Ball Played: Sorry, but I still love these guys

Terry Francona spent Tuesday with his good friend John Farrell¹. The two began a friendship in 1988 as members of the Cleveland Indians, one which has continued over the years. So, when John Farrell, now the manager of the Boston Red Sox, was diagnosed with Stage 1 lymphoma and his first chemotherapy session happened to coincide with a game against Tito’s Cleveland Indians in Boston, it was just natural that Francona would be there for his friend. Where else would Francona be? For those that have followed Francona it seems as obvious as him being in the dugout on Tuesday night for the Indians 8-2 win over the Red Sox.

And, facing the mortality of a friend (and his own) in order to be there for a show of support is just another reason in the growing cavalcade of reasons to love this Cleveland Indians team. I understand that the team has had a disappointing record and season. I understand that the season started with the defense and bullpen falling apart only to flail with a struggling offense once those issues were rectified. This season does not appear to be THE season by any stretch of the imagination.

However, I constantly feel myself apologizing for loving this team anyway. So, let me formally apologize. I am sorry. I am sorry that despite the frustrations, despite the inconsistencies, despite the wasted pitching gems, despite the inability to hit with the bases loaded (or with RISP for most of the year), despite some of the worst cluster luck we have seen on offense², despite a 7-14 April, despite opening the season with four players who should only DH being forced to play in the field, despite getting our hopes up with a few winning streaks only to crush them just when we might get back into the race, I still love this team.

I love the Jerry Kipnis show. I love Mike Aviles parking Jose Ramirez’s car on the Goodyear ballpark dirt. I love that the team read “Mean Tweets” and the locker room depiction demonstrated that they all shirts of their teammates from the Cleveland T-Shirt economy. I love that the team risked the heart issues that Carlos Carrasco had in the offseason to sign him to a long-term deal anyway. I love that Carrasco fought through being demoted to the bullpen a year ago, regained his footing as a starter, battled those heart issues (twice as they reoccurred in the spring), and acted like taking a line drive off his jawbone was a minor issue (returned in a week!).

I love that the players had a painter create a portrait for Corey Kluber to celebrate his 2014 Cy Young Award. I love that Kluber attacked Michael Brantley with a super-soaker after his walk-off win last week. I love that Francisco Lindor (and Giovanny Urshela) have provided the youthful positive energy since their call up. And, I love that Jose Ramirez and Lonnie Chisenhall rallied around their demotions to Triple-A Columbus to better themselves as ballplayers and have thrived since rejoining the Indians. Heck, I love Lonnie Chisenhall and Carlos Santana when it seems (at times) that few other fans appreciate them. And, there are plenty more instances that I have loved this season from one of the most lovable teams that I can remember having had the honor of following.

But, yes, more than all of the other reasons to love this team, the one that shines brightest is how the team has supported the Aviles family through their troubling season. And, no matter how many times it has been brought up and highlighted on these and other pages, it cannot be said enough. It would have been enough for the team and players to quietly be there for Mike Aviles, to lend and ear when needed and move on with their professional lives. No one would have said otherwise. However, shaving their heads (including the owner, Paul Dolan), wearing T-shirts, giving Aviles multiple Family Emergency periods off from the team, refusing to trade him, and even making sure that the Aviles girls were the center of the baseball world for their first pitch. Adriana Aviles was not “handled delicately” by the team, she was handled lovingly.

Keys of the Game

Curse of the random rookie starter:

For the first three and one third innings, it appeared that the curse of the random rookie starter would rear its ugly head as it took until the second batter in the fourth inning for the Indians to achieve their first hit on Tuesday.

Not that the first three innings were without theatrics. The Indians managed to have Jose Ramirez (walk), Francisco Lindor (error), and Michael Brantley (fielder’s choice) each reach the bases. And, each attempted to be aggressive early by stealing second base on Ryan Hanigan. Only Lindor was caught in his attempt. Unfortunately though, the Indians could not manage to score a run as Ramirez was caught at home, and Carlos Santana struck out to end the inning.

However, the longest previous 2015 outing for Boston starter Matt Barnes was three and one third innings. And, at exactly that point on Tuesday, things fell apart for him against the Indians. Five of the next six Cleveland hitters would reach base, and even the out would score a run.

Michael Brantley began the outburst with a double to right field. Carlos Santana kept Jackie Bradley Jr. busy by hitting a single to him that moved Brantley over to third base. And then, Abraham Almonte bunted, except he did so well enough (just between Barnes and Brock Holt charging from second base) that he was able to reach safely and score Brantley from third.

Yan Gomes walked to setup the scariest of 2015 Indians situations. The bases were loaded. So, Lonnie Chisenhall fixed it by drilling a double off of the green monster in left field (Santana and Almonte scored). As noted, things were going so well that even when Jerry Sands grounded out, it was to first base allowing Gomes to score and Chisenhall to move over to third. Therefore, when Mike Aviles pushed the last hit of the inning into left field, Chisenhall was able to come home for the fifth run.

Feats of Strength:

An inning before the Indians run-scoring outburst, Travis Shaw took a Carlos Carrasco pitch, wrapped it up, and gave it to some lucky fans just beyond the right outfield wall as a gift directly off of his bat.

As WFNY’s Andrew Clayman noted on Monday, the Indians have not had much in the way of pure power bats to respond to such a demonstration of power. However, on Tuesday, they did anyway.

Carlos Santana leads the American League in walks partially due to his finely developed batting eye, but also due to his patience at the plate. On Tuesday, Santana eschewed that patience in the third inning by hitting the first pitch he saw for a single. In the fifth inning, Santana took the first Matt Barnes pitch he saw and deposited it in the Red Sox bullpen for a home run.

Lonnie Chisenhall apparently wanted to ensure the Indians won all categories as he sent a high fly ball that kept sailing and sailing until it too went past that right field wall. Bradley attempted to hurdle the wall and steal the home run, but he could not quite navigate the field obstacles in time to locate the ball.

Danny Salazar, just another excellent start:

Salazar pitched seven innings, gave up just a solo shot to Travis Shaw. Only four other Red Sox hitters reached base against Salazar (total of four hits and a walk), and he was in complete control throughout.

Here are the instances that the Red Sox even managed to reach second base against Salazar:
Brock Holt doubled with two outs in the sixth inning.
Hanley Ramirez doubled with one out in the seventh inning.

In both instances, Salazar immediately induced a harmless pop fly out (and in the seventh also then struck out Travis Shaw to end the frame).

It was such a dominating performance that it deserves its own standalone write-up (teaser!).

Bullpen:

Bryan ended a string of three straight outings where he had given up a run³ by pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

Cody Allen did not look sharp (two hits, one walk, one wild pitch) and gave up his first run since blowing the August 5 save against the Los Angeles Angels, but it did not matter as the Indians had built such a sizeable lead.

Key Scorecard:

Boston Red Sox: 0
Cleveland Indians: 4

The Numbers

There are some good things and some bad things that came out of this game, here they are in numerical format

1 minute, 59 seconds

The Cleveland Indians are not the only sport organization that has a heart. The Boston Red Sox had 14 year old Christopher Duffey perform the national anthem before the game on behalf of Autism Speaks. Despite running a bit longer than his preferred time, I think that Dr. Z would have been just fine with this rendition.

Only Fernando Rodney has given up more runs in the 9th inning or later than Cody Allen

Most Runs Allowed in 9th Inning or Later This Season: Fernando Rodney, 22; Cody Allen, 20; Luke Gregerson, 19; Brad Boxberger, 17.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 18, 2015

Some positive signs by the Indians in the 2nd half

When one sees Salazar(4-2, 1.45 last 7 GS), Indians starters(2.67 in 19 GS) and Brantley(.378/453/.588 since July 7) the spring hype was OK

— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) August 18, 2015

Lindor kid pretty good at defense

*notices Lindor is already at 6 Defensive Runs Saved*

*wonders last Indians SS to have that many*

"oh." pic.twitter.com/iXKcwxthE1

— August Fagerstrom (@AugustFG_) August 16, 2015

1. As reported by Ian Browne of MLB.com [↩]
2. Offense having hits spread out instead of clustered together [↩]
3. five runs given up in three innings pitched [↩]