Iman Shumpert had a better weekend than you: While We’re Waiting
August 29, 2016No Mo Williams? Options for Cavs at backup PG in free agency
August 29, 2016Baseball can be a random game. The entire tone and general feeling amongst fans of the Cleveland Indians (73-56) could have been so much different had Tyler Naquin or Abraham Almonte come through in the top of the ninth inning on Sunday. The bases would be left loaded instead as Naquin struck out and Almonte finished another potential comeback game one hit short as he harmlessly popped the ball up.1
The Indians only scored one run across three losses to the Texas Rangers (77-54) over the weekend, which muffles the 12 runs scored in their solitary win. For the seven-game road trip, The Tribe only scored more than one run in any of the games once. To no surprise, the lack of runs led to a lack of wins as the Indians come back home having lost five of the seven games.2
Despite the mounting losses, the Indians do still maintain a 4.5-game division lead over the struggling Detroit Tigers (12-13 in August). The defending champion Kansas City Royals are making a hard charge to sit back 5.5 games of the Tribe after a 19-7 August, but their mirror-image 7-19 July might have been a hole dug too deep. Regardless, it is up to the Tribe to get back to winning baseball. If the Indians do what they are capable of doing in the win column, then the divisional opponents are left fighting for one of the wild card slots.
With the Minnesota Twins (3-15 in their last 18 games) on the schedule for six of the upcoming 13 games, the Tribe has a chance to exorcise one of the 2016 demons right away (5-8 record against Paul Molitor’s bunch). Someone just needs to remind them that 73-win teams from Cleveland do not collapse.
Thursday August 25, Indians 0, Rangers 9
Josh Tomlin (L, 4.1 IP, 8 R, 7 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 SO)
Cole Hamels (W, 8.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 8 SO)
- Cole Hamels is in the mix for the AL Cy Young Award (second best ERA in the AL) and certainly looked the part on Thursday.
- Josh Tomlin is not. The struggles continue for the Little Cowboy and it is time for the Indians to make the move to Mike Clevinger.
- Mike Napoli had the Indians error in this game (theme of road trip).
Friday August 26, Indians 12, Rangers 1
Corey Kluber (W, 6.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 SO)
Martin Perez (L, 5.2 IP, 6 R, 6 ER, 10 H, 0 BB, 2 SO)
- Corey Kluber is in the mix for the AL Cy Young Award (AL best fWAR) and certainly looked the part on Friday.
- Martin Perez is not. The struggles continue for the Rangers starter. Like Tomlin, do not expect Perez to make starts in October.
- Brandon Guyer hit by two pitches, to push his MLB lead up to 27. All-time AL best is 35.
- Roberto Perez had four hits. Previous to this game, Perez had four hits in his last 12 games started (.118/.250/.265).
- No errors for the Indians in a win.
Saturday August 27, Indians 0, Rangers 7
Carlos Carrasco (L, 4.0 IP, 7 R, 3 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 8 SO)
A.J. Griffin (W, 6.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 SO)
- Carlos Carrasco continued his ridiculous strikeout to walk ratio that is now at 45:3 over his last five starts. Cookie’s issue came that too many balls in play were put there loudly and resulted in hits.
- A.J. Griffin is the type of pitcher with a slower fastball (topping at 90 miles per hour) that the Indians rake on paper. This game was played on grass though and the Indians struggled figuring him out as they continually chased pitches out of the zone.
- Carlos Santana had the back-breaking error in this game. Instead of being able to navigate a tough but scoreless first inning, Santana’s error allowed a run to score and gave an extra out with which Mitch Moreland capitalized by hitting a home run to put the Rangers up five runs. Oh, and this all just after Carrasco and Santana messed up their communication creating a balk when Carrasco had to hold onto a pickoff attempt with no one covering first base.
Sunday August 28, Indians 1, Rangers 2
Danny Salazar (L, 5.1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 10 SO)
Derek Holland (W, 6.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 SO)
- Biggest positive of the weekend was Salazar’s Sunday performance. His pitches were moving and he looked like the Salazar Indians fans have fallen in love with for the first time since his return from the DL.
- Holland matched Salazar pitch-for-pitch throughout the game as he also had his first great performance since a recent return from the DL. Both of these starters will be key to their team’s postseason hopes.
- Another game, another early error leading to a lead for the opposition. Abraham Almonte would be the culprit in this game as well as the hitter who would end the threat of a comeback.
- Abraham Almonte ended the loss to the Boston Red Sox on August 15 in a similar fashion. [↩]
- One could make the argument that Cleveland’s biggest loss of the weekend in Texas were reports that Tony Romo’s injury would not lead to a trade for Josh McCown. Despite the Dallas Cowboys being down to their third-string quarterback, the Browns will not be able to flip an elder backup for more future assets in what is likely to be a lost season. [↩]
28 Comments
Brutal. How badly do I want to just fast forward to October? Am I the only one?
I dunno man. Although I am talking myself into this being a good time to have a bad streak, I only hope that they break out of it and catch fire in October
Yeah, not sure I want to fast-forward to October unless it means fixing some of the underlying issues by doing so. Right now, we need September to get this team back to where they can be.
I’m sure you’re right. I’m thinking more of my personal stress level.
Lets just try to enjoy being in first place in September, and try to figure some things out. Need to start phasing Almonte out at some point. My guess would be sometime this week once the rosters get expanded on Thursday
I kinda feel like they are going to make it regardless, and they will have a full playoff series so I am not watching all the other crap and stressing about it too much.
Doesn’t seem like phasing Almonte out is in the plan, but I agree it should be done. More Clevinger, less Tomlin too but that’s me (and anyone who has seen Tomlin pitch in August besides Tito).
Honestly though…
Kluber’s dominance, Carrasco’s control, and Salazar’s Sunday do have me thinking good things. No idea what is going on with the defense (or why the errors ALWAYS seems to give up runs that decide the game).
KC cannot keep up this rate of winning forever, right? Right? RIGHT!?!
With the playoff schedule, it is not inconcievable that we go with a 3.5 man rotation either
Texas doesn’t bother me as much as the Oakland series did. Woof.
More Guyer/Chis, Davis, Naquin/Martinez splits
With Napoli getting spot-rests we could really use a 1b. I know in at least one blowout, Terry had Lonnie over there, not sure he’d work out but for the love of crap Santana is the worst 1b I have ever seen.
(Still appreciating his offense Bode!)
Runs the bases like a mule with blinders on… but… at least he gets on the bases.
Based on our current trajectory it seems more likely a 1 game play-in on the road for the 2nd wild-card. I look at that last week and see Detroit and KC just grinning, waiting to eat our 4-ish game lead and send us packing.
Napoli has been far worse than Santana this year at first base defense. My biggest 2016 disappointment has been Napoli’s defense which has always been so good before this season. His inability to handle those short-hops that both J-Ram and Lindor like to throw (increases accuracy, just have to dig them out of the dirt) destroys any faith at putting Naps on defense.
No Martinez, please
#DreadTheDreads
Considering the Tigers squandered their opportunity by losing 2 of 3 to the woesome Angels…
Carlos has seen his fair share of short hops climb up his arm and ride his shoulder into the visiting dugout. I have not seen Napoli commit the same errors as Santana (that over-running a 20 foot pop up was the stupidest thing I have seen an MLBer do since Rayburn’s outfield ball spike/kick).
But I think we’d better served letting Santana/Napoli platoon DH duties and find a +defender for 1st.
Indians Magic Number is 29. That’s a lot of baseball and since SEVEN of our remaining games are against Detroit, those 4.5 can swing the other way in literally 1 week. Not even going to mention SIX of those are against KC who has looked freaking unstoppable this month.
Oh wait, I guess I did mention that…. haha!
From your lips to God’s ears.
Gary Sanchez and the surging NYY are about to test the Royals. Cmon Ben Heller, help the Indians out by stopping the Royals!
Considering the state of our offense and the fact that first base defense supposedly impacts a team the least, no dice.
Santana has actually done a surprisingly good job on those short-hoppers (and hard grounders hit to his side – another Nap struggle). Santana’s negative defense has been on “everything else” such as throwing, those lazy pop ups and getting to foul balls for extra outs.
If we Frankenstein’d these guys, they’d be awesome at defense. Or, the worst defender ever. One or the other.
also, talk about a rollercoaster ride for KC fans
7-19 July (well, we’re toast)
19-7 August (we’re in this thing!)
Overall, KC is 26-26 over their last 52 games.
Indians? 26-26
So we are stuck with Carpoli?
All we can do is hope that our ridiculous record against the division is only half lies (specifically our #s against the Twins) and that the other half is not a statistical aberration about to crash right the hell down to the mean against CWS, DET and KC.
I missed the opportunity to combine their names into Crapoli… I am so disappointed in myself.
It would have been forced. Don’t force it.
Yeah, Carpool-E is what we have. Be interested to see what we do for 2017, but that is hopefully something we don’t discuss until November.
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