SB Nation User Blog: Ryan

Game 81: Indians 15, Athletics 3

Ryan — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:41:41 -0000

CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Just when all is lost, count on the Indians to give you an entertaining game to keep you hooked. Tonight the Tribe lineup (sans Victor Martinez) put on a July 3rd fireworks display, collecting 15 hits, 8 of them extra-base hits. Oakland starter Trevor Cahill got ripped for 8 runs (5 of them earned), and was out after 3.2 innings. After Cahill left, four more Athletics pitchers would make appearances, and the Indians scored runs of three off them.

Asdrúbal Cabrera had his first good offensive game since returning from the Disabled List, smacking two doubles. Ben Francisco, perhaps knowing that Matt LaPorta is a phone call away, collected three hits, and Travis Hafner hit another home run. But the night belonged to Shin-Soo Choo, who hit two home runs and a double, driving in seven runs in the process. Choo is quietly having a fantastic all-around season, and now that we're a full year into his breakout (with an offseason half-way through for pitching staffs to adjust), you have to consider his production sustainable. He's currently 7th in the AL in Runs Created, and only Jason Bay has a higher RC among outfielders.

Hitters are adjusting to David Huff, but tonight all Huff had to do was to limit the damage, put in 5 or 6 innings, and get the heck out. He did that, defusing a couple innings that could have turned out much worse than they actually did.

A nice sidelight was to see the Perezes have better outings. Perez Right got some generous swings from the A's, including one on a helmet-high fastball, but he was much more composed than in his last appearance. Tonight's a much better example of what you're going to get from Chris Perez.

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Shin-Soo Choo	.226	Victor Martinez	-.156
Jhonny Peralta	.197	David Huff	-.070
Travis Hafner	.128	Luis Valbuena	-.042

Game Thread: July 3, 2009

Ryan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:26:50 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

David Huff gets the start tonight.

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Oakland at Cleveland, 7:05 PM

Game 80: White Sox 6, Indians 2

Ryan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:41:33 -0000

Almost midway through a season's journey....

View full size photo uploaded July 1, 2009

The length of its season is what gives baseball a dimension no other sport has. By watching your team on a daily basis, you get to know your team's players intimately, from their great abilities to their most annoying flaws. Each day brings a new game, another chance for victory. Or, when your favorite team stinks, a new and fresh reminder of it each evening.

Tonight was a very humdrum loss. Jeremy Sowers was his predictable self, doing well through the first couple times through the order, then falling apart after Chicago hitters caught on to his strategy. Indian hitters, who seem to have lost interest in working counts, were shut down by Jose Contreras, who was on the verge earlier this season of washing out of baseball entirely. To be fair, Contreras was hitting his spots well, and his last four starts have been markedly better than the six he made before going to the minors. But the Indians could have made his start much more difficult; he threw eight relatively easy inning, getting outs early in counts. And this wasn't the lineup of a couple weeks ago; tonight Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Travis Hafner were all in the lineup together.

The season's been over for a couple weeks now, but recently this team has descended to a new level. There's enough talent on this team, especially offensively, to make things at least respectable on a daily basis, but even that isn't happening.

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Ben Francisco	.076	Jeremy Sowers	-.246
Jose Veras	.007	Asdrubal Cabrera	-.114
Kerry Wood	.004	Jhonny Peralta	-.079

Game Thread 2: July 1, 2009

Ryan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:13:55 -0000

Top of the eighth, Chicago up 6-2.

Game Thread: July 1, 2009

Ryan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:41:06 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

[Insert Major League reference here]

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Chicago at Cleveland, 7:05 PM

Game Thread: June 30, 2009

Ryan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:00:49 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Eric Wedge and friend.

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Lineups:

INDIANS (31-47): SS Asdrubal Cabrera, CF Grady Sizemore, 1B Victor Martinez, RF Shin-Soo Choo, 3B Jhonny Peralta, DH Travis Hafner, 2B Jamey Carroll, LF Ben Francisco, C Kelly Shoppach. LHP Cliff Lee (4-6, 2.92).

WHITE SOX (38-38): LF Jayson Nix, SS Alexei Ramirez, RF Jermaine Dye, DH Paul Konerko, C A.J. Pierzynski, CF Brian Anderson, 3B Gordon Beckham, 2B Chris Getz, 1B Josh Fields. LHP Clayton Richard (2-1, 4.33).

Game 78: White Sox 6, Indians 3

Ryan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:39:52 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Chris Perez, putting the "in" in "inauspicious."

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This was a well-pitched game until the ninth, when Chris Perez entered the game. This was Perez's first game with the Indians, and a 2-0 deficit seemed as good an opportunity as any to get him into a game. I'm sure the coaching staff figured on him being amped up, since the 24-year-old would be trying to prove himself to his new team, but I don't think anyone foresaw this (the bolded text is my addition):

- A. Ramirez hit by pitch (a breaking ball right on the left earflap)

- J. Nix hit for J. Dye

- J. Nix stole second

- J. Dye hit by pitch (on the hand as another pitch went up and in.)

(coaching visit, all the infielders were there to try to calm him down)

- J. Thome walked, J. Nix to third, J. Dye to second

- P. Konerko popped out to second

- A.J. Pierzynski grounded into fielder's choice, J. Nix scored, J. Dye to third, J. Thome out at second (probably would have been out of the inning had he bothered to cover first)

- C. Getz doubled to deep center, J. Dye scored, A.J. Pierzynski to third (high fastball)

- A.J. Pierzynski scored, C. Getz to third on wild pitch

- G. Beckham singled to center, C. Getz scored

- J. Veras relieved C. Perez

Looking back at it an hour later, it seems more comical than frustrating. He gave up four runs, but gosh darn it, he did it with style.

Up to this point, the Indians were technically still in the game, but after Perez got done with things, the White Sox lead was 6-0, and instead of Bobby Jenks coming out, Matt Thornton came on to finish things off. The Indians scored three runs, but I'm not going to pretend that those three runs would have been scored off of Jenks.

Eric Wedge didn't get to see the ninth-inning fun, for he'd been run in the bottom of the seventh after arguing a close call. With the bases loaded, Ryan Garko hit a dribbler down the line, which was picked up by pitcher Gavin Floyd right on the line. The home plate umpire originally called the ball foul, but after conultation with rest of the crew, the call was reversed, with Garko being called out and the inning over with. Wedge naturally went ballistic, and you knew as soon as the crew chief made the out signal with his fist that Wedge was going to get tossed. I think the right call was made, but you could understand why Wedge was ticked off.

Only three more games until the half-way point. And then 81 games until the end of this monstrosity.

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Carl Pavano	.096	Grady Sizemore	-.199
Chris Gimenez	.062	Ryan Garko	-.196
Shin-Soo Choo	.033	Luis Valbuena	-.094

Game Thread: June 29, 2009

Ryan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:36:50 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

Ryan Garko is mercifully not in the outfield tonight, but at first base.

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Lineups:

INDIANS (31-46): 2B Jamey Carroll, CF Grady Sizemore, C Victor Martinez, RF Shin-Soo Choo, 3B Jhonny Peralta, DH Travis Hafner, 1B Ryan Garko, SS Luis Valbuena, LF Chris Gimenez. RHP Carl Pavano (6-6, 5.80).

WHITE SOX (37-38): LF Scott Podsednik, SS Alexei Ramirez, RF Jermaine Dye, DH Jim Thome, 1B Paul Konerko, C A.J. Pierzynski, 2B Chris Getz, 3B Gordon Beckham, CF Dewayne Wise. RHP Gavin Floyd (5-5, 4.45).

Game 77: Reds 8, Indians 1

Ryan — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:07:24 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

5 days ago: Cleveland Indians reliever Joe Smith stretches but can't catch an infield hit by Cincinnati Reds' Willy Taveras in the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 28, 2009, in Cleveland. The Reds defeated the Indians 8-1. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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After taking steps forward pretty much from his big league debut, today was a big step backwards for David Huff. And despite having Asdrubal Cabrera back in the lineup, the Indians offense was held in check by Reds starter Micah Owings.

Since Grady Sizemore first went on the Disabled List, Ben Francisco has gotten regular playing time, whether in center field, or when Trevor Crowe was in center, in left field. Now that Sizemore's back, he's been given a bit a reprieve with the trade of Mark DeRosa. But you'd have to think that Matt LaPorta (hitting .301/.370/.522 in AAA) will be coming up shortly to play every day, because Francisco is hitting .138/.213/.175 in June, and is dragging down the bottom of the order.

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Grady Sizemore	.091	David Huff	-.357
Ryan Garko	.073	Luis Valbuena	-.081
Joe Smith	.001	Shin-Soo Choo	-.078

Game Thread: June 28, 2009

Ryan — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:37:15 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

The Indians activated Asdrubal Cabrera from the Disabled List this morning.

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Lineups:

INDIANS (31-45): SS Asdrubal Cabrera, DH Grady Sizemore, 1B Victor Martinez, RF Shin-Soo Choo, 3B Jhonny Peralta, LF Ryan Garko, 2B Luis Valbuena, C Kelly Shoppach, CF Ben Francisco. LHP David Huff (3-2, 5.71).

REDS (36-37): CF Willy Taveras, 3B Jerry Hairston Jr., 1B Joey Votto, 2B Brandon Phillips, DH Jonny Gomes, C Ramon Hernandez, RF Jay Bruce, SS Paul Janish, LF Chris Dickerson. RHP Micah Owings (4-8, 4.87).

Asdrubal is off the Disabled List, taking the roster spot of the recently traded Mark DeRosa.