Gutz called up
For those of us lamenting the lack of an obvious platoon partner for Trot...
Franklin Gutierrez has been recalled from Buffalo and Mike Koplove has been optioned back to make room for him on the roster.
It does not appear that Koplove had to go through waivers to return to Buffalo, a point that had been briefly mentioned.
Here's the link.
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Re: Gutz called up
by APV on May 31, 2007 2:35 PM EDT 0 recs
Re: Gutz called up
Hopefully they use him in those situations instead of letting Trot or Dellucci face the lefties.
by hans on May 31, 2007 2:37 PM EDT 0 recs
Re: Gutz called up
I probably would have preferred Francisco only because he is older, has proven all that he needs to, and has shown much better plate discipline than Gutierrez. Obvioulsy Gutierrez is the better prospect but he's walking very little. Maybe Shelton can work on him with that? I mean look what he did with Grady, anything's possible.
by Joe. on May 31, 2007 3:06 PM EDT 0 recs
Re: Gutz called up
BTW, Gutz struck out less than half as often as Brad Snyder (20 vs 44) in just about the same numbers of ABs. Snyder's the one whose plate discipline has killed his career.
by kov on
May 31, 2007 3:29 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by Thommy on
May 31, 2007 3:29 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by Brick. on
May 31, 2007 3:32 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by kov on
May 31, 2007 3:47 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
Wedge called him out for it last year (a rare call-out by Wedgie) and Gutierrez showed the same indifference to the comment as he does in the field. He responded with the old, "I don't know what he's talking about...I always play hard."
Whether it's real or perceived laziness, it's maddening to watch him let a ball bounce in the gap, slowly approach it, and take his time getting it in. Even more maddening when you consider the skill set he has in the OF.
by The DiaTriber on
May 31, 2007 3:55 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by Jay on
May 31, 2007 3:56 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
Whether that's due to what just LOOKS like an indifference in the field, an opinion from someone who watched Alex Escobar traipse around RF, or BS is up for debate.
by The DiaTriber on
Jun 1, 2007 3:28 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
Fair enough.
But Escobar was awesome.
by Jay on
Jun 1, 2007 10:24 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by Joe. on
May 31, 2007 4:04 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by afh4 on
May 31, 2007 4:21 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by Joe. on
May 31, 2007 4:30 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by kov on
May 31, 2007 4:41 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by talonk on May 31, 2007 4:24 PM EDT 0 recs
Re: Gutz called up
Koplove's deadline may only have applied to the 40-man roster, but in any event, they called him up, which meets the requirement. Major league contracts aren't allowed to have keep-in-the-majors requirements beyond the standard CBA rules.
by Jay on
May 31, 2007 4:41 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by talonk on
May 31, 2007 4:44 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
- He has 140 more ML at bats than Ben.
- He generally has better splits against lefties.
- He's been playing a lot of RF, which is where he's likely to play in a platoon.
by mcrose on May 31, 2007 4:27 PM EDT 0 recs
Re: Gutz called up
by MTF on
Jun 1, 2007 9:47 AM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
First, the position that needs filled is the one earmarked for Franklin: right-handed right fielder. He's replacing Casey Blake, not de facto reserve outfielder Jason Michaels (who, it can be argued, is getting the shaft on playing time as of yet). If Franklin is up to this job, it's as good a time as any for him to start proving as much.
Second -- and this reasoning may also apply to Stanford -- Francisco has trade-bait written all over him. In view of the fact that he's having a solid year, it would be bad form to promote him and have his tradeability suffer in the event that he fails to adjust to major-league pitching. I realize other FOs are capable of calculating MLE's and are unlikely to be swayed by a 30 AB big-league sample size, but I still Buffalo is the safer place to maintain Ben's value. Insofar as Franklin doesn't seem to be on the block, you may as well keep breaking him in.
Moreover, if we do need Ben later this year, it would be great for his confidence to know that he has absolutely nothing left to prove in AAA, wouldn't it?
by fleerdon on Jun 1, 2007 9:56 AM EDT 0 recs
Re: Gutz called up
Either guy can and has played all three OF positions.
Sorry for the empty post below...I hit the wrong button.
by kov on
Jun 1, 2007 10:53 AM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
Now if Francisco was hitting much better than Gutierrez, options might not have come into play. But since they've put up similar numbers, you better believe that they did in this situation.
by Ryan on
Jun 1, 2007 12:16 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
I really hope he is our starting RF in 2008. I would love that.
by Joe. on
Jun 1, 2007 12:43 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
"Out with the old. In with the new."
by Brick. on
Jun 1, 2007 12:46 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
I also don't know what to make, exactly, of the differences between Franklin and Ben as players, except to say that I think Ben is about 2 years older. For Franklin to hit his way out of AAA this year strikes me as a pretty normal timeline for a major league starter. That Ben has not yet been given a big-league spot suggests either a serious screw job or the Indians knowing something I don't.
Franklin is also a legitimate defensive replacement for Grady Sizemore. The reports I've heard about Ben's defense indicate that he is merely passable in center. Conceivably, with Franklin on the 25-man, Wedge could DH Sizemore every now and then; insofar as Wedge has shown a strong reluctance to use Jason Michaels in center, I assume this is not an option presently.
It should not be interpreted from this post that I dislike Ben Francisco. I've seen him play; he's a gifted athlete and will probably have a decent career. But the mere fact that he is where he is suggests to me that his career is less likely to be with the Indians.
by fleerdon on
Jun 1, 2007 5:36 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by dgcambridge on
Jun 1, 2007 11:30 AM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
* very small sample size.
by kov on
Jun 1, 2007 3:27 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
got to think it's tonight with the lefty on the mound. you'd think micheals, sizemore, gutz will be the outfield tonight...
by Brick. on
Jun 1, 2007 12:30 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
by drerikbrady on
Jun 1, 2007 12:33 PM EDT
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Re: Gutz called up
They are about the same size and both went to college in the West: Gerut/Stanford & BF/UCLA (for whatever that's worth).
I liked Gerut and I'm not sure what caused the wheels to fall off, perhaps injury(s)?
by kov on Jun 1, 2007 3:44 PM EDT 0 recs
Re: Gutz called up
Francisco is similar, you're right, but hopefully healthier and less of a clubhouse lawyer.
by Jay on
Jun 1, 2007 10:28 PM EDT
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No offense, but Francisco has hit for much
Hello kov,
I can see some similarities, but also enough differences to think that Francisco won't become the next Gerut.
Francisco has hit 10+ HRs in 3 different seasons (and hit 7 in his comeback year from injury, 2005.) Gerut hadn't hit over 10 HRs a season at any stop in the Indians' organization, only doing it in the Rockies' organization with High-A Salem back in 1999.
Gerut had an injury problem (not sure if it was ankle or wrist) that didn't help him, but also, if the reports are correct, Gerut decided to adjust his stance and swing after his great rookie season to try to get a jump on pitchers adjusting to him in his sophomore season, which seemed to mess up his swing and timing, leading to him pulling off the ball. It seemed his balance was off as well, and he never was able to recapture that form from 2003, at times even looking like he refused to make adjustments, just going with the same approach at the plate every time up.
Therefore, Francisco won't necessarily turn out like Gerut for the reasons I mentioned above.
Shapiro is talking about the two of them right now on the Indians' telecast - how the Indians decided between the two:
Gutierrez - out of options for next year and we need to find out some things about him; come far in his plate approach. His defense is clearly better than Benny's, but Benny has more power. Both guys have a lot to offer, but they chose to go with Gutierrez.
by indiansfan on Jun 1, 2007 8:31 PM EDT 0 recs








