Also, I started writing this post after the game ended and then I had clients yak yak yakking at me so I didn't finish, and it wasn't until like 8 PM that I was like "Did I finish that blog post?" Hooray for auto-save!
Anyway...We were winning, then losing, then winning again. And in the end we weren't losing by that much. Only problem is that runs are SO hard to come by for this team right now, so being down 2 runs in late innings is deadlyish. Then when you gotta let that stupid old man Johnny Damon bat with the bases loaded, things just get bleaker.
Ubaldo, well, he coulda been worse. A lot of our guys give up 4 runs and for a lot of teams 4 runs is no big deal. For THIS team WHEN HITTING 4 runs is no big deal. In fact, our team managed to GET 4 runs. It's just that the bullpen gave up the winning run (Pestano - unbelieveable!) and so Ubaldo's 4 runs ended up being too many.
Choo was out resting today. That sucked because we really needed him. Brantley was a good choice for leadoff, of course, since he used to bat there and also since his average is the same as Choo. Both guys are super reliable. He didn't get a hit - but he did walk in a run in the 9th!
Asdrubal was disappointing as hell today. Even though he got a RBI and went 1 for 5 and he totally fucked up on his last at-bat, swinging away after Soriano was clearly not throwing great. Asdrubal gets those good hits but he's been doing 2 things that annoy me this year: 1) Not being patient at the plate and swinging at garbage and/or too early, often in critical situations 2) Trying to extend singles to doubles to disastrous results. I'm SURE he's trying to be aggressive and be the hero but it's not always working out.
Kipnis at least had his shit together and went 2 for 4, with an RBI. And his 18th stolen base. So there's that.
Last night's big man, Lopez, did nothin today. He struck out 3 times is what he did. He actually does NOT strike out that much so that's good. I mean, on all other days when he is not striking out 3 times.
Santana was the DH today. He reached on a scoring error then scored a run, but he didn't get any hits. I think patience is wearing thin with him...Tom Hamilton was making noises about Acta saying how Santana wasn't working hard and stuff. I remember Mike Hargrove saying something similar last year. He got pulled today in favor of Lonnie, who didn't do anything but still...to get pulled for the Fuckin New Guy is pretty weak.
Duncan started today! As part of my SHELLEY EVERY DAY campaign, no doubt. He went 1 for 3 with an RBI double then he was pulled for Choo. Anything to get that last run, I guess. Choo walked but nothing came of it.
You know who's hitting better than Santana? Casey Kotchman. He went 1 for 4 today and also plays an awesome first base.
You know who also hits better than even Kotchman? Lou Marson. He went TWO for 4 today, scored a run and also plays an awesome catcher.
So, like, Carlos Santana, watch your back. We already know that Luke Carlin is a decent backup, we've got a good catcher and a good first baseman and hopefully in a few days a good DH. Time to shape up or ship out, I think!
Don't get me wrong, I love Santana. I want him to be awesome and be awesome on the Indians. It's very frustrating when you know how great he can be. We knew he was going to be great before he busted his knee, with a little work. He ended up being great after some work, after he came back. So when he does bad it's not a matter of "oh well I guess he was always bad" but instead a matter of "we know he can be so much better!" I love to hate guys who suck but I hate to be frustrated by guys we all know could do better.
That's it, then. Lost 5 in a row, swept by Yankees. This is not the team I saw clobber Cincinnati a week and a half ago. We can't just blame it on the pitchers or the lineup. This is a TEAM not an ERA or a batting average.
It's gonna be a hot one this weekend. You'd better step it up, boys! (There's no "or else" because what am I going to do? Just be crabby, I suspect)
Speaking of hot stuff, they interviewed "Fausto" today before the game. He's in Goodyear and thinks he can be back before the end of the season. He sounded quite happy - quite happy to not be in a Dominican jail, I'd say. He's an expert at the Arizona League, having been sent there for bad behavior once before.
Ok so tomorrow is 7:05 in Baltimore. Lowe versus a RHP. HOW CAN WE NOT WIN THIS GAME?! We should win that game. Totally will win.
See you there!
Radio Chatter:
"Is it age, or is it the lack of a special vitamin he was taking?"
- Tom Hamilton on the decline of A-Rod
"Lou Marson looks back at Jim Joyce to say 'If you're going to give Andy Pettitte that call, then you'd better start giving it to my guy too.'"
- Tom Hamilton
"That's what you have to do to beat these Indians. Get ahead of them early."
- Tom Hamilton
"That tells you all you need to know about Santana...who's being lifted in late innings for Lonnie Chisenhall. Wow."
- Tom Hamilton
"Yankee fans are grumbling. Basically they are saying 'How dare we have to be at a ballgame in the 9th inning?'"
- Tom Hamilton
"Is it age, or is it the lack of a special vitamin he was taking?"
- Tom Hamilton on the decline of A-Rod
"Lou Marson looks back at Jim Joyce to say 'If you're going to give Andy Pettitte that call, then you'd better start giving it to my guy too.'"
- Tom Hamilton
"That's what you have to do to beat these Indians. Get ahead of them early."
- Tom Hamilton
"That tells you all you need to know about Santana...who's being lifted in late innings for Lonnie Chisenhall. Wow."
- Tom Hamilton
"Yankee fans are grumbling. Basically they are saying 'How dare we have to be at a ballgame in the 9th inning?'"
- Tom Hamilton
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