Indians 
Indians Archive The B-List: 4/13
Indians Archive The B-List: 4/13
Momentum is a funny thing, yet I'm not laughing.1) "... getting them more accurate so that we can have precise precision" - Dan Quayle
The wind was blowing at 2 MPH. The temperature was 68 degrees. There were not tubs of severely buttered popcorn instead of rosin bags on the mound. Therefore, it's hard to conclude that there was any compelling external factor for throwing the ball to random locations in the vicinity of the plate.
Look, the only guy who didn't walk anyone was Sauerbeck ... and the guy he faced scored on a walk. Jason Johnson walked three straight guys ... two on four pitches ... and got to face another batter! They had more walks than RBI ... and they had eight RBI!
Nine-inning games shouldn't take 3:30 to play.
2) Just short of quality
Jason Johnson actually pitched decently, giving up only 3 runs (although he did leave the bases loaded for Betancourt). He gave up fewer than a hit an inning and struck out 4 guys (not his calling card). When I talked about Johnson becoming a significant ground ball pitcher, I was not expecting a GB:FB ratio of five-and-a-half. As frustrating as the sixth was, that's one out away from a Quality Start, and I'll still take that from the fifth guy.
3) WAY short of quality
It has to be said: Victor Martinez is an All-Star catcher, a premier hitter for a backstop, and arguably the most valuable Indian given that he plays defense and Hafner does not. However, unless Johnson winds up out of the stretch or is nine feet tall, giving up 3 stolen bases (without being particularly close to catching any of them) is doubleplus ungood. (One stolen base was off Cabrera, who at least had the good sense to throw out Suzuki's second attempt himself.)
4) Avoiding quality at all costs
Betancourt: 2/3 IP, 1H, 1BB, 2ER, 11:10 strike:ball ratio
Sauerbeck: only guy faced got a hit and later scored
Mota: 2/3 IP, 1H, 2BB, 1R, 12:10 strike:ball ratio
Cabrera: 1 2/3 IP, 1H, 3BB, 2ER, 15:18 strike:ball ratio
Look, I am not asking for Goose Gossage here. Lopez fouled off 4 straight before hitting the homer, so Raffy wasn't throwing meat. On the other hand, Lopez is a 2B with a career SLG under .380. That's just terrible. Not one guy threw strikes or got guys out. And they were handed a lead!
Feh.
5) Sure, left-handed guy, plays some first, hit a home run, he does that all the ... wait, that one?
Ben Broussard hit a homer, went 2-for-3, and due to the miracle of small samples is hitting .357. On a night when Hafner took a collar, it was nice to see someone else pick it up.
6) Can we strain Boone's calf now?
While Boone takes an 0-for-4, Ron Belliard continues to light it up with a two-run shot off King Felix, going 3-for-4 with 3 RBI. I'd credit the trainers, except the article I read said he basically beat them over the head with rolls of tape until they let him play.
7) Ho hum, another day, another extra-base hit and .600 OBP
I know Wedge won't change the batting order without a writ from the King of the Popes or whomever he waits for to change things (see Peralta batting 9th, 2005), but Jason Michaels is beginning to drive me crazy in the 2 hole, and Casey Blake is hitting, walking, slugging, and generally being such a polar opposite from last year's model that his blood is being tested for alien DNA. Wouldn't that OBP look nice in front of Peralta, Hafner, and Martinez? Nah, leave him alone, but I'm just sayin' ...
8) The poking didn't work, try bashing the manager over the head with a fungo bat
Eric! Hey, Eric! When your pitcher loses it to the tune of two four-pitch walks in his sixth inning, it's time, man! You let Graves throw to Sexson, and you got lucky this time, but holy cow, what is it going to take to get some proactive behavior here?
9) Around the Division: Riding Brooms
Chicago and Minnesota complete sweeps of Detroit and Oakland respectively. I will now consult my guide to premature anxiety.
10) Credit Where Credit Is Due Dept.
Danny Graves got a guy out. Woo woo.
Apr 13, 2006 7:00 PM
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- Browns Ink Sharknado
- Sharknado A No-Show For Rookie Camp
- Trent Richardson Out Until Training Camp
- Browns Sign Brandon Jackson
- Carrasco Suspended Eight Games
- Browns Add to Wide Receiver Depth with David Nelson
- Browns Need to Learn from Past Draft Mistakes
- Browns Release Chris Gocong and Usama Young
- Browns Missing on Grimes Disappointing, But Not The End
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