Guess what? The Tribe are linked to trade rumors, no real shock here. This is how the rumor mill has swirled since my post about this being one of the most important weeks in Tribe history. After the Tribe won 2 out of 3 from the Tigers, the Tribe was linked to Hunter Pence and Chase Headley. Cool.
Then the weekend sweep in Minnesota. Oh brother..... Now we got rumors of Shin-Soo Choo heading to Pittsburgh for top prospect Starling Marte. On top of that, that the Indians are asking teams if they want Justin Masterson. What? One sweep, drastic change in outlook for the season. Imagine if the Tribe won the series vs. Minnesota, or even looked respectable, what might be the case. Last year the Tribe said we want to win NOW, this year you can tell they are just torn. What is this team? A contender? A pretender? Are we just in a really tough division? I have no answer to these questions either. We got holes sure, but on paper the bullpen is strong, the rotation is respectable, and there is potential in the lineup. Unfortunately games aren't played on paper. Unfortunately there are no guarantees that Carlos Santana will ever live up to his potential and hit around .280 with power. There is no way to be sure that Grady Sizemore will ever come back, there is no assurances that Masterson will pitch well in back to back starts. Simply this team is plagued by the major gap that separates the great teams from the rest, consistency. The Indians simply don't have it from enough players.
How many times has Michael Brantley had a 6 game or more hit streak? Consistent. Look at Choo's numbers since moving to the lead-off spot...consistent. A-Cab is hitting near .300, consistent. The entire bullpen overall...consistent. The rest of the team I just don't know what to say. You don't give up on Carlos Santana, not with the talent that he has. You don't quit on Ubaldo, not with what it cost you to acquire him. I left out Jason Kipnis, but he is a streaky guy right now, its only his second full season, he has been very good, but he shouldn't be our #3 hitter. He is because there isn't a better option. Look at the mess after the 3 spot, Hafner, Jose Lopez, Santana, and Shelley Duncan have all tried a shot at #4.
So you are Chris Antonetti, and the word is the Tribe would have to be "overwhelmed" by an offer to trade Mr. Choo. Good, it should be overwhelming, he is the face of this franchise, and he genuinely likes playing in Cleveland, but he is a fan who wants to win. You will lose Choo if they do not make the playoffs this year or next year. That is the only guarantee I can make right now. However, I promise this, if they trade Choo, they are throwing in the towel on this season and next season, which will not attract fans, and keep the payroll extremely low.
However, I think you COULD trade Justin Masterson and replace him next season. I like Masterson, I want him to stay, however he is more inconsistent than Ubaldo and Masterson has an easier motion to repeat. If you get a high level prospect that is a starter, or a left fielder, then you pull the trigger. Don't forget, the rotation has one too many guys currently because Roberto Hernandez will be called up eventually, and you still have Jeanmar Gomez in the minors. Next season Derek Lowe is out, so that does open a spot, but you would think with the Tribe saving $13million by shedding Pronk's contract, that money can go to a better pitcher than what we have gotten from Lowe. Lowe is highly valuable to a contending team, he still eats innings, and he still can mentor a pitching staff, but currently we aren't contending without a jolt of consistent play.
So in conclusion, keep Choo, and trade Masterson(IF you get the right group of players back). This season isn't over, the Tribe are 5.5 games out, they have slid like this before(last season), what is the mood in the clubhouse? Are they saying ("Here we go again") or are they saying ("Not again"). The difference this season than last is that the team is for the most part healthy. This is happening with our starters on the field, not the Cleveland Clippers.
I believe, but can't trade the farm to make a move. The guys we have have to show something, but don't trade Choo. That's foregoing the entire organization's chances at a championship until Fransisco Lindor mans SS.
Daniel Hahn
Monday, July 30, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
White Sox add another
Well it looks like the room for error is getting smaller and smaller for the Tribe. The White Sox added Fransisco Liriano last night to their roster in exchange for 2 minor leaguers. Liriano has a major control problem and mirrors the play of Roberto Hernandez in many ways. When this guy can find the strikezone, he has Cy Young potential, when he can't, he may walk 8 batters in a game and be chased before the 4th inning. Either way it is an upgrade for the White Sox rotation.
Daniel Hahn
Daniel Hahn
Saturday, July 28, 2012
What Happened?
Sorry for not posting game updates for the Tigers series, I was going to do a summary, and then I saw the first Twins game, and now most of the second Twins game. So I will put some time into this blog shortly, but it's tough to take time out your day to watch a team tank when you got other things going on.
I know we live in a society today where mass media is always quick to jump to conclusions. It's easy for us as fans to do the same thing too, especially with a team that you watch everyday. I am a University of Kentucky graduate, and I usually watch every football and most basketball games each year. It's always interesting when March Madness rolls around and I start to fill out my bracket. Usually money is at stake, but the problem is my fanhood is a big issue usually. As a fan you never want to pick your team to lose, it goes against everything fans stand for. However when you got your own money on the line, and you have your own team to bet with, reality usually settles in after a bias pick or two. The reality is that as fans who watch most games, you see the good, the real, and the ugly. Manny Acta references this all season when he drops quotes that when Jack Hannahan is hitting .380 to start the year, that he will average out, and same with guys who enter slumps and the team's overall play in general. You can't help but to jump to conclusions, you know your favorite team can win any game at anytime. You have seen them do it for most every sport you watch. Even the Cavs beat the Heat at home 'post Decision'! However you have seen them play at their worst too. Losing games that a team should have no business losing, even this past season I saw UK basketball play one of the worst halves I have ever seen in any basketball game when they went down to Starkville(luckily they recovered in the 2nd half to win).
Media will always present the rush discussion. They have to, when you have a 3 hour TV or radio show and only 3 major things happened the night before, you got to yuck it up all day until something else happens. As a midwest sports fan it always stinks that our teams rarely get mentioned unless you are a fan of any Chicago team, and even then does anybody really remember a no-hitter by Phillip Humber earlier this year?
The big point here is, what in the world do we take from the week the Indians are having(Other than Tomlin and Lowe may be done for the year)? I was not trying to rush to conclusion about this team based on the Tigers series, however they just turned off their own momentum. When Santana and Pronk hit two HRs in that 7th inning off of Justin Verlander to change the momentum and turned out to win the game that inning, you knew this team could skyrocket. That was their moment! Just like the Tigers did around this time last year, and the White Sox a few years before that, winning that series and then getting a big time selling Twins team should have been lights out! In sports momentum plays a key role. Yes it is imaginary, but why do you think that it is so hard for a team to start losing, or a player to break a slump? It's much easier to stay in a zone, or to keep loose when wins are happening. This team was in a funk all summer, then you got the favorite to win the division at home, and you win the series. Huge right? Now your going to have a series against the bottom of the division, and you squander all momentum.
They win a series against the defending division champs, and then lose 11-0 the next night. Right now it is 11-3 in the 8th inning, and we are not ahead. This was the week to make a run! This was the week to tell management, "We are who you thought we were! Now get us some help!", or "We don't need anybody else!". Now what is the message that Chris Antonetti is looking at when it comes to trades? He said he will decide on Tuesday if the team is a buyer or a seller.
Good thing for us, Antonetti doesn't act like a media member or a fan and rushed to a conclusion following that Tigers series, because I am sure right now he is second guessing buying anybody(PLEASE CHASE HEADLEY). Chris Antonetti doesn't have the luxury of rush decisions, and he can't be loyal to anybody other than the Indians organization. He has to be a realist about where this team is, and what this team can afford to do. Unlike my march madness bracket, Chris Antonetti can add the pieces mid-season that we need to make those really bad moments not spring up as often after July 31st. Or maybe he realizes this team isn't one you could or even should pencil in all the way to the championship this year when you got money and jobs on the line. Maybe it's time to add something that will pay dividends long term.
We still have 2 more games before Tuesday, maybe the Indians will turn it around behind the non-struggling starters(McAllister, Jimenez, and Masterson). I think it's time for Josh Tomlin to skip a start and regroup or do so in 2.5 weeks.
Good luck Mr Antonetti, I do not want to be in your shoes on Tuesday.
Daniel Hahn
I know we live in a society today where mass media is always quick to jump to conclusions. It's easy for us as fans to do the same thing too, especially with a team that you watch everyday. I am a University of Kentucky graduate, and I usually watch every football and most basketball games each year. It's always interesting when March Madness rolls around and I start to fill out my bracket. Usually money is at stake, but the problem is my fanhood is a big issue usually. As a fan you never want to pick your team to lose, it goes against everything fans stand for. However when you got your own money on the line, and you have your own team to bet with, reality usually settles in after a bias pick or two. The reality is that as fans who watch most games, you see the good, the real, and the ugly. Manny Acta references this all season when he drops quotes that when Jack Hannahan is hitting .380 to start the year, that he will average out, and same with guys who enter slumps and the team's overall play in general. You can't help but to jump to conclusions, you know your favorite team can win any game at anytime. You have seen them do it for most every sport you watch. Even the Cavs beat the Heat at home 'post Decision'! However you have seen them play at their worst too. Losing games that a team should have no business losing, even this past season I saw UK basketball play one of the worst halves I have ever seen in any basketball game when they went down to Starkville(luckily they recovered in the 2nd half to win).
Media will always present the rush discussion. They have to, when you have a 3 hour TV or radio show and only 3 major things happened the night before, you got to yuck it up all day until something else happens. As a midwest sports fan it always stinks that our teams rarely get mentioned unless you are a fan of any Chicago team, and even then does anybody really remember a no-hitter by Phillip Humber earlier this year?
The big point here is, what in the world do we take from the week the Indians are having(Other than Tomlin and Lowe may be done for the year)? I was not trying to rush to conclusion about this team based on the Tigers series, however they just turned off their own momentum. When Santana and Pronk hit two HRs in that 7th inning off of Justin Verlander to change the momentum and turned out to win the game that inning, you knew this team could skyrocket. That was their moment! Just like the Tigers did around this time last year, and the White Sox a few years before that, winning that series and then getting a big time selling Twins team should have been lights out! In sports momentum plays a key role. Yes it is imaginary, but why do you think that it is so hard for a team to start losing, or a player to break a slump? It's much easier to stay in a zone, or to keep loose when wins are happening. This team was in a funk all summer, then you got the favorite to win the division at home, and you win the series. Huge right? Now your going to have a series against the bottom of the division, and you squander all momentum.
They win a series against the defending division champs, and then lose 11-0 the next night. Right now it is 11-3 in the 8th inning, and we are not ahead. This was the week to make a run! This was the week to tell management, "We are who you thought we were! Now get us some help!", or "We don't need anybody else!". Now what is the message that Chris Antonetti is looking at when it comes to trades? He said he will decide on Tuesday if the team is a buyer or a seller.
Good thing for us, Antonetti doesn't act like a media member or a fan and rushed to a conclusion following that Tigers series, because I am sure right now he is second guessing buying anybody(PLEASE CHASE HEADLEY). Chris Antonetti doesn't have the luxury of rush decisions, and he can't be loyal to anybody other than the Indians organization. He has to be a realist about where this team is, and what this team can afford to do. Unlike my march madness bracket, Chris Antonetti can add the pieces mid-season that we need to make those really bad moments not spring up as often after July 31st. Or maybe he realizes this team isn't one you could or even should pencil in all the way to the championship this year when you got money and jobs on the line. Maybe it's time to add something that will pay dividends long term.
We still have 2 more games before Tuesday, maybe the Indians will turn it around behind the non-struggling starters(McAllister, Jimenez, and Masterson). I think it's time for Josh Tomlin to skip a start and regroup or do so in 2.5 weeks.
Good luck Mr Antonetti, I do not want to be in your shoes on Tuesday.
Daniel Hahn
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Tribe makes first Trade
I must repeat, I have no clue what this trade means for the Indians. Lillibridge is hitting .212avg with a .279OBP on the year in limited action(he is a bench guy). He is hitting better than Aaron Cunningham(.175avg), and he can play more positions, so I guess he significantly upgrades our right handed 7th inning defensive sub? He can also play every infield position, so that could mean we will see him somewhere in there too. He is fast, so a pinch-runner role is highly possible too.
He is under contractual control thru 2015, so Jason Donald better step up in spring training next year, because you got competition for bench utility guy! It's a move that brings added depth to our bench utility player roll for the next several years. Solid.
Manny Acta naturally sidestepped the poor offensive part of Lillibridge, and when asked he just focused on the word "versatility".
Per Indians.com - "He has hit in the past," Acta said. "But we're not bringing him over here to put him in the middle of our lineup. He's just going to be
a backup guy for us. You don't have backup guys hitting .300 on the bench."
Now I am really confused. I guess Cunningham and Duncan aren't hitting .300, but I can't remember when Cunningham started to commit a lot of errors, so what is the purpose of finding a better defensive bench guy? I guess Lillibridge can do more, so it will give Acta more options when Damon or Duncan do play a full 9 innings.
Ok, enough of the sarcasm. This move is most likely signalling the increased reliance on speed that the Indians wanted from the beginning of the season. On top of that, Jose Lopez and Jack Hanahan may be part of trades coming up as I think they actually are very good bench guys to have on a contending team. For some teams, they may even be an upgrade(i.e The A's and Brandon Inge). Let's wait and see what happens the rest of the week, I think this trade has a few layers to it, beyond giving Jason Donald spring training competition.
-Daniel Hahn
Is this The Biggest Week for the Franchise?
Well Tribal folks, this is it.
I am going to go back on what I said yesterday(even after a 3-1 win over the O's yesterday). I am going to say that 'It's over' may be what I am saying sooner rather than later. This time next week we will know if the season is going to be put on ice for the Cleveland Indians. 3 major things will have happened by this time next week. First, the trade deadline is next Tuesday. Second, we will have just wrapped up a series with the Tigers(starts tonight at 7:05, Fister vs. Jimenez). Third, we will see if Grady Sizemore has another rehab setback, one more and he is done for the year.
Let me start off with the obvious baseball facts, there are A LOT of games to go. The Indians can get just as hot, as they are cold right now. They still have many games against the Tigers, so as long as Detroit leads the division, the Tribe can catch up on them. However, the Tribe are ice cold at the wrong time(right before the deadline), which means most teams are calling about Tribe players, and the Tribe is in the middle ground as far as to pull the trigger on any deals. I promise that before the year is done, the Tribe will get hot, I am talking winning 7 or 8 out of 10 games, and that may happen more than once. The reason for that is that to do it, not much is required, back to back good starts by Masterson and Jimenez, and an uptick in the offense. However, even with A hot streak, what is the point? Will the Indians have the players to pull a run together the way the Tigers did last season to win this division? Because that is what it is going to take. Do the Indians have the players to beat the Tigers head-to-head. That's a question you will get answered this week.
I don't like reading articles about Johnny Damon discussing how life in Florida was paradise, he thinks he would be the first shoe to drop if the Indians throw in the towel, and maybe retirement will happen for him. If this team was actually in a pennant race, why in the world is that article being posted, and why is Damon even wasting his time answering it? That to me sounds like a leader in the clubhouse facing reality, not only of his age/abilities, but also of the mood of the rest of the locker room. If the players are thinking that, then it will really show against Detroit this week, because the Tigers smell blood in the water, they are used to making a push this time of year, and ALL of their starters want to be there for a playoff run, so they will be playing their hardest. What will the Indians mindset be after a tough road trip and losing 3 of 4 at home to an Orioles team that is also contending for the Wild Card?
If the players are quitting, I don't blame them. First of all, Shelley Duncan thinks they got the team currently that can get them to the playoffs. That's bologna. You don't have a LF that can play a full game, a DH who can't play every day, and a platoon at 3rd base. You have plenty of areas to improve, and I have discussed this plenty already. So last season management made moves to help, and the players responded until injuries in August just decimated this team. Well look at the White Sox and Tigers, the divisional competition, they have made moves that will help them, and the Indians are not only doing nothing thus far, but the only rumors are them as sellers.
Tigers have acquired SP Anibal Sanchez and UT Omar Infante. They gave up a lot to get him including their #1 pick from two years ago SP Jacob Turner who is in AAA for them. However, their rotation is now Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Sanchez, Scherzer, and Porcello. For playoff purposes this is a solid rotation, and Infante isn't a guy to be overlooked. He fills the role that Placido Polanco, Brandon Inge, and Wilson Betimit held down during the prior postseason runs since Jim Leyland took over. The Tigers have a very basic formula for winning, and this trade sets them up to kick it into gear, and head towards the World Series just like in previous seasons.
The White Sox acquired Brett Myers from the Astros. They have a roster that LAST season was supposed to get them into the playoffs. Well, it didn't happen due to injury and poor play. So they traded their closer in the off-season, got a little younger and then hmmmm...Jake Peavy is pitching really good, and is healthy. Adam Dunn is back to the guy we thought we would have had last season, well lets replace Sergio Santos since we gave him up not thinking we would contend this year, and they did with Brett Myers. They needed a 3B, and beat out the Indians to acquire Kevin Youkilis, who has played wonderfully for them too. The White Sox, looked at the standings, and took on some low risk veterans at positions of need, and are making their move. With Jake Peavy, you always have a shot in the playoffs once you get in.
The Indians were in first for April and May of the season, they acquired Johnny Damon and Esmil Rogers during that time. Rogers has helped out, and Damon is more of a locker room guy than an everyday starter at this point, but they aren't really key contributors right now. Damon is hitting near .221 on a platoon basis. The Indians kept Grady Sizemore hoping he could add pop to the offense, but may not see the field all season. Roberto Hernandez will be back, but it isn't as big a help as previously expected, because you are getting drop-offs from Tomlin and Masterson this year. Remove yourself thinking as a fan, you see the team is sputtering, the Tigers and White Sox are locked and loaded for a World Series run, almost every move you made thus far has failed, do you keep buying?
Now you see why these are the only rumors associated with the Indians. Giants are inquiring about Chris Perez. Several teams are looking at Shin Soo Choo. The Indians are sellers right now. Do not expect any Jimenez like signings this time around, I am betting you see Grimmace and Damon being shopped(if anybody wants them), then you can get a heavy dose of LaPorta the rest of the year. Expect Derek Lowe to be shopped(not that his value is super high), and then McAlister keeps his spot(he is awesome right now) when Hernandez debuts.
I am not a quitter on any of my teams, I am Cleveland fan DANNIT! To be a Tribe fan you have to be loyal because they really don't offer a lot to even have a bandwagon to jump on. I still think the window is VERY close to being open for the Indians. IF they are buyers, make a deal for a guy like Jimenez who is under club control a few more seasons, if they are sellers, trade veterans with playoff experience like Grimmace, Damon, Duncan, Lowe, and Lopez. Yes their value isn't a lot, but you get a prospect or cash, and use them to keep rebuilding the farm and save up to pay Choo as much as he wants. If you trade Choo or Perez, unless you get a top prospect from another team(and really even if you do), you just pushed back the window of contention a few more years.
I am not for any trade that makes this team worse for next season. That means, I am ok if they trade those guys, but I am not ok with trading Perez or Choo. I am actually ok if they trade Pestano, I don't want them too, but he may be the bullpen guys may be the most valuable and replaceable pieces we got. If you traded Pestano, for a high class prospect who is either a LF or 1B, is that a bad trade? Especially if you traded Grimmace/Damon and gave that player some MLB time? Maybe, but I think Perez is set where he is, I think Joe Smith could slide into Pestano's spot. Heck, the way Rogers is pitching he may be a solid 7th inning guy too.
Why would you trade Choo or Perez and push back the championship window? You shouldn't! Next season the team is getting even better with starting pitching, Masterson, Jimenez, Hernandez, McAlister, Tomlin/Carrasco/Gomez! We didn't trade Cliff Lee for Lou Marson! Get some hitting and don't sell next season because you want Wandy Rodriguez.
We shall see what happens, but I think we get bad results from the Tigers series, or Grady's next attempt to run, then the Indians should be sellers. Not a full scale selling though, sell guys who fill needs, and get somebody who can hit in the 4th spot in the off-season. I like Santana, but if he can't hit over .240, he is a 6th hitter, not a 3-5 guy. Pronk's $13 mil is off the books after this season, go after somebody who can hit and stay on the field as a DH! Billy Butler would be magical, but the Royals won't trade him to us.
Biggest Week of the season, and maybe next season starting tonight. Go Tribe!
Friday, July 20, 2012
TRAAAAADES!!!
We can talk about David Price owning Cleveland if you like. Let me sum
that game up in a hurry. Ubaldo pitched really well, the offense got 2
total hits, and we lost 6-0. Too bad, so sad. Tribe and Rays evened up
their season series splitting their 8 games for this year. I will take
that, it's very simple, be around .500 with the contenders, and get wins
over the teams you SHOULD beat. Tribe is .500 with the Rays, ok, I will
take it.
Here are some trades that are starting to happen as we get closer to the
trade deadline. So far today...
- Royals sent P Johnathan Sanchez (1-6 7.76ERA) to the Rockies for P
Jeremy Guthrie (3-9 6.35ERA) -
I guess it's a good trade. The Sanchez trade is already a
monumental disaster for the Royals since Melky Cabrera is dominating in
San Francisco. However, Guthrie was pretty solid in Baltimore, so maybe
this is a chance for both teams to cut their losses, trade the guys back
to leagues they are used to, and see if they can't recover. Good trade,
doesn't affect the Indians. Guthrie is right-handed, the Indians like
righties.
- Blue Jays acquire: Brandon Lyon(0-2 3.25 ERA, J.A Happ (7-9 4.83ERA),
and David Carpenter (0-2 6.07ERA in AAA)
Astros acquire: Francisco Cordero, Joe Musgrove, Asher Wojciechowski,
David Rollins, C Carlos Perez, and PTBNL
This is an obvious move by the Astros to keep rebuilding and the
Blue Jays to get help pitching. This trade DOES affect the Tribe big
time. First of all, this season the Tribe and Jays will be in the race
for the Wild Card all season, the Blue Jays are held back by their
pitching injuries, and this replenishes their bullpen and rotation. No
top end guys, but guys who can compete while their offense keeps
mashing. The Astros are joining the AL next season, so any moves that
makes them better in the future is a dangerous move for the Indians.
The Blue Jays sent some quality prospects over in this trade because
they want to go for it now.
that game up in a hurry. Ubaldo pitched really well, the offense got 2
total hits, and we lost 6-0. Too bad, so sad. Tribe and Rays evened up
their season series splitting their 8 games for this year. I will take
that, it's very simple, be around .500 with the contenders, and get wins
over the teams you SHOULD beat. Tribe is .500 with the Rays, ok, I will
take it.
Here are some trades that are starting to happen as we get closer to the
trade deadline. So far today...
- Royals sent P Johnathan Sanchez (1-6 7.76ERA) to the Rockies for P
Jeremy Guthrie (3-9 6.35ERA) -
I guess it's a good trade. The Sanchez trade is already a
monumental disaster for the Royals since Melky Cabrera is dominating in
San Francisco. However, Guthrie was pretty solid in Baltimore, so maybe
this is a chance for both teams to cut their losses, trade the guys back
to leagues they are used to, and see if they can't recover. Good trade,
doesn't affect the Indians. Guthrie is right-handed, the Indians like
righties.
- Blue Jays acquire: Brandon Lyon(0-2 3.25 ERA, J.A Happ (7-9 4.83ERA),
and David Carpenter (0-2 6.07ERA in AAA)
Astros acquire: Francisco Cordero, Joe Musgrove, Asher Wojciechowski,
David Rollins, C Carlos Perez, and PTBNL
This is an obvious move by the Astros to keep rebuilding and the
Blue Jays to get help pitching. This trade DOES affect the Tribe big
time. First of all, this season the Tribe and Jays will be in the race
for the Wild Card all season, the Blue Jays are held back by their
pitching injuries, and this replenishes their bullpen and rotation. No
top end guys, but guys who can compete while their offense keeps
mashing. The Astros are joining the AL next season, so any moves that
makes them better in the future is a dangerous move for the Indians.
The Blue Jays sent some quality prospects over in this trade because
they want to go for it now.
The Rise of Santana
So this accident, isn't an accident at all....
It looks like the killer, got killed....
That's right, the Tribe is in Tampa Bay and that makes me always want to
think about David Caruso and the good life. Also, I have been listening
to the Tampa Bay radio stations on my radio app since the Cleveland ones
aren't very available. Either way, you can never go wrong with David
Caruso quotes, ever.
Lets get to the game, this was game 3 of a 4 game set vs. the Rays. The
Indians usually don't play their best at the Trop, but managed to split
the series up to this point with fairly good pitching performances, and
timely batting. Zach McAlister won the first game without any accuracy,
and like Lowe and Masterson before him, finding a way to get innings,
and a quality start when you aren't at your best is a clear sign that he
is starting to figure out how to pitch in the majors. Either way, we
won his game, lost Tomlin's, and now we are to Wednesday with Jeremy
Hellickson vs. Justin Masterson. Favored are the Indians right?
That was an ugly first 4 innings, no hitting, and really bad Justin
Masterson. Masterson would last only 4 and 1/3 innings and walked 7
hitters. That's 13 outs and 7 walks! Add in the 7 hits, and I don't
know how he only allowed 4 runs. Oh wait I do, and that was the
emergence of Esmil Rogers who entered the game in the 5th with the bases
loaded and got out of the inning without allowing any runs. More on
this situation in a bit, but Masterson allowed 14 baserunners and only
12 outs. That's the exact opposite of his previous start in Toronto
when he was Masterful. This not only hurt us in this game, but because
both Tomlin and Masterson got pulled early, now you are relying on
Jimenez to be right, or else our bullpen will be taxed too much to
expect them to shutdown or hold leads in the next few games. Overall it
was just more of the same from the rotation, either a great start, or a
really bad start.
Yesterday we played the game, "Good Trade/Bad Trade". Today, "What
would frustrate you more".
A) A lead-off triple, and then not scoring any runs that inning with
your 5-6-7 hitters next?
B) No runs with the bases loaded and 1 out with your 8-9 hitters at the
plate next and you are up 4-3 in the 5th?
You can comment and answer that, but here is why both should be
frustrating. Yes, that happened in the 2nd inning when Michael Brantley
led off the 2nd with a triple, and then Santana struck out, Pronk hit a
chopper to second with the infield playing in, and then Damon did
squadoosh. As an Indians fan this frustrates me the most because it is
EXACTLY what you expected. Brantley was on, and then neither Choo,
Cabrera, or Kipnis would be up soon so you knew nobody was going to hit
them in. How sad.
For scenario B the Rays had the bases loaded looking to respond to the
Indians 3 runs they had just scored in the top half of the inning. The
top of the 5th featured the Indians FINALLY scoring and breaking thru
with 2 outs. 2 outs in the top of the 5th, Santana is on 1st, then
Grimmace gets hit by a pitch. Nice break, because the Manahan steps up
with a runner in scoring position, he then doubles off the wall in
center scoring Santana and Grimmace. Choo was up next and of course
drove in Hanahan by hitting a single up the middle that just got under
the glove of SS Elliot Johnson. Either way, the score is 4-3, Rays load
the bases and the Indians bring in a new pitcher. Rays can't score.
That was the momentum shift, and that was the game. The Indians closed
it to 1 run, if the Rays could have responded, then they would have won
the game. However, with 1 out, double plays happen a lot so is this the
most frustrating result?
There are 2 keys to this game, Carlos Santana and Esmil Rogers. First,
Esmil Rogers was magnificent. Enters the game with bases loaded and one
out. He throws all offspeed pitches to get the first hitter to K, and
then gets and easy groundout to close out the inning. Rogers has a
great fastball, the Rays were sitting back and waiting for it, but never
got one. Clutch pitching by Rogers, and with middle relief as the
biggest pitching problem for the Indians, that's a big performance to
keep the game close, and the Indians eventually pulled thru.
The Dark Knight Rises comes out on Friday, well Carlos Santana rose from
oblivion in this game. Either this was a tease as to what he COULD
offer our lineup, or this was him breaking a slump. Santana went 2 for
4, 4 RBIs, HR, and a walk. Santana did struggle throwing runners out
allowing 4 stolen bases, but offensively he protected Brantley finally,
and was driving the ball. The top 4 hitters for the Indians had 9 of
the Indians 14 hits. The difference this time was that while the top 4
guys were doing their usual schtick of scoring runs and getting on base,
FINALLY the 5th spot got 2 hits to drive them in. Hafner got 2 hits too
that didn't drive any runs in, but at least provides support to Santana.
That is what the offense is essentially looking for at the trade
deadline. All this talk about adding power, isn't just power, it's
about adding a guy who can get hits after the top four players who have
been hitting it all year. Great day for Santana.
Big moment for the game came in the 7th inning with Kipnis at the plate.
Game was still at 4-3 with 2 outs and Choo/Cabrera on base. 2 strikes,
2 outs, and then a close pitch that Kipnis didn't swing at was called a
ball. Close call, all the Rays guys I am listening too think it was a
strike, either way it was very close. Then Kipnis fouled off a few
pitches and then singled up the middle again to score Choo, and that
tied the game. From there Joe Maddon would get ejected, Michael
Brantley would single for an RBI, and then Santana would hit a 3-run HR
to ice the game.
Tribe win 10-6
It's sad to listen to the Rays fans speak because it eerily sounds like
Indians fans. "We got hosed by the Ump", "We have to trade Upton or
else we will lose him like Crawford", "How come we can't score a run
with 7 walks?", etc. Yes, that happened, all of the batters that
Masterson walked, never scored.
Quick Tidbits:
- Rafael Perez pitched a scoreless inning in AAA Columbus yesterday.
Scott Barnes days are numbered now, and a healthy Perez is a quality arm
to add to the stretch run. Yet another addition to the club without
needing a trade.
Indians and Rays have a noon game with Ubaldo Jimenez vs. David Price.
We have avoided Price all season, so we will see how our predominantly
lefty lineup fairs vs the Rays ace. Ubaldo has to get deep into this
game to have a shot, the bullpen has logged a lot of innings lately, and
my guess is we will not get 10 runs off of David Price. This is a
bigger game when you think about it. Price vs. Jimenez is a playoff
matchup, let's see how we fair.
Hitters AB R H RBI BB SO #P AVG OBP SLG
S Choo RF 5 1 2 1 0 0 13 .298 .381 .485
A Cabrera SS 5 2 3 0 0 0 14 .279 .354 .448
J Kipnis 2B 5 2 2 2 0 0 25 .278 .353 .418
M Brantley CF 5 1 2 1 0 0 15 .301 .357 .439
C Santana C 4 2 2 4 1 1 23 .225 .352 .344
T Hafner DH 5 0 2 0 0 1 18 .232 .365 .427
J Damon LF 4 0 0 0 0 1 13 .222 .286 .347
A Cunningham LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .189 .263 .267
C Kotchman 1B 3 1 0 0 0 0 17 .234 .298 .367
J Hannahan 3B 4 1 1 2 0 1 14 .241 .314 .349
Totals 40 10 14 10 1 4 152
BATTING
2B: J Hannahan (9, J Hellickson); A Cabrera (21, B Badenhop)
3B: M Brantley (4, J Hellickson)
HR: C Santana (6, 7th inning off J McGee 2 on, 2 Out)
RBI: J Hannahan 2 (22), S Choo (36), J Kipnis 2 (53), M Brantley (45), C
Santana 4 (34)
2-out RBI: J Hannahan 2, S Choo, J Kipnis, M Brantley, C Santana 3
GIDP: T Hafner
Indians RISP: 7-12 (M Brantley 1-2, S Choo 1-1, C Santana 2-3, J
Hannahan 1-1, J Kipnis 2-3, T Hafner 0-1, J Damon 0-1)
Team LOB: 5
FIELDING
DP: 1 (J Kipnis-A Cabrera-C Kotchman).
Cleveland Indians
Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO HR PC-ST ERA
J Masterson 4.1 7 4 4 7 1 0 109-62 4.29
E Rogers
(W, 1-0) 1.2 0 0 0 1 3 0 26-15 2.04
T Sipp 0.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 11-5 5.70
J Smith
(H, 14) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6-4 2.90
V Pestano
(H, 26) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7-6 1.60
J Accardo 1.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 26-13 3.62
Totals 9.0 10 6 6 10 5 0 185-105
PITCHING
T Sipp pitched to 2 batters in the 7th
First-pitch strikes/Batters faced: J Masterson 15/26; E Rogers 3/6; T
Sipp 0/2; J Smith 2/3; V Pestano 3/3; J Accardo 1/5
Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In Play strikes: J Masterson
12-8-24-18; E Rogers 6-2-5-2; T Sipp 3-0-1-1; J Smith 0-1-0-3; V Pestano
3-1-0-2; J Accardo 4-0-5-4
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J Masterson 7-4; E Rogers 2-0; T Sipp 0-0; J
Smith 3-0; V Pestano 1-1; J Accardo 2-1
Game Scores: J Masterson 27
It looks like the killer, got killed....
That's right, the Tribe is in Tampa Bay and that makes me always want to
think about David Caruso and the good life. Also, I have been listening
to the Tampa Bay radio stations on my radio app since the Cleveland ones
aren't very available. Either way, you can never go wrong with David
Caruso quotes, ever.
Lets get to the game, this was game 3 of a 4 game set vs. the Rays. The
Indians usually don't play their best at the Trop, but managed to split
the series up to this point with fairly good pitching performances, and
timely batting. Zach McAlister won the first game without any accuracy,
and like Lowe and Masterson before him, finding a way to get innings,
and a quality start when you aren't at your best is a clear sign that he
is starting to figure out how to pitch in the majors. Either way, we
won his game, lost Tomlin's, and now we are to Wednesday with Jeremy
Hellickson vs. Justin Masterson. Favored are the Indians right?
That was an ugly first 4 innings, no hitting, and really bad Justin
Masterson. Masterson would last only 4 and 1/3 innings and walked 7
hitters. That's 13 outs and 7 walks! Add in the 7 hits, and I don't
know how he only allowed 4 runs. Oh wait I do, and that was the
emergence of Esmil Rogers who entered the game in the 5th with the bases
loaded and got out of the inning without allowing any runs. More on
this situation in a bit, but Masterson allowed 14 baserunners and only
12 outs. That's the exact opposite of his previous start in Toronto
when he was Masterful. This not only hurt us in this game, but because
both Tomlin and Masterson got pulled early, now you are relying on
Jimenez to be right, or else our bullpen will be taxed too much to
expect them to shutdown or hold leads in the next few games. Overall it
was just more of the same from the rotation, either a great start, or a
really bad start.
Yesterday we played the game, "Good Trade/Bad Trade". Today, "What
would frustrate you more".
A) A lead-off triple, and then not scoring any runs that inning with
your 5-6-7 hitters next?
B) No runs with the bases loaded and 1 out with your 8-9 hitters at the
plate next and you are up 4-3 in the 5th?
You can comment and answer that, but here is why both should be
frustrating. Yes, that happened in the 2nd inning when Michael Brantley
led off the 2nd with a triple, and then Santana struck out, Pronk hit a
chopper to second with the infield playing in, and then Damon did
squadoosh. As an Indians fan this frustrates me the most because it is
EXACTLY what you expected. Brantley was on, and then neither Choo,
Cabrera, or Kipnis would be up soon so you knew nobody was going to hit
them in. How sad.
For scenario B the Rays had the bases loaded looking to respond to the
Indians 3 runs they had just scored in the top half of the inning. The
top of the 5th featured the Indians FINALLY scoring and breaking thru
with 2 outs. 2 outs in the top of the 5th, Santana is on 1st, then
Grimmace gets hit by a pitch. Nice break, because the Manahan steps up
with a runner in scoring position, he then doubles off the wall in
center scoring Santana and Grimmace. Choo was up next and of course
drove in Hanahan by hitting a single up the middle that just got under
the glove of SS Elliot Johnson. Either way, the score is 4-3, Rays load
the bases and the Indians bring in a new pitcher. Rays can't score.
That was the momentum shift, and that was the game. The Indians closed
it to 1 run, if the Rays could have responded, then they would have won
the game. However, with 1 out, double plays happen a lot so is this the
most frustrating result?
There are 2 keys to this game, Carlos Santana and Esmil Rogers. First,
Esmil Rogers was magnificent. Enters the game with bases loaded and one
out. He throws all offspeed pitches to get the first hitter to K, and
then gets and easy groundout to close out the inning. Rogers has a
great fastball, the Rays were sitting back and waiting for it, but never
got one. Clutch pitching by Rogers, and with middle relief as the
biggest pitching problem for the Indians, that's a big performance to
keep the game close, and the Indians eventually pulled thru.
The Dark Knight Rises comes out on Friday, well Carlos Santana rose from
oblivion in this game. Either this was a tease as to what he COULD
offer our lineup, or this was him breaking a slump. Santana went 2 for
4, 4 RBIs, HR, and a walk. Santana did struggle throwing runners out
allowing 4 stolen bases, but offensively he protected Brantley finally,
and was driving the ball. The top 4 hitters for the Indians had 9 of
the Indians 14 hits. The difference this time was that while the top 4
guys were doing their usual schtick of scoring runs and getting on base,
FINALLY the 5th spot got 2 hits to drive them in. Hafner got 2 hits too
that didn't drive any runs in, but at least provides support to Santana.
That is what the offense is essentially looking for at the trade
deadline. All this talk about adding power, isn't just power, it's
about adding a guy who can get hits after the top four players who have
been hitting it all year. Great day for Santana.
Big moment for the game came in the 7th inning with Kipnis at the plate.
Game was still at 4-3 with 2 outs and Choo/Cabrera on base. 2 strikes,
2 outs, and then a close pitch that Kipnis didn't swing at was called a
ball. Close call, all the Rays guys I am listening too think it was a
strike, either way it was very close. Then Kipnis fouled off a few
pitches and then singled up the middle again to score Choo, and that
tied the game. From there Joe Maddon would get ejected, Michael
Brantley would single for an RBI, and then Santana would hit a 3-run HR
to ice the game.
Tribe win 10-6
It's sad to listen to the Rays fans speak because it eerily sounds like
Indians fans. "We got hosed by the Ump", "We have to trade Upton or
else we will lose him like Crawford", "How come we can't score a run
with 7 walks?", etc. Yes, that happened, all of the batters that
Masterson walked, never scored.
Quick Tidbits:
- Rafael Perez pitched a scoreless inning in AAA Columbus yesterday.
Scott Barnes days are numbered now, and a healthy Perez is a quality arm
to add to the stretch run. Yet another addition to the club without
needing a trade.
Indians and Rays have a noon game with Ubaldo Jimenez vs. David Price.
We have avoided Price all season, so we will see how our predominantly
lefty lineup fairs vs the Rays ace. Ubaldo has to get deep into this
game to have a shot, the bullpen has logged a lot of innings lately, and
my guess is we will not get 10 runs off of David Price. This is a
bigger game when you think about it. Price vs. Jimenez is a playoff
matchup, let's see how we fair.
Hitters AB R H RBI BB SO #P AVG OBP SLG
S Choo RF 5 1 2 1 0 0 13 .298 .381 .485
A Cabrera SS 5 2 3 0 0 0 14 .279 .354 .448
J Kipnis 2B 5 2 2 2 0 0 25 .278 .353 .418
M Brantley CF 5 1 2 1 0 0 15 .301 .357 .439
C Santana C 4 2 2 4 1 1 23 .225 .352 .344
T Hafner DH 5 0 2 0 0 1 18 .232 .365 .427
J Damon LF 4 0 0 0 0 1 13 .222 .286 .347
A Cunningham LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .189 .263 .267
C Kotchman 1B 3 1 0 0 0 0 17 .234 .298 .367
J Hannahan 3B 4 1 1 2 0 1 14 .241 .314 .349
Totals 40 10 14 10 1 4 152
BATTING
2B: J Hannahan (9, J Hellickson); A Cabrera (21, B Badenhop)
3B: M Brantley (4, J Hellickson)
HR: C Santana (6, 7th inning off J McGee 2 on, 2 Out)
RBI: J Hannahan 2 (22), S Choo (36), J Kipnis 2 (53), M Brantley (45), C
Santana 4 (34)
2-out RBI: J Hannahan 2, S Choo, J Kipnis, M Brantley, C Santana 3
GIDP: T Hafner
Indians RISP: 7-12 (M Brantley 1-2, S Choo 1-1, C Santana 2-3, J
Hannahan 1-1, J Kipnis 2-3, T Hafner 0-1, J Damon 0-1)
Team LOB: 5
FIELDING
DP: 1 (J Kipnis-A Cabrera-C Kotchman).
Cleveland Indians
Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO HR PC-ST ERA
J Masterson 4.1 7 4 4 7 1 0 109-62 4.29
E Rogers
(W, 1-0) 1.2 0 0 0 1 3 0 26-15 2.04
T Sipp 0.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 11-5 5.70
J Smith
(H, 14) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6-4 2.90
V Pestano
(H, 26) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7-6 1.60
J Accardo 1.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 26-13 3.62
Totals 9.0 10 6 6 10 5 0 185-105
PITCHING
T Sipp pitched to 2 batters in the 7th
First-pitch strikes/Batters faced: J Masterson 15/26; E Rogers 3/6; T
Sipp 0/2; J Smith 2/3; V Pestano 3/3; J Accardo 1/5
Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In Play strikes: J Masterson
12-8-24-18; E Rogers 6-2-5-2; T Sipp 3-0-1-1; J Smith 0-1-0-3; V Pestano
3-1-0-2; J Accardo 4-0-5-4
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J Masterson 7-4; E Rogers 2-0; T Sipp 0-0; J
Smith 3-0; V Pestano 1-1; J Accardo 2-1
Game Scores: J Masterson 27
Good Call or Bad Call?
The Tribe released former 1st rd pick Trevor Crowe who posted a career
.245avg with 3HRs and 55RBIs in 205 games with the Indians from 09-11.
Trevor Crowe was always a fan enigma much in the way that Adam Miller
has been for the pitching staff. He could play all 3 outfield spots,
boasts a speed upgrade to the team, and can hit lead-off. The problem
with Crowe has been staying healthy and the Indians outfield depth.
Early on he played the same position as Grady Sizemore, then Shin Soo
Choo emerged, and following that Michael Brantley locked down an OF
spot. Crowe was able to get a few starts due to injuries to those 3
guys, but never a legit shot to hold a spot of his own. Crowe showed
speed by swiping 24 bags in the show, but never stuck after missing all
of 2011 due to injury. Crowe was a key piece in a potential deal to
acquire Bobby Abreu this past off-season, but those talks never
materialized to a trade.
Good Call or Bad Call: Did the Indians do the right thing by not
trading Trevor Crowe for Bobby Abreu?
My Answer: Good Call - Even knowing the Tribe would release Trevor
Crowe(who requested the release, and will be signing with the Angels), I
don't think I would want Bobby Abreu crowding our lineup. He doesn't
bring anything but more salary. He is left-handed, plays corner OF, and
probably needs a defensive replacement in the 7th inning. So basically
he is a more expensive Johnny Damon that provides a bit more power.
Honestly, because we got Johnny Damon anyways, I feel just fine. I
think Damon even adds more to a clubhouse than Abreu too, so go Tribe,
nice non-trade. Also, you got to see what Crowe has coming off an
injury.
Also, the Royals have designated pitcher Johnathon Sanchez for
assignment. The Royals acquired Sanchez and pitcher Ryan Verdugo(who
got called up to replace Sanchez) in the off-season for Melky Cabrera.
Good call or Bad Call: Did the Royals make a good trade?
My Answer: Horrible trade. The Royals didn't HAVE to make this trade,
they needed quality pitching to accompany their youth at the plate, but
they lost Melky Cabrera who(while I don't have his stats) has only been
an All-Star MVP this season thus far. Sanchez has an over 7.00ERA, and
went 1-6. Your offense may still be better this year even without
Cabrera, but if you allow twice as many runs as Jeff Francis was
allowing then you are awful. I don't know what the market was for
Cabrera, but the A's could have given up pitching, the Indians could
have, the Giants did, but overall there are several teams that need a
big hitter and have pitching to give. The positive for the Royals is
they get to see Lorenzo Cain and Andre Dyson in CF, who can both really
play and contribute. However even with being able to add to their core,
they traded an All Star MVP for a pitcher who couldn't last a full
season on their roster(that is awful at starting pitching)....ouch.
That is why the Royals are the Royals.
Go Tribe
.245avg with 3HRs and 55RBIs in 205 games with the Indians from 09-11.
Trevor Crowe was always a fan enigma much in the way that Adam Miller
has been for the pitching staff. He could play all 3 outfield spots,
boasts a speed upgrade to the team, and can hit lead-off. The problem
with Crowe has been staying healthy and the Indians outfield depth.
Early on he played the same position as Grady Sizemore, then Shin Soo
Choo emerged, and following that Michael Brantley locked down an OF
spot. Crowe was able to get a few starts due to injuries to those 3
guys, but never a legit shot to hold a spot of his own. Crowe showed
speed by swiping 24 bags in the show, but never stuck after missing all
of 2011 due to injury. Crowe was a key piece in a potential deal to
acquire Bobby Abreu this past off-season, but those talks never
materialized to a trade.
Good Call or Bad Call: Did the Indians do the right thing by not
trading Trevor Crowe for Bobby Abreu?
My Answer: Good Call - Even knowing the Tribe would release Trevor
Crowe(who requested the release, and will be signing with the Angels), I
don't think I would want Bobby Abreu crowding our lineup. He doesn't
bring anything but more salary. He is left-handed, plays corner OF, and
probably needs a defensive replacement in the 7th inning. So basically
he is a more expensive Johnny Damon that provides a bit more power.
Honestly, because we got Johnny Damon anyways, I feel just fine. I
think Damon even adds more to a clubhouse than Abreu too, so go Tribe,
nice non-trade. Also, you got to see what Crowe has coming off an
injury.
Also, the Royals have designated pitcher Johnathon Sanchez for
assignment. The Royals acquired Sanchez and pitcher Ryan Verdugo(who
got called up to replace Sanchez) in the off-season for Melky Cabrera.
Good call or Bad Call: Did the Royals make a good trade?
My Answer: Horrible trade. The Royals didn't HAVE to make this trade,
they needed quality pitching to accompany their youth at the plate, but
they lost Melky Cabrera who(while I don't have his stats) has only been
an All-Star MVP this season thus far. Sanchez has an over 7.00ERA, and
went 1-6. Your offense may still be better this year even without
Cabrera, but if you allow twice as many runs as Jeff Francis was
allowing then you are awful. I don't know what the market was for
Cabrera, but the A's could have given up pitching, the Indians could
have, the Giants did, but overall there are several teams that need a
big hitter and have pitching to give. The positive for the Royals is
they get to see Lorenzo Cain and Andre Dyson in CF, who can both really
play and contribute. However even with being able to add to their core,
they traded an All Star MVP for a pitcher who couldn't last a full
season on their roster(that is awful at starting pitching)....ouch.
That is why the Royals are the Royals.
Go Tribe
Monday, July 9, 2012
1st Half Is a Wrap!
Following a split against the Rays, the Indians have completed the first half of the season with a record of 44-41.
Standings:
- The Tribe is 3.0 GB in the AL Central trailing the Chicago White Sox, and only a .5 game up on the Detroit Tigers.
- In the Wild Card the Indians are a game behind the Orioles and Angels.
I will try to do Rays game recaps when I get a moment, but in a quick wrap-up, the Indians split with the Rays, which is good, but we really needed this series. The Rays are beaten up, we didn't have to face David Price, and were up 2 entering the 9th in the final game of the series. Tough to have a blown save, but it is only Chris Perez's 2nd of the season, and I will take that every single season if I could. Either way, the Indians managed to float thru a tough stretch vs. the AL East when they weren't healthy or hitting and are still in contention as we enter the All Star Break.
Here are the player standouts for the first half as I see it.
Offensive MVP: Shin Soo Choo (.299avg, .384OBP, 10HR, 34RBI, 26 2Bs, and 9 SB) - This was a tough call for me, but as I see it Choo has claimed the lead-off spot for the Indians for the rest of the year, and that may be more important than Kipnis's start. When the Indians last went to the playoffs, Mr. Sizemore and the Indians had a direct correlation to winning with Sizemore in the lead-off spot, and mediocrity when he was down in the order. Well I don't know how the W-L record differs with Choo, but I know he was struggling at the plate until he became the lead-off guy and now he is hitting like a player we won't be able to re-sign(Scott Boras is drooling watching Tribe games now). Choo prior to last season was a 30/30 potential player, and this season it looks like 20/20 is easily realistic if he stays healthy. The Indians put a large emphasis on getting on base, and Choo is doing just that in the lead-off spot. Prior to Choo, Manny Acta had tried Michael Brantley, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis, Jason Donald, and Johnny Damon in the lead-off spot. Having defined roles is a key feature of every championship team, so getting the lead-off spot locked in for the rest of the year in my opinion is more valuable than the outstanding first half of Jason Kipnis.
Runner Ups: Jason Kipnis (.277avg, .345OBP, 11HR, 49RBI, and 20SB) -GREAT 1st half! We are all Kipnisses!
Michael Brantley (.288avg, .334OBP, 3HR, 42RBI, 24 2Bs, and 10 SB) - Add him to the core going forward.
Defensive MVP: Grimmace - He was brought in for really only two reasons. His glove, and that he doesn't strikeout. Well he managed to rebound after one of the worst starts I think in MLB history, and is now hitting a respectable(haha) .241avg with 8HRs, but no matter his ups or downs at the plate, Grimmace has been as good as advertised defensively. This can't be said enough, with all the sinker ball specialists on the Indians, good infielders have more value than most teams would put on them.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Santana - Much improved throwing runners stealing, and his footwork has improved to the point that he looks like a totally different guy behind the plate. Pitch calling greatly improved and less predictable too.
Aaron Cunningham - He plays every game only because Shelley Duncan and Johnny Damon are that bad defensively. A few assists and no errors means Cunningham deserves to be mentioned here.
Pitching MVP: Chris Perez (3.34ERA, 0-2 24SV, 35 SO, 32.1 IP) - I have seen the Bob Wickman, Mike Jackson, Joe Borowski, and Kerry Wood eras in Cleveland, and nobody can convince me that a closer isn't a very valuable position for every contending team. Perez is 24 for 26 in save opportunities, and the majority of his runs come from the infamous non-save appearances that he makes. Perez has also done A LOT of smack talking this season, to opponents(Alex Rios, Kansas City), and even to Tribe fans. I think what doesn't get noticed is that, a player is allowed to have opinions because we live in a free country, but Perez has backed it up thus far. Nobody likes when Jets 3rd String QB opens his yapper, but Perez opens it and then closes the door each game. His confidence is indicative of the young core's attitude on this team, but he has just been vocal, and I think that gets the team to rally, which helps in the dog days of summer.
Honorable Mention: Vinnie Pestano (1.75 ERA, 23 holds, 43 SOs, 36IP) - Bullpen Mafia, you need holds to get saves.
Ubaldo Jimenez (4.50ERA, 8-6, 102IP, 77 SOs) - Just eeked out Derek Lowe for me, but Jimenez was more dominant in June, than Lowe was dominant in April. Funny how much better he does without walking a batter per inning.
Biggest Acquisition: Esmil Rogers - 11 Appearances, 0.60 ERA, 13.1 IP, 18 SOs, 1 BB) - Had an 8+ ERA in Colorado before the Indians sent cash considerations to acquire him in June. Middle Relief is the only definite spot the Indians are going to be seeking trade help as we approach the deadline. So far they are 1 for 1 in upgrading it.
Honorable Mention: Jose Lopez/Johnny Damon - Both guys are getting spot starts(Damon a little more), and both provide a good veteran presence in the clubhouse which can't be overstated. I like both guys off the bench on a playoff team, and Damon has picked it up as of late without getting any spring training.
Keys to the 2nd Half:
1) Staying Healthy - April-May the Indians were tearing it up, then the injury bug hit. They stayed above water to get back to the same opening day lineup, now let's get back on track.
2) Cleanup Hitter - Pronk? Santana? Brantley? Trade? It shouldn't be Brantley, but he hits the best right now. I am curious who Carlos Santana is. His numbers looks very similar to last season, so is he a .221avg hitter with some pop? If so, its time to permanently move him down in the order and try out somebody new at cleanup.
3) Zach McAlister - I have big faith in the tall righty, and in 7 starts he is 3-1, and a 3.40 ERA. The Indians need a hit on a call-up, and McAllister could be it. If he can give the Indians what Tomlin did during last season, I think that would be perfect. Masterson/Tomlin are scuttling thru the first half, so if McAllister can be a consistent performer along with Ubaldo and Lowe, our starters should be just fine, and keep the bullpen rested.
4) Roberto Hernandez and Grady Sizemore - The players keep saying they don't need a trade to make the playoffs or contend for a title. I agree with that to a certain extent. While the Tribe has the talent to win a lot, I think every team is always looking for more. Luckily or unluckily for Cleveland, they already have two top talents they can acquire for a stretch run. Two former All-Stars are sitting on the Indians roster and they are contending without either playing a single inning this season, that's something that should make every fan cautiously optimistic about where this season can go. However nobody in the organization knows when Sizemore or Hernandez will be back, but all indications are they both will be in a Cleveland uniform before the end of the season. 5) Risk Takers? - Last season the Indians broke from tradition and went for it. They sent their top two pitching prospects to Colorado for Ubaldo Jimenez. They had a deal in place for Carlos Beltran(but he didn't waive his no-trade clause), and they went after Ryan Ludwick. Well, the problem areas are similar to last season, but what does management want to do this time around? Would you trade Fransisco Lindor, Jesus Aguilar, and Jeanmar Gomez for Justin Upton? Or do you stay pat, maybe trade Jose Lopez for a middle reliever?
Top Trade Targets(My Opinion based on rumors and known needs)
1. Carlos Quentin (.268avg, .406OBP. 7 Hrs, 17RBIs, and 112At-bats) - The Indians may need to have SD pay for part of his contract to make this deal happen, but I like him for THIS season best. He has seen AL pitching, and won't cost Lindor to acquire.
2. Justin Upton (.273 avg, .353OBP, 7HR, 37RBI, and 10SB) - For some reason Arizona is shopping this former #1 pick. He will cost a lot more to get than Quentin, but fills the clean-up spot immediately, and is insurance for the future if Choo doesn't re-sign, and Sizemore can't return. Honestly, I want him a lot, but I am terrified of the cost, especially if he doesn't sign long-term with the Indians. Obviously, a pennant means I will pay a few souls if he is the difference.
3. Josh Willingham (.261 avg, .376 OBP, 19HR, 60RBI) - I don't see the Twins helping out a division rival. Should be one of the top targets for all contending teams too, so his trade price may be inflated.
Indians were close to signing him as a free agent, so get used to hearing his name a lot.
4. Alfonso Soriano (.265avg, 15HR, 48RBI, .323 OBP) - Cubs will need to eat a lot of his salary, but upgrades DH, and could play LF without being too much of a downgrade from Damon/Duncan. Sadly though he is a downgrade defensively.
I am of the minority on this, but I don't want to add anybody to the pitching staff or relief spots. Honestly who are the 'hot' names, Dempster(our Derek Lowe has playoff wins), Grienke(can't afford him), etc. The ONLY starting pitcher I would want to see the Indians go get is Wandy Rodriguez, but again the Astros would need to eat his contract, he is only a 1 yr plug, and will cost multiple prospects to get. The
staff is young, and has the talent to get the job done against any lineup not named New York. Masterson is slowly putting it together, and Ubaldo is just showing off now which is a sight to see.
2nd Half Prediction: Tribe ends in 3rd place in the Central - I KNOW we can make the playoffs with the roster we have. However, I expect the White Sox to make one more move(Youkilis is big for them, Tribe tried to get him too but failed), and the Tigers will not stand idly by either. The Tigers have Prince, Miguel, and Verlander. The White Sox have Peavy, Konerko, Dunn, and Youkilis all hitting. I like the Indians chances if Sizemore/Hernandez return without much rust, but what I see happening a bit beyond what is discussed, is perhaps the Tribe moving one of those two guys to acquire immediate help. Think about it, where does Grady fit if you add Josh Willingham? You going to sit Michael Brantley or Choo? Is Grady going to DH and you bench Pronk? How about Hernandez, do you send down McAllister? Send down Tomlin? We will see what happens, but as things stand right now, Tribe is 3rd in the division. They get a lot of Tigers games in the 2nd half, but only one series with the White Sox, so we can't fall behind, and we have to keep pace. We can do it, but if I was betting, 3rd place.
That was long, but that's my first half breakdown, GO TRIBE
- Daniel Hahn
Tribe Swoops past O's
Yes it has been quite some since a Tribe update, but as I was busy and
the Tribe are winners of 7 of 9, maybe not writing is good luck for the
offense. Of course, the offense is actually getting healthier based on
the Opening Day roster too, and all of a sudden wins are coming,
shocker.
First let me recap the Baltimore series that happened over the weekend.
The Indians won 3 out of 4 games in that series, and the hitters came
alive thanks in part to the returning Jack Hanahan. He actually isn't
hitting above .200 since his return from the DL, but he does provide a
defensive lift, and his hits are only in clutch situations. The biggest
reasons we won this series was Mr. Choo who hit over .460 with 3HRs in
this series, and Shelley Duncan who played like it was Spring Training
again. Grimmace even got back on track with a solid series, especially
defensively.
The bad part of the series was the fractured forearm suffered by Lonnie
Chisenhall on a hit by pitch. He will miss 8-10 weeks which means he is
done for the season. Such a shame because he was really looking
comfortable at the plate, and it looked like he was going to make Jose
Lopez or The Manahan expendable at the trade deadline, instead the Tribe
will likely have to hold on to both. The other problem was the
managerial decision to let Chris Perez pitch the 8th inning of a 2 run
game in the second game of the series(we lost that one). I understand
Perez needed work, but so did Pestano, and I wonder what message it
sends the team when the closer is in a close game for a non-save
situation, it almost sends the message that a comeback won't happen.
Yes the offense showed no signs of having the ability to create a
comeback, but the day before they hit Orioles closer Jim Johnson fairly
well, so you got to give them some false hope somehow. Of course like
all times the closer enters in a non-save situation, Perez allowed some
runs and the lead expanded in the 8th for the Orioles.
During the series the Orioles acquired Jim Thome from the Phillies for
two minor leaguers. Thome needs to retire. If you haven't seen Adam
Jones play before then you are missing out. The Orioles CF is
definitely the future of their team, but he is also one of those elite
talents that I think warrants paying money to go see when you get the
chance. Defensively he is an artist with a big arm, and offensively he
can carry that team.
3-1 series win over the Orioles.
Next up for the Indians was a return home to face the Angels. Another
potential playoff test, the Indians continued their hot streak
offensively and won another huge series over the Angels just like they
did earlier in the year. The only reason the Indians lost the second
game of the series was the great pitching of Jared Weaver. Last time
the Indians faced Weaver they were able to force him from the game by
driving up his pitch count, this time not so lucky and Weaver shredded
the Tribe's lineup. However, the Angels can only pitch Weaver once
every 5 days, so against the other starters the Indians looked like they
did vs. the O's. All of the Tribe's pitchers looked really good, and we
even saw the return of Pronk in the last game of the series. FYI we won
the last game of the series 13-2. Pronk bars for everybody!!!
2-1 Tribe wins Angels series(second series win over LAA in Cleveland
this year..huge)
The positives of this series was Zach McAlister, Ubaldo Jimenez, Derek
Lowe, Big League Choo, and Brantley. Let's keep it real, McAlister has
had 2 quality starts since being called up to replace Jeanmar Gomez,
Ubaldo got a loss only because he faced Jared Weaver and Ubaldo allowed
2 runs in 7 innings, and Lowe just did his job inducing ground balls.
Brantley and Grimmace each hit a 3-run HR in the last game of the
series, and Choo got a HR too off of Weaver. You all know I am a big
McAlister fan, and if he can maintain this hot streak he is on, he may
move ahead of Tomlin in the rotation by the end of the season.
Unless.....
Josh Tomlin who has struggled this season gets back on track. The Tribe
welcomed the Rays into Progressive Field on Thursday night and Josh
Tomlin kept the Rays injured offense sputtering. Tomlin got a 1-2-3 to
get out of the 1st inning, and Tomlin has a 10+ ERA in the first inning
of his starts. Then vs. Jeremy Hellickson, Mr. Choo lead-off the bottom
of the 1st with a HR to right field. The Tribe hit another HR off of
Hellickson, and that was by Michael Brantley. The Indians got insurance
in the 8th when they were up 2-1, PRONK!!!! Smashed a ball to RF for his
7th HR of the year and making it a 3-1 lead which was plenty for Chris
Perez to shut the door. Another opening game win by the Tribe to start
off a series.
Going forward, the offense I expect to keep grooving, because having
Pronk in the lineup makes a huge difference. Now Brantley and Santana
are hitting 5-6 as opposed to 4-5. The lineup is exactly like it was on
opening day with the addition of Johnny Damon, so you should expect
competitive games with the offense even erupting a few times like they
did vs. the Angels. Even Jason Donald is back and looked good in his
start vs. Baltimore. Donald should be a regular in the lineup since he
was called up following the Chisenhall injury.
Tribe play at 7pm tonight with Masterson pitching against Wade Cobb. Go
Tribe!
2.0 games back...(but only 1.5 games back of the Wild Card).
the Tribe are winners of 7 of 9, maybe not writing is good luck for the
offense. Of course, the offense is actually getting healthier based on
the Opening Day roster too, and all of a sudden wins are coming,
shocker.
First let me recap the Baltimore series that happened over the weekend.
The Indians won 3 out of 4 games in that series, and the hitters came
alive thanks in part to the returning Jack Hanahan. He actually isn't
hitting above .200 since his return from the DL, but he does provide a
defensive lift, and his hits are only in clutch situations. The biggest
reasons we won this series was Mr. Choo who hit over .460 with 3HRs in
this series, and Shelley Duncan who played like it was Spring Training
again. Grimmace even got back on track with a solid series, especially
defensively.
The bad part of the series was the fractured forearm suffered by Lonnie
Chisenhall on a hit by pitch. He will miss 8-10 weeks which means he is
done for the season. Such a shame because he was really looking
comfortable at the plate, and it looked like he was going to make Jose
Lopez or The Manahan expendable at the trade deadline, instead the Tribe
will likely have to hold on to both. The other problem was the
managerial decision to let Chris Perez pitch the 8th inning of a 2 run
game in the second game of the series(we lost that one). I understand
Perez needed work, but so did Pestano, and I wonder what message it
sends the team when the closer is in a close game for a non-save
situation, it almost sends the message that a comeback won't happen.
Yes the offense showed no signs of having the ability to create a
comeback, but the day before they hit Orioles closer Jim Johnson fairly
well, so you got to give them some false hope somehow. Of course like
all times the closer enters in a non-save situation, Perez allowed some
runs and the lead expanded in the 8th for the Orioles.
During the series the Orioles acquired Jim Thome from the Phillies for
two minor leaguers. Thome needs to retire. If you haven't seen Adam
Jones play before then you are missing out. The Orioles CF is
definitely the future of their team, but he is also one of those elite
talents that I think warrants paying money to go see when you get the
chance. Defensively he is an artist with a big arm, and offensively he
can carry that team.
3-1 series win over the Orioles.
Next up for the Indians was a return home to face the Angels. Another
potential playoff test, the Indians continued their hot streak
offensively and won another huge series over the Angels just like they
did earlier in the year. The only reason the Indians lost the second
game of the series was the great pitching of Jared Weaver. Last time
the Indians faced Weaver they were able to force him from the game by
driving up his pitch count, this time not so lucky and Weaver shredded
the Tribe's lineup. However, the Angels can only pitch Weaver once
every 5 days, so against the other starters the Indians looked like they
did vs. the O's. All of the Tribe's pitchers looked really good, and we
even saw the return of Pronk in the last game of the series. FYI we won
the last game of the series 13-2. Pronk bars for everybody!!!
2-1 Tribe wins Angels series(second series win over LAA in Cleveland
this year..huge)
The positives of this series was Zach McAlister, Ubaldo Jimenez, Derek
Lowe, Big League Choo, and Brantley. Let's keep it real, McAlister has
had 2 quality starts since being called up to replace Jeanmar Gomez,
Ubaldo got a loss only because he faced Jared Weaver and Ubaldo allowed
2 runs in 7 innings, and Lowe just did his job inducing ground balls.
Brantley and Grimmace each hit a 3-run HR in the last game of the
series, and Choo got a HR too off of Weaver. You all know I am a big
McAlister fan, and if he can maintain this hot streak he is on, he may
move ahead of Tomlin in the rotation by the end of the season.
Unless.....
Josh Tomlin who has struggled this season gets back on track. The Tribe
welcomed the Rays into Progressive Field on Thursday night and Josh
Tomlin kept the Rays injured offense sputtering. Tomlin got a 1-2-3 to
get out of the 1st inning, and Tomlin has a 10+ ERA in the first inning
of his starts. Then vs. Jeremy Hellickson, Mr. Choo lead-off the bottom
of the 1st with a HR to right field. The Tribe hit another HR off of
Hellickson, and that was by Michael Brantley. The Indians got insurance
in the 8th when they were up 2-1, PRONK!!!! Smashed a ball to RF for his
7th HR of the year and making it a 3-1 lead which was plenty for Chris
Perez to shut the door. Another opening game win by the Tribe to start
off a series.
Going forward, the offense I expect to keep grooving, because having
Pronk in the lineup makes a huge difference. Now Brantley and Santana
are hitting 5-6 as opposed to 4-5. The lineup is exactly like it was on
opening day with the addition of Johnny Damon, so you should expect
competitive games with the offense even erupting a few times like they
did vs. the Angels. Even Jason Donald is back and looked good in his
start vs. Baltimore. Donald should be a regular in the lineup since he
was called up following the Chisenhall injury.
Tribe play at 7pm tonight with Masterson pitching against Wade Cobb. Go
Tribe!
2.0 games back...(but only 1.5 games back of the Wild Card).
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