Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[NFBuck]

Finally a game to take some positives from. The wins last week were still kinda hollow because the offense showed little improvement. Tonight 6 runs on 9 hits and they roughed up one of the better pitchers in the AL. Plus, Pronk managed 2 hits including a double and Francisco continues to look very good.

Only negative I can spin from this outing is that I do not understand why Cabrera isn't in AAA at this point. His BA is down to .181 and he whiffed twice tonight. A young player like him could really get scarred from a prolonged slump, yet they continue to trot him out there on a regular basis.

Hopefully this is the start of something, but I'll believe it when I see it...

[buckeyemania11]

Originally Posted by NFBuck

Finally a game to take some positives from. The wins last week were still kinda hollow because the offense showed little improvement. Tonight 6 runs on 9 hits and they roughed up one of the better pitchers in the AL. Plus, Pronk managed 2 hits including a double and Francisco continues to look very good.

Only negative I can spin from this outing is that I do not understand why Cabrera isn't in AAA at this point. His BA is down to .181 and he whiffed twice tonight. A young player like him could really get scarred from a prolonged slump, yet they continue to trot him out there on a regular basis.

Hopefully this is the start of something, but I'll believe it when I see it...

yep, maybe this is the start of a offensive surge

Cabrera does need to go to AAA but Barfield is playing bad in AAA (Hitting .255), unless they call someone from another position up and play Carroll at 2B

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Sabathia, Blake steal the show as Indians rally to top Blue Jays, 6-1

Posted by Dennis Manoloff dmanoloff@plaind.com May 09, 2008 23:18PM

Categories: Indians
Runners in scoring position used to present problems for Casey Blake. Now the majority of his hits come in such situations.
Baseball is, indeed, a strange game.
Tracy Boulian/The Plain DealerC.C. Sabathia worked seven strong innings and was rewarded by a six-run seventh by his teammates as the Indians rallied to a 6-1 victory over Toronto Friday night at Progressive Field.

Blake hit a two-run double to ignite a six-run seventh inning as the Indians rallied to defeat the Blue Jays, 6-1, Friday night in Progressive Field. The Tribe stretched its home win streak over the Blue Jays to seven. Toronto is 1-12 in its last 13 in Cleveland, dating to 2004.
The Indians, fresh off taking two of three from the Yankees in New York, had lost 11 of 17 at home.

Continued....

[LitlBuck]

I would like to know if Francisco can play one of the infield positions. I don't care how many errors he would make it at least he can hit the damn ball. Maybe they could even put Shopach at one of the other infield positions.

How long are they going to keep Cabrera in Cleveland before they realize that he is only batting about 175. I like the kid and everything but they really need to send him down to Buffalo and hopefully he will get some confidence back. Maybe Francisco can play 2nd base while he is regaining his confidence. I think Garko needs to take a rest also and let Victor play first and Kelly can catch for a while. I would say something bad about Blake but I think he is leading the team in RBIs. Well, at least he has more RBIs than hits so when he gets a hit they count. I can't find a replacement for JP so we will have to wait for Chin to come off of the DL to play shortstop. I guess they could play Carroll a little more but that would be asking too much of Wedgie (this is the correct spelling).


Can't they do the same thing with Martethat they did with Michaels or are they still waiting for him to come around or at least see the playing field.

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com


Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge confident DH Travis Hafner can snap hitting slump
Saturday, May 10, 2008 Dennis Manoloff
Plain Dealer Reporter

Hafner was the designated hitter and batted sixth Friday night against the Blue Jays in Progressive Field.

Indians manager Eric Wedge sat Hafner, locked in a calendar-length slump, Wednesday and Thursday in New York. As a pinch-hitter Wednesday, Hafner dribbled into a double play with the bases loaded.

Friday marked the beginning of a scheduled seven-game homestand.

"We'll have an opportunity to do some really good work here at home," Wedge said. "Travis is doing all the work. He's doing everything he should be doing. He has a pretty good idea of where he needs to be, and we're going to keep pushing."

With the exception of a day here or week there, Hafner has not been Pronk since April 2007. He entered Friday batting .209 (24-for-115) with three homers and 17 RBI in 31 games this season.

Wedge would like to plug in Hafner and not worry about him the remainder of the season, but the depth of his slugger's swoon might force daily monitoring.

"I'll use my best judgment as to when he does need a day," Wedge said. "[Evaluation] probably won't come off just what we saw him doing in the game. It's going to come off what we saw throughout the day: the early work, BP [batting practice], conversations."

Wedge remains convinced Pronk will return to his form of 2004 through 2006.

I am sure glad that Wedgie is so sure that Hafner is going to come around because I would like to see him hit in a few more games before I would go that far.

I found our closer. They should bring this kid up immediately.

Right-hander Luis Perdomo, a reliever for advanced-Class A Kinston, had not allowed an earned run in 13 appearances covering 19 innings through Thursday. He allowed six hits and two unearned runs, walked seven and struck out 14. He was 1-0 with seven saves.

[NFBuck]

Holy dog[censored]! Six first inning runs! Maybe my calling them "pussies" yesterday has had some actual effect.

Laffey looking great again too. I think this kid may be special...

[buckeyes_rock]

Originally Posted by NFBuck

Holy dog[censored]! Six first inning runs! Maybe my calling them "pussies" yesterday has had some actual effect.

Laffey looking great again too. I think this kid may be special...

And even your boy Cabrera is 1 for 1 with 2 RBI!

[billmac91]

does Byrd get walking papers once Westbrook gets healthy? You can;t take Laffey out of the roatation can you?

Maybe move Byrd to the bullpen?

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by billmac91

does Byrd get walking papers once Westbrook gets healthy? You can;t take Laffey out of the roatation can you?

Don't put anything past this front office, but with the way he's pitching, I don't see how.

Maybe move Byrd to the bullpen?

Possible. He might make a decent long-reliever.

[buckeyemania11]

looks like the offense is starting to get it going, maybe this is the turning point of the season for this team

[buckeyes_rock]

Originally Posted by buckeyemania11

looks like the offense is starting to get it going, maybe this is the turning point of the season for this team

Not to be pessimistic, but the Tribe is famous for exploding one night only to go cold the next.

But I like your thinking!

[buckeyemania11]

Originally Posted by buckeyes_rock

Not to be pessimistic, but the Tribe is famous for exploding one night only to go cold the next.

But I like your thinking!

yea, and they will hit good pitchers and make mediocre pitchers look like Cy Young

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by buckeyes_rock

Not to be pessimistic, but the Tribe is famous for exploding one night only to go cold the next.

But I like your thinking!

True, but this is back-to-back games to feel good about for the first time probably all season. I'm not gonna get too giddy until I see some sustained success, but for the first time in a long time, I see reason to at least be optimistic.

And Laffey is a [censored]ing stud.

[NFBuck]

Well, they're determined to at least give Marte garbage time. He's in at 3rd. How long are they planning on keeping him on the roster? He's never shown an inkling of ability to produce at all at the ML level.


Okay, come on, maybe some of my negative mojo can work on him too...

[buckeyemania11]

Originally Posted by NFBuck

Well, they're determined to at least give Marte garbage time. He's in at 3rd. How long are they planning on keeping him on the roster? He's never shown an inkling of ability to produce at all at the ML level.


Okay, come on, maybe some of my negative mojo can work on him too...

who knows, shapiro refuses to let Marte go even though he is clearly not deserving of a roster spot