- 17 hours ago
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Hi, it was a bizarre baseball weekend for our Guardians.
00:06They're going for a sweep.
00:07We did not get to see Travis Kelsey throw out a first pitch,
00:11and then it was injuries galore.
00:13In a game, they beat Scooble.
00:16How about that?
00:17Yeah, they beat Scooble.
00:18They've beaten some big names.
00:19They beat Flaherty and Scooble this weekend.
00:21Yes, some big names over the last week.
00:24To talk about that and so much more on the Wiseheart Right.
00:27We make it right.
00:28Call Calright Hotline.
00:29We bring in intrepid baseball reporter and columnist, MLB.com,
00:33Anthony Kastrovitz, right now on the Hotline.
00:38Anthony, what a bizarre baseball weekend it was.
00:41It was.
00:42It's rare you take two from a division rival, two out of two,
00:46and still somehow feel bad about it.
00:49And feel bad for Travis Kelsey, too,
00:51because he didn't get his chance to redeem himself on the mound
00:53with the ceremonial first pitch.
00:54Well, not only that.
00:55The public is devoid of, you know, seeing him make an appearance.
01:00You know, that's a travesty.
01:03It is.
01:03Quite literally.
01:04A travesty.
01:05A travesty.
01:05I like how you did that.
01:06Yeah.
01:06I don't know if that was intentional, but you did it.
01:08It wasn't.
01:08Not midstream.
01:09It became that.
01:10It was.
01:10He made it that way.
01:11So what do you think are the biggest challenges to be losing Jose Ramirez
01:15in this lineup, in this organization here over the next five to seven weeks?
01:21Yeah.
01:21I mean, it goes without saying, you don't want to lose your best player.
01:25And, you know, he wasn't having a transcendent Jose season by any means,
01:29but he was on pace for more than 40 doubles and like 50 steals.
01:34So that's a pretty productive year all around.
01:37Um, and, you know, the challenge with this specific injury, um, it has a good
01:41recovery rate.
01:43Um, it's, you know, it's, it's not going to be something where, uh, you know,
01:47it's season ending most likely.
01:49So he'll be back for the final playoff push.
01:52So that's all good.
01:52But you just never know, like anytime you get involved with stuff around the
01:56hands and wrists with a power hitter, you know, you don't know how quickly the
01:59power comes back.
02:00So, um, you know, he could be back in, in, as you said, five weeks, but, you
02:04know, will the power be there?
02:05You just don't know.
02:06There's just so many different outcomes with this particular procedure and
02:09he's had it himself in the other hand.
02:11So unfortunately, Jose is now going to have zero hamates, um, which is, you
02:16know, that's better than having, you know, uh, no kidneys.
02:20So that's a good thing, but, um, he is going to have to figure out how quickly
02:24he can get his power back.
02:25Last time this happened, he came back very quickly.
02:27Um, and they're in the playoff push in 2024, but then, you know, once they
02:31were out of it, they just shut him down, um, as a matter of course.
02:34So, um, you know, Gabriel Arias, uh, gets rushed back, uh, in the interim and
02:40then, you know, they, they have flexibility there with, with him and
02:43Schneeman, but it's, it's obviously you saw the lineup yesterday before it
02:46got both both.
02:46You know, it's not the same without Jose Ramirez in the middle of that lineup.
02:50Well, and we're talking to Anthony Kastrovitz.
02:52So, you know, you're someone who follows this as close as anybody.
02:54And we're sitting here giving the benefit of the doubt to a team that always seems
02:58to find a way, whether it's injuries, whether it's 15 and a half games back in
03:03July, uh, doesn't even matter whether, uh, who the manager is like they are able to
03:07withstand stuff, but this is, this is very different.
03:11So what would you put there?
03:14Did you think, what kind of a dip in their playoff odds do you think in the Anthony
03:17Kastrovitz playoff odds, what kind of a dip do you think it is?
03:21Well, it's a dip, um, you know, maybe like a 10% dip, um, the, the, the saving grace
03:26of course is the division.
03:28And, um, I mean, the tigers just keep losing games and every game they lose the
03:33Terrick Scoble conversation increases, you know, for the trade deadline.
03:36And they're always, you know, you always feel like you're two good weeks in this
03:40playoff format, you know, you're two good weeks away from being in it, um, in this
03:44American league where no one is, is really playing at an elite level.
03:48Um, but you know, their, their greatest threat right now is the White Sox,
03:53surprisingly.
03:53So, and anytime it's a young team, there's, there's vagaries and performance that
03:57can happen, but there's also just momentum that can build with belief.
04:00And that's what the White Sox have going on right now.
04:02You know, they've, they've increased their power production to a great deal.
04:05And then maybe they get involved in the trade deadline on the other side where, you
04:09know, they're, they're, they're two years out from the worst season in modern
04:13baseball history and they could be in a playoff push.
04:16So that's very valuable for them.
04:18It's a very valuable thing that, that you might see them, uh, show some aggression
04:21in the trade deadline if they're still in it.
04:22Anthony Kest.
04:24Sorry, Anthony.
04:25I was just going to say, I mean, you know, the guardian, I feel worse about the
04:28guardians and their chances that this is a major injury on the pitching side,
04:31because they're still ultimately pitching oriented.
04:32They have some flexibility and depth in the farm system on the offensive side to just
04:37kind of piece it together in the interim.
04:39Um, but I worry about this team more from like, if they have a major injury on the
04:43pitching front, you know, what, what's the, uh, the reserve status down on the farm is
04:47not as strong as it once was.
04:49Anthony Kastrovitz joining us here on the show.
04:51Well, I, I kind of wanted to know how does the, how does the uncertainty with the CBA paint
04:56the trade deadline, if at all for a team like the guardians?
05:01I think for every team, it's kind of, it's fascinating, you know, um, there's, there's
05:06very much value in, in this moment because all we have is this moment.
05:10All we know for sure is what's in front of us, which is this 2026 season.
05:14You know, nobody knows what the future looks like in terms of, um, you know, service time,
05:18arbitration, free agency, a cap, no cap, nobody knows.
05:23So all you can do is, is play the hands you have.
05:26And I, I'm very curious to see, uh, how that manifests itself at the trade deadline deadline.
05:31The other part, I mean, the problem though, is just that the American league is so clumped
05:34together, um, that that limits your number of sellers one and two, it also increases the
05:41competition where, you know, so many teams are, are going to be reluctant to sell and eager
05:46to perhaps, uh, distinguish themselves in this field.
05:49So that's a long winded way of saying, I don't know.
05:52Cause I don't think they know, you know, there's so much that can happen between now
05:55and that deadline still, um, injuries like this, you know, that, that set a team back
06:00and, um, you know, prospects coming up and, and elevating a team standing, uh, it's, it's
06:06kind of a mess in the American league this year.
06:08Um, where, as I said, like there, there's no great teams when they're, when no one's great,
06:12everyone can be good.
06:14Anthony Kastrovitz with us on the hotline.
06:17I said earlier in the show to Ken, that the difference between this and other years is, you
06:21know, you've got young players that you want to provide a runway, you know, as opposed
06:26to, you know, there've been in years past where that guy's basically no, in no position
06:31to really help the team.
06:32So you had definitive weaknesses that you could address at the deadline.
06:37What would you say those weaknesses are on this year's team?
06:42Yeah, it's, it's weird to be talking about a trade deadline.
06:45And then like the first thing that comes to my mind, is it necessarily, you know, a power
06:49hitter, you know, a bat, um, I, I would think reinforcement on the pitching front is probably
06:55more important for them right now.
06:57Um, maybe that is another starter, you know, I know, I know the rotation is terrific, but
07:01you, it's good until it's not, you're, you're in a good position until you're not in this
07:06game, the injury rate being what it is.
07:07So, uh, a reinforcement on the starting front, a high end one would be really fascinating
07:12because then you, you change the way this team looks, you know, going into a short playoff
07:16series.
07:17Um, or maybe it's just a, another high leverage reliever or just a length reliever.
07:22Cause you know, the bullpen gets a lot of pressure put upon it, um, in terms of the
07:26innings log and, and you're, you're very Kate Smith oriented, you know, um, and, and no,
07:32you're, he's going to have a rough patch at some point.
07:34So there could be value to do that, but that that's where my mind goes first, which is
07:38unusual.
07:39You know, it doesn't go to necessarily a power bat, not that they couldn't use one, but
07:43I, they just have more, uh, flexibility on the offensive front.
07:47And, uh, I, I would think maybe a little more vulnerability on the pitching front than
07:52they've had in some other contention years past.
07:55Would there be any conversation to bump Brokio around the lineup or is he just like, he's
08:00staying in, in, in the ninth spot.
08:02He's wonderful in the ninth spot.
08:03He goes nowhere.
08:05Well, they had them bumped up yesterday, you know, uh, in the game that wasn't.
08:08So that that's an indication of probably where that's headed.
08:11And, um, you know, that that's what they're going to have to, the lineup's not going to
08:15look, it's not going to look great.
08:17You know, it's, uh, if, if the lottery's out for any extended period and Jose's obviously
08:22out for an extended period, um, they hope to have on hell Martinez back tomorrow.
08:26Um, so that, that seems like a short injury situation, but, um, yeah, it's, it's not going
08:32to look, uh, as it once did.
08:33And as it did, it was pretty top heavy.
08:35We all know that.
08:36So, um, but yeah, moving Roki up is, is obviously an option because it's something they were pursuing
08:41yesterday.
08:42Uh, Anthony, is there any thought around major league baseball?
08:46And this obviously would apply to the guardians as well, that because of a potential work
08:51stoppage that could be looming, that that could alter the way these teams are all operating
08:56around the deadline.
08:58Yeah.
08:59I mean, I think it has to play into your thinking.
09:02Um, you know, the, is the value of a prospect the same, um, if, if, uh, the, the clock to
09:11free
09:11agency is altered in any way, or the clock to arbitration is altered anyway, or the minimum
09:15salary is altered in any way.
09:18I mean, you know, these are very real issues on the table.
09:21And so, uh, you know, if, if there's a strong sense that there's a cap coming, uh, for instance,
09:28you know, does that make a smaller market scheme, um, you know, more aggressive in its
09:34use of, uh, prospects?
09:36I don't know.
09:37Um, but these are things you have to be thinking about because you're always in a market like
09:43this, I mean, you have to be thinking of the next five to seven years at all times.
09:49You know, you have to be thinking every move you make, uh, is not just about the moment.
09:53Cause if you chase the moment constantly, uh, you're going to end up in a very long and
09:58painful rebuilding situation, which is something they've really tried to avoid here.
10:02I think to their credit, you know, they've done a really good job of, they always say,
10:06uh, threading the needle, right.
10:07Of, of thinking about the future while, you know, while, while also being rooted in the
10:12present.
10:12But that means, you know, you don't take as many big swings as maybe fans would like,
10:16uh, you don't, um, you know, chase the impact of, of this season in this moment, as much
10:22as fans would like, but there are times where they've done that in 2016 was one, you know,
10:27where they really went for it at the deadline.
10:28And I think this year, um, you know, if they can navigate this injury now to Jose, you know,
10:34this is a big wild card, but, um, I do generally think that this is a year to, to kind
10:40of chase
10:40the magic, you know, because you don't know what the future holds.
10:43It's so up in the air that, that I think it puts greater value on the present.
10:47And I think they're set up from a farm system perspective to go and make an impact trade.
10:51It's just that, you know, the trade deadline is going to bear what it bears.
10:54The market's going to bear what it bears.
10:56And as I said, it's going to be a seller's market because it's so crowded.
10:59Um, so that could work against them ultimately.
11:02Um, but I do think like in a vacuum, not knowing who's going to be available and when
11:07this, cause this is, looks like a year to go for it.
11:09You know, again, the other, the other X factors is being, can they survive the next six weeks
11:15without Jose?
11:16Anthony Kastrovitz joining us here on the wise heart, right?
11:18We make it right.
11:19Call Kyle, right.
11:20Hotline.
11:20Uh, well, yeah.
11:21Cause there's been a lot of people like Lyman.
11:23I know they're like, well, they're kind of, they're kind of unremarkable this year.
11:26And I'm thinking, well, I still think then that they're ahead of schedule.
11:29Cause do I put this down as this was supposed to still be a rebuilding year?
11:33I mean, when you got two guys who are rookies in that lineup and we're expecting them to
11:36try to contribute to victories every day, it kind of, it kind of throws off the expectations
11:41of what they are and where they really should be.
11:43Shouldn't they?
11:44Yeah.
11:45But the, the, the, the, the equation has changed so much in our ability.
11:49It's just gotten so much younger.
11:51And, you know, I used to look at a team like this, that is, as you said, rookie dependent,
11:55um, the louder and Bazzana dependent, um, and even more so now, uh, with Jose out.
12:01Um, and used to look at that as, okay, well they're, you know, they got to take their steps
12:04and take their lumps and it's a gradual process.
12:07And it's just not that environment anymore.
12:09I mean, guys are coming up so fast and making an impact so fast.
12:12And, you know, you've got to ride that wave for as long as you have it, you know, cause
12:17you never know what your pitching, uh, injury complexion will be from year to year.
12:21Um, and so I, I don't look at it the same way as I once did where it's like, ah,
12:25well,
12:26like the white socks, like a perfect example where they're, they're so young in the lineup
12:31and you think, well, you know, uh, this is a successful season no matter what, because
12:37they've, they've gotten some impact, they've gotten their fans reengaged and this is a
12:41stepping stone.
12:42Well, why does it have to be a stepping stone?
12:44Right?
12:44Why not ride the wave?
12:45Why not go get some pitching help at the deadline and see what you can do?
12:47Because this is, this is the way the game operates.
12:50Now you draft a guy, sometimes he's up there the very next year or within two years.
12:55And all of a sudden, you know, he can change the complexion of your team in a hurry.
12:58And we're seeing that with Bazzana, you know, he's at the top of the lineup for a contending
13:02team.
13:02He was drafted two years ago, so it can happen that fast now.
13:06And there's no reason to punt on a season or just assume a season is a developmental
13:12one, um, because you don't know what the future holds from a contention standpoint.
13:17If you're in contention, you're in contention, write it.
13:19Anthony, I, I, this is a big picture, big picture question.
13:22I know we're talking about the current guardians, but you know, Lyman, I keep mentioning off,
13:26off season, uh, CBA, stuff like that.
13:29How, how possible percentage wise, how likely is it to get a cap and a floor out of this
13:37negotiation, this off season?
13:39You know, I think it's more likely than I, I even would have thought a year ago.
13:45Like, I, I don't know, it's just, I don't know how dug in the owners are on that, on that
13:51idea.
13:52Um, there's many things in the air with the, the, the overall, um, the television complexion
13:59is, is a major factor in all of this, you know, uh, the, the next, uh, you know, major
14:04rights deal is, is looming in the air as well.
14:06Um, but I will say, I mean, they, they seem as of, as of now, they seem more dug in
14:11on
14:12a cap than I necessarily thought.
14:14And I know the players are against that, but also I think from a fan perspective, there's
14:20been, um, um, a growing sentiment in favor of a cap because you're looking at the Los Angeles
14:28Dodgers as, as a fundamental example of how goofy this can get, you know, when one team
14:33just has so much revenue coming in internationally and locally with the, you know, the two world
14:40series under their belts, go to a Dodger stadium game and tell me what you're paying for parking.
14:45You know, it's, it's, they're just making money hand over fist there and they're applying
14:49it in both realms.
14:51I mean, they are so smart and so well-built, uh, from the ground up and then they can spend
14:55a ton of money on top of that.
14:57And you see that it does become a bit of an unfair fight, you know?
15:01So, and then you got a team like in this market or Milwaukee, and you have to be so, you
15:06have
15:06to be perfect, uh, on all your decision-making, um, and to their credit, you know, they've been
15:11very consistent, but if the central divisions did not exist, if this was East West, like
15:16the NBA, I mean, MLB would be a joke from a competitive balance standpoint.
15:20It just would.
15:20The centrals are what prop up all these numbers about, you know, low payroll teams, making
15:25it to the playoffs.
15:26And then the playoffs speak for themselves.
15:28When you get to the playoffs and it's two different worlds, when you have the Dodgers
15:32depth versus a team like the guardians and their depth, it's just, you know, who you
15:35can plug in a game, who you can plug in a series, who you can, you know, navigate with
15:39injuries and all that, all the things, all the crazy things that come up.
15:42And we've had one small market world series winner and in this generation.
15:46And that was the Royals in 2015, you know, it's just, it's very few and far between.
15:51So yeah, you can get to the playoffs, but good luck advancing within the playoffs on a
15:54consistent basis.
15:55Good luck winning a world series with a hamstrung budget.
15:58So I think fans are recognizing that, Hey man, this is, this is not good for us as a, as
16:03a casual fan, as a general fan, it's hard to argue against the salary cap being better
16:07for fans.
16:08So, you know, that that's a different conversation than what is best, you know, from a fairness
16:13standpoint for players and labor and all that.
16:15I get all those things, but you know, this is not like, this is not like union plumbers.
16:20This is a different world.
16:21We're talking about in the world of professional sports.
16:24And this is the only major sport in America without a cap system.
16:27And, um, I would be hard pressed to argue that it's better for fans this way than a
16:32cap would be.
16:33That's a cap and a floor to be very clear.
16:35You can't have one without the other, Anthony, you're glorious.
16:38Thank you very much for the time.
16:39We'll talk to you again soon, friend.
16:42All right, guys.
16:42We'll see you.
16:43Anthony Kastrovitz, reporter, columnist, MLB.com.
16:47Even with the injury, quote, this is a year to chase the magic for the Cleveland Guardians.
Comments