Game 85: Indians 5, Yankees 3

Recorded game (started 11am) and avoided temptation to peek at LGT or MLB scores during the day. Great game, plenty of fist pumps and yells whilst watching. Enjoyed explaining to my boys why the Cabrera’s were not brothers and introducing them to Pronk, Grady and Rage.

I think we missed a big part of the story, which is the fact that we left 54 men on base. We made it a lot more difficult than we had to.

I can’t help but wonder if Masterson will have to offer a better balance of pitches. I’m too lazy to look it up now, but – maybe Spahn? – a great pitcher once said that pitching is about keeping hitters off balance, and disrupting their timing. Masterson does so many things well, but he certainly does not disrupt timing or balance.

That said, Masterson’s performance last night reminds me very much of Fausto’s best performances in 2007. You know what pitch is coming, but it’s moving so much in the zone, and it’s so heavy that it’s hard to square up.

As someone mentioned on Twitter last night, aren’t we glad that the Indians didn’t move Masterson to the bullpen last year when many people were calling for that?

It was great to take 2 of 3 from them, but since 2001 the Indians have only taken one season series from the Yankees (4-3 in 2008). Of course, I’d take 2007’s 0-6 for that’s year’s ALDS record.

I was one that said Masterson needed to have a third pitch, probably a changeup. Well, he hasn’t done that, but he has added a third pitch in a way. He was pinpoint in his control when coming inside to Yankee LH hitters. This is what he has changed from last year, and his stuff is so good that if he continues to have that command, he doesn’t need that extra pitch. Just go with his two fastballs and his slider.

Brett Gardner wanted nothing to do with Justin Masterson.

I just wanted a competitive at-bat against a LHP from Chisenhall…that qualified. To me, it’s not about getting opportunities against lefties to learn how to hit against them. It’s about learning how to hit at the MLB-level and gaining confidence first against all pitchers…then he can work on his approach to lefites. As long as they’re in contention the next couple of years, I think Manny will mix him in against lefties, but if he has a good platoon alternative, he’ll go with that option more often than not.

As noted above, Lookout Landing was wrong – 103 of Masterson’s 112 pitchers were fastballs, but they weren’t all sinkers.

And even though he went 0-4, I thought Grady still looked pretty good…I’m telling you, I’m optimistic for a nice series this weekend.

I like the pitching matchups for this Toronto series. It would be nice to go the break on a high note.

Wild how a team can look so poor one night and excellent the next.

How did I never know that a sinker was a fastball?

so we’ve got the 3rd largest division lead in baseball.

Also! Guess who has the best GB rate on our team…