Guardians Sweep of Blue Jays Has DJ Diesel Thinking About an October Encore Performance in Cleveland

The Cleveland Guardians rocked the Toronto Blue Jays with a sweep as DJ Diesel rocked Progressive Field Saturday night. Could a return trip by the big man be coming as promised in October?
Today's show discusses how the Guardians offense has been able to maintain an exciting level and pace as one player heats up when another cools off. Josh Naylor is on a heater again and ready to carry the offense.
I also discuss why I was wrong last year and this about Daniel Schneemann as a prospect and contributor to this Guardians team.
Carlos Carrasco had a good weekend while Triston McKenzie did not, so I get into what spot in the rotation do the Guardians need to address most and is the bullpen a spot that would actually make sense to upgrade.
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[@davidwindell]

So, I know this isn’t a popular choice, but I think they should go with a six man rotation for awhile when Gavin returns. Not only would it limit the amount of work for guys like Triston and Gavin who are injury risks, but it would allow guys like Cookie and Lively to throw closer to 90-95 pitches when they’re shoving rather than being limited to 75-80. If they went six man with Bibee, Lively, Gavin, Cookie, Triston and Allen, I think everyone would benefit including the pen.

[@johnbontea1353]

Cookie is going to the bullpen

[@colecarnes4315]

Avila probably getting sent down once sandlin and williams come back

[@LockedonGuardians]

Hard to cut down the pen by doing that though and not all starters like more rest

[@kaeleenwescoat-oneill3755]

I totally agree that Progressive Field is an awesome, fun time. I was at Saturday’s game and I high-fived a baby! Good times.

[@shamanpj]

I was there Saturday too. Great energy all around!

[@LockedonGuardians]

Couldn't agree more!

[@davidwindell]

Can we also PLEASE talk a bit more about CJ Kayfus? I mean, the damage to baseballs that this kid is now doing at the most challenging level of play in MiLB is going largely ignored because his numbers are split across levels and it’s hard to gauge how insane he’s really been. I mean, dude is hitting .350 with solid power and getting on base at a .450 clip. As a pro he’s now got a .333 career BA and .448 OBP while slugging .600. We call him a 1B, but he’s a versatile athlete that could play any of the four corners, and could be that elusive bat in RF for the future. He’s older yes, but he’s 5 years younger than Schneeman! If there is any justice in the world, Kayfus will be a top 100 prospect in very short order

[@LockedonGuardians]

Double A isnt the hardest level. It's Triple-A. look at last examples. Logan Allen, Will Dion, Andrew Walters all dominated double A and bit a road block in Triple-A. Valera and Noel too. Kayfus is exciting so far but it's very early in his AA exposure. But Triple-A is the hardest jump once again. Used to be Double -A

[@shamanpj]

I was in Akron Friday to watch Gavin pitch. CJ had 2 bombs and 6RBI!

[@mikefingerbottom2669]

I watched as many spring training games as I could find streams for this year, and the standouts (to me) were: Manzardo, DeLauter, Schneeman, Martinez It's really exciting to keep seeing names from that list get their chance to prove it at the MLB level this year. Under Vogt this organization feels much more like a functioning meritocracy, instead of the status-based hierarchy that tito believed in.

[@siegewithme]

I also watched as many spring training games as I could and also came away with the same list of 4 names. So happy to get a look at Martinez and Schneeman, also how nice is it to have 3 switch hitters in the lineup!

[@mikefingerbottom2669]

@@siegewithme I would love to see Schneemann get a look at #2 in the lineup, between Kwan and Ramirez. He has had so much early success offensively that I think he has earned it.

[@LockedonGuardians]

Young hitters are getting every chance right now

[@gonolz]

I finally stopped trying to explain to less initiated baseball people among Guardians fans just how insanely unlikely it is for Kwan to hit .400, I even dumbed it down to the fact that the last time it happened was before the color line was broken, and even that didn't make the tumblers click in their heads, so you know what? I finally realized, "who am I to ruin their vibe?" Now I just let them go with it. They are having fun and cheering the Guards so what is the problem? I wonder if a temporary shutdown for Triston is an option? Maybe after we clinch a playoff spot? I realize I am grasping at straws here, but 1st percentile for fastball run value, 3rd percentile barrel rate, 4th percentile bb rate...this is bad. And his body language is worse.

[@LockedonGuardians]

Yeah no one is hitting 400 again just such a different game now

[@jffagan]

Great job Justin. Starting pitching is going to be a hard fix. Hopefully the front office is creative.

[@siegewithme]

I love looking at the lineup card and seeing three switch hitters! Martinez reminds me a little of Acuña

[@LockedonGuardians]

That's quite a comp

[@zivohel]

Justin It will be interesting to see what happens with the rotation

[@LockedonGuardians]

Hoping improvement

[@shamanpj]

Catching up here.... Schnee is here to stay. Amazing player and story too! Him and Fry are very similar type players, hit from the opposite side of the plate, and both are easy to root for and seem to perfectly reflect the grit and attitude of this team. Interesting take on Sticks. I like him, and want him to succeed. His velo may be increasing, but the results are regressing. Send him to the minors when Gavin comes back. He has options. Speaking of Gavin, I went to the game Friday. He needs another rehab start. CJ definitely stole the show with 2HR and 6RBI! .

[@LockedonGuardians]

Schneeman has been so solid and really bailed the team out so far with the bat and flexibility

[@stephenk5455]

I think it’s clear that JRod is not valued like Schneemann or Brennan since both are hot right now, but are both of you impressed how well JRod has been taking walks? Feels like every game he plays, he gets a walk. I hope he hits a home run in the next couple weeks but does his walk rate surprise you both?

[@LockedonGuardians]

He has walked more in the minors but always borderline passive is the issue

[@TheKLeifheit13]

Both Carrasco and McKenzie had a velo uptick this weekend. Carrasco hit 95 multiple times. Also, is Cantillo a realistic starting pitching option this year?

[@traviscoates6878]

100% Cantillo will start for us at some point this year. We need inning eaters. Our bullpen is getting taxed

[@TheKLeifheit13]

@@traviscoates6878 only thing that has me a bit nervous with him is the control issues, he walks a lot of batters. Might help him to not give up a bunch of homers but might make for short outings.

[@LockedonGuardians]

Right now. Cantillo is a mess can't see him any time soon baring injuries

[@SquidwardsThong]

It was weird hearing you say go go guardians go 😂

[@LockedonGuardians]

He stepped up

[@michaelcurtis106]

I don't know if McKenzie has any options left or not but if he does, I would send him back down to work on his control. He's not pitching at 100% at the moment. Carrasco is pitching at 100% (for him) so I would leave him in the rotation. Down the road, I would look at Cantillo as a possible replacement for Carrasco.

[@LockedonGuardians]

He has 1 so this is his last year to figure it out

[@craps.teacher]

Go Go Guardians Go

[@LockedonGuardians]

Go

[@scotthauser5341]

Is Hawkins done for his career? Have not seen his name in the box score for quite some time.

[@scotthauser5341]

Hankins not Hawkins.

[@LockedonGuardians]

he is likely to be cut soon, he has had a myriad of issues

[@bbarta2588]

I'm suggesting that heggy catches T-Mac and Cookie no matter who's pitching, righty or lefty... ⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾

[@LockedonGuardians]

Bo has been solid on defense and finally hitting

[@mutantmangoman]

I would be shocked if bullpen is where the guardians add at the deadline. The starters market is going to be pricey but to me it makes zero sense to add to the strongest part of the team when you have such a weak rotation.

[@LockedonGuardians]

Big debate point for Justin and myself off air

[@siegewithme]

Just gotta say I haven’t missed Arias at all 😅

[@LockedonGuardians]

He is a solid bench bat right now

[@eburns1]

Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth should consider themselves lucky to have hit for high average before BABIP was invented. Although I'm sure all those guys had plenty of lucky hits in their career. They just called them hits back then.

[@davidwindell]

BABIP matters, love it or hate it. Just look at Nolan Jones. Last year he broke out and everyone thought he’d be a star in COL, but what a lot of folks ignored is that he led MLB in BABIP (over .400, which is just an insane outlier). Everyone who understands BABIP knew he’d regress hard. Guess what? Of course they were all correct. Statistics can be frustrating and annoying, but they’re never wrong.

[@LockedonGuardians]

I mean it has been shown to tell us if a player is lucky or good

[@jaked6746]

Roll Damn Tribe!!! This team is electric. We definitely need another starting pitcher though, Stix looks broken physically & mentally imo. Whoever that blonde hot dog seller we put in for 2 innings on Sunday should stick to selling hot dogs in the stands. My god that kid is awful.

[@LockedonGuardians]

been so much fun

[@traviscoates6878]

If a player finishes the season with a .400 BA, hes an automatic MVP, and its not even close. At least that's how it should be. Who knows what the writers actually think

[@davidwindell]

Of course, it’s like Russell Westbrook winning MVP for his triple double season, even with everyone freely admitting he didn’t deserve it most. But Kwan, if he hits .400, would certainly deserve it because he’d also likely lead baseball in OBP as well, and he’d be near the top in OPS (especially if he continues pulling HR). That said, if he doesn’t hit over .385 or so, he’s gonna be a long shot

[@thomaswilley380]

Only if they play in ny or la.

[@wombat7366]

Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941, but Joe DiMaggio was the MVP. Joe’s 56 game hitting streak was more impressive to voters and his team won the World Series.

[@LockedonGuardians]

It just won't happen though

[@jameskeene4412]

A brief note on Steven Kwan MVP. I think people overrate the importance of his batting average; I am skeptical it impacts the race much unless he hits .400 (or something insanely close like .396 or something). In the relatively recent past we've had some high batting average, Ichiro batted over .370 in 2004 for instance, and it didn't put a big dent in the MVP rating. Manny batted .351 in 2000 and finished 6th, for instance. This isn't to say Kwan can't win, I certainly think he could, but it's going to take a lot in my opinion. Judge is having an insane year, and is even playing center field. Kwan did miss some time too, which wont heklp.

[@mericanignoranc3551]

Cherry picking is a logic fallacy. Kwan is much more than battling average....lol. You made up a fake argument with yourself...smh...LITERALLY NO ONE HAS SAID THIS....derp

[@jameskeene4412]

@@mericanignoranc3551 the argument was “IF KWAN IS BATTING .400, then…” batting average is clearly the main part of the argument

[@traviscoates6878]

Judge will miss time also. Guaranteed

[@jameskeene4412]

@@traviscoates6878 100% possible. If Kwan is batting .390ish and has an OPS north of 1.000 like now he’s a candidate. But if he’s batting .390ish and his power drops off I think he falls short of Judge

[@davidwindell]

@@jameskeene4412a guy just randomly hitting .400 wouldn’t make him an immediate shoe in for MVP. Kwan, however, is playing gold glove defense and bats leadoff for one of baseball’s best teams. That all would help his cause. Having said that, I don’t think he finishes above 5th or 6th in the voting unless he gets to .400 because the Hr just aren’t there, and the WAR and OPS aren’t going to match guys like Judge and Soto (WAR because of the missed time and OPS because he’s not going to hit over 20 HR at most.

[@mutantmangoman]

I would be shocked if bullpen is where the guardians add at the deadline. The starters market is going to be pricey but to me it makes zero sense to add to the strongest part of the team when you have such a weak rotation.

[@LockedonGuardians]

I don't think they would need to if guys in AAA were healthier or Walters didn't hit a wall. Also one starter does more to help than 2 relievers