Cleveland Sports Forum

Last 2 days, pitching has been lights out. Held the billion dollar payroll, Dodgers and the World Series champs, Rangers to 1 run.

The Singles Squad did enough to back up their pitchers.

Might be a preview of the season with low scoring games with good pitching.

What's new?

Cleveland Guardians Spring Training Prospect Report 3//11/24

ARTHUR KINNEY

MAR 12

Game 17 - Cleveland Guardians 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 1

STARTERS

Deyvison De Los Santos (DH): 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI -

De Los Santos, who was thrust into the starting DH spot on short notice following the late scratch of C Austin Hedges following a collision during the morning workout, flashed a glimpse of the potential that has the team seriously considering either rostering him this season or seeking a trade for his full rights. In the eighth inning, he golfed a fly ball that originally looked like nothing but turned out to be an absolute blast that hit very high off of the batters’ eye to about as dead center as I’ve ever seen a home run hit. (For the record, straightaway center at Goodyear Ballpark is 410 feet.)

https://twitter.com/CleGuardians/status ... dium=email

Angel Martinez (SS): 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 K -

Martinez’s Monday was not as spectacular as Deyvison’s on its own, but it continued a stellar Spring (.478/.500/.914 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, seven RBI. and a 4:2 K:BB ratio in 26 plate appearances) which has seen him get a hit in each of his last eight games with multiple plate appearances following a hitless opener.

RESERVES WITH A HIT

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF): 1-1, 1 BB -

J-Rod reached twice for the first time this Spring on a day that saw him break an 0-for-6 drought in official at-bats.

Yordys Valdes (SS): 1-1 -

Valdes singled in his first major league at-bat this Spring after going 0-for-4 in 2023. For those wondering, this wasn’t his first major league Spring hit as he went 3-for-5 with a triple and a pair of runs in his first taste of Big Club action in 2022.

ALSO PLAYED

Petey Halpin (CF): 0-2, 2 K

Juan Brito (2B): 0-2, 1 K

Kyle Manzardo (1B): 0-1

Raynel Delgado (3B): 0-1

Joe Lampe (LF): 0-1, 1 K

RELIEVER

Hunter Gaddis: 1 IP, 1 H -

Gaddis quickly erased a leadoff single with a spectacular play on a comebacker to the mound that resulted in a 1-3 double play.

DRESSED BUT DID NOT PLAY

C Joe Donovan

IF Nate Furman

OF Esteban Gonzalez

Ps Trey Benton, Nic Enright, Jordan Jones, and Randy Labaut

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Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber worked four scoreless innings against the Rangers in Surprise, Ariz.AP



GUARDIANS

Guardians blank Rangers, 3-0, as Chase DeLauter homers and Shane Bieber turns in strong outing

Updated: Mar. 12, 2024, 7:54 p.m.|Published: Mar. 12, 2024, 6:32 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Shane Bieber was sharp in his second straight outing, and five Cleveland relievers combined to hold Texas to three hits over the final five innings in a 3-0 spring training win in Surprise, Arizona.

The Guardians top prospect, meanwhile, continued to make the most of his opportunities in big league camp.

Bieber, making his third appearance of the spring, struck out four Rangers hitters and walked one, allowing just two hits in four innings of work.

Coming off a rain-shortened outing last week against the Athletics that only allowed him to work two innings, Bieber got help from his defense as the Guardians turned a pair of double plays behind him in the first and third innings.

Scott Barlow relieved Bieber in the fifth and struck out two Texas hitters in a scoreless inning. Tim Herrin, Cade Smith and Anthony Gose each pitched a scoreless frame and Tanner Burns picked up his first Cactus League save, working around a double by Derek Hill in the ninth.

Chase DeLauter put the Guardians in front with a two-run blast off Texas lefty Danny Duffy in the sixth. It was DeLauter’s second home run of the spring, giving him four RBI. David Fry drew a one-out walk against Duffy and DeLauter drove the second pitch he saw over the fence in right.

DeLauter, the club’s No. 1 prospect according to MLB Pipeline told reporters after the game that getting the chance to start a few big league exhibition games has allowed him to answer some important questions taht every rookie has.

“It’s easy to think about ‘Am I good enough to play with these guys?’ and ‘These are the guys you see on TV every day,’” DeLauter said. “It’s huge for me to trust my abilities and have confidence in myself. It’s a lot easier said than done, but as much as you can build onto that, I mean the sky’s the limit.”

Guardians hitting coach Chris Valaika says DeLauter has carried himself with professionalism in camp and demonstrated patience at the plate when he’s had the chance to play in major league games.

“What he’s doing in the box has been really, really refreshing to see for such a young guy,” Valaika said, “For him to be able to handle himself in his first major league camp and have the success that he’s having. It’s been really nice.”

DeLauter, who singled off Rangers starter Andrew Heaney in the second, upped his spring average to .467 with a 1.462 OPS. He said homering in a big league exhibition feels a little different than doing so on the back fields in Goodyear.

“Especially against a lefty,” DeLauter said. “That’s something I’ve been trying to work on this offseason is hitting lefties and pulling fastballs. Just being able to do that night and day.”

Valaika said he has been impressed with DeLauter’s “slow heartbeat.”

“Being here when he was drafted, seeing the profile and then seeing him over the last few years, I know he is battled some injuries, but to see what he’s done when he’s been healthy is been as advertised and more.”

Alexfri Planez added an RBI double in the eighth, scoring Joe Naranjo, who walked with two out against Texas’ Marc Church.

Next:

The Guardians return to Goodyear Ballpark on Wednesday to welcome the Cubs for a 4:05 p.m. ET first pitch. Tanner Bibee (1-0, 3.86) will start while Chicago sends righty Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 7.56) to the mound. The game will air as a webcast on CLEGuardians.com.

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First baseman Jhonkensy Noel was one of nine players cut from Guardians' major league camp on Tuesday.AP



GUARDIANS

Guardians cut nine minor leaguers from spring training roster

Updated: Mar. 12, 2024, 6:43 p.m.|Published: Mar. 12, 2024, 1:04 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Sluggers Jhonkensy Noel and Johnathan Rodriguez were among nine Guardians players cut from major league camp on Tuesday as position battles for spots on the opening day roster came into focus in Goodyear, Arizona.

Left-hander Joey Cantillo and infielder Juan Brito joined Noel and Rodriguez as 40-man roster players who were optioned to Triple-A Columbus. Noel’s option is his third while Rodriguez, Brito and Cantillo each have one option remaining beyond 2024.

Other spring invitees who were re-assigned to minor league camp include right-handers Franco Aleman, Nic Enright and Mason Hickman as well as catchers Michael Berglund and Eric Rodriguez.

Manager Stephen Vogt told reporters in Goodyear that meeting with players to tell them they’ve been cut from big league camp is never fun, but there are plenty of players heading down whose futures have him excited.

“(The meetings) can also be productive and encouraging,” Vogt said. “That’s the approach I want to take. It’s not ‘Goodbye.’ It’s ‘See you later and keep working, and keep doing what you do.”

Noel, 22, appeared in nine Cactus League games and hit .227 with a .591 OPS and one RBI in 22 at-bats. In five minor league seasons, the 6-foot-3 Dominican native has 94 home runs and a .476 slugging percentage, but he struck out a combined 295 times in his last two seasons, including 145 whiffs in 519 at-bats for Columbus last year.

His departure from camp leaves Rule 5 draft selection Deyvison De Los Santos and No. 2 prospect Kyle Manzardo to compete for a hybrid backup first base/designated hitter role, with De Los Santos also able to log innings in the outfield for manager Stephen Vogt. De Los Santos, who must make Cleveland’s opening day roster or be offered back to the Diamondbacks, could have an advantage in that battle, but Manzardo continues to have a standout spring with a .429 batting average including two RBI and a 1.100 OPS in 16 plate appearances.

Rodriguez, 24, was Cleveland’s top minor league hitter last season, batting .289 with 29 home runs and an .897 OPS between Double-A Akron and Columbus. Rodriguez was competing for a spot in Cleveland’s outfield, but managed just four hits in 19 at-bats (.211) in exhibition play. Estevan Florial, acquired from the Yankees in an offseason trade for pitcher Cody Morris, is out of minor league options and appears to have the inside track on a fifth outfielder spot ahead of opening day.

Cantillo, 24, is Cleveland’s No. 11 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and had a strong showing in camp, allowing just three hits in seven innings across three appearances. Cantillo walked four and allowed four earned runs, but will head to minor league camp where he can continue building up innings and could be ready for a call up early in the season should Cleveland need help in the starting rotation.

Brito, 22, will continue to get a chance to play every day with Columbus after collecting three hits and driving in a pair of runs in 15 Cactus League at-bats. With competition for the starting shortstop position getting ready to heat up between Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio, Brito’s opportunities to play in major league exhibition games moving forward would have been greatly reduced.

Vogtn said he was impressed with the way Brito worked with infield coach Rouglas Odor and field coordinator Kai Correa throughout camp.

“It’s not easy to move around the dirt the way he does and play a different position every day and have the consistency that he showed in his work and in the games,” Vogt said of Brito.

At the plate, Vogt said Brito takes professional at-bats from both sides.

“He knows the strike zone, didn’t chase a ton and showed a couple of at-bats where he reallty impacted the ball,” Vogt said. “I’m really excited about the player Brito is growing into and I have no doubt that he can impact our roster at some point.”

Cleveland still has 51 players remaining in major league camp, including 17 pitchers who are on the 40-man roster and nine invitees as well as 17 position players currently on the 40-man roster alongside eight invitees.

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No. 1 prospect DeLauter making strong impression in spring

7:11 PM CDT

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Go ahead and dream, Guardians fans. Chase DeLauter seems to be the big bat prospect this organization has been craving for a long time.

It’s become second nature to assume that the next young hurler waiting in Cleveland’s farm system will somehow be ace-like as soon as he reaches the Majors. Yet when it comes to position players, the club hasn’t seen too many guys come up and make a tremendous difference in the lineup. DeLauter has the chance to break that trend.

DeLauter, Cleveland's No. 1 prospect and the No. 31 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, has been the talk of Spring Training. He’ll again be the focal point in the Guardians' inaugural Spring Breakout game on Saturday against the Reds at 7:05 p.m. ET at Goodyear Ballpark. On Tuesday, he solidified why he deserves the hype when he launched his second homer of the spring to help lift the Guardians to a 3-0 victory over the Rangers at Surprise Stadium.

DeLauter will still probably begin the season in the Minors. But his arrival to the big leagues won’t be too far into the future. There have been three things this spring that have made it glaringly obvious that he could be a good fit for Cleveland’s lineup. Maybe they’ll shine even brighter in the Spring Breakout matchup.

Professionalism

To the naked eye, it’s almost too easy to overlook DeLauter’s professionalism. When he’s in big league camp around Major League hitters, he blends in with everyone else to the point that you can forget he’s a 22-year-old Minor Leaguer in his second professional season. He doesn’t seem overwhelmed. He’s not trying to do too much.

“The kid’s got a really slow heartbeat,” Guardians hitting coach Chris Valaika said. “I can’t iterate that enough. It’s been really fun to watch someone that young take professional at-bats, knowing we have someone like that coming through our system.”

Professionalism in an at-bat is mostly defined by patience. So often, young players can get sped up when they see Major League pitching, leading to chasing pitches out of the strike zone or being too aggressive in their approaches. Not DeLauter.

“Just trusting myself, trusting my ability,” DeLauter said when asked how he keeps his poise. “I mean, trusting that’s the reason they would have put me in the lineup. So just go play.”

Power potential

Talk about things the Guardians have been craving…

There’s an obvious void in the power department, specifically in the outfield. Last year, the Guardians received 16 home runs from their outfielders. The next fewest number of homers hit by a team’s outfield was the Nationals with … 46. The need is there and DeLauter teased fans with his ability to quench their thirst in the near future once again on Tuesday, off of a lefty hurler, no less.

“That’s something I’ve been trying to work on this offseason is hitting lefties,” DeLauter said. “And pulling fastballs. If I’m able to do that, night and day.”

This is nothing new for DeLauter. He racked up five homers in 23 games in the Arizona Fall League -- when he first set off alarm bells for the Guardians that he can live up to the hype, considering he had to miss half of his first professional season last year due to left foot surgery.

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Chase DeLauter hits his second homer of the spring | 03/12/2024

https://www.mlb.com/guardians/video/cha ... efault-vtp

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Brayan Rocchio makes a diving stop | 03/12/2024

https://www.mlb.com/guardians/video/bra ... efault-vtp

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Florial managed a single yesterday in 4 at bats; and struck out twice; that's 12 strikeouts in 28 appearances.
Age 26, he has established that he is not a major leaguer. Let him go.

WEDNESDAY

Kwan LF
Ramirez 3b
Laureano rf
Josh 1b
Freeman CF again
Giminez 2b
Hodges C
Bo dh
Martinez SS apparently Arias is still under the weather
Bibee on the mound

Cubs tally 4 in the 1st on 3 singles and a grand slam by Miguel Amaya 25 year old catcher who played a bit for the cubs in 2023 with 5 homers.
Got himself hit by 11 pitchers in only 156 plate appearances. I hate guys like that

A little windy in the valley today. High scores. CIN/SF 30 runs.

All Cubs 8 runs result of HRs.

6000 attendance today. Cubs bring a lot of fans with them.

A little scoring tidbit I learned today.

Manzardo dropped a foul popup today. The batter continued his AB a got an infield single. Manzardo was then charged with an error because the batter reached base. If they got him out, he wouldn't have been charged with the error. The batter, instead of going 0-1, got new life and ended up 1-1.

Cleveland Guardians Spring Training Prospect Report 3/12/24

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 13

Game 18 - Cleveland Guardians 3, Texas Rangers 0

STARTERS

Chase DeLauter (RF): 2-3, HR, 2 RBI -

DeLauter had a pretty nice day as far as spring training performances go. His first inning single came off lefty Andrew Heaney, which is what you’d like to see from DeLauter off a major league lefty. His homer came off of veteran lefty Danny Duff, who for sure isn’t what he once was, but it’s a much better sign than DeLauter whiffing against him.

Brayan Rocchio (SS): 1-3, 2B -

Rocchio continues to get the longer looks at shortstop right now with Gabriel Arias out with his viral illness that just won’t seem to leave the Goodyear complex locker room. Now what is he doing with that unchecked time? A double here, which is fine and a nice play up the middle. This is a big chance for Rocchio to separate himself in this battle.

Daniel Schneemann (3B): 1-3 -

Schneemann also notched a single off of Heaney in his three plate appearances. He’s also had a fair amount of run this spring as well.

Kyle Manzardo (DH): 1-3, 2K -

Manzardo had a rough day, as far as spring training performances go. He fanned twice vs. Andrew Heaney, a lefty, which is a concern for him. He singled on a ground ball against a 4A reliever later in the game.

Jose Tena (2B): 0-3 -

Nothing notable from Tena in this one as he continues to move over in the lineup to fill in.

RESERVES WITH A HIT

Alexfri Planez (RF): 1-1, RBI -

Planez singled to right late in the game and has been given a lot of MLB playing time. However, he’s not exactly getting much playing time against MLB players at the point he’s coming in, so not much to read into other than trying to get him playing time for the lost time a year ago, or give him a chance to get noticed by another org.

ALSO PLAYED

Petey Halpin (CF): 0-3, K

Bryan Lavastida ( C): 0-1

Joe Naranjo (1B): 0-0, R

Milan Tolentino (SS): 0-1, K

Jose Devers (3B): 0-1

Raynel Delgado (2B): 0-1, K

RELIEVERS

TIm Herrin: IP, K -

Herrin continues to have a good spring missing bats and stands a good chance making the major league roster given the bullpen injuries.

Cade Smith: IP, H, 2K -

Smith hasn’t been given as many opportunities to face MLB level hitters most of spring, but what he is doing is putting away the hitters he should while running his heater up to 97-98.

Tanner Burns: IP, H, K -

Burns had a clean ninth to get everyone out of Surprise, just like everyone wants when a minor leaguer comes into the game with a late lead. Good to see him get in a game because often times he has been on the docket to throw but then other things happen and other pitchers in front of him have to get work and they run out of innings.

DRESSED BUT DID NOT PLAY

P Tyler Zuber, Jaime Arias, Trey Benton, Jordan Jones

C Micael Ramirez

INF Alex Mooney

OF Cesar Idrogo


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Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee, shown in a spring-training start against the Giants on March 3, was knocked around on Wednesday against the Cubs. Bibee allowed seven runs on five hits in three innings at Goodyear Ballpark.Carolyn Kaster, AP

GUARDIANS

Guardians’ Tanner Bibee cuffed around by Cubs in 8-3 spring training loss

Published: Mar. 13, 2024, 7:40 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A few days ago Guardians manager Stephen Vogt told reporters that Tanner Bibee was working on a few things in his delivery under the guidance of pitching coaches Carl Willis and Joe Torres. After watching Bibee allow seven runs over three innings Wednesday in a 8-3 spring-training loss to the Cubs, let’s hope the work isn’t complete.

Bibee allowed a grand slam in the first inning at Goodyear Ballpark and things did not improve from there. He faced eight Cubs in the first before John Benton relieved to get the final out.

In the second inning, under the spring-training re-entry rule, Bibee returned and allowed a two-out homer to Garrett Cooper to make it 5-0. It was that kind of day for Bibee and the Guards.

Bibee (1-1, 8.22 ERA) allowed seven hits while striking out two in his third Cactus League start. He did work a scoreless third inning.

The Cubs finished the day with four homers. Catcher Miguel Amaya hit the slam in the first inning. He followed three straight singles by Cooper, Dominic Smith and Patrick Wisdom that loaded the bases.

Wisdom added a two-run homer off Jaimie Barria in the fifth and David Bote homered off Adam Oller with the bases empty in the eighth. The Cubs are 2-0 against Cleveland this spring and have out-homered them, 7-1. Bote owns two of the long balls.

Bibee, with two starts left in the Cactus League season, is in line to start the second game of the regular season on March 29 against the A’s in Oakland. In his previous start, he threw three scoreless innings against the White Sox.

Offensively, Jose Ramirez hit a two-run homer for the Guards in the fifth to make it 7-3. It was Ramirez’s third homer of the spring. He hit two last spring.

The Cubs left Bibee, Barria and Oller bruised with their 13-hit attack. Benton, Anthony Banda and Jack Leftwich were the only Guardians’ pitchers who did not allow a run. Leftwich, a seventh round pick in 2021 out of the University of Florida, has not allowed a run in five games this spring.

Cleveland finished with nine hits. Steven Kwan, Bo Naylor and Andres Gimenez had two each. Gimenez singled and scored on Bo Naylor’s single for Cleveland’s first run in the fourth inning.

Next:

Lefty Logan Allen will face the Rockies on Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark. Game time is 4:05 p.m. with WTAM carrying the game. The Rockies are scheduled to start RHP Peter Lambert.

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Emmanuel Clase, Hunter Gaddis, Eli Morgan, Tanner Burns and Tyler Zuber are scheduled to follow Allen to the mound.

Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams struck out 81 batters in 82 innings last year as a rookie in 16 starts. AP

Guardians right-hander to miss second straight spring start; opening day in doubt

Updated: Mar. 13, 2024, 7:18 p.m.|Published: Mar. 13, 2024, 6:07 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Guardians continue to handle Gavin Williams, their first-round pick in 2020 and one of their five hand-picked starters for the 2023 season, carefully.

Williams was scratched from his scheduled spring start Sunday against the Reds with a sore right elbow. His next scheduled start was Friday against the Royals, but right-hander Tyler Beede will replace him.

It is questionable if Williams will be ready to open the season with the Guardians on March 28 in Oakland.

After Friday’s start, the Guardians will have only 11 games left in Arizona before breaking camp. They have to keep their first four starters, Shane Bieber, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen and Triston McKenzie, in line for the season ahead. They will also need to get Williams’ potential replacement regular work.

That could force them to put Williams on the injured list to open the season. Or they could open the season with 25 players, while Williams stays in Arizona and pitches in some camp games until he’s ready to take his regular turn with the Guards.

Pitching coach Carl Willis told mlb.com at the team’s spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona, that Williams is making progress.

“We’re still gathering information,” said Willis. “All the news has been good. He continues to improve, which is great news. It’s still day to day because we want to be assured when he touches a mound again, and I think that’ll be soon, that he’s ready to go.”

The consensus in camp is that Williams is still a few days away from throwing. Just how long he would need to get back into games is unknown.

He was the first member of Cleveland’s rotation to make a spring start, striking out four in two scoreless innings against the Angels on Feb. 29. On March 5, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Williams struck out five in 2 2/3 innings against Seattle.

Things couldn’t have been going much better, but in preparation for Sunday’s start against the Reds, Williams made an awkward throw during a weighted-ball drill and felt discomfort in his right elbow. He has not thrown since.

The Guardians, after watching their rotation limp through last season, worked this winter to add depth.

They signed right-hander Ben Lively to a big league deal. Lively, however, has been battling a viral infection and has pitched only 4 2/3 innings this spring.

They reached minor league deals Carlos Carrasco and Beede. Right-hander Hunter Gaddis and Xzavion Curry, both on the 40-man roster, are depth starters as well. They combined to make 16 starts last year as rookies.

If Williams does open the year on the injured list, it will be the second consecutive season that the Guards haven’t had their frontline rotation ready to start the 162-game grind. Last year McKenzie injured his right shoulder on his last start of the spring, beginning a nightmare season for the right-hander that saw him make only four starts.

McKenzie has looked good in two starts this spring. He threw three scoreless innings on Monday against the Dodgers, striking out four and allowing one hit and one walk.

“He actually reached his highest velocities I think in the third inning of work (on Monday),” Willis told mlb.com. “He has no symptoms, no issues with anything.”

McKenzie not only suffered a right shoulder injury last year, but he strained his UCL in his right elbow when he briefly rejoined the rotation in June.

When injuries befell McKenzie, Bieber and the departed Cal Quantrill, Williams was one of the rookies promoted to fill the holes. He went 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 16 starts. Williams struck out 81 and walked 37 in 82 innings. The opposition slashed .219/.310/.368 against him.

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Willliams shutdown gives Carrasco a shot as fill in 5th starter. But I sure hope Williams is back soon; he's got a huge arm and great potential.

News on Stephan is not encouraging

March 13: RHP Gavin Williams still awaiting more information, but progressing well
Guardians fans can exhale for now. Although the team doesn't have all the information about Williams' right elbow discomfort just yet, pitching coach Carl Willis said Williams has been progressing well and should be back on a mound soon.

March 13: RHP Trevor Stephan seeking more opinions
The Guardians were relieved earlier in camp that Stephan's right elbow pain had not been caused by structural damage, but the righty is now starting to seek other opinions to determine how long he'll need before he can return to play.

Another season-killing shoulder surgery for Daniel Espino