The B-List: 4/12

Written by Steve Buffum

Look, I can take losing. Great teams still lose sixty games. But I hate going down without putting my best players in the best position to win. That's a stick right in the ol' eye.

1) "The food here is terrible." "Yes, and such small portions."

It can be argued that Paul Byrd is a journeyman who did not deserve $7M a year. It could be argued that the Indians signed Byrd to a going-rate contract and got away with only guaranteeing two years. It can NOT be argued that sporting a 10.24 ERA with a sub-ONE K:BB ratio is what anyone had in mind. Look, the first inning, you give up a couple hits and a run, big deal. Second inning, a triple but no damage, hey, we're not talking about a 0.9 WHIP/9 guy here. But the third inning: good grief, the man gave up four runs on TWO BLOODY HITS. Three guys walk, and they all score. Wasn't that the point of Paul Byrd, that the walks would come at a Silva-esque pace? At least Radke-esque? Not Bobby Witt? Isn't that the Selling Point? Do we need some Lasik here or something?

Anyway, getting yanked in the 4th wasn't what I was looking for, certainly not against Gil Meche.

2) Do you know the Mullet Man?

I've written this column in the past. Each year, I latch on to someone who must be removed from my roster immediately. In the past, I have lobbied diligently for the removal of Jerrod Riggan, Chad Paronto, and Kane Davis. These are not hard decisions to make, people. Do I border on the irrational in my vilification? It could be argued thusly. The B-List is nothing if not visceral.

And my goddan viscera wants Danny Graves off this goddam roster. Good Lord, what was this man doing out there in the sixth inning? The man threw 24 strikes and 17 balls. He gave up an average of a walk AND two hits per INNING. Yes, he induced a ground ball to Sexson in the 4th. Yes, he induced a double play in the fifth. But this is not a man who was "sharp." Tell me, what is your sense of well-being after this sequence:

Y Betancout singled to shallow center

I Suzuki singled to right, Y Betancourt to second

Y Betancourt to third, I Suzuki to second on wild pitch by D Graves

Okay, this is not a man who "has it," right? Betancourt appears to be better than I gave him credit for, and Ichiro, despite a slump, is rumored to be able to hit a little. But after walking a guy after letting Beltre waltz to second in the last inning, wouldn't the wild pitch be kind of like, say, the LAST FUCKING STRAW?

3) Please poke the manager with a stick, he has dozed off again

Walking Ibanez is defensible. Letting Graves pitch to Sexson was not. Heck, bringing Graves in in the first place was pretty strange, unless he "had to get his work in." Fine. Give him the fifth. Then bring in Davis to start the sixth. Or, once it gets to Sexson up bases loaded, bring in Betancourt. Or Cabrera. Or Gumby. Or Teddy the Wonder Lizard. Don't get beat with the ninety-third best pitcher in the organization (I hear Matt Whitney's knuckleball rivals R. A. Dickey's). Look at 6-5, this is an exciting game. At 10-5, it's a chore to come back. They almost did, but that's not the point. Even if you pitch carefully to Sexson and walk in a run (and walking Sexson in that situation would be a feat), Beltre and Everett are batting under .150 coming into the game. Ice cold! Argh!

4) You sure you got enough dynamite there, Butch?

Travis Hafner has now homered 6 times in 6 games. One might claim that he's strong. By the way, his batting average in Jacobs Field is .647, approximately the same as the Cavs' free throw percentage. (Not really. It's pretty good, though.)

5) Small sample size follies!

Casey Blake has more RBI than Travis Hafner (or any other Indian, for that matter)

Eduardo Perez has more RBI than Ron Belliard and Ben Broussard combined

Ramon Vazquez has struck out more times than Casey Blake

Raul Ibanez is now hitting .353 after going 4-for-4

Danny Graves is a fungus

6) Welcome to Cleveland, here's your ticket back to Beefalo

Jason Davis was not spectacular or anything, but 2 solid innings in which he threw strikes (were Paul and Danny watching?): 16 strikes, 5 balls. This led to 2 Ks and 4 GB outs. I conjectured that Davis would need to raise his K rate or induce more ground balls to become an effective reliever: he may be doing both.

And now he probably gets the wazoo so Fausto Carmona can start against the Tigers.

Hey, I have an idea! How about shaving Danny Graves' head and sending him down instead?

7) Statistics in action!

Jason Michaels was touted as an effective top-of-the-order guy by statheads because he got on base at near a .400 clip, much of which was the result of a high walk rate. After 2 more walks tonight, Michaels continues to sport a higher OBP than SLG. (Actually, an extra-base hit wouldn't be bad, dude. Neither would a haircut.)

8) The calf seems okay

Ron Belliard had 2 RBI on a hit Tuesday, and scored three runs on two more hits tonight. This serves two purposes: it ignites the bottom of the order (especially for top RBI man Casey Blake (!)), and it keeps Ramon Vazquez off the bloody field. The first probably helps more toward winning, but the second helps more toward my gastric health.

9) Ducks on the pond!

This is the first game where leaving guys stranded really bit us on the behind: 8 guys stranded, 4 in scoring position. Ouch.

Posted by Steve Buffum Apr 12, 2006 7:00 PM

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