“Happy Birthday” is back in the public domain: While We’re Waiting…
September 23, 2015Travis Benjamin wins AFC special teams player of the week
September 23, 2015Some of you are messed in the head. We’re 13 games from the postseason and some want to bail out. This is no longer an AL Wild Card race. It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun. You’re gonna have fun, and I’m gonna have fun…We’re all gonna have so much freaking fun we’re gonna need plastic surgery to remove our plastered on smiles!1
I mean sure, the Indians could have just not gone 7-14 in April and maybe even had a lead right now, but getting there is half the fun. And, yeah, we feel like a hundred dollars after the Cleveland Indians lost a frustratingly painful game to the Minnesota Twins 3-1 on Tuesday.
But, where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned race for October. No, no. We’re all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm baseball emergency here. We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the hap, hap, happiest October since Grady Sizemore and CC Sabathia nearly tap-danced us into the World Series!
Keys of the Game
The pitch that changed the season game:
Oh, the silent majesty of a September night… The clean, cool chill against the backdrop of a baseball game… An umpire with his chest protector, emptying a chemical toilet upon the game.
Here’s the deal. Danny Salazar was cruising. Twenty-two pitches in and the first eight Twin batters had gone directly back to the bench. Eduardo Escobar had managed to make his at bat a bit more difficult, but Salazar fooled him on the eighth pitch for what was obviously strike three. Except, a flute without holes is not a flute, and an obvious strike erroneously called a ball gave Escobar first base.2
The next batter was Aaron Hicks and he drove a deep fly ball into the gap in left-center field. Michael Brantley sprinted at full speed and laid out for the ball, which he caught firmly in his glove as his right (glove) shoulder crashed into the ground. Sadly, the ball popped out on contact with the unforgiving surface. Worse, Brantley injured his right shoulder and left the game after attempting to bat the next inning.3
And, to top it off, all three Twins runs were the result of the extended inning. Brantley’s drop became a Hicks triple scoring Escobar. Brian Dozier followed him up with a hustling double scoring Hicks. And, Joe Mauer closed the scoring for the Twins with his own hustle double in which he barely beat out the tag at second. Heck, Salazar only got out of the inning due to Francisco Lindor making an amazing diving stop and two-hop throw to end the inning.
So, if you want to walk up to the home plate umpire, look him straight in the eye and tell him what a blind, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey dung he is? Well, Hallelujah!
However, Danny needs to remember that two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a left. He needs to realize there’s a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball. Just be the ball, be the ball, be the ball. Danny was not being the ball after the bad call. And, I don’t give a frogs fat ass who went through what. We needed that last out.
Manship keeps hope alive: Apparently, returning to the confines of Minnesota reminded Jeff Manship of the pitcher he once was. Upon entering the game in the seventh inning, he immediately loaded the bases with zero outs. But, Manship busted out the real tomato ketchup. He is the gourmet after all. Miguel Sano went down swinging. Trevor Plouffe watched strike three. And, Carlos Santana tracked down an Eddie Rosario pop up to close out the inning. If Manship had nine lives, he may have spent ’em all.4
“Look kids! Big Ben, Parliament,”: It sure seems like we are on a roundabout without any way of exiting when it comes to Terry Francona’s late game strategy. On Tuesday, the Indians followed up Manship’s escape with Chris Johnson and Jose Ramirez singling to begin the eighth inning. We watch his team…We buy their jerseys, we go to the ballpark…he owes us. Doesn’t he owe us, huh? He owes the fans, right? I mean this isn’t Russia. Is this Russia? This isn’t Russia. So, if someone could please explain to me why a team needing two runs in a critical game is taking their leadoff batter and having him sacrifice bunt rather than attempt to go for a big scoring inning, then I’m listening. And, if someone can also explain why a batter with a MLB career OPS+ of 34 (100 is average) due to a .186/.234/.255 slash line is taking one of the most important plate appearances of the season, then I’d love to listen to that explanation as well.5
Don’t believe me? Well, here is what a few others have been saying about it:
I'm salty because for as much as I respect Francona, his managing and lineup decisions the last two weeks have cost this team.
— Indians Baseball Insider (@Official_IBI) September 23, 2015
Michael Martinez AB (-23, 2 outs, t8, down 3-1) was team's 8th-highest leverage AB of the year, according to BR
Martinez: career .492 OPS
— August Fagerstrom (@AugustFG_) September 23, 2015
Ive said it a million times this season, Tito is A+ with the players, C- on the field.
— T.D. Dery (@TD1TribeKU) September 23, 2015
The Indians would get one final shot in the game after Yan Gomes doubled with two outs in the ninth inning. Unfortunately, Abraham Almonte struck out swinging.
Russell Branyan: Hey man, there was no reason for you to bring me into this recap. I haven’t lost a game for the Indians in years.
Me: Nothing to be proud of Russ…
Russell Branyan: What are you even talking about? You are making up this entire conversation.
Me: Hey, you can’t prove that Russ.
Russell Branyan: Whatever man. I’m going to see if whoever Seattle hires at GM needs a slightly-older big-swinging left-handed batter with 194 career home runs.
Me: Good talk, Russ.
Elsewhere in Major League Baseball
For now, there are other games that directly affect the hopes of an extended October for the Cleveland Indians. Here they are:
Texas Rangers 8, Oakland Athletics 6
Currently, neither team directly affects the Indians. However, the Athletics play the Los Angeles Angels starting on September 28. And, the Texas Rangers play both the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels before the season ends. It would be beneficial if the Athletics could win at least one of the two remaining games in this series to ensure that the Rangers have enough motivation going into the Houston Astros series on Friday.
Los Angeles Angels 4, Houston Astros 3
Due to the AL Wild Card leading Astros losing on Tuesday, the Indians remain four and a half games back in the Wild Card race. At this point, the Indians really could use wins in the last two games in the series with the Twins coupled with an Angels win over the Astros on Wednesday. Such a scenario would put the Indians three games back of the Astros and pull all four teams closer together for the season’s final push.
On the Detroit Tigers sending away
It is a smart move, but a dirty move. The Detroit Tigers sent Bruce Rondon away from the team citing “effort issues.” Of course, these effort issues did not show up until the Tigers are attempting to remain with one of the 10 worst records in MLB that will guarantee them a protected pick for the MLB Amateur draft.6
Rondon had a 6.85 ERA entering September. In September, his ERA had dropped to 3.12.
- Oh, by the way, you might notice a few Chevy Chase quotes work their way into this recap. Enjoy the ride and don’t forget to detach the dog leash from the back bumper before jetting off. Thanks. [↩]
- And, it does not help that in the first inning the same umpire called Carlos Santana out on a pitch that was obviously a ball. [↩]
- If you remember Brantley having a sore shoulder in August, then you are correct. However, his previous shoulder injury was his left shoulder. [↩]
- Okay, Cousin Eddie said this one. But, it’s too perfect for Manship’s night. [↩]
- Yes, I understand that Ryan Raburn has had some struggles against Glen Perkins, but it is still inexcusable to allow Martinez to bat in that circumstance with the season potentially on the line. [↩]
- The top 10 picks in the draft are protected from being taken if the Tigers decide they want to pursue and free agent who has a qualifying offer attached. They would give up a second round pick, while any team outside those top 10 picks would have to give up their first round pick. [↩]
5 Comments
Indians post-season odds:
http://img.pandawhale.com/post-58615-Chevy-Chase-no-math-SNL-gif-Im-IvKX.gif
Tito’s strategy for getting into the post-season:
http://cdn-images.9cloud.us/805/chevy_chase_cheating_on_test_from_s_690607456.gif
The Tribe’s approach to starting this season:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0lkiuJ8en1rq3i3ro3_500.gif
Thanks for the awesome year Carlos…
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8ajuq2CBN1qlfn3ro1_500.gif
Boooo…I mean, I’m laughing, but still 🙂