History
Retro Recap: May 26, 1993 (Jose Canseco Uses His Head)
by Ryan on Jan 22, 2012 11:59 PM EST
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This is a series of Game Recaps from past Indians contests, written from the perspective of one who had just witnessed the game. Notes in italics indicate present (as in 2012) perspective.
It's a couple of hours since the game has ended, and I'm still laughing. Not much has gone right this season, and the Indians aren't even good enough to have a June swoon (already 11 games out), so tonight's odd win was just what was needed.
But before going into the hilarity, let's take care of the usual game stuff as quickly as possible.
This was not one of Jose Mesa's better starts. After throwing a complete game in Kansas City and eight shutout innings in Baltimore, this is Jose's second straight mediocre start. The Indians have much bigger problems in the rotation, but it's a bit concerning to see one of the bright spots in the rotation show signs of slowing down. Jose gave up two first inning home runs to the Rangers, the first coming off the bat of LGFT Julio Franco, the second off of Rafael Palmeiro. I still cringe when seeing Julio at bat, thinking mostly that horrible deal five years ago.
Left-handed flamethrower Kenny Rogers was pitching, so Mike Hargrove sat several of his starters. Kenny Lofton, Jeff Treadway, Paul Sorrento, and Wayne Kirby were all on the bench just like yesterday, when southpaw Charlie Liebrandt was on the mound. I suppose Hargrove was playing percentages, but it was strange that all five sat two days in a row.
So the Indians were down 3-0 after the first inning, but they'd come back. In the bottom of the third, Carlos Baerga drove home the first Tribe run of the game on a ground out, but the heavy lifting in the inning had been done by Thomas Howard's single and Felix Fermin's double.
OK, now for the hilarity. In the bottom of the fourth, Carlos Martinez led off the inning, and hit a deep but playable ball to right-center field. Right fielder Jose Canseco went over to make a play on the ball, and this happened:
Retro Recap: August 31, 2004 (Indians 22, Yankees 0)
by Ryan on Jan 16, 2012 8:00 AM EST
in History
This is a series of Game Recaps from past Indians contests, written from the perspective of one who had just witnessed the game. Notes in italics indicate present (as in 2012) perspective.
For 29 Major-League clubs, nothing is as exhilarating as beating the Yankees, with the possible exception of winning the World Series. So how do you describe a game in which your team not only shut out the Bronx Bombers, but shut them out 22-0?
The Yankees are coasting towards another postseason appearance, with the only drama remaining whether they will be the AL East champions, or perhaps the Wild Card. The Indians obviously are playing for next year, having had just a taste of a pennant race. That high point was just a couple weeks ago (On August 14th, the Indians were 1.0 game behind the Twins), but all the losses since then make it seem like it was two months ago that Rick White gave up that home run.
But baseball, with its 162-game schedule, allows even the dogs to have their day, and what it a glorious game it was. The Indians jumped on Javier Vazquez early, with Travis Hafner clearing the bases with a triple deep into the center field gap. Vazquez was out of the game by the end of the second inning, a Matt Lawton single the decisive blow. Vazquez has been shaky of late, but usually he'd get the Yankees into the sixth inning or so, and that would be more than enough for the offense. But not tonight, as Joe Torre would have to bring in Tanyon Sturtze to soak up some innings. Sturtze couldn't stop the bleeding, as the Tribe bats, dormant for just about the entire month of August, kept piling up the runs as if impersonating a runaway train barreling down a steep hill. Gravity (or in this case, the score differential) seemed to increase the offense.There were three more runs in the third, and then six runs in the fourth. By the time the fourth ended, the Indians were up 15-0 and the Yankees were already on their third pitcher.
But this historic score had another component to it. Jake Westbrook, who is having a career season, spun seven scoreless innings against a lineup that had been terrorizing the AL, in a part that encourages offense. Jake started the game unconventionally, retiring the first six Yankees with four fly outs and two strikeouts, but settled in his usual routine after that. Eric Wedge pulled him after the seventh, partly because he had reached his normal pitch count, but also because by that time the Indians were up 16-0. It also must be added that Westbrook pitched this gem having to deal with C.B. Bucknor's Schroedingeresque strike zone.
Now a 16-0 lead is a massive rout, but the Indians were not content to stop there. They scored six more runs in the ninth off of Esteban Loiaza, those six runs coming on two three-run homers. The first came off the bat of Jody Gerut (his only hit on the night), and the second off Victor Martinez This record-setting inning could have been seen another incredible record tied had Omar Vizquel got another hit. If Omar could have slapped a single to right instead of flying out to right, he would have joined Wilbert Robinson and Rennie Stennett as the only players to ever have collected seven hits in a nine-inning game.
But that near-miss shouldn't dampen the glee that Tribe fans will take from this incredible victory. There's still a month of meaningless baseball to go, and perhaps this will end up being a footnote in another New York championship season. But in both cases it will be remembered; the 22-0 victory is the largest margin of victory for a shutout in modern baseball history. If ever I have a long wall to decorate, foremost in my mind will be a framed picture of the Yankee Stadium scoreboard on August 31, 2004. For tonight, Tribe baseball reached the regular season pinnacle of perfection.
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A partial list of notable Indians who have never played with Jim Thome
by Jay on Aug 28, 2011 7:57 PM EDT
in History
Don't ask me why, I just find this kind of thing fascinating. Jim Thome went nearly nine years without putting on an Indians uniform, and obviously many dozens of people played for the Indians while he was away. What's interesting to me is how many players never played with Thome as an Indian and still haven't — despite having had significant, multi-year careers with the Indians while Thome was away. Here's the fairly interesting and incomplete list, obviously subject to change:
POSITION PLAYERS, by games played as an Indian
1000 — Travis Hafner
923 — Jhonny Peralta
882 — Grady Sizemore
810 — Casey Blake
408 — Ryan Garko
390 — Ronnie Belliard
305 — Jody Gerut
301 — Kelly Shoppach
284 — Franklin Gutierrez
278 — Andy Marte
249 — Jason Michaels
247 — Aaron Boone
235 — Ben Francisco
214 — Michael Brantley
206 — Jamey Carroll
205 — Luis Valbuena
190 — Trevor Crowe
183 — David Dellucci
159 — Josh Barfield
141 — Austin Kearns
87 — Jose Hernandez
74 — Alex Escobar
73 — Ryan Ludwick
73 — Chris Gimenez
46 — Ramon Vazquez
It's a huge list, largely reflecting how complete the 2003 rebuild was. Still, a host of 2004-2008 stalwarts aren't on this list as they debuted in 2002: Bard, Crisp, Broussard, Phillips, Bradley and Victor Martinez. Dellucci debuted with the Phillies in 2006, just a few months after the Phillies had shipped Thome to the White Sox. Jose Hernandez and Thome both played briefly for the 1992 Indians, but they never appeared in the same game. Thome appeared as a pinch hitter in eight games with Blake, with the 2009 Dodgers.
STARTING PITCHERS, by games started as an Indian
84 — Paul Byrd
71 — Jeremy Sowers
52 — Scott Elarton
49 — Aaron Laffey (+30 in relief)
42 — David Huff
40 — Mitch Talbot
33 — Carlos Carrasco
Not much to see here, as the Indians rotation was impressively stable in Thome's absence. Sabathia and Westbrook debuted well before he left, and Thome was in the lineup for Cliff Lee's first two starts as a September callup. Carmona is still in the rotation, so that basically just leaves four guys filling in the gaps for eight years.
RELIEF PITCHERS, by appearances as an Indian
371 — Rafael Betancourt
161 — Jensen Lewis
116 — Bob Howry
96 — Matt Miller
94 — Fernando Cabrera
87 — Joe Borowski
82 — Scott Sauerbeck
0 — Adam Miller
Have to feel bad for Jensen. The amazing thing about Betancourt is that he's already pitched in 163 games for the Rockies, too; over the past nine years, he's one of only five pitchers with more than 500 appearances and fewer than 25 saves.
Top Tribe All-Star Performances #1: Mel Harder, 1934
by Ryan on Jul 15, 2011 2:00 PM EDT
in History
The AL won the 1934 All-Star Game 9-7, the two teams combining for 22 hits, but, strangely enough, two pitching performances stood out in this game. First, NL starter Carl Hubbell struck out six batters in 3 innings, and all six of those strikeout victims were future Hall of Famers. After allowing the first two batters to reach in the first, Hubbell struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Jimmie Foxx to end the first, and started the second with strikeouts of Al Simmons and Joe Cronin. He would also strike out AL starting pitcher Lefty Gomez in the top of the third.
Red Ruffing came in for Gomez to start the fourth, and ran into trouble in the fifth inning, allowing the first four runners to reach. With two runs in in the inning, Cleveland's Mel Harder was called upon to quell the rally. Harder was in the midst of his best season; in this era of high-octane offense, Harder would finish the season with a 2.61 ERA, which translated to a 173 ERA+.
Harder had his work cut out for him. There were runners on first and second, and future Hall of Famer Mel Ott was up. Ott lined a ball into the outfield, but the right fielder was able to throw to second in time to force the runner for the first out of the inning. Next up was Pittsburgh's Paul Waner, who would also later enter the Hall of Famer. Harder struck him out. With two outs and Bill Terry (also a future Hall of Famer) up, the NL pulled off a double steal, and both runners were safe. Harder would walk Terry, but get out of the inning by retiring Arky Vaughan (guess what? future Hall of Famer) on a fielder's choice. The NL had put three runs on the board, but the AL still led 8-7.
Harder would make that lead stand up. He finished the game, allowing one more walk and a ninth-inning double. Harder finished the game with this line: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 SO, 1 BB. He's only one of two pitchers to throw five shutout innings in an All-Star game, and the degree of difficulty in accomplishing that feat was high; Harder would faced 18 batters, 14 of them coming against Hall of Fame position players.
Harder would pitch in three more All-Star games, and didn't allow a run in any of those games. His career 13 scoreless innings is an All-Star record.
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Top Tribe All-Star Performances #2: Al Rosen, 1954
by Ryan on Jul 15, 2011 9:30 AM EDT
in History
Sandy Alomar's home run in 1997 wasn't the first All-Star home run by a Cleveland player in front of his hometown fans. In 1954's game two Indians hit home runs; Larry Doby hit a solo homer in the eighth inning. And Al Rosen hit two home runs, part of a 3-for-4 day that might not have happened had Rosen's pre-game request been granted.
Rosen started the 1954 season as a first baseman, moving from third in order to give Rudy Regalado more playing time. Regalado didn't work out, and Rosen would move back to third, but more difficulties were awaiting him. Rosen broke his right index finger in late May, which sapped his power; and he came into the All-Star Break struggling at the plate. He was slated to start the 1954 All-Star Game, and before the game he requested that he be removed from the starting lineup (or at least pulled quickly) so that the AL had a better chance of winning the game. AL manager Casey Stengel took the request to Commisioner Ford Frick, and the two decided to at least keep him in the starting lineup.
Rosen struck out in the first inning, which spurred him to ask to remain in the game. He next came to the plate with runners on second and third and two outs. He blasted a three-run homer off Robin Roberts to give the AL a 3-0 lead, and after that, there was no question of him being taken out.
The NL took a 7-5 lead with two runs in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Yogi Berra led off with a single, bringing Rosen to the plate. He pulled a two-run homer into the left field grandstand, tying the game. Rosen got an infield hit in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs. The AL would not score, and the game remained tied at 7. Later, with the NL up 9-8, Larry Doby tied the game with a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning (Doby's home run just missed the cut for this list). Rosen walked later in the inning, loading the bases. Nellie Fox broke the tie game with a two-run single, finally ending the scoring.
Rosen's two home runs tied an All-Star Game record (Arky Vaughan (1941), Ted Williams (1946)), and his five RBIs tied a record as well. Since then, two more players have hit two home runs in an All-Star Game (Willie McCovey in 1969, and Gary Carter in 1981).
Top Tribe All-Star Performances: #3: Sandy Alomar, Jr., 1997
by Ryan on Jul 14, 2011 5:35 AM EDT
in History
The 1997 All-Star Game had lots of intrigue associated with it coming into the game, but all the sub-plots were overshadowed by one swing of the bat.
The Indians were hosting the All-Star Game for the fifth time, and for the first time at Jacobs Field. They had last hosted the game in 1981, but that game had come just after a 50-day players strike. So it had been a while since the Indians had hosted a game not interrupted by labor strife.
Albert Belle, who had jumped ship to Chicago last winter, was back in town, and he was met with the expected boos from the Cleveland fans. Kenny Lofton was also back in town as a National League All-Star, and he was cheered by the fans. Also getting a ovation was Curt Schilling of the Philadelphia Phillies; the Indians needed starting pitching badly, and Schilling had asked for a trade. Schilling appreciated the cheers, but he wouldn't be traded until 2000, and it would be to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Sandy Alomar was appearing on his fifth All-Star team, and was in the midst of a career season. He came into the game with a 30-game hitting streak, and hitting .375/.408/.608. He was not voted in as a starter; Ivan Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers had that honor. He would get just one at-bat because of the nature of the game, but he made it count.
Edgar Martinez gave the AL a 1-0 lead with a home run in the second inning off Greg Maddux. The NL tied the game in the seventh with a Javy Lopez solo shot. In the bottom of the inning, Alomar came to the plate with two outs and a runner on second.
Here's what happened next:
Alomar became the first Indian to be named the All-Star Game MVP.
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Top Tribe All-Star Performances: #4: The Addie Joss Benefit Game, 1911
by Ryan on Jul 13, 2011 8:06 PM EDT
in History
I'm going to bend the rules a bit, since this game was not an official All-Star Game; in fact, it took place over 20 years before the first actual game. And I'm not singling out a particular player, but the game itself. But this game had most of the elements of an All-Star Game, and it took place in Cleveland to boot.
Addie Joss, Cleveland's star pitcher, died suddenly just as the 1911 season was getting started. Joss was admired by teammates and rival players alike, and when he died, his club cancelled their game in Detroit (risking a strike) in order to attend his funeral in Toledo. Afterwards, the club decided to organize a benefit game to help out his wife and children, and players around the league volunteered to come play in it. A mid-season date was selected, and top players from the five clubs who weren't playing arrived in Cleveland to play the Naps at League Park.
The AL team featured seven future Hall of Famers, including Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, and Frank "Home Run" Baker. The Naps' lineup didn't have quite the star power, but Cy Young was the starting pitcher, "Shoeless Joe" Jackson was in the outfield, and Nap Lajoie made an appearance. Cobb's uniform got lost on the way to Cleveland, so he was photographed in a Cleveland uniform.
The AL stars would win the game, but the real winners were Joss's family; the proceeds for the game totalled $12,914.00, a massive sum in those days.
Top Tribe All-Star Performances: #5 - Earl Averill, 1934
by Ryan on Jul 13, 2011 7:02 AM EDT
in History
The official All-Star Games started in 1933, and it didn't take long for Cleveland players to make their mark in the Midsummer Classic.
Earl Averill didn't make the majors until he was 27 years old, and didn't play professionally until he was 24. The Indians pried him away from San Franicsco of the PCL for an incredible (at the time) $50,000. That gamble paid off, as Averill immediately became one of the best players in a league full of future Hall of Famers.
Averill made the 1934 All-Star team, but as a reserve. In those days, an All-Star reserve would be lucky to get a pinch-hit at-bat, as usually the starters would play the entire game. But in this game, a poor performance by starter Lefty Gomez led to a double switch, and Averill replaced Joe Medwick in the AL outfield.
His first action occurred in the fourth inning. He was brought in to pinch-hit for the pitcher with a runner on first and two outs. He tripled into the huge Polo Grounds outfield, driving in the AL's second run of the game. After the inning, he came in to play center, moving Al Simmons to left. In his next at-bat, he was in the middle of another big inning, driving in two runs with a bases-loaded double. The AL would score 6 runs in the inning, and took an 8-4 lead.
Averill hit into a double play in the sixth, and ended his day with a pop fly to the shortstop.
I'll have more to say about this game later on in the countdown.
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