TALKING G-MEN STUFF
When the Guardians introduced their new name, colors and logo – well, I liked most of it.
But not the “Fastball G” logo.
Based on the first day of sales at Progressive Field Friday when Guardians gear became available, lots of fans like the Fastball G. According to Guardians Vice President Curtis Danburg, here are some numbers from the first day of sales at the team shop:
1. More than 750 fans visited the store.
2. There were 2,124 items sold.
3. Nike script Guardians hooded fleece sweatshirt was the best-selling item.
4. The “Fastball G” outsold the Diamond C by a 2-to-1 margin.
5. Sales exceeded the team’s expectations.
According to the Guardians, items with the Fastball G logo out-sold the Diamond C by a 2-1 margin.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
GUARDIANS DO HAVE FANS
Many fans know about the Guardians sign falling over yesterday. That was supposed to be a bad omen, but apparently not. The team was thrilled by the first day response at the store.
Based on my emails and discussions with fans, there are two basic groups when it comes to the name change:
1. For the most part, there are older fans who still cling to the Tribe/Indians name. They grew up with it. They never meant any harm when wearing the gear, etc.
2. Younger fans are more receptive to change. They like the idea of something new. If anything, they wanted more change – a different color scheme, etc.
3. There are exceptions to both generalizations. For some fans of all ages, they believed it was time to change the name for several reasons.
The point is there is a significant group of fans willing to embrace the new name and buy the items. We’ll see if the trend continues. But fans were lined up on day one to spend money on G-Men gear.
Men's Cleveland Guardians Nike Red Team Modern Arch Pullover Hoodie was best selling item on first day.
ABOUT THE LOGO
I’m surprised the Fastball G logo is selling well. I thought it looked kind of dumb when I first saw it, and nothing has changed my opinion. But I’m also not the one buying the stuff.
I do like the red Guardians script. Yes, the type and even the name is very close to the old “Indians” that appeared on the uniforms. That was intentional. The team didn’t want to make drastic changes to the color scheme and general look of the uniforms.
Teams also can develop secondary logos. We’ll see what comes next.
Here is Steven Kwan at Oregon State, where he became a fifth round pick by the Guardians in 2018. He is now knocking on Cleveland's door.Chase Allgood, for The Oregonian
ABOUT THE ROSTER
1. Starting with a confession: I was wrong. I thought it was possible the G-Men would leave Oscar Mercado and/or Bradley Zimmer exposed to the Rule-5 draft. The team put both outfielders on the new 40-man roster.
2. It is possible one could be traded before the draft. But for now, they are with the team. Zimmer had a dismal September (11-for-70, .157). Overall, he batted .227 (.669 OPS) with 8 HR, 15 stolen bases and 35 RBI in 299 at bats. He struck out 122 times, as contact remains a problem. Zimmer will turn 29 on Nov. 27.
3. Outfielders added to the roster are Steven Kwan (one of my favorites) and top prospect George Valera. Kwan batted .328 (.934 OPS) with 12 HR, 44 RBI and 36 walks compared to 31 strikeouts in 296 at-bats between Class AA and AAA. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter was a fifth-round pick out of Oregon State in 2018.
4. Valera batted .260 (.910 OPS) with 19 HR and 65 RBI in 285 at-bats between Class A and AA. The lefty hitter is only 21. The Guardians believe he can be something special.
5. Also added to the roster is Richie Palacios, who is listed as an infielder but has been working in the outfield. He batted .297 (.874 OPS) between Class AA and AAA with seven homers and 48 RBI. He was 20-of-23 in stolen bases and had a good ratio of 58 walks to 70 strikeouts. He’s 24 and was a third-round pick in the same 2018 draft as Kwan.
6. Left off the roster and eligible to be drafted is Oscar Gonzalez, who batted .293 (.871 OPS) with 31 HR ands 83 RBI between Class AA and AAA. He fanned 112 times compared to 21 walks. The 23 year old has holes in his swing and is not a good outfielder. But the 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-handed hitter has elite power. I would have found a way to protect him. Let’s see if another team wants to give him a shot.
7. The 40-man roster is exciting. Recent trades have added several prospects, including Gabriel Arias. He batted .284 (.802 OPS) with 13 HR and 55 RBI playing second and short in Class AAA at 21. He hit .320 after July 1. He could be a candidate to open at second base in 2022 if the team continues on its plan to keep Amed Rosario at short.
8. Yu Chang earned a roster spot with a strong finish. After hitting .176 (.498 OPS) in 29 games before the All-Star break, Chang batted .271 (.857 OPS) in 34 games after the break. He can play all four infield positions. Chang also batted .322 in Class AAA. Meanwhile, Daniel Johnson was left off the roster. He batted .221 (.636 OPS) in 30 games. At Class AAA, he was only a .222 hitter. He did have 14 HR in 318 at-bats. Curious to see if another team drafts him.
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November 21, 2021 at 05:39PM
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Buying Guardian Gear? Many people are, based on early returns – Terry’s Talkin’ G-Men - cleveland.com
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