What Is Going On In Cleveland’s Outfield?

 

    The Cleveland Guardians are in first place which is surprising to some based on their roster construction and the moves that have been made by first year manager Stephen Vogt. Their strength has always been their rotation and this year isn’t any different. They made the playoffs a few years ago by breaking the record for having the most rookies to debut on a playoff team.

            Leftfield is covered by one of the best players in the league in Steven Kwan offensively and defensively but outside of that it has been a revolving door for the other two thirds mostly centerfield.

            They decided to cut their incumbent centerfielder Myles Straw, a Gold Glove winner for some reason. All of baseball knows he isn’t a great hitter which is why he lost the leadoff spot and was demoted to the 9^th spot. That left a hole in centerfield which as of the All-Star break has not been filled.

            First man up was utility player Tyler Freeman who is a natural born shortstop with more career innings at third base. They have used more infielders out in center field, again none with any career innings out there like Gabriel Arias, another utility player who is a natural born shortstop. They have also used two rookie infielders in Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martinez.

            We haven’t even gotten to the right field problem yet. Will Brennan is more suited for a backup role but is a natural born centerfielder and those shortstops we mentioned before have played there. Lastly David Fry who made the All-Star team due to his offensive game has been shuffling in out of the DH spot, catcher, both corner outfield spots and both corner infield spots.

            If Cleveland is serious about going far in the playoffs because it seems like a lock to win one of the worst divisions in all of baseball they need to upgrade one or two of their outfield spots. Look no further than the Trade Deadline fast approaching this month.

            There are some teams who are out of the race this early like the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs. Maybe the Pittsburgh Pirates become sellers and potentially. Both the St Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers can trade from a position of strength. Mike Yastrzemski, could fill one of the two spots, JJ Bleday, Jose Siri, Cody Bellinger also could fill both. Michael A Taylor, Dylan Carlson and one of the many young Brewer outfielders can also fill those OF positions.

            Fans of the Guardians do not want to waste another season of a good pitching staff and winning a division and going nowhere in the playoffs so Vogt and general manager Mike Chernoff better be listening or it will be another failure.  

2024 MLB Trade Deadline Preview:

 

Central:

Guardians:

Buyers: Outfield

Twins:

Buyers: Starting Pitching and Relivers

Royals:

Sellers:

Outfield: Hunter Renfroe Infield: Garrett Hampson, Adam Frazier Pitchers: Michael Wacha, Chris Stratton, Will Smith

Tigers:

Sellers:

Outfield: Matt Vierling Infield: Gio Urshela, Zach McKinstry, Andy Ibanez, Mark Canha Catcher: Jake Rogers Pitchers: Jack Flaherty, Andrew Chafin, Shelby Miller

White Sox:

Sellers:

Outfield: Tommy Pham, Gavin Sheets Infield: Nicky Lopez, Paul DeJong Pitchers: Steven Wilson, Chad Kuhl, Michael Koepch, Chris Flexen, Erick Fedde, Garrett Crochet, John Brebbia, Tanner Banks

East:

Orioles:

Buyers: Stating Pitching

Yankees:

Buyers: Infielders and Relivers

Red Sox:

Sellers: Outfield: Rob Refsnyder Infield: Dominic Smith Pitchers: Nick Pivetta, Kenley Jansen

Rays:

Sellers: Infield: Ahmed Rosario, Isaac Paredes Outfield: Jose Siri, Randy Arozarena Pitchers: Aaron Civale, Phil Maton, Zack Littell, Shawn Armstrong, Zach Eflin

Blue Jays:

Sellers: Infield: Justin Turner, Vlad Guerrero Jr, Bo Bichette Catcher: Danny Jansen Outfield: Kevin Kiermaier, Daulton Varsho Pitchers: Trevor Richards, Yusei Kikuchi, Chad Green, Yimi Garcia, Genesis Cabrera

West:

Astros:

Buyers: First base and Starting Pitching

Mariners:

Buyers: Leftfield, Relivers and Backup Catcher

Rangers:

Buyers: DH, Third Base and Relievers

Angels:

Sellers: Infield: Luis Guilorme, Brandon Drury, Luis Rengifo Outfield: Willie Calhoun, Kevin Pillar, Taylor Ward Pitchers: Hunter Strickland, Kenny Rosenberg, Matt Moore, Luis Garcia, Carson Fulmer, Carlos Estevez, Reid Detmers, Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning

Athletics:

Sellers: Infield: Abraham Toro, Miguel Andujar Outfield: Brent Rooker, Seth Brown, JJ Bleday Pitchers: Mason Miller, TJ McFarland, Scott Alexander, Austin Adams

Central:

Brewers:

Buyers: Starting Pitching and Relivers

Cardinals:

Buyers: Relivers

Pirates:

Sellers: Outfield: Connor Joe, Michael A Taylor Pitchers: Martin Perez, Marco Gonzales, Aroldis Chapman, Colin Holderman, Josh Fleming, Dennis Santana

Cubs:

Sellers: Infield: Patrick Wisdom Outfield: Cody Bellinger, Mike Tauchman Pitchers: Drew Smyly, Kyle Hendricks, Mark Leiter Jr, Jorge Lopez, Julian Merryweather, Jameson Taillon

Reds:

Sellers: Infield: Jonathan India, Santiago Espinal Outfield: Austin Slater, Jake Fraley Catcher: Austin Wynns, Luke Maile Pitchers: Justin Wilson, Nick Martinez, Buck Farmer, Brent Suter

East:

Phillies:

Buyers: Relivers and Outfielders

Braves:

Buyers: Relivers

Mets:

Buyers: Relivers and Rightfield

Nationals:

Sellers: Infield: Ildemaro Vargas, Juan Yepez, Joey Gallo Outfield: Lane Thomas, Jesse Winkler, Harold Ramirez Pitchers: Trevor Williams, Tanner Rainey, Derek Law, Dylan Floro, Kyle Finnegan, Patrick Corbin, Hunter Harvey

Marlins:

Sellers: Infield: Josh Bell, Emmanuel Rivera Outfield: Nick Gordon, Jazz Chisholm Jr Pitchers: Tanner Scott, Trevor Rogers, AJ Puk, Yonny Chirinos, JT Chargpois, Anthony Bender

West:

Dodgers:

Buyers: Starting Pitchers, Relivers, Second Base, Leftfield, Third Base

Padres:

Buyers: Starting Pitching, Relivers, Catcher, DH

Diamondbacks:

Buyers: Starting Pitchers and Relivers

Giants:

Sellers: Infield: Thairo Estrada, Wilmer Flores, LaMonte Wade Jr Outfield: Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto Catcher: Curt Casali Pitchers: Taylor Rogers, Tyler Rogers

Rockies:

Sellers: Outfield: Sam Hillard, Jake Cave Catcher: Elias Diaz, Jacob Stallings Pitchers: Cal Quantrill, Justin Lawrence, Peter Lambert, Tyler Kinley, Austin Gomber, Kyle Freeland, Ty Blach 

The Missing Answer at 1B for Houston:

 

Well Houston they did indeed have a problem when it came to their first basemen. They released Jose Abreu despite still owing him money for another season after this. For the season he hit .124/.167/.195 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in 35 games and posted a −1.6 WAR, by far the lowest of his career. That was a result of their decision in choosing between their own veteran in Yuli Gurriel or Abreu to be their first baseman- both veteran Cubans up there in age. That move did not work out and are now plugging the gap with Jonathan Singleton and Mauricio Dubon. Singleton was a former top prospect that was given a ten year deal before he even made it to the big leagues but then was demoted a year later and then cut a few years after that. Dubon is a super utility player.

Yordan Alvarez has been their left fielder/DH but has been on the injured list more than ten times since he debuted five years ago. He won Rookie of the Year mostly playing DH and has done the same when he hasn’t been hurt. So he would be the perfect solution to finally fill the hole at first base. You could say he is right where he belongs, playing DH or LF but they have a good amount of young players to play the outfield. Jake Myers can be their everyday centerfielder and let Chas McCormick play LF or Joey Loperfido. There would also be some more at bats at DH for Yainer Diaz or anyone else. It doesn’t have to be Alvarez at first base for all 162 just a suggestion to keep him healthy and to make this team better going forward.

The Astros need to think about their future as core players like SP Justin Verlander and 2B Jose Altuve are getting up there in age, and 3B Alex Bregman is an impending free agent plus OF Kyle Tucker next season. If they want to keep being World Series contenders they need to keep their best players healthy. Then Houston we might not have a problem anymore.

2024 NBA Finals Predictions:

 

Mavericks Vs. Celtics: Mavericks in 6

2024 NBA 1st Round Predictons:

 

East:

#8 Heat Vs. #1 Celtics: Celtics in 6

#7 76ers Vs. #2 Knicks: Knicks in 6

#3 Bucks Vs. #6 Pacers: Pacers in 7

#4 Cavaliers Vs. #5 Magic: Magic in  6

West:

#8 Pelicans Vs. #1 Thunder: Thunder in 6

#7 Lakers Vs. #2 Nuggets: Nuggets in 5

#3 Timberwolves Vs. #6 Suns: Suns in 7

#4 Clippers Vs #5 Mavericks: Mavs in 7

2024 NBA Playoffs Play in Predictions:

 

East:

Bulls Vs Hawks: Bulls in 2

76ers Vs Heat: Heat in 3

West:

Kings Vs Warriors: Warriors in 3

Pelicans Vs Lakers: Pelicans in 3

Who We Used To Be-James Blunt Album Review:

 

James Blunt is back with his seventh album “Who We Used to be” his first full album since 2019(Once Upon a Mind) but his first since the release of his greatest hits album “The Stars beneath my Feet”. That album had some unreleased or bonus songs but put three new singles so this new album gives fans ten new songs and he even released a quasi-memoir “Loosely Based on a Made-Up Story”.

Overall this album hits on what makes Blunt a successful singer-songwriter-musician is by songs that are easy on the ear and that are catchy. His usual tone is all depressing songs back in his youth but has become more upbeat later on but still has challenges before him like aging, loss and the passing of time as it glimpses into his growth and maturity as an artist.

There are some more heavy pop songs like “Some Kind of Beautiful”, “Beside You”, “I won’t die with you” and “Cold shoulder” that all are catchy hitting on his good lyrical career. Three of them sound like EDM or that you are in a club or have some fast talking. The first one sounds like a previous song “Superstar” and the second one sounds like the style of the album “The Afterlove” which can be good and bad. What is surprising is the first track on the album “Saving a Life” isn’t a single because it is a really good start to the album with great lyrics.

The rest of the tracks are emotional like “The Girl that never was” which is about his marriage that “You win some battles and you lose some. And the ones that we have lost we struggle with a bit”. The issue is it feels longer than it really it as it drags on a bit. While “All the Love That I ever needed” which is one of the singles sounds like a typical song from his catalog as it is about the struggles of aging. One of his best songs “If Time is all I have” from a previous album it’s kind of reminiscent of the song “Last Dance” which  is all about living in the moment and not letting opportunities go.

The final two tracks are really emotional as one is about his relationship with Carrie Fisher in “Dark Thought” with him visiting her house after she had died in 2016 as the two met in England in 2003 and he lived in Fisher's house in Los Angeles after he moved there to record his first album Back to Bedlam. Fisher had previously spoken about how she "became James's therapist". So it is a very good song about losing a loved one no matter if it was a relative or a friend who is like family in the shades of “So Long Jimmy” and “Monsters” his previous tracks about loss. The final song “Glow” is a good way to end the album with another really good message about letting your light glow, so don’t keep it in and about aging, as well as it similar to the track “Shine On” from the "All the Lost Souls" album.

It is nice to see the progression from soldier turned musician of mostly depressing songs from the first few albums to getting increasingly happier in later albums as he ages into a different stage of his life. He is married with kids writing about the struggles of middle agedness as he turned fifty this year. This album is another strong addition to his discography where there isn’t much that you need to skip as it might be one of his best albums to date, as it could be his fourth best album. Depending on your mood you can turn on any of his albums for your mood from sad, happy or angry, or even parties. He has a point with the title of “Who we used to be” he has found who he used to be by coming out with a really good album sounding like some of his old works.