While We’re Waiting… Point Guard Problems, Fire Mark Shapiro, and Massaquoi’s Future
October 9, 2009Shaq: Cavaliers = Best Team I’ve Ever Been On
October 9, 2009Earlier this week, TD waxed poetic about the handful of former Indians who have been traded away within the last two seasons and will also be playing well into the month of October. This list did not even touch on those that left via free agency, which could potentially field an entire starting nine, and it still provided us with over 1200 words on the successes that we could have had playing for Cleveland.
Things got off to a solid start for the two more recent Cy Young award winners. Cliff Lee and the Phillies kicked off the playoffs with a win over the Colorado Rockies. Lee naturally worked a six-hit, one-run complete game. He also managed to go 1-for-2 at the plate and recorded a stolen base.
Despite all of the talks regarding CC Sabathia’s inability to succeed in October, the big man managed to fan eight Twins in six and two-thirds innings en route to a 7-2 win for the Yankees. He scattered eight hits through the outing, but walked no one – only one run was earned.
Though his team is now down two games to none, Mark DeRosa led off the playoffs with a bang by going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. His counterpart on the LA Dodgers, Casey Blake, also did not disappoint by going 2-for-4 with an RBI of his own. The two actually had worlds collide at one point in the game, where DeRosa was forced to make a diving stop of a Blake shot down the line. Unfortunately for DeRosa, the throw sailed in to right field.
Hoping for some redemption, DeRosa once again provided a solid night in game 2 for his St. Louis Cardinals by going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Again, things failed to work out for his betterment thanks to Casey Blake. This time, Blake was joined by another former Indian in Ronnie Belliard. Down two runs with two outs and one on (thanks to a Matt Holiday error), Blake drew a crucial walk that would put the winning run on first base. Shortly thereafter, Belliard followed up with a single that drove in Juan Pierre and sent Blake to second. With a single to shallow center by their teammate Mark Loretta, Blake was able to score the game-winning run for the Dodgers.
Other notes:
– Rafael Betancourt saw his first action of the playoffs, allowing a solo home run to Philadelphia’s Jason Werth. He managed to leave the inning with a “hold.”
– Victor Martinez went 0-3 with a walk in his first crack at the postseason, but he was not alone as the entire (“potent”) Red Sox lineup only mustered four total hits in a shutout loss.
– Hot Carl Pavano gets the start this Sunday against Andy Pettite when the Twins go back to Minnesota.
– Jim Thome has managed to receive only one at-bat through the first two games of the series.
– Manny Ramirez has received eight at-bats, but has only managed to record one hit – a double in game 1.
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(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
5 Comments
Must be tough on Thome being a DH in the NL … oh well don’t give a crap really
When Sabathia faces off against Lee in game 1 of the World Series, how long will the line be at the 480 bridge?
Less Indians Talk … more Moon War!!!
I know there was an article a while back…I didn’t have time to read it…about former Indians. Have we observed not only the sheer number of former Tribesmen, but also their positions of importance. By my count, 5 of the 8 playoff teams (Sox, Yanks, Phils, Dodgers, Cardinals) have a former Indian batting 3-4-5 or as their number one starter.
The tribe is alive, the tribe is alive two-thousand-nine!
So when one of these tams wins the Ship, does this mean we get to celebrate too?