Before I get into anything, I want to note that tomorrow’s game was moved to 1pm ET!

October baseball is different. Maybe it’s the tension, but it hits different and the stakes matter. Managers yank the pitchers faster, and players rise to the challenge or die by the sword.

Our last trip to the ALCS was in 2024 versus the Yankees, who beat us 4-1. One of the stated goals for the Guards was simple. Win. Win at least one game in the first two games at Tropicana. Well, we did that in game one, and dropped game two, but the series is far from over.

Game 1: Take Down Their Bullpen

Rasmussen had our number all season, so getting 8 hits and 2 runs off him was a masterwork. Once we got to the bullpen, it was incredible how well the boys hit! They hammered in run after run for an amazing 7 to 3 win.

On the mound for Cleveland, Griffin was better than expected. He’s not a hard thrower, so we knew that this would be a to-contact drama. But surprisingly there was only one serious goofy play by the Guards, and it was early on. Kwan, in left, misjudged a ball skidding on the turf. That amounted to nothing, thankfully!

The best news is that Cleveland was absolutely seeing that ball. So many fouls and fly-outs can suck, it tires out everyone. But at the same time, it means we were seeing the ball well. You want to have more bats on balls like that. More bats on balls means we can be more aggressive on the bases, and boy howdy, were we! José pressured with his base running and stealing and basically manufactured runs.

Hunter Gaddis got the win with a scoreless 7th, keeping his 0.00 ERA. Sabrowski gave up a solo shot, but held them down and Smith mopped up the last three.

Game 2: Squeezed Out by Speed

While we lost, it wasn’t really a bad game. Peralta was on fire for the Rays, which was bad for us. Again, we were seeing the ball but this time we were less patient at the plate. According to Hammy, this was the planned approach. Be aggressive on Peralta’s fastball.

Well, it didn’t work this time. He made it six innings, which gave the Rays the boost they needed. So did José’s untimely error (props to MLB India for the video).

Now. In José’s defence, the infield at Tropicana is bullshit. That ball hit the edge of dirt and turf and just didn’t bounce like it would on grass. Fake grass sucks on so many levels, and this kind of issue is part of why the Rays are so hard to beat at home.

The error turned into a 3 run gaff that Cleveland couldn’t overcome. And yet. We fielded so many double plays on that infield, it’s honestly incredible. I said to my wife that Bazz is getting really damn good at second. He’s gone from being a middling/bad second baseman to a middling/signs-of-greatness one! Genoa is still a better fielder, but Bazz… Man, he’s getting there.

What the Guardians Need to Do

The obvious one here is … Win. And I can summarize the most important thing:

Don’t Be Swept at Home

Meanwhile, there are smaller things:

• Be Patient At The Plate: Keep forcing the Rays into uncomfortable counts without sacrificing plate discipline.
• Be Aggressive On The Bases: Steal. Bunt. Run. Once you’re on base, stress the pitcher and catcher out. It makes it harder to pitch fast, and knock those slower ones out of the park.
• Be Alert On The Field: It’s not fair to say “no more errors,” but really we need to be alert and calm on the field. We’re heading home, where we know the quirks of the Jake to our advantage.
• Lock Down the Middle Innings: the bullpen’s role will be crucial in a tightly contested series, so smart matchups and clean outs will be the order of the day.
• Get José on Base: Seriously. Get the man on base. He has more baseball smarts than anyone else in the game today. And don’t call him J-Ram.

Final Thoughts

The first two games against the Tampa Bay Rays were everything a person wants in baseball. Actually so was the last game against Chicago. The Atlantic posted an article that really said it for me:

There was a time when that was the most romantic thing in American sports. Bob Gibson in 1968, Sandy Koufax on short rest. Jack Morris in 1991, pitching 10 innings in Game 7 of the World Series, telling his manager he wasn’t coming out and Tom Kelly believing him. Those stories lasted because one man refused to give the night away, and everybody watching knew it, and nobody could look anywhere else.

“Gavin Williams, José Ramírez and the things baseball forgot were worth keeping” by Jason Lloyd

While the White Sox and their bullpen games have an advantage when it comes to keeping batters on their back foot, it’s just … not romantic. It’s not as fun to watch. It’s “Oh, here comes another pitcher.” But even loosing to Peralta, you have to look at that performance and tip your cap. You feel well beaten and fairly at that.

Tomorrow, Big Rig pitches at home, where he’s much better. Can Cleveland claw another game off the best team in the AL? Can José be even more clutch? Can Rocchio break out of his slump?

All will be revealed tomorrow at 1pm ET!

Go Guards!