Jim Ingraham: Loss of Emmanuel Clase for extended period might be too much for Guardians

What comes around goes around, and what came around Monday was more bad news for a team that doesn't need it, can't afford it, but suddenly finds itself eyeball-to-eyeball with foul balls. Say hello to the Mudville Nine. Other than that, Mr. Vogt, how was your Monday? Sheesh! Is that even a word? So how do you like the Guardians' season so far? If it wasn't for bad luck, they would have no luck at all. Just as the struggling G-Men seemed poised to come charging back into the American League pie fight. Just as Chris Antonetti and his baseball brainiacs were prepared to trip the trade-deadline-trap-door in the AL Central. Just as everything seemed to be smoothly sliding into position for another one of the G-Men's patented, postseason "we don't know how we are winning all these games, but we sure are winning them ..." Only roughly a month away from the "don't triple off the left-field wall until you see the whites of their eyes" marching orders ... Just as the invigorated fan base starts to percolate around the notion that another Guardians' postseason magic show might actually be in the works ... Emmanuel Clase implodes, and it's not the first time. Remember? In 2019 the Texas Rangers traded Clase to the Guardians, but he was promptly suspended for a year for violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The next four years, however, Clase became a saves machine for a Guardians bullpen that needed one. Clase led the American League in saves in the last three years, and he seemed to be on his way for a fourth. But then came Monday. Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of MLB's sports betting investigation. That is bad news for Clase and even worse news for the team he works for. Clase won't pitch again until September, and who knows how effective he will be when he does. By then the Guardians either will or won't be a factor in the American League race. It is too early to tell now, but it is not too early to assume that arguably the best closer in franchise history may or may not be a total non-factor the rest of this season. Swell, huh? At least Clase will have some company as he waits for the chance to return and unscrew yet another extremely untimely situation, one that, once he returns, may or may not have a positive impact on a Guardians season that has not exactly been consistently flourishing. Remember Luis Ortiz? He was one of the Guardians' starting pitchers who had been pitching quite well for Cleveland, until he wasn't, after being tied to MLB's sports betting investigation. Other than that, it has been pretty much clear sailing for the Guardians as they try to thread that two-headed needle with a couple of pitchers they desperately need, but who probably won't be wowing anyone in The Land anytime soon. Clase is the straw that stirs Cleveland's bullpen stew. His loss, regardless of how long it is, is a potential season wrecker, made even more disturbing by the fact that this is not Clase's first "oops!" moment in the major leagues. For a time, Ortiz was as good as any Cleveland starting pitcher in the first half of the season. But that time is over, given that, for the time being, he is no longer allowed to play ball. Clase, meanwhile, is, when he isn't suspended, one of the top five most important Guardians on the roster. Closers like that don't fall out of trees, but teams without closers like that do. Let's just say that Stephen Vogt has had better weeks in his one-plus-one years as a major league manager. Indeed, managing major league baseball teams is one of the hardest jobs in sports. Think about it. Clase has led the American League in saves in three consecutive years, and now, with the Guardians back in the hunt for a berth in the postseason, Clase, the team's most important pitcher, will be a total nonentity until further notice. So you say you want to be a major league manager someday, huh? Good luck with that. It's always amazing when professional athletes, who can make a lot of money simply by not getting into trouble, frequently do so anyway. Most of them don't even need a job. I mean, knock-knock! Anybody home? How hard is it to stay out of trouble? Apparently — if you have been paying attention to the world of sports — very. Those who it really hurts, however, are the fans who, in most cases, are neither rich, nor dumb. They are just here for the fun, and to be able to watch, and try to guess, which of the athletes are worth watching, and which ones refuse to jump on the brain train. Contact Jim Ingraham at (440) 329-7135 or jingraham4@gmail.com.