Game 94: Indians 4, Twins 3
by Ryan on Jul 21, 2010 12:05 AM EDT
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What was not to like about this game? Justin Masterson was on his game, getting left-handers with changeups and sliders in great locations, Asdrubal Cabrera was back in the lineup with Shin-Soo Choo soon to follow, Travis Hafner coming through in the top half of the eighth, and Joe Smith getting through a tough bottom of the inning, setting things up for Chris Perez to set down the Twins in order in the ninth, all in front of 40,000 fans who went home frustrated that their $97M roster lost two in a row to a last-place rebuilding team.
"Consistency" tends to get overused in baseball as an explanation for why a player can't put things together. Jeremy Sowers could throw strikes consistently but still get knocked around. Trevor Crowe could swing the bat to the best of his ability, but it still won't make him a power hitter. Justin Masterson, however, is at times a dominating pitcher if his mechanics are right, and could be a very good starter if he can stay behind the ball consistently from start to start. Tonight Justin gave up three runs, one of which was earned only because the official scorer apparently had never seen a major-league game, and the other two came around after he left the game. He struck out seven hitters, six of them coming against left-handed hitters.
Jason Donald has been overshadowed by the recent successes of Carlos Santana and Matt LaPorta; he's now hitting.276/.326/.423, a fine line for a middle infielder, and light-years better than what the Indians were getting out of Luis Valbuena. Now that Cabrera is back, he'll move over to second base, which he really hasn't played a whole lot in his professional career (33 games in 5 professional seasons), and will get the rest of the season to settle in there.
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For those who saw the game, did Cabrera have a chance to make any nice plays with the glove in his first game back, or was anything hit to him pretty routine?
This six-game streak is certainly a spirit-booster. It’ll be nice to see some larger crowds at the stadium next week.
Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.
Castro has some details (ok, a line of detail) in his Laffey section that Carrasco had a “stiff elbow.” That doesn’t sound too serious. At least it wasn’t a shoulder problem, right?
I just want to believe.
Tampa could use Kerry Wood.
Must not be here for baseball either. Because that isn't what we're playing.
This is my monthly post where I bitch that we didn’t sign Benoit.
LGT's resident moderate Yankee hating fan.
“Now pitching, number 36, Mandelbrot. Mandelbrot.”
by YoDaddyWags on Jul 21, 2010 6:23 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
this post reminds me of the movie Zardoz, one of the strangest sci-fi movies I’ve ever seen, and its got sean connery!
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions
do you want to go to second level with me?
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Gardner had another good start as well. 6 innings, 2 K’s, but all the other outs he recorded were via groundball.
Okay, I decided to count.
He made 16 outs on 14 groundballs. Two baserunners were erased on GIDPs.
He had 2 strikeouts, 15 groundouts and 0 flyouts.
He hit two batters. One of them was a leadoff who then advanced to 2B on a passed ball, advanced to 3B on a groundout, and scored on a groundout. Joe finally notched a strikeout to end the inning.
Two guys reached on infield errors, presumably also groundballs.
Three guys had groundball singles; the only other hit was a single to RF.
One guy lined out.
All in all? Looks like 20 PA ended with a groundball, one with a liner, one with a hit (drive or bloop) to the outfield, two with strikeouts, two with HBP.
by Jay on Jul 21, 2010 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
/drools
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Jul 21, 2010 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions
“Justin Masterson, however, is at times a dominating pitcher if his mechanics are right, and could be a very good starter if he can stay behind the ball consistently from start to start.”
Have to say I agree, although I’m waiting for Jay to throw a fit.
Given that Masterson was hit hard in his last two outings, I guess he was due. Let’s hope he can maintain some semblance of control next time out there!
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 21, 2010 12:30 AM EDT reply actions
Sorry to disappoint. Masterson does have to figure out what works not-terribly against lefties and execute it with a lot of consistency. The whims of BIP mean that his box score lines won’t be all that consistent, but his execution can be.
Ok, well I also meant along those lines when I mentioned “consistency” before. At least have good control and some command up there. I certainly don’t mean the boxscores are going to be flatlined, but at least show a consistency with approach and controlling the ball, right? Unfortunately after a good start like this, I’m almost expecting 4 walks or more next time out.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 21, 2010 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Remember watching some of those heated rivalries where teams exchange bean balls all series until there is a fight? I think this series is doing the same thing, but instead with cheap bunt hit attempts.Tomorrow someone’s going to try a 2-out bunt with men on second and third and the benches are going to clear.
by Toxicadam on Jul 21, 2010 12:42 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Teams bunting on the Indians based on early season scouting reports are forgetting that there’s a new sheriff in town.
"Facebook is bad news. It and Jason Donald both crush dreams." - JRontherim
by woodsmeister on Jul 21, 2010 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions
I saw that pic and immediately the theme from “Good, Bad and the Ugly” went through my head.
by painaxl on Jul 21, 2010 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Do we really give Donald the whole season? Not that I wouldn’t be surprised, but Valbuena is destroying AAA. Obviously he was putrid at the big leagues for 150 AB’s but what if he continues dominating through August? He’s not even 25….
LGT's resident moderate Yankee hating fan.
Valbuena might be destroying AAA but Donald is destroying July.
Must not be here for baseball either. Because that isn't what we're playing.
Does Valbuena have a higher ceiling than Donald? I’m probably in the minority but I’m inclined to say no. But i think the plan is to move one of the two, probably Donald, to third after Jhonny is sent packing
"sometimes the internet is hard for me." - ClemsonGirl
by world dictator on Jul 21, 2010 4:56 AM EDT up reply actions
but then they are just in the way of other prospects at third, it doesn’t really fix the logjam, it just puts a band-aid on it.
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions
The Chiz is 21 years old, with a 774 OPS at Akron. The reasonable expectation is that we won’t even see him in Cleveland in 2011.
If you consider Goedert an imperative — and I don’t, not this season — then I still think we have room for Asdrubal, Donald, Nix, Valbuena, and Goedert. Three starting spots and two bench spots. This basically has Goedert squeezing out Marte, but that can’t really be seen as a problem at this point.
Chisenhall with .818 OPS in June and .846 OPS in July, but still maybe no reason to assume we’ll see him in Cleveland soon. If Goedert’s D is any good, might as well give him a shot, but I think they told him they want to see his defense improve.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 21, 2010 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
thats what i meant by a band-aid though. its a one year solution, at best, and why not give Goedert a chance instead of Valbuena?
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Because he’s significantly less qualified for the shot?
There is a big fallacy that many fans fall into. Once we’ve seen a guy struggle at the major league level, we act like he sucks, while some other guy who’s actually accomplished — sometimes far less — seems somehow “unblemished.”
I call this the Blake-Gutierrez Effect (“BGE”). As I’ve noted before, in 2005, Blake was struggling, and many fans started clamoring mightily for Gutierrez, who was known to the fans only as the main return from the Milton Bradley trade from April 2004. Blake had a disappointing 746 OPS as the Indians RF. Down in Akron, Gutierrez posted a 723. Yet a lot of fans demanded to see Gutierrez.
Not unlike the Donald-Kipnis comparison, Geodert and Valbuena have both been discussed at various times at 2B and 3B, but they are not really comparable defensively. Valbuena is also younger, and his successful track record stretches back a few years — not just a few months.
But Casey Blake ended up becoming a serviceable player, maybe I’m misremembering how many PA Valbuena has had, but haven’t we given him two shots at being the every day second baseman? and he couldn’t scratch the mendoza line in either?
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 22, 2010 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
but then they are just in the way of other prospects at third, it doesn’t really fix the logjam, it just puts a band-aid on it.
But hey, band-aid’s are cool
"sometimes the internet is hard for me." - ClemsonGirl
by world dictator on Jul 22, 2010 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions
I assumed Goedert was in the plans for a call-up should Peralta find a new home.
I just want to believe.
….more like the Aztecs looking out to sea and seeing Cortez’ Galleons: “we’ve come to plunder your rotation and positional spots!”
its almost a TRIPLE RAINBOW
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Jul 21, 2010 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
this is the first time it’s been mentioned. if anything, valbuena is slated for utility duty down the road. marte/goedert/other will be at 3rd until chiz arrives.
The only real problem with it is that he really needs reps at 2B, which seems very likely to be his long-term position.
Having said that, since he hasn’t played much 2B either, isn’t he more likely to play like a natural 3B than a natural 2B?
And is the Chiz really more of a long-term fixture than Phelps and Kipnis combined? I tend to think not.
Don’t understand the last question. Does Phelps also play 3b? I’m pretty sure kipnis has never played there so I may be missing something here. What’s the connection/comparison with Chiz?
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 21, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Jason Donald has been overshadowed by the recent successes of Carlos Santana and Matt LaPorta; he’s now hitting.276/.326/.423
Hell yes, atta boy.
Steel Nick
I was at the game where he hit his first home run. at least 5 people around me asked “who the hell is that?”
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m sure there are people STILL asking that.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Jul 21, 2010 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions
I went home last weekend, and both my parents asked me where he came from.
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Also! This little stretch would be extra super fun if the White Sox hadn’t gone 5-1 since the All-Star break.
Steel Nick
Ignore the standings; live in the moment!
by MTF on Jul 21, 2010 6:24 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Given the opportunity to watch the team for a couple of days, I have to say Santana’s defense is much better than advertised.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Jul 21, 2010 6:07 AM EDT reply actions
I have been very impressed with his ability to throw out runners.
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Same here.
But I’m not tuning in to watch him play defense. I’m trying to compare him to past Indians in terms of the thrill of watching hm hit. Manny was beautiful to watch, but for the pure excitement, I would say the feeling is reminiscent of watching Albert Belle hit. Santana does not have the power but he just seems to have a similar look in his eye – that each at bat might be his last, so he better make it the best it can be.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin
by Spidey on Jul 21, 2010 10:37 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It’s worth noting that Santana is only on BB behind Hafner for second on the team despite the fact that he has about half as many plate appearances. That’s exciting to me.
Come on, four billion!
he does walk at an astounding rate.
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 21, 2010 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions
The bullpen has been great all month, and has made the rest of the team look better by all the wins. Our July winning percentage must be pretty good, thanks to Herrmann, Zombie, CP and all our other suddenly tremendous pitchers.
by MTF on Jul 21, 2010 6:22 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Their July record is 10-7 and they’ve won 14 of their last 21. They’re 22-23 since June 1 and have won 4 or more in a row three times. No point to that, just bored and did some counting. I guess this means that we were 13 games under .500 in April and May and have rebounded a bit. I’ll take it.
Before taking Pro-Acta, please consult your doctor. Do not taunt Pro-Acta.
DAMN YOU ACTA AND YOUR SLOW STARTING TEAMS!
Blake: Thanks to you, I am damaged beyond repair!!
by emd2k3 on Jul 21, 2010 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I must say, it’s been really fun watching them the past week. Can’t remember if I’ve felt that way in the past two years.
You are reading my signature.
You can’t help but be happy with the development of this team. It’s a lot like the 2006 team that brought in newbies like Choo, Carmona, Garko and Guiterriez.
Dare I mention he once drank 2 beers at once.
At once!!
Blake: Thanks to you, I am damaged beyond repair!!
I wish I would have used the word once um … Once.
Blake: Thanks to you, I am damaged beyond repair!!
by emd2k3 on Jul 21, 2010 7:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
And Inglett :)
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 21, 2010 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Not quite. He’s in Milwaukee now, doing a heck of a job as a pinch hitter. 324/425/500 in 80 plate appearances.
by InfiniteMonkeyTypists on Jul 21, 2010 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions
OK, Maui, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not a decent offensive player, with a career 103 OPS+ over 700+ plate appearances.
Overreacting in the opposite direction doesn’t typically get you any closer to the right answer than misjudging in the first place.
by InfiniteMonkeyTypists on Jul 21, 2010 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Mauer is out of the lineup today. The Twins lose their best bunter.
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Jul 21, 2010 11:21 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
“I don’t ever tell a hitter what to do,” Gardenhire said. “He tried to drag bunt. Ask Joe about that.”
by JulioBernazard on Jul 21, 2010 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes. Sorthing through these infielders until the current Aeros arrive is going to be crazy.
by dgcambridge on Jul 21, 2010 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Twins bringing up their AAA closer, Anthony Slama, to make his major league debut in the pen. He looks like their Vinnie Pestano.
My-a name is-a Tony, and I’m-a here to Slama the door on your team-a.
by dgcambridge on Jul 21, 2010 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I can’t stop thinking about Tony. Wondering where he could be, who he is with, what is he thinking, is he thinking of me…
by jhon on Jul 21, 2010 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Boy, Santana sure spans a big angle on the Runs Created chart!
And to a lesser number of degrees: Chris Gimenez.
by Logodaedalus on Jul 21, 2010 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions
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