A Quest Called Tribe

It was not so much the field goal that surprised me, but the safety to put 19 on the board.  ;-j  Before we get into all that, let us please give Josh Tomlin his.  The man in a freakin' machine.  Have you lost count?  I have lost count.  Let me look it up.  (Insert Jeopardy music here.)  That is an even twenty consecutive starts of at least five innings to begin Josh's career.  The line: 6 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, no walks, 1 K.  I do not know what more anyone could possibly ask of a starting pitcher.  Tomlin (5-1, 2.56 ERA) threw 55 of 81 pitches for strikes which is inconceivable given how long he had to spend sitting in the dugout while the offense shellacked KC pitching.

Vin Mazzaro gave up fourteen, that is 14, one four runs in two and a third.  Mazzaro is the first pitcher in  history to give up that many runs in fewer than 3 innings.  He is the first pitcher since 1942 to allow 14 runs.  Vin is the first MLB pitcher period to allow so many since 1998 (Hi Mike Oquist!)  Favorite tweet:  Vin Mazzaro's ERA (22.74) can now legally drink!  The Royals used two starting pitchers (Mazzaro and Kyle Davies) plus a reliever and still did not get through five innings.  Speaking of Davies, he took the loss after facing just four batters and walking three of them to start the game.  Yowza!

Big props to Michael Brantley (.304, 2-for-4, 2 BB, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R), Matt LaPorta (.274, 4-for-4, 2 2B, R, 4 RBI, BB), and Orlando Cabrera (.287, 3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI).  I guess O-Cab had a little something to say to all of the doubters.  Welcome back Travis Buck (.286, 3-for-6, 3 R, RBI), hope you're here to stay.

Brantley did raise his team leading average back over .300.  Understand that Travis Hafner is hitting .339, but between the walks and the injuries he has not put together enough AB's to qualify in the league standings.  Soooooooooooooo, he does not count.

Your first-place Indians (damn, I like the sound of that more every day) are now 25-13 (4.5 ahead of Detroit) with no signs of dropping back into the pack.  We saw two characteristics today that are unique to winning teams.  First, the offense was advantageous.  Sure Mazzaro sucked a whole dozen thousand year eggs, but the bats did not let him off the deck.  From inning #1 and despite a base running blunder the boys were on point.  O-Cab laced a two-out two-run single to bring home the first two walks and the rest was history, literally (that's how you use that word properly, everyone take notes).  Secondly, we return to Tomlin and, more generally, to the starting pitching.  With few exceptions the starting staff has been locked in this season.  Blah, blah, pitching over their heads, regression, whatever.  The staff has focus.  There is a culture on this bench and in this bullpen that facilitates Josh Tomlin's ability to throw another quality start around 19 GD runs.  And I love it.  I wish we could save a few "points" for a rainy day ;-j but I'll take it.

Drink it in Cleveland.

Cheers.

P.s. For those wondering the Indians' highest scoring game was 27 against Boston in 1986.

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Flick to Click: Straw Dogs

Opens 09.16.11

While I Was Sminking Pt. Deux

Earlier today Jess Todd's career came full circle.  In his second designation in as many weeks, Todd was let go by the Yankees and this afternoon he was snagged by St Louis.  The Cardinals originally picked him in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft before the Tribe acquired him in 2009.

There has been quite a bit of chatter about the Indians moving on from some of the bargain veterans that have played big roles for the team thus far in 2011.  As prospects like Cord Phelps, Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis continue to play well at AAA, pressure, both internal and external, has mounted for their promotions.  Such moves would be at the expense of players like Orlando Cabrera and Adam Everett, like Jack Hannahan.  Hannahan is hitting .172 in May with a .467 OPS, dropping his season average down to .245.  He has also been a bit sloppy at third and, while, he is still certainly above average at the hot corner, his high water has likely crested and the reign of King Jack might soon be over.  Cabrera started off hot with a .333 average and an .808 OPS in his first 11 games as an Indian.  However, his OPS since then is .592 and his on base percentage since May 3rd in .189.  O-Cab offers a great deal of clubhouse leadership and might very well stick around longer than the others in a platoon role with one or more of the youngsters.  Not a lot has been asked of Everett and some might think his versatility around the infield and .333 batting average have been pleasant surprises.  Understand that Adam does not yet have a hit with runners in scoring position and his kick at third last Sunday allowed the Angels to score three unearned runs en route to a 6-5 victory.

If Chisenhall (.280) and Phelps (.298) continue to hit at Columbus, we will likely see them both before the All-Star break with Cabrera hanging around as insurance.  The Chiz-Kid yoked a mammoth home run during the Clippers' last home game, but it was only his third of the year.  His lack of AAA power, he's slugging at just .439, may be a caveat.  Jason Donald would be a nice option, but he is once again not an option after landing on the International League disabled list with a knee issue.  He will be unavailable until June. 

With Travis Buck ascending to the lake and Donald lingering on the DL, Columbus will need to add a bat from somewhere.  Bubba Bell, the 4th outfielder as season's outset, has moved on to the Mets organization and Jordan Brown has been traded to Milwaukee.  Jared Goedert, who can play left field, did homer on Friday and added two hits on Saturday to raise his rehab BA to .250, but he has not played since and will probably remain at Akron until his 20-day rehab assignment is up.  The best outfield option at AA is Jordan Henry (.300) who has stolen 15 bases in Aeros' first month.  Still, the organization would like to keep him playing everyday so you might see the Clippers add a free agent.

That's enough for now I guess.  We'll figure it out.

Cheers.

Yes, I Will Now Start Punching Yankees Fans In the Face

Not that I have much love for the Sox, but tru dat on the fascism.  I never see these on TV.  Cheers.



Cheers.

Longoria To DL With Broken Hand

Or... This is just, uh, not real.

Buck You, OchoCinco!

Seriously, you do have to give Chad his due.  MLS, PBR, what's next?  I think I hear the UFC calling.

While I Was Sminking Pt. 1

Obviously the headline is recent with Grady Sizemore returning to the DL with soreness in his right knee and Travis Buck taking the trip back up I-71.  Remember that Sizemore's microfracture surgery was on his left knee, so the current affliction has nothing to do with the previous injury.  Grady banged the knee on a hard slide into second during Tuesday's game against the Rays.  Also, thanks to mama nature, I only missed one Tribe game instead of three.  ;-j

But, oops, this happened ...



Mitch Talbot made his first rehab start on Saturday, taking the loss for the Clippers in Indianapolis.  Mitch looked good, two earned on six hits over five innings.  He threw 49 of 69 pitches for strikes as he struck out a pair and walked no one.  He's scheduled to pitch again on Thursday, this time in Columbus against the PawSox.  I'll be there.

The question becomes what to do with Talbot supposing that he's healthy and able following Thursday's appearnce.  After Carlos Carrasco's pitiful effort in his start off of the disabled list, is he a candidate for demotion?   Maybe, but not likely.  Might the Indians expose Talbot to waivers in order to get him down to Columbus?  Uh, no.  Is Alex White ticketed back to AAA?  Not unless he royally screws the pooch in his next game.  The most probable scenario is that Talbot slides into the long man role and Justin Germano gets das boot (I know, read das as German and boot as English) and good riddance.

Cheers to Corey Kluber for earning his first win of 2011 as the Clippers salvaged the last game of a four game set against the Indy Indians this afternoon.  Kluber (6.94 ERA) pitched seven full, the first time this year that he has gone past 5+.  Corey allowed two runs on four hits and two walks.  He struck out in raising his record to 1-3.

I would give you some highlights of the Clippers at the plate, but everyone stunk it up.  Not kidding.  I will provide quips and clicks from the home finale against Charlotte in just a bit.

Bored now.

Back soon.

Cheers.

P.s. Michael Brantley is now the Indians' leading hitter at .298.  First place with zero .300 hitters.  Troublesome.

So That's Why They Call It Radar Hill!

Then...

Another Athens legend revealed!  Click above for the full scoop.

And now.

Pretty Girl Update! - Serinda Swan

Can this girl actually be real?  She causes me to question the fundamental nature of existence.  How is it even possible?

Clarity Of Purpose

Quite of bit of the time I find myself wandering in a haze of unincorporated angst and misery.  Meandering without direction, I soon become truly lost and absolutely unable to attain any of the arbitrary goals that I had set for myself along the way.  Every now and again I'll have an epiphany that will facilitate focus over a short term.  I will recommit myself to some ideal or endgame etc.  It now seems to me that I have been treating the symptom rather than the cause.  Regardless of how long I might have been able to persevere, the relative unimportance of these secondary goals inevitably results in only mild success at best.  The issue has been the absence of a singular primary that each and every decision could be made toward the attainment of.  I'm not quite ready to tell what my raison d'etre is, but consistently making choices toward the acquisition of the all-important will lead to more tangible results.

We shall see. ;-j

Pretty Girl 05.16.11 - Claire Danes

The pretties girl that ever stood naked in front of me looked like a cross between Claire Danes and Nikki Taylor.  And I get to see that until the day I die. ;-j