Cleveland Sports Forum

I like the strategy of bringing up a pitcher every day to throw late-middle relief, become the winning pitcher when we rally, and return to Columbus after the game to make way for the next winner. Since they have to spend 10 days in Columbus before they return we'll need a good size crop of guys for this rotation. Still untried: Preston Guilmet, pitching well as Columbus closer; Danny Salazar, an actual prospect as a starter; Paolo Espino, who is on a steady Akron-Columbus shuttle. Scott Barnes is available for return although he's been terrible with the Clippers, but so was Joe Martinez before his 2 shutuout innings vs the WhiteSox.

While Tribe signed Bourne, Swisher, Giambi the WhiteSox gave $3.5 M to Jeff Keppinger, whose only claim to fame is that he doesn't strike out. Batting 5th today, in half a season in Chicago he's hitting 243 with additional incredibly unimpressive stats: 4 doubles, a triple and 2 homers; and he's walked 9 times and stolen zero bases He's even starting striking out, 25 times, which of course pales in comparison with everyone on the Indians, but our guys either hit for power, or draw walks, or steal bases , or more than one of the above.

Sale is fading, strikes out only 1 in the 3rd. Scoreless duel with Masterson.

masterson registered his 1st K and it's scoreless after 3.

Stubbs is the first Indian on base, leading off the 4th with a bunt single.

Raburn doubles in a run.

Santana singles home #2.

3-0, end of 5th
Masterson has faced only 15 batters!

end of 7th now, still 3-0

Justin met his first challenge in the 7th: a leadoff walk, then a single, and a 2-0 count results in a DP (third of the day) and Dunn fanned on 8 pitch at bat.

And he's still pitching in the 8th. First man reaches...

But a K, and another DP get him out of the inning. We go to the 9th...

Leadoff White Sox single in the 8th. Masterson answers again: called strikeout followed by Tribe's 4th Double Play. He'll be back in the 9th looking for his third complete game shutout, his 10th win, and to let Francona rest all 3 of Smith, Pestano and Perez as he's hoping to do today.

Brantley singles to cap about a 10 pitch at bat; Gomes follows with another hit. 1st and 3rd one out for Chisenhall

Lonnie an impressive 2-28 vs LHPs this season.

Make that 2-29 as he whiffs. Kid is making no real progress in becoming a major league regular, although he does have his decent days vs RH pitching.

Sox switch to a RH vs Stubbs, who's hitting 218 vs righties, but that's ah improvement over earlier in the season.

And he comes through with an rbi double. 4--0 with 3 outs to go.