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MLB Final Score/Recap: Cleveland Indians 6, Kansas City Royals 3

2013-06-20T02:49:47Z

June 19, 2013

Justin Masterson wasn't sharp tonight, especially early, but didn't give up the big hit. And he stuck around long enough for the Indians to take the lead.

Early in the game, the Royals were really hitting him hard, with even the outs being loud. Later in the game, the Royals were still racking up the hits, but they were more of the ground ball variety, balls that if hit a couple feed to either side would have been outs. But even though the Royals reached 11 times against Masterson, they could only score two runs off him. And though Masterson had thrown over 60 pitches by the time he got out of the third inning, he pitched into the seventh, making the end of the game easier for Terry Francona to manage.

Luis Mendoza, the Kansas City starter, operated on a completely opposite trend. The Indians didn't hit a hit off him until Michael Brantley hit a solo homer in the fifth, and in the sixth he completely imploded. Think about this: going into the bottom of the sixth, Mendoza had allowed just one run on one hit, but left after he gave up either hits or walks to the first five batters of the inning. He seemed to fall in love with what I think was his slider, and after a couple times through the lineup, the Indians started to lay off it. In that pivotal sixth inning, Drew Stubbs led off with a single, then went to second when Michael Bourn walked. Then, after at first showing bunt, Mike Aviles hit a drive that left fielder Alex Gordon couldn't bring down, scoring Stubbs from second. Then Jason Kipnis laid down a bunt that third baseman Mike Moustakus couldn't make a play on. Then Carlos Santana walked, forcing in the go-ahead run, and Mendoza's outing was over.

Becuase Vinnie Pestano had to make so many pitches the night before, he was unaviliable for work tonight. So the fact that Masterson pitched into the seventh helped immensely, as otherwise we might have seen Rich Hill in a two-run game. Bryan Shaw took over with one out in the seventh and finished that inning plus the eighth, and Joe Smith finished things up in the ninth.

Michael Brantley was the offensive star of the evening, hitting two solo homers (the first he's hit multiple homers in the majors) and driving home a third run on a sacrifice fly. He had been in a lengthy slump going into the game, but broke out of it in a big way tonight.

The Royals did score a late run when Eric Hosmer hit a double off Joe Smith with one out in the ninth. But Hosmer would make a bone-headed base running play, attempting to go from second to third on a grounder hit at the third baseman. John McDonald threw over to first, then got the ball back in plenty of time to tag out Hosmer to end the game. That's two brutal base running blunders over the past two ninth innings, but I'm going complain about them.

Kansas City came into this series rolling, and although the Indians with the series win opened up a bit of space between themselves and the Royals, I don't think they're going away. Hosmer and Moustakas are looking better at the plate, and the Indians were fortunate that neither Alex Gordon nor Billy Butler hurt them much this weekend. And of course their pitching staff is among the best in the league. But this time the Indians took the measure of them, and won their third straight series.

Source: FanGraphs

Roll Call (28 Commenters)

Game Thread (320 Comments)

#	Commenter	# Comments
1	johnf34	55
2	Mr. Bad Example	38
3	PyroKinesis	38
4	emily522	35
5	LosIndios	26
6	barsham	20
7	westbrook	12
8	emd2k3	9
9	V-Mart Shopper	9
10	VA tribe fan	8
11	PaduaDSP	8
12	Matt Y.	8
13	Ockus_NYC	6
14	valhallas_own28	5
15	ahowie	5
16	JulioBernazard	5
17	tabler84	4
18	jrandall64	4
19	APV	4
20	Gradyforpresident	4
21	ramblinwreckcle	4
22	cleveland teamer	4
23	new zealand tribe fan	2
24	PortlandVinny	2
25	Nat	2
26	ethorn	1
27	Cols714	1
28	Zaza Braggins	1

Ballgame: Tom Hamilton talks to Let's Go Tribe about his approach, his honesty, and why the 2013 team just seems different

2013-06-19T13:00:07Z

"Why would you try to put your own voice above the roar of the crowd?"

Tom Hamilton is talking about walk-off home runs, and he's talking about the greatest sound in sports, and he's indirectly asking why his colleagues in other booths would try to compete with a sound that is close to natural perfection. "I'm a firm believer in spontaneity," he adds, responding to the notion that some broadcasters (we're looking at you, Jim Nantz, and you, John Sterling) plan what they'd like to say in a dramatic moment. "I don't feel like that would work for me," Hamilton says. "It wouldn't feel natural."

At age 57 and in his 24th season with the Tribe, Hamilton has gained the trust of Cleveland Indians fans. This is no small point. Many broadcasters -- most, certainly -- never cross the rubicon that cements their credibility with fans. Hamilton did so long before his remarks about Aroldis Chapman made headlines earlier this season. Indians fans trust Hamilton because he is blunt, almost cantankerous at times, especially in describing poor umpiring or lack of effort. Broadcasters often hesitate to criticize their team or organization, but Hamilton feels that it's his responsibility to do so when criticism is warranted.

There is very little chance that Hamilton is a regular dining companion of umpire Angel Hernandez, for example. When Hernandez made one of the worst umpiring decisions in baseball history during a May game at Progressive Field, Hamilton was ready to state the obvious, even though it might not please Tribe fans listening to his call: Adam Rosales had just hit a game-tying home run. Chris Perez had served up a pitch in the middle of the plate (a chronic problem for Perez of late) and Rosales had sent a rocket to left-center. The ball had cleared the wall and hit the railing.

After a long review, Hernandez emerged to declare the ball had not cleared the wall, and the play would stand as called: double. Hamilton asked, "Are you kidding me? I don't know how you miss that call." That was just for starters. Meanwhile, on television, Matt Underwood and Rick Manning straddled the fence, indicating that the play looked like a home run, but you never know, and it's hard to really tell, and Go Tribe!, and...

"Unbelievable," Hamilton huffed.

But the veteran broadcaster explains that he's careful to differentiate when tough words are warranted. "I'll never say a guy is an idiot for swinging at a ball in the dirt, because guys swing at balls in the dirt all the time," he says. "It's part of the game, even if it's frustrating. But if a player isn't running a ball out to first, I'll point out that he's not hustling. The least you can do is run hard to first."

Ultimately, Hamilton has become what the best play-by-play broadcasters become: a master storyteller. There is an art to collecting interesting information about a team, a place, a player, and then weaving that information into the structure of a game. Most broadcasters read a list of facts that seem interesting to them. Hamilton understands how to build a narrative. He is not particularly interested in the broadening of the statistical understanding of baseball, because he feels "you can number people to death. People will go numb if you use too many numbers. I know I do. If I hear a broadcast and they're stuck on numbers, I stop listening."

So which numbers does he prefer? "I prefer the numbers that fans recognize and can relate to. Home runs, RBIs, runs, batting average, on-base percentage. Some of these newfangled numbers, I'm sure they have a place. But I don't get into the wins and replacement numbers -- it's too much. You can make numbers say whatever you want them to say. I'm not saying these new stats don't have a place, but I hear some broadcasters talking about a guy's ERA on Tuesdays under a full moon while pitching left-handed. Who cares? Fans are not accountants."

"This is still a people business, and I think sometimes people forget that."

If all of this sounds like a man resistant to change, understand that Hamilton's job is not Chris Antonetti's job. His job is telling the story of the game. Would it help if broadcasters embraced the broadened statistical analysis that is unfolding all around them? Probably, if they understood how to use that information to tell a story. But Hamilton feels that kind of approach would lead him away from his mission, which is to tell an accurate, enjoyable story that's easy to understand. "This is still a people business," he says, "and I think sometimes people forget that."

His stentorian home run calls have become a nightly staple for Indians fans, and if you pay attention, you'll see that whole trust thing playing out in the biggest moments. Yes, Hamilton wants fans to trust him. But it's also clear that he trusts fans as well. In those walk-off moments, when the crowd is roaring, Hamilton trusts fans to be able to see the picture in their mind without his voice carrying every second of the action. The irony is that this is a radio man, with no benefit of video, and he trusts fans more than television announcers trust fans. The best recent example came when Jason Kipnis delivered a walk-off, three-run blast to beat Seattle in front of 34,000 fans, and it was Hamilton who understood that a thunderous stadium provided the only commentary necessary.

The television call:

Your browser does not support iframes.

Hamilton's call:

And just for fun, here's another Hamilton classic -- a very similar call that allowed the crowd to carry Travis Hafner around the bases:

Hamilton spoke to Let's Go Tribe last Friday about a wide range of topics, including playoff baseball, the worst road facility in baseball, Facebook, his daily preparation, and whether the team management ever pays him a visit following some pointed commentary. Oh, and he also explained why he thinks the 2013 Indians are "going to be fine." Here's more of our Q&A with Hammy.

LGT: Every broadcaster has their own approach to preparing for games. Can you describe how you like to prepare?

TH: I do three hours of research a day on the Internet. I'll make phone calls to scouts, other GMs, just trying to get more information or gain a little insight. I like to arrive at the ballpark at least three and a half hours early, typically four hours. I'll talk to players and managers, talk to scouts. It's remarkable what you can learn just from talking and listening, and sometimes you can pick up little things that will help you during the game.

LGT: Any specific websites you prefer?

TH: Just a wide range of stuff, trying to learn as much as I can.

LGT: You've said several times this season that the 2013 ballclub feels special, feels different. Why do you feel that way?

TH: There's a lot more talent now than in the past, for one thing. You bring in Swisher, Bourn, Gomes, the veterans, and you bring in Terry Francona. He might be the best manager in the game. People have to remember that in Boston, no one was winning the World Series. Well, Terry Francona did it twice! And he's made a tremendous impact here. Last year, there were days when you'd walk into the clubhouse before a game, and you would know they were already beaten. This year, even during the recent stretch when things weren't going well, the clubhouse never changed. So I think this team is going to be fine, I really do.

LGT: For fans, nothing is better than playoff baseball. It's just a different feeling. Is it different in the booth as well?

TH: Oh, every time you do a playoff game, it's special. And I have much more appreciation now. In the 90s it was easy to think that, you know, no problem, we'll be back in the playoffs next year. It was easy to take it for granted, and it seemed simple, but of course it's not. Now it's enjoyable just to be in contention. It's fun. So let's hope we can get back to that point soon.

LGT: You have been unafraid to be critical, whether it's the Indians or their opponents or the umpires. How do you view your role when it comes to that kind of honest, firm criticism?

TH:The most important thing you can have is credibility. If you lose it, no one is going to believe a word you say, positive or negative. I don't think it's my job to be god, judge, and jury, but I have no problem pointing out the truth. But you have to make distinctions. I'll never say a guy is an idiot for swinging at a ball in the dirt, because guys swing at balls in the dirt all the time. It's part of the game, even if it's frustrating. But if a player isn't running a ball out to first, I'll point out that he's not hustling. The least you can do is run hard to first.

LGT: The front office appreciates your work, but I wonder if they've ever stopped by your office the day after a game in which you made a particularly strong comment. You know, just to say that they were listening.

TH: That's the best thing about the job I have, and it's the reason this is the only place I'd ever want to work. They are so good to me. They know that it's paramount that I'm factual. You have to be factual about what you say. And you know, I hope they continue to appreciate my work, because if they don't, then I'll have to go look for a real job.

LGT:There's a Facebook page called Tom Hamilton Has the Best Home Run Call in Baseball. Are you aware of it?

TH: I don't do Facebook. My kids do. I don't do twitter. Now, I do have a computer. I do internet and email, but I don't do a lot of that new stuff.

LGT: Well, the guy who put together the page has thousands of people who check it out every morning, wanting to relive your calls.

TH: You're kidding. That's really very nice. Very nice. I'm just amazed that someone thought to put something like that together.

LGT: Along those lines, how often do you go back and review your own calls?

TH: I don't go back and do that as much as I used to. I guess I'm older and I trust myself more now, but I also hate listening to myself. I don't want to hear my voice over and over. So I don't hear it very often. I'd rather listen to other broadcasters and learn from them.

LGT: Fans love the calls, and of course they love the home run calls. There have been a lot of those big-moment calls this year, but your calls never seem to be scripted or plans. Some broadcasters, Jim Nantz comes to mind, have said that they'll try to plan out how they want to call a big moment, should that moment unfold. How do you feel about that?

TH: I'm a firm believer in spontaneity. I think part of the job is being able to respond to the moment. You just hope the good Lord gives you the right words. I know that some guys script out what they might say, but I don't feel like that would work for me. It wouldn't feel natural. I have to trust my ability to deliver something real, and I hope that's what comes across.

LGT: On walk-off home runs in particular, you tend to let the crowd noise carry the call, rather than talking over it. Are you cognizant of that?

TH: I think you try to be cognizant of the moment. There are certain times when maybe something needs explanation, but I don't think there's anything greater than hearing the roar of the crowd. Why would you try to put yourself above the roar of a crowd? There are times when silence is truly golden, and the crowd tells the story. So sure, there will be times when you have to explain this or that, but if you can leave it alone, that's great.

LGT: There's been a kind of evolution in statistical analysis and understanding of baseball. How much weight do you give to this broader statistical analysis?

TH: We get all the statistical information we need in advance of games. But I really think for my purposes, you have to be careful. You can number people to death. People will go numb if you use too many numbers. I know I do. If I hear a broadcast and they're stuck on numbers, I stop listening. I prefer the numbers that fans recognize and can relate to, home runs, RBIs, runs, batting average, on base percentage. Some of these newfangled numbers, I'm sure they have a place. But I don't get into the wins and replacement numbers -- it's too much. You can make numbers say whatever you want them to say. I'm not saying these new stats don't have a place, but I hear some broadcasters talking about a guy's ERA on Tuesdays under a full moon while pitching left-handed. Who cares? Fans are not accountants. This is still a people business, and I think sometimes people forget that.

LGT: Favorite road city?

TH: Oh, I would say Seattle. I just wish it weren't so darn far away. But it's a great city and a great ballpark.

LGT: Worst road amenities?

TH: Without question, Oakland. It's a dump. It really is. They don't care about it, either. It's a shame.

LGT: When you look at fan polls or various rankings, you do very well against your peers. I grew up with Nev calling the Browns, Joe Tait calling the Cavs, and you've become such a cornerstone with the Indians. Do you think about your place among your peers?

TH: To be honest, I don't think about it. You hope people like your work. Everyone wants to be liked. But you can't go on the air consumed with it. You have to do the game the way you think it should be done. Some people will like you, some will not like you, and that's okay.

More from Let's Go Tribe:

MLB: Cleveland Indians News & Notes 6/19/13 - Baby Pix Edition

2013-06-19T12:31:36Z

JoAnna Garcia, Nick Swisher Baby Photo: Couple Introduce Baby Daughter - UsMagazine.com: In case you forgot that Nick and his wife are celebrities. You know you want to see her. She does appear to be quite adorable.

Cleveland Indians' minor-league report: Chris Perez shelled in Akron assignment | cleveland.com: A Friday activation date might have been optimistic.

Cleveland Indians rally to 4-3 victory over KC with 3 runs in the eighth inning | cleveland.com: Recap from the Cleveland paper of record

Shane Brady, Tribe's fifth-round pick, takes in BP: Cleveland Indians Chatter | cleveland.com: Hoynsie's notes

Texas Rangers place Jeff Baker on DL with High Five thumb injury | Texas Rangers Blog: Celebrate carefully, friends.

GoLocalProv | High School Sports | Rhode Island’s Pannone Signs With Cleveland Indians: Cranston native and former Hendricken First Team All-State selection Thomas Pannone has signed a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians.

Cleveland Indians fans try to win cash on MLB.com's "Bucks on the Pond" | MLB.com: News: Longtime Indians fans Stephanie Jeffirs and Meredith Schuette were the latest contestants attempting to win cash in the latest edition of "Bucks on the Pond."

Green graduate David Lough of Royals living out MLB dream with family in attendance - Top Stories - Ohio: Green, for those not familiar with NEO, is between Akron and Canton.

Top draft pick Clint Frazier finds it tough to say goodbye to parents but thrilled to start as pro with Cleveland Indians - Top Stories - Ohio: Just in case you forgot that these draft picks are still kids.

Francona likes catcher Santana's athleticism | indians.com: News: Terry Francona defends his catcher after Monday's miscue

O.co Coliseum had a sewage leak. Time to move? | SportsonEarth.com : Gwen Knapp Article: A plumbing failure in the O.co Coliseum recently created havoc in the Oakland A's clubhouse. But it couldn't compare to the political mess behind the effort to find the A's a new home. That cleanup will require a lot more than sump pumps and new carpeting.

MLB Final Score/Recap: Cleveland Indians 4, Kansas City Royals 3

2013-06-19T05:00:04Z

June 18, 2013

Indians 4, Royals 3

The pitching matchup featured Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez. Santana dominated the Indians the first time he faced them this season (7 IP, 0 ER), and the way he started the game, it looked like he would at the very least match his first outing. Through five innings, the Indians had managed just one hit off Santana, and didn't get more than one runner in an inning. But in the sixth, the Indians not only made Santana work, but actually got on the board. Drew Stubbs, who has struggled all season against right-handed pitchers, got on via a broken-bat single, and quickly stole second. That put him in position to score on Mike Aviles' single to left, and cut the deficit to 2-1.

How did the Royals score those two runs? Well, it wasn't on a base hit. The Royals scored two runs in the third inning without a base hit, stolen base, or error. Ubaldo Jimenez walked the first two batters of the inning, he uncorked a wild pitch, the two runners move up to second and third, Eric Hosmer hit an RBI groundout, then Ubaldo threw another wild pitch to bring home run #2. On the second one, Carlos Santana let the ball get under his glove in a play very much like the play in the ninth inning on Monday.

For much of the game, it seemed like those two tainted runs would be an insurmountable deficit. But, as mentioned above, the Indians actually scored a run off Santana in the sixth, and with Santana out of the game, one run over three innings didn't seem that difficult a deficit to overcome. But then the Indians gave a key run back, and that run was handed to the Royals on a silver platter. Eric Hosmer led off the top of the eighth with an easy grounder back to Cody Allen. But Allen's throw to first was wild, and Mark Reynolds wasn't in position to keep the ball from going down the line. Hosmer alertly ran all the way to the third, and scored when Salvador Perez singled through the drawn-in infield.

It was at this point that you not only lost all hope, but became completely disgusted with the team. They had blown the first game on a wild pitch, and they were about to lose a game in which all three runs were scored without the benefit of a hit. The Indians had six outs to go, but it was against one of the American League's best bullpens.

If you've followed a baseball team for any length of time, you've been humbled multiple times. For example, the Indians were up three runs in the ninth in Boston, and you were thinking that the Indians would get out of town with a split. Even though you've seen the worst happen, it still doesn't prevent you from making those assumptions again and again. But it works the other way, too. Tonight, for instance, I thought that there was not way this team could make up two runs against the Royals, and that they'd fall two game under .500, and 1.5 games behind the Royals, and perhaps 6.5 games behind the Tigers. But in the span of ten minutes, that disgust and despair turned to unexpected happiness.

Kelvin Herrera, he of the 100 mph fastball, started off the bottom of the eighth by walking Ryan Raburn, who went to second on a Drew Stubbs groundout. It was at this point that I got even more disgusted, because the Indians had given away a run the inning before, making Raburn's run unimportant. But then Herrera threw a "slow" curve to Michael Bourn, who flipped the ball down the left field line, scoring Raburn from second. Then Mike Aviles singled , moving Bourn to second. OK, now it's getting somewhat interesting, but here comes Tim Collins, who has owned left-handers all season (.163/.234/.186), to pitch to Jason Kipnis. But Kipnis doubled down the left field, bringing home the tying run and pushing the go-ahead run to third base with one out. Carlos Santana was then walked, setting up another lefty-lefty matchup, this time Michael Brantley, who has been awful over the past month (.229/.289/.265). But after falling behind 0-2, he got the ball to the outfield, and thanks to a poor throw, Aviles tagged up and scored the go-ahead run.

So then, all of sudden, the Indians were in a position to win, and Vinnie Pestano hurriedly got ready to come in to pitch the ninth. And he was really bad, allowing three hits and walk, but you know what? He didn't allow a run, and here's how it happened. Pestano allowed singles to David Lough and Mike Moustakas to start the inning, but then struck out Chris Getz for the first out. Then Alcides Escobar hit a sharp single to right field. With Lough, a speedy runner, at second, I thought there'd be no way he'd be held at third, and apparently Lough did, too. For although the Kansas City third base coach put up the stop sign, Lough ended up in no-man's land, and got caught in a rundown. Pestano ran him back to third, where Mike Moustakas was now standing. Moustakas was out on the play, and if Pestano had been a bit quicker, he might have tagged both runners out to end the game. So now there were runners at second and third with two outs. Pestano pitched around Alex Gordon, and then got Eric Hosmer to ground out to end the game.

So despite essentially giving the Royals three runs, despite giving up three hits in the ninth, the Indians escaped with the victory. And with that victory, they took back second place, and got back to .500.

Source: FanGraphs

Roll Call (27 Commenters)

Game Thread (238 Comments)

#	Commenter	# Comments
1	PaduaDSP	28
2	PyroKinesis	27
3	emily522	26
4	LosIndios	25
5	westbrook	21
6	BuenosAires_Dawg	14
7	Mr. Bad Example	11
8	Zaza Braggins	11
9	themadlibs	9
10	cleveland teamer	9
11	APV	9
12	Gophermike	8
13	Josh Duggan	7
14	roar888	5
15	ahowie	4
16	Brad D	3
17	Gradyforpresident	3
18	ramblinwreckcle	3
19	JulioBernazard	2
20	pdxtribefan	2
21	woodsmeister	2
22	Fundamentals	2
23	Cols714	2
24	emd2k3	2
25	27ftBaja	1
26	YoDaddyWags	1
27	valhallas_own28	1

MLB Transactions: Lonnie Chisenhall recalled, Matt Langwell optioned

2013-06-18T20:16:01Z

The @Indians recall INF Lonnie Chisenhall from Triple-A Columbus; option RHP Matt Langwell to Triple-A.
— MLBRosterMoves (@MLBRosterMoves) June 18, 2013

This has nothing to do with how Langwell was pitching and everything to do with both how Chisenhall was doing in Columbus and the state of the 25-man roster. The Indians have been going with a three-man bench for quite a while now, and they've been getting away with it because the three players on the bench (Mike Aviles, Ryan Raburn, and Yan Gomes) have been extremely productive.

But injuries and demotions have made that three-man bench untenable. The Indians optioned Lonnie Chisnehall to Columbus, making Mark Reynolds an everyday third baseman instead of a 1B/DH. Then Asdrubal Cabrera got hurt, which made Mike Aviles and everyday player, so that had to bring in John McDonald to serve as an emergency backup. Then Nick Swisher re-aggravated his shoulder, but not enough to put him on the DL. That meant last night the Indians started John McDonald at third base with only two healthy players on the bench: Yan Gomes and Drew Stubbs (Ryan Raburn was playing right). So when the bottom of the ninth started last night, who was leading off the inning? John McDonald, one of the worst offensive players in MLB history.

Meanwhile Chisenhall was obliterating AAA pitching, hitting a ridiculous .453/.516/.773 over the last month. He obviously has nothing more to prove in AAA, at least from the offensive side, and needs to be facing major-league pitchers to complete his development. His defense, while it also isn't polished, is going to be better than what Reynolds was doing there. I also think Reynolds moving back to a less demanding position will help him get back on track offensively, though I have no evidence to back that up.

Don't expect Chisenhall to bat like Miguel Cabrera in Cleveland just because he did it in Columbus. He still needs to learn how to hit good major-league left-handers and lay off quality maor-league sliders/curves, things that he couldn't have learned in AAA.

Updated 25-man/40-man roster:

MLB: Cleveland Indians News & Notes, 6/18/13

2013-06-18T12:29:00Z

Royals beat Cleveland Indians, 2-1, on wild pitch to move into 2nd place in AL Central | cleveland.com: Recap from Hoynsie in the Cleveland paper of record.

Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians - June 17, 2013 | MLB.com CLE Recap: Indians.com recap

Jason Kipnis and Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians named the American League Co-Players of the Week | MLB.com: News: ICYMI yesterday; Maybe Kipnis was resting on his laurels when he left 8 runners on base yesterday.

Rumored trivia legend Nick Swisher bats .429 in pub trivia | For The Win: "I am really smart when it comes to useless information," says MLB vet. Bro - how do you miss on Crunchberries?

Over- and Under-Achievers, Alleged | FanGraphs Baseball: Jeff Sullivan looks at under- and overachievers, so far.

The Phillie Phanatic’s ATV stalled out before tonight’s game | HardballTalk: Mascots & vehicles - not always a good combination.

Quote of the Day II: Jim Leyland on doubles | HardballTalk

MLB Final Score/Recap: Kansas City Royals 2, Cleveland Indians 1

2013-06-18T03:14:32Z

June 17, 2013

Royals 2, Indians 1

OK, let's get the annoying [stuff] over with first.

It's the ninth inning. There are runners on first and second with nobody out. Left-handed hitter David Lough steps up the plate. He's probably bunting. So why bring in Rich Hill, who has been as bad as any reliever still in the majors for that type of situation. And you know that after that bunt, Ned Yost isn't going to let Mike Moustakas, who has been as bad as hitter still in the majors, to hit in that situation. I think you either have to leave Bryan Shaw in, or bring in another right-handed reliever. Now Rich Hill's presence didn't really affect the outcome of that inning, because a run would have scored whether the bases loaded or just runners on second and third, but the use of Rich Hill in that high-leverage situation still rankles me. This is the middle of June, and the Indians obviously are flailing around for other options with the signings of Clay Rapada and J.C. Romero (who just went on the DL in Columbus). If the Indians had another left-handed option, Hill probably wouldn't be here, but just because he's on the roster doesn't mean to have to use him in that situation.

That rant aside, the real reason the Indians lost this game wasn't because of Rich Hill, but because Carlos Santana couldn't block a pitch in front of him. The go-ahead run score with nobody out, but as it turned out, if that ball didn't go through Santana's legs, the Royals wouldn't have scored that inning, and the Indians would have gone to the bottom of the ninth against a different reliever.

That leads to my second point, or rather, a pointed rhetorical question. Why was John McDonald batting in the ninth inning with the team down a run? John McDonald, who in his 15-year major-league career, has career OPS+ of 60? Yan Gomes, who could have tied the game with one swing of the bat, was on the bench. To me, the fact that Francona was "forced" to use both Hill and McDonald in that situation should be a sign for Chris Antonetti to make a call to Columbus. Even if the organization feels that Lonnie Chisenhall needs to spend more time in Columbus, you could call up Cord Phelps, who has played first base and the outfield. You may say that Swisher is only going to down for a couple more games. Well, having a functional hitter on the bench might have help the Indians win tonight. I've never liked the eight-man bullpen to begin with, but now that the Indians are down to a two-man bench, I like it even less, if possible.

Now to the good stuff. Carlos Carrasco, whose 2013 has been chaotic to say the least, came off his suspension and pitched the best game of his major-league career. All that potential you saw in him in 2010 and 2011 became reality for at least one night. OK, it was the Royals, who this season has been one of baseball most inept offenses, and Carrasco was greatly helped by his outfield defense, but (a) the Royals have been hitting much better of late and (b) Carrasco was dealing with a very small strike zone. The Indians chased James Shields after six innings largely because Shields wasn't getting the corners, but Carrasco was going strong into the eighth inning, and would have gone longer if not for the 1-0 score. But because Eric Hosmer hit a dying quail that fell in no-man's land, he not only a run tacked on to his pitching line, but also lost the potential of getting the win.

The Indians walked eight times and collected five hits (one of them a solo homer), but could manage just the one run. They loaded the bases with one out in the third and couldn't score, and had runners on base almost every inning between the third and the end of the game. Now you feel like the Nationals fans felt yesterday.

So it wasn't just the offense, and it wasn't just the top of the ninth inning, but both mixed together that led to this galling defeat.

Source: FanGraphs

Roll Call (33 Commenters)

Game Thread (553 Comments)

#	Commenter	# Comments
1	Mr. Bad Example	55
2	PyroKinesis	50
3	JulioBernazard	47
4	westbrook	42
5	USSChoo	41
6	BuenosAires_Dawg	35
7	troyflowers	31
8	tabler84	29
9	LosIndios	24
10	Gradyforpresident	20
11	barsham	18
12	emily522	18
13	notthatnoise	17
14	johnf34	17
15	world dictator	14
16	woodsmeister	14
17	supermarioelia	13
18	Zaza Braggins	11
19	Chief Wahoo	11
20	The Guys Get Shirts!	10
21	ramblinwreckcle	9
22	cleveland teamer	7
23	mauichuck	5
24	PaduaDSP	3
25	palcal	2
26	valhallas_own28	2
27	Gophermike	2
28	Benedict Arnold	1
29	Cols714	1
30	MooneysRebellion	1
31	Nat	1
32	emd2k3	1
33	tribefan62812	1

Cleveland Indians Minor League Update: Mahoning Valley Preview

2013-06-17T18:00:11Z

Mahoning Valley Scrappers (SSA)

Roster - Schedule - Scoreboard

The Indians have two short-season affiliates: The Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Penn League, and the team's Arizona League affiliate that plays in Goodyear, the club's Spring Training facility. Mahoning Valley is more of a traditional minor-league affiliate than the AZL team, and usually has college draft picks as well as players who played in Arizona last year but weren't deemed ready for Lake County.

In the organizational ladder, Mahoning Valley is third from the bottom:

Cleveland Indians (MLB)
Columbus Clippers (AAA)
Akron Aeros (AA)
Carolina Mudcats (A+)
Lake County Captains (A-)
Mahoning Valley Scrappers (SSA)
AZL Indians (R-)
DSL Indians

Here's the Opening Day roster. I've highlighted some players that I think bear watching.

Pitchers

LHSP Luis Lugo (Age 19) - Signed 2011 (amateur free agent) - in AZL last year
RHSP Caleb Hamrick (Age 19) - 2012 Draft (8th Round) - In AZL last year
RHRP Manuel Carmona (Age 21) - Signed 2010 (amateur free agent) - in LC last year
RHRP Breily Puerta (Age 21) - Signed 2010 (amateur free agent) - in AZL last year
RHRP Alexis Paredes (Age 21) - Signed 2010 (amateur free agent) - in AZL/MV last year
RHRP Rafael Homblert (Age 21) - Signed 2009 (amateur free agent) - in MV last year
RHP Ben Heller (Age 21) - 2013 Draft (22nd Round)
RHRP Trevor Frank (Age 22) - 2013 Draft (8th Round)
LHP Matt Whitehouse (Age 22) - 2013 Draft (19th Round)
RHRP James Stokes (Age 22) - 2012 Draft (22nd Round)
RHP Kerry Doane (Age 22) - 2013 Draft (24th Round)
LHP Harold Guerrero (Age 23) - Signed 2008 (amateur free agent) - in LC/MV last year
RHP Cole Sulser (Age 23) - 2013 Draft (25th Round)
RHP Joshua Nervis (Age 24) - 2012 Draft (38th Round) - in LC/MV last year

Catchers

C Sicnarf Loopstok (Age 20) - 2013 Draft (13th Round)
C Manuel Boscan (Age 20) - Signed 2010 (Venezuela) - in AZL last year
C Martin Cervenka (Age 20) - Signed 2011 (Czech Republic) - in LC this year, AZL last year
C Ryan Battaglia (Age 21) - Signed 2009 (Australia) - in CAR this year, AZL last year

Infielders

1B Nelson Rodriguez (Age 19) - 2012 Draft (15th Round) - in LC this year, AZL last year
2B Claudio Bautista (Age 19) - Signed 2011 (Dom. Republic) - in LC this year, AZL last year
2B Juan Herrera (Age 20) - Signed 2010 (Dom. Rep) - in AZL last year
2B Robel Garcia (Age 20) - Signed 2010 (Dom. Rep) - in LC this year, MV last year
SS Paul Hendrix (Age 21) - 2013 Draft (18th Round)
3B Nick Hamilton (Age 23) - 2012 Draft (35th Round) - in AZL last year

Outfielders

RF Joshua McAdams (Age 19) - 2012 Draft (7th Round) - in AZL last year
RF Juan Romero (Age 20) - Signed 2010 (Dom. Rep.) - in MV last year
CF Tyler Booth (Age 20) - 2012 Draft (13th Round) - in AZL last year
LF Brian Ruiz (Age 20) - 2011 Draft (41st Round) - in AZL last year

There are still some unsigned draft picks that will be assigned here, such as Dace Kime (who is currently pitching in the College World Series), though usually the college pitchers (especially starters) don't throw much, if at all, the summer after they're drafted. Luis Lugo is the headliner of the pitching staff: the Indians signed him for $455,00 out of Venezuela a couple years ago. Lugo has both the size (6'5") and the stuff to be a good major-league starter, but obviously he has a ways to go. Caleb Hamrick was a high school draft pick last year.

Because the Indians didn't draft a college position player until the 10th Round, most of the starting position players are either graduates from AZL or were demotions from Lake County. Nelson Rodriguez, Claudio Bautista, and Robel Garcia all spent considerable time in Lake County this year, and just weren't ready for a full-season league. But all three are considered prospects, and are young for the New York-Penn League. Josh McAdams (drafted as Josh Schubert) was drafted a year ago out of high school in the 7th round, but was a 3rd-5th round talent that fell because of signability concerns.