While We’re Waiting… Tribe Pitching Staff, New Kick-Off Rules and Buckeye Offense
August 8, 2011Duncan vs Kearns – Clash of the Titans
August 8, 2011Just when you think you have this team pegged, they turn every thought you had on its end. I cannot remember a week of highs and lows like the one that just passed. This weekend was the perfect cap to this crazy seven day road trip. I have less hair and more grays than I did last Monday. I think I also shaved five years off of my life. All because my beloved Indians played seven games, three of which they won, and four of which they lost, all in the opponent’s last at-bat.
I had been pointing to this trip to Boston and Texas for the last month thinking this would be the difference maker in staying in the AL Central race or bowing out. I also said last week that I’d be thrilled with a 3-4 trip. That is exactly what happened. But in reality, the Indians could have, and probably should have, won all seven games. At worst they had a 5-2 trip in the palm of their hands, but things are never easy for our Tribe. How did it come to this?
The bullpen picked the wrong time to start sniffin’ glue. (I shouldn’t have to mention that this was an Airplane reference, but I will anyways for the youngsters). The Bullpen Mafia has been so good all season long and won so many games for this team that it is tough to get upset with them as a group. But in perhaps their biggest week of the season to date, then pen stumbled badly.
In Friday night’s Ubaldo Jimenez debut (more on that later), the bullpen was handed a 7-4 lead in the sixth. Chad Durbin, Joe Smith, and Vinnie Pestano turned a two run lead over to Chris Perez in the ninth. After retiring the first two, a bloop (Josh Hamilton) and a blast (Michael Young) did Pure Rage in. It was his only his second save chance since July 19th and his second consecutive blown chance. You just knew what was coming in extras too.
With two outs against Rafael Perez, the speedy Elvis Andrus reached on a drag bunt single. He moved to second on what was deemed a “wild pitch,” but this was another example of bad Carlos Santana defense (more on this later) behind the plate. Hamilton then hit a slow dribbler to Asdrubal Cabrera at short. Hamilton beat the throw to first and Andrus never stopped running. First baseman Matt LaPorta’s reactions were too slow to home and Andrus scored the winning run.
Pure Rage redeemed himself on Saturday night, but it was not without the need for Maalox. After the Wahoos stormed back to score four in the ninth inning against Texas closer Neftali Feliz, Perez had a three-run lead to protect with three outs. Once again, he retired the first two Rangers and got into trouble. A walk, a steal, a single, and a wild pitch later, Young was up again with the tying runs on base. This time, Young grounded out to end the game, but of course, nothing comes easy for Perez these days.
Then we turn to last night where the Tribe held a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning with a chance to finish 4-3 on this rough road trip. With Josh Tomlin cruising and Tony Sipp and Pure Rage unavailable, Acta wisely sent his starter out for the eighth. Tomlin walked Mike Napoli and gave up a single to Mitch Moreland. Acta turned things over to Joe Smith, who has been great this season. Yorbit Torrealba hit a dribbler to third for an infield single to load the bases. It was the Rangers third infield hit on the night.
The bases were loaded with nobody out and the flood gates were about to open. Pinch hitter David Murphy hit an RBI single. Ian Kinsler walked to force in a run. Andrus singled scoring two. Just like that, the Tribe’s 3-0 lead vanished and Smitty was sent to the showers. Hamilton’s RBI fielder’s choice against Raffy Perez would end the scoring, but the damage was done.
“Tomlin throws seven great innings and I come in and I did not get the job done at all,” said Smith. “I was terrible.”
If the bullpen does its job like it has all year, the Tribe at worst wins five of these seven games and sweeps the Rangers. Both losses this weekend came with the Indians leading heading into the eighth inning.
“We’re here because of our bullpen,” said Acta. “We’re not going to sit here and complain about them. They’ve done a tremendous job for us.”
What didn’t help the bullpen this weekend – the pitching in general – was the Tribe’s porous defense. Remember when the Indians ranked amongst the top four in the league defensively? Those days are long gone. A couple of plays made over the weekend and things could have been so much different.
I mentioned Friday night’s 11th inning debacle, but it bears repeating. LaPorta was too busy looking at the first base umpire to realize that he needed to throw home to cut the winning run down. Instead, his hesitation – Clew Haywood-esque (hat tip to Rick) – to the plate cost the Tribe dearly as the Rangers won on back to back two out infield hits.
“You don’t even worry about whether the guy is going to be safe or out at first base,” said Acta. “You come off the bag and throw home. That’s the winning run. That’s what you do.”
Andrus shouldn’t have even been on second, if not for the second lazy play by Santana behind the dish. Raffy Perez was credited with a wild pitch, but Santana failed to move his body to block the outside pitch, trying to backhand it instead. He did the same thing in the first, costing Jimenez a run.
Despite coming back to win Saturday night, Asdrubal Cabrera’s seventh inning error was the key play in the Rangers four run rally to take the lead against Fausto Carmona, who by the way was very solid again and seems more comfortable in his back of the rotation role.
Nobody notices defense until it becomes a problem, and we have reached that critical point. Things have to tighten up.
Speaking of Jimenez, his debut was less than stellar, but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It was 106 degrees at first pitch Friday night. He was clearly feeling the jitters of this first game in a Tribe uniform and the team he was facing has perhaps the most dangerous offense in the American League.
Yes, he allowed five runs on seven hits in five plus innings, but he struck out seven and his velocity was there. He was consistently between 94 and 98 mph on his fastball all night. I also really respect that he was a stand-up guy after the game.
“The closer doesn’t have to even get up if I do my job,” said Jimenez. “We have a five-run lead and I wasn’t able to hold it. I really take that personally. In my next start, and this situation comes up, I’m going to try and make sure the closer has a day off. He deserves it.”
Before we get all nuts, lets see how he does this week against the Tigers in the first place showdown at Progressive Field.
Acta’s decision to keep Travis Hafner from pinch hitting on Friday night in the 10th inning defies all logic. You remember the situation. The Indians put two on with one out which brought Shelley Duncan to the plate against Feliz. He had his magic bullet, Hafner, sitting on the bench along with another left-handed hitter, Lonnie Chisenhall. Instead of going to his best hitter, he allowed Duncan to hit, and naturally he grounded into a double play.
I was livid, as was the rest of the Tribe nation. After the loss, I eagerly anticipated hearing why Acta didn’t use Hafner in that big spot.
“It was a complete day off for Travis,” said Acta. “Hafner shouldn’t even have been a temptation in the 10th. We should have won it in the ninth.”
Sorry Manny, that doesn’t fly with me. You are in a pennant race. You have to play to win every single game. You cannot in good faith say that sending Duncan up in that spot gives your team the best chance to win with both Hafner and Chisenhall available. Tell me Hafner is hurt, at least I can buy that. The “it was a complete day off” excuse is weak.
The magic touch Acta had the first part of the season hasn’t been around in a while. This was a great chance to change that. Fine, you don’t want to use Hafner, then why not Chisenhall? The next night, with two outs and the tying run on third in the ninth, Chiz singled off of Feliz.
Despite what may have been a negative read, this week proved something big to all of us. This team, warts and old, can compete with the best of the best. As I’ve said a few times in this piece, if the bullpen does their job, at worst the Indians win five of seven against Boston and Texas. They showed a ton of grit this weekend, and other than Jimenez, exhibited excellent starting pitching. They came up with clutch hits and swung the bats relatively well.
Now comes the first three of 12 games remaining with the first place Detroit Tigers. The 12 home games remaining in the month of August are against the AL’s worst teams – Minnesota, Seattle, Kansas City, and Oakland. This is the time for the Indians to make their move.
After an off day today to recharge the batteries, the Tribe comes home to get at those Motor City Kitties.
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
8 Comments
I’ll take 3-4, but gosh… if we barely miss the Central I know I’ll be thinking about these four loses.
Also, Choo is nearly back. Hopefully there’s no set back with him and he gives us the shot in the arm that we need.
I keep getting the feeling that we can only do one thing well per series. Either we actually hit and the pitching gives in or we pitch lights out and the bats fall asleep (and in general the defense always stinks).
Hopefully these guys can shake it off. This stretch of games against Detroit are the most important of the season.
one of the problems with bullpens. if they start to get shakey and they are needed a ton (so they are taxed too), then they can fall apart.
hopefully, they just need to recharge and get back to being the strength of our team.
some positives out of the TX series:
1. Ubaldo was throwing gas. Location/Movement was not good, but concerns about a drop in velocity did not seem prevalent on Friday (94-98 on the local TX broadcast gun).
2. Kipnis – not just at the plate either. He also made some great plays this weekend (in particular Friday where Ubaldo would have owed him a steak dinner if he got that win).
3. Chisenhall – his defense was surprisingly good as well. He made a couple outstanding plays (one hard short-hopper early in the game yesterday comes to mind).
4. Zeke – he didn’t do anything spectacular (though he was busy) before or after, but he deserves props for one of the best catches of the season on Friday (diving full extension while coming up to the wall).
5. Carlos Santana – he’s swinging the bat good again. started the last game of the Boston series and he’s swinging good now. even his 3 SO game Saturday, the swings didn’t look forced like they have been. he’s back to his fluid motion, which is huge.
6. Perez picked up a save. It wasn’t pretty, but we finally got him in a save situation and he delivered (first save since mid-July – mostly the team’s fault for not getting him the chances, but he blew his first one on Friday).
7. Carmona & Tomlin – they both sure looked good against that great TX lineup.
that’s about all the positive I can muster out of this series, but there were decent signs. losing 4 of the last 6 games in the 8th and 9th inning really hurts though.
The American League has been going Danny Greene on the Bullpen Mafia lately.
What are chances that Duncan, who was actually productive, stays and Kearns goes when Hanahan is back from paternity leave? .0001%?
If we can find a way to get the starters, the bullpen, and the offense in sync, we certainly could make the same kind of run that we started the season with…
Must in series against the Kitties. Should be a lot of fun at the Jake…
@3 – Don’t forget the return of Shelley. 3-for-8, 3BBs, 1 2B, 1HR, 2 RBIs.
so how long until carlos becomes a full time 1b? Laporta isn’t giving us anything & Los is not a good catcher right now.
If you don’t want to completely give up on Laporta, throw him in the OF. He’s at least more mobile than Duncan out there.
@NJ – true. Shelley had a good weekend.
@Lyon – preaching to the choir and we’re all singing the praises of Marson@C and Santana@1B for this season at least.