Game 155: Indians 9, Orioles 8
by afh4 on Sep 26, 2009 10:45 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
35 comments
In a turn of events that was unfathomable just a week ago, the Indians have won two in a row. Sowers was bad tonight, leaving the game trailing five to four, with peripherals that indicated no better. The Indians took the lead for the second time (they had been up 4-0 before Sowers' fifth inning implostion) with a four run outburst in the seventh, lost the lead when Kerry Wood was horrible in the ninth, and then finally won the game on a Jhonny Peralta single in the bottom of the ninth.
The Indians were legitimately good offensively tonight, collecting fifteen hits with four doubles and a pair of homeruns from Choo and Marte (Marte!). Andy hit a two run jack in the fourth and then tacked on a sacrifice fly later. Most disheartening was Kerry Wood's performance, comprised of three hits, two runs, a walk and a blown save. Despite Wood's best efforts, the Indians won the game when Valbuena singled, was moved over by Choo and driven home by Peralta. Raffy Perez recorded three strikeouts tonight, for those still keeping track, and Chris Perez also looked decent in his brief, .2 IP appearance. The Indians have now won two in a row for the first time since August 26 and 27.
No matter what the Indians evaluative process says, it seems incomprehensible that Andy Marte won't get a chance to start for the team next season. In a lost year, why would the Indians not give some playing time to a gentleman who has hit a homerun every seventh game he's played this year? That translates to 23 homeruns in a whole season, a total that might lead the 2010 Indians.
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Grady will hit more than 23.
Captain of the SS [DO NOT TRADE] CHOO
by westbrook on Sep 26, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Marte making Wedge look foolish. He might hit more than 23 if he plays consistently. But even 23 is pretty good for third base.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Sep 27, 2009 12:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Marte is making Wedge look even more foolish.
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you a Marte supporter? This surprises me for some reason.
by Jay on Sep 27, 2009 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Of course I am. I thought he should have been playing two years ago, when Casey became the permanent third baseman.
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What is up with Valbuena and beating the crap out of his teammates during walkoffs?
First the bitchslap attempt after Choo’s walkoff.
And now pummeling Peralta in this video.
Choo rips off his helmet. "You may have gotten me out, but look at this hair! IT’S PERFECT." - Julie
by Cleveland Indians on Sep 27, 2009 12:30 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
A three-game winning streak a couple of times every five years is a reasonable goal.
by SuddenSam on Sep 27, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A chance to have a three-game winning streak every five years is a reasonable goal.
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, ALSO!
GUESS WHO ISN’T LOOSING 100 GAMES?! OH YEAH! THESE GUYS.
by gte619n on Sep 27, 2009 10:19 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Pluto talks about Brantley as our starting LFer for next season in today’s PD. Should we take that seriously? That would presumably make LaPorta our starting firstbaseman.
by APV on Sep 27, 2009 10:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
LaPorta will be sent down to Columbus for more seasoning and the team will sign Kevin Miller as a free agent for veteran presnce.
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Took me a second … you mean Millar, right?
Could happen.
by Jay on Sep 27, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, Millar, of course. I think Jhonny could play third and DH, and LaPorta can play left and first. Brantley can play left now and then, and Marte can swing between first and third, with Hafner DHing as well. A manager with more flexibility than Wedge could rotate those five guys between four positions (first, third, DH and left).
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The problem with this is that Pronk can only DH. That means if you want him to play in 85% of the games, there go 85% of the ABs at DH. That basically leaves LaPorta in LF, Marte at 1B, and Peralta at 3B. Only by sitting or DHing one of those three do you get Brantley into the lineup, and you can only DH one of them 15% of the time without pulling Hafner, ostensibly your biggest bat. That leaves Brantley in a position akin to the one LaPorta occupied this year early on: hanging around, providing cover, and getting 11 ABs in 13 games. I think its debatable if that’s the best deployment of Brantley and/or the best move for his development.
Of course, this assumes Hafner is healthy, Peralta is still here, and nothing else unforeseen happens.
Everybody should get ice cream every day.
by junkballer on Sep 28, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You’re right, but I’m presuming Hafner plays in half the games, not 85 percent. But Brantley is probably better served in AAA.
by odradek on Sep 28, 2009 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brantley has a lot he still needs to work on.
A) Unless he hits .300 he is poor offensive player
B) His defense is pretty atrocious (per UZR)
On the subject of his defense: yeah, it’s only been 20 some games and some of those games are spent in CF, a position that he won’t be playing next year, but he still has some things to work on. I would like to see him spend a little more time seasoning in AAA before he joins the ML roster for good.
My uncle says you've got a screw loose.
Your uncle molests collies.
by gorilla_baller on Sep 27, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
His defense in left grades above average, actually, which is where he would be playing next year. Granted neither his LF or CF sample should be taken seriously given how many games he has played.
I’ve been pleased with his offensive performance thus far.
by Roger Dorn on Sep 27, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don’t get me wrong, I like Brantley. But we’ve seen him for 20 games. Who is to say in another 20 games he won’t be hitting .220 with no power?
I’m just not sure how realistic it is to think he’ll hit .300 at the major league level. In that case he needs to have something more in his tool box besides on base skills to succeed. Whether it’s plus defense or a little power, who knows. But there are a million guys who play crappy defense, hit .270 and get on base 35% of the time.
Hopefully, in LF he’ll stay above average defensively.
My uncle says you've got a screw loose.
Your uncle molests collies.
by gorilla_baller on Sep 27, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think he will hit .300 – eventually. To your point, I don’t think it will happen next year. He’s got a very nice base of fundamental hitting. As he learns to turn on the inside pitch and hit to all fields, then we’ll see him hit for a pretty high average. And maybe even a little power.
by TribeJay on Sep 27, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m counting on the power developing somewhat. You look at his frame and you can’t help but envision him hitting a few home runs. But like all “prospects” there’s that chance that they’ll never fulfill their promise. Until Brantley shows that
a) his .300 batting average is a skill (like Ichiro, Mauer, etc)
b) he can hit for power
c) he can play studly defense
I’m not going to pencil him in as the heir to anything.
Cautiously optimistic is how I’m approaching him at the moment.
My uncle says you've got a screw loose.
Your uncle molests collies.
by gorilla_baller on Sep 27, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But there are a million guys who play crappy defense, hit .270 and get on base 35% of the time.
So please explain the presence of Jason Michaels and David Dellucci.
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They were both one of those million…. Right?
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Sep 27, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If either of those guys could have slashed .270/.350/.350 they would have been closer to league average than they EVER were during their time in an Indians’ uniform.
My uncle says you've got a screw loose.
Your uncle molests collies.
by gorilla_baller on Sep 27, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, he is hitting above .300 right now, so it’s not entirely out of the question. I don’t think he will next season, but given his speed and what I would expect as above average defense in a corner spot, I think we should start him in LF to open the season.
by Roger Dorn on Sep 27, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like the idea and I think he can contribute at the major league level to some degree. But for most guys, Major League pitching is not an ideal learning environment, especially when the skill they’re trying to develop is power.
If he’s in LF at the beginning of next year I’m comfortable with that. Let him go until he shows that he’s overmatched.
But if the FO and whoever is the manager next year decide that it would serve Brantley and the Indians best if he were to work on the nuances of his game (power, defense) and start the season in Columbus, that will suit me just fine.
My uncle says you've got a screw loose.
Your uncle molests collies.
by gorilla_baller on Sep 27, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Marte and think he should get an extended look next year. I also like what Brantley has done at the major league level. But, in both cases, particularly Brantley’s, we need to guard against getting too excited about performances in September, especially when we’ve played the Orioles a lot.
I think Brantley would be better served with some more time at AAA, working on plate discipline, fielding, improving his ability to drive the ball, and so on. Marte is another story — he had a good year at AAA, he’s older, and has nothing left to prove at AAA. I would not count on his being a revelation next year, but I think it’s reasonable to expect he can be at least an average major league third baseman (as a hitter) and we know he can play the position defensively. At worst, he gives you a cheap, good back up at third and first. At best, he plays well enough to claim regular status at one of those positions, so you can put Laporta in left or move Peralta (or, if Hafner gets hurt again, he’s insurance for that contingency). Either way, the Indians should keep him and give him regular PT at the beginning of next year.
by peter m on Sep 27, 2009 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The Indians also need righthand bats. Especially righthand power bats.
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I am absolutely positive that if it was my decision, Brantley would be starting in AAA with LaPorta in left and Marte at first. Unless someone inexplicably buys high on Peralta.
Captain of the SS [DO NOT TRADE] CHOO
by westbrook on Sep 27, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can Peralta play first? Or is that out of the question?
"You just gotta roll with the ounches." - Clemson58YearOldMan
by emd2k3 on Sep 28, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sowers did not have good stuff at all last night…but if he didn’t experience the cramps in his hamstring, I wonder if he could’ve gotten through the fifth with just two runs given up.
Also, Wood had less stuff and much less command in his third game in three days.
by TribeJay on Sep 27, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Unlike Wickman, Kerry doesn’t look good with three-games-in-a-row.
by odradek on Sep 27, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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