Game Eighty: Indians 6, Reds 0

by Ryan on Jun 28, 2008 3:18 PM EDT in Game Recaps

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
CC Sabathia	.391	Jhonny Peralta	-.102
Grady Sizemore	.212	David Dellucci	-.066
Shin-Soo Choo	.123	Ryan Garko	-.066

Games like last night are opinion shifters. You see CC Sabathia dominate a game a day after Cliff Lee did the same and think "you know, who cares if the Indians don't have an offence or a bullpen?" Even without Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook, the rotation has been one of the best in baseball (3.68 ERA).

But even though the Indians are just 7.5 games out of first, they'd have to catch and pass three other teams (four if you include the Royals). The schedule after the Reds leave town is set up so that the Indians can make up ground quickly:

June 30-July 2: @ Chicago

July 4-6: @Minnesota

July 8-9: @Detroit

The key to this stretch are the two off days on either side of the Minnesota series, which should allow Sabathia and Lee to make two starts apiece. If the Indians can run off 6 of 8, Mark Shapiro probably isn't going to listen to offers for Sabathia. But if they drop 6 of 8, the season's essentially over.

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Whether the Indians trade CC or not shouldn’t be influenced by what they do in the next few weeks. He’s gotta go. If we’re close – highly unlikely – then we’ve gotta trade him for immediate offensive help, if we’re outta of it we should trade him for players with upside potential. Either way he’s gone.

"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay

by mauichuck on Jun 28, 2008 3:31 PM EDT reply actions

“Upside potential”—you’ve been watching too much about the NBA draft. I think Jay Bilas trademarked that phrase.

by Buckeye Brad on Jun 28, 2008 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Last night’s game was like meeting a homely girl at last call. If you squint hard enough you can almost see a beautiful girl, you can almost fool yourself into thinking she could be “the one”.

But reality kicks in and you realize in the morning she is still a girl with buck teeth (hitting) and poor hygiene (bullpen).

by Toxicadam on Jun 28, 2008 4:10 PM EDT reply actions

6.5/10

by ahowie on Jun 28, 2008 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I know. :(
I’ve had a few today.

by Toxicadam on Jun 28, 2008 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

why did i get this earring?

by emil minty on Jun 28, 2008 6:10 PM EDT reply actions

I like the shape of that graph. Makes them look like they were all “We’re too good to just blow them out, let’s take a scenic stroll here” and then “What the hey, let’s win this” and then went and played dominoes.

by Voltaire on Jun 28, 2008 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

Weird. The Reds trolls don’t show up after the losses

by Roger Dorn on Jun 28, 2008 6:32 PM EDT reply actions

SAL FASANO IS STARTING TONIGHT

by Voltaire on Jun 28, 2008 6:33 PM EDT reply actions

This division is still winnable. Let’s get the fans energized for this season and trade CC for a solid bat. Not some guy that will help next year, but right now. I say we trade CC straight up for Jason Michaels.

by elsandito on Jun 29, 2008 4:38 PM EDT reply actions