Patrick

Cecil Cooper was a favorite when he was on those bashing Brewers teams (and the Avalon Hill baseball game--he had a great card one of those years). Hopefully he'll have some success in Stroland. Mussina looks like he's hurt. That was brutal tonight. How did the Tribe only manage 2 runs against him in mid-August?

I infrequently listen to the commentary. If I really like the film initially, I sometimes will watch it again the next day and listen to the commentary. The most recent time I did this was for the excellent Breach--Chris Cooper was outstanding as Robert Hanssen. Commentary was provided by director Billy Ray and real life (former) agent Eric O'Neill. Ray spends a lot of time explaining how shots were set up, his tributes to favorite 70s films (like All the President's Men and Kramer v. Kramer), which scenes were reshot months later, etc. O'Neill explains a bit about how things really went down. Quite interesting.

That is what it looks like, esp with Shef on the shelf and Kenny Rogers unlikely to make much of an appearance. At least Granderson got a leadoff double off of Clemens. and now Maggs has gone yard in the first. Unfortunately, the Tribe appears to be right there with the Tigers. Another dreadful game against a weak sister in the AL. Sabathia pitches 8 solid innings against KC, giving up 2 runs. Tribe can only scratch a single run. Greinke gets pulled after 3 innings for some reason (injury?), and Tribe does nothing. It's been a long time since starting pitching has been the bedrock for the Indians and the offense has been so anemic. The collars are really tight around Sizemore, Martinez, Hafner, and all the rest (maybe excluding Garko). Wedge has done everything but call these guys out by name. They claim to have learned from fading in other years, but they are repeating it again. Thank goodness the Tigers are struggling as well. Sheesh. Nice doubleheader for the RedSox today. Beckett started off a bit shakey in the first, but settled down.

Middle of last year (while still with Tribe), Wick gave all indications that that would be his last year. It was a challenge for him to come back after his injuries, and he greatly appreciated the chance the Tribe gave him to come back (and all the paychecks he cashed while missing time). Change of scenery to ATL got him to start another year, but it appears that he is out of gas (physically and perhaps mentally). I don't recall any of this type of BS while in Cleveland--where the bullpen he was part of came under a lot of fire.

Jake Westbrook had another great outing for the Tribe in a pitcher's duel against Nate Robertson and the Tigers. Like Sabathia and Carmona he was rewarded with a no decision. In 5 August starts, Westbrook is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA, averaging 7+ innings, 1.2 earned runs, 4.6 hits, 3.8K, 1.4BB per outing (opponents have been NYY, Det, TB, Chi, Tex). The loss was a bad one to NYY--hopefully Jake will continue to pitch well, esp against high quality opponents. This afternoon's was another tough game trying to score runs, but Tribe managed to get 3 in the 10th off of a somewhat erratic Zumaya. JoeBo once again made it real exciting in the bottom of the 10th after getting the first two out (double, single, double), but was able to retire IRod to end it. I wonder if he has more than one 1-2-3 inning for a save, and how often he gives up at least a run (like he did today). Race for the central crown looks like it will go down to the wire. Tribe and Tigers face each other only 3 more times (in mid-September). Their schedules the rest of the way are quite similar. Only differences (ignoring home/away distinctions) are Cle has (4 LAA, 2 Sea, 3 KC) and Det has (4 NYY, 1 Tor, 3 Tex). Yanks are at Detroit. Tribe goes to LA. Degree of difficulty a bit higher for Tribe, but they presently have a 2.5 game lead. Cleveland's penultimate series is 4 games in Seattle--could be very interesting for the Division and the wildcard. [...or maybe less interesting if Det continues to lose series the rest of the way while Tribe finds their misplaced bats ]

I only caught bits and pieces of the game, but at the end Palmer did remind everyone that Baltimore lead 3-0 after 3 innings. So Texas had 30 unanswered runs over the course of 6 innings--averaging FIVE runs an inning, for SIX innings. Wow. 30 - 3, that's not even a close football game...

And Ranger Wes Littleton earns a save in the 30-3 game by pitching 3 scoreless innings. I think even Joe Borowski could have converted that one...

Now 30 - 3. Modern baseball record. Break up the Rangers!!!

And the Tribe managed to get by Edwin Jackson (3-12) and the D-Rays. Got 12 hits but managed only to score two runs. Fortunately, that was enough for Byrd, Perez, Betancourt, and Borowski. And the Tigers lost, so Tribe back in first by a half game. Now if only the Chisox can get after the Mariners... Maybe Gagne should not pitch in the 8th or 9th until he demonstrates some ability to get more guys out than not...

Absolutely. And I will pull for all Yankee opponents once those Tiger games are out of the way.

Dan, I can totally emphasize with the inability to bring home runners in scoring position when there are no out. Manny and company obviously grabbed the blueprints away from Sizemore, Peralta, and company.--Tribe had a similar exercise of futility Tuesday night against Detroit (...and quite a few others since the ASB). At least the Orioles were able to hang on against Yankees. We'll just have to agree to disagree about who should win the upcoming 8 Tiger/Yankee games [Little comfort for you, but at least they can't both win those games...] Tonight was the perfect night of baseball. Fausto was dealing (8 innings, 10K, 1ER, 4H, only 6 balls hit out of the infield). Extra base hits from Sizemore, Blake, Gutierrez and gimpy Hafner. Borowski pitched an uneventful ninth. And every AL team with a better record than the Tribe lost (Det, LAA, Sea, Bos, NY).

Completely disagree. Nice to see Cabrera pitch well against the Skankees (2 hits but a ton of walks), but Joe Borowski needs to be banished to long relief. Another quality outing for Sabathia gets him a no decision. At the break I thought he had a shot at 20 wins, but those days are gone now. After 7 from Sabathia (96 pitches, 2 runs), Betancourt provided two scoreless innings. Borowski then through BP. Wedgie needs to let Betancourt try closing. Interesting lineup with Lofton leading off (and delivering an 0-fer) and Sizemore batting third (2 run homer in the first = all of Tribe offense). Tribe needs to win at least 2/5 against Detroit--currently 0-1. Fausto tomorrow night.

Indeed. 5 of next 8 are against Detroit--the most important games left on their schedule (Following this, teams meet just one more time in mid-September). Sabathia and Carmona are starting tonight and tomorrow. Tigers will get Carmona a second time, but not Sabathia. Brutal against the Yanks. A-Rod has had their number all season. Yesterday's was perhaps the toughest to deal with. Westbrook did not pitch well (though it has been much worse), but the Tribe got to Rivera in the ninth. Trailing by 3, the bottom of the order starts the inning goes single, single, double [Gagne-like? ], so its second and third, a run in, no out. With the tying run in scoring position, Cabrera (recent callup) and Sizemore strike out. Blake (why is he batting second??) flies out to end the game. A couple of reasonably deep fly balls or even a single likely would have tied it, but no. Just six runs scored in the three game series (against Hughes, Mussina, Pettite). Tribe bats appear to slumber their way out of the postseason.

While I do not listen to it that often, I enjoy Brilliant Corners (Muse, 1988). Your mileage may vary.

No idea about the Carmona day/night splits, or how he performs in domes (which presumably are lit the same way day or night). If the Tribe makes it to the postseason, hopefully they'll play more than the customary one (or zero) day game in the first round.

Oops, missed Mosaic as I was assembling a large Newbury order. Looking forward to Bearcat. Fan of Cliff Craft, Plays Leadbelly, and Blowing in from Chicago.

Yeah, I watched the end of Bos/Bal, and is Gagne the weak link in that excellent bullpen? On the one batter he did retire on a dribbler in front of the mound, he was fortunate that it was Millar huffin and puffin down the line (and the play was still close). Bedard and Dice K pitched well, though I think Dice K may have had only two 1-2-3 innings and quite a few walks. Meanwhile the anemic Tribe offense turns Hughes into Cy Young. Carmona had a bad outing. ...At least the Tigers and Mariners also lost.

I think Tribe does a pretty good job of taking walks--they spent quite a bit of time in the Chisox bullpen (and should have swept on the road). And as bad as Hafner has been, he's still a league leader in walks. After the 3 game series against NYY, Tribe will be done with both Bos and NYY for the regular season.

It has in fact been a brutal month for the Tribe. Very little to be happy about, beyond still being in/near first in the Central (though this leads to thoughts that they should really have a huge division lead right now--similar thoughts in Tiger Nation I'm sure). Beginning of the year could make a strong case that the AL Central was the beast division, but with Minn and ChiSox not performing well, and now Cle and Det following a similar course... What's bad: team is in a collective batting slump, even MVP candidate Victor Martinez wasn't getting hits. Hafner has been brutal most of the year, and now he has a knee injury. Sizemore has had a bit of surge, but should be batting better. Josh Barfield, while not being counted on to lead the offense, appears overmatched in the AL--hopefully he'll figure something out. Lots of errors (which one can live with if the offense is humming along). Borowski shaky as closer (been the case all year, and not a big surprise, but tough to stomach when little margin for error). Much of the rest of the pen has also been underwhelming. Fourth and fifth spots in the rotation should be open mike night. Team is about 1/3 of the way through a stretch that has 16 of 21 games on the road (5 home games are against NYY and Det). What's good: Carmona and Sabathia, provided they don't sue for non-support, continue to pitch extremely well. Fausto goes against Hughes tonight, Sabathia throws next against Tigers. Paul Byrd continues to pitch well, if not spectacularly. Rafael relievers Betancourt and Perez have been solid (though Betancourt lost an 8th inning lead against Chisox before Borowski lost the regained lead again in extras...ugh) Kenny Lofton has added a slight lift to the offense. Jake Westbrook has put together a couple of quality starts--hopefully he is back on track (Was the Cliff Lee demotion a wakeup call of sorts?). Matchup lefty reliever Aaron Fultz has been activated. Cup of coffee rookie lefty Aaron Laffey beat Mark Buehrle Thursday night (...and then was sent down). Reports suggest that Jeremy Sowers and Cliff Lee are pitching well at Buffalo (though it doesn't appear that obvious to me). Team likely to go with 4 man rotation for a couple of weeks due to offdays. And finally, Tribe signed Russel Branyan to a minor league contract. Some were suggesting that this means they have given up on Andy Marte as future third baseman. Not an unreasonable view to have about the underwhelming Marte (great glove, no bat), but completely crazy to think that Branyan is any type of answer. So Branyan's first game for Bisons is an 0-4 with 3 K's (ahhh, the Russell of old...). Phillies then acquire him from the Tribe for cash considerations. Why didn't Philly just sign the guy themselves? Branyan did pick up the tab for the postgame spread during his brief revisit to Buffalo...

Haywood Workman Spencer Haywood John Spencer

Happy Birthday Lon, Enjoy the gifts of life, especially the beautiful people and beautiful sounds.

I am comfortable with Byrd as the 4th or 5th man in the rotation, but as the third, and a big dropoff to Westbrook and Lee, it will be tough to hang with Detroit and/or grab the wildcard. Bats, other than Victor Martinez and Ryan Garko, have been a bit underwhelming as well--mainly Hafner and Sizemore. At least Borowski took care of business the other night 3 up 3 down (an extremely rare occurence). Rotations shorten in the postseason, but the Tribe will not be there if Westbrook and Lee do not improve substantially. And they have each been solid starters in the AL for a number of seasons. Sowers, who had a promising debut last year, is struggling at Buffalo. Adam Miller, arguably their best pitching prospect, has had arm injuries and may be shut down for the season. (Texas was asking for him in exchange for Kenny Lofton--give me a break!] If only the team hadn't run out of options for Jeremy Guthrie in the spring. Why is that guy finally living up to his promise in Baltimore?

Boston funk is over, Cleveland's is not. At least the Tigers lost tonight. Hopefully Tribe can play better against the visiting Twins. Really wondering if management will do something about the season-long ineffectiveness of Cliff Lee and Jake Westbrook. Long relief for one of those guys? Ugh.

Think back to the previous night, and be glad that your team won that one. Carmona and Beckett are now 13-4. Has there been better back to back pitching matchups this season? Dice K, CC, Fausto, and Beckett were all tough, and not against weak lineups. And maybe a little more respect for Victor Martinez' (improved) arm. Nice to see the home crowd gave him a standing ovation when Boston ran themselves out of the top of the 8th. Gabbard has an excellent chance of winning because he is facing the brutal Cliff Lee who will not be able to keep Bosox bats silent. Book it. But remember a split in Cleveland is actually a reasonably good outcome for Boston. Insisting on anything more is being a bit greedy/unrealistic. Too bad it looks like Detroit and NYY will win tonight (at least at the time I'm typing this).

Indeed. Only followed parts of it on the computer but it looks like CC and Dice were both dealin'. Hopefully tomorrow's pitching will be as impressive (...maybe with a few more Tribe extra base hits ). Carmona can't qualify for ROY, but maybe most improved player (if they do that in mlb)? I think it is safe to say that BSox are out of whatever midseason funk they were in, ...even if Tribe wins the next two. And you gotta like not giving up ground when BOS plays Tribe while NYY plays KC.