https://twitter.com/g_zorb4/status/598944095294332928

https://twitter.com/lblake5/status/600059565342855169

What’s the Damage?

Relatively speaking, the Wahoos had a good week last week. On three separate days, they had more runs than the other team by the time the game ended. Games 1 and 2 in Arlington marked the first time they did this in consecutive games since the first series of 2015 in Houston.

Unfortunately the Tribe’s scorching hot streak has gone for naught so far, as Lorde’s disciples in Kansas City went 4-3 last week and have won 6 of their last 10. All-Star closer Greg Holland is just getting back into the swing of things after a DL stint, which is a scary proposition for the opposition who already has to face a bullpen with the 7th best FIP in baseball whenever Mr. Yost picks up the phone. Also, this:

Pitching and defense, kids. Pitching and defense.

That-team-over-there-in-the-state-with-the-team-up-north took two of three from both the Twins and the Cardinals, owners of the best record in baseball, before dropping game 1 against Milwaukee last night. Miguel Cabrera decided to leave the yard for the 400th time in his career on Saturday, doing so 46 days before Hank Aaron did and bumping him up to #52 on baseball’s all-time list. Boob guy Justin Verlander threw a 45 pitch bullpen today as he inches closer and closer to returning to Detroit’s rotation, something I’m really not sure is a bad thing for the Tribe at this point in his career.

The Twins are still above .500 and I still don’t know why. Nothing lights a fire under somebody’s ass like facing the Indians, and 39-year-old Torii Hunter is still smoldering since he came to the Prog last Friday:  .367 AVG, 2 2B, 3 HR & 7 RBI. Second-baseman Brian Dozier seems to be heating up after a slow start too but I’m not looking up the stats for you guys.

And that leaves the White Sox, who are actually the hottest team in the division right now. Last night’s walk-off win brought their win streak up to 6 (I honestly didn’t know those could go that high). Jose Abreu, who captains the team of players I think are going to hit a moonshot every time they enter the box, has been their catalyst and is riding a 12-game hitting streak himself. Outfielder Avisail Garcia has as many hits as Matt Underwood has pronunciations of his name, and currently sits 4th in the AL in batting average (.338).

In Other News

• I’m afraid to write anything about Corey Kluber because he honestly scares me now so here’s some tweets:

I mean are you KIDDING ME? Your pitcher hasn’t given up a hit, has probably 15 strikeouts at this point, you haven’t been cheering all game and you decide to turn your back and try to start the most asinine cheer in all of sportsfandom. I will forever loathe section 180 at Progressive Field.

• Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley’s hot streaks have been well documented, so I’m not going to do any more documentation. Here’s where they both stand now in the American League:
  • AVG – Brantley .336 (5th), Kipnis .333 (8th)
  • OBP – Brantley .416 (3rd), Kipnis .399 (8th)
  • wOBA – Brantley .412 (4th), Kipnis .390 (12th)
  • K% – Brantley 5.8% (1st), Kipnis 12.1% (17th)

*Denotes absurd statistic 

• I’m just gonna leave this here…..

Things Francisco Lindor couldn’t fix:

1. The bullpen

2. Outfield, third base, second base, first base, catcher, pitcher defense

3. Giving up runs in the following half inning after scoring

4. Playing in the toughest division in baseball

5. Yan Gomes’ knee

 

 

KEEP THE CHIEF