Game 89: Indians 8, Tigers 2

by Ryan on Jul 17, 2010 4:24 AM EDT in Game Recaps

The Indians started the second half of the season with good news on and off the field. First, Manny Acta said before the game, that [not including a regularly-scheduled setback] Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo could both be in the lineup by the end of next week. And the Indians then went on to play one of their best games of the season.

Jake Westbrook again started slowly, though his locations weren't really all that bad. Austin Jackson singled on the tenth pitch of his leadoff at-bat, and after Westbrook retired both Damon and Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera laced a ball to the base of the left-field wall to plat Jackson (who had stolen second base). Westbrook got out of the inning, but he had to throw a lot of pitches to do it, and that shortened his outing.

Tigers starter Max Scherzer had been on a roll, allowing one earned run or less in each of his last four outings. But tonight, he couldn't stay in the strike zone, and the Indians took advantage of the free passes and pitches in the hitting zone. Trevor Crowe hit an opposite-field double which turned into a triple when Brennan Boesch badly misplayed the carom off the jutting side wall down the left field line. Crowe scored on a Jason Donald fielder's choice to give the Indians the lead.

Detroit would tie the game with a combination of a Magglio Ordonez lead-off double and two outs. That would be the extent of the Tigers' scoring, thanks to another fantastic outing from the Cleveland bullpen. Four Indians relievers would go 3.1 innings, allowing 2 hits and no walks. After Andy Marte homered in the fourth to regain the lead, Jake Westbrook gave up a leadoff triple to Austin Jackson, but he and Tony Sipp combined to keep Jackson at third, retiring Damon, Ordonez and Boesch in the process.

The Indians broke the game open in the sixth with a four run outburst. After Michael Brantley singled, Brandon Inge made a bad throw on a grounder from Jayson Nix, and went to third. After Brantley scored on a very shallow fly ball to right off the bat of Carlos Santana (Nix went to second on the throw), Hafner singled in Nix, then Austin Kearns topped things off with an opposite-field two-run homer.

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

2011

SS – Cabrera
OF – Choo
C – Santana
DH – Hafner
1b – LaPorta
OF – Sizemore/Filler
3b – Marte/Goedert/Nix
2b – Nix/Valbuena/Donald
OF – Brantley

I know half the people on this list will get hurt or collapse, and I know the pitching will probably sink us regardless, but I’m still looking forward to this lineup. Defensively too. (And this is without projecting a quick leap by Kipnis/Chisenhall/Weglaz). Except for Sizemore, we could get to see this for the last month or so in 2010.

by dgcambridge on Jul 17, 2010 10:57 AM EDT reply actions

While we’re at it, I think my little brother could be ready by 2023 or so. He’s only nine now, but he induces a great combination of strikeouts and weak contact that projects well. At over 5’ tall and around 100 pounds, I see him growing into a power pitcher’s body after puberty hits.

Come on, four billion!

by Joel D on Jul 17, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

That’s at least as likely as Sizemore returning.

by dgcambridge on Jul 17, 2010 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Filler
FILL-er
A thing or substance used to fill a gap, cavity, or the like.
Syn: Crowe, Trevor

by stuart dean on Jul 17, 2010 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I don’t see how you could be looking forward to a lineup that has at least three gaping holes, possibly as many as five.

by NickFantana on Jul 17, 2010 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Is that really your take? If so, you may need to look around the league a little more.

by dgcambridge on Jul 17, 2010 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions

OK, quickly, putting the Tribe up against the Twins. I’d rather have the Twins lineup for 2011, hands down.

C – Mauer
1b – Morneau
2b – Punto (Gaping hole, though certainly less of a risk than Nix et al)
3b – Valencia (Potential gaping hole, level with Brantley in my eyes)
SS – Hardy? (Gaping hole)
LF – D Young/Hicks
CF – Span (Obviously, I’d rather have Sizemore than Span if both are healthy, but we can’t pencil in Grady yet, can we?)
RF – Kubel
DH – Cuddyer

So, by my count, they have big questions next year at 2b and SS, with a possible question at 3b.

Meanwhile, the Tribe has big questions at 2b, 3b and LF, with the potential for big questions at DH and CF.

by NickFantana on Jul 18, 2010 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

The dirty little secret is that Mauer’s power is gone.

by Roger Dorn on Jul 18, 2010 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

His ISO is actually the same as in 2007-2008, it was just much higher in 2009 (on top of which he also batted .365, 40 points over his career mark).

by Jay on Jul 19, 2010 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions

I guess I don’t think our 2b and 3b options are garbage. Brantley is a big question. I don’t think those other guys are in the same category. Hafner’s OPS+ by the way, is right in line with Kubel and Cuddyer.

Nix is more of risk than Punto. More of a risk of being AWESOME!!!!!

But I am worried about our outfield. I’m in favor of a Branyan type signing there. Kearns maybe, if no one rich really wants him.

by dgcambridge on Jul 18, 2010 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ll take Donald by himself over Punto in a hearbeat. Probably Nix, too. I don’t see 2B as much of a question-mark. We’ve also got Valbuena, Josh Rodriguez and Cord Phelps.

by Jay on Jul 19, 2010 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Tigers starter Max Scherzer had been on a roll, allowing one earned run or less in each of his last four outings. But tonight, he couldn’t stay in the strike zone, and the Indians took advantage of the free passes and pitches in the hitting zone.

I much prefer this to the more common perennial April/May scenario:

~~Tigers~~ High-A starter ~~Max Scherzer~~ Some Guy had been ~~on a roll~~ struggling, allowing ~~one~~ seventeen earned runs or ~~less~~ more in each of his last four outings. How he’s still with the club is a mystery to everyone. But tonight, he ~~couldn’t stay in the strike zone~~ was locked in, and the Indians ~~took advantage of the free passes and pitches in the hitting zone~~ were on the wrong side of another perfect game, striking out 27 consecutive times seeing only 81 pitches total all night.

by Logodaedalus on Jul 17, 2010 11:09 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs