Just watching Jose in LF, it surely seems he is feeling his way around out there. Doing the job overall though.

Great to see Naquin back. This kid has potential, reminds me of Grady.

Plaudits to Tribe's drafting and player development folks:

starting lineups now are including 3 No. 1 draft choices: Lindor, Chisenhall and Naquin. When could that last have happened, if ever? Back in the glory days of the 90s we had three great draft choices, Manny, Albert and Thome, but only Manny was a first round pick.
Add in No. 2 pick Kipnis; international free agent Ramirez; and we have 5 of our own amateur signees in the lineup.
Then add Salazar [international FA] and Tomlin [19th round!] 2 days out of 5, and we are up to 6 homegrown starters.
And 6 homegrown finishers with Allen as the closer.


Giminez is a Tribe draftee, too, although he's not exactly spent his whole storied career here [and Perez a FA signee] so some days 7 home-grown.

Not quite the equivalent of Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley, Shaw, Pedroia talent level in Boston. But maybe in a couple years some among Frazier, Bradley, Zimmer, Mejia, Gonzalez, Chang will be in the Cleveland lineup, too.

Another way to build a great team is the Detroit approach:

Today Tigers starter Mike Pelfrey [0-5 5.03 in 10 starts] [and a fine 18-40 in his previous 5 seasons] was signed to a two-year $16,000,000 deal. That's the advantage of a deep-pocketed owner who's willing to spend freely.

And that's not there only brilliant deal:

"In his 11 starts Anibel Sanchez is 3-6, had given up 66 hits in 56-2/3 innings. He set a career-high by giving up 29 homers all of last season, and is well ahead of pace, having surrendered 14 long balls in 2016. His ERA of 6.67 is more than three runs higher than his career-best, set back in 2013.
"It’s no secret that Tigers owner Mike Ilitch wants a world championship, and much sooner than later. Sanchez is making $16.8 this season and next, with an $8 million buyout of a club option in 2018"

Meanwhile bargain guys Rajai Davis and Mike Napoli continue to play key roles.

Go Naquin!

I really like this team better than any the Indians have fielded in a long time. Good solid defense and pitching are a fine core. They are not often going to beat themselves. Unlike some recent teams, they have a decent balance of left and right handed hitters. There are plenty of good baserunners who can steal and move from first to third on a single. They won't lead the league in strikeouts and they can manufacture runs.
Would be very nice if: Kipnis were back in his all-star form, but it looks we'll have to settle for a solid average 2b; Gomes could hit an occasional single, but perhaps we'll have to settle or a top-notch defender behind the plate who hits the occasional homerun; Brantley were able to play baseball-- without him I don't think we can get far into the offseason, with him I think we might.

So Kipnis first inning triple followed by Lindor sac fly gives us an early lead. Kluber got out of a two-on one-out mess in the top of the first with a DP.
I should have added a more-reliable Kluber to my fairly short wishlist. I don't expect another Cy Young year, but I'd like to see him bring his ERA down to the mid-3's and stay up with Salazar and Carrasco and the overachieving Tomlin as a Big Four.

another chance for the Tribe in the 2nd off Chris Young. 2 out double by Gomes, Naquin walks. Ramirez with a rare day off, so it's Uribe at third and hitting ninth.

And he swung and missed three times and that ends the second.

another solo homer for Napoli, and Corey has set down 10 in a row. 2-0 half way through today's game.

That gives Napoli 42 RBI from his 47 hits.
Gomes' 28 hits have yielded 27 RBI.
Their combined batting average is hardly over 210 but they've been pretty productive with their few hits.

Naquin!

Grady who?

then Chris Young implodes:

Naquin homers for the third straight game; Santana one out later blasts his 10th. Tribe should be able to finish this one for a 4-game sweep and extend their residency in first place for at least a second consecutive day.

and one out later, Lindor drives another one of the park!

perhaps the Royals strategy of average [or worse] starters and a knockout bullpen doesn't equal quite enough pitching.

Corey gets so excited by all the offense he walks the first Royal in the 6th on 4 pitches.