Game 127: Mariners 9, Indians 2
by Ryan on Aug 24, 2011 9:09 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
Email
Print
Only six days ago, the Indians were in Detroit with an opportunity to take the division lead. Now the season is effectively over. Six days is all it took for the Indians fall out of contention. There were some close losses at first, then injuries, and now it seems the whole thing has fallen apart.
Shin-Soo Choo became the second Indian in a week to injure himself in warmups after he strained something in his trunk area before the game. Asdrubal Cabrera sat as well, though this was planned ahead of time by Acta. So the lineup that faced Felix Hernandez more resembled a Columbus lineup than a Cleveland lineup. Just two runs were scored, which is about right given the quality of the pitcher and of the lineup.
But Josh Tomlin's performance was the shocker. For the first time in his career, he failed to finish five innings. He gave up 11 hits and 6 earned runs in 4.2 innings against what is on paper the league's worst offense. The way they hit the Indians this series, though, you'd swear they were one of the best offenses; the Mariners scored 29 runs in the four games in Cleveland, good for a 7.25 average. The offense has mostly been absent since the beginning of the season, but the pitching has held things together. The pitching couldn't hold this series, and the result wasn't pretty. Rafael Perez, one of the main stalwarts of the bullpen, gave up three runs in the seventh to put the game totally out of reach.
In off-the-field news, Carlos Pena, Jason Kubel, and Jim Thome have all been claimed on waivers today, according to Buster Olney. The White Sox would have had precedence over the Indians if both made claim to a player because Chicago had a worse record than the Indians at the beginning of the day. The team that made the claim has a 48 hour window in which to work out a trade with the player's club, or the player's club to simply choose to pull the player back off waivers. Kubel or Pena would be welcome additions to the lineup, but with the team effectively out of contention, they aren't necessary any more. But acquiring Thome would make sense regardless of the Indians' place in the standings. Thome is a lock for the Hall of Fame, and he's going to go in as an Indian. It would be nice before his career ends to play in a Cleveland uniform one last time. And, let's face it, it would be a great business move for the Indians.
| Highest WPA | Lowest WPA | ||
| Duncan | .098 | Tomlin | -.466 |
| Hannahan | .078 | Santana | -.118 |
| Carrera | .041 | LaPorta | -.058 |
86 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I’m not convinced it’s entirely hopeless, but it sure doesn’t look good.
But I don’t see any reason not to keep trying to win games. What’s to stop Detroit from going on a six-game slide?
its not entirely hopeless, but essentially is hopeless.
If the Indians win 60% of their games, the Tigers would have to win only 40% of theirs for us to have a serious chance. Basically, we have to play like the yankees and they have to play like the royals.
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!
But things like that happen routinely in baseball, over a stretch of less than 40 games. Literally all the time.
Is it likely to happen for these two particular teams? No. Would it be a shock? No.
I would say it would be a shock to me. it would require a complete collapse of the tigers and a concurrent improvement in the Indians play to the level they were playing at during the 1st month of the year and if Choo’s injury is anything more than day-to-day, they definitely do not have the firepower to pull it off. Its not statistically out of the question, but it is not at all feasible.
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 only thing that could save us is both “Verlander to visit Yocum Saturday” AND “MLB decides to suspend M Cabrera for DUI”.
"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady
Maybe we could convince Leland to try to switch Peralta’s position… We all know how moving Jhonny to a new position makes him quit on a team… :)
LeftyCatcher summed it up well, downthread:
fergodsakes it’s still August and the Tigers are a team with a .543 winning percentage (aka "not a powerhouse"). The AL Central is the weakest division. We have 35 games left, 6 with the Tigers.
It simply would not be shocking for the Indians to go 21-14 while the Tigers go 13-20. In each case, it’s just a few games swung the other way for a .500 team.
It simply would not be shocking for the Indians to go 21-14
Yes, it would.
by JulioBernazard on Aug 25, 2011 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
A team that has gone 33-49 suddenly starts playing .667 ball without key members of its lineup? I’d find that shocking.
by JulioBernazard on Aug 26, 2011 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions
21-14 is .600 ball, not .667. In baseball, that’s a huge difference.
Answer me this: If a team can go 30-15 immediately before going 33-49, why can’t they go 21-14 immediately after doing so? What is the substantive difference?
It is a lot easier to go 21-14 than 30-15 — 21-14 is a lesser record and it’s over a shorter span of games than 30-15. The former must be possible, because the latter already happened.
We’re done here. You lost.
But it’s a small sample.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Aug 25, 2011 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions
I finally forgave Thome early this year and just recently dusted off his bobblehead at my parents’ and brought it back to live with me on my mantle, next to Choo and my Abraham Lincoln bust.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
He really played the game the right way.
"Lotta heart in Cleveland." - Ian Hunter
by Denver Tribe Fan on Aug 25, 2011 1:02 AM EDT up reply actions
VORP – value over replacement president – was though the roof. Especially since the replacement president was Johnson.
by Harry Doyle on Aug 25, 2011 1:20 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 4 recs
I had always thought of Lincoln as pretty flat-chested.
Trombone/creamy/soda.
by Joel D on Aug 25, 2011 7:34 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I’m not sure I could take seeing Thome finish his career with the White Sox.
by thestreaksofbenfrancisco on Aug 24, 2011 10:00 PM EDT reply actions
the losing streak starts here
by thestreaksofbenfrancisco on Aug 24, 2011 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
In the midst of a free-fall, with the bottom appearing to be falling out, I don’t know what to think. I thought that if we could be 3-4 games back going into Sept. we would have a legit chance at the playoffs. Now, that can still happen. But we would have to go on a tear, probably sweep the rest of this home stand, and also rely on DET to experience a little bit of a skid during that span as well. I’m not saying that’s impossible. But it’s unlikely.
However, the way we’ve been playing lately is somewhat understandable. With this absolute EPIDEMIC of injuries which would rival that of any team in baseball (except the Twins.. heh heh) we have a ton of rookies and inexperienced players playing key roles for the first time in their careers. Case in point—our obvious ace is only in his 2nd full year as a starter, in his first as a workhorse-type pitcher. 2 of our 4 main infielders are rookies. Nearly everyone is playing more innings this year than they had ever before. It’s clear Asdrubal is worn out—this is the most he’s played in his career. This is still an inexperienced and tired, but very talented, ballclub. I think, maybe, we should have seen this coming—Not the freefall, but the obvious wearing down of the players.
That being said, I think we can fully expect not to go away lightly this season. We may not come back and win this division or even get it back to < 2-3 games, but we won’t just fade away into oblivion. Or at least i don’t think we will. This club has shown time and time again that it will simply not go away, and I don’t expect it to until the final out of the season is recorded—whether that be in late September or late October
So let’s all enjoy what the Indians gave us this season—much more than any of us could’ve asked for. At the beginning of the year I know I would’ve been happy with a respectable, not-far-under-.500 season. But here we are, ~.500, and we’ve been hovering around and competing in this division for the whole season. I still think the first 2 months of the season is the most fun I’ve ever had watching a baseball team.
This team should be a force in the AL Central for the next 2-3 years, and I, for one, can’t wait to watch that.
according to pedro gomez, the white sox did not offer at thome, and we did. so we have rights to him. we have 48 hours to make a deal.. let’s play GM here.
should we make this deal? would you be willing to mortgage more (even a little bit more) of the future with the season seemingly in shambles?
I definitely would, but only for a very low price
In all honesty, how much can the twins possibly think a guy like Thome is worth?
by ClevelandCrazy29 on Aug 24, 2011 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions
6 games back, 35 games left, 6 vs. Detroit….we’re not out of this thing yet
by valhallas_own28 on Aug 24, 2011 11:35 PM EDT reply actions
next 10 games vs. KC and OAK, 7 of them at home…then a 3 game series vs DET at home…not to mention we get Kipnis back(hopefully) next week
by valhallas_own28 on Aug 24, 2011 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions
As well as Grady Sizemore second week of September. Is there any official word on Choo?
by ClevelandCrazy29 on Aug 24, 2011 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions
nothing, but with the off day I am sure he’s in there Friday, along with Brantley…Friday we could have a lineup of Brantley, Choo, Droobs, Santana, Thome, Fuk, Shelley/LaPorta, Jacky, and Cord…I can live with that line-up, especially with what we saw today
by valhallas_own28 on Aug 24, 2011 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions
The most important thing for me is to see this team play with some heart again. It’s hard to understand how a team comes out so flat following a dramatic walk-off homerun.
by ClevelandCrazy29 on Aug 24, 2011 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
massive amounts of injuries plays into that…need a consistent line-up, but that hasn’t happened all year with people going on the DL, coming of the DL, and all that stuff
by valhallas_own28 on Aug 24, 2011 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions
To be fair, it was principally Zach McAllister who came out flat after the walk-off homerun.
by thestreaksofbenfrancisco on Aug 25, 2011 7:49 AM EDT up reply actions
On the contrary, not only are we out of this thing, we probably won’t finish second.
Formerly fwembt, now co-moderator of Banners on the Parkway
by Brad D on Aug 25, 2011 4:51 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
For the record, in 2007 the Colorado Rockies (65-63) were 6.5 games behind Arizona (72-57, Second best in NL). BELIEVELAND
by ClevelandCrazy29 on Aug 24, 2011 11:39 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I don’t think we really want to remember 2007 right now.
"Lotta heart in Cleveland." - Ian Hunter
by Denver Tribe Fan on Aug 25, 2011 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions
An awful lot has changed in just 1 week’s time.
And for that very reason, I have not given up hope yet.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Aug 25, 2011 12:40 AM EDT reply actions
Btw, why is it assumed that Thome would go into the hall as an indian? Doesn’t the player get to choose whichever team he prefers (out of the ones he played for)?
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Aug 25, 2011 12:44 AM EDT reply actions
No, MLB took the choice out of player’s hands after players started making it a clause in contracts.
by The Grimace on Aug 25, 2011 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Same reason everyone assumes Manny is going in as a Red Sox. The best part of his career was spent as an Indian…
The first two stops of his career are nearly identical statistically. In Boston, he was part of ending a WS drought, which I suspect will move the needle far enough in that direction.
by afh4 on Aug 25, 2011 9:13 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Maybe quitting on them twice will nudge it back to CLE?
by JulioBernazard on Aug 25, 2011 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
The last 17 innings that Tribe has scored w/Tomlin on mound, opponents have scored in following inning 12 times
Okay, I understand the doom and gloom, but fergodsakes it’s still August and the Tigers are a team with a .543 winning percentage (aka “not a powerhouse”). The AL Central is the weakest division. We have 35 games left, 6 with the Tigers. We are the underdogs, the pressure is on them. I’m still planning my trip to Cleveland for the playoffs.
We are CLE sports fans, if there wasn’t doom and gloom and “ZOMG WE R FAILRZZZZZ” I think the world would spin off of it’s axis.
I’m with you though, I’m still holding out hope. Can it be done? Sure anything is possible until you are mathimatically out of it, however it isn’t very likely. I think we are all just resigning ourselves to that fact.
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
According to Lastoria’s tweet at 1:30PM yesterday:
In 2006 the Tigers blew a 5 game lead as of Sept 7th and in 2009 blew a 7 game lead as of September 6th.
Don’t give up hope quite yet.
Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic. - Robert S. Wieder
by jerseywahoo on Aug 25, 2011 12:22 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Oh trust me I’m not ready to completely give up just yet… I’m just trying to save a little bit of disapointment if it doesn’t happen.
…and it was the Japanes that bombed Pearl Harbor… :P
Realistically if the Tigers go into a tailspin, the White Sox have a better chance of catching them. I’m not ready to quit watching though.
Let’s face it, we really just have to get back to 3 back by the last weekend of the season. That would be kind of fun if nothing else.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Let's Go Tribe
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Snoop Dogg delivers memorable first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field
- The Juice: Mesoraco’s grand slam helps Reds complete four-game sweep of Braves
- Please hold: Indians’ Joe Smith jumps the gun on relief appearance
- Local radio host honors Cubs’ Tony Campana with parody song
- Roy Halladay bobblehead with glove on wrong hand selling on MLB.com
