Why the Cleveland Guardians and Jose Ramirez should meet with Shohei Ohtani's Agent and discuss a one year deal with the Cleveland Guardians.

If Shohei Ohtani signed a one year, 2024 deal with the Cleveland Guardians, the Guardians would instantly have one of the most intriguing middle of the order line-ups with Jose Ramirez, Shohei Ohtani, Josh Naylor, in all of baseball.

However, Bo Naylor delivered a plus .800 OPS as a rookie, and two more rookie prospects, Kyle Manzardo and Chase Delauter combine with Gold Glove winning Steven Kwan and Andres Gimenez to give the Guardians an offense that should improve by at least 1/2 to 3/4's of run a game, while their starting pitching could prove the deepest in all of baseball, instantly making the Guardians a 2024 World Series contender.

What better way to elevate Shohei Ohtani's value for the 2025 season than by being the catalyst that lifts the Guardians to a World Series appearance in 2024 after a down 2023 Guardians year.

Surely the Guardians, with a painfully low payroll, could afford a one year, 40 to 45 million dollar offer to Ohtani.  The Guardians visibility and attendance would dramatically rise in 2024  and along with their low payroll to begin with, should enable the Guardians to handle a one year deal with Ohtani. Heck, the Guardians previously signed Josh Bell to a 32 million deal covering 2 years. I'm sure Ohtani at 40 to 45 million and then a young outfield prospect the following year at 750,000 is not that outrageous of a commitment to make.

I find it disappointing that all we hear about are the perennial high payroll teams going after Ohtani when it is a small market team like the Guardians who could afford a one year deal which in turn resets Ohtani's market value for a long term deal that would follow after 2024. 

Ohtani may not pitch in 2024 and if he does pitch at all, it might be down the final stretch of the season as a set-up man, which would be quite a high profile accomplishment were he to pitch as a set-up man during the 2024 playoffs. The Guardians have all the pieces in place for a 2024 World Series run were Ohtani to sign with the Guardians.

Ohtani recognized Jose Ramirez at the 2023 All Star game and spent some time with Jose, so its not as going to the Guardians would finally provide Shohei Ohtani a playoff run while resetting his value for the 2025 season.

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

Welcome to Baker Mayfield 2.0 as Deshaun Watson plans to play through Shoulder pain versus the Baltimore Ravens.

Here we go again, it's Baker Mayfield 2.0 as Deshaun Watson laughs off a sore shoulder  so he can play against the Baltimore Ravens in game four of the 2023 season. 

Going back in time to 2021, what was never reported about Baker Mayfield except by Sportscam Detective is that Mayfield insisted on starting every game after Case Keenum proved he could win. Case Keenum and D'Ernest Joshson combined to run off the final 5 minutes and 12 seconds of the fourth quarter clock against Denver, choosing to not score even though the Browns were inside the 10 yard line with Johnson moving the ball at will. 

The 5 min 12 second 4th quarter game ending drive by Case Keenum and De'Ernest Johnson was a wake-up call to Browns fans, who year after year have had to grimace through late game penalties, interceptions, dropped throws and missed field goals, when what they really wanted to see was a nice, long drive to run out the clock. Keenum and Johnson's performance was cathartic, and something that apparently motivated Mayfield to ensure Keenum did not start another game until the final game of the 2021 season, which Keenum also won.

Mayfield started every game after the Keenum led Denver victory while playing with multiple injuries. Perhaps the 41-16 Shellacking the Browns and Mayfield gave Cincinnati emboldened Mayfield to continue to play though the pain. Although it should be noted that it was the Browns defense that converted a potential Cincinnati Touchdown into a 100 yard Denzel Ward Interception return, a 14 point swing on one play, plus a 70 yard Nick Chubb rushing touchdown that turned what could have been a close 27-23 game, into a 41-16 route.

It appears the Cleveland Browns have gone from a young QB star who at that time had narcissism issues, to a veteran being paid so much money he has to take the field every week to justify his contract.

Whereas with Baker Mayfield it was Baker not giving a Veteran a chance to help Baker heal and the Browns keep their momentum, now it will be the well paid Veteran not allowing a rookie, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has all the skills to run an offense competently enough to win games with the NFL's top defense, to be the back-up that allows Watson to properly heal.

The Browns are once again in a lose lose situation. If they allow Deshaun Watson to be Baker Mayfield 2.0, we will witness a team that most likely falls short while their well paid, star QB plays at less than 90% of his ability as he plays through nagging injuries that take their toll. 

However, if the Browns convince Deshaun Watson to let his back-up take the load off, then people will wonder why the Browns paid so much for a Veteran who needs help from his back-ups. 

Ironically, Dorian-Thompson Robinson is listed 3rd on the Browns QB depth chart, when he has all the makings of a Justin Herbert, a QB who stepped in as a rookie and did a very competent job.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski is reliving Baker Mayfield all over again, only in reverse. Stefanski is the one who has to step in and assure Watson he is the QB even if Watson has to take a week or two off to heal from one mild injury before the mild injury manifests into additional injuries.

 

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

Terry Francona, Manager of the Cleveland Guardians, gives Cleveland Sportswriters the "It's me, not you" speech for temporariiy retiring after the 2023 season.

The couple of times I have heard Terry Francona talk about allegedly retiring, I hear something different than what the Cleveland Media and the Fans are hearing. 

The Cleveland Media and Cleveland fans are hearing, "Terry Francona is retiring, we have to give Mr. Francona the biggest, best send off ever". 

What I hear when Terry Francona speaks about retiring is something entirely different. I hear Terry is so frustrated at his current health situation that if his surgery or surgeries go well, and if he feels good, and if he is bored sitting at home, he's coming back in 2025 to manage an MLB baseball team.

Terry knows it would be unfair to ask for a full year off, so he won't, but if Mr. Francona were given the option to come back to Manage the Guardians in 2025, Mr. Francona would most likely accept that option.

If the Guardians make a Terry Francona tribute statue, they should consider putting it on wheels so it can follow Terry to his next managing gig.

 

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

Cyclist wins "Watch where I'm Going" Defamation Lawsuit against the Father of the child he contacted to the ground.

As a self proclaimed video forensics expert (who has earned his stripes), I can explain how the judge got their defamation ruling incorrect in the video below.

 

The key is as much in the audio as in the video. The cyclist, coming up from behind, failed to slow down in a safe manner. He seems to be saying "watch out, watch out, watch out" as he approaches. 

Apparently the Judge has ruled in favor of the "Watch where I'm going" Defamation lawsuit filed by the cyclist over being "defamed" by the showing of the video when all he alleges doing is watching out for the welfare of the young child by speeding up from behind and then using his outstretched knee to create a safe space between himself and the child.

One important job for any judge to consider when deciding standing is, was anyone acting illegally, or without good judgment. If the Judge had considered if anyone was acting illegally, or without good judgement, the cyclist's defamation lawsuit would have had no merit for the following reasons...

1.  Cyclist was traveling too fast when coming around a blind turn. What if someone had slipped and fallen across the pathway, his speed would have been too great to control his bicycle in a safe manner.

2.    Upon taking the blnd turn and seeing a common obstacle in the roadway known as people walking in the roadway, Cyclist kept pedaling, actually picking up speed as he approached the obstacle known as people in the road.

3.   Without having enough time to assess the situation as to why there was an obstacle in the roadway, Cyclist used the equivalent of a car horn, his voice, to yell "watch out, watch out, watch out", or as can be referred to as the "Watch where I'm going" Defense.

4.   After violating the safety of the above three conditions, the cyclist zoomed by the obstacle in the road known as a young child, unexpectedly nudging the victim to the ground as a way to ensure no contact was made with his accelerating bicycle and the previously stationary child now falling towards the ground after contact.

5.   The verdict should have been, cyclist failed to maintain a safe speed and control of his bicycle while assessing and navigating roadway pedestrians, and therefore has no right to any form of empathy, right to sue, or compensation.

The Victims should be counter suing....

1.   The child was put in a no win situation when the cyclist yelled out "watch out, watch out, watch out" from behind her where she could not see him approach. 

A.   If she had gone to her right, she would have possibly suffered life long injuries if the front of the bicycle had hit her from behind.                                                 

B.  If she had stayed where she was, she gets knocked to the ground without advance notice of any kind, 

C.  If she had gone to her left, she would have avoided any contact. The child basically had a 1 in 3 chance to avoid contact with someone who she could not see because they were behind her.

2.   The child will forever have a memory of standing still, and suddenly being hit to the ground by a stranger she never saw coming, just a violent hit to the child's upper body that knocked her to the ground.

3.  The Father will forever have a memory of helplessly watching his child be struck, in front of his eyes, as he stood by and filmed it, most likely producing PTSD type memory of the event.

4.  Getting therapy for his PTSD by raising public awareness of the incident, the Father was further damaged and harmed by the defamation lawsuit and the judge now further victimizing the Father by proclaiming his guilty and culpable when  he did not initiate the series of reckless acts that led to the defamation lawsuit.

What should happen,

The judge should recognize there were extenuating circumstances and give the cyclist a choice, be found guilty of reckless handling of a bicycle that resulted in harm to a child and the child's parents, and the public who has viewed the video...

or.....

The Judge should offer the cyclist a choice, either publicly apologize and agree to do a public service announcement cautioning the public that speeding by human obstacles can be dangerous and should be avoided, 

 

or..... 

 

a $10,000 restitution fine and payment to the Family he sued for all legals fees on both sides, for bringing the defamation lawsuit to court.

 

 

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball needs to rethink their Minor League Development Strategy.

The Cleveland Guardians need to rethink their minor league Strategy. One year ago, the Cleveland Guardians brought up FIVE outfielders from the minor leagues. One year later, and All FIVE are playing in the majors, 3 of those 5 outfielders, for other teams.

The irony is while 3 outfielder from last year are playing in the majors for three other teams, the Guardians had to resort to picking up on waivers an outfielder waived by the team with the second poorest record in the entire major leagues.

The question has to be asked, when a team has a lot of talent percolating in the minors, does it make sense to keep drafting wave after wave of new players when it causes players who have been developed for five or six years to be traded for younger talent? It's as if the constant need to move experienced and still improving minor league players for younger prospects is creating talent voids when too many injuries occur.

If I understand correctly, a player with six years of minor league experience has to be let go, or promoted to the major league club where they will have to put in 3 more years at the MLB minimum of around 700,000.

Can a major league club offer to pay a minor league player the major league minimum, or, MORE than the $700,000, and let their minor league talent percolate at a fair wage in the minors until they are needed in the majors? The three Guardian's  outfielders who had to be traded or be lost for no return are all making the major league minimum. 

Isn't it possible that at least one or two of the three would have happily taken a 2 year, 2 million dollar total contract to remain in the minors just in case the Guardians needed them to come up to the majors?

The three Guardians outfielders who are in the majors may, or may not, hold on. Two are doing well, one is scuffling. But, if the two who are doing well have the dreaded sophomore jinx enter in their second year, they could end up being traded and suddenly carry the label of fourth outfielder for life.

The concept would be cost effective. As a team decides to give long time valued minor league players special designation, they could simply decide to not draft as many players, thus using the cut in minor league drafting obligations to reward their top minor league talent.

Why is this concept needed? Because Cleveland fans just witnessed a veteran player who had not played first base in 10 years, bobble back to back game ending throws that bounced before reaching him and the Guardians ended up losing the game they were leading 3-2 entering the ninth inning.

As if that disappointment was not enough, the Guardians then picked up on waivers an outfielder who was released by a team with the second worst record in all of Major League Baseball.

The idea of designating top talent with a minor league / major league value contract as a way to extend their viability is something some minor league players would welcome, and right now, so would the Guardians.

(Oct. 1, 2023 update). The two veterans picked up by the Guardians afforded themselves well. Meanwhile, Nolan Jones sits at 19 home runs, 19 stolen bases, and 18 outfield assists for the Colorado Rockies, in just over 100 games as a Rockie.) end of update.

 

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

How the Cleveland Guardians misguidedly "respected" Amed Rosario out of Cleveland, who now appears to be thriving with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

August 6, 2023 9:34 pm update. Twitter update on Amed Rosario getting 9 RBI's in his first 8 games as a Los Angeles Guardian.  end of update.

As a Cleveland Guardians fan, I have voiced my reservations about how Amed Rosario was used in Cleveland, REPEATEDLY, VOCIFEROUSLY, and on numerous occasions on a Cleveland Guardians Facebook forum.

My two primary concerns were, Amed Rosario might be better suited for second base rather than shortstop, and due to Amed Rosario's high hit count and low walk rate, should have been batting anywhere from 4th to 6th in the line-up.

Once Amed Rosario settled into the two spot around the middle of April 2022, he was never tried anywhere else in the line-up. 

A term I have come up with, OBP spread, denotes the amount of points separation between a Batting Average and On Base Percentage, pointed to Amed Rosario batting further down the line-up because his OBP spread was too low to be batting second in the line-up. A low OBP spread means a player gets more hits and less walks than the average MLB hitter.

Based on the premise that scoring in the first inning is critical to winning more often, a greater OBP spread means the batter is getting more walks. A first inning walk from the first or second batter in the line-up is an excellent way to set up the first inning for the 3,4, and 5 batters. Batters who don't walk much are basically wasting their only hit of the game if they get that hit as the first or second batter of the game when a walk would basically serve the same purpose. In 2022, Rosario's proclivity to make contact and not walk led to Rosario having more more GIDP's (19) than walks (17) when Rosario batted second. The GIDP more than walks stat is a serious tactical issue since the runner on base being doubled up was a fast runner with base stealing capabilities. 

As Rosario's offensive stats accrued, it became oddly clear that the sight of a base runner on first trying to steal second resulted in Amed Rosario swinging to "protect" the runner even when it appeared the runner had second base stolen due to a great jump. So while Rosario's offensive stats with a runner on first were below average, Rosario's batting average with runners on first and second, second and third, second, or third, were all higher, in some instances a hundred points higher than when a runner was just on first base. 

Questions that may never be answered include, Why were the Guardians reluctant to see if Rosario, and his high hit count, high GIDP, and low walk total might work better further down in the line-up when the odds of runners on second, or second and third, were more likely, and the odds that there might already be two outs, would possibly mean no increase and even a decrease in the number of GIDPs by Rosario as compared to batting second, while providing Rosario with more RBI opportunities.

Another question, Why wasn't Rosario tried at second base since it was known that Andres Gimenez was terrific at both second base and shortstop whereas Rosario was not seen as being as good defensively at shortstop as Gimenez? Perhaps Rosario's speed would better translate at second base.

Was the desire to keep Rosario intractably locked in at shortstop, and second in the line-up, due to Rosario's close friendship with Jose Ramirez? My theory is the Guardians wanted to show Amed Rosario 'respect' by locking him into the second spot in the line-up, and locked in to shortstop next to Jose Ramirez, even if it was not the ideal scenario for maximizing Rosario's abilities.

In less than a weeks worth of games for the Dodgers, Rosario has hit in multiple spots in the line-up, and is even playing at second base. Rosario's offense overall has been a boost for the Dodgers as the Dodgers have probably realized Rosario's high hit / low walks output plays better later in the line-up rather than in the second spot. 

It appears the Cleveland Guardians "respect" for Amed Rosario in Cleveland led to average results, but has caused his value to spike the moment he became a Dodger and was suddenly free to play multiple positions and hit later in the line-up. Perhaps locking a player into one position and one spot in the line-up can become a misguided form of respect when the player's contributions are not being maximized.

 

 

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

How an almost NCAA Football Championship Winning QB's stock has Allegedly fallen because he doesn't play video games well.

I bet if I could look at the "S-2" video test that CJ Stroud allegedly tanked I would figure out why it is a flawed test. Perhaps the test can isolate QB's who are going to be great, while missing others who are also going to be great. In other words, If a QB takes the Video game test and passes with flying colors, then it is a nice security blanket for a team interested in the QB, to rely on. If a QB does not do well on the test, it just means the team does not have that particular security blanket, and that's all it should mean.

Just how close did CJ Stroud come to willing his team to a victory against Georgia and setting up an NCAA  Football 2023 finals match-up between OSU vs TCU? When Stroud made that spectacular 35 yard scramble that brought OSU to just barely out of field goal range with time running out, he most likely was exhausted. But his coach did not know what to do at that point and the team frittered away the next 3 plays, barely gaining a couple of yards. This in turn caused the Field Goal kicker to over kick the ball and shank it left.

Stroud has done too many good things in his career at OSU to be red flagged by a computer screen. My only reservation would be that because at the NFL level the game moves faster, maybe that is what the S-2 test is able to simulate. None the less, I look forward to seeing CJ Stroud prove the S-2 does not separate the real men from A.I.

 

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

The Strange case of the 2023 Josh Bell signing by the Cleveland Guardians.

Last season, both before and after the All Star break the Cleveland Guardians had a team .700 OPS. The Cleveland Guardians needed at least a .730 to .740 Team OPS to be a true World Series contender in 2022.
 

But, there is a but.

It wasn't the lack of home run power that was causing the team OPS to fall short. What actually happened is the Guardians would have elevated their second half team OPS to a .730 to .740 OPS of 2022, if not for the second half OPS collapse of Jose Ramirez because of a hand injury. Ramirez still managed around a .770 OPS in the second half, which was way below his well over .900 first half season OPS. But Jose Ramirez aside, several other positions under performed in the post All Star Break 2022 OPS category for the Cleveland Guardians.

Despite Straw, Naylor, Miller and the catching position all hitting well below a .700 OPS in the second half of 2022, the Guardians still managed a .700 OPS in the second half of 2022 because of the improving performances of Kwan, Gonzalez, Gimenez, Ramirez and Rosario all being above the .700 OPS threshold.
 

The signing of Josh Bell that replaces any of the aforementioned 5 core players who all hit well over a .700 OPS after the All Star Break is not only a wash, it also means money that could have gone for signing pitching went to fill a hole that was easily filled from within the organization. 

 

Unfortunately, Josh Bell has basically replaced Oscar Gonzalez's at bats, therefore it is a wash in production, but definitely not in salary. Additionally, unlike Jose Ramirez, Josh Bell will not win games with super human base running effort. Jose Ramirez has already had at least 2 breathtaking slides and plays at home plate that probably less than 10% of all base runners would either attempt, or be called safe if they did attempt. 

 

The other thing that is disconcerting is a player can hit 30 home runs and still produce negative offense! If only Bell ran like Jose Ramirez. It will be interesting to see if the Bell experiment on a team built for speed will prove a success. Sportscam Detective is of the opinion the experiment will look good on paper, but not as good in reality. As a base clogger, Josh Bell needs another power hitter hitting behind him to drive him in with all the walks he will get. The only other true power threat appears to be Mike Zuninio, who is just as slow. 

 

I think unless Bell and Zuninio are in tandem one after the other in the line-up, there will be no improvement worthy of the investment put into Bell, the further irony being it will also mean the Guardians will deprive two prospects each of 300 at bats each, finding out.


Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.

Did improved Football Helmet Technology contribute to Damar Hamlin's grave injury?

The goal to make NFL Helmets increasingly stronger may have played a role in the Damar Hamlin's grave injury. Irrespective of what is being said, if Damar Hamlin's type of injury has never come up before covering ten's of thousands of games over the past few decades, then one has to consider what is relatively new over the past few years.

I personally don't think that COVID or the COVID vaccine played a role. So what else is relatively new? Improved helmet technology has been an ongoing quest by NFL. The NFL has even run commercials touting the new and improved helmets. 

A couple years ago I made a series of youtube videos discussing the issue of targeting in the NFL / NCAA....that if helmets keep being made stronger and shock absorbent, it may actually make NFL players feel "safer" using their helmets to make tackles. Ironically, in this instance it was the ball carrier who was able to use their new age helmets to try and break free for a few extra yards, striking Mr. Hamlin in the chest area. Ultimately, making helmets indestructible may encourage football players to lead with their helmets both on offense and defense.

I had suggested making helmets out of some type of collapsible, shock absorption material. The moment of impact between a reinforced helmet and either another reinforced helmet, or a human body, is still a lose, lose scenario. Helmet collapsibility is the key to increased NFL / NCAA football technology safety.

Los Angeles Emmy winning Producer Alessandro Machi combines his editing, camera and observational skills to provide unique insights into the World of Sports.