This went about as could be expected.
The Guardians lost their elite closer and lost to the worst team in MLB tonight.
Of course, the Guardians looked lost against “Bradley Blalock” for six innings after learning that Emmanuel Clase was placed on administrative leave in connection to the sports betting schedule that earlier in the season took Luis Ortiz out of the equation. What else did you expect?
Of course, after the Guardians decided they couldn’t legitimately continue the bit against the horrid Rockies’ bullpen and scored five runs to take the lead (including a Bo Naylor three-run homer!), Hunter Gaddis faltered and gave up a solo homer and Cade Smith imploded. What else did you expect?
Of course Tyler Freeman went 2 for 4 with three RBI. What else did you expect?
Of course Warming Bernabel hit a home run. Because Warming Bernabel has to hit a home run in this game. What else did you expect?
I am not just quite sure why Tim Herrin was put in, given that he was just sent to Columbus for walking too many people, but, hey, why not have Herrin give up a double and two walks? Why not?
Zack Meisel reported before the game that the team had a clue that Emmanuel Clase would be put on leave, but Vogt continued to use him as closer. Which, hey, I guess he had no choice, but I do wonder how knowing their management knew Clase wasn’t on the up and up while they didn’t know sits with the players. I just wonder. Hopefully, they understand that their hands were tied.
Carlos Santana really should just not swing the bat. Side thought as I hear him hit into a double-play.
Hector Gomez, baseball newsbreaker on Twitter who reports on the Latin American side of things, says more Guardians pitchers are being investigated. The Guardians say MLB told them no one else was expected to be involved. I am going to choose to believe the Guardians. For now. But, I also wonder if this rumor getting out there was messing with players’ minds tonight.
On the other hand, why am I looking for excuses for the Guardians to lose to the worst team in baseball? The Guardians were a bad team before tonight, and they lost their elite closer, and then lost a winnable game in the 9th. Jim Rosenhaus is extolling them for bringing the tying run to the plate. Yippee, Rosey. Yippee. Anyway, as I was saying, nothing about tonight was surprising.
But, it’s a shame, you know? Guardians fans aren’t bad people. It was nice to have one of the best closers in baseball to make you feel comfortable when you had a lead in the 9th. It was fun to see him absolutely dominate other teams. That was cool. It really stinks to think I may never see Emmanuel Clase throw a baseball for my team again, even though I’m sure I’ll eventually convince myself that I don’t want to see that so-and-so do anything again, dang it.
Clase can kick rocks. So can Luis Ortiz. So can MLB employees telling us, condescendingly, “MLB has always been vehemently against players and coaches gambling and remains so.” So can Hector Gomez if he’s listening to a bad source.
Oh, and Tyler Freeman, who we all hoped would be a good hitter for Cleveland, you can kick rocks for not figuring out how to do it until they traded you, too.
It’s always nice to go to bed knowing there’s a baseball game tomorrow. But, I’m not so sure that’s a good thing right now. Slade Cecconi and the hitters gave a darn tonight, and I appreciate that, I do. Jose looked like he wanted to hit a three-run homer every AB the way he swung and one could imagine he was picturing Clase’s face on each baseball thrown his way. I get it.
But, I dunno, man. Someone may need to place me on administrative leave as a fan.