Game 134: Indians 6, Mariners 3

by Ryan on Sep 3, 2010 6:29 AM EDT in Game Recaps

With his next start, Josh Tomlin will pass his 2009 innings totals, so he'll probably a candidate for an early shut down, especially since a third of this year's innings have been major-league innings. In the meantime, though, he'll have a nice favorable string of starts to wind up his season, thanks to the 6-man rotation.

Tomlin gave up three runs in the third inning, but didn't give up any hits or runs after that. He finished his outing with five strikeouts and (with what will warm the cockles of Manny Acta's heart) no walks. Still, against this lineup, any good start probably needs a disclaimer.

The Indians had three former Mariners in their lineup: Asdrubal Cabrera, Luis Valbuena, and Shin-Soo Choo. Each had at least two hits, and Choo drove in five of the Tribe's six runs, the capper coming with a fantastic opposite-field two-run homer in the top of the ninth, making Chris Perez's job easier.

20100902_indians_mariners_0_medium

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Shin-Soo Choo	.311	Jordan Brown	-.087
Tony Sipp	.234	Josh Tomlin	-.068
Luis Valbuena	.070	Trevor Crowe	-.039

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Comments

I have nothing to add.

But 0 comments?? After a win, much less! C’mon guys! The season isn’t dead. We’re on the march for not-100.

by Matt in LA on Sep 3, 2010 12:30 PM EDT reply actions

Given the race to the bottom, a loss wouldn’t have felt too bad

by APV on Sep 3, 2010 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions

We have got to find a way to lose these games. Don’t they know this series counts double in the standings?

by Jay on Sep 3, 2010 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Jack Z’s genius strikes again

by APV on Sep 3, 2010 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

He picked up Branyan to win exactly these types of games.

by dgcambridge on Sep 3, 2010 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Or to lose them.

by Jay on Sep 4, 2010 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

The meaning of “win” depends on your perspective.

by Logodaedalus on Sep 4, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m not dead! I feel happy! I feel happy

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

by woodsmeister on Sep 3, 2010 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Okay.

TOMLIN!

Am I doing this right?

by JulioBernazard on Sep 3, 2010 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

It was a very fun win. That HR by Choo was amazing.

by dgcambridge on Sep 3, 2010 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I was surprised to see Manny Acta’s rather candid comment (can’t remember which article it was in), where he said something along the lines of, Tomlin may only amount to a middle reliever in the majors. While many of us realize that is true, and certainly someone with Acta’s knowledge of the players and of Tomlin’s abilities would have an awareness of this possibility, is that really something a manager is supposed to say about one of his rookie starting pitchers openly to the media? Is that not sort of knocking taking out Tomlin’s legs with a comment like that?

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 3, 2010 2:00 PM EDT reply actions

Manager Manny Acta said before the game that he’s probably not seeing Tomlin at his best because of the number of innings he’s thrown this year. Still, he likes that Tomlin throws strikes (63 strikes in 94 pitches Thursday) and fields his position.

“We feel that if he doesn’t start for us up here, he could at the very least be a middle reliever,” Acta said.

After the game Acta said the same thing, “Josh helps himself with the way he pitches. He gives us another option. Like I told you before the game, we want to go to spring training with seven or eight options for the starting rotation.”

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Sep 3, 2010 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Adam Miller may or may not ever pitch in the major leagues.

http://www.justingermanofanclub.com/

by westbrook on Sep 3, 2010 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Acta is a sunny guy, but he’s shown a willingness to prod his players through the media. Can’t really say if that’s wise or not from outside the clubhouse.

by dgcambridge on Sep 3, 2010 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ve enjoyed it, not that my enjoyment helps the team at all.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Sep 4, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

To the extent Tomlin’s ceiling was viewed as a very fringe major leaguer only a few months ago … maybe it’s actually an affirmation. Seriously, if you look objectively at Tomlin’s pedigree, you have to say that telling him he looks like a real major leaguer, even if only a middle reliever, is a positive thing.

by Jay on Sep 4, 2010 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I hear that, especially given the exact wording of the quote which it seems I didn’t exactly pay close attention to when I read it the first time. He’s making a statement by sort of saying Tomlin is going to stick around even if he ultimately fails at starting.

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 5, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes.

by Jay on Sep 5, 2010 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I was wondering the other night why, after watching Brandon Phillips and Marco Scutaro play so well against their former team, Indians players don’t do the same thing against their former teams. Last night was a great exception.

by odradek on Sep 3, 2010 2:43 PM EDT reply actions