Game 93: Orioles 8, Indians 3

by Ryan on Jul 17, 2011 8:42 PM EDT in Game Recaps

Grady Sizemore's injury was the first of many bad things to happen to the Indians today.

The Indians could have ended this weekend two games up on the Detroit Tigers, but because of losses to the lowly Orioles on Saturday and Sunday, they're going into a week of crucial divisional matchups tied for first.

Baltimore sent to the mound Mitch Atkins, a 25-year-old with nine previous major-league appearances to his credit, and after the first inning ended, it looked as though this start would mirror his poor major-league history. After Atkins retired the first two batters of the game, Travis Hafner and Carlos Santana hit back-to-back home runs. After Santana's blast was reviewed and confirmed to be fair, Grady Sizemore dumped a ball down the left field line. Sizemore made it into second base because the throw was wild, but just after rounding first base, he injured his knee. Grady would leave the game with an injury classified as a "right knee contusion," and may return to Cleveland for further tests. It looks like there's a very good chance he'll end up back on the Disabled List. Ezequiel Carrera pinch-ran for Sizemore, and scored on Travis Buck's single. The Indians wouldn't score again, even though Atkins would last just two more innings.

Jeanmar Gomez had a 3-0 lead before he made a pitch, but couldn't hold the lead. He would give up three home runs in just 5.1 innings of work, the most devastating being Robert Andino's three-run shot in the fifth. He's slated to stick in the rotation, but a good outing from David Huff tomorrow could change some minds.

Despite facing six innings of one of the worst bullpens in the AL, the Indians couldn't even start a comeback. They loaded the bases in the seventh inning with one out, but Travis Buck's shot back up the middle was corralled by Jim Johnson and was turned into a force out at home. The Orioles would score two more runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game out of reach.

Conventional wisdom states that a 2-2 split of a road series is almost always a good thing. Given that the Indians won the first two games of the series, that this series was against one of the worst teams in baseball, and how small their margin in the standings is, this particular 2-2 road split feels nothing like a victory.

20110717_indians_orioles_0_20110717154243_lbig__medium

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Santana	.135	Gomez	-.343
LaPorta	.105	Chisenhall	-.178
Hafner	.066	Brantley	-.114

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Indians will catch up with the Tigers tomorrow in games played since the Tigers are idle.
Oh Thursday, the Tigers will play while the Indians are idle.

by palcal on Jul 18, 2011 1:07 AM EDT reply actions

Well we certainly could have used to win one of the last two. Even facing second-rate pitching, I can imagine that they felt a little deflated after Grady’s latest injury, and fair enough. But if so, they had better not let it carry over to today. At least one of our starters has to step up today and we gotta shake this sense that the Twins have our number.

by DocNo on Jul 18, 2011 7:21 AM EDT reply actions

… and facing Swarzak and now Diamond (called up to replace Baker) might just do the trick.
BTW – the Clippers roughed up Diamond on June 9 to a tune of 7-1. He made it through 4.1 inn. giving up 8h, 7er, 4bb, 0k & 2hr (Kipnis & Goedert). Chiz was 0-5 on the day.

by DocNo on Jul 18, 2011 7:38 AM EDT up reply actions

The Tribe tends to struggle against SPs they’ve never seen before.

by JulioBernazard on Jul 18, 2011 8:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Then let’s hope for Huff that this is not exclusive to the Tribe. I guess they have seen him (no time to check), but not for a while.

by DocNo on Jul 18, 2011 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Huff is 2-5 lifetime against Minnesota (in 7 starts). WHIP over 1.8. They appear to have seen him.

by peter m on Jul 18, 2011 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

yes – and seen him very well. Beachball well.
But he’s a changed man, right….right?

by DocNo on Jul 18, 2011 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

But they have not seen the Most Recent New and Improved Huff.

@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on Jul 18, 2011 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Now featuring a cutter!

by callmrplow on Jul 18, 2011 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions

hey – it’s worked for Tomlin, among other lesser gods. Never know.

by DocNo on Jul 18, 2011 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree with this in the past. But with so many young guys they might have seen these guys before… I think Swarzak has pitched against us before

by johio1 on Jul 18, 2011 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, the Indians have seen Swarzak. He is 0-2 with an ERA over 12 vs. Cleveland.

@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on Jul 18, 2011 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

We have murdered him. Yum.

by DocNo on Jul 18, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice work.

by JulioBernazard on Jul 18, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, but Huff and Carmona are starting. Naturally, I’m predicting 5 runs of total offense in the 2 games.

by callmrplow on Jul 18, 2011 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions

I am going to bring up this name again…Hunter Pence would be awesome fit for this team. I bring it up because the PIRATES have talk tot he Astro about him (not sure what that means), but I know many on this board are reluctant to give up prospects; My opinion is if you can get a young guys like Pence or Adam Jones and sign them to an extension, I would be willing to give up an upper tier prospect (probably not pitching) but I would give up a top position player for sure. What everyone think

by johio1 on Jul 18, 2011 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

If Grady is going to miss any significant amount of time, then I think we really have to bite the bullet and trade for outfield help. That being said, I think Ed Wade asks the moon and the stars for Hunter Pence. Given the choice of Pence and Jones, Jones is signed to a more reasonable contract ($3.25 mill this year compared to $6.9 mill) and is two years younger. Both have two years of arbitration left and neither is signed beyond this year. An outfield going forward featuring three of the four of Jones/Brantley/Choo/Sizemore, could be one of the best defensive outfields in all of baseball.

If I had to overpay for one, I would overpay for Jones. I would not overpay for Pence.

@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on Jul 18, 2011 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions

I guess it depends on whether we are buyers or sellers when it comes to chasing players at the trade deadline. Collapsing against the O’s makes the issue murkier.

by MTF on Jul 18, 2011 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions

If we become sellers, what do we have to sell? Grandpa? Hannahan? Pronk? Carmona? Anybody buying any of those?

@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on Jul 18, 2011 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Let not talk about this #firstplace

by johio1 on Jul 18, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions

And Raffy. We could move Raffy.

@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on Jul 18, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Minor league guys, right?

by JulioBernazard on Jul 18, 2011 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry, read that wrong.

by JulioBernazard on Jul 18, 2011 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

We split, still in first. I think Grady injury probably makes it more pressing.

by johio1 on Jul 18, 2011 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Why would a first-place team be sellers?

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jul 18, 2011 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Thats what I was thinking

by johio1 on Jul 18, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions

It doesn’t make any sense.

by JulioBernazard on Jul 18, 2011 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions

This.

by emily522 on Jul 18, 2011 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Quite frankly, I don’t see why this team can’t win without Grady or a major trade. In his last 50 games, he’s hit .203/.274/.380. That production shouldn’t be that difficult to replace.

by callmrplow on Jul 19, 2011 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions

If Choo was here, I’d agree. Without him, I am worried.

Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.

by USSChoo on Jul 19, 2011 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Is Jones available? That sounds crazy to me.

by gte619n on Jul 18, 2011 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Hear the O’s are making everyone available farm is a mess and they have no pitching at all

by johio1 on Jul 18, 2011 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

GRAB HIM! FREE ADAM JONES!

by JulioBernazard on Jul 18, 2011 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Jones would cost a fortune though. I can’t think of a team in the race that wouldn’t be interested in adding him.

by Brad D on Jul 18, 2011 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Jones would be worth a fortune. The O’s may not even want our Triple-A guys, and we don’t have enormous wealth below Triple-A beyond Pomeranz.

by Jay on Jul 19, 2011 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

I like Valgood, but I think Jason Donald would give us the same offensive value and can play 3B, 2B, and SS well. I think its worth giving him a look. I have no clue what they will do if Grady is down for a long time, but EZ, Buck, Kearns Brantley, and Duncan outfield isnt so inspiring

by johio1 on Jul 18, 2011 9:50 AM EDT reply actions