While I Was Sminking

Sometimes rookies come of age ...

Sometimes people get hurt ...

Matt LaPorta to the 15-day DL with a mild high right ankle sprain.

Lonnie Chisenhall, who has not played since June 10, to the 7-day DL @ AAA with a concussion.

Sometimes just being there is more than enough ...

I sat in section 511, row L for the 5-1 Indians victory on Friday.  We were so obscured from the right field wall that we all high fived, assuming Hafner's ball was gone.  It was college ID night (half-price lower reserved and mezzanine seats) and a ton of kids showed.  Many found that the promo seats were sold out and bought $8 seats to join us in the upper deck.  That did not include the buddy of a group in the row behind me who was quoted as saying "he couldn't afford the $8 ticket."  I will tell you that I would have never expected the torrent of talent that walked past row L.  I felt like a diabetic in a chocolate factory.

I had never been further from the action, not even when I sat in the dimly remembered "auxilliary bleachers" that were set up on the site of the Batter's Eye Bar in the late 90's.  Still, as an Indians fan, there is nothing that can approximate the sensation of enjoying a Tribe win with 38,000 of my closest friends.  Even if this season should not culminate in a playoff appearance, we can still enjoy the ride.

Sometimes careers die ...

Fausto Carmona lost his league leading 9th game of the season tonight.  Over his past seven starts, Fausto is 1-6 with 9.73 ERA, a .333 OBA and a 1.78 WHIP.  He allowed seven earned runs to raise his MLB worst total to 66 and allowed his 15th round tripper of 2011.  He has never allowed more than 17 in any season.  Sadly, the most rope that Carmona will get is to the All-Star break.  If he has not sufficiently recovered his command, and the Indians continue to contend, he will be demoted to the bullpen.

Sometimes the impossible happens ...

And sometimes seasons are resurrected by a visit from some stinking Pittsburgh bums.  It may not be PC to kick a franchise that has not had a winning campaign in two decades, but you will always be judged by the company that you keep.  My ire for the Steelers will fall upon all Pittsburgh franchsies, at least until the Brownies win a Super Bowl.

And then there's this ...

Cheers.