caulfield12

Kerry Wood gets a big save today for the Indians to stem the bleeding in a game where LHP Aaron Laffey unexpectedly pitched the game of his life, the Tribe bullpen almost gave it back (middle relief) but they hung on to win 5-4. Looks like all the AL Central teams will be bunched up at the top with DET up 1/2 game on the White Sox, Royals and Minnesota (unless the Twins lose tonight at home to the Blue Jays).

BA as a starter so far Walk (caught stealing, but Lillibridge missed hit and run contact), K (critical AB) and 4-3 (at least he didn't K against Perry, who had just knocked down Alexei twice) 1/8 on the season (.125)

Shades of Cabrera versus Grant Balfour with Josh not getting his revenge. I'm still kind of amazed Brian hit the ball, even. If he threw anything offspeed, it would have been brutal.

They will have to start Betemit at 2B or SS tomorrow to get some offense, especially if Getz isn't ready (which it appears he will be back). Ozzie might think about Betemit at SS for Alexei...not sure if he will take the risk defensively.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 02:33 PM) How many games have the Sox won the past 3 years scoring 1 run? There were runners on 2nd and 3rd, it would have been 2-0 with a single in all likelihood.

Now we get to see BA against a real right-handed power pitcher that throws 94-98. Well, he made contact, but he wasn't exactly short and quick, it sounded like he broke his bat almost.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 02:23 PM) I think we should all blame the game on BA. Anyone else out in CF today batting ninth and the White Sox probably win this one going away. If BA (or Lillibridge, or Quentin/Thome) managed to bring in those two runs early, then they had at least a 50/50 chance to win this game. BA is even more important, because they can pitch around him to get to Lillibridge...so he HAS to make contact in that situation. Well, JD just saved one run there with his height, unfortunately it's too late to matter except for the highlight shows.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 02:15 PM) How bad is the Tiger bullpen if they don't trust taking out Gallaraga with a 5 run lead? Hawk's pet peeve, the dreaded pitch count. Actually, this is a good test for the Tigers' pen to see if they can shut down the White Sox...Leyland needs to know what he'll get out them in the late innings. Room service DP ball...typical of how this game isn't going. 90% of the time when you miss those two early scoring opportunities against a good pitcher, you can put a fork in that game. Plus our defense is one of the worst in the major leagues...in terms of errors AND range (yes, you JD and Fields)

Contreras really didn't deserve to give up 4 earned runs...he has been much better than a 6.97 ERA. I'm not drinking Hawk's kool-aid, but I think Jose will be much better when we get to "Cuban" weather, same thing with Ramirez. Somehow Aaron Laffey, after getting bombed out of ST and his first AAA start, has shut down the Royals for 4 innings. I guess the baseball gods had to come down on the side of the Indians eventually, but still only a 1-0 lead for CLE going into the 5th. Long way to go.

The thing is that Josh Anderson won't even play that much when Carlos Guillen goes back to LF. He'll be mostly a once or twice a week player and pinch runner.

PUT THIS GAME ON THE DEFENSE, COMPLETELY. JD gets to that shank down the RF line, and Josh completes the double play, it's still 0-0 and we're in it, although with Galarraga our offense might need 18 innings to score.

We were due for this type of game. Against their best pitcher, with three helpless RH hitters in the line-up right now...and the momentum gone with the rainout. Not the best way to get into the hornet's nest down in TB. Josh Anderson with 4 hits against us in this series...and looking like another LH in our line-up with Pods' speed from 2005 wouldn't be a bad thing to have.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 01:55 PM) I just hate how Ozzie seems determined to have a fast player leadoff, no matter how awful they are. If Carl Lewis was on the Sox for a game, he'd leadoff. Betemit desperately needs more playing time against RHP...or else the Swisher trade looks even worse. But Betemit was our "hedge" against Fields failing in ST and Option B. He's fine at 1B and 3B, but we can't play him at SS or 2B. Although I wouldn't be shocked to see him at SS in the Rays' series because of the way Ramirez has ben hitting since Game 1. Essentially, Betemit is superfluous on this team. And Josh Fields, you pretty much have to play him everyday at this point in his career to see how well he can do against both RH and LH pitching. Well, now the entire game is completely falling apart. And we can't project Viciedo down there at 3B with the rate he's making errors in Birmingham, even if Josh completely went in the tank.

In fact, this game "felt" over just with the fact that Lillibridge was leading off. It's one of those games where we wasted our two big scoring opportunities, but we're still not out of it if we get to face Brandon Lyon b4 we get to Rodney. Unfortunately, not much patience in that inning, so Galarraga will get the 7th now as well. Hopefully, this is the last game Lillibridge starts in a week and Getz can get back and prove effective leading off. If not, we've still got a huge problem, as Pods or Owens are not the answer either...certainly not long-term. Lillibridge should spell Ramirez every couple of weeks at SS (or Sundays) and PR. That's it. He's not capable of anything more. Realistically, they should send him to Charlotte and work on his stroke and putting the ball onto the ground more often...same issue as Jerry Owens.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 01:45 PM) It sucks knowing that with an extra 10 mil to spend, we could have signed Hudson to play 2B and have Swisher in CF this season. Those two holes are so glaring. Would never want Swisher in CF. Hudson in CF would have been fine with me...although I don't think he would have signed here in the tougher league and having to play a new position on a one year contract while waiting for the economy to improve.

We don't deserve to win this game, honestly. We really didn't deserve to win Monday's game with all those walks, either. The only way he can win this game is with homers or beating their pen. We turn that DP or we have an average RFer in terms of speed and we're out of that inning. It doesn't show up as an error in the box score, but it prolongs the inning and gives Polanco another pitch to take advantage of, and Polanco won't fail twice in one game with runners in scoring position. Not against the White Sox at least.

Well 28 MLB rightfielders would have had that ball I think.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 01:34 PM) Who knows, consistent playing time may get him comfortable enough to where he shortens up enough and stops forcing things. But he has such a rigid and mechanical swing. It would be a competition with Borchard for worst overall swing mechanics...Borchard is one of the few lefties that really looked ugly up there swinging the bat. Hawk is right, though. This game would feel a lot different for Jose at 2-0, 3-0 or 4-0. The offense is really putting the pressure on him.

Bring in Corky Miller as "Pinch Catcher." Too late.

Anderson played in around 100 games last year...quite a few of them as a defensive replacement/PH. If JOSH Anderson gets on base you, here you put him on 3rd base with one out. Fortunately, he is like Granderson with no power...

Lillibridge at 1/13 Ramirez 4/27 Anderson 1/7 6/47=.128 Hard to get much done when your 1/8/9 is so horrific. Anderson will never be able to succeed if he can't lie off those breaking balls down and away. Not even Felix Hernandez will throw him another FB. For that matter, Ramirez needs to adjust to, but at least he's flipped a couple of curves for hits this year, one on Monday down the LF line.

If Ray Searage can pitch for 15 years and Jamie Moyer for 20...well, even Alan Embree's still hanging on somewhere, right? Tony Fossas, anyone? Sidney Ponson has mowed down the Indians 1-2-3 in the first.

Just for a few innings, it's reminding me of when Jose wouldn't care about the few baserunners he allowed, because he was so confident he could get out of any situation with his forkball/split and 93-97 MPH fastball. He's lost a lot off that fastball, but he can still be very effective at 90-93...especially if he can get back the split and get ahead in counts. Ramirez, you need to get your head out of your a--.

Harrelson got punkd by Stone on that ball Alexei went too far on...he just let it go, thankfully, but Stone was right. DJ would never have challenged him on that kind of stuff, he'd just let Hawk go on and on and on about umpiring. We just had bad luck not getting to face Porcello. We usually tee off on pitchers with that big fastball, like Verlander...you can't EXPECT to beat a 1/2 starter on the road with your 4/5 starter more than 20-25% of the time, so I'm okay with whatever happens, as long as Jose improves on his performance from last time out (which he has so far).

But who in God's name would we be starting today at leadoff? Anderson against a RHP? Ramirez, when he's struggling mightily? Fields? 95% of the time, Fields would be 2/2 right now...