A Quest Called Tribe

Let us take a minute to discuss the play that ended Tuesday night's game.  First, that on which we are not going to chat.  We are not going to cover how Jason Kipnis should have made a dive at Josh Reddick's dying quail.  We will spend no time lamenting the Bullpen Mafia with their 4.98 ERA and 4 losses in the second half.  We are going to focus on Ezequiel Carrera's throw to the plate.  Obviously, the kid has a strong arm.  What he and the Tribe encountered last night was the fact that it was his 22nd big league game.  Caught up in the heat of the moment, Zeke simply overthrew the ball and it carried well up the first base line.  As Manning quipped this evening, had Carrera just relied on his skill and not tried to throw the ball to Back Bay, Jarrod Saltalamacchia is likely out and the Indians live to see another hitter.

On to tonight's contest and the Brobdingnagian antics of Jason Kipnis.  Kip has now gone yard in four consecutive games, the first Indians rookie do so since Al Rosen in 1950 and the first Indian period since Travis Hafner in 2006.  He is also the first Indians rookie to pile up four dongs in his first 10 games since Luis Medina in 1988.  Louie jacked his 5th in game 11, so the pressure is on for Jason tomorrow.  That is not the best part though.  Kipnis is the first player ever to go deep in his first 3 games at Fenway.  Ever.

Great outing from Carlos Carrasco tonight (7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K).  The more that I think about it, there is a way that the Ubaldo Jimenez trade makes sense (nice to see him in the dugout).  Seemingly the Indians' organization has made the command decision to push hard in the 2011-2013 window.  Think about the starting rotation that they will sport during that period -- #1 Jimenez, #2 Justin Masterson, #3 Carrasco, #4 Josh Tomlin, #5 Fausto Carmona/David Huff/Scott Barnes/Zack McAllister/Austin Adams with, as you can see, quite a bit a depth should anyone falter or encounter injury.  That is flat out wicked.  And Car-Square was the guy who prompted this.  As he scattered hits and escaped trouble all night, I though "man, this guy is going to make one fine middle of the rotation starter."  It is absolutely true and his ceiling is even higher as he certainly has the stuff.  If he can learn command over the next season or so (he is only 24), the Tribe will sure be sitting pretty.

Again, though, the issue has been the offense.  I made the statement (not here) the other day that the Indians need their 5-8 guys to provide a lot more production.  With Michael Brantley out for two games nursing a right wrist sprain, the lineup shifts some, but the problem remains the same.  I dig EzC in the 9 hole and he is just as productive at the top.  No issue there, once Brantley gets back.  Also, Acta has made the call to flip Pronk into the cleanup spot, despite his struggles over the past month (.184 since July 7th).  Although I was assuming Hafner at five, it does not really matter.  Consider 4-9 in the order tonight, they were 2-23 with 8 punch-outs.  Think it is just an abberation due to the knuckleballer?  Last night, 4-8 batted a robust 4-19 with 5 K's.  Monday was the true outlier with the team putting up 9 runs after just 15 in an 8 game homestand.  They finished Wednesday's game hitting .202 (83-for-411) with 35 runs (2.7 per game) over the last 13 games, 10 of them losses.

No need to dwell on the back-to-back walk-off losses.  The Indians now sit at 54-54.

Here's to a 31-23 finish.  And my 85 wins.

Cheers.

Can You Dig It?

Now as long as that rule change where excellent pitching results in extra runs goes through, we're golden.

Jade Bile

I never really thought about concepts like love or friendship or the soul.  I assumed that, since they had been defined, I would eventually discover how they related to my life.  This was a mistake, one that I realized far too late in the game.  I had always thought that love existed and I simply had to find the person with which I was meant to be, my soul-mate.  As if all of this had been preordained, I wandered about in a vain search for all of the grace that was to be my destiny.  It took me far too long to understand that the words did not create the reality, rather the reality created the words.  All of these labels were constructed so that there could be a commonly understandable term, not because they held any innate meaning themselves.  I had spent my life looking for that which was love, that which was friendship.  How foolish.  I should have simply led the best life that I could and allowed the history books to describe the relationships however they saw fit.  Everything is not for everyone.  Life is not a checklist of success, love, children, 22 friends and landmarks seen.  Life is only an expression.  It is the cause and effect of each of us upon the rest.  There is no should.  There is no expectation.  At this late date, I find it unlikely that I might affect such a fundamental change of philosophy upon the practice of my life.  Another change seems much more pragmatic.  Perhaps if I light the fires just right, I can burn away the wool of others without forever blinding their eyes.

A Quest Called Tribe

Before I start this rant, let me make sure that we are all on the same page.  We all agree that there are more right handed pitchers than left handed, right?  And that this is even more prevalent among starting pitchers?  Good.  Thus, logically, assuming that a switch hitters bats always bats from the opposite side of the plate as the throwing arm of the pitcher that he is facing (an outstanding assumption), all switch hitters will have more at-bats from the left hand side, correct?  OK.

So, when Asdrubal Cabrera came up in the top of the 8th inning (Right before the Boston fans started singing that F'ing Neal Diamond song that everyone forgets is an F'ing Red Sox song and sings wherever their dumb asses are even if that is at the Jake.  Come to think of it why do they play that shite at the Jake?  It's a GD Red Sox song!) and Matt "My IQ is" Under-wood chimes that "his batting average is much higher from the right hand side of the plate, but most of his pop is from the left.  In fact, 16 of his 19 home runs have come batting left handed," I want to punch him in the mouth.  Of course, most of his home runs are going to be batting left handed!  Because most of the pitchers are right handed!  Now, if you look at AzCab's splits, it turns out that his slugging percentage is 75 points higher as a lefty.  Cool, I can dig it, but, for the love of Pete guys, stop treating us like maroons and talk about the game like professionals.

Whew.

While I have been quite critical of Manny Acta over the past few weeks, the skipper made a statement today that I am in total agreement with.  Acta declared that Ubaldo Jimenez and Justin Masterson will start every five days for the rest of the season.  That means the other three starters will, if necessary, get skipped to accommodate the top two.  This is old school... and awesome.

Speaking of Jimenez, he will join the Indians in Boston tomorrow, prior to making his debut in Texas on Friday.  With Ubaldo reporting, space had to be cleared on the active roster (Mitch Talbot was DFA'ed to open a slot on the 40-man).  To accomodate this need, the Tribe has optioned David Huff and his 0.51 ERA back to Columbus.  At first glance, this seems exceptionally stupid.  Strangely, it is not.  Based on the standard that Manny Acta set earlier in the day, the Tribe will not need a 5th starter again until August 13th.  By this time, Carlos Carrasco will have started tomorrow, dropped his appeal and severed the 6-game suspension that he earned for throwing at the head of Billy Butler on Friday.  Assuming Car-Square delivers something less than a perfect game tomorrow, he will then be optioned to the Clippers on the 13th and recall Huff.  Next, the Tribe will bring Carlos back when rosters expand on September 1.  Here is the best part.  Since Carrasco will have been in the minors for less than 20 days, this does not count as an option!  Love it.

If you feel like reading the most incisive and well constructed piece that Terry Pluto has written all year (and one I happen to agree with), go here.

I wanted to be done with this, but pictures of the game have yet to be posted, so on I go.

While I was sminking a bunch went down that I have yet to discuss.

#1 - Orlando Cabrera traded to the Giants for OF Thomas Neal.  Given the fact that the Indians are committed to Jason Kipnis at second base (and with good reason after he became the first Indians rookie to homer 3 times in his first 9 games since Luis Medina in 1988), the fact that they got something reasonable for O-Cab is downright awesome.  Now, Neal is having a down year, but he was #7 on San Francisco's prospect list coming into the season and was #96 on the Baseball America top 100 prior to 2010.  He is a toolsy guy who needs to rebound to make the bigs, that is why we got him for a washed up scrub.  For O-Cab, though, Neal is a great return.

#2 - Jason Donald takes Cabrera's spot on the active roster.  Good for JD, who has had a tough season injury wise and has been absolutely destroying the International League.  A true utility guy, I hope that he hangs around Cleveland forever.

Tonight was a tough one to swallow.  Maybe I'll dig into it tomorrow.  Maybe not.

Cheers.

Pretty Girl 08.03.11 - Rhianna Bumpin' In Barbados

rihanna-getting-drunk-and-jiggy-barbados by EgotasticMedia

She wasn't part of the show, that's just what she had packed.