Game 116: Indians 7, Twins 3
by Ryan on Aug 15, 2009 8:03 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
66 comments
The Indians broke the game open in the fifth inning with four runs off Anthony Swarzak and Brian Duensing. It was a balanced attack, with several players having multiple hits. Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo both went deep, and Travis Hafner had three hits.
While Matt LaPorta continues to mash in Columbus, the Indians started Jamey Carroll in right field and Chris Gimenez at first base today. For a team looking towards 2010 and beyond, leaving LaPorta in Columbus is idiotic.
David Huff struggled to get through five innings, giving up two runs on nine hits. He got himself into a couple major jams, but he either worked his way out of it (first inning) or limited the damage (fifth inning). After Huff left, the Indians got good outings from Rafael Perez (1.1 innings, 1 hit), and Joe Smith (1.2 innings, 1 hit). Tony Sipp gave up a ninth inning home run to Joe Mauer, but recovered to retire the rest of the side in the ninth. Mauer had three hits on the day, and continues to lead the AL in all three "percentage" categoris (Batting Average, On-Base Percentage, and Slugging Percentage).
Next Up: Laffey vs. Blackburn, 2:10 PM
| Highest WPA | Lowest WPA | ||
| David Huff | .187 | Luis Valbuena | -.075 |
| Shin-Soo Choo | .132 | Chris Gimenez | -.043 |
| Grady Sizemore | .093 | Wyatt Toregas | -.029 |
0 recs |
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Yeah, I can’t believe Ryan killed off Boromir at the end of the first paragraph, rather than at the start of the second paragraph. Totally shortchanged that character.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
No or I would only 58 and male during games.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
by ClemsonGirl on Aug 15, 2009 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Your 1970 self called. It wants to teach you how to make a sentence.
This is Victor's home. Victor Jose, you too.
So i forgot a word. Deal with it, Westy.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
by ClemsonGirl on Aug 16, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions
yup, he’s ready for the bigs, and would be nice for him to get that development up here. Gimenez needs to go down.
Tonight he’s got no ABs and two walks.
by afh4 on Aug 15, 2009 9:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
agree. but the stretching out of masterson has mandated keeping an extra arm on the 25 man roster, possibly blocking laporta’s ascent… but keeping gimenez on the roster is inexcusable
it’s like the indians are trying to make worthless baseball players’ dreams come true… what other franchise explores gimenez and gives him any more than a passing look? way too much playing time for that guy
by gorilla_baller on Aug 16, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m going with the theory that
1) Wedge is not fired yet as he will be gone at the end of the season so we can bring in Farrell and his guys cleanly.
2) Shapiro does not want LaPorta and Wedge together (their earlier time together did not work out and was Marte-esque), so as to not hurt LaPorta’s development.
Its a stretch, I know. But its all I got.
Way to stay positive.
Who needs affection when you can have blind hatred?
by ClemsonGirl on Aug 15, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Honestly, I’ve had a similar thought. Some other possible explanations:
-LaPorta’s playing through a minor hamstring injury. Maybe they suspect he’s going to need to be shut down a few weeks early, and they don’t see the point in calling him up to do that. Of course, they could just do that now. There’s a certain AA left fielder who’s due for some AAA at-bats, anyway.
-They want to know if they’ve got a fourth outfielder in Trevor Crowe, and they want 5 or 6 weeks’ worth of tape to make that decision. If you were confident that LaPorta would make the team out of camp next year, there’s a case to be made for this. Though, as we’ve said before, they could just DL Grady and plug Crowe into center. Leaving that aside, if you’re convinced you’re going to give ABs to Crowe and to Marte, and if you’re not going to send down Grady, there’s no place for LaPorta.
-Developmental reasons? Some last tweak to his swing that they’d rather he make against AAA pitching? Seems unlikely, but I’m just tryin to dig here.
by fleerdon on Aug 16, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions
I am going to the Clippers game tomorrow. It’ll be just my luck for them to call LaPorta up for tomorrow.
Named Nick and Cannon, respectively.
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Aug 15, 2009 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Hey, I’ll be there too! Celebrating my birthday, actually.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 15, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
This is kind of great. I’m going with my mom as a mother/son thing before I head off to school this year.
Well if you (or Adam) see me please stop and say hello. I’ll be wearing a white Indians jersey and will probably be the only 29, er, 30-year-old using a cane so I won’t be hard to miss.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 15, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I would love to stop by and wish you a happy birthday. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for you. Do you have any idea where you’ll be sitting? I think we’ll be there early and take a short tour of the park, since neither of us have seen it before.
Probably in the handicapped seats, which is the top row of seats, but I don’t know which section because we haven’t bought our tickets yet.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 15, 2009 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
If one was going to a game, especially on a weekend, how early should they buy seats? Is walk-up still pretty available?
Steel Nick
They have plenty of standing-room only tickets, and there places all around the stadium where you can set your drinks or food while you stand and watch the game. This also a grassy area in left field where you can sit and watch the game. So there are plenty of good places to watch the game if you don’t have a seat.
Last time I was at a game it was a Thursday night, and when I showed up about 15 min. early to pick up my ticket they announced that there was only SRO tickets left. I don’t know if that was unusual or not, but if you want to make sure you have a seat then I’d buy your tickets early. If you don’t mind standing and walking around, though, you’ll probably be fine.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 16, 2009 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Haha, yeah. Although I have more of an old man cane than a pimp cane, but maybe I need to get one.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 15, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Ha, you don’t have much swagger when you use a quad cane, walk with a pronounced limp, and wear a dorky-looking brace on your right leg.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 16, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions
I had no idea he was slugging that well. He’s certainly having a monster season from the cather’s position.
My BBWAA guess goes to Teixeira or Youkilis.
Steel Nick
Tex actually leads the AL in Runs Created, although Mauer leads in WAR (Ben Zobrist is second!).
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 15, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions
You are not suggesting the writers use those stats, are you? Other than their new, sabermetric admitees, of course.
No, of course not, I was looking at who actually deserves MVP.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 15, 2009 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions
What does that have to do with anything? On a more serious note, I think positional value belongs in the MVP discussion.
but the be all end all is the RBI leaderboard… most important stat
by gorilla_baller on Aug 16, 2009 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Speaking of Tex and Mauer and the MVP debate, it’s become a hot topic recently with Poz and Neyer writing in response to this.
by Buckeye Brad on Aug 15, 2009 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Did I just watch Francisco Cabrera drill Ian Kinsler in the head? Then see Victor Martinez at first try and settle Kinsler down?
Oh Fernando.
- F. Cabrera relieved R. Ramirez
- E. Andrus singled to shallow center
- E. Andrus stole second
- J. Borbon reached on bunt single to pitcher, E. Andrus to third
- J. Borbon stole second
- M. Young intentionally walked
- D. Murphy struck out swinging
- M. Byrd struck out swinging
- J. Hamilton singled to shallow right, E. Andrus and J. Borbon scored, M. Young to second
- I. Kinsler hit by pitch, M. Young to third, J. Hamilton to second
- H. Blalock flied out to shallow center
- End of Inning (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors)
LaPorta finished 1-2.
Across the diamond, Jose Tabata (who turned 21 a few days ago) is OPS-ing .850 through his first dozen International League games.
Steel Nick
I think we are going with what is actually our best available lineup at the moment for today’s game:
Sizemore, CF
Carroll, RF (keep it in the infield, Laffey)
Cabrera, SS
Choo, LF
Peralta, 3B
Hafner, DH
Shoppach, C
Valbuena, 2B
Marte, 1B
I was going to post the exact thing, along with that introduction.
This is Victor's home. Victor Jose, you too.
I probably would give Gimenez or Crowe a slight nod over Carroll if RF is the only available spot, but I won’t quibble.
Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Crowe’s hurt.
Not saying he should play even semi-regularly in the outfield, but I was there Saturday and Carroll played every ball the way you would want an outfielder to play it. I think he could play any position and not look completely out of place.
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