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Hi, everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhouse along with you from Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles this week, where the Guardians are taking on the Dodgers in a three game series. This road trip continuing. The Guardians heading into play on Saturday three and one on a key nine game, three city road trip. But they're off to a good start so far, and the series started well here in Los Angeles on Friday night. We'll get to that in
a minute. Coming up on our show, Closer Emmanuel Classe, starting pitcher Alex Cobb, designated hitter Kyle Manzardo, and reliever Eric Sabrowski. We'll all join us on this week's edition of Guardians Weekly. But first I'll look at the week in review, and we begin on Monday night, the road trip beginning in Kansas City. Guardians trying to put some distance between themselves and the Royals in the American League Central Division standings, and it was KC that jumped on
top with a run in the second inning. Then the Guardians off fence got it going in the fifth with a man aboard and Lean Thomas at the plate. Here's the one to zero swung on and that's blasted high and deep left center field, way back there, Homron Thomas and the Guardians have turned it around two to one Cleveland. In the sixth inning, Jose Ramirez began the inning with
a single. Then Josh Naylor stepped in, sitting at ninety eight runs driven in on the season, and here comes his pitch and Naylor crushes one high and deep right center field, way back there, home Ron Josh Naylor. Number twenty nine for Naylor and the long ball strikes again for Cleveland. The Guardians now lead it four to one and for Josh Naylor, one hundred runs batted in first time in his career. And on the mound, Yavin Williams
continued his strong stretch of recent starts. Julie gurry L waits on deck for the Royals, who still only have one hit. Williams delivers and it's swung on and drilled high and deep to dead center. Back Is Thomas at the track makes the catch and another quick inning for Gavin Williams. He retires the final sixteen he faces. We head to the eighth four to one, Guardians in front
of the Royals. Kansas City got a run in the eighth inning to make it a four to two game, so it was a manual Class A on in the ninth trying to nail down another save. Here comes the one two pitch, swung on and lifted high in the air, deep right center back on. It is Thomas and he makes the running catch just Shia the warning track classe A gets it done again and the Guardians take this crucial opening game of the three game series here in
Kansas City. Final score four to two. Nice way to start the trip for the Guardians, and they kept it going Tuesday night in Kansas City. They scored the game's first run in the second inning on a sackfly by Brian Rochio and then added to the lead in the fifth with a runner in scoring position for Andre se Menez. Here's the pitch and it swung on, looped a shallow left. It gets down for a base hit, racing around third,
heading for home and scoring. He is Rochio on the RBI single by Andre si Menez and the running game works for the Guardians, who lead it to nothing. In the seventh, bo Naylor led off with a base hit. Brian Rochio followed but couldn't get a bunt down, so he was swinging away with two strikes. Here's the one two swung on and drilled high and deep down the left field line, hooking fair ball home run. Brian Rochio with a a two run home run extends the lead
for the Guardians. It's now four to one. The Guardians padded the lead a little more in the eighth inning on a basis loaded walk to Rokio that made it five to one Cleveland, and then Stephen Kwan delivered the knockout blow with two outs. Here comes the two to two swung online right center field base it for Kwan. That's gonna score two. Brennan's across right behind him is Thomas.
The throw comes to third, not in time to retire Rochio and into second with a two run double is Stephen Kwan, and that lead would be more than enough in the night that Scott Barlow came on to face his former club and finish the job. Barlow delivers and it's tapped to third. Ramirez has it he'll throw to first in time and the Guardians win again two for two here in Kansas City is the outstanding pitching continues and plenty of offense, especially late, and it all adds
up to a seven to one victory. Wednesday, series finale went to KC four to one, and after an off day Thursday, the Guardians began their series here in LA on Friday night. Good pitching on both sides in this one, as rookie Land and Knack for the Dodgers and Matthew Boyd. They were terrific both pitchers during the game and the game was still scoreless into the sixth. That's when Brian Rochio singled and set the table for Andre Siemenez. Here's the pitch and he swings and skies it high in
the air to deep rite. Does it have enough at the wall? Is Betsy leaps? It's gone home run, Emnes and the Guardians have taken the lead to nothing Cleveland, and it wouldn't be a game with the Dodgers unless show Hey Otani did something special and he hit a home run of his own in the bottom of the sixth, this forty fifth on the season, that cut the lead in half, making it two to one, but the Guardians went back up by two in the eighth inning thanks to Brian Rocchio. Bonda lets it fly and it swung
on and drilled high and deep to left. Way back there, home run Rocchio, Oh my, deep into the bullpen. Rocchio has given the Guardians a two run lead once again. Hunter Gadis got a huge double play to get out of a basis loaded jam in the eighth inning that kept the Guardians up three to one. And then it was a Manuel Classe in the ninth trying to save another one. Here's the one. One swung on and here's a high fly ball to deep center. Tracking it his
Thomas still going. He makes the catch just as he got to the warning track, and Classe has done it again. The Guardians win it three to one here at Dodgers Stadium. So a nice win for the Guardians to start the series in Los Angeles. They'll take on the Dodgers once again Saturday night and then Sunday afternoon as well. Stay with us when we come back. We'll hear from Emmanuel class A and Alex Cobb. That's next.
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States class as ready. Here it comes, swing in a little looping liner. Caught it first by the well ball game, and there it is.
Career save number one fifty Emmanuel Class A, the old time saves leader in Cleveland franchise history. Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhaus back with you from Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, where the Guardians are taking on the Dodgers this weekend. Another game tonight with a nine to ten first pitch, and then the series finale tomorrow afternoon, four ten Cleveland time. Last weekend back home, a big
weekend for a Manuel classe. The Guardians also our closer surpassed Cody Allen on Cleveland's franchise all time saves list for the top spot. He saved his one hundred and fiftieth game, and we had a chance to visit with him shortly after with translation help from Augi Rafero as always, and we asked the manual what the saves record means to him?
And now I'm belamas and.
Yeah, I mean, I'm very thankful to my team is and especially thankful to God for that opportunity. And you know, there's really a lot of anticipation before that happened, and then when we got the last it was really happy. When we're able to achieve that accomplishment.
And you've been to multiple All Star Games, I know that's a big deal for you. How does this fit into all that? Surpassing a franchise record?
For says now, in my lesson, it's just very very fulfilled to accomplish that. You know, to get to those points is a very important accompanyent for me for my career and also for my family. And those are this, like I said in the past, so the goals that I set myself every season, try to improve, get better, better numbers for the team, and I'm really lucky that we got to the point where we overcame that record.
And this year especially impressive numbers off the charts across the board. Uh, how are you different from when you first started closing games here three years ago to where you are today? What would have been some of the biggest improvements you think?
Now, I'm belies.
Opponent in the same focus, you know, trying to improve every year, every game and get the best that I can. You know, be the best closer every single game, from from that first time that I came up, but also to the last pitch. So's he's been all with the same mindset. Try to be the best pitcher every year and every outing as possible.
A manual for a young picture. I feel like most pictures they think about being a starting pitcher, And when did that shift for you? When did you start thinking, Hey, a relief role and closing games is what I could really excel at.
Now I'm belive w Vietnam.
I mean, those are the odd casualties of life. I mean, at some point I got injured in my leg, and obviously when I was with them, they suggested to start building up as a reliever, and then I did it a couple of times, and I really enjoyed the adrenaline, the motions of closing games, and after that, I was
kind of like love at first sight. I wanted to be closer after that, and from then I started watching more videos of you know, important closes, and I started watching a lot of videos of Mariano Rivera because there was a lot of comparisons to them and to him what they were he was pitching. So I really enjoy that. And after that, that's when I realized I wanted to continue being a closer.
And the season you've had, you're part of the best bullpen in baseball. How important are those other guys who get the game to you at the end and helping you do your job.
And I'm a lamafe and I'm just very happy to be part of that group of guys. We're always rooting for each other, helping each other, and it makes me really happy to be part of that group that makes, you know, root for each other, which is the best.
So I mad that makes my job a lot easier.
Am Annual, congratulations, great record, appreciate you coming back, Thank you, Aggie, Thanks, thank you guys. Always nice to visit with the Manuel Classe and always appreciate the help from Augi Rivero. Staying on the pitching side of things, Alex Cobb has been a nice boost to the starting rotation when healthy, and
obviously that's been a challenge for him. More on that in just a little bit, but we can tell you that last Sunday back home, Cobb was absolutely terrific, as he had a perfect game through six innings before it got away from him in the seventh. And when we caught up with him later on during the week in the homestand he talked about those six perfect innings and if he was surprised that his stuff was that good considering the amount of time that he has missed.
I think that particular day, I was, you know, obviously, having all the setbacks that I've had throughout the course of the season, it's been tough to get onto the field. And then you finally do get you know, you have your first auding in Minnesota, you just kind of rusty,
and then you get another start. I pitched against the the Cubs at home and started to feel like I was starting to get a little bit of a groove, and then broke the fingernail and had another two week layoff, and so you don't know how you're going to feel going into that start, and probably, to be honest, didn't feel great until you know, I got on the on the mound and warm ups and even late into those warm ups where I started to figure some things out.
So I was very happy that the pitches were moving the way they were and I was able to work pretty deep into the game after being off for so long.
You've been down the no hit road before deep into a game, when does it start to hit home for you that that something special is going on? And is it you or your teammates who kind of alerted to that.
I mean, I've heard pictures say they're never aware. I mean I set out the game trying to throw no hitter, so I'm very well aware as it's going on. But you know, I would say in the past, it's probably once you get through the sixth or seventh, you know you're really like, all right, I I can get this bear down for another you know, nine outs, and you know,
see what you can do. But in this particular case, you know, I knew that there was probably a very very slim to zero chance that I was ever going to be able to see the eighth or ninth inning because of the layoffs. So you know, I'm not going to say I didn't want to turn it over to the bullpen and let them try to finish it off. But it wasn't something in my back of my mind where I thought I would be able to go out there and finish throughout the ninth.
When you look at how it ended, I'll come back or to the mount and you hit the deck when you're laying there just for that little bit of time, maybe it seemed like longer to you. What's going through your head as you're trying to assess what happened.
I'm just doing as systems check. You know, if obviously I hit pretty hard on the on the wrist area, so you know, letting the initial pain kind of settle down a little bit and you know, assess if it was just a bad hit or you know, hopefully not a anything broken. But and then you know that happens pretty quick, and then you're just kind of upset with yourself for not catching the ball and uh and making the play. But you know, just a lot of emotions rolled into one in a quick moment.
You and Matthew Boyd. And this is from the outside looking in, seems like you've been here all season. It just seems like you fit in so well. Is that surprised you at all? Or is there something good happening here that's allowed that to happen, maybe on your side and or maybe on the guys who were here already.
Well, I've told a lot of my friends and family that this is the you know, funnest team I've been on in a long time. You know, no offense to the other teams I've been on, I've I've loved all the guys, but this is such a young group of guys, a lot of guys that came up together, and they're just they're just fun to be around. The energy obviously, you know, being first in the division helps that. Winning
always helps that. But the energy that they bring every single day has been refreshing to me, a little bit older guy, and you know sometimes August and September can can drag a little bit. So they've they've given me a shot in the arm, and you know, they accepted me. Mattie Lane, you know, all the all the new guys just so well and it's it's been it's been an incredible to get as close as we have, and you
know what, four weeks or so. So I'm very very thankful for my time here, Thankful that I, you know, I've been able to experience this, and very excited to see how far.
We can take it, keep it rolling. Thanks for coming back, all right, my pleasure.
Thank you.
And just in addendum to our visit with Alex Cobb, he was scheduled to throw on Saturday night here in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, but a slight blister issue is cropped up, and while it's not deemed serious, they are going to hold him back because of the heat and hot weather. They feel that might not be really conducive to helping that bliss heel and stay effective. So they're going to bump them back a little bit, and the hope is that he'll pitch against the White Sox
in Chicago the first of next week. Stay with us when we come back, we'll hear from a couple of youngsters, Kyle Manzarto and Eric Sabrowski, both recently called up from Triple A Columbus. That's next on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network. Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Chim Rosen House along with you from Dodgers Stadium, where the Guardians are taking on the Dodgers this weekend. Kyle Manzarto has been a big part of it since coming up from Triple
A Columbus. He was part of the roster expansion last Sunday, September First. He was in the major leagues earlier this season and then was sent back to work on some things, and work on them he did. He had a very successful season at Triple A, and when he came back a big Sunday for him with his first two major league home runs. The audience beat the Pirates six to one,
thanks in large parts the big day for Manzarto. And we caught up with him the following day and he talked about why things are a little different this time around in the big leagues compared to his first go round earlier this season.
It's been a lot different. I feel like I'm showing up and I already kind of know everybody I know kind of uh, you know, the day to day operations and stuff like that, how everything goes. It's kind of made for a much smoother transition that go around and.
Are you not a different hitter, but are there some things that you felt you improved in during your time at Triple A that you can put into play now.
Yeah, I mean I focus focused a lot on just trying to control the strike zone. Uh, just make make good swing decisions something I'm still trying to to bring here now.
Yeah. So you hit a home run and it's your first in the major leagues? What was that trip around the basis?
Like?
Uh, man, I mean I had enough time to to really you know, really wanted. It took me a little while, so it felt great. I don't really remember like the run two second, I would say once I once I rounded second, I kind of came to a little bit and you know picked up the dugout and stuff like that, which was It was fun.
It was cool and it looked like you had the celebration that you're supposed to do down path.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm only I mean, I've only ever done it like stationary standing on second, so it's a little bit different when you're like still running.
But yeah, it was cool and you got both baseballs back.
What are you gonna do with those?
I'll probably give the first one to my dad and maybe the second one to my grandfather. I'm not sure yet. I haven't decided. I gotta get I'm gonna get him like painted up and stuff, and I'll figure out out what I'm gonna do with them from their.
Kyle Manzardo's joining us back in the major leagues, and you hit your first two home runs as a designated hitter and as a young player, that's not easy to learn that position. And it's something just with the situation right now that most of your time seems there.
What did you learn maybe.
At Triple A Columbus that that's helped you in that regard to try and be successful.
Yeah, I mean it's something I worked on while I was down, trying to figure out kind of a routine, a different different things I can do to kind of get ready for each each at bat. I don't know, just not trying not to overcook it, just keeping my body loose and warm, and you know, treating each at bat, you know, as its own separate thing.
When you play at a position, how different is that day for you in terms of what you're thinking and how much you're thinking, which sometimes can be a hard thing.
Yeah, I mean, it's it's just different because you're you're always in the field. You're either in the field or the dugout, so you don't really have time to sit with your thoughts after and at bat. So trying to put myself in a spot where I can learn from each at bat but not let any negative or positive outcomes leak into the next at bat, just kind of separating each at bat is its own thing.
When you were up earlier this season, the team was playing really well, and here we are in September and they're still in first place, trying to nail down a division and a postseason spot. What have you noticed coming back anything different or is it pretty much the same as it was way back then.
It feels, I mean, it feels a lot a lot the same. Everybody, like nobody's goals or mentality has really seemed to change. Everybody's goal is still to just show up every day and win today's game and worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow. Yeah, it's it's it's been cool special to see.
Well, you're a big part of another win on Sunday, Kyle, Thanks for coming b I appreciate it.
Thank you.
It's designated hitter Kyle Manzardo, and from one rookie to another, we take you to the story of Eric Sabrowski, the left handed reliever who was called up and made his major league debut on Wednesday in Kansas City. He pitched a scoreless inning, and when we caught up with him later on in the week, he talked about the long road to get here and what it was like to finally get that chance to pitch in a major league game.
Well, first off, it was a ton of fun. It was really cool to see how many people reached out after that night, you know, people that have stayed in touch with people I haven't. Just lots of people from back home just reaching out, you know, sharing thoughts of excitement, and they were all really happy for me.
You know, it's interesting you mention that because I talked to Rob Serfolio, the farm director for the Guardians, and he said his phone was blowing up when you got in the game because so many people in player development were excited for you. And when you hear things like that, and then, as you mentioned, so many people reaching out, Number one, why do you think that is? Is it your story that really has people excited for you?
Now?
Yeah, I guess I have a bit of an unconventional story, but when I hear things like that about Surf and the rest of the player development group, it really makes it all worth it. Like it took me a long time to even get to the point where I could pitch regularly in games and stuff, and you know, I'd do it all over again if to relive that moment from Wednesday and.
When you come off the mound after the full inning, what were the thoughts on the dugout? And once you got finished and completed everything, I could finally say I was a big leader. It just felt amazing. It was really cool to be up here for about the week before I got in.
It was awesome to see how the guys do their work and see how the team carries itself. But it it almost felt like a really cool vacation because because I wasn't pitching yet. But once, you know, I finally got the chances to get in. Once I got the chance to get in, it was it was like, yeah, I've made it. This this finally happened.
Eric Sabrowski, joining US relief pitcher for the Guardians, made his Major League debut on Wednesday, and we talked about your story for fans who don't know two Tommy John surgeries, from the time you were drafted until you're really able to get your pro career going in and we were trying to figure it out. I think eight appearances in three plus years. Did it cross your mind that, hey, maybe it's just not going to work out? And if not, what kept you going on that right path?
It definitely crossed my mind.
Right in the right Near the end of my second rehab, actually, I had a setback which probably extended the whole rehab process by five or six months. And it was kind of during that setback where I was like, you know, maybe this is maybe my elbows was telling me I'm not cut out for this. And there were some hard moments during it, but I had a great group around around me of people who were just like, no, man, you can't.
You can't hang it up. You can't. You got to see this through. You've worked too hard, too long to not not see it through.
And when did you start to feel like, all right, I'm getting some momentum here, and I think anybody who's at triple A certainly is you're that one step away. But when did you feel that momentum building that maybe, just maybe you could have that major league dream come true.
When you're in Triple A, you're really just one call away.
And that's something that I had to remind myself through good outings and bad outings, because there's been plenty of both this year to where it's just like everyone goes through struggles, everyone goes through the roller coaster.
You're never that far away.
And really I gained some momentum in the last in the second half down in Columbus, and that's when I really thought this could happen. I could make this work, and and I just tried to ride that momentum into you know what, I guess was a successful baby.
You mentioned earlier you waited a week. First pitch you throw right back to the screen. But there was a plan, huh.
I felt like Bobby Witt was going to steal third base anyways, ear least try to, so I gave it up for him.
So that's my story and I'm gonna stick with it fair enough.
And you were the group of guys down there, what are you learning so far that maybe you didn't know as you've been around some veteran guys who have been around the block.
It's really cool to see how they're they're able to stay loose for the first few.
Innings of a game and then and then once we we think a bullpen guy might get up soon, how they can just flip that switch and and it goes from you know, fun and games while watching the game, to laser focus on the game.
Well, it was good stuff the other night. I know a lot of people happy for you, Eric, Thanks a lot for coming by, Thanks for having me. What a great story Eric Sabrowski is And certainly tip of the cap for him for perseverance to Tommy John surgeries and very limited time four straight eight years on a game mound, but he stayed with it and now he's in the
big leads. Hey, stay with us. We'll have our final segment when we come back with Guardian Senior Vice President Bob Dy Biassio at the ballpark with Bobby d coming your way shortly.
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Welcome back to Guardian's weekly Jim Rosen House along with you from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. It's our final segment, and every now and again we'd like to catch up with Guardian Senior Vice President Bob D Biassio for another at the Ballpark with Bobby D.
The perfectly manicured field, the unmistakable aroma of a ballpark hot dog, and the electricity celebrating another victory. This is at the Ballpark with Bobby D.
The ballpark is home to many stories, many memorable moments, and colorful personalities. Joining me now at the ballpark is thirty year veteran of the organization, a man behind the scenes, Frank Mancini, who has spent those three decades working in the clubhouse closely with our players.
Frank, thanks for joining me.
Probby d.
Thanks for having me. This is an incredible honor anything has to do with the tribe or the Guardians, especially coming from you because you're a senior memory or it is an honor for me. Thank you, Thank you.
We're gonna talk two things inside the clubhouse, baseballs.
And batso of my favorite things.
Let's talk baseballs first. All I saw you do this spring training was rubbed down baseballs with a special mud that is provided by Major League Baseball. How your hand's feeling.
I make sure you use gloves when I'm doing it, because it takes forever to get that out of here underneath your nails and the cracks of your hands. Now, my hands are fine.
How many dozen did you rub up?
I usually did two cases a day, so let's see, there is seventy two balls in a case, so about one hundred and forty four a day just for spring training.
And how many weeks, Well, I would do it every day.
We had fifteen games, so I try to get thirty cases done for spring every year. I do it in spring training, and that's strictly to get the sheen off the ball correct, so make the ball a little tackier for the guys to grip otherwise they have a hard time gripping it, especially on breaking pitches.
The most important aspect, though, is twenty twenty. You were in charge of rubbing up the balls and we had a certain pitcher when the Cy Young Awards, so he was tossing the baseballs that you played around with.
Yeah, that was my one claim to fame, I guess is that the one year they asked me to assist in the Empire's room, and because I'd done the spring training baseball for so many years, they asked me if i'd do it for the regular season and during COVID they needed someone to do it, so I volunteered to do it. And yeah, I was doing sometimes three cases a day because umpires or quirky pitchers would be throwing
balls out left and right. The bat boy had to use gloves on his hands, so that added to the workload. And yeah, my claim to fame is the one year I did it. Shaaneber won the Signing Award, so I've got that to put on my tombstone someday.
Well, congratulations, thank you for doing that, and I'm sure Shane thanked you as well. Now let's shift to bats. Players treat their bats like they are absolute pressure.
Still do.
It's changed over the years. Some of it is just out of the differences in bats depending on the field. Others guys are looking for an edge. So yeah, there's multiple ways that it's changing. I could speak for hours on it, but we only have a few minutes.
Yea, I'll start.
I was just on the phone about a week ago. Rocky Colavidow always a treat to I should chat with Rocky, and he told me a story about how he cared for his bats when he was with the Indianapolis Indians
and Triple A and they would go to Louisville. He'd always stop in the Louisville Slugger factory and then there was an Italian man craftsman yes on the lathe making bats, and he would make Rocky's bats, and he wanted wide grain bats, so when he would send a dozen, especially when he made it to the Cleveland and in the equipment room at Cleveland Stadium, it was a cement floor, so he would hold out his bat, holding the handle with the barrel closer to the floor, and he would
drop it according to the sound of the bat hitting the cement and how high it bounced, determine whether that was a game or not. So power hitters easily treated their bats with so much care and pride. Tell me about Albert Bell, I mean, he's a guy again. To me, it's a lot of power hitters who treated their Jimmy told me, treated their bats with special care.
No question about it. Albert was the most particular of all. I mean each guy, whether it was Kenny Lofton who wanted his handle a particular way so it was easy for him to flick his wrists because he was more
of a slap hitter. Jim told me who had our former trainer, Jimmy Warfield, after he got nailed in the hand one time on a pitch, he created this spongy grip for him at the end was kind of like a triangle that allowed Jimmy, even after his wrist healed up, to grip the bat securely and he just took off home run wise after that. And then there was Albert Aburn and I would play golf together, and one time he got from Louisville slugger bats that the handles were
too thick. He said, Frank, you do me a favor and shave this down a little bit, so I spent a few minutes shaving it down. He went out and destroyed the ball, and he goes, Frank, well that felt great.
Why do you think that was?
I said, well, you and I go golfing together. You see with a thin handle the whip that you get, so it only makes sense and not a bat, the same thing's going to happen. He goes, yeah, shave it out some more. Well, that was the year he hit fifty home runs. So I would shave it down and it would take me two to three hours per bat to get her batack per bat, and what would just shave it with sandpaper and these wood craftsmen tools that
had steel blades at the end. That I would just do it patiently because I didn't want to lose the roundness of the bat. And then he liked his handle where when he gripped the bat at the end, it was firm and secure, so he got more leverage where other guys, like I said with Kenny, he had no knob on it. Albert wanted that to stick knob. But I would shave his bat so thin that they would be the same thickness as a golf club I've never
seen another player like that ever. Did he ever crack or he did one time that's another story.
Yeah, one time swing.
He got upset, so he threw his bat. He put a big nick in the bat. He says, front, get this nick out quick. Well, I only had three innings to get it done, so I'm shaving.
I'm shaving.
I got the nick out as best as I could. Well, in the middle of his swing, he's about to launch one, the bat went keeled over on me. You could even complete the swing. So that's the only time it ever happened.
Yeah, and I'm sure he took it well.
He did not take it well.
I got to blame for that.
One, and Jimmy as well.
Wide grain is something that they.
All believed in that back then in the nineties. That's one of the quirky things back in the nineties. Yeah, they would look at a bat and say that's a BP bat, that's a junk back, because there's if you looked at them just by just by looking on the knob. This one, for example, has one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven lines on the bat for the grain. I've seen some as is four those are the highest quality. They're
hard to find. But yeah, if there's too much grain on the bat, guy would just put off this side or just use it for VP.
Well, a guy like Albert would put his bats in sanitary socks.
So no one want to touch him, right, every one of them.
If you touched his bat, you were stuck out with that bat, you.
Were in a lot of trouble.
Tell you, don't you ever touch my bat again?
Anybody else with real superstitions and turn.
Well.
Once again, we go back to Albert, because Albert believed we had a video guy, uh video Joe Cavaliatti. And when I was windling Albert's bats to get him to be so thin like a golf club, he would say, Frank.
Curry up with that bat.
Video Joe still has to rub his soul into that bat. So Video Joe would take his bats before every game and do a little chant and he would put his soul into Albert's bats. And if Video Joe wasn't around, Albert would be very upset.
And it was because he was Italian.
He believed in the spiritual uh powers of the Italians. For whatever reason, we're.
Coming from Louisiana.
That was part of the uh there was a little bit of looting going on there.
Well, it certainly worked for him, one of the great power hitters in the game of baseball. As you said, you and I could talk forever about and we may have to revisit some other things that happened in the clubhouse with our guys, as superstitions and such, because you were with them every day for thirty plus years. And can't thank you enough for all the hard work you've put.
In an honorser.
Here's hoping you enjoyed today's visit with Frank Mancini. We look forward to sharing more stories at the ballpark on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
Man that's at the ballpark with Bobby d and that's going to do it for this week's edition of Guardian's Weekly. As always, thanks to Brian Matse for all of his help and putting together our show each week. We will join you once again next weekend when the team is back home taking on the Tampa Bay Rays. Until then, this is Jim rosen House reminding you that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
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Yeah.