A Quest Called Tribe

As easy as Tuesday's loss was to swallow, just as bitter was Wednesday's pill.  Why?  Mistakes.  Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes.  Whether it be Asdrubal Cabrera's inexplicable throw after Howie Kendrick's double, Travis Hafner's key strike outs, Shin-Soo Choo getting picked off of third (Hi ManRam!), Acta calling for a bases loaded pitch out with Jeff Mathis at the plate (WHAT?) or the abomination that continues to be Chad Durbin, the game was replete with blunders.  I'm too disgusted to even mention the rest of the "hitting."  Suffice to say, most of these guys would have been better off sending their kids to the plate instead.  The Indians were not beaten tonight, they trimmed some garnish and plated the Angels a tasty serving of ballgame.

Durbin's folly bites the hardest perhaps because it was the proximate cause of defeat, perhaps because he has done exactly nothing to help the Indians win.  Hang on, this is nearly unbelievable.  In a single horrific inning, Durbin gave up a single to a guy who was 4-for-48 (and 0-for-his last 16), walked a man on four pitches, threw a wild pitch (seconds after Carlos Santana saved one) that led to an intentional walk and couldn't keep the ball on the ground to extend the contest.  My tune may change on this, but, as of this moment, Chad Durbin blows.

All of this overshadows another quality start from the Indians' rotation.  Carlos Carrasco tinkered with his wind-up and was lights out for the first three innings (H, BB, 3 K).  Cabrera's gaff came in the 4th, quickly followed by Carrasco's biggest mistake and a two-run Torii Hunter long ball.  That's it though.  Carlos went seven, allowing five hits and two walks, striking out five.  Similar to Fausto Carmona yesterday, I will take that kind of start any day of the week.

The bullpen was equally effective in getting to the 12th.  Have I mentioned that Vinnie Pestano is nasty?  Then... Chad Durbin.  The Tribe announced that two of their rehabbers will join the Clippers on Saturday tomorrow in Toledo.  Not among them?  Joe Smith.  The inference here is that Smith will hook up with the Tribe in Cleveland on Friday instead.  This compounds the Durbin shenanigans.  Easily the least productive reliever, Durbin's status as a "major leaguer" is going to push someone worthwhile (probably Frank Herrmann) off of the MLB roster.  Bah.

Down on the farm Grady Sizemore got the day off.  No surprise. 

Jason Donald led off for the Aeros and played third.  Donald (.273) was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base.  He is rehab eligible until the 30th.  Expect him to use all of that time.

Nick Hagadone threw his third consecutive scoreless pair of innings.  Over those six frames Hagadone has surrendered just 2 hits without a walk, while striking out six.  The opposition is hitting .105 against him. 

Drew Pomeranz made his second start for Kinston and was nearly as impressive as in outing #1.  Pomeranz did allow a run this time (unearned) on a single hit, two walks and 8 Ks.  Over 11 innings thus far, Drew has allowed five baserunners and struck out 17.  If this trend continues, he'll be in Akron by June and Cleveland by September.

I grumble now, but it's only going to get better.  ;-j

Cheers.

Rights and Responsibilites

I've ranted on the social contract before.  Still the nature of modern existence weighs upon me.  The supposition is that an enlightened culture needs a set commonalities to facilitate interactions.  That is, we need to know what to expect from our fellows, we need some common ground.  This is all well and good, but its success is based upon a grandiose assumption: we have the ability to recognize what we are doing.  I never signed the GD contract, have no need for boiler plate expectations.  I have come to a point in life where I recognize that my opinions on social mores and folkways are fairly irrelevant.  Still, like the brash child that I am, I ceaselessly attempt to cram the square peg of myself into the slender, round hole of the wider world.  Doomed, doomed to failure. 

**The true issue lies in subjectivity.  While the social contract may guide (read "dictate") our behavior, nothing can alter the way in which each individual parses his interactions.  It renders irrelevant every considered action because the responses to and from carry different connotations.  "Hypothetical" example -- One person has found himself without many to care about or respect.  Thus when this person has contact with the relative few that count, his words are designed to communicate the worth that he sees.  Unfortunately, these compliments are seen as improper, as too intense, they fall as colors outside of the lines.  Does this mean that we should not tell others that they are meaningful to us?  Is it necessary to wrap such soliloquies within the brightly papered wrappings of subtle actions?  Is this all just some game?  Frankly Scarlett, I have no freakin' idea.  As much as anyone might explain the "shoulds" of the world to us, it remains unlikely that these suggestions will become habitual without an innate faith in their worth.** 

Let me use smaller words.  I do not like being told what to do.  Recently, I was blessed with the recognition to find a word definitive of myself: pragmatic.  In this context, pragmatism means that I don't give a damn about social graces, especially those now antiquated.  Let's examine a few that are, pragmatically, similar.  Up until around 60 years ago, most assumed that women should stay in the home with the children.  No attention was paid to the any abilities such women might have to do other works, no credence given to the contributions they might have made to the world.  The masses were given a standard to apply and apply it they did.  30 years ago, the concept of openly gay couples prospering in the world would have been laughable, if not disgusting, to most.  Today, not only are such dyads generally sanctioned, but perception has shifted to the point that such pairs can adopt children, hold places in popular culture and often step through life as fearless as any.  The assumption is shifting.  Now, we come to thorn in my side: the ideal of marriage.  Just as there was legality surrounding the acquisition of women's rights and the court battles over gay unions continue, there is a thick legal syrup poured over the breakfast of marriage (it's a contract, yo).  More importantly is the issue of stereotype.  100 years ago no one evaluated a woman based on the content of her character of the sum of her skills; she was just a woman.  Nothing she could say or do could change that.  50 years ago the same was true of any gay couple, with even more stigma attached.  The key is that the beholders, the great unwashed masses of America, cannot be bothered to critically observe those around them.  They rely on the simplistic definitions of the current social contract (or the their own more colloquial version, see any extremist).  This is the agony that I endure today based within the concept of marriage.  For so many the institution represents a utopia rather than a panacea.  Regardless of the the divorce statistics, many still see the nirvana of having a partner, any partner, as so wondrous as to ignore any specifics.  Just like each woman, each set of homosexual partners, each person is different; each marriage is different.  The end result of profiling is to frustrate and agitate those being profiled.  As a white male, I suppose that I have felt less of this than many in my life, but now I am subject to full scrutiny.  The aggregate expectation of marriage is a noose and a coffin.  For all the hard work that everyone says that the relationship itself is, the impossibility is to fulfill others' expectation.  I cannot be held to the standard of each individual's perfect marriage.  Not that I give a shit what others think, but, rather, I am pretty fucking sick of missing out on the beauty of life because I'm goddamn married.

Given all of this, maybe the assumption has it all wrong.  Maybe none of us has any idea at all.

** Probably irrelevant to my argument, but it's rant and this is how it came out.

Fuck it, here's the Mountain Goats.



Better audio, slightly less fun.

Suicide Squeeze - K-Love It ('92 Upper Deck)

Flick to Click: Division III - Football's Finest

Division III: Football's Finest (Official Unofficial Trailer) - watch more funny videos

Screens 04.14 in LA. Release date TBD.

Don't Blame Me, I'm Slovakian

This is, indeed, Czech President Vaclav Klaus "stealing" a ceremonial pen during a meet and greet with Chilean Pres Sebastian Pinera.



Plus a bit of window dressing. ;-j

Cheers.

Mmmmm, That's Some Dark Humor

The Facility with Christopher Titus from Christopher Titus

Is it strange that I have no issue watching this but have to flip the channel ervry time the one with puppies comes on?

A Quest Called Tribe

Hey, it's not as if I like losing, but, if the Tribe eventually needs lose one, this is the way that I would prefer it to go down.  The defense stayed rock solid.  Fausto Carmona (7.2 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 6 K, 2 HR) was a horse.  He made two mistakes all day long in dropping to 0-2.  This is not a game that betrays the Indians as a pretender, they simply ran into a buzz saw named Danny Haren.  Sure, the hitters didn't hit.  It happens.  Let's just give the credit to Haren and come back hungry tomorrow.

All of the good streaks, wins and hitting, are over.  Carlos Santana's run of hitless ABs, though, continues on to 17.  I concur with the STO boys, expect him to sit tomorrow to facilitate back-to-back days off.

Not much else to say about this one.

All signs point to Grady Sizemore joining the Clippers for the homestand that begins on Saturday and ends 04.25.  Cross your fingers, but 04.26 vs Royals looks promising for Grady's MLB season debut.  Sizemore took the collar tonight (0-3, .357), but has now played 9 innings in center on back-to-back days.  Joe Smith (2.45) tossed another scoreless inning, fanning a pair.  No word on Smith's timetable, although the fact that he has throw 4 times in 6 days for the Aeros may be telling.  Like Sizemore, Joe will not travel with Akron, thus he will suit up for either the Clippers or the Indians on the 16th.


A while back, I promised to leave Jordan Bastian alone and I have.  I just need to say, from someone who culls the 'net for Tribe info, that the guy's blog is NOT a resource in any way.  The organization obviously agrees as it has buried the link to MLBastion deep within the menu system of the team's re-designed website.  It's so bad that I needn't even comment further.  Despite our differing perspectives, I miss Castrovince.

Conversely, if you have yet to check out MLB's new At-Bat utility, you are missing out.  The system moves seamlessly from virtual pitches to box score to highlights and even offers copious links to live look-ins around the league.  For those of us who are not blessed with Extra Innings, At-Bat is a nice step up from the Gameday status quo.

Cheers

Pretty Girl 04.13.11 - Alisyn Camerota

This one's for all the MILF loving Germans out there.

Clip Joint

First off, a little edification.  The Clippers played a double header on Tuesday.  In the minors, each game of a double header is only seven innings.  David Huff wishes they played one fewer.

After six brilliant frames against Louisville in the second game, Huff loaded the bases with the first three Bats he faced in the 7th and then had to sit helplessly after handing the ball to Jensen Lewis with a 4-1 lead.  Lewis promptly gave up an RBI single on his 2nd pitch, 4-2.  Shades of spring training.  Next, Lewis threw a wild pitch. 4-3, game tying run on third.  After a pop out and an intentional walk, Jensen successfully completed the blown save by allowing another RBI single.  I'd like to tell you what happened next, but, frankly, I don't understand it myself.  Here is what Gameday gave me --

Michael Griffin flies into a force out, right fielder Bubbal Bell to catcher Luke Carlin.  Zack Cozart out at home.  Todd Frazier to third.  Chris Valaika to to second.  Michael Griffin to first.  Two out.

I have absolutely no clue what that could even possibly mean.  Are they calling it a fly out simply because it made it to the outfield?  Did Bell let in drop on purpose to try to start a double play?  Obviously the outfield was in, but WTF?  Anyway, Lewis struck out the last guy and Josh Judy took the loss after giving up a solo shot to Reds' prospect Devin Mesoraco. Clippers fall, 5-4.  Awful.  All one can say is that that is why these guys are at AAA.

The Clips also lost the front end, 4-2.  Although it was a rough day for many at the dish, Lonnie Chisenhall and Luis Valbuena were exceptions.  The Chiz Kid (.292) was a combined 3-for-5 with deuces wild in walks, doubles and RBI.  Luis (.412) was 3-for-7 with a Game 1 solo homer.  Cord Phelps (.440) bounced back for three hits Game 2 after taking an 0-fer in the the top half, featuring a pair of strikeouts.

Columbus has an off day on Wednesday followed by another double dip, this time in Toledo.  The Clippers will presumably send out Jeanmar Gomez and Alex White against the Mud Hens.

Other Minor Points of Interest -

Two more great second starts down on the farm came out sour as well.

In Akron, rostered southpaw Kelvin De La Cruz took a second straight tough loss.  De La Cruz (0-2, 0.90) gave up a pair of unearned runs on two hits and three walks over five innings.  At 6'5", 190, Kelvin will likely need to add mass in order to break through, still he K'ed 5 on Tuesday.

Trying to follow up the home opener's combined no-hitter, Michael Goodnight (great name!) dropped to 1-1 after allowing just a single run over five strong innings.  A 13th round selection in 2010, Goodnight was tabbed the #1 for the Lake County Captains earlier this spring.  On Tuesday he walked two, struck out five and allowed just two hits.

Cheers.