Lou, I'm a big fan of Kipnis but the thought has crossed my mind recently too. (Kipnis strikes out tonight as I type this)

Tribe ahead2-1 after 2. What'd I miss?

Guess you missed Lonso 2run bomb. Total of 4hits. Allen on for the 9th. We up 2-1.

2-1 final. Carrasco win, Miller with an 8th inning hold and Allen with the save

Thanks!

I was hopeful Kipnis was going to bounce back, but since the first week of spring training he's been deadwood.

How about Erik Gonzalez at 2nd and Gio as the utility man? Obviously they wont' do that. I wonder if Jason has any options left?

It's often considered a good idea to have some variety among a starting rotation. One day you use a righty, then a lefty, then another lefty. Or maybe you vary from one guy with a great fastball and slider, the next one whose curve is his out pitch. Lots of options.

The Indians have a slightly different mix in their rotation: we have a quartet of pitchers with great stuff and register strike outs; and just for variety every fifth day we send out Josh Tomlin who is among the league leaders in homers allowed and slowest velocity. It really puts the other team off balance. Today, for example, Cubs have been limited to two doubles, a single, a homer and two runs in 2 innings. Kluber, Carrasco, Clevinger and Bauer he's not.

Cubs ahead3-0, bottom of third. Zim on first via IF single.

Only get one run. Davis thrown out at plate.

i'm hoping for your own health Gaylord that you have stopped watching. Tomlin matched his last start with another yield of 4 homers. He's always been a superior gopher baller [36 in 174 innings in 2016; 23 in 141 innings last year; but he's going for some sort of record this season: 8 bombs in 12 2/3 innings.

Regrettably while Danny Salazar slowly rehabs from another off season injury we have no one ready to fill the 5th starter role. The starting pitching in Columbus is of Tomlin caliber. Shane Bieber could be ready for the majors by the end of the season, but he needs to get AAA work first.

with off days, complete games, and close leads left to only Miller and Allen, we had a lot of rusty relievers. The rest will all get some much-needed work today. Thanks Josh for thinking of the guys in the pen

Olsen was/is pitching when I got back. Couldn't we start McAllister again, maybe let him go 5?

Scratch that thought.

He's the only candidate on the roster; but it will take quite a while to work him back to starting. There's a guy named Alex Ogando in Columbus who has had some major league success: career record 33-18 ERA 3.47 but has not been a regular starter in the majors since 2013. did start iIn Japan -- sorry that was Korea -- last season. In Columbus, he's worked 12 innings in 3 starts and is 2.63