Game 33: Angels 6, Indians 5
by Jay on May 8, 2011 7:00 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
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NOTE: I posted a recap sometime around 9:00 p.m. last night, and evidently the system rejected it, or ate it, or something. Rather than attempt to re-create it, I'm just going to plagiarize the very astute recap of some other guy named Jay, from the comment thread below. "Our best stories are in the comments," or something like that. Take it away, TribeJay ...
So this is what the Angels had to have happen to take the series from the Tribe:
- Get 5 infield hits off Masterson and extend the game long enough to get to the tired Tribe’s bullpen and their long reliever.
- Manage to catch 7 of the 10 rockets/long drives in Friday’s game.
- Have a ball go through the glove of a noted glove man to extend an inning that otherwise would have been over. That’s right, not off the glove, but through the webbing of the glove.
- Get not one, but two choppers in a row to tie the game and eventually go ahead.
And this is with two of the best starting pitchers in the league starting for them in the series. You know what, if that’s what it takes, then I’m okay with losing the series. I’m fired up. This is our Cleveland Indians. Let’s Go Tribe.
To all of you who hate the Twins, you should hate the Angels more.
For those of you who still want LaPorta hitting sixth, if you’ve watched the games on this road trip, you should understand why Orlando Cabrera is hitting there now. He may be due to hit into a key double play at some point, but for now you have to appreciate how often he does what it takes to deliver that key run.
I’m high on LaPorta, mainly because of the special way the ball jumps off the barrel of the bat. But until he gets, receives, or is bequeathed a clue, he needs to stay at the bottom third of the order. Ideally, he’ll figure enough things out so he can eventually hit sixth later this year, but I want him where he is for the moment.
| Highest WPA | Lowest WPA | ||
| Asdrubal | .162 | Smith | -.694 |
| Sizemore | .151 | Choo | -.172 |
| Orlando | .147 | Carmona | -.169 |
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Comments
I hate the Angels so, so much. But I still love this Tribe. Perspective:
1. We fought hard this whole road trip, regardless of winning or losing
2. We’re still in 1st, with a 4.5 game cushion, and the best record in the AL
3. Pitching continues to be solid and bats appear to be waking up from a mini-slump
We got this, boys. Go Tribe.
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on May 8, 2011 7:03 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
Nice to be in every contest on a six-game West Coast roadie.
by JulioBernazard on May 8, 2011 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions
You know what bothers me? Despite having the best record in the AL, we still haven’t had a game on national TV. I know, Cleveland’s a smaller market. But why don’t they give us a game against Boston or someone?
I watched a game on the last series against Boston on MLB network.
"I’ll happily embrace elevated hopes if that is the price to pay." - APV
On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff
I get every game and I don’t have to watch ESPN to do it. Ideal.
by MTF on May 9, 2011 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Me too. But Donald should be the UT. He won’t be that much of a downgrade from Everett defensively, and he’s a better all around player.
by mcrose on May 8, 2011 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Still not sure I’d wanna see Donald up in the bigs just to sit on the bench five nights a week instead of getting regular ABs in AAA.
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on May 8, 2011 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions
They’d find ways to play him. Platoon him with Hannahan (the reverse split isn’t gonna hold). Give the Cabreras some time off. Bad news for Everett, though.
Actually the reverse split very well could hold. To the degree that it is now? Probably not. The numbers are slightly inflated with 2011 included, but it isn’t a total fluke.
RALLY SIG
You don’t think he’s better at the plate, on the bases? Everett’s probably a better SS, but for all around IF play, I’m not sure the diff is that great.
Everett is in a whole different league as a defender. Donald is fringy at shortstop, Everett was at one point possibly the best defender in the game, period. No doubt Everett is diminished with age, but it’s a bit like comparing (as hitters) the 25-year-old Ryan Garko and the 35-year-old Manny Ramirez.
by Jay on May 9, 2011 7:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I just don’t think the split is that extreme right now, particularly when you take all 3 infield positions into account. Ev is not now as good a defender as similar age Manny a batter, and (similarly) Donald better than Garko.
But mainly I want his bat over Everett’s. Over the course of the year I think it would be worth a couple games.
I haven’t seen enough of Everett to make a confident judgment on his defense, but I believe he is on this roster for a reason, and it isn’t because Jason Donald was injured. I have no reason to think that Everett’s defensive advantage is any less at 3B or 2B than it is at shortstop, it’s merely a bit less important at those positions.
They don’t seem in any hurry to get Donald to Cleveland, but that’s due to Hanahan, not Everett. Best case scenario, Donald gets steady AB’s at CBus all around the IF, and hits his way onto the 25.
We were ONE good bounce away from winning this game. All is well.
Time for some Turkish GP to take away the sting of the loss.
by Seattle Tribe Fan on May 8, 2011 9:40 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I don’t care about the loss. But the way it was lost was and still is insanely annoying.
by Gradyforpresident on May 8, 2011 10:44 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’m massively worried about this next series. Rays are riding high. Need to win the series to stave off a slide.
Then we can sweep the Mariners.
by Gradyforpresident on May 8, 2011 10:49 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’d say massively worried is a bit of an overreaction. This will be a great test for us. I’m a little worried, but only because one of my close friends here is from Tampa and itching to have baseball bragging rights.
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on May 9, 2011 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Beating Sonanstine is probably going to be an easier task than Price or Shields, since he’s been in relief and pitched so few innings so far this season. I’m looking forward to the game and if Tomlin can hold off Zobrist and Upton I’m going to go all in and buy his jersey. Yes, I am that damn close.
Can we re-acquire BenFran for the Sonnanstine game?
by supermarioelia on May 9, 2011 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I’m setting the over/under on the number of times Hammy mentions that Sonnenstine is from Wadsworth at 15. Where do you stand?
"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 9, 2011 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
between 10 and 15. But count Kent State references, and probably in the twenties.
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
1 for the under. Anyone else?
"I’ll happily embrace elevated hopes if that is the price to pay." - APV
On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff
From yesterday’s St. Petersburg Times:
Upton said he plans to appeal the suspension, which was announced by the league Saturday, but likely will begin serving it when the Rays play at Cleveland on Tuesday.
If you squint at the Fangraph, you can make out the image of the Angel’s home plate right there in the 8th inning when the Fangraph bounces up.
And even Orlando things he’s old, from the PD:
“Incredible,” said Orlando Cabrera. “They don’t do that intentionally, but when I played, I got some hits like that. The dirt in front of home plate is really hard.”
He’ll probably be more productive when he comes out of retirement.
So this is what the Angels had to have happen to take the series from the Tribe:
- Get 5 infield hits off Masterson and extend the game long enough to get to the tired Tribe’s bullpen and their long reliever.
- Manage to catch 7 of the 10 rockets/long drives in Friday’s game.
- Have a ball go through the glove of a noted glove man to extend an inning that otherwise would have been over. That’s right, not off the glove, but through the webbing of the glove.
- Get not one, but two choppers in a row to tie the game and eventually go ahead.
And this is with two of the best starting pitchers in the league starting for them in the series. You know what, if that’s what it takes, then I’m ok with losing the series. I’m fired up. This is OUR Cleveland Indians. Let’s Go Tribe.
To all of you who hate the Twins, you should hate the Angels more.
by TribeJay on May 9, 2011 12:10 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
To all of you who hate the Twins, you should hate the Angels more./blockquote>
1000 times this
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on May 9, 2011 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions
When we play the Angels 18 times a year, instead of 6 to 9, I will hate the Angels 2 to 3 times more than I hate them now and on a par with my hatred of Twins 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
For those of you who still want LaPorta hitting sixth, if you’ve watched the games on this roadtrip, you should understand why O. Cabrera is hitting there now. Cabrera is due to hit into a key double play, but for now you have to appreciate how Cabrera often does what it takes to deliver that key run.
I’m high on LaPorta, mainly because of his special ability with the way the ball jumps off the barrel of the bat. But until he gets, receives, or is bequeathed a clue, he needs to stay at the bottom third of the order. Ideally, he’ll figure enough things out so he can eventually hit sixth later this year, but I want him where he is at the moment.
Yeah I have been waiting for him to hit into a soul crushing double play for a while now. Still doing his thing though.
by Gradyforpresident on May 9, 2011 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions
I think it’s a really good sign that most of our losses have been really tight games. It’s frustrating, because you play the ‘what if’ game more, but I think it’s just another bullet point in the case that we are a good team.
It’s true – how many of our 11 (11!!) losses were close games that could have gone either way (I count 3)? Granted, many of our wins have been of the same nature, but I find it highly encouraging that we area not getting blown out often, if at all.
by jakesinger777 on May 9, 2011 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Tough way to lose this game and this series, but most of the comments are right on. The Angels caught a bunch of breaks. This is why baseball is better than any other sport — because teams can catch breaks and beat the odds on any given day. It tends to all even out in the long haul.
Before the trip started, I think everyone on this board thinking rationally would have been well pleased with a 3-3 trip. Obviously it’s frustrating to lose one that we could have had today, but we could have lost a few of those that we won, too.
Take 2 of 3 from the Rays. The home winning streak isn’t going to last forever, and these are more tough pitching match-ups. 2 out of every 3 at home and .500 on the road the rest of the way blows out the AL Central. Go get ’em.
Il faut d'abord durer.
The deeper we get into the season with the tribe getting excellent starting pitching and defense, the more confident I become that this team isn’t going to fold. The breaks will even out, but the Indians aren’t beating themselves this year.
It’s really fun to watch this team play. I’m planning a trip to Cleveland to visit family and take in some of the series against the Twins June 6-8. Hopefully more locals will start to turn out soon too.
I think Fangraphs should take away most of Joe Smith’s negative WPA and assign it to home plate.
"I’ll happily embrace elevated hopes if that is the price to pay." - APV
On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff
I’d like to assign it to the umpiring- they look to me like they are tougher on him than almost any of our pitchers.
I suspect that umpires may have as hard of a time picking up his pitches as right handers do – there aren’t a lot of true sidearmers in the major leagues.
"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 9, 2011 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Really, it’s a damning indicator of the stat that Smith does his exact job twice and gets massively penalized for two consecutive freak accidents.
by Gradyforpresident on May 9, 2011 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Don’t look now, but Carmona is putting up similar numbers to his 2007 season. He’s doing it differently though, with more sliders than ever before and less of his patented sinker. And while he isn’t getting quite as many GB as he did that year, he’s striking out more batters than he ever has as a starter.
It looks like – for once – we’re all on the same page. We all agree that
1) The Tribe is for real and will contend for a play-off spot
2) The pitching – both starting and relief – is well above league average
3) The Indians offense is more than strong enough to compete with anybody
4) This team just does not give up. This maybe the best part of the whole picture. For the last few years I don’t think that this was true
5) Having a good-to-great manager does make a difference – and I don’t give a hot damn if we doesn’t hit, or field or pitch. Leadership is leadership
6) This is the most fun I’ve had as a Tribe fan since the 90’s. And this year may top that era
Bottom line: something about Tribe surprises me every year. This year’s been the biggest surprise of all and I just luv it – just luv it.
Our best players wear suits.
by mauichuck on May 9, 2011 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
The best part isn’t the lack of quitness, it’s the lack of lack of defense.
by Jay on May 9, 2011 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think it might be time for me to do the same
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
I’m a pretty big fan of the way it plays on the Iphone; live streaming for an extra 15$ a season, anywhere, anytime. Streamed it on the bus ride from NY to DC and didn’t lose it very frequently. There was a lot of fistpumping going on, also.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
OK, so here’s a question. I have the At Bat iPhone app. If I upgrade to MLB.tv, can I watch on my laptop and/or iPhone? Or just iPhone?
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
I love this team. Most frustrating game of the season. Self-inflicted paper cuts combined with the most infuriating hitting ever-I officially despise Mark Trumbo. Those are words I never wanted to have to say.
by Paul Shuey's Groin on May 9, 2011 6:13 PM EDT reply actions
At least there’s no avatar.
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway
by notthatnoise on May 9, 2011 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
And his groin knows not to use the subject line. Very few groins think first before declaring their love.
by YoDaddyWags on May 9, 2011 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
If we keep this going, we could have a full inverted Christmas tree
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on May 9, 2011 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Looks like it’s time for another Soylent Green edition
by APV on May 10, 2011 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Yes!
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on May 10, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
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