That's gonna hurt the extension talks

[pup]

walk, walk, 3 run homer to Thome.

[consigliere]

I'm not watching the game.....but apparently according to Hammy the homeplate ump hasn't helped much. Some borderline calls to the first two guys. Guy has a strike zone the size of a peanut.

[consigliere]

Honny with an RBI triple off the wall.

[BruceK]

Marte goes deep for two run homer. Indians have double, triple, single , and homer in the inning

[rigs]

Peralta didn't have three hits like he has so far all last year. He is going the other way and staying on the ball. This could be huge....

[consigliere]

Yep, they hit for the cycle in the 2nd inning.

Was listening to Hammy talk about Wedge's logic about batting Barfield 8th and Marte 9th. I loved the point about batting Barfield in front of Marte it ensures Marte sees more fastballs. With Barfield a threat to run, teams will throw more fastballs.....and with Sizemore behind Marte, he will see even more fastballs. I think the Indians actually finally thought something through for once and make sense on something.

[Chris Bando]

Peralta looks like a different player.

Who knew being able to see could make that much of a difference?

[sandlot33]

Garland wants nothing to do with Hafner

[consigliere]

Peralta didn't have three hits like he has so far all last year. He is going the other way and staying on the ball. This could be huge....

Agreed Rigs. If Honny is close to the 2005 version at the plate, this offense could be scary. What made him such a dangerous hitter was his right-center gap power. He got away from that last year......long way to go, but early on it looks like he has fine tuned his approach at the plate and is trying to get back to his strengths (RF gap).

[pup]

Very nice answering job right there. Came right back and jumped on that POS Garland.

Blake still sucks.

[Steve Buffum]

I'm not watching the game.....but apparently according to Hammy the homeplate ump hasn't helped much. Some borderline calls to the first two guys. Guy has a strike zone the size of a peanut.

Yes, so why is Casey Blake swinging at the first pitch he sees after EIGHT CONSCUTIVE BALLS by Jon Garland?

Great googly moogly!
.

[pup]

Yes, so why is Casey Blake swinging at the first pitch he sees after EIGHT CONSCUTIVE BALLS by Jon Garland?

Because

Blake still sucks

[swerb]

I'm not watching the game.....but apparently according to Hammy the homeplate ump hasn't helped much. Some borderline calls to the first two guys. Guy has a strike zone the size of a peanut.

Yes, so why is Casey Blake swinging at the first pitch he sees after EIGHT CONSCUTIVE BALLS by Jon Garland?

Great googly moogly!
.

See, that's the type of stuff that drives me nuts about Blake.

He's the classic case of a guy who looks good, on paper, at the end of the year. But he's constantly doing stupid shit like that, which doesn't show up in the box score.

[pup]

Thatta boy Vicotr, got to make them pay for INT. Walk to Pronk.

No the rally killer goes to work.....

[pup]

....and goes down swinging.


In my best Bob Eucker/Harry Doyle voice:

"At least he didn't spike himself."

[StewieG]

He should've spiked himself. Then he'd be not playing, and Garko would be playing.

[pup]

These are the games it would be nice to see them win early in the year. Starter doesn't have his best stuff. Make a comeback. Starter's stuff didn't get any better so you are back to even.

For some reason I see a mangerial decision having an effect on this outcome, which puts us in trouble.

[consigliere]

Victor has looked good throwing today, according to Hammy. Made a strong throw on Erstad, and just missed getting him. But, Victor made a very strong throw in gunning down Podsednik.

And yes, Casey Blake is not winning any fans over with his at bats today.

And, three walks for Hafner? ChiSox want nothing to do with him. Could this be a recurring issue all year?

[pup]

Could this be a recurring issue all year?

Gee, ya think?

Nice 0-2 cockshot to Crede for a 2 run single.

Westbrook+control problems = Paul Byrd x Paul Byrd.

[consigliere]

Not a good start to Westbrook's FA year. I'm sure Buff will talk about this, but I believe he gave up more fly ball outs than he had ground ball outs. IOW, not good.

[consigliere]

Hmmm.....6th inning, down 2, Sizemore on....and Nixon stays in against the lefty? Seems like an opportune time for Garko, no?

[sandlot33]

i think its to early for pinch hitting

[consigliere]

Yeah, I think so too. Just wondering if anyone else was thinking about it.

Casey Blake up yet again in another key situation today. Umph.

[Steve Buffum]

Yeah, I think so too. Just wondering if anyone else was thinking about it.

Casey Blake up yet again in another key situation today. Umph.

So a real head-scratcher for Guillen: let Sisco pitch to Blake, or walk him and face Dellucci.

I'd pitch to Blake.

Edit: they brought in a right-hander, as if Blake is worth worrying about the platoon split. Feh. (Of course, Sisco was not exactly "accurate.")

[sandlot33]

Grady's a pimp

[Steve Buffum]

Peralta didn't have three hits like he has so far all last year. He is going the other way and staying on the ball. This could be huge....

You are a total bastard and I hate you.

(The Rigs Curse kicked in and Peralta now has a Golden Sombrero.)
.

[consigliere]

Okay, that was not pretty. Bases loaded and no outs, and we go down on strikes three straight times. Yuck.

BTW, maybe my first managerial head-scratcher....why was Jason Michaels brought in to pinch hit for Dellucci and not Garko? To me, 8th inning, bases loaded, you need your best hitter to come up there, and that is Garko. The next inning you put Garko at 1B and move Blake to LF. Or, are the Indians seriously strictly going with Dellucci and Michaels in left only? And Michaels always PHs for Dellucci and Dellucci always pinch hits for Michaels? If so, that is ridiculous.

[Steve Buffum]

BTW, maybe my first managerial head-scratcher....why was Jason Michaels brought in to pinch hit for Dellucci and not Garko? To me, 8th inning, bases loaded, you need your best hitter to come up there, and that is Garko. The next inning you put Garko at 1B and move Blake to LF. Or, are the Indians seriously strictly going with Dellucci and Michaels in left only? And Michaels always PHs for Dellucci and Dellucci always pinch hits for Michaels? If so, that is ridiculous.

My guess is that these are as much DEFENSIVE substitutions as offensive, where Michaels is considered a better (more natural) LF than Blake (seen as a RF, and yes, there's a difference) and Blake is a better 1B than Garko (not a whole lot of discussion there).

But three straight Ks is bad no matter WHO it is.

Edit: the FIRST MHS was Westbrook finishing the fifth if Mastny was ready.
.

[jfiling]

I'm not watching the game.....but apparently according to Hammy the homeplate ump hasn't helped much. Some borderline calls to the first two guys. Guy has a strike zone the size of a peanut.

Yes, so why is Casey Blake swinging at the first pitch he sees after EIGHT CONSCUTIVE BALLS by Jon Garland?

Great googly moogly!
.

Christ. Game 2 of the season and Blake is still pulling that crap? I remember at least once last season where a pitcher threw 7 or more consecutive balls and then some Indian came up and swung at the first pitch killing the rally.

[consigliere]

Ok, so let Garko PH, and then insert Michaels in LF the next inning and leave Blake at 1B. That was a key inning there.

By the way, this homeplate ump is horrible. Which, spells doom in the 9th for Borowski. He's about to get hosed by some horrible ball/strike calls.

And who is this Ardsma (sp) guy? 5 straight strikeouts.

[sandlot33]

how is this joker always up in these situations....i hate blake

[consigliere]

LOfreakingL.

Casey Blake up again in a key situation.

[swerb]

Thome ... WHIFF

[docstank]

SHUT THE DOOR!!!!!

[Steve Buffum]

And who is this Ardsma (sp) guy? 5 straight strikeouts.

Rice prodigy, shredded arm, recovered to work relief. Note the 4-pitch walk after the IBB, then 2-0 to Blake. Almost a granny there.
.

[sandlot33]

STO is a joke as well

[jfiling]

Wait a second. Blake ended the last inning, which means that VMart has no chance of batting again (and we have a frickin' lead in the bottom of the ninth anyway). Why isn't Shoppach catching?

[consigliere]

Wickman hath returned.

MAALOX!

[jfiling]

Only Crede in the way of 2-0. Either Borowski gets this guy out or I'm really questioning his signing as closer.

[sandlot33]

almost identical to wick

[jfiling]

Congratulations, Mr. Borowski. 2-0 is a nice way to start the season

[consigliere]

HOLY SHIT!

[sandlot33]

WOW

[swerb]

I've always liked that Jason Michaels fellow.

WHAT A CATCH

Ballgame. 2-0.

God I love beating the White Sox ...

[consigliere]

Anyone watch that last play? WTF happened there? Was Michaels almost the goat? Listening to Hammy, Michaels made a catch on the seat of his pants as he misjudged the ball and thought it was going out.

[consigliere]

Jesus H. Is Borowski a long lost second cousin to Wicky or something? Wow. Only Game #2, and already I may need to go to the hospital to get a pacemaker "installed". Is it April 4th or October 4th? Good God.

Nice job by the bully today in picking up the struggling Jake.

[docstank]

Good team win today...can we get blake the hell out of here already?

[swerb]

Anyone watch that last play? WTF happened there? Was Michaels almost the goat? Listening to Hammy, Michaels made a catch on the seat of his pants as he misjudged the ball and thought it was going out.

One of those balls ... looked routine, Michaels was caped under it ... started going back, then started going back really fast. Cold, windy day, may have caught up in a wind gust.

Then Michaels turned the wrong way. Adjusted back. Caught the ball part with his bare hand, part with his mitt ... falling on his ass on the track against the fence.

[BruceK]

as he fell to a sitting position, the ball did a little hop halfway out of the glove, but settled right back in -- this is on the replay, you really couldn't tell in real time.

You could see him make a big sigh of relief.