Consolation Prizes

So, the Cavs beat the Heat tonight 102-90.  There's no Heat in Cleveland in March.  The Witless, the Victim, Queen James missed a three that he had a chance to take two dribbles before because he was so wide open.  Dan Gilbert smiled and the crowd stood and cheered.  But, really, who gives a damn?  I'm not going to go on a rant about how the Cavaliers' meaningless victories somehow throw the cosmic scale out of whack to the point that only a Buckeyes loss can balance it, but...

February 11 - Cavaliers 126, Clippers 119 (ends 26 game losing streak)
February 12 - Wisconsin 71, OSU 67 (next Buckeyes game, 1st loss)

February 16 - Cavaliers 104, Lakers 99
February 20 - Purdue 76, OSU 63 (next Buckeyes game)

March 25 - Cavaliers 97, Pistons 91
March 25... I'm still not calm enough to type it, but you know what happened.

In a Cavs season that has become more about securing ping pong probability than victories, I certainly could have done without those three wins.  In fact, I could have done without all of them, including tonight's, if it had meant a national championship for the Bucks.

I never expected this Buckeyes team to be felled by coaching ineptitude.  Over the course of the season, I spent hours dissecting their game on the floor, nitpicking the scenarios that could ruin the story.  In the end, Matta just couldn't get his head out of his ass both throughout the game (leaving Lauderdale on the bench) and in crunch time (for the love of god, call timeout as soon as Buford touches the ball).  If the players had lost the game, if the seniors had put up their best fight and simply come up short, I could have made peace with the outcome.  Instead, I am left with a dense pit in my stomach and a desire to punch a certain gum-chawing spin doctor right in the mouth.

The real parting gift is the Final Four that we have been given.  #11 VCU tying for the lowest seed ever to reach the Nationals (as an aside my sister went to college with Shaka Smart, weird), the four teams combining for 37 losses (also tying a record), a guarantee of either an 8 or an 11 in the final, all of the #1s long gone and still the most electric player in the country (Kemba Walker) still on the floor.  If this had been any other season, I would be dancing in the streets in celebration of these Cinderellas.  As it stands, I am deep in mourning and will have to build a little momentum going into Saturday to give the games the attention that they deserve.


Thank goodness that the Indians open on Friday.  And come to me tomorrow.  Hope springs eternal.  Let's go Tribe.

Cheers.

Pretty Girl 03.30.11 - Maggie Grace

Ah, to be her step-brother and get Lost with her.

Suicide Squeeze - Veteran Hitters ('92 Upper Deck)

Come One Come All

The Tribe broke camp today, following an early tilt against the Reds and will be in Columbus tomorrow to play an exhibition game against the Clippers. While the Indians roster was finalized yesterday, the Clippers' is still very much up in the air. While some (IPI) speculate that minor league rosters could be completed as early as the coming weekend, Columbus does not start its schedule for another ten days or so.  Thus the makeup of the Clip's rosters is mostly a mystery.

David Huff will start for the AAA squad and is pencilled in to be the #1 starter, followed by Jeanmar Gomez, Alex White, Zach McAllister and Joe Martinez. Corey Kluber was intended to be the #5, but he was hit in the head last week with a line drive and has not yet been cleared to return.

McAllister will get the start for the Cleveland team, despite never pitching in a major league game and not making a strong push this spring.  Zach's start is a troubling bit of news that is hopefully not indicative of the team that Manny Acta will field tomorrow.  I have been, for months, looking forward to a true showing by the (sort of) MLB team.  If Choo, the Cabreras, etc as aren't around, I will be quite put out.

Justin Masterson (5.40 ERA) continued a string of solid finales by the Indians' starting rotation by going five yeoman innings.  Masterson gave up 2 earned (3 total) on 6 hits and a walk, while fanning six.  Like all of the Tribe's starters, he was inconsistent over his 6 starts and one would hope this to be an effect of Arizona winds and an exhibition mindset.  If the rotation throws as it did in March over the course of the full season, I would take the under on Vegas' win-line of 72.

Matt LaPorta was 0-for-3 with a strikeout to drop his average to .153.  There is no more to be said or speculated about Matty, he simply has to show up on the field this season or accept that he's not a major league baseball player. 

Shin-Soo Choo (.322) went deep twice with his solo shots accounting for 2 of the Indians' 3 runs. 

Rafael Perez (6.75) was smoked for four earned in a third of an inning.  Get it out of your system now Raef.  On the flip side, Jess Todd, ticketed to Columbus (and maybe off of the 40-man?) tossed 2 clean innings to lower his spring ERA to 0.93.  Certainly not the type of performer that we want on the lake.

To underscore a point made yesterday, after Jack Hannahan (ugh) was lifted in the 7th, Matt Lawson entered to play 3rd.  This is the same substitution that has been made every day since Cord Phelps was demoted last week.  I'll make this as clear as I can for you.  The Indians.  Do.  Not.  Have.  A backup third baseman.  Get it?

Tomorrow, the gates of beautiful Huntington Park open at 11a, 2+ hours prior to the 1:05p first pitch.  Fans (like me) who choose to brave the chill will be treated to the full MLB batting practice session and a unique opportunity to see the Tribe up close.  Hopefully the players all show and the cold keeps the fickle away.

Cheers.

Nix Nixed

Jayson Nix has been traded to the Blue Jays for "cash considerations."  Good GD riddance.  I NEVER have to think or talk about that scrub again.  The move opens up the second of four spot son the 40-man roster that the Tribe needs to add NRIs before Friday's opener.

Pretty Girl 03.29.11 - Liz Phair

Hells yeah, just give me Liz, 22 minutes and a bottle of baby oil.

Just In From the Desert

Final Roster Announced

Backup Backstop - Lou Marson (.143)

Utility IF - Adam Everett (.293)

Bullpen Men - Frank Herrmann (1.69 ERA), Justin Germano (0.00), Vinnie Pestano (1.13)

Officially Jess Todd (1.17) and Luis Valbuena (.260) were optioned to AAA with Luke Carlin (.150) and Paul Phillips (.414)  re-assigned to the minor league camp.  Chad Huffman (.333), Jayson Nix (.176), and Jordan Brown (.222) are still technically on the roster, but have been informed that they will be removed by opening day.  The Tribe is actively seeking a trade partner for Nix.  Regardless of whether he is traded or DFAed, he will be removed from the 40-man roster.  Also, Trevor Crowe may very well begin the season on the 60-day DL, players on which do not count towards the 40-man.  Even so the Indians need to add four players to the active roster by Friday (Jack Hannahan (ugh), Travis Buck, Germano and Everett) so another transaction will be forthcoming.  No hints yet on who that might involve.

Frankly, the bullpen doesn't surprise me.  Germano didn't surrender a run all spring.  He made the decision for the organization.  Jess Todd will be the first reliever up when they need one and, of course, they will.  On the other hand, I'm a bit taken aback by the selection of Lou Marson as the #2 catcher.  Paul Phillips hit very well this spring and one would think that Marson and the Indians would both be better served if the young man was getting every day PT.  Manny Acta must feel that the time that Carlos Santana will spend at first base and DH opens up enough ABs for Lou-Lou (that's his nickname, not kidding).  The number that qualifies as "enough" was considerably lower after the Tribe chose to add 4 NRIs for the opener.  The choice of Adam Everett shocks me (literally!) to the core.  Behind Hannahan the Tribe's roster has exactly one and one third innings of MLB experience at the hot corner (AzCab).  Actually, Travis Hafner (47 games) and Carlos Santana (58) lead the pack in minor league 3B appearances with only Asdrubal Cabrera (11) and Austin Kearns (2) supplementing with any reps at all.  So, Asdrubal is the second option at third?  Behind a dude who hit .230 at AAA last year?  An odd choice.

Pestano snagged his second save on the spring on Monday.  Chris Perez (3.00) gave up an RBI double, walked two, hit another and wild pitched in a second run.  With 2 on and 2 out, Vinnie rushed in and promptly hit the first guy he faced to load the bases.  Vin rebounded though and K'ed Reed Johnson on four pitches to slam the door.  I can dig it.

Despite a single to drive in his 11th run of the spring, Matt LaPorta is hitting a meek .161 with the slump showing no signs of dissipating.  Right now I am actually thinking about who the next option at first is.  Probably Shelley Duncan, but LaPorta would likely have to flounder through 60 games or so before the brain trust would consider a change.

Grady Sizemore (.100) went 0-for-3, though he did walk twice.  The best news is that Grady stole second base in the 6th, his first of March.  It sort of made up for a 3rd inning CS.

Carlos Carrasco (5.96) was just as brilliant in his final spring start.  Over 6 strong innings Carrasco allowed just two singles and a solo homer.  Carlos struck out five and did not walk a batter.  Good news for our new #3 starter.  Also, Germano and Herrmann each tossed a clean inning.

Fausto Carmona (3.72) was just as good on Sunday.  Fausto threw 5 quality frames giving up just an unearned run on five hits and a walk while striking out 3.  The rising ace is in fine form and ready for Friday and the White Sox.

Josh Tomlin (4.15) was not so successful on Saturday night as he was touched up for 8 hits (including 2 bombs) en route to allowing 5 earned over 5 innings.  I am not concerned.  Tomlin had been as close to perfect as anyone could ask and simply needed to get stretched out against major league hitters.  Homers from Shin-Soo Choo (.304) and Santana (.300), along with Sizemore's first spring hit, were not enough to overcome the deficit.

One more with the Reds on Tuesday, Justin Masterson will take the hill for the Wahoos.

Flick to Click: Daydream Nation

Opening May 6.

Pretty Girl 03.28.11 - Madeline Zima

Um, this is the little girl from The Nanny.  I feel old.

Pretty Girl 03.27.11 - Kiele Sanchez

Mmmm, sultry.  All I can think about is sweat.