Tribe vs. Royals (Series Thread)

• Laley23

  

  Royals come to town and the Tribe is looking to go into the AS Break on a high note. If they can take at least 2/3 they should be right there, at most, down 3.5 to the Tigers. I would have taken that in a heartbeat in April, so no complaining here if it happens.
  
  Of note: The Tribe is now 8-4 against former Cy Young Award winners. Not sure, but that seems like it has to be a record for Ws versus former CYA Winners.
  
  Match-ups:
  
  Chen (3-0) vs. Kluber (6-5)
  Guthrie (8-6) vs. Kazmir (4-4)
  Shields (4-6) vs. Jimenez (7-4)
• ohiobucks1

  

  Once again, My family can GFT for going and sitting in baller ass all you can eat seats while telling me I have to stay home to watch the pets. Fuck them. That was the deal I had to make my sister in order to get the USA v. Mexico tickets instead of her. I guess it's fair. But still. Goddamn. Fuck everything. Good thing I have my trusty whisky
• royal_k

  

  I've sat in those seats before. Fucking amazing.
  
  Listened to end of the game on the way to work and Hammy said Salazar had the most SO for a first time start for the Tribe since Louis Tiant in 1964. Thats a looooong time ago.
• Laley23

  

  And he was on a pitch count. So 7 wasn't his ceiling. He had another inning before reaching 100 pitches, and probably 2 more if he was conditioned for it
• royal_k

  

  Yeah, I would have liked to see him pitch another inning. But it all worked out and he did get a win. Can't wait to see him again.
• Dan Gilbert

  

  51-44 would be great for me heading into the All Star break considering the start we had and the inconsistent pitching.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  
• Crimson streak

  

  royal_k;1471425 wrote:Yeah, I would have liked to see him pitch another inning. But it all worked out and he did get a win. Can't wait to see him again.

  
  No reason to stretch him. He hasn't thrown more than 5 innings all season till yesterday. He could be that boost we need the 2nd half of the season. That splitter he has that compliments the fastball is just nasty.
• ohiobucks1

  

  Here's my question. How does a guy that goes 3-2 in AAA have stuff that can dominate in the MLB?
• Dan Gilbert

  

  ohiobucks1;1471470 wrote:Here's my question. How does a guy that goes 3-2 in AAA have stuff that can dominate in the MLB?

  Seems like they have him on an inning count of no more than 5. His last two AAA starts he through 5 innings each with 1 and 2 hits respectively. His era is 3.40 with an opponent BA of .222.
  
  He hasn't been fully unleashed yet but I like his stuff more than Bauer at the moment. He had way better command.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  Dan Gilbert;1471492 wrote:Seems like they have him on an inning count of no more than 5. His last two AAA starts he through 5 innings each with 1 and 2 hits respectively. His era is 3.40 with an opponent BA of .222.
  
  He hasn't been fully unleashed yet but I like his stuff more than Bauer at the moment. He had way better command.

  You get tired of being stuck in the basement, Sleeper?
• like_that

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;1471560 wrote:You get tired of being stuck in the basement, Sleeper?

  Wrong.
• GOONx19

  

  Go Tribe.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  I expect another sweep. Pitching sucks and our bats have gone silent.
• Dan Gilbert

  

  Buster Olney has the Indians as leading the trade chatter going into the deadline but the article is insider only.
  
  I am assuming he is just stating the interest in starting pitching like Garza and Gallardo (would have to waive no trade clause to the Tribe). Also, Ervin Santana's name is popping up as a potential player available from the Royals. The Royals are playing well as of late and if they catch the Tribe this weekend they could be .500 heading into the 2nd half of the season.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  After Rafael Furcal’s elbow fell apart in spring training and trade speculation began, St. Louis Cardinals players spoke highly of Pete Kozma. They could not have had the kind of run they did at the end of last season, the other Cardinals said, without Kozma playing solid defense in the last weeks of the season. Earlier this season, Kozma was hitting a high as .276, on May 28.
  
  But Kozma hit .209 in June, with a .501 OPS, and he was recently given a three-day break. He’s hitting .232 with a .572 OPS overall.
  
  Sources say there has been more discussion about a possible swap that was talked about in the offseason: the Indians’ Asdrubal Cabrera to St. Louis.
  
  It’s unclear just how far advanced these talks are, whether it’s more conceptual or internal at the moment, and undoubtedly, it’s a deal that would be more easily done in the offseason, with more time.
  
  But it’s a situation worth watching, because it could be an in-season match that could make sense for both teams. For St. Louis, Cabrera would represent an upgrade at shortstop: He’s 27 years old and a switch-hitting, two-time All-Star with power and experience. Cabrera has a .725 OPS and has demonstrated the ability to play multiple positions, which is why the Yankees have asked about him repeatedly. He could play shortstop, yes, but also third base or second or even first, so if the Yankees needed to fill in for Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez or Robinson Cano -- depending on developments ranging from injury (Jeter and A-Rod) to PED suspension (A-Rod) to free-agent departure (Cano, perhaps), Cabrera could step in. Cabrera makes $6.5 million this year, and will earn $10 million next season, before becoming eligible for free agency.
  
  The Indians are positioned to consider trading him, because if Cabrera were swapped, they could cover his departure in the short term with Mike Aviles -- and, of course, star prospect Francisco Lindor is climbing through the minors as the long-term solution; he’s hitting .307 in high-A ball this year, at just 19 years old.
  
  The Indians presumably would require at least one really good prospect in return, somebody close to the big leagues, and the Yankees don’t necessarily have a lot to choose from at the top of their system. But the Cardinals do, particularly with their pitching; they have what is regarded as the best farm system in the game, and they are loaded with great young arms -- Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal already have graduated to the big league level and presumably are not available, and Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha are top arms in the minors, among others. (Martinez, by the way, was just called up to work out of the St. Louis bullpen, as Derrick Goold writes.)
  
  If the Cardinals traded for Cabrera, an already deep lineup would get even better: St. Louis ranks first in the National League in runs scored, in spite of relatively weak production at shortstop. They’re hitting .338 with runners in scoring position as a team, which helps.
  
  If the Indians get a top-shelf young pitching prospect for Cabrera, he would join an already growing stable of starting pitching options for Cleveland that includes Danny Salazar, who wowed in his major league debut Thursday; over six innings, he showed a 95-plus mph fastball and a wicked changeup.
  
  The Indians have Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Corey Kluber and Scott Kazmir now, and will be getting the underrated Zach McAllister back soon. From the beginning of the year, Cleveland has continued to believe that Trevor Bauer will evolve, through his struggles. We'll see if they're ready to make that collection even deeper.
• Dan Gilbert

  

  Cabrera is still on contract through 2014 so I would be asking for several top prospects if we decide to move him.
  
  Aviles has given the Tribe the ability to have more arms in the pen due to his ability to play multiple positions in the infield. I'd hate to deal Cabrera and deplete what has been a solid bench depth. Our young guys at SS are not ready yet and may not be ready next season. I'm not willing to bet on Aviles producing full time with the playoff push coming.
  
  I'd rather go after pitching and keep Cabrera.
• royal_k

  

  Dan Gilbert;1471670 wrote:Cabrera is still on contract through 2014 so I would be asking for several top prospects if we decide to move him.
  
  Aviles has given the Tribe the ability to have more arms in the pen due to his ability to play multiple positions in the infield. I'd hate to deal Cabrera and deplete what has been a solid bench depth. Our young guys at SS are not ready yet and may not be ready next season. I'm not willing to bet on Aviles producing full time with the playoff push coming.
  
  I'd rather go after pitching and keep Cabrera.

  Exactly. Now is not the time to trade Cabrera. Especially after seeing what Salazar did yesterday.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  royal_k;1471684 wrote:Exactly. Now is not the time to trade Cabrera. Especially after seeing what Salazar did yesterday.

  Salazar was impressive in his debut but I hope he's not the next Sowers.
• ohiobucks1

  

  royal_k;1471684 wrote:Exactly. Now is not the time to trade Cabrera. Especially after seeing what Salazar did yesterday.

  
  I'd offer Carrasco + a PTBNL for Gallardo and call it a season (on trades)
• like_that

  

  Commander of Awesome;1471691 wrote:Salazar was impressive in his debut but I hope he's not the next Sowers.

  This is part of the fun of being a loyal fan. No way in hell a bandwagon fan can bring out this type of reference of a former shitty player.
• ohiobucks1

  

  like_that;1471698 wrote:This is part of the fun of being a loyal fan. No way in hell a bandwagon fan can bring out this type of reference of a former shitty player.

  More likely to be a Huff than a Sowers
• like_that

  

  ohiobucks1;1471700 wrote:More likely to be a Huff than a Sowers

  I hope he is neither.
• ohiobucks1

  

  like_that;1471707 wrote:I hope he is neither.

  Agreed. I am kind of pumped going into the 2nd half with hopefully a healthy KMac, a strong Jmas, a Baldo on the up, Kazmir and Kluber logging innings, and Salazar potentially being a solid 5th starter. We could win the pennant.
• Dan Gilbert

  

  ohiobucks1;1471709 wrote:Agreed. I am kind of pumped going into the 2nd half with hopefully a healthy KMac, a strong Jmas, a Baldo on the up, Kazmir and Kluber logging innings, and Salazar potentially being a solid 5th starter. We could win the pennant.

  Need Smith and Pestano to figure their stuff out soon also. Perez seems to be settling in after the DL stint and no one is talking about his pot issue. I've come to realize he is going to let guys on base and have a terrible attitude but he still is a better closer than most in division.
  
  I am betting on Swisher coming out blazing after getting some R&R during the all star break.