What is wrong with the Cleveland Indians?

[GoTribe]

Neither do I, but that is not saying much at all. This is a guy who had 25 home runs and 114 RBI's last year! At the end of June, we will be at the halfway point in the season. Vic still has 0 home runs and only has 21 RBI's! Any way you slice he's been just as much of a disappointment as everyone else on the team (our starting pitchers excluded).

That's my point.
All three of the guys I mentioned have been disappointing.
But you know based on their long track record, that they are going to be better than they have been. And if all three are better than they have been, then the Indians' record is going to get a lot better.

 

[GoTribe]

I agree about Sabathia (but I think he'll be traded) and Martinez, but I wouldn't be surprised at all of Betancourt continues to implode.

The guy had a career ERA under 3.00 in 5 seasons coming into this year.

Why do you think his ERA will stay over 7.00 this season?

 

[Sparkman]

As for the rest of the season, 25 days ago, the Indians were in first place. I don't think it's overly optimistic to believe they can get there again in the 100+ days remaining.

This month's schedule is favorable, and it's not like the Tribe has been getting killed in their losses this year.
If Victor Martinez and Rafael Betancourt (not to mention C.C. Sabathia) had been playing like they have over the last 5 years, the Indians wouldn't be in the position they are in.
I don't think Betancourt will finish with an ERA of 7.00.
I don't think Sabathia will finish with an ERA of 4.81.
And I don't think Martinez will finish with 0 homers and less than 50 RBI.

And nothing against the White Sox, but I think they have a few people playing over their heads so far this season. I don't think they are unbeatable.

Just curious, who is playing over their heads? Thome, Konerko, Swisher all hitting in the low .200's, Buerhle is 3-6 with a era almost 5. Quentin and Floyd are about the only 2 that could possibly be having seasons that would be considered over their heads. I certainly don't think they are unbeatable, but I don't think they are playing anywhere near their potential. & Cleveland & Detroit both seem to be having he year that the Sox had last year, everyone having career bad years in the same year.

 

[GoTribe]

Just curious, who is playing over their heads? Thome, Konerko, Swisher all hitting in the low .200's, Buerhle is 3-6 with a era almost 5. Quentin and Floyd are about the only 2 that could possibly be having seasons that would be considered over their heads. I certainly don't think they are unbeatable, but I don't think they are playing anywhere near their potential. & Cleveland & Detroit both seem to be having he year that the Sox had last year, everyone having career bad years in the same year.

Yeah. If Thome, Konerko and Swisher start hitting, the Sox could be very dangerous.
Personally, I think Thome and Buerhle's best days are behind them, but they can still be solid contributors.

Quentin was one of the batters I was referring to (along with Dye and Pierzynski to a lesser extent), but my point was really more about the pitching, especially the bullpen.

Floyd, Contreras, Danks, Dotel, Linebrink, Logan and Thornton are all pitching much better than their career numbers coming into this season.

If they keep it up and win the division, more power to them. Sometimes all those things just come together.

 

[HD MM]

Great. Now V. Mart is out! He left last night's game with an "inflamed left elbow". He's scheduled to have an MRI today.

On a more positive note though, congratulations goes out to Aaron Laffey. He earned American League Rookie of the Month in May. Laffey had 3 wins and an ERA of 0.79 in May. Laffey has really been a Godsend by eating up innings since Westbrook and Carmona went down.

 

[KCK_Halo]

Victor and Joshua are now on the DL.

...I can hear them getting the nails ready to hammer into the coffin lid now.

 

[BillD1984]

Victor and Joshua are now on the DL.

...I can hear them getting the nails ready to hammer into the coffin lid now.

No way. This division is still the Tribe's for the taking. Of course Victor is a huge loss, but Kelly Shoppach is a more than capable backup. Cleveland's pitching (even without Westbrook) is head and shoulders above any other team in the Central. If the Indians can just tread water until the All-Star Break (no more than 7 games back)......they win this division, mark my words.

 

[KCK_Halo]

No way. This division is still the Tribe's for the taking. Of course Victor is a huge loss, but Kelly Shoppach is a more than capable backup. Cleveland's pitching (even without Westbrook) is head and shoulders above any other team in the Central. If the Indians can just tread water until the All-Star Break (no more than 7 games back)......they win this division, mark my words.

Bill,

I hope you are correct...I really do!

 

[Paul Wozniak]

No way. This division is still the Tribe's for the taking. Of course Victor is a huge loss, but Kelly Shoppach is a more than capable backup. Cleveland's pitching (even without Westbrook) is head and shoulders above any other team in the Central. If the Indians can just tread water until the All-Star Break (no more than 7 games back)......they win this division, mark my words.

Consider them marked. Cleveland may spend the rest of the season "treading water".

GO TIGERS!

 

[GoTribe]

Sad to say, but Shoppach has given the Indians more than Victor the past few weeks anyway.

 

[GoTribe]

Damn. One swing of the bat, and Victor's out 6-to-8 weeks.

 

[BillD1984]

Consider them marked. Cleveland may spend the rest of the season "treading water".

GO TIGERS!

Paul,
In the interest of full disclosure, I picked your Tigers to win the World Series after the Hot Stove season they had. Boy was I (and a lot of others) fooled!

 

[GoTribe]

Well, whaddya know. Jhonny Peralta is finally moved out of the No. 5 spot in the order, and the Indians score 12 runs tonight.

The "Rally Killer" even came through with a 2-run single with the bases loaded.

 

[Jimbo]

Paul,
In the interest of full disclosure, I picked your Tigers to win the World Series after the Hot Stove season they had. Boy was I (and a lot of others) fooled!

Maybe NOT ...
Tigers playing very well of late, getting solid pitching and hitting picking up nicely ....
Lets see what happens in the next few weeks, well see if they continue to play well or fall back to thier ways of earlier in the year.

3 good Starts in a row (and wins) against the 1 st place White Sox.

Lets see where they are at the All Star break, if they are back at 10 or more back, they are done, if they are within 5 -6 games, anything goes.

Zumaya and Rodney coming back in the next week or so.

Bill,
fwiw, I was not impressed with the spring training at all, they played lifeless ball all spring and it carried into the year.

Jimbo

 

[SabresRule]

After that 12-0 loss, I think Gardenhire could be in trouble as Twins manager...

 

[Jimbo]

After that 12-0 loss, I think Gardenhire could be in trouble as Twins manager...

Gardenhire isn't going anywhere ....
They are right in the middle of the AL Central race.
What makes you think they would fire a coach just because the team gets blown out once in a while, every team get blown out from time to time, there would be a constant rotation of managerial changes if they all jumped the gun like that.

Jimbo

 

[BillD1984]

Gardenhire isn't going anywhere ....
They are right in the middle of the AL Central race.
What makes you think they would fire a coach just because the team gets blown out once in a while, every team get blown out from time to time, there would be a constant rotation of managerial changes if they all jumped the gun like that.

Jimbo

And nobody has done more with less then Gardenhire.

 

[BillD1984]

Bill,
fwiw, I was not impressed with the spring training at all, they played lifeless ball all spring and it carried into the year.

Jimbo

I was shocked at the way the Tigers came out of the gate. The offseason move I thought was underrated was the Jacque Jones signing. I thought he would be huge at the bottom of the order................and then he gets released a month into the season.

 

[HD MM]

We have some major talent and over $135 million on the disabled list in V. Mart, Hafner, Carmona, Westbrook and Barfield. However, someone forgot to tell the youth! We now have a lineup consisting of Minor League ballers! This is great.

The Tribe delivered a 12-2 thrashing and another great outing by the Kid (Laffey) last night! Thanks Detroit for beating the first place Sox. The Tribe is now 6.5 games out! If we were healthy, I'd say there is still a glimmer of hope in this season. Unfortunately, I am still uneasy....

 

[GoTribe]

Gardenhire's one of the best managers in baseball.

As is Wedge - especially when it comes to managing younger players.