Sunday, May 26, 2013

NOBODY Expects...

So, did anyone see this coming? In February, in April, yesterday? Did anyone think our weak spot would end up being the bullpen? Specifically Pestano, Perez and Smith? No WAY did you think that!

Granted it's just a very temporary weak spot...and it seems those fellas - at least Pestano and Perez - have some sort of physical weak spots in their arms.

Seriously, though - four runs in the 9th? I'll be a monkey's uncle.

Today I was out all day at a friend's for a cookout. When I left the Tribe was up 2-0 and they looked like they really had a handle on it already. They were hitting and running, and getting Lester to pitch a ton of pitches. The Red Sox outfield was all out of sorts. By later in the afternoon, someone told me the score was 4-1. I was confident!

I got home and checked my email and saw the postgame alert from Indians.com and...5-6? WAT? And then my hard drive died. Serious.

Even though I saw that ugly score, I still listened to the game in full on my laptop while I repaired (rebuilt) my computer. I'm very happy to say that by the end of the game I am about 75% back to where I was yesterday, computer-wise. The computer got better as the game got worse. I think I may have seriously broken something (a screen, a hand, drywall, etc) had the computer project fallen apart in the 9th inning just like Chris Perez. As it stands, though, I am feeling pretty good. Chris Perez can figure his own self out.

Rolling it all back to the beginning of the game...

Corey Kluber pitched a good one. A quality start plus! He went 6 2/3 innings only giving up one run and striking out TEN! That's Justin Masterson (the ground-ball pitcher) numbers! He only walked one and gave up 3 hits - none of them home runs. It's GREAT to see him doing so well consistently - that's 3 quality starts in a row after a horrendous start in Detroit earlier in the month. Not only that but he's improving over his last 2 starts. Go Kluber!

Rich Hill came in to face one guy and walked him, then they put in Cody Allen. Allen got out of the 7th, then came in the 8th to give up a triple and a sac fly, but then finished up all right.

Then was the 9th inning that we're not going to talk about. I will submit this, from the front page of Indians.com:
Ugh.

Our offense really seemed to have it going on today - scoring in 4 innings, hitting some homers, stealing bases, working the pitch count, making the Red Sox defense look as sloppy as ours was yesterday. Unfortunately not everyone hit today - the good stuff was top-heavy - but they looked good enough as I like to see them on a Sunday afternoon.

I really like Michael Bourn, I think he hits like Choo and runs like Kenny. But how come no one (Tom Hamilton) seems to point out that he argues with the ump a lot like Kenny did, too? It's funny because they were bustin' on Kipnis for arguing with the umps today but Bourn does it every other at-bat (when he's not getting a hit) and they don't say anything. Maybe he's always right? Weird.

Anyway Bourn went 1 for 3 with a walk. He stole a base but also got caught stealing. I don't mind if he gets caught if it means he's starting to move it out there! I want steals every day! Looks like he is going at it more for real, though. As for hits he's got 15 hits in his last 10 games. Wow!

Kipnis had a day off yesterday and today he was apparently rarin' to go! He went 2 for 4 with a double and a homer, an RBI and 3 runs scored! He had multi-hit games 5 games in a row a few weeks ago. Then he hasn't had but 1 hit in his 5 previous games. Today - BAM! It'd be pretty swell if he kept this up for 5 games in a row, then.

Asdrubal went 1 for 4 and he's got a 6-game hitting streak going. He's also got 15 hits in his last 10 games, just like Bourn. Fun fact: He was the DH today! I thought that was pretty interesting. Hella more awesome than Jason Giambi being in there!

Nick Swisher is still on his post-paternity kick! First it was a good play, then the next day he went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Today, his third day back, he went 2 for 4 but it included a home run and 2 RBI! I guess it's easier to play baseball when you're not worried that you might have to up and leave. Instead you can rest assured that your wife and kid are being taken care of by a qualified nanny and personal assistant. But whatever works!

Mark Reynolds didn't hit today, but he did tell the trainer to come see what was up with Perez after Perez winced on his last pitch. Beards takin' care of beards, yo.

Santana got a huge 2-RBI single in the first inning today. Unfortunately he ran us out of the inning instead of staying put at first but hey - at at least the kid is still getting on base...

That is it for hitting today! Like I said, very top-heavy.

I am going to give a shout out to Michael Brantley, who didn't hit today ("only" 12 hits in his last 10 games) but he did have an outfield assist, which I love!

Tomorrow we've got the Reds in Cincinnati. Oh man it's gonna be a rough afternoon...maybe playing so poorly in Boston will get the team fired up to be awesome in Cincy? I don't know, that sounds like something this current team would do. 

It's a 1:10 PM game, Ubaldo versus RHP 3.25. I don't know what to think of it actually, other then by the time the game is done my computer will be back up running 100% like I never skipped a beat!

So...see you there! Also, thank a veteran today. Even if it's the day we remember the people that lost their lives, either to war or not to war, a lot of the people who are still with us have it rough today. Remember them, too.

Radio Chatter:
"You don't get to walk on this ground and experience a religious feeling without feeling a heavy debt on the credit card."
- Tom Hamilton on people visiting Fenway

"You are like the Kennedys with your relations."
- Tom Hamilton on Jim Rosenhaus's wide-reaching family

"Some of the Red Sox hitters need a giant-sized pacifier when they come to the plate."
- Tom Hamilton

"Mike Napoli just looked in to the clubhouse and said 'Can somebody get me a pair of those cloudy-day sunglasses?'"
- Tom Hamilton after Napoli lost a ball in the clouds

"Most kids in Boston don't have any idea who Neil Diamond is. Then you say 'Remember the guy from the 8th inning? That's the guy.'"
- Tom Hamilton

"Anybody that's a baseball fan knows 5-1 isn't the end of the game at Fenway Park."
- Tom Hamilton predicts the fate of the game

"Oh I didn't realize that was David Ortiz's brother, the official scorer."
- Tom Hamilton doesn't agree with Ortiz getting a stolen base

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