There We Go, Boys!

The youngins were out in full force today. Even - dare I say it? - LUIS VALBUENA!

Five out of our nine batters today spent most of their year in Columbus. Actually, six of 10 if you could Carrera coming in for Duncan. Those 5 guys got 11 hits between them with NO strikeouts. They only got 3 RBI but they scored 6 of our 7 runs.

The only guy who didn't get a hit is the only guy who's been super consistent for us since he joined the team, and that is Fukudome. He lead off but he did walk twice so in his position a walk is as good as a hit!

As per usual, we'll start with pitching. Today we had Ubaldo! And he did a nice job. Just 2 runs in 6 innings. He walked a lot (5) but kept his hits to just 3 so it was good yet not too tense.

Smith, Judy and Durbin followed up. Smith was back to his old self, Judy had a 1-2-3 inning and while Durbin struggled to finish off the game, his 1 run didn't cost us.

Jason Donald was batting second today and is back to rockin' at the plate, going 2 for 5 today and raising his average to .295. Good call putting him in at short...Asdrubal is still done and not doing us too many favors at the plate. I'd rather give Donald a chance to get some swings than have Asdrubal ground out on the first pitch of every appearance.

Santana's been pretty slow lately. He's second behind Asdrubal in terms of at-bats. But he gets more days off than Asdrubal, so he was in today along with Sweet Lou and LaPorta was on the bench. Santana snapped an 0-for-20 run today with a 2-out, 2-RBI double in the 8th! It's nice to say we didn't need the extra runs but it was even nicer to see Santana put out. He's got a few bad at-bats to make up for this year!

Hafner went 1 for 4 today. Oh yeah - Hafner was in today! He's trying to prove that he doesn't need surgery on his foot in the off-season. He'll be platooning with Thome at DH for the remainder of the season, which isn't bad because Thome can't play every day anyway and we've got quite a heavy schedule coming up. Here's a good article about Hafner and his injury and his contract. Good luck, Pronk!

Shelley Duncan was actually not The Man today. He was just a regular old player, going 1 for 4 just like Hafner. I guess he's taking a break from shaking hands and kissing babies to just be a regular player for a moment!

Lonnie Chisenhall found himself on base twice AND scoring twice today! Even though he's the cheese in a Columbus meat sandwich. No wait maybe he's the meat...Valbuena is the cheese.

So Luis Valbuena got a home run today. He actually went 3 for 5, adding 50 points to his batting average. Huh.

I wanted to honor Trevor Crowe's breakout game today but I couldn't do that because of Valbuena being equally as good (or better) so I can at least be angry at Valbuena about that mess. Grrrr Valbuena!

Hey Trevor Crowe! After not hitting for a couple of games, then walking a couple times last game, he finally went 3 for 4 today with one RBI and 2 runs. You'd think his average would be like .700 but not really. He stole a base, too! And got thrown out at home but...we can blame that on Steve Smith perhaps.

Let's hope this trend continues for Crowe! And, what the heck - Valbuena, too! I wouldn't mind going into the fall thinking we had this awesome other guy on our team.

Sweet Lou was doing well bringing up the rear today. He went 1 for 3 with a walk, a run and 2 RBI. In fact, it was him who drove all those sprouts (Valbuena, Crowe) in in the 2nd inning, effectively winning the game at that time with his 8th double.

I've been haunted by Lou and his smile ever since he waved to me last Tuesday. There's something about him...I don't know. I've re-created this moment the best I can, for all to share. Perhaps you will be mesmerized too:

"Hey Lou Marson!" "Hey back atcha, fan!"

Did you notice they took the standings off the front page at Indians.com? They did it a while ago. We're still a half game behind Chicago if you were wondering.

No baseball tomorrow and then baseball EVERY DAY UNTIL THE LAST DAY!!! And, two of those days we have 2 games!

So rest up, fill your tank, do your laundry and get your grocery shopping done TOMORROW because it's the last time you'll be free for the next 16 days after that. Yeeeee-haw!

Tuesday at 8:05 in Texas, by the way. Masterson versus the nearly-identical-recorded Harrison and we have a chance to play spoiler in the AL West. Wicked!

PS: We won on a Sunday! Giggidy!

Radio Chater:
"Not very often are you playing major league games and basically guys are on rehab assignments. That usually happens in the minor leagues."
- Tom Hamilton

"I don't know what else they want from him. It's not his fault they're at where they're at."
- Tom Hamilton on Alexi Ramirez's frustrations with Chicago

"Ozzie Gullien doesn't even pat Will Ohman on the back. Just says 'gimme the ball.'"
- Tom Hamilton on the exit of the Chicago pitcher in the 6th

"A lot of the folks have departed. They're going downtown to have something to cheer about, hopefully joining a Bears tailgate party."
- Tom Hamilton in the 9th

Somebody Call Brantley's Mom

And get him some Gatorade and soda crackers. Because earlier this year I had what he's got right now (stomach flu) and that's the only thing that made it better. That, and copious amounts of sleep.

The only thing that would have made it better faster was if my mom was there to do stuff for me, like buy more Gatorade and soda crackers, and maybe clean my bathroom every few hours.

So somebody get Michael Brantley's mom out to wherever he is because he is not getting better fast enough. And I have had it up to HERE with Luis Valbuena! Never liked that guy in the infield and I sure as heck don't like him in the outfield, where he seems to be even more inept.

Argh. I said some un-nice things about Valbuena today on Facebook and one of my friends chastised me for the sentiments not being positive, but I positively dislike Luis Valbuena as a baseball player.

I actually missed the beginning of the game today. It was one of those deals where I was all "Oh boy, baseball!" around 10 or 11 AM. Then I got all in to work and when I looked up it was 3 PM! Good for me for getting some work done but I was quite perturbed by the time Valbuena lost the game.

Josh Tomlin had his 30th game going 5+ innings today (or was it 29th?) Only player to do it since 1919. Tribe fans are really familiar with this stat from this year, I wonder if anyone else is? Do they mention it on ESPN?

Tomlin did give up 4 runs but it was about 200 degrees and wet out there so I'm just glad he bothered to show up, really.

Joe Smith came in for an inning of relief and thank God he didn't give up any runs, because it's seriously important to me that his ERA goes back under 1. I don't know why it is, but it is! So, GO JOE!

Our man Sipp could not keep his shit together today, again. He gave up 3. Well, Luis Valbuena helped him give up 3 and so did Orlando Cabrera. Sipp actually struck a guy out. Luis was just too tired from having to run all the way out to left field to help a brother out.

Pestano came in and did a lovely job, but it was too late and Valbuena was still in left. So we lost the game.

If the bullpen mafia was a real mafia, I would be scared to wake up tomorrow as Luis Valbuena. Just sayin.

Enough about Valbuena tho, let's talk about some rookies we LIKE. Such as Ezequiel Carrera and Lonnie Chisenhall!

I was sad to see Zeke go after he was brought up in the Great Pitching Drought of 2011 (last week) but fate and the loss of 3 outfielders (Sizemore, Brantley, Buck) let him stick around and show us what he could do. He was very Brantley in the 1-spot today, getting 2 hits and scoring a run. He also has happy feet and got caught stealing. But I think he's going to keep trying to be Willie Mays Hays in order to keep his job.

Asdrubal continues to be Asdrubal, with two hits including a double. Not sure why his average isn't back up over .300. Oh yeah that's right, because he's had almost 400 at-bats already! He's tied for 4th in the AL. Third for games. I bet he's livid that he missed a game before the All Star Game! Grr!

Hafner was good for a walk and a double today. He's hitting reliably but not exceptionally just yet. Only .216 in his last 10 games. But, I still like him way better than Santana batting cleanup.

Oh yeah, back to our new guys. Lonnie Chisenhall got a homer off Joe Nathan, which isn't too shabby since it's Joe Nathan and he hasn't given up but 4 other homers this year. It was a rather long homer in the 9th, but sadly too little too late. Because Austin Kearns and Luis Valbuena were up next and...well, they can't all be magical 9th innings.

We all have tomorrow off and then the next game is Friday night at 7:05 against the White Sox, at home. With Carlos Carrasco, yay! (I hope yay, right?)

What I also hope happens is that Luis Valbuena makes an absolute fool out of me and does something spectacular in the game so I can eat my hat. Wouldn't that be nice?! I would love to eat my hat, LUIS. DO YOU HEAR ME?!

Have a good night off, and see you then!

Radio Chatter:
"He is a good closer because he immediately puts a bad night behind him. You would not have known this morning that he had a bad save last night. Now, the bubble gum bucket knows he had a blown save..."
- Tom Hamilton on Chris Perez

"I get the feeling Rosie, before this day is done, this game is going to be won by offense."
- Tom Hamilton in the 4th inning

"Tomorrow you'll look and say 'Cabrera grounded out, what's the big deal?' That's one of the best at-bats Cabrera has had on this roadtrip."
- Tom Hamilton on Orlando's 10-pitch at-bat in the 4th

"You can hear the crowd saying 'No! No! Don't put him in!"
- Tom Hamilton re-using his Matt Capps repitoire

"In baseball if you have a player in an unfamiliar position, the ball will find him, and at critical times."
- Tom Hamilton on Valbuena missing a ball in the 8th

"Sandy Alomar said it best 'This game of baseball is for those who are humbled and those who are about to be humbled.'"
- Tom Hamilton

Sloppy Sunday

Oh, boffins...once again uninspired by Indians baseball on a Sunday afternoon.

New sprout pitcher Jeanmar Gomez was up to pitch today, and was deceptively good until it was too late and he had already given up 3 homers and 5 runs. Then, Joe Smith did something Joe Smith is not supposed to do, and gave up 2 runs. Now his ERA is 1.30!!! Nooooooo!

I still haven't found the place on the Internets that lets you compare stats for Major League Bullpens. You know, how everyone says "The Indians have the [#]-ranked bullpen in the league!" or "The Indians bullpen has given up the [#] fewest runs so far this year!" The stats exist but the extrapolation does not exist easily so I don't know how the bullpenmafia has slipped lately but they have.

The first few batters tonight, Hamilton was all "They might not be able to figure [Orioles pitcher] Mitch Atkins out until the second time through the order." Then, Travis Hafner cruuuuushed one and then Santana cruuuuushed one. After that, Hammy and Rosie were all "They totally have Mitch Atkins figured out!" and "ZOMG Rosie they are gonna kick some butt!"

But then they pulled Atkins and put in this Hendrickson guy from Friday. Let me tell you, this man is very thin. He is 6'9" tall and if you read previous Radio Chatter on him, you'd know he played for the Cavaliers at one time. Anyway it was 90 degrees out with I think 99% humidity and dude was wearing a long-sleeved shirt. Probably partly because he was cold and partly because he is embarrassed of his very thin arms.

Anyway, we got no hits off of fatty there, and no runs off anyone for the rest of the game.

Eleven LOB, folks.

Other than the 2 homers we did get 8 hits. Travis Buck got 2 hits and the only other RBI, off a double. He hit in Ezquiel Carrera, who was running for Grady, who ... is out with a knee injurygoddammit.

I think I said yesterday that we'd never see Zeke again but uhm...surprise! He'll be here until Grady is back I suspect.

Valbuena, who I still don't trust, had 2 hits. He also struck out so, boo! Hiss!

Matt LaPorta was kinda OK today. He went 1 for 2, getting hit by a pitch and walking once.

They shut down Asdrubal and Brantley today, tho. Big time, since the pair has been doing pretty super good against the Orioles. They didn't even get walked!

Asdrubal did have an awesome play today - another behind-the-back flip going past second. I honestly can't find it online anywhere. I mean, it was just as spectacular as his previous flip from this year so where is it? Is it clichéd to show Asdrubal rockin' the infield now? Was that play from yesterday instead? Am I confused?

I am pretty sure I saw it happen. It was awesome. Sorry that you missed it!

Tomorrow's going to be TIGHT. Well, "tight" in a sense that it's a sort of way to describe "exciting" and "exciting" is a way to describe a day with two baseball games. I can't say that I have the utmost confidence in our starters, or our even-further-skeletonized offense but hey - 6 hours of baseball!

So the games are at 1:10 PM and 8:10 PM. Bring your radios to work!

Radio Chatter:
"You have problems if you can't figure out Mitch Atkins."
- Tom Hamilton

"Rosie if Mitch Atkins is around in time for you to do the play-by-play in the 4th inning, I'll be shocked."
- Tom Hamilton (Atkins lasted 3)

"I don't like the way this game is going. The Orioles keep hanging around."
- Tom Hamilton

Limping In to the Break

Wow y'all, what a nasty weekend, huh? Especially after all that EXCITEMENT Thursday night with Hafner's grand slam.

I saw the score for Sunday's game before I heard the game. I decided a while back that I didn't need to run around and try to avoid the score. The score doesn't matter - I'll still listen to he game!

So today while I worked from a hotel room in Redmond, WA, I listened to the game. Meh. MEH!

It actually started out pretty great. Bases loaded and only one out. Here's when knowing the final score is 7-1 Toronto sort of puts a damper on the fun. But at least you get to hear the utter disappointment in Tom Hamilton's voice when nobody scores. Amirite?

Carlos Carrasco had his second bad outing in so many starts. Has that ship sailed already? God, I hope not.

We got to see a good chunk of our bullpen (save for Chris Perez) because of the break. Frank Hermann did 2 whole innings with just one hit. Raffy Perez struck out 2 but also gave up 2 runs. Joe Smith is now pitching with a .85 ERA and he's getting more work. Did you see what I did there?

Vinnie Pestano made up for recent transgressions and struck out the goddamn side. 3-up-3-down!

Tony Sipp, who also has some ass-kissing to do, tried to strike out the side but the first guy popped out. Awww!

Wink.

So the bullpen was teh awesomez. Our hitters were not so much. Asdrubal missed his first game of the season! I guess to travel. I wonder how he feels about that...he seemed to be looking for some Iron Man recognition after he hurt his ankle the other day, not wanting to miss the next day.

While Michael Brantley managed to get a hit (but not even close to .300 like I predicted), the Other Cabrera was shut out and so was Hafner.

Actually, those two are the only two who didn't get a hit! But, once again - 13 LOB. Sigh.

Grady and Santana looked ok in the middle of the order there, both with 2 hits each and Grady with our only RBI.

Sweet Lou was moved up to #7 and got himself a double. Valbuena got a hit but it's his first hit but it's his only hit in 8 ABs so far. Those two actually put two hits together, and the rest of their team dropped the ball that inning.

Well, if there was a ball to drop. Carrasco had already left us 5 down by then.

So that's all for the first half. We are .5 game out of first place. But, as Tom Hamilton noted, this time last year we were 15 out. SO QUIT YOUR WHINING! Well he didn't say that last bit but I could feel it in his mind.

The Home Run Derby's about to start and for the first time in 5 years I'm actually in the presence of a TV with ESPN. So I'm getting pumped about the All Star Game. So far I've been watching for a half hour and there's not been one mention of Asdrubal but lots of pictures of cacti.

We'll hear more about Asdrubal tomorrow, when he goes in and kicks the ball's ass.

Hey, maybe I'll write a blog post about the ASG! Won't that be fun? Or maybe not, depends on how much play Asdrubal and Perez get. But, don't forget - 8 PM Eastern on Fox.

If you don't hear from me tomorrow, see you Thursday at 7:05 PM for more BASEBALL!

Radio Chatter:
"There is something about watching the All Star game and seeing your club first in the standings."
- Tom Hamilton

"The Indians have preached and preached both to Carmona and Carrasco - when you're in trouble quit trying to trick hitters."
- Tom Hamilton

"It almost looks like some guys are on the All Star break too soon."
- Tom Hamilton

"John Farrel feels Jose Bautista has done enough damage for the weekend."
- Tom Hamilton on Bautista leaving the game

"He's like Secretariat right now."
- Tom Hamilton on Bautista leading in homers by so many

"A year ago at this time, the Cleveland Indians were 20 games under .500 and 15 games out of first. This has not been a good weekend but look at the first half as a whole."
- Tom Hamilton

"The Indians may be the only playoff contender that doesn't need bullpen help."
- Tom Hamilton