Written by Nino Colla

---

Scott Diamond is 10-5. The Twins have scored the 14th most runs in all of baseball.

And the Indians are the ones in third place?

August 6th, 2012

Minnesota Twins - 14

Cleveland Indians - 3

W: Scott Diamond (10-5) L: Zach McAllister (4-4)

[BOXSCORE]

"I'm sure we're all exceptionally popular right now," general manager Chris Antonetti joked.

So said Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti...

This isn't going to be about the game, at least this first part isn't.

Twitter is a wonderful thing and I enjoy it. I enjoy using it, I enjoy asking people questions and getting answers, whether it be a matter of opinion or not.

And I know full well that when I make a comment that has the potential to rial some people up, that I will have to answer to it.

Which I'm more than willing to do.

I had a problem with the fans last night. I had a problem not with their displeasure with the team. Am I pissed? Do I like watching what's going on? Do I like turning the television on at 7:05 PM every night and watching this occur? Do you think I'm going to just sit back and say, oh no don't be upset with them, they're trying!

Here's my issue.

This team isn't playing well. They look like absolute crap. They're playing like absolute crap. I know it, you know it, the manager knows it, the general manager knows it, the city knows it. Most certainly, the players, more than anyone else that I mentioned or did not mention... They know it.

Now I'm not saying the fans shouldn't voice displeasure. I'm voicing displeasure every day when I post something. You are voicing your opinion about your unhappiness every time you send out a tweet or post something on Facebook or go to the game and yell out "Come on Tomlin, ya bum!"

But to stand up and sarcastically cheer the final out of that horrific 10-run inning? As if to say, hey, good job finally getting an out. We want you to know how much we don't respect the effort you are giving that we're going to cheer.

I'd RATHER you go out and boo them for their performance. That's voicing your displeasure, that's showing your upset with the results on the field. I have a problem booing when it isn't deserved, but when it's deserved, as is in this instance? Go hog wild. I won't boo, but I won't hold it against anyone who does.

But what I have a problem with is being disrespectful to the people who go out there and are trying. You know they are playing bad, but so do they. It's not above them, they don't go around not realizing they aren't playing well. They don't need the rude reminder that things are not going well.

So don't match the play on the field in terms of your attitude...

You may disagree with me in taking that stance, saying whatever it is you want to say, like they're paying fans, or the team is so bad, what does it matter? That's fine. But that's my stance and it's what I believe in. I'm not coddling them, I don't want you to not be mad at the results or want to hold the team accountable.

But I think treating the situation with a little bit of class is something that can be done in this situation. I know frustration has reached a boiling point. I get it, I understand. But this team, what's going on right now with them. No matter how bad it is, it isn't a reason to act like that.

So let's go out there and do what's right. Don't go if you don't want to support. Go and boo if you want to voice your displeasure. Rant and rave and say what you want to get your point across. But don't be stupid, don't be classless, don't be rude. That isn't how you act like a fan.

Random Details...

And now that that is out of the way.

Zach McAllister wasn't very good and then his defense let him down and he decided to get worse. His ERA is still in tact because of the nine runs he gave up, only two were considered earned. He gave up the back-to-back homers to Willingham and Morneau to lead off the frame, got two outs in the aftermath, then a Denard Span groundout that should have ended the inning didn't end the inning.

A wide throw by Kipnis pulled Santana off the bag and McAllister would not get the final out. He looked disinterested after awhile, frustrated, and overall just indifferent about being out there. That really is unacceptable. Yeah, he shouldn't have been out there, he should have been in the dugout with a 2-1 score. But here's the thing.

"Once the hits started coming," McAllister said, "they didn't stop. It was one of those where you just wanted to stop the bleeding, and I wasn't able to do that."

There's situations, like earlier this year, in which defense really hangs you out to dry and a start goes south because of it. And there's this. Did the defense hang McAllister out to dry? Sure, it wasn't fair to him at all. But there has to be some point in which McAllister buckles down and gets out of it. He didn't get out of it, he couldn't and he will have to learn from this that just because you do your job, doesn't mean you can let up.

Rewind to back when the game mattered in the first. The Indians had the chance to break it wide open themselves, but Scott Diamond pulled his best Josh Tomlin impression and with the bases loaded, got a third-to-first groundout double play. A run scored, but in the first inning with that situation staring you dead in the eye, and all you give up is one run?

Um, take that every day of the week if your Diamond. Because the Indians need to get some good pitching or find a way to break out offensively before things go south.

"Hey, we're going out there every day, and before the fifth, we're down by 10," Acta said. "Somebody needs to go out there and give us something close to a quality start. That's all we need to do. ... Somebody needs to go out there and set the tone."

What's an offense to do after they're down 10-1 with having only batted once? What are they to do?

Cody Allen pitched his ninth consecutive scoreless inning for the Indians last night. He's the first Indian rookie to do so since 2002 and Bastian reports he is halfway to the record set by Dick Brodowski in...1958. That would be impressive.

If you want all the excruciating details to this 10-game losing streak, Jordan Bastian has you covered. Let's hope he doesn't get to add onto this list with 11 games.

[ACTA SAFE FOR 2013]

Chris Antonetti knows he's not real liked right now. He knows that things are not real good in terms of the old fan support area.

He also knows that Manny Acta isn't the problem, because guess what guys and gals, he isn't. Manny Acta can only do so much with what he's given and what he was given is ultimately a mediocre squad. They clearly played above their talent level in the first few months of the season, like they did last season, and are now coming crashing down to earth with the lack of pitching.

Firing him, or I guess in this case, not picking up his 2013 option, would be a reactionary move that would not be called for at this juncture. Save your 10-game losing streak, that isn't the answer.

"I'm very happy with the job Manny has done," Antonetti said. "Obviously, it's been a tough road trip, but I think he's continued to provide very good leadership not only throughout the road trip, but throughout his tenure here. I certainly think he's part of the solution, not part of our issues."