Munch Musings from E. 53rd Street and Hamm Avenue Guards Edition

I cannot gloss over that when I went to sleep last night the ROYALS and GUARDIANS were tied for first place with KC actually in front with the same record due to the tie breaker. Indeed, the GUARDS have been in first solo since April 14th! C’MON FELLAS, IF THIS DOES NOT WAKE YOU UP THEN I AM NOT SURE WHAT WILL! This team is capable of reeling off 6-8 wins in a row and going 8-2 in the next ten!!

At this time Monday was more than jacked to see the Cleveland Guardians in action! Who does not treasure the saying “It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame, let’s play two” and that is exactly what the Guards did and sadly lost two. In the first game the good guys fell 4-3. One of their “stud go to guys” Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead HR off of Hunter Gaddis to seal the deal for the KC boys. No crime giving one up to a true star in the game today. Their other “big gun” Salvador Perez went 3-4 and MJ Melendez was the complimentary piece with a 3 run shot. This was a bullpen game and Nick Sandlin gave the team 2 good innings. Eli Morgan followed and also gave the team 2 good innings so what is the problem? Eli was sent out to pitch a 3rd inning and that was not a prudent decision. Yup Tyler Freeman, a SS by trade, dropped a ball in short LF that it appeared Jose called for or even Kwan coming in should have a better shot. instead of shaking off that miscue Morgan gave up a single then a HR to .211 hitting Melendez. Sheesh. That’s all she wrote.

In the nightcap the Guards got drubbed 9-4 as Perez (He is certain to be a Hall of Famer. I have him as a first ballot guy.) drove in 6 runs including a grand slam. BTW Cleveland had a 3-0 lead after 1 inning of play. They do not know how to put a pitcher away as the Royals’ Marsh was clearly on the ropes. Logan Allen again was awful going 5 innings and giving up 8 hits, 5 runs (all earned) with 4 walks and 1 K! WALKS! CARL WILLIS, walks have plagued this staff all year and it is getting worse. PLEASE correct this! As long as I am mentioning coaches CHRIS VALAIKA (hitting coach) needs to be called to task also as too many players are swinging at ball 4 to make it strike 3 and these balls are low, outside in the dirt or almost hitting the batter on the foot!

Tuesday night’s rain delay was not a friend to either team as the Royals won again 6-1. The culprit this time was the one and only Scott Barlow. (Dang, he does not deserve to have long hair! It meant something at one time!) Williams gave up a gopher ball to DeJong in the 2nd but still pitched a decent game. The line on Barlow reads like a horror movie as does the sequence of batters:

Walk, HBP, single, Wild Pitch, K then single and just like that 3 runs crossed the plate. Barlow tossed .1 of an inning giving up 2 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk and 1 strike out. Yup he hit a guy and threw a WP. You know this game should not have been over but when KC’s stars (Witt Jr, Perez) are going 3-9 the Guards 1-4 batters were 0-19 with one walk! This group includes 3 All Stars. C’mon fellas!

Now it’s time for a message to our Skipper. STOP THE JUGGLING. PLAY YOUR BEST PLAYERS! Noel and Fry must be in the lineup every day. Freeman or Thomas (and yes, he is killing us with his bat and glove) MUST BE IN CF and Rocchio, as painful as his bat has been, .206, OUCH!) needs to play SS every day.

Proclamation for the GUARDS: WIN TODAY, 1:10p and yes, I am excited as it is always a beautiful day for a ballgame. WIN TODAY and you are back in first! BIBEE…you are the ACE of this staff. WIN! Pitch like the season depends on it and the ALL STARS…PLAY LIKE ALL STARS! LET’S GO Cleveland Guardians!

Read more my musings and thoughts plus “All Good” narratives at www.neosportsinsiders.com and yes indeed #MunchOnSports is powered by Ganley Chevy Of Aurora & the Ken Ganley Automotive Group.

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Please take care of each other and it’s your world, pay attention. Always enjoy every sandwich and for now ADIOS AMIGO, long may you run.