Tagged: Cliff Lee
Changes
So I lied last time. I did not stay back. I have been awfully busy and it has been hard to get back into the habit of writing entries. I promise I will try to do better.
It may be raining, but there’s a rainbow above you…
So it’s been awhile. I apologize. I’ve been pretty busy with work and the online class I’m taking this summer.
Every word you say, say something sweet…
The Indians stomped the Twins last night. Amazingly the Indians scored runs behind Cliff Lee. Not just some runs though: ten runs. TEN RUNS. They only needed two. Then Kerry Wood would have gotten a rare save opportunity but, hey, we won and everyone else in teh AL Central lost. It was good day for the Tribe. Also Asdrubal Cabrera’s shoulder injury is not as bad as originally thought and he will probably be back in 2-4 weeks. A very good day for the Tribe.
Is your muffin buttered?
Are you ready for this? I don’t think you are. I am about to go into full rant mode. This means you will have to really try to find sense in the next paragraph or so. Here we go. (To be clear I am in no way yelling at A-Cab or Cliff Lee.)

My Life Would Suck Without You
Dear Indians,
My Boys Spoil Yankee Stadium Opener
First run scored in New Yankee Stadium History: Ben Francisco
Answer: Cleveland Indians
Question: Who has handed the Yankees their three worst losses in franchise history?
Answer: Cleveland Indians
My Favorite Indians
I have nothing of any importance to say today. I am feeling like the Indians are apparently feeling now at the end of Spring Training; a little lethargic and apathetic. That does not mean I do not care about YOU, I just have no motivation. So here is a list of my favorite Indians of all time. The of all time is used loosely because I actually do not know that many Indians not playing now so it is mostly favorite Indians playing right now.




Lucky #13!
That’s me! I’m lucky #13 this week! Thanks everyone! I am pretty sure this is the highest ranking so far for me! Today you will get a nice lesson on one of the Indians younger players.
Complete Speech
Be sure to go vote over at THE MAX today. I am up against Rockpile Rant. Vote for whoever you want to and good luck baseball snatcher!
History of Cleveland Baseball
It
is Game 7 of the ALCS. The Red Sox are leading 3-2 in the top of the seventh.
Kenny Lofton is on second thanks to an error by shortstop Julio Lugo. Franklin
Gutierrez hits a shot down the third base line. It ricochets off the wall into
short left center where Manny Ramirez picks it up. Kenny Lofton is held at
third for fear of being thrown out at home. Casey Blake, one of the best clutch
hitters in the league steps in. He hits into an inning ending double play. Can
the Tribe come back in the late innings and pull off a Game 7 victory and make
it to the World Series for the first time in ten years?
Cleveland has a long
and rich baseball history dating all the way back to 1869. Cleveland’s early
years range from the worst in baseball to the best in baseball. Cleveland
baseball teams have won two World Series Championships: 1927 and 1948. However
the Curse of Rocky Colavito has kept them from another championship ring for
sixty years, the second longest unbroken championship drought in baseball. The
future of the Cleveland Indians is bright and filled with rising stars.
The
early years of Cleveland baseball saw baseball in Cleveland rise from the worst
to the best. Cleveland’s owner sent its best players, including Cy Young, to
St. Louis to popularize baseball there causing the Cleveland Spiders to achieve
the worst record in baseball history, 20-134. In 1901 Ben Johnson, the creator
of the American League, founded his league and created a team in Cleveland
making the Cleveland Indians one of the four charter members of the American
League. Early Cleveland stars included Napoleon Lajoie, giving the team their
first nickname The Naps, Addie Joss, and Joe Jackson of Black Sox Scandal fame.
Cy Young returned to Cleveland in 1909 to finish his career where he got his
start. After the 1914 season the nickname Indians was chosen for the team.
The
Indians have won two World Series Championships in their history. They have
been to the postseason ten times throughout their history. In 1920 the Indians
played the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series.
They beat the Dodgers five games to two. The road to the Series was a tough
one. The shortstop of the Indians was fatally hit by a pitch while playing the
Yankees in August. Joe Sowell replaced him and began his own All Star career. The
Indians’ Elmer Smith hit the first grand slam in World Series history in game
5. The Indians won their next World Series in 1948. They beat the Boston Braves
in six games. The Indians led the league in batting average, earned run average,
and fielding percentage in the 1948 season. The road to the World Series included
a historic one game playoff for the pennant against the Boston Red Sox.
The
Indians have not won another World Series in over sixty years giving them the
second longest unbroken Championship drought in baseball behind only the Cubs.
Like the Cubs the Indians have a curse which has supposedly kept World Series
wins from them, the Curse of Rocky Colavito. Colavito was one of the Indians’
top young players in 1955. In 1960 Frank Lane, the Indians new manager, traded
Colavito to the Indians’ biggest rival, the Detroit Tigers. To this day Frank
Lane’s name makes Indians’ fans cringe. Since, the Indians have faced years of
losing seasons and have yet to win the World Series. From 1960- 1993 the Indians
had only finished third or lower in their division except for one year in 1968.
They reached the World Series for the first time since 1954 in 1995 and lost.
They also lost in 1997. Some believe trading Joe Carter for Carlos Berraega is
the trade that finally broke the curse. Since that trade the Indians have
experienced mild success but have still not won a World Series. In my opinion
trading Bartolo Colon for Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee was the trade that broke
the curse. Grady Sizemore has very similar popularity to Rocky Colavito and
many say he, like they said of Colavito, is what a baseball player should be.
The
Indians have experienced tragedies with many of their most important players. Sam
McDowell was a great pitcher who could not control his alcohol problem. Tony
Horton was a great first baseman who could not handle the pressures of baseball
and had a mental breakdown that took him out of baseball forever. Four of the
Indians best pitchers were lost in a tragic boating accident in 1993. Two were
killed, one was seriously injured, and one was too emotionally unstable to
continue to pitch for the Indians. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds to help
him endure the loss of his best friend.
The Cleveland Indians’ future looks
bright despite 2008’s struggles with the
emergence of young, rising stars. The 2008 season marked a year of struggle and
disappointment for the Indians. The Indians’ designated hitter, Travis Hafner,
and star catcher,
Victor Martinez, were sidelined early with injuries. Without the bats of Hafner
and Martinez the Indians had trouble adjusting and could not get their offense
going. With the exception of Cliff Lee the Indians pitchers suffered without
the foundation of a strong bullpen and starter Jake Westbrook who was out for the
season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Midseason saw the Indians trade
away their Cy Young Award
winner CC Sabathia to the Brewers. Despite being last in the division the
Indians climbed to third in the division with an 81-81 record during the second
half of the
season.
The Indians’ 2009 season will rest on their young talent. Grady Sizemore is the Indians’ centerfielder. He has been to three
consecutive All Star Games. He has won two consecutive Gold Glove Awards. In
2008 he won his first Silver Slugger Award. In 2008 he also became only the
second Indians player and sixth American League player to steal thirty bases
and hit thirty home runs in one season. He is incredibly humble and shy and
shuns the spotlight and is consequently believed by experts to be one of the
most underrated players in the game. Cliff Lee is the Indians staff ace. In
2007 Lee battled through injury issues and never found his rhythm. Last season
he came back and won twenty-two games and lost only three to become the
American League Cy Young Award winner. Many experts pick the Indians to win the
American League Central in 2009 and many have them finally winning a World
Series as well.
In Cleveland baseball’s early years Cleveland saw the worst
team in baseball grow into the best. The nickname of Indians was also chosen
during this time. In 1920 and 1948 the Indians won the only two championships
the franchise has ever won. In 1960 the Curse of Rocky Colavito is said to have
taken affect and has allegedly kept the Indians from winning a Championship since.
Although 2008 saw the Indians stumble the Indians appear to have bright future
with young stars like Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee.
So did the Indians manage
to come back and beat the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS? Well in the bottom of the seventh Rafael
Betancourt comes on in relief of Jake Westbrook. Casey Blake makes an error
allowing Jacoby Ellsbury to get on base and bringing Dustin Pedroia up to bat.
Betancourt gives up a two run home run to Pedroia giving the Red Sox a five to
two lead to end the seventh. The Indians were unable to figure out Boston’s
closer Jonathan Papelbon in the next two innings but the Red Sox managed to
score six more runs to give the Red Sox the eleven to two win and send them to
the World Series. However these struggles have not kept Cleveland fans from believing,
“It’s Tribe time in 2009!”
Sources:
Terry Pluto The Curse of Rocky Colavito
Mike Sowell The Pitch that Killed
Indinas History from Indians.com
T.R. Sullivan “Indians Short Hops: Game 7 ALCS”
Indians from Goodyear, Arizona: 30 Clubs in 30 Days.
Pictures:
1) http://storesense1.carrierzone.com/stores/h/HS12284/catalog/Sept212007%20039.jpg
2) Life Magazine
3) Baseball Almanac
4) http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0dYe0Sh4yoa29/610x.jpg
Indians this Week
Sorry if this is boring but I thought I would post the article I wrote for MLB Center this week. I have already mentioned some things in the article but it is a good general overview of Tribe happenings in the past week.
The Indians made their second cut this week. They cut
fifteen players trimming their roster from 59 to 44. They sent down one
prospect for the fifth rotation spot and three prospects for the last bullpen
spot. Some notable cuts include Tony Sipp, LHP, David Huff, LHP, Carlos
Santana, C, and Wes Hodges, 3B. Tony Sipp is still recovering from Tommy John
Surgery so the Indians are being careful with him. He has made a good
impression so far in camp. David Huff was somewhat of a surprise to be cut but
recently suffered some soreness in his arm, which slowed his progress. He was
competing for the fifth rotation spot but is no longer being considered to get
the spot out of Spring Training. Carlos Santana has lived up to expectations
offensively and has highly impressed the Indians. However Eric Wedge thinks he
needs a little more practice handling a pitching staff. Santana has been called
the Indians’ top minor league prospect. Wes Hodges was very successful
offensively but needs a little more work defensively at third.
In
Sunday’s Cactus League game Cliff Lee started against the Rockies at Hi Corbett
Field in Tucson, Arizona. Lee looked commanding giving up two runs and striking
out three. He said after the game that he feels ready for the season. He added
that from now on in Spring Training starts he will be pitching as if he is
pitching a regular season game. So Lee should start to look like he should look
in the regular season in the last couple of weeks of the spring.
Fausto
Carmona is reportedly fine after taking a line drive to his arm in an
intrasquad game at Goodyear Park in Arizona. He threw a bullpen session
Saturday and felt fine. He is scheduled to start Tuesday’s game against the
White Sox at Goodyear.
Anthony
Reyes has had a very strong spring so far. He threw five scoreless innings on
Saturday. As long as he stays healthy he should be a lock for the fourth
rotation spot.
Carl
Pavano has allowed twelve runs so far on fifteen hits. He has not had a very
impressive spring so far according to the numbers but he says he feels better
than he has in years and feels he is making progress. As long as he continues
to feel good he will be in the rotation.
The
fifth rotation spot will probably come down to Scott Lewis and Aaron Laffey
although Jeremy Sowers is another possibility. Zach Jackson was formerly
competing for the spot but now he seems to be more likely to get the last spot
in the bullpen if anything. Scott Lewis has made a strong showing this spring
and has thoroughly impressed Eric Wedge. Wedge says that Lewis is definitely
high on the list for the fifth spot. Aaron Laffey came into to Spring Training
as the favorite for the job. However he has a rough spring so far with an ERA
of 6.92. But Wedge does not place too much stock in Spring Training statistics;
he is more concerned with seeing progress from his players. Wedge also stresses
that there is a lot of time still left in this year’s extended Spring Training.
With
Team USA’s nine to four loss to Japan Sunday night, Mark DeRosa will be heading
back to Goodyear. Wedge cannot wait until he returns so he can get him some
more typical Spring Training work to ensure that he is prepared for the regular
season. DeRosa’s return should also help him become more acclimated to the
team. Shin Soo Choo, the Indians only player left in the Classic, will be
playing in the final game tomorrow night for South Korea against Japan. The
winner will be the new World Baseball Classic Champion. Choo has been out of
camp since February 24. He has had two hits in the Classic in only twelve at
bats. There is some concern that he has not been getting the work he needs to
prepare him for the season.