Pretty Girl 06.24.11 - Sara Jean Underwood

Former Playboy cover girl of the Pac-10 gone mainstream.  Doncha dig girls that like to get nekkid?

Feelin' Good At the Clip Joint

Lonnie Chisenhall

Concussions are funny things.  Sometimes a player will sustain such trauma and return only to perform as a pale shadow of his former self.  Take Justin Morneau, a former AL MVP with four straight 100 RBI seasons.  Last July 7, Morneau, then hitting .345 with 18 homers and 56 RBI, caught a knee to (k)noggin out at second base and sat for the rest of 2010.  He's back in the lineup this year for the Twins, but, clearly, something is not right.  Sporting a .225 batting average and just four dingers, Morneau is more of a hindrance than a help to a Minnesota team that is fighting to get back into contention.

Fortunately for Indians fans, there is another side of the coin.  On June 10th, top prospect Lonnie Chisenhall smacked his skull on the third base and sustained a concussion himself.  After sitting him for a week, Columbus reluctantly (and retroactively) placed him on the 7-day disabled list last Friday.  Some speculated that the scrutiny accompanying his projected value got to the young man as well and, perhaps, that might have had something to do with the break as well.  Either way, Chisenhall (.261) returned to action last night, showing no ill effects from either affliction.  As the Clippers battered the Mud Hens 13-7, for their 14th win in 15 games, the Chiz Kid put on a show for the folks of Toledo.  He cranked four hits, peppering in a triple and a moon shot, scored twice and drove in six.  So, I guess the guy is okay.

Better than okay?  How about Luis Valbuena?  Begging for a call-up and riding the highs of a 19-game hitting streak and a 7-RBI game in the past month, Luis (.307) just continues to rake the cover off of the ball.  He added two more hits, including his 8th home run, last night, and raised his RBI total to 45.  We all know, of course, that the kid can hit at AAA.  The question is whether he has turned a corner and can (ever?) deliver consistently at the big league level.  I have said it before and I will say it again -- kick Adam Everett to the curb and let Valbuena play.

Not so okay?  That is your Corey Kluber.  After putting together a run of worthwhile starts (4-1, 4.42) over the past month, Kluber completely forgot how to pitch yesterday.  Imagine Jason Hammel's queer balk, except stretched over 3+ innings.  Corey (4-4, 6.35) walked six and allowed four hits en route to surrendering six earned.  Luckily his mates picked him up.  Still, Kluber is clearly the rawest pitcher in the Columbus rotation. At 25, he needs to develop the ability to avoid implosions like the above if he is to progress to the next level.

The Clips finish their brief two-game series tonight with Jeanmar Gomez taking the pill at 7:05p.  Since the Indians have an off day, the game is on STO.

Other Minor Points of Interest --

Despite sustaining a sixth inning blown save (does that even count?), Adam Miller did pitch reasonably well for Akron yesterday.  In his 8th AA appearance Miller (1-1, 3.27) allowed two hits and a walk while fanning a pair in 1.2 innings.  Barring another injury, and with Adam we never know, we will see him with the Tribe in September.

Our friend Tyler Tufts continues to impress at AA Frisco.  Ty (2-1, 2.03) has thrown three straight scoreless outings, including a shutout inning last night, and has a 1.42 ERA over his last 10.  Among his sterling statistics are a 1.15 WHIP, 8.78 K/9, and an incredible 8.67 K/BB.  Go, man, go.

Speaking of sterling, 18-year old Indians prospect Felix Sterling's 2011 debut in the rookie league was anything but.  Following up on a tremendous 2010, Felix labored through two innings, getting roughed up for four runs (3 earned) on four hits, a walk and a blast.  The kid who posted 9.99 K/9 last season was nowhere to be found as he K'ed exactly no one.  He is a ways off, but keep an eye.

Lastly, with Kinston and Lake County at their respective All-Star breaks, a check on the first half statistics of a few key prospects ...

LeVon Washington, OF (LC) - .209, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .622 OPS [8/9 SB]
Alex Lavisky, C (LC, MV) - .202, 8 HR, 26 RBI, .619 OPS [73 K in 208 AB]
Anthony Gallas, OF (KIN, LC) - .306, 6 HR, 28 RBI, .886 OPS [27 2B]

Drew Pomeranz (KIN) - 2-2, 1.93 ERA, .201 OBA, 1.10 WHIP, 11.42 K/9
Giovanni Soto (KIN) - 4-4, 3.02 ERA, .232 OBA, 1.18 WHIP, 9.21 K/9
Michael Goodnight (LC) - 5-5, 3.04 ERA, .191 OBA, 1.06 WHIP, 8.24 K/9
Steven Wright (COL, AKR, KIN, LC) - 2-1, 3.38 ERA, .279 OBA, 1.52 WHIP, 6.29 K/9
Rob Bryson (KIN, LC) - 0-1, 2.84 ERA, .208 OBA, 0.95 WHIP, 14.21 K/9
Bryce Stowell (LC, MV) - 0-0, 0.00 ERA [1 SV], .056 OBA, 0.50 WHIP, 10.5 K/9

Cheers

Pretty Girl 06.23.11 - Courtney Stodden

This aspiring pop-country diva is just 16, but she married a 51-year old dude the other day.  I say that makes her fair game.  Enjoy.

A Quest Called Tribe

We all go a little crazy sometimes.  Such was the case of Josh Tomlin between May 27th and June 12th (1-3, 8.61).  Last Friday, he tossed 6.2 innings of one run ball to begin the sweep of the Pirates and I was there to watch.  In fact, in the two Tomlin starts that I have seen this season (May 21 vs Cincy), he has allowed just 2 earned in 13.2 and notched two victories.  I might have to go back and rally him out of his next slump.

It gets a bit scary when a an inexperienced pitcher lacking phenomenal stuff goes into a bit of a slump.  One might think that the book has finally caught up to him, the book and the long ball.  Still, tonight Tomlin extended his 5+ inning start streak to 27 to begin his MLB career.  Even during the struggles, Josh (9-4, 3.95) was able to pitch past the halfway point and, most importantly, did not allow his control to falter.  Although he gave up 39 hits in the 23 innings of those starts, Tomlin did not try to alter his approach.  Even when the opposition took advantage of the spots that he missed, the 26-year old remained locked in, weathered the storm and now seems to have arrived safely back to his early season form.

In earning his 9th victory tonight (6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HR) Josh prevented what would have been a demoralizing sweep that would have wiped away all the momentum that the team recouped against Pittsburgh.  With three more scheduled starts before the mid-summer classic, Tomlin is, in my very humble opinion, poised to make a run at the All-Star roster.  I believe that Asdrubal Cabrera is a virtual lock (see previous post, did you know that he is 12-for-12 in stealing bases?), but it would seem that the next best argument could be made for Josh (Did you know that no one has even attempted to steal off of him this season?), assuming that he stays plus for the next three weeks.  He is now tied with six others for the AL lead in wins.  If he could make that total, say, 11 by break time, I cannot see him being excluded.

In a more general sense, the Tribe seems to be returning to the standard that they set in getting out to a 30-15 start that featured 25 games (15-10) with a margin of 3 runs or less.  Then came the 6-16 stretch leading into the Pittsburgh series wherein only 8 games were decided by fewer than four runs.  Now, the two excrurciating one-run losses to the Rockies notwithstanding (How clutch was Travis Buck braking an 0-for-24 to tie the game on Tuesday?), the Indians took 4 of 6 in a home stand that included four games within the aforementioned spread.  The recipe is simple: timely hitting (Pronk!!!!!!!!!!), quality starting pitching and a set-up staff that just will not quit.  In fact, the entire 'pen (minus a goat named Chad of course) has allowed just four earned in 46.1 since June 3.  That rounds out to a 0.78 ERA.  Hell, the Mafia put the first four they faced tonight on strikes.  Nice.

Like it.

Love it.

Gotta have it.

Roll Tribe.

Cheers.

P.s. Isn't it weird that we can now hear the umpire saying where the pitch misses on a ball?

Suicide Squeeze - Write It Down ('92 Upper Deck)

Pretty Girl 06.22.11 - Rashida Jones

It's a quiet hotness.  An it is spectacular. 

Flick to Click: Our Idiot Brother

Opens 08.26.11

Pretty Girl 06.21.11 - Kelly Preston

So hot that she makes John Travolta seem uh... well... more like an arrow than a $3 bill.

While I Was Sminking

Sometimes rookies come of age ...

Sometimes people get hurt ...

Matt LaPorta to the 15-day DL with a mild high right ankle sprain.

Lonnie Chisenhall, who has not played since June 10, to the 7-day DL @ AAA with a concussion.

Sometimes just being there is more than enough ...

I sat in section 511, row L for the 5-1 Indians victory on Friday.  We were so obscured from the right field wall that we all high fived, assuming Hafner's ball was gone.  It was college ID night (half-price lower reserved and mezzanine seats) and a ton of kids showed.  Many found that the promo seats were sold out and bought $8 seats to join us in the upper deck.  That did not include the buddy of a group in the row behind me who was quoted as saying "he couldn't afford the $8 ticket."  I will tell you that I would have never expected the torrent of talent that walked past row L.  I felt like a diabetic in a chocolate factory.

I had never been further from the action, not even when I sat in the dimly remembered "auxilliary bleachers" that were set up on the site of the Batter's Eye Bar in the late 90's.  Still, as an Indians fan, there is nothing that can approximate the sensation of enjoying a Tribe win with 38,000 of my closest friends.  Even if this season should not culminate in a playoff appearance, we can still enjoy the ride.

Sometimes careers die ...

Fausto Carmona lost his league leading 9th game of the season tonight.  Over his past seven starts, Fausto is 1-6 with 9.73 ERA, a .333 OBA and a 1.78 WHIP.  He allowed seven earned runs to raise his MLB worst total to 66 and allowed his 15th round tripper of 2011.  He has never allowed more than 17 in any season.  Sadly, the most rope that Carmona will get is to the All-Star break.  If he has not sufficiently recovered his command, and the Indians continue to contend, he will be demoted to the bullpen.

Sometimes the impossible happens ...

And sometimes seasons are resurrected by a visit from some stinking Pittsburgh bums.  It may not be PC to kick a franchise that has not had a winning campaign in two decades, but you will always be judged by the company that you keep.  My ire for the Steelers will fall upon all Pittsburgh franchsies, at least until the Brownies win a Super Bowl.

And then there's this ...

Cheers.

Pretty Girl 06.20.11 - Jennifer Holland

Without a doubt the most perfect pair of tits that I have every laid eyes on.  Check 'em out in American Pie: Book Of Love and here. ;-j