While We’re Waiting… Trick Shot Montage, Thoughts on Barnes and Starting Safeties
July 26, 2010It Will Get Lonely in Cavs Land
July 26, 2010I know we just finished losing two of three to Tampa, but if you weren’t paying attention this weekend (and judging by the attendance…), the Indians continued to play some decent baseball. And yesterday was no exception, despite the outcome.
After Justin Masterson sent the Rays down in order in the top of the first, the Indians jumped out in front on a Carlos Santana sac fly to score Michael Brantley. The top of the second started much the same way, with Masterson retiring both Carlos Pena and Matt Joyce on weak ground outs to second.
So with two down and nobody on, Justin Masterson decided to walk Willy Aybar, who is sporting a measly .305 OBP this season. This basically means that you have to pay Willy Aybar to take a walk. For comparison’s sake, Jhonny Peralta—he who has never seen a slider he doesn’t love—has a .310 OBP. And in case you’re wondering, two out walks are not a recipe for success. Indeed, John Jaso followed with a single, and then Reid Brignac homered to right to put the Rays up 3-1, just to drive the point home.
In all honesty, those three batters were the only blemish on an otherwise wonderful outing from Masterson. He went six and two thirds innings, and allowed only those three earned runs. He struck out five and walked only two. The Aybar walk, according to Acta, “was a lesson to be learned. With two outs, you have to smell blood and go right after the guy.”
While I’m not sure you have to actually be able to smell bodily fluids to be an effective pitcher, if you want to stay in the rotation, you do have to throw strikes to people like Willy Aybar. It’s just that simple.
The Rays would score another run—unearned, because of a Dandy Marte error in the fifth. Luckily for Marte, he made up for the error by striking out with men on second and third with one out a half inning prior. Wait. No, that’s the opposite of making up for an error. In fact, I think a rally killing strikeout followed by a run-causing error can now officially be called the “Dandy Marte.” He makes me pine for Jhonny Peralta; the same Jhonny Peralta I mocked for being bad at baseball three paragraphs ago. ‘Nuff said.
But we can’t pick on Dandy for too much longer, because he did contribute half of the RBIs on the day. In the second inning, Marte grounded out to short to score Travis Hafner, who had reached on a single that was hit softer than a “dying quail” but slightly harder than a “nubber.”
Which brings me to a whole nuther story. Guess who went 4-for-4 yesterday. Go ahead, guess. You’ll never get it. It was Travis Hafner! Granted, three of his hits were “seeing-eye singles” and the other was a soft double to the opposite field gap, but HE DIDN’T MAKE ANY OUTS! Do you know the last time Travis Hafner started a game and didn’t make any outs? Try April 20th. Of 2007. For serious, that’s a lot of stinkin’ outs.
Granted, as a whole, the Tribe offense was fairly anemic. Yes, Sharlos Chootana went 3 for 9, as the Indians scratched out 11 total hits. But with runners in scoring position the team was 1 for 10 and only managed one walk on the day. Or as Acta put it, “Offensively we were horrible.” Perhaps, but there were some signs of life, and 11 hits is something to build on.
Anyway, the Indians showed some life yesterday despite the loss. Let’s be honest: the 2010 Cleveland Indians should lose to the 2010 Tampa Bay Rays, and if you can’t accept that, then baseball just might not be for you. But some losses are easier to tolerate than others, because they can be fecund ground for development. If Masterson learned not to walk “hitters” like Aybar, if Brantley can keep opening games with a walk, if Choo can keep going two for five, if Santana keeps driving runners in, if Hafner can somehow not pop out in every at bat, then losses like yesterday’s become building blocks, rather than just another failure in an interminable season of pain.
And build we must, because A-Rod’s coming to town tonight in search of his 600th home run. And ESPN will follow him here, breaking in on regularly scheduled programming (reruns of “The Decision”?) to televise every Rodriguez at bat. So in a way, Cleveland will become something of a national stage, where most onlookers will be rooting against us. Here’s to hoping they leave unsatisfied.
One last note: the Indians announced that Josh Tomlin will be making the spot start against the Yankees on Tuesday to replace Aaron Laffey and his “tired shoulder.” Tomlin has been the Clippers’ best starting pitcher with a 2.68 ERA, and beat out both Carlos Carrasco and David Huff for the opportunity to pitch against the best offense in the Majors. Still, the decision was a slight surprise, considering Tomlin has not been seen as a legitimate prospect and is currently not a member of the 40-man roster. A 40-man move will be announced Tuesday to make room for Tomlin; Luis Valbuena’s still on the 40-man as a part-time player in Columbus. Just sayin.
Photo: Thomas Ondrey/Plain Dealer
10 Comments
Careful, man. There’s a beverage here.
I wish we could combine Jhonny Peralta and Andy Marte into one player and then designate him for assignment.
Sharlos Chootana is officially my new favorite Indian. I may even have to get a #417 jersey with Chootana on the back
Since we’re combining players, how about Jhonndy Maralte?
Gotta tell ya, today hasn’t started out as a good day for me, but there were a few lines in this that i laughed aloud at, so thanks for that.
And as for April 20th 2007 for Hafner, that seems crazy, I’d like to see how some of the other Indians players compare to that. For example take a look at Peralta and Sizemore, and maybe reach back into the past and look at Aaron Boone and Casey Blake, because I’m not sure if either of those guys ever had a no out game in their career.
Great article
Is this your homework Larry?
Oh my, that Dandy Marte paragraph was off of the charts funny.
Here’s to Cleveland not being on the other side of the record books again tonight.
If Carlos Santana were South Korean, he would only need his picture taken to complete his military service. Entire countries would surrender immediately upon seeing an army wearing his image.
Santana can throw an ICBM with that “rocket” of an arm.