Asdrubal Cabrera, Mr. Underrated.

"When people talk about awful trades, the conversation always turns to A.J. Pierzynski for Francisco Liriano/Joe Nathan, or Bartolo Colon for Grady Sizemore/Cliff Lee/Brandon Phillips. But Cabrera was acquired from the Mariners for the last 43 games of Eduardo Perez’s career. When the Mariners gave Cabrera up, they were 41-40 -- only two games out of first place, but hardly a juggernaut. Perez came over to DH, but the Mariners felt like he needed a platoon partner. So they did what most of us would have done, which was give up Shin-Soo Choo for Ben Broussard. Once Mariners fans take enough prescription drugs, they can convince themselves that the Indians really are the 2011 Mariners, and then they don’t mind so much"

about 1 year ago emd2k3 63 comments 0 recs |

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I assume it’s nice to have a year where if you somehow sustain what people call unsustainable you win an MVP award.

"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady

by westbrook on May 23, 2011 4:04 PM EDT reply actions

Asdrubal Cabrera hit more home runs yesterday than Eduardo Perez did in 43 games as a Mariner.

by FredOx on May 23, 2011 4:20 PM EDT reply actions 21 recs

Needs way more recs

by Gradyforpresident on May 23, 2011 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

That comment was so good I rec’ed the request for more recs

"sometimes the internet is hard for me." - ClemsonGirl

by world dictator on May 23, 2011 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions

And let’s not forget that it was Yuniesky Betancourt who was blocking Cabrera on the Mariners.

"I’ll happily embrace elevated hopes if that is the price to pay." - APV

On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on May 23, 2011 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

Yuniesky Betancourt hit as many home runs yesterday as Eduardo Perez did in 43 games as a Mariner.

by Jay on May 23, 2011 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I sure hope this got linked on LL

by talonk on May 23, 2011 4:56 PM EDT reply actions

BAVAZEY IS DUMM!

by JulioBernazard on May 23, 2011 6:01 PM EDT reply actions

Don’t think he’ll be underrated anymore

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 23, 2011 11:07 PM EDT reply actions

No. Has to be a lock for the All-Star Game at this point.

by Jay on May 23, 2011 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions

He better be!

by emily522 on May 23, 2011 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Will be fun to see if we can get anyone to join him. I’m guessing no. Would still be nice to see another Tribesman, if only to show that Droobs “earned” it and didn’t just make it on as the team’s necessary representative.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 23, 2011 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m guessing we’ll get one or two pitchers to join him, if not any other position players (Santana seems like the only possible option there). Masterson and Tomlin both have a chance of going if they keep pitching like they have been so far (I think Masterson would be more likely of the two). I would think we’d certainly need to have more than one All Star representative if we still have the best record in the AL at the break.

by Buckeye Brad on May 23, 2011 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions

One would think that … but why should we start to get love now? /sarc

by talonk on May 24, 2011 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

You’d think, but see:

Cavaliers, Cleveland, 2008-2010

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 24, 2011 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions

different sport

by Gradyforpresident on May 24, 2011 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Dur. Just being a contrarian.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 24, 2011 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, the Cavs never really had a second player at All-Star ability during those years who deserved a slot. The Indians certainly do have players like that (not to mention the fact that there are many more available spots in the baseball All-Star game).

by Buckeye Brad on May 24, 2011 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

CP leads the AL in saves.

"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady

by westbrook on May 24, 2011 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions

I’d love to have a heart attack while he is pitching the AL to a victory, thereby clinching that we have home field the duration of the playoffs.

by Chief WaDrew on May 24, 2011 6:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Don’t the managers choose the reserves? I would think with Manny on the bench we should be able to get another guy, most likely Masterson or Perez.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on May 24, 2011 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions

The players vote on most of the reserves. It’s a very, very stupid system. The worst part is this: If the players and fans vote for the same person, then the second-place finisher on the player ballot becomes a reserve — even though it’s often a distant second-place finisher who is not even a reasonable choice, let alone the best one.

by Jay on May 24, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

That is indeed stupid. Out of curiosity, how would you suggest they choose reserves? There seems to be major problems with every system used.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on May 24, 2011 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions

The one really obvious fix is that if the players and fans vote in the same guy, that’s it, it’s just that one guy. The reserve slot is left open for the manager to select “by just being the manager and doing whatever he wants.” That alone would be a better system.

The players voting is totally unnecessary in the first place. The game is not for them.

by Jay on May 24, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I like that system, and I could be mistaken, but isn’t that how baseball used to do it? I seem to remember some “controversy” over a manager picking a bunch of his own players or something.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on May 24, 2011 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

So what if we don’t have more than one guy in the All-Star game? That just means everyone else gets a three-day break, gets out to do some fishing/golfing/taking the kids to Disney World and comes back refreshed and ready to finish the deal.

Besides, the impression around the league is that the Indians are doing it with smoke and mirrors anyway and that our players just aren’t that good. As long as they think that way, it’s easier to beat them and make their fans look silly, filled with hubris and disappointed. This team is a long way from earning the respect around the league that we seem to think should be their due because of their record. As Keith Law pointed out, rightly, last year the White Sox played a stretch of 25-5 baseball.

"I’ll happily embrace elevated hopes if that is the price to pay." - APV

On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on May 24, 2011 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree. It does not help us to have All-Stars in any way.

by Jay on May 24, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

minus the KLaw namedrop.

"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady

by westbrook on May 24, 2011 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, I don’t really care myself — I’m not the kind of fan who gets all upset about a perceived lack of attention or recognition from the national media. I was just stating what I thought would happen.

And I disagree with the assertion that the impression by everyone is that the Indians aren’t really that good. Maybe that was the thought after the first month of the season, and justifiably so, but the more the Indians keep winning they keep getting more recognition and respect. I have read many articles recently, both in print (SI) and online, which have said that the Indians are really good and aren’t going away. So I think we need to drop the “nobody respects us” card soon — that’s getting pretty old and tiring.

Also, I couldn’t care less what other fans think of us. That has nothing to do with what happens on the field.

by Buckeye Brad on May 24, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Guess how many days the White Sox led the division by at least 7 games last year: 0. They peaked at 3.5 games and held that lead for 1 day. Cleveland has had at least a 3.5 game lead over the #2 team for a month and counting.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Mr. Law.

by callmrplow on May 24, 2011 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Just wish he’d start. But only way that happens is if Jeter pulls a hammy the week before the game.

by talonk on May 24, 2011 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions

The ESPN2 guys sure thought so, which was cool.

by JulioBernazard on May 24, 2011 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

O/T: That Tim Thomas save tonight was absurdly good.

by ahowie on May 24, 2011 1:54 AM EDT reply actions

pretty impressive. if I had a hockey team I’d be into the NHL, I think it’s a fun sport to watch, even on TV

by Gradyforpresident on May 24, 2011 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Become a Blue Jackets fan, we could use some.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on May 24, 2011 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I kind of am, but that team just plays lousy hockey, despite some of their talent.

http://www.zazzle.com/mistakebythejake

by emd2k3 on May 24, 2011 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions

It is really maddening. I still think Brassard and Voracek can break out soon, but they’re both quickly running out of time to do so. Voracek in particular drives me crazy. The guy is so obviously talented and makes plays that make your jaw drop, but then he can’t deposit a good pass into a wide open net. I have pretty much given up on Nikita Filatov.

Their defense is absolutely awful, but the forwards are actually pretty good. Not great, but good enough to be a playoff team.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on May 24, 2011 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Wasn’t there one year on the tribe where Asdrubal hit over .400 for 2 months in a row toward the end of the year or something 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 May 24, 2011 3:02 AM EDT reply actions

You must be thinking of September, 2008: 415/455/571/1026. He’s never put up those kind of numbers for two consecutive months.

by YoDaddyWags on May 24, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh, thank you for the correction. That was the time I was thinking of, but it didn’t last as long as I thought.

In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).

by V-Mart Shopper on May 25, 2011 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions

For a good hitter, hitting over .400 isn’t much of an achievement over a short stretch.

by Jay on May 24, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Right. I mean, I did this almost every year in little league, and those whole seasons were like, 50 ABs.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 24, 2011 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

And over the 2009-2010 seasons you had that stretch where you delivered 93 consecutive hits. 87 went for extra bases.

I'm emotional about my glove...

by JimmyAB on May 24, 2011 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Sadly, I was never that good. Even in little league. Ask me about grad-level IM softball, though.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 24, 2011 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I hit zero Little League home runs.

I did lead the league in walks, which was no small feat.

http://www.zazzle.com/mistakebythejake

by emd2k3 on May 24, 2011 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Never hit a homer either. We played on fairly large fields for our age, though. No one ever really hit homers. I did play a mean 3B/SS though.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 24, 2011 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

We played in one park that was 210 down the lines, which if you’re small and nine, is more like a mile.

I pitched and played SS.

http://www.zazzle.com/mistakebythejake

by emd2k3 on May 24, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s about where I was at. Then once we hit the “senior” league (ages 15-16) we were playing on HS fields.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 25, 2011 2:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Louie Ischco once hit 2 grand slams in one playoff game.

http://www.zazzle.com/mistakebythejake

by emd2k3 on May 25, 2011 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

I was a pretty good middle infielder (at defense in general) and I’ve always been fast. I never hit for much power but had my fair share of in-the-park HRs. I stopped playing midway through high school and have since always regretted that choice.

I'm emotional about my glove...

by JimmyAB on May 25, 2011 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ve always regretted not playing in high school. I wasn’t great, but could have at least made the roster.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 25, 2011 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I just really enjoyed playing. I don’t kid myself that it would have gone any further than high school; I was good but I don’t think I would have cut it on a team playing for a decent college program. Other interests caused me to abandon it and I ended up going to a private art school so there wasn’t any baseball team to join anyhow.

I play in a competitive modified fast-pitch softball league here in NYC and that is a lot of fun still.

I'm emotional about my glove...

by JimmyAB on May 25, 2011 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Whereas I drew a lot of walks because I was small.

RALLY SIG

by USSChoo on May 24, 2011 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I led my team in walks and hit-by-pithces…mainly because I was/am totally uncoordinated at those kind of things.

by APV on May 24, 2011 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions

I led my teams in keeping stats on the rest of the team, which made me really popular among the teammates…

I did hit HRs on occasion, however, and one in particular stands out as one of the more awesome moments in my life.

by jhon on May 25, 2011 2:00 AM EDT up reply actions

I was really bad and left baseball to my vastly more talented younger brother.

by Brad D on May 26, 2011 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions

My two Little League milestones:

1. I hit 1 HR, a moonshot to left-center that carried enough to clear the fence. My trip from 3rd to home was made with all the humility of a Barry Bonds round-tripper.

2. I was 17 outs down, 1 away from a no-hitter, when the opposing batter hit a shallow fly to right field. This was at age 13, and unfortunately, there were still some kids there for babysitting purposes, and therefore, playing right field. Had he realized the ball was hit towards him before it was making its descent, he probably could have caught it. I’d let this go, except he’s some high-brow party promoter in Cleveland, and every couple months I see something of his retweeted, and curse him to myself.

You are reading my signature.

by rolub on May 25, 2011 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

The original Jim Joyce.

I would have come up with a better reference, but I’m lazy right now.

RALLY SIG

by USSChoo on May 25, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I once pitched in a season-ending, already-clinched-the-title game where the coach let everyone pitch. Beaned my best friend twice in the same inning.

My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw

by Turkmenbashi on May 25, 2011 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I once got to play centerfield in a 45-0 loss.

Mercy rule? What was that?

Mistake By The Jake

by emd2k3 on May 26, 2011 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I led the team in walks, and never had anything better than doubles power. I was a pretty decent pitcher until other kids started learning curveballs and I couldn’t pick it up. I was a very good defensive third baseman.

Now that I think of it, I was pretty much Jack Hannahan.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on May 26, 2011 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions

I was a good fielder but not a very good hitter. I became an even worse hitter after getting a concussion from being hit in the head with a thrown ball while catching infield practice.

The lower levels of the Tallmadge Little League played a lot of games on school fields with no fences back then. Given that a ball hit past the outfielders would roll across the playground to the parking lot, we had to have a “stop at second base” rule. My son’s little league plays on beautifully manicured fields with 200-250 foot fences.

by FredOx on May 26, 2011 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions