Jesse Borek whoever he is, is not a very reliable source. Merritt pitches game 5, if there is one.

I have to assume that the main reason Merritt is starting over Clevinger is that Merritt was still working as a starter through the end of the Columbus season and then got in 5 innings in game no. 161 for the Tribe. Clevinger, unfortunately, has not worked more than a couple innings in 6 weeks. He will be available as long man IF there is a Game 5.

Current 9-game winning streak dating back to the last days of the regular season. Second longest to the record 14-game streak this summer.

Just thinking: all it will take is winning 5 more in a row to match that streak; 5 more should do it for this season!

civ ollilavad wrote:I have to assume that the main reason Merritt is starting over Clevinger is that Merritt was still working as a starter through the end of the Columbus season and then got in 5 innings in game no. 161 for the Tribe. Clevinger, unfortunately, has not worked more than a couple innings in 6 weeks. He will be available as long man IF there is a Game 5.

As we've talked about before. Clevinger has a better long term future but Merritt is more ready for prime time now.

Hard to argue with Tito right now, but honestly I don't like starting Kluber on short rest tonight. I personally would just leave it as it was. We only need one more win, just start Merritt tonight and let Kluber and Tomlin pitch on their regular days.

It's especially important with Tomlin, who is far more effective when rested.

Looking forward to Kluber and especially Tomlin on massive rest.

Pedro Martinez mentioned on TBS post game show that he is friends with Salazar and we might see him in the series...

Best case scenario might be the Dodgers win in 7 games but have to pitch Kershaw to death to do it and they get little rest before Tuesday.

Was just listening to Rick Sutcliffe on ESPN talk about the Indians. He said the man behind the curtain for them is Mickey Callaway. Called him the best pitching coach in MLB. Tim Kurkjian then said at Indians spring training when he sat down with Francona the first thing Tito said to him was he had a great pitching coach.

Sutcliffe then went on a rant against Joey Bats. The bat flip last year. Gave him hell for worrying more about himself than catching the ball on that double off the wall in an earlier game this series. Said he disrespects himself and his opponents and he is going home where he deserved to be. Was good stuff...

Batista said Merritt would be shaking in his boots. Got news for ya Joey. You hit two hundred and nothing in the regular season. You were hitting one eighty nothing in the postseason. Nobody is shaking in their boots at the thought of facing you anymore.

Kipnis got a little champagne in him in locker room afte game and made some comments about Batista. Said "that's why you don't say dumb $#!+"

The Forum was down for me most of the day, so, a belated WAHOO!!!!!

If you haven't heard what happened to Tomlin's dad this year and the ongoing saga do yourself a favor and read this article ...

http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/2 ... -with-dad/

Hillbilly- Thanks for that article. Tough times for Josh and his family.

It's interesting to me how little home field advantage has meant so far - as both the Tribe and Cubs have won routinely away from home so far.