June 13, 2026 • 38 mins
Recapping a tough week for the Guardians with the Yankees in town. Reliever Tim Herrin joins the show to talk about his recent stretch of strong pitching. Plus, Assistant Director of Player Development Will Huntington stops by to talk about the latest happenings in Akron. 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 (00:52):
Hi everyone, and welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim ros and
House along with you from Progressive Field in downtown where
the Guardians are taking on the Detroit Tigers this weekend.
It's a three game series that resumes on Saturday afternoon
at four to ten, concludes on Sunday at one forty.
A little bit later on in our show, we will
(01:14):
hear from relief pitcher Tim Herron, also the newest Cleveland
Guardian Daniel Espino, assistant pitching coach Joe Torres, and we'll
have a farm report focusing in on double A Akron
with Assistant Director of Player Development Will Huntington. But first
our weekend review, and not an easy week for the
Guardians as they took on the Yankees, returning home to
(01:36):
do it in a three game series. But the Yankees
swept the series, winning Monday Night seven to five, Tuesday
Night three to two, and then Wednesday afternoon eight to
four to complete the first sweep of the season. In
the negative for the Guardians, they have not been swept
in a series since last August. They had the longest
(01:57):
stretch of non sweeps by the opposition in the American
League at that point. But the Yankees pulled it off
earlier this week, sweeping three from the Guardians a much
needed off day on Thursday, setting the stage for Friday
night series opener against the Tigers. And it was Tanner
Biby coming off his first win of the season in
(02:18):
Texas on the last road trip, and he looks sharp
early in this one. Now the one two delivery.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
God, I'm swinging on the hard stuff and Tanner Biby
with a little gudea up on that fastball Tonight strekes
out the side. Tigers do not score and the Guardians
are coming to map.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Bibby also had some great defense behind him. In the
second inning, Tanner Biby's pitch swung on a little floater
in the left center and it's going to.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Be caught on a diving catch by Rochio with his
back to home play. I want to play by the Guardians.
Shortstop Brian Rochio has played an all start caliber short
all year and just made an Willie Mays tight catch.
(03:07):
Not quite as much at stake as the nineteen fifty
four World Series. But what an incredible play by Brian Rochio.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Nonetheless, in the bottom of the second, Reece Hoskins got
things started with a double, but then two outs minute
would be up to Patrick Bailey to deliver a clutch hit.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Here's the two to Bailey. Swung a drill in the
left center. That's a Mase hit that is going to
score Hoskins, and Patrick Bailey shoots it the other way
and puts Cleveland on top one to nothing with this
tenth RBI of the campaign. What a piece of hitting.
He got a mid nineties fastball down and away and
(03:49):
shot it the other way for the two out RBI single.
And that's what's been missing in this four game losing
streak Cleveland and had not been getting They hit with
runners in scoring position three for thirty four. But Bailey
comes through and the next batter Brian Rochio kept the
(04:11):
inning alive. Here's the payoff. Swung and trailed the right
near the line. It'll get down a basin.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It'll go all the way to the wall.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
That'll enable Bailey to score hitting second, turning the Jets on.
Diving into third, Rochio with an RDI triple once Carpenter
couldn't cut it off going toward the line, Rochio was
never going to hesitate, but more importantly, Bailey was going
(04:41):
to score. And Rochio's second triple of the year gives
him thirty two RBHS. Detroit got on the board in
the third with a solo home run to make it
a two to one game, and the Guardians held that
lead thanks to mor stellar defense. There's the O two
swung on, and there's a high fly ball shallow right
(05:04):
charging in de Laughter dives and he made the catch,
a tumbling grab by Chase Delatter and yet another outstanding
defensive play by the Guardians. That's at least four.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Bizanna has made a couple of outstanding plays at second
Rokio a highlight reel play at short and now the
Laughter the same and right and along with the great defense,
Tanner Biby was rolling on the mound down the one
to two.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Pitch strike three, cold painted the outside corner with that slider.
Bibby has eight strikeouts. What a game Tanner Biby is pitching.
And this is replicating what we saw in Arlington last weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Bottom of the sixth do Hell Martinez doubled with one out,
bringing Stephen Kuan to the plate.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
The bitch swung it.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Why right?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
This as a bashent into center field. That is going
to score Martinez and RBI single for Stephen Kuan and
the Guardians have eight, three to one lead and Stephen
Kwan with a two hit night, RBI number thirteen and
the Guardians getting some clutch inting with men in scoring position. Tonight.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Tanner Bibby was back out there in the eighth inning,
but Detroit spencer Torkelsen connected for a solo home run
just the second Tiger hit on the night off of Biby,
and that made it a three to two Cleveland lead.
Hunter Gaddis was summoned from the bullpen and he came
on to finish off the Tigers in the eighth, and
then it was up to Kate Smith in the ninth
(06:48):
to close it out.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Dylan Dingler sixteen bombs forty nine. RBIs drives this one
to deep left bank is Martinez. BIG's the catch ball
game and Kate Smith, with a one two three night,
has saved nineteen in a row and the Guardians are
five and zero against Detroit. In twenty twenty six, they
(07:13):
win the opener in the weekend series by a final
score of three to two.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So when I start to the weekend series for the
Guardians their fifth straight win over the Tigers in the
season series, we'll take a time out then come back
and hear from a couple of relief pictures Tim Herron
and newly acquired Daniel Espino. That's next the Cleveland Clinic
Radio Network.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
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Speaker 2 (08:18):
Sim Rosen Now's back with you. It's Guardians Weekly from
Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland. Tim Herron has been solid
in the bullpen for the Guardians this season. He had
an up and down twenty twenty five campaign, but so
far in twenty twenty six, heron in thirty appearances as
an era of three even to go along with twenty
(08:39):
one strikeouts and twenty four innings, and when we caught
up with them earlier this week, he explained how he's
gotten back to that form that we saw in twenty
twenty four as part of a very dominant Guardian's bullpen.
Speaker 7 (08:52):
I think the biggest things has been, you know, taking
care of the body a little bit better. It's feeling
healthy overall, along with you know, working with coaches, cleaning
some things up and attacking the strike zone. I mean,
my biggest thing's always been when I'm filling up the
strike zone throwing strikes, it usually goes pretty well. And
when things snowball, it's usually because I'm just falling, behinding counts,
walking guys. So I'm just really emphasizing, you know, getting
(09:14):
ahead of early and attacking hitters and making them put
the ball in play and get out rather than giving
them free bases.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Everybody says that that it's so important. How do you
execute that though, and make sure that that you're able
to do it on a fairly consistent basis.
Speaker 7 (09:29):
I mean it sounds super easy, like, you know, just
throw it over the plate, but you know, it's a
long season and the body is not always going to
feel one hundred percent. It's very rare that the body
feels great, especially once you get to this part of
the season, Like you just kind of have to battle
through whatever you're battling through and really just think less
about mechanics when you're out there and more just competing.
(09:52):
I think that's for me anyway, when I'm pitching well
and filling up his own I'm just competing and not
really thinking about, Okay, I need to get this position
or think about this queue. It's just like go out
there and compete. Take care of mechanics and stuff and catch, play,
bullpen stuff like that. But in the game, you just
got to compete.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
You're pitching in usually tight situations, end of game, leverage,
all that kind of stuff. That means there's pressure on you.
How do you dial it down and just stay relaxed
so that you can execute and throw strikes.
Speaker 7 (10:20):
Yeah, as a reliever, you do come into a lot
of different situations, whether it's a close game, up by
a lot, down by a lot, Because I threw up
six oh the other night, Like you never know when
you're gonna pitch. You know, you just got to kind
of say focused and take each appearance as the same,
where you're going out there and you're trying to put
it a zero no matter what the situation is. So
(10:42):
it just comes back to going out there and competing
and not put too much into whether it's a big
situation or not, because then it kind of just dictates
your mindset. If it's you hype yourself up too much,
maybe you're pressing. If it's like, oh, not a high
leverage situation, then you're kind of like to relax, I
would say, So you kind of just have to treat
every appearance the same and go out and compete.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Tim Harrin's joining US Guardian's ree leave Pitcher and for
a while there you're you're teamed up with Eric Sabrowski
giving the Guardians a real nice one to two punch
in terms of key game situations from the left side.
And it's been different since he's been on the injured list.
And how does that change the dynamic for you?
Speaker 7 (11:19):
Uh, Like I said, it kind of have to be
prepared for every moment, But yeah, it changes a little bit.
You know, having we had Soubrowski healthy, we're able to
kind of take the load off each other and not
having to throw too frequently. I guess having to left
you that you know that you can trust and leverage.
So yeah, it's just been like a little bit different,
little bit more usage in different situations. But yeah, like
(11:40):
I said, just try to take every your appearance as
you can.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
So, and you've been around this when the team has
gone to the playoffs the last couple of years. What
do you like about this year's club that that says
good things down the stretch and maybe playing into October.
Speaker 7 (11:54):
I just think we have a good group of guys,
super resilient when you're down in the game. You know,
we always feel like we can come back if we
get up early. We feel like we have the pitchings
to have to hold it. And I think that's the
biggest thing, is like we just both sides of the
ball have confidence in each other. The hitters have confidence
in us, and we have confidence in the hitters. So
I think it goes a long way.
Speaker 8 (12:13):
Tim.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Always great to have you on.
Speaker 8 (12:14):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
It's lefty reliever Tim Herron another addition to that Guardian's
bullpen showed up on Friday. Daniel Espino has joined the
Guardians major league roster for the first time. He did
not appear in the game on Friday night, so his
debut is still being waited on, but he met with
the media before Friday's game to talk about how it
(12:37):
felt to get the news that after a long, long
trip through the minor leagues and injury issues, he finally
made it to a major league clubhouse.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
Crying.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
I was crying a lot. It spins pro emotional days.
I got told him Wednesday after the game and from
there just talking to family. Yeah, they're all here, so
really excited, really emotional, and it's so like the sense
of gratitude that I have just I can't, I can't.
(13:12):
I can't even describe it to me. It just feels
like it's like a team win. Obviously, it's the first
step of of just you know, like making it to
the show and like being here now is kind of
like a new chapter and like whatever is thrown at me,
like I'm ready to attack it and and you know,
like give my best for this team and for this
(13:32):
group of guys.
Speaker 9 (13:36):
Did this when did this moment start to feel possible
for you, Like this season was it when you were
getting ready for sprint training, Like what did you really
sort of thing like, Okay, that's gonna happen this year.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
I think like once I started to throw a ball,
like really high, high, high comparitiveness, just kind of like
he hasn't sunk in. I think that to me, like
all all years, you know, he's been just taken it
day by day and like doing through rehab and I
(14:10):
doing through the Fall league and everything. But obviously, like
there was in my head like Okay, I want to
be in the show. I want to make it to
the big leagues. And works work again, like works towards that,
and but yeah, I mean it's it's I'm a specialist.
Speaker 10 (14:26):
As you got closer to this moment and down in
Triple A, they used in a variety of different ways
to try to simulate any sort of situation that you'd
face up here. One of them was as an opener
as well, you know, what, was there anything that you
sort of got out of those experiences as you got
closer to as you call.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
It, you know, I'm still learning. I mean I'm learning
every time I touched him out. I throw a ball
and all that, and to me it was just the game,
you know, like just keep it simple when out there,
attacking heaters, attacking the zone and like throwing my best stuff.
Speaker 11 (15:05):
Stuff field.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Now compared to like, you know, five years ago, before
all the stuff, the problems and injuries.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Came up, I can't, to be honest with you, I
can't remember. I can't remember my stuff. I do remember
about like four years ago, I was, you know, viralin,
you know, like to rehab, just trying to throw seventy
miles per hours. Now now that's a little bit different.
Speaker 10 (15:29):
So the patients and guidance of the organization for you
during your time through the injuries.
Speaker 11 (15:34):
You know what that means to.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
You speak for yourself that I'm able to sit here
and talk to you. How everybody from from to the
front office, and you know how they believed in me
through those times, and now that I'm able to sit
here and talk to you, it just speaks for itself.
How the patients and how not only my resilience but
(15:58):
also their resilience that this state was gonna come.
Speaker 10 (16:01):
You said spring your mom will cheer loud enough for
everybody to hear. Just what do you think it's gonna
mean for her to finally see you.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
I know she's spomped. She got here, My family got
here last night, so everybody spumped and and I know
they're gonna they're gonna have their best of the time.
And and you know, just see me wearing this jersey
and just driving driving up to to downtown and like
seeing the field, seeing the stadium is surreal.
Speaker 9 (16:32):
Through all the different setbacks and adversity you've paced based
over the past couple of years, what's the biggest thing
you've learned about yourself?
Speaker 5 (16:40):
How resilient I am. I think that that, you know,
like coming over when I was fifteen years old to
the States and pursuing my my dream to get an
opportunity in pro Bol. That way I can then get
an opportunity to make it to the to the big leagues.
I think that that I didn't know how resilient I
am because it's just a different part of the game
(17:02):
being heard and like missing time. So I will say
that who did you.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
Lean on during that time, whether it was maybe someone
in Arizona, someone on staff.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Family friends, who did you look to for support?
Speaker 5 (17:14):
Mainly my family, mainly my family, of course, Like I'm
surrounded by really good people and I couldn't be here
without you know, everybody talking about staff down in Goodyear Clubes,
the guys in the kitchen, the medical group, the pitching
coaches that has helped me through all this journey. Everybody
kind of like put a little bit of salt into
(17:37):
the seasoning pretty much, and I'm just a product of that.
And it really I was thinking about this this morning,
how grateful I am to have those people around me
that it makes this moment and like just being here
makes it more special because it only didn't took me,
but it took like not only time, but like a
(17:57):
lot of guys to get me here. And I'm really
proud of that, and I'm really for that.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
A lot of people in the organization rooting for that kid,
Daniel Espino, who did not pitch for four years due
to two separate shoulder surgeries. But here he is in
the major leagues and in that Guardian's bullpen. Stay with us.
When we came back. We'll hear from Joe Torres, Guardian's
assistant pitching coach. That's after this, well the back it's
(18:37):
Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhouse back with you a progressive field
in downtown Cleveland Guardians and Tigers this weekend. Joe Torres
is the assistant pitching coach for the Guardians, and we
had a chance to visit with Joe earlier this week
and it's a starting rotation that he works with that
throws strikes, always a key for Joey Cantillo and Joe
(18:58):
talked about why that's so important for a picture like
Cantillo to be consistently in the strike zone.
Speaker 8 (19:04):
Yeah, I mean Joey.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
Joey's a really interesting one because out of all the
pictures in big leagues, like Joey has such unique stuff
that it's really about being in the zone and and
and where a traditional picture is like, hey, two strikes,
I want to get out of the zone. And for Joey,
it's really not about that, Like it's really about being
in the zone.
Speaker 8 (19:23):
Because his stuff is so.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Unique in the angles that he creates and the and
the speed differentials he creates. It's really tough on hitters,
So him going out of the zone is almost giving
hitters a favor sometimes, And it's almost a hard thing
to to wrap your mind around as a picture because
it's not traditional, but just knowing who you are as
a picture, and that's like number one. And and for Joey,
it's it's coming back to that and saying, hey, I've
(19:47):
got to be in the zone as much as possible
and and really trusting that.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
And is that mechanically that that can help him get
in the zone more or is it that that mental
mindset of of hey, I got to be in the zone.
Speaker 8 (19:58):
Yeah, I think you'd ask Joey.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
I think I mean, he'd bring up it's a mental thing,
and not in a negative way. It's just in a
way of confirming of who I am and doing what
I do really well and believing and trusting in that
regardless of who's in the box.
Speaker 8 (20:10):
With a situation.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
So you can't really let a situation dictate just because
it's a runner on second base and or there's two outs,
or you know, a four hole heaters up versus nine hole.
It doesn't really matter. Joey's got to be Joey and
he's got to attack in the zone and he knows that.
And so it's one of those things. Every once in
a while you get off track. It's a long season,
and then you come right back and you do it.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Gavin Williams, it seems like he's in a great place
and has been for a while. There's the occasional game
that gets away a little bit. But do you have
to do much with him right now or is it
just kind of some small tweaks between starts to keep
him on that right path?
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Yeah, I mean yeah, we're always We're always working with
Gavin Ryer's thinking consistently. It's about some delivery maintenance with him.
Speaker 12 (20:54):
You know.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
I mean, he throws so hard, right, so he has
so much power in his arsenal and his spin is
so so good that that he can get away with
things at times, right, And so even some of the
outings where it's six innings one run, it's probably not
the best version of Gavin, right, but like he has
shown that he can bounce back and make adjustments, and
he's doing a great job in game making those adjustments.
We can see for instance, last outing and he wasn't
(21:15):
as sharp as first two innings and then goes ahead
and makes a delivery adjustment in mid game and we
see him take off after that, right, So that's one
of the errors. We're seeing a ton of growth in
Gavin is is being able to recognize things, come to
the coaching staff say I feel off, what can I do?
And then go out there and actually execute that In
the following.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Inning, Slay to Coney, seems like he tinkers with a
lot of stuff and it has a real thirst for
what's happened in technology wise? How fun is that? And
what are some of the things that he tries to
do with technology and analytics to make sure he's getting
the best pitch mix possible.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
Yeah, Slate is hyper aware of everything around him, whether
it's physical you know, the analytics, I mean, his delivery.
So he has a lot of questions and he does
want to work through things and and it's important to
him to kind of build routines that that support him
and give him preparation for these games. So he does
go to every domain and he works hard with SENC,
like working hard with his you know, using his boop
(22:14):
for instance, he tracks his heart rate right and how
that affects him and where he can recognize in game
like my getting too high too low and.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
What that means for him and be able to.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Use our our SENC staff or medical staff to help
him navigate and understand those things, right, So there's little
things like that that he does. But with us, like
he's hyper aware, he knows, you know, stuff models, he understands,
like his.
Speaker 8 (22:37):
Grades, like where it's all at.
Speaker 4 (22:38):
So we have really really in depth conversations with him.
But with all that, like keeping it simple is really
the main thing, and it's number one is is just
find repeatable delivery where he is consistent and uh and
that's actually where we've seen a lot of success with
him this year, is saying, hey, I'm gonna slow down here,
I'm gonna be my identity is I'm gonna have a fastball, cutter,
sinker mix that I'm going to execute in the zone
(23:00):
and really just like pay attention to his lines and
his focus on his command, his execution and kind of
let everything else just happen. Right, So he just lets
the catcher kind of call the game and follows that,
and we actually see that's the best version of him
when he can keep it simple.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
And with with Parker Messk, he's a rookie, but but
you forget that because he kind of he's out there
looking like a veteran in every way. What are some
of the things that bring you back to hey, he's
a rookie, and here's what we need to work on
with him to try and keep him on this great
path that he's been on.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yeah, I mean, I think one of those things is
as a perspective of a long season, right, first season
of major leagues as as a starter, he's had tremendous
success so far, and the way he goes about it,
you feel like it's sustainable.
Speaker 8 (23:44):
Like he's mature.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
It's a command oriented guy, right, and he knows his delivery,
he knows his body so well, and he has such
great mature conversations about pitching in the dugout, you know,
post games, great reflections, so you feel like really confident
in what he do and how he sees the game.
But with that, it's about like, hey, are you able
to recognize workload in this area where we can pull back, right,
(24:08):
things that we can do in the weight room and dieting,
and be able to help him get ready for one
hundred and sixty two game season, right, thirty plus starts,
which will be the first time him doing that because
in the past he really hasn't been on a five
day turn very often for instance, Right, And so you know,
we have more days off in big leagues now that
kind of support that to get six days, but it's
(24:30):
still one of those things. It's all new to him
in the workloads as far as the pitch counts are higher, right,
So it's like, how are we helping him holistically with
his body and just being able to physically endure a
full season.
Speaker 8 (24:41):
Joe Torres is joining us.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
He's the assistant pitching coach for the Guardians, and Joe,
you look at your role and yourself, Carl Willison and
Brad Goldberg. It's kind of a three headed group that
gets things done and meshes well together. And I know
you look at a lot of delivery breakdowns and how
do you that how much of it is is video?
How much of it is other technology that helps you
(25:04):
identify some things to help pictures, whether they're starters or releapers.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Yeah, so I mean one, you know, one awesome thing
about the organization is the resources they provide. So you know,
we have video angles from any which way if it's
open closed, you know, overhead, we have slow motion videos.
We have you know, we have Hawkeye in the system,
which you know provides us a biomechanical breakdown on guys
(25:28):
and then we have the the resources on the computer
that help us break that all down for the players.
So you know, there's a lot of time put into
it in terms of you know, going back and looking
at video and per pitch type because got some guys
have different deliveries per pitch types and stretch first, wind
up and things like that. So yeah, we devote a
lot of time to it, but we value that here.
We find that it's very very important that if guys
(25:51):
can have repeatable deliveries, you know, they're gonna be able
to execute pitches where they want and the best pitch
profiles that they can execute as well.
Speaker 8 (25:59):
So yeah, we pull a lot of time into that,
but we value that highly.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Here it's assistant pitching coach Joe Torres, and always great
to catch up with Joe and get his thoughts on
some of the different pictures on the staff. When we
come back, we'll hear from Will Huntington, the assistant player
development director about the Akron Rubber Ducks at the Double
A level. A lot of good players there, and we'll
hear from Will when we come back.
Speaker 8 (26:21):
After this.
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She turns.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhause, back with you
at Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland. Meanwhile, down the road
a bit in Akron, the Double A Club continues to
turn out some top prospects. Will Huntington is the assistant
director of Player Development for the Guardians, and he brings
us up to date on several of the position players
and pitchers alike, including infielder Luke Hill who seems like
(27:33):
he hasn't missed a beat since moving up after starting
the season at Lake County.
Speaker 11 (27:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (27:38):
Absolutely, it's been awesome to see the way Luke's kind
of just continued to do what he was doing in
Lake County once reaching the Double A level. You know,
Luke's a really high energy I he's a competitor, he's
a worker. It's really cool to see the energy he
brings the dugout to infield work, to batting practice, everything
he does, and then that shows up in the way,
you know, his game translates to the Double A level.
(28:00):
He does some things that are really exciting for an
offensive perspective. He's a really good decision maker at the plate.
He's a guy that's gonna hunt and attack pitches in zone.
Also being the guy that's gonna be able to work
the count, not gonna chase a ton.
Speaker 11 (28:12):
So that's something that we've seen. It's really exciting.
Speaker 12 (28:14):
He's a guy with some bat speed, some strength, and
ability to impact the baseball. Kind of a you know
that typically sets up to impact the ball to the
opposite field and kind of use the whole field. He's
learning to pull the ball a little bit and kind
of use all fields, which is really exciting for us.
You know, he's got to be seen play both second
and third, and you know there's some really exciting physical
tools that we're seeing out of loop. You know, he
(28:35):
can really throw the baseball, he can run. We think
that's gonna translate to a really well rounded overall player.
Someone's gonna get on base a ton of someone who's
gonna hit for power, someone who's gonna be able to
when he's on base, steel bases and impact the game
in that way and be able to play a couple
of positions ball. So yeah, being that, you know, guy
that's gonna bring some energy, bring some competitiveness to the dugout.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
It's interesting he was part of that draft class a
year ago of college draft to players who it seemed
like they all ended up at Lake County to start
the season and now he's on the move. But that
group as a whole, it seems like it's really exciting,
and it sounds like he maybe set himself apart at
least initially to get that call to Akron.
Speaker 12 (29:14):
Yeah, I think it's one of those things where you know,
to your point, that draft class as a whole has
been really exciting, and you know, I can't say enough
good things about the shrines that a lot of those
guys have made, whether it's Luke or some of the
other guys that have been at that level, lined up
that there was a great opportunity, and you know, Luke
really did.
Speaker 11 (29:32):
You know, perform extremely well. You look at his month
of May.
Speaker 12 (29:36):
He was named the i think the Midwest League Player
of the Month for May, and so obviously a lot
of the things that we've been able to see from
him on the field have been really really impressive and
kind of helped him make that jump up to double.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
A younger player, Jason Churio, we talked about him a
lot in the lower minor leagues and now he's at
Akron and it looks like he's putting up some really
nice numbers too in that adjustment to And what are
you seeing from him as he continues his career.
Speaker 12 (30:03):
Yeah, it's funny you mentioned, you know, Luke and the
success he's had transitioning up to the Double A level.
Speaker 11 (30:07):
I think true has been another guy that's been right
there with him.
Speaker 12 (30:09):
I mean the way that Jason has just you know,
stayed in tried picked up where he left off upon
reaching the double A level has been really really fun
to see and kind of you know, the last couple
of weeks in particular, have been really really strong. But
he's got another guy that's you know, really well rounded
young player. A lot of things that he can do
on the baseball field that a lot of those stem
to kind of who he is as a teammate, who
(30:30):
he is as a you know, the way he goes
about his work, the way he prepares really smart guy,
you know, knows himself really well, knows the pictures that
he's facing really well. I think that's something that's so
important as he kind of reaches the upper levels where
you know, he's facing more advanced.
Speaker 11 (30:43):
Pitching maybe than he has typically at the low A
or high level.
Speaker 12 (30:46):
But the way that he's able to, you know, create
a plan against the picture that he's facing and execute
that really well rounded young player.
Speaker 11 (30:53):
A lot of things to be really.
Speaker 12 (30:54):
Excited about, both in who he is is, you know,
as a worker, as a teammate, and also just the
way that his game is trying to the double A level,
especially at such a young age.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Another exciting player is alfonsin Rosario. We saw him in
Major League camp for a little bit in spring training.
Acquired from the Cubs a couple of years back, and
it seems like power is the big tool there. But
but how about the rest of his game and how's
that starting to develop now that that's really exciting.
Speaker 12 (31:20):
Yeah, obviously power is the calling card with a guy
like Rosie.
Speaker 11 (31:24):
I mean, he can hit a ball.
Speaker 12 (31:25):
You know, very few players can, you know, his ability
to impact the baseball is truly pretty special, but he is.
Speaker 11 (31:32):
I mean there's some things that he can do as well.
You watch him play the outfield, and he can run.
Speaker 12 (31:36):
Out there, and he's got an unbelievable arm, So really
well rounded player. Kind of seeing, you know, starting to
round into form this year, coming off of a really
strong week the week prior in Chesapeake. I believe he
was named the Eastern League Player of the Week there.
But starting to see he's a guy that, you know,
when he's able to control the zone, he can just
absolutely dominate pitchers. And so we've been able to see
(31:59):
him kind of fake some steps forward in that controlling
the zone, getting pitchers to work in zone a little
bit more, and then damaging pitches that he's getting.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Will Huntington's joining us. He's the assistant director of player Development.
Our weekly minor league report, we're talking Double A Acron
this week and we switched to the Mound and will
I know a lot of people excited to see the
continued progress of Justin campbell Man. It took him a
long time to get healthy enough to show what he
can do, but it seems like it's starting to get
there now at the Double A level. And for fans
(32:29):
who don't know how much has he overcome injury wise
to be able to go out there and pitch now
at Akron.
Speaker 11 (32:35):
Yeah, Justin's been able to.
Speaker 12 (32:36):
I mean he's overcome It's been a long road for
him to get here, and it's been incredible to see
what he's been able to do since getting back. He's
a guy, you know, he was part of the same
draft class as guys like Chase the latter Parker Messick
out of college as well with those guys, and just
several years of kind of recurring injuries. But the way
he's gone about his business so that he's gone about
his rehab and know he's partnered with our staff to
(32:59):
get in here. We've had a ton of people that
have poured time and effort as well as Justin has
into getting him back to where he is today, and
it's been awesome.
Speaker 11 (33:06):
It's been such an organizational win.
Speaker 12 (33:07):
It's been such a cool thing to see the way
he's shown up and not only gotten back on the mound,
but done so in a way that's been, you know,
truly dominant. You know, some of the performance he put
up in HIA in the Midwestleague with Lake County was
you know, trekking out a ton of hitters, limiting walks
at a good clip, limiting damage. And we've seen a
lot of that, you know, a lot of the really
(33:28):
exciting things that he's been able to do carry over
to the Double A level. So it's been really cool
to see the way that Justin has kind of you know,
been putting the pieces together both on and off the field.
Speaker 11 (33:36):
After all that he's.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Overcome another recent college drafted pitchers, Caden Favors. And it's
interesting because, well, I know, it's easy for us to
look at at stats and and for pitching development, it
seems like some just don't matter, including one loss record
sometimes era and with Favors, what are some of the
numbers that excite you and some of the things that
(33:59):
you're seeing that have him on the radar as someone
who can move.
Speaker 12 (34:03):
Yeah, Caden's you know, you look like you mentioned, you
look at the win loss record or things like that.
They may not necessarily pop off the page, but some
of the underlying things that Cayden's shown us the ability
to do, whether it's been last year at La County,
some of the things he's shown this year in Akron.
You know, like I mentioned, with some of the hitters
double an interesting level as guys start to get there
(34:23):
and you start to maybe face hitters that are a
little bit more experienced, that are a little bit older,
that may kind of, you know, approach pictures differently, and
so I think that's something not just for Kayden, but
for a lot of our guys. Has been a learning
experience and a really good one. But Cayden's got some
really interesting arsenal traits. It's a really well rounded pitch
mix with you know, good fastball, really interesting cutter that
(34:46):
you know has been probably his primary outpitch, developing curveball
and change up. But he's got we look at and
you know, we think there's some real starting pitcher traits there.
He's shown in the past, the ability to handle a
ton of workload. In college at Wichita State, he was
one of the leaders across the country in innings pitched.
Speaker 11 (35:04):
He's a guy that's you.
Speaker 12 (35:05):
Know, thrown a ton of strikes in the past, and
so there's really exciting, you know, components here that we're
you know, we're hoping to continue to work with Kayden
to kind of pull those together. But we've seen some
flashes of really exciting performance and really exciting underlying stuff
and execution at the Double A level. So it's been fun,
especially for a guy that is, you know, he is
in Double A, but he is still relatively fresh to
(35:26):
professional baseball, so some of the growth he's shown has
been really exciting.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
And one more pitcher who was just getting to the
Double A level and will make his debut at some
point in time this week Rafe Schlessinger out of the
University of Miami, which the Guardians have had some good
success with at the major league level recently. But what's
he done to earn that promotion a Double A and
be ready for that?
Speaker 11 (35:47):
Yeah, it's been awesome to see.
Speaker 12 (35:48):
I mean, everything that Rafe has done this season at
HIGA has definitely kind of set the course for him
to reach the double A level, and we're really excited
to see what he can do there. Race the guy
that you know, there's always been, as you know, he
joined Ourization out of the University of Miami.
Speaker 11 (36:01):
He's pretty special fastball.
Speaker 12 (36:03):
It's the ability to throw, you know, throw hard from
the left side from a really unique low release that's
been really tough on hitters historically, so we've always kind
of seen that that's kind of anchored the arsenal. But
the way that he's developed as a stripe thrower in
his execution over the last few years has been really
fun to watch. I mean, he's a guy that you know,
he's limited walks at a really good clip, but he's
(36:24):
also striking hitters out. The overall arsenal is kind of
you know, rounding out in the form. His changeup has
shown some really impressive development this season. He's added kind
of a second breaking ball. He's always been a guy
that's had kind of a shorter, harder slider, but he's
added a little bit of a wider slider as well,
so he's now got two breaking options.
Speaker 11 (36:43):
Just the overall arsenal development, the strike quality.
Speaker 12 (36:46):
Development, and the way that he's kind of maintaining and
holding his velocity in season, involved in things that are
pretty exciting. Especially a guy that had really impressive developmental
progress last year. To take that, have a great offseason
and build on it in the way that he has has.
Speaker 11 (37:01):
Been something I'm really excited about. Rapes also a guy
that brings great energy to.
Speaker 12 (37:04):
The clubhouse, keeps guys lose, keeps it light, and someone
that we're really excited to have kind of in that
Double A starting picture makes especially geting kind of the
development that he's shown, We're excited to see how that
translates to the next level.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Yeah, all good stuff at a double A Acron to
be sure, Will thanks a lot for coming by this
week and we'll catch up with you down the road.
Speaker 11 (37:24):
Sounds great.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
That's Assistant director of Player Development Will Huntington with an
update on the Akron Double A ball club for the Guardians,
chock full of prospects who are looking to make their
impression in the major leagues sometime soon. That's going to
do it for this week's edition of Guardians Weekly. Thanks
so much for tuning in. As always, thanks to Brian
(37:45):
Motse for all of his help and putting together our
show each and every week until next time when we
join you from Houston next Saturday. This is Jim Rosenhause
reminding you that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly, the
Cleveland Clinic Guardian it's radio network.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive helping
Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance
Speaker 12 (38:57):
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 (00:52):
Hi everyone, and welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim ros and
House along with you from Progressive Field in downtown where
the Guardians are taking on the Detroit Tigers this weekend.
It's a three game series that resumes on Saturday afternoon
at four to ten, concludes on Sunday at one forty.
A little bit later on in our show, we will
(01:14):
hear from relief pitcher Tim Herron, also the newest Cleveland
Guardian Daniel Espino, assistant pitching coach Joe Torres, and we'll
have a farm report focusing in on double A Akron
with Assistant Director of Player Development Will Huntington. But first
our weekend review, and not an easy week for the
Guardians as they took on the Yankees, returning home to
(01:36):
do it in a three game series. But the Yankees
swept the series, winning Monday Night seven to five, Tuesday
Night three to two, and then Wednesday afternoon eight to
four to complete the first sweep of the season. In
the negative for the Guardians, they have not been swept
in a series since last August. They had the longest
(01:57):
stretch of non sweeps by the opposition in the American
League at that point. But the Yankees pulled it off
earlier this week, sweeping three from the Guardians a much
needed off day on Thursday, setting the stage for Friday
night series opener against the Tigers. And it was Tanner
Biby coming off his first win of the season in
(02:18):
Texas on the last road trip, and he looks sharp
early in this one. Now the one two delivery.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
God, I'm swinging on the hard stuff and Tanner Biby
with a little gudea up on that fastball Tonight strekes
out the side. Tigers do not score and the Guardians
are coming to map.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Bibby also had some great defense behind him. In the
second inning, Tanner Biby's pitch swung on a little floater
in the left center and it's going to.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Be caught on a diving catch by Rochio with his
back to home play. I want to play by the Guardians.
Shortstop Brian Rochio has played an all start caliber short
all year and just made an Willie Mays tight catch.
(03:07):
Not quite as much at stake as the nineteen fifty
four World Series. But what an incredible play by Brian Rochio.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Nonetheless, in the bottom of the second, Reece Hoskins got
things started with a double, but then two outs minute
would be up to Patrick Bailey to deliver a clutch hit.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Here's the two to Bailey. Swung a drill in the
left center. That's a Mase hit that is going to
score Hoskins, and Patrick Bailey shoots it the other way
and puts Cleveland on top one to nothing with this
tenth RBI of the campaign. What a piece of hitting.
He got a mid nineties fastball down and away and
(03:49):
shot it the other way for the two out RBI single.
And that's what's been missing in this four game losing
streak Cleveland and had not been getting They hit with
runners in scoring position three for thirty four. But Bailey
comes through and the next batter Brian Rochio kept the
(04:11):
inning alive. Here's the payoff. Swung and trailed the right
near the line. It'll get down a basin.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It'll go all the way to the wall.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
That'll enable Bailey to score hitting second, turning the Jets on.
Diving into third, Rochio with an RDI triple once Carpenter
couldn't cut it off going toward the line, Rochio was
never going to hesitate, but more importantly, Bailey was going
(04:41):
to score. And Rochio's second triple of the year gives
him thirty two RBHS. Detroit got on the board in
the third with a solo home run to make it
a two to one game, and the Guardians held that
lead thanks to mor stellar defense. There's the O two
swung on, and there's a high fly ball shallow right
(05:04):
charging in de Laughter dives and he made the catch,
a tumbling grab by Chase Delatter and yet another outstanding
defensive play by the Guardians. That's at least four.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Bizanna has made a couple of outstanding plays at second
Rokio a highlight reel play at short and now the
Laughter the same and right and along with the great defense,
Tanner Biby was rolling on the mound down the one
to two.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Pitch strike three, cold painted the outside corner with that slider.
Bibby has eight strikeouts. What a game Tanner Biby is pitching.
And this is replicating what we saw in Arlington last weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Bottom of the sixth do Hell Martinez doubled with one out,
bringing Stephen Kuan to the plate.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
The bitch swung it.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Why right?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
This as a bashent into center field. That is going
to score Martinez and RBI single for Stephen Kuan and
the Guardians have eight, three to one lead and Stephen
Kwan with a two hit night, RBI number thirteen and
the Guardians getting some clutch inting with men in scoring position. Tonight.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Tanner Bibby was back out there in the eighth inning,
but Detroit spencer Torkelsen connected for a solo home run
just the second Tiger hit on the night off of Biby,
and that made it a three to two Cleveland lead.
Hunter Gaddis was summoned from the bullpen and he came
on to finish off the Tigers in the eighth, and
then it was up to Kate Smith in the ninth
(06:48):
to close it out.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Dylan Dingler sixteen bombs forty nine. RBIs drives this one
to deep left bank is Martinez. BIG's the catch ball
game and Kate Smith, with a one two three night,
has saved nineteen in a row and the Guardians are
five and zero against Detroit. In twenty twenty six, they
(07:13):
win the opener in the weekend series by a final
score of three to two.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So when I start to the weekend series for the
Guardians their fifth straight win over the Tigers in the
season series, we'll take a time out then come back
and hear from a couple of relief pictures Tim Herron
and newly acquired Daniel Espino. That's next the Cleveland Clinic
Radio Network.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
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Speaker 2 (08:18):
Sim Rosen Now's back with you. It's Guardians Weekly from
Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland. Tim Herron has been solid
in the bullpen for the Guardians this season. He had
an up and down twenty twenty five campaign, but so
far in twenty twenty six, heron in thirty appearances as
an era of three even to go along with twenty
(08:39):
one strikeouts and twenty four innings, and when we caught
up with them earlier this week, he explained how he's
gotten back to that form that we saw in twenty
twenty four as part of a very dominant Guardian's bullpen.
Speaker 7 (08:52):
I think the biggest things has been, you know, taking
care of the body a little bit better. It's feeling
healthy overall, along with you know, working with coaches, cleaning
some things up and attacking the strike zone. I mean,
my biggest thing's always been when I'm filling up the
strike zone throwing strikes, it usually goes pretty well. And
when things snowball, it's usually because I'm just falling, behinding counts,
walking guys. So I'm just really emphasizing, you know, getting
(09:14):
ahead of early and attacking hitters and making them put
the ball in play and get out rather than giving
them free bases.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Everybody says that that it's so important. How do you
execute that though, and make sure that that you're able
to do it on a fairly consistent basis.
Speaker 7 (09:29):
I mean it sounds super easy, like, you know, just
throw it over the plate, but you know, it's a
long season and the body is not always going to
feel one hundred percent. It's very rare that the body
feels great, especially once you get to this part of
the season, Like you just kind of have to battle
through whatever you're battling through and really just think less
about mechanics when you're out there and more just competing.
(09:52):
I think that's for me anyway, when I'm pitching well
and filling up his own I'm just competing and not
really thinking about, Okay, I need to get this position
or think about this queue. It's just like go out
there and compete. Take care of mechanics and stuff and catch, play,
bullpen stuff like that. But in the game, you just
got to compete.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
You're pitching in usually tight situations, end of game, leverage,
all that kind of stuff. That means there's pressure on you.
How do you dial it down and just stay relaxed
so that you can execute and throw strikes.
Speaker 7 (10:20):
Yeah, as a reliever, you do come into a lot
of different situations, whether it's a close game, up by
a lot, down by a lot, Because I threw up
six oh the other night, Like you never know when
you're gonna pitch. You know, you just got to kind
of say focused and take each appearance as the same,
where you're going out there and you're trying to put
it a zero no matter what the situation is. So
(10:42):
it just comes back to going out there and competing
and not put too much into whether it's a big
situation or not, because then it kind of just dictates
your mindset. If it's you hype yourself up too much,
maybe you're pressing. If it's like, oh, not a high
leverage situation, then you're kind of like to relax, I
would say, So you kind of just have to treat
every appearance the same and go out and compete.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Tim Harrin's joining US Guardian's ree leave Pitcher and for
a while there you're you're teamed up with Eric Sabrowski
giving the Guardians a real nice one to two punch
in terms of key game situations from the left side.
And it's been different since he's been on the injured list.
And how does that change the dynamic for you?
Speaker 7 (11:19):
Uh, Like I said, it kind of have to be
prepared for every moment, But yeah, it changes a little bit.
You know, having we had Soubrowski healthy, we're able to
kind of take the load off each other and not
having to throw too frequently. I guess having to left
you that you know that you can trust and leverage.
So yeah, it's just been like a little bit different,
little bit more usage in different situations. But yeah, like
(11:40):
I said, just try to take every your appearance as
you can.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
So, and you've been around this when the team has
gone to the playoffs the last couple of years. What
do you like about this year's club that that says
good things down the stretch and maybe playing into October.
Speaker 7 (11:54):
I just think we have a good group of guys,
super resilient when you're down in the game. You know,
we always feel like we can come back if we
get up early. We feel like we have the pitchings
to have to hold it. And I think that's the
biggest thing, is like we just both sides of the
ball have confidence in each other. The hitters have confidence
in us, and we have confidence in the hitters. So
I think it goes a long way.
Speaker 8 (12:13):
Tim.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Always great to have you on.
Speaker 8 (12:14):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
It's lefty reliever Tim Herron another addition to that Guardian's
bullpen showed up on Friday. Daniel Espino has joined the
Guardians major league roster for the first time. He did
not appear in the game on Friday night, so his
debut is still being waited on, but he met with
the media before Friday's game to talk about how it
(12:37):
felt to get the news that after a long, long
trip through the minor leagues and injury issues, he finally
made it to a major league clubhouse.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
Crying.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
I was crying a lot. It spins pro emotional days.
I got told him Wednesday after the game and from
there just talking to family. Yeah, they're all here, so
really excited, really emotional, and it's so like the sense
of gratitude that I have just I can't, I can't.
(13:12):
I can't even describe it to me. It just feels
like it's like a team win. Obviously, it's the first
step of of just you know, like making it to
the show and like being here now is kind of
like a new chapter and like whatever is thrown at me,
like I'm ready to attack it and and you know,
like give my best for this team and for this
(13:32):
group of guys.
Speaker 9 (13:36):
Did this when did this moment start to feel possible
for you, Like this season was it when you were
getting ready for sprint training, Like what did you really
sort of thing like, Okay, that's gonna happen this year.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
I think like once I started to throw a ball,
like really high, high, high comparitiveness, just kind of like
he hasn't sunk in. I think that to me, like
all all years, you know, he's been just taken it
day by day and like doing through rehab and I
(14:10):
doing through the Fall league and everything. But obviously, like
there was in my head like Okay, I want to
be in the show. I want to make it to
the big leagues. And works work again, like works towards that,
and but yeah, I mean it's it's I'm a specialist.
Speaker 10 (14:26):
As you got closer to this moment and down in
Triple A, they used in a variety of different ways
to try to simulate any sort of situation that you'd
face up here. One of them was as an opener
as well, you know, what, was there anything that you
sort of got out of those experiences as you got
closer to as you call.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
It, you know, I'm still learning. I mean I'm learning
every time I touched him out. I throw a ball
and all that, and to me it was just the game,
you know, like just keep it simple when out there,
attacking heaters, attacking the zone and like throwing my best stuff.
Speaker 11 (15:05):
Stuff field.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Now compared to like, you know, five years ago, before
all the stuff, the problems and injuries.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Came up, I can't, to be honest with you, I
can't remember. I can't remember my stuff. I do remember
about like four years ago, I was, you know, viralin,
you know, like to rehab, just trying to throw seventy
miles per hours. Now now that's a little bit different.
Speaker 10 (15:29):
So the patients and guidance of the organization for you
during your time through the injuries.
Speaker 11 (15:34):
You know what that means to.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
You speak for yourself that I'm able to sit here
and talk to you. How everybody from from to the
front office, and you know how they believed in me
through those times, and now that I'm able to sit
here and talk to you, it just speaks for itself.
How the patients and how not only my resilience but
(15:58):
also their resilience that this state was gonna come.
Speaker 10 (16:01):
You said spring your mom will cheer loud enough for
everybody to hear. Just what do you think it's gonna
mean for her to finally see you.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
I know she's spomped. She got here, My family got
here last night, so everybody spumped and and I know
they're gonna they're gonna have their best of the time.
And and you know, just see me wearing this jersey
and just driving driving up to to downtown and like
seeing the field, seeing the stadium is surreal.
Speaker 9 (16:32):
Through all the different setbacks and adversity you've paced based
over the past couple of years, what's the biggest thing
you've learned about yourself?
Speaker 5 (16:40):
How resilient I am. I think that that, you know,
like coming over when I was fifteen years old to
the States and pursuing my my dream to get an
opportunity in pro Bol. That way I can then get
an opportunity to make it to the to the big leagues.
I think that that I didn't know how resilient I
am because it's just a different part of the game
(17:02):
being heard and like missing time. So I will say
that who did you.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
Lean on during that time, whether it was maybe someone
in Arizona, someone on staff.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Family friends, who did you look to for support?
Speaker 5 (17:14):
Mainly my family, mainly my family, of course, Like I'm
surrounded by really good people and I couldn't be here
without you know, everybody talking about staff down in Goodyear Clubes,
the guys in the kitchen, the medical group, the pitching
coaches that has helped me through all this journey. Everybody
kind of like put a little bit of salt into
(17:37):
the seasoning pretty much, and I'm just a product of that.
And it really I was thinking about this this morning,
how grateful I am to have those people around me
that it makes this moment and like just being here
makes it more special because it only didn't took me,
but it took like not only time, but like a
(17:57):
lot of guys to get me here. And I'm really
proud of that, and I'm really for that.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
A lot of people in the organization rooting for that kid,
Daniel Espino, who did not pitch for four years due
to two separate shoulder surgeries. But here he is in
the major leagues and in that Guardian's bullpen. Stay with us.
When we came back. We'll hear from Joe Torres, Guardian's
assistant pitching coach. That's after this, well the back it's
(18:37):
Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhouse back with you a progressive field
in downtown Cleveland Guardians and Tigers this weekend. Joe Torres
is the assistant pitching coach for the Guardians, and we
had a chance to visit with Joe earlier this week
and it's a starting rotation that he works with that
throws strikes, always a key for Joey Cantillo and Joe
(18:58):
talked about why that's so important for a picture like
Cantillo to be consistently in the strike zone.
Speaker 8 (19:04):
Yeah, I mean Joey.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
Joey's a really interesting one because out of all the
pictures in big leagues, like Joey has such unique stuff
that it's really about being in the zone and and
and where a traditional picture is like, hey, two strikes,
I want to get out of the zone. And for Joey,
it's really not about that, Like it's really about being
in the zone.
Speaker 8 (19:23):
Because his stuff is so.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Unique in the angles that he creates and the and
the speed differentials he creates. It's really tough on hitters,
So him going out of the zone is almost giving
hitters a favor sometimes, And it's almost a hard thing
to to wrap your mind around as a picture because
it's not traditional, but just knowing who you are as
a picture, and that's like number one. And and for Joey,
it's it's coming back to that and saying, hey, I've
(19:47):
got to be in the zone as much as possible
and and really trusting that.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
And is that mechanically that that can help him get
in the zone more or is it that that mental
mindset of of hey, I got to be in the zone.
Speaker 8 (19:58):
Yeah, I think you'd ask Joey.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
I think I mean, he'd bring up it's a mental thing,
and not in a negative way. It's just in a
way of confirming of who I am and doing what
I do really well and believing and trusting in that
regardless of who's in the box.
Speaker 8 (20:10):
With a situation.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
So you can't really let a situation dictate just because
it's a runner on second base and or there's two outs,
or you know, a four hole heaters up versus nine hole.
It doesn't really matter. Joey's got to be Joey and
he's got to attack in the zone and he knows that.
And so it's one of those things. Every once in
a while you get off track. It's a long season,
and then you come right back and you do it.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Gavin Williams, it seems like he's in a great place
and has been for a while. There's the occasional game
that gets away a little bit. But do you have
to do much with him right now or is it
just kind of some small tweaks between starts to keep
him on that right path?
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Yeah, I mean yeah, we're always We're always working with
Gavin Ryer's thinking consistently. It's about some delivery maintenance with him.
Speaker 12 (20:54):
You know.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
I mean, he throws so hard, right, so he has
so much power in his arsenal and his spin is
so so good that that he can get away with
things at times, right, And so even some of the
outings where it's six innings one run, it's probably not
the best version of Gavin, right, but like he has
shown that he can bounce back and make adjustments, and
he's doing a great job in game making those adjustments.
We can see for instance, last outing and he wasn't
(21:15):
as sharp as first two innings and then goes ahead
and makes a delivery adjustment in mid game and we
see him take off after that, right, So that's one
of the errors. We're seeing a ton of growth in
Gavin is is being able to recognize things, come to
the coaching staff say I feel off, what can I do?
And then go out there and actually execute that In
the following.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Inning, Slay to Coney, seems like he tinkers with a
lot of stuff and it has a real thirst for
what's happened in technology wise? How fun is that? And
what are some of the things that he tries to
do with technology and analytics to make sure he's getting
the best pitch mix possible.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
Yeah, Slate is hyper aware of everything around him, whether
it's physical you know, the analytics, I mean, his delivery.
So he has a lot of questions and he does
want to work through things and and it's important to
him to kind of build routines that that support him
and give him preparation for these games. So he does
go to every domain and he works hard with SENC,
like working hard with his you know, using his boop
(22:14):
for instance, he tracks his heart rate right and how
that affects him and where he can recognize in game
like my getting too high too low and.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
What that means for him and be able to.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Use our our SENC staff or medical staff to help
him navigate and understand those things, right, So there's little
things like that that he does. But with us, like
he's hyper aware, he knows, you know, stuff models, he understands,
like his.
Speaker 8 (22:37):
Grades, like where it's all at.
Speaker 4 (22:38):
So we have really really in depth conversations with him.
But with all that, like keeping it simple is really
the main thing, and it's number one is is just
find repeatable delivery where he is consistent and uh and
that's actually where we've seen a lot of success with
him this year, is saying, hey, I'm gonna slow down here,
I'm gonna be my identity is I'm gonna have a fastball, cutter,
sinker mix that I'm going to execute in the zone
(23:00):
and really just like pay attention to his lines and
his focus on his command, his execution and kind of
let everything else just happen. Right, So he just lets
the catcher kind of call the game and follows that,
and we actually see that's the best version of him
when he can keep it simple.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
And with with Parker Messk, he's a rookie, but but
you forget that because he kind of he's out there
looking like a veteran in every way. What are some
of the things that bring you back to hey, he's
a rookie, and here's what we need to work on
with him to try and keep him on this great
path that he's been on.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yeah, I mean, I think one of those things is
as a perspective of a long season, right, first season
of major leagues as as a starter, he's had tremendous
success so far, and the way he goes about it,
you feel like it's sustainable.
Speaker 8 (23:44):
Like he's mature.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
It's a command oriented guy, right, and he knows his delivery,
he knows his body so well, and he has such
great mature conversations about pitching in the dugout, you know,
post games, great reflections, so you feel like really confident
in what he do and how he sees the game.
But with that, it's about like, hey, are you able
to recognize workload in this area where we can pull back, right,
(24:08):
things that we can do in the weight room and dieting,
and be able to help him get ready for one
hundred and sixty two game season, right, thirty plus starts,
which will be the first time him doing that because
in the past he really hasn't been on a five
day turn very often for instance, Right, And so you know,
we have more days off in big leagues now that
kind of support that to get six days, but it's
(24:30):
still one of those things. It's all new to him
in the workloads as far as the pitch counts are higher, right,
So it's like, how are we helping him holistically with
his body and just being able to physically endure a
full season.
Speaker 8 (24:41):
Joe Torres is joining us.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
He's the assistant pitching coach for the Guardians, and Joe,
you look at your role and yourself, Carl Willison and
Brad Goldberg. It's kind of a three headed group that
gets things done and meshes well together. And I know
you look at a lot of delivery breakdowns and how
do you that how much of it is is video?
How much of it is other technology that helps you
(25:04):
identify some things to help pictures, whether they're starters or releapers.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Yeah, so I mean one, you know, one awesome thing
about the organization is the resources they provide. So you know,
we have video angles from any which way if it's
open closed, you know, overhead, we have slow motion videos.
We have you know, we have Hawkeye in the system,
which you know provides us a biomechanical breakdown on guys
(25:28):
and then we have the the resources on the computer
that help us break that all down for the players.
So you know, there's a lot of time put into
it in terms of you know, going back and looking
at video and per pitch type because got some guys
have different deliveries per pitch types and stretch first, wind
up and things like that. So yeah, we devote a
lot of time to it, but we value that here.
We find that it's very very important that if guys
(25:51):
can have repeatable deliveries, you know, they're gonna be able
to execute pitches where they want and the best pitch
profiles that they can execute as well.
Speaker 8 (25:59):
So yeah, we pull a lot of time into that,
but we value that highly.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Here it's assistant pitching coach Joe Torres, and always great
to catch up with Joe and get his thoughts on
some of the different pictures on the staff. When we
come back, we'll hear from Will Huntington, the assistant player
development director about the Akron Rubber Ducks at the Double
A level. A lot of good players there, and we'll
hear from Will when we come back.
Speaker 8 (26:21):
After this.
Speaker 13 (26:24):
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Speaker 12 (26:54):
She turns.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhause, back with you
at Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland. Meanwhile, down the road
a bit in Akron, the Double A Club continues to
turn out some top prospects. Will Huntington is the assistant
director of Player Development for the Guardians, and he brings
us up to date on several of the position players
and pitchers alike, including infielder Luke Hill who seems like
(27:33):
he hasn't missed a beat since moving up after starting
the season at Lake County.
Speaker 11 (27:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (27:38):
Absolutely, it's been awesome to see the way Luke's kind
of just continued to do what he was doing in
Lake County once reaching the Double A level. You know,
Luke's a really high energy I he's a competitor, he's
a worker. It's really cool to see the energy he
brings the dugout to infield work, to batting practice, everything
he does, and then that shows up in the way,
you know, his game translates to the Double A level.
(28:00):
He does some things that are really exciting for an
offensive perspective. He's a really good decision maker at the plate.
He's a guy that's gonna hunt and attack pitches in zone.
Also being the guy that's gonna be able to work
the count, not gonna chase a ton.
Speaker 11 (28:12):
So that's something that we've seen. It's really exciting.
Speaker 12 (28:14):
He's a guy with some bat speed, some strength, and
ability to impact the baseball. Kind of a you know
that typically sets up to impact the ball to the
opposite field and kind of use the whole field. He's
learning to pull the ball a little bit and kind
of use all fields, which is really exciting for us.
You know, he's got to be seen play both second
and third, and you know there's some really exciting physical
tools that we're seeing out of loop. You know, he
(28:35):
can really throw the baseball, he can run. We think
that's gonna translate to a really well rounded overall player.
Someone's gonna get on base a ton of someone who's
gonna hit for power, someone who's gonna be able to
when he's on base, steel bases and impact the game
in that way and be able to play a couple
of positions ball. So yeah, being that, you know, guy
that's gonna bring some energy, bring some competitiveness to the dugout.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
It's interesting he was part of that draft class a
year ago of college draft to players who it seemed
like they all ended up at Lake County to start
the season and now he's on the move. But that
group as a whole, it seems like it's really exciting,
and it sounds like he maybe set himself apart at
least initially to get that call to Akron.
Speaker 12 (29:14):
Yeah, I think it's one of those things where you know,
to your point, that draft class as a whole has
been really exciting, and you know, I can't say enough
good things about the shrines that a lot of those
guys have made, whether it's Luke or some of the
other guys that have been at that level, lined up
that there was a great opportunity, and you know, Luke
really did.
Speaker 11 (29:32):
You know, perform extremely well. You look at his month
of May.
Speaker 12 (29:36):
He was named the i think the Midwest League Player
of the Month for May, and so obviously a lot
of the things that we've been able to see from
him on the field have been really really impressive and
kind of helped him make that jump up to double.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
A younger player, Jason Churio, we talked about him a
lot in the lower minor leagues and now he's at
Akron and it looks like he's putting up some really
nice numbers too in that adjustment to And what are
you seeing from him as he continues his career.
Speaker 12 (30:03):
Yeah, it's funny you mentioned, you know, Luke and the
success he's had transitioning up to the Double A level.
Speaker 11 (30:07):
I think true has been another guy that's been right
there with him.
Speaker 12 (30:09):
I mean the way that Jason has just you know,
stayed in tried picked up where he left off upon
reaching the double A level has been really really fun
to see and kind of you know, the last couple
of weeks in particular, have been really really strong. But
he's got another guy that's you know, really well rounded
young player. A lot of things that he can do
on the baseball field that a lot of those stem
to kind of who he is as a teammate, who
(30:30):
he is as a you know, the way he goes
about his work, the way he prepares really smart guy,
you know, knows himself really well, knows the pictures that
he's facing really well. I think that's something that's so
important as he kind of reaches the upper levels where
you know, he's facing more advanced.
Speaker 11 (30:43):
Pitching maybe than he has typically at the low A
or high level.
Speaker 12 (30:46):
But the way that he's able to, you know, create
a plan against the picture that he's facing and execute
that really well rounded young player.
Speaker 11 (30:53):
A lot of things to be really.
Speaker 12 (30:54):
Excited about, both in who he is is, you know,
as a worker, as a teammate, and also just the
way that his game is trying to the double A level,
especially at such a young age.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Another exciting player is alfonsin Rosario. We saw him in
Major League camp for a little bit in spring training.
Acquired from the Cubs a couple of years back, and
it seems like power is the big tool there. But
but how about the rest of his game and how's
that starting to develop now that that's really exciting.
Speaker 12 (31:20):
Yeah, obviously power is the calling card with a guy
like Rosie.
Speaker 11 (31:24):
I mean, he can hit a ball.
Speaker 12 (31:25):
You know, very few players can, you know, his ability
to impact the baseball is truly pretty special, but he is.
Speaker 11 (31:32):
I mean there's some things that he can do as well.
You watch him play the outfield, and he can run.
Speaker 12 (31:36):
Out there, and he's got an unbelievable arm, So really
well rounded player. Kind of seeing, you know, starting to
round into form this year, coming off of a really
strong week the week prior in Chesapeake. I believe he
was named the Eastern League Player of the Week there.
But starting to see he's a guy that, you know,
when he's able to control the zone, he can just
absolutely dominate pitchers. And so we've been able to see
(31:59):
him kind of fake some steps forward in that controlling
the zone, getting pitchers to work in zone a little
bit more, and then damaging pitches that he's getting.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Will Huntington's joining us. He's the assistant director of player Development.
Our weekly minor league report, we're talking Double A Acron
this week and we switched to the Mound and will
I know a lot of people excited to see the
continued progress of Justin campbell Man. It took him a
long time to get healthy enough to show what he
can do, but it seems like it's starting to get
there now at the Double A level. And for fans
(32:29):
who don't know how much has he overcome injury wise
to be able to go out there and pitch now
at Akron.
Speaker 11 (32:35):
Yeah, Justin's been able to.
Speaker 12 (32:36):
I mean he's overcome It's been a long road for
him to get here, and it's been incredible to see
what he's been able to do since getting back. He's
a guy, you know, he was part of the same
draft class as guys like Chase the latter Parker Messick
out of college as well with those guys, and just
several years of kind of recurring injuries. But the way
he's gone about his business so that he's gone about
his rehab and know he's partnered with our staff to
(32:59):
get in here. We've had a ton of people that
have poured time and effort as well as Justin has
into getting him back to where he is today, and
it's been awesome.
Speaker 11 (33:06):
It's been such an organizational win.
Speaker 12 (33:07):
It's been such a cool thing to see the way
he's shown up and not only gotten back on the mound,
but done so in a way that's been, you know,
truly dominant. You know, some of the performance he put
up in HIA in the Midwestleague with Lake County was
you know, trekking out a ton of hitters, limiting walks
at a good clip, limiting damage. And we've seen a
lot of that, you know, a lot of the really
(33:28):
exciting things that he's been able to do carry over
to the Double A level. So it's been really cool
to see the way that Justin has kind of you know,
been putting the pieces together both on and off the field.
Speaker 11 (33:36):
After all that he's.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
Overcome another recent college drafted pitchers, Caden Favors. And it's
interesting because, well, I know, it's easy for us to
look at at stats and and for pitching development, it
seems like some just don't matter, including one loss record
sometimes era and with Favors, what are some of the
numbers that excite you and some of the things that
(33:59):
you're seeing that have him on the radar as someone
who can move.
Speaker 12 (34:03):
Yeah, Caden's you know, you look like you mentioned, you
look at the win loss record or things like that.
They may not necessarily pop off the page, but some
of the underlying things that Cayden's shown us the ability
to do, whether it's been last year at La County,
some of the things he's shown this year in Akron.
You know, like I mentioned, with some of the hitters
double an interesting level as guys start to get there
(34:23):
and you start to maybe face hitters that are a
little bit more experienced, that are a little bit older,
that may kind of, you know, approach pictures differently, and
so I think that's something not just for Kayden, but
for a lot of our guys. Has been a learning
experience and a really good one. But Cayden's got some
really interesting arsenal traits. It's a really well rounded pitch
mix with you know, good fastball, really interesting cutter that
(34:46):
you know has been probably his primary outpitch, developing curveball
and change up. But he's got we look at and
you know, we think there's some real starting pitcher traits there.
He's shown in the past, the ability to handle a
ton of workload. In college at Wichita State, he was
one of the leaders across the country in innings pitched.
Speaker 11 (35:04):
He's a guy that's you.
Speaker 12 (35:05):
Know, thrown a ton of strikes in the past, and
so there's really exciting, you know, components here that we're
you know, we're hoping to continue to work with Kayden
to kind of pull those together. But we've seen some
flashes of really exciting performance and really exciting underlying stuff
and execution at the Double A level. So it's been fun,
especially for a guy that is, you know, he is
in Double A, but he is still relatively fresh to
(35:26):
professional baseball, so some of the growth he's shown has
been really exciting.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
And one more pitcher who was just getting to the
Double A level and will make his debut at some
point in time this week Rafe Schlessinger out of the
University of Miami, which the Guardians have had some good
success with at the major league level recently. But what's
he done to earn that promotion a Double A and
be ready for that?
Speaker 11 (35:47):
Yeah, it's been awesome to see.
Speaker 12 (35:48):
I mean, everything that Rafe has done this season at
HIGA has definitely kind of set the course for him
to reach the double A level, and we're really excited
to see what he can do there. Race the guy
that you know, there's always been, as you know, he
joined Ourization out of the University of Miami.
Speaker 11 (36:01):
He's pretty special fastball.
Speaker 12 (36:03):
It's the ability to throw, you know, throw hard from
the left side from a really unique low release that's
been really tough on hitters historically, so we've always kind
of seen that that's kind of anchored the arsenal. But
the way that he's developed as a stripe thrower in
his execution over the last few years has been really
fun to watch. I mean, he's a guy that you know,
he's limited walks at a really good clip, but he's
(36:24):
also striking hitters out. The overall arsenal is kind of
you know, rounding out in the form. His changeup has
shown some really impressive development this season. He's added kind
of a second breaking ball. He's always been a guy
that's had kind of a shorter, harder slider, but he's
added a little bit of a wider slider as well,
so he's now got two breaking options.
Speaker 11 (36:43):
Just the overall arsenal development, the strike quality.
Speaker 12 (36:46):
Development, and the way that he's kind of maintaining and
holding his velocity in season, involved in things that are
pretty exciting. Especially a guy that had really impressive developmental
progress last year. To take that, have a great offseason
and build on it in the way that he has has.
Speaker 11 (37:01):
Been something I'm really excited about. Rapes also a guy
that brings great energy to.
Speaker 12 (37:04):
The clubhouse, keeps guys lose, keeps it light, and someone
that we're really excited to have kind of in that
Double A starting picture makes especially geting kind of the
development that he's shown, We're excited to see how that
translates to the next level.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Yeah, all good stuff at a double A Acron to
be sure, Will thanks a lot for coming by this
week and we'll catch up with you down the road.
Speaker 11 (37:24):
Sounds great.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
That's Assistant director of Player Development Will Huntington with an
update on the Akron Double A ball club for the Guardians,
chock full of prospects who are looking to make their
impression in the major leagues sometime soon. That's going to
do it for this week's edition of Guardians Weekly. Thanks
so much for tuning in. As always, thanks to Brian
(37:45):
Motse for all of his help and putting together our
show each and every week until next time when we
join you from Houston next Saturday. This is Jim Rosenhause
reminding you that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly, the
Cleveland Clinic Guardian it's radio network.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive helping
Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance
Speaker 12 (38:57):
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