Game 112: Rangers 5, Indians 3

I got up this morning, after going to bed last night with the score 3-0, and checked the score—drove to work this morning asking over and over “How? How? How did we lose that one?”

Brutal. Guess its gunna come down to beating the Tigers. Damnit, this team has got to go on a winning streak here.

It’s tough to be positive after blowing two games in a two straight series like this

But I’m still positive about this club.

jason kipnis is so cool

This team is good, they just aren’t good enough to make as many unforced errors as they have been lately.

In 2007, my girlfriend hated the Red Sox for making me miserable. This year, I think she just hates the Indians.

■For a couple years I kinda boycotted the Indians because of the crappy players that they had and the bad manager Eric Wedge. He is in Seatlle now and besides the great mustache that he had for most the season, he is still losing.
■They moved many of those players out and went with a youth movement again!
■I told some of my buddies that I will be a good fan and watch and support the team now that many of those players are gone. I understand that we have had some injuries, but Grady Siezmore is not that good and would be hurting us more than helping us. He is a Strike out waiting to happen and if he has to make a play or slide he is out for a month. Choo is a decent player but replaceable. So these injuries are not a major problem and could have been addressed before the trade deadline.
■My thoughts of Acta have been this since they hired him. Why do hire someone that took the Washington Nationals to the worst record in baseball and was fired.. People say he is a players manager… WHO CARES all that spells is loses.. Example Romeo Crennel….
■This was the Indians ownership not wanting to spend money to get a guy who knows how to manage a Pro Team! Stop nickle and dime’n us pay someone to manage and get a couple free agent veterans next year. You have a team that is playing above their abilities give them someone that wins. We can contend in the central division help us contend. This teams needs a couple vets that have been there before and a manager that doesnt care about feelings and wants to win.
■This is 2 nights in a row Manny Acta should have pulled out the starter. (Not the 1st time this has happened this season or last season and wont be the last time)
■The starting pitchers went into the 6th & 7th inning with a shutout against a good Rangers team. Dont forget they lost in their last at bat twice to the 1st place Red Sox! Both 1st Place Playoff contenders. We are still playing good baseball.
■Carmona should have been pulled with the lead for a confindence booster, being that he has pitched horrible all season, who cares if he was at 85 pitches, not everyone can go over 100. especially when he is usually pulled before getting in the 70’s not used to going that deep into games..
■Tomlin hasn’t gone 100 pitches all season, Acta should have pulled him before the inning started to give our reliever a chance to start the inning with nobody on..
■I understand the bullpen worked alot in the last couple games, but that is their job come in for 15 pitches or 1 inning and move to the next guy an inning later. Mariano Rivera, Paplebon, Wilson & his Beard dont say shit if they have to pitch everyday in the playoffs. So run those guys out there and do what they are paid to do.
■Carlos Santana is a DH in waiting. Bad Bad Bad Catcher, and a problem at 1st base also. LOU MARSON should be your starting catcher.
■Another problem.. why is Carera in CF he is a pinch runner at best. Put BRANTLEY in CF. There have been more miss played balls in CF then i have seen since Alex Cole and his googles in the late 80’s early 90’s. He was fast but not a good hitter either.
■We cant come from behind every night, baseball doesn’t work that way. You need to manage smart and manage to win the game not to predict that your team will come back.. we dont have the hitters. Pitching needs to win the games for us. Which means pitching needs to be handled the right way.
■A winning manager would know what to do. All Acta knows is how to lose, he is not a winner.
■ Look at his career stats. 5 years as a manager his record is 283-400… Fire him if you want to make playoffs, hire Mike Hargrove back. He has coached winners and coached in a penannt race! His record is 1187-1173 that is what we like to call EXPERIENCE!

I’m done with my rant.. respond if you would like, but these are my opinions and they will not change

We’ve got to win a series immediately. We cannot count on the Tigers collapsing.

I entered this season thinking that the team would get better and really start contending come 2012. The fact that we’re this close at this point is amazing.

I say that because I walked away from the game last night after we went down 5-3 in the 8th. I was so caught up that I couldn’t sleep for a few hours. I needed a reset on this team. They are still so young and on the upswing. But, simply put, they may not be ready yet. I want them to win the division. I think with our pitching, we could surprise a few people in the playoffs if we got there. But we’re very young and lately can’t seem to get that extra whatever to put us over in close games.

So I’m going into the rest of this year with lower expectations and enjoyment of the developments that the team is making. Giving anything more might drive me insane.

Let us not forget that Chicago is 1.5 games behind in the Indians and the White Sox will be playing the woeful Orioles while Detroit is in town. And then the Indians go to Chicago. 2 poor series will very likely mean 3rd place and 2 teams to pass with just over 30 games left.