What Was That?

I mean really, Chad Durbin - what was that?

Four runs off three homers in the 8th? That does not a good reliever make! I hope there is some sort of punishment ritual in your little mafia group...

Ubaldo actually wasn't too bad. He did give up 4 but only 1 until the 7th when he gave up 3. They left him in just slightly too long. He did strike out 7. Did you know he averages 9 strikeouts per 9 innings with the Indians? That's pretty awesome - he leads our starters by 2.5. Vinnie Pestano leads the bullpen with 12, if you were wondering.

Our hitting was all over the place today, with no one getting multiple hits but 8 different guys getting at least one.

Asdrubal wasn't in today. He went around telling everyone he was just fine but Manny sat him. They say he'll be in tomorrow, which better be the case because me and OMG are going to the game!

Fukudome was the leadoff tonight with Kipnis following. Both guys got doubles, and Kipnis with an RBI. As you can imagine, they didn't put those doubles TOGETHER so they didn't amount to much. Kipnis also had a base-running error after his double which would have amounted to a run if he had stayed on. Oops!

Santana was third. Have we seen him there yet? Not a bad idea if Asdrubal's out (or slumpy) and Pronk is in. Santana was on when Hafner belted a 2-run dinger (minus Kipnis).

Hafner has 2 homers in his last 2 games and 8 RBI in his last 4 games! Woah! The whole top of the order has been doing pretty well lately. Even with Donald further down the lineup and Asdrubal out, they got all the RBIs tonight.

Nice to see the top of the lineup looking good, with Brantley and Asdrubal gone.

Remember Michael Brantley? He was really good. Like, REALLY good. I can't wait to see him next year...

Donald was down in the 6-spot today. Coming in to the game he had hit 7 in his last 9 at-bats and after tonight it's 8 for the last 12. Wow! He's hitting .311 and I don't think it's a fluke...

Who's going to be the infield next year, then? Because Donald was slated to play 3rd but Hannahan rocked and now Kipnis and Donald are sort of fighting for 2nd. Let's not forget Chisenhall, either. (Valbuena who?) Jim Rosenhaus said "It's a good problem for Manny Acta to have." I agree, I just hope that we can hang on to this depth and make the right choices!

Sweet Lou started and went 1 for 3, and then we got a glimpse of Super Jack pinch hitting. Hi, Jack!

The game could have been a lot better, all-in-all, but we weren't quite hitting Buehrle like we did last time and well...DURBIN!!!

Oh well...going to the game tomorrow where Buehrle is not pitching. Jeanmar (who's been great!) versus Huber. I'll be in the top deck right over the plate. Please oh please oh please don't fall...

Let's hope we can come away with a split. See you there!

Radio Chatter:
"He looks like he's chopped some wood in his past."
- Mike Hegan on Jason Kipnis

"It's a good problem for Manny Acta to have - 4 good players for 3 infield positions."
- Jim Rosenhaus on Jason Donald's new role

"Hey may have hit that as high as he did far!"
- Tom Hamilton on Hafner's homer

"Lou Marson put down 5 fingers, which is something I've never seen a catcher have to do."
- Mike Hegan on Jiminez's immense repertoire

"You haven't had that good a year, Alex. No one's trying to hit you."
- Tom Hamilton tells Alex Rios to stop bending out of the way of strikes

"Hope you're enjoying the ambiance of a screechy in-house PA system. Just wanted to give you the ambiance of the ballpark."
- Tom Hamilton