The usual hand wringing on Cleveland sportstalk radio has begun with the Tribe’s losses in the first two games of the Boston series. After a tremendous comeback from being down 9-4 on Monday, the Indians were smoked yesterday losing 9-2. Before you think this is the same as last season, relax just a bit.
The key games for the Indians are tonight and this weekend. It does no good to follow up a nine game winning streak with a six or seven game losing skein. So, if Cleveland can salvage one game against the BoSox tonight and then take two of three from the Reds this weekend, that will be 12 wins in 16 games and we can all live with that.
Face it, the Sox are the World Champions. It is not an embarassment to lose to them. But, the Tribe does play them in Boston next week, so it would be nice to pick up a win against them at Jacobs Field.
The Indians pitched well for the first 67 games of the year, but that doesn’t stop people from having the opinion that the true performance of the hurlers is the last two nights. In reality, the Tribe has solid starting pitching, a very good bullpen, and an offense that is starting to score runs. That bodes well over the long haul.
Relax, Tribe fans. Over the last 39 games, almost one quarter of the season, the Indians are 25-14. They have done it playing some of the better teams in baseball, the White Sox, Twins, Angels, and two of the NL West teams they played (Padres and Diamondbacks) are above .500.
It says here the Indians will be battling for the Wild Card spot against teams like Minnesota, Baltimore, Detroit, New York, and Texas. If they can add another bat, preferably a right handed hitter, they will be in that race for a long time.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 