CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Adjusting to the big leagues isn’t easy and it can take time for rookie hitters.
But not for the Guardians.
Nolan Jones is the third rookie to come up from AAA Columbus this season and deliver immediate results, a credit to the organization’s top minor league club which resides just two hours south, down Interstate 71.
“I think it’s a lot of the same stuff that happens here,” Jones said. “Winning is a priority there as well. Nobody wants to lose, so I think, just trying to have fun and it’s another young group so just going out and trying to do anything you can to help the team win I think is kind of what they’ve got going on down there in Columbus. It’s a really cool atmosphere.”
Jones, who collected a pair of hits and drove in four in Monday night’s 8-4 win, is the third Guardian this season to open his Major League career with a four-game hit streak, a first in franchise history. His eight RBI tied Roy Weatherly’s club record set in 1936 for the most runs driven in in his first four career games.
“I think Nolan has been like a lot of rookies that have come up for us,” starter Cal Quantrill said. “His ability to take pitches at this level is something that not a lot of guys who come up to the big leagues and are capable of doing and put a good swing on the one pitch that he might get to hit. I think that really is the difference between big league hitters and minor league hitters. The chase goes away and the ability to slug on the one mistake you’ll see.
“I’ve been really impressed. Really happy for him. He’s a great guy. I think he deserves this opportunity and I’m excited to see him take off.”
If Jones can collect a hit in Game 1 Tuesday afternoon, he would join Steven Kwan and Oscar Gonzalez with five-game hit streaks to begin their careers this season.
“It’s the confidence,” Kwan, who is hitting .278 this season and moved into the leadoff spot in the lineup, said. “Having your boys around you, believing in yourself, I think it’s just the Cleveland way.”
So, who in Columbus deserves the credit for having them Major League ready?
“It’s hard to pinpoint one [person],” Kwan said. “It’s cliché to say but everybody does a great job [in Columbus]. Everybody is very intentional. Nobody just goes through the routines. Everybody is very intentional in how they work and it shows with the young guys coming up and balling out.”
Play the right way – The Guardians don’t have a power packed lineup, but they play the game the right way.
Whether it is Josh Naylor hustling to beat out a grounder for an infield single that sparks a five-run inning, stealing bases or running first to third, the details of the game do not get lost.
“We might not be the most talented team, that’s still obviously to be decided, but we’re going to play the game the right way and play it correctly,” Kwan said. “If we do that, we’re going to win some games over the season that may not be won. As long as we continue to do that, that’s our kind of baseball.”
It is something manager Terry Francona has instilled in his team from day one and has helped them surprise some who didn’t expect much from Cleveland’s club this season.
“That’s how we play,” Francona said. “We have other guys that got down…Kwan beat a ball out. Rosario does it all the time. That’s how we play. We have to play like that. It’s not out of desperation, it’s because I think it’s the right way to play.”
The Guardians have been a bit streaky, which is common for young teams but Francona believes they do a good job of turning the page day-to-day.
“You have to,” Francona said. “If you wallow in what happened, all you’re going to do is get a hangover. They’ll play. We have our days, but they’ll play and they’re competitive and when we’re hitting it certainly makes it a lot easier because we run the bases well and we’re able to do that when we’re starting to get runners on base.”
Stephan up – Trevor Stephan saved the bullpen Monday night by throwing two, quick scoreless innings in relief of Quantrill, who departed with a pair aboard, no outs and the Guardians leading the White Sox by one in the seventh Monday night.
“It’s important to get the outs, but we’re also sitting on 18 innings [Tuesday] and not a day off after that,” Francona said. “So you’re starting to look at that, and him getting through that, he may be available Tuesday which is huge.”
While Quantrill was frustrated he couldn’t get through the seventh after being staked to an early 5-0 lead, he enjoyed watching Stephan make quick work of the White Sox and help preserve his fifth win of the season.
“Early in the year he was basically unhittable, and he had a couple tough ones but I don’t think anyone doubts him,” Quantrill said. “That’s an elite fastball. His splitter is special. He attacked hitters and [to pitch] two innings is huge. It sets us up really well for [Tuesday].
“I have the ultimate faith in that bullpen. Down the stretch they’ll be very important for us.”
Quote of the day – “Looked like he slept with a hanger in his mouth because he was smiling the whole day, which is understandable” – Francona on Alex Cole, who was called up from Columbus and made his Major League debut Monday night.