Re: GameTime!™

8238
I think the problem with pitching to Brandon Phillips is nothing about respect or disrespect it's about judging or misjudging talent.

We badly misjudged Phillips and/or let Wedge make a bad call on his "character".

Josh Tomlin was misjudged by almost everyone as a very run of the mill career minor leaguer. He shocked us in 2010 and 2011. His limited talent will always require him to be perfect to succeed. And some day if we develop some more talented throwers into actual big league pitchers, Josh will return to the bullpen or AAAA.

Re: GameTime!™

8242
We are in a precarious situation right now and in danger of letting things slip away.

I still believe that we have the pitching to stay in the race but we need help on offense. What form that will take right now is up in the air. All I know is that we can't rely on Choo, Cabrera, and Kipnis to share the brunt on the offensive load if we are to stay in the race. They need help!
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: GameTime!™

8244
Shapiro should share some of the blame but not all of the blame for that fiasco, ND Dawg.

Wedge made up his mind about Phillips around 2003 and nothing Phillips did would ever change his mind. In 2005, the Indians called up Phillips on Shapiro's insistence but Wedge refused to play him, even in the late innings of blowouts leading up to his departure.

I only blame Shapiro for letting his manager tell him how to run the ballclub.

Here's one that should ruffle some feathers. I found this little snippet in the Dayton Daily New:

"But they got a new manager in 2003 (Wedge) and I was put on standby. I had to be a totally different person. I couldn't do that." -- Reds All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips, saying his game was stifled after Wedge replaced Joel Skinner as manager, leading to his being traded to Cincinnati in 2006. :P
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: GameTime!™

8246
Team looked very good against St. Louis, very bad against the Reds. I assume they'll keep going up and down and so will the rest of the division. Would be nice if the team were better but they are what they are: some good but no outstanding starters; a few very good, a bunch of not very good hitters; good defense; good bullpen. That all equals a team that should win 77-85 games; and if they finish at the top end of that range they could finish first in a poor division.

No help on the horizon in AAA. No depth to trade to fill gaps. Live with it, it could be an interesting summer.

Re: GameTime!™

8247
Masterson holding a 1-0 lead in the 4th, he's fanned 7, has just walked his second of the night (both this inning) to load the bases with 2 out for Jose Tabata, who I recall being an overrated Yankees prospect a bunch of years ago. Tribe scored on a Santana 1st inning double.

Two quick strikes and Tabata whiffs to leave them loaded; a 3 pitch K for Masterson's 8th of the night.

Re: GameTime!™

8248
ND Dawg wrote:Wedge is still haunting the Indians. He did not like Phillips and had Shapiro just give him away.
I bet BP really enjoys all the rbi's he gets against the Tribe!
Yeah, but Wedge ended up in Seattle. What a frickin' depressing place. There was even mold in the shower of The Marriott at Seatac airport when I worked there.

One of the locals touted me on "the great climate," noting "our average year round temp is 54 degrees!"

Thank you, I hope I never have to sleep in Seattle again. I don't care about Wedge.