Hardly matters how they pitch if the offense cannot score runs. 1 run in 3 games against 3 of the worst pitchers in the league. Santana is now in a slump; Ramirez has not got out of his, now about 70 games long; Lindor is starting to hit so it will be Frankie on his own.

At least we could tolerate boring offensive baseball when they were winning their share.

Now???

Don't you remember the glory days of the 70s? Thousands of fans sometimes were willing to turn out to watch the Indians flail at the plate and lose regularly. I did, probably you did, too

Well shoot i will watch this year too. Like most fans apparently on tv.

Remember, the 70s had far less entertainment options. Now I can cycle through the telecasts of EVERY major league team's broadcast. Also last night I watched NBA playoffs and a tennis tournament in Madrid. Quite an important one too in the tennis world. Starting Thursday the golf tournament airs and I will watch what I can.

Been spoiled by the recent Tribe run.

I understand the concept of "windows" of opportunity and cycles. Certainly we just had a window.

Seems to me a well played trade might keep that window open for now.

Though the Twins right now are clearly better, things can change.

the past week let along the past six weeks have led me to a serious degree of pessimism. like in the old days

Well I won’t knock anybody else for their opinion on this, but I’m not willing to wave the white flag yet. I’m just very ticked off.

They keep trotting out bums like Perez and CarGo every night. Meanwhile Naquin and his 3rd highest batting average on the team rides the pine half the time. Mercado is still in Columbus hitting like 360. Haase hit his 9th homer for Columbus last night. (And Yandy hit his 7th double to match his HR total and has 365 OBP in Tampa as well)

I know everyone loves Tito but at times he drives me absolutely mad. He has his favorites and he will die with them. I wish he’d take some of his guys and stick them sideways up his rump so he can have them with him at all times.

He has always been this way. Every year we get off to crap starts. Eventually he will be forced to give up on some of these vets, younger guys will come in and play better, and the team will turn it around. Difference is this year we actually have another solid team in the division, so if he waits too long he will screw us. Like the couple years before we started this playoff run. Bad starts killed those teams chances. Might this year too.

Hillbilly wrote:Well I won’t knock anybody else for their opinion on this, but I’m not willing to wave the white flag yet. I’m just very ticked off.

They keep trotting out bums like Perez and CarGo every night. Meanwhile Naquin and his 3rd highest batting average on the team rides the pine half the time. Mercado is still in Columbus hitting like 360. Haase hit his 9th homer for Columbus last night. (And Yandy hit his 7th double to match his HR total and has 365 OBP in Tampa as well)

I know everyone loves Tito but at times he drives me absolutely mad. He has his favorites and he will die with them. I wish he’d take some of his guys and stick them sideways up his rump so he can have them with him at all times.

He has always been this way. Every year we get off to crap starts. Eventually he will be forced to give up on some of these vets, younger guys will come in and play better, and the team will turn it around. Difference is this year we actually have another solid team in the division, so if he waits too long he will screw us. Like the couple years before we started this playoff run. Bad starts killed those teams chances. Might this year too.

Hey HB nice post.

I am one of those who like Tito but of course he, like any manager, has his blind spots. His happen to be greatly outweighed by his positive traits but they certainly are there.

So I wholeheartedly agree Mercado should have been up here yesterday. And Haase as well. Assuming Plawecki has options he and Haase should swap places.

One more thing, unlike the old days these types of decisions are far more than just manager decisions. So for all we know Tito wants Mercado.

Remember last year they hid Bieber from him? So it was TITO who wanted the young kid and management keeping him down.

Hmm, you might be right in some instances. He has ticked me off in the past with Giambi, Napoli, Martinez, etc, so I just assume.

There are some guys, like Zimmer, Allen, Michael Martinez, that he would have no problem playing. But you would have to kidnap his grand children and hold them for ransom to get him to play Yandy or Naquin or some other guys.

If Zimmer were healthy and hitting half of what Mercado is hitting I would guarantee you he would already be up and playing almost daily. Despite the fact he has done very little at the plate in the majors.

By the way, I have been a fan of Martin since we traded for him, but about time to start talking about what he isn’t doing on the field too. Mercado has been hot as a pistol. I don’t understand why you couldn’t ride him for a little while till Martin or CarGo get things ironed out.

Just updating Oscar Mercado: unfortunately he's starting to hit like an Indians OF 6-38 in his last 10 games and his average has slipped to 290.

Optioning Plawecki would cause a problem: who's going to pitch the 9th inning of Cody Anderson's starts?

It’s not too late to try the Mercado hot hand. Last night he became the first Clipper player this year to hit a home run onto the RF porch. And it was from the right side, opposite field shot.

That 2 level area in RF. It used to be sponsored by Wendy’s but they gave it up this year. You see why now, few people are hitting it there to get the sponsors name mentioned. This year it is sponsored by Pedialyte, and called the Pedialyte Porch.

You have to love minor league baseball.

Beautiful day out here in Arizona. Went outside to sniff the morning air. Suddenly, a stench wafted in from the northeast. Could it be the Tribe offense is spreading its smell?

Take a whiff, HB. Montana is not immune.

Nothing better than the Montana air in the spring and early summer. But late summer forget it. You take a whiff and all you get is smoke from the latest wildfire.

4th inning - we scored a run! 1-1

Now Naquin up with bases loaded

Naquin with a 2 run single!! 3-1

HB may never be wrong again!!!

That warmed my heart. Bless his pea pickin heart.

We have 3 runs!