VT'er wrote:That sucked.

A 3-run lead and double-digits in strikeouts, leave the man in there. It's not about getting a complete game. It's about sticking with a pitcher who is still getting the job done.

In retrospect I would have let Masterson face the first batter in the 9th to see if he could get a quick out and go from there.

Real time I didn't second guess Acta at all for giving the ball to his closer with a 3 run lead. It would have been a super nice Opening Day story for Masterson to have a super outing, and for the closer Perez to get the Opening Day save as should have happened in 90%+ of MLB games.

I've tried to dissect where Acta might have erred while Perez stayed on the mound in the 9th. Real time, I thought Perez was looking OK to the first two batters until each managed non spectacular singles to center. I had no problem with Perez getting another batter.

If I had to find fault with Acta, it might have been in not pulling him after surrendering the walk.

I'm not forgetting that Brantley's lame arm in CF took out the DP possibility with the game 4-2 when he let the runner go from 1st to 2nd on the sacrifice fly that made it 4-2, with one out.

I'm also not forgetting that Jimenez is likely unavailable to start in the next four games, creating a bit of motivation to preserve Masterson as much as possible.

Bottom line is if Perez gets runners on you need to pull him. Yes, every once in awhile he will pull a "houdini" act but he either has it or not.

Shocking, that there are not more, the manager was playing by the book posts.

If managers from the past had managed the ninth (pitching and hitting) and the 12th (hitting) everyone would be calling for their head.

Personally I can not stand the fact that he sent (What's my name ? ) out for the 2nd inning. He only survived his first inning based on a huge blunder by Davis.

Lot of talk this week about why Manny No Acta acts so smug when he has not won anywhere. Never has managed a .500 season.

rusty2 wrote:
Shocking, that there are not more, the manager was playing by the book posts.

I was thinking "what will Manny do?" with "the book" in the middle innings.

When Masterson elevated his pitch count to 99 on Opening Day, after a superb performance, I presumed there were footnotes in "the book" referencing cases with a three run lead and the closer the President and GM have dealt the manager.



Lot of talk this week about why Manny No Acta acts so smug when he has not won anywhere. Never has managed a .500 season.

I mentioned Manny Acta's managerial record often when Mark Shapiro hired him.

I still have an open mind, and a vision and hope for an upside as Manny Acta is still learning and dealing with the past contracts Shapiro has given to Hafner and Sizemore as he tries to shuffle his bench and lineup.

Dolan could eliminate Shapiro's position tomorrow and not a beat would be skipped, nor a step of progress to competitiveness for The Cleveland Indians.

Rusty- Sure bring back Wedge that would change everything.

I tend to agree with TFISC and lay more blame on Shapiro, see my rant in Gen Discussion.

Acta still has to prove himself.

What are Shapiro's job duties now anyway? Antonetti makes the trades. Atkins develops the prospects. I forget who runs the draft. Shapiro does what?

Doesn't Shapiro run the Winter Wonderland?

Bottom of the 5th. Both pitchers have no-hitters so far...

KIPNIS GOES DEEP!

Just moments after the Tribe announcers and the graphic note that Jimenez has been "perfect thru 5 2/3" the first Blue Jay reaches base.....

That said, 9 more straight Blue Jay outs would still be sweet.

I was gonna head to the OTB but guess I'll stick around here for awhile..

We may have a 2-0 lead, but it is glaring that we have only scored in two of our 22 innings thus far in 2012.

All tied up now

Stick around, CALI. They have made it interesting for you!