CLEVELAND, Ohio — Do you have a Guardians question that you’d like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? You can subscribe to Subtext here, text Hoynsie at 216-208-4346 for a two-week free trial or email him at [email protected].
Hey, Hoynsie: Does Terry Francona’s quick turnaround to become the Reds manager after stepping down from the Guardians at the end of last year lend credibility to the theory that last season’s trade deadline fire sale caused a rift between Francona and the front office? – Steven Cornelius.
Hey, Steve: No doubt some fires had to be put out after the Guardians traded Aaron Civale and Josh Bell at the deadline when they were within shouting distance of first place in 2023. But if that caused the kind of rift that would make Francona step down at the end of the season, I’ve badly misread his 11-year relationship with Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff.
I think physically he needed time to heal after several years of offseason operations. Eleven years managing one team in the big leagues is a lifetime. Perhaps he felt his message had begun to fade in the clubhouse, but I don’t think the deadline trades motivated his decision.
Hey, Hoynsie: I am stunned at the news about Tito going to the Reds. I’m not sure if I feel more excited for him, or a bit betrayed that he left us for our Ohio Cup Rivals. They’re getting a great manager, and perhaps Stephen Vogt was the right person at the right time to get this young Cleveland team back to the playoffs. It’s a mixed bag of emotion. – Greg Benedetto, Cottonwood, Arizona.
Hey, Greg: You are not alone in your feelings.
Jose Ramirez is not underrated because he’s one of the best players in baseball.Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Hey, Hoynsie: Would the Guardians winning the World Series get Jose Ramirez more national recognition going forward in his career? – Andy Mees, Sandusky.
Hey, Andy: Whoever thinks Ramirez is underrated is being silly. He’s not. Plain and simple, he’s one of the best players in baseball. There’s no GM in the game who would call him underrated.
Hey, Hoynsie: How do the stats compare between the Guards and Tigers following the All-Star break? – Bill, Tennessee.
Hey, Bill: Based on the stats following the break, the Tigers are the better team. The Tigers went 36-26 (.600) after the break to clinch the last wild card spot. The Guards went 34-32 (.515) to hang on to first place in the AL Central. Check out these second half stats and how they rank in the AL.
Tigers: .234 batting average (10th), 269 runs (tied for ninth), 63 homers (13th), .682 OPS (10th), pitching 39-26, 3.13 ERA (first) and saves 24 (first).
Guards: .230 batting average (12th), 254 runs (11th), 76 homers (fifth), OPS .676 (11th), pitching 34-32, 3.45 (seventh) and saves 19 (tied for eighth).
Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Hey, Hoynsie: Initially manager Stephen Vogt hesitated naming Tanner Bibee as the Game 1 starter in the ALDS. Do you think he was considering another starter for Saturday? – David England, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Hey, David: Bibee was always going to be the Game 1 starter. There are times when Vogt, as a rookie manager, seems unsure of what he can and can’t tell reporters. That will change the deeper he gets into this job.
Hey, Hoynsie: What do you know about Triston McKenzie and his status for the ALDS? Could Gavin Williams pitch out of the bullpen in the ALDS? – Kurt Miller, Worthington.
Hey, Kurt: I think Williams can certainly pitch out of the pen in the postseason. The Guardians invited several players to workout with them in preparation for the ALDS. Some have trained at Progressive Field. Others are at Class AA Akron.
McKenzie received an invitation, but I’d be surprised if he made the ALDS roster.The Guardians did use McKenzie out of the bullpen late in the Class AAA season at Columbus.
Emmanuel Clase averaged 13.22 pitches per inning in saving a single-season record 47 games for the Guardians this year.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Hey, Hoynsie: Emmanuel Clase seems to be an incredibly efficient pitcher. By my count, he’s averaged just over 13 pitches per inning. How does that compare with other great relievers? – Mark N., Chicago.
Hey, Mark: Your count is right on the money. Clase, who led the AL in saves for the third straight year, averaged 13.22 pitches per inning in his 74 1/3 innings of work. Ryan Helsley, who led the big leagues with 49 saves for the Cardinals, averaged 14 pitches per inning in 66 1/3 innings. Mariano Rivera, MLB’s all-time saves leader, averaged 14.7 pitches per inning in his final season in 2013.
Hey, Hoynsie: With all the off days in the ALDS, who has the advantage – the Guardians or Tigers? The Tigers pitching Tarik Skubal on full rest two out of five games or the Guardians being able to deploy the bullpen with plenty of recovery days? – Mark Scott, Malvern.
Hey, Mark: The Guards and Tigers feature two of the best bullpens in the AL. The off days between Game 1 and Game 2 and Game 2 and Game 3 are going to allow managers Stephen Vogt and A.J. Hinch to go to their pens frequently, while Tanner Bibee and Skubal can pitch on full rest twice depending on how long the series goes.
It’s a coin flip right now. Skubal, if the Tigers need him twice, could make the difference.
