Look Mom, I Grounded Myself!

Jim Tressel and Terelle Pryor are long gone.  Four more Buckeyes will miss the first five games of the 2011 season.  Ohio State will begin their schedule with a head coach (Luke Fickell) who owns exactly zero wins and a quintet of quarterbacks that have started exactly zero games.  Of the five, only Joe Bauserman and Kenny Guiton have completed a pass and it would seem that they will simply be paving the way for incoming freshman Braxton Miller.

The Bucks must now also content with recovering from a winless 0-13 season.  The school responsed today to the NCAA investigation by voluntarily vacating the twelve wins that they complied over the 2010 campaign, including the 2011 Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas and their 7th straight defeat of Michigan.  That really sucks on paper, but in the end, who really cares?  OSU also dropped two years of "probation" on themselves.  I have no idea what that means.

The hope is that the combination of the self-imposed sanctions, the departures of the key players and the recent revelation that Tressel will attend the August 12th hearing before the NCAA infractions committee will preclude the governing body from levying further penalties that might include a reduction in scholarships and/or a post-season ban.

In my eyes, this entire situation has been blown totally out of proportion.  All of the culprits have been punished.  What good can possibly come from handcuffing players and coaches who had nothing to no with tattoos or memorabilia?  I recognize that the intent is to discourage future occurrence.  Still, the NCAA seems to be attempting to dictate the behavior of boosters and fans rather than student-athletes and coaches.   Those guys are always going to ask, always going to offer.  If another player considers selling or trading his baubles, he will have to recognize the possibility that he could several games as a result or even be forced to skip out on what would promise to be their best season.  If the next set still does not get it, then punish them too.  While there might be circumstances that warrant limitations on an entire program (see SMU death penalty), five guys swapping signatures for tats is not one of them.

Coaches are an entirely different story.  Something needs to be done to ensure that penalties attach to the coach instead of the institution so that the John Caliparis and Lane Kiffins of the world cannot just hop from school to school leaving a wake of shattered dreams and overburdened programs.  While I think that we can all agree that Tressel's now "retirement" was necessary, as it would be for any coach or administrator involved in such illicit activity, further punitive actions should be directed at the perpetrators not the organization.

Here's to hoping that the 2011 season counts.

Go Bucks.

Cheers.

One More For the Ages

Dig Hamilton's call on the Tribe's first walk-off grand slam while trailing by three in 38 years.

Cheers.

For Want Of A Baseball...

A Quest Called Tribe

I am not going to say anything about the game because, frankly, words can do no justice to it.  I have watched Hafner's shot about 15 times and my skin has prickled at every viewing.  Hell, I have goosebumps right now, just from writing about it.  Then, again, from proofreading it.

Unbelievable.

There is news, though.  After struggling with his command (94 pitches, 56 strikes) over four fitful innings (5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K), Zach McAllister has been optioned back to AAA Columbus.  Luis Valbuena has been recalled in his stead.  This will be Valbuena's second stint with the big club this season, though his first trip lasted about 24-hours and did not include any game time.  Luis has put up some big numbers at AAA in 2011 and the Indians would like nothing more than for him to inject a bit of pop into the lineup.  Look for him there tomorrow.

There is also not news.  While I fully expect Lonnie Chisenhall to spend 15 days on the DL with the "facial contusion" he sustained from a Carlos Villenueva fastball to the skull, no decision will be made until he sees a specialist at noon on Friday.  Clearly, if the Chiz Kid, who clubbed his first MLB homer on Wednesday, does land on the disabled list, Jason Donald will join the squad in his place, but this has not happened yet.  It will likely not happen until late afternoon tomorrow at the earliest, but it will happen.  Write it down.

If you are an observant little sucker, you noticed that Alex White has been in the Indians dugout this week.  Most noticeably, he was onscreen during the congratulatory hand slapping that followed Wednesday's win over the Yankees.  White, sidelined since late May with a strained ligament in his right middle finger, will throw from 120 feet tomorrow and, if all goes well, should be throwing off of a mound following the all-star break.  Given the original prognosis of an 8-12 week recovery, Alex seems to be right on track.  Barring any setbacks, we will the young starter back in big league games before the end of the season.

I was asked today, "Whatever happened to Andy Marte?"  Andy is playing AAA ball in the Pirates organization and doing so poorly.  Marte (.210) is currently hitting .114 over his last 35 AB's and has, on several occasions this season, been removed from the Indianapolis roster to accommodate more productive players.

Go watch the video again.  And enjoy another day in first place.

Cheers. 

Pretty Girl 07.08.11 - Gwyneth Paltrow

Every chick looks better with red hair.  Or with her top off.  ;-j

Clip Joint Jumpin' Late

So, yeah, you all know that the Tribe scored five in the ninth to stun Jays.  If not, the previous post will take care of that.  What you probably do not know is that the Clippers were held scoreless through the first seven before a six run eruption of their own in the 8th.  Highlighted by the 13th long ball for Jerad Head (.294), the Clips turned a 3-0 deficit into a 6-3 win.

Corey Kluber started and turned in a solid outing, allowing three runs over seven innings (6 H, 2 BB, 7 K).  Kluber (4-5, 6.19) was sharp at the beginning, retiring six of the first seven with four K's.  He was also sharp at the end.  After a 6th inning wild pitch brought home Toledo's third run, Corey fanned the next three, en route to disposing of the final five he faced.  While the middle was a bit shaky, Kluber did manage to strand a one-out runner on third in the 5th and prevent the big inning that has doomed him so often this season.

Nick Hagadone pitched the top of the 8th and loaded the bases.  Around a pair of singles, a walk and a wild pitch of his own, Hagadone (4-2, 3.12) K'ed a pair and the Mud Hens left 'em full.

Jason Donald and Luis Valbuena did not have banner games in what is expected to be their last for the Clippers in the foreseeable future, but each did cross home in the 8th.  Donald (.262) walked and came home on Valbuena (.313) fielder's choice.  Luis also had a bunt single.  While the choice was between the two for the utility infielder position, both likely get the call in light of Lonnie Chisenhall's broken face.

One significant reason that minor league baseball appeals to me is the interaction between the players and the fans.  Twice, this evening, I was treated to unique examples of this.  To begin the home half of the fifth, Paul Phillips flew out to Timo Perez in left field.  Perez caught the ball on the run, crossing into foul territory.  As he came to a stop, in front of the wall along the left field line, he opened his glove and seemingly offered the ball to a young boy in the first row.  As the child reached for the prized souvenir, Timo turned the glove away and tossed the ball back to the infield.  Suffice to say, the fans around me in the left field corner were not pleased.  Flashing a huge grin, Perez beckoned to the Clippers' ball boy for another and gently tossed it to the kid, earning a big cheer in the process.  An even more unlikely event took place in the top of the 8th.  As Nick Hagadone warmed, I noticed a white balloon hovering about 30 feet above second base.  The inning began and Will Rhymes took two pitches with the balloon bobbing and weaving in the wind.  At that point it reached eye level and Luis Valbuena grabbed it from his shortstop position.  Instead of popping it, Luis ran to the first row, next to the Toledo dugout, and handed it to yet another delighted young'un.  Sometimes, the game just makes me smile.


Columbus takes on Toledo again tomorrow at 7:05p.  Jeanmar Gomez gets the start.

Other Minor Points of Interest --

Adam Miller (1-2, 3.46) threw another scoreless inning for Akron.  Miller has not been scored on in over a month, a span of nine appearances and eleven innings.  I would surprised if he is not moved up to AAA by the end of the month.

In what very well might be his last single-A start, Drew Pomeranz tossed a beauty and took home his third win.  Pom (3-2, 1.87) went seven shutout, surrendering three hits and 2 walks, while fanning seven.  Pomeranz, who is putting up better numbers than previous first rounder Alex White did last season, might get once more turn for the little Indians, but that, say I, will be all.

Catcher Jake Lowery, the Indians' 2011 4th round pick, hit his 3rd dinger in 16 games for Mahoning Valley.  Lowery (.270), who missed a few games last week to receive the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's top collegiate backstop, is second on the Scrappers with 12 RBI and has posted an .867 OPS.

Cheers.