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August 21, 2015Nike’s latest LeBron 12 Low pays homage to the Philippines
August 21, 2015Josh Tomlin earned his first victory since last August as the Cleveland Indians kicked off a four-game weekend series in the Bronx with a 3-2 win over those delightful underdog scamps, the New York Yankees. The Indians (56-64) nearly took a page out of the Cleveland Browns playbook by blowing a lead hilariously in the final moments, but closer Cody Allen was able to tap dance out of yet another ninth-inning jam to ensure a W for “The Little Cowboy.” The Yanks (67-53) remain 1.5 ahead of Toronto for first place in the AL East, while the Indians are [mumbles under breath].
Ballad of The Little Cowboy
A year’d gone by since they’d last heard his name
The Little Cowboy from Texas with the long stringy mane.
He wasn’t the fastest gun in the West, nor the Central nor East
But his WHIP was always steady and his aim was good, at least.
Despite his moniker, they say, he stood a proud six feet one
His balls were even taller and his guile weighed a ton.
With all the charm and cunning of a seasoned casanova
He’d captivated Cleveland like a redneck Dellavedova.
In his gang of five, the Little Cowboy was the smartest
If Kluber was a robot, Lil’ Tomlin was an artist.
He taught Cookie not to crumble and gave Salazar his power
He even devised a warm-up plan approved by Trevor Bauer.
Yes, the Little Cowboy could cough up a homer or two
But he also sometimes didn’t– and he throws as hard as you!
That’s why hopes were high in the desert this spring
The Little Cowboy was back and the goal was a ring.
What happened instead was some buckshot in the shoulder
He was under the knife again and only getting older.
Back in Cleveland, his posse was down to four men
Though they tried out a Marcum, a House, and a Chen.
With each one who stepped in, so too did he fall
There was only one answer, one man to recall.
“The Little Cowboy!” we sang. “At last, he’s returned to us!”
And then Josh Tomlin tipped his cap and struck out Didi Gregorius.
C-Cap Recap Custom Box Score
August 20, 2015
Indians 3, Yankees 2
Green Highlight (as in “Great”): With trimmed locks and a new determination, Josh Tomlin is back in the hunt for the fifth spot in the rotation. It is a position he’s held on numerous occasions over the past SIX years, but has never quite been able to take full ownership. And, while a phenomenal outing like this one certainly helps his cause (he only allowed an “A-Bomb… by A-Rod!!” in seven innings of work), we’ve seen flashes of this brilliance from Tomlin before. Last year, he twirled an incredible one-hit, 11-K shutout against Seattle, then allowed six homeruns in his next 20 innings of work. Now 30 years old and married with a newborn daughter, it’s possible that The Little Cowboy will raise his game one more notch beyond the impressive over-achievement bar he’s already set (we are talking about a 19th round pick, after all). He’s arbitration eligible next year, and there seems to be a job for him here; if he’s able to earn his keep. No small advantage is the fact that Francona, the front office, and apparently everyone that knows Tomlin seems to root for him. Maybe it’s watching a guy embarrass hitters with an 88mph fastball that makes Tomlin such a relatable character. Or, it might be his legendary collection of taxidermy’d animal heads. Take your pick.
Yellow Highlight (as in “Almost Green”): Jason Kipnis locked back in with three hits and a run scored as the Indians managed to manufacture just enough production against Yankee starter Ivan Nova to hold up. A look at the up-to-date AL batting race reveals that, while scoreboard watching may serve no point for us going forward, boxscore watching might be fun, as Jason and the red hot Michael Brantley (who had two more hits tonight himself) could very well tangle head-to-head for the crown.
1. Jason Kipnis, CLE: .325
2. Prince Fielder, TEX: .321
3. Nelson Cruz, SEA: .320
4. Michael Brantley, CLE: .319
5. Eric Hosmer, KC: .315.
Only ten qualifying players in the American League are hitting .300. If you’re wondering why the seemingly helpless Cleveland offense actually ranks in the middle of the pack in the AL in hitting, blame the exploits of Kipnis and Brantley for skewing the picture.
Red Highlight (as in “Stop, You’re Bad”): Only Seattle’s Fernando Rodney has given up more runs than Cody Allen in the ninth inning or later this season, and he was up to his old tricks again tonight, entering a 3-1 game only to wind up putting the winning run in scoring position. Yes, Carlos Santana bobbled a double play ball that might have made things less exciting for the tiny percentage of Yankee fans who hung around, but Allen also let A-Rod swipe a bag off him, so it was an ugly inning from every angle. In the end, Cody was able to get Didi Gregorius to fly out to left with runners on second and third and two outs to earn save no. 24. But, the Tribe closer’s ERA is 6.94 since the All-Star Break.
2 Comments
We suck, but we sure seem to have the Yankees number this year.
I almost didn’t recognize Tomlin with his new haircut but man does he look tiny on the pitchers mound.