Tribe vs Reds 6/18/12 GAME THREAD

[dazindiansfanuk]

Bit of a dilemma in the 7th.

You'd love to leave Smith in but we have Votto, Phillips and Bruce due up.... two power lefties.... not a great match up.

Can't trust Sipp though

[skatingtripods]

Really, Acta? You're going to kill the inning by sending Lonnie Chisenhall?

Please tell me Chiz missed a hit & run sign.

[googleeph2]

HUGE inning vs. Votto & co. Agree: nothing for Votto to hit.

[RedDawg53]

Lonnie shaved that fugly stash off. Only way to explain the great hitting... Not as much to the base running tho

[skatingtripods]

Bit of a dilemma in the 7th.

You'd love to leave Smith in but we have Votto, Phillips and Bruce due up.... two power lefties.... not a great match up.

Can't trust Sipp though

Think you have to use Hagadone. Try to get him some confidence.

[googleeph2]

This is like facing Belle, Murray, Thome.

Sox down by 5 now, btw.

[LakeErieWarriors]

We now have scored as many runs as we had in the three games in Cinci.

And only 9 runs combined in the Pirates series.
Is the Tribe the most schizophrenic team in baseball or what?

[skatingtripods]

Brilliant strategy by Smith to UIBB Votto. Nothing says protecting a lead like putting the leadoff guy on base.

Wow, that worked out nicely.

[googleeph2]

Was it a routine DP?

I am following on line.

EDIT: nm, got it, thanks. With the Bruce HR, Votto for sure to come up again tonite.

I prefer Smith vs. Ludwick, who goes fishing for stuff down below the knees.

[skatingtripods]

Wow. Acta wants this game badly. He actually went out of the box and got Pestano for the four-out hold.

Pestano has just seven career appearances of more than one inning pitched.

[Prosecutor]

Damon misplayed three balls already and almost hurt himself on the Phillips double. He's gone from just bad to embarrassing.

He just ripped a double, though, so his bat is coming around.

Lowe had nothing tonight. His pitches had no velocity and no bite. He may be done.

[skatingtripods]

Few too many pitches for Pestano that inning. Hopefully he works a quick frame in the 8th. Or we score 9 runs and can use somebody else.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Vinnie got out of it but, when you need another inning out of him, it's hardly ideal that he had to throw 16 pitches to do it!

[googleeph2]

Wow, Doob/Kip/Lopez 0 for 9 and the Tribe has scored 9 earned thru 7.

[LakeErieWarriors]

Mid/Bottom order for Pestano in 8th. Bottom/Top of order for Perez in the 9th; I do believe. Sounds doable.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Mid/Bottom order for Pestano in 8th. Bottom/Top of order for Perez in the 9th; I do believe. Sounds doable.

If Pestano goes 1-2-3, Perez has to face Heisey/Votto/Phillips


Sounds far from over!

[skatingtripods]

Pestano's sitting a long time here. Unfamiliar territory for him to be in the dugout between innings. Curious to see how he responds.

[googleeph2]

cmon, sac fly

[skatingtripods]

Unselfish AB from Brantley there. I like it.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Brantley's first sac fly of the year - not sure that shows/means anything.

[googleeph2]

cmon Vinnie Pestosterone- I need this game.

[skatingtripods]

Good cut from Frazier. LOL

[skatingtripods]

Pestano's sitting a long time here. Unfamiliar territory for him to be in the dugout between innings. Curious to see how he responds.

Guess he responded well.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Would really love to see another run or two.... oh, and a Chiz cycle would be nice (not asking for much!)

[googleeph2]

Good cut from Frazier. LOL

DOWN GOES FRAYZHA

DOWN GOES FRAYZHA

heheh

[skatingtripods]

Things are really going well when Aaron Cunningham gets a hit.

[googleeph2]

Things are really going well when Aaron Cunningham gets a hit.

Yeah, smallball now. Move the runner.

[LakeErieWarriors]

Top of the 9th. Perez time. Aspirin time. Here we go.

[skatingtripods]

Heisey is a big out. Have to get him.

[skatingtripods]

Make-up call.

[googleeph2]

Top of the 9th. Perez time. Aspirin time. Here we go.

Picked a bad day to give up heroin.

[skatingtripods]

Damnit. I so badly wanted Phillips to K to end the game.

Have to settle for someone hitting him in the head tomorrow or Wednesday.

[RedDawg53]

Ball game! We won a game at home

[googleeph2]

Get Ludwick swinging lowwwwww.

[Erie Warrior]

Easy as pie.

Ugly win is still a win.

[dazindiansfanuk]

First time the ump has called the outside corner all night.... it was a strike, but he hasn't called it all day long.

I'll take it though.

[skatingtripods]

10 runs and it still wasn't easy.

Chalk it up, though.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Our old friend Luis Valbuena just hit a 3-run HR to put the Cubs 12-3 up on the White Sox.

Looks like we'll be back to 1/2 game out.

[googleeph2]

Ahhhhhh Will be nice with just me and the crickets chirping at my desk at work in Cincinnati Tues.

I like Tomlin at nite tomorrow, vs. Leake. Could be a similar game to tonite's.

Whomever called the Tribe schizo was right on target.

And: Damon still needs to go.

[LakeErieWarriors]

Half game behind the White Sox. It would be nice to get into a groove these coupla weeks before the All-Star Break.

EDIT: I called the Tribe Schizo. We'll see what Tribe team shows up tomorrow.

[googleeph2]

Half game behind the White Sox. It would be nice to get into a groove these coupla weeks before the All-Star Break.

Show me a team in a groove, and I'll show you one that has the starting pitching and the back end of the pen hitting on all cylinders.

Also, Tribe hitters need to show the trademark patience tomorrow. Leake's MO is changing speeds, hitting corners, and patience can sometimes expose him as a hack.

[googleeph2]

Our old friend Luis Valbuena just hit a 3-run HR to put the Cubs 12-3 up on the White Sox.

Looks like we'll be back to 1/2 game out.

Wow, good for him.

[Am I Here Again?]

Top of the 9th. Perez time. Aspirin time. Here we go.

*ahem* BOURBON time.

I'm hoping ten runs wasn't our total allotment for the entire 3-game series. Would be crappy to lose the next two...

[Prosecutor]

Losing six straight to the Reds would have been very, very bad.

Tomlin's going to have his hands full against this lineup. Votto, Phillips, Bruce, Ludwick, Rolen...that's a tough guantlet to run through four times a game. Better get a lot of runs off Leake.

It's Hannahan's turn to play, but how do you bench Lonnie after last night?

I'd DH him and sit Lopez down.

Great to see some bats waking up. I don't know if Latos was that bad or if Kotch, Damon, and Chiz are finally finding their stokes. Guess we'll find out over the next couple of days.

Let's take one more from the Reds and then sweep the Astros.

[leadpipe]

Losing six straight to the Reds would have been very, very bad.

Tomlin's going to have his hands full against this lineup. Votto, Phillips, Bruce, Ludwick, Rolen...that's a tough guantlet to run through four times a game. Better get a lot of runs off Leake.

It's Hannahan's turn to play, but how do you bench Lonnie after last night?

I'd DH him and sit Lopez down.

Great to see some bats waking up. I don't know if Latos was that bad or if Kotch, Damon, and Chiz are finally finding their stokes. Guess we'll find out over the next couple of days.

Let's take one more from the Reds and then sweep the Astros.

No, you don't jerk around Lonnie Chisenhall by moving him to DH. If anything you jerk around the guy that's two weeks away from hitting his per usual .240, is injury prone and has little future.

If Jack Hanahan plays third base tonight, well, they are GD stupid.

For so many reasons, if I need to list them.....Christ.

[googleeph2]

To anyone:

What's more important tonite: Tribe win or Lebron losing?

I'll take the Tribe win. 2-0 in the series with Masterson going tomorrow would feel awfully good.

[skatingtripods]

To anyone:

What's more important tonite: Tribe win or Lebron losing?

I'll take the Tribe win. 2-0 in the series with Masterson going tomorrow would feel awfully good.

Indians winning. Always and forever.

Who gives a shit if Lebron wins a title? Get over it already, Cleveland. Guy's a complete and total asshole. Wouldn't be the first or the last to win a title.

[Prosecutor]

Losing six straight to the Reds would have been very, very bad.

Tomlin's going to have his hands full against this lineup. Votto, Phillips, Bruce, Ludwick, Rolen...that's a tough guantlet to run through four times a game. Better get a lot of runs off Leake.

It's Hannahan's turn to play, but how do you bench Lonnie after last night?

I'd DH him and sit Lopez down.

Great to see some bats waking up. I don't know if Latos was that bad or if Kotch, Damon, and Chiz are finally finding their stokes. Guess we'll find out over the next couple of days.

Let's take one more from the Reds and then sweep the Astros.

No, you don't jerk around Lonnie Chisenhall by moving him to DH. If anything you jerk around the guy that's two weeks away from hitting his per usual .240, is injury prone and has little future.

If Jack Hanahan plays third base tonight, well, they are GD stupid.

For so many reasons, if I need to list them.....Christ.

Hannahan's better defensively. I'll bet Manny plays him at 3rd tonight. Lonnie has to play, though.

And if having Lonnie DH now and then is considered "jerking him around" to the point where it affects his game, then he's too high maintenance for the bigs.

However, it appears that Hannahan has a chronic back problem, so maybe limiting the number of times he has to bend over would be beneficial. It might be wiser to play Chiz at 3rd, have Hanny DH, and keep Lopez on the bench to pinch hit for Damon or Kotchman if they bring in a lefty reliever.

[Dnthateonthepronk]

Mat Latos got rocked for seven runs last night against Cleveland, serving up three homers in four innings, and afterward the Reds right-hander said he thinks the Indians were stealing his signs from catcher Ryan Hanigan.

Here’s what Latos told Tom Groeschen of the Cincinnati Enquirer:

I thought I made some good pitches that they spit on, with a runner on second base. … When you go back and look at video, a couple runners on second base, they put better swings on the ball than they did most of the time without a runner on second base.

Latos went on to say that Shin-Soo Choo clearly looking for a breaking ball after they changed signs “shows me a little something.” However, he repeatedly blamed himself for leaving pitches up in the zone and in accusing the Indians of stealing signs Latos didn’t actually blame them for doing so, calling it “kind of the idea” and “that’s the way baseball goes, and it is what it is.”

And while stolen signs might have contributed to Latos allowing three homers it’s worth noting that prior to last night he’d served up 13 homers in 76 innings, including five at home against the Rockies on May 27. He’s also struggled all season overall, posting a career-worst 5.20 ERA after the Reds acquired him in a blockbuster deal with the Padres.

Anybody seen this yet? Knowing this guys track record of immaturity it sounds like sour grapes to me. He needs to just go home to his hot wife and let her lick his wounds.

[Prosecutor]

I'll bet they were reading the signs. They hit him way too easily. That doesn't explain the Choo HR on the second pitch of the game, though

From what I could tell all the HR's and Brantley's doubles came off fastballs. Either Latos' fastball was too straight or he wasn't locating it or he was tipping it. Doesn't matter now because we won't see him again this year.