CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Guardians, the Browns and the Cavs all came up in this week’s Terry’s Talkin’ podcast, where cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto and host David Campbell dug into the biggest football and baseball storylines around Cleveland.
The Guardians’ latest AL Central title was a major topic, especially the way they got there. Terry said the club overhauled its lineup and leaned away from struggling prospects, replacing them with veteran bats. That shift helped fuel the division run.
He also pointed to the catching tandem of Patrick Bailey and Austin Hedges as a difference-maker. Terry said the pair gave the Guardians both offense and defense, while also helping stabilize young pitchers.
Stephen Kwan’s turnaround was another part of the discussion. Terry said Kwan salvaged his season by going back to his natural hitting approach, while rookie Chase DeLauter “just keeps hitting.”
The podcast also looked ahead to the AL Division Series, which starts Saturday, and Terry broke down how he would line up the Guardians’ starters. Gavin Williams, Parker Messick and Tanner Bibee all came up as legitimate options.
Josh Naylor’s struggles were part of the conversation too. Terry said Naylor’s severe underperformance after signing a $92 million contract extension was a major reason Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson was fired.
On the Browns side, the focus turned to Thursday night’s game against the Steelers and what it could mean for Deshaun Watson. Terry said the Browns’ defense under coordinator Mike Rutenberg has become a very aggressive, pressure-heavy group built around disrupting quarterbacks. He also noted that Cleveland has now gone 48 games without allowing a 300-yard passer, the longest active streak in the NFL.
Watson’s performance came under scrutiny as well. Terry said that even if the traditional numbers look decent, advanced analytics show Watson is struggling with turnover-worthy plays.
The podcast also touched on Todd Monken’s aggressive late-game fourth-down call and asked whether it was driven by analytics or by culture.
On the college football front, Terry said massive NIL packages are changing the game by helping programs keep star players instead of losing them to the draft or the transfer portal. He also said college kickers are making “some serious pay days.”
The Cavs were in the mix too, including Terry’s take on why the team wound up doing training camp in Spain, along with what he learned from preseason interviews with players and the front office.
One other note from the podcast: Terry said Major League Baseball teams are removing traditional stadium seating and creating standing-room social spaces designed for younger fans.
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Dean Wade Just Gave Cavs Fans A New Reason To React
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In an interview, Wade said he joined the Sixers to compete for a championship, a familiar line in a new uniform but one that still matters when it comes from a player with his background. Philadelphia expects him to be more than just a depth piece, with a chance to factor as a versatile defender and a useful bench contributor. For Cavs fans, it is another reminder of how much value Wade developed in Cleveland, and why his next chapter could end up being watched closely back home. [Read more 🡒]