November 8, 2024 • 39 mins
Some news and notes this week as the off-season deals begin. We'll hear from Austin Hedges who re-signed this week for another season as one of the Cleveland catchers. Plus, a great conversation with the man who caught the ALDS Game 5 Lane Thomas Grand Slam. Also, we begin our look back at some of the top games in 2024 beginning with the opener in Oakland with Sjhane Bieber on the mound. That's all on this edition of Guardians Weekly with Jim Rosenhaus on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network.
Guardians Weekly is brought to you by Progressive helping Guardians
fans save hundreds.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
On car insurance.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Hi, everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosen House along
with you as we join you for another of our
hot Stove shows from our Mote broadcast studio away from
Progressive Field as the renovation project continues Phase two year
or two that should be completed in time for opening days,
so the ballpark off limits for now, but we still
(01:12):
bring you our show each and every week, and a
good show lined up for you this week, including the
return of our Game of the Week segment that we
produce each off season on a weekly basis, looking back
at some of the great games of the season, and
in twenty twenty four there were plenty, to be sure,
and we'll take you back to opening night, the first
win in the managerial career of new manager Stephen Vote,
(01:36):
and it was a big night for Shane Bieber as
well in Oakland, way back in late March. That kicked
off a season that turned out to be a special
one for the Guardians that took them all the way
to the American League Championship Series. We will also have
some special guest stopping by shortly to talk about a
memorable moment for them, as they were part of one
(01:58):
of the great moments of the season in Game five
of the American League Division Series. Much more on that
after our break, but for some news and notes before
we get to that.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Earlier this week, it was.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Announced that both Andre Simenez, the guardians outstanding second basement
and left fielder Stephen Kwan, had won Gold Glove Awards,
and for each that means three consecutive years they have
done that, which is absolutely remarkable, and of course for Jimenez,
he has an opportunity now with an announcement forthcoming soon,
(02:31):
to win a second consecutive Platinum Glove for the best
overall defender in the league, regardless of positions. So congratulations
to both of those young men. Second basement Andre Cimenez,
who if you watch him, he passes the eye test
as well as all of the numbers that determine a
Gold Glove award, and of course Stephen Kwan very much
the same out there in left field. Also earlier this week,
(02:55):
Austin Hedges was re signed by the Guardians to a
one year major league contract. He'll be back with the team.
He's been with Cleveland in two of the last three seasons,
the two seasons that the Guardians won the American League
Central Division twenty twenty two and twenty twenty four. So
no coincidence there, And we hope to catch up with
Austin and have him on for an interview sometime in
(03:18):
a future show. But certainly did some great things and
talked with the Cleveland media earlier this week and explain
why he's back and what it means to him to
be back with Cleveland.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
Yeah, it's really about the day to day. Like you know,
throughout my career, you know, there's been some good situations
and some bad situations. And the thing that made the
most sense to me of like what I wanted most,
you know in my career kind of started in Cleveland
in like twenty twenty into twenty twenty one, and I
(03:52):
just never really experienced what it's like to have, you know,
look forward to going to work every day and you know,
just be with a group of guys that that you
really couldn't wait to get back to the field, get
back to the grind with and you know, in leaving
in twenty three. You know, there was some some bad
things and some good things that happened, but the thing
(04:13):
that stood out the most was how much I missed
that group. And then you know, everything that we accomplished
and went through together last year just made it even
more obvious that, you know, we had to run it back.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
You mentioned after after Game five that you felt like
a Cleveland guy.
Speaker 6 (04:29):
Do you do you feel like that even more right now?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (04:31):
It's uh, you know, obviously, like I love being in Cleveland,
but the thing that makes me love being in Cleveland
was more is I feel the love from everybody else.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
The people in the organization, the fans, the city.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
Have have so embraced me, and I just I feel
like a Cleveland guy. Like That's that. That's the best
way I could put it. Like it feels like home
to me. And I know I signed a one year contract,
but as long as they as long as they want me,
I don't plan on going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
It's Austin Hedges back in the fold for another season,
as he signed a contract for the twenty twenty five campaign. Well,
it was a memorable postseason for all Guardians fans, certainly,
and two in particular, and we will meet them when
we come back and relive a special moment for them
that took place in Game five of the American League
(05:22):
Division Series. That's next on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio netword.
Speaker 7 (05:35):
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Speaker 3 (06:15):
Thomas digs in hole for two. But he's been one
of the hottest hitters for the Guardians for a month.
Here's the pitch to him. He swings and drives it
high in the air left field.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Will it make the bleachers grand? Sad? Lame? Thomas has
put the Guardians in front with a grand slam.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Five to one Cleveland, and this place is shaking. Welcome
back to Guardians Weekly, and we are getting deeper into
the off season, which is always kind of a sad
time of a year for folks who love baseball. And
we are joined in our next segment by two people
(07:05):
who love the game and were a big part of
some great games this past postseason for the Guardians. Matt Coleman,
who's the head baseball coach at Calvert High School in Tiffin,
and his good friend and cousin Patrick Steyer, who also
lives in Tiffin, And they had an opportunity to be
a part of one of the great moments in this
(07:27):
year's postseason, and really any postseason, the Laine Thomas grand
Slam home run in the deciding Game five against the
Tigers in the American League Division Series. And Matt, why
don't we start with you. Let's take it right to
that fifth inning in Game five on a beautiful Saturday
afternoon here in Cleveland. You and Patrick had pretty good
(07:49):
seats in the bleachers that are familiar to you guys,
and what happened. Let's take it to where Jose Ramirez
was at the plate and what you were hoping would
happen at that point.
Speaker 8 (08:00):
Yeah, first off, thanks Jim for having us on. It's
been a special month. And yeah, basically at that moment
in game five, Jose steps to the plate and Glove's
sitting beside me along with Patrick, who's a good friend
and cousin of mine, special seats where my dad had
sat for numerous games, and thinking bases loaded against Trek Scouble.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
We were in a tough spot.
Speaker 8 (08:25):
I think earlier in the inning we gave up a
run to make it one to nothing, and that you know,
with with Scooba on the mound, that's it's a tough battle.
Speaker 6 (08:33):
But I looked over it at Patrick and he's like,
we got this. Don't worry Matt. You know, he's just
he's just a beacon.
Speaker 8 (08:40):
Of hope and positivity.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
And that being said, we go and load the bases.
Speaker 8 (08:46):
Jose comes up to the plate and I had my
glove ready, he had his, you know, Patrick had his
towel that he was swinging.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
You know, most of the game sat on it.
Speaker 8 (08:55):
I did move that towel, but I was like hoping
that was the moment, and then obviously they hit Jose
hit him in the forearm. Were at that point just
hoping he was healthy. And fast forward, It's one to one.
First pitch to Laine Thomas. Felt like it stayed in
the air for about a day, maybe fifteen seconds, and
(09:18):
I knew I couldn't drop it, but when I caught it,
just kind of gave a pump of the fifth and
gave it to Patrick, and thank God for the moment
and the memory. Knowing that both our dads were probably
there in that moment and Cleveland celebrated, felt like erupted
and it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Just a great memory. And Patrick, let's go right to
you first off, before we even talk about getting that ball,
right in that moment and what it meant to you
just being able to go to a game. I know
you've battled leukemia and you're on the tail end of
that and things are looking really positive, but how long
had it been since you had been to a game?
(09:57):
And how special was it just to be at a
post season game with your cousin or with your uncle the.
Speaker 9 (10:04):
Last game I've been to was twolsand and nineteen, so
it has been before COVID hit and then after that,
I went through nursing homes and hospitals and now I'm
in an apartment now. So has been quite an his
parents for everything.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
And when Matt gave you the ball, what did that
mean to you? Especially the way the stadium was just
going bananas at that particular time. It was very toughing,
and you had a chance to go back to another
game and meet someone who turned out to be pretty special.
Fast forward to Game three of the American League Championship
(10:45):
Series against the Yankees, a game that will always be
remembered for the game tying home run by John Kenzie
Nowell and the walk off by David Frye. Who did
you meet before the game that Game three against the Yankees?
Speaker 9 (10:58):
Yes, you see, given why I stay out as a game, Yeah,
it was a pretty special moment.
Speaker 8 (11:04):
He got to meet David Fry's dad, who just happened
to recognize us, congratulated Patrick, you know, on the ball,
and he told us he was David's dad. I, you know,
I just had the moment to get a picture with
with Patrick and mister fry I think j Fry, so
it was it was pretty special. We kind of joked
I thanked him for sharing his son with the city
(11:25):
and the grittiness that he he displays, and it, Yeah,
it was just just really neat. I actually we joked that, hey,
when Patrick catches us one tonight, that the game winner.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I didn't say game winner.
Speaker 8 (11:40):
I think it was more just if we catch his
home run ball in joking manner, we would make sure
we got it to him. Little did we know it
would fly after Patrick put the rally caps on us
about three rows over our head in section eighty two.
Just a little bit of divine intervention, and it felt
like And then I when I got home, I read
(12:00):
the postgame quotes of Fry and how he'd let God
take the bat, and it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, and both of you had mentioned why it was
so special because of your dad's Explain that and what
baseball meant to both of them and how that comes
into play here.
Speaker 8 (12:20):
Yeah, Baseball has been a big, big part of a life.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
Sports have been a big part of both of our lives.
Speaker 8 (12:25):
You know, Patrick plays basketball himself still, but he you know,
in terms of baseball and our father's actually His father
is my dad's godfather. My dad was a Vietnam veteran
who lost his leg over in Vietnam and some enemy fire,
came back, suffered some Parkinson's and Louis body dementia, but
(12:45):
actually had a moment with him in the twenty sixteen
World Series where Jason Kitness delivered a home run to US,
unfortunately in Game six where they were behind seven to
two at the time, but it was a special memory.
My dad's always coached, uh, myself, my brother, and my
sister in sports and baseball. Really, you know, never never
(13:08):
really saw challenges with the wooden leg or having an
artificial leg.
Speaker 6 (13:14):
You know, it was obviously special.
Speaker 8 (13:17):
And then Patrick overcoming his his challenges with with down
Syndroman with with leukemia. Similar his dad passed away two
years ago. My dad passed away seven years ago. His
dad just passed away right before he was diagnosed with
the cancer. And just two great men that we're so
(13:41):
thankful for and felt like were with us that day.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And Patrick, what what makes the game so special to you?
As you developed into just a great fan over the years.
Speaker 6 (13:51):
It was always clean watched Cleveland Rocks.
Speaker 8 (13:57):
He says, you just you just you just love Cleveland
and you Cleveland sports.
Speaker 10 (14:00):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Yeah, Matt, I know it's not baseball season right now,
but I'm sure you see your players at the high school.
And we're joined by Matt Coleman, the head coach at
Calvert High School in Tiffin, and his cousin Patrick Steyer.
And Matt made a great catch of the Grand Slam
home run hit by Lane Thomas in Game five of
(14:23):
the Division Series against the Tigers, and right away gave
it to Patrick in that first or second row of
the bleachers, right near the front. And Matt, have your
players said, hey, you know, nice going with the catches.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I mean, these are not easy.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
People take it for granted that you just make a
catch of a home run, but it's not easy.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (14:43):
I think I probably probably had some help on that
one somehow, some divine intervention, but I, you know.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
Made sure I had my glove. I had.
Speaker 8 (14:50):
My two sons will play on the team with me.
So my oldest son is a senior and he hasn't
played much outfield for us, but I took his outfitter, Mitch,
which you passed on to my freshman son.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
We'll see if he needs it. This year.
Speaker 8 (15:04):
But yeah, it's I mean, it's just it's been incredible.
We have a great group of guys that work hard,
and we're getting into open fields now and hoping, you know,
we've had some special memories with the team. You know,
just two and three years ago we had the opportunity
to play in Rubber Duck Stadium and you know, unfortunately
things didn't work out for us there.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
But day by day we're working.
Speaker 8 (15:26):
To hopefully, you know, put a good team on the
field and good product that works hard. But yeah, it's
been some topic of discussion, and thankfully I didn't have
to go back and hear a bunch of grief from
my players that I didn't use two hands or I
didn't have voluntary release of the ball.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
So and just to put a rap on it, all right,
So there's the catch you made of the Grand Slam,
and then the Kipness catch in twenty sixteen talking to
David Fry's dad before the game that he hit, so
walk off the John Kenzie Noel home run not hit
too far from where you were, but you actually knew
(16:06):
the people who were in those seats and grab that baseball.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Yeah true.
Speaker 6 (16:11):
Actually the game I took Patrick to my kids.
Speaker 8 (16:14):
I have three high schoolers, a senior, a sophomore daughter,
and then a freshman son. And they had homecoming and
actually my son went to homecoming with the.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Granddaughter of the girl that got the ball.
Speaker 8 (16:28):
She actually listens to all the grand Grandma missus Favor
Kathy Favor, listens to one hundred and sixty two games
on the radio list watches on TV, and had to
be coaxed to going with her grandson.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
The ball landed next to her, she.
Speaker 8 (16:44):
Picks it up and it was pretty neat from that
perspective too. In my thinking though, Patrick is kind of
the lucky charm. I mean, I went to a couple
more game Game four, in Game five, wasn't able to
pull it off, but he was there in Game five
and in Game three. So but he's battling through some
(17:06):
things right now. We're excited to uh, We're hoping to
get him back to some more games next year.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
His love of.
Speaker 8 (17:12):
Baseball and then hopefully he's a celebrity here in Seneca County.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
He's played a lot of basketball. They want him, We
want him to.
Speaker 8 (17:19):
Get back on the court and shoot some three pointers,
right you Patrick?
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (17:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Are you a Cavaliers fan too. There you go. Yes, yeah, well.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
They'll have to go through and through and a buck guy,
they'll have to get you out to some of their
playoff games because it looks like they're heading that way too,
so maybe they could use your help as well. Yeah, guys,
thanks so much for the time. Uh Mac, great to
talk to you, Patrick, pleasure to meet you and and
hopefully we'll see at the ballpark next summer.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
Okay, we appreciate it. Take care of Jim.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
As Matt Coleman, who made a great the Grand Slam
home run from Lane Thomas in the postseason. He's the
head coach at Calvert High School in Tiffin and his
cousin Patrick Steyer. Great story of I don't know, it's
got to be more than coincidences of being in the
right place at the right time, but some great memories
through the Guardians postseason run this past ball Stay with us.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
We'll have more to come after this.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Don't you just love this game?
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Welcome back to Guardian's Weekly Jim Rosenhouse back with you
as we join you from our remote location. With the
renovation projects still going on in downtown Cleveland aft Progressive Field,
we continue with our Hot Stove shows throughout the off season,
and it's time now for the first installment of our
Game of the Week, a tradition that we have instituted
(18:57):
here during the off season shows of Guardian's Weekly, where
we take a look back at some of the fun
games from the prior season and well, of course we'll
have some of the playoff games coming up in weeks
to come, but this week we take a look back
at the season opener for the Guardians. With so much
change involving the ball club heading into the season, most
(19:19):
notably a new manager for the first time since twenty
thirteen began with Terry Francona at the Helm. Rookie manager
Steven Vote had gotten the team through spring training and
was ready to begin his career as a manager in
the big leagues just two years after he retired as
a player, only one season as a coach on the
(19:40):
Seattle Mariners' staff, and then here he was managing the
Guardians on opening night in Oakland back in late March,
and prior to the game, Tom Hamilton talked with Steven
Vote as he prepared to make his managerial debut.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Well hi again, everybody with Steven vote the new manager
of the Cleveland Guardians. This is Tom Hamilton and welcome
to the Manager Show before the season opener here at
the Oakland Coliseum. They're magical words when we say the
season opener. But for you, Stephen, to come back to
Oakland where you were a two time All Star? Did
this be your first Major League game as a manager?
(20:17):
Is there any way to put it into words?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
No, there's really not.
Speaker 11 (20:20):
I mean, I couldn't be more thrilled to be in
this position and be honored to get the chance to
lead the Guardians organization on the field, and to have
this first game an opening day in Oakland, where I
spent six years of my playing career, where my family
went from one to three kids, and we just have
so much history here. It just feels right to be
here tonight. You know, to be successful, you have to
(20:41):
have a great partner. You obviously do an Alyssa who
at one time was a college basketball coach. How big
of an asset is that to bounce things off a
fellow coach?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
It's huge. I mean she's my best friend.
Speaker 11 (20:54):
She's my biggest support system and has been for now
sixteen seventeen years.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
So to have her support.
Speaker 11 (21:00):
She one hundred percent has my back and wants me
to be doing this, and she wears it with the family.
You know, she's by herself up a home in Washington,
getting kids to sports and activities and all those things.
But and then she still has time on the phone
at night to talk to me through talk me off
the ledge.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
So to speak.
Speaker 11 (21:14):
But she's she's such a great support system and has
great ideas for coaching and communicating with players and that stuff.
So she's a she's a huge, huge partner in this.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Stephen, how is this different now? Obviously haven't managed a
real game, so to speak, But compared to when you
were getting ready for the opener the first time is
a major league player.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
It's very different.
Speaker 11 (21:36):
You know, when you're a player, it's all about you.
It's about preparing yourself to go out and do your
job because if you contribute what you do for the.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Team, that's being a good teammate.
Speaker 11 (21:45):
Now in this position, it's okay, are we ready in
this area, are we ready in that area? Are the
players happy?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Are they ready?
Speaker 11 (21:51):
And it's really just making sure that everything's running smoothly,
that you know, we have our game plan ready to go.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
We've got the players in place.
Speaker 11 (21:58):
We're gonna we know where, we're gonna make moves, This
and this happens, and it's really just thinking through scenarios.
But at the end of the day, it's baseball, and
I think that's the beauty of it.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
What I've really learned in this.
Speaker 11 (22:07):
Job is we can overcomplicate this really really quickly. And
a lot of my mentors that I've talked to, and
Tito himself has told me, He's like, hey, just go
out there and be you watch the game, make decisions.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Is you look ahead to this season, what makes you
feel good? What makes you say, hey, this is going
to be a good year. I know we can compete, contend,
and who knows what October brings.
Speaker 11 (22:29):
I think one of the things is our versatility, you know,
whether that be from position, player wise or in the bullpen.
We can throw the ball and we.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Can catch the ball.
Speaker 11 (22:36):
And yeah, our offense is probably our biggest question mark.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
We know that and we've talked about.
Speaker 11 (22:40):
That, but I think that's also one of the things
that has me really excited is a lot of people
are saying we can't do this, we can't do that,
and what we've been focusing on is what we can do.
And I know it sounds cliche, but it's the truth.
And we know we got to do the little things
right in order to put ourselves into a position to win.
And our coaching staff hammered that into our players this
spring and they really embraced it. It's always great when
(23:01):
players own what we're trying to accomplish as a group,
and they've owned it. They know how important it is
for us to control each ninety feet. They know how
important it is for us to take our walks and
drive runners in and we've worked really hard at that
all spring. And I'm most excited about the fact that
everyone says what we're not and no one's talking about
what we are.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I hope you can enjoy this, but congratulations, good luck tonight.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
It's going to be fun. Thank you.
Speaker 11 (23:25):
I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Cleveland Ace pitcher Shane Bieber was on the mound. He
was making his fifth consecutive opening day start, and after
a tremendous spring, he looked sharp early.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
The pitch swing and a miss and notice strikes out
to start his season, and Shane Bieber with a strike
out to start his on a good cutter. Here's the
payoff swing and a miss got him again. So Bieber
strikes out the side, don't click, gets some acit but
no damage.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Now the two two swing and a miss.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Sunday, Peter Bieber has struck out six or through two,
one nothing Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
The Guardians got the scoring started in the second inning
thanks to a pair of doubles, first from David Frye
and then center fielder Tyler Freeman. The pitch a swing
of the line, right base hit to left center. That'll
score David fry It's in the gap, cutoff by bla
Day throws to second head first slide safe for the
(24:26):
doublest Tyler Freeman, and the Guardians take a one nothing lead,
and Freeman literally beating out Miles Straw for the center
field job at least part of the time, comes through
with an RBI double in his first at bat.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Freeman won the center field job coming out of spring
training after not having played in the outfield prior to
this season, and this spring he won that job in
center and contributed greatly to the first month of the
season when the Guardians got off to the hot start
and he got a going right away on opening night.
Now the offense really got going in the fourth inning
(25:06):
in Oakland, with the bases loaded and Andres Semenez at
the plate. Here's the pitch swung on line drive center
field that gets down for a base it one run
will score. That's it coming across as Nailer Fry advances
to third. Everyone else moves up and it's an RBI
single from Andreas Semenez, his first hit on the season.
(25:29):
Drives in a run and the Guardians now lead it
to nothing. And then Austin Hedges delivered big pitch in
this game. Payoff pitch coming to Hedges. Here it is
swung on ground ball to short backhand pick up Allen
one play, it's at first and he pulls the first
basement off the bag. All hands are safe and two
(25:51):
runs will score. It was a slow roller in the
hole between third and short. Allen got to it the
shortstop charging in, but his throat to first pulled Noda
off the bag and he couldn't control it, and Hedges
is safe at first base. After that, it was Brian Rochio,
(26:13):
the rookie shortstop, capping off the biginning. Here's the pitch
to Rochio. He swings and grounds it.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
To third, over the bag, fairball down into the left
field corner.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
It goes grounding third, heading for home and scoring.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
As he Meantez Hedges will try and score two, and
he will without a throw. It's a two run double
for Brian Rocchio and the big inning is on for
the Guardians. It is now six nothing Cleveland, and here
comes Mark Kotsey.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
That is it for Wood. Wow did that blow.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Up in a hurry?
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Meanwhile, Bieber continued to shut down the Oakland bats. Here
comes Bieber's pitch, swinging in a minute US strike three.
Davis becomes the ninth strikeout for Shan Bieber.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Six nothing Cleveland. The kick and delivery and a swing
and a mess and a slider away. Bieber has struck
out eleven. Remember he has the club record for opening
day fourteen strikeouts against Kansas City in six innings in
twenty twenty. Brent Rooker the batter as Shane Bieber not
(27:28):
eighty two pitches, lets it fly and the pitch hit
high in the air, fairly deep center Freeman drifting back,
plenty of room. He'll squeeze it. Bieber has been brilliant tonight.
We talked about it all spring, and he has followed
up that talk with the way he's pitched tonight.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Man does he look good.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
The Guardians added to the lead in the ninth thanks
to Jose Ramirez.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
The cent, the pitch swung on Pilton deep, bright field,
It's got.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
A chance off the wall, caves back toward the infield.
Kwan hits thirties coming home. Ramirez makes the turn on
his way to third with a stand up triple. He
hammered it halfway up the fifteen foot wall in right,
and an RBI triple by Jose Ramirez makes it seven
(28:22):
to nothing Cleveland here in the ninth inning, and boy,
everybody is getting into the act and the Guardians.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
If you wanted to.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Draw up a near perfect scenario for opening night, this
would be it.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
And in the night thenning, with the Guardians comfortably in front,
it was Nick Sandler who came on to try and
preserve the shutout. So the A's are down to their
last strength and Stephen votes one strength away from winning
in his major league managerial debut. Into the motion, here's
the two to two check swings straight three called ballgame
(29:04):
and game number one belongs to the Cleveland Guardians as
they dominate the Oaklanes here tonight in the season opener,
eight to nothing. What a start for the Guardians, What
a start for Shane Bieber with six shutout innings. Bieber
would pitch five days later in Seattle six more scoreless innings,
(29:28):
but that would be the end of his season, as
he left that start after the sixth inning with a
very low pitch count, and you wondered was there something
wrong with Bieber? And there certainly was. Tommy John surgery
would follow a short while later. His season was done.
Now we did have a chance to visit with Bieber.
In late May, he joined the ball club in California
(29:50):
while the Guardians were in Anaheim to take on the Angels,
and at the time he was six weeks out from
the Tommy John surgery, and he gave us an update
on how things were going at the time.
Speaker 10 (30:01):
I'm doing great, progressing really smooth.
Speaker 12 (30:07):
And relatively quickly so, hitting all my check marks, just
staying positive.
Speaker 10 (30:11):
I'm thankful to have a teammate to go through it with.
Speaker 12 (30:16):
Although it's an unfortunate circumstance, you know, Trevor and I
are able to lean on each other and keep each
other accountable. Push each other, and it's nice that we
we'll have each other to bounce ideas off of and
and kind of just go through this together. So everything's
going well.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
As a picture, you are in a part of the
business where Tommy John surgery is a common thing for
so many pictures, and now you're going through it. Anything
surprising to you about the process and how it goes.
Speaker 10 (30:50):
Yeah, a couple of things.
Speaker 12 (30:52):
I was a little bit upset and surprise that my
first throat doesn't come for six months, and then you know,
bullpens around nine or ten months, and you know, it's
a long process.
Speaker 10 (31:04):
But that's the reason that.
Speaker 12 (31:07):
It's such a successful one, especially as of late. Like
I said, another unfortunate circumstances. They they they've had so
many of these that they've kind of perfected the rehabilitation
aspect post surgery. So other than that, not too many surprises.
It's just been a blast to be able to watch
the guys from a different lens, cheer them on and
(31:28):
and try and just turn into a big fan. And
I just happen to have their phone numbers and I
can text them and critique them and congratulate them and
all all the same.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
So yeah, is that sometimes harder than the physical part
of it, just the amount of time you invested in
getting ready for a season and being a part of
this team that that really has grown into a fine
ball club here in the early season. Is that hard
to not be a part of that maybe the hardest part.
Speaker 10 (31:59):
Yeah, yeah, it'sicult.
Speaker 12 (32:02):
I've done a decent job processing that. But that's why
it's so good to be here and to see the
guys and reconnect and it's like, didn't skip a beat,
you know, So, yeah, that's that's definitely one of the
more difficult things is the amount of work that you
put in, the investment not in not just into yourself
(32:23):
and your craft, but your teammates and everybody as well.
Speaker 10 (32:26):
And that's not going anywhere.
Speaker 12 (32:27):
So I'll continue to invest myself into them and try
and be of help and service any which way I can.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
The bulk of your rehab happens in goodyear.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
What makes that a good spot and what makes them
so good at at bringing pictures back from from a
major surgery.
Speaker 12 (32:44):
I think they work extremely well with whoever the surgeon is.
For me and for Trevor, it was doctor Keith Meister
out in Dallas. They've developed a great rapport with him
and kind of developed their plan alongside of his plan.
And you know, they have a little bit more experience
with with the Tommy John recovery, being that that's where
(33:05):
we send most of our guys, and you know, ultimately
that's where the team and I felt we would get
the best care.
Speaker 10 (33:12):
And I didn't need much more.
Speaker 12 (33:14):
Than that to to be able to make that decision.
So as hard as it is being away from the guys, uh,
you know, I know that that's where I'm going to
get the best care. And uh, you know, there's some
silver linings. I get to watch the game from a
different lens and you know, cheer them on from from Afar,
but you know, pop in every every couple of weeks
and see them, and it's been a it's been a
great weekend so.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Far along those lines. Having gone through spring training and
seeing this team developed, then, Uh, has it surprised you
in any way to see what they've done here early
in the season, even with some injury issues.
Speaker 10 (33:46):
No, it hasn't. It hasn't been a surprise.
Speaker 12 (33:49):
I think we we've preached for a few years now,
and and how important being won and and pulling in
the same direction and and pulling together has been and
and this group's no different. They'd a phenomenal job of that,
including the coaching staff kind of just feels like picking
up where where where we left off both as a
(34:09):
coaching staff and a team last year, and and building
off of that has been paramount for this team's success.
Speaker 10 (34:15):
So on paper, you know, I.
Speaker 12 (34:19):
Know some people still wanna knock us a little bit,
but but especially when I throw that game on at
four o'clock PSC or whatever it is it's and for
the first pitch is thrown, there's not really any much doubt.
There's not much doubt that you know, we're gonna play
our brand of baseball and play a great game and
and probably come.
Speaker 10 (34:38):
Out on top.
Speaker 12 (34:39):
And you know that's me and I'm getting a little
bit overconfident maybe at home, but then this this group
feels the same way. When the camera hits the dugout
and there's they're never panicking.
Speaker 10 (34:50):
It's been a joy to watch.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
So you're seeing all this from a distance, and then
you show up in Anaheim here, what was it like
walking into the clubhouse? Did they just picked up with
the Shenanigans and stuff like that?
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Right?
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Where they left off.
Speaker 10 (35:01):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 12 (35:02):
After we exchanged pleasantries and everybody's like, oh, six weeks,
that's so quick.
Speaker 10 (35:06):
I'm like, oh, it's quick for you, a little slower
for me.
Speaker 12 (35:09):
Yeah yeah, and then we just picked up right where
we left off.
Speaker 10 (35:14):
It's been a blast.
Speaker 12 (35:15):
So Trevor and I discussed prior to flying out here,
let's just not mess up what they got going on
right now because the boys are playing great baseball, and
you know, we're just happy to pop in, check in
and conduct our rehab while we're here and enjoy some
good weather and some great baseball.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
It's great to see if Shane, thanks for coming by,
Thanks for roside man. It was great to see Shane
Bieber at various points in times during the course of
the regular season, and he was with the ball Cup
during the playoffs. And one of the really neat moments
during the postseason was prior to Game one of the
American League Division Series when the entire roster was introduced
(35:52):
to the baselines prior to the game Game one, and
Bieber got one of the biggest hands of anybody from
the anti progressive field, and that was really nice to
see for someone who's meant so much to this franchise,
and boy, you wonder what might have been different if
the Guardians could have taken one more step further in
the postseason had they had a healthy Shane Bieber throughout
(36:15):
the year. We'll never know, and we'll see what happens
in terms of the future for Shane Bieber. Will it
be with Cleveland or someone else as he is currently
a free agent?
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Stay with us when we come back.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
We have some final thoughts as Guardians Weekly continues after
this time out on the Cleveland Planet. Guardians Radio Network,
Progressive Nos.
Speaker 7 (36:37):
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Speaker 2 (37:14):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Jim Rosenhouse back with you from Progressive Field in downtown
Cleveland and just a couple of reminders programming wise for
our show. You can listen to it each week on
the radio network on WTAM and Cleveland, our flagship station
that means Saturday mornings at seven am, and check your
local listings if you listen on one of our great
(37:36):
network affiliate stations throughout the state of Ohio and on
into Pennsylvania to see if they er it at a
different time. You can also hear it in podcast form
shortly after it drops on the radio broadcasts, and you
can listen to that whenever you like, of course, and
you can also hear it online at cl Guardians dot com.
So a lot of different ways to listen to our show.
(37:58):
That's going to do it for this week's show. Always
thanks to Brian Motsee for helping to put together our
shows each and every week. Until next week, let me
join you once again. This is Jim Rosenhouse reminding you
that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland
Clinic Guardians Radio network.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive helping
Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance
Welcome to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network.
Guardians Weekly is brought to you by Progressive helping Guardians
fans save hundreds.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
On car insurance.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Hi, everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosen House along
with you as we join you for another of our
hot Stove shows from our Mote broadcast studio away from
Progressive Field as the renovation project continues Phase two year
or two that should be completed in time for opening days,
so the ballpark off limits for now, but we still
(01:12):
bring you our show each and every week, and a
good show lined up for you this week, including the
return of our Game of the Week segment that we
produce each off season on a weekly basis, looking back
at some of the great games of the season, and
in twenty twenty four there were plenty, to be sure,
and we'll take you back to opening night, the first
win in the managerial career of new manager Stephen Vote,
(01:36):
and it was a big night for Shane Bieber as
well in Oakland, way back in late March. That kicked
off a season that turned out to be a special
one for the Guardians that took them all the way
to the American League Championship Series. We will also have
some special guest stopping by shortly to talk about a
memorable moment for them, as they were part of one
(01:58):
of the great moments of the season in Game five
of the American League Division Series. Much more on that
after our break, but for some news and notes before
we get to that.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Earlier this week, it was.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Announced that both Andre Simenez, the guardians outstanding second basement
and left fielder Stephen Kwan, had won Gold Glove Awards,
and for each that means three consecutive years they have
done that, which is absolutely remarkable, and of course for Jimenez,
he has an opportunity now with an announcement forthcoming soon,
(02:31):
to win a second consecutive Platinum Glove for the best
overall defender in the league, regardless of positions. So congratulations
to both of those young men. Second basement Andre Cimenez,
who if you watch him, he passes the eye test
as well as all of the numbers that determine a
Gold Glove award, and of course Stephen Kwan very much
the same out there in left field. Also earlier this week,
(02:55):
Austin Hedges was re signed by the Guardians to a
one year major league contract. He'll be back with the team.
He's been with Cleveland in two of the last three seasons,
the two seasons that the Guardians won the American League
Central Division twenty twenty two and twenty twenty four. So
no coincidence there, And we hope to catch up with
Austin and have him on for an interview sometime in
(03:18):
a future show. But certainly did some great things and
talked with the Cleveland media earlier this week and explain
why he's back and what it means to him to
be back with Cleveland.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
Yeah, it's really about the day to day. Like you know,
throughout my career, you know, there's been some good situations
and some bad situations. And the thing that made the
most sense to me of like what I wanted most,
you know in my career kind of started in Cleveland
in like twenty twenty into twenty twenty one, and I
(03:52):
just never really experienced what it's like to have, you know,
look forward to going to work every day and you know,
just be with a group of guys that that you
really couldn't wait to get back to the field, get
back to the grind with and you know, in leaving
in twenty three. You know, there was some some bad
things and some good things that happened, but the thing
(04:13):
that stood out the most was how much I missed
that group. And then you know, everything that we accomplished
and went through together last year just made it even
more obvious that, you know, we had to run it back.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
You mentioned after after Game five that you felt like
a Cleveland guy.
Speaker 6 (04:29):
Do you do you feel like that even more right now?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (04:31):
It's uh, you know, obviously, like I love being in Cleveland,
but the thing that makes me love being in Cleveland
was more is I feel the love from everybody else.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
The people in the organization, the fans, the city.
Speaker 5 (04:44):
Have have so embraced me, and I just I feel
like a Cleveland guy. Like That's that. That's the best
way I could put it. Like it feels like home
to me. And I know I signed a one year contract,
but as long as they as long as they want me,
I don't plan on going anywhere.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
It's Austin Hedges back in the fold for another season,
as he signed a contract for the twenty twenty five campaign. Well,
it was a memorable postseason for all Guardians fans, certainly,
and two in particular, and we will meet them when
we come back and relive a special moment for them
that took place in Game five of the American League
(05:22):
Division Series. That's next on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio netword.
Speaker 7 (05:35):
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Speaker 3 (06:15):
Thomas digs in hole for two. But he's been one
of the hottest hitters for the Guardians for a month.
Here's the pitch to him. He swings and drives it
high in the air left field.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Will it make the bleachers grand? Sad? Lame? Thomas has
put the Guardians in front with a grand slam.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Five to one Cleveland, and this place is shaking. Welcome
back to Guardians Weekly, and we are getting deeper into
the off season, which is always kind of a sad
time of a year for folks who love baseball. And
we are joined in our next segment by two people
(07:05):
who love the game and were a big part of
some great games this past postseason for the Guardians. Matt Coleman,
who's the head baseball coach at Calvert High School in Tiffin,
and his good friend and cousin Patrick Steyer, who also
lives in Tiffin, And they had an opportunity to be
a part of one of the great moments in this
(07:27):
year's postseason, and really any postseason, the Laine Thomas grand
Slam home run in the deciding Game five against the
Tigers in the American League Division Series. And Matt, why
don't we start with you. Let's take it right to
that fifth inning in Game five on a beautiful Saturday
afternoon here in Cleveland. You and Patrick had pretty good
(07:49):
seats in the bleachers that are familiar to you guys,
and what happened. Let's take it to where Jose Ramirez
was at the plate and what you were hoping would
happen at that point.
Speaker 8 (08:00):
Yeah, first off, thanks Jim for having us on. It's
been a special month. And yeah, basically at that moment
in game five, Jose steps to the plate and Glove's
sitting beside me along with Patrick, who's a good friend
and cousin of mine, special seats where my dad had
sat for numerous games, and thinking bases loaded against Trek Scouble.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
We were in a tough spot.
Speaker 8 (08:25):
I think earlier in the inning we gave up a
run to make it one to nothing, and that you know,
with with Scooba on the mound, that's it's a tough battle.
Speaker 6 (08:33):
But I looked over it at Patrick and he's like,
we got this. Don't worry Matt. You know, he's just
he's just a beacon.
Speaker 8 (08:40):
Of hope and positivity.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
And that being said, we go and load the bases.
Speaker 8 (08:46):
Jose comes up to the plate and I had my
glove ready, he had his, you know, Patrick had his
towel that he was swinging.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
You know, most of the game sat on it.
Speaker 8 (08:55):
I did move that towel, but I was like hoping
that was the moment, and then obviously they hit Jose
hit him in the forearm. Were at that point just
hoping he was healthy. And fast forward, It's one to one.
First pitch to Laine Thomas. Felt like it stayed in
the air for about a day, maybe fifteen seconds, and
(09:18):
I knew I couldn't drop it, but when I caught it,
just kind of gave a pump of the fifth and
gave it to Patrick, and thank God for the moment
and the memory. Knowing that both our dads were probably
there in that moment and Cleveland celebrated, felt like erupted
and it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Just a great memory. And Patrick, let's go right to
you first off, before we even talk about getting that ball,
right in that moment and what it meant to you
just being able to go to a game. I know
you've battled leukemia and you're on the tail end of
that and things are looking really positive, but how long
had it been since you had been to a game?
(09:57):
And how special was it just to be at a
post season game with your cousin or with your uncle the.
Speaker 9 (10:04):
Last game I've been to was twolsand and nineteen, so
it has been before COVID hit and then after that,
I went through nursing homes and hospitals and now I'm
in an apartment now. So has been quite an his
parents for everything.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
And when Matt gave you the ball, what did that
mean to you? Especially the way the stadium was just
going bananas at that particular time. It was very toughing,
and you had a chance to go back to another
game and meet someone who turned out to be pretty special.
Fast forward to Game three of the American League Championship
(10:45):
Series against the Yankees, a game that will always be
remembered for the game tying home run by John Kenzie
Nowell and the walk off by David Frye. Who did
you meet before the game that Game three against the Yankees?
Speaker 9 (10:58):
Yes, you see, given why I stay out as a game, Yeah,
it was a pretty special moment.
Speaker 8 (11:04):
He got to meet David Fry's dad, who just happened
to recognize us, congratulated Patrick, you know, on the ball,
and he told us he was David's dad. I, you know,
I just had the moment to get a picture with
with Patrick and mister fry I think j Fry, so
it was it was pretty special. We kind of joked
I thanked him for sharing his son with the city
(11:25):
and the grittiness that he he displays, and it, Yeah,
it was just just really neat. I actually we joked that, hey,
when Patrick catches us one tonight, that the game winner.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I didn't say game winner.
Speaker 8 (11:40):
I think it was more just if we catch his
home run ball in joking manner, we would make sure
we got it to him. Little did we know it
would fly after Patrick put the rally caps on us
about three rows over our head in section eighty two.
Just a little bit of divine intervention, and it felt
like And then I when I got home, I read
(12:00):
the postgame quotes of Fry and how he'd let God
take the bat, and it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, and both of you had mentioned why it was
so special because of your dad's Explain that and what
baseball meant to both of them and how that comes
into play here.
Speaker 8 (12:20):
Yeah, Baseball has been a big, big part of a life.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
Sports have been a big part of both of our lives.
Speaker 8 (12:25):
You know, Patrick plays basketball himself still, but he you know,
in terms of baseball and our father's actually His father
is my dad's godfather. My dad was a Vietnam veteran
who lost his leg over in Vietnam and some enemy fire,
came back, suffered some Parkinson's and Louis body dementia, but
(12:45):
actually had a moment with him in the twenty sixteen
World Series where Jason Kitness delivered a home run to US,
unfortunately in Game six where they were behind seven to
two at the time, but it was a special memory.
My dad's always coached, uh, myself, my brother, and my
sister in sports and baseball. Really, you know, never never
(13:08):
really saw challenges with the wooden leg or having an
artificial leg.
Speaker 6 (13:14):
You know, it was obviously special.
Speaker 8 (13:17):
And then Patrick overcoming his his challenges with with down
Syndroman with with leukemia. Similar his dad passed away two
years ago. My dad passed away seven years ago. His
dad just passed away right before he was diagnosed with
the cancer. And just two great men that we're so
(13:41):
thankful for and felt like were with us that day.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And Patrick, what what makes the game so special to you?
As you developed into just a great fan over the years.
Speaker 6 (13:51):
It was always clean watched Cleveland Rocks.
Speaker 8 (13:57):
He says, you just you just you just love Cleveland
and you Cleveland sports.
Speaker 10 (14:00):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Yeah, Matt, I know it's not baseball season right now,
but I'm sure you see your players at the high school.
And we're joined by Matt Coleman, the head coach at
Calvert High School in Tiffin, and his cousin Patrick Steyer.
And Matt made a great catch of the Grand Slam
home run hit by Lane Thomas in Game five of
(14:23):
the Division Series against the Tigers, and right away gave
it to Patrick in that first or second row of
the bleachers, right near the front. And Matt, have your
players said, hey, you know, nice going with the catches.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I mean, these are not easy.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
People take it for granted that you just make a
catch of a home run, but it's not easy.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (14:43):
I think I probably probably had some help on that
one somehow, some divine intervention, but I, you know.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
Made sure I had my glove. I had.
Speaker 8 (14:50):
My two sons will play on the team with me.
So my oldest son is a senior and he hasn't
played much outfield for us, but I took his outfitter, Mitch,
which you passed on to my freshman son.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
We'll see if he needs it. This year.
Speaker 8 (15:04):
But yeah, it's I mean, it's just it's been incredible.
We have a great group of guys that work hard,
and we're getting into open fields now and hoping, you know,
we've had some special memories with the team. You know,
just two and three years ago we had the opportunity
to play in Rubber Duck Stadium and you know, unfortunately
things didn't work out for us there.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
But day by day we're working.
Speaker 8 (15:26):
To hopefully, you know, put a good team on the
field and good product that works hard. But yeah, it's
been some topic of discussion, and thankfully I didn't have
to go back and hear a bunch of grief from
my players that I didn't use two hands or I
didn't have voluntary release of the ball.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
So and just to put a rap on it, all right,
So there's the catch you made of the Grand Slam,
and then the Kipness catch in twenty sixteen talking to
David Fry's dad before the game that he hit, so
walk off the John Kenzie Noel home run not hit
too far from where you were, but you actually knew
(16:06):
the people who were in those seats and grab that baseball.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Yeah true.
Speaker 6 (16:11):
Actually the game I took Patrick to my kids.
Speaker 8 (16:14):
I have three high schoolers, a senior, a sophomore daughter,
and then a freshman son. And they had homecoming and
actually my son went to homecoming with the.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Granddaughter of the girl that got the ball.
Speaker 8 (16:28):
She actually listens to all the grand Grandma missus Favor
Kathy Favor, listens to one hundred and sixty two games
on the radio list watches on TV, and had to
be coaxed to going with her grandson.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
The ball landed next to her, she.
Speaker 8 (16:44):
Picks it up and it was pretty neat from that
perspective too. In my thinking though, Patrick is kind of
the lucky charm. I mean, I went to a couple
more game Game four, in Game five, wasn't able to
pull it off, but he was there in Game five
and in Game three. So but he's battling through some
(17:06):
things right now. We're excited to uh, We're hoping to
get him back to some more games next year.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
His love of.
Speaker 8 (17:12):
Baseball and then hopefully he's a celebrity here in Seneca County.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
He's played a lot of basketball. They want him, We
want him to.
Speaker 8 (17:19):
Get back on the court and shoot some three pointers,
right you Patrick?
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (17:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Are you a Cavaliers fan too. There you go. Yes, yeah, well.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
They'll have to go through and through and a buck guy,
they'll have to get you out to some of their
playoff games because it looks like they're heading that way too,
so maybe they could use your help as well. Yeah, guys,
thanks so much for the time. Uh Mac, great to
talk to you, Patrick, pleasure to meet you and and
hopefully we'll see at the ballpark next summer.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
Okay, we appreciate it. Take care of Jim.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
As Matt Coleman, who made a great the Grand Slam
home run from Lane Thomas in the postseason. He's the
head coach at Calvert High School in Tiffin and his
cousin Patrick Steyer. Great story of I don't know, it's
got to be more than coincidences of being in the
right place at the right time, but some great memories
through the Guardians postseason run this past ball Stay with us.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
We'll have more to come after this.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Don't you just love this game?
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Welcome back to Guardian's Weekly Jim Rosenhouse back with you
as we join you from our remote location. With the
renovation projects still going on in downtown Cleveland aft Progressive Field,
we continue with our Hot Stove shows throughout the off season,
and it's time now for the first installment of our
Game of the Week, a tradition that we have instituted
(18:57):
here during the off season shows of Guardian's Weekly, where
we take a look back at some of the fun
games from the prior season and well, of course we'll
have some of the playoff games coming up in weeks
to come, but this week we take a look back
at the season opener for the Guardians. With so much
change involving the ball club heading into the season, most
(19:19):
notably a new manager for the first time since twenty
thirteen began with Terry Francona at the Helm. Rookie manager
Steven Vote had gotten the team through spring training and
was ready to begin his career as a manager in
the big leagues just two years after he retired as
a player, only one season as a coach on the
(19:40):
Seattle Mariners' staff, and then here he was managing the
Guardians on opening night in Oakland back in late March,
and prior to the game, Tom Hamilton talked with Steven
Vote as he prepared to make his managerial debut.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Well hi again, everybody with Steven vote the new manager
of the Cleveland Guardians. This is Tom Hamilton and welcome
to the Manager Show before the season opener here at
the Oakland Coliseum. They're magical words when we say the
season opener. But for you, Stephen, to come back to
Oakland where you were a two time All Star? Did
this be your first Major League game as a manager?
(20:17):
Is there any way to put it into words?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
No, there's really not.
Speaker 11 (20:20):
I mean, I couldn't be more thrilled to be in
this position and be honored to get the chance to
lead the Guardians organization on the field, and to have
this first game an opening day in Oakland, where I
spent six years of my playing career, where my family
went from one to three kids, and we just have
so much history here. It just feels right to be
here tonight. You know, to be successful, you have to
(20:41):
have a great partner. You obviously do an Alyssa who
at one time was a college basketball coach. How big
of an asset is that to bounce things off a
fellow coach?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
It's huge. I mean she's my best friend.
Speaker 11 (20:54):
She's my biggest support system and has been for now
sixteen seventeen years.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
So to have her support.
Speaker 11 (21:00):
She one hundred percent has my back and wants me
to be doing this, and she wears it with the family.
You know, she's by herself up a home in Washington,
getting kids to sports and activities and all those things.
But and then she still has time on the phone
at night to talk to me through talk me off
the ledge.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
So to speak.
Speaker 11 (21:14):
But she's she's such a great support system and has
great ideas for coaching and communicating with players and that stuff.
So she's a she's a huge, huge partner in this.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Stephen, how is this different now? Obviously haven't managed a
real game, so to speak, But compared to when you
were getting ready for the opener the first time is
a major league player.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
It's very different.
Speaker 11 (21:36):
You know, when you're a player, it's all about you.
It's about preparing yourself to go out and do your
job because if you contribute what you do for the.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Team, that's being a good teammate.
Speaker 11 (21:45):
Now in this position, it's okay, are we ready in
this area, are we ready in that area? Are the
players happy?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Are they ready?
Speaker 11 (21:51):
And it's really just making sure that everything's running smoothly,
that you know, we have our game plan ready to go.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
We've got the players in place.
Speaker 11 (21:58):
We're gonna we know where, we're gonna make moves, This
and this happens, and it's really just thinking through scenarios.
But at the end of the day, it's baseball, and
I think that's the beauty of it.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
What I've really learned in this.
Speaker 11 (22:07):
Job is we can overcomplicate this really really quickly. And
a lot of my mentors that I've talked to, and
Tito himself has told me, He's like, hey, just go
out there and be you watch the game, make decisions.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Is you look ahead to this season, what makes you
feel good? What makes you say, hey, this is going
to be a good year. I know we can compete, contend,
and who knows what October brings.
Speaker 11 (22:29):
I think one of the things is our versatility, you know,
whether that be from position, player wise or in the bullpen.
We can throw the ball and we.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Can catch the ball.
Speaker 11 (22:36):
And yeah, our offense is probably our biggest question mark.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
We know that and we've talked about.
Speaker 11 (22:40):
That, but I think that's also one of the things
that has me really excited is a lot of people
are saying we can't do this, we can't do that,
and what we've been focusing on is what we can do.
And I know it sounds cliche, but it's the truth.
And we know we got to do the little things
right in order to put ourselves into a position to win.
And our coaching staff hammered that into our players this
spring and they really embraced it. It's always great when
(23:01):
players own what we're trying to accomplish as a group,
and they've owned it. They know how important it is
for us to control each ninety feet. They know how
important it is for us to take our walks and
drive runners in and we've worked really hard at that
all spring. And I'm most excited about the fact that
everyone says what we're not and no one's talking about
what we are.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I hope you can enjoy this, but congratulations, good luck tonight.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
It's going to be fun. Thank you.
Speaker 11 (23:25):
I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Cleveland Ace pitcher Shane Bieber was on the mound. He
was making his fifth consecutive opening day start, and after
a tremendous spring, he looked sharp early.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
The pitch swing and a miss and notice strikes out
to start his season, and Shane Bieber with a strike
out to start his on a good cutter. Here's the
payoff swing and a miss got him again. So Bieber
strikes out the side, don't click, gets some acit but
no damage.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Now the two two swing and a miss.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Sunday, Peter Bieber has struck out six or through two,
one nothing Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
The Guardians got the scoring started in the second inning
thanks to a pair of doubles, first from David Frye
and then center fielder Tyler Freeman. The pitch a swing
of the line, right base hit to left center. That'll
score David fry It's in the gap, cutoff by bla
Day throws to second head first slide safe for the
(24:26):
doublest Tyler Freeman, and the Guardians take a one nothing lead,
and Freeman literally beating out Miles Straw for the center
field job at least part of the time, comes through
with an RBI double in his first at bat.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Freeman won the center field job coming out of spring
training after not having played in the outfield prior to
this season, and this spring he won that job in
center and contributed greatly to the first month of the
season when the Guardians got off to the hot start
and he got a going right away on opening night.
Now the offense really got going in the fourth inning
(25:06):
in Oakland, with the bases loaded and Andres Semenez at
the plate. Here's the pitch swung on line drive center
field that gets down for a base it one run
will score. That's it coming across as Nailer Fry advances
to third. Everyone else moves up and it's an RBI
single from Andreas Semenez, his first hit on the season.
(25:29):
Drives in a run and the Guardians now lead it
to nothing. And then Austin Hedges delivered big pitch in
this game. Payoff pitch coming to Hedges. Here it is
swung on ground ball to short backhand pick up Allen
one play, it's at first and he pulls the first
basement off the bag. All hands are safe and two
(25:51):
runs will score. It was a slow roller in the
hole between third and short. Allen got to it the
shortstop charging in, but his throat to first pulled Noda
off the bag and he couldn't control it, and Hedges
is safe at first base. After that, it was Brian Rochio,
(26:13):
the rookie shortstop, capping off the biginning. Here's the pitch
to Rochio. He swings and grounds it.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
To third, over the bag, fairball down into the left
field corner.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
It goes grounding third, heading for home and scoring.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
As he Meantez Hedges will try and score two, and
he will without a throw. It's a two run double
for Brian Rocchio and the big inning is on for
the Guardians. It is now six nothing Cleveland, and here
comes Mark Kotsey.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
That is it for Wood. Wow did that blow.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Up in a hurry?
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Meanwhile, Bieber continued to shut down the Oakland bats. Here
comes Bieber's pitch, swinging in a minute US strike three.
Davis becomes the ninth strikeout for Shan Bieber.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Six nothing Cleveland. The kick and delivery and a swing
and a mess and a slider away. Bieber has struck
out eleven. Remember he has the club record for opening
day fourteen strikeouts against Kansas City in six innings in
twenty twenty. Brent Rooker the batter as Shane Bieber not
(27:28):
eighty two pitches, lets it fly and the pitch hit
high in the air, fairly deep center Freeman drifting back,
plenty of room. He'll squeeze it. Bieber has been brilliant tonight.
We talked about it all spring, and he has followed
up that talk with the way he's pitched tonight.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Man does he look good.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
The Guardians added to the lead in the ninth thanks
to Jose Ramirez.
Speaker 4 (27:53):
The cent, the pitch swung on Pilton deep, bright field,
It's got.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
A chance off the wall, caves back toward the infield.
Kwan hits thirties coming home. Ramirez makes the turn on
his way to third with a stand up triple. He
hammered it halfway up the fifteen foot wall in right,
and an RBI triple by Jose Ramirez makes it seven
(28:22):
to nothing Cleveland here in the ninth inning, and boy,
everybody is getting into the act and the Guardians.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
If you wanted to.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Draw up a near perfect scenario for opening night, this
would be it.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
And in the night thenning, with the Guardians comfortably in front,
it was Nick Sandler who came on to try and
preserve the shutout. So the A's are down to their
last strength and Stephen votes one strength away from winning
in his major league managerial debut. Into the motion, here's
the two to two check swings straight three called ballgame
(29:04):
and game number one belongs to the Cleveland Guardians as
they dominate the Oaklanes here tonight in the season opener,
eight to nothing. What a start for the Guardians, What
a start for Shane Bieber with six shutout innings. Bieber
would pitch five days later in Seattle six more scoreless innings,
(29:28):
but that would be the end of his season, as
he left that start after the sixth inning with a
very low pitch count, and you wondered was there something
wrong with Bieber? And there certainly was. Tommy John surgery
would follow a short while later. His season was done.
Now we did have a chance to visit with Bieber.
In late May, he joined the ball club in California
(29:50):
while the Guardians were in Anaheim to take on the Angels,
and at the time he was six weeks out from
the Tommy John surgery, and he gave us an update
on how things were going at the time.
Speaker 10 (30:01):
I'm doing great, progressing really smooth.
Speaker 12 (30:07):
And relatively quickly so, hitting all my check marks, just
staying positive.
Speaker 10 (30:11):
I'm thankful to have a teammate to go through it with.
Speaker 12 (30:16):
Although it's an unfortunate circumstance, you know, Trevor and I
are able to lean on each other and keep each
other accountable. Push each other, and it's nice that we
we'll have each other to bounce ideas off of and
and kind of just go through this together. So everything's
going well.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
As a picture, you are in a part of the
business where Tommy John surgery is a common thing for
so many pictures, and now you're going through it. Anything
surprising to you about the process and how it goes.
Speaker 10 (30:50):
Yeah, a couple of things.
Speaker 12 (30:52):
I was a little bit upset and surprise that my
first throat doesn't come for six months, and then you know,
bullpens around nine or ten months, and you know, it's
a long process.
Speaker 10 (31:04):
But that's the reason that.
Speaker 12 (31:07):
It's such a successful one, especially as of late. Like
I said, another unfortunate circumstances. They they they've had so
many of these that they've kind of perfected the rehabilitation
aspect post surgery. So other than that, not too many surprises.
It's just been a blast to be able to watch
the guys from a different lens, cheer them on and
(31:28):
and try and just turn into a big fan. And
I just happen to have their phone numbers and I
can text them and critique them and congratulate them and
all all the same.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
So yeah, is that sometimes harder than the physical part
of it, just the amount of time you invested in
getting ready for a season and being a part of
this team that that really has grown into a fine
ball club here in the early season. Is that hard
to not be a part of that maybe the hardest part.
Speaker 10 (31:59):
Yeah, yeah, it'sicult.
Speaker 12 (32:02):
I've done a decent job processing that. But that's why
it's so good to be here and to see the
guys and reconnect and it's like, didn't skip a beat,
you know, So, yeah, that's that's definitely one of the
more difficult things is the amount of work that you
put in, the investment not in not just into yourself
(32:23):
and your craft, but your teammates and everybody as well.
Speaker 10 (32:26):
And that's not going anywhere.
Speaker 12 (32:27):
So I'll continue to invest myself into them and try
and be of help and service any which way I can.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
The bulk of your rehab happens in goodyear.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
What makes that a good spot and what makes them
so good at at bringing pictures back from from a
major surgery.
Speaker 12 (32:44):
I think they work extremely well with whoever the surgeon is.
For me and for Trevor, it was doctor Keith Meister
out in Dallas. They've developed a great rapport with him
and kind of developed their plan alongside of his plan.
And you know, they have a little bit more experience
with with the Tommy John recovery, being that that's where
(33:05):
we send most of our guys, and you know, ultimately
that's where the team and I felt we would get
the best care.
Speaker 10 (33:12):
And I didn't need much more.
Speaker 12 (33:14):
Than that to to be able to make that decision.
So as hard as it is being away from the guys, uh,
you know, I know that that's where I'm going to
get the best care. And uh, you know, there's some
silver linings. I get to watch the game from a
different lens and you know, cheer them on from from Afar,
but you know, pop in every every couple of weeks
and see them, and it's been a it's been a
great weekend so.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Far along those lines. Having gone through spring training and
seeing this team developed, then, Uh, has it surprised you
in any way to see what they've done here early
in the season, even with some injury issues.
Speaker 10 (33:46):
No, it hasn't. It hasn't been a surprise.
Speaker 12 (33:49):
I think we we've preached for a few years now,
and and how important being won and and pulling in
the same direction and and pulling together has been and
and this group's no different. They'd a phenomenal job of that,
including the coaching staff kind of just feels like picking
up where where where we left off both as a
(34:09):
coaching staff and a team last year, and and building
off of that has been paramount for this team's success.
Speaker 10 (34:15):
So on paper, you know, I.
Speaker 12 (34:19):
Know some people still wanna knock us a little bit,
but but especially when I throw that game on at
four o'clock PSC or whatever it is it's and for
the first pitch is thrown, there's not really any much doubt.
There's not much doubt that you know, we're gonna play
our brand of baseball and play a great game and
and probably come.
Speaker 10 (34:38):
Out on top.
Speaker 12 (34:39):
And you know that's me and I'm getting a little
bit overconfident maybe at home, but then this this group
feels the same way. When the camera hits the dugout
and there's they're never panicking.
Speaker 10 (34:50):
It's been a joy to watch.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
So you're seeing all this from a distance, and then
you show up in Anaheim here, what was it like
walking into the clubhouse? Did they just picked up with
the Shenanigans and stuff like that?
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Right?
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Where they left off.
Speaker 10 (35:01):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 12 (35:02):
After we exchanged pleasantries and everybody's like, oh, six weeks,
that's so quick.
Speaker 10 (35:06):
I'm like, oh, it's quick for you, a little slower
for me.
Speaker 12 (35:09):
Yeah yeah, and then we just picked up right where
we left off.
Speaker 10 (35:14):
It's been a blast.
Speaker 12 (35:15):
So Trevor and I discussed prior to flying out here,
let's just not mess up what they got going on
right now because the boys are playing great baseball, and
you know, we're just happy to pop in, check in
and conduct our rehab while we're here and enjoy some
good weather and some great baseball.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
It's great to see if Shane, thanks for coming by,
Thanks for roside man. It was great to see Shane
Bieber at various points in times during the course of
the regular season, and he was with the ball Cup
during the playoffs. And one of the really neat moments
during the postseason was prior to Game one of the
American League Division Series when the entire roster was introduced
(35:52):
to the baselines prior to the game Game one, and
Bieber got one of the biggest hands of anybody from
the anti progressive field, and that was really nice to
see for someone who's meant so much to this franchise,
and boy, you wonder what might have been different if
the Guardians could have taken one more step further in
the postseason had they had a healthy Shane Bieber throughout
(36:15):
the year. We'll never know, and we'll see what happens
in terms of the future for Shane Bieber. Will it
be with Cleveland or someone else as he is currently
a free agent?
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Stay with us when we come back.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
We have some final thoughts as Guardians Weekly continues after
this time out on the Cleveland Planet. Guardians Radio Network,
Progressive Nos.
Speaker 7 (36:37):
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(36:59):
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Speaker 2 (37:14):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Jim Rosenhouse back with you from Progressive Field in downtown
Cleveland and just a couple of reminders programming wise for
our show. You can listen to it each week on
the radio network on WTAM and Cleveland, our flagship station
that means Saturday mornings at seven am, and check your
local listings if you listen on one of our great
(37:36):
network affiliate stations throughout the state of Ohio and on
into Pennsylvania to see if they er it at a
different time. You can also hear it in podcast form
shortly after it drops on the radio broadcasts, and you
can listen to that whenever you like, of course, and
you can also hear it online at cl Guardians dot com.
So a lot of different ways to listen to our show.
(37:58):
That's going to do it for this week's show. Always
thanks to Brian Motsee for helping to put together our
shows each and every week. Until next week, let me
join you once again. This is Jim Rosenhouse reminding you
that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland
Clinic Guardians Radio network.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive helping
Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance
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