Podcast – Matt Underwood – TV Voice of the @CleGuardians on the Kenny & JT Show / @mattu12cle

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What's up, dog?

Hi, Kenny.

How are you, man?

We're great, man.

Better now that A, you're here in baseball starts tomorrow night, Matt, right?

Yeah, we're, I mean, I think everybody around the club is super excited, long, long spring

training and hotter than normal.

Don't normally see triple digits in Arizona and on the march, but man, it was scorching

hot.

Quite a change in the weather, it's about 50, maybe 50 degrees here in Seattle.

And we're excited, I mean, I think, I think anytime you start the season, there's obviously

the optimism, there's the excitement, the energy, but you know, this club has got its

work cut out for because the first month of the season is an absolute meat grinder, starting

with four here in Seattle.

This team has loaded for bare the high expectations through the roof here in Seattle, but this is

the Guardian team that has high expectations internally themselves.

So it's going to be a lot of funding right out of the gate.

Matt, we had a blast last season hanging out with you guys and you guys always roll out

the red carpet.

You, Rick Andre, we have a blast at the games.

I want to start right here, though, because everybody's high on baseball because of the

world baseball classic.

How did you watch it?

How did our Guardians do for other teams because they didn't play for Team USA?

Yeah, I mean, look, to be brutally honest, is WBC is not something that I really

really paid a lot of attention to.

You know, I kind of followed it casually, I watched a little bits and pieces here and

there, but you know, my focus is more on what's going on in Guardians camp.

I think it was awesome that it generated the kind of excitement it did.

Obviously, when you got down to the end, the games were thrilling.

There was a lot of drama and a lot of excitement.

I think that's awesome for the sport.

Anything that generates eyeballs and gets people talking about it is good for the sport.

I just don't think it's the perfect set up because, you know, it is spring training.

Not everybody's fully amped up and ready to go, but I don't know that we'll ever find

a perfect scenario.

You know, it's not like hockey where you can shut the game down for a couple of weeks

in the middle of the season, you know, football scrapped the pro ball because it was such

a disaster.

Right.

You know, the NBA, it's just, you know, the best players just roll the balls out and it's

almost like just watching a pickup game.

So it was really cool.

I think the way they pulled it off, but I don't know that we'll ever get to a perfect

set up for the WBC.

All right.

Let's talk some guards then since you've spent most of your time keeping an eye on those

guys, we see the opening day roster, Matt, any surprises in your opinion on the opening

day roster, either pitchers or position players?

Not really.

I think the only mild surprise was that Logan Allen did not make the final cut that he's

going to start with the, you know, with the Triple A ball club.

I think we all know that it's rare.

It's more rare than a perfect game that you get through a season with just five starting

pitchers.

They're going to need Logan Allen at some point.

But I think Parker Messex light out earned that last spot in the rotation.

He was great last year when he got the call up.

He was really good and efficient during his spring training starts and outings and, you

know, he's, he may be a young pitcher, but he's got that poise.

He's got a determination and a work ethic that is right up there with the big boys

and the veterans.

So I think, I think I'm excited for Parker, but I do know that at some point there, they're

going to call on Logan Allen.

He'll be needed and I know he'll be ready to go.

Matt, what about the back end and how did you feel that Kate Smith was thrown into the

Closer's role last year after the Emanuel Klaus A deal went south?

I mean, is he ready to assume Closer role because it was kind of unfair to put him in

that situation last year?

He was such a great setup guy.

Yeah, the one thing about Kate Smith is that he doesn't blink.

He's one of those guys that, you know, if you were, if you were going around and you were

going to make up your team, you want Kate Smith on your team.

Regardless of what role it is, you want him on your team because of the person he is.

You know, he is very stoic, but he is very competitive.

You know, he's a very deeply faith-based individual and that's why even though he may have a bump

in the road here or there, it doesn't, it doesn't carry over because Kate understands

this is his job.

This is something he loves to do, but it's not the end of the world if he loses a ball

game.

And that's why he's able to flush it, come back the next day and be ready to roll.

No hitter enjoys going up the face, Kate Smith, I can tell you that.

And I think that the key will be getting the ball to him in the ninth inning.

We're going to start the year without Hunter Gattis.

He's on the injured list with an elbow issue or a forearm strain.

I think there's concern there, but it sounds like he should be back within a few weeks and

that's certainly good news, but they have quality arms.

The one thing this organization does year in and year out is they turn over quality arms.

We've got some young guys, you know, Peyton Palette was a rule five guy.

We're going to get a look at him in the bullpen, Colin Holderman, this is a new guy, Connor

Brogdon is new, but I think they have quality arms.

They'll find a way to get the ball to Kate Smith in the ninth inning when they have the

lead.

Matt Underwood, our guest TV voice of your Cleveland Guardians, Matt, where's the offense

going to come from because they did absolutely nothing other than a late signing of Reese

Hoskins to add a bat to this offense that finished, you know, depending on what stats you look

at 27, 28, 29 or 30 in offensive statistics.

I think the early returns in terms of what we saw on spring training are positive with

regards to what this offense could possibly look like.

And you know, that late signing that didn't probably register on anybody's radar of Reese

Hoskins could be an absolute steal when it's all said and done because he's only 32 years

old.

You know, historically, we've seen the Jason Gianbys get signed at the end of their career.

Just like Trot Nixon, Mike Zanino, even last year with Carlos Santana, you know, those

guys are kind of on the other side of the prime years of their career, whereas Reese Hoskins,

you know, he's coming off a year where, you know, he got up to a great start last year

with Milwaukee.

He was tearing it up through the first couple of months and he suffered the thumb injury,

kind of derailed the rest of the season.

So he's got a lot to prove because at 32, he has a big year and he's going to basically

prove to every other team in baseball that he's still got a lot in the tank.

So I think putting him in the middle of this lineup, the right handed veteran bat that

they've been dying for, that could be a huge piece because it protects Jose Ramirez.

You're not going to put a lot of pressure on the young guys and I think chased a lot

or is just primed to have the kind of year that people have been waiting and waiting and

waiting for.

You know, he's had some injury issues, but right now he's healthy, he needs a guy can play

baseball.

He's big, he's physically fast, he's got power, he's got a short contact swing and

we saw the ball just explode off his bat all spring long.

So I'm excited for him to get his opportunity.

You know, he made his debut as a big lawyer in the post season last year and that's not

easy to do.

And so now, you know, he gets a chance to start the season with the big league club from

game one and we'll see what he's got to, what he can do.

By play man, Matt Underwood joining us now in the Kenny and JT show and Matt, I'm looking

at the outfielders.

They released the roster yesterday.

Stephen Quant chased a lotter on Hell Martinez and CJ KFES, other than Martinez who I believe

as a switch hitter, they're all left-handed hitters.

Any, any worries there or is this kind of like basketball where we're positionless anymore?

Do we care about righty lefty?

You know, there, there may be some, some days where you're facing a tough left hander

where it might, it might not be to your advantage.

But at the same time, you know, I think the one thing that Stephen vote does and he did

last year and the year before is if you're on the roster, you're going to play.

And so he will find ways to get people opportunities.

Yeah, it's, it's not ideal that they're so left-handed heavy in the outfield, but, you

know, look, that's the, that's kind of the makeup of the organization.

You know, there just, there haven't been a lot of right-handed bats that have come through

that have really progressed to the big league level of late.

You know, Jonathan Rodriguez was a guy.

I think they were counting on, you know, they, they watched him progress.

He won the MVP in the international league at AAA, but never really got his footing going

here at the big league level.

He was released to, to get Reese Hoskins on the roster yesterday, so that kind of tells

you he just wasn't able to cut the mustard now.

Going forward, I don't know how this is going to play out, but, you know, that's

the roster right now.

Yeah.

And I think that it's a team that finds ways to win, you know, if, if it's, if it's not

the ideal lineup, you know, in terms of left to right, the, you know, guys like Jose Ramirez

get on base, steal a base, they'll find ways to, to generate offense.

I mean, they beat Terrick Scoobal last year, you know, and the Tigers even, I mean, is

there a better left-hander and baseball than Scoobal, tough, tough to find one?

So, um, yeah, it's not perfect.

Matt, what's out about that?

What about Stephen Kwan?

Was it an experiment?

I didn't see hardly any videos or anything.

Is he your center field or is he going back to left?

He's going to play a lot of center field.

I don't know that he's going to be out there every single day, but Stephen Kwan went to

Stephen vote early in spring training and said, look, if you need me to play center field

if on a given day, that gives us the best opportunity to win because you can get some

other guys.

Look, he was looking at the composition of the roster in spring training and he realized

we don't really have a true center field or, you know, we've got a lot of corner guys

and he knows he can play that position.

So it was his idea and it's really awesome because Stephen Vogue was just thrilled.

Like when you've got four gold gloves, four consecutive gold gloves in left field and

you're offering to change position, not many guys I don't think would offer to do that,

but that's Stephen Kwan.

He wants to win and if that gives him the best chance with him in center field, then he's

willing to do that.

All right.

Help me out here, Matt.

I was trying to put together what I think will be not the every day starting lineup,

but most of the time, right?

I've got Kwan leading off in either left or center.

I've got Ramirez batting third at third base.

Kyle Manzarno as a DH or first baseman, hitting fourth.

Help me out after that or is it going to change on a daily basis?

Yeah.

Look, if I've got a parent Stephen Vogue here as a cop out, I will.

He makes out the lineup to beat the starting pitcher on that given day.

You know, if you watched him last year, that lineup definitely fluctuated.

I think if you were, you know, this is the 1995 Indians, you're not playing that game.

You're rolling out the lineup.

This is the lineup.

Good luck trying to beat it, but this is not the 95 Indians.

I think you're going to see Jose in the three hole and you're going to see a lot of

Reese Hoskins batting clean up.

I would not be shocked if it's Kwan, Delater, Ramirez, Hoskins.

And then, you know, kind of based on who the starting pitcher is, you rounded out from

there.

But I got a feeling that's a pretty good top four.

But here again, just, you know, temper your enthusiasm just a little bit with chased

a lot because they want to keep him healthy and because he hasn't played, but 138 games

in three seasons combined in the minor leagues.

They're not just going to run him out there every single day.

They're going to be cautious with him and try to make sure that he stays upright throughout

the entire season.

But I really like the way he slotted into that lineup up top.

But I think on how Martinez could be in the two hole and you maybe, you see Delater

drop down to the fifth or sixth.

I think there are a lot of different ways to go about it.

But I think the one thing you, you look at with Kyle Manzardo, what he did last year,

productivity wise, you want to make sure that he's in a position offensively to thrive

again.

So, you know, he could be the five hitter, you know, especially if he's sitting behind

Reese Hoskins.

And so I think whatever, whatever the lineup is created, the bottom part of the lineup

is going to now be stronger.

Whereas, look, the last couple of years, once you've got pass posed in in the four hitter,

it was like, man, good luck.

I hope somebody just runs into one.

Whereas now, I think that lineup just got a little bit longer.

All right.

When do we expect maybe Travis Bazonah to be called up because Nick Kurtz, same draft,

rookie of the year last year, JJ Weatherholz saw he made the opening day roster.

Connor Griffin, don't know if he made it for the buckles, but they're expecting him maybe

to be up at some point.

Jack Caglioni from Kansas City, same draft, he made the opening day roster.

When are we expecting maybe Travis Bazonah to be in the Bigs with the Gertz?

Well, I think Bazonah showed a lot in spring training.

He went through some adversity last year, which probably hadn't gone through a lot of

adversity prior to that because he was a great player in college.

He's gone.

He's kind of, I wouldn't say he's breathed, but he's pretty much breathed his way through

the minor leagues to this point.

Right.

I think the ball's in his court.

The one thing this organization has done is if you, if you play well, they find the

opportunity for you.

I don't think they're going to block his pathway.

I think the one thing Bazonah does is he sends a message to the other guys on this roster,

notably, Roqueo, Aryus, hey, the clock's ticking on you guys.

This is your opportunity.

They're giving you this opportunity.

You better run with it because Travis, Bazonah, on Hell, Hennell, there are some guys that

are, you know, Juan Brito, they're not going on the door too.

So I think that's a good thing.

This organization in terms of position players and depth is probably in as good a position

it has been in well over a decade.

Speaking of positions, I think the only position we have not talked about is catcher for

the Cleveland Guardians.

Matt Underwood, Bo Naylor looked good in the WBC.

I mean, he was smacking the ball out of the stadium and we've been waiting for this.

Hopefully it catches on.

How is David Frye and is he fully recovered from Tommy John because we saw that Austin

Hedges got hit by a pitch the other day.

Was he day to day?

Yeah, Hedges, I think he's fine.

I don't think it's a big issue, but, you know, David Frye, they're going to find ways to

get him in the lineup, whether it's D.H.ing, whether it's, you know, as the third catcher,

that's a right handed bat, right?

We're talking about left handed heavy this team is.

He's a right handed bat that is going to get his opportunities, whether it's behind

the plate, whether it is D.H.ing, you know, and he can also play some other positions

on the diamond.

So, David will get his opportunities, but you mentioned Bo Naylor, I think this is going

to be a breakout year for Bo.

You know, he got rid of the highlight kick.

He's gone to a toe tap and it's got him on time.

And I think that's going to be a big key for him offensively.

He's made huge strides defensively.

I mean, we know he can, he can call a game well.

He can block.

He takes care of the pitching staff, but I think offensively, this is an opportunity

for Bo to, again, we're talking about lengthening the lineup.

Right?

If Bo Naylor steps out and does more offensively than what we've seen in previous years, then

again, that makes this lineup more formidable and a little deeper and should be more productive

that way too.

All right.

Last thing, Matt.

We'll let you go.

We appreciate the time, Matt, under what joining us here on the Kenny and JT Show, talking

Guardians baseball for people out there that maybe still don't know or haven't figured

it out.

Where can they watch?

How can they watch Guardian's baseball this year?

Well, if you watched it last year, however you watch it, exact same way.

If you're, you know, if you're a cable subscriber, if you're on direct TV, the same channel

you watched it on last year, that school will be dead.

If you're new to the streaming game, you know, CLEGuardians.tv, it's, I think it's 1999

a month, 99 bucks for the whole year and all the games that aren't blacked out.

I shouldn't say aren't blacked out.

All the games that aren't on national TV, we will have.

There are no blackouts anymore.

So that's really positive for fans in the Cleveland market.

So if you're in Cleveland, we want to sign up, CLEGuardians.tv, if you're a streamer,

if you're just a existing cable or satellite on direct TV, same channel as you've watched

in the past.

Sounds great.

Hey, Matt, we appreciate the time.

Thanks so much.

Have a great season.

We'll see you at the ballpark real soon.

All right.

Thanks, Kenny.

JT, you guys have a great day.