No, Not Good Enough!

Plain Dealer writer states the following;

Cleveland Indians need to take at least 2 of 3 games against Detroit Tigers, says Dennis Manoloff

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2011/08/cleveland_indians_need_to_take.html

No, the Cleveland Indians must enter this 3-game home stand with the division leaders with a "SWEEP" mindset.

This is the team that surprised nearly everyone in the baseball world with their fabulous start of the season as well as with their ability to stay in contention to this point.

This is the team with their top management putting on a different hat prior to the trading deadline more that a week ago. In the previous 3 seasons, they have been cleaning house of their soon to be free agent stars. Instead, they admitted that their team is a contender by making recent acquisitions to bolster that belief. Good or bad acquisitions? I applaud the front office for going for it instead of sitting pat!

This is a team that has put together a starting rotation that has kept them in not only most ballgames, but in contention for the division. The starting pitching was thought to be the weakest part of this team back when the snow was flying in Cleveland.

Detroit is thinking they need to take 2 out of 3 from us.

That is why they were trailing us most of the season until lately.

We must think 3 out of 3!

If we think 2 out of 3, we may settle for 1 out of 3.

Time is running out. It is time for this team, the team that has already exceeded expectation, to not settle for mediocrity any longer!

Manny must put the best 9 on the field, not the best rested 9 and not the best righty/lefty match-up 9, but the best 9 for this series.

Back in late April, we took 3 of 3 from Detroit at home with swagger, confidence, and yes, some late game heroics.

Take all 3 and get within 1 game at the same time!

Remember, to make the playoffs, we must win the division!

Manny Stays With Fausto!

Manny Acta was asked what he will do with Fausto Carmona since his most recent failed start. Manny's response was, "Fausto will start again in 5 days."

What options does he have?

He can relegate him to the minors to see if he can get his form back. Fausto would have to agree to that but that would not be out of the question if he wants to get back to his winning ways. This seemed to work before in 2009 but the fix didn't stick.

He could "physically disable" him (it has been done before) and assign him to rehab work in Columbus and/or Akron. This could be in Fausto's (and his agent's) best interest.

He could trade him but his value has plummeted with his pitching woes of 2011.

He could stay with him and hope that through coaching he will work out the problems that are plaguing this gifted pitcher.

But if Manny is going to stay with him as he has indicated, he must get into his head. He has to make him pitch his pitches and stop reacting to the home plate umpire. To do that, Manny Acta and pitching coach Tim Belcher must position themselves on the top step of the dugout and fight for the low strike calls every inning that Fausto pitches. Instead, Manny is shown on TV with a look of deep concern on his face when Fausto gets into trouble.

I am a big Manny Acta fan and he is certainly closer to the issue than any of us but would fighting for some pitches really hurt?

The good news is that pitching coach Tim Belcher has made Fausto his focus now through Sunday when Fausto pitches next...Should be very interesting!

Hey Manny, hope to see you on the top step of the dugout Sunday...It could be fun and rewarding!

How Long Do We Stay With Carmona?

Come on Guys, it's over...Fausto Carmona on the big club, that is.
No matter how you figure it, Fausto cannot continue to take up space on this ball club while he tries to figure out what happened to his pitching mojo.
Send him down Now!
Fausto, I love ya man but you are killing the team!
No one will ever forget what you did in 2007...
Wedge relegated you as the closer early in the season and that was a disaster.
You began starting and pitched very well as other were nursing minor injuries.
Then, just as you threw a gem vs. Baltimore, you were going to be assigned to the minors until Jake Westbrook pulled an oblique muscle and went on the DL.
That was all you needed and the rest is history as you almost beat out your teammate C.C. for the 2007 Cy Young Award.
So where is that guy?
We can't wait anymore to find him.
Go down, take all the time you need to get back to your old form.
Go down now.
Manny, Chris, Mark...send him down and stop the madness.
While you are at it, what about Phelps, Buck, and Kearns????
Goodbye, goodbye, and goodbye!
Hurry back Pronk!

What's Wrong With the Wahoos?

Nothing!

• This is the youngest team in major league baseball.


• Have they not surpassed all of your expectations until lately?


• We knew they would make mistakes, those mistakes just all came at the same time against very good teams.


• They will win again!

How about the fact that they are the youngest team in MLB. They are striking out more than they should, not going deep enough into pitch counts, and certainly not getting many calls at the plate. When a team is very young, it is up to the manager and his staff to fight for them until they earn the respect of not only the other teams, but of the umpires as well. What was the line about Ted Williams? If Ted Williams didn't swing at a pitch, the umpire called it a Ball. It is going to take Manny Acta and Tim Belcher a few ejections before the playing field is completely level. They should be on the top step every time one of our hitters gets two strikes on them. They should be jawing from the dugout from the start of the game to the last pitch. You have to love what Manny Acta has done with these guys. Did you see him go after Girardi? The umpiring in the NY series has been so inconsistent that batters on both teams kept turning back and looking at the umpire as if he left his guide dog in the kennel. But truth be told, the Yankees are expert at "getting" calls. They bellyache so much, they get over on many calls. Case in point; During Sunday's game, Orlando Cabrera hit a 2-hopper sharply to Derek Jeter at Short. The ball took off after the 2nd hop and skipped over Jeter's right shoulder and into left field. Pretty quickly announcer Rick Manning speculated that the play would be ruled a hit and Cabrera would have career hit #2000. Prior to a decision on the play by the scorekeeper, Jeter could be seen mouthing "Wow!" over and over as if it was such a cleanly hit ball. Ruling; Base Hit. I thought Jeter should have fielded the ball but apparently he and the scorer felt differently. I believe that Jeter had much to do with the play being ruled a hit.

When Fausto Carmona pitches, I wouldn't care if he walked every other batter until he starts getting the low strike calls, as long as he induces ground balls to every other batter. Think of it; Fausto is trying to pitch his game. He is most effective when he is keeping the ball at the bottom of the strike zone, inside or outside. He can walk the first batter, get a ground out, walk the second batter, get a ground out, walk the third batter, then induce a 3rd out ground out with no one scoring. what can help him is Belcher and Acta complaining about called balls. Instead, Fausto gets into trouble and changes his location then Wham! He has lost control of the game and gives up 3 to 5 runs. I don't have the confidence in Carmona because he lacks so much in self confidence. Too bad, he is very talented. He needs Acta and Belcher jawing at the ump.

This is the team, minus Hafner, that was the best team in major league baseball until a little over a week ago. They have faced Tampa Bay, Texas, a Minnesota team that they should have beaten more than once, and the Yankees to cause their demise of late. Look at the standings, they are still in first place by .001 point!

Tonight they finish the series with a win over New York if Acta and Belcher fight for the guys instead of letting them fight and get frustrated on the field. They are too young to do what the Yankees do...Situational Bellyaching!

Tomorrow they face the Tigers and they need to beat 'em 2 out of 3.

What if they don't?

These guys have already exceeded our expectations for 2011. However, they will get back on track and make the rest of the season very interesting.

Come on Manny Acta and Tim Belcher...start getting thrown out for standing up for your hitters and pitchers!

Can't Win If You Don't Score...

Justin Masterson pitched very well for the Cleveland Indians last night. Jake Peavy pitched better and got the win.

You can't win if you don't score.

The Tribe is coming off of a 2 game win vs. the Royals where they scored 26 runs.

So why the flat performance last night?

Were they too aggressive as was suggested during the telecast?

Let's give credit to Peavy, he was masterful over Masterson and the rest of the Indians.

But we have game 2 of the series tonight.

Once again, we need our ace, Fausto Carmona to step up!

Sometimes I think manager Manny Acta should pair up Fausto not with the opposing team as much as with the umpire behind the plate!

If Fausto gets the low ball strike call, he generally has self confidence and pitches well.

Come on Fausto, throw low and hard no matter who is at, or behind the plate!

On another note, I was disappointed to see that Austin Kearn's attorney was fighting his DUI case in Kentucky on a technicality. the officer that stopped Austin may have been out of his jurisdiction but that doesn't change the fact that Kearns was weaving and under the influence.
Apparently the arresting officer was within his jurisdiction.

Here is hoping that the case does not get dismissed. Look for the charge to get reduced to Physical Control.

Too bad the story made the paper, I guess.

I will have little respect or use for Austin Kearns if he doesn't take responsibility for his actions.

Man up, Austin!

That's What He's Paid For!

Travis Hafner delivers a 2 out, 2 run homer to win the game tonight 5-4 for the Cleveland Indians in the bottom of the ninth inning!
Did you watch it?

They never quit!

They were down but never out!

What a game!

There is no doubt that this young Cleveland Indians team is the most interesting in major league baseball!

Stay entertained my friends!

Wow!...Now How?

As the Cleveland Indians are off to their best start in franchise history, you first have to say "WOW!" and then ask, "How will they continue this great season?" The answer appears to be falling on the shoulders of pitcher Fausto Carmona. Fausto's last start was solid but his season has been anything but solid.

Last year he spent time in the minors trying to work things out. This is the same guy that was runner up to team mate CC Sabathia in 2007 for the Cy Young award. This is the same guy that had such laser focus during the bug game that he tamed those dreaded Yankees as they whined and complained about the midgies during the infamous 2007 playoff Bug Game.

So today, Fausto gets the call against a 1st place, good hitting, good running team in Southern California.

We need that same "Focused Fausto" to toe the rubber and take charge of this wonderful and delirious Indians' season!

Come on Fausto, but you can't do it alone...

You will need run support, at least 3 runs to take the series today in Anaheim.

Forget Jobu! We need hitting with less than 2 outs today.

This has been a wonderful and exciting season that I, for one want desperately to continue!

How bad do you guys want it?

It appears just as bad!

Come on Fausto, be it...bring it!