dud of a game for the Indians, but it’s been a really good homestand up until today.

He notices the stampede of fans heading for the exits.

Well, at least they got sunburned.

At last, a gift from Mother Nature.

Good news is, you can save on your water bill. Anyone who’s watering their lawn, you may want to check that.
With A.J. Cole fighting his way through a shaky eighth inning, Hamilton looks at his partner.

Maybe we can get Marty back and he can finish this game and you and I can go home. Forty-six years as the voice of the Reds and you won’t meet a guy who’s been a bigger help to broadcasters everywhere than Marty Brennaman.

Rosenhaus says the first time he met Brennaman, the veteran broadcaster made Rosenhaus feel as though he had been in the business for 20 years.

In the bottom of the eighth, Rosenhaus congratulates Tim Mead, the longtime media relations director for the Los Angeles Angels who recently accepted the role of president of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

They should’ve given him a snowblower as a going-away present.

And then, the long-awaited, iconic call. Santana launched a 98 mph fastball to center and Hamilton’s voice reached a crescendo, even in a lopsided affair.

THIS BALLLL GONE. WOW. THAT BALL WENT BEYOND THE FIRST LEVEL OF EVERGREENS AND MAY HAVE KNOCKED DOWN ONE OF THE TREES BEHIND IT. SANTANA WITH A MAMMOTH BLAST TO CENTER, HIS 14TH.

“There will be times when I’ll be in the car,” Francona said, “like in the winter, and, like, the MLB Network will have a call of his — his calls are fucking great. They’re really good.”

Hamilton and Shane Bieber signed autographs for an hour at an All-Star voting promotion in downtown Cleveland earlier this month. One fan asked Hamilton to write his home run call next to his name.

“Fans appreciate his calls,” Otero said. “They resonate with them. He’s the voice of Cleveland.”

An Indians staffer announces the home run as being measured at 426 feet, which Hamilton thinks sounds a bit short. He then provides a pretend play-by-play of Rosenhaus using a tape measure to determine the true distance.

Rosey, scaling the 9-foot wall in center …

The two banter about playing pranks with a tape measure, releasing one end so it recoils and smacks the person holding the other end.

Oh, a bag of peas will take care of it.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Bell strolls to the mound to make a pitching change. Hamilton stares at Welsh. Jared Hughes sprints in from the bullpen, and Hamilton says he’s running as if there’s only one piece of chicken remaining on the postgame spread.

I don’t know if we’ve ever seen anybody run in from the bullpen faster than Jared Hughes did.

Vinnie Pestano might have an argument there.

With a pair of runners aboard, Jordan Luplow grounds to short.

Throw to first, on the mark and the ballgame’s over. Nice play by Iglesias on the charge from short. Your final today: Cincinnati 7 and Cleveland 2.

As the broadcast airs a few commercials, Hamilton finalizes his scoresheet. He offers a quick wrap-up as he packs up his belongings and a few short segments for the postgame show. He reminds listeners of the schedule for the next broadcast, two days later from Comerica Park in Detroit, the first tilt in a seven-game trip.

“Thirty years on the mic, that’s a long time,” Otero said. “A lot of people here in Cleveland know that voice. I’m glad he’s with us.”

This is Tom Hamilton. Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday. The final again today: Cincinnati 7 and Cleveland 2. So long, everybody.

Sarris: What’s up with all of those home runs off Shane Bieber?
By Eno Sarris 1h ago 1
Shane Bieber is having an excellent season. Does that seem wrong to say? It’s true though. Take a look at where he ranks in some of the most important statistics for pitchers these days:

Ninth in strikeouts
Sixth in strikeout rate
25th in walk rate
Seventh in strikeout minus walk rate
Eighth in SIERA (skill-interactive ERA)
Sixth in home runs allowed
Wait. That last one is not good. It is, in fact, pretty bad. And it’s the one thing keeping Bieber from making good on his potential.

So what’s going on with all those homers?

Let’s first look to see where they are coming from. Here’s a chart from BaseballSavant that shows where all of his homers this season have crossed the plate, and what type of pitch Bieber threw.
Let’s first discuss that top left homer off the fastball, because I think we can file that under, as a pitcher recently put it to me, “baseball happens.” There’s no way a fastball up in on the hands of a right-hander like that is supposed to give up homers. But, of course, there’s always Josh Donaldson to deal with.

One might argue that Bieber could have gotten that higher up, but get this: this was the only homer in baseball this year that has come that high and tight. Since 2015, there have been 25,162 homers hit, and only nine this high and tight as measured by inches off the ground and away from the center of the plate. Good process, bad results.

And also maybe Donaldson is just a tough matchup for Bieber, since the Braves third baseman likes high fastballs and managed to do this later in the same game on a slider at the bottom of the zone:

Only 11 homers have been hit by righties off a righty slider that low in the zone this year. But sure, it was middle-low and maybe it could’ve been further from the center of the plate on a one-one count.

There’s one more homer where we might want to cut Bieber some slack. See that curveball homer on a pitch that literally hit the bottom of the strike zone to a lefty? That was Jay Bruce and this homer.

An 83 mph knuckle curve at the bottom of the zone? Only twelve similar homers have been hit this year, in terms of location and situation (curveballs down and in that far, thrown to a lefty from a righty). This pitch was slightly more dangerous to Bieber than the pitches to Donaldson, but it was still low in the zone and out of the heart of the plate.

Ten of the remaining 14 homers have been hit off the fastball, many of them in the middle of the plate. More homers get hit off fastballs than any other pitch, partially because they are thrown more than any other pitch, and also because hitters are looking for them. That’s why pitchers are throwing the fastball less often and throwing sliders more.

“Hitters are optimizing for the home run, and pitchers are optimizing for the strikeout,” Bieber’s teammate Trevor Bauer once told me, and that seems relevant here.

Hitters are searching for Bieber’s fastball and he’s giving it to them what looks like too often. This is something we pointed out last year: his fastball was only average by velocity and only slightly above-average by movement, that it was worse than his slider and curveball by results and movement, and that he should throw the four-seam less often.

The problem? He’s already dropped his fastball more than almost anyone. Here’s Bieber’s decrease in four-seam usage in the context of the 10 other pitchers that have dropped their usage the most.

Name Team 2018 FA% 2019 FA% Diff
José Ureña Marlins 58.8% 7.8% -51.0%
Ivan Nova Pirates 31.9% 13.6% -18.3%
José Quintana Cubs 50.2% 33.6% -16.6%
Trevor Richards Marlins 54.9% 40.4% -14.5%
Stephen Strasburg Nationals 44.9% 32.3% -12.6%
Shane Bieber Indians 57.4% 45.3% -12.1%
J.A. Happ Yankees 59.2% 48.2% -11.0%
Jon Lester Cubs 45.2% 34.6% -10.6%
Blake Snell Rays 51.5% 41.2% -10.3%
Mike Foltynewicz Braves 40.5% 30.3% -10.2%
(Source: Pitch Info leaderboards on FanGraphs)

Maybe he could decrease his usage further, but he’s down to using it 39th-most and it doesn’t seem like overall usage numbers are the problem. Instead, it might be more about when and where he’s using the four-seam that’s the issue.

Take a look at when these home runs happened, and something stands out: 12 of the 16 homers off him have come in one or zero strike counts. Well, duh, that makes up a lot of counts, but in each case, it looks like Bieber went to the fastball to get a strike, to get to the slider. His zero-strike fastball usage has gone down — from 62 percent to 50 percent — but it’s still possible that he’s throwing those fastballs too predictably. His two-strike fastball percentage, for example, is 45 percent, and just a couple fewer fastballs in zero- and one-strike counts this year might make all the difference, especially since hitters are getting more aggressive on the first pitch than ever before.


Alex Fast
@AlexFast8
% of pitches swung at in 0-0 counts:

2019: 29.1
2018: 28.3
2017: 28.0
2016: 27.6
2015: 28.1
2014: 26.6
2013: 26.2
2012: 25.6
2011: 25.8
2010: 25.1

Batters are more aggressive in 0-0 counts than they've been in the past 10 seasons. From an upcoming article.

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Now look back at where he throws those fastballs on that first chart. He’s good at getting them low in the zone, but he’s throwing them low and middle. Take a look at this chart, which shows where exit velocity is highest by zone location.
If you want to go low in the middle, you kinda want to go below the zone. Generally, low and away is the best place to live. Of the three homers that are sitting in that quadrant on Bieber’s chart, only the Donaldson slider homer came from a right-handed hitter. Bieber’s percentage of pitches in the heart of the zone has gone down, but while his percentage of pitches along the bottom edge has gone up, too many of them are middle low.

So, we might have a new-school and old-school recommendation for Bieber on how he can deal with this homer-happy, rabbit-ball-era situation in 2019. Fewer four-seamers, even when he needs to get ahead — that’s how pitchers are trying to deal with things nowadays, anyway.

But maybe he could also think about where he’s locating horizontally in the zone. Forget the homers by Donaldson, and make sure to get those fastballs up and in tight and low and away outside. There’s a reason low and away was a mantra of so many pitching coaches for so long. It’s still good advice.

(Photo of Bieber: Dylan B

Lloyd: The Indians’ offense isn’t as bad as you think
By Jason Lloyd 3h ago 20
ARLINGTON, Texas — It’s easy to find the punchline. It’s easy to see a cleanup hitter batting .220 or a different cleanup batter with 18 RBI and poke fun at what is considered one of the worst lineups in baseball.

But something is quietly changing within the Indians over the last month. Is it sustainable? That remains to be seen. But this offense hasn’t been the disaster its reputation would indicate.

This isn’t meant to absolve ownership from pulling back when this franchise was still very much in a contention window. The Dolans certainly didn’t do this front office or clubhouse any favors last winter. My stance from the beginning has been if they just would’ve re-signed Michael Brantley and did everything else the same, nobody says a word about the payroll.

But not even Brantley, as talented as he is, could’ve prevented the crippling injuries to Corey Kluber, Mike Clevinger and Carlos Carrasco. Brantley couldn’t have prevented the Twins from racing out to the best record in baseball.

And yet look at the Indians’ record today, compare it with recent history and — stick with me here — it really isn’t all that different. The Indians are 39-34 following Wednesday’s 10-4 bludgeoning of the Rangers and have moved within a half-game of the second wild-card spot. They have the sixth-best record in the American League and are percentage points away from fifth.

On June 20 last year, they were 40-33 and fifth in the American League.

In 2017 they were 37-32 and fourth.

In 2016 they were 39-30 and tied for third.

So what’s different? The Twins, of course. What Minnesota has been able to maintain for nearly half of a season has been remarkable. And nobody saw it coming. It has painted the illusion that perhaps things are far worse in Cleveland than what they really are.

The Indians’ overall offensive numbers are still pitiful. They’re 22nd or worse in runs, home runs, slugging and wRC+, which at 84 is well below average. Their team batting average of .234 entering Wednesday remains an embarrassment.

Since Oscar Mercado’s arrival, however, all of that looks vastly different.

Since Mercado debuted May 14, the Indians entered Wednesday 11th in runs and home runs, 10th in slugging and tied for 10th in wRC+. Then they laid 10 more runs on the Rangers, including three more home runs. They have scored more runs and hit more home runs in that time than the Dodgers, Rays and Astros.

Since June 1 it’s even more impressive: fourth in homers and fifth in wRC+ (109). Those are better numbers than the Yankees, Red Sox, Astros and Rays. Given what lies ahead on the schedule between now and the trade deadline, those numbers should only continue to improve.

“We’ve swung the bat better. April can be a really cruel month, especially in Cleveland,” Terry Francona said. “But it’s past so what do you do? You keep playing. We have guys who have proven they can do it, they’re picking it up, and some of the younger guys like Oscar have given us some infusion and some energy and some offense. It’s been good.”

Mercado has stabilized the top of the lineup, lengthened it just a bit and allowed Francona to drop guys like Jake Bauers lower in the order rather than hoist the pressure of batting cleanup on a struggling 23-year-old.

So which is it? Are the Indians the sad collection of .200 hitters they appeared to be in April or are the last few weeks a valid indicator of what is to come? How much of a sample size is needed to declare this is real?

“It’s tough because there’s so many sample sizes in 162 games,” said Jason Kipnis, who homered twice Wednesday and is optimistic he has fixed his swing in recent days. “You could take it from me. One sample size says I’m the worst player, one sample size says I’m Babe Ruth for a minute. This game goes back and forth and has waves like that. But we’ve got a good month rolling. … We’re going to keep trying to knock down that (deficit) till the break, kind of force the upper management’s hand to keep us in this one because we like playing with each other right now.”

What the Indians will do at the trade deadline remains a constant talking point. Selling at the deadline, despite the improved play these last few weeks, is probably still the right call. There is a growing belief Trevor Bauer will be dealt within the next six weeks. Zach Plesac’s emergence has helped ease the blow of a Bauer trade — even with Kluber and Carrasco remaining sidelined indefinitely. Bauer could command the type of bats this lineup still lacks — beginning with another outfielder — despite its drastic improvement over the last month.

The Indians could conceivably trade Bauer and Brad Hand and still win the wild card, depending on the return for both. Then they would be better positioned for a final World Series run with Francisco Lindor — not to mention the savings from Bauer and Kipnis coming off the books should give ownership the type of flexibility to be more aggressive. Provided, you know, they spend the money.

Is this team going to win a World Series as presently assembled? Probably not. That’s why trading Bauer and Hand is acceptable. They’ve now lost their last six postseason games and the gap has only widened over the teams in front of them. But the season isn’t a total disaster, either. The Twins just have a way of making it feel that way.

“I think the fact Minnesota is playing fantastic, one way you can look at it if you want to be negative is that we’ve played this well and we haven’t gained any ground,” Kipnis said. “But the fact they’ve been playing this good and haven’t pulled away from us is the way we’re going to continue to look at it. … We’ve got a lot of confidence because we’ve always been a second-half team. If we can knock this down to single digits or even just a good run that keeps us close, we’ll feel confident rolling into the second half.”

(Photo of Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipnis: Jason Miller / Getty Images)

I also found it interesting that the team's record is virtually the same as the past few years!!

Freakin' Twins....

In an article identifying every team's "biggest offensive mistake" Baseball Reference chooses not the Indians failure to sign Brantley but no trading Kluber:

Because the Cleveland Indians are in contention for the AL's second wild-card spot, perhaps their biggest offseason regret should be over cutting their payroll. Yet there have certainly been more negative developments than positive ones for the Indians this season. Notably, their pitching staff has been wrecked by health woes, and their offense has been a disaster.

A rebuild seems so inevitable right now that it's fair to second-guess if the Indians should have preemptively entered into one while they were shedding payroll. They definitely toyed with the idea, as two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber otherwise wouldn't have been available in trade talks.
Not trading him is looking like a misfire now. Kluber, 33, had oodles of value during the offseason, but it's all gone now after his early regression and broken arm. And given his age, his value may be gone for good.


In hindsight, sure, but neither the regression nor getting whacked by a line drive were predictable.

Next month’s All-Star Game could feature a whole lot of Minnesota Twins and a selection of players from the rest of the American League Central. That’s a reflection of the way the division race has played out. But the AL Central All-Star competition could become a lot more crowded before long.

With four candidates in consideration for AL Rookie of the Year, more than a dozen other standouts age 26 or younger, three of baseball’s top 10 farm systems, 17 prospects in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, three of baseball’s top five picks in this month’s MLB Draft and some of the younger rosters in the Majors, the future is bright in the AL Central. Many of the division’s stars of tomorrow are up in the big leagues now. Others are rising fast. While voting is underway to determine this year’s All-Stars, he’s a look at each team’s next All-Star:

• VOTE NOW: Google MLB All-Star Ballot

Indians: Oscar Mercado

The 24-year-old outfielder has impressed since the start of Spring Training. Mercado wasn’t an option to break camp with the Tribe before Spring Training began, but his performance had the coaching staff scratching their heads as Opening Day approached, debating whether he’d be ready. The club decided to start him in Triple-A before he got the call on May 14. It took until his fifth big league at-bat for his first hit, but over his next 103 at-bats, he hit .320 with four homers, 18 RBIs, six stolen bases and an .884 OPS. Mercado is not an All-Star candidate this season, but the Indians realize the caliber of player they traded for last July.

“I know it went kind of quietly last year when we acquired him, but I think our guys deserve a lot of credit,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Because the kid looks like he’s got a chance to be a pretty good player. It’s fun watching him.”

Royals: Adalberto Mondesi

Mondesi is only in his first full season, but he is already making his mark on the game. A superb defender with a strong arm, Mondesi leads the Majors in triples with eight and in stolen bases with 27. He’s on pace to steal 50-60 bases and drive in 90 runs. Most scouts also believe we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg from Mondesi, who is just 23. While Mondesi is low is the All-Star voting this season, chances are that as he continues to emerge as a budding star, he will challenge superstar Francisco Lindor for the throne of best shortstop in the league.

Tigers: Casey Mize

The Tigers have neither a clear-cut perennial All-Star nor a young slugger who’s likely to compete for a spot in the near future. Their star power is on the mound at Double-A Erie, and while Matt Manning has the potential to outshine them all, Mize -- the top overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft and the No. 2 prospect in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 -- looms as the nearest star of the bunch.

Mize hasn’t reached Triple-A ball yet, let alone the big leagues, and a recent bout of right shoulder inflammation likely cost him a spot in next month’s Futures Game. But the way he has dominated hitters is clearing his path to Detroit next year, if not sooner. Many believe he could pitch in the Majors now, where his array of pitches, ample work ethic and ability to avoid big hits could give him success in a hurry, especially in a division with so many young, aggressive hitters. His splitter and slurve form a devastating combination.

Twins: Mitch Garver

Quite frankly, Garver already deserves much more All-Star consideration than he's getting, as the Twins' second-year catcher has posted the best slugging percentage (.642), fourth-highest homer total (11) and tied for the fourth-best fWAR (1.7) among AL catchers, despite only having played in roughly half of Minnesota's games this season.

Garver's breakout campaign has largely been under the radar because he missed some time with a high ankle sprain, and because he splits time behind the plate with Jason Castro, who is the Twins' representative at catcher on the All-Star ballot. The hitting prowess comes as no surprise from Garver, the Twins' 2017 Minor League Player of the Year, and with Castro set for free agency following this season, Garver could be due for a greater emergence next year -- if not much sooner.

White Sox: Eloy Jiménez

With the way Jimenez has been hitting in June, carrying a .321 average with six home runs and 14 RBIs in 15 games, he looks to be making a late push for this year’s All-Star Game. But the 22-year-old is rounding into form as one of the best young hitters in the game, with power and the ability to hit for average. He is starting to lay off the offspeed pitches he previously chased outside the zone. The refined approach has led to moments such as his game-winning two-run home-run in the ninth against the Cubs on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

Do you know about Will Benson, Tyler Freeman and Ruben Cardenas? You should

By Emily Waldon 1h ago 1
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Looking for a quiet place to talk outside of the visitors clubhouse in Fort Wayne, Ind., Lake County hitting coach Jason Esposito is never truly hidden from his players.

Ruben Cardenas, the Indians 2018 16th-round pick, shoots him a playful grin and a nudge in passing down the hall. Esposito gives him a playful elbow in return.

“They’re a bunch of great kids,” Esposito said. “We have a bunch of great kids in the whole organization. It’s a joy to go out there and talk to them and spend time with them. I mean, they’re your friends as much as it’s coaching.”

Now halfway through his second season of coaching within the Indians organization, Esposito, 28, is in his first with Class A Lake County, joining 38-year-old Captains manager Luke Carlin and a staff all younger than 40.

Spending the 2018 season as hitting coach for the Indians’ Rookie-level Arizona affiliate, Esposito inherited a lot of familiar faces in his transition to Eastlake.

“We’ve been lucky that we’ve been together for two years and that they’re here,” Esposito said. “(There are) some new relationships, for sure. I just think being out there with them on a daily basis helps. The little interactions in the most authentic way you can. Just, ‘Hey, what’s up? How are you doing?'”

With the Indians cycling some of their most-buzzed-about position prospects through Lake County this season, Esposito has been entrusted with the development process. A product of Tim Corbin and the Vanderbilt baseball program, Esposito was drafted twice; once in 2008 by the Royals and a second time in 2011 as the second-round pick of the Orioles.

With the first half of the Midwest League season complete and the Captains headed for the postseason for the first time since 2014, Esposito’s hitting class has plenty of transition ahead, including a promotion for Tyler Freeman and Will Benson to High A, a source confirmed to The Athletic.

Combing through the Lake County roster, you could label multiple names as intriguing, but the three we’re looking at successfully closed out the first half of the season with performances worth evaluating.

Will Benson
Age: 21 Height: 6-5 Weight: 225 Bats: L Throws: L

2019 line*: 217 AB, .272/.371/.604, 59 H, 44 R, 12 2B, 3 3B, 18 HR, 55 RBI
(*Low-A numbers)

Amid being touted as toting one of the most impressive power bats among the Indians prospects, Will Benson is keeping his approach surprisingly simple.

Fresh off his 21st birthday, Benson has been in the Midwest League before, but this second trip allowed him an opportunity to fine-tune his approach at the plate, an approach that has steadily developed into that of a legitimate raw power source.

Benson remembers the brunt of his physical growth setting in between 17 and 18 years old. To make the most of his lean frame, Benson will be the first to admit he became a cage rat.

“Honestly, to a fault,” Benson laughed. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just hitting, ’cause I thought the more I hit and the more reps I get, the better I’ll be. I was the kid who was always in the cage.”

It was time spent with Westminster High School hitting coach Chad Laney that set up Benson to start putting the pieces together.

“Honestly, I just wanted to work hard, but I didn’t really know what I was doing,” Benson said. “(Chad) was always there for me. After practice, even after games, we just hit together.”

A mix of size, bat speed and power landed Benson as the Indians’ first-round pick in 2016, but the art of hitting didn’t settle in as quickly.

In his first full season with Class A Lake County in 2018, Benson slashed .180/.324/.370 with a 30 percent strikeout rate, but the home runs were there.

Since last season, Benson’s changes have been subtle. Never one to struggle in drawing a walk, to the tune of a healthy 16.2 percent in 2018, Benson’s focus was on a better understanding for using his frame.

“I think for (Benson), he’s done a really good job of being aware of how his body is moving,” Esposito said. “The slower and smoother he can move, the faster he rotates and the more force he puts into the baseball, and more contact he’s making on it, too.”

The transformation from 2018 to this season has been noticed across the league, including a National League scout who had the opportunity to see Benson last season.

“I wasn’t sold on him last year, I’m going to be honest with you,” the scout shared. “Different kid this year. He looks like he understands his body better, which is good because if you can channel that power, he’s going to be damn scary at the plate.”

Outside of more of a crouched stance than before, Benson’s visible adjustments aren’t as easy to pick out, but the numbers tell a different story.

wRC+ wOBA BABIP SLG% ISO
2018 102 .327 .218 .370 .190
2019 170 .432 .325 .604 .332
The curious case is his strikeout percentage.

Between 2018 and 2019, it has moved from 30 percent to 30.1 percent. While it’s a drop from his 33.9 percent in 2017, there is clear work needed in pitch recognition and Benson is tracking where he needs to grow.

“(My focus is) just being in a good hitters position as much as I can,” Benson said, “giving myself the best chance with my movements. I think I did have some movement deficiencies last year, but honestly, thinking about it, it just had to do with my approach and just simply being ready to hit.

“If you look at my numbers, I think the last two weeks of the season last year, that’s kind of when I really locked in mentally and when I started to tap into that comfort and just being at ease.”

Esposito, along with the rest of the Lake County staff, has been intentional about targeting specifics with each of their hitters, but Esposito is quick to credit them, specifically Benson with initiating how well they prepare throughout the season.

“I think (Benson) has done a great job of being consistent in his daily work,” Esposito shared. “Having one or two things to focus on every day whether that’s bat path or rotating better — he’s really keyed in on those things in his swing that’s really helped him maintain a consistent level of performance throughout the season. He really believes in himself. He’s a really confident kid and I’m really happy for him.”

Already an above-average defender in the outfield, Benson has played primarily at the corners, with some time in center, as well. The Indians are still deciding where he’ll stick.

Benson is happy to play anywhere you ask him.

“I think my reaction time can get better in left field, for sure,” Benson said. “I think, overall, it’s just about being comfortable there and in center, that’s been a fun adjustment. Right field has always been my bread and butter, but I’m glad that they did give me the opportunity to kind of just spread out there, and trust me enough.”



Tyler Freeman
Age: 20 Height: 6-0 Weight: 170 Bats: R Throws: R

2019 line*: 236 AB, .292/.382/.424, 69 H, 51 R, 16 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 24 RBI
(*Low-A numbers)

Sitting down for a conversation with Tyler Freeman in the visitors dugout to avoid the rain, it’s easy to see that sitting still is not a strength for him.

However, invite Freeman to talk hitting and his eyes light up. The 20-year-old lives for any opportunity to ask questions, and while he might struggle to stay in one place for long, it stems from a hunger to improve.

Freeman’s enthusiasm brings a smile to Benson’s face. In addition to both being named Midwest League All-Stars this season, Benson and Freeman share a passion for excelling at their craft, and that passion has grown into a friendship.

“I talk about hitting the most with Freeman,” Benson said. “We talk about hitting all the time throughout the season.”

With a nearly 6-inch difference in height between the two, there are different areas to target, and in the case of Freeman, it’s a matter of using the highest degree of contact from a more compact frame than Benson’s.

With a constant ear-to-ear grin, Freeman’s infectious attitude played a key role hitting and fielding for Lake County through the first half of the Midwest League season, but Freeman’s first year of Class A ball hasn’t come without challenges.

“It’s definitely had the ups and downs for sure,” Freeman said. “That’s kind of what I expected.”

For Freeman, that expectation was set through a conversation that took place during spring training. Freeman had been invited to a big-league game, and a day off for Francisco Lindor led to some quality time.

“(Francisco) Lindor wasn’t playing, but he still showed up to the home game,” Freeman said. “He was sitting in the dugout, I was talking to him, and I was saying, ‘Yeah, I played short-season last year.’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I know, I know.’ He kind of knew who I was, which was a shock to me. I’m like, ‘Well, that’s just amazing how he knew that.’

“I asked him, ‘Hey, what’s the biggest adjustment to a full season?’ He was telling me it’s a long season, and, ‘You’re going to have a lot of ups and downs because it’s such a long season. You’ve just got to stay consistent and never look back on any game. Every game is a new game.’ And that’s what I took away from him.”

As he worked through the New York-Penn League in 2018, Freeman’s advanced bat-to-ball abilities helped him lead the league in six different offensive categories.



Growing up in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Freeman got an up-close look at Corey Seager, and it was Seager whom Freeman credits for the adoption of his toe-tap.

“I grew up going to the games,” Freeman said. “I’d watch Corey Seager and (Cody) Bellinger, when he was there. I got to go on the field one of the days and (Seager) was hitting in the cage and I was talking to him and he was just saying at the time, he hadn’t really found his swing yet. But then I remember a week later he went on, like, a home-run tear, and I’m like, ‘I think he found it.’ I think something clicked for him. It was about taking words from them and just trying to run away with it.”

In addition to his eye-catching contact rate, Freeman’s plate discipline has been exceptional, a trait he credits to teammate, roommate and infield partner-in-crime Jose Fermin.

“We always talk about how to get better,” Freeman said. “I ask him, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ He would always give his opinion. I would try to work on it and whether it’s, ‘Hey, let’s go to the gym today,’ we’ll always go together. Everything me and him do, we try to make each other better.”

That Fermin-inspired discipline has held Freeman’s strikeout percentage between 7.3 percent and 10.3 percent over the three affiliate assignments he’s received.

“Jose’s walked more than anyone I’ve ever seen or that I’ve played with,” Freeman said. “I asked him about it and he told me, ‘You’ve got to shrink your zone to what you know you can hit and focus on that one zone.’ I really focused on that, and so far, the results have been showing.”

Esposito has worked a creative strategy into his batting practice sessions to help train the eye of Fermin, Freeman and the rest of the hitters he’s had in his charge.

“I think they were not afraid to let me throw a lot of pitches in BP,” Esposito said. “The approach for most of our hitters has been, ‘I’m just trying to get a good pitch to hit.’ And the way they focus on getting good pitches to hit is to train and challenge themselves on a daily basis. To swing at good pitches, instead of swinging at everything in BP, they shrink down the strike zone, and I think having that in their back pocket, knowing we try to make it harder than the game sometimes.”

Away from his success at the plate, Freeman’s defense hasn’t dazzled to the degree of his feel hitting, but that’s no slight on the 20-year-old. Freeman’s quick-twitch profile is good for the infield, and while the Indians have worked him primarily at shortstop, there is belief that he might be a better fit at second base.

“I think I made a big step forward in defense (this season),” Freeman said. “What the numbers show or not, I feel like I’ve been getting a lot more comfortable at shortstop and working with our infield coordinators that come in.

“I imagine dancing, in a way. If you keep that rhythm going, I think you’ll be OK. Staying fluid and stuff. I just remind myself to dance.”

Instincts are the foundation for Freeman’s work, allowing him to move confidently enough through the infield to buy him time while he continues to improve as a defender.

“I feel like I’ve been a lot more fluid,” Freeman said. “(I’m) not being that robotic-type shortstop. I think growing up, I was kind of that guy to just go from point A to point B, instead of just letting it play out. I think I’ve taken a step forward just trying to keep going from there.”

In his move to High-A Lynchburg, Freeman will face a sound test in applying lessons learned in the field and at the plate with Esposito watching from a distance.

“I think he’s just really enjoyed the process,” Esposito said. “His routines, his daily preparation hasn’t differed since the first day I met him. He’s really great at being in the moment and being present and just trusting his preparation.”




Ruben Cardenas
Age: 21 Height: 6-2 Weight: 185 Bats: R Throws: R

2019 line: 220 AB, .295/.349/.518, 65 H, 31 R, 12 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 37 RBI

When it comes to the many adjustments one makes when entering minor-league baseball, the biggest for Ruben Cardenas might surprise you.

The stress of the MLB Draft? Well, he went through that twice, selected by the Marlins in the 37th round in 2015 and again in 2018 as the Indians’ 16th-round pick.

For Cardenas, the biggest adjustment to the Midwest has been … wait for it … the weather.

“Well, being from California, I don’t ever see rain,” Cardenas said, staring out at the wet field. “So, having it rain a lot sucks. But playing against a lot of the guys that I’ve grown up with or played against in college and playing against a lot of guys that are from out of the country is awesome.”

Just passing the halfway point of the regular season for Lake County, Cardenas is still settling into the mentality of full-season minor-league baseball. A product of Cal State Fullerton, Cardenas signed with Cleveland for $125,000 last summer and split his debut between rookie league and short-season.

Whereas Cardenas would be hanging up his jersey back in college, he’s facing another half-season ahead of him. It’s different, yes, but the grin from Cardenas suggests he’s ready for the challenge.

“I think as coaches, especially the main coaches, I think we try to have as much patience as we can because it is a long season,” Esposito said. “140 games is a long time. To hear something day in, day out, we try to keep it as positive and light as possible.”

Although 2019 was the first look at the Midwest League for the California native, Cardenas elbowed his way through the first half of the season, landing in the top three among the majority of offensive categories for Lake County.

Hits Doubles Triples HR RBI SLG% AVG OPS
Totals 65 12 5 9 37 .518 .295 .867
Ranked 2nd T-3rd 1st 2nd T-2nd 2nd 3rd 2nd
“(Ruben is) really consistent in his daily preparation,” Esposito said. “I mean, this is common with all of our guys, which is through preparation every day. It doesn’t deviate. They get in the cage, they know what they need to work on, they have clear focus and (are) very detail-oriented in how they go about their work.”

Despite a spike in his strikeout percentage to 21.1 percent this season, Cardenas has done well in using patience and solid bat-to-ball skills.

There were some concerns surrounding the projection of Cardenas’ power after he suffered a stress fracture in his back in college, but the roadblock hasn’t seemed to deter him from producing.

Esposito points to his excessive batting practice pitch count as a key in developing more of a polished eye.

“I’m happy that our players can focus on getting a good pitch to hit and giving their best foot to the pitch instead of swinging at a bunch of pitches,” Esposito said. “I think our organization, in general, does a good job with trying to train our guys to swing at good pitches.”

That focus by the Indians’ roving instructors and Lake County coaching staff has landed the Captains in the top three in a slew of offensive categories across the Midwest League.

(69 Games) Runs Doubles Triples HR RBI SB SLG% OPS
Totals 336 115 23 63 295 81 .396 .721
Ranked 2nd 3rd T-2nd 1st 2nd T-3rd 1st 2nd
Since joining the Indians organization, Cardenas found himself quickly clicking with 2018 first-round pick Bo Naylor.

In addition to Naylor coming from good baseball bloodlines, Cardenas appreciates the insight he’s gained through their friendship and a special connection to Naylor’s older brother.

“(Bo’s) my roommate on the road,” Cardenas said. “We got close last year when we got drafted, and then even closer this year in spring training. He’s just a great guy. And, I mean, obviously, his brother’s a big-leaguer. I remember when his brother first got called up and I was, like, asking him, ‘So, what do you think of this guy, this guy, this guy?’ He kind of just sees everyone just as a normal human. They’re just playing the game. They’re obviously really good at it, but you kind of just have to treat everyone just like they’re another baseball player, like another human.”

Cardenas’ arm is strong enough with a sound defensive profile to be viewed as a valuable option in right field, where the Indians have focused the majority of his defensive time this season.

With a .394 wOBA and 146 wRC+, Cardenas is applying the feel he has at the plate while he works to feel out the rest of the challenges the Midwest League has to offer this season.

Focused on working his way off the seven-day IL for Lake County, Cardenas has presented a profile in the first half of the year that might not qualify as one screaming up prospect charts, but it’s enough production for Cardenas to demand attention, and the results will be hard to ignore.

(Photo of Will Benson in 2016: Alex Trautwig / Getty Images)

Nice to see Cardenas get some publicity. I was just posting in Minor folder a couple weeks ago he’s been overlooked.

last year Cardenas walked like mad; this season more aggressive at the plate and productivity has been impressive. Surprised he didn't join Will and Tyler on the trip to Lynchburg; he's less of a prospect but older and deserves the promotion.

Tyler Naquin’s game-saving catch stuns Detroit Tigers, swings momentum back to Cleveland Indians
Today 5:02 AM
Jason Kipnis and Tyler Naquin celebrate after the Indians defeated the against the Detroit Tigers behind Naquin's clutch catch in the ninth inning. (Jason Miller, Getty Images)
Getty Images

Jason Kipnis and Tyler Naquin celebrate after the Indians defeated the against the Detroit Tigers behind Naquin's clutch catch in the ninth inning. (Jason Miller, Getty Images)

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By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — On a night when typically-automatic Cleveland Indians closer Brad Hand was not sharp, it was right fielder Tyler Naquin who saved the day with a spectacular diving catch that started a double play and halted Detroit’s ninth-inning rally in a 7-6 Tribe victory at Progressive Field.


Hand had given up a double to Jacoby Jones and an RBI single to Christin Stewart to open the ninth that cut Cleveland’s lead to a single run. Then Nicholas Castellanos stepped in and sent a 97.9 mph sinking liner to the gap in right center.

That’s when Naquin saw an opportunity to pick his teammate up.

“Brad Hand always gives us a chance to win, so it’s our job, too, maybe whenever he’s not exactly how he wants to be, we need to step up and help him out as well,” Naquin said.

UNBELIEVABLE!@TyNaquin turns an extremely clutch double play to help the @Indians seal the win against the Tigers. pic.twitter.com/jgY98YlrY6

— SportsTime Ohio (@SportsTimeOhio) June 22, 2019
Naquin dove and snagged the ball with a backhand lunge, then sprung to his feet and fired a laser throw to Carlos Santana at first base to double up Stewart before he could get back to the bag.

“It’s a rush, it happened quick,” Naquin said. “Especially in that atmosphere, it’s a good atmosphere to be able to make that play.”

Second baseman Jason Kipnis screamed. Shortstop Francisco Lindor joined him. Santana picked Naquin’s one-hop throw and kept his foot on the base for the second out of the inning.

“When I looked up, I could just see all those guys telling me and I just did what they told me,” Naquin said. “That’s part of the teamwork that makes that play happen.”

Hand said Naquin’s catch swung momentum back in Cleveland’s favor after the Tigers cut the lead in half.


“Off the bat I thought it was gonna get down, and he kind of came out of nowhere and made a great play,” Hand said.

Manager Terry Francona credited Naquin with having the presence of mind to make a strong, accurate throw to double Stewart off first.

“It’s like he willed himself,” Francona said. “That was an incredible play.”

Francona said it’s nice to have Naquin finally healthy after missing time last season with a bad hip and earlier this year with a sore calf.

“He brings a lot of energy when he plays and he’s an easy guy to pull for, especially in that situation,” Francona said. “If that ball gets by him, we probably lose.”

Kipnis had perhaps the best vantage point for Naquin’s diving effort as he followed the ball over his head into right field.

“His first couple of steps I was like ‘Oh crap, this is a double in the gap again,’” Kipnis said. “He said it went into the lights for a second and once it came out of the lights he realized he could get it. So you could see him re-route and cut back across. If he would have hesitated at all, he wouldn’t have gotten to it.”

Tigers players were stunned by the play. Manager Ron Gardenhire called it one of the better catches he’d seen in a long time.


“We did everything we could, but the guy made a hell of a play and that’s how the game ended,” Gardenhire said. “It was a great play. That’s all we talked about. That kid is an athlete and made a great play.”

Castellanos begrudgingly admitted the catch had a deflating effect in the Tigers dugout.

“It took the wind out of our tires, you could say,” Castellanos said.

Stewart thought he was going to score as soon as Castellanos hit the ball.

“You can’t practice that, and he (Naquin) made a pretty good play there,” Stewart said. “He caught the ball and made a perfect throw to first.”

Such a different team this year. Easy to root for because they are scrappy in a situation where the talent level isn't what it's been in past seasons.

The future for Kluber - Rosenthal

Assuming right-hander Corey Kluber returns healthy, the Indians’ logical course with him will be to exercise his $17 million club option for 2020 at the end of the season, then trade him this winter.

The way Kluber’s contract reads, if he is traded prior to his option exercise date (within five days of the end of the World Series), the acquiring team must decide to exercise or decline both his 2020 and ’21 options at the same time.

A trade before the July 31 deadline is unlikely anyway — Kluber, 33, might not return from his fractured right ulna by then. But even if Kluber made it back, teams would be reluctant to inherit a decision on whether to commit $34.5 million over two years to him at the end of the season.

If Kluber is traded after his 2020 option is exercised, his option for ’21 would vest if he pitched 160 innings in ’20 and was not on the injured list after the season. He also will receive a $1 million assignment bonus if traded.

A lot of buzz about the catch, as well there should be, but I was glad to see Naquin get a couple hits off a lefty.

Normally when a lefty pitches, Luplow and Martin play, Naquin sits. Bauers will play 1st or DH with Santana.

Martin is hitting .155 against lefties.

Bauers is hitting .222

Naquin is hitting .273 against lefties!

He has 2 homers, and Martin only has 1 in way more at bats.

Not to mention Martin has been a dog in the field.

It’s getting to the point of embarrassment that Martin is still on the club. I’m seriously embarrassed for Tito.

And Naquin should be playing every day.