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April 28, 2016Joe Gilbert’s Fearless 2016 NFL Mock Draft
April 28, 2016Despite some ample ninth-inning drama and a cold, November-ish rain, it’s hard to say the Indians’ 6-5 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night had a “playoff atmosphere.” There were, after all, only 116 fans in attendance at a dome-free Target Field, according to my own very liberal estimate. Marge Gunderson and her ilk were apparently un-galvanized by the Twins’ back-to-back walk-off wins to start the series. In the end, Joe Mauer had a very reasonable shot at making it three straight heartbreakers for the visiting Tribe, but Cody Allen went into full redemptive beast mode and flipped the script to salvage the series. The Indians are now 10-9 with two games left in the month. Win Friday or Saturday, and it’ll be the first above .500 April of Francona’s tenure as manager.
Déjà vu is rarely a welcome phenomenon when we’re talking about a Cleveland sports franchise. The feeling of history repeating tends to denote impending doom, and the clouds were certainly gathering—literally and figuratively—late in this ballgame. After a four-run fifth inning vaulted the Tribe from a deficit to a 6-3 lead, Josh Tomlin opened the door back up on a Byung-Ho Park homer in the sixth, making it a 6-5 game with Cleveland’s snakebit bullpen taking the reins.
Immediately, Zach McAllister reinforced our pre-existing paranoia, loading the bases in the seventh inning before striking out Park with high cheese to escape unscathed.
https://vine.co/v/iPeazKneLgv
In the eighth, it was Bryan Shaw time. “Haters gonna hate,” said Shaw, loudly, to himself, in his head. He set ‘em up and knocked ‘em down 1-2-3 with a pair of strikeouts. It remained 6-5 Cleveland.
The Indians offense got runners into scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings but couldn’t bring them around, so Cody Allen took the hill in another nailbiter. This time, though, it was a save situation—which, despite being a completely made-up concept—makes Cody feel more comfortable. With that one-run buffer in place, he just feels like he can stretch out and truly be himself. “I’m Cody Allen from Orlando, FL,” he says calmly, deeply relieved that the game isn’t tied. When games are tied, Cody becomes confused and frightened. “Can I even throw overhand when the game is tied?” he wonders. “It’s all so topsy turvy.”
Allen’s ERA in save situations this year is well under 2.00 and he’s 7-for-7 in conversions. In non-save situations, his ERA balloons to—I don’t know—a million.00 with bologna and a half hits allowed. So yes, it was redemption time. Just 24 hours after letting the top of the Twins order score the game-winning run against him, Allen now faced the same faces with a save on the line.
Exactly like the night before, Danny Santana singled, tried to steal second base, and was called safe. This time, however, there was no replay review to reverse the call. Minnesota had the tying run in scoring position with one out. Allen battled back to strike out Brian Dozier, then faced another identical scenario to the previous night—either challenge Joe Mauer or intentionally walk the lefty to face the youngster Miguel Sano. On Tuesday, Francona opted to walk Mauer, and Sano burned Allen for the game-winning single. This time around, Mickey Callaway paid Cody a visit and communicated a different strategy. They were going after Mauer and his .906 OPS. Percentages be damned!
I’m not sure we can officially call this a “genius move” or a lesson learned, because Mauer did, in fact, work an 8-pitch at-bat before crushing a ball to dead center field. Fortunately, though, it landed in Tyler Naquin’s glove, and the Indians finally beat the god#@% Twins.
https://vine.co/v/iPeWWMQrTmJ
While I admittedly just focused entirely on the bullpen, big kudos on this win go to Josh Tomlin (3-0)—who hung in there after a very rocky 3-run first inning—and the Tribe offense, which chipped away at that same three-run deficit by putting together some great at-bats and actually clumping some hits together. Francisco Lindor had a huge two-run double in the third inning off the Twins stud rookie Jose Berrios (making his MLB debut), and Carlos Santana continued his torrid pace since his controversial move to the lead-off spot, collecting three more hits, a walk, and a pair of runs scored. Michael Brantley was in full Dr. Smooth mode, as well, notching his first hit of the season and driving in his first run on a sac fly (which Eddie Rosario also dropped in left field).
https://vine.co/v/iPeB2Mx9DjX
Minnesota won the series, but they’re still 7-15.
Old Baseball Card of the Day: 1991 Topps – Doug Jones
1991 was easily the strangest season of Doug Jones’ illustrious, walrus-mustachioed career. Coming off a career-best 43 saves in 1990, he began imploding in May of ’91, eventually losing the closer job he’d held down solidly for several years. By the middle of July, Jones was 1-7 with a 7.47 ERA. Suddenly he was 34 years old and working his way back into shape in Colorado Springs. The king of the circle change appeared to have reached the end of the line. When Jones was finally recalled in September, the horrendous last-place Indians and their new manager Mike Hargrove made a very unusual decision—they made Doug Jones a starting pitcher.
You may not remember this, since few fans were still paying attention by September of ’91 (we won 57 games that year), but Jones did indeed make the only four starts of his 846 career appearances. More incredibly still, he went at least 7 innings in ALL FOUR starts, including an 8-2/3 inning effort in his first ever start on September 10 against Milwaukee—a 5-2 Cleveland win. His next start was even better: 8 IP, 1 ER, 13 Ks against Detroit at Municipal Stadium. Thirteen strikeouts! Doug Jones! A starter! Chew on that, Rich Hill. In all, Jones went 3-1 as an SP with a 3.77 ERA. His last appearance in 1991 was back in his familiar closer role, and he earned a save against the Yankees. Once left for dead, Jones signed as a free agent with Houston that off-season and wound up pitching nine more seasons. He even collected one additional save as an Indian when he made a brief return in 1998.
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April 27, 2016
Indians 6, Twins 5
Green Highlight (as in “Great”): You still think it’s weird seeing Carlos Santana hitting leadoff? Well… you’re weird! Clearly, much like Cody Allen and save situations, the actual experience of hitting or throwing a baseball is secondary to the abstract sense of placement and identity felt by the hitter or thrower of said ball.
Yellow Highlight (as in “Almost Green”): Bryan Shaw has that ERA on a collision course with single digits.
Red Highlight (as in “Stop, You’re Bad”): The JK Kid can spend the offday Thursday getting fitted for his new Golden Sombrero.
Next Up: On the road to face our longtime arch rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies. No DH, so either Santana or Napoli will be getting some extra rest. Gotta presume the latter, cuz the Axeman is swingin’ it.
15 Comments
I totally forgot about the time Jones started. The only good thing about that 91 season was the emergence of Albert Belle.
116 fans?! Holy Moly
This was a fun write up. Nice work.
So remember the “JUUUUULLLIIIOOOOOOOOOO” guy from the old Muni stadium?
….not gonna lie, I am officially gonna be the “FRAAAAAANKKIIIEEEEEEEEE” guy at Jacob’s Field.
Every time that kid steps to the plate and/or flashes his glove something happens, it’s amazing.
So remember the “JUUUUULLLIIIOOOOOOOOOO” guy from the old Muni stadium?
yeah, I sort of do:
https://waitingfornextyear.com/2016/04/indians-mariners-cody-allen-mike-napoli/
I demand a recount. I had it as at least 121 fans 😉
Bode, seriously I just got misty eyed. Much respect.
Holy crap I forgot about the JUUUUUUULLLLLLIIIIIOOOOOO guy! #memories
appreciated.
(and, to be fair, we coudn’t afford season tickets, so my dad was just one of the “JUUUUULLLIIIOOOOOOOOOO” guys)
+1 for the Fargo reference.
The empty was pretty strong with Target field all three games as far as I could tell.
Listen, I’m sure those fans have a good reason. Their ownership doesn’t spend enough, the weather was bad, their basketball team is in the playoffs, the economy is down, the team just isn’t as exciting as it was a decade ago, a new episode of American Pickers was on, they were still mourning Prince, they’re just tired of mediocrity, etc.
I mean, I’ve heard those excuses enough over the years that I certainly wouldn’t be casting any snark towards Twins fans. Their team is *only* outdrawing us by 6000 fans/game this year, and it was by 10k/game last year.
No snark here. Just an observation.
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Thibs might put the wolves in that number 8 spot next year. Just you wait and see.