Commentary: For Guardians, hopes are high ... and stakes are even higher

So this is what it comes down to: Cleveland vs. Detroit, the Guardians vs. the Tigers, potentially for all the marbles, or, at least, quite a few of them. The two Great Lakes neighbors have a long and dramatic history across multiple sports, one of which is going to be further enhanced by another late season series that will begin today at Progressive Field. Starting today, the Guardians and Tigers will play a three-game series in Cleveland, and the stakes are enormous: starting with a potential berth in MLB's post-season clambake, which, for the victors, could eventually lead to a trip to the World Series. This year's stakes are not unlike the stakes the then-Indians and Tigers were playing for in the last three regular season games in 1940: the chance to win the pennant and go to the World Series. What made the 1940 pennant race between the Indians and Tigers so intriguing was the kind of decision made by Detroit manager Del Baker prior to the last three games of the regular season. Managers in those days didn't mess around. Detroit only had to win one of its last three games with Cleveland in order to win the American League pennant. Bob Feller was scheduled to start that first game of the series for Cleveland. So the brazen Baker conceded that game by calling up an unknown minor league pitcher named Floyd Giebell. Baker's strategy was that even if Feller won the first game he would not be available to pitch, and presumably win, either of the last two. When Baker sent Giebell out to warm up before the start of the first game of the series, Feller said, "I didn't even know who he was." Nobody did. Floyd Giebell was an unknown, minor league journeyman pitcher with barely any pitching resume at all. That, in fact, is why Baker sent Giebell to the mound to start the game. Nobody knew who he was, or where he was from. Three hours later, everyone knew. Because, incredibly, Giebell somehow out-pitched the great Feller to win the game, and the American League pennant, 2-0. It was only Giebell's second win of the season. Floyd Giebell never pitched another game in the big leagues. Bob Feller, in his career, pitched 570 major league games. But on September 27, 1940, Floyd Giebell was better than the great Bob Feller. In baseball, stuff happens. What's the moral of this story? There is none. The moral of the story is baseball. Just baseball. Guardians vs. Tigers are the kind of games that make us want to watch baseball. Two good teams will throw two really good pitchers onto the mound, and let's see what happens. Here is the interesting part of the Tigers-Guardians three-day showdown: nobody thinks the Guardians are as good as the Guardians are. Everybody thinks the Tigers are better than the Guardians are. This is why we play the games. To see which team is better, and by how much. The Guardians have done what the Guardians have done without their best relief pitcher. How does any team get away with that, right? Let's face it. If you don't have your best reliever pitching at his best, you have no chance. Most teams don't win without their best relievers. The Guardians haven't had their best reliever in so long that that most of us forget what he looks like, which probably doesn't matter because he has probably already pitched his last game as a member of the Guardians. For the Guardians, as usual, it's business as usual. Tonight at Progressive Field, two of the best teams in the American League will send out their two best pitchers, Gavin Williams and Tarik Skubal, and let's see what happens. Let's see who is better, and by how much. The Guardians have to like where they are, even if where they are isn't where their best reliever is. How can that be? It be because all of the Guardians' relievers are their best relievers, which is a great relief for manager Stephen Vogt, who seems to be closing in on his second American League Manager of the Year Award in only his second year on the job. Quick, somebody tell the chipper skipper that he is not supposed to be able to make his job look so easy, especially when his best reliever has been gone for two months, and hasn't been missed at all. There are still some rocks to climb, however, and The Men of Vogt could do a lot worse than having Jose Ramirez lead the way. By the way, let me get this off my chest: if Jose isn't voted the American League's MVP this year, then why even have the award? What does a guy have to do? Go ahead, I'll wait. This Guardians team, this Guardians manager and this Guardians season are three for the ages. Who needs a closer? Email Jim Ingraham at jingraham4@gmail.com.