Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[Mac]

I agree it starts with the staff...

 

[NFBuck]

the team right now has 340 hits compared to 306 strikeouts, only the Padres have a worse H/SO ratio

that along with the epicly awful BA should be enough of a sign that the coaching is not doing a good job and that a change needs to be made..............

One would think, but Shapiro hardly has shown any signs of being a man of action, and that worries me. I don't expect them to can Wedgie, they just extended him last season and he's had too much recent success, but keeping Shelton this long is beyond absurd. Like I said, June 1 is my self-imposed deadline. If he's not gone, I'm tuning out until changes are made. It's not just bad baseball, it's boring baseball. And bottom line is sports are entertainment. Hell, if they were losing 10-8 or 9-7 everynight, at least it would be interesting. Soon attendance will start dwindling because nobody wants to pay good money to watch a bunch of scrubs strikeout and pound pitches into the dirt. Hopefully that will wake someone the fuck up.

 

[NFBuck]

Just move the pie-in-the-face to during the game instead of following it. Getting one of those after every strikeout ought to get everyone in the batting cage a little more often. :)

I don't know about that, this is still a Cleveland team. That would surely lead to somebody developing a staph infection on their eyeball.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Indians' batsmen baffled again in loss Sabathia pitches well, but it doesn't matter
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008
CHICAGO: It is not an official statistic (yet), but Tuesday night it was useful to television viewers trying to choose between two reality shows: Dancing With the Stars and the Indians.
Let's call it the Hopelessly Behind Indicator. That is, when the Tribe's deficit is too steep to overcome, it is safe for fans to change the channel.
The stat came into play in the Indians' 4-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox didn't need their last two runs, which came against Jensen Lewis in the eighth inning. The game was effectively over after the second inning, by which time the Sox had a two-run advantage, leaving the Indians HOPELESSLY BEHIND.



Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Laffey proves worth as solid pitcher Westbrook will return to rotation after injury
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008
CHICAGO: Aaron Laffey probably will make two more starts before the specter of Jake Westbrook begins to hang over his head.
''I can't worry about that,'' Laffey said Tuesday. ''As long as I keep doing what I'm doing, everything will work out.''
Laffey has every reason to believe in that particular cliche. As a pitcher with a 1.35 ERA and a 2-2 record, Laffey should have the confidence to understand that if the Indians need a starter any time during the season, he is the No. 1 candidate.
Nevertheless, Laffey can't be overjoyed to be staring Triple-A in the face again. When Westbrook, sidelined for a month with a strained intercostal, is ready to return, however, Laffey probably will be returning to Buffalo.
Westbrook is scheduled to make one more rehab start, Friday in Akron. That would put him in line to come off the disabled list for a start against the Chicago White Sox on May 28. Laffey is scheduled to start Thursday and could take one more turn the day before Westbrook's theoretical return.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Indians notebook Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Wedge keeps Peralta
on bench for 2nd game
CHICAGO: Indians manager Eric Wedge continues to prod shortstop Jhonny Peralta, whom the manager believes is underperforming.
Peralta was not in the lineup Tuesday night against the White Sox nor on Sunday against the Reds.
''I'm just giving him a little break,'' Wedge said. ''He was out for early batting practice today and I got to talk to him to try and get him back on track.''
In his past 20 games, Peralta is batting .194 with four homers and nine RBI.
''I want him to be more consistent,'' Wedge said. ''He plays an important spot. Anyone who plays in the middle of the diamond has more responsibility than other guys.
''Jhonny has an impressive amount of ability, and we all want to see him get the most out of it. So this is nothing I haven't done with other players.''
Wedge thinks Peralta is among a small group of hitters who should be leading the way for everyone else.



Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Chicago White Sox defeat C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland Indians

C.C. allows 2 runs; Tribe gets 4 hits
Wednesday, May 21, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Chicago -- The Indians pitched well and hit lousy Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. Big surprise, huh?
Their 4-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox was so flat, so boring, so lacking in the internal tension that makes for good baseball, that manager Eric Wedge was once again reduced to talking about grinding and pushing when it was all over. Imagine that.
If the Indians ever do start to hit, it might be too late for Wedge. He could be worn to a nub because of all the excess grinding, pushing and forging ahead that he's tried to entice from this team and its .234 batting average.



Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto analyzes Cleveland Indians' hitting woes


Wednesday, May 21, 2008
When do we place some of the blame for the Tribe's hitting troubles on the players?
When do we say, "Yes, the front office should have made a deal for a hitter, but the Tribe batting an American League-low .236 -- and an AL-low .683 OPS -- is deeper than one more hitter"?
When do we say, "Firing the batting coach or the manager or the bat boy is not the answer"?




Cont....

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge starts shortstop Jhonny Peralta on bench again


Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Chicago -- Indians manager Eric Wedge, looking for consistency from his weak-hitting lineup, started a three-game series against the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night with shortstop Jhonny Peralta on the bench for the second straight game. Peralta leads the Indians with eight homers, but his lapses in concentration have Wedge concerned.
After Peralta made two errors in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Cincinnati, he didn't start Sunday.
"He needs to be better than that," Wedge said before Sunday's game. "It can't happen. He's far enough along in his career where he shouldn't have stretches like that. You're going to have bad days. But you can't lose focus defensively or give away at-bats. You just can't do that."

Cont...

 

[LitlBuck]

CHICAGO: Indians manager Eric Wedge continues to prod shortstop Jhonny Peralta, whom the manager believes is underperforming.
Peralta was not in the lineup

I have no idea (well I actually do know because he is stupid) why Wedgie would start Cabrera and Caroll over JP just because he made two errors on Sunday. At least JP with one swing of the bat can hit a homerun of life the other two guys plus his batting average is not below the Mendoza line like the other two guys. Teach JP a lesson and he will perform worse. I sure wish our manager had some people skills in addition to knowing something about baseball.

 

[tsteele316]

I have no idea (well I actually do know because he is stupid) why Wedgie would start Cabrera and Caroll over JP just because he made two errors on Sunday. At least JP with one swing of the bat can hit a homerun of life the other two guys plus his batting average is not below the Mendoza line like the other two guys. Teach JP a lesson and he will perform worse. I sure wish our manager had some people skills in addition to knowing something about baseball.

wedge has used this approach with peralta in the past and it has worked. i sure wish you knew what you were talking about instead of blindly tossing out nonsense.

 

[LitlBuck]

wedge has used this approach with peralta in the past and it has worked. i sure wish you knew what you were talking about instead of blindly tossing out nonsense.

So in your opinion after three straight losses, you would start Cabrera and Caroll over a combination of one of those and JP. It is possible that JP has been sat down before but not when the offense has been struggling and you put in two guys were really can't hold a bat to JP. We just see how well Wedge's personnel philosophy works this time. It has not worked all season with any other player.

 

[tsteele316]

So in your opinion after three straight losses, you would start Cabrera and Caroll over a combination of one of those and JP. It is possible that JP has been sat down before but not when the offense has been struggling and you put in two guys were really can't hold a bat to JP. We just see how well Wedge's personnel philosophy works this time. It has not worked all season with any other player.

no, i'm saying it's a necessary move to motivate a player that is largely apathetic.

wedge did it midseason in '06, after peralta was lousy following his great '05 year, and peralta was decent down the stretch.

wedge called out the entire team, and peralta was one of the chief offenders in August last year, and look at peralta's final month + playoffs.

you need to look at the big picture.

 

[NFBuck]

An article seemingly plucked right from this thread. Seems like everyone but the decision makers in Cleveland see it.

The Morning Journal - Offensive play must be fixed

- Option Asdrubal Cabrera to Buffalo: He's easily the best defensive infielder on the team, but he's also hitting .180. If everyone else was hitting the Indians could afford to carry Cabrera's weak bat. But that's not the case. Almost nobody is hitting, making Cabrera's glove a luxury the Indians unfortunately cannot afford at the moment.

Exactly what some of us here have been saying for weeks.

Do something with Andy Marte: Anything. Make a call, for crying out loud. Either play him every day, or see if you can get him through waivers, even at the risk of losing him, so you can add a player you are actually going to use, instead of playing with a 24-man roster

Again, we've been saying this forever. Marte is just taking up a roster spot at this point.

Put Travis Hafner on the disabled list: Approximately 75 percent of the starting pitchers in the major leagues are right-handed. Know what Hafner is hitting this year vs. right-handers? Try .198. Give the guy a break. His shoulder and elbow are both heavily iced after every game. Call that an injury. Put him on the DL, then before you bring him back let him go to Buffalo on a 10-day rehab assignment.

There, out of the spotlight and away from the pressure, he can hopefully do some damage against minor league pitching, relocate his stroke and regain some confidence.

Again, we've been saying these same things. It's obvious he's not coming around. Let the sore elbow/shoulder heal then rehab for a bit in the minor leagues to fine-tune his swing and relocate the friggin' strikezone.

Move Ryan Garko to DH and play Michael Aubrey at first base: Use the time Hafner is on the DL to give consistent playing time to Aubrey, a career .300 hitter in the minor leagues, and easily the best defensive first baseman in the organization. Garko, a below average defender at first, is hitting just .211 vs. right-handers, but maybe if he only had to worry about hitting he'd come around.

I like this idea. Aubrey has always hit well in the minors, give the guy a shot as he's at the very least an upgrade defensively.

After those suggestions, it goes into some possible trade scenarios...

Trade Garko, Ben Francisco and Jensen Lewis to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez

I'd buy this in a heartbeat, but SD would be nuts to let Gonzalez go. He's gonna be an All-Star and is their only reliable bat.

Trade Aaron Laffey, Franklin Gutierrez and Kelly Shoppach to Pittsburgh for Xavier Nady or Jason Bay

Um, no. I am absolutely opposed to trading Laffey. C.C. is in all likelihood gone after this season and Laffey is the lefty who could concievably fill his spot at the top of the rotation. Neither Bay or Nady are even close to worth letting him go for IMO. Also, if Shoppach goes, who backs up Victor? Replace Laffey with someone else (Sowers), and maybe I'd be fine with it.

I know I'm beating it to death, but changes need to start with the coaches. Shelton needs to go. I've stated my reasoning a number of times. A major shakeup needs to happen because the bats simply are not improving. Hopefully something major happens soon because my patience is wearing thin and quite frankly, I'm losing interest. This team is boring me to death and squandering the best rotation in baseball right now.

 

[tsteele316]

1. replace cabrera with who? josh barfield is hitting in the .240's in AAA and is far worse defensively.

2. when Shoo comes off the DL Marte will likely be given Das Boot.

3. hafner has been hitting .333 over his last 7 games going into last night. He's been putting together better AB's.

4. garko has been just as bad as hafner at the plate. i'm all for giving aubrey some time.

5. dumb trade for both sides on both the SD and Pittsburgh deals.