DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Surprising Tribe down the stretch

dodging bullets like we're in the matrix

bases loaded, best hitter up - doh!

Come on Indians I only have 3 beers left

Well that was disappointing.

what, you don't like staying up all night and watching 5hrs or so of a game just to have your team lose?

white sox definitely played better, i was surprised Choo didn't lose the game for us (he played terrible defense), but we hung in there and kept coming back and stopping their chances.

one of these days, we'll figure out how to beat those guys

I hope it's soon. They sure have our number so far this year.

embarassing that they couldn't buy a run at the end there.

it really seems like our troubles with the white sox this year start in the first inning, it seems like every game we give up runs in the first inning and are chasing the rest of the way.

I looked back and yes, 6 of 8 games this year, including last night, they scored in the first inning.

unacceptable. step your freaking game up.

So after the runner stole second in the bot of the 14th, there were runners on second and third with one out, why didn't we walk what's his name, to load the bases and hope for another double play? Instead we pitch to him and he gets the game winning hit?

Me so confused.

I was wondering the same thing. In fact, I was wondering the same thing with 2nd Base open (might as well have the opportunity for a DP by having a force at every base, right?)

Manny had thrown in the towel by putting Huff in. Nothign against Huff, he has been so impressive this year, but that's not a spot he's used to, and probably should not have been put through.

I agree, he should have kept Durbin in, and walked the bases loaded, and just played your hand that way.

Whatever though, this team seems to have a pretty short memory, Fausto has been so bad against the White Sox though. hopefully they can get this tonight. Tribe is feast/famine on Buerhle

Fausto has actuall pitched quite well. Since getting snipered while running to first in Cincinnati he has gone at least 6, and kept the earned runs low. We need a gem tonight though. big time.

if i was the hitting coach, then i would be telling everyone to work the counts tonight as much as possible. try to get to that tired pen as quickly as possible (of course, the same is true for them to us)

and he's been pretty dominant since the allstar break. hopefully, that changes tonight

last 7 road losses have been walk-off wins. ugh!

(hat tip to IPI for pointing this out though I might rather not have fully realized that)

Nice article about Jack Hannahan a couple of weeks ago when he had to get back to Cleveland for the birth of his son:

Tue Aug 16 07:54pm EDT

Teammates enable Indians’ Hannahan to see preemie son’s birth

By David Brown

That infielder Jack Hannahan(notes) is something like the 25th man on the Cleveland Indians roster matters little to his teammates. They treat him like a first-string person. Like a brother.

When Hannahan needed an assist earlier this month in order to be with his wife for the premature birth of their son, Justin Masterson(notes) and company made it happen.

The details come from a moving post at CBS Sports by C. Trent Rosecrans, who expanded on the work done by Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

One night when the Indians were playing at Boston, Hannahan's agent, Joe Speed, got a call. Hannahan's wife, Jenny, who had been relegated to bed rest back in Ohio, was having birthing contractions. Despite being early in her third trimester, she appeared to be heading into labor months ahead of schedule.

Another problem for Hannahan: There were no available flights home that night.

Rosecrans writes:

So even while Hannahan was at bat in the game, Speed booked the first flight in the morning out of Logan airport in Boston back to Cleveland, even knowing that would likely be too late. His next step was calling about private planes. They were available, but they cost $35,000. Even though Hannahan has a contract for $500,000 this year, $35,000 is still seven percent of his annual salary — that's a lot of money on a gamble that it would be the night Jenny gave birth.

Hannahan no doubt lives a wonderful life as a major leaguer, but he's a working man's ballplayer. As a third-round pick 10 years before, it's not like Hannahan and family can live off a big signing bonus. So, with only two-plus years of service time vested in the major leagues and no guarantee that he would be making big league money for much longer, Hannahan couldn't bring himself to charter a jet. He'd just take that first morning flight out of Logan.

But then Masterson came over and asked what was happening. He had a thought, and wasn't taking no for an answer.

Walters recounted the conversation:

"Book it," Masterson told Hannahan.

"I can't. It costs too much," Hannahan replied.

"Book it!" Masterson said.

Then Masterson passed a hat around the clubhouse. Teammates immediately contributed $35,000.

Hannahan took the private plane, arrived in Cleveland about 3 a.m. and reconnected with his wife just 15 minutes before John Joseph Hannahan V was born. Though he weighed just 2 pounds, 11 ounces at birth and hasn't come home from the NICU yet, baby reportedly is doing fine. As are mom and dad.

Even if his team doesn't make the playoffs, Manny Acta probably will win AL Manager of the Year because the Indians are performing way beyond what most expected. But I have to think that the environment in Cleveland's clubhouse that encouraged players to use their own money to help Hannahan is some of his doing.

Though they obviously could afford to band together and rent a jet, the Tribe's roster isn't exactly full of millionaires like it might have been in the Albert Belle era. Heck, Masterson makes less money than Hannahan. But it's this kind of camaraderie that helps get a team through a 162-game season. And it makes you want to root for the Indians if you don't already.

If this story is indicative, they seem like a good bunch of guys. And that counts for a lot in these times when cynicism can dominate.

Follow Dave on Twitter — @AnswerDave — and engage the Stew on Facebook

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_lea...urn=mlb-wp16136

wow what a shock, captain cheapskate and his band of penny pinchers must have not had enough miles saved up to pay for that guy's flight home.

what a joke. but that says a lot about that clubhouse.

Yeah, just read that on Yahoo ... awesome story!

I heard Larry Dolan was too cheap to contribute.

I was just about set to post this myself. Great story, it's nice to hear things like this from professional sports, though we hardly do. Any mention of it on ESPN?

That infielder Jack Hannahan(notes) is something like the 25th man on the Cleveland Indians roster matters little to his teammates. They treat him like a first-string person. Like a brother.

When Hannahan needed an assist earlier this month in order to be with his wife for the premature birth of their son, Justin Masterson(notes) and company made it happen.

The details come from a moving post at CBS Sports by C. Trent Rosecrans, who expanded on the work done by Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

One night when the Indians were playing at Boston, Hannahan's agent, Joe Speed, got a call. Hannahan's wife, Jenny, who had been relegated to bed rest back in Ohio, was having birthing contractions. Despite being early in her third trimester, she appeared to be heading into labor months ahead of schedule.

Another problem for Hannahan: There were no available flights home that night.

Rosecrans writes:

So even while Hannahan was at bat in the game, Speed booked the first flight in the morning out of Logan airport in Boston back to Cleveland, even knowing that would likely be too late. His next step was calling about private planes. They were available, but they cost $35,000. Even though Hannahan has a contract for $500,000 this year, $35,000 is still seven percent of his annual salary — that's a lot of money on a gamble that it would be the night Jenny gave birth.

Hannahan no doubt lives a wonderful life as a major leaguer, but he's a working man's ballplayer. As a third-round pick 10 years before, it's not like Hannahan and family can live off a big signing bonus. So, with only two-plus years of service time vested in the major leagues and no guarantee that he would be making big league money for much longer, Hannahan couldn't bring himself to charter a jet. He'd just take that first morning flight out of Logan.

But then Masterson came over and asked what was happening. He had a thought, and wasn't taking no for an answer.

Walters recounted the conversation:

"Book it," Masterson told Hannahan.

"I can't. It costs too much," Hannahan replied.

"Book it!" Masterson said.

Then Masterson passed a hat around the clubhouse. Teammates immediately contributed $35,000.

Hannahan took the private plane, arrived in Cleveland about 3 a.m. and reconnected with his wife just 15 minutes before John Joseph Hannahan V was born. Though he weighed just 2 pounds, 11 ounces at birth and hasn't come home from the NICU yet, baby reportedly is doing fine. As are mom and dad.

Even if his team doesn't make the playoffs, Manny Acta probably will win AL Manager of the Year because the Indians are performing way beyond what most expected. But I have to think that the environment in Cleveland's clubhouse that encouraged players to use their own money to help Hannahan is some of his doing.

Though they obviously could afford to band together and rent a jet, the Tribe's roster isn't exactly full of millionaires like it might have been in the Albert Belle era. Heck, Masterson makes less money than Hannahan. But it's this kind of camaraderie that helps get a team through a 162-game season. And it makes you want to root for the Indians if you don't already.

If this story is indicative, they seem like a good bunch of guys. And that counts for a lot in these times when cynicism can dominate.

Follow Dave on Twitter — @AnswerDave — and engage the Stew on Facebook

So apparently there is an aspect of baseball stategy that we are not aware of, because you and I are the only ones wondering why the final batter wasn't walked.

Man, Carmona did work tonight.

yeah he did. It's nice to see some of these kids stepping up.

Love the fact that Manny sent him back out there for the 9th too.

Detroit lost, so if we hold on we pick up a game on them.

Indians win 4-1.

2 game back.

Carmona was filthy. Awesome outing...especially since it was after last nights extra inning game, we lost last night, the White Sox have been hot, they're in our division, they were going with their ace AND the Tigers lost.

I do have to question one event though. What in the hell was Perez doing walking Dunn with a guy on in the 9th? Dunn might be the worst hitter in the bigs and he let the tieing run come to the plate. Serve the pitch up like a grapefruit and let his .164 swing put the ball in play. Come on...there's a 16% chance he'd get a hit. And so what if he would park one in right field, you're still up one. I'll never understand that.

Good win (should have won last night but oh well).

Carmona was filthy. I turned it on in the 8th (I think), and he walked a guy. I figured "here we go, the wheels are about to come off," but the 2007 Carmona (pre-Boston series) showed up and toughed it out. If he keeps it going, our rotation will be extremely tough to deal with. Maybe the only rotation in the Central that can hope to silence that Detroit lineup.

Its nice to see Choo back in the lineup.

good to see choo play well, we need the 2010 choo

fausto looked awesome, seems like he has his swagger back

1-5 this rotation is going to go out and battle, that is all you can ask for

what's up with kipnis? how long is he out?

Carmona has been on since the allstar break. But, the past 2 starts he actually has his slider back. It's his only true SO pitch, so it's vitally important to him. Glad to see it's moving again and not flattening out over the plate like it was earlier (even during his good stretch he had just gone away from it).

Also, good to see at least one of our 2 big ticket team-option guys stepping up (Fausto showing why he is a bargain for the $9mil option we have on him --- and Grady has shown why we can't trust him to pickup his option).

Great win and 2 games back. Gotta keep clawing.

some of his pitches last night were literally unhittable.

fausto and choo were bad/not around earlier in the year, if those 2 can bounce back and finish strong, i do believe the tribe wins the central.

detroit just isn't that good when verlander isn't on the mound, and the white sox are inconsistent. on paper the white sox should be winning this division by 3 or 4 games.

next week is huge, the tribe gets home games with seattle, while the white sox have texas this weekend and a trip out west to face the angels, while the tigers have 4 in tropicana next week. if they can get out of this weekend with a good road trip, they can maybe start to seperate themselves a little bit. it's looking a bit ahead, but hey we're fans, we can do that.

if the White Sox hitters didn't fall off this year, if their bullpen realized they were allowed to pitch before June, or if their pitching wasn't such a roller-coaster (6man rotation may have played a part in that), then the White Sox should be up 10+ in the division.

good thing that all of those things happened and it doesn't look like they are going to wake up anytime soon (except when they play us apparently).

also, I started Fausto with confidence in the DT fantasy baseball league last night(despite his previous Chicago starts). feeling double-good about that right now

Just before the All Star break, the national writers crowed about how the Tigers were going to make a huge move in the Central because of their favorable schedule over the next month and a half or so. (from that timeframe)

They did make a move ..... but they didn't open up the kind of lead I think was expected. I truly think that the national media expected the Tigers to be 10 up at this point ..... but the Indians are just hanging around ........

I worry about us winding up in a tie with the Sox and neeeding a one game playoff. I would look forward to a one game playoff against the Tigers.