God I love this man. Can’t you just picture him in the pisser after the inning, hearing the commotion mid-stream, stumbling over himself to zip up and get out there? “Ahhhh….gotta swing the bat………..what…what’s that……….ah sh…..fuck….what the fuck Bournie!”
This only a couple days after letting our top prospect know he’s been called up to the big squad with an adorable text:
Lindor learned of his promotion via a text from Terry Francona that said: "Come on, Frankie. Get up here. Congrats."
Since 2013, the Indians have a record of 14-33 against the Detroit Tigers. They also have the third worst home record in baseball in 2015.
In the two games they lost in Detroit this past weekend, the Tribe were outscored 12-1. That followed a six-game home stand where, one game away from .500 at the outset, they went 2-4.
But none of that matters now. Throw records out the window. Statistics are flushed. Slumps cease to exist. The 2015 Cleveland Indians season officially began on Saturday, June 13th.
.@Lindor12BC will be promoted to the Indians and join the team in Detroit for tomorrow's game.
So, when you’re at your lowest of lows as Tribe fans, take solace in the fact that you finally get to watch what will be your left side of the infield for years to come.
Kansas City has been all the buzz in the national media, but not for anything happening on an actual baseball field. In the latest update for the American League All-Star voting, these idiot Missourians have eight Royals leading their respective positions in votes. A legitimate argument could be made that exactly zero of of them realistically deserve to be there. I’m all for supporting your team, and you’re damn right I voted Kip and Brantley on my ballot, but there’s a fine line between homerism and douchebaggery. You’re not only depriving deserving players of a serious honor, but you’re fucking over every team (including yourselves) in the American League in terms of home field advantage come World Series time. The league should step in, and they won’t, but I pray to god I’m not allowed to vote for the All-Star game next year.
In a week that saw MLB.com’s top 3 prospects all called up to their big league squads, Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton was probably the biggest surprise of the three. He went 0-4 with two Ks in his debut on Sunday, but notched his first career hit in the major leagues yesterday in the form of a stand up triple. Like the Tribe and Lindor, the call up was probably in hope of a spark for a team that’s lost 8 of their last 10.
After their eight game losing streak at the end of May/beginning of June, it’s starting to look like the Tigers of old out there in Michigan. Including the Wahoo drubbing this past weekend, they’ve won 6 of 8 and have given up 1 run or less in 5 of those games. DH Victor Martinez went 1-4 in his first rehab game for Triple-A Toledo on Sunday and is expected back in the bigs sometime relatively soon. The other Martinez is slugging .587 in the month of June and Justin Verlander surrendered only 2 runs in 5 innings in his first start of the year on Saturday.
Chris Sale is doing Chris Sale things for the White Sox…
Chris Sale is the 4th LHP since 1900 with 5 straight double-figure strikeout games. The other 3: Big Unit, Johan Santana & David Price
…but rookie Carlos Rodon surrendered five runs before recording an out on Monday and the team was just swept in Tampa.
In Other News
I wrote a blurb last week about Apple fulfilling the bullpen’s ransom note for Brandon Moss’ 100th home run ball. The Tribe then tweeted this out today:
I’m gonna take a shot in the dark and guess they’ll be presenting the products given to them by Apple to the Boys & Girls Clubs, and probably some additional goodies as well. Smooth move by the club. Hopefully something just as positive will come from Trevor Bauer & the starting pitchers…
— Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) (@BauerOutage) June 15, 2015
Frankie’s first MLB hit. Absolutely smoked. Terrific reaction too. Couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. And I hate Miggy for the emotional abuse his lumber has caused me over the years but god damnit he’s cool sometimes.
The “other guy”, rookie 3B Giovanny Urshela, notched his first hit and blasted his first career bomb last Thursday. His family was in town for his big league debut, but had to leave after the second inning of the game and missed his tank piece. Since the call up, Gio is 4-16 with 2 BB, 2 K, 3 runs and 3 RBI. Yesterday’s lineup had Lindor in the 2 hole against the Cubs before the game got rained out. All of a sudden, a Kipnis-Lindor-Brantley top of the order and an Urshela-Bourn-Aviles bottom isn’t looking all that bad. .
Yes, obviously we’re all eyeballs deep in Cavs hype right now. Yes, the MLB draft garners about 1/1000 of the interest that other major sports drafts do. So here’s what you absolutely need to know, and some highlights & opinions of people much more qualified than me.
(17) Brady Aiken LHP – Talked about him a little in our Tribe notes this week. Basically, if this kid comes close to what he was before Tommy John, this could be a franchise-changing steal. You don’t get compared to Clayton Kershaw by accident.
He’ll look real nice in a future rotation with lefty Justus Sheffield, who we took 31st overall in 2014.
(42) Triston McKenzie RHP – Tribe went with two Florida high school arms with their second and third picks. McKenzie is all of 6’5″ but only 165 pounds. He’s only 17 so a long ways off from the big club, but he already throws low 90s and has plenty of room for growth.
Triston McKenzie's senior year numbers: 9-5, 0.79 ERA,157 strikeouts, 16 walks in 91.0 innings of work. #Indians#2015MLBDraft
Triston McKenzie is part of Vanderbilt's recruiting class. Has a fastball that sits in the low 90s.
— Mahoning Valley Scrappers (@mvscrappers) June 9, 2015
(59) Juan Hillman LHP – One day, three arms. The Tribe used their first three picks on pitchers for the first time since 2004. Hillman committed to UCF, and was living with his godfather, former MLB pitcher Tom Gordon. He throws a curveball, changeup and a low 90s fastball.
In 2 IP at FACA All-Star Games, LHP Juan Hillman (Olympia) 90-95 FB, 73-76 CB, plus CH at 78. #mlbdraft
— Prep Baseball Florida (@PBRFlorida) May 23, 2015
(154) Ka’Ai Tom OF – Junior centerfielder from Kentucky. Led them in RBI (51) and BA (.375). He hit safely in 51 of 55 games played (!) and also swiped 15 bags. Left-handed hitter, he left the yard five times this year as well.
Indians select Ka'ai Tom OF from Kentucky. Productive hitter. He worked out at 2B lately because he profiles better there.
(364) Ryan Perez ?HP – Probably the most interesting story other than Aiken, the Tribe took switch pitcher Ryan Perez in the 12th round on Day 3. He throws over 90 with both arms (94 from the left, 92 from the right), and while he did have Tommy John on his right arm in 2011, there’s apparently no ill effects from it. The video is from the Cape Cod League All-Star game…he was named the game’s MVP.
(referring to Oakland’s switch pitcher Pat Venditte who made his MLB debut last week)
Venditte toiled in minors for nearly a decade. Perez, switch-pitcher drafted by Indians, sounds like a real prospect: pic.twitter.com/vhuNGeIToY
Bottlegate 