October 18, 2025 • 39 mins
Guardians catcher Austin Hedges signs a one year contract to return to Cleveland in 2026, he'll join the show to talk about how the deal got done. Plus, it's our Game Of The Week segment getting started with a memorable Home Opener back in April. That's all on this edition of Guardians Weekly with Jim Rosenhaus on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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 (00:56):
Hi, everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim House along with
you from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland as we continue
with our off season shows and we will take you
up until Thanksgiving. That's when we'll take a hiatus until
after the new year. But some good shows lined up
for you in the meantime, and that includes this week
(01:18):
when we debut a regular fixture on this program from
off seasons past, and that's our Game of the Week segment.
We'll get to that shortly, but coming up a little
bit later on in our show, our minor league correspondent
Jaylen Norman. She'll have an interview with Ralphie Belasquez that
she did in mid August as the twenty year old
(01:38):
top hitting prospect for the Cleveland Guardians and he was
having a whale of a season at Lake County, was
promoted to double A Acron and Jayla caught up with
him after his first week in Akron and what a
week it was. So we'll get some thoughts from again
one of the top young hitters in the system and
also in all of minor league baseball, and also a
little bit later on in our show and our second half,
(02:00):
you don't want to miss it. Always fun to be
joined by Austin Hedges. The Guardians catchers signed a contract
for next season earlier this week, so he'll be back
in the Fold and usually that means good things for
the Guardians, as the last three times they have won
the American League's Central Division. Austin Hedges has been a
(02:20):
part of the ball club and there are many in
that clubhouse who will tell you that is absolutely no coincidence.
So some good stuff coming. But first we begin our
show with a look back at one of the great
games of the twenty twenty five season. This has been
a regular feature in the fall editions of Guardians Weekly
(02:40):
for quite some time now. We like to take a
look back at some of the great games of the
season gone by, and this year, so many of those
great games came toward the end. But we take you
back to the beginning the home opener for the Guardians.
It was a Tuesday afternoon, April the eighth, against the
White Sox again, and what a difference from the prior
(03:00):
season when the Guardians and White Sox had to wait
out a full solar eclipse, and it certainly was a
unique day at the ballpark. In twenty twenty four, this
much more what you expect in downtown Cleveland, a frigid
afternoon and a tightly contested game. After the Guardians had
opened on the road this year for a second straight season,
(03:23):
a three city road trip to allow for more time
to complete the renovation projects. So Kansas City, San Diego
and Anaheim is where the Guardians started the season, and
it did not go well on the field. They came
back with a three and six record after that nine
game road swing, so they were looking for a spark
in the home opener at Progressive Field against the White
(03:44):
Sox and with Ben Lively on the mound for the Guardians,
a bitter cold day downtown, but it didn't seem to
bother the Guardian's veteran starter who had won thirteen games
the season before.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
The next pitch swung on a chopper third, Ramirez quickly
second one, Arius doubles up Sosa. Oh did they turn
that in a hurry? On a slow chapter to third
and Arius with that cannon at second base able.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
To make the quick pivot and get rid of it.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
And they doubled up Lenine's sosa easily and so the
walks right now not causing any issues for Ben Lively.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Now the two two strike.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Three called painted the inside corner with that fastball, Lively
gets talk. Been looking middle of the third, Cleveland nothing,
Chicago nothing.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Here's the pitch swung on groundball to short ROOKIEO to
the back for one.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Arius Low throw to first pen, time double play and
somehow Lively works out of it, side retired. We head
to the bottom of the fourth, still no score in
downtown Cleveland. Lively ended up working five scoreless innings, up
just two hits, and then turned it over to the bullpen.
(05:03):
And unfortunately for Ben Lively, that was part of a
very short season for him, albeit successful once again, but
Tommy John surgery shut him down in May and that
was it for Lively, but certainly a thrill for him,
not only to start the season opener in Kansas City
on short notice, but again then getting the call for
(05:23):
the home opener at Progressive Field, and he threw the
ball extremely well. But in the sixth Kate Smith came
on to pitch for the Guardians, and he did what
he had done so often in the twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Season, traveling time for Amaya at second, Talkman at first,
and the payoff delivery swung on a chopper to short
gloved by Rochio Plants throws ending over Wow and eleven
pitch at bant, the battle won by Kate Smith and
the game stays scoreless in the middle of the sixth
(05:55):
For the White Sox on this day, their starter, Shane
Smith was impressive as well. He didn't give up a
hit until the sixth inning when Jose Ramirez found a
way to get a board. Here comes Hosi a Q
shut off the bat, rolls to third base. Hit well,
he couldn't have rolled it in a better spot looking,
(06:16):
he got jammed and just somehow got.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
A little roller.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Off the bat down that third base line. That's the
first hit in the game for Cleveland. It's legit, nothing
questionable about it, but it's not exactly a blister shot.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
But pitching continued to dominate the day for both teams,
as the game stayed scoreless until the ninth inning. That's
when the Guardians got something started with Carlos Santana leading
things off.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Now the one too swung on, grounded toward first off
the glove of bun on the back end, recover by
the second basement Protososa got by Clevenger backed up by
the catcher. This and foul ground a shot on the
ground that Vaughn went to the bat can a step
towards second kicked off his cloth carendon the shallow right,
(07:09):
with Sosa the second baseman, grabbing it, spinning and throwing
the first in the dirt.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Clevenger couldn't dig it out. He had no chance.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
That was kind of a do or die play for
both Sosa and for Clevenger, and it'll be ruled abase.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It great to have Santana back with the ball club
after he signed a contract in the off scene to
return to Cleveland for a third separate stint with the
ball club. So he picked up the leadoff single and
then a pair of walks to cayle Manzardo and John Kenzie.
No Weel loaded the bases with nobody out and Nolan
(07:43):
Jones at the plate.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
The set by Clevenger the payoff pitch load ball for
ball game.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Clevenger walks Nolan Jones with the bases loaded and the
guard walk off the white socks literally and win it
one to nothing.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
What a wild ending. And after the game, Jones was
asked if he'd ever had a game winning walk off
walk before.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
No, I have not. Yeah, that was fun. I mean
I felt like I hit the ball hard all day.
Past two weeks have been absolutely insane for me with
everything in my life, and felt like I had been
hitting the ball well and just like when something going
to go my way and so you know, to get
an opportunity to come in that that last at that
(08:38):
in that situation, I mean, that's what you dream about
as a kid. It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Man.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
They showed up. They're loud. I mean, the speakers in
here ridiculous too. It was a lot of fun. It's
different than I remember two years ago, and I really
really enjoyed it. I was looking forward to this for
since the dad heard I was coming over. And it
lived too for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
And then the next day we caught up with Ben
Lively and as we mentioned before, a cold day in
early April thirty five degrees to start the game, and
Lively talked about battling the elements.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
Oh, once I got my fingers underneath me. It was
fine and started feeling the ball a little bit and
it was back to normal. I feel like I got
warmed up and like the probably around the second inning,
I was good and warm. It kept the sweat going
and it felt pretty normal. I just try to stay
focused not think about it.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
How do you get your fingers to do a spot
where you can have a good feel for the baseball.
Speaker 6 (09:28):
A lot of cup pans, a lot of hot breaths,
So I mean, as much as you can, just keep
moving as much as you can to.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
You're a Florida guy, so growing up wise, you're not
seeing this anywhere in your pro career or anything close
to the type of day you had yesterday.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
Probably the closest had to be when I broken eighteen
with Philly. My first game was in New York. We
actually got snowed out the day before and I pitched
the next day. But I still think it was a
little bit warmer than yesterday. It was pretty cool yesterday.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Fun day, though. Can you enjoy seeing fans coming in
obviously seeing a game for the first time in a
long time here and some of the experiences that they're having.
Do you experience that too or are you too locked
in as the starting pitcher?
Speaker 7 (10:06):
A little bit of both.
Speaker 6 (10:07):
But you know, when I started warming up out there
and like you guys, come right there next to the bullpen,
yell and stuff, and it's fun.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
Even when it's negative.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
It fires me up and it's just it makes me
laugh and everyone's fired up.
Speaker 7 (10:16):
Baseball's back in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Wait a minute, you're with the Guardians and negative, So
why would they say that.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
No, it's just typical fans. But we love those two.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Ben Lively's joining us. Ben, you look at the win
yesterday and a real nice win for the team and
a low scoring game. Those types of victories can they
have a carryover effect and kind of spur the team
on us some good things for sure.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
Especially just our first game at home and now we
know what the music sounds like at home right away,
and we just want to keep that music playing every game.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And what have you seen early on this season that
has you confident even though the record is what it is,
but that this team can do some of the things
it did a year ago.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
I mean, yeah, there's been so many players recently, it
just could have gone either way for either teams. And
we've been on the short side of a couple of them.
But you know, everyone's competing, everyone's on themselves, everyone's ready prepared,
and that's all you can ask for. And you know
things are gonna turn off for us, and no one's
really worried about it, and we're gonna keep.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Pushing the length of the season. I think sometimes it's
hard to remember how long it is. But as a player,
how easy is it to remember how long the season is?
Speaker 7 (11:17):
Oh? For sure?
Speaker 6 (11:18):
That's why you can get frustrated after these first couple
of games. It's like you see a couple of guys
beat themselves up and you go talk to him. It's like, dude,
like we have so much more left, Like, yes, it sucks,
it's pinning, but like you're fine, Like let's lock in,
get the next one, let's get let's get some ones on.
Speaker 8 (11:30):
The board and go.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
We're doing this in the new clubhouse. What do you think?
Speaker 7 (11:34):
Unreal?
Speaker 6 (11:35):
A lot of walking, but it's really good.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
What's any favorite feature yet?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
The pool room?
Speaker 7 (11:40):
For sure?
Speaker 6 (11:41):
Ever since Lane called it the four season spent stuck
in my head.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Good stuff. Thank you, Ben, absolutely, thank you so nice
work there by Ben Lively and again a tough year
for Lively as he started to experience some elbow issues
several starts into his season and then was shut down
in May having Tommy John surgery. Is steadfast in his
belief that he will be back and pitching in the
big leagues once again. So a fun start to the
(12:06):
season with the home opener, the one nothing win over
the White Sox, and of course for the Guardians, many
many close tight wins at home over the course of
the season, especially down the stretch, and we'll get to
some of those exciting wins that help them come from
fifteen and a half games back of the Tigers after
the All Star Break and end up winning the American
(12:29):
League's Central Division. And we'll get to those games in
the weeks ahead here on Guardians Weekly. Well, take a
time out, we'll come back. We'll hear from one of
the top young hitting prospects in the Guardians organization. That's
Ralphie Velaskaz. That's coming up the Cleveland Clinic. Guardians Radio Network.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
A progressive home an ottowuantle can protect you around the clock,
but we can't protect you from those painful moments in sports.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
Why would we trade our best player?
Speaker 8 (12:59):
Well, at least you got to watch him in person
when he was here. I named my only son after him,
so you'll always remember his name.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Yeah, but what do I do with this jersey?
Speaker 8 (13:08):
Luckily the company has a great return policy. I warrant
for six seasons. Well, at least you're Hollanado or protected
with a bundle from Progressive Progressive Casualty Interns company affiliates
Another intervists not available in those states are situations.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly, Jim Rosenhouse along with you
from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland as we take a
look into the minor league system for the Guardians. One
of the top hitters for the Guardians is twenty year
old first baseman outfielder Ralphie Velasquez, who was a catcher
in high school. But it looks like they're going to
(13:52):
work him at first base in the outfield for the
most part, maybe catching down the road, but it sure
looks like his future is on the corner at first
base and then in the corner outfield spots. They want
to get him in there because his bat has played
well in the minor league so far. This past season,
he was the top Guardians hitter in terms of home
(14:13):
runs with twenty two RBIs with eighty five nine triples,
had the most hits of any minor leaguer in the system,
more extra base hits than any minor leaguer in the system,
and his ops of eight thirty nine was second best
in the organization as well. So a great year for
the twenty twenty three first round pick. Started his year
(14:34):
at Lake County, was called up in early August to
double A Akron, and was the double A Player of
the Week in the Eastern League in one of his
first weeks with Akron. He hit five forty five in
his debut week with four home runs, seven runs batted in,
and nine runs scored. Our Minor League correspondent Jayalen Norman
(14:57):
she caught up with Ralphie Velasquez after that bit first
week in Akron to talk to him about his season
and what was going.
Speaker 7 (15:04):
Well, Uh, yeah, it's been great. It's been fun.
Speaker 9 (15:07):
This is a great group of guys, and a lot
of the guys were on the Lake County team last
year that we played and we won a championship.
Speaker 7 (15:15):
So this is a great group and I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
To keep playing with them.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
For sure. What are three words to describe you as
a person off the field, loving Carrie and a great friend.
Those are good ones. Okay, and you're young. You're only
twenty years old, right, just from twenty How do you
balance you.
Speaker 9 (15:36):
Know, being young, being someone who wants to have fun,
but also being a professional baseball player and seeing the
growth that you have so quickly. Oh yeah, it's just
definitely sacrifices I have to make. But I love this
game so much and I'm willing to make those sacrifices
and I know in the long run it'll all be
worth it. That's why I keep in my head every
day just thinking about that. All my friends asked me, like, dang,
(15:57):
we can't we can't wait for you to come home.
Speaker 7 (15:58):
We miss you. I'm like, yeah, I know, I miss you.
Speaker 9 (16:01):
Guys too, But right now I'm taking here of business
and when I come, when I come home, we'll find
time and hang out and ask with fun.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
For sure?
Speaker 7 (16:07):
Who on the team would you not trust on the Ox?
Who would I not trust on the Hawks? Wilfredo in Tunias? Really,
why is that?
Speaker 9 (16:18):
I just don't know what he's gonna play. You don't know,
It's probably gonna be some Spanish music and I'm just
I won't understand it. But he's a high energy guy,
so maybe you might have good OX vibing.
Speaker 8 (16:29):
Ary, Yes, we might.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
At the test, you said you have good energy. So
do you think that they would trust you on the
OX with your music? I think so.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
I love all types of music, so I think a
couple of people would like my OX.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 10 (16:42):
What do you listen to before a game to get
hyped up?
Speaker 7 (16:45):
I feel like it's different.
Speaker 9 (16:46):
I feel like when the ViBe's different, Like I'll listen
to mostly it's like rap, and then some days when
I'm like it's just a chill day up, I'll listening.
Speaker 8 (16:54):
Like reggae or something.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
Dogs are cats dogs.
Speaker 9 (16:57):
I had two dogs at home, grify doodles.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
Okay, So Griffy is that baseball related? Or Harper too?
Chryce Harper and Kane Griffy.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
So growing up did you idolize those players or how
did those names come about?
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (17:10):
I idolized Harper a lot, just growing up.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
I wanted to do everything that he did.
Speaker 9 (17:15):
I like his swing to me and my dad have
looked at his swing since I was little, and we've
kind of taken pieces from his swing and putting in mind,
and he's a great player.
Speaker 7 (17:23):
Same thing with King Griffy. There's a lot of swags,
so love watching him too.
Speaker 10 (17:27):
Do you have any secret hobbies?
Speaker 9 (17:31):
I love phishing and played Fortnite.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
Oh yeah, Big Fournite. Got a couple of the players
in the seamer Big Fournite guys see awesome. Well that's
Ralphie and I'm Jalen Norman. Jim back to you. Thank
you guys for having me.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Fun stuff there from Ralphie Velasquez, and thanks as always
to Jaylen Norman, who does great work covering the minor
leagues for the Guardians and doing so much more than
that as well than just the interviews. But they appreciate
her efforts and tracking down Ralphie during the season and
keep an eye on him. We don't know where he'll
start next year, but he could move quick, as we
saw him in spring training a little bit last season,
(18:07):
and he performed well out in goodyear, and I imagine
we'll see him again when spring training begins in late February.
Stay with us when we come back. We'll be joined
by Austin Hedges. Back in the Fold for twenty twenty
six that's next on the Cleveland Clinic. Guardians Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
San Diego Night of Austin Hedges, Mom and Dad in
the ballpark tonight is first at bat of the campaign.
Right handed hitter facing the lefty Kyle Hart. Four to
one San Diego third inning, Hedges with a high drive
deep left field down the.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Line that goest. This ball is gone. Austin Hedges with
the towering blast.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Down the left field line his first swing of the season.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim rosen House back with
you at Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, and great news.
Earlier this week for the Guardians, Austin Hedges signed a
contract for the twenty twenty sixth season. The thirty three
year old veteran catcher will be back in the Fold
and that means good news as he has been tremendous
(19:30):
behind the plate, offensively contributed down the stretch better than
he had in a long time, and certainly excited about
that as he heads into the new season next year.
He's in a good spot with Cleveland has always been
a big part of some very good teams in recent seasons.
In fact, the last three times they've won the Division
Austin Hedges has been the starting catcher or at least
(19:53):
a part of the catching corps for the Guardians, and
it was no different in twenty twenty five and was
a bit reason why when you talk to different players,
they were able to stay positive and mount that furious
comeback that saw them win the American League Central Division
once again. So Hedges is back with the ball club.
We had a chance to catch up with him earlier
(20:14):
this week and he talked about re signing early with Cleveland,
the whys, and what he's looking forward to for twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 10 (20:24):
Well, I did something similar last year, and you know,
as this season was dwindling down, and start thinking about,
like what's gonna happen next year, you know, not my
first rodeo, being being a free agent on a one
year deal with you know, no guaranteed job next year.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
So I got to, you know, start figuring.
Speaker 10 (20:42):
Out what's you know, what I'm gonna do, you know, personally,
And so in talking to Chris Antonetti near the end
of the season, you know, both of us.
Speaker 7 (20:56):
Were interested in me coming back, and that's.
Speaker 10 (20:57):
Really you know, all I was hoping for him, Like
this is where I wanted to be and you know,
I think in the years moving forward, I don't think
that's really going to change. This is where, this is
where I'm happiness. This is where I'm happiest and uh,
and that's really kind of uh my main my main focus,
uh in my career is is being in a place
(21:19):
where where I feel like I can contribute and uh,
and I can have joy in what I'm doing every
day and I.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Feel like you're a player and it's hard sometimes in
today's pro sports where you know, everyone moves so much,
but I feel like you get the what's happening here
in Cleveland in terms of trying to win a World
Series and and how difficult that's been over the years,
and and does that come into play too, it winning
it here and how special that could be if it happens.
Speaker 10 (21:48):
Oh, absolutely, that's a that's always the number one goal,
you know, winning the World Series.
Speaker 7 (21:53):
Why we're all playing this game and you.
Speaker 10 (21:56):
Know already having one, uh, definitely helps my cause for
if there was ever a chance to try and you know,
go chase you know, a World Series at some point
in my career. And you know, when I think about
that and reflect on that, it just winning a World
Series in Cleveland would just so far surpass what I
experienced in Texas, because you know, I've been a part
(22:20):
of the group trying to trying to develop and grow
these young guys and into a championship ball club and
and and to bring you know, the first World Series
to Cleveland would be you know, we the players and
I talk about it all the time of you know,
how amazing the parade would be here in Cleveland, and
(22:41):
you know, to try and make that happen and then
to ultimately do that one day, I think it's something
that that gets me out of bed every morning.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Austin Hedges joining us. He'll be back with the ball
club in twenty twenty six. But as you reflect on
twenty twenty five, man, what a what a finish to
the season. I know it didn't go as deep as
everyone wants in the postseason, but just to get there
and and end up winning another division title. When you
look back on it, how impressed were you with with
(23:09):
everything that happened? And how much fun was it down
the stretch in September especially.
Speaker 10 (23:13):
Man, it's that's that's the most proud I've ever been
of a group and of a of a regular season.
Speaker 7 (23:21):
You know, all the things that we had to overcome.
Speaker 10 (23:23):
I've never been on a team that had to overcome
half of the stuff that we did, and it made
it really, really difficult, which is you know, it's rare
at a Cleveland clubhouse because.
Speaker 7 (23:33):
They do they for for you know, years and years now.
Speaker 10 (23:35):
They've done such a good job at bringing in the
right people and it's a really functioning, uh work, you know,
work environment. And you know, I don't think too many
of us expected to have to, you know, overcome some
of these obstacles that we had to this past year.
Speaker 7 (23:52):
But my goodness, did everybody do it with.
Speaker 10 (23:56):
You know, just about as much grace as you possibly could.
And it starts up top. You know, I have the
most respect in the world for Chris Antonetti and Stephen Vogue.
I think they're the two. They're two the best at
what they do and with their leadership, it was it
was just amazing to watch a group of guys buy
(24:17):
into something and then you know, buying is something for
a full season. Because you know, we talked about, you know,
making the playoffs somehow, you know, it wasn't even about
winning division.
Speaker 7 (24:26):
But we're after one sixty two.
Speaker 10 (24:28):
We were going to find our way in the playoffs,
and going into September it wasn't looking very likely. But
you know, we didn't sign up to, you know, have
it be easy, so we uh to actually, you know,
finish the.
Speaker 7 (24:43):
Job and do it the way that we did it.
Just I couldn't be any more proud of our group.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
And you mentioned some of the ups and downs and
trying to get through a full season and you sign
up for one sixty two. I thought it was interesting.
I saw some of your comments yesterday after you had signed,
just about how there were some stretches where it was
really hard for you personally to keep it going and
explain that to fans where you know, we see every
(25:09):
day and it seems great on the field, but what
are some of the challenges that you go through to
be ready to play and try and be at your
best every day when it can be difficult, especially late
in a long season.
Speaker 10 (25:21):
Yeah, the hard part about one sixty two is you
got to treat every single day the exactly the same
pretty much. The way that we like to think about
it in Cleveland is, you know, we want to win today,
but ultimately we want to win every series. So essentially
we got to win two out of three somehow. You know,
you got to accept you know, you're not going to
go one sixty two and zero.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
So losses happened.
Speaker 10 (25:39):
But how do you respond to those losses and show
up the next day and put yourself in a position
to win serious because that's how you, you know, eventually
make the playoffs. And man, it's a it's exhausting to
show up and bring that type of intensity every single day,
and when things aren't going real well, that exhaustion, you know,
(26:00):
it piles up and it becomes even harder to overcome
because you need those you need those good moments to
kind of keep you going, build your confidence and uh,
you know, give you a reason why. Okay, you know
this is work, and all this work I'm putting in
it's paying off. I'm playing well, the team's playing well.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
Uh. That kind of gets you through the season.
Speaker 10 (26:19):
But when it's not happening consistently, it's kind of like, man,
what do we do?
Speaker 7 (26:23):
What do we do? We need to do something different?
Do we need to just keep writing the course? You know,
what do we need to do?
Speaker 10 (26:30):
And as as a guy in the clubhouse who uh,
you know, takes a lot of pride in and helping
everybody out and being a leader in that clubhouse. It
was it was really really challenging for me because we
we just we just weren't playing very well and there
was a lot of distractions kind of away from you know,
(26:51):
just playing baseball. But luckily, I mean, like I said before,
I mean, Steven votes the man, and there was, you know,
plenty of conversations we had, but there was a couple
near near the end of the season, I think maybe
like like mid August going into September, where you know,
he just he kept pushing me to keep going, you know,
regardless of what. Maybe we lose every single game the
(27:13):
rest of the season, but if we lost every game,
we would have been able to look ourselves in the
mirror and known, you know, we did our very best,
that we did everything we could. But you know, now
we get to look ourselves in the mirror and know
that we did everything we could and we overcame all
that stuff and won a division and had the greatest
comeback in baseball history. I mean, it's it's just it's
(27:35):
such a season to be proud of.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
And it's a given your your clubhouse leadership at this
point in time, we've seen enough of that. But on
the field, you played maybe your your best baseball since
you've been a part of the Cleveland organization down the stretch,
and what clicked in for you, Let's start at the
plate that they're really allowed you to have some really
(27:58):
quality at bats consistently for a while down the stretch.
Speaker 10 (28:02):
Yeah, I was really I'm really excited going to this
off season because something kind of did click for me
at the end of the year and I haven't had,
you know, something to take into an off season in
a very long time. It's kind of been off season
is for you know, starting over, trying to figure something
out and bring it into next season.
Speaker 7 (28:18):
But some of the stuff that that started working for me,
it was.
Speaker 10 (28:22):
Kind of it was kind of a part of a
long process throughout the season with Grant Fink, our hitting coach,
you know, a lot to do with you know, working
on some swing things, but most importantly just my my
approach and my plan in the batter's box, and Grant
Fink just made a made such a good plan for
me and allowed me to kind of just go pitch
by pitch and use some information that that he knew
(28:43):
that that that I know, you know, just from watching
the game and taking advantage of of certain tendencies and stuff,
and it was really cool to see it. It all
kind of come together near the end of the year
and now I'm.
Speaker 7 (28:57):
Really excited to continue to work on it this off season.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
And of course, defensively it has always been good, but
your caught stealing rates were off the charts good this season.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Why are there's at thirty three?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Are you still getting better defensively? And can that happen
even at this stage of your career.
Speaker 10 (29:14):
Yeah, you're always getting better at everything, man, But I was,
I was, I was. I was pretty pumped about about
what I did defensively because you know, that's one of
the things that's that's kept me in the game is
being able to do what I do behind the plate
and and and obviously that's that's kind of my thing.
And boy, I love catching and uh and talking to
(29:36):
Bow this past off season and spring training, both of
us we realized, you know, one of the main things
we needed to get better at was was throwing. We
needed to be better a better group of catchers in
caught stealing and it was just so cool to watch
both of us go out there and have kind of
career years in the cot stealing department. And so I'm
(29:57):
very proud of Bo in that sense and myself for
because we worked. We took it really seriously in spring
where you know, obviously receiving and blocking is is always.
Speaker 7 (30:08):
Going to be the main priority.
Speaker 10 (30:09):
But you know, if you're a if you're a if
you're an outlier thrower in this league and you can
get free outs on the basis, that can really swing
a game. And you know, it was it was really
cool to watch both of us do that this year.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
And you look at your position catching, uh, the wear
and tear and durability seems like a really hard thing
to achieve. But there are some catchers who have played
well into their their thirties and and at a very
high level. What is it about that position that that
sometimes allows for that where you wouldn't think it from
a physical standpoint.
Speaker 10 (30:42):
From a physical standpoint, you know, you kind of just
get get used to what your body's capable of and
what it's going to feel like at each point in
the season, at each point in the game, because you know, essentially,
if you're gonna get four at bats it's you know,
feel good, feel a little worse, feel much worse than
your fourth at bat.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
You don't feel very good, you.
Speaker 10 (31:02):
Know, as bump s bruises, your legs are sore, your
legs are tired and heavy. It's tough to hit when
your legs are sore, and and you know, and it's
just it's it's tough for catchers to figure out, it seems,
how to switch their catcher brain into hit her brain,
because they're two completely different things. And to me, I
(31:22):
think that's probably one of the biggest reasons why catchers
aren't the most offensive in the league, because I think
it just ad I think the plan in the box
is different than any other position, given how much thinking
is going on consistently throughout the game, and so it
makes it difficult. But maybe, you know, if you can
you can grind your way, you know, in this league
(31:44):
for for enough years, maybe something clicks and it starts
making a little bit more sense.
Speaker 7 (31:49):
So hopefully I'm one of those guys that you know,
gets the.
Speaker 10 (31:53):
Hitting thing going, you know, at thirty three years old,
and you know, I become a good hitter from thirty
three to forty.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Austin Hedge is joining to re signed with the Guardians
earlier this week for another season. And obviously, and this
is in no way to say that that you're nearing
the end playing wise, but I think it has come
up a couple of times this season in terms of
your future after the playing career is done, hopefully in
a long way in the future. But and maybe it's
(32:20):
because of the current manager, Steven Vote, people might see
some similarities there. Have you thought about what's next when
playing does end, and does it include trying to manage
a major league ball club at some point in time.
Speaker 10 (32:35):
Yeah, I've put a lot of thought into into what's next.
You know, I can see it's it's kind of scary
that I can see the light at the end of
the tunnel. You know that that's probably started happening, you know,
probably at some point this past year for the first
time where you really see like, okay, hey, like you
know this this portion of my life is.
Speaker 7 (32:55):
You know, it's not near the beginning.
Speaker 10 (32:57):
You know. Obviously, if I play for as long as
I can, that's that's not that's not even that much
time in comparison to how long I've been in this game.
Speaker 7 (33:07):
But when I think about the future, it's gonna have
something to do with baseball.
Speaker 10 (33:11):
I don't know if that means coaching or managing, or
or doing something away from professional baseball, but baseball is
my passion and what I I know it the best.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
So you know, I would be doing myself a disservice if.
Speaker 10 (33:26):
You know, I tried to just go into something that
I didn't I don't know very well or don't understand,
you know, in my in my mid thirties or forties,
when you know, the way that I see it as
like in baseball, if you get to ten years is
kind of like being a doctor. You get you get
your PhD at ten years, and when you get your PhD,
you you kind of have that that resume and you know,
(33:47):
you know, you have the experience. I've seen a lot
of baseball, and just in that experience, I think there's
just a lot to offer the rest of the world,
the rest of baseball who who haven't been there yet,
and to be able to offer some of the some
of that wisdom to the next you know, group of
people coming is uh. You know, that's kind of how
I see myself in the futures, just is passing along
(34:10):
everything that that people you know have done for me
throughout my career.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
Well again, hopefully that's a long way off and you
can continue to progress as a player. I'm just finishing up.
For a lot of players, the season ends and they
want nothing to do with watching baseball. But how about
you in terms of the postseason, how closely do you
follow it and and what have some of your thoughts
been as it gets down to the last four teams?
Speaker 10 (34:35):
Oh, I love watching playoff baseball. I mean I like
watching any playoff sport. You know, it's just it's it
brings the best out of everybody, and just any type
of thing where it's clearly just about winning. It's tough
and in every sport throughout the regular season, everybody's getting
their numbers and it's a long season, and you know
you can think about winning, but you don't really have to,
and you know there's too much.
Speaker 7 (34:56):
There's so many other things that you can be playing for.
Speaker 10 (34:58):
But in the playoffs, there is no there's no individual stats,
there is no The only glory you can get is
is in winning and winning a championship and watching you know,
two clubs go out it had to head. There's nothing
like it, and obviously it makes me jealous. I wish
I was out there experiencing what all those teams are
(35:19):
experiencing right now.
Speaker 7 (35:21):
But I definitely love you some playoff baseball.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Well, hopefully it's in the offing for next season with
you a big part of that here in Cleveland, Austin.
Always great to have you on. Congratulations on the new
deal for next season, and thanks for coming by anytime.
Speaker 7 (35:35):
Thank you, Rosie.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
That is Austin Hedges Guardians. Catcher re signed earlier this
week for twenty twenty six. Stay tuned, we'll have more
to come after this.
Speaker 8 (35:52):
A Progressive Home and Ottowantle can protect you around the clock,
but we can't protect you from those painful moments in sports.
Speaker 7 (36:00):
The rough totally blew that call.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
Oh, I'm sure he'll make the right call next time.
It's too late.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
It cost us the game.
Speaker 8 (36:06):
It's just one game. That loss eliminated us from the playoffs. Oh,
the playoffs are on so late now you'll be well rested.
Speaker 7 (36:13):
Okay, I need you to stop talking now.
Speaker 8 (36:15):
Well, at least you're Hollanado or protected with a bundle
from Progressive Progressive Cansual Canterns Company Affiliates an other inturists
not available in those states.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
A situations, Welcome back to Guardians Weekly, Jim Rosenhouse back
with you from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, and a
couple of items to get to before we close our
(36:43):
show this week. The finalists have been announced for the
Gold Glove Awards and for the Guardians they will have
four finalists. First baseman Carlos Santano spent much of the
season with Cleveland. He's a finalist for the Gold Glove
Award at first base, trying to make it too in
a row after he won it with the Twins a
season ago. Can Stephen Kwan be a four time Goal
(37:06):
Glove Award winner in his first four seasons in the
major leagues. We'll find out. He's a finalist for the
left fielders and at third base. Jose Ramirez a finalist
as well, and he had some great stretches defensively this season.
We'll see if that's enough to help him earn his
first Goal Glove Award. We'll see and kind of need
(37:27):
for Daniel Schneeman. He has been nominated as the utility
Gold Glove Award winner and that certainly would be a
special award for him as he bounced around between center
field and second base mainly, but played a lot of
third base and right field as well, pretty much anywhere
as well as shortstop. So good luck to all four
(37:48):
and we'll find out on the evening of November the
second as they will announce the Gold Glove Award winners
for twenty twenty five. That's going to do it for
our show this week is always thanks to Brian Motse
for all of his help and putting it together. We'll
join you next week for another edition of Guardian's Weekly.
I'm Jim rosen House and you've been listening to it
(38:10):
on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
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 on car insurance.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Hi, everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim House along with
you from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland as we continue
with our off season shows and we will take you
up until Thanksgiving. That's when we'll take a hiatus until
after the new year. But some good shows lined up
for you in the meantime, and that includes this week
(01:18):
when we debut a regular fixture on this program from
off seasons past, and that's our Game of the Week segment.
We'll get to that shortly, but coming up a little
bit later on in our show, our minor league correspondent
Jaylen Norman. She'll have an interview with Ralphie Belasquez that
she did in mid August as the twenty year old
(01:38):
top hitting prospect for the Cleveland Guardians and he was
having a whale of a season at Lake County, was
promoted to double A Acron and Jayla caught up with
him after his first week in Akron and what a
week it was. So we'll get some thoughts from again
one of the top young hitters in the system and
also in all of minor league baseball, and also a
little bit later on in our show and our second half,
(02:00):
you don't want to miss it. Always fun to be
joined by Austin Hedges. The Guardians catchers signed a contract
for next season earlier this week, so he'll be back
in the Fold and usually that means good things for
the Guardians, as the last three times they have won
the American League's Central Division. Austin Hedges has been a
(02:20):
part of the ball club and there are many in
that clubhouse who will tell you that is absolutely no coincidence.
So some good stuff coming. But first we begin our
show with a look back at one of the great
games of the twenty twenty five season. This has been
a regular feature in the fall editions of Guardians Weekly
(02:40):
for quite some time now. We like to take a
look back at some of the great games of the
season gone by, and this year, so many of those
great games came toward the end. But we take you
back to the beginning the home opener for the Guardians.
It was a Tuesday afternoon, April the eighth, against the
White Sox again, and what a difference from the prior
(03:00):
season when the Guardians and White Sox had to wait
out a full solar eclipse, and it certainly was a
unique day at the ballpark. In twenty twenty four, this
much more what you expect in downtown Cleveland, a frigid
afternoon and a tightly contested game. After the Guardians had
opened on the road this year for a second straight season,
(03:23):
a three city road trip to allow for more time
to complete the renovation projects. So Kansas City, San Diego
and Anaheim is where the Guardians started the season, and
it did not go well on the field. They came
back with a three and six record after that nine
game road swing, so they were looking for a spark
in the home opener at Progressive Field against the White
(03:44):
Sox and with Ben Lively on the mound for the Guardians,
a bitter cold day downtown, but it didn't seem to
bother the Guardian's veteran starter who had won thirteen games
the season before.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
The next pitch swung on a chopper third, Ramirez quickly
second one, Arius doubles up Sosa. Oh did they turn
that in a hurry? On a slow chapter to third
and Arius with that cannon at second base able.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
To make the quick pivot and get rid of it.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
And they doubled up Lenine's sosa easily and so the
walks right now not causing any issues for Ben Lively.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Now the two two strike.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Three called painted the inside corner with that fastball, Lively
gets talk. Been looking middle of the third, Cleveland nothing,
Chicago nothing.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Here's the pitch swung on groundball to short ROOKIEO to
the back for one.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Arius Low throw to first pen, time double play and
somehow Lively works out of it, side retired. We head
to the bottom of the fourth, still no score in
downtown Cleveland. Lively ended up working five scoreless innings, up
just two hits, and then turned it over to the bullpen.
(05:03):
And unfortunately for Ben Lively, that was part of a
very short season for him, albeit successful once again, but
Tommy John surgery shut him down in May and that
was it for Lively, but certainly a thrill for him,
not only to start the season opener in Kansas City
on short notice, but again then getting the call for
(05:23):
the home opener at Progressive Field, and he threw the
ball extremely well. But in the sixth Kate Smith came
on to pitch for the Guardians, and he did what
he had done so often in the twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Season, traveling time for Amaya at second, Talkman at first,
and the payoff delivery swung on a chopper to short
gloved by Rochio Plants throws ending over Wow and eleven
pitch at bant, the battle won by Kate Smith and
the game stays scoreless in the middle of the sixth
(05:55):
For the White Sox on this day, their starter, Shane
Smith was impressive as well. He didn't give up a
hit until the sixth inning when Jose Ramirez found a
way to get a board. Here comes Hosi a Q
shut off the bat, rolls to third base. Hit well,
he couldn't have rolled it in a better spot looking,
(06:16):
he got jammed and just somehow got.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
A little roller.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Off the bat down that third base line. That's the
first hit in the game for Cleveland. It's legit, nothing
questionable about it, but it's not exactly a blister shot.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
But pitching continued to dominate the day for both teams,
as the game stayed scoreless until the ninth inning. That's
when the Guardians got something started with Carlos Santana leading
things off.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Now the one too swung on, grounded toward first off
the glove of bun on the back end, recover by
the second basement Protososa got by Clevenger backed up by
the catcher. This and foul ground a shot on the
ground that Vaughn went to the bat can a step
towards second kicked off his cloth carendon the shallow right,
(07:09):
with Sosa the second baseman, grabbing it, spinning and throwing
the first in the dirt.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Clevenger couldn't dig it out. He had no chance.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
That was kind of a do or die play for
both Sosa and for Clevenger, and it'll be ruled abase.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It great to have Santana back with the ball club
after he signed a contract in the off scene to
return to Cleveland for a third separate stint with the
ball club. So he picked up the leadoff single and
then a pair of walks to cayle Manzardo and John Kenzie.
No Weel loaded the bases with nobody out and Nolan
(07:43):
Jones at the plate.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
The set by Clevenger the payoff pitch load ball for
ball game.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Clevenger walks Nolan Jones with the bases loaded and the
guard walk off the white socks literally and win it
one to nothing.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
What a wild ending. And after the game, Jones was
asked if he'd ever had a game winning walk off
walk before.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
No, I have not. Yeah, that was fun. I mean
I felt like I hit the ball hard all day.
Past two weeks have been absolutely insane for me with
everything in my life, and felt like I had been
hitting the ball well and just like when something going
to go my way and so you know, to get
an opportunity to come in that that last at that
(08:38):
in that situation, I mean, that's what you dream about
as a kid. It was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Man.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
They showed up. They're loud. I mean, the speakers in
here ridiculous too. It was a lot of fun. It's
different than I remember two years ago, and I really
really enjoyed it. I was looking forward to this for
since the dad heard I was coming over. And it
lived too for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
And then the next day we caught up with Ben
Lively and as we mentioned before, a cold day in
early April thirty five degrees to start the game, and
Lively talked about battling the elements.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
Oh, once I got my fingers underneath me. It was
fine and started feeling the ball a little bit and
it was back to normal. I feel like I got
warmed up and like the probably around the second inning,
I was good and warm. It kept the sweat going
and it felt pretty normal. I just try to stay
focused not think about it.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
How do you get your fingers to do a spot
where you can have a good feel for the baseball.
Speaker 6 (09:28):
A lot of cup pans, a lot of hot breaths,
So I mean, as much as you can, just keep
moving as much as you can to.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
You're a Florida guy, so growing up wise, you're not
seeing this anywhere in your pro career or anything close
to the type of day you had yesterday.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
Probably the closest had to be when I broken eighteen
with Philly. My first game was in New York. We
actually got snowed out the day before and I pitched
the next day. But I still think it was a
little bit warmer than yesterday. It was pretty cool yesterday.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Fun day, though. Can you enjoy seeing fans coming in
obviously seeing a game for the first time in a
long time here and some of the experiences that they're having.
Do you experience that too or are you too locked
in as the starting pitcher?
Speaker 7 (10:06):
A little bit of both.
Speaker 6 (10:07):
But you know, when I started warming up out there
and like you guys, come right there next to the bullpen,
yell and stuff, and it's fun.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
Even when it's negative.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
It fires me up and it's just it makes me
laugh and everyone's fired up.
Speaker 7 (10:16):
Baseball's back in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Wait a minute, you're with the Guardians and negative, So
why would they say that.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
No, it's just typical fans. But we love those two.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Ben Lively's joining us. Ben, you look at the win
yesterday and a real nice win for the team and
a low scoring game. Those types of victories can they
have a carryover effect and kind of spur the team
on us some good things for sure.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
Especially just our first game at home and now we
know what the music sounds like at home right away,
and we just want to keep that music playing every game.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And what have you seen early on this season that
has you confident even though the record is what it is,
but that this team can do some of the things
it did a year ago.
Speaker 6 (10:54):
I mean, yeah, there's been so many players recently, it
just could have gone either way for either teams. And
we've been on the short side of a couple of them.
But you know, everyone's competing, everyone's on themselves, everyone's ready prepared,
and that's all you can ask for. And you know
things are gonna turn off for us, and no one's
really worried about it, and we're gonna keep.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Pushing the length of the season. I think sometimes it's
hard to remember how long it is. But as a player,
how easy is it to remember how long the season is?
Speaker 7 (11:17):
Oh? For sure?
Speaker 6 (11:18):
That's why you can get frustrated after these first couple
of games. It's like you see a couple of guys
beat themselves up and you go talk to him. It's like, dude,
like we have so much more left, Like, yes, it sucks,
it's pinning, but like you're fine, Like let's lock in,
get the next one, let's get let's get some ones on.
Speaker 8 (11:30):
The board and go.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
We're doing this in the new clubhouse. What do you think?
Speaker 7 (11:34):
Unreal?
Speaker 6 (11:35):
A lot of walking, but it's really good.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
What's any favorite feature yet?
Speaker 3 (11:40):
The pool room?
Speaker 7 (11:40):
For sure?
Speaker 6 (11:41):
Ever since Lane called it the four season spent stuck
in my head.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Good stuff. Thank you, Ben, absolutely, thank you so nice
work there by Ben Lively and again a tough year
for Lively as he started to experience some elbow issues
several starts into his season and then was shut down
in May having Tommy John surgery. Is steadfast in his
belief that he will be back and pitching in the
big leagues once again. So a fun start to the
(12:06):
season with the home opener, the one nothing win over
the White Sox, and of course for the Guardians, many
many close tight wins at home over the course of
the season, especially down the stretch, and we'll get to
some of those exciting wins that help them come from
fifteen and a half games back of the Tigers after
the All Star Break and end up winning the American
(12:29):
League's Central Division. And we'll get to those games in
the weeks ahead here on Guardians Weekly. Well, take a
time out, we'll come back. We'll hear from one of
the top young hitting prospects in the Guardians organization. That's
Ralphie Velaskaz. That's coming up the Cleveland Clinic. Guardians Radio Network.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
A progressive home an ottowuantle can protect you around the clock,
but we can't protect you from those painful moments in sports.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
Why would we trade our best player?
Speaker 8 (12:59):
Well, at least you got to watch him in person
when he was here. I named my only son after him,
so you'll always remember his name.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Yeah, but what do I do with this jersey?
Speaker 8 (13:08):
Luckily the company has a great return policy. I warrant
for six seasons. Well, at least you're Hollanado or protected
with a bundle from Progressive Progressive Casualty Interns company affiliates
Another intervists not available in those states are situations.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly, Jim Rosenhouse along with you
from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland as we take a
look into the minor league system for the Guardians. One
of the top hitters for the Guardians is twenty year
old first baseman outfielder Ralphie Velasquez, who was a catcher
in high school. But it looks like they're going to
(13:52):
work him at first base in the outfield for the
most part, maybe catching down the road, but it sure
looks like his future is on the corner at first
base and then in the corner outfield spots. They want
to get him in there because his bat has played
well in the minor league so far. This past season,
he was the top Guardians hitter in terms of home
(14:13):
runs with twenty two RBIs with eighty five nine triples,
had the most hits of any minor leaguer in the system,
more extra base hits than any minor leaguer in the system,
and his ops of eight thirty nine was second best
in the organization as well. So a great year for
the twenty twenty three first round pick. Started his year
(14:34):
at Lake County, was called up in early August to
double A Akron, and was the double A Player of
the Week in the Eastern League in one of his
first weeks with Akron. He hit five forty five in
his debut week with four home runs, seven runs batted in,
and nine runs scored. Our Minor League correspondent Jayalen Norman
(14:57):
she caught up with Ralphie Velasquez after that bit first
week in Akron to talk to him about his season
and what was going.
Speaker 7 (15:04):
Well, Uh, yeah, it's been great. It's been fun.
Speaker 9 (15:07):
This is a great group of guys, and a lot
of the guys were on the Lake County team last
year that we played and we won a championship.
Speaker 7 (15:15):
So this is a great group and I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
To keep playing with them.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
For sure. What are three words to describe you as
a person off the field, loving Carrie and a great friend.
Those are good ones. Okay, and you're young. You're only
twenty years old, right, just from twenty How do you
balance you.
Speaker 9 (15:36):
Know, being young, being someone who wants to have fun,
but also being a professional baseball player and seeing the
growth that you have so quickly. Oh yeah, it's just
definitely sacrifices I have to make. But I love this
game so much and I'm willing to make those sacrifices
and I know in the long run it'll all be
worth it. That's why I keep in my head every
day just thinking about that. All my friends asked me, like, dang,
(15:57):
we can't we can't wait for you to come home.
Speaker 7 (15:58):
We miss you. I'm like, yeah, I know, I miss you.
Speaker 9 (16:01):
Guys too, But right now I'm taking here of business
and when I come, when I come home, we'll find
time and hang out and ask with fun.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
For sure?
Speaker 7 (16:07):
Who on the team would you not trust on the Ox?
Who would I not trust on the Hawks? Wilfredo in Tunias? Really,
why is that?
Speaker 9 (16:18):
I just don't know what he's gonna play. You don't know,
It's probably gonna be some Spanish music and I'm just
I won't understand it. But he's a high energy guy,
so maybe you might have good OX vibing.
Speaker 8 (16:29):
Ary, Yes, we might.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
At the test, you said you have good energy. So
do you think that they would trust you on the
OX with your music? I think so.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
I love all types of music, so I think a
couple of people would like my OX.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 10 (16:42):
What do you listen to before a game to get
hyped up?
Speaker 7 (16:45):
I feel like it's different.
Speaker 9 (16:46):
I feel like when the ViBe's different, Like I'll listen
to mostly it's like rap, and then some days when
I'm like it's just a chill day up, I'll listening.
Speaker 8 (16:54):
Like reggae or something.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
Dogs are cats dogs.
Speaker 9 (16:57):
I had two dogs at home, grify doodles.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
Okay, So Griffy is that baseball related? Or Harper too?
Chryce Harper and Kane Griffy.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
So growing up did you idolize those players or how
did those names come about?
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (17:10):
I idolized Harper a lot, just growing up.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
I wanted to do everything that he did.
Speaker 9 (17:15):
I like his swing to me and my dad have
looked at his swing since I was little, and we've
kind of taken pieces from his swing and putting in mind,
and he's a great player.
Speaker 7 (17:23):
Same thing with King Griffy. There's a lot of swags,
so love watching him too.
Speaker 10 (17:27):
Do you have any secret hobbies?
Speaker 9 (17:31):
I love phishing and played Fortnite.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
Oh yeah, Big Fournite. Got a couple of the players
in the seamer Big Fournite guys see awesome. Well that's
Ralphie and I'm Jalen Norman. Jim back to you. Thank
you guys for having me.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Fun stuff there from Ralphie Velasquez, and thanks as always
to Jaylen Norman, who does great work covering the minor
leagues for the Guardians and doing so much more than
that as well than just the interviews. But they appreciate
her efforts and tracking down Ralphie during the season and
keep an eye on him. We don't know where he'll
start next year, but he could move quick, as we
saw him in spring training a little bit last season,
(18:07):
and he performed well out in goodyear, and I imagine
we'll see him again when spring training begins in late February.
Stay with us when we come back. We'll be joined
by Austin Hedges. Back in the Fold for twenty twenty
six that's next on the Cleveland Clinic. Guardians Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
San Diego Night of Austin Hedges, Mom and Dad in
the ballpark tonight is first at bat of the campaign.
Right handed hitter facing the lefty Kyle Hart. Four to
one San Diego third inning, Hedges with a high drive
deep left field down the.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Line that goest. This ball is gone. Austin Hedges with
the towering blast.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Down the left field line his first swing of the season.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim rosen House back with
you at Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, and great news.
Earlier this week for the Guardians, Austin Hedges signed a
contract for the twenty twenty sixth season. The thirty three
year old veteran catcher will be back in the Fold
and that means good news as he has been tremendous
(19:30):
behind the plate, offensively contributed down the stretch better than
he had in a long time, and certainly excited about
that as he heads into the new season next year.
He's in a good spot with Cleveland has always been
a big part of some very good teams in recent seasons.
In fact, the last three times they've won the Division
Austin Hedges has been the starting catcher or at least
(19:53):
a part of the catching corps for the Guardians, and
it was no different in twenty twenty five and was
a bit reason why when you talk to different players,
they were able to stay positive and mount that furious
comeback that saw them win the American League Central Division
once again. So Hedges is back with the ball club.
We had a chance to catch up with him earlier
(20:14):
this week and he talked about re signing early with Cleveland,
the whys, and what he's looking forward to for twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 10 (20:24):
Well, I did something similar last year, and you know,
as this season was dwindling down, and start thinking about,
like what's gonna happen next year, you know, not my
first rodeo, being being a free agent on a one
year deal with you know, no guaranteed job next year.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
So I got to, you know, start figuring.
Speaker 10 (20:42):
Out what's you know, what I'm gonna do, you know, personally,
And so in talking to Chris Antonetti near the end
of the season, you know, both of us.
Speaker 7 (20:56):
Were interested in me coming back, and that's.
Speaker 10 (20:57):
Really you know, all I was hoping for him, Like
this is where I wanted to be and you know,
I think in the years moving forward, I don't think
that's really going to change. This is where, this is
where I'm happiness. This is where I'm happiest and uh,
and that's really kind of uh my main my main focus,
uh in my career is is being in a place
(21:19):
where where I feel like I can contribute and uh,
and I can have joy in what I'm doing every
day and I.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Feel like you're a player and it's hard sometimes in
today's pro sports where you know, everyone moves so much,
but I feel like you get the what's happening here
in Cleveland in terms of trying to win a World
Series and and how difficult that's been over the years,
and and does that come into play too, it winning
it here and how special that could be if it happens.
Speaker 10 (21:48):
Oh, absolutely, that's a that's always the number one goal,
you know, winning the World Series.
Speaker 7 (21:53):
Why we're all playing this game and you.
Speaker 10 (21:56):
Know already having one, uh, definitely helps my cause for
if there was ever a chance to try and you know,
go chase you know, a World Series at some point
in my career. And you know, when I think about
that and reflect on that, it just winning a World
Series in Cleveland would just so far surpass what I
experienced in Texas, because you know, I've been a part
(22:20):
of the group trying to trying to develop and grow
these young guys and into a championship ball club and
and and to bring you know, the first World Series
to Cleveland would be you know, we the players and
I talk about it all the time of you know,
how amazing the parade would be here in Cleveland, and
(22:41):
you know, to try and make that happen and then
to ultimately do that one day, I think it's something
that that gets me out of bed every morning.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Austin Hedges joining us. He'll be back with the ball
club in twenty twenty six. But as you reflect on
twenty twenty five, man, what a what a finish to
the season. I know it didn't go as deep as
everyone wants in the postseason, but just to get there
and and end up winning another division title. When you
look back on it, how impressed were you with with
(23:09):
everything that happened? And how much fun was it down
the stretch in September especially.
Speaker 10 (23:13):
Man, it's that's that's the most proud I've ever been
of a group and of a of a regular season.
Speaker 7 (23:21):
You know, all the things that we had to overcome.
Speaker 10 (23:23):
I've never been on a team that had to overcome
half of the stuff that we did, and it made
it really, really difficult, which is you know, it's rare
at a Cleveland clubhouse because.
Speaker 7 (23:33):
They do they for for you know, years and years now.
Speaker 10 (23:35):
They've done such a good job at bringing in the
right people and it's a really functioning, uh work, you know,
work environment. And you know, I don't think too many
of us expected to have to, you know, overcome some
of these obstacles that we had to this past year.
Speaker 7 (23:52):
But my goodness, did everybody do it with.
Speaker 10 (23:56):
You know, just about as much grace as you possibly could.
And it starts up top. You know, I have the
most respect in the world for Chris Antonetti and Stephen Vogue.
I think they're the two. They're two the best at
what they do and with their leadership, it was it
was just amazing to watch a group of guys buy
(24:17):
into something and then you know, buying is something for
a full season. Because you know, we talked about, you know,
making the playoffs somehow, you know, it wasn't even about
winning division.
Speaker 7 (24:26):
But we're after one sixty two.
Speaker 10 (24:28):
We were going to find our way in the playoffs,
and going into September it wasn't looking very likely. But
you know, we didn't sign up to, you know, have
it be easy, so we uh to actually, you know,
finish the.
Speaker 7 (24:43):
Job and do it the way that we did it.
Just I couldn't be any more proud of our group.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
And you mentioned some of the ups and downs and
trying to get through a full season and you sign
up for one sixty two. I thought it was interesting.
I saw some of your comments yesterday after you had signed,
just about how there were some stretches where it was
really hard for you personally to keep it going and
explain that to fans where you know, we see every
(25:09):
day and it seems great on the field, but what
are some of the challenges that you go through to
be ready to play and try and be at your
best every day when it can be difficult, especially late
in a long season.
Speaker 10 (25:21):
Yeah, the hard part about one sixty two is you
got to treat every single day the exactly the same
pretty much. The way that we like to think about
it in Cleveland is, you know, we want to win today,
but ultimately we want to win every series. So essentially
we got to win two out of three somehow. You know,
you got to accept you know, you're not going to
go one sixty two and zero.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
So losses happened.
Speaker 10 (25:39):
But how do you respond to those losses and show
up the next day and put yourself in a position
to win serious because that's how you, you know, eventually
make the playoffs. And man, it's a it's exhausting to
show up and bring that type of intensity every single day,
and when things aren't going real well, that exhaustion, you know,
(26:00):
it piles up and it becomes even harder to overcome
because you need those you need those good moments to
kind of keep you going, build your confidence and uh,
you know, give you a reason why. Okay, you know
this is work, and all this work I'm putting in
it's paying off. I'm playing well, the team's playing well.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
Uh. That kind of gets you through the season.
Speaker 10 (26:19):
But when it's not happening consistently, it's kind of like, man,
what do we do?
Speaker 7 (26:23):
What do we do? We need to do something different?
Do we need to just keep writing the course? You know,
what do we need to do?
Speaker 10 (26:30):
And as as a guy in the clubhouse who uh,
you know, takes a lot of pride in and helping
everybody out and being a leader in that clubhouse. It
was it was really really challenging for me because we
we just we just weren't playing very well and there
was a lot of distractions kind of away from you know,
(26:51):
just playing baseball. But luckily, I mean, like I said before,
I mean, Steven votes the man, and there was, you know,
plenty of conversations we had, but there was a couple
near near the end of the season, I think maybe
like like mid August going into September, where you know,
he just he kept pushing me to keep going, you know,
regardless of what. Maybe we lose every single game the
(27:13):
rest of the season, but if we lost every game,
we would have been able to look ourselves in the
mirror and known, you know, we did our very best,
that we did everything we could. But you know, now
we get to look ourselves in the mirror and know
that we did everything we could and we overcame all
that stuff and won a division and had the greatest
comeback in baseball history. I mean, it's it's just it's
(27:35):
such a season to be proud of.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
And it's a given your your clubhouse leadership at this
point in time, we've seen enough of that. But on
the field, you played maybe your your best baseball since
you've been a part of the Cleveland organization down the stretch,
and what clicked in for you, Let's start at the
plate that they're really allowed you to have some really
(27:58):
quality at bats consistently for a while down the stretch.
Speaker 10 (28:02):
Yeah, I was really I'm really excited going to this
off season because something kind of did click for me
at the end of the year and I haven't had,
you know, something to take into an off season in
a very long time. It's kind of been off season
is for you know, starting over, trying to figure something
out and bring it into next season.
Speaker 7 (28:18):
But some of the stuff that that started working for me,
it was.
Speaker 10 (28:22):
Kind of it was kind of a part of a
long process throughout the season with Grant Fink, our hitting coach,
you know, a lot to do with you know, working
on some swing things, but most importantly just my my
approach and my plan in the batter's box, and Grant
Fink just made a made such a good plan for
me and allowed me to kind of just go pitch
by pitch and use some information that that he knew
(28:43):
that that that I know, you know, just from watching
the game and taking advantage of of certain tendencies and stuff,
and it was really cool to see it. It all
kind of come together near the end of the year
and now I'm.
Speaker 7 (28:57):
Really excited to continue to work on it this off season.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
And of course, defensively it has always been good, but
your caught stealing rates were off the charts good this season.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Why are there's at thirty three?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Are you still getting better defensively? And can that happen
even at this stage of your career.
Speaker 10 (29:14):
Yeah, you're always getting better at everything, man, But I was,
I was, I was. I was pretty pumped about about
what I did defensively because you know, that's one of
the things that's that's kept me in the game is
being able to do what I do behind the plate
and and and obviously that's that's kind of my thing.
And boy, I love catching and uh and talking to
(29:36):
Bow this past off season and spring training, both of
us we realized, you know, one of the main things
we needed to get better at was was throwing. We
needed to be better a better group of catchers in
caught stealing and it was just so cool to watch
both of us go out there and have kind of
career years in the cot stealing department. And so I'm
(29:57):
very proud of Bo in that sense and myself for
because we worked. We took it really seriously in spring
where you know, obviously receiving and blocking is is always.
Speaker 7 (30:08):
Going to be the main priority.
Speaker 10 (30:09):
But you know, if you're a if you're a if
you're an outlier thrower in this league and you can
get free outs on the basis, that can really swing
a game. And you know, it was it was really
cool to watch both of us do that this year.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
And you look at your position catching, uh, the wear
and tear and durability seems like a really hard thing
to achieve. But there are some catchers who have played
well into their their thirties and and at a very
high level. What is it about that position that that
sometimes allows for that where you wouldn't think it from
a physical standpoint.
Speaker 10 (30:42):
From a physical standpoint, you know, you kind of just
get get used to what your body's capable of and
what it's going to feel like at each point in
the season, at each point in the game, because you know, essentially,
if you're gonna get four at bats it's you know,
feel good, feel a little worse, feel much worse than
your fourth at bat.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
You don't feel very good, you.
Speaker 10 (31:02):
Know, as bump s bruises, your legs are sore, your
legs are tired and heavy. It's tough to hit when
your legs are sore, and and you know, and it's
just it's it's tough for catchers to figure out, it seems,
how to switch their catcher brain into hit her brain,
because they're two completely different things. And to me, I
(31:22):
think that's probably one of the biggest reasons why catchers
aren't the most offensive in the league, because I think
it just ad I think the plan in the box
is different than any other position, given how much thinking
is going on consistently throughout the game, and so it
makes it difficult. But maybe, you know, if you can
you can grind your way, you know, in this league
(31:44):
for for enough years, maybe something clicks and it starts
making a little bit more sense.
Speaker 7 (31:49):
So hopefully I'm one of those guys that you know,
gets the.
Speaker 10 (31:53):
Hitting thing going, you know, at thirty three years old,
and you know, I become a good hitter from thirty
three to forty.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Austin Hedge is joining to re signed with the Guardians
earlier this week for another season. And obviously, and this
is in no way to say that that you're nearing
the end playing wise, but I think it has come
up a couple of times this season in terms of
your future after the playing career is done, hopefully in
a long way in the future. But and maybe it's
(32:20):
because of the current manager, Steven Vote, people might see
some similarities there. Have you thought about what's next when
playing does end, and does it include trying to manage
a major league ball club at some point in time.
Speaker 10 (32:35):
Yeah, I've put a lot of thought into into what's next.
You know, I can see it's it's kind of scary
that I can see the light at the end of
the tunnel. You know that that's probably started happening, you know,
probably at some point this past year for the first
time where you really see like, okay, hey, like you
know this this portion of my life is.
Speaker 7 (32:55):
You know, it's not near the beginning.
Speaker 10 (32:57):
You know. Obviously, if I play for as long as
I can, that's that's not that's not even that much
time in comparison to how long I've been in this game.
Speaker 7 (33:07):
But when I think about the future, it's gonna have
something to do with baseball.
Speaker 10 (33:11):
I don't know if that means coaching or managing, or
or doing something away from professional baseball, but baseball is
my passion and what I I know it the best.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
So you know, I would be doing myself a disservice if.
Speaker 10 (33:26):
You know, I tried to just go into something that
I didn't I don't know very well or don't understand,
you know, in my in my mid thirties or forties,
when you know, the way that I see it as
like in baseball, if you get to ten years is
kind of like being a doctor. You get you get
your PhD at ten years, and when you get your PhD,
you you kind of have that that resume and you know,
(33:47):
you know, you have the experience. I've seen a lot
of baseball, and just in that experience, I think there's
just a lot to offer the rest of the world,
the rest of baseball who who haven't been there yet,
and to be able to offer some of the some
of that wisdom to the next you know, group of
people coming is uh. You know, that's kind of how
I see myself in the futures, just is passing along
(34:10):
everything that that people you know have done for me
throughout my career.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
Well again, hopefully that's a long way off and you
can continue to progress as a player. I'm just finishing up.
For a lot of players, the season ends and they
want nothing to do with watching baseball. But how about
you in terms of the postseason, how closely do you
follow it and and what have some of your thoughts
been as it gets down to the last four teams?
Speaker 10 (34:35):
Oh, I love watching playoff baseball. I mean I like
watching any playoff sport. You know, it's just it's it
brings the best out of everybody, and just any type
of thing where it's clearly just about winning. It's tough
and in every sport throughout the regular season, everybody's getting
their numbers and it's a long season, and you know
you can think about winning, but you don't really have to,
and you know there's too much.
Speaker 7 (34:56):
There's so many other things that you can be playing for.
Speaker 10 (34:58):
But in the playoffs, there is no there's no individual stats,
there is no The only glory you can get is
is in winning and winning a championship and watching you know,
two clubs go out it had to head. There's nothing
like it, and obviously it makes me jealous. I wish
I was out there experiencing what all those teams are
(35:19):
experiencing right now.
Speaker 7 (35:21):
But I definitely love you some playoff baseball.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Well, hopefully it's in the offing for next season with
you a big part of that here in Cleveland, Austin.
Always great to have you on. Congratulations on the new
deal for next season, and thanks for coming by anytime.
Speaker 7 (35:35):
Thank you, Rosie.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
That is Austin Hedges Guardians. Catcher re signed earlier this
week for twenty twenty six. Stay tuned, we'll have more
to come after this.
Speaker 8 (35:52):
A Progressive Home and Ottowantle can protect you around the clock,
but we can't protect you from those painful moments in sports.
Speaker 7 (36:00):
The rough totally blew that call.
Speaker 8 (36:01):
Oh, I'm sure he'll make the right call next time.
It's too late.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
It cost us the game.
Speaker 8 (36:06):
It's just one game. That loss eliminated us from the playoffs. Oh,
the playoffs are on so late now you'll be well rested.
Speaker 7 (36:13):
Okay, I need you to stop talking now.
Speaker 8 (36:15):
Well, at least you're Hollanado or protected with a bundle
from Progressive Progressive Cansual Canterns Company Affiliates an other inturists
not available in those states.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
A situations, Welcome back to Guardians Weekly, Jim Rosenhouse back
with you from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, and a
couple of items to get to before we close our
(36:43):
show this week. The finalists have been announced for the
Gold Glove Awards and for the Guardians they will have
four finalists. First baseman Carlos Santano spent much of the
season with Cleveland. He's a finalist for the Gold Glove
Award at first base, trying to make it too in
a row after he won it with the Twins a
season ago. Can Stephen Kwan be a four time Goal
(37:06):
Glove Award winner in his first four seasons in the
major leagues. We'll find out. He's a finalist for the
left fielders and at third base. Jose Ramirez a finalist
as well, and he had some great stretches defensively this season.
We'll see if that's enough to help him earn his
first Goal Glove Award. We'll see and kind of need
(37:27):
for Daniel Schneeman. He has been nominated as the utility
Gold Glove Award winner and that certainly would be a
special award for him as he bounced around between center
field and second base mainly, but played a lot of
third base and right field as well, pretty much anywhere
as well as shortstop. So good luck to all four
(37:48):
and we'll find out on the evening of November the
second as they will announce the Gold Glove Award winners
for twenty twenty five. That's going to do it for
our show this week is always thanks to Brian Motse
for all of his help and putting it together. We'll
join you next week for another edition of Guardian's Weekly.
I'm Jim rosen House and you've been listening to it
(38:10):
on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive helping
Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.