It just doesn't get more frustrating than this.
The Tribe started this four-game series against the Yanks with two straight wins.
A sweep was looking like a possibility and certainly a series win was at hand.
You could rationalize yesterday as the Tribe being victimized by Chien-Ming Wang at his absolute best.
But then there was today, with the Tribe flailing away at old-man Mussina's 69 mph change-up and then getting mowed down by the Yankee pen.
Second and third and one out in the third - no runs as Dellucci strikes out and Jamey Carroll grounds out.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Tribe scored twice to take a short-lived lead, but they should have had more, leaving the bases loaded with Mussina on the ropes.
Once the Yanks bullpen came in in the sixth, the Tribe packed up their bats for the night (not that they used them much to that point).
Watching this awful offense was certainly frustrating, but the throw-your-shoe-at-the-TV moments came in the top of the sixth inning.
The Yankees scored four times in the sixth while hitting just one ball out of the infield. And there were no walks mixed in - although there was one hit batsmen with the bases loaded - and don't you just love that!
To start the inning, a bouncer off the plate went over Casey Blake's head and was contained by SS Jhonny Peralta, but Aaron Laffey's no-hit bid was history.
Next up was Derek Jeter, who hit a spinning swinging bunt that Blake spazzed out on. Base hit. First and second no outs.
Bobby Abreu had the only solid wood of the inning, with a routine, line drive single to left (which might have been caught if there had been a real left fielder - rather than Dellucci - out there. Bases loaded no outs.
Laffey, trying to come inside on A-Rod with two strikes came a little too inside and popped him on the thigh. 2-1 Tribe, basses still loaded.
Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui both hit bouncers to Garko at first that were so well placed that an out at first base was the only option, as the runners moved up. 2-2, and then 3-2 Yankees.
With Morgan Ensberg coming up and A-Rod still on third Jensen Lewis was brought in - even though only one ball was hit out of the infield all inning.
In keeping with the tend, Ensberg hit a worm-killer in front of the mound that Lewis couldn't bare-hand. Another infield single. Another Yankee run.
Another frustrating, disheartening Cleveland loss.
It's only been a month since the season began, but I can't take watching this offense for much longer. They can't hit!!! Plain and simple.
Travis Hafner's swing is stiff and slow and he appears just too muscle-bound to do anything about it.
Ryan Garko has disappeared.
Jhonny Peralta gets hot for a game or two at a time and then starts trying to pull every pitch.
Casey Blake had his week and should go into hibernation for a while now.
The Dyspeptic Duo in right and left field? Please!
Victor Martinez can't do this alone, and even he has turned into a singles hitter.
The front office is going to have to give up some of their prized pitching depth and get somebody in here who can hit in the middle of the order.
Until (or unless) Hafner stops looking like Ahhnold Schwarzenegger with a bat in his hands he has to be moved down in the order, or maybe out of it. That can't be done until someone with a real stick is brought in.
It's wonderful to have great pitching, but how long can we watch that great pitching get flushed down the toilet by the worst offense in the American League?
The numbers say so and my eyes tell me so. And I don't know how much more my eyes can take.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Hey Yanks! Don't call the Tribe, the Tribe will call you
The game story in the New York Post today is a classic example of the mindset of the Yankees, their fans and the reporters that cover the team.
Two classic components of the Yankee attitude are on display.
1.) Everyone wants to be a Yankee under any circumstances - no questions asked.
2.) The Yankees will win it all this year and every year.
The story opens like this:
"In a perfect world that may become reality this July or during the winter, Alex Rodriguez wants to play behind C.C. Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang.
"I would like to have both," Rodriguez said after Wang beat Sabathia, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, and the Indians, 1-0, yesterday in front of 31,598 at Progressive Field. "
I'm only mildly surprised that the writer, George A. King III, didn't use the word "will" and not "may" in the opening phrase of the first sentence.
King goes on to explain that there are two ways the Yanks can get their grubby hands on CC (hence the "July or during the winter" timetable) :
"Sabathia, who will be a free agent after the season, is a candidate to be dealt at the Aug. 1 trade deadline if the Indians fall out of contention. "
If the Indians fall out of contention?
I'm not saying it's impossible that the Indians' season blows up, but I see no reason to think so at this point.
On the other hand, let's say the world spins off its axis and the Yankees are the ones who fall out of contention.
After all, they are the team with the inexperienced manager who's telling the gazillionaires who work for him that they can't have candy bars in the clubhouse.
They also seem to be the ones with two rookies in their starting rotation with a lot to prove, and whose first-month performances raise more questions than they answer.
The Yanks are also the team with two rather elderly starting pitchers who could disappear at a moment's notice. Mike Mussina has shown signs for two years now that he may be at the end of the road and Andy Pettitte has had arm problems in the past and is also not getting any younger.
The following development, as reported in King's story, makes it even more possible for that earth-spinning-of-its-axis thing to happen.
"The much-needed victory was dampened by the news Jorge Posada is going on the disabled list with a right shoulder problem that could require surgery. "
You really do have to scratch your head on this.
In the same story that you read that perhaps the most-irreplaceable Yankee may be headed to the DL for a long, long time, you also read that it's the Tribe who may fall out of contention and may be looking to ship CC to NY in July.
Keep in mind the Yanks also just lost Brian Bruney, one of their links to the Great Joba, who in turn is the link to Mariano.
LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth have talent, but neither is off to a great start and neither has been themselves for three or four seasons now. Other than those two, the Yanks have Jonathan Albaladejo and Ross Ohlendorf to get them through the middle innings.
But when the Indians "fall out of contention" they'll be sure to call the Yankees about CC - assuming of course the Yanks have patched up their dozen or so other weaknesses by then.
Two classic components of the Yankee attitude are on display.
1.) Everyone wants to be a Yankee under any circumstances - no questions asked.
2.) The Yankees will win it all this year and every year.
The story opens like this:
"In a perfect world that may become reality this July or during the winter, Alex Rodriguez wants to play behind C.C. Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang.
"I would like to have both," Rodriguez said after Wang beat Sabathia, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, and the Indians, 1-0, yesterday in front of 31,598 at Progressive Field. "
I'm only mildly surprised that the writer, George A. King III, didn't use the word "will" and not "may" in the opening phrase of the first sentence.
King goes on to explain that there are two ways the Yanks can get their grubby hands on CC (hence the "July or during the winter" timetable) :
"Sabathia, who will be a free agent after the season, is a candidate to be dealt at the Aug. 1 trade deadline if the Indians fall out of contention. "
If the Indians fall out of contention?
I'm not saying it's impossible that the Indians' season blows up, but I see no reason to think so at this point.
On the other hand, let's say the world spins off its axis and the Yankees are the ones who fall out of contention.
After all, they are the team with the inexperienced manager who's telling the gazillionaires who work for him that they can't have candy bars in the clubhouse.
They also seem to be the ones with two rookies in their starting rotation with a lot to prove, and whose first-month performances raise more questions than they answer.
The Yanks are also the team with two rather elderly starting pitchers who could disappear at a moment's notice. Mike Mussina has shown signs for two years now that he may be at the end of the road and Andy Pettitte has had arm problems in the past and is also not getting any younger.
The following development, as reported in King's story, makes it even more possible for that earth-spinning-of-its-axis thing to happen.
"The much-needed victory was dampened by the news Jorge Posada is going on the disabled list with a right shoulder problem that could require surgery. "
You really do have to scratch your head on this.
In the same story that you read that perhaps the most-irreplaceable Yankee may be headed to the DL for a long, long time, you also read that it's the Tribe who may fall out of contention and may be looking to ship CC to NY in July.
Keep in mind the Yanks also just lost Brian Bruney, one of their links to the Great Joba, who in turn is the link to Mariano.
LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth have talent, but neither is off to a great start and neither has been themselves for three or four seasons now. Other than those two, the Yanks have Jonathan Albaladejo and Ross Ohlendorf to get them through the middle innings.
But when the Indians "fall out of contention" they'll be sure to call the Yankees about CC - assuming of course the Yanks have patched up their dozen or so other weaknesses by then.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Tribe loss to Yanks hard to swallow
Yes, I know the Tribe won the first two games of the series.
Yes I know they were on a five-game winning streak.
Yes, I know CC had another dominating game and appears well back on track.
Yes, I know Chien-Ming Wang was just as dominating and that sometimes you just have to tip your cap.
But damn - it's the Yankees.
No matter how much logic I try to apply to my response to today's game, I just can't help being annoyed and disappointed.
Sure the Tribe is still up 2-1 in the series with the Yanks, but how sweet would it have been to walk into my Jersey City office in the morning with three wins in the books - not having to say anything other than what the smirk on my face would have conveyed.
When you live in New York and are a Tribe fan, the games against the Yanks aren't just like all the rest - no matter how much logic and common sense say they are.
The victories are sweater and losses more tough to take.
No matter how well things have been going lately, this one hurt.
The great Joba made his first appearance of the series and showed Cleveland fans why Yankee fans have already canonized him. He dispatched with David Dellucci, Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis Hafner on a foul out and two Ks. Chamberlain sat out the first couple of games with a sore hammy.
But the Yanks injury problems may have gotten a lot worse today.
The New York Times is reporting that Jorge Posada may heading to the DL and that the shoulder problem that has been plaguing him all season may be quite serious. The paper reports Posada will go to see specialist Dr. James Andrews - and that is almost always bad news.
Oh, and just for the record. It took Yankee TV announcer Michael Kay until the post-game wrap-up to mention midges today. One wonders if there will ever be another Indians-Yankees game played without mention of the mighty swarm the ruined the Yankees 2007 season.
Yes I know they were on a five-game winning streak.
Yes, I know CC had another dominating game and appears well back on track.
Yes, I know Chien-Ming Wang was just as dominating and that sometimes you just have to tip your cap.
But damn - it's the Yankees.
No matter how much logic I try to apply to my response to today's game, I just can't help being annoyed and disappointed.
Sure the Tribe is still up 2-1 in the series with the Yanks, but how sweet would it have been to walk into my Jersey City office in the morning with three wins in the books - not having to say anything other than what the smirk on my face would have conveyed.
When you live in New York and are a Tribe fan, the games against the Yanks aren't just like all the rest - no matter how much logic and common sense say they are.
The victories are sweater and losses more tough to take.
No matter how well things have been going lately, this one hurt.
The great Joba made his first appearance of the series and showed Cleveland fans why Yankee fans have already canonized him. He dispatched with David Dellucci, Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis Hafner on a foul out and two Ks. Chamberlain sat out the first couple of games with a sore hammy.
But the Yanks injury problems may have gotten a lot worse today.
The New York Times is reporting that Jorge Posada may heading to the DL and that the shoulder problem that has been plaguing him all season may be quite serious. The paper reports Posada will go to see specialist Dr. James Andrews - and that is almost always bad news.
Oh, and just for the record. It took Yankee TV announcer Michael Kay until the post-game wrap-up to mention midges today. One wonders if there will ever be another Indians-Yankees game played without mention of the mighty swarm the ruined the Yankees 2007 season.
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