Game 132: White Sox 4, Indians 3

by Ryan on Aug 31, 2010 10:59 PM EDT in Game Recaps

If the Indians were a half-way decent team, I'd be pretty angry right now, but they aren't, so, like someone congratulating a two-year-old for getting half his spaghetti into his mouth, I'm going to accentuate the positive tonight:

1. Justin Masterson was actually good, in that he made a lineup full of hitters look silly at times, and his slider was as good as I remember all season. Justin has good enough stuff that he doesn't really have to be precise with his pitches. Opposing hitters have to think he can throw strikes, and once Justin proved he could do so, he got on a roll. I've seen enough of him, though, not to get too giddy thinking that this start will have anything to do with future starts.

2. Jason Donald is having a quietly good rookie season. Think back to early in the season, when Luis Valbuena was hitting something like .160/.240/.250. Donald's .261/.315/.396 looks darn good in contrast. His OPS+ is almost league-average (97), not bad at all for a second baseman. He sometimes looks lost, as in last night's at-bats against Mark Buerhle, but he's also had excellent at-bats like the one he had in the ninth inning tonight.

3. Shelley Duncan playing over Trevor Crowe in left field. Just about anyone pushing Crowe out of the lineup is a good thing, but it's nice to see Acta appreciating Duncan's power over Crowe's, uh, speediness.

(For those who didn't watch/listen to the game: Masterson pitched well, Edwin Jackson pitched better, Joe Smith/Frank Herrmann blew the game in the eighth, and the Indians scored two in the ninth but came up one run short.)

20100831_whitesox_indians_0_78_lbig__medium

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Justin Masterson	.261	Frank Herrmann	-.377
Shelley Duncan	.143	Michael Brantley	-.189
Matt LaPorta	.073	Asdrubal Cabrera	-.165

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Jeremy Hermida was released by the Red Sox.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Aug 31, 2010 11:51 PM EDT reply actions

Might not be that bad of a pick-up. I wonder if he can play anywhere else other than RF?

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Sep 1, 2010 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions

If he can play left field I’d rather see what Hermida still has than continue to run Trevor “WyldEyez” Crowe out there.

"If Brown is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong question." - Ryan

by woodsmeister on Sep 1, 2010 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions

LF, yes, I’d rather see that as well. Good point.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Sep 1, 2010 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

!!!

http://www.justingermanofanclub.com/

by westbrook on Sep 1, 2010 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Iknowright.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Sep 1, 2010 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions

In the last two weeks, Joe Smith has made 7 appearances, totaling 4 innings. He’s walked 7 and struck out 1. Ugh.

'If I'm not here, 'I'll be somewhere else.'' Andy Marte

by peter m on Sep 1, 2010 11:14 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah, his control has just left him completely. He did not throw a fastball/sinker for a strike in this game. Most were not close.

After he changed his set position in his delivery down in AAA, he came back up with better stuff and was real effective. But guys who aren’t strike-throwers don’t last long in the bullpen.

by TribeJay on Sep 1, 2010 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions