Hooray! The Cleveland Indians actually scored more than three runs in a game! Fausto Carmona again demonstrated he is one of the American League’s best pitchers, striking out 10 in eight innings in a 5-2 win over the Tigers. The victory moved the Indians back into a first place tie with Detroit. The ballclub also picked up a split of the two game series following Tuesday night’s heartbreaking loss to the Motor City Kitties. That guy has me questionning whether or not Eric Wedge has too many interchangable parts, and is he too quick to use them.
In the seventh inning, Ryan Garko hit a one out double and he was replaced by Chris Gomez as a pinch runner. Why? Garko was already in scoring position and would have scored on a single not hit directly at an outfielder. It’s too early to take out one of your better hitters in a tie game. Then, after Trot Nixon was intentionally walked, he was not replaced. He was taken out for defense in the top of the eighth, replaced by Franklin Gutierrez. The question is this: If he was going to put in Gutierrez for defense anyway, why not put him in as a pinch runner. A gapper by Josh Barfield, although unlikely, would have scored the faster Gutierrez.
In the eighth, the skipper pinch hit for Kenny Lofton to lead off the inning. Although there is no question Lofton struggles against southpaws, there is no need to hit for him with no one on base in a tie game. Remember, the Indians were not losing at the time. In the American League, you only have four extra players, so you have to leverage when to use someone who did not start. Wedge wasted two players, or options, when he didn’t have to.
This brings me to the ninth, when the aforementionned Gomez led off with a double. That brought Jhonny Peralta to the plate. Bunt, ground out to second, hit a deep fly ball, whatever, he had to get the winning run to third. Instead, Peralta struck out. The manager could have used Asdrubal Cabrera to bunt, but didn’t. He could have used Michaels, a pretty good situational hitter, but he wasn’t available. The only options Eric Wedge had was the rookie (Cabrera) or Kelly Shoppach, who strikes out a lot. He used another contact hitter, Gomez, to pinch run, although he did have the hit to get them going in the ninth.
I understand the manager has many decisions to make during the game, but where is the bench coach to help in these situations? Both of these guys have to be thinking an inning or two ahead. When the Tribe has had a set line up the last few years, these decisions weren’t necessary, but with platoon situations at a couple of spots, they are this year.
The striking out issue has to be addressed this off season. The Tribe has five everyday players who will strike out more than 100 times this year: Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore, Casey Blake, Peralta, and Barfield. I believe at most you can have three in the batting order. Hafner and Sizemore aren’t going anywhere. That leaves the rest of the infield outside of the first baseman. Which one would you pick to stay? I say you keep Barfield because of his age and because he’s a good defender. The SS is average on defense at best, and Blake is entering his mid 30’s and is not going to improve at this stage of his career. GM Mark Shapiro needs to get a couple of professional hitters to fill out the batting order for 2008. The lack of contact really hampers this offense.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 