Last Night's Game
Final Score/Recap: Minnesota Twins 3, Cleveland Indians 2 - Let's Go Tribe
Defense fails, Corey Kluber injured as Cleveland Indians fall to Twins, 3-2 | cleveland.com
Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins - July 20, 2013 | MLB.com CLE Recap
With Zach McAllister slated to come off the DL on Tuesday (more on that in a bit), I think the Indians might either send down Bryan Shaw or DFA Rich HIll. Granted, CC Lee has only made one MLB appearance, but I think he deserves a shot at pitching middle relief. Of course the Indians could render all this moot by acquiring a reliever between now and Tuesday.
However, if your sixth inning relief is making or breaking your season, you shouldn't be pointing the finger at your bullpen but your starting rotation.
Indians News
McAllister slated for Tuesday start in Seattle | indians.com: News
Two pieces of news in this article:
- Corey Kluber is not expected to miss much time with the hip injury. In the best-case scenario, Kluber's next start would be pushed back a day, or they maybe simply skip his next start with an off-day coming next Thursday without having to call anyone up. Let's hope that this isn't an injury that would land Kluber on the DL, because losing Kluber for an extended period of time would be a serious blow to the Indians.
- McAllister is scheduled to make the start on Tuesday, as there were no hitches with yesterday's bullpen session. Danny Salazar should make his start with Columbus, though with Kluber's injury, perhaps he may be brought up at the end of the month if Kluber has to go on the DL.
MLB Trade Deadline chatter: Cubs, Rangers still talking about Garza | MLB.com: News
This isn't really about the Indians anymore, especially if you believe that the Cubs demanded that the Indians deal Lonnie Chisenhall for Garza, but it will be of interest all the same to see what Chicago eventually gets in the deal. The Rangers reportedly were set to give up 3B/1B Mike Olt, RHP Neil Ramirez, and 2B/SS Leury Garcia for Garza, who is a free agent at the end of the season. The Cubs stopped the deal because of concerns about both Olt's and Ramirez's health, not because the deal wasn't good enough. If you're looking for some context, all three players mentioned in the deal would have been PTMs.
Also mentioned in the article is that Jake Peavy has been activated from the DL, so the trade speculation on him is starting. Peavy is signed through 2014, something that would be attractive to the Indians, but he's owed $14.5M in 2014, a high number for a club that's probably at their payroll limit right now. Also, there's the intra-divisional roadblock that tends to prevent big deals being done. The Indians and White Sox haven't made a trade since 1994, and that was Matt Merullo for Ken Ramos. If you don't recognize either Merullo or Ramos, don't feel bad, as neither much of a major-league career. For the last significant trade between the Indians and White, you'd have to go back to 1991, when the Indians dealt Robert Person to the White Sox for someone named Grady Hall. And of course, that was when the Indians and White Sox were in different divisions.
AL Central News
Detroit Tigers rumors: K-Rod Francisco Rodriguez top target? - Bless You Boys
The Tigers are rumored to be in on just about every available closer on the market, but Francisco Rodriguez makes the most sense. The Brewers have been out of it for a while, and Rodriguez would be gone at the end of the year.
Time for change: Fire Dayton Moore - Royals Review
The Royals have taken the first two in their series with the Tigers, but they still sit four games under .500. And the RR staff has decided that enough is enough.
Baseball America's Midseason Prospect Update: Twins' Buxton and Sano Move to the Top - Twinkie Town
The Twins have two of the better prospects in baseball in Buxton and Sano.
Alex Rios' benching fair, as far as we know - South Side Sox
Initially Twitter was going crazy with trade speculation when Rios was pulled early from the game on Friday night. But Rios was pulled for not hustling out a double play ball. I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually is traded, though.
Today's Classic Clip
Robert Clemente makes a great diving catch (1971). The clip unfortunately doesn't show Clemente all the way on this play, but you see from where he eventually made the catch that he covered an incredible amount of ground. And keep in mind that Clemente was 36 when he made this catch.