Game Thread: May 8, 2008 - 5th Inning
by Jay on May 8, 2008 2:32 PM EDT
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PrintCleveland Indians at New York Yankees, Oct 7, 2007 6:37 PM EDT
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Hey, Hammy says Seinfeld’s at the game today. Then he transitions right into ripping Joe Pepitone’s hairpiece.
that’s why I miss the All-Star skills competition. I’d love to see Gutierrez, Ankiel, Ichiro and Big Bad Vlad (just to see him hurl a laser with no direction whatsoever) have a outfield throwing competition….
by APV on May 8, 2008 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
It would totally screw up their mechanics for the rest of the year.
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Nah he was safe…If Gutz gets that throw one more foot towards the base they have him, I think
You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person
by jakesinger777 on May 8, 2008 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Time machine?
You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person
by jakesinger777 on May 8, 2008 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Quirk of the new platform. They don’t yet have a mechanism for “overflow” game threads, but on the other hand, they have all of the 2007 season games loaded in there, and none of them ever had “new platform” game threads. So to do the overflow, I try to find a game from 2007 that had the same matchup, and I use that game entry to generate a new game thread.
by Jay on May 8, 2008 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Where does “unproductive AB for Jose Molina” rank on the all-time list of unnecessary statements?
You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person
by jakesinger777 on May 8, 2008 2:39 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
A few called balls, and a few hard hits to the outfield. That’s the bottom line, I think.
by Jay on May 8, 2008 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions
with Abreu, Matsui and Giambi next inning, I really hope we see Lewis or Breslow instead of Byrd for the 6th.
They say if you go to the Indians bullpen late after game, when all the other players have left, and listen quietly you can hear the smack of a ball into a catcher’s mitt. A few have claimed to see a 58 jersey swish away into the inky black night. Most write off these stories as little more than superstition and overactive imaginations, but a select few still believe…
by Voltaire on May 8, 2008 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
with this lineup…does it really change expectations at all depending on which 3 batters are due up?
by APV on May 8, 2008 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions
by the way, if anyone reads the Bref fanshot from Ryan, I linked that Fatnando had a better start of a season than Lee in 1981.
I don’t care how many times they say the Yankees are excited about Ohlendorf.
He has never, ever done anything at any level to warrant excitement.
The Yankees know nothing about relief pitching.
He’s never been given a prolonged stint as a reliever in the minors and he has good stuff so I see why there is some excitement.
Meh. I look at his 2006, he’s 23 and has a 3.29 ERA in Double-A—all very good as far as it goes. But he also has just 6.28 K/9, which tells me that his stuff probably won’t translate to the majors, and indeed, it didn’t even translate that well to Triple-A.
Unless he’s a freak case like Carmona - and he is a true freak - I don’t see how he’s supposed to have good stuff with those numbers. Good velocity, maybe, but stuff goes beyond just velocity.
by Jay on May 8, 2008 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Somehow I picture Byrd standing there with a bullethole through his cowboy hat, somehow just missing hitting him in the head.
unfortunately, you’re probably right.
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
He’s maxed at 85 pitches this year and gotten pulled at under 80 3 times. Wedge is better at managing Byrd than we think.
agreed, but I thought there was no way he should pitch the 6th.
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
Most have looked closer to third to me.
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Dammit. Hit that one pretty nicely, just right at Damon.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
It’s ok, though. Blake is up with a man on, which means RESULTS!
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
As you should, he just fouled out to third. Sigh.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
Well he thought he’d balance out the weakass pop to first earlier.
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions
If Franklin had stolen second, Blake wouldn’t have popped out. He only hits now with RISP. He’s overcompensating for his LOBlake reputations.
Free Andy Marte!
Casey knows how those clutch ratings work. He can only be clutch when compared to his career norms. What better way to do it than to lower those norms.
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Kobayashi warming for the Tribe, Joba warming for the Yankees.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
Seems like every out could be easily be a dinger right now. Quick hook, please. As in, eight pitches ago.
I saw it.
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
besides Wedge?
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
Meh
One day I'll get over to watch the Tribe play
by new zealand tribe fan on May 8, 2008 3:09 PM EDT reply actions
Hamilton: “It tells you all you need to know about the confidence Eric Wedge has in Craig Breslow and Tom Mastny.”
This is becoming a crippling liability. We’ve got a 22-man roster. Apparently, permanently.
yea when we were way down and he gave up more, I believe.
i also think we ended up coming back a little, to where FUCK FUCK
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
to finish… to where we may have won without the additional runs he gave up
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
Justin?
You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person
by jakesinger777 on May 8, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Do you think Breslow and Mastny like just chilling? They probably just read magazines and shoot the shit, huh?
They are getting paid plenty of money, so I’d be ok with that
You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person
by jakesinger777 on May 8, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
From someone who rode the bench for 3/4 of his High School career .. I bet they have some hilarious stories and cool games to pass the time.
i assume i only notice it more because cleveland is losing so much this year, but today’s homeplate umpire has been horrible.
i guess
not considering his mom left the family when he was 3 and his father had polio. i don’t think breaking in hats was a concern.
by tombradylikesdudes on May 9, 2008 1:30 AM EDT up reply actions
This username is allowed to stay? Really?
by supermarioelia on May 9, 2008 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t have a lot of faith in our ability to score 3 runs off of Rivera, I must say.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
I think at this point I’ll just walk away and be happy with the 2 of 3 and the season series.
by ASP on May 8, 2008 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Also, I don’t think that guy’s going to ever make it as a starter if he’s going to be crazy emotional like that all the time. Reminds me of young CC when he’d make a bad pitch & then it’d screw him up for an inning or two.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
Is the yelling and screaming like he just closed out game 7 really neccesary in a game on May 8th? What a dickhead.
retiring david dellucci tonight is somehow a joba-response to dellucci’s homerun and provides some type of agreeable symmetry in the mind of joba that the universe is, in fact, in order. and i bet ESPN shows that strikeout too.
Are you kidding me? Yankee fans eat that shit up. I bet Suzy Waldman is fingerbanging herself right now.
by Toxicadam on May 8, 2008 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I bet Suzy Waldman is Fiddlesticking herself right now.
Corrected
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions
“Joba only shows his emotions in big spots” -Mike Kay
Is up by three with no one on and two down a “big spot”? The kid acts like a punk when he K’s someone. Hopefully someone reminds him of Carlos Perez.
by Bernie19Kosar on May 8, 2008 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
If Dellucci had done that rounding the bases on Tuesday night, they would have thrown at him for showing up Justin.
Il faut d'abord durer.
Mastny and Breslow just lost their friend.
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
The Yankees announcers are busy justifying Joba celebrating his strikeout there.. in the 8th inning of a 3 run game with nobody on. Whatever.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
It’s obnoxious. Julio totally should have pulled out the air six-shooters on that Jeter strikeout.
Il faut d'abord durer.
My favorite part of this is … two at-bats … three-run homer and a strikeout … the score is not exactly even here. He can strike Dellucci out three more times and he’ll still have a 1000 OPS.
by Jay on May 8, 2008 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
BRESLOW THROWING
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
Maybe Wedge didn’t even call down and tell him to warm up. He is just taking it on himself. Next we need him to just start jogging in from the bullpen.
by Bernie19Kosar on May 8, 2008 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Twins lead the Sox 2-0. 1 hitter for Slowey after 4. The Tribe’s safe from last place in batting, it appears.
I want to see a Yankee take one off the spine. And if there’s one guy in this bullpen qualified for that, it’s Fastball George.
by fleerdon on May 8, 2008 3:28 PM EDT reply actions
jeter gets 0 outs there.
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
To be fair, I think Peralta was in that position because the runner went on the play. Otherwise it’s probably a single up the middle.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
Yeah, I just started screaming. The cat looked at me funny & then went back to licking her ass.
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
Unlike Chamberlain, we only cheer when we don’t give a shit.
by fleerdon on May 8, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions
zz
It would be nice to see some kind of action here .. even a few base runners .. something to build on.
I admit that I have a hard time not liking Rivera. It’s hard not to like the guy who’s the best ever….But I also like that the Indians have shelled him a few times.
Just for kicks:
Greg (Orchard Farm): How good is Nick Weglarz, he looks like a future MLB beast.SportsNation Keith Law: At least an above-average big leaguer, chance to be a star.
Holy shit. Hire Francisco!
Despite all of my best intentions, I have not, in fact, grown up to be a debaser.
I thought that name was familiar:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=7327
The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich. It wanted to keep Westbrook.
And the promo immediately following the game begins with this phrase: “Our Tribe is explosive.” Soemone should tell these guys about truth in advertising.
Free Andy Marte!
Frank’s got to figure out how to deal with the stuff under his hands. He’s been eaten alive lately.
by fleerdon on May 8, 2008 3:49 PM EDT reply actions
I would just like to see us get a stable batting lineup. All of this day-to-day change can’t be helping the team very much.
The thing that bothered me was not using Breslow or Mastny today. Days like today are why they are on the team. If you can’t use them when your bullpen is gassed .. why are they here at all? There are plenty of guys at AA or AAA that we could use instead.
I’m still okay with how this season is going. We just have to keep winning series for this month and we will be in a good place.
They are here for when the starter gets blown out early.
We have forgotten what that looks like, because it hasn’t happened for 20 games.
by Jay on May 8, 2008 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
So Byrd lost to Mussina in NY, without some big guns missing from both sides. I can handle it.
For the future, I’m a fan of not getting too cute with the lineup. I want to see Vic (I know he was hurt), Garko, Cabrera, Peralta, Marte, Dellucci/Francisco, Sizemore, Gutz, Sizemore, and Pronk. Not in that order, of course. Blake plays for whoever’s hurt. Mix in Shoppach once or twice a week.
Let’s not get crazy.
Well maybe LeStunod’ll put up another stinker tonight to make me feel a little better. Maybe 2 for 20 and 11 TOs.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
Hey this is almost as good. My brother just called and told me that they’re rioting at the Papa John’s Pizza joints all around Cleveland over the $0.23 pizza promotion. Thousands in line and they’re runnin’ outta pizza. I say it’s all LeBron and Maverick’s fault.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
See sometimes wishing makes it so. Wow another choke job from His HIghness. The Celts have exposed my boy – he’s got no outside game. In fact for the second play-off game in a row – that’s in a row Brick – he’s got no inside game either. So let’s recap.
Kobe >> LeBron
Chris Paul > LeStunod
I’ll be shocked if this series goes to six games.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
Read Terry Pluto’s PD articles and you’ll have a better sense of why LeBron is struggling. The problem he has is that he doesn’t have teammates, or at least not teammates on offense. He’s forced to contend with double and triple teams and to force bad shots because no one else wants the ball or can shoot (except the guys with Z’s in their names). Kobe would look terrible in LeBron’s position—it’s not about whether LeBron is a good or bad player. It’s about the rest of the team (and the coaching on offense).
I DO agree, however, that the series is unlikely to go 6, at this point.
i love the way chuck delivers the in a row gag here. it’s as if to say, “i get the goofy game you kids are playing, but i ain’t about to use it in a subtle manner, so here you go and there it was”.
story for ya chuck. so was at a bar last night after softball and the game was on. was wearing shirt or hat or something with tribe on it. someone looked up and said, “hey, cleveland is on – did you see that?”. i responded that i couldn’t care less. “you don’t like the cavs?!” “F-em. LeBron’s a yankee fan, so go Boston. I hope they sweep em”. the guy across from me, wearing a whitesox hat just sat there a minute then says “wow. that’s pretty cool, actually.”
i feel asleep
Sizemore-Shapiro 2008. The Official Red Bull of Let's Go Tribe Game Threads.
by Gradyforpresident on May 8, 2008 4:17 PM EDT reply actions
Just got back from the game. We were in the left field bleachers, right behind the Tribe bullpen — with a surprising number of Indians fans (one of whom kept yelling periodically at the top of her lungs “LEWWWISS! LEEWWWISS!” to no avail. Stomp eventually slid down to the other end of the bench.) Other observations:
- Does Peralta look lost at the plate, or is it just me? I know I was 400+ ft. away, but, man did he look bad.
- Joba has a freakin’ cult going. It’s kinda creepy.
- Abreu is hilarious in right field. He must have a death wish with that wall.
Peralta didn’t look good today (pretty good on defense, though), but I thought he actually played well in this series. Maybe Mussina is a tough match-up for him—lot of breaking stuff, very good control, funky delivery, etc.
I wish we had Abreu. He can dance the tango with our right field wall as far as I’m concerned.
Well since the Tribe and Cavs can’t seem to win on the same day, hopefully this bodes well for tonite.
Nope the Cavs are goin down like Marilyn Monroe at a Kennedy family picnic.
Here’s the current link on the Papa John’s deal in Cleveland.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
Just perusing the thread. I’m surprised at the incredulity of some with respect to Byrd staying in the game. Wedge is notorious for leaving a starter in the game when tied or just trailing, ostensibly to give him a chance to get the win. He especially does this with veteran starters. As long as they’re not getting hammered and the pitch count is ok, he’ll leave the starter in. Now you can argue the merits of this strategy, but you shouldn’t be surprised by it.
I think in some cases it burns him, but in the end I support that strategy. The starters know that if they keep fighting, Wedge will let them stay in and give them a chance to get a ‘W”. I think that goes a long way over the course of 162 games.
Also, I don’t understand why people are upset that our 11th and 12th pitchers aren’t getting in. That’s a GOOD thing. As long as the other relievers aren’t being overworked (and I don’t think they are without looking at games appeared, etc), then it’s not a problem. They are the 11th and 12th men on the staff for a reason. Also, if the starters can keep going deep consistently, it gives them an opportunity to go with an 11-man staff and allow Choo to join the roster without having to make a decision on Francisco or Marte at the end of this month.
Would agree, except it was plain that the Yankees were tagging the ball. Two of the outs in the sixth were well-struck, but right at defenders. It sure looked to me that Byrd’s luck had been pushed far enough—granted, moreso after Cano’s AB, but my distinct reaction after the sixth was, “Whew, I’m glad his day’s done.”
by fleerdon on May 8, 2008 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m starting to get a little tired of the post-game analysis of the thread itself to be honest. It seems a bit holier than thou, and with the first issue in particular I would argue that no one was really surprised by Wedge leaving him in.
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Sorry I’m making you a little tired…I don’t have time to post during games for the most part, but I am interested in hearing what LGT’ers have to say. It’s usually intelligent discussion, I’m just trying to add to it.
hmm, more byrdie, huh?
Byrd’s still in !?
Seconded.
Byrd? Really?
I was wrong.
I’ve said both HIRE WEDGE and FIRE WEDGE no fewer than eight times in threads the past three days. Let’s analyze the fact that I’m potentially bipolar.
Talk about the issues brought up in the threads, as you suggested in the last sentence of your first paragraph in your initial post…but let’s leave the critiquing of our reactions for another day.
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Rather than critiquing, I prefer to call it offering observations of things that others might not see. Or providing opinions of things I disagree with strongly (which is usually dwarfed by things I agree with). Anything I say I would’ve said during the game had I been in the thread.
I’m usually able to determine overreactions when I see them, and I don’t “critique” those. Hell, I have those every game, when I wonder how in the world we’re ever going to score a run!
It should be well understood that Game Thread reactions are spontaneous and, in many cases, not remotely intended to be read as thoughtful observations. That’s part of the Game Thread experience, and I think most understand that pretty well.
While that should be understood and respected, I personally would hate for TribeJay to hestitate to offer his observations. He’s really talking about the game moreso than the reactions, and he often has made observations that otherwise would get missed by the rest of us.
I’ve had plenty of reactions along the lines of, “I can’t believe what you guys as a group seem to be thinking” - just this morning, in fact - but when I say that, it’s always relative to having such a high opinion of “you guys” as a group. I’m sure TribeJay sees it the same way.
I mean, neither one of us is going to express surprise at what’s getting posted on any other forum, you know what I mean?
And I likely overreacted to his original post. The first little bit just struck me as a bit preachy.
by supermarioelia on May 8, 2008 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Do you really think Wedge leaves his pitchers in so they get a chance at the W? I think he leaves them in because the deeper the starters go, the better the team will be in the long run. The bullpen won’t get overworked, and maybe they can help again down the stretch. I think Wedge’s operating principle is just to leave in his starting pitchers as long as he possibly can.
I think he meant in more in terms of the players being motivated to get the W rather than Wedge caring about who gets it.
by supermarioelia on May 9, 2008 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree with odradek, and it’s a point I’ve tried to make many times.
I don’t know why people insist on assuming that Wedge is making decisions based on me-first scoring when there is a perfectly sensible team-first explanation.
A pitcher who gives up a few runs isn’t necessarily struggling, and I’m glad Wedge is astute enough to see that. I was surprised to see Byrd in the 7th but not scandalized, given his track record and pitch count. Was he really a worse bet in that situation than a reliever outside our top three? I don’t know that he was.
Let’s not forget, unless a reliever is really dominant, starters are inherently better pitchers than relievers—that’s why they’re the starters. As a rule, a starter remains better than most of your relievers until/unless he’s truly “done.”
I think you are right but I want to remind you to something you pointed out about the whole discussion with Giambi being tough against slow-throwing righties and nothing else. As you noted though, you were surprised, but I think in this particular case, it might have been the perfect time to get Breslow some action.
Yes, I truly believe that. Before I go further, be clear that I have no data to back this up, but it’s just been my observation over the years. It’s my perception that everything else being equal, Wedge is more likely to pull his starter with the lead than he is in a tie game or when trailing by one or two.
Mario is right – Wedge cares in the sense that his starting pitchers do. W’s mean more to starting pitchers than anything else, and Wedge is in effect giving his starters every chance to get that W.
If the Tribe had been leading 4-3 yesterday and the bullpen was rested, I fully believe that Byrd would not have come out for the 7th.
There have been occasions, though I haven’t gone back to check, where the Tribe scores a few runs in the fifth or sixth, and I think, Well, that’s it for Byrd or Westbrook. He hasn’t been sharp, he’s thrown 90+ pitches, the team has a four-run lead, and the bullpen could use some work. But Wedge runs the starter back out there. As I said above, I think that’s an operating principle, especially when you have great starting pitching. Look at the number of pitches thrown by Cleveland starters last year.
I didn’t look at usage patterns. But haven’t there been more incidents where you thought Wedge leaves in his pitchers too long rather than hooking them too early?
Since our bullpen has been pretty good (last year and, at least recently, this year), early hooks don’t get people mad, since the bullpen generally doesn’t blow it. Late hooks are really hard to assess; on Friday night, Gibbons left Halliday in “too long” (but everyone in the park would probably do the same thing, given the guy’s history). Pretty often, managers leave in pitchers and it works out - we just notice the occasions when it doesn’t. I agree with Jay - Wedge leaves his starters in, more often than not, because they’re good pitchers and because the bullpen has limits (he doesn’t want to overuse the guys he “trusts” and they’re carrying at least three guys he doesn’t trust at all.
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