Indians’ Carrasco to miss 4-to-6 weeks; Brantley activated
April 25, 2016Hue Jackson has diamond in the rough at QB in draft
April 25, 2016Well, the Cleveland Indians finally made it to Detroit and I had the best tickets you can have—for the first plane out of town! (cymbal crash) Anyway, it’s easy to believe in other teams. Sooner or later, you gotta believe in your team too, because that’s what being a fan is. You have to try. The Indians are AMAZING! They give people the greatest gift that can ever be given! No, not children. Uh, not ice cream either. Yes: Sweeping the Detroit Tigers in Comerica Park while the Cavs are simultaneously sweeping the Pistons out of the NBA Playoffs. The third greatest gift ever!1 And by the way, MLB has an opening in October. Sure, it’s six months away, but I once waited a whole year for October.
As for Detroit, I’m gonna shoot straight: You Detroit guys aren’t contenders anymore. I know you wish I shot a little more curvy, but it is what it is. Is this over-reacting to a three-game Indians (9-7) sweep of the Tigers (8-9) in an April showdown? Of course it is, but it is also fun to allow yourself to enjoy the sweep as the Indians have already bested their 2015 April win total by two games.2
On a serious and sentimental note, someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection.3 The lovers, the dreamers, and me. See, the Indians series with the Tigers meant a reunion for utility-man Mike Aviles with many of the staff and players who helped him through possibly the most difficult year of his life. Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal details the story on the Aviles family hearing the best news they could hear this past December and how strong their little Adriana has been through it all. A great read.4 Life’s like a movie, write your own ending…keep believing, keep pretending; we’ve done just what we’ve set out to do, thanks to the lovers, the dreamers, and you!
An Indians sweep over the Tigers in Motown is rare. The last time it happened before this weekend was August 25-27, 2008.
— Josh Poloha (@JorshP) April 24, 2016
Game 1, Friday: Indians 2, Tigers 1
The story of the game was moving the struggling Carlos Santana into the leadoff position in the lineup. What? Tito hit Carlos Santana leadoff? That’s illegal! I mean what’s more illegal, confusing the Santana-haters or putting a player with a high on base percentage coupled with exceptional baserunning (both stolen bases and taking the extra base any time he can) in a table-setter position? Hitting Carlos Santana leadoff, of course! Hmm, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say I was reciting some sort of important plot point. Well, I hope so otherwise I would’ve bored half the readers to death. Though, at least that would mean half the readers would still be alive.5
Wow, that was an expensive looking explosion! I can’t believe we had that in the budget.
https://vine.co/v/iUWgvUr2d3L
Sorry, Jason Kipinis and Rajai Davis, but you’ve been replaced…Permanently! Oh, yeah. Carlos Santana has grown into his role as the leadoff batter and no amount of terrifying cheap-shot karate pork chops is going to change it. Besides hitting a home run in his first ever leadoff at bat (bases empty for the glass half-empty crowd), he roped a double later in the game. For the weekend, Santana went 4-for-15 with three of those hits going for extra bases. In a surprise twist, despite working several counts, he did not walk.
Muppet News Flash! Josh Tomlin might as well be Rizzo the Rat for as great as he has been, his story is overshadowed at every turn. On Friday, the Santana blast gave him a one-run cushion. Justin Verlander controlled the Indians hitters except for a Marlon Byrd seventh inning home run, but Tomlin ensured the Indians score would hold up by allowing a meager four hits, one run and doing so on an efficient 85 pitches in 6.2 IP. This performance leapfrogged Tomlin into the fourth best starter on the Indians, one place ahead of the mysterious Cody Anderson. And, of course, such placement would be near the top of any other rotation in the American League.
Game 2, Saturday: Indians 10, Tigers 1
There’s only one guy in this world who can save us! There’s only one ballplayer who can restore order, bring justice, and set things right. Yes, I am talking about Corey Kluber. Yaa da curvin’ ball is…[strikes out batter] 3D! Da ball is curving in your face inna…[throws another strikeout] 3-D! In all, Kluber threw a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts, zero walks, and one run allowed. A completely dominating Klubot performance that would have held up with any semblence of run support.
https://vine.co/v/iU6XeMeVdQJ
Now, the offense had to embark on a potentially dangerous mission. There could be physical violence, there could be bat flips, and there is the slightest chance that somebody might even get beaned. In most Kluber starts, everybody would start begging out immediately. But, this game had to be won! We don’t want the Tigers to win. We gotta do this f-f-for justice! For freedom! For honesty! So, all nine batters recorded a hit with six of them reaching base safetly at least twice. Yan Gomes went 3-for-5 with five RBIs to lead the prolific output that saw Kluber have a 3-0 lead before he hit the mound and 8-0 lead before the Tigers saw their seventh batter step into the batter’s box. The game ended 10-1, but it felt 100-1.
For the season now, the Indians have the 11th best wRC+ (102) despite being 15th in batting average (.249), 17th in OBP (.313), and 18th in isolated power (.148). There is certainly room for improvement, but the offense has been manageable through the first month of the season.
Context on Kluber's 22 career 10K+ starts:
Verlander: 30 10K+ starts out of 322 career GS (9%)
Kluber: 22 in 106 career GS (21%)
— Joel Hammond (@joelhammond) April 24, 2016
Game 3, Sunday: Indians 6, Tigers 3
The show’s over! Indians sweep! The Tigers might have felt that they were thisclose on Sunday, but better inspection reveals they were nowhere close at all. Maybe that might make them feel better. Despite Carlos Carrasco leaving in the third inning with what looked to be a bad hamstring injury, the Indians scored enough to compensate for the 23rd ranked MLB bullpen pitching most of the game.
Despite needing to warm up on short notice, Trevor Bauer pitched admirably. He did give up two runs on four hits in 3 1/3 IP, but he also struck out four while only allowing a solitary walk. Bauer is going through a coming of age season. When he decides what his Big Dream is, he’ll be bursting with enthusiasm and want to share it with everybody. Most everybody will give him one of those ‘OK, that’s nice, now please pass the ketchup’ looks. Some will scoff, suggesting it’s too big. And, a select few will whisper words of encouragement. My advice is this: Pass the ketchup. Ignore the scoffers. And, remember those words of encouragement ‘cause they’re the only ones that matter.
Bryan Shaw continued his struggles, though, as he almost gave the game away the offense had tied up neatly with a bow. Sigh, Shaw, why do you always have to be so over dramatic about things, you know, it leaves me no choice but to do write that’ll hurt you? Although Shaw hadn’t given up a run in his last three apperances coming into Sunday, his outings were filled with drama. The drama continued on Sunday, but the scoreless inning streak ended at three innings when Victor Martinez drilled a double.
Thankfully, for Shaw, most people will remember a move that harkens back to Tigers first base coach, Omar Vizquel, and his tiff against the Seattle Mariners Arthur Rhoade’s diamond earrings in his playing days with the Tribe. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus threw a fit (twice!) about a foreign object on Shaw’s left hand. What was the object? Shaw’s wedding band. The psychological warfare did the trick, as Shaw walked the bases loaded before Jeff Manship saved the day by inducing a foul ball fly to end the inning. Regardless, Ausmus proved to be a Muppet of a man.
Sequencing is key, though believed to be statistically uncontrollable. Well, the Indians had it going again on Sunday as Jason Kipnis (2-for-5), Francisco Lindor (3-for-4, plus a walk), Jose Ramirez (2-for-5), and Marlon Byrd (2-for-3, plus a walk) all kept the line moving, while Tyler Naquin and Juan Uribe each picked the best possible time for their lone hit. By the end of the day, Santana was the only starter to have not reached base safely.
Obligator Francisco Lindor highlights
Everybody’s favorite new section. The Francisco Lindor amazing highlights. Yaaaaaaaayyyyyyy!!!!
https://vine.co/v/iU6rYTLguuK
https://vine.co/v/iU665idVE0t
It’s a wrap
You know, eh, I think they did it. Yes, they did, and we can pin it. If they did it, how did they do it? If they didn’t, they woulda blew it! And with nothing I can prove it!… Excuse me.
Listen Detroit, you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. And you know why? Well because, thanks to Brad Ausmus, you tried. And, if you failed, you failed together and to me that’s not failing at all. And, I don’t care what anybody says, I don’t care if no one believes in you because…I believe. I believe in you, Justin Upton. And you, Justin Verlander. And you, Justin..err, J.D. Martinez. You know what’s important isn’t this building or name, it’s each other. So I say fine, start from the bottom and work your way back up to the top. Walk out through Comerica’s doors with your heads held up high as a family because that’s what you are.
Just kidding…you totally failed. Maniacal laugh…maniacal laugh…
Cha-cha-cha! Thank you. We’ll be back in all season.
- it’s time to start the music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to meet the Muppets and use their quotes tonight! Bum, bum, bum. [↩]
- Indians were 7-14 in April 2015 [↩]
- Where rainbow connection = cure for cancer [↩]
- and demonstrating why having beat reporters are a valuable part of the game, even if away games cost more money. [↩]
- If you don’t love Statler and Waldorf, then I don’t know what to say to you. [↩]
31 Comments
Improving our record against the Central, a winning April, what what?! Nice stuff.
It’s a pity Cookie’s injury put a big damper on the series. Time to step up Trevor. Time to wake up Mr. Anderson.
Calling Mr. Clevinger. Oh, Mr. Clevinger with hair like Syndergaard. Are you ready for your moment?
Alternate Title: The Indians afraid to mess with the optimist mentality of Dad Bode.
The 4-Boding prediction: Must go 5-2. Will Bode and Dad Bode be right? Will I be paying for Indians baseball after May? Most importantly, how will they ever play 7 games when there are only 5 left in the month?? (Do we downwardly adjust the 4-Boding to 13-8?) These are all questions that demand answers.
My faith in Bauer is fleeting. We gonna see Clevinger soon?
My lawd…look at those flowing locks….like a ladies’ shampoo commercial. Hopefully he’s more Snydergaard and less Jay from Mallrats.
I don’t get the narrative behind this story. Is it a Muppets thing or something? I was confused.
I am now relegated to watching on the MLB At-Bat app. We are slightly under .500 when I watch in person or on TV. Sunday I was on my app and flipped over to the TV just in time to see Cookie wreck his hamstring. I am super jix.
I bit the bullet for the MLB package…I’m already in (and can blame Bode). Had a convo with the wife last night when she asked me about all of our subscriptions. MLB package on top of Sunday Ticket, HBO Go, Hulu, Netflix, etc. It is getting a little much. But I mean a guy’s got to watch the Tribe sweep and then nightcap it with Game of Thrones, amiright?
Oh and since Carlos absolutely WENT OFF the day after I declared him the worst player in any professional sport… I am going to declare him the worst… um… hmmm… the worst Indian to wear the uniform in team history.
He looked ready in ST. He’s had some control issues early on in C-Bus, but that arm is electric.
I mean, you’re an American, right?
We dropped both the Sunday Ticket and Extra Innings this year, but then picked up Amazon Prime. I can re-sell Mrs. Owen (not her real name) on Extra Innings. Sunday Ticket will be much harder. This is partly why I need the Browns to go 0-16 – simply to remove all temptation and potential for introducing the first ever fight in our 16 years of wedded bliss (not a real statistic).
I had said 14-10, but we lost a games to postponement. I think the only fair thing to do is to extend it into May. I said a 14-10 start, and I am sticking to it.
You might want to check your math though. 9-7 needs only 5-3 to get to 14-10.
I am fully in support of utilizing myself as the whipping post to keep your marriage blissful.
I thought it was 14-9, but now that you mention it, 14-10 is right. Okay, we’ll keep it at a 14-10 start. You’ve got 5-3.
Yes, see footnote-1:
It’s time to start the music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to meet the Muppets and
use their quotes tonight! Bum, bum, bum.
Apologies you didn’t appreciate the Muppets theme. Like Santana, they are not for everyone, but those who enjoy them get a real treat.
Brent Lillibridge gets no respect.
I mean, I’m an optimist, but 14-9? Just totally different ballgame than 14-10.
🙂
just needs to get through first few innings and keep people off base
For more information on Clevinger, including a comment from his mom cutting down Garry_Owen in the comment thread, see:
https://waitingfornextyear.com/2016/01/will-michael-clevinger-be-the-next-indians-developed-ace/
Frankie FREAKING Lindor.
That kid loves baseball and I love him.
That looks like mine, plus WWE Network and I signed up for Netflix DVDs again.
Yeah 0-16 could actually be better for all of us. It’ll be freeing. We’ll be less angry, spend more time with the wife and kids, maybe finish up that novel we’ve been working on, give alms to the poor, help a stranded kitten, find a cure for a disease or two…
PS. No fights in 16 years?!?!?#?#$^%$&^jdslfadsjie#((#. Holy jeebus. Don’t jinx that no hitter buddy.
Ruh roh. Sorry Mrs. C. Your boy is perfect.
I loved the Muppets growing up, just been far too long since I have seen them. So blame lies with dear reader, not the author 🙂
By “not a real statistic,” I meant “this is an absolute lie.”
No worries at all. Apology was sincere as I know when I do these quote-recaps it will miss on those who aren’t fans of my movie-selections.
hope you all enjoyed your sweep at comerica … i did not ! i actually thought of MG when santana led off the game against verlander with a homerun.
GO TIGERS !!!
Well, that was certainly a sweep at least 5 years in the making. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting after that underwhelming 2-4 homestand. But if the Tribe is going to save its best for our AL Central rivals, this should be a fun year. I’m waiting for the White Sox to regress to the mean (they feasted on MIN during the first week of the season) and the Royals’ rotation to start dragging down their lineup and bullpen.
As for Detroit, it certainly looks like they’re on the downside. Miggy will presumably not be OPS’ing under .600 all season but unless Verlander and (especially) Sanchez regain their form quickly, they’re set to have one of the worst starting rotations in the American League.
Hope you guys help both of us out by beating KC and CWS some. I mean, someone has to beat those guys, right?
Those guys caught the Twins at the right time. Hopefully, the Tribe can feast a little bit more these next 3 days in Minny.
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