Spring Training Game From Monday

 As my previous post indicated, my viewing of ST games is currently on the IL until MLB lets us all know how they are going to provide us with Guardians' baseball this year.

That being said, I can't look at the players live and give my impressions. So here is my impression from long distance.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

Roman Quinn  - 3 HRs in 5 ABs.  I love it when a guy like Quinn gets to shine. Still, the guy has had 6 ML seasons to become a productive major leaguer and he hasn't made it.  While his performance is good he is clearly a fungible asset and I will be saying this over and over again for the rest of ST: Unless we have a long-term injury to one of our OFers we cannot afford the luxury of carrying a guy like Quinn.  We have speeds.  We have good defense in the OF.  We have Arias to play LF in a crunch so we have 5 outfielders.  This 40-man roster is so packed right now we just can't add a feel-good story just because he might be able to pinch run us into a victory once in a while, and ESPECIALLY when he would likely cost us a true prospect because we would have to DFA someone to make this work.

Shane Bieber - Solid two innings although I didn't see it.  Still, he is the first starter who did what he should have done in his first outing.  That, at least, limits the antacids I need to take.

Gabriel Arias - The one thing was could he hit for average.  He has shown some promise early on that he has learned that he was to take what the game gives him.   It is very promising for a second year player to come to that realization.

DUD OF THE GAME

Eli Morgan - Like his ML bullpen and starting rotation predecessors, he had a bad first outing.  But it's early so let's not go all Chicken Little here.  Still, he sucked although a guy like Morgan has to be really in mid-season form to be effective.  He will likely NEVER be good at the beginning of spring training.

OTHER PLAYERS

David Fry - Fry is the NRI who, in my opinion, has the best chance to break through and make this team.  He has experience at C, 1B, 3B, LF and RF in the minors and has even played a game at SS.  He is a right-handed bat and the type of minor league veteran who still has upside.  If you think he can be your backup catcher then, yes, I carry him in a heartbeat.  If not, I just don't see how he fits on this roster when he is only a phone call away at Columbus if we truly need him.  Still, he continues to do the little things (yesterday a walk and a SF) that could help this team.  

Micah Pries - Double, triple and HR in his first 5 ABs.  He will be going down to Columbus to start the season but every day he is showing that he will be coming back at some point and might be staying in Cleveland for a long, productive time.

Will Brennan - He needs to continue to be productive, chipping away, putting up good numbers, doing the little things.  He has this team made but he needs to use this spring to put himself in a situation where he is uber-ready if his name is called.  So far, so good with a hit, an RBI and 2 runs scored yesterday.

Konnoe Pilkington - Typical outing.  Get in trouble, get out of trouble.  Leave with a decent line.  

Without seeing the game I can't comment on the nuance of the performances of guys like Freeman, Brito, Martinez, Lavastida, Zunino, Naylor, Kwan, Tena or our NRI relief pitchers looked or how our minor leaguers looked at garbage time.  Disappointing that I can't see these guys play right now but I will piece together what I can going forward.