Which One Was Goliath?

Stunning?
Not if you looked at the pitching staffs for the two participants of the ALDS.

Shocking?
Not if you were informed enough to ignore the payroll disparity and focus instead on the talent disparity of the two teams, particularly on the pitching staffs.

An Upset?
Not to people who recognized the Yankees for what they were – a flawed team with an old and shallow rotation, an unproven bullpen, and a “historically great” offense reliant on the contributions of one singularly great regular season by the A-Rod.

Goliath crashing to the Earth?
OK, I really like this one – so I’ll go along with it; but only if you count the ridiculously biased media (I believe that TBS’ Chip Caray was actually wearing a Yankees hat in the booth and Jon Miller’s call of the final out on ESPN Radio sounded like the Indians had just won a meaningless game in April, before turning his attention to what this game means for…wait for it…the Yankees!) as part of the giant brought to its knees. The way that they portrayed the series as the Indians “surprising everyone” to beat an inferior opponent in 4 games, with the clincher coming on the road was nothing short of (sadly) exactly what was expected from the national perspective.

But, on this day, who cares if SportsCenter asks “What will Joe Torre do” and “Will A-Rod opt out” and “Is it over for our beloved, bloated, aged heroes” while ignoring, um, the team that won. The Indians outplayed the Yankees in every aspect of the game and systematically dismissed them with the same formula that has worked for them all season long.

The Indians relied on their strength, the starting pitchers, to give the Tribe offense every opportunity to work the counts, pad the Yankee pitchers’ pitch counts, and collectively manufacture runs by not relying on one player, but rather a team effort, to defeat the Bronx Bombers. The bullpen continued the mastery of the vaunted Yankee lineup by having The Scarecrow and Senor Slo-Mo completely obliterate Yankee hitters, allowing Jenny Lewis to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with, and handing JoeBo the ball and telling him to get the 27th out, no questions asked.

Consider the performance of the Indians’ staff against a team that averaged nearly 6 runs a game in the regular season:
Indians Starters
4 G, 24 IP, 4.50 ERA, 1.42 WHIP

Take out Jake’s Game 3 and the numbers get even better:
3 G, 19 IP, 2.84 ERA, 1.31 WHIP

Again, as Chip Caray pointed out (a few times, I think), this was against a Yankee team that led the world in every offensive category, as the Tribe starters were able to turn the Yankee lumber into toothpicks.
But it wasn’t just the rotation, the bullpen absolutely shut down the Yankees:
Indians Relievers
13 IP, 1.38 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 15 K, 4 BB
That is dominance - uncompromising and complete.

To put in perspective what the Indians’ pitchers accomplished, consider the ALDS totals for the Yankees hitters that generally hit 2 through 6 and generally provide the fuel for the Yankee offensive engine:
Jeter - .353 OPS, 1 RBI, 0 R
Abreu - .886 OPS, 2 RBI, 1 R
Rodriguez - .820 OPS, 1 RBI, 2 R
Posada - .435 OPS, 0 RBI, 1 R
Matsui - .619 OPS, 0 RBI, 4 R

Without their main cogs able to produce the way that they did in the regular season, the secondary offensive players (Damon, Cano, etc.) had to pick up the slack and carry the team, something they haven’t done all season. And while they tried (Damon and Cano had 8 RBI in the series, the rest of the Yankees combined for 6 RBI), the absence of production from the middle of the lineup (specifically 1 RBI in 4 games from A-Rod and Posada) was something that the Yankees, with their shallow pitching pool, were unable to overcome.

On the flip side, the tremendously balanced Tribe offense recognized that the most glaring weakness on the Yankee team was the lack of quality depth in their rotation, and even more so, their bullpen. So the Indians patiently worked counts, didn’t try to do too much, and forced the Yankees to go deeper into their playoff roster than they would have liked.

The approach led to the success of the 1 through 9 approach (one they’ve preached all season long) that doesn’t place the burden on one specific player (or players), as the onus of manufacturing runs was shared throughout the lineup:
Sizemore – 1.211 OPS, 1 RBI, 3 R
Cabrera - .575 OPS, 2 RBI, 3 R
Hafner - .866 OPS, 2 RBI, 4 R
Martinez – 1.009 OPS, 4 RBI, 2 R
Garko – 1.136 OPS, 3 RBI, 3 R
Peralta – 1.246 OPS, 2 RBI, 2 R
Lofton - .882 OPS, 4 RBI, 2 R
Gutierrez - .533 OPS, 0 RBI, 2 R
Blake - .294 OPS, 2 RBI, 1 R
Nixon – 2.000 OPS, 2 RBI, 1 R
Shoppach – 2.083 OPS, 0 RBI, 2 R

All told, 11 Indians crossed home plate in the series, but none did so more than 4 times and all but two of those 11 scored twice in the series.

It was the ultimate example of a team beating a collection of individuals, which, if you were able to remove yourself from the babbling brook of nonsense spewed by the national media that the Indians were the decided underdogs, looked not at the team name but at the players filling the roster of said team, and were able to analytically take an overview of how these two teams matched up, should have come as no surprise.

Boston is next and there’s plenty of time to analyze the tale of the tape these two heavyweights as they square off in the ALCS. In this forum, it is time to recognize what just took place in the ALDS – the Yankees didn’t just lose (which is what you’ll read in most places today), the Indians beat them and won, to the surprise of nobody in the Cleveland locker room or those who took the time to see the two teams for what they are.
One’s on the way down.
One’s on the way up.

Cleveland, enjoy the ascent.

The Indians Win…THAAAAA INDIANS WIN!

Behind Paul Byrd and the bullpen (which apparently only gives up solo HR), the Tribe has advanced to the ALCS to face Boston by beating the…what was the name of that speed bump that the Tribe just rolled over?


The Indians thoroughly outplayed their opponents and displayed the formula that got them into the playoffs (tremendous starting pitching, a balanced and opportunistic offense, and sequential success out of the bullpen) to punch their ticket to the ALCS.

But there’s plenty of time to evaluate all of the decisions, all of the craziness, and all of the nausea of Game 4 as well as looking ahead to Friday at Fenway.

For now, let’s appreciate the Indians moving on while others are left to contemplate…well…

Byrd On A Wire

All of the options for Game 4 being apparently weighed by the Tribe and Yankee deep thinkers have netted the match-up of Paul Byrd facing Long Duck Dong…er, Chien-Ming Wang going on 3 days rest. There has been much hand-wringing over the Indians’ decision to go with the veteran RH over C.C. on 3 days rest (allowing the Tribe to throw Fausto on normal 5 days rest if he would be needed for Game 5) or having the LH Laffey go against a Yankee lineup with a lower OPS vs. LHP (.789) than against RHP (.844).

The idea to throw C.C. sounds great in theory, and I’m sure that it was not something that was simply dismissed out of hand by the Indians. The concern is that C.C. has thrown on 3 days rest only once in his career and keeping him ready for a Game 5 in Cleveland (likely against Pettitte, if it gets to that) in an elimination game would be right in the aCCe’s wheelhouse.

The last time the Indians tried to throw their top starter to save a Divisional Series on the road…um, it did not go well. Obviously, C.C. is not Bartolo and no situation is identical, but if “what’s past is prologue”, then it is important to know how pitchers (Colon was 18-5 that year with a 3.95 and a 1.27 WHIP) have reacted in similar situations.

While throwing C.C. would keep the bottle of TUMS in the bathroom and not on the table next to my couch tonight, saving him for a potential Game 5 (with Fausto ready at a moment’s notice) on a full rest looks more prudent in the long run.

The other option, though, to throw Laffey instead of Byrd is infinitely more interesting as it becomes a question of the known (Byrd v. Yanks) versus the unknown (Laffey v. Yanks). Generally, you take the known, right? Not when the known quantity (Byrd) is the type of pitchers that Yankee hitters feast on – a nibbler who tends to get the ball up in the zone and pitches on guts and guile – while the unknown (Laffey) presents an option that the Yankees have never seen and a young guy just out there playing catch with Victor.

Consider Byrd’s start against the Yankees on August 12th:
2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Once the Yankees got into a groove against Byrd in the 2nd inning, the feathers really started flying:
Matsui singled to center.
Cano doubled to right, Matsui to third.
Cabrera hits SF to left, Matsui scored.
Phillips walked.
Molina singled to center, Cano to third, Phillips to second.
Damon doubled to right, Cano and Phillips scored, Molina to third.
Jeter struck out swinging.
Abreu singled to left, Molina and Damon scored, Abreu to second advancing on throw.
Rodriguez homered to center, Abreu scored.
Matsui grounded out to second.

Unfortunately, it’s not like the Yankees just got a few clutch hits or were able to take advantage of Indian mistakes. That is a comprehensive dissection of Paul Byrd in one inning, as they batted around and forced Wedge to blow his bullpen apart to salvage the final 7 innings. The Yankees were patient, waiting for their pitch to hit, systematically working the body until A-Rod delivered the knockout punch.

Anyone else getting nervous and seeing a repeat of the above sequence happening in Game 4? I don’t know how the young Tribe would react to something like that happening again in the 2nd inning in the Bronx as the Yankees’ confidence swelled and the TBS announcers started making out with each other.

So let’s not get it to that point.
If Byrd is getting the start (and he is, so there’s no use debating it…just accept it), Aaron Laffey should be warming up in the bullpen next to him as he gets ready for the game. At the very first sign of trouble, The Atomic Wedgie should get out there and do to the Yankees with Laffey what the removal of Clemens and insertion of Hughes did to the Indians in Game 3. If the Yankees come out ready for Byrd and are suddenly inundated with Laffey’s extreme groundball-producing pitching from the left side of the rubber, it may buy the Tribe offense enough time to get to Wang the way that they did in Game 1.

Clemens and Hughes are similar pitchers and the Tribe offense was thrown into an adjustment mode that did them in. Imagine what Byrd to Laffey could do. Laffey has never faced the Yankees and, more importantly, the Yankees have never seen Laffey. By the time the Bombers figure out Laffey’s arm angle and tendencies, one could think that the sequence of Lewis, Perez, Betancourt, and JoeBo could take the ball and put the Yanks away.

Of course, Byrd could come out with the proper mix of Vaseline, guts, Crisco, guile, and “veteran experience” and battle his way through the game to get the ball to the aforementioned bullpen. That possibility isn’t going to help the lining of my stomach much though, as Byrd “battling” through innings means tightropes and the feeling of jumping out of an airplane unsure if your parachute will open.
Byrd shouldn’t be on a short leash tonight…he should be held by the collar.

The Brooms Stay in the Closet

With the Yankees’ pulse still beating after an 8-4 win in the Bronx to bring the series to a 2-1 advantage for the Indians, the ALDS sweep that would have been so sweet will have to remain in my dreams. While the loss was hard to stomach as the Yankees and their fans gleefully lived to see another day, who out there predicted a sweep for the Tribe?
Anyone?
Anyone?
Let’s all take a step back and remember that the Indians still sit in a great position in the series, up a game, with C.C. still sitting in their back pocket if the team is in need of an Ace in the final hand.

To start the game (with Jake’s sinker still darting and diving), the Indians did exactly what they set out to – get at the aged Roger Clemens and force him out, causing Joe Torre to go to the beleaguered Yankee middle relief corps. The Tribe was patient with Clemens, working counts and manufacturing runs while the Yankees saw their season slipping away. As Clemens unceremoniously exited the game (despite the announcers’ attempt to sugarcoat what was likely his last MLB appearance by pointing out that his last pitch was a K), visions of a repeat of Game 1’s massacre danced before my eyes with the idea that the Tribe would simply put the Yankees out of their misery and blast their way into the ALCS.

Of course, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain had other ideas.
Before saying anything about Hughes and Joba, let’s establish that both are undoubtedly talented young pitchers who have very bright futures in MLB. But, to me, their introduction to the baseball world this year (and all subsequent coverage throughout the season) by ESPN and most national media outlets is akin to that parent that brags just a little too much about the accomplishments of their child. For all I know, the kid may be a genius, a humanitarian, and a saint, but the way that their parent prattles on and on about their good deeds, I cannot help but hate the kid.
Why?
Because all I do is hear about how great they are and how proud we should all be of them.
We got it, all right?
Shut up about it already.

Same thing with Hughes and Chamberlain, who if they were in Arizona or Colorado would be a nice little story in that they both arrived in the same year to excel on an playoff staff. But, because they’re from NYC, all I get is Hughes and Chamberlain…Chamberlain and Hughes shoved down my throat.

Anywho, after tonight, I hate that kid that the proud parent brags about more than ever as the two youngsters rescued an aging and pressing Yankees team as they gave up 1 run over 5 2/3 innings, kept the Yankees in the game, and allowed the struggling Yankee offense to find their stroke (and some vast expanses of grass in RF behind Trot Nixon) against the Tribe.

It seemed early in the game that the starting pitching that had put the Tribe in the catbird’s seat was continuing as Westbrook did what he does when he’s going well – giving up seeing-eye singles, inducing DP grounders, and minimizing damage while eating innings on a low pitch count. Frankly, he was doing that until the Cano double and the improbable pop-up to RF by Johnny Damon that cleared the W.B. Mason sign. But when that ball starts to rise on Jake and the fly balls start, it becomes apparent very quickly that the sinker has lost its bite and that it’s only a matter of time before crooked numbers start hitting the scoreboard.

After the Damon HR and the Cano worm-burner that Trot Nixon simply missed (how long did the goodwill for Wedge putting him in the lineup last…45 minutes…an hour?), the Yankees had that bounce back in their step and, despite a nice rally in the 8th by the Tribe, Game 4 was a foregone conclusion.

And so, the Indians and Yankees will square off in the only Game 4 of the Divisional Series segment of the playoffs as Paul Byrd will attempt to escape the fate of Jake Westbrook’s 5th inning and the Indians will hope to re-capture their offensive success of in the series against Yankees pitchers not named Pettitte, Hughes, and Rivera (who smoked his way through the 9th).

At the end of the day, we have what we expected at the outset of the ALDS – not a sweep…a series.

Lazy Sunday with Broom in Hand

After sequestering myself in Lake Chautauqua for a day in an attempt to remove the knot from my stomach and not allow the ridiculous notion that midges forced the Yankees to lose Game 2 of the ALDS (unless Carmona and Perez are suddenly in a band called “The Midges”), it’s game time once more, coinciding with a Lazy Sunday.

Leading off, an extremely quick Lazy Sunday as it becomes more and more apparent that most members of the print media are finding themselves in shock after the first two games of the ALDS, while anyone who analytically looked at the two teams is far from surprised at the result of the first 2 games.

Regardless, we start with Terry Pluto, who would like to close door on the Yankees tonight, though Terry (surprisingly) buys into the “shocking upset” and “payroll disparity” trap that has plagued most members of the media. Pluto correctly points out that the Yankees were impossibly hot in the 2nd half, but fails to mention that the team with the best talent (and specifically the best pitching) is always at an advantage in the playoffs, not simply the “best team that money can buy”.
Despite that unusual foray into believing the spoon-fed media hype, it’s a great and inspriational piece from Pluto, particularly regarding how the Indians need to get out quick on Clemens, and for recognizing that “the moment is now” for the Tribe.

In case you missed it, Ryan Garko’s very well-written playoff blog (who, after reading this thing, doesn’t want to sit and have a beer with Gark?) called out the Yankees with what everyone in Cleveland was thinking regarding the midges:
“The bugs caused a lot of drama tonight. But Fausto didn’t flinch. He didn’t blink. That says a lot about him. You’ve got to give him credit. There was some adversity thrown at him. That might have been my favorite part of the game. He didn’t step off the mound once, and the other guys on the Yankees were acting like there were bullets flying around their heads, not gnats. I mean… this is the big leagues.”

Awesome…just awesome.

Back on the Eastern Seaboard, Ron Vallo provides a tremendous recap of the reaction from New York regarding the series thus far on his Tribe Fan In Yankeeland blog.

Outside of that, not much that you don’t already know.
So, moving on to Game 3 – rather than rehashing what’s already been covered here in different words, here is the analysis of the Game 3 pitching match-up from the pitching portion of the series preview:
Game 3
Westbrook
2007 stats: 6-9, 4.32 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 152 IP, 93 K, 55 BB
2007 vs. Yankees: 0-2, 12.46 ERA, 2.42 WHIP, 8 2/3 IP, 3 K, 4 BB
2007 September: 1-2, 4.14 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 37 IP, 31 K, 14 BB

Clemens
2007 stats: 6-6, 4.18 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 99 IP, 68 K, 31 BB
2007 vs. Indians: N/A
2007 September: 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 10 IP, 6 K, 4 BB

Westbrook has always found his greatest success when his sinker is inducing ground ball outs and when he’s getting the low strike called. But, tantamount to Jake’s success is when the opposition becomes aggressive, swinging early in the count, topping the ball and limiting his pitch count, extending the amount of innings that he throws. The Yankees, unfortunately for Jake, are not that type of team. They are a patient group of hitters, happy to wait for the mistake of the “sinker that doesn’t sink” or wait to see where the umpire’s strike zone settles (that is, if Jake’s getting the low strike). This is not a great equation for success for the Tribe, as witnessed by Westbrook’s two starts against the Yankees this season. In a best case scenario, Westbrook gets the low strike call, keeps the ball down and sinking, and keeps the Yankees at bay over 6 innings or so, when he can turn it over to the bullpen. However, if Jake starts walking people or that ball starts crossing the plate above the hitter’s waist, Laffey (yes, Laffey…I’ve turned the corner on him and think that his puppy dog eyes belie a toughness and an unflappability that could play well in the postseason), who also lives by the groundball out, though by different means, may see some action in the Bronx Zoo.

While the name certainly carries some weight to see “The Rocket” stride to the mound, the pitcher no longer does. Clemens is a 45-year-old pitcher who made two starts in the month of September to rest up for the playoffs. He went home to Texas to rest or “take his vitamins” or do whatever he does to stay sharp while remaining inexplicably above suspicion in the BALCO Era. Clemens may get the love from the New York fans because of his career numbers, but he has been a bust by most indicators for the Yankees this year (the Yanks season was affected just as much by the performances of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy as the performance of Clemens) and is really no lock to pitch this game depending upon his health. Assuming he starts, he’ll still throw that menacing gaze and some purpose pitches that have long been his style, but his effectiveness and health are MAJOR questions going into the ALDS. That all now being said, it is important to consider that Clemens remains very aware of his legacy and would like to go out on top. A successful 2007 postseason could be the cherry on the top of his career that he is still in search of as he hits the other side of 45.

The obvious addendum to the preview would be the possible scenarios that could play out if Clemens struggles. Unless the results achieved by his Houston doctor (goes by the name of Ponce de Leon, immersing the Rocket in a Fountain of Youth with something he called “flaxseed oil”) turned the clock back more than a few years, it’s entirely possible that Clemens may not be able to contribute too many innings to the Yankee cause tonight.

With the struggles of the New York middle relievers well-documented, would Torre go to Mussina (the Game 4 probable starter) and risk throwing the 21-year-old Phenom Phil Hughes in Game 4 on 3 days rest (remember, he relieved in Game 1)? For a team that subscribed to the Joba Rules to protect their young arms, I find it doubtful.

Would Torre throw Hughes on (gasp) 2 days rest to keep the Yankees in the game? At this point, it seems that anything is possible, including Torre just rolling the dice with the bullpen that the Indians have so ravaged in the series.

Of course, Clemens could come out and grind his way through the game and get the game to Joba in the 8th, although that didn’t get them too far in Game 2. Whatever Clemens brings to the table, Westbrook’s ability to limit the rallies the Yankees (who may be pressing and swinging early at Jake’s offerings) are able to cobble together will play as much of a role as anything.

Smells like a shootout tonight, but I’ll have some thoughts after the game so be sure to check back to see if the magic word for the day is “Sweep”.

Armed Robbery

The Indians absolutely stole a victory from the Yankees, somehow winning despite squandering opportunity after opportunity, leaving 14 ( FOURTEEN!) runners on base, and looking tight in tough spots at the plate for most of the night, as they now sit atop the “mighty” Yankees by a 2-0 margin heading to the Bronx.

Hafner’s bases-loaded base knock to seal the victory was the defining moment of the young postseason (unless you count the 9th inning K for A-Rod) for the Indians and may be the at-bat that relieves the pressure from the young team, something that will be looked back on as the hit that catapulted them on a long (and strong) playoff run.

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves and give credit where credit is due.
All those runs left on the bases not coming back to haunt the Tribe was made possible by the absolutely spectacular (marvelous, incredible, prodigious, fill in your favorite adjective here) pitching of Fausto Carmona and the continued domination of Rafael Perez out of the bullpen.

The Faustastic One was pitching on another plane, as the Yankee hitters weakly grounded out over and over (that is, when they weren’t striking out…ahem, A-Rod) to really never mount a sustained rally. Outside of the hanging slider to Melky, the Yankees never got solid wood on anything that came out of Carmona’s hand. He went the full 9, giving up 3 hits to the team that had the most hits in MLB this year (by the by, the Yanks now have 8 total in their first 2 ALDS games), with just 2 BB to go against his 5 K in what can only be described as an outing that announced Fausto’s presence on the national scene. We’ve known about how special he is, watching him mature into a dominant starting pitcher in about 4 months, but I’m pretty sure that there are a few more million people punching their ticket for the Fausto Train tonight.

Relieving Carmona was The Scarecrow, who went about what seems to just be his customary 2 innings of relief without allowing a baserunner for the second night in a row. Perez so completely overmatched the Yankees lineup that, once the extra frames started, it felt like the only question was when the Indians would finally break through not if New York would mount a rally.

Do we believe that “Great Pitching beats Great Hitting” yet?
A-Rod, Matsui, and Posada all remain hitless through the first 2 games as the Tribe staff has run its postseason ERA to 1.80. It didn’t matter who this Indians pitching staff was facing; any opposition would have been completely overmatched by the Tribe hurlers.

The Indians (whether you believe that the midges were a sign from above or not and wonder if the Joba Rules have been broken) sit firmly in the driver’s seat of the series, bludgeoning the Yankees one night and eking out a win the next. And all of that has to do with the pitching that the Indians possess. Everything that the Indians are built on starts with the pitching and Fausto’s performance in Game 2 certainly justified the strategy, one that bodes well for the rest of the playoffs.

Oh…and anyone who spent the night at the Jake tonight (or anyone else), feel free to share any stories in the comments section. Because when Hafner’s ball landed in RF (sleeping DiaperTribe be damned), pandemonium broke out at the Tepee.
This is getting fun…and it’s only just beginning.

The Arrival

Going into Game 1, I tried not to get too locked in on how huge the opener of the ALDS was for the Indians.

But it was enormous – as the game that would set the tone for the series, the game that would either make the Yankees mortal or the game that would put them on a higher pedestal in the eyes of some, the game that C.C. needed to win to pave the way for Carmona in Game 2 to ease the burden on the Faustastic One, the game that would either debunk the myth of “playoff experience” or strengthen it.

In a short series, all of the games are important, but none more so than last night’s opener against New York.
If Wang shut down the offense, how would they react and would they start to press?
If C.C. got crushed, what would be the trickle-down effect on the rotation?
If the Yankees came into Jacobs Field and beat the Indians handily, how would the young Tribe rebound?

Of course, all of the questions became moot as the Indians treated the basepaths as their personal merry-go-round, as C.C. bore down to minimize the damage created by him not having his “A” game, and as the bullpen arms (you remember the ones, right, with “no playoff experience”) completely shut the Yankees down.

From the first pitch the Jake was positively electric.
Every pitch, every call, every swing was life or death.
The fans were into the game in a way that they haven’t been in YEARS (and I’ve been to my share of games, particularly since becoming a season ticket holder in 2003…yes, 2003) willing C.C. to get that tough out and for Kenny to pretend it was 1995 all over again.

Having only been to one playoff game at the Jake (the late 90s run coincided with my collegiate years), and that one game being the game that Pedro Martinez came out of the bullpen in Game 5 to go Don Larsen on the Tribe, it was an incomparable atmosphere.

Hugs and high fives were everywhere.
The Mezzanine was literally shaking as the Tribe just kept putting numbers on the scoreboard, padding the lead, putting their foot on the collective throat of the Yankees.

People in the park were unaware of the whole LeBron fiasco, and really…who cares? The Jake was packed with Tribe fans whipped into a frenzy, fueled equally by love for the Erie Warriors and hate for the Bronx Bombers.

The greatest thing about the win is that it was a complete team effort.
Despite not having his best stuff, C.C. gutted out 5 innings in the face of a rapidly mounting pitch count and 6 BB, keeping his team (it is HIS team) in the game.
Every player but Grady and Casey crossed home plate and Blake had 2 RBI.
Every player but Frank the Tank had a hit with Gutz walking twice and scoring once.
Rafael Perez cemented himself as a thoroughly dominant reliever, making that “historically great” offense look like the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees.
Jenny Lewis and Senor Slo-Mo combined with The Scarecrow to allow 1 baserunner in the final 4 innings. ONE BASERUNNER!

Of course, despite all of that, the national media remains unaware that the Indians won the game last night…only that the Yankees lost.

But with my voice is cracking from the “Let’s Go Tribe” chants on the westbound RTA train heading home, with my stomach aching from too many hot dogs and peanuts, with my chest puffed out a little more from the joy of watching the Indians TROUNCE the Yankees in our house – it doesn’t matter.

The momentum is on the side of the Indians with more to come.
They’re up 1-0 with their nastiest pitcher going in Game 2 with a 5:00 start, meaning that the shadows are going to make Carmona’s nearly-unhittable stuff even more so today at the Jake.

This team bows to nobody and has made a statement trumpeting their arrival as a force to be reckoned with.
Ready or not AL, here come the Indians!

One Down, Two to Go

Words can't describe the atmosphere at the Jake tonight, so while I allow the effects of the Miller Lites and the cockeyed optimism to wear off, allow the look of the Yankee Captain sum the consequences of the evening up better than I:


We needed a Game 1 win and we got it.

It wasn't because of C.C. or anything obvious.
The Indians simply outplayed the Yankees in every aspect of the game and set the tone for the series with a loud and resounding beatdown.

The hand-wringing is already in full effect in the Bronx.

Time to roll 'em up.

Enter Fausto, stage right.

ALD-Day

It’s here.

All of the waiting, all of the hand-wringing, all of the over-analysis becomes moot at 6:37 tonight as the first pitch of the ALDS between the Indians and the Yankees is thrown and we finally…play baseball.

The series promises, at the very least to be entertaining as the Yankees look to capture their “birthright” (a World Series trophy) for the first time since 2000 and the Tribe looks to right the wrong of 59 years of having extra shelf space in the trophy case.

While the series has been analyzed ad nauseum (truthfully, by me), here’s just a little final taste of what to watch for and what to expect as the two teams go toe-to-toe:
The Yankees, with all of their bravado and momentum, remain a flawed team, mainly due to their rotation consisting of Chien-Ming Wang and three guys who wish it was still 2003 (when Clemens, Pettitte, and Mussina all finished in the top 7 in wins in the AL that year). But, it is not 2003 and the idea that these pitchers are still among the truly elite in the AL, in the same class as C.C. or Fausto, is an outdated premise and simply not true. Don’t give me the “big-game pitcher” talk and how they’ll “find a way to get it done” – Clemens and Mussina (Pettitte to a lesser degree) are not what they were and are reachable.

Past their rotation, they rely on an increasingly-hittable Mo Rivera (about whom Yankees’ fans have the same fears as Tribe fans do about JoeBo) and surefire first-ballot HOFer (at least according to Bristol, CT) Joba Chamberlain, who has performed phenomenally since his promotion and saved the Yankee bullpen, to carry the 8th and 9th innings. But, after those two, question marks abound in the bullpen. Luis Vizcaino has filled the 7th inning role admirably, but he is far from a lockdown reliever and Kyle Farnsworth, Ross Ohlendorf, and Jose Veras (right...who?) certainly aren’t going to evoke any memories of Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton, or Graeme Lloyd setting the table for Rivera or John Wetteland.

With their shallow pitching staff, the Yankees figure to rely on their MVP-led offense and hope to get embroiled in some games where their run total tops 5 or 6 runs, giving their pitching a fighting chance of keeping the team in the game. If A-Rod fades under the bright lights of Broadway, the Indians have a legitimate shot at getting the series over in a hurry; however, if he translates his regular season success into October, the Tribe needs to figure out a way to neutralize his effect on the series and not let this ALDS become the week that A-Rod goes from reviled to beloved in the Bronx.

Removing A-Rod from the equation and limiting the damage that the professional lineup that the Yankees trot out on a nightly basis will primarily fall in the collective lap of the spectacular Tribe starters, led by Cy Young candidates C.C. and Fausto. If Sabathia and Carmona can shut down the Yankees’ offense for Games 1 and 2, giving the Indians offense a chance to get to the New York pitchers, and specifically their middle relief, it would go a long way to building an insurmountable lead by the time that Westbrook (no slouch, but not in the same class as the preceding pitchers) toes the rubber in Game 3. Game 4 is too wrought with possibilities (does C.C. go on three days rest, does Laffey play the role of Jaret Wright and get the nod over Byrd, etc.) to delve into too much more of the rotation beyond the first three starters.

As long as the Tribe starters can get through the 6th (and it’s not out of the question to almost expect the Pair of Aces to go 7, 8, or even the full 9), the Atomic Wedgie can turn the ball over to some combination of The Scarecrow, Senor Slo-Mo, and JoeBo. Whatever the feelings are out there about Borowski and his ability to close out a game, the fact that he has more of that “closer’s mentality” than the other two merits his getting the ball in the 9th…45 saves doesn’t hurt the argument either. More important than The Big Borowski, perhaps though, will be how Perez and Betancourt (and even Jensen Lewis, who would likely pitch the 6th with Aaron Fultz if need be), who have been marvelous in shortening the game for the Tribe, handle their appearances in the ALDS. Neither has ever seen the postseason and their reaction to a new stage could be something to watch as their dominance of the 7th and 8th innings is as vital to the team as Borowski holding onto the ledge with his fingernails to get the 27th out squeezed.

The Indians lineup, as long as the team doesn’t press and help the Yankees’ pitchers by getting themselves out while limiting their pitch count, should score runs as the Yankees are essentially built to allow runs, just not as many as they score. If one of their main cogs (Travis, it’s time to get in that phone booth and have Pronk emerge) can produce runs from the middle of the lineup (or the top in Grady’s case), the pressure on the secondary part of the lineup (Blake, Frank the Tank, Peralta) will be reduced and the bottom of the lineup could cobble together as many run-scoring opportunities as the top. The reaction of the youngsters (Asdrubal and Gutz) will be interesting to watch as both have transitioned nicely into the teeth of a pennant race and could continue to be the offensive sparkplugs (that production from an unlikely source) that usually emerge when a team makes an extended playoff run.

Despite the factors in the Tribe’s favor (good pitching beats good hitting, the possibility of throwing two Cy Young candidates for three or four of the five games, the weaknesses and age of the Yankees’ pitching staff), Las Vegas still lists the Yankees as 3-1 to win the trophy as the prohibitive favorite as the Tribe comes in at 11/2.

How can that be? Why so little respect?

Who cares?
All of this underdog garbage (flying in the face of common sense and logic) is fine.

Let everyone think that the Yankees still have that mystique, that they’re one of the “greatest offenses in history” while ignoring their reliance on A-Rod, deficiencies in the bullpen, and the age of the starting rotation.

Talk about the payroll of the two teams, as irrelevant as it is compared to the talent on the two teams.

Read the PD series preview that lists the Yankee 1B platoon of Shelley Duncan/Doug Mientkiwicz and Ryan Garko as an “EVEN” match-up and let the folks on Superior go cower in the corner.

Let Dane Cook call the Indians a Dark Horse.

Fine.
Hey Dane (you unfunny, blathering idiot), YOU want a prediction?
Here it is – Tribe in 4.
How’s THAT for an Dark Horse?

And, you know what? I’m ready to embrace this “underdog” tag that’s been bestowed on us. A little us against the world mentality never hurt anyone. If everyone is so convinced that the Indians are this great underdog and that the only chance that they have of beating the mighty Yankees is by pulling out a slingshot and a stone…so be it.

“And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it.
And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground.”

Time to watch those Philistines fall…hard and fast.

I’m so excited to head to the Jake today, to allow RTA to be my chariot, to enjoy the game with The DiaBride and my parents, to christen this new era of Indians baseball at the Jake against, of all people, the team that has historically kept us at bay.

Finally…. and all together…It’s Tribe Time…NOW!

Deep Cover

With all of the Tribe-centric coverage here at the DiaTribe and in Cleveland, I asked serial commenter Ron Vallo, who writes the excellent Tribe Fan in Yankeeland blog to help us out to see how the other half is living these days.

Ron checked in with a tremendous look at how Yankee fans are approaching the ALDS:

I have my Kevlar jacket on.
I've got my jackass spray and my BS repellant in hand.
I'm ready to view the Indians-Yankees series from the wrong city.

And I'm ready to keep the readers of The DiaTribe up to date with what's going on here behind enemy lines.

Let's start by getting a taste of what the fans - the most knowledgable fans in the country, just ask them - have to say about the upcoming Indians-Yankees series.

This guy, quoted by my local paper The Journal News (northern NYC suburbs), has what I would say is the typical take of Yankee fans:
"They aren't going up against the Angels, which is a crazy-match team for them and can exploit a lot of their weaknesses. Going up against the Indians, I think they have a way better chance of advancing to the championship series."

The paper also quoted a fellow in his '80s. Someone a little older, maybe even wiser:
"The Yanks have got this great lineup hitting, but after about the fifth inning, I get worried about the pitching,"

But then he kept talking:
"If they can get by the Red Sox - I'll assume that they're going to win the first shot with Cleveland - I like to think they can go all the way."

And only a Yankee fan would say this:
"I think they're probably going to do OK. I would like to see them win again. They haven't been in the World Series for a little while now."

Not since 2003 you poor, suffering souls!!!

To read the full article click here.

I've got three mostly grown Yankee fans living in my own house and they are not saying much. I warned them - strongly - not to. Not if they want to keep a roof over their head. My younger son is a sports writer for his college paper. He was assigned to assess the AL playoffs. He picked the Yankees in five. I really think that he thinks it will be three. But he's afraid I'll change the locks on him before his next visit home if he writes that. (The bylines on the school Web site are reversed. He did write the AL previews).

Next to the fans, and in some cases even moreso, the toughest people to stomach here are the newspaper columnists. Most have been busy killing off any last cells of dignity that remain on the wretched heap known as the Mets. I'm sure they will get into lacerating the Tribe soon enough.

Steven Goldman of The Sun has the fairest appraisal of the series that I've seen around here so far.

He makes a good point that I don't think I've read before:
"The Yankees have a vulnerability to the Indians' lineup, and that is their lack of a left-handed specialist in the bullpen. After releasing Mike Myers in early August, the Yankees elected to do without this normally overrated part of every modern bullpen. The decision could have a major one: Hafner and Sizemore are left-handed, while Martinez is a switch-hitter who is a better hitter from the left side of the plate. All three are less effective against southpaws. But apart from Andy Pettitte's start, or a redefinition of Ron Villone's role, the Yankees won't be able to take advantage."

Still, he comes to the predictable conclusion:
"The pick here is Yankees in five: an all-time great hitting attack overcoming good, but not great, pitching."

David Waldstein of the Newark Star-Ledger took some time to recall my favorite sports moment since I moved to NYC more than 20 years ago - the 1997 ALDS. (Thank you AGAIN Sandy Alomar!!)

One thing to watch is the Yankee fans' reaction to ARod if he happens to leave a runner or two on base in Game 1. He is under a microscope here for his failures in ALDSs past - at least the ones that saw him wearing pinstripes.

The Yankees come into the series limping more than a little. Centerfielder Melky Cabrera, DH/1B Jason Giambi and leftfielder Hideki Matsui slumped most of September. And the injury bug is biting.

Matsui had fluid drained from his knee and will see action as the DH instead of the outfield, meaning Johnny Damon - also not 100% physically - will be out in left.

As for Matsui, he may lose his DH duties in the first game to local cult hero Shelley Duncan. Joe Torre thinks the righty Duncan might have a better time with CC. Duncan - son of former Tribe catcher Dave Duncan - came up in July and made a splash by hitting three homers in his first 12 at-bats over two days and displaying a fiery I-really-want-to-be-here attitude. He since has shown a big hole in his swing, and if you want to match him up with CC, well that's fine by me.

The Yankee bullpen - the middle of it at least - is a mess, though it's lights-out in the eigth and ninth with Joba Chamberlain and Mariano. But if Clemens or Hughes or Mussina get knocked around early the pen is a major liability. In fact, two September call-ups are likely to make the pen and one guy who was around all year has already been sent packing.

In addition, late-inning reliever Kyle Fransworth heard a "pop" in his hip while pitching over the weekend. He remained in the game but gave up a homer to the next batter before getting through the rest of the inning. The Yankees say he'll be fine. Many Yankee fans are hoping he won't.

And, of course, there's also Roger Clemens, who is still a question mark for Game 3.

In one final sign that things may not be breaking so well for the Yanks, legendary P.A. announcer Bob Sheppard missed a few weeks in September with laryngitis. His return for the playoffs is also up in the air.

For regular updates on the goings-on in NYC, as it relates to the Tribe-Yankees series, check out my blog Tribe Fan in Yankeeland. And hopefully Pat Tabler, the blogmeister here at The DiaTribe, will have me back for more along the way.

Thanks Ron!
Be sure to check Ron out throughout the series to know how the ALDS is being covered in New York and how one man attempts to keep his wits about him deep inside the Evil Empire.

We all know, of course, what happened to when a group of young upstarts had a chance to take down the best laid plans of another Evil Empire though, don't we?

The Tortoise and The Hare

Where it’s inarguable that the Indians hold the advantage in the starting pitching segment of the ALDS, it’s also a conceded point that the Yankees bring significantly more to the table than the Indians, who are certainly no embarrassment at the plate.

Much has been made of the “vaunted Yankee lineup” and rightfully so, when you consider how they finished in comparison to the rest of the AL in the important offensive categories:
Runs – 968 (1st in AL)
HR – 201 (1st in AL)
Total Bases – 2,649 (1st in AL)
RBI – 929 (1st in AL)
OBP - .366 (1st in AL)
SLG - .463 (1st in AL)
OPS - .829 (1st in AL)
BA - .290 (1st in AL)
I believe they call that “running the table”, but it’s even more impressive that the only category that they don’t lead in all of MLB is HR, where they are surpassed by Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati, all of whom scored at least 75 fewer runs than New York.

Of course, considering the amount of money these guys are getting paid, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that they stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league, offensively-speaking:
Rodriguez - $27,708,525
Giambi - $23,428,571
Jeter - $21,600,000
Abreu - $15,600,000
Damon - $13,000,000
Matsui - $13,000,000
Posada - $12,000,000
Cano - $490,800
Cabrera - $432,400
Total - $127,260,296

Those 9 players, without adding in any other players’ salaries (Clemens, Mussina, Rivera, Pettitte, etc.) earn more than every team in MLB except for Boston (total payroll of $143,123,714)!

Those 9 earn $20,000,000 more than the 2006 Gross Domestic Product of all of New Zealand ($105,819,000)!

Consider that there’s another $5,850,000 on the bench with Vizcaino, Mientkiwicz, and Molina and you’re damn right that the lineup should be the most potent in MLB. For that price tag, they should have some thoughts on Nationalized Health Care while collectively working on Fuel Cells in their free time.

The interesting thing to note, however, is that outside of a historic year for A-Rod, the 2007 production from rest of the Yankees lineup was fairly modest. Posada has had a career year and Cano is an excellent hitter, but the numbers of the players not wearing a pinstriped uniform #13 aren’t too far off what the Indians’ lineup has produced this year.

First, let’s all gaze in wide wonder at what A-Rod accomplished this year and universally acknowledge that, whatever you think of A-Rod’s personality or salary or heart, he is one HELL of a hitter:
2007 Stats (BA / OBP / SLG / OPS / HR / RBI)
Rodriguez – .314 / .422 / .645 / 1.067 / 54 / 156

But, past the man that my buddy C-Badd and I once openly booed at the old Hooters in the Flats a few years back, the New York lineup doesn’t boast that 2nd Big Gun or a Murderers’ Row that some might expect. It’s a very nice lineup full of consistent, patient, professional hitters, but we’re not talking unprecedented depth and quality like the 1995 Tribe, with Thome hitting 6th and Ramirez hitting 7th.
2007 Stats (BA / OBP / SLG / OPS / HR / RBI)
Posada – .338 / .426 / .543 / .970 / 20 / 90
Matsui – .285 / .367 / .488 / .855 / 25 / 103
Cano – .306 / .353 / .488 / .841 / 19 / 97
Jeter – .322 / .388 / .452 / .840 / 12 / 73
Abreu – .283 / .369 / .445 / .814 / 16 / 101
HGHiambi – .236 / .356 / .433 / .790 / 14 / 39
Damon – .270 / .351 / .396 / .747 / 12 / 63
Cabrera – .273 / .327 / .391 / .718 / 8 / 73

Knowing that only one Yankee regular (not playing 3B) has an OPS over .900, an argument could certainly be made that the Indians should consider essentially pitching around A-Rod, not allowing him to exorcise the demons of playoffs past and frustrate him by nibbling with him and being more than happy to walk him time after time. By doing that, the Indians could make the Yankees’ lineup mortal and force the other hitters to pick up the run-producing slack created by neutralizing Rodriguez.

It’s feasible that A-Rod, with the possibility of opting out of his contract year, will press in the playoffs and continues his post-2004 ALCS playoff struggles. Of course, it’s just as possible that he goes completely berserk (with the opt-out clause in his sights) and goes on a historic binge to justify some sort of $30M/year contract in 2008.

I wouldn’t even let that become a possibility.
Don’t let A-Rod beat you – leave that to the rest of the lineup and see how Rodriguez reacts to some frustrating plate appearances.

In the other dugout, the Indians rely on a much more balanced attack (not reliant on ONE Big Bopper) with a lineup that won’t strike fear into many hearts, but has matured to the point of consistently keeping the team in a game and, more often than not, coming up with the big hit in the late innings to propel the team to victory.

The Indians rankings certainly don’t have the look of a juggernaut, as they fall into the middle of the AL in all important categories:
Runs – 811 (6th in AL)
HR – 178 (5th in AL)
Total Bases – 2,397 (6th in AL)
RBI – 784 (4th in AL)
OBP - .343 (5th in AL)
SLG - .428 (5th in AL)
OPS - .771 (4th in AL)
BA - .268 (7th in AL)

While those numbers and rankings are far from eye-popping, they rank in the top ½ of every major offensive category in the AL and, on a team built on strong starting pitching, that’s more than adequate. To wit, consider that the Tribe scored 138 runs in the month of September (when they went 18-9), a full 42 runs less than the Yankees in 1 more game than New York.

Unlike the Yankees, the Indians don’t need their offense to carry them.
The Indians simply need their offense to contribute enough runs to support the pitching staff and 2007 has been the year that the balanced attack has done just that.
2007 Stats (BA / OBP / SLG / OPS / HR / RBI)
Martinez – .301 / .374 / .505 / .879 / 25 / 114
Sizemore – .277 / .390 / .462 / .852 / 24 / 78
Garko – .289 / .359 / .483 / .842 / 21 / 61
Hafner – .266 / .385 / .451 / .837 / 24 / 100
Gutierrez – .266 / .318 / .472 / .790 / 13 /36
Blake – .270 / .339 / .437 / .776 / 18 / 78
Cabrera – .283 / .354 / .421 / .775 / 3 / 22
Peralta – .270 / .341 / .430 / .771 / 21 / 72
Lofton – .283 / .344 / .370 / .714 / 0 / 15

Having 5 players with more than 20 HR and a 6th with 18 (compared to the Yankees’ 6 highest totals being 54, 25, 20, 19, 16, and 14) means that if one portion of the lineup is shut down, the depth of offense can make up for the lost runs. The offense isn’t dynamic or overpowering, but steady and functional.

Throw in the possibility that Pronk has come back at just the right time (his September line - .316 / .414 / .551 / .965 / 5 / 23) and ever-steady Vic the Stick’s September numbers (.271 / .370 / .471 / .841 / 4 / 18) show that he’s not showing any signs of disappearing in the middle of the lineup and the team may have enough firepower to outscore the best offense in MLB in a short series.

The series, offensively, will come down to how the Indians decide to pitch to A-Rod and how that decision will affect the rest of the Yankees lineup. The Indians lineup has been balanced enough in the past 6 weeks that, even if one or two players struggle in the ALDS, another part of the lineup is there to provide runs.

But, again, A-Rod’s performance in the ALDS may have more bearing on the outcome of the series than any other player and the Tribe’s strategy for dealing with him will play a major role. That is, if the Tribe pitches around Rodriguez, will another Bomber step forward or will the lineup pick up the slack? Or, if the Tribe pitches to A-Rod, will he continue his trend of playoff ineptitude or will he finally break out, putting the Big Apple on his back?

The Playoffs are only 2 days away!
Can you feel it coming In the Air Tonight...

Bring It On

0-6. 6-0.
No matter how the record appears for the Tribe in their games against the Yankees in 2007, it doesn’t look any better for the Indians. But this Thursday, as the Second Season starts with the ALDS, the two teams again sit at 0-0 and, while the 6 games between the two teams shouldn’t simply be ignored or forgotten (Lord knows I’ve tried), they should be taken as part of the overall equation, along with the much larger (and much more reliable) sample size of a 162 game season as well as the performances of the teams and the players over the last month of the season.

If baseball truly is a game of momentum and streaks, as players and teams are as inexplicably likely to get scorching hot as they are to go ice cold, the recent track record of the players, the pitchers in particular, are worth a very close look to determine what players are entering the ALDS on the upswing versus those starting Thursday’s game with some unwanted baggage on board. Those numbers may actually be more pertinent to what can be expected for the playoff series.


From a broad sense, looking at the teams overall record, that “Dark Horse” Tribe team finished with a 96-66 record, while the Yankees finished the year just a tick below at 94-68. But the early season troubles of the Bombers has been well-documented (oh, you’re just hearing of this now?), so the way that the two teams finished the regular seasons would serve as a better indicator as to how the two teams enter the playoffs.
Indians in September: 19-9
Yankees in September: 19-8

How the teams achieved those hot streaks to finish the season strong may tell the story of the series as the Yankees rode an unbelievably hot offense (to the tune of 6.6 runs per game in September, with 23 more runs than the team with the 2nd most runs in the AL) while the Tribe relied on their sterling pitching (3.27 staff ERA in September to lead the AL by nearly a full half of a run) to put these two teams where they are this week – staring straight into each other’s eyes, both thinking that THEY have the momentum and the necessary firepower to whisk into the ALCS.

Irresistible Force (NYY offense), meet Immovable Object (CLE pitching).

With both teams are riding hot streaks collectively, though with a different equation, let’s start by looking at the most important players in each game (the starting pitcher who carries the onus of putting his team on his back and carrying them to a victory when given the ball) and how they stack up against each other.
I’m only going as far as the Game 3 starters as there is no guarantee for Game 4 starters, with many factors in play as to who would get the Game 4 nod for each team.
Game 1
Sabathia
2007 stats: 19-7, 3.21 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 241 IP, 209 K, 37 BB
2007 vs. Yankees: N/A
2007 September: 4-0, 2.37 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 38 IP, 33 K, 6 BB

Wang
2007 stats: 19-7, 3.70 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 199 1/3 IP, 104 K, 59 BB
2007 vs. Indians: N/A
2007 September: 3-1, 3.27 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 33 IP, 18 K, 14 BB

While Wang’s overall numbers compare favorably to those of the Crooked Cap’s at a glance, C.C.’s September and the wave that he’s riding right now almost put the idea that Sabathia could throw his way right through any lineup, this slate of All Stars included. Take into consideration that the Hefty Lefty has, by his own admission, been waiting to be “The Man” and “The Ace” of the staff for a game like this and the Indians have to be excited about any match-up that includes C.C.

Wang is an extreme groundball pitcher who lives on DP balls (his 32 for the season tie him for the AL lead with Carmona) and good infield defense, so the Indians will look to find the holes and go station to station on Wang, who has given up only 9 HR during the course of the 2007 season (the fewest of any AL pitcher throwing more than 160 innings). With Wang’s sinker (much like with Westbrook’s), it will become apparent fairly early in the game how his sinker is dropping, if the hitters are topping it, and what can be expected. Small ball and working the count will be the modus operandi for the Tribe as try to string together hits, hopefully in the gaps, to get to Wang. If the Tribe hitters, most of whom will be getting their first taste of the postseason, get aggressive and swing early and often at Wang’s offerings, they could play right into his game and find themselves frustrated and scoreless in a hurry.

Game 2
Carmona
2007 stats: 19-8, 3.06 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 215 IP, 137 K, 61 BB
2007 vs. Yankees: 0-1, 4.15 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 13 IP, 4 K, 2 BB
2007 September: 5-0, 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 35 1/3 IP, 27 K, 9 BB

Pettitte
2007 stats: 15-9, 4.05 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 215 1/3 IP, 141 K, 69 BB
2007 vs. Indians: 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 6 IP, 4 K, 2 BB
2007 September: 3-2, 5.86 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 35 1/3 IP, 21 K, 12 BB

In Carmona’s Game 2 start, the Indians get the type of pitcher that most teams dream about to lead off a series. The fact that the Indians have the luxury of having him toe the rubber for Game 2 speaks to the depth of excellence at the top of the Tribe rotation. The Faustastic One has, arguably, the best pitching arsenal in the AL, now throwing secondary pitches to complement his nasty sinking fastball that RH hitters (and really all hitters) find so difficult to hit. While there’s no question as to how nasty Carmona’s pitching can be, his emotions and how he reacts to the bright lights of playoffs will remain the Wild Card. In 2007, Carmona has found a way to control his emotions (that greased his 2006 descent as a closer) when in tight spots or when thrust upon the national stage (his 1-0 win against Beckett being a great example), but this is new territory for Fausto and it will be a great test of his maturation and composure, with Victor’s help to “slow the game down”, to allow his pitches do what they do…efficiently dominate his opposition.

Whereas Carmona is trying to translate his wildly successful recent performances on a new stage, Pettitte will be trying to come back from his recent struggles (particularly his last outing of 2007, giving up 8 ER over 5 IP to the Orioles) in an environment that he has always thrived. The Yankees’ re-signing of Pettitte this off-season (for $16M) was done with this situation explicitly in mind as Pettitte has proven himself to be a “big-game” pitcher, compiling an 18-6 record over 34 postseason starts. Ironically, two of his worst two postseason series came against the Tribe in the 1997 ALDS (0-2, 8.49 ERA) and the 1998 ALCS (0-1, 11.57 ERA), so it’s not as if Pettitte has owned the Tribe in the postseason.

Game 3
Westbrook
2007 stats: 6-9, 4.32 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 152 IP, 93 K, 55 BB
2007 vs. Yankees: 0-2, 12.46 ERA, 2.42 WHIP, 8 2/3 IP, 3 K, 4 BB
2007 September: 1-2, 4.14 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 37 IP, 31 K, 14 BB

Clemens
2007 stats: 6-6, 4.18 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 99 IP, 68 K, 31 BB
2007 vs. Indians: N/A
2007 September: 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 10 IP, 6 K, 4 BB

Westbrook has always found his greatest success when his sinker is inducing ground ball outs and when he’s getting the low strike called. But, tantamount to Jake’s success is when the opposition becomes aggressive, swinging early in the count, topping the ball and limiting his pitch count, extending the amount of innings that he throws. The Yankees, unfortunately for Jake, are not that type of team. They are a patient group of hitters, happy to wait for the mistake of the “sinker that doesn’t sink” or wait to see where the umpire’s strike zone settles (that is, if Jake’s getting the low strike). This is not a great equation for success for the Tribe, as witnessed by Westbrook’s two starts against the Yankees this season. In a best case scenario, Westbrook gets the low strike call, keeps the ball down and sinking, and keeps the Yankees at bay over 6 innings or so, when he can turn it over to the bullpen. However, if Jake starts walking people or that ball starts crossing the plate above the hitter’s waist, Laffey (yes, Laffey…I’ve turned the corner on him and think that his puppy dog eyes belie a toughness and an unflappability that could play well in the postseason), who also lives by the groundball out, though by different means, may see some action in the Bronx Zoo.

While the name certainly carries some weight to see “The Rocket” stride to the mound, the pitcher no longer does. Clemens is a 45-year-old pitcher who made two starts in the month of September to rest up for the playoffs. He went home to Texas to rest or “take his vitamins” or do whatever he does to stay sharp while remaining inexplicably above suspicion in the BALCO Era. Clemens may get the love from the New York fans because of his career numbers, but he has been a bust by most indicators for the Yankees this year (the Yanks season was affected just as much by the performances of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy as the performance of Clemens) and is really no lock to pitch this game depending upon his health. Assuming he starts, he’ll still throw that menacing gaze and some purpose pitches that have long been his style, but his effectiveness and health are MAJOR questions going into the ALDS. That all now being said, it is important to consider that Clemens remains very aware of his legacy and would like to go out on top. A successful 2007 postseason could be the cherry on the top of his career that he is still in search of as he hits the other side of 45.

After Game 3, the Indians will likely see where they stand and make the determination (if Game 4 is necessary) to throw C.C. on 3 days rest or throw Paul Byrd or (again) Laffey.

If that wasn’t enough for you, here are some links to preview the series further:
ESPN
Yahoo Sports
MLB.com

With your appetite hopefully whetted for a HUGE week, there’s plenty more to come with a look at the offenses of each club, a field report from deep inside enemy territory, an ALDS prediction, and some inspiration to get the city of Cleveland foaming at the mouth by 6:30 on Thursday.

A Good Day…With Brighter Days Ahead

Watching the Browns run their record to 2-2 with their second AFC North win, then switching over to watch the Tribe win their 96th game (7th highest total in club history) amidst Cavaliers Season Ticket commercials, I realized that it’s happening.

The Cleveland sports teams are all cresting (forgive me for being overly optimistic about a 2-2 Browns record), and…has this ever happened before?

Everyone knows that no Cleveland team has won a professional championship since 1964; but, beyond that, how long (and how far-reaching) has the drought been for coincidental success by the Cleveland teams?

While a team making the playoffs has to be considered a success, a better gauge of success would be the success in those playoffs. Using that barometer, when have our three beloved franchises won at least one playoff series or game (in the case of the Browns) in their history?

Prepare yourself, the numbers are ugly, considering that we’re talking about more than 100 years with over 60 years of having at least two teams:
Indians
1998
ALDS: Indians over Boston (3-1)

1997
ALDS: Indians over Yankees (3-2)
ALCS: Indians over Orioles (4-2)

1995
ALDS: Indians over Red Sox (3-0)
ALCS: Indians over Mariners (4-2)

1948
World Series: Indians over Braves (4-2)

1920
World Series: Indians over Robins (5-2)

Cavaliers
2007
Eastern Conference 1st Round: Cavaliers over Wizards (4-0)
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Cavaliers over Nets (4-2)
Eastern Conference Finals: Cavaliers over Pistons (4-2)

2006
Eastern Conference 1st Round: Cavaliers over Wizards (4-2)

1993
Eastern Conference 1st Round: Cavaliers over Nets (3-2)

1992
Eastern Conference 1st Round: Cavaliers over Nets (3-1)
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Cavaliers over Celtics (4-3)

1976
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Cavaliers over Bullets (4-3)

Browns
1994
AFC Wild Card Game: Browns over Patriots (20-13)

1989
AFC Divisional Playoff: Browns over Bills (34-30)

1987
AFC Divisional Playoff: Browns over Colts (38-21)

1986
AFC Divisional Playoff: Browns over Jets (23-20)

1969
NFL Divisional Playoff: Browns over Cowboys (38-14)

1968
NFL Divisional Playoff: Browns over Cowboys (38-20)

1964
NFL Championship: Browns over Colts (27-0)

1955
NFL Championship: Browns over Rams (38-14)

1954
NFL Championship: Browns over Lions (56-10)

1950
NFL Divisional Playoff: Browns over Giants (8-3)
NFL Championship: Browns over Rams (30-28)

That’s it.
11 playoff victories for the Browns, 9 playoff series wins for the Cavs, and 7 playoff series wins for the Indians.

Now look again at all of the years for a coinciding year.
Not there, is it?
There has NEVER been a year that two Cleveland pro sports franchises have both WON a playoff series or game in the same calendar year.
NEVER!
How absurd is that?!?

Of course, with the Cavaliers going to the NBA Finals and the Tribe facing off against the Yankees, the possibility is out there that 2007 could be the year. Once that ridiculous precedent has finally been set, the Tribe can eradicate the old “last championship in 1964” mantle from the city.

Things are turning around for our once-moribund franchises.
But, first things first, let’s take the Yankees down and make Cleveland Sports History.

Lazy Sunday on the Brink of October

With the Tribe loss and the Red Sox victory last night, Boston was permitted to choose the “short” or “long” series as they face off against the Angels. Apparently, very quickly, the Red Sox have chosen the 8-day series (the longer series), which means that the Indians will not have the luxury of an extra day off to throw Sabathia and Carmona twice in the ALDS. By default then, they will throw Byrd in Game 4, setting up the pitching match-ups as such:
Game 1 (Thursday, October 4)
Sabathia vs. Wang

Game 2 (Friday, October 5)
Carmona vs. Pettitte

Game 3 (Sunday, October 7)
Westbrook vs. Clemens (don’t think that the Rocket’s missing the start)

Game 4 – if necessary (Monday, October 8)
Byrd vs. Mussina/Hughes

Game 5 – if necessary (Wednesday, October 10)
Sabathia vs. Wang

Because of the short timeframe between games, it’s unlikely that Sabathia or Carmona could bump up a start as the games are just a little too close for comfort to throw them out there on 3 days rest.

By the way, all of the games will be on TBS with a possible Game 4 appearance on TNT. Don’t think for a minute that the Indians won’t be in Prime Time for ALL of their games. It might have something to do with playing the team from the largest market.

This week promises to be fun with some previews and some Tribe propaganda.
Although, if you’re looking for “position by position battles” you won’t find it here as baseball, to me, is the one game that has nothing to do with 2B vs. 2B and falls more into pitching vs. hitting with a little defense and some luck thrown in.

And with that, let the Lazy Sunday commence:
Terry Pluto’s superb article on how the 2007 Indians team is so exciting to watch and get behind and how it’s easy to like this group of players, something that the DiaBride commented on last night during the Tribe Pregame Show, in which they played the Top 10 walk-off wins for the year. She said that these guys all seem to just be having fun and enjoying themselves and the ride that they’re on, particularly because they seem to be doing it with their friends. And, while that may be sugarcoating it, she's right.

The article was accompanied by a picture asking fans to identify the current Tribe players:



Whoops, wrong underappreciated Tribe team. Here it is:



My only issue with Pluto’s article is the insistence that this Indians team is an “underdog” or that “they're Cinderella at the ball with a dress from Kmart” or the ubiquitous “Little Engine That Could” analogy.
But I’ll debunk all of those myths in the coming week.

After that piece of inspired writing, the other end of the spectrum appears with Sheldon Ocker’s plan for the off-season. Here it is…wait for it…Cliff Lee and Aaron Laffey for Carl Crawford. After a year when pitching depth is shown to be one of the most important reasons the Indians won the AL Central, Socker wants to part with TWO of the candidates to fill the 5th starter role. Granted, there is depth to deal from but why not throw in Sowers while we’re at it and see if the Rays want the grab-bag of LHP for the 26-year-old Crawford.

What’s that you hear, all the way from Tampa? Oh…knee-slaps and guffaws.
Stephanie Storm, please save the ABJ Tribe Beat soon. You’ve been toiling in AA long enough.

Out East, while many in the national media and “Yankee Nation” are quick to chalk up a quick ALDS, it seems that the mood in the New York clubhouse is decidedly more reserved. Of course, this could be from the old Lou Holtz School of talking up one’s opponent regardless of how you actually felt about them.
For good measure, the writer of the piece, Pete Caldera, throws in a little Op-Ed at the end to make everyone feel better, “Despite their wild-card status, and the potential of one fewer home game, the Yankees will be viewed as the favorite -- and Jeter will still plead that the Yanks' past performance against Cleveland doesn't make a difference.”

Over at Newsday, someone didn’t get Kat O’Brien the memo to be overwhelmingly, and irrationally, pro-Yankees as she lays out (extremely well) why the Indians are so dangerous in the postseason – strong starters with depth and a balanced lineup not overly reliant on one player who could slump.

Ah, this is better.
The memo made it to the New York Post.
No mention of the Tribe at all, just A-Rod.

One more game today (with zero consequence attached to it) and a Rally on Monday in the Gateway Plaza as we gear up for the playoffs to start…Thursday.
The countdown is on.

You Guys Buying or Selling?

As I sleep with my Postseason tickets firmly under my pillow every night, it seems that something is afoot with the sale/re-sale of Playoff tickets and (surprise, surprise) it looks like MLB has found another way to squeeze money out of its fans.

Serial commenter (and expatriate Clevelander living in Chicago) Cy Slapnicka takes over to share what he’s found out and what he finds disturbing about this latest trend in ticketing:

Like many of you, I entered the post-season ticket lottery as soon as I heard about it. I entered my wife, parents, in-laws, and any other people that I thought might take me to a game if they won. For purposes of setting a timeframe, this was at the end of August.

Late last week on September 19th, I received a message telling me I did not win the ALDS lottery and was on my own for tickets. No big deal, as it’d be hard to make the trip in from Chicago during the week for a game. I’d rather save my vacation time and money for potential ALCS or World Series games if I’m going to make it a weekday trip.

Then on September 25th, I received an e-mail from the Indians with a password to purchase ALDS tickets, as it seems that the lottery winners did not buy them all up. I was able to get some tickets for Game 2; however, these tickets still were not made available to the general public, only to those on the e-mail distribution list.

The ALCS ticket lottery took place yesterday, September 28th, and winners will presumably be notified about how to get tickets, as the presale begins today, Saturday the 29th, according to TicketMaster. After that, World Series tickets will become available (if necessary) at a future date.

To my knowledge, exactly zero Indians tickets have gone on sale to the general public unless they are season ticket holders, lottery winners, or on the e-mail distribution list from the Indians. Some teams have put their tickets on sale to the general public – for instance the Cubs sold out their NLDS tickets in 30 minutes (though only putting 15,000 up for sale). However, again to my knowledge, nobody has made any ALCS or World Series tickets available to the public, except to their season ticket holders.

The explanation varies by club – according to the Cubs, MLB is in charge of ticketing to all post-season events; according to the Indians, MLB gets a chunk of tickets to all post-season games.

You’re probably asking yourself, “What is the point of all this?”
Well, this past Wednesday (September 26th), I received an email from MLB directing me to StubHub to purchase playoff tickets for games…all the way through the World Series!

I’m not sure if anyone else received this or even paid it much attention, but it seems that there are many tickets available on StubHub for broker prices from the ALDS or NLDS through the World Series. Additionally, some Tribe Postseason tickets are available through the Tribe Ticket Marketplace (run by TicketMaster), where fans go to sell their tickets at higher prices.

But back to the StubHub development, as it seems that MLB.com agreed to a deal with StubHub that allows them to be the official reselling marketplace for MLB tickets in 2008 (I’m not sure how the relationship works for the 2007 post-season, but it is obvious one exists) in lieu of places like the Tribe Ticket Marketplace. Starting in 2008 the teams have the option of using StubHub for their resale of tickets online. If they opt not to use StubHub, they are not permitted to be involved in the resale of tickets online.

In this case, it appears the Indians have set up their own deal with TicketMaster for 2007; however, one must assume they will move to StubHub next year. The deal with StubHub charges 25% of the ticket value in additional “fees”, which will be shared between StubHub and MLB.com. MLB teams share ownership of MLB.com, thus they are pocketing a percentage of these fees and have collectively agreed to this.

The problem I have with this agreement is not necessarily that MLB teams decided to take a cut of the secondary market and “legitimize” it (I don’t see how online scalping is any more or less “legitimate” than the guy standing in front of Panini’s), it is their product and they can do with it what they want. Although I do find it ridiculous that MLB teams are, in effect, double-dipping on the tickets (as is TicketMaster currently with the Tribe Ticket Marketplace) without any media scorn.

Another problem is with the fact that before teams even release tickets to the general public, they are pushing scalped tickets to us at inflated prices which they get a cut of. Right now you can buy tickets to any post-season series at roughly double their face value. Yet the majority of fans (at least in the case of the Indians as Cubs NLDS tickets were available to anyone) cannot buy any tickets for the actual ticket prices.

For instance, say you buy a pair of StubHub (or the Tribe Ticket Marketplace, although I am admittedly not sure of their terms) tickets for $300. Let’s assume MLB already has sold that pair of tickets for $150 and made their money and TicketMaster got their cut through fees. Well now, the StubHub/MLB partnership makes another $75 on top of the ticket price! And this doesn’t even include the outrageous shipping charges and “handling fees”!

The reason this makes me furious is that they’ve limited the number of tickets available in some markets and prior to making the tickets available to me, you, and guy down the street, MLB.com is pushing the StubHub tickets while the Indians pushed the Tribe Ticket Marketplace tickets…and Game 2 just sold out on Friday morning!

Finally, one thing that really makes me concerned about this is that MLB gets a chunk of tickets from each team for each playoff game.
What exactly happens to those tickets?
Why wouldn’t MLB take part of their ticket allotment and resell them via StubHub to inflate their revenues?
And why would a team care, as they are selling out their games and getting sharing the revenues from the StubHub deal?

One can only assume that when MLB looked into the Cubs selling advanced tickets to a broker across the street from Wrigley that the Cubs owned, they didn’t say “How could you stoop so low”, they said “I cannot believe we didn’t think of this sooner!!!” and jumped on board with another way to maximize their money.

The sad part to all of this obvious greed and backhandedness is – I still can’t quit the Indians.

Thanks Cy, and we’ll see you when you make the trip back to the true North Coast for Game 2 of the ALDS, those controversial little tickets in hand.
By the way, here is the projected post-season game schedule.

Knowing the Enemy

As the regular season winds down and the playoff slotting is all but certain, it certainly has the look of a Tribe-Yankees ALDS; but don’t tell that to the folks on the island, who somehow remain flippant about whom the Yankees will play in the playoffs.

Everyone around the country is aware that this is a COMPETITION and not simply a coronation for the Pinstripers, who have “overcome impossible odds” to work their way back into the playoffs (with a payroll close to the GDP of some small countries that didn’t hurt), right?

Perhaps it’s that the inferiority complex in Cleveland sports rivals the superiority complex in New York as we wait, cautiously, for the Yankees to come to town to play the role of the bully while Cleveland continues to fork over their lunch money as much as it is the unbearable obnoxiousness of Yankees fans and the New York media.

As much as Cleveland fans and media emit that knee-jerk reaction that the big, bad Bronx Bombers are coming in to take the steam out of the “Little Engine that Could”, the Evil Empire is just as quick to assume that the ALDS is merely a formality for what will become the latest chapter of the New York-Boston history.
The Los Angeles What…of Where?

To Yankees fans, the Indians are just a road bump on the way to their “inevitable” showdown with the Red Sox and to their birthright of another World Series title. The Indians could be one of any of their 28 potential opponents (not from Boston) – simply fodder for how the ALDS plays out.

If the Yankees win, it will be a glorious vindication of how they came back from adversity to re-establish themselves on their rightful throne and to bring order to the payroll universe (as, surely, a team with a payroll of nearly $200M can’t be beat by a $75M payroll team). The Indians will become an afterthought or an answer to a New York trivia question almost immediately after the final out is squeezed.

If the Yankees lose, nothing will be said of how they were beaten by a superior team or how the pitching of the Indians so vastly outclassed the New York rotation; instead, the focus will turn on what Joe Torre didn’t do or whether he’ll come back, how A-Rod is ill-equipped to handle the bright lights of Gotham, or how Mo Rivera has truly lost it and it’s Joba Time. All of the subplots and angles will be explored except for the performance of the team that beat them.

By the time that everything settles down, Game 2 or 3 of the ALCS will be underway and the national media will remain entranced by A-Rod’s opting out of his contract or what Free Agent the Yankees can bring to the money trough.

Not that anything’s happened in the playoffs, obviously, but isn’t it funny how Yankees fans always either say that their team “blew it” or that they “gave it away” when they lose, rather than conceding that they got “beat” by a superior team. It’s almost as if the other team is window dressing and the actions of their team are the only thing that determines the outcome of the game.

Often, the phrase is heard that you “tip your cap” to the other team for an outstanding effort or performance that resulted in a loss for your club. Not on the East Coast, where the search for the goat or “what went wrong” far outweighs any contributions from the team in the opposing dugout. Obviously, the sensationalistic tabloids and back pages play into this approach to the news, but I'd be surprised if the prelude to the ALDS is covered in New York as if TWO teams are participating.

Is that Yankees hatred stirred up yet?
Or do you need more to work yourself up into a rabid lather in anticipation of the Bronx Bombers’ attempt to trump our Pair of Aces?

No worries, there will be much more on the impending Yankees’ series, with a breakdown of what both teams’ rotations will look like and how the two teams match up (with some anti-Yankee rhetoric thrown in for good measure) as the best record in the AL race plays itself out, which should remain the focus of the Tribe right now…ahem JoeBo.

By the way, that T-Shirt shown above and other brilliant statements to plaster across your torso can be found at BustedTees.