2008 Indians

http://www.annointed.net/photopost/data/3031/484mideast_israel_locusts.jpg

http://www.outdoorgardenfurniture.net/ProductImages/garden_4/00290.jpg

Strong pitching! This is how we beat the Tigers.

What a game! Indians need starting pitching :(

;)

new jerseys are A+++

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2242/2347124793_67cc2e21e4_o.png

yeah but the undershirt: pretentious or neck-warmioing?

Collegiate hats >>>>>>>>>>> racist hats

won't they wear racist caps on special occasions?

I will be somewhere in RF mezz on June 27, stop by and say hi.

wow...those new unis are slick.

love them. the undershirt adds a nice color accent. i'm hoping to see them in action the weekend after next, but i'm not sure if the tickets will come through.

Hey lauren! I guess that's right, you must be an Indians fan.

i basically grew up in municipal stadium.

I would think there would be ample scalping at Indians games.

*rim-shot*

*tom-toms*

Those new unis are great and replace the vests. They will be worn on the weekends and special occasions. Chief Wahoo, sadly, still shoulders on.

hey lauren I was at the Centrum on Coventry watching the game on opening day. it's now a sports bar- the entire movie screen is divided up between three different TV stations. kinda sad but the beers were 1.75

whoa! i was wondering what would become of that place.

I watched Vertigo on that big screen about 11 years ago.

Sizemore AL MVP! Carmona Chameleon Cy Young winner!

Dr Morbius why are you in Cleveland? oh wait SABR convention

carmona not glue!

Dear Brownie:

That kid screaming TRIBE TIME in the STO*HD commercials. That also does the play-by-play. Can you tell me if I love him or hate him? I don't know. Thanks!

Joe Borowski: Still Not A Closer

This TRIBE TIME kid is killing me! He's like a young Peter Billingsley!

Also: is Casey Blake a stiff, or just a gamer (LUNCHBAG) w/ stiff-like tendencies?

Joe Borowski not only received the AL Fireman of the Year award in 2007, he considered becoming a fireman.

Borowski once considered quitting baseball and taking the test to become a fireman -- his father was a firehouse captain. For some people's liking, he's a little too comfortable with the idea of responding to the sound of wailing sirens.

o_O at Hafner go-aheader home run

No doubt! That bat-toss is karma-baiting, tho.

Plz no JoBlo.

Wow! They just blew it.

lollers

Fuck you, Joe Borowski.

Joe Borowski: Now Officially a "Crafty Veteran"

Goddamn this game pissed me off.

Seriously, fuck baseball.

Love != Fuck

Manny Ramirez wasn’t sure if Indians closer Joe Borowski threw him a fastball or a changeup.

Our closer.

Dear Brownie:

That kid screaming TRIBE TIME in the STO*HD commercials. That also does the play-by-play. Can you tell me if I love him or hate him? I don't know. Thanks!

Is STO some cable station? you people with your cable TV sicken me.

"I'll take a 5,000 ERA and the 45 saves," Borowski said during spring training.

Try again, Joe -- you had that last year!

That dude should choke on his Adam's Apple.

chill out guys, his era is 18.00, that means if he gives up two runs in the ninth, there's still a chance he could get the save. give the guy a break until he's over 27.00

Watching him blow the game last night was a thing of beauty.

Jesus christ this season had promise. Sure Dave R finally got something right re: Joe Blownsaveowrowski, but this?

Strong pitching! This is how we beat the Tigers.

-- brownie, Saturday, March 29, 2008 11:22 PM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Link

Sure Dave R finally got something right re: Joe Blownsaveowrowski

BRING IT

I am right at least 25% of the time

BETTER AVERAGE THAN CASEY BLAKE

zuzwang

sabathia should just start trotting out from the bullpen to the sound of horns.aiff.

Good news: Sabathia has struck out the side the first two innings.

Bad news: Westbrook out with a strained back.

Casey Blake: 4-4 with six Ribbys

Andy Marte crying into his Amaretto sour

http://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D442A023-3016-46A5-80DD-1C79E7BD7C35/0/BigSweep2.jpg

free tickets to tonights Yankees game. rain expected ;/

Cliff Lee

31.2 IP
0.28 ERA
.109 BAA
0.41 WHIP
29 K/2 BB

how!?

I doubt he could do that in MLB 2K8 with all his sliders pegged.

Hafner has just fallen off a cliff hasn't he. Wow when old player skills fall apart they falls apart fast.

Steroids in Baseball pt.3 (Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield, Palmeiro, BALCO, etc.)

he's only been a reg for 4 1/2 seasons now but he's already 31, damn. looks like '06 was the peak.

I was secretly hoping the Indians would get Frank Thomas. Hafner still has power- he just doesn't swing at the right pitches. I think at this point Perhalta is a bigger threat to hit home run than Pronk.

Rany Jazayerli at BP:

We have game logs going back to 1956, courtesy of Retrosheet and Baseball-Reference.com. Since 1956, do you know how many pitchers had made three straight starts with 8+ innings, <=3 hits, <=1 walk, and 8+ strikeouts? Here's the list, which I have put in alphabetical order for your convenience:

Cliff Lee.

Here's that list again, sorted by last name:

Lee, Cliff.

Yeah that's some silly good pitchin'.

BREAKING: Grady Sizemore is to CLE what Jeter is to NYY, according to Michael Kay.

Meaning ladies better make sure he wraps that shit up.

He is the team's racially mixed paragon of clutchitude

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

After a double header last night I thought for sure a loss tonight but goddamn it they did it.

Oh, and those free tickets I got were for LOGE ACTION FREEE BEER AND OPS+ ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

BACK TO BACK HOME RUNS I LOVE U CLEVELAND OHIO

Giambi hit two home runs which raised his batting average from 150 to 175, jesus christ he's the next Dave Kingman.

I LUV U DAVE KINGMAN

The Tribe is running on the basepaths as well!

I like going to baseball games.

A new video game in the visitors' clubhouse called "Big Buck Hunter," where players fire fake shotguns at four-legged targets, has drawn a crowd of Yankees sharpshooters this weekend. On Sunday, Johnny Damon and pitcher Chris Britton were squaring off when manager Joe Girardi walked up. "You guys are killing cows," Girardi said.

Tribe needs a hit. All this wonderful pitching is going to waste and it makes me sick.

Indians have one homerun from the #4 spot this year :-0

“This one transaction is not going to solve all our offensive woes,” Shapiro said Monday. “Jason Michaels was certainly not the primary cause."
O RLY

http://www.versionfinal.com.ve/wp/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/ericwedge-thumb.jpg

Now that Michaels is gone it will RAIN homers. I pray for the children in the outfield seats who will be bombarded by Indian moonshots. RIP

THERE IS AN OBVIOUS SOLUTION TO ALL THIS

fire Wedge?

no

get Hafner back on the needle?

that's not a bad idea

fire Wedge!

http://i27.tinypic.com/2mpip7q.jpg

I would love that so much.

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CLEVELAND SECOND BASEMAN ASDRUBAL CABRERA TURNED THE 14TH UNASSISTED TRIPLE PLAY IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HISTORY IN THE TOP OF THE FIFTH INNING.

Can this thread be subtitled "Cliff Lee: holy s*&t!1!!"?

Hi - can someone explain to me how that triple play worked? He caught the ball (one out), touched the base (the guy who ran to third out?) and tagged the guy who ran to second - is that right?

Yep, that's it.

howsabout hitting an unassisted single Asdrubal!

Anyway it was pretty amazing to see but another great pitching effort wasted.

i'm amazed the J's won that one. it goes against everything seemingly ingrained into their dna.

with the 3x play it happened on a line drive smacked on a hit and run.

i can't believe he threw the ball away afterwards tho!

I saw Bill Wambsganss, the Indian who turned the UTP in the 1920 World Series, at a Mets Old Timers' Day in the '70s.

Cliff Lee has seven quality starts. The Detroit Tigers have nine.

i cant find his pitching line but how is it that a mere 2 months ago cliff lee couldnt get out of ONE INNING in spring training vs. the mets!?!? i distinctly remember watching that game & it is so baffling to me

here's some gay blog post i found abt it:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/656845/mlb_spring_training_2008_cleveland.html

As an avid Indians fan, I was disappointed that the team decided to start pitcher Cliff Lee. He was unable to pitch effectively through just one inning. My best guess after seeing his spring training performance, is he will probably end up getting the 5th spot on their pitching rotation. But if he doesn't improve, they'll probably try to trade him or release him from the team.

Betancourt made the transition to True Closer pretty quickly. Unless it's a save situation, he's terrible.

The starting pitching on this team is outstanding. Aaron Laffey is subbing for Westbrook and he's been fantastic.

sign Bonds

Re: triple play

why a hit and run with the bases loaded? take away a force at the plate?

i was not aware they were loaded!

i thought so. maybe not! I could be thinking of the 10th inning when they intentionally walked a guy to load the bases.

1920 Bill Wambsganss

I'm currently replaying the Indians 1920 season via Strat-o-matic and Bill W is a steady 2nd basemen. 1920 was also the year Ray Chapman was killed by Yankee Carl Mays. Not sure if there's a SABR necro tour, Dr Morbius, but Chapman is buried in Lakeview cemetary along with President Garfield and John D Rockefeller.

and eliot ness!

and soon Marte!

Was it Manning last night who poo-poo'd Underwood (?)'s mentioning of an Indians pitcher (Sabathia?)'s past-five-starts sub-2.00 ERA because all that really mattered (paraphrasing) was the pitcher's W-L record?

This person said something equally idiotic within the five minutes that followed. Can't remember what, though.

I don't see that cemetery on the SABR agenda. Too bad, I'd like to leave a dime on Rockefeller's grave.

Did he mean it didn't matter at all, or just didn't really matter in the grand scheme of the team's success. Because as long as the team isn't scoring runs -- and that low ERA isn't resulting in wins -- he's right, it doesn't really matter. Of course, it definitely matters for the big payday CC has coming this off-season.

Why the hell is Asdrubal still taking up space in the lineup? Jesus half this team should be back in Buffalo.

I demand answers.

Nobody knows who this guy is, he just appeared one day in the lineup.

Top Batters
Cleveland

Michael Aubrey
1-3, 1 HR
1 RBI

he has two first names. he is not to be trusted.

Did he mean it didn't matter at all, or just didn't really matter in the grand scheme of the team's success. Because as long as the team isn't scoring runs -- and that low ERA isn't resulting in wins -- he's right, it doesn't really matter. Of course, it definitely matters for the big payday CC has coming this off-season.

What I got from the tone and phrasing: The better way to measure a pitcher's effectiveness, between won-loss record and the number of runs he gives up, is won-loss record.

Win-loss record is hands down the most meaningless bullshit statistic in professional sports. How is the pitcher supposed to have any control at all over how many runs the team scores?

Look on the brightside- Borowski will be back soon.

I think the Tribe should bat him sixth.

Win-loss record is hands down the most meaningless bullshit statistic in professional sports. How is the pitcher supposed to have any control at all over how many runs the team scores?

Too bad he can't go down to Buffalo and learn how to win again.

What I got from the tone and phrasing: The better way to measure a pitcher's effectiveness, between won-loss record and the number of runs he gives up, is won-loss record.

Ok, well that's pretty dumb. I'm just sore because they can't score runs :(

sounds like manning believes the Pitching to the Score myth then

tribe bats have triple-stolen my heart

I see even Tribe starting pitching is beginning to implode. The shuttle between Buffalo and Cleveland must be costing the Indians a bundle in fuel costs.

Watching Sowers makes my left wrist and elbow hurt.

There's a column in the local paper about trading CC. With Hafner probably used up and Westbrook done for the year (plus Carmona is still out) it will take a miracle for the Tribe to compete this year.

Maybe I can upgrade my seat on the 27th, then.

Guess it's over then.

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This team is fucking killing me on BP Predictatron, since I made them my AL Mortal Lock. Shame about the injuries.

the sucking hasn't helped either.

i enjoyed this evaluation:

http://vegaswatch.net/2008/06/reevaluating-tribe-offense.html

This is the fifth position we've looked at, and the first one where the starter hasn't completely collapsed. Incredible, really.

CC Sabathia has more RBI's than third baseman Marte. But even this pathetic lineup still should have taken 2 out of 3 against the White Sox.

Borowski DFA'd

tribe craves mas tacos

http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2008/07/ccs_replacement_indians_sign_j.html

how old is cc? is he gonna be worth the contract he gets?

Almost 28; not likely.

Welcome back to the AL Central, Jeff.

still haven't won since I saw last Sat night's game...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3475667

Not too excited about these dudes getting LaPorta

Trading away LaPorta seems like a dumb move on the Brew's part.

goodbye cc :(

hello matt laporta :?

xp

yeah laporta for a few months (i assume) of sabathia when theyre not even the best team in their division seems pretty dumb

HOLY SHITBALLS

Love this trade. Shapiro = Genius.

ehh its solid for the indians, nothing thats gonna go down in history or anything, but trades of superstars never really do unless theyre shit, & this one definitely isnt

from a value perspective it's a steal for the indians, but otoh the brewers have basically no use for laporta. the guy was born to DH - huge position of need for cleveland now that pronk sux - and milwaukee's already locked down at first and LF, the only two positions he could reasonably be expected to play.

Laporta = Jack Cust or Adam Dunn

The Phillies used to have "no use" for Ryan Howard. Lucky for them they decided to trade Thome instead. The Rangers had no use for Adrian Gonzalez. This year they started Ben Broussard and Chris Shelton at 1B. I'd rather have a very good but blocked player instead of a rental player, even one as good as Sabathia.

Laporta has a .988 OPS in his first season of AA. He was 1.142 in A ball and 1.065 in rookie ball. He doesn't have much range, but he also doesn't make errors. He has 44 walks to 62 strikeouts in 300 ab this year. He also has 23 doubles and 2 triples. I don't think Adam Dunn or Cust are the right comparison. (Dunn has 12 doubles and 0 triples in the same number of at bats. Cust has 8 doubles and 0 triples.)

I mean, I guess the larger point is that he's a slugger primarily, but he could be an awfully good slugger.

If they can find a way to re-sign Sabathia, then it's probably worth it, but that's a big if.

also, laporta has accepted jesus as his lord, savior and hitting coach

I was gonna say, if it don't work out there are always the sandwich picks.

The Phillies used to have "no use" for Ryan Howard. Lucky for them they decided to trade Thome instead. The Rangers had no use for Adrian Gonzalez. This year they started Ben Broussard and Chris Shelton at 1B. I'd rather have a very good but blocked player instead of a rental player, even one as good as Sabathia.

True, but you can also point to as many instances where a minor leaguer did not meet expectations. The Brewers have not been to the playoffs since 1982. They want to reach the playoffs this year and Sabathia is much more likely to help them than LaPorta.

Is it possible that Melvin could've obtained a more powerful player without giving up LaPorta?

Shapiro pointed out at the SABR convention that he got shit for the Bartlo Colon trade at the time cuz the "ESPN crawl" billed it as "for Lee Stevens and minor leaguers."

poor Bart is the biggest loser of the trade b/c everyone keeps bringing him up

Is it possible that Melvin could've obtained a more powerful player without giving up LaPorta?

Well, he could've acquired someone who has more than a half-season left before free-agency. Not sure who that would be. Sabathia is definitely a great pitcher, and his ability to pitch deep into ballgames will be very useful if the Brewers can get into the postseason.

I'd rather have LaPorta than same sandwich picks, personally. If they can keep Sabathia, it's a huge win for the Brewers. Also, Melvin has proven to be a shrewd drafter.

But this thread is about the Indians, who made an excellent trade in my opinion.

I'm ok with this trade I guess- Tribe should've thrown in Delucci just for the hell of it. After going to bed last night with a five run lead and waking up to another loss my eye turns dangerously towards the AFL and the Cleveland Gladiators. ugh

ahahaha, DONT DO IT BROWNIE!

actually the Gladiators are the only AFL franchise I respect, since their name ends with an 's' (unlike all the other AFL teams, eg. the fuccn Force and Voodoo and all that horseshit)

cankles otm x one billion.

give the mascots an "s" or give me death

Current Tribe L10 is their longest losing streak since 1979 and two away from a record L12. Keeping in mind that in that period they've had three seasons where they lost 100+ games.

THE INDIANS WIN IT! THE INDIANS WIN IT! OH MY GOD THE INDIANS WIN IT!

Snrub otm. The Indians won last night.

http://www.bumpertalk.com/bt/images/items/BD214A.jpg

AL WILD CARD HERE WE COME LOL

TAKE THAT TAMPA BAY!

http://www.planebuzz.com/400px-Broom_icon.svg.png

Be still my heart. Did Marte actually hit a home run yesterday or was it all just a dream?

I know, right? I sent an email to a colleague in Boston this morning: "YOU'RE WELCOME."

BOLD PREDICTION FROM BASEBALL TONIGHT ANALYST CHRIS SINGLETON:

At the end of the year, the player with the most home runs in the AL will be...

...the player who currently has the most home runs in the AL.

I still think Sizemore should be batting 3rd. He can move back to leadoff when Martinez or Pronk come back.

I HAVE SPOKEN

Both teams wore uniforms from the 1989 season as the Indians’ team notes said, “for no apparent reason.”

Shoppoach unloading his glove into the air to flag down that OF airmail last night: so excellent.

526 pitches thrown in that game.

Tribe up 8-1 with Cliff Lee pitching.

^that's all I remember

I still think Sizemore should be batting 3rd. He can SHOULD NOT move back to leadoff when Martinez or Pronk come back.

Susan Delluci grounds out with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of ninth last night. Two more years of this guy.

Noted Tiger killer Sal Fasano...

http://marinerds.com/pictures/numbers/13-Fasanotape.JPG

What the shit Fasano is playing FIRST BASE?!?!?

Also: Andy Marte only 20 away from 200! For a batting average!

Fasano leads the team in batting average I think.

Wow, Tribe bullpen gives up 6 in the bottom of the ninth.

only one man can save the city now

http://i.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0707/supplemental.Draft.Picks.nfl/images/kosar.2.jpg

Fasano Santiago leads the team in batting average I think.

Wow, Tribe Tiger bullpen gives up 6 a kagillion in the bottom top of the ninth every late inning on the road.

I hear you, brother.

xp

and they only needed to give up four!

AL VORP leaders:

Grady 52.6
A-Rod 49.0
Kinsler 47.3
Bradley 46.6
Hamilton 44.5

Another day, another sweep.

I'm still drunk from last night but I swear someone said that Paul Byrd will be our closer next year. Shit's getting real etc.

MORBS what the hell is AL VORP? Jesus Christ I can't think straight.

Value over Replacement Player

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VORP

Holy balls I don't understand!

I just want to know what the hell happened to Hafner

ha ha hahhaaha, Morbs, YOUR STATS ARE POWERLESS AGAINST HIM!

.500 in reach?

I think now's the time to go out there and make a deal for some pitching and let the pennant race begin.

Why do they do this? After the sweep of the Rays I got excited again and now this. After the weekend series against the Angels I'll be back to the Browns.

I will be at Saturday's game vs. the Angels, then I have tix for two more this season. FEEL THE EXCITEMENT.

So our staff right now is Carmona, Lee, Sowers and a bag of jock straps, right?

Most pitching staffs are 1, 2, 3 and jock straps! The problem is the offense is that the non-Grady / Peralta portion of their lineup is extra jocky! Exclamation point!

my name is Kelsey GRAMMAR

Cliff Lee.

Anybody here think that if the Indians hadn't got rid of CC/Blake they could've climbed back into the pennant race? Wishful thinking? No bullpen no cry?

Holy balls I don't understand!

I just want to know what the hell happened to Hafner

-- brownie, Monday, August 11, 2008 11:39 AM (1 week ago) Bookmark Link

lol holy balls

i love this damn thread brownie

Anybody here think that if the Indians hadn't got rid of CC/Blake they could've climbed back into the pennant race? Wishful thinking? No bullpen no cry?

Don't cry, little sister.

Jhonny Peralta just homered off of Joel Peralta.

Cliff Lee wins again. 18-2! Look for the Indians to sneak into wildcard contention.

I think at this point Perhalta is a bigger threat to hit home run than Pronk.

-- brownie, Friday, April 25, 2008 1:39 PM (3 months ago) Bookmark Link

me=genius

Shoppach with 3 three run homer on the Rangers pathetic bullpen!

a three run homer ;)

7-7

only need to go 19-14 for .500.

Sizemore has just joined the 30/30 club.

Make that 31/30 club.

Indians can take third place with a win tonight! It's nice have a reason to listen to the radio broadcasts during the summer.

On their way!

TEN

THIRD PLACE

ROAD SWEEP. Now they come home for a three game series against the woeful Mariners.

13?

Prospectus playoff odds for Tribe have risen to 0.2%.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/12/18352479_d4b6970bac.jpg?v=0

Prospectus playoff odds for Tribe have risen to 0.2%.

-- Dr Morbius, Thursday, 28 August 2008 13:25 (4 hours ago)

Weren't the 07 Mets odds at 99.8% at this time last year?

Just sayin....

but we all know the 07 Mets are a once-an-epoch outlier.

LOOKING FWD TO OUR LITTLE TALK SAT NITE

(if youre actually here)

13?

With that lunkhead Sowers on the hill, I'd say the streak ends tonight.

Sowers vs King Felix

Tribe isn't playing tonight Snrub! Get it together !

Tribe days off should be designated "Hafner Arm Strength Days".

I'm celebrating HASD by making perch. Brain food for the pennant run my friend.

I hate it when I'm right.

I can't take the shot; someone else do it.

TWENTY

And what better way to get there than with a complete game shutout. Amazing.

Not sure what the point has been in citing his record and/or ERA during the last x amount of games (several wins in a row! 2.21 in his last 23 innings!). Um... he has won 20 of his last 22 and his ERA for the season is 2.32... it's not like he's on a roll "of late."

damn, it's good tonic after a Mariner sweep.

If CC wins the Cy Young (outside chance) and Lee wins the Cy Young (good chance) I wonder if that's the first time two cy award winners have played for the same team in the same season?

must be.

I'm edging toward Joe Sheehan's position that Lee is the AL's best player this year, ie MVP.

THIRTY (<---- for Grady, belated)

And Martinez gets his first homer of the season!

is CC really a long shot??

Pronk was not included in the September call-ups. He'll stay down in A-AA!!!

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/columnists/nophoto_65x90.gif
S. Lewis (CLE)
8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 K, Win
@ BAL
Final

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/columnists/nophoto_65x90.gif
S. Lewis (CLE)
6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K, Win
vs MIN
Final

UNA CARMONA PLUNKA