Bengals blog calls Weeden pick terrible investment, Tribe's attendance woes and Kyrie making us forget : Blog Roundup

Source: Cleveland.com by Glenn Moore, cleveland.com

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are Who Dey Fans, Wahoo's On First and Right Down Euclid.

Nice to see Tribe hitters attack rather than wait - Comment of the Day

Source: Cleveland.com by cleveland.com

"The Tribe attacked tonite rather than waiting for something to happen. Choo hits the first pitch and the rest of the lineup was ready to swing the bats. Whether they knew the opposing pitcher only walked 16 vs 58 Ks this year or not they were ready to hit. Coming back after a long Seattle half of the first and how many dirt galls by Jiminez was great to see." - captain67

Today in Tribe History: May 17, 1925

Source: Did The Tribe Win Last Night? by Tribe's Ultimate Wingman

Compiled by Jason Kaminski

At League Park, Tris Speaker of the Cleveland  Indians collects his 3,000th hit off Tom Zachary of the Washington Senators.  Zachary leads Washington to a 2 – 1 victory. George Uhle is the loser.

Thursday, May 17 television and radio sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

Source: Cleveland.com by Starting Blocks

Indians' 12:05 p.m. home game against Seattle is on radio only.

Tribe Offense De-Thrones The King; Indians 9, Mariners 3

Source: Did The Tribe Win Last Night? by Tribe's Ultimate Wingman

By Christian Petrila

The Indians offense didn’t care that it was going up against a former Cy Young winner, and Ubaldo Jimenez didn’t care that fans were out looking for reasons to criticize him, as the Indians took the first of two against Seattle, 9-3.

The Mariners wasted no time getting to Ubaldo Jimenez, scoring a run in the first inning on an Ichiro RBI groundout. Following the game on Twitter, some people were already hitting the Ubaldo panic button. Although he did throw 27 pitches in the first, 21 of them were for strikes, so he was consistent. The Mariners were just doing an excellent job of fouling off pitches. Things would start getting wacky in the bottom of the frame, though.

With the usually untouchable Felix Hernandez on the mound, the Indians struck for four runs in the first. Considering Hernandez went eight innings and struck out 12 when the Indians visitedSeattleearlier in the season, four runs in one inning seemed like a miracle. However, it wasn’t so much the runs as it was the way the Indians got the runs that surprised many fans.

The Indians led off the inning with back-to-back hits from Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Kipnis. Asdrubal Cabrera was hit by a pitch bringing up Travis Hafner with the bases loaded and no outs. The first run scored on a passed ball that Jesus Montero couldn’t catch. Hafner got an RBI groundout to end his at bat. Carlos Santana walked and Michael Brantley struck out. That brought Johnny Damon to the plate and the circus into town.

With Damon nursing a 2-2 count, manager Manny Acta put on a delayed steal with Santana at first. Catcher Jesus Montero tried to catch Cabrera napping at third. Rather than get a sneaky third out, Montero’s throw sailed into left field. Cabrera raced home and scored. Left fielder Chone Figgins tried to throw Cabrera out at home, but the ball short hopped and bounced away from Montero. In the confusion, Carlos did his best impression of Kenny Lofton from the 1995 ALCS, scoring from second base just in front of the throw to the plate. The play was a scorekeeper’s nightmare and a disaster for Hernandez.

“When you’re able to put up a four-spot in the first inning off Felix Hernandez, you feel like you have a chance,” Manny Acta said.

The second inning was quiet on both fronts. The Mariners got two runs back in the third when Dustin Ackley hit a two-run home run on a pitch he almost had to kneel to hit. The 4-3 score would last until the fourth, when the Indians tagged the 2010 Cy Young winner again.

Hernandez recorded a quick first out on former teammate Jose Lopez. Choo singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kipnis drove him home with a double to left-center. Cabrera grounded out, bringing Hafner to the plate with two outs. He smacked a double to right field, then Santana quickly returned the favor with a double of his own. After a Michael Brantley single to center, Hernandez’s night was over. His final line was 3.2 innings pitched while allowing 10 hits and eight runs, six earned.

The Indians got an insurance run in the sixth when Hafner hit a pitch offSeattlereliever Hisashi Iwakuma that probably had a hangtime of around seven seconds into the seats in right. The score was 9-3 Indians. The Mariners would’ve needed a couple field goals to tie it.

Jeremy Accardo made his Indians debut in the seventh inning and first impressions were promising. He sent the Mariners down in order, striking out one in the process.

Tony Sipp and Jairo Asencio came out of the bullpen for the eighth and ninth respectively, allowing only one hit.

Ubaldo Jimenez was very solid coming off his poor start in Boston. He went six innings allowing five hits and three earned runs while striking out four.

“I felt this was the best he has thrown all year,” Acta said. “He looked relaxed, he looked fluid, with his delivery and everything.”

Jimenez improves his record on the season to 4-3, while Hernandez drops to 3-3.

The win improves the Indians record to 21-16, while the Mariners drop to 16-23.

For game two of the series, Zach McAllister is scheduled to pitch against Seattle’s Hector Noesi. First pitch is at 12:05.

Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images

Indians 9, Mariners 3: Jimenez serves up strong outing

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

CLEVELAND — For a second straight home start last night, Ubaldo Jimenez was the heavy underdog against his counterpart, at least on paper. And for a second straight home start, Jimenez crumpled up that paper and fired a four-seamer into the trash can.

Indians on deck

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

Tomahawks From the Top

Source: TheClevelandFan.com

As we all say thank goodness for the Twins (who are now 73-125 since they got swept out of the 2010 ALDS) to save us from ourselves after the close to the Red Sox series that had everyone running to the 480 bridge while echoing the chorus that “THIS TEAM CAN’T HIT LHP” narrative with the brilliant inclusion of Batting Average vs. LHP as the provided “proof”, it’s time to dispel some inaccuracies, use some comparisons, and look to the future for this Indians team. 

Starting with this whole vs. LHP “issue”, everyone realizes that the Indians have the 9th highest OPS vs. LHP in AL, the 8th highest wOBA vs. LHP in the AL (above the Tigers), and have the highest BB rate vs. LHP in all of baseball.  A juggernaut vs. LHP they are not (there are 14 AL teams)…but check out those links and see that while the Indians’ performance against LHP leaves much to be desired, it has been fairly middle-of-the-road compared to the league and placed in the proper context.  If you want to continue to use Batting Average (which is not a completely useless stat, just one that shouldn’t be used as a stand-alone stat), that’s fine, but the fact that we’ve evolved past back-of-the-baseball card analysis elsewhere (and OPS and wOBA are pretty easy stats to understand and pretty useful) means that we need to look past this Batting Average vs. LHP “issue”.

Saying “they’re not the worst” may feel like a flimsy argument, but we knew going into the season that this team was going to be LH-heavy.  Of course, a RH bat in there would look great, but Acta nailed the situation (probably after being badgered about this whole LH thing again) this past weekend, saying “no one is sitting here saying that Choo, Brantley, Kipnis are platoon players. They were going to play against righties and lefties, regardless of our situation. . . . Should we trade Choo and Kipnis for right-handed hitters?” 

Full disclosure that I was behind the idea of Brantley as a platoon player…but point made.

The Indians are hitting RH pitching fairly well (.754 OPS, 5th in MLB), but the fact that their OPS vs. LHP ranks 16^th in all of MLB starts to dispel this notion that they’re unquestionably the WORST team in MLB vs. LHP as there are actually two teams (the White Sox – with RH Paul Konerko – and the Nationals) below the .600 OPS line vs. LHP.

Yes, a RH 1B or RH LF (and don’t you say his name because I’m getting to him while not mentioning his name because of the moratorium) would work in the middle of the lineup, but as I hope against hope that Mike Brantley has actually figured out this “hitting” thing (and I could care less WHERE he hits as long as he IS hitting, although his May OPS of .697 isn’t that much different than his April OPS of .677) and gladly welcome my Big League Choo back with open arms (1.050 OPS in the last week), I’m going to ignore this vs, LHP “issue” until someone can provide some compelling evidence that this team CANNOT hit LHP…and evidence that doesn’t rely solely on Batting Average.

With that off my chest (for now), let’s get some Tomahawks in the air…

Game 37: Indians 9, Mariners 3

Source: Let's Go Tribe! by Ryan

Felix Hernandez came into tonight's game with an ERA of 2.29, allowing just 7.0 hits per 9 innings, with batters hitting .216/.279/.305 against him. His history against the Indians has also been very good; he's thrown 10 straight Quality Starts against the Indians.

Ubaldo Jimenez, meanwhile, had been mainly Mr. Hyde since his arrival in Cleveland. His occasional turns as Dr. Jekyll seemed only to emphasize that he could be a good or even great pitcher. Could. That's what's made his struggles so maddening; if you knew that a

AL Capsules (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.

McAllister hopes to finish sweep of Mariners

Source: MLB.com by Josh Liebeskind

Hector Noesi will take the mound for the Mariners as they try for the split of a short, two-game series in Cleveland on Thursday. He will face Indians right-hander Zach McAllister.

Indians set to face off against Guillen, NL

Source: MLB.com by Justin Albers

The Indians are excited to start Interleague Play on May 18 to square off against former division foe, Ozzie Guillen. Guillen, who used to regularly face the Indians as manager of the White Sox, is now the Miami Marlins' skipper.

Mariners-Indians Preview (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The Cleveland Indians are showing why they have the potential to be a solid offensive club.

Red Sox-Rays Preview (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Matt Moore is universally considered among baseball's top pitching prospects, but his performance thus far in 2012 has been disappointing.

Matt LaPorta homers as Columbus wins: Minor-League Report

Source: Cleveland.com by Plain Dealer staff

Matt LaPorta hits his 11th homer of the season to help lead the Columbus Clippers to an International League win over Syracuse.

Indians 9, Mariners 3: Ubaldo Jimenez pitches well, Indians pound Felix Hernandez in big victory

Source: Ohio.com

CLEVELAND: When Ubaldo Jimenez pitches, Ubaldo Jimenez is the story.

He was the talk of the town when the Tribe acquired him from the Colorado Rockies last July for its two most promising minor-league pitchers, and Jimenez remains the most discussed player on the roster.

And so he was Wednesday night, as the Indians beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 at Progressive Field.

On this day, the analysis of Jimenez’s outing was positive, as he kept the damage to three runs, five hits and two walks in six innings. He threw a few too many pitches (107) but that might be a quibble on a night when he didn’t walk the house and kept the Mariners’ biggest rally to two runs.

“I thought this was the best I’ve seen Ubaldo throw so far this season,” Indians manager Manny Acta said, “and that’s including the seven-inning no-hitter against Toronto.

“He looked very confident out there, and he threw 16-of-24 first-pitch strikes. His velocity picked up, and he was able to throw all his pitches.”

Jimenez (4-3, 5.09 ERA) was shaky early but by the fourth inning he had calmed the waters, retiring nine of the final 11 batters he faced.

“From the first inning on I was able to attack the strike zone,” Jimenez said. “It’s all about the mechanics. Tonight I was able to put it all together.”

But it appeared that the first inning might turn to disaster when Jimenez gave up a leadoff single to Dustin Ackley and a hit to Michael Saunders, putting runners on first and third with nobody out. Not to worry. Ichiro Suzuki’s ground out scored Ackley, but Jesus Montero struck out and Kyle Seager flied out.

Two innings later, the Mariners took advantage of a leadoff walk to Brendan Ryan, who trotted home on Ackley’s third home run of the year. When Jimenez walked Saunders — who stole second — it looked like the Mariners might be settling in for a long rally.

But Jimenez retired Suzuki on a liner to left, and Montero lifted a foul fly to Casey Kotchman at first. Kotchman checked Saunders and noted that he had strayed far from the second-base bag — for no good reason — and doubled him up to end the inning.

Jimenez has yet to string successful appearances together, and nobody is willing to predict what his next start might bring.

“Now, I have to be able to be consistent,” he said.

Added Acta, “So we’ll see where this takes us now.”

The Tribe attack did a superb job of greasing the skids for former Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez, who threw eight shutout innings against the Indians on April 19 in Seattle.

He gave up eight runs, 10 hits and three walks in only 3⅔ innings Wednesday night, though he got absolutely no help from his defense in the laughable first inning, when the Indians scored four times with two runs being unearned, because of a throwing error by the catcher, Montero, and an errant throw by left fielder Chone Figgins on the same play.

But Hernandez did plenty to sink his own ship, giving up five doubles and a towering solo homer to Travis Hafner, who snapped an 0-for-25 skid with runners in scoring position, dating to April 23, with an RBI double in the fourth.

“Somebody told me that, and I was surprised to hear it,” Hafner said. “I thought I was swinging the bat pretty well. But I’m glad that the streak has been broken.”

Shin-Soo Choo, leading off for the third consecutive game, singled twice, doubled and scored two runs. Jason Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera, Michael Brantley and Hafner each had two hits.

Acta shifted Choo to the leadoff spot until (if) Johnny Damon got his act together. But it’s possible that the move might be more permanent (seldom is anything really permanent in baseball).

“We’ll see where this takes us,” Acta said, “It depends on everybody else in the lineup. A few years ago, we didn’t have Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana to produce runs. Now, we can move guys around in the lineup more because of them.”

Acta was pleased the way his team approached Hernandez, who has a devastating change-up.

“Any time you get four runs off him, you feel like you have a chance,” Acta said. “Then we tacked on four more runs.”

Added Hafner, “We just got good pitches to hit, and for the most part, we were able to lay off his off-speed pitches.”

Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at http://www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SheldonOckerABJ and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

Indians report: Grady Sizemore takes batting practice, targeting return in June

Source: Ohio.com

CLEVELAND: Manager Manny Acta was able to see for himself how Grady Sizemore is progressing; he threw batting practice to Sizemore Wednesday.

“For a guy who hasn’t been out there, it was good for his first time,” Acta said. “But it’s just a start. We’re not going to rush anything with him. I anticipate that he’ll [eventually] go on a rehab assignment and get plenty of at-bats before he comes up here.”

Sizemore underwent surgery in March to correct a herniated disc and was not expected to return to the active roster for eight to 12 weeks. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list April 4 and can be activated June 3, but that probably isn’t going to happen.

“I doubt it,” Acta said. “That is only 16 days away; I don’t think he’s going to meet that date.”

Completing his rehab program and making certain there are no residual effects from the surgery is one issue. Regaining his baseball edge is something else.

“Grady has to finish the strengthening program for his legs to complete his rehab,” Acta said. “He’s just about finished with that. But it’s not just about baseball.”

Jack Hannahan has missed only three games with a sore back, but the Indians still have no firm idea when he will return to the lineup.

Jose Lopez has taken his place at third base, and going into Wednesday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners, the Tribe hasn’t missed Hannahan’s superlative defense. But with Lopez, the Tribe knows it is getting a player who can wield a mean bat but whose glove sometimes springs a leak.

Lopez doubled and scored a run in the first game against the Minnesota Twins and singled in Tuesday’s finale. He had only one ground ball to handle in the series opener, but the next day he fielded five bouncers and started a double play.

Meanwhile, Hannahan’s injury still has not been specifically identified.

“He took an MRI, and we are waiting for the results,” Acta said. “He’s feeling better. When the MRI comes back, we’ll have a better idea.”

Josh Tomlin already has been put on the disabled list with inflammation in his right wrist, but his injury has not been labeled.

“He’s seeing a doctor in a day or so,” Acta said.

Tomlin is eligible to come off the DL Wednesday.

“We don’t know yet if that will happen,” Acta said. “We have to wait until he sees the doctor. If he’s clean, he won’t have to go on a rehab assignment. Just do long toss, throw bullpens and go get ’em.”

Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at http://www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SheldonOckerABJ and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

Indians notebook: Derek Lowe says not striking anybody out nothing new for him

Source: Ohio.com

CLEVELAND: Manager Manny Acta pointed out how unusual it was to see a shutout performance that did not include at least one strikeout.

Derek Lowe, who threw the shutout against the Minnestoa Twins on Tuesday, didn’t see anything strange about it, saying, “The only time I struck anybody out in the National League was the pitchers. They took that away from me in the American League and I’m in a heap of trouble.”

The Tribe staff has delivered two shutouts this year: Lowe’s complete-game performance Tuesday and a 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field on April 29. Lowe also started that game and pitched seven innings.

WHEELER BACK — Reliever Dan Wheeler, who was designated for assignment on Sunday, cleared waivers and has accepted an assignment to Triple-A.

The Tribe released reliever Robinson Tejeda.

PEREZ UPDATE — Rafael Perez (strained lat) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and reported no ill effects.

He was eligible to come off the DL last Friday, but he is probably a week to 10 days away.

FARM FACTS — Jeremie Tice hit his seventh home run of the season and drove in two runs, as Carolina defeated Salem 4-1 in Class A. … Francisco Lindor doubled, singled and had one RBI, raising his average to .319, in Lake County’s 4-1 win over Great Lakes in Class A. Cody Anderson (4-1, 1.89 ERA) pitched six scoreless innings, giving up two hits and one walk, and Alex Monsalve had two hits and one RBI.

— Sheldon Ocker

Indians: Matchups for upcoming games

Source: Ohio.com

FRIDAY: Marlins at Indians.

Time: 7:05 p.m.

TV: STO.

Pitchers: Carlos Zambrano (1-2, 1.88) vs. Justin Masterson 
(1-3, 5.40).

SATURDAY: Marlins at Indians.

Time: 4:05 p.m.

TV: STO.

Pitchers: Anibal Sanchez (2-1, 2.28) vs. Jeanmar Gomez (2-2, 3.75).

SUNDAY: Marlins at Indians.

Time: 1:05 p.m.

TV: WKYC (Channel 3).

Pitchers: Josh Johnson (1-3, 5.36) vs. Derek Lowe (6-1, 2.05).

MONDAY: Off.

TUESDAY: Tigers at Indians.

Time: 7:05 p.m.

TV: STO.

WEDNESDAY: Tigers at Indians.

Time: 7:05 p.m.

TV: STO.

THURSDAY: Tigers at Indians.

Time: 12:05 p.m.

TV: None.

Offense powers Tribe past Felix in win

Source: MLB.com by Jordan Bastian

Rare is the night that King Felix is off his game. On Wednesday, when Felix Hernandez showed early signs of struggle for Seattle, the Indians took complete advantage, powering their way to a 9-3 victory at Progressive Field.

Indians pound Mariners’ Hernandez in 9-3 win

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

CLEVELAND — Ubaldo Jimenez overcame a shaky start to get the win and the Cleveland Indians pounded out a season-best five doubles to beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 tonight.

Cleveland Indians drill Felix Hernandez, roll past Mariners, 9-3

Source: Cleveland.com by Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer

Ubaldo Jimenez scatters five hits over six innings and Choo, Hafner shine in rout of Seattle.

Indians pound Mariners' Hernandez in 9-3 win (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) Ubaldo Jimenez overcame a shaky start to get the win and the Cleveland Indians pounded out a season-best five doubles to beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 Wednesday night.

Indians drill Hernandez, defeat Mariners, 9-3

Source: Cleveland.com by Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer

Indians rout Felix Hernandez in 9-3 victory Wednesday at Progressive Field.

Tribe pitcher Josh Tomlin to have second MRI scan on ailing wrist: Indians Insider

Source: Cleveland.com by Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer

Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin (right wrist) will undergo a second MRI scan on Thursday in Cleveland.

Tomahawks From the Top

Source: The DiaTribe by Paul Cousineau

As we all say thank goodness for the Twins (who are now 73-125 since they got swept out of the 2010 ALDS) to save us from ourselves after the close to the Red Sox series that had everyone running to the 480 bridge while echoing the chorus that “THIS TEAM CAN’T HIT LHP” narrative with the brilliant inclusion of Batting Average vs. LHP as the provided “proof”, it’s time to dispel some inaccuracies, use some comparisons, and look to the future for this Indians team. 
Starting with this whole vs. LHP “issue”, everyone realizes that the Indians have the 9th highest OPS vs. LHP in AL, the 8th highest wOBA vs. LHP in the AL (above the Tigers), and have the highest BB rate vs. LHP in all of baseball.  A juggernaut vs. LHP they are not (there are 14 AL teams)…but check out those links and see that while the Indians’ performance against LHP leaves much to be desired, it has been fairly middle-of-the-road compared to the league and placed in the proper context.  If you want to continue to use Batting Average (which is not a completely useless stat, just one that shouldn’t be used as a stand-alone stat), that’s fine, but the fact that we’ve evolved past back-of-the-baseball card analysis elsewhere (and OPS and wOBA are pretty easy stats to understand and pretty useful) means that we need to look past this Batting Average vs. LHP “issue”.
Saying “they’re not the worst” may feel like a flimsy argument, but we knew going into the season that this team was going to be LH-heavy.  Of course, a RH bat in there would look great, but Acta nailed the situation (probably after being badgered about this whole LH thing again) this past weekend, saying “no one is sitting here saying that Choo, Brantley, Kipnis are platoon players. They were going to play against righties and lefties, regardless of our situation. . . . Should we trade Choo and Kipnis for right-handed hitters?”  Full disclosure that I was behind the idea of Brantley as a platoon player…but point made.
The Indians are hitting RH pitching fairly well (.754 OPS, 5th in MLB), but the fact that their OPS vs. LHP ranks 16^th in all of MLB starts to dispel this notion that they’re unquestionably the WORST team in MLB vs. LHP as there are actually two teams (the White Sox – with RH Paul Konerko – and the Nationals) below the .600 OPS line vs. LHP.
Yes, a RH 1B or RH LF (and don’t you say his name because I’m getting to him while not mentioning his name because of the moratorium) would work in the middle of the lineup, but as I hope against hope that Mike Brantley has actually figured out this “hitting” thing (and I could care less WHERE he hits as long as he IS hitting, although his May OPS of .697 isn’t that much different than his April OPS of .677) and gladly welcome my Big League Choo back with open arms (1.050 OPS in the last week), I’m going to ignore this vs, LHP “issue” until someone can provide some compelling evidence that this team CANNOT hit LHP…and evidence that doesn’t rely solely on Batting Average.
With that off my chest (for now), let’s get some Tomahawks in the air…__________
In the wake of the Derek Lowe complete game shutout, some have started to compare this 2012 team’s start to the one from just a year ago, positing that this year’s incarnation is lacking in the starting pitching department to date since Lowe is carrying this pitching staff.  While I’m not going to disagree with that as Masterson or (gulp) Ubaldo getting on track makes season-long contention that much more possible, it is worth comparing the start to the last two seasons for the rotations, in terms of expectations and early returns.  That is to say that the early outings for Masterson and Ubaldo have been…um, uneven and that the middle-to-back-end of the rotation (mainly Lowe and Jeanmar) have kept the Indians atop the Central to date. 
But if you remember back to last May, isn’t that kind of what happened last year too?Lest you forget, this was the rotation that broke camp last year…in this order:Carmona/HernandezCarrascoMastersonTomlinTalbot
Yes, Jeanmar had worked his way into the mix in April and Al White made his first appearance at the end of April, but once Talbot got healthy, that was the rotation into July for a team that was sitting at the top of the AL Central for much of that time.  Seriously, Mitch Talbot – who not even a year later is pitching for the SAMSUNG LIONS in the KOREAN LEAGUE – logged eleven starts for the team before the All-Star Break and would end the year unleashing his own particular brand of “Fury” with the 5^th most starts (12) on a team that would finish 80-82.
Sure, you say…but Masterson had a great 2011 season and Tomlin had a great 1^st half while Carrasco showed the type of promise that makes his injury all the more painful now.  That’s all true, but GOING into 2011, who saw that coming from Masterson or Tomlin?
Essentially, in the first couple of months of the 2011 season we saw the middle-to-back-end of the rotation become the top and the top of the rotation slip into inconsistency, making them much less effective than the pitchers that they were thought to be ahead of in the rotation when 2011 started.Now, think of this year…
Already, we’ve seen the 3^rd starter (Lowe) vault into the position of being the Tribe’s best starter (just as Masterson did last year) and we’ve seen Jeanmar throw solidly in the first month-and-a-half of the season, just as Tomlin did last year.  Yes, Masterson and Ubaldo have been overwhelming disappointments, but the 2012 rotation is getting the same kind of surprise production from arms that weren’t being counted on as front-of-the-rotation pitchers in the early going. 
Just to put some hard numbers to this, compare where the Opening Day rotation stood around this time last year and where this year’s incarnation does:2011 Staff through mid-to-late May in order of Opening Day Rotation

Carmona/Hernandez – 4.76 ERA on May 19, 2011Carrasco – 5.16 ERA on May 22, 2011Masterson – 2.52 ERA on May 18, 2011Tomlin – 2.56 ERA on May 16, 2011Talbot – 5.87 ERA on May 25, 2011
2012 Staff through May 15^th in order of Opening Day Rotation

Masterson – 5.40 ERAUbaldo – 5.18 ERALowe – 2.05 ERATomlin – 4.67 ERAJeanmar – 3.75 ERA
Disappointment at the top and pleasant surprises in the middle-to-back in both groupings…
Two pitchers with an ERA over 5.00 on each staff, one close to 5.00 and two “surprises” to lead the staff made up your FIRST-PLACE rotation for the 2011 team at this time last year and similar production from (strangely) similar spots in the rotation for the 2012 Tribe.  While you can certainly say that the way that the 2011 rotation was unable to sustain their success provides a foreboding feeling for this group going forward, the success of Derek Lowe provides hope that the Indians can straighten out their “top 2” (or at least Masterson) this year. 
If you’ll remember, the Tribe targeted Lowe VERY early in the off-season, fleecing the Braves by trading only a minor-league arm (who is still in AA) for him AND having the Braves pay $10M of his $15M salary in 2012.  He was targeted because the Indians saw something in his mechanics that was easily “fixable” and, if “fixed”, could result in a return to effectiveness for him.  It has been an achievement in scouting and coaching (wait…by the Indians and their Polo Shirt Mafia Front Office, who spend all their time poring over spreadsheets?) and, given that the Indians were able to identify and correct Lowe’s issues, it provides some hope that they can identify and (perhaps) improve a pitcher like Masterson or even…gulp, Ubaldo.
Sure, Ubaldo may be too far gone (because he looks it) or he may not be as receptive as an eager-to-prove-himself Lowe was when he arrived in Cleveland, but the Indians (obviously) targeted Jimenez last July with the idea that they could “fix” him as they seem to have with Lowe.  “Fixing” Ubaldo may never materialize and he may become Fausto v.2.0, in terms of frustration and unfulfilled talent.  But remember that the 2011 Indians contended on the strength of their rotation, with the lion’s share of the contributions coming from unforeseen sources. 
Now that Zach McAllister has arrived for a while (and it’s easy to forget that both he and Jeanmar are only 24 years old) and the Indians’ rotation could have some moving pieces here.  While I’m not sure if a DL stint is in the offing for Ubaldo (and I think they’ve almost suggested to him that he’s injured, if only because Acta says he asks him SO much if he’s healthy) if his mechanics remain messy, but Corey Kluber (acquired for Westbrook in what seems like a trade from a decade ago) and Scotty Barnes (netted for Ryan Garko) are two other starters in AAA who are averaging more than a K an inning while limiting opposing hitters to an OPS under .700.  Neither of those guys scream “big-time pitching prospect” (though Barnes has always intrigued me), but let’s remember that Tomlin and Gomez have graduated to MLB and surprised in their brief time there.
Last year, the Indians rotation led from the back and, if the early returns provide a glimpse, we may be seeing it again with the hope that the “front” (Masterson and…have to say it, Ubaldo) can rebound to their former selves (or some semblance of their former selves) to continue to set the pace in the AL Central.__________
For whatever reason, every team “features” a whipping boy for fans and critics alike to rail against.  While vitriol is inexplicably always reserved for the 24^th or 25^th man on the roster (as I’m not sure I understand what hating Aaron Cunningham accomplishes and have NO problem with this team carrying Dan Wheeler – a veteran reliever with a track record who was here merely to mop up and absorb innings in losses – for 6 weeks), Casey Kotchman finds himself firmly in the crosshairs of most Tribe fans, who have deluded themselves to believe that a player who was unquestionably not the “answer” last year (and who still isn’t the “answer” this year…and has 1 XBH and a .557 OPS in his last 10 games), merely because he ISN’T Casey Kotchman.
However, if you go into this realizing what Casey Kotchman is (and isn’t), what he’s done is pretty much what we’ve expected – he’s played stellar defense and will have hot and cold stretches at the plate with the cold stretches likely to cause the hand-wringing and moaning that we experienced in April.  However, Kotchman has a .759 OPS in May (nestled between Choo and Santana for the month to date) and – while that won’t make anyone begin making a bronze casting for Cooperstown – it certainly brings him into the level of acceptable or respectable production.  What his recent run at the plate has done is raise his season totals to the point that he’s creeping ever closer to a .600 OPS.  And while that’s said with the tongue firmly in cheek, check out where he now ranks among MLB 1B in OPS, above Eric Hosmer, Justin Smoak, Gaby Sanchez (who, admittedly was on my “wish list” this off-season), Al Pujols and Ike Davis.  Unfortunately, that perspective is what gets lost too often as people rail against this player or that player as Kotchman’s 3 HR mean that he has more than Adrian Gonzalez, Carlos Lee (another player that everyone wanted to target this off-season), and the aforementioned Pujols and Gaby Sanchez.
Don’t take this to mean that I’m comfortable just putting Casey Kotchman out there at 1B for the rest of the season…it’s an attempt to provide some context to the situation.  That is, Kotchman is who we knew who was, is getting paid $3M (the Tribe signed Branyan to a $1.5M deal in 2010 and traded him in late June of that year) for the season, and once (or if) a better alternative presents itself, I’m all for upgrading the roster by improving at 1B.  That doesn’t mean that Kotchman would go the way of Branyan or any of the other Tribe 1B of the past (meaning that he wouldn’t automatically become a Mariner) as his defense is a special skill, but that alternative hasn’t presented itself and – almost, but not entirely, independent of Kotchman’s performance at the plate – he should stay there until it does.__________
With that said, it is fun around this time of the year to play the “would this guy be available” game and while I’ve seen or heard the Josh Willingham and Kevin Youkilis conjecture (and here is Buster Olney thinking that Youkilis may not be long for Boston) dating back to last off-season, there was something in a recent article on B-Pro that caught my eye.  The article focused on where the Padres are going (which is nowhere) and how San Diego may become a trading post, and perhaps very soon.  In the piece Geoff Young (who is the founder of Ducksnorts, a Padres’ blog) goes in-depth into the Padres’ roster, providing some insight into some different players that may be made available if the Padres’ season continues to circle the drain.
One name in particular stood out in the piece that Young dubbed likely to be available:Carlos Quentin, LF (29): The man that Josh Byrnes let get away in Arizona, formerly represented by Jeff Moorad (he almost owned the Padres, sort of, for a few years... until one day he didn’t) started the season on the disabled list and is currently rehabbing in the minors. There was speculation when the Padres traded for Quentin that they might try to lock him up long-term, but given his spotty health record and the fact that Petco Park isn’t the ideal place for a slow, slugging outfielder (Ryan Ludwick sends his regards), this may not be the best option. As with

Huston Street

, though, he needs to get healthy before any moves are made.

--snip--

I don’t expect Street or Quentin to fetch much. If I were the Padres, I’d be looking for more middle-infield depth in the high minors; failing that, I’d take a shot on guys at lower levels with live arms who maybe haven’t translated stuff into results.

When Quentin was moved in the off-season from the South Side to San Diego, it felt like the type of move that the Indians should have been in on, even if their…um, relationship with the White Sox Front Office (one minor trade since 1994) probably prevented it.
Realizing that Quentin is hurt (and his “repaired” right knee may not be all that healthy if it flares up when he gets into his batting stance) and that he may or may not even be on the field until June, unless Johnny Damon can break out of his “Spring Training mode” with a flurry, the Indians could be looking to upgrade in LF…again.  Maybe the Tribe is thinking that Sizemore’s return will push the suddenly rejuvenated Brantley to LF, but if Young is right that the Padres would target “middle-infield depth in the high minors”, that’s something that the Indians could actually offer in the form of Cord Phelps or even the recently-demoted Jason Donald.  As the author says, he doesn’t expect “Quentin to fetch much”, but he could become a nice option in LF or at DH for the 2^nd half of the season…assuming health, of course.__________
Regardless of what’s to come or how the Indians attempt to find another band-aid in LF or 1B (or if they even are able to), let’s go back to what was written this past weekend and realize that this is fun.  This is fun to follow a 1^st place team and fun to target other teams’ players as possibilities for Trading Deadline reinforcements.  While it isn’t ALWAYS fun, it is hard to remember what Carlos Santana once famously said…“this is the baseball”.

Sizemore takes BP; returns of Hannahan, Tomlin uncertain

Source: Ohio.com

  CLEVELAND: Manager Manny Acta threw batting practice to Grady Sizemore today, and the oft-injured center fielder apparently looked like he knew what he was doing.   “”For a guy who hasn’t been out there, it was good for his first time,’’ Acta said. “”But it’s just a start. We’re not going to rush anything with him. I anticipate that he’ll (eventually) go on a rehab assignment and get plenty of at-bats before he comes up here.’’   Sizemore underwent surgery in March to correct a herniated disc and was placed on the 60-day disabled list April 4. He can be activated June 3, but it's unlikely he'll return to the lineup that soon.   “”I doubt it,’’ Acta said. “”That only 16 days away; I don’t think he’s going to meet that date.’’   Jack Hannahan has missed  three games with a sore back, but the Indians still have no firm idea when he will return to the lineup.  Hannahan’s injury still has not been specifically identified.   “”He took an MRI, and we are waiting for the results,’’ Acta said. “”He’s feeling better. When the MRI comes back, we’ll have a better idea.’’   Josh Tomlin already has been put on the disabled list with inflammation in his right wrist, but his injury has not been labeled.   “”He’s seeing a doctor in a day or so,’’ Acta said.  

Sizemore continues making strides in rehab

Source: MLB.com

Grady Sizemore is continuing to make progress in his rehab from back surgery. While he has taken steps forward, the team thinks it is unlikely he will return on June 3, the day he is eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list.

Tomlin waiting for diagnosis on wrist injury

Source: MLB.com

Josh Tomlin wishes he knew the specific cause behind his current right wrist injury. Beyond not being able to pitch right now for the Indians, the uncertain nature of his ailment is the source of the most frustration.

Indians hoping Hannahan's MRI comes back clean

Source: MLB.com

The Indians are hoping to have Jack Hannahan back in the lineup as soon as possible, but the ballclub is taking the necessary steps to determine the extent of the third baseman's current back issue.

Indians get on board 'Buses for Baseball' program

Source: MLB.com

Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano knows that a little bit of his time can mean the world to a young fan. That is one of the main motivations for the pitcher to take part in Wednesday's "Buses for Baseball" program at Progressive Field.

MLB Roundup: Clemens trial continues, Lawrie appeals suspension (The SportsXchange)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Roger Clemens' lawyer Rusty Hardin began his first extended cross-examination of key prosecution witness Brian McNamee by explaining that he would set up a chart to list McNamee's recollections as a mistake, a case of bad memory or a lie, according to an MLB.com report.

Indians righty Tomlin to get second MRI on wrist (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) Josh Tomlin isn't quite sure when he will be back on the mound for the Cleveland Indians.

Derek Lowe provides a surprise ace to Cleveland Indians' rotation: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

Source: Cleveland.com by Bud Shaw, The Plain Dealer

The most promising aspect of Derek Lowe's 2012 start is that there's reason to believe it will continue, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

Game Thread: May 16, 2012

Source: Let's Go Tribe! by Ryan

Current Series 2 game series vs Mariners @ Progressive Field

Seattle Mariners Lookout Landing
@ Cleveland Indians Let's Go Tribe

Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 7:05 PM EDT
Progressive Field

Indians' Tomlin to get second MRI on wrist (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) Josh Tomlin isn't quite sure when he'll be back on the mound for the Cleveland Indians.

Indians vs. Mariners: Twitter updates and game preview

Source: Cleveland.com by cleveland.com

The Tribe returns home tonight to start a two-game series with the Seattle Mariners. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @hoynsie.

Game #37 – Seattle Mariners (16-22) vs. Cleveland Indians (20-16)

Source: Did The Tribe Win Last Night? by Tribe's Ultimate Wingman

By Matthew Van Wormer

With yesterday’s win against the Minnesota Twins, the Indians were able to split their six game road trip and come back home exactly where they were when they left, four games over the .500 mark and with a two game lead on the Detroit Tigers. Things could have gone better but the Indians may have finally figured some things out in the two games they played against the Twins.

Tonight will be a great test to see if the Tribe is ready to start putting some room between themselves and their division rivals. They welcome the Mariners into town for their second straight two game series. In addition to the Seattle ballclub, Progressive Field will also be hosting hundreds of dogs as they celebrate Puppy-Palooza. Hopefully none of the four legged creatures leave anything on the field when they have their pre-game parade along the warning track.

It will be a battle of two pitchers heading in opposite directions. “King” Felix Hernandez (3-2, 2.29 ERA) will throw for the Mariners while Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3, 5.18 ERA) goes for Cleveland. Hernandez has pitched well for most of the season, a victim of a low amount of run support, while Jimenez struggles to find the strike zone and giving up far too many hits when he does find it.

Jimenez has been frustratingly inconsistent on the mound. Sometimes he looks untouchable, like his start against Texas (7 innings, 0 runs), and other times he has nothing, as was seen in Boston (4.1 innings, 7 runs). He will have to be on his game tonight if the Indians are going to have a chance to beat Hernandez. Last time they faced King Felix, they won the game but only scratched out two runs in the process.

While it must be taken into consideration that it was against Minnesota, the worst team in the league, Manny Acta‘s tinkering with the lineup helped the Indians put some runs on the board in the short stint against the Twins. Shin Soo Choo, batting in the leadoff spot for the first time this year, went 3 for 8 in the two games with a home run, a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Casey Kotchman also seems to have turned a corner, batting .286 over the last week and finally getting above the Mendoza-Line.

The Indians have just five games standing between them and their biggest threat in the division, the Detroit Tigers. The Indians need to take every opportunity they can to stay ahead of the Tigers before they get to Cleveland. First pitch at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario is set for 7:05. Watch or listen on SportsTime Ohio and the Cleveland Indians Radio Network.

Cleveland Indians Starting Lineup
1. Shin-Soo Choo, RF
2. Jason Kipnis, 2B
3. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
4. Travis Hafner, DH
5. Carlos Santana, C
6. Michael Brantley, CF
7. Johnny Damon, LF
8. Casey Kotchman, 1B
9. Jose Lopez, 3B

Seattle Mariners Starting Lineup
1. Dustin Ackley, 2B
2. Michael Saunders, CF
3. Ichiro Suzuki, RF
4. Jesus Montero, C
5. Kyle Seager, DH
6. Justin Smoak, 1B
7. Alex Liddi, 3B
8. Mike Carp, LF
9. Brendan Ryan, SS

Photo: Getty Images

RHP Josh Tomlin (wrist) will have second MRI scan Thursday: Cleveland Indians daily briefing

Source: Cleveland.com by Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer

Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin (right wrist) will undergo a second MRI scan on Thursday in Cleveland.

Should Browns upgrade defensive line with veterans, Derek Lowe on fire and Kyrie Irving's best to come : Blog Roundup

Source: Cleveland.com by Glenn Moore, cleveland.com

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are Stepien Rules, Dawgs By Nature and Waiting For Next Year.

Left field situation getting complicated - Tribe Comment of the Day

Source: Cleveland.com by cleveland.com

"The Grady Sizemore situation is getting complicated. If Duncan, Damon and Cunningham can't get left field done by committee, (and Cunningham never really got a fair chance but he is the utility guy), Sizemore comes back and Brantley slides back into left field." - MyTribe

Cleveland Indians P.M. links: Eric Wedge back again as Mariners' manager; Ubaldo Jimenez vs. Felix Hernandez

Source: Cleveland.com by Starting Blocks

Wedge, in his second season as the M's skipper, managed the Indians from 2003-09. Jimenez vs. Hernandez would have been a super matchup two years ago. More Indians story links.

Cole Cook Writing and Closing For Lake County Captains

Source: Did The Tribe Win Last Night? by Tribe's Ultimate Wingman

By Christian Petrila

Every clubhouse has one: The guy who loves to make people laugh.

For the Lake County Captains, that guy is pitcher Cole Cook.

Cook, 23, was a fifth round selection by the Indians in 2010. This was a few years removed from when he was a 36^th round selection of the Seattle Mariners.

Cook is in his second year with the Captains. A starter last season, Cook has been moved to the bullpen for the 2012 season.

So far in 2012, he is 1-1 with a 4.18 ERA in 23.2 innings. His first two professional saves have both come since May 3.

Cook didn’t have time to plan out a postgame ritual after recording his first save.

“It happened so fast that I actually started walking back toward the dugout before I realized the game was over and (Alex) Lavisky was walking toward me,” Cook said. “Maybe walking straight back to the dugout after a save will be my ritual.”

After experiencing issues with his elbow in the offseason, Cook had some free time to burn. That led to the birth of his blog, which can be found at http://cole-cook.blogspot.com/.

“I like writing, and I got bored while rehabbing inArizona,” Cook said. “I figured the blog was the best of both.”

In his blog, he uses his dry, sarcastic sense of humor to make tales of his daily life among the more entertaining reads on the internet.

In his blog, he talks about his one-day promotion toColumbus. He knew he would only be there for a day, and although he didn’t pitch, he described the experience as awesome. He holds the distinction of having skipped over two levels of the minors, even if only for a day.

“It felt like a real big league experience,” Cook said.

Cook is very active on Twitter. His Twitter handle is @C_M_Cook. He is always willing to respond to followers and crack a joke or two.

Red Sox Carry Five-game Win Streak into Tampa Bay: Fan Preview (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The 17-19 Boston Red Sox won five out of six on their most successful homestand of the season. Now they head out on the road for three series beginning with a two-game set against the 23-14 Tampa Bay Rays on May 16 and 17. On their homestand, the Red Sox enjoyed consecutive quality starts from each member of the starting rotation for the first time in 2012. Clay Buchholz and Felix Doubront will look to build on that momentum against one of Boston's division rivals.

Paul Hoynes talks about Derek Lowe's success, leadoff spot and left-field situation: Podcast

Source: Cleveland.com by cleveland.com

What has been the biggest surprise so far this season? Disappointment? The Plain Dealer's Tribe beat writer answers that and more.

Robinson Tejeda Released, Dan Wheeler Outrighted

Source: Let's Go Tribe! by SB Nation MLB News

Tribe Makes a Pair of Moves at AAA Columbus

The Cleveland Indians have released right-handed pitcher Robinson Tejeda and outrighted right-handed pitcher Dan Wheeler to the AAA Columbus Clippers, according to the team:

AAA Clippers transactions: Outrighted RHP DAN WHEELER to Columbus. Released RHP ROBINSON TEJEDA.

— Cleveland Indians(@tribeinsider) May 16, 2012

Tejeda,

Minor Moves: Graham, Tejeda

Source: MLB Trade Rumors by Ben Nicholson-Smith

The latest minor moves from around MLB...

• The Diamondbacks signed center fielder Tyler Graham Matt Eddy of Baseball America tweets. The Giants recently released Graham, who has a .297/.353/.376 batting line in four Triple-A seasons.
• The Indians announced that they released right-hander Robinson Tejeda. Tejeda, 30, appeared in one Triple-A game for Cleveland after signing a minor league deal with the team this offseason. The 6'2" Tejada owns a 4.42 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 in seven MLB seasons.