CHICAGO — Former White Sox manager Ozzy Gillen, who works on the team’s pre- and post-game TV shows, was impressed with the brand of baseball the Guardians are playing this season.
“I don’t like how Cleveland plays, I love it,” Gillen said following Wednesday’s 8-2 Cleveland victory. “You told Terry Francona it was the best baseball I’ve seen in 20 years.”
The message was delivered to Francona before the season finale against the White Sox on Thursday night.
Francona said, “It makes me feel better.”
“A lot of people have told me ‘I respect the way your team plays’. It makes me feel good. I’m proud of it. It’s not easy, but it really helps.” I think our players should be proud of how they’re going to play the game.”
Guardians play old-fashioned baseball. They’re 14th in the AL in home runs, but they thrash out infield hits, steal bases, and go from 1st to 3rd on all occasions. A strong bullpen combined with a starting rotation since the All-Star break brings the Guardians closer to his first AL Central Championship since 2018.
They’re 14-7 in September, leading the White Sox by six games with 13 games remaining, including Thursday.
“I appreciate the way we played,” said Francona. “It’s easy when it’s going well, but it’s[difficult]to keep doing it when you’re struggling. I think it’s the same person who goes on time and stuff like that, it’s kind of important.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is still in the dugout, unlike Gillen. He saw the Guardian literally kick his team out of the gym in his eight games from Sept. 9 through Monday. Cleveland won seven of eight games, ending the Twins’ postseason chances.
“To be a good player you have to be able to relax on the field, but when you play with them you have to be literally on your toes and on the most alert all year,” Valdelli told reporters. before the season finale between the two teams. “Everywhere you look there are players doing things that you don’t see very often in the game today.”
pitcher’s country
Aaron Civert returned to the starting rotation against the White Sox on Tuesday. Zach, who is set to begin Class AAA Columbus rehab on Saturday, could join him soon if all goes well with his broken right pinky finger.
The recent starting line-up of rookies Cody Morris and Conor Pilkington is encouraging, even if Pressac’s comeback has been a disaster.
Pilkington pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Twins. Although he didn’t get the win, he allowed 6 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 1 hit. Morris allowed his one run into six innings in Sunday’s game against the Twins in a 3–0 loss to the Twins. He struck out 6 and walked 1.
Morris will start Friday night against Texas at Grove Life Field.
The Guardian hopes to have a healthy Pressac back within the final two weeks of the season if all goes according to plan.
“You’re always trying to make the glass half full instead of half empty,” said Francona. “But it’s also good to get the mate back. He was there and did it, knows how to do it. You have to do this right. It’s not like he (Pressac) had a hangnail. He It was broken.”
separated at birth
Center fielder Miles Straw and outfield coach Kyle Hudson are similar. Straw joked with Hudson while wearing the jersey during batting practice on Thursday.
Straw was inconsistent at bat all season, but his defense earned him a Gold Glove Award from day one.
In the sixth on Wednesday, it was put on display again when Jose Abreu unleashed a long drive to left center field. Straw ended the inning with a sliding catch with his knee after a long run.
“It’s as good a catch as you’re going to see,” Francona said.
Straw had a good hunch that he was going to make that catch in the middle of the chase.
“It hung up a little bit,” he said.
finally
Stephen KwanCleveland’s DH on Thursday night has a 5.0 WAR, the fourth highest by a Cleveland rookie in franchise history. Kenny Lofton When Al Rosen Holding the franchise record with 6.6 in 1992 and 1950 respectively, Hal Trosky 5.5 in 1934. Kwan has his 2 or more hits in his 5th straight game. That includes his seven in his final two going into Thursday night. … Triston Mackenziehas struck out 27 batters in his final two starts against the White Sox, including Wednesday’s 8-2 victory. It’s the most strikeouts in a back-to-back start by a Cleveland pitcher against the same team since. Sam McDowell 29 batter Oakland A strikeout and Luis Tiant Beat 28 Twins. McDowell and Tiant achieved these feats in the 1968 season (Elias).
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