While We’re Waiting… Tribe Fans, LeBron vs Strasburg, and 2011 Recruiting
June 9, 2010NBA Trade Rumors: No Clarity, Just Speculation
June 9, 2010Like we didn’t see this one coming a mile away.
With two outs and nobody on base and the Indians leading 1-0 in the fourth inning, Victor Martinez hit a lazy fly ball to center fielder Trevor Crowe. Crowe got in position with ease, and then he flat out dropped the ball.
“It was a routine fly ball,” Crowe said. “I got under it, clanked it.”
There were Red Sox fans all around me last night and with Kevin Youkilis coming up (who the Indians have never been able to get out regardless of the year), I said to the nice couple in Papelbon shirts in front of me “you know what’s coming next.”
We all did.
David Huff, who for the most part pitched well for six innings, fell apart. Youkilis drove in Victor with a double off the top of the left field wall to tie the game. David Ortiz singled in Youkilis. Adrian Beltre, whose error was the cause for the Tribe’s first inning run, singled moving Big Papi to third. Bill Hall then laced a double of his own off the wall in left to score Ortiz. In a blink, the Sox were ahead 3-1.
“I was upset with myself for not refocusing and getting the next guy out,” Huff said.
The three unearned runs in the fourth were all the Red Sox needed as the Tribe bats were once again asleep. This time, it was the ageless knuckleballer Tim Wakefield who got them. Wakefield came into the game struggling with an ERA of 6.02. The Indians, as always, were just what the doctor ordered to break a pitcher out of a slump. Other than Shelley Duncan’s solo homer in the seventh off the left field foul pole, Wakefield kept the offense completely in check.
“I faced a knuckleballer in Triple-A, but it was nothing like Wakefield’s,” said Jason Donald. “It just kind of … floats. It never gets to you. It just never gets to you.”
The Red, White, and Blue managed just four hits in seven and a third against the veteran, and failed to scratch anything else against relievers Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez, and Daniel Bard.
Even though the offense provided little once again, the Crowe error really was the death blow. “When you’re not scoring runs, you can’t give outs away,” Manny Acta said. “There are 27 of ’em. They’re precious.”
You can say that again.
I don’t even know what more to say about this one. This was just another loss in a season that is streaking towards 100 of them. What I can tell you is that regardless of how bad the team is, I still have fun at the ballpark. I took my three-year old son last night to his fifth game of the year (he entered 4-0 believe it or not) and to be able to watch him getting more and more acclimated to the game of baseball is worth every penny I spent on the tickets and food.
He had nachos, peanuts, and ice cream (which got all over his face) and was tossed a ball by the great Russell Branyan. He was beyond excited and literally would not let it go. He slept with it. He yelled “Chooooooooo” for his favorite player and sat on my shoulders to watch the Hot Dog race, which he loves.
Look, I’m grasping at straws here, but to me, you still can’t beat a ballpark experience with your kids. This is all we have these days here in Cleveland. I’m so tired of Lebron talk. Football season doesn’t start until September. My beloved Kansas Jayhawks are about to become a man without a country with this conference expansion. So I continue to watch last place baseball with my son.
Is that so wrong?
Tonight will be even more depressing forIndians fans as the man Mark Shapiro couldn’t pry from Boston in the Victor trade, Clay Buckholz (8-3, 2.39 ERA), takes on the guy he got instead, Justin Masterson (1-5, 5.46 ERA). The stats speak for themselves.
8 Comments
Let the record show that Bill Hall did not need to hit a double in order to score Ortiz from 3rd. You know, ’cause he beats out double plays.
TD, I’m with ya man. I’m looking forward to going to some games this year ’cause I still think a day at the park is a good ol’ time, just haven’t been able to make it to any just yet…
TD. You might enjoy following the Tribe more if you adjust your expectations. This year — and maybe next — are an extended spring training.
Glad you and your son had fun at the game. Nice piece.
p.s.: Have you checked out Heritage Park? If that doesn’t fill you with Cleveland Indians pride, I dunno what will …
I’d say trade Crowe now but we all know that won’t work, lol. Lordy we suck…let’s go Browns.
@Fred, Heritage Park is great. I had no idea that the Yankees actually killed an Indians player. As for the rest of it, bittersweet memories.
At least these days when Sweet Luis is at the plate in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a chance to tie/win the game I can comfortably turn the TV off and go to sleep. Maybe some morning I will be pleasantly surprised.
@TD, you just had to mention Buckholz. Salt in the wounds man.
TD – yeah totally cool taking your kid even though the team stinks. I grew up with the 1980’s Indians and had a blast, so glad my parents took me to so many games. I’ll be doing the same with my kids, first place or last place.
why does ‘good’ Wakefield tend to always show up against the Tribe (except when we face him in the playoffs, we light him up).
12-5 with an ERA close to 3 in regular season.
0-3 with an ERA over 10 in post-season (gotta love cold weather flattening out the knuckler)
it feels like we’ve been dealing with him for the last 15 years, oh wait.
Indians who? Personally I’m waiting until the fire sale next month. Maybe they can strike gold with another minor leaguer or two other then that this will continue to be a lost season. They should trade Choo too.
PREDICTION. The Indians will get perfect gamed AGAIN, when they face Stephen Strasburg on Sunday.. This Tribe team is that good. Every time I watch this team, I have the lofty goal of seeing them no hit..