These numbers are probably harder to swallow than the bran flakes some of you will not doubt be munching on as you read this Monday morning.
In the first three games against the Twins the Tribe has left 46 runners on base. They are 3 for 22 with runners in scoring position. Jhonny Peralta has left the most runners on in this series - 10, followed by Josh Barfield at 8 and Trot Nixon at 7. You've got to cut Nixon some slack though, since he only played in two of the games. If he had played in three, he no doubt would be in the lead. The Tribe is 22 for 96 in the series so far in Minnesota. That's roughly .230. (it's too late and I'm too tired to do the precise math).
Lest you think the Tribe's woes are limited to the Homer Dome, they have scored two runs or fewer in 8 of the last 12 games, having lost 1-0 in two of those games. They also won a 1-zip game in that stretch.
During the period the Tribe's starting rotation has a 2.91 ERA, but the team has a 4-8 record. The Tigers during that stretch are 2-10. Talk about your wasted opportunities.
Meanwhile, the Yankee, who many had given up for dead - myself and many of their own fans (if they're honest) included - are now only 1/2 game behind Detroit for the wild card spot. And, only 1 game behind the Tribe should the Indians slip behind the Tigers.
The Yankees have scored 149 runs in their last 15 games. You don't even need a diploma from Parma High School to know that is, for all intents and purposes, 10 runs a game. They are 12-3 in that stretch. They are coming to town this weekend.
Just a little something to make the Cheerios go down a little easier.
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I don't usually get involved in questioning every managerial decision that comes along (Eric Wedge is not hitting .095 with RISP), but this one strikes me as legit and I can't just let it go. In the eighth, when running for Trot Nixon, why send in Jason Michaels rather the Franklin Gutierrez? Gutierrez is faster on the bases and a better defensive replacement than Michaels, no?
I guess it doesn't much matter since Peralta bunted into a double play anyway. But if the players need to do the "little things" right to win the close games, isn't it necessary that the manager do the same?
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2 comments:
I am actually choking on my cap\tain crunch this morning - those numbers look worse than financial portfolio the past month
time for a lineup change - lofton, guitiierez, sizemore, victor, garko, pronk, blake, peralta, barfield
maybe if we had a DECENT utility infielder - can you say john mcdonald or ronnie belliard to name 2, we could set peralta down - his swing and head is all messed up or barfield
like I said two weeeks ago - here come the twins - and add the white sox tot he mix.
twins win central, yankess wild card and the indians and tigers - GO HOME
yankes pitchers - carmona, byrd, and wetbrook
moose:
can we assume you are frustrated with the home team, given that you've posted four times in the last 12 hours?
your lineup proposal is interesting, but given they won't even trust gutierrez to PLAY every day I doubt they would consider letting him hit second.
i can't understand the nixon thing. gutierrez should be in the lineup every day except against the toughest righties. even if it turns out he doesn't hit, we will be no further behind on offense and much further ahead on defense. plus he can move on the bases and won't be clogging them up.
also, Blake should never, ever, ever bat third in this lineup (as he has a couple of times recently). Maybe in the 2003 lineup. But he should never hit above seven in this one.
When Peralta loses it, he really loses it. He looks terrible at the plate. He gets homer happy and then swoons for three weeks.
As you say, if we had a decent utility infielder we could bench Perlata when he's hurting the team. Ditto Barfield. Maybe we could even clone this decent utility infielder and have him hit for both of them. No sense in bemoaning who we got rid of, but it is necessary to make a change. Right now Royce Clayton is the best choice among those recently set free by their teams. But who knows who's available in a waiver deal. Rouse can not stay.
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