Getting What We Paid For

I'm so tired, friends. I just got home from a lovely wedding and wedding reception that had a really great DJ and I danced and moved in ways that were not meant for me. I should have gone to bed 2 hours ago but I saw the box score from tonight's game and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to hear how we got those nine runs!

Zach McAllister had a great start today! He went 6 1/3 innings only giving up one earned run and striking out 6 (Masterson struck out 7 in his complete game). Do we have a second awesome starter?? I cannot WAIT to see him again to see if this is a new trend!

Bryan Shaw came in for his third try at relief, and he gave up a homer. Not cool! I didn't really cover his last two appearances where he actually did pretty well. His first time up was against Toronto where he gave up one hit in one inning, and then he came in versus Tampa Bay for two innings and also gave up one hit but struck out three. Tonight was his first run given up, so so far not too bad. I got my eye on you, Shaw!

Nick Hagadone was up from Columbus to be dazzling in the 8th. He got three outs on 10 pitches. Next up was Joe Smith for the 9th and you know what Joe Smith did. That's right! Shut 'em down! It'd be pretty sweet if Hagadone is as tight as Smith, Pestano and Perez then we've got a huge, huge bullpen. I'm not sure what Hagadone's status is, though, as Albers is merely on paternity leave.

The Tribe batters seemed to have no problem with near-Cy-Young-Award-winner Chris Sale, who normally totally has our number and shuts us down. Of course this is not the same old Tribe lineup he was able to intimidate in 2012.

He did shut down Bourn and Brantley, which is odd because they're our best hitters, and Brantley usually doesn't have problems hitting lefties. Bourn struck out twice and Brantley reached by getting hit by a pitch.

Asdrubal went 1 for 4 with a walk and came around to score. He's still not warmed up, it'd seem. But any day now.

Kipnis wasn't in today, as he's got some shoulder soreness. Instead Ryan Raburn was playing second base. I didn't know he played second! Raburn also went 1 for 4 with a walk, and he came in to score twice. One of his hits was a double but from how I heard it, it would have been a homer on a warmer day!

Nick Swisher - as advertised! Today I was in a Denny's (the worst Denny's in NE Ohio, I think - on Mentor Ave.) and there was a #33 baseball pillow in the claw arcade machine. I thought that was pretty impressive as far as claw arcade machine stocking goes - that's some dedication to current events!

Anyway Nick Swisher got a two-run homer in the first inning to tie the game. On his way into the dugout he gave a big "O-H"! That'd be pretty cool if he does it every time, so keep an eye out for that - and be sure to "I-O" him! He also got a double and walked, and came around to score both times. Literally.

Even bigger than Swisher, as far as acquisitions go, is Mark F'n Reynolds. He had a GRAND SLAM today in the 5th! He leads the team in homers and RBI and totally does not lead the team in strikeouts. Is he turning the corner?  He's in the top 3 in the league in homers and RBI, too, and not in the top 30 in the league for strikeouts. Since he came via Arizona, I was sternly warned about him by my Diamondback-fan uncle, but he keeps hitting more and striking out less than I'm expecting so I'm pretty cool with him. All right, super cool with him since he got a grand slam. w00t!

After Reynolds hit his grand slam, Chris Sale hit Brantley with a pitch. And the umpire said "tsk, tsk, don't anyone do that again" and went about his business, not throwing anyone out or suggesting any suspension. Huh. I guess it really is a matter of reputation, after all.

Chisenhall was out as well, and I thought he was hurt but he's not on the injury list so maybe I confused him with Kipnis. Anyway, Aviles was in for Chiz at third. He went 1 for 4 and is keeping his average over .250.

Catching tonight was Yan Gomes, who happened to be the catcher for Masterson's awesome game. Hmm....is he an awesome catcher? He's from Brazil, didja know? Today he got his first hit and it was a home run. Gooooone! Gooooooooooooooooooooooomes! I'm kind of interested in checking this guy out a little longer before 'Los and Lou come back. Santana is "possible" for Sunday, though, but Gomes will be our backup if that's the case because Lou isn't "possible" until April 24.

Drew Stubbs had a ho-hum Drew Stubbs kind of game. He went 1 for 3 with a walk and no one was around to bat him in. Oh well.

Super exciting game all around, though! Every game with a grand slam is big fun, don't you think? And we got two other home runs, and our starting pitcher was top-notch? This is what we were all expecting on April 2!

Tomorrow is Brett Myers versus RHP 5.56. Oh man, Brett Myers...He's like Ubaldo, only shorter.

The game's at 1:05 so see you there!

Radio Chatter:
"If you ask him, I'm sure he'll come share that steak dinner with you at Bob Evans."
- Tom Hamilton on Swisher's home run and the "Winner, Winner Steak Dinner" promo

"Some folks still coming in to the ballpark. They're dressed like they're going to go see Santa Claus after the game and tell him what they want for Christmas."
- Tom Hamilton

"Here come those cards and letters! Postmarked Winterhaven."
"Yep, they're getting out their box of crayons..."
- Jim Rosenhaus and Tom Hamilton after Hamilton had some digs in on Winterhave, Florida

"Boy, that was no wall-scraper. That was a third of the way up the bleachers."
- Tom Hamilton on Reynolds' grand slam

"The White Sox have raised the white flag [...] So Cabrera will not be taking off [for second base] here. If he does, somebody else will get hit."
- Tom Hamilton

"If the general manager is saying three months, that's not a sprained ankle folks. If it is, Jose Reyes has the slowest healing power in all of sports."
- Tom Hamilton