June 6, 2026 • 38 mins
A look back at the Guardians week in New York winning two out three against the Yankees. Plus, catcher Patrick Bailey talks about how he's acclimated to Cleveland since being traded in early May. Also, the weekly Farm Report with Director of Player Development Arizona Operations Alyssa Nakken. That's all on this edition of Guardians Weekly with Jim Rosenhaus on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network.
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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 on car insurance.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hi, everyone, Welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosen House along
with you from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, where
the Guardians are taking on the Texas Ranger this weekend,
the back end of a two city road trip for
Cleveland that began in New York with some great games
earlier this week. We'll get to that shortly. A little
bit later on in our show, we'll hear from new
(01:11):
Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey, relief pitcher Matt Festa, and we'll
have a full report on all things Arizona in the
minor league system with Alyssa Knakin, who is the director
of player Development Arizona Operations out in Goodyear, and she
has some great stuff for us in the second part
of our show. But first our weekend review off day
(01:32):
Monday for the Guardians and then the road trip began
Tuesday night in New York against the Yankees, scoreless game
until the third inning. That's when Patrick Bailey got things
started for the Guardians. The one to one swung on.
This is pounded in the deep right center field back
to try to make to catch Grisham. It's over his head,
(01:53):
bangs up against the wall after hitting the track, going
for three is bailey head first slide on the triple.
A triple to center field for Patrick Bailey his first
and Cleveland gets a triple from a guy you weren't
expecting it from. Patrick Bailey pounded that one to the
right of center and over the head of everybody. And
(02:17):
next up it was Brian Rochio to try to drive
Bailey in for the game's first run infield. Drawn in
the pitch down to Rochio and he sends one in
the air fair medium, deep center, so this will get
a run home Christen with the catch, Bailey will tag
and score one nothing. Cleveland good at beat for Brian Rochio,
(02:38):
who gets his twenty eighth RBI, hitting ninth. In the
bottom half of the third, the Yankees jumped in front
on a two run home run from Paul Goldschmidt, but
the Guardians came right back in the fourth. Jose Ramirez
led it off with a double and then with one out,
Kyle Manzardo stepped in the pitch by Schlittler. He swung
(02:58):
on and plasted high in the air, deep right field,
way back, and that ball is gone a home run
Kyle Manzardo, dead right for man Zardo, a two run shot.
Guardians take the lead again. Now it's three to two Cleveland,
number six on the year for Kyle Manzardo. A pitch
(03:23):
that at at ninety three a little bit off the
the serious velocity from Schlidler, and Manzardo lost it on
him into the stands and right. But once again the
Yankees responded, and once again it was Goldschmid a two
run single to put New York back in front four
to three. The back and forth continued in the fifth
(03:43):
as the Guardians loaded the bases with nobody out for
Travis Bozana on and won the count on Bazana, here's
the pitch swung on and there's a high fly ball
to center plenty deepen up to score the run, making
the catches Grisham tagging and scoreing as Kwan the other
runners hold and we are tied at four on the
(04:05):
sack fly from Travis Pazana. Then Jose Ramirez broke the tie.
Schlitzler lets it fly swung online drive base it down
the right field line into the corner. It goes rounding
third and scoring is Bailey. On his way to third
is Rochio and the with an RBI double to put
the Guardians back in front. It's Jose Ramirez five to
(04:29):
four Cleveland on double number sixteen for Ramirez Boy. And
this is as good as Jose has looked at the
plate results wise in a while, as he has now
driven in thirty on the season, and he has knocked
Cam Schlitzler out of this game before It's five innings old.
(04:50):
And it stayed five to four Guardians until the seventh.
That's when Brian Rochio got aboard with a single, stole
second and third, and then Jose Ramirez delivered again. The
pitch swung on a high chopper the third over the
head of Rosario down the left field line. It'll roll
into the corner. Ramirez with his third double, big turn,
(05:11):
but he'll hold right there, scoring his Rochio and it's
a six to four Cleveland lead. Net was not by
any means a hard hit ball, but a perfectly placed
kangaroo hop over the head of Rosario at third, down
the left field line into the corner, a three double
(05:32):
night four Ramirez, giving him seventeen on the season. Two
RBIs tonight giving him thirty one, one behind Chase the laughter.
The bullpen was outstanding as usual, holding that two run
lead through the seventh and in the eighth inning, the
Guardians pulled away singles for an Hell Martinez, Daniel Schneman,
(05:53):
and Stephen Kuan loaded the bases for rookie Travis Bizana
uvall one strike away from keeping the Yankees in this game.
No One two swung on line toward the right field
near the line, getting down fair ball into the corner
that'll score Martinez Schneeman. Here comes Kwon the throw that
(06:17):
in time a free run double. On a two strike pitch,
Travis Bozanna blows it open nine to four Cleveland, Bosona
able to pull it down the right field line for
a two ou three run double. He has four armyies tonight,
(06:41):
the most in his young career, and this has been
a different club since Bozanna got here, and tonight just
another example of it. The big lead gave Kate Smith
a night off as Matt Festa was on to finish
things up in the ninth inning. Festa's ready, Here comes
(07:02):
a swinging a chopper to first, Manzardo gloves flips to
Festa Bulgie. Guardians start the road trip with a shelling
of the Yankees nine to four. Well on Wednesday, the
Guardians are trying to make it too straight over the Yankees.
Gavin Williams going for the Guardians against Garrett Cole. What
a pitching matchup, and the Guardians got on the board
(07:24):
in the second inning. Is Kyle Manzardo's big series continued?
The two to two swung on Gulf Tigh in the air,
deep right down the line, on its way gone. Kyle
Mansardo with a towering home run to right and Cleveland
has the early one nothing league as Manzardo hits his
(07:47):
seventh and the first home run Garrett Cole has given
up in twenty twenty six. Granted it's just his third start,
but it's the first time anyone's taken to him. The
Yankees answered in the bottom of the inning, tying the
game on a solo home run by Jazz Chisholm, and
it's stay tied until the fourth, when Jose Ramirez reached
(08:10):
with a base it, bringing Reece Hoskins to the plate
with two men out. Reece Hoskins. The batter, the pitch
to him, and Hoskins wallops it high and deep left field,
way back home run Rece Hoskins. Oh my, a blast
to left for Hoskins and the Guardians are back in front,
(08:31):
three to one Cleveland on the two run home run
wow number six for Ree Hoskins and Cleveland is back
in front. New York got one of those runs right
back in the bottom half of the fourth on a
solo home run by Jose Cabaliro, making it three to
two Cleveland, and they added to that lead when Jose
(08:53):
Ramirez led off the sixth inning. Ramiro's with a high
drive deep, bright field, down the line. If it stays that's.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Fair, it is gone right down the right field foul line.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Jose Ramirez with his third career home run off Garrett Cole.
Cleveland with three home runs tonight and the Guardians with
a four to two lead here in the sixth thenning,
the Yankees again pulled it within a run as they
scored in the bottom of the sixth to make it
a four to three game, and then in the eighth,
(09:27):
another base hit for Jose Ramirez along with a double
from Kyle Manzardo set the table for another hot hitter
in Reece Hoskins infield. In the set the pitch and
Reece Hoskins hits a line drive basin in the left.
Ramire scores, Vanzardo stops at third. Guardians get a ma
(09:48):
Amath insurance run first pitch, swinging Reece Hoskins with an
RBI single to left. He's had a two run homer
to left and now his third RBI in the game,
and the Guardians, for the first time tonight, have scored
without the benefit of a home run, and that turned
out to be a big insurance run as Paul Goldschmid
(10:09):
doubled and scored on a sack fly in the ninth
to make it five to four, but with Kate Smith
on the mound, he was trying to nail down one
more seed. The pitch swung on lifted in the air
shallow left. Rochio walt to shortstop makes the catch fall game.
So Cleveland has won the series and we'll look for
(10:30):
the sweep tomorrow. Five to four. Guardians a winner here
tonight once again. So the Guardians had taken two of
the first three games of the series against the Yankees,
looking for the sweep in Game three on Thursday afternoon,
but it was not to be, as Carlos wrote down
their nemesis over the years shut them down in a
(10:52):
two to one Yankees win. But the Guardians win that
series two games to one. Friday series opener here in Texas,
the Rangers coming from behind, they win it by that
final score of three to two. Stay with us, We'll
have more to come after this.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
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Speaker 4 (11:14):
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Speaker 3 (11:15):
At least seats for the game.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Wow, they must be pretty high up here. I think
my ears just popped.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Shall put this on?
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Is that an oxygen mask?
Speaker 1 (11:22):
An official team oxygen mask?
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Well?
Speaker 5 (11:25):
I can kind of see the field.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Two sixes are still sharp.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
It's gonna Needa for phase two of your said.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
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Speaker 2 (11:56):
Welcome back. It's Guardian's Weekly. Jim rosen House along with
you from Low Blight Field in Arlington, Texas, where the
Guardians are taking on the Rangers. This weekend series continues
on Saturday night with a seven thirty five first pitch
and closes out Sunday afternoon at two thirty five. Patrick
Bailey has been a nice addition to the Guardians, tandeming
(12:17):
with Austin Hedges behind the plate and the catcher who
came over in a trade with the Giants. Has been
here almost a month now with the Guardians, and while
it's hard to believe that time has flown by, we
had a chance to talk with him during the week
and he talked about how easy it's been to fit
in with his new club since arriving in early May.
Speaker 6 (12:36):
Yeah, it's been awesome. The culture here is it's got
to be one of the best in the game, just
in terms of organization and the clubhouse. Obviously, you look
at the guys with the most experienced with with Hosey
and Hedge, and you know, I think they show up
every day give the best example you can have to
(12:57):
go out there and play the game.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And you play a bosi. It's so demanding in terms
of taking care of a pitching staff, and it seems
like you've caught up to speed pretty quickly. And how
have you done that to kind of speed up a
process that's probably hard to do.
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Yeah, I mean, it just takes reps out there definitely
getting more and more comfortable catching these guys. And look, everyone,
the stuff on this is in this rotation in the
bullpen is it's got to be one of the best
in the league. And for me, it's just trying to
figure out how to necessarily enhance it, but just make
(13:31):
the most of it and typically call the right bitches.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
And a mid season trade, well not a mid season
but early in season trade probably a good way to
look at it the first time for you that you've
been traded, your reaction initially, and then looking at the
positives of it. How has it turned out?
Speaker 6 (13:50):
Yeah, I mean, again, I'm super grateful for the Giants
and the opportunities that they gave me. At the same time,
I was super fired up to to come here and
to this organization. You know, it's really close with the
bench coach here, Craig Abernez, and he had nothing but
good things to say and and all of those things
(14:11):
that have come true and I'm just super excited to
be here and super excited to kind of continue my playing,
my playing, my career.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
And when you look at at things, I had to
play a huge triple that got the team going on
Tuesday Night series opener, first hit off of a really
good picture in Cam Schlittler, And what were some of
the keys there to having a good at bad against
a guy who's had great success so far this year.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
Yeah, I mean, he's probably been the best picture in baseball,
one of them in the fastballs have been the thing
for him. I think as a as a lineup, we
were trying to we're trying to take that, take that
away from him. Obviously you probably.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Never truly do that, but yeah, I mean we were.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
We were trying to get on time with the heater
and just trying to stay disciplined in our approach.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I'll stay that. It's been a fun situation to watch
you take hold with this team, and thanks for coming.
I appreciate the times.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
It's Patrick Bailey who has fit in seamlessly behind the
plate for the Guardians. One of the relief pitchers he's
been catching is Matt Festa, the Staten Island native part
of another great bullpen effort Tuesday night in New York.
Five different relievers each worked one shutout, inning a piece
and a nine to four win best to finish the
game pitching a scoreless ninth and he says, it's always
(15:28):
a lot of fun when the bullpen arms can combine
for a night like that.
Speaker 7 (15:31):
When we do come out there and have success, it's
a lot of fun because when we all get to
come back inside the clubhouse, we're all just patting each
other on the back. But it's a great feeling to
you know, all just pass the towards.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
To each other and have a successful night.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
And you've been here a bunch of times in your
major league career, but what is it about here based
on you growing up over in Staaten Island that makes
this a fun road swing and a fun group of
games to play.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
You just have a lot of family and friends in
town watching or supporting at the stadium. And then like myself,
I've just taken a lot of mental reps out on
that mound growing up and going to Yankee games.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
So for me, you know, it's always special coming back here.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
As a kid. How often did you get over here
as often.
Speaker 7 (16:11):
As you can, but you baseball games are you know,
you can't really make it out of your as Stan
Island's not too close. But you know, probably two or
three times a year when I was growing up, that's enough.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Matt fest at joining us to finish things up in
the series opener Tuesday night. And you don't get a
chance to do that too often. Even though it's not
a safe situation. How much fun is it to be
the last guy out there and get to shake hands.
Speaker 7 (16:34):
It's fun. It's fun to be out there when everyone's
just celebrating a nice win. But it's good to you know,
take some of the you know, pressure off of Caid.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
You know, don't know.
Speaker 7 (16:45):
If you use him in the fiber and lead, that's
fantastic and it keeps them fresh for some really close
situations where we might need him down the road.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
So often this year you've come in mid inning, runners
on base, a big mess to get out of, and
you've had good success in that. What's been the key
for you to really excel in that role?
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Not really think about it too much, just focus on
the task at hand. Whoever in the box is just
lock it on my catcher and you know, deliver some
strikes and challenge some hitters, and you know, you hope
things are going to work out for you.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
That's all you can kind of control, so I kind
of I just don't really think about it too much.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Much different from a clean inning when you start at
the at the beginning.
Speaker 7 (17:22):
Yeah, definitely, definitely much different because you can feel the
pressure of that moment kind of coming on you, but
it's you can't really let it get to you. And
when you have a clean inning sometimes you can be
a little bit more relax.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I feel like I like the pressure a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
And team wise, good start to the season. What do
you like in here in terms of what you're seeing
both relievers, starters and position players.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Just we're just playing really relaxed.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
We're playing like just a bunch of really close friends
and it's fun coming to the ballpark every day and seeing,
you know, different the faces and names kind of do
a job every day. And you know, we're a family
already and it's only two months in.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
We're excited.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Matt nice going, Thanks for coming back. Thanks, it's really pitcher.
Matt fest a part of one of the best bullpens
in baseball. Stay with us. We'll come back with a
minor league report after this. Welcome back to Guardians Weekly.
(18:35):
Jim Rosenhause back with you in Texas Glow play Field,
where the Guardians are taking on the Rangers this weekend.
Time for the weekly Farm Report. Man. We checked in
earlier this week with Alyssa Nakin, who is the director
of player Development Arizona Operations out in Goodyear, where for
the most part it's the youngest of the young and
the Guardians Farm system. Most of the players just getting
(18:57):
their feet wet in pro ball and they're about a
month into their season. Analy says, it's great to see
the youngsters on the field playing games now to see
how they're progressing totally.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yeah, thanks Rosie.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
Really happy to be here with you. Yeah, we're about
a month into the season.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
It's fun.
Speaker 8 (19:14):
We've got a really good, energizing crop of players who
are putting in.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
A lot of real good work.
Speaker 8 (19:22):
So it's been fun to watch them in competitive games
this last month.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
And because they're so young, and we're going to talk
about some kids here who are seventeen eighteen years of
age just getting going in their careers at least Stateside.
For a lot of them, it just seems like there's
so much work on fundamentals, building up the bodies and
things like that, even before the games begin, and explain
how a day goes for them and how much practice
(19:48):
work that they can get before the games even start.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
Yeah, he said it really well.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
These are very young players, seventeen eighteen. I think our
oldest one right now is maybe twenty one years old.
So a lot of the conversations that we're having with
players our coaches are doing a really good job on
are just kind of like building a foundation of routinees
and their their physical development. So the day, the days
(20:14):
are quite long. These these kids are putting in a
lot of really good, good work and working hard. So
during the week our games are at six pm, players
will start to arrive into the training room late morning,
early afternoon, and then we've got full like team practice.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Our coaches and you.
Speaker 8 (20:34):
Know, our staff is led by jan Day La Cruz,
our manager. They have done a really good job of
making the work extremely efficient, especially as we start to
get into higher temperatures, and not wanting the players on
their feet too too long when it's one hundred and
six out in the middle of the day, and so
we're really trying to make sure the work is extremely impactful.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
But also efficient. So we've got play like.
Speaker 8 (21:00):
Very scripted like workout days and how it incorporated into
their on field work, and there's constant communication between the
staff if if a player needs a blow or if
we can push a player a little bit more.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
But ultimately, we want these players to.
Speaker 8 (21:15):
Develop physically here, So it's a little bit less than like, Okay,
we need this guy to be ready every single game
to go full nine. You know, it's more about are
we seeing the physical games that we'd expect to see
and are we kind of like beating and going above
and beyond the trends that we've seen in the past,
(21:35):
you know, on the physical side, that's kind of what
we're we're constantly looking at. And then yes, we definitely
want to start to establish a lot of a lot
of fundamental work and coaches starting to build out the
player plans and the goals for these players. So there's
just there's a lot of a lot of work working
(21:56):
on like the whole picture, the whole person for each
and every one of these players.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
And you mentioned that, and a lot of them are
coming over to the United States for the first time
after playing at the Dominican Complex after being signed. That
component getting a Latin American player acclimated to the United States.
How much do you work there with getting them up
to speed.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
It's amazing.
Speaker 8 (22:20):
So we've got our Education and Life Skills team, Ali
airs Is. I'm actually in DR right now and Ali
runs the education program here in DR. So I've spent
a lot of time with her this week, which has
been great, and just learning more about the process. But
down here before, so these the players that you're seeing
in the ACL right now, those that have been promoted
(22:42):
from the DSL to the ACL, you know, a lot
of them, they were traveling here for the first time
right before spring training of this year. So our group
down here in DR actually put together like an airport unit,
so they they turn like the cafeteria into an airport
to give these players reps on what it looks like
to run through an airport, so that when they get
(23:03):
to the airport before they travel here to spring training,
like they're comfortable, they know what to expect, you know,
they kind of are starting to understand the flow of
an airport. We've had we had a staff member who's
base in Arizona travel with them to the States in
I believe it was late February, it would have been
early or mid February.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
So yeah, then they get here and we ensure they're.
Speaker 8 (23:26):
Staying at our apartments here, which is great, and there's
some familiar faces. We're trying to get a lot more
staff to travel to DR to get to know these
players so that when the players do travel to Arizona,
they've seen a lot of our staff before and they
can feel at least a little bit comfortable in what
is a understandably wildly uncomfortable situation being so young and
(23:48):
coming to a country that you've never been before. But again,
like so that's right at spring training, so there's a
lot of staff here during that time that they've known
and it just helps them kind of get up. But
the work that the DR staff does is so impactful
because it does prep them to come to Arizona and
(24:11):
understand like the flow of the day again being down
here right now, Like the schedule looks very similar to
how we're running it in Arizona. The emphasis around the
physical development and the nutrition and the routines and the
importance of sleep is all of the same. Exact messaging
that we're sharing in Arizona. So everything that we can
(24:31):
seemingly control, we're trying to do so that it makes
that transition for the players just a little bit more
seamless when they get to Arizona. So yeah, it's a lot,
and it's a lot of like getting to know our
players and understanding where they're coming from, like what their
backgrounds are, because their stories are incredible and moving, and
(24:58):
I think that's ultimately like the number one piece if
we're going to make an impact in these players playing careers,
we have to know them as people and understand where
they're coming from in order to build that connection and
build that trust so that we can together like coach
or staff member and player like work together to aid
(25:19):
and support in the development and help him, you know,
continue to navigate the player development system and ultimately become
an impact player for the major league team.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
We're joined by Alissa Knakin, the director of player development
out in Arizona, and she's actually in the Dominican Republic
when we catch up with her this week. But let's
get to some players, Alyssa, and we'll start on the
mound with an eighteen year old right hander by the
name of Will Hines, who was drafted last year seventy
fifth overall selection in last year's amateur draft, and he's
(25:52):
just getting his career going. And what are you seeing
four or five starts in for him in Arizona.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Yeah, Will Will's dynamic.
Speaker 8 (26:00):
I mean when you watch him pitch, it just is
such a clean, very pretty pretty uh delivery, and he's
doing well. You know, I think through through four starts
he's got a five close to twenty one percentage, you know,
around a twelve percent walk percentage.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
There was May was a little bit uneven.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
He started out with kind of a glop flare up
and had an illness. But June we just actually saw
him have his best start of the year. Four innings pitched,
no runs, just one walk and five k's. He's right
around like ninety three miles an hour, which is exciting,
and he's throwing a lot of strikes, which is good.
(26:45):
And ultimately for Will, like most of these players like,
it's the physical development. So he's gained some weight since
since the off season, which is great, and so he
is really starting to understand how the work that he's
doing in the weight room can transition to the work
that he can do on the mound. So he's very mature,
(27:07):
showing a ton of ownership in his routines in a
lot of spaces like recovery and prep and nutrition and
mental performance. So he's experimenting with some different grips right
now with our coaches in the pen, and we're seeing
some encouraging trends there.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
Also on the mound. And these two are a little
bit different in that they've been in the Dominican Summer League.
And for Alejandro Rivera a right hand or nineteen years old,
but he's already in his third pro season and it
looks like the numbers are really good across the board.
And how much of a difference can that make having
some time in professional baseball, even if it's at a
(27:45):
very low level, to have him develop here this.
Speaker 8 (27:47):
Season, Yeah, I think it goes back to like he's
understanding like the flow of a year, and he's understanding
his body a little bit more, and he's starting to
see like the impacts of a lot of the really
good work he's put in the first couple of years
that he was he was in in dr with you know,
(28:09):
the nutrition side, the weight room work, be getting in
the training room early and often. And you know, Alejandro
is extremely athletic, and he is exciting, very exciting to watch,
really awesome personality. People just love to be be around him,
and he throws a ton of strikes. And we're already
(28:32):
seeing some really encouraging trends in this velocity, Like it's
definitely up one or two miles an hour from where he.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
Sat in the DSL.
Speaker 8 (28:42):
And again, he too, has added some really good weight
since the end of twenty twenty five and understands and
really has a good grasp on his process and is
adapting some routines and works really well with all of
the staff. Extremely proactive in whether it's you know, our
(29:04):
strength and conditioning staff or training staff or our coaches,
really proactive and asking good questions and trying to experiment
with different things to see when something clicks. But also
at the same time, like he's trusting the process and
trusting his routine. So yeah, I think he's he's got
about nineteen innings pitched, he's got like eleven point four
(29:27):
case nine, and it's just exciting to see him every
time he's out there.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
All right, let's switch to the position players side. You
have a catcher named Rayner Herrera, twenty years of age
out of Venezuela, and I'll just the one number that
jumps out stats wise, the OPS is over eleven hundred
the last time I checked. What's he doing that that's
really exciting and has people excited about him?
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Rainer is so this is his second year in the
ACL and he has been somebody that like, if you're
talking to just about it, any staff member is the
Cleveland Guardian organization, they are pounding the table for Raynor
Herrera because he is such a leader. He is just
like has such a growth mindset. He owns his routines.
(30:13):
He and the hitting coaches have worked a lot and
built really good relationships over the last year on just
some of the things like cleaning up his lower half
load and creating a little bit more space to handle
some velocity in the inner third of a plate. Rayner's
just he's dialed. He wants to get out of Arizona
and he doesn't want to be here, you know, second year,
(30:35):
and so he's really really trusting his work and trusting
his plan. You know, He's showing up every day and
putting in a lot of like efficient and good work
in the cage, but also also behind the plate. Pictures
love love throwing to him. He is just a rock
back there. His arm is a really true weapon. And
(30:58):
he's making a lot of games on the receiving side too,
So we're all very excited for Rainer and he is.
He's really a true a true leader for this group.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
And one other position player looks like he moves around
a little bit. Ricardo Romero, eighteen years old out of Venezuela.
And another kid who looks like he's off to a
great start ops wise and batting average wise. And what
has you feeling good about Ricardo Romero.
Speaker 8 (31:25):
Yeah, Romero opened up the season as the ACL Player
of the Week after Week one. He had a hit
in every game and had over a fifteen hundred ops
to open the season. And he is You can't watch
Ricardo Romero play and not smile. Like his energy out
there is contagious. He's taken down a lot of games
(31:48):
between second base and shortstop. We'll start to see them
at third base, but is also dynamic in center field.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
He's just he can play.
Speaker 8 (31:55):
Everywhere and again like this is his first time in
the ACL, but you wouldn't really believe that when you
watch him, he just looks extremely comfortable out there. He
is flowing into the schedule and the routines here really
really well, and has built really good relationships with the staff,
(32:16):
and he's getting stronger. He's one that you know, we
again are like prioritizing physical development, but he's also going
to take down most of the games too. So he
and the strength and conditioning staff and Wanda La Cruz,
our manager, and the rest of the staff have work
together to put in a really good plan where he's
going to get a lot of he's going to see
(32:36):
a lot of games, a lot of innings, but he's
also going to get a little bit extra work in
the weight room too, and so his body has been
handling that really well, and again like really exciting player
to watch. He stands out every time he's on the field.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
And we're joined by Alyssa Knak and the director of
player Development out in Arizona, Alyssa, before we let you go,
part of the Arizona Complex is a place for major
league players or players within the system to go for
rehab take care of certain things. And Bo Naylor, who
obviously has a ton of major league time, went to
(33:15):
Arizona to try and work on some things before he
headed to Columbus. And what do you try and do
out there to make sure that that he can make
the most of that time and get back to a
good place before he heads out to Columbus.
Speaker 8 (33:28):
Yeah, I think there's a lot that goes into it
that's largely driven by the player, you know, Like it
was Bo had chosen like, hey, need to spend a
couple a little bit of time in Arizona just kind
of reset.
Speaker 5 (33:42):
So that was the.
Speaker 8 (33:43):
Environment that we wanted to create down there. Is just like,
let's create this environment where he can have some space away,
like doesn't need to go out and compete every single
night and can just reset, you know, work on some
things fundamentally, but also just have some space away and
to reflect on everything that he's done and gone through.
(34:06):
And we had a hitting quarter, hitting coordinator come down
and spend most the most time with him just in
one on one settings and getting Bow to talk through
a lot of what he was going on, what he
was seeing, what he was feeling. Prior to him leaving,
he got in a couple acl games and what's funny
is there was a game that came down to like
(34:28):
bottom of the ninth it's tie game, and of course,
like in true Guards ball fashion, the Guards won the game.
And he had a lot of fun, like self reported
having a lot of fun in that game. And of course,
like what an opportunity for play our current ACL players
to have bowed in around the dugout and just in
(34:49):
and around the complex and learn from him and talk
about him. And you know, there's gonna be a lot
of ups and downs in every player's career and especially
in a season.
Speaker 5 (35:00):
And so again like.
Speaker 8 (35:01):
Arizona, this is where our vision is to make it
the most impactful place for baseball players to train and develop.
So that doesn't just mean like our youngest or newest players.
Speaker 5 (35:12):
That can mean like very established veterans too.
Speaker 8 (35:15):
So it was great to have in there for the
those couple of weeks, that little bit of time, and
I think everybody felt good in the spot that he
was in when he then transitioned out.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
To Columbus ALYSSA great stuff as always, thanks so much
for the time today, appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Thanks for Rosie, take care and so listen.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
Nakin with a lot of good stuff from Arizona. She
is the director of Arizona Operations and player development out
in good year and a lot of great stories. And
it'll be a while before we see them buying for
a spot on the major league roster. But it's still
fun to hear about what's happening at the very beginning
stages of the minor league ladder for the Guardians, stay
with us. We'll close out our show after our final
(35:56):
timeout on the Cleveland Clinic Radio Network.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Progressive presents Waste to Save Money that aren't bundling your
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Speaker 2 (36:09):
Thanks again for taking me to the game, man, I
can't wait to get in there.
Speaker 4 (36:12):
By the way, what's in the bag?
Speaker 5 (36:14):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (36:14):
I bring my own hot dog and peanuts saves a ton,
Oh savvy?
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And what about the beach chairs?
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Why buy seats when you can save big and bring
your own. We can't get in without tickets. Tickets, what
do you think the portable TV is for?
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Don't save money pretending to go to the game. You
could save on hundred spyce witching to Progressive. Got a
quote at Progressive dot com. Progresson keshalteaterans coming up one
gets other insurms nothving a themIn tho States for situations.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
Welcome back. It's Guardians Weekly, our final segment, and we
can remind you that the Guardians are back in action
at seven thirty five on Saturday night against these Texas Rangers,
and they close out the road trip on Sunday afternoon
at two thirty five first pitch. Then it's back the
Yankees for three off day Thursday, and then Detroit comes
(37:05):
to town and it's expected that in that series Trek
Scoobel will come off the injured list and make a
start for the Tigers. So a lot to look forward
to on the upcoming home stand. You can grab your
tickets at col Guardians dot com. Thanks to Brian Motze
for all of his help and putting together our show
each and every week. We'll catch you next week from
back home at Progressive Field. Until then, this is Jim
(37:27):
Rosenhause reminding you that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly
on the Cleveland Clinic Radio network.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
The Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive
helping Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance
Speaker 7 (38:23):
Sh
Welcome to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network.
Guardians Weekly is brought to you by Progressive helping Guardians
fans save hundreds on car insurance.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hi, everyone, Welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosen House along
with you from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, where
the Guardians are taking on the Texas Ranger this weekend,
the back end of a two city road trip for
Cleveland that began in New York with some great games
earlier this week. We'll get to that shortly. A little
bit later on in our show, we'll hear from new
(01:11):
Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey, relief pitcher Matt Festa, and we'll
have a full report on all things Arizona in the
minor league system with Alyssa Knakin, who is the director
of player Development Arizona Operations out in Goodyear, and she
has some great stuff for us in the second part
of our show. But first our weekend review off day
(01:32):
Monday for the Guardians and then the road trip began
Tuesday night in New York against the Yankees, scoreless game
until the third inning. That's when Patrick Bailey got things
started for the Guardians. The one to one swung on.
This is pounded in the deep right center field back
to try to make to catch Grisham. It's over his head,
(01:53):
bangs up against the wall after hitting the track, going
for three is bailey head first slide on the triple.
A triple to center field for Patrick Bailey his first
and Cleveland gets a triple from a guy you weren't
expecting it from. Patrick Bailey pounded that one to the
right of center and over the head of everybody. And
(02:17):
next up it was Brian Rochio to try to drive
Bailey in for the game's first run infield. Drawn in
the pitch down to Rochio and he sends one in
the air fair medium, deep center, so this will get
a run home Christen with the catch, Bailey will tag
and score one nothing. Cleveland good at beat for Brian Rochio,
(02:38):
who gets his twenty eighth RBI, hitting ninth. In the
bottom half of the third, the Yankees jumped in front
on a two run home run from Paul Goldschmidt, but
the Guardians came right back in the fourth. Jose Ramirez
led it off with a double and then with one out,
Kyle Manzardo stepped in the pitch by Schlittler. He swung
(02:58):
on and plasted high in the air, deep right field,
way back, and that ball is gone a home run
Kyle Manzardo, dead right for man Zardo, a two run shot.
Guardians take the lead again. Now it's three to two Cleveland,
number six on the year for Kyle Manzardo. A pitch
(03:23):
that at at ninety three a little bit off the
the serious velocity from Schlidler, and Manzardo lost it on
him into the stands and right. But once again the
Yankees responded, and once again it was Goldschmid a two
run single to put New York back in front four
to three. The back and forth continued in the fifth
(03:43):
as the Guardians loaded the bases with nobody out for
Travis Bozana on and won the count on Bazana, here's
the pitch swung on and there's a high fly ball
to center plenty deepen up to score the run, making
the catches Grisham tagging and scoreing as Kwan the other
runners hold and we are tied at four on the
(04:05):
sack fly from Travis Pazana. Then Jose Ramirez broke the tie.
Schlitzler lets it fly swung online drive base it down
the right field line into the corner. It goes rounding
third and scoring is Bailey. On his way to third
is Rochio and the with an RBI double to put
the Guardians back in front. It's Jose Ramirez five to
(04:29):
four Cleveland on double number sixteen for Ramirez Boy. And
this is as good as Jose has looked at the
plate results wise in a while, as he has now
driven in thirty on the season, and he has knocked
Cam Schlitzler out of this game before It's five innings old.
(04:50):
And it stayed five to four Guardians until the seventh.
That's when Brian Rochio got aboard with a single, stole
second and third, and then Jose Ramirez delivered again. The
pitch swung on a high chopper the third over the
head of Rosario down the left field line. It'll roll
into the corner. Ramirez with his third double, big turn,
(05:11):
but he'll hold right there, scoring his Rochio and it's
a six to four Cleveland lead. Net was not by
any means a hard hit ball, but a perfectly placed
kangaroo hop over the head of Rosario at third, down
the left field line into the corner, a three double
(05:32):
night four Ramirez, giving him seventeen on the season. Two
RBIs tonight giving him thirty one, one behind Chase the laughter.
The bullpen was outstanding as usual, holding that two run
lead through the seventh and in the eighth inning, the
Guardians pulled away singles for an Hell Martinez, Daniel Schneman,
(05:53):
and Stephen Kuan loaded the bases for rookie Travis Bizana
uvall one strike away from keeping the Yankees in this game.
No One two swung on line toward the right field
near the line, getting down fair ball into the corner
that'll score Martinez Schneeman. Here comes Kwon the throw that
(06:17):
in time a free run double. On a two strike pitch,
Travis Bozanna blows it open nine to four Cleveland, Bosona
able to pull it down the right field line for
a two ou three run double. He has four armyies tonight,
(06:41):
the most in his young career, and this has been
a different club since Bozanna got here, and tonight just
another example of it. The big lead gave Kate Smith
a night off as Matt Festa was on to finish
things up in the ninth inning. Festa's ready, Here comes
(07:02):
a swinging a chopper to first, Manzardo gloves flips to
Festa Bulgie. Guardians start the road trip with a shelling
of the Yankees nine to four. Well on Wednesday, the
Guardians are trying to make it too straight over the Yankees.
Gavin Williams going for the Guardians against Garrett Cole. What
a pitching matchup, and the Guardians got on the board
(07:24):
in the second inning. Is Kyle Manzardo's big series continued?
The two to two swung on Gulf Tigh in the air,
deep right down the line, on its way gone. Kyle
Mansardo with a towering home run to right and Cleveland
has the early one nothing league as Manzardo hits his
(07:47):
seventh and the first home run Garrett Cole has given
up in twenty twenty six. Granted it's just his third start,
but it's the first time anyone's taken to him. The
Yankees answered in the bottom of the inning, tying the
game on a solo home run by Jazz Chisholm, and
it's stay tied until the fourth, when Jose Ramirez reached
(08:10):
with a base it, bringing Reece Hoskins to the plate
with two men out. Reece Hoskins. The batter, the pitch
to him, and Hoskins wallops it high and deep left field,
way back home run Rece Hoskins. Oh my, a blast
to left for Hoskins and the Guardians are back in front,
(08:31):
three to one Cleveland on the two run home run
wow number six for Ree Hoskins and Cleveland is back
in front. New York got one of those runs right
back in the bottom half of the fourth on a
solo home run by Jose Cabaliro, making it three to
two Cleveland, and they added to that lead when Jose
(08:53):
Ramirez led off the sixth inning. Ramiro's with a high
drive deep, bright field, down the line. If it stays that's.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Fair, it is gone right down the right field foul line.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Jose Ramirez with his third career home run off Garrett Cole.
Cleveland with three home runs tonight and the Guardians with
a four to two lead here in the sixth thenning,
the Yankees again pulled it within a run as they
scored in the bottom of the sixth to make it
a four to three game, and then in the eighth,
(09:27):
another base hit for Jose Ramirez along with a double
from Kyle Manzardo set the table for another hot hitter
in Reece Hoskins infield. In the set the pitch and
Reece Hoskins hits a line drive basin in the left.
Ramire scores, Vanzardo stops at third. Guardians get a ma
(09:48):
Amath insurance run first pitch, swinging Reece Hoskins with an
RBI single to left. He's had a two run homer
to left and now his third RBI in the game,
and the Guardians, for the first time tonight, have scored
without the benefit of a home run, and that turned
out to be a big insurance run as Paul Goldschmid
(10:09):
doubled and scored on a sack fly in the ninth
to make it five to four, but with Kate Smith
on the mound, he was trying to nail down one
more seed. The pitch swung on lifted in the air
shallow left. Rochio walt to shortstop makes the catch fall game.
So Cleveland has won the series and we'll look for
(10:30):
the sweep tomorrow. Five to four. Guardians a winner here
tonight once again. So the Guardians had taken two of
the first three games of the series against the Yankees,
looking for the sweep in Game three on Thursday afternoon,
but it was not to be, as Carlos wrote down
their nemesis over the years shut them down in a
(10:52):
two to one Yankees win. But the Guardians win that
series two games to one. Friday series opener here in Texas,
the Rangers coming from behind, they win it by that
final score of three to two. Stay with us, We'll
have more to come after this.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
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Speaker 4 (11:14):
I can't believe the deal we got.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
At least seats for the game.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Wow, they must be pretty high up here. I think
my ears just popped.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Shall put this on?
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Is that an oxygen mask?
Speaker 1 (11:22):
An official team oxygen mask?
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Well?
Speaker 5 (11:25):
I can kind of see the field.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Two sixes are still sharp.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
It's gonna Needa for phase two of your said.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Don't save money by sitting in the nosebleeds. You could
save hundreds by switching to Progressive. Get a quote at
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Speaker 2 (11:56):
Welcome back. It's Guardian's Weekly. Jim rosen House along with
you from Low Blight Field in Arlington, Texas, where the
Guardians are taking on the Rangers. This weekend series continues
on Saturday night with a seven thirty five first pitch
and closes out Sunday afternoon at two thirty five. Patrick
Bailey has been a nice addition to the Guardians, tandeming
(12:17):
with Austin Hedges behind the plate and the catcher who
came over in a trade with the Giants. Has been
here almost a month now with the Guardians, and while
it's hard to believe that time has flown by, we
had a chance to talk with him during the week
and he talked about how easy it's been to fit
in with his new club since arriving in early May.
Speaker 6 (12:36):
Yeah, it's been awesome. The culture here is it's got
to be one of the best in the game, just
in terms of organization and the clubhouse. Obviously, you look
at the guys with the most experienced with with Hosey
and Hedge, and you know, I think they show up
every day give the best example you can have to
(12:57):
go out there and play the game.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And you play a bosi. It's so demanding in terms
of taking care of a pitching staff, and it seems
like you've caught up to speed pretty quickly. And how
have you done that to kind of speed up a
process that's probably hard to do.
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Yeah, I mean, it just takes reps out there definitely
getting more and more comfortable catching these guys. And look, everyone,
the stuff on this is in this rotation in the
bullpen is it's got to be one of the best
in the league. And for me, it's just trying to
figure out how to necessarily enhance it, but just make
(13:31):
the most of it and typically call the right bitches.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
And a mid season trade, well not a mid season
but early in season trade probably a good way to
look at it the first time for you that you've
been traded, your reaction initially, and then looking at the
positives of it. How has it turned out?
Speaker 6 (13:50):
Yeah, I mean, again, I'm super grateful for the Giants
and the opportunities that they gave me. At the same time,
I was super fired up to to come here and
to this organization. You know, it's really close with the
bench coach here, Craig Abernez, and he had nothing but
good things to say and and all of those things
(14:11):
that have come true and I'm just super excited to
be here and super excited to kind of continue my playing,
my playing, my career.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
And when you look at at things, I had to
play a huge triple that got the team going on
Tuesday Night series opener, first hit off of a really
good picture in Cam Schlittler, And what were some of
the keys there to having a good at bad against
a guy who's had great success so far this year.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
Yeah, I mean, he's probably been the best picture in baseball,
one of them in the fastballs have been the thing
for him. I think as a as a lineup, we
were trying to we're trying to take that, take that
away from him. Obviously you probably.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Never truly do that, but yeah, I mean we were.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
We were trying to get on time with the heater
and just trying to stay disciplined in our approach.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I'll stay that. It's been a fun situation to watch
you take hold with this team, and thanks for coming.
I appreciate the times.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
It's Patrick Bailey who has fit in seamlessly behind the
plate for the Guardians. One of the relief pitchers he's
been catching is Matt Festa, the Staten Island native part
of another great bullpen effort Tuesday night in New York.
Five different relievers each worked one shutout, inning a piece
and a nine to four win best to finish the
game pitching a scoreless ninth and he says, it's always
(15:28):
a lot of fun when the bullpen arms can combine
for a night like that.
Speaker 7 (15:31):
When we do come out there and have success, it's
a lot of fun because when we all get to
come back inside the clubhouse, we're all just patting each
other on the back. But it's a great feeling to
you know, all just pass the towards.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
To each other and have a successful night.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
And you've been here a bunch of times in your
major league career, but what is it about here based
on you growing up over in Staaten Island that makes
this a fun road swing and a fun group of
games to play.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
You just have a lot of family and friends in
town watching or supporting at the stadium. And then like myself,
I've just taken a lot of mental reps out on
that mound growing up and going to Yankee games.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
So for me, you know, it's always special coming back here.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
As a kid. How often did you get over here
as often.
Speaker 7 (16:11):
As you can, but you baseball games are you know,
you can't really make it out of your as Stan
Island's not too close. But you know, probably two or
three times a year when I was growing up, that's enough.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Matt fest at joining us to finish things up in
the series opener Tuesday night. And you don't get a
chance to do that too often. Even though it's not
a safe situation. How much fun is it to be
the last guy out there and get to shake hands.
Speaker 7 (16:34):
It's fun. It's fun to be out there when everyone's
just celebrating a nice win. But it's good to you know,
take some of the you know, pressure off of Caid.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
You know, don't know.
Speaker 7 (16:45):
If you use him in the fiber and lead, that's
fantastic and it keeps them fresh for some really close
situations where we might need him down the road.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
So often this year you've come in mid inning, runners
on base, a big mess to get out of, and
you've had good success in that. What's been the key
for you to really excel in that role?
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Not really think about it too much, just focus on
the task at hand. Whoever in the box is just
lock it on my catcher and you know, deliver some
strikes and challenge some hitters, and you know, you hope
things are going to work out for you.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
That's all you can kind of control, so I kind
of I just don't really think about it too much.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Much different from a clean inning when you start at
the at the beginning.
Speaker 7 (17:22):
Yeah, definitely, definitely much different because you can feel the
pressure of that moment kind of coming on you, but
it's you can't really let it get to you. And
when you have a clean inning sometimes you can be
a little bit more relax.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I feel like I like the pressure a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
And team wise, good start to the season. What do
you like in here in terms of what you're seeing
both relievers, starters and position players.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Just we're just playing really relaxed.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
We're playing like just a bunch of really close friends
and it's fun coming to the ballpark every day and seeing,
you know, different the faces and names kind of do
a job every day. And you know, we're a family
already and it's only two months in.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
We're excited.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Matt nice going, Thanks for coming back. Thanks, it's really pitcher.
Matt fest a part of one of the best bullpens
in baseball. Stay with us. We'll come back with a
minor league report after this. Welcome back to Guardians Weekly.
(18:35):
Jim Rosenhause back with you in Texas Glow play Field,
where the Guardians are taking on the Rangers this weekend.
Time for the weekly Farm Report. Man. We checked in
earlier this week with Alyssa Nakin, who is the director
of player Development Arizona Operations out in Goodyear, where for
the most part it's the youngest of the young and
the Guardians Farm system. Most of the players just getting
(18:57):
their feet wet in pro ball and they're about a
month into their season. Analy says, it's great to see
the youngsters on the field playing games now to see
how they're progressing totally.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yeah, thanks Rosie.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
Really happy to be here with you. Yeah, we're about
a month into the season.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
It's fun.
Speaker 8 (19:14):
We've got a really good, energizing crop of players who
are putting in.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
A lot of real good work.
Speaker 8 (19:22):
So it's been fun to watch them in competitive games
this last month.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
And because they're so young, and we're going to talk
about some kids here who are seventeen eighteen years of
age just getting going in their careers at least Stateside.
For a lot of them, it just seems like there's
so much work on fundamentals, building up the bodies and
things like that, even before the games begin, and explain
how a day goes for them and how much practice
(19:48):
work that they can get before the games even start.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
Yeah, he said it really well.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
These are very young players, seventeen eighteen. I think our
oldest one right now is maybe twenty one years old.
So a lot of the conversations that we're having with
players our coaches are doing a really good job on
are just kind of like building a foundation of routinees
and their their physical development. So the day, the days
(20:14):
are quite long. These these kids are putting in a
lot of really good, good work and working hard. So
during the week our games are at six pm, players
will start to arrive into the training room late morning,
early afternoon, and then we've got full like team practice.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Our coaches and you.
Speaker 8 (20:34):
Know, our staff is led by jan Day La Cruz,
our manager. They have done a really good job of
making the work extremely efficient, especially as we start to
get into higher temperatures, and not wanting the players on
their feet too too long when it's one hundred and
six out in the middle of the day, and so
we're really trying to make sure the work is extremely impactful.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
But also efficient. So we've got play like.
Speaker 8 (21:00):
Very scripted like workout days and how it incorporated into
their on field work, and there's constant communication between the
staff if if a player needs a blow or if
we can push a player a little bit more.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
But ultimately, we want these players to.
Speaker 8 (21:15):
Develop physically here, So it's a little bit less than like, Okay,
we need this guy to be ready every single game
to go full nine. You know, it's more about are
we seeing the physical games that we'd expect to see
and are we kind of like beating and going above
and beyond the trends that we've seen in the past,
(21:35):
you know, on the physical side, that's kind of what
we're we're constantly looking at. And then yes, we definitely
want to start to establish a lot of a lot
of fundamental work and coaches starting to build out the
player plans and the goals for these players. So there's
just there's a lot of a lot of work working
(21:56):
on like the whole picture, the whole person for each
and every one of these players.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
And you mentioned that, and a lot of them are
coming over to the United States for the first time
after playing at the Dominican Complex after being signed. That
component getting a Latin American player acclimated to the United States.
How much do you work there with getting them up
to speed.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
It's amazing.
Speaker 8 (22:20):
So we've got our Education and Life Skills team, Ali
airs Is. I'm actually in DR right now and Ali
runs the education program here in DR. So I've spent
a lot of time with her this week, which has
been great, and just learning more about the process. But
down here before, so these the players that you're seeing
in the ACL right now, those that have been promoted
(22:42):
from the DSL to the ACL, you know, a lot
of them, they were traveling here for the first time
right before spring training of this year. So our group
down here in DR actually put together like an airport unit,
so they they turn like the cafeteria into an airport
to give these players reps on what it looks like
to run through an airport, so that when they get
(23:03):
to the airport before they travel here to spring training,
like they're comfortable, they know what to expect, you know,
they kind of are starting to understand the flow of
an airport. We've had we had a staff member who's
base in Arizona travel with them to the States in
I believe it was late February, it would have been
early or mid February.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
So yeah, then they get here and we ensure they're.
Speaker 8 (23:26):
Staying at our apartments here, which is great, and there's
some familiar faces. We're trying to get a lot more
staff to travel to DR to get to know these
players so that when the players do travel to Arizona,
they've seen a lot of our staff before and they
can feel at least a little bit comfortable in what
is a understandably wildly uncomfortable situation being so young and
(23:48):
coming to a country that you've never been before. But again,
like so that's right at spring training, so there's a
lot of staff here during that time that they've known
and it just helps them kind of get up. But
the work that the DR staff does is so impactful
because it does prep them to come to Arizona and
(24:11):
understand like the flow of the day again being down
here right now, Like the schedule looks very similar to
how we're running it in Arizona. The emphasis around the
physical development and the nutrition and the routines and the
importance of sleep is all of the same. Exact messaging
that we're sharing in Arizona. So everything that we can
(24:31):
seemingly control, we're trying to do so that it makes
that transition for the players just a little bit more
seamless when they get to Arizona. So yeah, it's a lot,
and it's a lot of like getting to know our
players and understanding where they're coming from, like what their
backgrounds are, because their stories are incredible and moving, and
(24:58):
I think that's ultimately like the number one piece if
we're going to make an impact in these players playing careers,
we have to know them as people and understand where
they're coming from in order to build that connection and
build that trust so that we can together like coach
or staff member and player like work together to aid
(25:19):
and support in the development and help him, you know,
continue to navigate the player development system and ultimately become
an impact player for the major league team.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
We're joined by Alissa Knakin, the director of player development
out in Arizona, and she's actually in the Dominican Republic
when we catch up with her this week. But let's
get to some players, Alyssa, and we'll start on the
mound with an eighteen year old right hander by the
name of Will Hines, who was drafted last year seventy
fifth overall selection in last year's amateur draft, and he's
(25:52):
just getting his career going. And what are you seeing
four or five starts in for him in Arizona.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Yeah, Will Will's dynamic.
Speaker 8 (26:00):
I mean when you watch him pitch, it just is
such a clean, very pretty pretty uh delivery, and he's
doing well. You know, I think through through four starts
he's got a five close to twenty one percentage, you know,
around a twelve percent walk percentage.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
There was May was a little bit uneven.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
He started out with kind of a glop flare up
and had an illness. But June we just actually saw
him have his best start of the year. Four innings pitched,
no runs, just one walk and five k's. He's right
around like ninety three miles an hour, which is exciting,
and he's throwing a lot of strikes, which is good.
(26:45):
And ultimately for Will, like most of these players like,
it's the physical development. So he's gained some weight since
since the off season, which is great, and so he
is really starting to understand how the work that he's
doing in the weight room can transition to the work
that he can do on the mound. So he's very mature,
(27:07):
showing a ton of ownership in his routines in a
lot of spaces like recovery and prep and nutrition and
mental performance. So he's experimenting with some different grips right
now with our coaches in the pen, and we're seeing
some encouraging trends there.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
Also on the mound. And these two are a little
bit different in that they've been in the Dominican Summer League.
And for Alejandro Rivera a right hand or nineteen years old,
but he's already in his third pro season and it
looks like the numbers are really good across the board.
And how much of a difference can that make having
some time in professional baseball, even if it's at a
(27:45):
very low level, to have him develop here this.
Speaker 8 (27:47):
Season, Yeah, I think it goes back to like he's
understanding like the flow of a year, and he's understanding
his body a little bit more, and he's starting to
see like the impacts of a lot of the really
good work he's put in the first couple of years
that he was he was in in dr with you know,
(28:09):
the nutrition side, the weight room work, be getting in
the training room early and often. And you know, Alejandro
is extremely athletic, and he is exciting, very exciting to watch,
really awesome personality. People just love to be be around him,
and he throws a ton of strikes. And we're already
(28:32):
seeing some really encouraging trends in this velocity, Like it's
definitely up one or two miles an hour from where he.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
Sat in the DSL.
Speaker 8 (28:42):
And again, he too, has added some really good weight
since the end of twenty twenty five and understands and
really has a good grasp on his process and is
adapting some routines and works really well with all of
the staff. Extremely proactive in whether it's you know, our
(29:04):
strength and conditioning staff or training staff or our coaches,
really proactive and asking good questions and trying to experiment
with different things to see when something clicks. But also
at the same time, like he's trusting the process and
trusting his routine. So yeah, I think he's he's got
about nineteen innings pitched, he's got like eleven point four
(29:27):
case nine, and it's just exciting to see him every
time he's out there.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
All right, let's switch to the position players side. You
have a catcher named Rayner Herrera, twenty years of age
out of Venezuela, and I'll just the one number that
jumps out stats wise, the OPS is over eleven hundred
the last time I checked. What's he doing that that's
really exciting and has people excited about him?
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Rainer is so this is his second year in the
ACL and he has been somebody that like, if you're
talking to just about it, any staff member is the
Cleveland Guardian organization, they are pounding the table for Raynor
Herrera because he is such a leader. He is just
like has such a growth mindset. He owns his routines.
(30:13):
He and the hitting coaches have worked a lot and
built really good relationships over the last year on just
some of the things like cleaning up his lower half
load and creating a little bit more space to handle
some velocity in the inner third of a plate. Rayner's
just he's dialed. He wants to get out of Arizona
and he doesn't want to be here, you know, second year,
(30:35):
and so he's really really trusting his work and trusting
his plan. You know, He's showing up every day and
putting in a lot of like efficient and good work
in the cage, but also also behind the plate. Pictures
love love throwing to him. He is just a rock
back there. His arm is a really true weapon. And
(30:58):
he's making a lot of games on the receiving side too,
So we're all very excited for Rainer and he is.
He's really a true a true leader for this group.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
And one other position player looks like he moves around
a little bit. Ricardo Romero, eighteen years old out of Venezuela.
And another kid who looks like he's off to a
great start ops wise and batting average wise. And what
has you feeling good about Ricardo Romero.
Speaker 8 (31:25):
Yeah, Romero opened up the season as the ACL Player
of the Week after Week one. He had a hit
in every game and had over a fifteen hundred ops
to open the season. And he is You can't watch
Ricardo Romero play and not smile. Like his energy out
there is contagious. He's taken down a lot of games
(31:48):
between second base and shortstop. We'll start to see them
at third base, but is also dynamic in center field.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
He's just he can play.
Speaker 8 (31:55):
Everywhere and again like this is his first time in
the ACL, but you wouldn't really believe that when you
watch him, he just looks extremely comfortable out there. He
is flowing into the schedule and the routines here really
really well, and has built really good relationships with the staff,
(32:16):
and he's getting stronger. He's one that you know, we
again are like prioritizing physical development, but he's also going
to take down most of the games too. So he
and the strength and conditioning staff and Wanda La Cruz,
our manager, and the rest of the staff have work
together to put in a really good plan where he's
going to get a lot of he's going to see
(32:36):
a lot of games, a lot of innings, but he's
also going to get a little bit extra work in
the weight room too, and so his body has been
handling that really well, and again like really exciting player
to watch. He stands out every time he's on the field.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
And we're joined by Alyssa Knak and the director of
player Development out in Arizona, Alyssa, before we let you go,
part of the Arizona Complex is a place for major
league players or players within the system to go for
rehab take care of certain things. And Bo Naylor, who
obviously has a ton of major league time, went to
(33:15):
Arizona to try and work on some things before he
headed to Columbus. And what do you try and do
out there to make sure that that he can make
the most of that time and get back to a
good place before he heads out to Columbus.
Speaker 8 (33:28):
Yeah, I think there's a lot that goes into it
that's largely driven by the player, you know, Like it
was Bo had chosen like, hey, need to spend a
couple a little bit of time in Arizona just kind
of reset.
Speaker 5 (33:42):
So that was the.
Speaker 8 (33:43):
Environment that we wanted to create down there. Is just like,
let's create this environment where he can have some space away,
like doesn't need to go out and compete every single
night and can just reset, you know, work on some
things fundamentally, but also just have some space away and
to reflect on everything that he's done and gone through.
(34:06):
And we had a hitting quarter, hitting coordinator come down
and spend most the most time with him just in
one on one settings and getting Bow to talk through
a lot of what he was going on, what he
was seeing, what he was feeling. Prior to him leaving,
he got in a couple acl games and what's funny
is there was a game that came down to like
(34:28):
bottom of the ninth it's tie game, and of course,
like in true Guards ball fashion, the Guards won the game.
And he had a lot of fun, like self reported
having a lot of fun in that game. And of course,
like what an opportunity for play our current ACL players
to have bowed in around the dugout and just in
(34:49):
and around the complex and learn from him and talk
about him. And you know, there's gonna be a lot
of ups and downs in every player's career and especially
in a season.
Speaker 5 (35:00):
And so again like.
Speaker 8 (35:01):
Arizona, this is where our vision is to make it
the most impactful place for baseball players to train and develop.
So that doesn't just mean like our youngest or newest players.
Speaker 5 (35:12):
That can mean like very established veterans too.
Speaker 8 (35:15):
So it was great to have in there for the
those couple of weeks, that little bit of time, and
I think everybody felt good in the spot that he
was in when he then transitioned out.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
To Columbus ALYSSA great stuff as always, thanks so much
for the time today, appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Thanks for Rosie, take care and so listen.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
Nakin with a lot of good stuff from Arizona. She
is the director of Arizona Operations and player development out
in good year and a lot of great stories. And
it'll be a while before we see them buying for
a spot on the major league roster. But it's still
fun to hear about what's happening at the very beginning
stages of the minor league ladder for the Guardians, stay
with us. We'll close out our show after our final
(35:56):
timeout on the Cleveland Clinic Radio Network.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Progressive presents Waste to Save Money that aren't bundling your
ome and auto insurance with Progressive.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Thanks again for taking me to the game, man, I
can't wait to get in there.
Speaker 4 (36:12):
By the way, what's in the bag?
Speaker 5 (36:14):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (36:14):
I bring my own hot dog and peanuts saves a ton,
Oh savvy?
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And what about the beach chairs?
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Why buy seats when you can save big and bring
your own. We can't get in without tickets. Tickets, what
do you think the portable TV is for?
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Don't save money pretending to go to the game. You
could save on hundred spyce witching to Progressive. Got a
quote at Progressive dot com. Progresson keshalteaterans coming up one
gets other insurms nothving a themIn tho States for situations.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
Welcome back. It's Guardians Weekly, our final segment, and we
can remind you that the Guardians are back in action
at seven thirty five on Saturday night against these Texas Rangers,
and they close out the road trip on Sunday afternoon
at two thirty five first pitch. Then it's back the
Yankees for three off day Thursday, and then Detroit comes
(37:05):
to town and it's expected that in that series Trek
Scoobel will come off the injured list and make a
start for the Tigers. So a lot to look forward
to on the upcoming home stand. You can grab your
tickets at col Guardians dot com. Thanks to Brian Motze
for all of his help and putting together our show
each and every week. We'll catch you next week from
back home at Progressive Field. Until then, this is Jim
(37:27):
Rosenhause reminding you that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly
on the Cleveland Clinic Radio network.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
The Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive
helping Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance
Speaker 7 (38:23):
Sh
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