Game Thread, Indians vs. Angels
Lineup, per Castrovince:
INDIANS: 2B Jamey Carroll, 3B Mark DeRosa, C Victor Martinez, DH Travis Hafner, RF Shin-Soo Choo, 1B Ryan Garko, LF David Dellucci, CF Ben Francisco, SS Wilson Valdez. LHP Scott Lewis.
Also available to pitch: LHP Rafael Perez, RHPs Rafael Betancourt, Masa Kobayashi, Vinnie Chulk, Ed Mujica, Frank Herrmann.
Yes, it's the return of CHOO.
almost 3 years ago
zempf
242 comments
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Comments
1-0 Angels already after a walk, single, ground-rule double given up by Lewis.
DISCLAIMER: I may be bitter.
Some.. interesting baserunning there, as Martinez hits a one-hopper to third & Carroll breaks home, where he is thrown out by roughly a mile.
DISCLAIMER: I may be bitter.
I thought perhaps his WBC experience would sell Choo on the merits of the single earflap, but he’s back to the Magic Helmet.
speaking of math, why does it seem like the angels must have a 30 man roster?
aybar, izturis, wood, figgins, cuba, rivera, abreau, vlad, catcher, catcher, hunter, willets, matthews, kendrick, quinlann…
i’m way too lazy to go figure it out. i presume the willets of the world have options or something. but most of those guys are set. and i’m not certain i’m not forgetting something
Would anyone trade DeRosa for Tori Hunter in a fantasy league. I’m leaning towards no.
I’m drinking.
Only if one of the scoring categories is number of "i"s in your player names.
by woodsmeister on Mar 26, 2009 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions
A nation turns it’s lonely eyes to you…
by woodsmeister on Mar 26, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Lewis going for the first 111111111 line in ML history.
Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.
Too late. Vlad impales one out to right.
by woodsmeister on Mar 26, 2009 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Inside! Pitch inside!
I haven’t even seen the last two home runs, but I just know this is what they liked about him.
Steel Nick
It does seem like they’ve timed the change-up. The pitch Vlad took deep was a change-up.
by woodsmeister on Mar 26, 2009 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
some people are into that. who am i to judge?
by Brick. on Mar 26, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
my only thing about lewis was that he hadn’t been seeing starters this spring.
i’m also surprised they didn’t wait till the end of spring to make the decission to officially option laffey – if for no other reason than in case lewis or someone got injured…
If a player doesn’t spend 20 days in the minors, then an option year is not charged — and the days don’t start counting until the first day of the regular season. So it’s really just a formality, optioning him now rather than later. If it weren’t, of course they’d option him later.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
This is why I come here.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Mar 27, 2009 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh hey, I left the room for a while and Raffy B is still pitching. This is not surprising.
Steel Nick
Lot of standard questions
Shap needs Cliff and Carmona to carry the rotation
Bullpen will be great with Kerry, he loves Kerry
Shapiro skypes with his family, Rick Manning has no idea what that is
and so it goes
Hafner is not the key to the season, he’s tracking the ball well, getting in hitter’s counts, yadayada.
by woodsmeister on Mar 26, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
The ribbing of Manning was pretty good.
The trainer had to visit Raffy on the mound for a couple of minutes. I was waiting for an audible “gulp” from Shapiro.
Steel Nick
Did he have to awkwardly explain to Manning, yet again, that they’re not too concerned with RBI?
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
No, but the Skype convo led to Shapiro making a lot of jokes about how Manning has to drive around looking for payphones and next week is going to get an 80’s style block cell phone.
Direct quote: “It’s called the Internet, Rick.”
Steel Nick
Manning Being Manning?
Frankly, I don't contribute much.
by emd2k3 on Mar 26, 2009 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Strong work.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Mar 27, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I was speaking in terms of fat grams, not calories. Skip the chips and any mayo, and its not terrible compared to the Chicken Gyro and french fries I had today.
Frankly, I don't contribute much.
Mostly horrible vs. entirely horrible.
It’s tough to find fresh food, especially in a hurry.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
There was a place up here called “fresh city” that would make stir fry for you in a hurry, you pick the veggies and noodles. It was fabulous. Then I moved a little south and i’m a few hours away from the nearest one.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Mar 27, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe one of the consequences of Hafner’s reduced bat speed will be an increase in going the other way to the point where teams have to discontinue the shift.
Peralta.
Career slugging average: .437
Spring training 2009 slugging average: .667
Just saying.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Good thing I drafted him today.
I’d drink, but I exhausted my supply coping with the Duke debacle today.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Mar 27, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Kobayashi doesn’t want to lose his job to a Korean.
Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.
by westbrook on Mar 26, 2009 6:01 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Mujica
Didn’t need fixing, but just to be sure.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
by Jay on Mar 26, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I will be going Friday and Saturday…and maybe Sunday. The first game on Thursday is way too expensive though
I should go up, had fun seeing the Tribe last year at Yankee Stadium (helped that Cliff won) & am somewhat curious to see the new place. Is it hard to get tickets?
DISCLAIMER: I may be bitter.
I was at that game that Cliff won
Scalping is pretty easy. If you wait until the game starts, prices drop pretty quickly. The first series will probably be sold out, otherwise there are often good bleacher seats or upper deck available. The problem with bleacher seats is no drinking
The problem with scalping is that I live in Philly, so I need a guaranteed seat to make it worth going up there. I’ll have to think about it though.
DISCLAIMER: I may be bitter.
Last year I picked up good tickets for cheap on StubHub. Once, the morning of an afternoon game and they have a kiosk right at the park for pick-up. You can also find SH discount codes online for 10 to 20 bucks off. I’m not so sure that will be the case for this opening series though.
I was impressed with the Tribe fan showing last year at the game I was at. My buddies that have season tickets said we had a better showing than the M’s even of teams you wouldn’t expect to show up like that
It’s been my impression over the years that there are a lot of Tribe fans in NY; either transplanted Clevelanders (or surrounding areas) or at least a strong base of support among the relative communities here for the Latino players on the team (which we’ve had a lot of and the Yankees…not so much).
If it was in the Chelsea area it was probably me. I’ve been wearing one a little more often recently. Although, my girlfriend won’t let me wear any cap with the Chief on it when I’m with her out in public unless we’re going to a game.
I used to have a Wahoo hat, but I couldn’t bring myself to wear it any more once I moved to Arizona (for fairly obvious reasons), so I got a script I hat. That one has since been eaten by my dog, and so I just got a block C hat in Goodyear. Somebody (not a baseball fan, obviously) thought it was a Cubs hat, though.
by Logodaedalus on Mar 26, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I generally have that urge when I pass someone wearing Indians something-or-other. Occasionally I’ll give a little “Go Tribe”.
Once in a sporting goods store a guy had a Tribe hat on, so I said something about it… turned out he “just liked the design”. Um… okay.
by Logodaedalus on Mar 26, 2009 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Why, does it happen a lot? Living far from Cleveland, it’s relatively rare to see Tribe fans (at least, identifiable ones), so I kind of want to bond a little when I see one.
by Logodaedalus on Mar 27, 2009 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions
It is possible, though not certain, that he was joking.
by Ryan Kelsey on Mar 27, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I considered that, but if so… I don’t get it.
by Logodaedalus on Mar 27, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions
In October 2007, we took a vacation to Disney World, which happened to coincide with the start of the ALCS. They had a trick or treat night at the Magic Kingdom on October 15, and my son’s costume that year was Grady Sizemore (the only kid in Richmond VA dressed that way for Halloween, I’m sure). The reactions were … interesting. Lots of people just assumed we’d know the score of the game (which we did, thanks to the mobile internet). Lots of Go Tribes, and a few adults from the Northeast who really should have known better.
I hate when I give someone wearing team colors a nod or little “go team” and they just ignore me. I want to run behind them and pants them.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Mar 27, 2009 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m trying to determine what my limit is for tickets to the Yankees opener. Since I’ve been in Manhattan (about 11 years) I’ve only missed 3 games when the Indians have been in town and the cost for this opening series may have that total rise to 7.
Yea, I have a couple connections that I rely on when the Tribe is in town. Unfortunately, those are not available this year since it is first series in the new stadium
I’m going Friday. My wallet can’t take any more than that.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Mar 27, 2009 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I really would like to go up again this year. (Went last year with Chuck and a few other clevelanders) but I just don’t know if I can afford the quan for that weekend.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Mar 27, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
still the commercial & already valdez has struck out? remind me why they sent valbuena down already?
Pick-off throw to first with the runner going; Marte, with plenty of time, fires the ball off the runner’s shoulder into left center field. Advances to third. Two unearned runs follow.
No, they showed the replay on that. He threw the ball fine, and Asdrubal just dropped it. It never hit the runner. Manning speculated Asdrubal lost the ball in the runner’s jersey or something like that.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
You think there are real organs in most parks at this point?
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Hafner is still bad Hafner. His hits today were bloops. He didn’t square up on anything.
Masa was very good.
Scott Lewis obviously got hit hard, but these were the worst conditions possible. Steady 20-25mph wind blowing out. I was joking with my dad walking up to the stadium about how many HRs there would be. But then again, most of those hits were legit solid hits.
Betancourt looked good. No idea what the brief injury meeting with him was about.
Given the wind, Francisco made a few nice plays in CF.
DeRosa did not look particularly good at 3B.
He really is keeping a spot warm for Crowe at this point. I think they just want to let Crowe get 5 PA per day at Columbus for a few weeks, and if he’s doing well, they’ll figure out a role for him on the big-league club. I’m sure they don’t want to call him up just to have him sit five days a week.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Something else to consider, what happens if Choo gets injured? Are you ready to see Francisco, Crowe and LaPorta as our only corner guys? Or put DeRosa in there and see a lot more of Jamey Carroll in the lineup?
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
if you aren’t prepared for the latter option, Barfield and/or Carroll shouldn’t be on the team. That, especially in Barfield’s case, is why he makes the team – to serve the role of emergency outfielder. If Sizemore/Francisco/Choo go down for more than 2 weeks we are going to see someone from Columbus getting regular time.
But are you prepared for Actual LaPorta, or the LaPorta you have imagined?
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
I think actual Laporta is better than Dellucci at this point. And all of the projection systems available on fangraphs agree with me.
Well, I’ll give you one more … here’s Jeff Sackmann’s projections, avg-obp-slg, which is set up as percentiles a la PECOTA.
LaPorta | Dellucci
.244 .312 .381 20° .224 .281 .310
.267 .323 .443 50° .240 .306 .372
.270 .342 .471 80° .256 .326 .403
So we’re basically looking at about 100 points of OPS in LaPorta’s favor, plus/minus whatever difference baserunning or defense, which could not possibly be 100 points.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

















