A Quest Called Tribe

Two hours ago I would have said, "Don't worry about Carlos Santana."  In fact, I did.  After watching him take three consecutive fastballs to make the 27th out of a 5-4 loss, I have changed my tune.  Shin-Soo Choo had just walked to force in the penultimate run and the young slugger strode to the dish with a chance to play hero against a struggling closer.  Instead, Joakim Soria sent three straight heaters over the outside corner and we have to deal with losing to the GD Royals.  Take the bat off of your shoulder, Carlos!

As opposed to every game over the past ten days, tonight I sat down and I was scared.  Having heard from a variety of sources that the league now has a book on Jeanmar Gomez and that he would have to make significant progress to sustain major league success, I was quite wary of the recall.  And rightly so.  Gomez delivered the first awful GS since the second game of the season.  Jeanmar looked pedestrian, a certifiable AAAAer, in surrendering all five KC runs on nine hits over four and a third.  I never thought that I would be calling for David Huff, but "Call up David Huff!"  We can hope that Mitch Talbot will miss only one more start (he'll probably miss 2 or 3).  We can hope that Tim Belcher can help Gomez with some adjustments (likely won't happen).  We can even concede that one game in five (ugh), but I don't have to like it.  So, straight to Jeanmar Gomez, "Boo!"

Given the 5-0 deficit, the offense made a laudable effort at a comeback.  And who got the clutch hit?  Lou-Lou Marson.  I'll give the dude credit.  He said that he was going to hit and, in the early going, hit he has.  In a game where three of your highest profile players look foolish in the late innings, after 17 games during which the #3 & 4 hitters are barely hitting .400 combined, the .357 from Marson in a pleasant surprise.  Five stolen bases allowed is not.

One more tidbit of note.  As we lament the poor production of several key offensive cogs, we have to recognize that American League batting averages are way down so far this season.  In 2010, only one AL team hit under .247.  So far in 2011, only six teams, including the Indians at .269 coming into tonight, are batting above .247.  The likelihood is that these numbers will regress to the mean as the season progresses.  So, for now, let's take our 12-5 first place record and assume that Santana (.203) and Choo (.215) and others will eventually hit.


Cheers.

P.S. Quick shout out to Chad Durbin, who tossed 2.2 scoreless in relief tonight.  Alas, the team lost.  Durbin still has done nothing to help them win.  ;-j  Just kidding, Chad.  Nice outing.

First Time At the Clip Joint

Scottie Barnes made his AAA debut tonight.  It could have gone better.  Barnes, who walked 2 and struck out 17 over 11 innings for Akron, walked five in five innings en route to giving up four runs (4 H, 3 ER, 3K) against Toledo this evening.  The inconsistent Clippers offense could not overcome the deficit.  No one in the lineup produced more than one hit and the lone RBI came on a Wes Hodges (.129) ground out.

Despite the 4-2 loss, each of the relievers is notable.  Jensen Lewis pitched the 6th and 7th (H, K), indicating that he may have been relieved of his responsibilities as the primary closer.  Frank Herrmann threw the 8th (H, K) for his second strong appearance following a rocky first game.  Unheralded right hander Carlton Smith closed it out (H, BB, 2 K) for his 4th consecutive scoreless appearance to begin the season.  We'll keep an eye on him.

The Clippers take on Louisville again tomorrow at 6:35p with Alex White expected to start.

Other Minor Points of Interest -

That Brett Brach character threw six scoreless (2 H, BB, 4 K) in his debut for Akron.  I guess he might stick around for a bit.  Bryan Price (7.36 ERA) followed with two clean innings (H, BB, 2 K), bouncing back from a shaky showing his last time out.  Th Aeros won 3-0.

Drew Pomeranz started for Kinston and looked human for the first time.  Over four innings Pomeranz gave up three earned on 3 hits, 3 walks and 5 K's.  His ERA rose to 1.80 and he did not stick around long enough to earn the W in the Kinston victory.

After the Myrtle Beach Pelicans exploded for five runs in the bottom of the 8th, Tyler Tufts slammed the door on Winston-Salem.  Ty (1.59) cruised through a perfect 9th, striking out a pair swinging, to pick up his 3rd save.  There are not often consistent closers at the single-A level, so I won't jump to any conclusions, but the numbers are superb.  I'll clue you in soon to the reason that we're following Tyler.

Over the weekend the Indians traded RHP Yohan Pino to the Toronto Blue Jays for "cash considerations."  I think it's funny that the transaction log no longer reads that a player has been "sold."  Ha.  Pino, who pitched all of last season at Columbus, but had been demoted to AA this year; was the Tribe's sole compensation in the Carl Pavano trade of 2009.  Pino is a more than competent AAA pitcher with a reasonable chance of making the bigs.  His departure is indicative of the organization depth in starting pitching.

Cheers.

Saturday At the Clip Joint #1: Your Jeanmar Gomez Primer

In about two hours Jeanmar has the yeoman's task of continuing a pitching cavalcade that has shocked the world. Here is some in house video of Gomez throwing his bullpen session on 04.16 in Columbus at Huntington Park.

If You Need To Smile...

I couldn't resist.  New perfect first date activity: tickling penguins.

Tickets Punched

Everything is official now.

Jeamar Gomez to the Tribe to start tonight.

Travis Buck demoted to AAA to clear space for Gomez.

Scott Barnes up from Akron to Columbus to fill Gomez's spot in the rotation.

Anticlimactically, Brett Brach (never heard of him) was promoted to the Aeros.  Brach has started in the past but has been working out of the bullpen for Kinston.  It remains to be seen what Akron does with the starting rotation.

Cheers.

Suicide Squeeze - Switch Pitcher ('92 Upper Deck)

Morning At the Clip Joint

Classy.  Through the haze of my fever I did follow the Clippers game via Gameday.  I wish that I had not.  The Columbus pitchers were bound to throw up a stinker and Monday morning affair was it.  Corey Kluber (7.45 ERA) started and was bad (4.2 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HR, 2 WP), Joe Martinez (7.27) followed and was worse (2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, BB, K, 2 HR, WP), but neither has anything on Jess Todd (15.43).  Todd surrendered 3 earned on five hits, including a homer, in his inning of work.  The Clips lost 13-5.

There was no offensive standout.  It was one of those games where if you have to pick a player of, you look at the stat lines and just shake your head.  The most interesting thing that I can tell is that Lonnie Chisenhall went 0-for-2 with 2 walks, a run scored and a K, dropping his season average to exactly .200.

Louisville comes to town tomorrow at 6:35p.  With Martinez throwing today, a starter will need to be promoted from Akron to take the pill.  All indications are that that man will be Scott Barnes.

Other Minor Points Of Interest --

One reason that Barnes is nearly a lock to get the recall is that Kelvin De La Cruz made his scheduled start tonight for Akron.  De La Cruz (1-2, 1.80) earned his first win of the season by scattering six hits over five innings.  Kelvin allowed just one run while walking one and striking out nine.  Nice.

Nick Hagadone (0.00) followed with his fourth consecutive scoreless appearance of the year.  In eight and two thirds Hagadone has allowed five hits and struck out ten.  The most encouraging number is the goose egg in the base on balls column.  Even though Nick has been labeled a starter in the past, he averaged less than three innings a start before his conversion to the 'pen last season and only commands two pitches.  Most project the big lefty (6'5", 230) as a dominant back end guy.

Also, props to Drew Pomeranz (pictured at top), who took home the Carolina League pitcher of the week honors.

Cheers.

A Quest Called Tribe

Ho hum, Indians win.  Yawn, they're 12-4, 2 games up in the Central.  I'm getting pretty bored with all of these starting pitchers throwing into the 7th inning.  At least Carlos Carrasco (6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, ) mixed it up tonight by giving up the lead in the sixth, but that doggone bullpen just refuses to blow up.  No offense to Chad Durbin, who reeks like the 3 month old mushrooms that I found in the back of my refrigerator.

It is mind boggling to me how many plays I have seen this season that have been unlike any I have seen before.  Today, with runners on first and second and 1 out in the 7th, Matt LaPorta fielded a grounder and fed Asdrubal Cabrera at second with an atrocious throw.  Despite the fact that AzCab dragged his foot as he crossed the bag, the second base ump called Billy Butler safe.  The return throw to Rafael Perez, covering first, was late.  Unfortunately for KC, Butler never got the memo on the safe call and wandered off of second base, assuming himself to be out.  Asdrubal inconspicuously motioned for the ball and, after Perez slung it over, tagged Butler for a much needed second out.  For all of his work, the official scorer charged Cabrera with his second error of the day year.  Really?

As Jack Hannahan continues to regress to the mean at the plate, it has become more and more clear that his is the locker to be red tagged when Jason Donald is ready to return.  Luckily for Jack, who has become a fan favorite because of his slick glove work and early power, Donald strained his left groin (ouch!) as he rehabbed in Columbus the weekend.  Speaking of which, the home opener goodies are on the way.  No excuse, but my temp was 104 today.  I was delusional and tried to fry bacon on my forehead, so I chose not to futz with y'all.

While I do feel bad for Travis Buck, the presumed demotee when Jeanmar Gomez is officially recalled to start on Tuesday, I am very much looking forward to getting a closer look at the guy's game in person.  Buck had a phenomenal spring and was absolutely destroying the ball when the Tribe was in town for the exhibition.  Similar to the Durbin/Frank Herrmann situation, Austin Kearns is pushing Buck back to AAA in a move that is all about business and not baseball. 

Does Joe Smith really throw 93 with that motion?  How does he not get literally everyone out?

Cheers

Pretty Girl 04.19.11 - Lindsey McKeon

Today I am quite ill. I need 1 Lindsey and 2 cups full of TL"C."