Game 65: Cardinals 3, Indians 1
by afh4 on Jun 13, 2009 7:18 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
88 comments
That the Indians lost a game that Tomo Ohka started isn't exactly startling, however, it is startling that it wasn't Ohka's fault. Tomo (if I may be so bold) was brilliant today, turning in a 7 IP, 2 ER performance and never having to pitch out of too much trouble. This was Ohka's best start since April of 2007, which is only impressive until you realize he didn't pitch in the majors in 2008. Still, those 2 runs proved to be too much for the Indians' offense which was in one of it's more anemic forms today, sporting two sub .200 batting averages in Valbuena and Crowe. The game got further away from the Indians in the 8th inning when Rafael Perez looked alternately brilliant (2 K's) and shaky (1 BB, 1 WP). I don't want to frighten anyone but is anyone else starting to see Ferd when they look at Perez?
Today's loss was an average one, simply a matter of the hits not coming when they needed to; the Indians had opportunities late in the game in the forms of a Peralta lead off double in the 7th, a two on, one out situation for the heart of the lineup for the 8th, and two hits to lead off the 9th. Of course, the first hit in the 9th was Josh Barfield trying to turn a pop-up into a double and getting caught in a run-down (at least that's what I'm surmising from Gameday) which, well, what can you say except for whatever, Barfield.
The most notable element of this game was Albert Pujols' continued assertion that he is the best player in all of baseball, belting two homeruns and a double. To say that Albert is good is to vastly understate the situation.
The Indians continue to soldier through interleague play with one more game against the Cardinals and then a series against Milwaukee.
Tomorrow's the matchup to watch with Cliff Lee facing Chris Carpenter at 8:05. See you at the Prog for all the marbles.
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Wedge has been very consistent through 63 games in his 7-year ML career.
The team has been in 3rd or 4th place and won between 26 and 33 games every year
except 2007, when he was in 1st place with 37 wins.
After today, he is a game behind his 2008 pace and has a better record only compared to his rookie year, when he was 26-38.
Dodgers are 4-3 this season under similar circumstances. This year, teams scoring two or fewer have a .142 winning percentage (52-314).
I didn’t watch the game, but I don’t really understand the need to pitch to Pujols with no one on base.
All of our pitchers want to announce their presence with authority.
I believe in Carl Pavano.
by salome on Jun 13, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Not to discredit Ohka, but this Cardinal offense is pretty pathetic. Kind of reminds me of the White Sox offense, but with a Hall of Famer in the middle.
It’s a shame we couldn’t have cashed in, in that 8th inning. 2 men on and one out with Vic and Choo coming to the plate. We should have at least pushed one across there.
eh, Peavy wasn’t going anywhere except the Dodgers or Angles. So it doesn’t matter so much about him. And Bedard’s teammate Washburn is still out there.
Washburn’s out there with a $10.5 million salary (unprorated) and a no trade clause. Pavano’s deal on the other hand is incentive based and without the hassle of dealing with the trading clause.
But regardless, I wasn’t arguing that Pavano had a monopoly on the market, just asking if his trade value went up because of injuries to two of the top trade targets.
Though I do think you’re sort of right about Peavy. Still, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Brewers or Cardinals landed him.
by world dictator on Jun 14, 2009 4:50 AM EDT up reply actions
How about Barfield for a bat used by Pujols?
Shin-Soo Choo, future U.S. Citizen.
by USSChoo on Jun 14, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
We’re going to tonight’s game, and I’m not going to lie… I want Cliff to win, but I want to see Pujols hit one out of the park.
I believe in Carl Pavano.
I saw that twice yesterday.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
by ClemsonGirl on Jun 14, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Boo hoo!
I’m way more excited about tonight’s game since the Cards have replaced the scrub they originally slated to pitch with Carpenter.
I believe in Carl Pavano.
I can appreciate savoring a potentially great matchup. But you can watch Pujols send one out in some other park, sister.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
better get there for STL batting practice…
but seriously. wtf.
by Logodaedalus on Jun 14, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah, well, are you an Indians fan or a Cardinals fan?
by Logodaedalus on Jun 14, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions
When the Indians are not playing the Cardinals, I’m 100% an Indians fan. It’s in situations like these that it gets murky.
I believe in Carl Pavano.
I don’t understand “murky”, personally…. To me, you gotta have one team that you’re a fan of, where it doesn’t matter who they’re playing — you root for them 100% always, and root against anyone whose success stands in their way. I can see having other teams that you like, and you cheer for in situations that are irrelevant for your primary team (for me that’s the Phillies), but when those teams play your team, you want every one of their batters to make outs in every plate appearance, and you want every one of their pitchers to be lit up. That’s what it means to be a fan of a baseball team, and that’s why it’s impossible to truly be a fan of more than one, even if they’re in different leagues — because every once in a while they will play each other. When that happens, you have to be able to abandon the second team and hope, wholeheartedly, that they lose — badly — and that each one of their players have as little success as possible.
So it’s really nothing personal — I’m glad you’re around on this blog — but in my view, rooting for Pujols to do something good tonight is inconsistent with calling yourself an Indians fan.
by Logodaedalus on Jun 14, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I could see rooting for Pujols to hit a home run if the Indians already had a 10-run lead. But doing it before the game starts?…
FE WEE
not even then…. because it would mean that an Indians pitcher gave up a home run…
I can see saying, “well, if someone was going to hit a home run there, I’m glad it was Pujols…” or saying, after it happened, “that was a beautiful act of hitting by a perfect baseball machine” — I certainly appreciate good plays/pitches/etc made against the Tribe once they’ve happened — but hoping that it happens before it does? I don’t see it. I’m not going to hold it against anyone, but I don’t see it.
by Logodaedalus on Jun 14, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I could see liking the Cardinals and Pujols … and keeping my f’ing mouth shut about it on an Indians forum.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
I am like this. I love the Indians and I love the Cardinals when they are not playing the Indians. The only difference is, I love Colby Rasmus and I like for him to always so at least one good thing as long as it doesn’t hurt us in anyway. For example, usually I want him to get at least one hit, but tonight during the no-hitter I didn’t want him to.
I cheer for the Indians 100% of the time and my family, especially my brother, hates it.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
by ClemsonGirl on Jun 14, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I stupidly read the comments section after reading Terry Pluto’s column this morning. Apparently it’s obvious that Barfield deserves more playing time while Valbuena should ride the pine
The Unmoderated Comments Section Starting Lineup:
C Martinez
1B Garko (RBI machine)
2B Barfield
SS Peralta (for the moment, anyway)
3B Casey Blake (still in denial, and if Dolan wasn’t so cheap we’d still have this guy Who Plays The Game The Right Way)
LF Garko (defense is irrelevant, and this way Garko has twice as many RBI opportunities)
CF Grady (play through the pain, you punk)
RF Choo
by FredOx on Jun 15, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Wow. “Defense is irrelevant.” Okay.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
by ClemsonGirl on Jun 16, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Pujols’ performance reminds me of what Hafner used to be like: every at-bat a possibility for runs. Hafner in 2006 was almost as good as Pujols—or seemed almost as good, because he never got his OPS+ above 179, whereas AP’s this year is at 199—and we can imagine what a Pujols’ plate appearance feels like to a Cardinal fan. The less-positive aspect of that is to recognize how diminished Hafner has become, and how we have lost that thrill when he comes to the plate.
They may not have been exactly equal but you’re right, that excitement was there. I wish 2006 Ponk would go ahead and just come back and stop messing with us.
Shin-Soo Choo, future U.S. Citizen.
Future bullpen guy Alex White just pitched 9 innings of one run ball striking out 12 in the CWS.
I don’t get it at all – he holds his velocity and command deep into games (hit 93 in the ninth), commands more than two pitches, has a prototype starter’s build. Why announce before he’s been paid for a single pitch that he’s targeted for the pen?
I’m sure Shapiro’s thrilled about that.
Not sure how you can blame them though. Their pen is probably made up of Mujica wannabes.
FE WEE
mj … had to delete both … all reply-to messages get deleted automatically.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
It’s fair enough. I gotta be more careful.
Case of the beet bandit. Missing beets from all over the farm, no footprints. Inside job. Mose in socks. Boom. Case closed. -Dwight Schrute
My brothers made the trip from Chicago for the first two games of the series this weekend. Yesterday they were in the bleachers, really close to where Pujols’ second home run landed. The first ball had been thrown back onto the field (one of my least favorite “traditions” at any ballpark) and the crowd was yelling at the guy who caught it to do the same with this one. Within seconds, though, a Cardinals fan sitting in front of my brothers ran down the few rows, pulled out a $100 bill, and bought the ball.
My (not sober) brothers and everyone else around them spent the rest of the game making fun of Daddy Warbucks and his $100 baseball.
Il faut d'abord durer.
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