I sat here ranting and raving how I'd given up. I was waving the white flag and tapping out. I had seen enough of Ubaldo, I wanted nothing more to do with him. Regardless of what ended up happening, I had it. It was time to move on.

I'm not ready to take it back, because the minute I do that, whatever Ubaldo did on Monday to suppress his inner-Ewwbaldo will seep its way out.

What was last night? I have no clue, but it was certainly a welcomed site two and a half years in the making.

INDIANS - 9 | ROYALS - 0

W: Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2)

L: Wade Davis (2-2)

[BOXSCORE]

It quite frankly was the best start that Ubaldo Jimenez has ever made for the Cleveland Indians. He looked like a totally different pitcher, one capable of giving his team seven solid innings of no-run ball in which he moved the ball around effectively, pitched aggressively for strikes, and had a command of all his pitches.

He worked efficiently, both in actually getting the ball in pitching and with his pitch count, never really building the total up in one frame at any point. He was everything you need a pitcher to be. Did he have to bear down and strike out everyone? No and he was just as effective. Perhaps that is a lesson he can learn going forward.

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The Indians continued to stumble through the A.L. Central by dropping two of three in Kansas City.  While the Royals are ostensibly improved to make their “playoff push,” Buff utilizes the Fundamental Error of Attribution to blame the Tribe instead, noting that the offense has three distinct flavors of Fail and Justin Masterson’s start was the stuff of Not Legend.  He also lauds Corey Kluber’s fine first start of the season, notes that Scott Kazmir looks like a professional again, and wonders what music plays when the bullpen arrives.

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The Indians are playing this season five days at a time. Each turn through the rotation brings something different. Justin Masterson and Zack McAllister appear to be the only two pitchers capable of giving the Indians a consistent chance to win, while the injury to Brett Myers now adds another unknown in Corey Kluber. Scott Kazmir will make his second start on Saturday night against the Royals and we’d all be pretty happy if Ubaldo Jimenez never started another game for the Indians.

The news gets worse down on the farm as Carlos Carrasco left Thursday’s start with what’s being called a “deep bruise”, but may wind up being something more when the swelling subsides enough to get an accurate diagnosis. Trevor Bauer has a 4/1 K/BB ratio in three starts so far with Columbus, so that’s promising, but the Indians’ depth is already being tested with Kluber in the rotation and Carrasco unavailable for the foreseeable future.

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Friends, the Kansas City Royals actually have some pitching. Cleveland will leave Kauffman Stadium without having James Shields, pretty odd for a four game series, but if that statement doesn't tell you anything, you must not be paying attention to what is going on in KC.

The Royals have pitching, and we didn't even see James Shields.

The ROYALS HAVE PITCHING! 

It was a stark contrast this weekend. Sure there's one more game and while the Indians can still split, you tell me which team deserves to be leading the division right now and which one has the potential staying power.

Hint: my answer is not Cleveland.

The difference? The Royals pitching is near the top in the American League. The Indians? Well, the rotation is at the bottom.

INDIANS - 0 | ROYALS - 9

W: Jeremy Guthrie (3-0)

L: Justin Masterson (4-2)

[BOXSCORE]

INDIANS - 10 | ROYALS - 3

W: Corey Kluber (2-0)

L: Will Smith (0-1)

[BOXSCORE]

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