Cleveland Guardians 2024 Position Review: What Did the Guardians Find Out at Shortstop in 2024?

13 comments

1. Morning all, how many days til pitchers and catchers report?

2. Rochio made 3 huge little league level errors in the ALCS. Was atrocious hitting in the regular season. Terrible base runner. Find better.

3. I like the nickname.. Hope we trade him while the stock is high .

4. Game 5 Rocchio trying for TWO instead of taking the ONE out was little league stuff.

5. As someone who had not seen him play much in the minors, you guys made it sound like Rocchio had a basic "profile" where he didn't do anything particularly well just sort of well rounded.

   It felt like that assessment didn't bear out at all. His power was low, his hitting all around was low, but from the jump it was VERY obvious this guy is a gold glove caliber defensive talent.

6. I was always more of Arias guy and I completely agree that he deserved the same kind of opportunity that Rocchio was given. I also feel like I’m missing something on the defensive analysis because I really thought Rocchio made nearly as many bonehead plays as great ones which equates to average in my book.

7. In the 2 months after he trade of Ahmed Rosario in 2023, Gabe Arias looked TERRIBLE. That is putting it lightly. The last month of the season the guardians were out of it and there wasn't a lot of pressure and he looked miserable.

8. Thank you for the SS conversation this morning. Justin you completely miss the point about Rocchio defensive stats and metrics. This conversation completely blew over the fact that a major league SS ran into his teammates on six different occasions! I have been watching baseball for over 50 years and have never seen that! There are many deficiencies in his game that is not measured by defensive metrics. All you have to do is use your eyes when you watch his play! I played baseball from the age of 9 into college. As a teen I found the Strat-O-Matic baseball game. I have been playing in Strat tournaments since 1991 with other baseball lovers from around the country including official scorers in the AFL and major league baseball players. Arias has been drafted in every tournament (over 100 drafts) this year. I do not believe Rocchio will be drafted in any tournaments next year. THIS Cleveland front office and coaching staff made a HUGE mistake at SS this year and cost them a real chance at a World Series! They should have put Arias at SS and let him play and win gold gloves and be a real offensive threat instead of bouncing him all over the diamond every day and every week. This ranks right there with other huge mistakes like Y. Diaz, Caminario, and the others discussed over the course of this year. WHAT AN A ABSOLUTE WASTE!

9. Man am I missing guard ball right now

10. Don’t forget that Santander and how he blossomed without much of a chance here

11. I would WAY rather a guy be a average at best defender but be a great bat. Ex Jose Ramirez

12. I'm surprised the shortstop issue raised such ire here.

    I think its "grass is always greener" thinking. Arias didn't actually distinguish himself either. The idea that the organization blew it is ludicrous. They made a call in a difficult situation because neither player was making the call obvious, to put it bluntly.

13. Great show gentleman! So Rocchio is the starting shortstop for 2025, but who is backing him up. In the conversation is Schneemann, Freeman (barely played short), Juan Brito, and Arias if they don't trade him. I know Vogt likes Schneemann, but I just don't see enough offense out of him or Freeman. Brito and Arias have more upside, but clearly Arias is out of favor with the organization. Do you give Brito the backup position for 2025 based on his 2024 AAA performance. That seems like a good way to add offensive production to this lineup if his numbers can translate at all to the majors. Sadly I think Brito will sit in AAA and it will be more Schneemann which I think is a missed opportunity.