Tag Archives: Bradley Zimmer

Cleveland defeats Detroit 7-5

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The Cleveland Baseball Club came away with a 7-5 win over the Detroit Tigers after falling behind early.

Finding themselves down 5-2 in the 4th inning, things were not looking great early for the Cleveland Baseball Club. A short outing from Zach Plesac meant the team had to piece together 5 innings of pitching. Plesac allowed five runs on two hits with three walks as his struggles continue. Luckily, Cleveland scored five unanswered runs en route to a 7-5 victory.

The comeback started in the 4th with Oscar Mercado reaching on a walk. A throwing error from Tigers shortstop Zach Short resulted in Mercado on third and Owen Miller on second. Andres Gimenez would hit a sacrifice fly to bring Cleveland within two. A RBI single from Austin Hedges would make it a 5-4 game in the very next at-bat. Ernie Clement would follow with a RBI double, tying the game at 5.

In the 7th is when Cleveland would take the lead for good. Myles Straw reached on an infield single. Bradley Zimmer would step to the plate and crush a big fly to the right field stands, giving Cleveland a 7-5 lead.

James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase would lock down the 8th and 9th innings as Cleveland came away with a series and season win over the Tigers.

Cleveland will take on the Cincinnati Reds Monday in a makeup game from earlier this season. Afterwards the Oakland Athletics come to town for a three game series.

Mejia ineffective as Cleveland loses 8-6

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The Cleveland Baseball Club was put behind the eight ball as they dug a hole they couldn’t get out of.

An ineffective start from JC Mejia essentially decided the game in the 1st inning Wednesday night. The Cleveland starter surrendered four runs in the 1st inning, another in the 2nd, and three more were charged to Mejia in the 3rd. Two of the runs that came across in the 3rd inning were after Mejia exited. In total, Mejia lasted just 2.1 innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits and four walks. This was the second straight start that a Cleveland starter failed to record a strikeout.

Cleveland attempted an ambitious comeback late in the game, scoring four runs in the 8th and another two in the 9th, but it was not quite enough as they lost by a score of 8-6.

Four straight hits in the 8th got Cleveland on the board. It was a bases loaded three RBI double from Owen Miller which gave Cleveland some faint signs of hope. Austin Hedges would follow up with a single of his own, allowing Miller to advance to third. Bradley Zimmer would promptly drive in Miller with a sacrifice fly.

In the 9th it was solo home runs from Jose Ramirez and Oscar Mercado which brought Cleveland within two, but that was as close as the would get as the final out was recorded shortly afterward.

How should Cleveland approach the deadline?

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With the trade deadline rapidly approaching and the Cleveland Baseball Club pretty far out from contention, how should they handle the next few days?

At this current moment in time the Cleveland Baseball Club is nearly 10 games back of the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox and there are three teams in between ahead of them in the race for the second Wild Card. Considering their current spot in the standings and the fact they are still missing the majority of their pitching staff, it is time to consider selling at the trade deadline. Cleveland needs to reset their roster, get some answers on their younger players, and get ready for next season.

As far as trade candidates go, anyone not named Shane Bieber should be discussed. That does mean that exploring a trade involving Jose Ramirez should be on the table, but considering the high price they will be asking for it is unlikely to happen. However, if a team is desperate enough and offers a king’s ransom for Ramirez, those expirations better turn into serious considerations.

Another player that should fall into this category is James Karinchak. Cleveland has no reason to trade Karinchak, but if a team is looking to solidify their bullpen and offers a worthwhile package, they would be fools not to consider. Add in the fact of the volatility with relievers in general and the fact the team add more talent into their system, it is not out of the realm of possibilities.

Players that could/should be moved

Finally, the section everyone has been waiting for. Who could the team actually move? For starters Cesar Hernandez seems like a no-brainer. Hernandez has a team-option for next season and currently has a career-high 17 home runs on the year. Any contender would love to add someone who can hit from both sides of the plate and extend their lineup just a bit more.

If any team actually comes to the table and offers anything for Eddie Rosario they should take it. Rosario has been a disappointment in Cleveland this season and if they can flip him or anything they should take advantage of that opportunity.

Bryan Shaw is another name that could be on the move. Contenders are always looking for relief help and Shaw is in the middle of a renaissance season after three unsuccessful seasons elsewhere. Shaw’s 2021 ERA of 2.84 is the best since the 2014 season while his 1.331 WHIP has not been bested since his last season in Cleveland (1.213 in 2017).

Bargain options for contenders

Much like what their approach to Eddie Rosario should be, they should apply that same logic to Bradley Zimmer. If a team is looking for someone to be a pinch runner late in games, Zimmer is their guy. From Cleveland’s perspective they need to clear some room in the outfield to get better looks at other options in their system.

Blake Parker is another relief arm that could be on the move. Parker has been steady in his limited role this season (2.70 ERA and 1.260 WHIP in 16.2 innings). Even if Parker is a moderate upgrade over lower end relievers, teams should be interested in some capacity.

The catchers

Cleveland should explore trading one of their catchers. Roberto Perez is making $5.5 million this season with a team option worth $7 million for next year while Austin Hedges is making just under $3.3 million and is entering his final year of arbitration next season. Considering the offensive limitations of both players and the dollar figures the team is spending in this area, moving one of these salaries prior to the deadline should be considered. Hedges has four home runs and 14 RBI in 49 games with a .159/.204/.245 slash line while Perez has six home runs and 15 RBI in 30 games with an uninspiring .153/.272/.357 slash line. To be blunt, the catcher position has been a black hole this season and that is being nice. Moving on and trying to find someone else to man the position beyond this season should be an option for the front office.

Zimmer, Johnson homer in 4-2 win over A’s

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The Cleveland Baseball Club got homers from both Bradley Zimmer and Daniel Johnson in their 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics.

After bouncing back and defeating the Oakland Athletics Saturday, the Cleveland Baseball Club had the chance to win the series on Sunday and they took advantage of it. Bradley Zimmer got things started for Cleveland by launching the first pitch of the game into the stands for a home run.

Zimmer would finish the game 3-5 with three runs driven in. The 28-year old outfielder has been a nice little streak as of late with eight hits in his last six games. Zimmer is slashing .381/.435/.667 with a 1.101 OPS including two home runs and six RBI.

Bradley Zimmer was not the only Cleveland outfielder to display some power as Daniel Johnson hit his first major league home run Sunday.

Johnson went 3-6 at the plate in the past two games in Oakland, scoring three runs along the way.

In addition to the more than welcome offensive production, Cleveland got a good start from Zach Plesac. Plesac allowed just two runs on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 6 innings. Oakland’s first run scored on a throwing error from Ernie Clement while a solo home run from Seth Brown was the second run to come across during his start.

Nick Wittgren, Phil Maton, and Bryan Shaw handled the final three innings, keeping Oakland off the base paths during that time. Shaw handled the 9th and secured his second save of the season.

With the win Cleveland remains 8 games back of the Chicago White Sox in the division. By taking two of three from Oakland they now trail by just 3.5 games in the Wild Card race. Cleveland begins a crucial three games series in Houston against the Astros on Monday.

Clase blows save as Cleveland loses 5-4

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Emmanuel Clase gave up a walk-off two-run homer to Jed Lowrie as the Cleveland Baseball Club lost by a score of 5-4 in Oakland.

Not a great start to the second half of the season for Emmanuel Clase. The Cleveland Baseball Club reliever came on in the 9th to close the game and promptly allowed the game-tying run to reach four pitches in. After inducing a line out to potentially set up a game-ending double-play, Jed Lowrie came to the plate and hit a walk-off two-run home run to hand Cleveland the loss. It was the fourth blown save of the season for Clase as he only threw a total of eight pitches in this outing.

Cleveland was in a position to win due to a competent start from Eli Morgan and some timely home runs from surprising sources. Morgan would allow three runs on seven hits while striking out six and walking one in his 5 innings of work. Phil Maton, Bryan Shaw, and James Karinchak would all keep the Athletics off the scoreboard for the following three innings before Clase’s less than stellar performance.

Half of the runs for Cleveland came on solo home runs from Roberto Perez, his sixth of the season, and Bradley Zimmer with his first of the year. The other two runs came on a Franmil Reyes RBI single and a sacrifice fly from Harold Ramirez.

With the loss Cleveland is still 8 game back of the division leading Chicago White Sox while the gap between themselves and Oakland grew to 5.5 games. Decision time is rapidly approaching for the Cleveland Baseball Club with a minor selloff the most likely scenario.

Cleveland uses five run 4th to defeat Orioles 7-2

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The Cleveland baseball Club used a five run 4th inning to propel themselves to victory.

There’s something special about one of those innings when a team looks unstoppable for a brief moment. That is exactly what happened for the Cleveland Baseball Club Tuesday night when facing Orioles starter Matt Harvey. Entering the bottom of the 4th with the game tied at one, Cleveland rallied and scored five runs in the inning to send Harvey to an early shower. This was more than enough for Cleveland to put the game away, claiming the second win in a row over Baltimore, a team that has now lost 17 straight road games.

It was RBI hits from Ernie Clement, his first major league hit, Bradley Zimmer, Amed Rosario, and Eddie Rosario which led to the runs being scored in the decisive 4th inning. Somehow, someway, this team is managing to score runs and continues to win games.

There were also two runs driven in other innings in the contest, both by Bobby Bradley. It was a RBI single in the first and a solo homer in the 7th. Since being called up Bradley has been on absolute tear and has been a welcome addition to the Cleveland lineup.

Pitching wise it was a pieced together effort from multiple arms. Cal Quantrill handled the first 4 innings, allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts. Blake Parker took the 5th inning and was the only other Cleveland pitcher to allow a run. Phil Maton pitched the 6th and was the final pitcher to allow a hit. Nick Wittgren manned the 7th and was the only pitcher to issue a walk in the contest. James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase did their usual things in the 8th and 9th by keeping Baltimore off the base-paths and striking out four batters combined.

Examining the Cleveland Baseball Club outfield

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Coming out of the 2020 season there was two, possibly three outfielders that could be penciled into the starting lineup for the Cleveland Baseball Club on a regular basis. Those three were Franmil Reyes, Josh Naylor, and Oscar Mercado. Now that the team has gone out and signed Eddie Rosario that number increases by one more and a little bit more clarity comes to that group. In Cleveland’s group of outfielders there are some players who will get significant at-bats and others who will see play time sparingly if at all. Before we get into some of those players, there is an issue that must be discussed.

Musical chairs at three positions

Exactly which position some of these options play will give a better perspective into how the Cleveland outfield will be constructed. While all names that will be mentioned can play the outfield, there are other positions that they have the ability to play.

First base is a position that can be manned by two players, the aforementioned Josh Naylor and Jake Bauers. If either player can fill that position, it provides an opportunity for the other in the outfield, although there is a better chance for Naylor to stick in the outfield than Bauers.

Last season there was a plan to try and get Franmil Reyes more time in the outfield. For a variety of reasons that did not come to pass and Reyes saw his playing time almost exclusively at DH. If Reyes does find his way into the Cleveland outfield this season it will impact the playing time of a non-outfielder, that person being Bobby Bradley. Reyes in the outfield clears a path for Bradley to get regular playing time at the major league level. If not, Bradley will have to fight for the first base position with Bauers and Naylor or even spend more time at AAA. This should go without saying but Reyes and Rosario in the corner outfield spots are not defensive wizards so that could come into play in regards to whether or not Reyes is an option in the field.

The last chance duo

There are two players on the roster who may not be long for Cleveland if they do not find a way into the lineup, the previously mentioned Jake Bauers and Bradley Zimmer. Bauers is someone who has options at first base if outfield is not an option, but Zimmer is purely an outfielder. The issue with Zimmer has been injuries and a subpar performance at the plate. Even with the reconstructed swing Zimmer is not all that inspiring when he steps into the batters box. If Cleveland determines that they are not in need of their services, and that seems very possible, that they may have to try and catch on with another club.

The part-timer

Here is what we know about Jordan Luplow, he can mash left handed pitching and struggles against righties. Luplow is a left handed pitching hitting specialist for Cleveland and his career splits show that. Against lefties Luplow slashes .275/.379/.603/.982 while against righties it is /.193/.274/.316/.589. 18 of Luplow’s 23 career home runs have come against lefties and 15 of 24 doubles. It is pretty clear that Luplow should only see playing time against left handing pitching.

The unknown and the best combination for Cleveland

There is one player that fans have been screaming to get a legitimate chance in the Cleveland outfield, Daniel Johnson. Johnson only has 13 plate appearances at the major league level and definitely deserves a real opportunity. Johnson has always been blocked one way or another in the outfield and has not really had a chance to make an impact. Now there is a path, but it is consists of a very specific combination. This path exists only if Reyes is the DH, Naylor is at first, Rosario in left, and Mercado in center with everyone else not being a real option.

Of all the combinations for Cleveland this one actually makes the most sense. Naylor fills the hole at first base, Rosario plays his familiar left field, Mercado patrols center, and Reyes can concentrate on hitting and can settle in to what his probably his future permanent position. If the construction of the roster ends up this way it should give them the best combination of all their pieces. This version of the Cleveland outfield seems to be the most stable and could provide the most offensive production for a group that has been lackluster for quite some time.

Cleveland Baseball Club add players to roster

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The Cleveland Baseball Club have made some decisions regarding who will and who will not make their roster to begin the 2020 MLB season.

After optioning three players (and one more Hunter Wood), the Cleveland Baseball Club have made some additions to their roster for Opening Day. Ryan Lewis reports that the team has informed some previously on the bubble players that they have made the team.

Names of note here are James Karinchak, Mike Freeman, Yu Chang, Domingo Santana, and Bradley Zimmer.

James Karinchak can be described by one word. Electric. Karinchak has absolutely filthy stuff and can be an integral part of the Cleveland bullpen.

Bradley Zimmer has been on fire and has earned a spot on the team. Perhaps Zimmer is able to take advantage of this opportunity and stake a claim to being a starter.

Yu Chang is another player who has been impressive during Summer Camp and has earned the chance to prove himself when games matter. The question in regards to him is whether or not he can do the same against pitchers who aren’t in Cleveland.

Mike Freeman making the team is hardly a surprise. With Jake Bauers being optioned the team needed someone who can play first base when Carlos Santana gets a day off (or is a DH).

Domingo Santana also falls into the category or not surprising. Cleveland is looking for the other Santana on their roster to make an impact in their outfield. Cleveland seems to be using a committee type approach when it comes to this group and is hoping one of their other guys can take that extra step and take on a full time role. Although it is worth mentioning that Santana’s playing time may be impacted on Franmil Reyes’ ability to play in the field, a prospect which doesn’t seem all that likely at this point in time.

Bradley Zimmer is staking his claim for playing time

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Cleveland Baseball Club outfielder Bradley Zimmer is making the most of what may have been his last chance to make an impact in Cleveland.

This season was going to be make or break year for Bradley Zimmer in Cleveland. Zimmer has only appeared in 43 games over the past two seasons and Cleveland has added several outfielders into the mix which could have been the end of his time with the club. A resurgent Zimmer with his new batting stance and a productive summer camp has perhaps given him a second chance.

Bradley Zimmer went 2-3 in Monday’s exhibition with Pittsburgh which saw Cleveland win by a score of 11-7. Zimmer drove in a run during the 4th inning after doubling and scoring earlier in the game.

It is worth mentioning that this is not a one off performance from Zimmer. The former first round selection has been on a power tear during this restart, blasting two home runs in a scrimmage just. a few days ago.

There is one more exhibition game between Cleveland and Pittsburgh before the season starts and Bradley Zimmer has definitely earned some playing time. Exactly how much that is the mystery. If Zimmer can keep up the production at the plate, he could play a prominent role this season. The key for Zimmer will be to avoid a slump and this goes without saying, the injury bug. If that happens it could be quite the comeback story for Bradley Zimmer in Cleveland.

Indians option four more to Triple-A

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The Cleveland Indians have optioned outfielder Bradley Zimmer and pitchers Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, and James Karinchak to Triple-A Columbus.

The Indians have made their second wave of options (the first wave coming earlier in March). Cleveland optioned multiple players who many expected to be on the Opening Day roster. Bradley Zimmer, Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, and James Karinchak will all begin the 2020 season (whenever that is) in Columbus.

Bradley Zimmer really didn’t have much of a chance

The news of Bradley Zimmer being sent down is not unexpected. Cleveland’s outfield was crowded to begin with and a player who has barely played the past two seasons was going to be hard-pressed to make the team. The team obviously just wants Zimmer to get more reps in the minors before giving him a chance at the Major League level.

Rotation and bullpen arms being sent down is interesting

The pitchers the Indians are sending down are a bit of a surprise. Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac may have very well made the Opening Day roster had the season began on time. With the delay and other pitchers more than likely being able to return from injury for the late start to the season, Cleveland felt it was better to send them down to Columbus for the time being.

The electric Jame Karinchak starting in Columbus is a bit of a kick in the teeth. Cleveland’s bullpen is relatively unexciting and mostly are able to get by with average stuff. Karinchak would have been arm that opposing batters would fear coming out of the bullpen as he can strike anyone out with relative ease. Karinchak’s only issue is command which may be why the Indians are having him start in Columbus, although he could have been a difference maker for this Cleveland bullpen from the start of the year.

Indians rotation appears to be back to normal

The Tribe’s top four arms in rotation appear to be what many expected. Mike Clevinger, Shane Bieber, Carlos Carrasco, and Adam Plukto. Plutko being in the rotation appears to be more of a formality than anything. The 28-year old is out of options and did have a few stretches where he appeared competent. Although, there were some blowups in between which are concerning. Cleveland is essentially going to give him the opportunity to pitch until he forces their hand to with someone else.

At some point the three pitchers should be up in the Majors this season. Zimmer may make an appearance if he is raking in the minors or the outfielders on the big league roster are struggling. Cleveland just appears to be exploring any and all avenues to be flexible in what could be a trying season.