DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum 2017 Indians Thread #2

I lied, its 4-0 now.

What is it about Brandon Guyer that pitchers just keep hitting him?

Man, the Tribe had to hang on at the end ..... but they did manage to do so.

The bull pen has made me nervous the last couple of nights.

That looked like it hurt, even though he just walked it off...

Shades of last year , Det went on a run and we matched them win for win until they faded, this year its KC.

A couple Tribe thoughts.



The Twins have been predictably dropping like a rock. I think it’s safe to assume they’re all done fighting for a 2017 play-off. They’ll have to convince me otherwise. I’ve seen this too many times as an Indians fan the last 50 years - the team is in it until the all star break and then just seems to become tired and wane.

Hey the Indians streak came at just the right time. The Royals have been red hot. But so too the Tribe.

The second half of August is again very tough.

13 games in 13 days against: the Red Sox - 4 games, Yankees 3 -games, and Royals - 6 games.

What an exciting time to be an Indians fan.

Kluber tonight and future HOFer Tomlin tomorrow afternoon after church.

Did you know Tomlin is the only Indian pitcher to beat the mighty LA Dodgers this year?

Yep. And Andrew Miller lost both the other games we played the Dodgers.

Cleveland is 6-3 against the best teams in baseball so far this year (Dodgers and Houston). Good sign.

Play Ball!

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

I'll take it!

And Brandon Guyer got hit again! What is it with that guy?

And KC loses to Boston in 10

Tyler Naquin is really screwing things up down in Columbus.

He’s batting .325 for the year.

In his last ten games he’s batting .372.

Where does he think he’s going?

They battled back last night but we didn't let them seal it.

I'm seriously wondering if teams are targeting Guyer? Why does this guy get hit so much?

That swing and miss gave Miller what he needed to finish that series off, and I think is what changed the game to our favor.

GO TRIBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's an article from MLB.com from last year that helps explain why Guyer gets hit so often.


Bruises for bases: Guyer racking up HBPs

~Tribe outfielder hit by pitch MLB-high 27 times this year~

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | August 27th, 2016


ARLINGTON -- Brandon Guyer was sporting a bright red bruise on the side of his left shin on Saturday evening. It was the result of the latest pitch to tail low and in and strike the Indians outfielder, who has become baseball's new hit-by-pitch king.

That is a crown Guyer is reluctant to wear.

"There's no plan ever to get hit by a pitch," Guyer said. "That's the last thing I want. I just don't know how to move, so it happens."

Entering Saturday's game against Texas, Guyer led the Majors in hit-by-pitch with 27 this season. That includes a pair -- one off the shin in the sixth inning and another off his left foot in the eighth -- during Friday's 12-1 win over the Rangers, marking the fourth game this season he has been hit at least twice. He was hit three times in a game against the Red Sox on April 21.



Over the past two seasons, Guyer has been hit a Major League-high 51 times, with Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs in second with 44. Guyer's 27 this year are the most by an American League hitter since 2002, when David Eckstein was also hit 27 times. The AL record is 35 by Don Baylor in 1986, while the MLB mark is 50 in 1971 by Ron Hunt.

Guyer's knack for getting hit stems from the stride before his swing. The right-handed batter does not crowd the plate in an extreme manner, but when he lifts his left leg and drives forward, his foot tends to land on or near the inside chalk line. While Guyer tends to move out of the way of high inside pitches, the outfielder said he has a hard time getting out of the way of offerings that come in lower.



"It's just an instinct of mine," Guyer said. "When it's upper -- head or upper body -- I'll move. I'll throw my arms up or get out of the way. But lower body, I've always been that way with getting hit. That's how it's been the last three years in the big leagues, and college and the Minor Leagues. It's just instinctual."

Guyer does not plan on altering his approach.

"Some people say you should try to work on not getting hit," Guyer said. "But, if I went up there thinking, 'If it's in, get out of the way,' it'd take away from my hitting. I'd be thinking about moving away from inside pitches, instead of trying to see the ball and hit the ball. If I were to do that, I think my hitting would suffer. So, I try to roll with it."

According to research by August Fagerstrom of Fangraphs.com, Guyer is actually an all-time great at getting hit by the pitch. Over his career, Guyer has been hit in 6 percent of his plate appearances. That is the highest rate in baseball's modern history (since 1921), among players with at least 500 career plate appearances.

"That's so nuts to me," Guyer said. "It really is, because it's something I honestly don't try to do. It's so weird. I feel like stats like that, it's something you work on in practice and it's something you get really good at. I never think about it going up to the box ever, and I don't work on it. The stat is baffling to me."


*Jordan Bastian has covered the Indians for MLB.com since 2011, and previously covered the Blue Jays from 2006-10


http://m.mlb.com/news/article/198044534/indians-brandon-guyer-is-hit-by-pitch-king/

Well, that explains it!

The Twins just ran up the white flag on 2017. Less than a week after trading for LH starter Jaime Garcia, they have traded him to the Yankees for 2 prospects, following a 1-5 skid that sent them to 7 games back in the standings. Now its just us and KC for the AL Central crown. Indians are up by 3 games.

The fire sale continues for the White Sox. Should make today's game for the Tribe a little easier....

Kansas City Royals Verified account
@Royals
We have acquired OF Melky Cabrera from the White Sox, in exchange for minor league pitchers AJ Puckett and Andre Davis. #Royals

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Sox, Twins, and Tigers are legit tanking now

To me, it looks like CLE, KC, HOU, BOS, NYY

Hey Tomlin!

Four scoreless.

And seven years ago our forefathers...

And no...I'm not gonna jinx 'em.

It's interesting that Tito pulled Tomlin after 4 hitless innings.

This could be part of the infamous Francona playing for September.

Part building Tomlin's confidence, part giving Goody long relief experience. Keep in mind, Goody is only 26 years old and he is a strike-out machine.

It doesn't seem Tomlin is hurt.

Tomlin pulled a hammy.

Hmm…

Could be.

Quote regarding Tomlin's "injury":



From this article:

http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/245338264/indians-josh-tomlin-exits-in-5th-with-injury/

I think it’s Francona working his magic getting Tomlin and the rest of the team ready for the stretch.

Just seems a little too convenient.

We’ll know more tomorrow.

Let me mention something about Francona.

Until Francona became the Red Sox manager in 2004, the Red Sox had not won a World Series since 1918.

“The Curse of the Bambino”

(The Red Sox won 5 World Championships before 1919 when they traded Babe Ruth)

86 years without a World Series Championship. I was out here for 28 of those years listening to Red Sox fans lament.

Once Francona became the Red Sox manager, the Red Sox won 3 world championships in the next 10 years.

That’s amazing.

I think he's the Belichick of baseball.

And he manages for us!

KInda weird that the Texans "won" Lucroy last year .... and have dumped him this year for the proverbial "Player to be named later".

MLB Trades: Royals acquire Melky Cabrera on eve of deadline for postseason run
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-t...postseason-run/

The Rockies have acquired catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Rangers.

Interestingly enough, Lucroy was traded to the Indians last year in July but vetoed the deal. He was then traded to the Rangers. At the time, he was among the best offensive catchers in baseball. He fetched the Brewers are good prospect haul that included center fielder Lewis Brinson.

Things have changed a bit for Lucroy this year. He's hitting just .242/.297/.338 with four home runs after hitting .292/.355/.500 with 24 homers last season.

Of course, perhaps the move to the National League and Coors Field will help Lucroy get back to his old ways.

Lucroy will hit free agency after the season and could still land a big payday if he finishes strong.

As for the Rockies, they entered Sunday in playoff position in the NL, but they do have some holes. Among them, getting offense from behind the plate. The Rockies catchers heading into Sunday were hitting .231/.312/.305 as a group.

With Lucroy being a rental and having a down offensive year, all he cost the Rockies is a player to be named later.

Talk about a dodged bullet!

No kiddin'. Too expensive at the time. A great "non-move".



And catcher Francisco Mejia is a star in the making.



He's improving every year and he's been moved up to The Fightin' Ducks this year.



He'll only 21 years-old.

GRRR... FEAR THE DUCK!

I was watching the game when this happened. I'm not a doctor or a baseball expect, but he was just keeping loose in between commercials or something, throwing pitches, and pulled a hammy?

Did a Corey Coleman? Did he plant his feet bad or something when throwing that one pitch that did it? Makes no sense.

j/c...

Today's the 1 year anniversary of the trade for Andrew Miller.

On that note.....

paul hoynes Verified account
@hoynsie
Tribe pushing hard for Britton. In mix for Darvish, but only if price comes down.

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Looks like we are standing pat as far as moves go

Looks like the Indians got some bullpen help ... someone to use instead of Brian Shaw, at least sometimes. Welcome back, Joe Smith.


Ken Rosenthal / Verified account
@Ken_Rosenthal Follow

Source: Joe Smith to #Indians.

12:09 PM - 31 Jul 2017


https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Didn't we have him at one time already.

Not exactly a blockbuster

Welcome back Allie LaForce, too!

Here are the Tribe minor leaguers given up in the trade.....

paul hoynes ‏Verified account
@hoynsie
Indians send minor leaguers LHP Tom Pannone and SS Samad Taylor to Toronto for Joe Smith.

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If it moves Brian Shaw to middle relief, its a good move. Joe has been very solid this year. 3-0 W/L, 13 Holds, 51 Ks / 10 BB in 35 innings, 3.28 ERA, and 1.12 WHIP.

Agreed. I think he and Shaw will give each other relief.

"Wish we had him four years ago."
"We did."
"Six years ago, then."

This is a great move. Maybe it's not as big as last year's Miller deal, but this is a big add to the bullpen.

allie laforce is back

Have another brewski Allie.

There’s a decent chance that Clevinger’s career as an effective major league pitcher may be over.

He started out this year so good too. He had some great games.

There’s a good chance they were the best games of his career. Of his entire career.

Thanks to the brilliant mind games of LA manager Mike Sciocia and the glove incident.

Last night Clevinger painted his old glove black so he could “use it”.

Didn’t work.

Clevinger gave up 4 walks, 7 hits and 5 runs in 3 innings.

Next, the manufacturer is sending Clevinger a new glove, like the old one with the leather dyed black.

Hey Clevinger, I got news for you - It ain't the glove.

Yogi Berra was not joking when he said:

“The game is 90% mental. The other half is physical.”



I would really love to be wrong about this.