Game 105: Royals 5, Indians 3
by Ryan on Jul 31, 2011 6:31 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
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Yet again, the Indians got the bats going later in the game, but the Royals scored key insurance runs in the last two innings to hold off a rally.
During the game, the Indians formally announced that they had acquired Ubaldo Jimenez for Alex White, Joe Gardner, Matt McBride, and a PTBNL (Drew Pomeranz). There were two late complications that held up the deal: McBride suffered an eye injury during Friday's BP, but that wasn't serious. The more important sticking point was Jimenez's health. Jimenez flew to Arizona to undergo a physical by the Cleveland medical staff, passed it, and with that, the trade was official.
Because Jimenez pitched on Saturday night, he'll make his next start in next weekend's series with the Rangers. Thus far the Indians haven't decided which pitcher will be kicked out of the rotation, though Carlos Carrasco's likely suspension may delay that decision for another turn. David Huff to me seems the logical choice, but if he pitches well in Boston, the Indians will have a difficult decision to make.
Fausto Carmona is another pitcher the Indians can option, but he's been serviceable since coming off the DL. He gave three runs through seven innings, and was sent out to pitch the eighth. I think Manny Acta was trying to get away with not having to use the core bullpen members the day before beginning a very difficult road trip, but in this case Acta tried to squeeze one inning too much. Carmona walked Alex Gordon to open the inning, and Acta stuck with him long enough for another run to score. Then Acta tried to get away with using just Tony Sipp to finish the game, and that backfired. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Alcides Escobar fouled off pitch after pitch before finally driving in the fifth run of the game with two outs. Sipp, who didn't want to walk Escobar, kept feeding the Kansas City shortstop outside fastball after outside fastball, and Escobar kept fouling them off the other way.
The Indians' offense got going in the fifth inning. Jason Kipnis started the action, hitting his first major league home run off of Danny Duffy, and Carlos Santana drove in another run that inning with a two-out triple. But they would get no closer than a run.
The Indians did not acquire another outfielder before the July deadline, so although deals can get done in August, it looks like either Ezequiel Carrera or Austin Kearns will be in the starting lineup until Shin-Soo Choo comes off the DL in mid-August. And unlike this past homestand, the teams the Indians will be facing in the next 10 days don't usually play 3-2 or 2-1 contests.
| Highest WPA | Lowest WPA | ||
| A. Cabrera | .146 | Brantley | -.172 |
| Carrera | .144 | Carmona | -.131 |
| Fukudome | .041 | Kearns | -.110 |
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it looks like either Ezequiel Carrera or Austin Kearns will be in the starting lineup until Shin-Soo Choo comes off the DL in mid-August.
Yummy.
That had better be one hell of a PTBNL. I wish I knew what who it was—it’s pretty frustrating not being able to get all self-righteous.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Jul 31, 2011 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Huh?
LGT's resident moderate Yankee hating fan.
by Joe. on Jul 31, 2011 9:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Maybe it’s a recent draft pick like the one in the Jimenez deal…
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 31, 2011 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
2-8 in the last 10… tied with Seattle for worst in the AL over that span.
23-37 with about a -80 run differential since starting out the season 30-15 by simultaneously playing over our heads and facing a soft schedule.
Schedule about to get real after losing a series at home to KC.
Things are really looking up… kind of like the Indians at the Tigers in the standings.
Regarding the second line: While it’s convenient to start from the 30-15 record because (a) it’s the high water mark for this team in terms of winning percentage and (b) it furthers your point, it is an extremely arbitrary point in terms of the schedule overall. I agree that it is important to understand how the team is trending, and the trend is obviously negative, but this is a .500 team that is in an offensive rut in large part because of injuries. The first two months they played over their head and went 32-20, the next two months they underperformed and went 21-32. Sitting here in August 1st it’s easy to say right now that the reality of this team is closer to to what we saw in June/July than in April/May, but they still have the last third of the season to play and are only one game back in the loss column.
Gotta feel bad for Ubaldo. He seems to think he’s coming to a contender.
by thestreaksofbenfrancisco on Jul 31, 2011 8:49 PM EDT reply actions
You know, I’m getting tired of people around hear acting like we’re 10 games back. This is total BS. I’m not saying you have to come around here and pretend that we’re on the cusp, but good lord! We all know where we’re trending, but efforts are being made to reverse that. Some of you people belong in Boston or something, where complaining is like drinking green beer. We’re 2.5 games out in a division where nobody is really that much less volatile than we are – and we’re one day shy of August! C’mon people! Many people have said it before, but I’ll say it again – if I offered up the present scenario before the start of the season, you would have been thrilled.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
by USSChoo on Jul 31, 2011 8:56 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
That was so sweet and thoughtful…
clap clap clap
It’s not like sports fans have been emotional, irrational and reactionary since basically the beginning of time or anything. This is a new phenomenon exclusive to the LGT message board. I’m sure you’ll be able to change the deeply ingrained, primitive nature of fandom if you keep working at it and putting together these touching posts.
We’re out of it at 2.5 back, White and Pomz aren’t prospects. We are losing our collective minds!
Granted, it’s the team’s fault. PLEASE just string together some wins.
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Aug 1, 2011 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions
“I don’t know much about the city,” he said. “I didn’t walk around. I walked straight from the hotel to the stadium. But I know the weather is really nice.”
oh Ubaldo, you have so much to learn.
by tr1betime on Jul 31, 2011 8:57 PM EDT reply actions 8 recs
It’s still probably an upgrade over Denver, weather-wise, though not city-wise.
LGT's resident moderate Yankee hating fan.
by Joe. on Jul 31, 2011 9:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Depends on what you like in cities
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on Jul 31, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
For instance, if you like awful people who cheer for John Elway, you’ll enjoy Denver. If you prefer and awesome city, try Cleveland.
Trombone/creamy/soda.
by Joel D on Jul 31, 2011 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Denver does have a nice airport
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on Aug 1, 2011 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Couple questions, from someone who’s never flown through Denver:
1) I have a fairly quick (45 minute) layover in Denver in a couple weeks, and I’m flying Frontier. Would there be any problems making it? I’m hoping that all the Frontier gates are next to each other.
2) On the way back, my layover is 3 hours, so I’ll probably be getting something to eat there. Any suggestions?
Keith Law would know where to eat at the Denver airport.
@grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff
by woodsmeister on Aug 1, 2011 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions
As long as you aren’t trying to get kids through, Denver has a fine airport with plenty of decent places to eat.
Thanks. My choices were connections in Philly, Atlanta, or Denver, and I’ve had really bad experiences with the first two, so I’m going to try Denver this time around.
Well, and it’s only my own opinion, but Atlanta and Philly are two of the ugliest airports to get around in the country, so pretty much anything is better by definition. But Denver is a good airport anyway unless, as I say, you are trying to get little kids through it (in which case it’s escalators and train make it a huge challenge). My recollection is that there are plenty of good spots in that airport to eat, and the Denver Post even wrote a “best of” column about food at the airport.
by MTF on Aug 1, 2011 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Do these kind of physicals include full-body MRI’s to assess for structural damage in elbows and shoulders? Or is it just like the standard turning and coughing sort of thing?
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 31, 2011 11:32 PM EDT reply actions
Biggest road trip of the season without a doubt. That is, of course, until we travel to Boston for games 3, 4, and 5 of the ALCS. that will obviously be bigger.
I don’t think being in contention had much, if any, effect on the decision to acquire Ubaldo. My feeling is that Antonetti’s bet is that Ubaldo’s the more valuable asset, period. I’d still like the deal if we were 10 out (which we may soon be).
I understand that’s not a consensus opinion.
I agree in the sense that this was not just a move for this year, but to make us a better team over the next few years. However, I doubt we get this deal done if we are a 40 win team at this point and a bunch of games back, so being in contention had at least something to do with it. Of course, I could be way off in my estimation that the team wouldn’t have pursued Ubaldo if we were 10 games worse.
I think the front office just concluded that Ubaldo is a more valuable asset than the depth Pomz and White represented. Maybe that means we are more likely to win something meaningful over the next 2+ seasons, or maybe it simply means they think Ubaldo is a better trading asset than Pomz, White et al. It may take some time (hopefully not) but we will see.
by MTF on Aug 1, 2011 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
My opinion was something along the same lines; Antonetti took a look at the hitters he would be able to control for the next 2 years (Hafner, Choo, Sizemore) and decided he would game that those guys + Kipnis/Chisenhall would provide enough punch to make winning in the current window a good gamble. After 2013 the rebuild would begin again (based on previous models) so adding Ubaldo increased his chances for that period.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
by Gradysmanldy on Aug 1, 2011 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions
It can’t hurt that the division is looking winnable over next two years (Twins all messed up with Mauer/Morneau, Tigers offense aging rapidly, CWS being bizarre, but always dangerous, CWS).
Which club looked better to you this weekend?
by JulioBernazard on Aug 1, 2011 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
but its the Royals…They are always up and coming but never arrive.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
your whole argument is a fallacy!
The Royals are stacked with prospects, but their pitching prospects, while great on paper, are just that. A few smart additions and they should be really good within 3 years.
like DocNo says, prospects are just prospects. I’ll believe it when I see it going by the organizations spotty (at times) track record when it comes to developing players. In that way past results can have bearing on future ones cause its not just the prospects but the development.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
your whole argument is a fallacy!
I was thinking this earlier today. I don’t agree at all with those saying this is an “all-in” for 2011 move.
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
Well, it kind of is ‘all-in’ for 2011 in the sense that it was a bold move that does improve our chances of actually winning more games right now. But sure, the deal was made because it should also improve our chances tor the ‘real’ target years of 2012-3, when our young talent is supposed to merge with our existing talent. So in principle I don’t disagree with you…I just hope that come October, hindsight will prove you wrong.
Being in contention makes Ubaldo more valuable to us. We get 2 years and 2 months of Ubaldo being potentially meaningful. If this season were a throwaway, I don’t think we value him highly enough to give up both arms. Yes, it’s a deal for more than this year, but I doubt it happens without this year weighing on one side of the scale.
what if our offense picks it up over the next few weeks and we are able to sneak out of this with a division championship.
can you imagine having a playoff 1-2 punch of masterson and ubaldo? with carlos (providing he turns it around) and tomlin?
championships for everyone!
I think it more likely that Fausto would be serviceable in a high-leverage playoff start than CC. At least he’s been there before and had success.
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
With only 57 games remaining, 23 are against Detroit (12) and Chicago (11).
If the Indians can keep theirs heads above water, they will have plenty of opportunities to make up ground.
CHW has played us tough, with some weather issues in there.
by JulioBernazard on Aug 1, 2011 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d rather 4-3 with the way the last week has looked, but I’d take it if I had to.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
I think I picked a good week to go on internetless vacation
"Mixed emotions. Rather see him hit PEDroia [with that pitch]. I don’t care if he is in the dugout"
Recently, any human being toeing the slab has wrecked the Tribe.
by JulioBernazard on Aug 1, 2011 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Outside of Wakefield, who is the last knuckler the Tribe has faced? Sparks? Did they ever face Haeger? To the archives!
- I hope I’m wrong and we don’t see much of Durbin/Herrman over the next couple days, but its not hard to see Huff being sent down after tomorrow’s game for extra bullpen help during this trip, at least until we need to activate Ubaldo on the weekend.
- Also, getting Choo to 100% both physically and mentally for the stretch should take precedence, but if going without a minor league rehab assignment doesn’t hinder that, I’m giving serious thought to letting him get his timing back with the big club. A rehabbing Choo will give us more than Kearns does at 100%.
- Also, if Donald is going to be spelling Chisenhall at 3rd like he did yesterday, what is the point of Hannahan anymore? He has fallen behind both of them on the depth chart, and really has no value at 1st base. Even Rick/Matt pointed the situation out on the air. I haven’t followed Duncan’s production since his latest demotion, but with the continued lefty leaning lineup, I think I’d rather have someone on the bench that has a history of hitting LHP very well.
Even better, Carrasco starts his suspension today and we have Judy for the Tomlin/Huff games while saving the back end for the Masterson/Jimenez starts.
Carrasco is appealing his suspension. What I wanted was to stick him in the bullpen for a couple weeks and let Huff have a couple more starts.
Jay’s right that we shouldn’t use an option on him in August.
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
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