Saturday, July 2, 2011
Won't Somebody Please Think About the Children!
What a jerk. Also, everyone with an iPhone, stop taking portrait movies. They all look like crap.
Clip Joint Loses Power
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| Zach McAllister |
It could have been worse. Ezequiel Carrera had two outfield assists, both on very strange plays. With one out in the fourth Scott Thorman doubled to center. Thorman got a bit greedy, took too big of a turn around second, and, after a brief run down, was tagged out by 1B Jared Goedert. Then, in the 8th, Thorman singled in the Hens' third run. As he tried to steal second base on first movement, McAllister stepped off. Thorman sprinted for second and Zach coolly turned and fired the ball into center field. The toss was so errant that Carrera had to chase it toward the warning track. Meanwhile, Thorman just kept running. After retrieving the ball, Zeke fired home and Thorman was tagged out. Wow. Weird, wild stuff.
The Clippers come back to Columbus today for a quick two with Louisville. Corey Kluber takes the ball in game one, tomorrow at 7:05p.
Other Minor Points of Interest --
Drew Pomeranz was roughed up Friday night just about as much as Pom (2-2, 2.06) gets roughed up. He threw 5.1 innings and put nine on base (6 H, 3BB), allowing three to score. He served up a solo home run and fanned seven. The waters remain murky as to when we might see the 2010 first round pick bumped up to Akron. His numbers are outstanding and Kinston has gone to a six-man rotation, but there are lingering injury concerns and Drew is still averaging less than five innings per start.
Strongsville native Anthony Gallas (.220) broke free of an abysmal 3-for-24 slump with a pair of hits, including a dinger. The long ball was Gallas' first at Kinston and gave the little Indians an 8th inning lead that they would not relinquish.
Joe Gardner continued his Jekyll and Hyde act for Akron. Having thrown a gem (7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) his last time out, Gardner (5-5, 3.92) went right ahead and lasted 2.2 innings on Friday night. While five of the six runs that he allowed were unearned, he did get touched up for 3 hits and 3 walks. Gardner did fan 3 as well, but any pitcher expecting to progress through the system cannot fail to get through 3 innings in 4 of 13 starts.
St Ed's grad Stetson Allie started against Mahoning Valley last night and turned in the best outing of his young career. The Pirates 2010 2nd round pick tossed four innings, giving up a run on five hits and punching out five. Included in the strike out tally was former high school battery mate Alex Lavisky (.195), who went down looking in the third. Allie (6.00) had struggled in his first two starts, lasting a combined five innings while letting in five earned and walking seven, but did not issue any free passes versus the Scrappers.
Cheers.
A Quest Called Tribe
Fireworks indeed. Twelve hits, three home runs, every starter save Lou-Lou Marson with a knock; the Tribe should play Cincy every day. Justin Masterson finally snagged his sixth win of the season, evening his record with six losses. That sort of equality is fitting as the bats gave him eight runs of support last night, the same total that they had put up in his past 11 starts combined. We should all be grateful that Bat is such a mellow fellow; one more prone to implosion (Hi Fausto!) would have done just that over the past two months. Instead, Masterson (2.85) has just gone out every fifth day and continued to do his job. Tonight was no exception, as Justin threw eight innings allowing just four hits with a Brandon Phillips solo shot accounting for the only black mark on his scorecard. As always, control was paramount to his success, as he walked just one (4 K) and threw 65 of 102 pitches for strikes. With the rotation sorely wanting for a leader, one might just have emerged.
On the other side of the coin, Chad Durbin's stuggles continue. Pitching for the first time since June 20th, the man who was supposed to lead by example at the back end of the bullpen surrendered Phillips second solo home run of the night in the 9th. Durbin's ERA since May 25 is now 9.95 and that actually came down as he recorded the three outs without further incident. Chad (2-1, 6.75) has pitched just three times in the past three weeks and Manny Acta now seems only to use him when he has no other choice. Let me be clear, I do not wish failure on the man, I simply do not see any success forthcoming.
For those of you that might be worried about Travis Buck, who left the game with hamstring tightness after expanding the lead to 8-1, the injury has been deemed minor and he is considered day-to-day. Incidentally, Buck (.252) has five hits in his last 6 at bats and is batting .381 over his past 7 games.
National game on Fox today, 4:05p. Roll Tribe.
Cheers.
Pretty Girl 07.02.11 - Rachael Taylor
Friday, July 1, 2011
Death In the Family
And I got all excited at the call-up, hoping that Bad Durbin had been released.
Would it not have been awesome if he had been summoned from the pen on Tuesday (he was warming) and surrendered the Wily Mo Pena (see a great piece on Wily here) walk-off? And then got unceremoniously kicked to the curb?
Ah, a man can dream.
Cheers.
Pretty Girl 07.01.11 - Abbey Clancy
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Best Of the Clip Joint
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| Scott Barnes |
Scottie Barnes was not tabbed an all-star, but he sure did pitch like one tonight. Just two Mud Hens (H, BB) reached base over the first seven innings and Scott might have made it through 8 except a Jason Donald error opened the door for two Toledo runs. Barnes (7-2, 3.40) ended up allowing three hits and an earned run while striking out five. Yeah, I would say he has settled in to AAA.
The offense was the very definition of balance as every hitter reached base via hit or walk and none did more than twice. Jerad Head launched his 11th home run. Recently, there has been a lot of chatter about why Head (.303) is not patrolling the outfield corners at the Jake. At nearly 29 years old, he has had ample opportunity to distinguish himself from the herd and he has not. Make-up wise, he is a line-drive hitter with gap power who lacks both plus speed and defense. This sounds a lot like former farm hand Jordan Brown... except Brown had two MVPs and a batting title in his pocket. Obviously, given that Brown, 27, was traded for oatmeal in April, that sort of player does not interest the club at the big league level. Put it out of your head.
The Clipper ship stays anchored on the Maumee for one more night. Zach McAllister takes the hill at 7p sharp, looking for win #9.
Other Minor Points of Interest --
Adam Everett officially cleared waivers on Thursday and has been released by the Indians organization. No comment.
Nick Weglarz has broken .200! With a single and a double, Wegz is now clipping at .218 with an .867 OPS. He is also 5 for his last 7 over three games. Expect him to move to Columbus as soon as a spot opens up.
2011 3rd round pick, Jake Sisco, the highest Tribe draftee to sign thus far, had his second successful start in the Arizona League. Jake (1.50) surrendered a run on four hits and two walks in three innings of work. He fanned a man of inning for the second straight outing.
Cheers.
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