Written by Steve Buffum

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Toronto’s bats and Cleveland’s “arms” conspired to prevent a Tribe sweep last night as the Blue Jays won the getaway game 10-8.  Newcomers Brett Myers and Chad Allen combined to pitch six innings, and the most constructive thing to say about those six innings is that they are now over.  In today’s B-List, Buff submits a shorter column because of a family engagement, but he still thanks Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall for reading yesterday’s column and still complains about ducks.

 

FINAL	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Indians (2-1)	1	0	0	2	0	3	1	1	0	8	14	2
Blue Jays (1-2)	2	1	0	0	3	3	0	1	X	10	9	1

W: Delabar (1-0)            L: B. Myers (0-1)            S: Janssen (1) 

When did Labatt’s Blue Park or the Hoserdome or whatever Toronto’s ballpark is called these days become The Ballpark at Arlington? 

0) Administrative Notes

 I have to make this one short because I’m going to my mother-in-law’s memorial in the early morning.  Betty Robbins was one of the nicest, most positive people I’ve had the pleasure to meet.  I cannot say the same for her cat, which we’ve inherited. 

1) A homer here, a homer there, and pretty soon you’re talking real runs 

I know the recent Brett Myers mostly from his time in Houston.  Myers can certainly pitch, but I haven’t seen him pitch in such a manner as to induce one to think, “Man, if we only had Brett Myers!”  He has a couple quality pitches.  He throws them.  It’s okay.  He was great in 2010!  He was mediocre in 2011.  He sports a pretty good K-rate, but gives up a few too many homers (although his home park didn’t help in that regard).  He’s kind of the regular-delivery answer to Justin Masterson.  (He spent last year as a reliever, but he’s been a starter the majority of his career.) 

Last night, I would venture to say that this is not the best version of Brett Myers we’ll see this year. 

In addition to two walks and three singles in 5-plus (the “plus” stands for Extra Fail!) innings, Myers managed to cough up FOUR home runs.  It is one thing to give up a home run to Jose Bautista.  I believe we have discussed this phenomenon before.  It’s another to give up a PAIR to J.P. Arencibia, whose lifetime SLG of .431 reflects a remarkably consistent first couple of years in the league.  It’s also quite another to give up these home runs (including one to Ed Encarnacion, who is, it should be said, a man with legitimate power) by throwing some of the fattest hanging sliders imaginable.

 This having been said, we get back to what I talk about with respect to attribution: 

Cleveland Fan: Ah!  Brett Myers sucks!  He’s going to have a terrible season!  He’ll never win another game!  I knew we shouldn’t have signed him!
Toronto Fan: I know what you mean!  Mark Buehrle is awful!  He’s washed up!  We should never have traded for him!
Cleveland Fan: What are you talking about?  Mark Buehrle is fine.  I’ve seen him be darned good quite recently.  It’s just one game.  You need to relax.
Toronto Fan: You really think so?  That we shouldn’t draw such drastic conclusions after one bad outing?
Cleveland Fan: Well, you shouldn’t, I mean.  Brett Myers is clearly garbage, though, but you should not get so worked up.
Toronto Fan: (brain explodes)

 Look, I’m not going to tell you not to worry.  Would it help if I did?  I doubt that very much.  I will say this: it’s indisputable that Myers DID pitch poorly LAST night.  There were other things about the outing (besides the RAMPANT HOMERS, I mean) that suggest he has major-league stuff. I’ll wait until at least Tax Day to panic outright. 

2) Managerial Head-Scratchers

 Welcome to the club, Terry Francona!  Let the second-guessing begin! 

Brett Myers coming back out for the sixth after giving up 3 homers in 5 innings and having the Tribe just tie the game up 6-6 in the top of the frame?  To face Arencibia again?  Really?  What happened in the first five innings that made you think Myers was a good idea there?  I don’t count it as second-guessing if I’m yelling at the computer screen before it happens.

 3) Welcome to the club, but only if you stop doing THAT 

Of all the Tom Mastnies and Brian Sikorskies and Chump Ambrizes to come through the Cleveland bullpen in recent years, I don’t think any of them walked two guys AND gave up a home run to Colby Rasmus in his first inning of work.  Huzzah, Chad Allen!

 4) Managerial Head-Nodders 

This having been said, it was certainly a defensible move (that is to say, one I agreed with) to let Allen finish the inning.  It’s a good spot for Allen’s first inning of work: on the road, your best three relievers each needing the night off, and he’s got to pitch to major-league hitters to become a major-league reliever.  It’s still a lower-leverage situation, and it’s good to get him to work out of his own jam.  No sense scaring the kid by yanking him at the first sign of trouble.  I thought that showed a steady hand and will pay dividends later on.  Unless Chad Allen really is simply not any good.  In which case it might as well be an inning in Toronto. 

5) This just in 

I know he hit a homer.  Colby Rasmus is still terrible.

 6) Captains Clutch! 

After faring so, so, SO poorly with runners in scoring position, the Tribe hit 8-for-17 with RISP last night, including a two-run double by Lonnie Chisenhall and an RBI double by Jason Kipnis.  In all, the Indians collected five two-out RBI and came back from several deficits to stay within striking distance right up to the very end.  In fact, had it not been for a positioning gork by Emilio Bonifacio on Carlos Santana’s shot up the middle, the Indians might have scored a tenth run in the top of the 8^th to take a lead. 

7) Ho Hum Dept.

 Carlos Santana went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI.  He is now hitting .462/.500/.846 on the young season. 

Mark Reynolds hit a home run. 

You’re not going to believe this, but Mark Reynolds also struck out. 

Nick Swisher drew a pair of walks. 

Mike Bourn banged out a pair of hits and now sports a .438 OBP out of the leadoff spot. 

Drew Stubbs is a fungus. 

8) Odd Times at the Ballyard 

Matt Albers gave up an earned run without allowing a hit.  Don’t walk guys, Matt. 

Toronto’s ninth run scored when Mark Reynolds was asked to play first base.  Don’t ask Mark Reynolds to play first base, Terry. 

Chad Allen struck out more hitters in his one inning of work than Brett Myers struck out in his five.  This is because Chad Allen struck out one batter.  Don’t do anything you did in this game, Brett.

 Mark DeRosa has retired after a long and productive career.  Someone should tell Mark DeRosa.