Back to .500 For the 18th Time.

I'm sure I ran out of ways to say we suck long ago, but man that was a terrible series. 3 games and we got four runs. Cliff Lee is a good pitcher but we made each of the three starters for the Indians look like they deserve the Cy Young. In the three games the Indians bullpen pitched 3.2 innings.

We did manage 8 hits off Cliff Lee but strangely we got 2 hits each from 4 guys. Our other 5 batters had 0 fers. Lee only got one strike out and we did have 4 fly outs to the track but we have too many automatic outs in our lineup. I really didn't think Lee pitched that well, just felt we were just that lousy with the bats. Vernon in particular looked like he could have used a few more rehab games.

Scoot, Rios, Overbay and Mac each had two hits. If Johny Mac can get two hits in a game, we really ought to win. I mean, any pitcher he can hit everybody ought to hit.

I thought for a moment the game might turn in the 5th inning. Mac lead off with a single and Scoot beat out a bunt single. Great hustle on his part, though I was worried that he could have been called out for being off the base line. So runners on 1st and 2nd and no one out. Eck bunts. I truly hate bunts with runners on 1st and 2nd. First of all, the bunt has to be perfect because it is a force at third and when the defensive team knows the bunt is coming there is no room for error. And runners on 2nd and 3rd one out isn't really a better situation than runner on 1st and 2nd with none out.

Eck's bunt wasn't perfect and Mac was forced at 3rd. So we have 2 on for Rios. Rios hit into a double play. And that was that. Rios, our number 3 hitter hasn't driven home a run since August 2nd and has a grand total of 49 on the season. Rios is hitting .143 against left-handers with RISP this year, not that he's been great against righties .266. He has also looked lost in the outfield lately too. He made the wrong break on several flies today, only one cost us a hit, when he couldn't made up for the wrong break, but it also cost us a run. Add in that he hasn't always run out balls he's hit into outs the last few days, a couple of days off might not be a bad thing for him.

Richmond again gave up 3 runs, like he has each start. He went 5 innings so now he's gone 5, 5.1 and 5.2 innings in his three starts. He gave up 9 hits, after giving up 7 the first two starts and struck out 5, a new high. No walks, so he has a total of 1 walk in three starts, but he did hit two today. Not a great start but if he was pitching for a team that could score it wouldn't be a bad start. John Parrish pitched a very good three innings and Camp pitched the ninth striking out 2 in a 1,2,3 inning.

People were very quick to credit Cito with turning the team's offense around when we had a couple of good games but now, our last homer was Aug 6 and the last one before that was August 1. Obviously he hasn't been the magic pill we were hoping he would be.

Jay of the Day? We didn't have one, but honorable mention should go to Parrish for 3 good innings of relief and Mac for a 2 for 3 day. Suckage Jay? Eck (-.131) and Vernon (-.108). But really it was a team loss. The fangraph is here for those that want it. I guess if there is any good news it is that the Yankees and Red Sox each lost today.

Tomorrow we start a four game series against the Tigers with Shaun Marcum facing Justin Verlander.