Tiny Tomahawks

With The DiaBride and I heading off to a weekend wedding in Key West (sans children) and with the Indians just missing a chance to go 4-5 on their West Coast swing (and why does “just missing a chance” feel like a phrase that’s going to be in heavy rotation this year), I’m going to hold off on any heavy lifting this late in the week if only so I’m not tying up my hands (which I’m preparing to be ready to both be carrying drinks all weekend) with any big Tomahawks.

Thus, I’ll let you ruminate on just a couple of little Tommies…

…Justerson has allowed 25 hits or walks in the 46 times that a LH hitter has faced him (with 6 of those hits being for extra-bases) and is scheduled to face the Twins on Saturday afternoon…the same team that began his sudden demise after his first two “strong” starts of the season.
Enjoy that one while I sip my gin-rocks on the beach…

…Jason Donald is now sitting on an OPS of .940 in Columbus, behind some guy named Santana (1.093 OPS) and lil’ Jose Constanza (1.027 OPS…Trevor who?) and is likely angling for a promotion to Cleveland at some point, perhaps around Memorial Day. He will OBVIOUSLY be the biggest name promoted around that time…why, who is this Santana kid?

…Lou Marson nearly doubled his OPS in the last two games of the Angels’ series (yes…from .250 on Tuesday morning to .464 on Thursday morning) meaning that the calls for Carlos Santana’s promotion should abate for 30 seconds or so…

…If the lingering effects of Matt MaTola’s hip and toe surgeries mean that he’s still not ready to play every day and he’s struggling like he is (last among regulars on the team in OPS not named Marson…who’s suddenly on MaTola’s heels), at what point do the Indians consider putting him on the DL, then allowing him to come back fully healthy instead of the current plan of play infrequently and struggle while doing so? With Kearns playing like he has (SURPRISE!) and the team “committed” to giving Rusty Branyan consistent AB, what’s the harm in letting MaTola take a break for a while, build some confidence in a rehab stint and come back full force? There’s something to be said for letting a young player fight through his struggles and adjust to MLB pitching, but that assumes that the player is fully healthy…something that MaTola is obviously not.

…Travis Hafner has been sitting against LHP with Acta explaining the decision thusly, “in sports and in life, you try to put people in a position where they can have success.” Hafner is guaranteed to be paid by the Indians through the 2012 season and the manager is saying (in April of 2010) that putting him in the batter’s box against LHP is not putting him in a position where he can have success.
This…this might get awfully ugly.

…After having to pass on an invite to be in the new Tribe Social Deck (AKA “Mom’s Basement) on Opening Day, I’m pleased to pass on news that I’ll be in this newly created space for bloggers and Twitterers and Facebookers (which I guess I am all three, even if First Mate t-bone runs the last two applications) for the game on May 7th against the Tigers. The “Basement” is in Left Field (near the Home Run Porch), so if you’re attending the game, stop by and say hello to yours truly and t-bone, who will be handling the “social media” portion of the arrangement.

Finally, speaking of the esteemed t-bone, with me flying back to the North Coast (regrettably) on Sunday, t-bone has agreed to captain the Good Ship Lazy Sunday in my absence. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go pack my white linen pants and flip-flops.