Choo in the lead off spot has been a great move and now if they can get Damon to start hitting the lineup will be very tough to get through. Kotchman is starting to pick it up and the pitching staff continues to be very good. Chris Perez wasn't perfect last night but another successful outing that lead to his 14th save already!!
Winning this series is going to be tough...it seems the Indians cant catch a break and have a series where they face the #3, 4 ,5 pitchers. Even though they have beaten Kimg Felix both times (well once they beat the reliever after him), they had to face him in the 3 game series in Seattle and again in the 2 game series in Cleveland. Starting today we get Fister (whose ERA is sub 2) and Verlander...gonna be a tough go...makes winning that first game last night so crucial...at least we cant get swept.
Very exciting game!! One of the few times this year I was yelling in my living room watching it. Incredible job of getting out of the bases loaded jam in the 8th by the bullben and Chris freakin Perez closes the door shut again!!! 15 out of 15 for Perez so all the haters can probably just accept he is a good closer and will be the man in Cleveland moving forward!!
@PDMagic...if you are going to use stats, use them correctly. Perez is 15 for his last 15...your post acts like he never blew a save. He also took a loss meaning he has "blown" two games this year that the Indians had a lead for 8 or more innings. That said, he looks different. You seem pretty devoted to the team so I know you have been watching...no way can you tell me he is pitching like he used to. Nor can you say his body language hasnt changed. Until recently, he got his saves despite giving up 2-3 baserunners per inning. All of a sudden he has a swagger and is going right at guys, throwing strikes early (always his achilles heel). All of a sudden he got pissed about something and is just torching people. Good for him. If he always pitched like this noone would have ever doubted him. But you cant erase the past. I hope he keeps pitching like this. Maybe saying what he said about the fans sparked some life in them (and the fans)
@GoBucks - My bad I thought that was implied that the 15 out of 15 was for his last save opportunities. I didn't realize that you have to go into great detail on stats since everyone on here should have a good idea of what is going on with Cleveland sports teams. I obviously know he has blown saves in the past and is usually somewhat shaky in getting the job done. I also know he has lost a couple games for us in non save situations. Perez does look a little different but not that much. He just seems to have a tad more control and is definitely attacking batters with no fear recently. I don't care how he gets it done as long as the Indians win and he keeps racking up the saves. Another All Star appearance is on the horizon for CP!!
@ GoBucks923- Take it easy. You guys are both excellent posters. Do you know who else is always right? Me! We're all family here and it's a long season. Magic and I took a while to mesh, but he's good people. So are you, Kent. Peace and Love.
I didnt say you were wrong Pdmagic, I said you were right, Perez looks filthy recently. I am at work right now so didnt see the game but I see he had another nice save, only giving up one single after going 0-2 on a batter. As mentioned in my last post, the difference I have seen is how he is attacking the batters. He used to pu$$yfoot around the strike zone and gave up a lot of walks, or after getting behind in the count, would give up hits. He is a 2 pitch pitcher, fastball and slider. If he is behind in the count everyone knows what is coming. He even said in his rant "I was tired of being booed so I thought I would just come in and throw some strikes". He is just coming after people and looks completely dominant, his body language is outstanding. Great win for the Indians today
I dont know how the Indians just pulled this sweep off...does anyone realize that we faced Detroits 2nd best pitcher (Fister whose ERA is about 1.50) with our #5 starter who was called up from AAA when Tomlin went down and we faced Verlander with Masterson whose era is above 5. Detroit littered the bases with runners all series long and we swept them, unreal. I am not crazy about Mastersons 5 walks and throwing error but there is such a thing as "effectively wild" and against that lineup, it probably pays to not always be throwing strikes as those guys can hit a 500' homer in the blink of an eye. Great win, great series
Our next 9 games are against the White Sox, Royals, and Twins. Chicago and KC are playing better as of late but the Indians could really start putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the Central in the next 9 days. Detroit plays 7 of their next 10 against Boston (@ Fenway) and the Yankees while the White Sox face Tampa after Cleveland. If Cleveland can get 2 of 3 from Chicago, they should go 4-2 or 5-1 against KC/Minn and can increase their division lead to 7-8 games.
Hmm KC is 4-6 in their last 10 games, I could have sworn they were beating a lot of people recently. They took a series against Texas and won the opener against the Yankees...guess I am wrong
No I wasnt wrong...KC started the month of May by splitting two games with Detroit, splitting a 4 game set with the Yankees, winning a series against Boston, winning a series against the White Sox, and sweeping the Rangers. But since then they got swept by Baltimore, lost a series to Arizona Dbacks, and lost a series to the Yankees. So I was right, my timing was off. They have played well the last week and a half, but did the 2 weeks prior
WOW This is awesome ...definitely agree we need to use this stretch against CWS,KC, and MIN to put some distance between us and the rest of the Central contenders. Really looking forward to Lowe vs. Peavy udespite the fact that I'm probably going to have to listen to the "HORRIBLE HAWK" Harrelson calling it on mlb.tv! FML!
On paper, the Indians should take tonights game. Jenmar Gomez against a AAA call-up but for some reason the Indians have historically (meaning the last few years) struggled against AAA call-ups. They have a habit of making these minor leaguers look like future All-Stars. Hope they get the first one tonight so they only have to win one of the next two to take the series. Derek Lowe cant catch a break...his last start was against Josh Johnson who has been dominating hitters and now he gets Jake Peavy...brutal...
Jeanmar has been great so far this year so I expect him to continue that tonight and against a AAA prospect the batters need to put some runs on the scoreboard. I don't care which days the Tribe win this weekend as long as they take 2 of 3 from Chicago.
Congrats to Lou Marson for hitting triple digits. Now that we have everyone at or above .100, we are rolling! I guess there's only one thing left to do. Win the whole friggin' thing!
If you check out the msg board from last nights Chicago White Sox game you will see me talking smack to the Chicago fans. haha, funny stuff. White Sox are 6-1 in their last 7, but those are against Minnesota and Cubbies so that doesnt mean much. Hope Gomez shuts em down tonight
@ GoBucks923- I'm a smack-talker too. Been bouncing around a few boards touting my Spurs. I keep it clever and funny. Definitely cocky. But I try not to get too PO'd. I had this stalker follow me to the Browns board once. He hooked me. Got into my head. Besides that episode, it's really fun.
You guys are funny!! When LeChoke was in town a few years back I would talk a bunch of smack and it turned out to be a pie in my face since the Cavs never got the job done. I am also a huge Buckeyes fan so anytime there is an article about them you can argue and smack talk for days. I try to avoid all of that these days because it seems like whenever you are touting your teams the end result isn't what you want and then they get the last laugh, especially in our case being Cleveland fans!
