Klay Thompson: “If we get our offense back, which we will, we’re gonna win this series.”
June 10, 2015MVPO’d: Cavaliers’ defensive scheme is disrupting Steph Curry
June 10, 2015Columbian born Giovanny Urshela was signed as an international free agent by the Cleveland Indians during the summer of 2008, the same summer when Lonnie Chisenhall was a first round draft pick of the Tribe. Chisenhall was coming out of college, three years older than Urshela, and had a more advanced bat, and his path to MLB was quicker1 , while the defensive-minded Urshela steadily developed in the minors. Giovanny even was selected to participate as a member of the Columbian team in 2013’s World Baseball Classic.
And, on June 9, 2015, Giovanny Urshela made his MLB debut for the Cleveland Indians as they lost to the Seattle Mariners 3-2.
Back in 2013, Tony Lastoria wrote a detailed scouting report on Urshela for Fox Sports, and mentioned that the Indians organization worked hard to develop him despite his youth:
The Crystal Ball: Urshela has really been pushed by the Indians since the beginning of his career, and it is amazing how he has developed to date considering he has been two to three years younger than the league average each league he has played in so far.
Despite Chisenhall’s defensive improvements in 2015, all accounts suggest that Urshela should be an immediate improvement. Lonnie’s biggest remaining issue — his lack of range — is Giovanny’s greatest strength. Urshela is said to be incredibly comfortable at third base, with soft hands and great lateral and forward movement, and his was rated the best infield arm in the Indians system by Baseball America in both 2010 and 20122 .
The outlook is not quite as sunny on the offensive side of Urshela’s game, but he has improved with a bat in his hands. He now has added gap power to his toolset, hitting 36 doubles in 2014 to go along with his 18 home runs. Not to mention that Chisenhall set the bar low for offensive production from a third baseman with a .209/.241/.345 slash line that amounted to a 62 OPS+.3
In fact, there is a chance that Giovanny would have been called up sooner had he not come into 2015 Spring Training already battling a knee issue suffered in winter ball. He added a nagging back injury to that malady, so it came as no surprise when he was among the first players sent down to the minor leagues from the Indians in March.
However, Urshela is healthy now and has been demonstrating that his Columbus 2014 numbers were not a fluke as he has been replicating them since returning to the AAA club in 2015. The hope is that Urshela can take this opportunity afforded to him due to Chisenhall’s struggles and prove capable of becoming the defensive third baseman that the Indians have needed.
Plus, there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that he was overheard singing this song:
Playing defense you don’t get too far
Bats are required for scoring, home runs
Strolling along down a
What’s that word again?
Basepath
Up where they walk, up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Minor League free
Wish I could be, part of that world
Key Moments of the Game
Klubot has a glitch:
The Indians defense did not help out Corey Kluber Tuesday night. There were lazy bloop hits in the first and second innings that the outfield was happy to just stay behind and allow to drop in for hits. Perhaps with this defense it is the smart play, but neither hit seemed uncatchable.
In the first, Austin Jackson gave the Indians a chance to erase the defensive non-play on the blooper by hitting a ground ball right at Mike Aviles. Unfortunately, Aviles bobbled the ball and had to make a good effort to just get the lead runner at second base. On the next pitch, Nelson Cruz drove a double off the left field wall to score Jackson from first base.
In the second, after Brad Miller had gotten on board with that bloop that landed in front of Michael Bourn, Logan Morrison hit a hard shot to left field that Ryan Raburn bobbled a few times before throwing the ball in, allowing Miller to score easily.
By the third inning, though, it was becoming more disconcerting when Kluber allowed any balls to get into the outfield. Once again, Ryan Raburn bobbled a ball hit to him, but he was able to recover quickly and get the ball to his cutoff man. Mark Trumbo ended the inning with a soft come-backer that Kluber handled easily.
Through the fourth and fifth inning, the Mariners continued to make loud contact with Kluber pitches, but the Indians were able to dance around a dangerous situation in the fifth when they converted a quick-hitting 4-6-3 double play with the bases loaded and one out.
Finally, Kluber settled down in the sixth and seventh innings, retiring all six batters he faced on four relatively harmless contact outs to go along with two of his mere four strikeouts on the night.
Roenis Elias, left-handed starter:
Cuban Roenis Elias was around a league average pitcher last season, but has been quite good in 2015. Elias has earned a quality start4 in seven of his nine starts, with the exceptions being when he was held to a hard pitch count against Minnesota on April 265 and when the Indians jumped on him for four runs on May 30.
So, while it should not be surprising that Elias had a good game, it was downright frustrating that the Indians could not even mount a real threat. The issue on the night for the Indians was just getting people into scoring position. Despite eight hits and two walks (five of the hits and both walks came against Elias), the Indians only twice batted with a runner past first base.
Both times there was a RISP, Nick Swisher was the batter.
The first inning saw Ryan Raburn reach first thanks to an error by Brad Miller that also allowed Carlos Santana to advance to third. Alas, Swisher hit a high but short pop fly to Austin Jackson.
In the third inning, Elias granted Raburn a free pass to first base via walk, moving Michael Brantley up to second with just one out. Swisher promptly smashed a hard grounder to Seager who started a lazy 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Key Moment Scorecard:
Seattle Mariners: 2
Cleveland Indians: 0
Old Friends; Help or Haunt
It is strange to remember all of the trading that the Indians and Mariners used to do and not see any former Indians players on the field with he Mariners. Perhaps Seattle grew tired of giving the Indians their underrated prospects in exchange for overrated veterans.
The Nine
Warning: you are entering a Little Mermaid-related pun zone.
Jason Kipnis: We needed Kipnis to be King Triton on Tuesday. Instead, he played more like Scuttle in that he wanted to help, had the capacity to help, and tried to help, but it just did not work out. Those hard ground balls that were finding the holes in May found defenders in this game.
Carlos Santana: One of the rarest events known to mankind happened on Tuesday: A one-pitch Carlos Santana at bat. It happened in the seventh inning when he popped out to Robinson Cano. Might as well have seen a mermaid.
Michael Brantley: In the seventh inning, Brantley was called out as his foot hit the bag just before the ball went into the glove, which the umpires held up on replay. The call did not go to the runner despite the replays showing that it was tide, and Tito tanked in his attempts angling his case.
Ryan Raburn: I would rudder that the Indians only have him hit in the designated hitter slot, especially as I do not sea a reason to continue giving Nick Swisher plate appearances right now.
Nick Swisher: Let us just say that he floundered in the biggest moments on the night.
Yan Gomes: It was great to see a flash of the Silver Slugger Award winning hitter shine through, but Gomes’ two home runs were not enough to keep the Indians’ head above water Tuesday.
Brandon Moss: He had a pretty non-descript night. So, might as well just put the best song from Little Mermaid here.
Giovanny Urshela: Poor, unfortunate souls are those that hit the ball anywhere near third base as Mark Trumbo and Mike Zunino did in the sixth inning.
Michael Bourn: Bourn pinch hit for Urshela in the ninth inning and singled up the middle. However, desperately needing a run and having a relatively inept offense on the night, Bourn stayed on first base as David Murphy and Jason Kipnis ended the game. If there was a time to steal second and put some pressure on the Mariners and closer Carson Smith, then that was the moment. But, did he? I don’t sink so.
Mike Aviles: He recovered from a tough start when he bobbled the surefire double play ball to have a good night in the field the rest of the way. Hard to complain too much about a 1-for-3 outing, and he never really was up in a big situation (as Terry Francona subbed in David Murphy for him in the ninth).
David Murphy: He came in to pinch hit in a huge situation and got the good piece of the bat on the ball. Unfortunately, Austin Jackson is a good defensive center fielder and the loud contact made for a meek exit. Okay, I whale stop the puns now.
The Arms
Corey Kluber:.Mostly covered above. Kluber pitched a solid game, but solid wasn’t enough for the Indians Tuesday night.
Nick Hagadone: Brutal appearance for Hagadone as Kyle Seager and Seth Smith hit frozen ropes into the outfield after a Dustin Ackley walk.
Zach McAllister: McAllister limited the Hagadone damage by getting Trumbo to line out to Jason Kipnis before Brad Miller hit into 6-3 double play. He did well in the ninth inning as well before he was pulled after Austin Jackson used a nine pitch at bat to finally break through with a single.
Marc Rzepczynski: Scrabble came in to face Robinson Cano with a man on base and the Indians down a pair of runs. After Cano fouled off his first two pitches, Rzepcyznski was able to get Cano swinging for the last Mariner out of the game.
11 Comments
Hahaha… Little Mermaid puns? Cheers to you, sir. Jeers to the Tribe bats.
Poor Kluber such a waste, again.
Honestly, a better defense picks him up, but he wasn’t his normal self either. The Mariners (like the Royals last game) were getting better contact than we are used to seeing a team get off of Kluber and he also wasn’t striking out batters this game.
4SO:3BB is not a Kluber game.
But, it sure would have been nice for the offense (and/or defense) to have picked him up in a game where he struggled some considering some of those great efforts that were spoiled in past games.
Other then a couple starts has Kluber been his normal self all year? Regardless as you said he was still good enough for a win if his teammates would pick him up.
Other than defensive-aided ERA, Kluber has been as good this year as he was last year.
I’ll take your word for it I saw some games, granted they were in April and start of May, where he looked to be struggling. He bounced back had that stretch where he was lights out which I say “normalized” his numbers but that’s just my opinion.
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I am tired of this team.
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It would be easier if the good things weren’t so obvious. That golden ring is out there “if they can just put it together.”
They have proven time and again this season that they just cannot take that step. Yesterday’s horrible performance is just more and more of the same.