Twitpic Fiesta!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Best Returns From the Clip Joint
Just like Jeanmar's first start since his recent demotion. While he was not dominant, Gomez (2.45 ERA) did exactly what he needed to after his teammates spotted him a 6-zip lead, he pitched well enough to win. After five shutout Gomez did falter in the sixth, loading the bases before Frank Herrmann gave up a slam. Even so, Jeanmar allowed just five hits and struck out seven in running his AAA record to 3-0. I think that's a good place for him to stay.
Jason Kipnis and Cord Phelps led the charge at the dish, each socking a two run homer. Phelps (.318) added a second hit and a third RBI. Kipnis (.286) also singled and scored. Lonnie Chisnehall's hit streak ended at nine, but Ezequiel Carrera slashed two singles and is hitting .405 with a .968 OPS over his last 10. Josh Rodriguez, the player added at the expense of Jordan Brown (.286 since the trade), went 0-for-2 and has just one hit in eleven trips as a Clipper.
Tomorrow is a businessman's special at 11:35a with David Huff starting. I will be basking in the sunshine along with the team. Come and join us.
Other Minor Points of Interest --
Kelvin De La Cruz upped his record to 2-3 as the Aeros defeated Erie 4-1. De La Cruz (2.32) threw five scoreless, allowing two hits and four walks while striking out 7. Nick Hagadone (1.74) pitched perfectly through the six and seventh before loading the bases on two walks and a hit in the 8th. Cory Burns (4.85) let the run in on a double play ball, but did not allow a baserunner in picking up his tenth save. Jared Goedert (.143) was 1-for-3 with an RBI in his second game of rehab.
LeVon Washington's modest hit streak came to an end at four games. Washington (.200) went 0-for-4 with three K's as the Captains lost to Dayton.
Cheers.
Pretty Girl 05.12.11 - Emmanuelle Vaugier
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A Quest Called Tribe
I know the Tribe is winning (23-11) and I have been explicit that I am giving Manny Acta the benefit of the doubt. Still, I'll quibble with him on the use of Justin Germano and I will continue to contend that Grady Sizemore should be hitting elsewhere in the lineup. Just consider how much easier everyone's breathing would have been last night had Grady's lead-off yank had been a three-run shot. Also note that Michael Brantley's OBP is 40 points (.375 vs .333) higher than Sizemore's. And, AND, that Grady's slugging percentage (.641) is nearly 300 points higher than that of Shin-Soo Choo (.348) or Carlos Santana (.389).
Props to Brantley on the true walk-off and Farnsworth on his classy-classic reaction. That is the best method of defeating the five man infield.
File under things I'm not going to worry about: Josh Tomlin giving up 1-run long balls. His WHIP is 0.86 and his OBA .185.
Frank Herrmann, recalled yesterday to provide extra insurance in the 'pen before Carlos Carrasco was activated, was sent right back to AAA when the starter's move was made official. It was the second time this season that Herrmann has been up for a single day and without appearing in the game.
Roll Tribe.
Cheers.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Clip Joint Second String
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| Cord Phelps |
I would not classify Corey Kluber as a bum, but anyone toting a 8.04 ERA is likely pitching a level too high. Kluber, still in search of his first win of 2011, went out and threw four excellent innings, allowing a run on five hits. Then he regressed to the mean. He recorded three more outs before being pulled and allowed five more runs. He was relieved by Eric Berger, clinging to a 7-6 lead.
If that was all the regression, I would not have led with it, now would I? Berger (5.06 ERA) is a gamer, but he'll never be a big leaguer and AAA is probably even a stretch. Still, Berger had thrown effectively in a handful full of games for Columbus this season. Tonight he did not. Berger got out of the sixth then proceeded to put the first two men on in the seventh before Carlton Smith was called upon.
Carlton Smith is a bit of retread, a unknown never-will-be. Smith (2.35) had, however, been unscored upon in his first 14.2 innings of 2011. Not anymore. In true regression, Smith allowed four hits and a walk before the inning ended. Although Berger was officially tagged with the loss, it was certainly Smith that allowed the game to get out of hand.
The offense did its part as Cord Phelps, Ezequiel Carrera and Travis Buck all launched solo dingers and Lonnie Chisenhall added a 3-run double. Phelps, playing amongst rumors that the big club is watching him closely to replace Adam Everett as the utility infielder, singled as well and is clipping along at .311. Buck, a simple casualty of the numbers crunch, has done nothing since his demotion but crank .340 with 18 RBI. How much longer can Austin Kearns warrant a roster spot? Were the Indians a losing club this season, Carrera (.324) would be licking his chops and awaiting a promotion following the inevitable trade of Grady Sizemore. Chisenhall (.291) might already be on the lake. As it stands, neither is likely to appear at the Jake until September at the earliest.
Also of note, Jason Donald left in the top of the 6th inning after injuring his left knee. This is the third separate debilitation (hand, quad) that has afflicted Donald this year, not to mention the excellent play of Jack Hannahan. The string of bad breaks ;-j for JD is an outstanding illustration of how not only talent, but timing and luck, are necessary to get a big league job.
Wednesday would be Jeanmar Gomez's normal day to start, thus I would assume him to be taking the pill tomorrow for the Clips in another 6:35p first pitch.
Other Minor Points of Interest --
Speaking of bad breaks, Jared Goedert has been assigned to Akron on a 20-day rehabilitation assignment. Goedert entered spring training as a viable candidate for the third base job before straining his oblique during the first week of camp. The conclusion of the rehab aligns exactly with the end of the 60-day disabled list period, so one would expect Goedert to be activated at that point. The problem is that Jared was rostered to the 40-man last fall and, when he is activated, someone, possibly Goedert himself, will have to be DFA'ed. It's still 3 weeks off, so we shall see. He was 0-for-4 with a walk, a strikeout and an RBI in his first game back.
LeVon Washington continued an odd trend in his fourth game for Lake County. Washington has produced a hit in all four, but only one hit. In fact, he has been 1-for-4 in each. Tonight, his hit was a double, his first of the season.
The next step for St Edward's graduate and Pirates 2010 second round pick Stetson Allie has been decided. Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington explained why Allie will be headed to the short season A State College Spikes next month to make his professional debut instead of joining others at low-A West Virginia.
"It's unfortunate that Jameson [Taillon] and Stetson have been so closely linked. As excited as we are about both of them, they're very different. Jameson has pitched his whole life and is very advanced for a 19-year-old on the mound because of all the inning he has thrown. In Stetson's case, he has come on late. He has a great arm but hasn't pitched his whole life. He has actually more of prospect as a position player going into his junior year then really burst onto the scene in his senior year of high school as a pitcher in terms of maturity on the mound and delivery and feel for pitching, so there will be some separation there."Cheers.
Marooned On A Lonely Island
Isn't dressing Michael Bolton like Captain Jack an exercise in redundancy?
Return To the Clip Joint
Jason Donald hit his second home run to lead the offensive charge. Donald (.290) added a single and scored 3 total runs. Travis Buck, batting clean-up and playing first, supplied a first inning RBI single and a 3rd inning sac fly then walked and scored in the 8th. Lonnie Chisenhall doubled to extend his hit streak to 8 games as Columbus won 5-2.
Corey Kluber faces the Knights tomorrow at 6:35p.
One Other Minor Point of Interest --
We'll see how conservative the Nationals want to be with 2010 #1 overall pick Bryce Harper who is riding a 13-game hitting streak and has raised his season OPS to 1.155. Harper (.376) has batted .449 with four home runs and 10 RBI during the streak. Remember that Harper is at low-A Hagerstown (Lake County level) and would move next to high-A Potomac.
Cheers
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