Whatever happened to good old spit?

seagull wrote:Whatever happened to good old spit?

Not everyone can squirt a loogy with accuracy and discretion....

loufla wrote:And do not forget VIAGRA powder.

Makes the ball harder and tending to jump up at the last minute.

It is often called the screwball.

Too easy to detect.

It can make the balls blue.

Manny Ramirez's return unlikely


CLEVELAND -- Indians president Mark Shapiro says now is the time to go for the AL Central title, and the front office is looking for ways to strengthen the first-place club.

Just don't expect to see Manny Ramirez back in Cleveland.


Speaking to fans from the Indians' social media program, Shapiro says general manager Chris Antonetti will be heavily involved in trade talks before the July 31 deadline. But he says a Ramirez return is unlikely.

"Chances of that are not real good," Shapiro said of the 40-year-old Ramirez, released by Oakland on June 15. "I never say never, but I don't think Manny's a short-term answer at this time." Shapiro added that he has been receiving daily emails from a cardiologist in Connecticut, pleading for the return of Manny, but he insisted, "We don't need him."

Ramirez, who hit 236 homers in eight seasons with the Tribe, was released by Oakland on June 15.

Shapiro fielded questions Friday and outlined team priorities. Topping the list is winning a World Series, which hasn't happened in Cleveland in nearly 64 years.

"If you are not in it to win the World Series, why are you in it?" Shapiro said. "There are times when you have to make a move with one eye on the present and one on the future. When you have the opportunity, you have to seize the moment and take advantage. Yes, I think it is possible that we can win. Now."

Shapiro and general manager Chris Antonetti have discussed ways to improve the ballclub. Ramirez's name came up.

"There are times when I talk with Chris and say, `You know, if we rolled out the whole 1995 team in walkers and wheelchairs, it would be a popular decision,' but with Manny, we believe there are better options out there," Shapiro said.

He did not reveal a wish list, but Cleveland's left-handed laden lineup is in dire need of a right-handed run producer. One capable of playing left field would be even better.

One fan joked before asking a question that he was ready to play left field, where neither Shelley Duncan, Johnny Damon nor Aaron Cunningham have performed as hoped.

"It wouldn't take much to improve us there," Shapiro said candidly.

Damon is hitting .203, Duncan .195 and Cunningham .194. Still the Indians, after a three-game interleague sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, hold a half-game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.

Shapiro believes the division is up for grabs and does not count out Detroit, 2 1-2 games out and with a $133 million payroll twice that of Cleveland.

"The division is wide open -- and that's a good thing," he said. "Detroit will be better. Chicago has shown what they can do. The other two teams (Kansas City and Minnesota) are just a 12-day hot streak away from being right there."

Shapiro is more concerned that the Indians play up to -- or beyond -- their expectations.

"At the start of the year, it looked as if 93 to 95 wins would take the division," Shapiro said. "Now, it looks more like 90. We still have to win those games, though."

With more consistent starting pitching, the return of designated hitter Travis Hafner from knee surgery and possibly an addition or two, Shapiro says Cleveland can get to the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

"(Ubaldo) Jimenez and (Justin) Masterson have pitched well of late," he said. "We need a bat in the lineup like `Haf' and who knows, maybe Grady (Sizemore) surprises us and comes back to help."

Sizemore, a three-time all-star, signed a one-year, $5 million contract last winter despite missing much of the past three seasons with a variety of injuries. The outfielder hurt his back early in spring training, had surgery, and continues to work out with the team -- though there is no timetable for his return.

Shapiro added that he has been receiving daily emails from a cardiologist in Connecticut, pleading for the return of Manny, but he insisted, "We don't need him."

I assume this is editorial embellishment?

Indeed!

I'm afraid if they wait until the trading deadline to fix the problem, it might be too late.

Tough stretch begins against homer-hitting Yankees; next 14 games against solid pitching staffs

Published: Monday, June 25, 2012, 5:41 PM Updated: Monday, June 25, 2012, 5:51 PM
By Mike Peticca, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians begin the most difficult stretch, thus far, of their schedule tonight in New York against the Yankees.

The Indians (37-34) follow the three-game Yankees (43-28) series with a four-game visit to the Baltimore Orioles (41-31).

Nest week, in the final games prior to the all-star break, Cleveland hosts the Los Angeles Angels (40-33) for three games and the Tampa Bay Rays (40-32) for four.

The Indians have lost 16 of their last 27 games and trail the first-place Chicago White Sox by a half game in the American League Central Division. The Tribe leads the defending division champion Detroit Tigers by 2 1/2 games, the Kansas City Royals by 5 1/2 games and the Minnesota Twins by eight games.

Tonight, right-hander Josh Tomlin (3-4, 5.12) gets the start for the Indians, while the Yankees go with righty Hiroki Kuroda (6-7, 3.57). Tomlin faces an offense that leads baseball in home runs with 112. Six Yankees have already slugged 11 or more homers; nine have seven or more.

Cleveland has two players with more than six homers, and -- indicating the Indians' lack of power at the traditional power-hitting positions -- they are middle infielders: second baseman Jason Kipnis (11) and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (nine).

The Indians are 5-15 against left-handed starting pitchers. The next one they face will be 40-year-old Andy Pettitte (3-3, 3.29) on Wednesday. Pettitte, who came out of a one-year retirement to re-join the Yankees, has a 243-141 career record and is 19-10 in postseason games.

Cleveland scored 61 runs in its first nine games this season. Since then, the Indians have scored just 3.92 runs per game; plating three runs or fewer in 31 of the 62 games.

The Indians' next four opponents boast pitching staffs that place well in team ERAs among the American League's 14 teams: the Yankees, sixth (3.69); the Orioles, fifth (3.67); the Rays, second (3.50); the Angels, first (3.42).

The Indians' team ERA of 4.54 ranks next-to-last, better than only Minnesota's 5.02.

Cleveland is three games over .500 despite being outscored by 42 runs this season.
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HOW are we only 1/2 game back?

I'd try some of the guys who are hitting pretty well in AAA. See General Discussion.

1987 was certainly a Cleveland Indians season to forget after all the hype and then the disappointment. I had forgotten this guy was a spot starter for us, around Steve Carlton, Phil Niekro, Greg Swindell, Tom Candiotti, and the inimitable Ken Schrom....

_____________________________________________________________________________





SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Padres bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds, who pitched for five seasons in the major leagues, died Sunday pancreatic cancer. He was 50.

Akerfelds had been bullpen coach for San Diego since June 2001.

"Ak was an invaluable member of the Padres coaching staff," manager Bud Black said. "He was a loyal Padre to the end. Players and coaches were made better by Ack. He will be sorely missed."

He was diagnosed with cancer in December 2010. Last season, Akerfelds attended 148 of the 162, games despite undergoing chemotherapy. He was still with the team in the early part of the season before he finally stopped coming to the ballpark.

A Denver native, Akerfelds played professional baseball for 12 seasons and appeared in 125 major league games. He was 9-10 with 5.08 ERA pitching for Oakland, Cleveland, Texas and Philadelphia.

Akerfelds was a seventh-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 1983.

The Indians are on a cold streak on the field and in the front office, where the computers never stop spitting out formulas to help them compensate for being a small-market team bereft of raw baseball talent.



Wow!

Hoynsie calling out the FO

Is someone ghost-writing Hoynes' collumn?

Travis Hafner could begin rehab assignment this week: Indians Chatter

Published: Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 7:52 AM Updated: Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 7:55 AM
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer

Tribe DH Travis Hafner could start a rehab assignment later this week.

Manager Manny Acta said Hafner ran the bases Monday at Progressive Field to test his right knee. He will do sliding drills today.

“If he comes through that all right, he could start his rehab in a couple of days,” said Acta.

Hafner is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his knee. His most recent game was May 23. The Indians were 12-16 with Hafner out of the lineup entering Monday’s series opener against the Yankees.

Time is running out: Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and second baseman Jason Kipnis were fourth in the final update of fan voting for the July 10 All-Star Game. Voting at ballparks is done, but fans still can vote online at MLB.com until 11:59 p.m. Thursday.

Monday’s results had Cabrera with 1,063,137 votes and Kipnis at 852,325. Players, managers and coaches cast their votes over the weekend.

Stat of the day: In the three-game series against Houston, the Indians hit .167 (15-for-90) with four runs and three extra-base hits. They hit .200 (3-for-15) with runners in scoring position.

NY Times muses on how the Indians can be in contention:

The Cleveland Indians have lost their last three games by a collective score of 22-3. The most recent, a 7-1 defeat on Monday at Yankee Stadium, was over early. The Yankees scored two runs in each of the first three innings, and the Indians do not win slugfests.

Related
Yankees 7, Indians 1: Given Rare Start, a Yankees Outfielder Makes the Most of It (June 26, 2012)

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But they do win games. Somehow, the Indians remain two games over .500, at 37-35, in second place in the American League Central. A formula based on run differential, devised by Bill James, says the Indians should be at least nine games below .500. And yet, here they are.

“Over all, we’re pleased that we’re still in the race despite clearly not playing our best baseball,” General Manager Chris Antonetti said outside the visiting clubhouse after the game.“We still feel like the roster we have has a lot of upside to it and hasn’t played to our potential.”

The Indians are not imposing. Their best-known players, Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner, are on the disabled list. Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo and catcher Carlos Santana have not become consistent stars. They are futile against left-handers.

Coming into Monday’s game, the Indians ranked 10th in the league in runs scored and 13th in earned run average. Their hitters were 12th in home runs, their pitchers 12th in strikeouts. They have now allowed 48 more runs than they have scored.

“It’s been kind of weird, honestly,” closer Chris Perez said. “If we’re ahead after five, we win. And even if we’re down by one or two, it seems big. It’s just one of those anomalies.

“When we get beat, we get beat. It’s usually big runs. And when we win, it’s close. The run differential is not going to be there.”

Perez and his setup men, Vinnie Pestano and Joe Smith, are the team’s greatest strength. The rest of the bullpen has been shaky, but the three late-inning relievers have helped the Indians go 11-2 in one-run games. Cleveland has lost only twice when leading after six innings; the Yankees have three such losses.

“The main thing has been our bullpen, the back end of our bullpen,” Manager Manny Acta said. “Close ballgames we feel we have a very good chance of winning, because those guys at the end are lights-out.”

Starters Ubaldo Jimenez and Justin Masterson have pitched well lately. The Indians are strong up the middle, with second baseman Jason Kipnis and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, and their batters walk a lot. They missed a chance to trade for third baseman Kevin Youkilis, who was sent from Boston to the Central-leading Chicago White Sox on Sunday, but Antonetti said improvement would have to come from within.

“No one guy externally, no matter who we bring in, will solve our issues,” he said. “The guys that are here need to play to their potential.”

The Indians should learn a lot about their true selves in the coming weeks. They play series against the Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles, the Los Angeles Angels and the Tampa Bay Rays before the All-Star break. Losing two of three in Houston last weekend was not an encouraging send-off.

Back home, the fans seem skeptical. The Indians have turned over nearly their entire roster since 2007, when they beat the Yankees in the division series. The progress they seemed to show last season, when they started 30-15, was overshadowed by finishing 15 games behind the division-winning Detroit Tigers. Now Cleveland ranks last in the league in attendance, averaging only 18,408 fans a game.

Perez has expressed frustration with that, and did so again Monday. He said fans seemed to care more about rooting against LeBron James and the Miami Heat than they do about rooting for the Indians.

“I don’t get the psyche,” said Perez, who grew up in Florida. “Why cheer against a guy that’s not even in your city anymore? Just to see him fail? Does that make you feel good? I could see if the Cavs were in the championship, but that’s their mentality.

“They’ve had a lot of years of misery. They say, ‘You just don’t understand because you don’t live here.’ O.K., maybe I don’t. But that doesn’t mean it has to keep going.”

The Indians drew more than 3 million fans for six seasons in a row starting in 1996, the year the N.F.L. Browns moved to Baltimore. The new version of the Browns has not won a playoff game in its 13 seasons.

“That’s what I don’t understand,” Perez said. “Their whole thing is, ‘We want a winner.’ Well, why do you support the Browns? They don’t win. They’ve never won. They left. You guys blindly support them. I don’t understand it. It’s a double standard, and I don’t know why.

“It’s head-scratching. It’s just — they don’t come out. But around the city, there’s great support. They watch it in the bars. They watch it at home. They just don’t come.”

Maybe the schedule will doom the Indians by the middle of July. Maybe the run differential will widen so much that it swallows the team. Maybe the Tigers will come alive and sprint to the playoffs again. There is a chance all of that will happen.

But summer is here and the Indians are contenders, without even playing very well. Their statistics might improve, but who wants to believe so rigidly in numbers, anyway? So far, they have lied about the Indians.

Chris Perez needs to shut up or go away.

Sounds to me like Chris Perez has the pulse down pretty well for Cleveland Fans.

Maybe the economy is the only variable affecting attendance he did not mention.