MLB News: Jason Kipnis doubles home a run in AL’s 3-0 win
July 17, 2013Indians All-Star Break Review: The Bullpen
July 17, 2013“While We’re Waiting” serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“Is the city still scarred from the 2012 performance? This year the Tribe had an equally big series with Detroit and the first game was played in front of a sold out crowd of 40,167 and the Indians were shut out 7-0. The Tigers flexed their muscles in the four game series taking 3 out of 4 leading many (based on Twitter, Facebook, blogosphere comments) to chirp in that the season was over and the Indians should trade whatever pieces they have remaining and begin looking toward 2014.
A funny thing happened after the Tigers series. Instead of folding like a cheap tent and wallowing in self-pity the Indians picked themselves up off the carpet and won 5 out of 6 against the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.” [Kinsella/Wahoos on First]
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“Besides Bennett and No. 19 overall pick Sergey Karasev, the Cavs also spent the No. 33 pick on Carrick Felix. While demonstrating the potential to earn a role as a defender and board-crashing rebounder from the small forward position, Felix has been impressive thus far.
Besides that one critical basket I mentioned earlier, he only scored two other points on Monday to be fair. But his money and roster spot will be earned in this league on the defensive end and he knows it.” [Bowers/Stepien Rules]
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“Of the remaining 21 series, 15 are against teams with losing records — and more than half of those 15 are against teams that have not even won 40 games (Minnesota three times, the White Sox three times, Miami and Houston).
Clearly the toughest stretch — with records heading into Sunday’s game considered — is a nine-game stretch from Aug. 27 through Sept. 4 when the Indians play three in Atlanta, three in Detroit and three at home against Baltimore. But after that Orioles game Sept. 4, Cleveland does not have a single game against a winner.” [McManamon/FSO]
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“If it weren’t for Meyer’s Gators in 2006; if it weren’t for the statement game and the politicking and controversy that came with it, the balance of power in college football may not have shifted to the SEC. The seven-game championship run— the one number that has consumed the sport and defined the BCS era—might be half that.
“Certainly, the benefit of the doubt has been a factor,” says LSU coach Les Miles.
That’s because Meyer’s Gators in 2006 were given an opportunity and seized the ever-loving controversy out of it. By the end of the BCS National Championship Game, Florida had dismantled double-digit favorite Ohio State so thoroughly in a 41-14 rout, the collateral damage still is being felt.” [Hayes/Sporting News]
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Finally, a really interesting look at getting ‘value’ in the NBA draft. [Levy/Hickory High]
9 Comments
Way to be, MLB scheduling. While ours and Detroit’s September schedule is AL-Central-Packed… we have 6 vs KC, 6 vs CWS, 4 vs. MIN, and only ONE (Sept 1) vs Detroit. Obviously, they have a similar schedule down the stretch, playing the three “non-contending” AL Central teams 15 times.
with how we have done against them, do you really want a different schedule?
Speaking of this year’s Cavs’ draft picks, it’s stuff like this (and word that Tristan is again working his butt off to improve his offensive game) that gives me maybe an irrational like of Chris Grant. If his picks ultimately don’t work out, it won’t be for lack of preparation, or because of a draft day panic when he should have trusted his own instincts. From Dave Rice, Anthony Bennett’s college coach:
“I’ve done this for a long time. Whether it was as a player at UNLV or as an assistant coach at UNLV, or being at BYU with Jimmer Fredette,
now here the past two years, there’s no doubt that the Cavaliers were
as thorough as any process I’ve ever seen. And they were at a number of
practices, a number of games, and after the season they came out for a
few days. They did a lot of work with various support staff people and
the staff and so forth. They knew exactly what they were doing and I
have a lot of confidence in Chris Grant and David Griffin and the
process that they used to come to their decision.”
http://www.fearthesword.com/2013/7/16/4529930/anthony-bennetts-cleveland-cavaliers-UNLV-head-coach-dave-ric
True. It will come down to who can win the games in September that they are supposed to win against teams they are supposed to beat.
if you’re talking about winning the division, it will come down to when/if Detroit decides to play with intent. They have so much more talent they should be 8 games up. Last year they hit the accelerator in September and erased the Sox. They’re playing a dangerous game by letting us hang around, but if they stay healthy we’re looking at a wild card shot.
and we have done a much, much better job than Detroit at winning the games we are supposed to win.
yes. we have now heard the same from Syracuse coaches (last year), Calipari (this year when discussing Noel), and several others. we apparently get all in their stuff all year to really assess things. we’ll still make mistakes, but it sure seems like we have a wealth of info on the table.
I really couldn’t figure out why Calipari made it a point before the draft to chirp about how Grant had done better due diligence on Noel than anyone. Since we had the #1 overall pick, that implied if Grant passed it was with good reason. Maybe it was Calipari as sales animal, always closing the deal, even when it’s better for him to shut up.
As a few of the recent Indians teams have shown, you can have 90+ win talent, but you have to have a back end of the bullpen that can finish off the wins or all that talent is seriously curtailed.