Jay 13 Indians 7
Well that was one long day of baseball. With a 3 hour 47 minute rain delay and a 3 hour and 25 minute game that took a bit, but all is made better by a win. Where to start? How about the Fangraph:
Scott Richmond had a tough 1st inning giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and then a solo homer in the 3rd and he walked 2, the same number of walks he game up in 5 starters last season. But he wasn't terrible. If it wasn't for the rain delay in the top of the 5th he might have had a shot at the win.
Brian Tallet came in after the rain delay and pitched 2 good innings, giving up a solo homer but he looked great. Then for what ever reason Cito sent him out for a 3rd inning. He was clearly tiring, and everything was up. He walked Grady Sizemore, somehow struck out Mark DeRosa then Victor Martinez took him deep. Amazingly Cito still didn't take him out until after he threw ball one to Travis Hafner. Jesse Carlson came in to finish the walk to Travis Hafner but he got Jhonny Peralta to tap one back to him. Carlson made a nice throw to Aaron Hill but Hill didn't get the ball out of his glove smoothly enough and they didn't get the double play. That hurt.
Carlson walked Shin-Soo Choo and Cito pulled him for Brandon League who couldn't find the strike zone, he walked Ryan Garko on 4 pitches, hit Ben Francisco to force in the tying run. He threw 2 balls to Asdrubal Cabrera before he lined out hard to Jose Bautista, who made a nice catch. We were lucky to get out of the inning tied.
But fortunately we scored 6 in the 8th and won. Offensively we had a great day. Lind had a homer (his 3rd of the year) and 4 RBI (for 11 in 5 games), Alex Rios had 4 RBI and looked much better at the plate and Scutaro hit his second home run in two games. Scoot also made an amazing play, going way to his right to get the ball and made an perfect throw to first. Johnny Mac couldn't have made that play. Hey, Richard Griffin, still think we should have signed Orlando Cabrera?
Lots of players deserve a hand for today's game. Aaron Hill had 2 hits. Wells had two hits, though he let a fly ball fall at his feet early in the game. It might be just me but it seems like he doesn't have the range he used to, but it is early yet. Scott Rolen was 3 for 4. Kevin Millar, as much as I don't like him, was 2 for 4. Jose Bautista made 2 really good catches in LF. Even John McDonald, as a pinch runner, made a great read on a pop single scoring from second on it.
I know I have to stop letting Cito drive me crazy, but he has no feel for when a pitcher is tiring, but I do have to admit that he has something as a batting coach. Adam Lind looks like a seasoned pro at the plate. Scoot and Hill are hitting with power. Rolen is great. I know I shouldn't read to much into 5 games and we shouldn't get too excited till we play some AL East teams, but the offense is so good right now.
Anyway, Jays of the Day are Scoot (.364 WPA and the best play are short you are going to see this year), Lind (.202), Rolen (.174), Millar (.168) and Rios (.149). Suckage Jay? Brandon League was a -.147 WPA. Tallet was -.159 but I can give him a suckage Jay award because it was Cito's fault that he was out that long. So Cito gets that Suckage award.
Oh, should mention that Shawn Camp did a good job over the last 2 innings shutting down the Indians. But as Hugo mentioned in the thread it would have been good to get BJ into the game in a low stress moment. That's two games in a row Cito could have got Ryan into the game in a spot where one mistake wouldn't have lost them the game. Now if he goes in in a big spot later in the week in a save spot, he could be rusty from sitting for so long. Again I hate how Cito runs a pitching staff.
Anyway tomorrow Halladay starts for us and Cliff Lee goes for the Indians. I would love to see the game pound him. I still think Halladay got robbed on the Cy Young last season. We had a great time in the Thread today so if you are around tomorrow, (well less tomorrow than a little later today) join us.