Cleveland Indians' starting rotation isn't just bad, it's perplexingly bad
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Not only is it time to talk, it's time to pitch.
Indians' pitchers in the starting rotation, for the most part this season, have done a lousy job concerning the pitching part. Manager Terry Francona said Wednesday, after watching Josh Tomlin allow six runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings in a 7-4 loss to Tampa Bay, that the time for a conversation has probably arrived.
Francona knows talk is cheap. But things have reached a point where they aren't going to correct themselves.
"We need to make this correct itself," said Francona. "Mickey (Callaway, pitching coach) and I were talking a bunch at the end of the game and we want to sit down maybe with the pitchers when we get to Houston because I don't think by just showing up and saying, 'Well, it's a new day,' is (going to change a lot). That's a good way to start, but we need to do some things better."
The Indians open a three-game series Friday night against a Houston team with the best record in the big leagues at 29-12. If the Tribe's rotation calls in sick, who could blame it.
The rotation is 15-18 with the highest ERA in the American League at 5.15 ERA. They have allowed 126 earned runs, the most in the AL, in 220 1/3 innings. On the Tribe's just completed 2-4 homestand, the rotation went 1-4 with a 7.07 ERA.
Tomlin, Trevor Bauer and Danny Salazar are among the AL's worst offenders when it comes to allowing earned runs. Tomlin is tied for second with 31, Bauer ranks fourth with 30 and Salazar is tied for eighth with 26. No. 1 starter Corey Kluber is on the disabled list with a strained lower back and Carlos Carrasco won't start until Tuesday because of a strained pectoral muscle. Mike Clevinger, filling in for Kluber, will make his third start Saturday.
"It's disappointing to see," said Tomlin, 2-5 with a 6.86 ERA. "I think the main thing is we've got to do a better job as a unit. There's no sugarcoating it. There's no, 'It's early,' or anything like that. It's, 'We need to do a better job from top to bottom.'"
The rotation, for most of last season, was the backbone of the Indians. But in September, Salazar and Carrasco went down with injuries. Then Bauer injured the little finger on his right hand in a drone mishap just before the ALCS.
This season Kluber injured his back in the second start of the season and tried to pitch through it. He lasted three innings in a May 3 start against the Tigers and has been on the disabled list since. Carrasco is the only starter who has pitched consistently well, but he left Monday's start against the Rays after 3 2/3 innings with a pectoral injury.
It's just not bad pitching that's hurting the Indians, it's unusual pitching.
In Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Rays, Salazar struck out nine batters in five innings. He still lost because he allowed four homers. On the night, Indians pitchers struck out 16, but allowed five homers. The Rays are just the third team in history to hit five homers, while striking out 16 times in a nine-inning game.
In Wednesday's loss, Tomlin struck out five straight batters before allowing four straight hits. One of them was a three-run homer by Corey Dickerson to give the Rays a 4-0 lead in the second inning.
The rotation ranks second in the AL in strikeouts with 241, seventh in hits with 220 and 12th in walks with 72. Those stats, especially the strikeouts and walks, do not indicate a rotation in trouble.
"It is kind of perplexing when you look at, 'How is this possible? This number doesn't usually correlate with what's going on over here,''' said Callaway. "We really need to simplify things, start pitching to our strengths a little bit more and make sure we navigate lineups the right way."
By navigate, Callaway is talking about knowing the opposition and who can and can't hurt you. On May 5, Salazar had a 1-0 lead against Kansas City. There were two out with first base open, a man on third and Eric Hosmer at the plate. Salazar was told to throw a high fastball to see if he could get Hosmer to chase. Instead he threw a fastball right down the middle that resulted in a 458-foot, two-run homer that keyed a 3-1 Tribe loss.
In Wednesday's loss, Tomlin had first base open and two out when he allowed Dickerson's three-run homer. The Indians have allowed 36 homers - nine by Salazar, eight by Bauer, seven by Kluber and six by Tomlin and Carrasco.
Those kind of things have been happening way too often to the starters through the first 39 games of the season.
"Anytime you punch out 16 people in one game, you probably won't give up five home runs," said Callaway. "You just don't see it very often. Sometimes, we're like, 'What's going on here? How do we fix this?' It's something that we'll work on and talk about and try to figure out the reasons those things are happening and go from there."
Re: Articles
5792Signs of an awakening? Cleveland Indians do a lot of things right in win over Houston
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
HOUSTON - A new shipment of bats for Jose Ramirez. Signs of an awakening from the leadoff and No.5 spots.
Nine strikeouts by Trevor Bauer.
Lonnie Chisenhall producing with runners on base.
Cody Allen saving his 11th game in as many chances since the start of the season. Going back to last season, including the postseason, Allen has converted 26 straight saves.
But maybe the biggest save of Friday night's 5-3 victory by the Indians over the Astros belonged to the sliding/oven glove that Francisco Lindor wears on his left hand when he's running the bases.
Friday was that kind of night for the Indians. They needed it not only because the Astros have the best record in baseball, but because they're spent the first 40 games of the season locked in baseball limbo not knowing who they are or where they're headed.
Before Friday's game manager Terry Francona met with the team and then with the starting pitching staff.
"There's nothing wrong with reminders," said Francona of the meeting.
Perhaps Francona passed along a reminder or two about what this team did last season and how they did it. The Indians, after losing four out of six home games to the Twins and Rays, overcame a 2-0 deficit Friday with the formula their fans grew accustomed to in 2016 - solid starting pitching, a persistent offense and splendid relief pitching.
In the eighth inning, Ramirez tripled into one of Minute Maid Park's nooks and crannies in left center. It was a good sign because not only did he lose his batting helmet on his way around the bases, but he actually made contact.
Ramirez, after hitting .330 (30-for-91) with 21 RBI in April, was hitting .196 (10-for-51) with three RBI in May going into Friday's game. Perhaps a new shipment of bats will help Ramirez get back on track.
"Tony Amato (clubhouse manager) told me my new shipment of bats came in today," said Ramirez, after the game. "He said there were a lot of hits in them."
Chisenhall turned the triple into a run with a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 5-3. In his previous at-bat, he homered. With runners on base this year, Chisenhall is hitting .357 (15-for-42) with four homers and 20 RBI.
Houston led 2-0 after three innings when Edwin Encarnacion tied the score with a two-run homer to left off Charlie Morton in the fourth. No matter how you look at it, Encarnacion has had a poor start to the season, but it was his second homer in three games and seventh of the season.
In the fifth, leadoff hitter Jason Kipnis gave the Indians a 3-2 lead with a homer to right. Kipnis, who wasn't activated until April 21 because of a right shoulder injury, is hitting .409 (9-for-22) with three homers and seven RBI since being moved into the leadoff spot on May 14.
"When you have your leadoff hitter and cleanup hitter starting to heat up," said Francona, "generally the guys around them get better too. "
Encarnacion has been hitting fifth for the last four games, but until then he was hitting cleanup.
Bauer improved to 7-0 with a 2.89 ERA in seven career starts against Houston. Despite what he says about random variation - "it will all even out over a career'' - that's impressive. More importantly Bauer won his second straight start, which could be an indication that consistency is coming his way.
"I like pitching well. I like winning," said Bauer. "I wish I didn't give up so many homers. It's ridiculous at this point."
Houston hit two homers Friday against Bauer. He's allowed 10 in 44 2/3 innings this season. Last year he allowed 20 in 190 innings.
When Bauer retired Carlos Beltran on a foul pop to catcher Roberto Perez for the second out in the sixth, Francona went to the bullpen. Boone Logan relieved to face lefty Brian McCann, but walked him. After that Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller and Allen retired the last 10 Astros. Shaw recorded four outs, while Miller and Allen got three each.
In the fifth, Lindor followed Kipnis' homer with a double. He went to third on a ground out by Michael Brantley. With Carlos Santana batting, and one out, Lindor tried to score when a Morton pitch bounced away from McCann.
The ball caromed off the wall back to McCann, who flipped to Morton, sprinting from the mound. Morton blocked Lindor -- sliding headfirst -- off the plate and tagged him out on a dangerous-looking play. Lindor rose slowly, checking to see if all his body parts still worked.
A batter later, Santana doubled into the left field corner.
"The glove I wear on my left hand hit his knees," said Lindor. "So I was fine. I stopped for a second to see if something was hurt, but I was fine."
Lindor showed how fine in the sixth when Jose Altuve started the inning with a hard grounder to Lindor's left. He speared the ball, spun and threw a two-hopper to Santana at first base to get Altuve. The play was important because Carlos Correa followed with a homer that would have tied the score.
As for Lindor's ill-fated dash home, Francona had no problem with it.
"What do you want him to do?" asked Francona. "Think about it. If he doesn't go, everybody is going to go, 'What is he doing?' The ball just bounced right. When you're halfway home, you can't turn around."
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
HOUSTON - A new shipment of bats for Jose Ramirez. Signs of an awakening from the leadoff and No.5 spots.
Nine strikeouts by Trevor Bauer.
Lonnie Chisenhall producing with runners on base.
Cody Allen saving his 11th game in as many chances since the start of the season. Going back to last season, including the postseason, Allen has converted 26 straight saves.
But maybe the biggest save of Friday night's 5-3 victory by the Indians over the Astros belonged to the sliding/oven glove that Francisco Lindor wears on his left hand when he's running the bases.
Friday was that kind of night for the Indians. They needed it not only because the Astros have the best record in baseball, but because they're spent the first 40 games of the season locked in baseball limbo not knowing who they are or where they're headed.
Before Friday's game manager Terry Francona met with the team and then with the starting pitching staff.
"There's nothing wrong with reminders," said Francona of the meeting.
Perhaps Francona passed along a reminder or two about what this team did last season and how they did it. The Indians, after losing four out of six home games to the Twins and Rays, overcame a 2-0 deficit Friday with the formula their fans grew accustomed to in 2016 - solid starting pitching, a persistent offense and splendid relief pitching.
In the eighth inning, Ramirez tripled into one of Minute Maid Park's nooks and crannies in left center. It was a good sign because not only did he lose his batting helmet on his way around the bases, but he actually made contact.
Ramirez, after hitting .330 (30-for-91) with 21 RBI in April, was hitting .196 (10-for-51) with three RBI in May going into Friday's game. Perhaps a new shipment of bats will help Ramirez get back on track.
"Tony Amato (clubhouse manager) told me my new shipment of bats came in today," said Ramirez, after the game. "He said there were a lot of hits in them."
Chisenhall turned the triple into a run with a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 5-3. In his previous at-bat, he homered. With runners on base this year, Chisenhall is hitting .357 (15-for-42) with four homers and 20 RBI.
Houston led 2-0 after three innings when Edwin Encarnacion tied the score with a two-run homer to left off Charlie Morton in the fourth. No matter how you look at it, Encarnacion has had a poor start to the season, but it was his second homer in three games and seventh of the season.
In the fifth, leadoff hitter Jason Kipnis gave the Indians a 3-2 lead with a homer to right. Kipnis, who wasn't activated until April 21 because of a right shoulder injury, is hitting .409 (9-for-22) with three homers and seven RBI since being moved into the leadoff spot on May 14.
"When you have your leadoff hitter and cleanup hitter starting to heat up," said Francona, "generally the guys around them get better too. "
Encarnacion has been hitting fifth for the last four games, but until then he was hitting cleanup.
Bauer improved to 7-0 with a 2.89 ERA in seven career starts against Houston. Despite what he says about random variation - "it will all even out over a career'' - that's impressive. More importantly Bauer won his second straight start, which could be an indication that consistency is coming his way.
"I like pitching well. I like winning," said Bauer. "I wish I didn't give up so many homers. It's ridiculous at this point."
Houston hit two homers Friday against Bauer. He's allowed 10 in 44 2/3 innings this season. Last year he allowed 20 in 190 innings.
When Bauer retired Carlos Beltran on a foul pop to catcher Roberto Perez for the second out in the sixth, Francona went to the bullpen. Boone Logan relieved to face lefty Brian McCann, but walked him. After that Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller and Allen retired the last 10 Astros. Shaw recorded four outs, while Miller and Allen got three each.
In the fifth, Lindor followed Kipnis' homer with a double. He went to third on a ground out by Michael Brantley. With Carlos Santana batting, and one out, Lindor tried to score when a Morton pitch bounced away from McCann.
The ball caromed off the wall back to McCann, who flipped to Morton, sprinting from the mound. Morton blocked Lindor -- sliding headfirst -- off the plate and tagged him out on a dangerous-looking play. Lindor rose slowly, checking to see if all his body parts still worked.
A batter later, Santana doubled into the left field corner.
"The glove I wear on my left hand hit his knees," said Lindor. "So I was fine. I stopped for a second to see if something was hurt, but I was fine."
Lindor showed how fine in the sixth when Jose Altuve started the inning with a hard grounder to Lindor's left. He speared the ball, spun and threw a two-hopper to Santana at first base to get Altuve. The play was important because Carlos Correa followed with a homer that would have tied the score.
As for Lindor's ill-fated dash home, Francona had no problem with it.
"What do you want him to do?" asked Francona. "Think about it. If he doesn't go, everybody is going to go, 'What is he doing?' The ball just bounced right. When you're halfway home, you can't turn around."
Re: Articles
5793 Hey, Hoynsie
HOUSTON - Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.
Hey, Hoynsie; What's going on with Tyler Naquin? Is he still on the minor league disabled list at Class AAA Columbus? Are the Indians disenchanted with him? - Gary Coatoam, Sanford, Fla.
Hey, Gary: I keep getting peppered with questions about Naquin following the Indians promotions from Class AAA Columbus. Yes, he's still on the disabled list at Columbus with a back injury. He's making progress, but there is no timetable for his return to games.
There's no reason for the Indians to be disenchanted with Naquin. He helped them reach Game 7 of the World Series last year. Right now he's just injured.
Hey, Hoynsie: It's often been said that by May 15 you know what kind of team you have. So what kind of team do Indians' fans have this year? - Dale Tidd, Hilton Head, S.C.
Hey, Dale: I have no idea. I don't think the Indians do either.
Last year on May 15 the Indians were 17-17. They certainly didn't look like a team that would be playing Game 7 of the World Series on Nov. 2.
The Indians just finished a 2-4 homestand against the Twins and Rays. They did not look good doing it. They arrived in Houston on Friday to play the team with the best record in baseball and won the first two games of the series. The best I can tell you right now is that the Indians have talent and there's still a lot of miles left in the season.
Hey, Hoynsie: What is the story with Daniel Robertson? I haven't read about him before he made his debut last week with the Indians. How did he end up on the big-league roster seemingly out of nowhere? - Brian Doran, Akron.
Hey, Brian: The Indians signed Robertson to a minor league contract in November and invited him to big-league spring training. He had a good spring, but late in camp he tore his hamstring legging out a triple and spent over a month on the disabled list. Perhaps that's where you lost track of him.
Robertson is an infielder-outfielder, who played just four games at Columbus before getting promoted to Cleveland. He's had time in the big leagues with Texas, the Angels and Seattle.
Hey, Hoynsie: Is Jason Kipnis completely healed from his injury in spring training? Having moved away from the area, I watch the games on MLB TV and it seems like his bat speed has decreased considerably from last year. - Bob Johnson, East Harford, Conn.
Hey, Bob: Kipnis says he's fine and his swing has improved since he was moved into the leadoff spot. In fact, Kipnis said his right shoulder never stopped him from swinging the bat even when the Indians shut him down in spring training. The strained rotator cuff bothered Kipnis when he threw. That was the big reason Kipnis opened the year on the disabled list.
Hey, Hoynsie: I wish Edwin Encarnacion looked like he cares when he strikes out to end an inning or pops up with men in scoring position. He just seems like: 'You showed me the money, I took it; now you live with it!' Sorry he just doesn't do it for me. - Pat Zickes.
Hey, Pat: I was always told don't judge a book by its cover. Baseball is a tough game to play if you're going to rant and rave every time you make an out. It would be exhausting.
You need to keep your composure from at-bat to at-bat. Encarnacion cares, believe me. No one likes to start a season the way he's started this one no matter how much money he's making. In Saturday's 3-0 win over the Astros, he hit three balls hard and had nothing to show for it. That will lead to frustration whether it's internal or external.
HOUSTON - Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.
Hey, Hoynsie; What's going on with Tyler Naquin? Is he still on the minor league disabled list at Class AAA Columbus? Are the Indians disenchanted with him? - Gary Coatoam, Sanford, Fla.
Hey, Gary: I keep getting peppered with questions about Naquin following the Indians promotions from Class AAA Columbus. Yes, he's still on the disabled list at Columbus with a back injury. He's making progress, but there is no timetable for his return to games.
There's no reason for the Indians to be disenchanted with Naquin. He helped them reach Game 7 of the World Series last year. Right now he's just injured.
Hey, Hoynsie: It's often been said that by May 15 you know what kind of team you have. So what kind of team do Indians' fans have this year? - Dale Tidd, Hilton Head, S.C.
Hey, Dale: I have no idea. I don't think the Indians do either.
Last year on May 15 the Indians were 17-17. They certainly didn't look like a team that would be playing Game 7 of the World Series on Nov. 2.
The Indians just finished a 2-4 homestand against the Twins and Rays. They did not look good doing it. They arrived in Houston on Friday to play the team with the best record in baseball and won the first two games of the series. The best I can tell you right now is that the Indians have talent and there's still a lot of miles left in the season.
Hey, Hoynsie: What is the story with Daniel Robertson? I haven't read about him before he made his debut last week with the Indians. How did he end up on the big-league roster seemingly out of nowhere? - Brian Doran, Akron.
Hey, Brian: The Indians signed Robertson to a minor league contract in November and invited him to big-league spring training. He had a good spring, but late in camp he tore his hamstring legging out a triple and spent over a month on the disabled list. Perhaps that's where you lost track of him.
Robertson is an infielder-outfielder, who played just four games at Columbus before getting promoted to Cleveland. He's had time in the big leagues with Texas, the Angels and Seattle.
Hey, Hoynsie: Is Jason Kipnis completely healed from his injury in spring training? Having moved away from the area, I watch the games on MLB TV and it seems like his bat speed has decreased considerably from last year. - Bob Johnson, East Harford, Conn.
Hey, Bob: Kipnis says he's fine and his swing has improved since he was moved into the leadoff spot. In fact, Kipnis said his right shoulder never stopped him from swinging the bat even when the Indians shut him down in spring training. The strained rotator cuff bothered Kipnis when he threw. That was the big reason Kipnis opened the year on the disabled list.
Hey, Hoynsie: I wish Edwin Encarnacion looked like he cares when he strikes out to end an inning or pops up with men in scoring position. He just seems like: 'You showed me the money, I took it; now you live with it!' Sorry he just doesn't do it for me. - Pat Zickes.
Hey, Pat: I was always told don't judge a book by its cover. Baseball is a tough game to play if you're going to rant and rave every time you make an out. It would be exhausting.
You need to keep your composure from at-bat to at-bat. Encarnacion cares, believe me. No one likes to start a season the way he's started this one no matter how much money he's making. In Saturday's 3-0 win over the Astros, he hit three balls hard and had nothing to show for it. That will lead to frustration whether it's internal or external.
Re: Articles
5794Cleveland Indians thinking about moving starter Danny Salazar to the bullpen
Posted on May 27, 2017 at 9:57 PM
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
phoynes@cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - It sounds as if the Indians have found a solution to their rotation problem that does not include optioning Mike Clevinger to Class AAA Columbus.
Reading between the lines of what manager Terry Francona said following Saturday's 5-3 loss to Kansas City, it appears Danny Salazar could be headed to the bullpen. The roster crunch is on because Corey Kluber is ready to be activated and Francona said before Saturday's game that he most likely will start Thursday against the A's.
Salazar (3-5, 5.50) took the loss Saturday as he walked a season-high five batters in 5 1/3 innings.
"We'll put our heads together and see what's the next best step for him," said Francona. "I think he's probably searching a little bit too."
Salazar has not pitched six complete innings since April 29. He's 1-3 with a 7.33 ERA (19 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings) in his last five starts. He's allowed 30 hits and 14 walks, while striking out 31 in those five starts.
When asked if Salazar was going to be taken out of the rotation, Francona said he was not going to tell reporters before talking to Salazar.
"I think we want to sit down and talk through things," said Francona. "We want to help him. We want to help our team. That's not the proper way to ever make a decision. We're not going to make the decision in here and you guys go tell him."
Salazar's next scheduled start would be Thursday against Oakland. But Francona said Saturday morning that Kluber is most likely in line for that start.
Danny Salazar on his recent struggles and a possible move to the bullpen
When asked about possibly going to the bullpen, Salazar said, "That's not in my plans, you know, but I have no choice. I have to do it."
Salazar had to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning after Jason Kipnis allowed leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar to reach on an error. He allowed just one run.
Francona complimented him, but added that Salazar had too many runners on base during his 5 1/3 innings.
Salazar said he's been working on things, including his confidence, and feels better on the mound.
"For me today it was huge, especially to get out of that first inning," said Salazar. "Those are the kind of things I've been working on."
Salazar said he's not expecting a miracle.
"I don't expect to go from one outing and be 100 percent different the next outing," said Salazar. "That's something that takes a little bit of time."
Salazar said in previous starts this season that he's had trouble stopping rallies. He said when he started allowing hits he sometimes lost confidence in his stuff.
"I think my confidence is getting there," said Salazar. "Especially when it comes to my mix of pitches and not shaking off too much - trusting my catchers. I think I'm getting there."
Salazar leads all Indians pitchers with 28 walks. He said his problem Saturday was "rushing."
"I've been rushing (my pitches)," said Salazar. "I've been working on staying calm on the mound. I've been trying to take my time and make my pitches.
"I'll make one good pitch. The next one I'm rushing again. That is what is happening right now. But I'm getting there."
Salazar has never made a relief appearance during the regular season in the big leagues. He did make two relief appearances last year in the World Series.
Posted on May 27, 2017 at 9:57 PM
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
phoynes@cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - It sounds as if the Indians have found a solution to their rotation problem that does not include optioning Mike Clevinger to Class AAA Columbus.
Reading between the lines of what manager Terry Francona said following Saturday's 5-3 loss to Kansas City, it appears Danny Salazar could be headed to the bullpen. The roster crunch is on because Corey Kluber is ready to be activated and Francona said before Saturday's game that he most likely will start Thursday against the A's.
Salazar (3-5, 5.50) took the loss Saturday as he walked a season-high five batters in 5 1/3 innings.
"We'll put our heads together and see what's the next best step for him," said Francona. "I think he's probably searching a little bit too."
Salazar has not pitched six complete innings since April 29. He's 1-3 with a 7.33 ERA (19 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings) in his last five starts. He's allowed 30 hits and 14 walks, while striking out 31 in those five starts.
When asked if Salazar was going to be taken out of the rotation, Francona said he was not going to tell reporters before talking to Salazar.
"I think we want to sit down and talk through things," said Francona. "We want to help him. We want to help our team. That's not the proper way to ever make a decision. We're not going to make the decision in here and you guys go tell him."
Salazar's next scheduled start would be Thursday against Oakland. But Francona said Saturday morning that Kluber is most likely in line for that start.
Danny Salazar on his recent struggles and a possible move to the bullpen
When asked about possibly going to the bullpen, Salazar said, "That's not in my plans, you know, but I have no choice. I have to do it."
Salazar had to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning after Jason Kipnis allowed leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar to reach on an error. He allowed just one run.
Francona complimented him, but added that Salazar had too many runners on base during his 5 1/3 innings.
Salazar said he's been working on things, including his confidence, and feels better on the mound.
"For me today it was huge, especially to get out of that first inning," said Salazar. "Those are the kind of things I've been working on."
Salazar said he's not expecting a miracle.
"I don't expect to go from one outing and be 100 percent different the next outing," said Salazar. "That's something that takes a little bit of time."
Salazar said in previous starts this season that he's had trouble stopping rallies. He said when he started allowing hits he sometimes lost confidence in his stuff.
"I think my confidence is getting there," said Salazar. "Especially when it comes to my mix of pitches and not shaking off too much - trusting my catchers. I think I'm getting there."
Salazar leads all Indians pitchers with 28 walks. He said his problem Saturday was "rushing."
"I've been rushing (my pitches)," said Salazar. "I've been working on staying calm on the mound. I've been trying to take my time and make my pitches.
"I'll make one good pitch. The next one I'm rushing again. That is what is happening right now. But I'm getting there."
Salazar has never made a relief appearance during the regular season in the big leagues. He did make two relief appearances last year in the World Series.
Re: Articles
5795Every story on Salazar centers on his confidence. Not sure how you teach that. I suppose the team has [maybe all teams have] a sports psychologist whose work is never publicly discussed. Whatever it takes."I think my confidence is getting there,"
Re: Articles
5796I had help from a sports psychologist when I played. He leaned over and whispered in my ear........
"Get back out there in the field or I will kick your shin as hard as I can1"
"Get back out there in the field or I will kick your shin as hard as I can1"
Re: Articles
5797GM Mike Chernoff on state of the Cleveland Indians after nearly two months
Updated May 30, 2017
World Series hangover?
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Indians set a high bar for themselves last year by winning the AL pennant and reaching Game 7 of the World Series.
So far this season they seemingly have gone out of their way to stay below that bar. They entered Tuesday night’s game against Oakland in second place in the Central with a 26-23 record. They trailed first-place Minnesota by one game.
In the NL Central, the Cubs, the team that beat the Indians to win their first World Series since 1908, are playing a similar brand of baseball. They were 25-25 and trailed first-place Milwaukee by 1 ½ games on Tuesday.
Did playing into November drain baseball’s top two teams from last year?
“People talk about a World Series hangover,” said GM Mike Chernoff. “I don’t think it’s a hangover. We’ve got a really good team with high expectations.
“We’ve seen bright spots from different members of our team. We just haven’t come together to do it like we did last year. You have to remember in June of last year we weren’t the team that we were in October.
“It takes a lot to get through a season. There are ups and downs to a season. It’s the team that grinds through all 162 games that ends up making it to October.”
Worried about Edwin Encarnacion?
Edwin Encarnacion is starting to swing the bat like Edwin Encarnacion. He’s not there yet, but that collective sigh of relief you just heard came from the executive offices at Progressive Field.
“His at-bats are starting to get a lot better,” said Chernoff. “You saw him drive that ball (451-foot homer) to center field on Monday. You see him going the other way a little bit more, driving the ball in the gaps a little bit more.
“It’s hard when you come to a new team, a new place and try to settle in. That’s never easy, but he has a lot of guys around him in the lineup so that he doesn’t have to carry the lineup. You just keep building on the positives.”
Encarnacion took an eight-game hitting streak into Tuesday night’s game. After hitting .200 (17-for-85) with four homers and nine RBI in April, he’s hitting .250 (23-for-92) with six homers and 12 RBI in May.
“Obviously, this guy is a great hitter,” said Chernoff. “You can see it in there. He prepares exceptionally well. This is a professional hitter. You’re talking about a month or two-month blip. He’s had this in his career before. These things happen.
“I’m sure a guy like that puts a lot of pressure on himself when he comes to a new team, but no one is concerned at all.”
The care and feeding of Bradley Zimmer
The Indians have seen the future in center field and his name is Bradley Zimmer. The question is how long will the future stay in the big leagues?
Zimmer was promoted from Class AAA Columbus following a rash of injuries that put outfielders Austin Jackson, Brandon Guyer and Abraham Almonte on the disabled list. After Zimmer arrived on May 16, Lonnie Chisenhall, another outfielder, was placed on the disabled list with a concussion.
What happens when they start to get healthy? Jackson has already been activated. But Guyer and Almonte are still limited in their rehabs, while Chisenhall is recovering from a concussion.
“Zimmer has looked great,” said Chernoff. “He made a ton of progress in the minor leagues on his pre-pitch set up. He made some great adjustments with the bat in the minors and we’ve seen those things carry into his at-bats here and into the field here. He’s played a great center field and looked really comfortable at the plate.
“Anytime you call a young player up, you want to make sure he’s in a good place to handle the adversity he’ll face. We’ve seen him be able to do that.”
But is Zimmer here to stay? He entered Tuesday’s game hitting .290 (9-for-31) with three doubles, one homer and four RBI. He’s scored four runs and stole three bases in four attempts.
“Most young players aren’t up to stay,” said Chernoff. “I don’t think we go in thinking somebody is here to stay or he’s not here to stay. We had a need at the time and those needs change over time. Part of it is in his control and part of it is not in his control.
“Almost every player gets optioned at some point in their careers. We don’t go into making decisions forever. We go into making decisions for the immediate need. We felt like he was the right guy at this time to do that. At some point, if he has to go back, he can continue that work. If he never goes back, that’s great, too.”
When will Tribe start clicking on all cylinders?
It’s hard to get a read on the Indians. They have the bullpen with the lowest ERA in the American League and the starting rotation with the highest.
Offensively, they’ve only been shut out once, but they’re 12th in the AL in runs and 14th with .211 (65-for-325) batting average with runners in scoring position.
The Indians longest winning streak has been five games. Their longest losing streak has been three games. Their biggest lead in the AL Central has been 1 ½ games. Their biggest deficit has been three games.
They're like a team standing on the corner waiting for the bus. But whether that bus is going uptown or downtown is anybody's guess.
“You see bright spots and you see some spots where we’re just kind of treating water,” said Chernoff. “It will be great to get (Corey) Kluber back on the mound. And when guys start coming off the disabled list, especially some of our outfielders, I think that will be helpful for the team.
“I guess I would say we just haven’t clicked on all cylinders yet.”
Danny Salazar meets the bullpen
One of the problems with the rotation, a team strength last season, has been the inconsistency of Danny Salazar. The inconsistency led to Salazar being moved to the bullpen after his start on Saturday against the Royals.
Just how long Salazar will stay there is not known, but manager Terry Francona said his first bullpen session went well.
“He had a bullpen session Monday with Mickey (Callaway, pitching coach),” said Francona. “They treated it like he was coming into a game with men on base. He started throwing out of the stretch. Then they said the inning is over and he went to his full wind up.
“I think they all felt pretty good about it – his intensity and what he was trying to do worked out pretty well. That’s probably the first step.”
Francona said Salazar might be available on Wednesday, “but certainly on Thursday. Some of it may depend on situations. He’s close to leading the league in strikeouts per nine innings (12.5 strikeouts per nine inning). So that’s there.”
The ideal situation? "If we had a 10-run lead it would be nice to give him an inning," said Francona. "But that doesn't happen often."
The four active members of the Tribe’s rotation – Josh Tomlin, Carlos Carrasco, Mike Clevinger and Trevor Bauer – have all spent time in the bullpen. Carrasco’s trip to the pen in 2014 not only improved his control and aggressiveness, it probably saved his career with the Indians. If this trip to the pen comes close to doing that with Salazar, the decision makers in the organization would not be unhappy.
Statistically speaking
Five statistics to contemplate as the Indians prepare for their 51st game of the season on Tuesday night.
No. 1. Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor are tied for the team lead with five three-hit games each this season.
No. 2. Ramirez is hitting .376 (32-for-85) at home this season. He leads the AL in home batting average. Unfortunately, the Indians play 81 games on the road as well. Ramirez is hitting .204 (19-for-93) on the road.
No. 3. Encarnacion is hitting .355 (11-for-31) with two doubles, three homers and five RBI in his eight-game hitting streak.
No. 4. Yan Gomes, after hitting .176 (9-for-51) in April, is hitting .293 (17-for-58) in May.
No. 5. The opposition is hitting .133 (8-for-60) against Nick Goody. He has a 0.00 ERA on the road and a 0.00 ERA at home. He has allowed one run at home, but it was unearned.
Updated May 30, 2017
World Series hangover?
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Indians set a high bar for themselves last year by winning the AL pennant and reaching Game 7 of the World Series.
So far this season they seemingly have gone out of their way to stay below that bar. They entered Tuesday night’s game against Oakland in second place in the Central with a 26-23 record. They trailed first-place Minnesota by one game.
In the NL Central, the Cubs, the team that beat the Indians to win their first World Series since 1908, are playing a similar brand of baseball. They were 25-25 and trailed first-place Milwaukee by 1 ½ games on Tuesday.
Did playing into November drain baseball’s top two teams from last year?
“People talk about a World Series hangover,” said GM Mike Chernoff. “I don’t think it’s a hangover. We’ve got a really good team with high expectations.
“We’ve seen bright spots from different members of our team. We just haven’t come together to do it like we did last year. You have to remember in June of last year we weren’t the team that we were in October.
“It takes a lot to get through a season. There are ups and downs to a season. It’s the team that grinds through all 162 games that ends up making it to October.”
Worried about Edwin Encarnacion?
Edwin Encarnacion is starting to swing the bat like Edwin Encarnacion. He’s not there yet, but that collective sigh of relief you just heard came from the executive offices at Progressive Field.
“His at-bats are starting to get a lot better,” said Chernoff. “You saw him drive that ball (451-foot homer) to center field on Monday. You see him going the other way a little bit more, driving the ball in the gaps a little bit more.
“It’s hard when you come to a new team, a new place and try to settle in. That’s never easy, but he has a lot of guys around him in the lineup so that he doesn’t have to carry the lineup. You just keep building on the positives.”
Encarnacion took an eight-game hitting streak into Tuesday night’s game. After hitting .200 (17-for-85) with four homers and nine RBI in April, he’s hitting .250 (23-for-92) with six homers and 12 RBI in May.
“Obviously, this guy is a great hitter,” said Chernoff. “You can see it in there. He prepares exceptionally well. This is a professional hitter. You’re talking about a month or two-month blip. He’s had this in his career before. These things happen.
“I’m sure a guy like that puts a lot of pressure on himself when he comes to a new team, but no one is concerned at all.”
The care and feeding of Bradley Zimmer
The Indians have seen the future in center field and his name is Bradley Zimmer. The question is how long will the future stay in the big leagues?
Zimmer was promoted from Class AAA Columbus following a rash of injuries that put outfielders Austin Jackson, Brandon Guyer and Abraham Almonte on the disabled list. After Zimmer arrived on May 16, Lonnie Chisenhall, another outfielder, was placed on the disabled list with a concussion.
What happens when they start to get healthy? Jackson has already been activated. But Guyer and Almonte are still limited in their rehabs, while Chisenhall is recovering from a concussion.
“Zimmer has looked great,” said Chernoff. “He made a ton of progress in the minor leagues on his pre-pitch set up. He made some great adjustments with the bat in the minors and we’ve seen those things carry into his at-bats here and into the field here. He’s played a great center field and looked really comfortable at the plate.
“Anytime you call a young player up, you want to make sure he’s in a good place to handle the adversity he’ll face. We’ve seen him be able to do that.”
But is Zimmer here to stay? He entered Tuesday’s game hitting .290 (9-for-31) with three doubles, one homer and four RBI. He’s scored four runs and stole three bases in four attempts.
“Most young players aren’t up to stay,” said Chernoff. “I don’t think we go in thinking somebody is here to stay or he’s not here to stay. We had a need at the time and those needs change over time. Part of it is in his control and part of it is not in his control.
“Almost every player gets optioned at some point in their careers. We don’t go into making decisions forever. We go into making decisions for the immediate need. We felt like he was the right guy at this time to do that. At some point, if he has to go back, he can continue that work. If he never goes back, that’s great, too.”
When will Tribe start clicking on all cylinders?
It’s hard to get a read on the Indians. They have the bullpen with the lowest ERA in the American League and the starting rotation with the highest.
Offensively, they’ve only been shut out once, but they’re 12th in the AL in runs and 14th with .211 (65-for-325) batting average with runners in scoring position.
The Indians longest winning streak has been five games. Their longest losing streak has been three games. Their biggest lead in the AL Central has been 1 ½ games. Their biggest deficit has been three games.
They're like a team standing on the corner waiting for the bus. But whether that bus is going uptown or downtown is anybody's guess.
“You see bright spots and you see some spots where we’re just kind of treating water,” said Chernoff. “It will be great to get (Corey) Kluber back on the mound. And when guys start coming off the disabled list, especially some of our outfielders, I think that will be helpful for the team.
“I guess I would say we just haven’t clicked on all cylinders yet.”
Danny Salazar meets the bullpen
One of the problems with the rotation, a team strength last season, has been the inconsistency of Danny Salazar. The inconsistency led to Salazar being moved to the bullpen after his start on Saturday against the Royals.
Just how long Salazar will stay there is not known, but manager Terry Francona said his first bullpen session went well.
“He had a bullpen session Monday with Mickey (Callaway, pitching coach),” said Francona. “They treated it like he was coming into a game with men on base. He started throwing out of the stretch. Then they said the inning is over and he went to his full wind up.
“I think they all felt pretty good about it – his intensity and what he was trying to do worked out pretty well. That’s probably the first step.”
Francona said Salazar might be available on Wednesday, “but certainly on Thursday. Some of it may depend on situations. He’s close to leading the league in strikeouts per nine innings (12.5 strikeouts per nine inning). So that’s there.”
The ideal situation? "If we had a 10-run lead it would be nice to give him an inning," said Francona. "But that doesn't happen often."
The four active members of the Tribe’s rotation – Josh Tomlin, Carlos Carrasco, Mike Clevinger and Trevor Bauer – have all spent time in the bullpen. Carrasco’s trip to the pen in 2014 not only improved his control and aggressiveness, it probably saved his career with the Indians. If this trip to the pen comes close to doing that with Salazar, the decision makers in the organization would not be unhappy.
Statistically speaking
Five statistics to contemplate as the Indians prepare for their 51st game of the season on Tuesday night.
No. 1. Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor are tied for the team lead with five three-hit games each this season.
No. 2. Ramirez is hitting .376 (32-for-85) at home this season. He leads the AL in home batting average. Unfortunately, the Indians play 81 games on the road as well. Ramirez is hitting .204 (19-for-93) on the road.
No. 3. Encarnacion is hitting .355 (11-for-31) with two doubles, three homers and five RBI in his eight-game hitting streak.
No. 4. Yan Gomes, after hitting .176 (9-for-51) in April, is hitting .293 (17-for-58) in May.
No. 5. The opposition is hitting .133 (8-for-60) against Nick Goody. He has a 0.00 ERA on the road and a 0.00 ERA at home. He has allowed one run at home, but it was unearned.
Re: Articles
5798That Zimmer kid continues to look better and better. Seems to be a consensus he's the best defensive CF they have, which by itself is a good reason to keep him around. Now has 4 doubles, 2 homers, 3 steals, 5 walks in 40 plate appearances. He's cut down the strikeouts the last few games, too; 3 in his last 19 AB, after 9 in his first 21.
Re: Articles
5799I would hope that one of those injuries could continue (whether in fact or not) until Zimmer cools off.
Re: Articles
5800Wild Thing: A move to the bullpen wasn't what Danny Salazar wanted, 'but it's something that maybe I needed'
By Zack Meisel, cleveland.com
zmeisel@cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The bullpen door swung open and, for the first time in his career, Danny Salazar jogged toward the infield for a regular-season relief appearance.
As he reached the mound, a song blared from the Progressive Field speakers.
Wild Thing. You make my heart sing. You make everything groovy. Wild Thing.
Salazar said he did not select that number. He did, however, sport Rick Vaughn glasses during spring training last year. And, he has, at times, struggled with his command this season, though not to the degree in which the "Major League" character often did.
The right-hander had no issues with his one inning of work on Thursday afternoon. Terry Francona had hoped to come across a lopsided game at some point to ease Salazar into his new role -- though he may make a spot start in Colorado next week. He got just that on Thursday, with the Indians ahead by eight runs in the ninth inning.
"The phone rings in the bullpen and you hear your name," Salazar said, "[and] the adrenaline you get, that's really cool."
Salazar allowed a leadoff single, but struck out two in a scoreless inning.
"He came out firing," said catcher Roberto Perez. "That's what he needs to do, come out and leave it all out there."
Cleveland Indians move Danny Salazar to the bullpen
Salazar logged a 5.50 ERA in 10 starts before the Indians opted to relocate him to the bullpen. With Corey Kluber returning from the disabled list and Mike Clevinger deserving a longer stay in the rotation, the club had an extra member of a five-man unit. Salazar's shaky performance made him the odd one out.
He admitted it wasn't the best news to hear, but he remembered that every other member of the Tribe's rotation has, at some juncture, spent time in the bullpen.
"I think you just have to put in your mind that every pitch has a purpose," Salazar said. "Every time you go out there, it's like you're throwing the ninth."
There's no knowing how long Salazar will remain in the 'pen. It's a matter of rebuilding the 27-year-old's confidence. Well, that, and ensuring that Salazar improves his command. Then, he can jog to the mound to a different tune.
"My situation is not what I wanted, but it's something that maybe I needed," Salazar said. "And I'm trying to take it in that way, a positive way."
By Zack Meisel, cleveland.com
zmeisel@cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The bullpen door swung open and, for the first time in his career, Danny Salazar jogged toward the infield for a regular-season relief appearance.
As he reached the mound, a song blared from the Progressive Field speakers.
Wild Thing. You make my heart sing. You make everything groovy. Wild Thing.
Salazar said he did not select that number. He did, however, sport Rick Vaughn glasses during spring training last year. And, he has, at times, struggled with his command this season, though not to the degree in which the "Major League" character often did.
The right-hander had no issues with his one inning of work on Thursday afternoon. Terry Francona had hoped to come across a lopsided game at some point to ease Salazar into his new role -- though he may make a spot start in Colorado next week. He got just that on Thursday, with the Indians ahead by eight runs in the ninth inning.
"The phone rings in the bullpen and you hear your name," Salazar said, "[and] the adrenaline you get, that's really cool."
Salazar allowed a leadoff single, but struck out two in a scoreless inning.
"He came out firing," said catcher Roberto Perez. "That's what he needs to do, come out and leave it all out there."
Cleveland Indians move Danny Salazar to the bullpen
Salazar logged a 5.50 ERA in 10 starts before the Indians opted to relocate him to the bullpen. With Corey Kluber returning from the disabled list and Mike Clevinger deserving a longer stay in the rotation, the club had an extra member of a five-man unit. Salazar's shaky performance made him the odd one out.
He admitted it wasn't the best news to hear, but he remembered that every other member of the Tribe's rotation has, at some juncture, spent time in the bullpen.
"I think you just have to put in your mind that every pitch has a purpose," Salazar said. "Every time you go out there, it's like you're throwing the ninth."
There's no knowing how long Salazar will remain in the 'pen. It's a matter of rebuilding the 27-year-old's confidence. Well, that, and ensuring that Salazar improves his command. Then, he can jog to the mound to a different tune.
"My situation is not what I wanted, but it's something that maybe I needed," Salazar said. "And I'm trying to take it in that way, a positive way."
Re: Articles
5802... only if he is confident in his own abilities and that's been tough for him. Closer has to be able to bounce back from a bad day; and to avoid mistakes; Danny has the stuff but not the confidence nor the consistency to close, at least not yet.
Re: Articles
5803I only meant if he gets good at blowing people away going all out for 1-2 innings. That could build his confidence for that role. I have never really liked him as much as others as a starter. In one of my wildest moments I even proposed trading him and Kipnis and a prospect for Sale. But kipnis bleeds too much Tribe blood even if he is from Chicago and they needed a 2B. Would have moved Ramirez to 2B and given Yandy a long look at 3B.
Re: Articles
5804Terry Francona to Cleveland Indians on 12-5 loss to Royals: "That wasn't close to good enough"
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
phoynes@cleveland.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It was a bad day at The K for the Indians.
"We didn't play like a team that deserved to win today," said second baseman Jason Kipnis.
Carlos Carrasco fell apart in the fifth inning. What followed was not pleasant to watch as the Royals batted around in the fifth and seventh innings on the way to a 12-5 victory. A point to remember about the final score is that the Indians led, 3-0, through the first four innings.
Manager Terry Francona, who rarely criticizes his team, did so after the game.
Pointing to the fifth inning, in which Royals scored six runs on five hits, Francona said, "That inning they were hitting some balls hard. I thought we caught a break when he (Alcides Escobar) popped up bunt up (to Carrasco) but from there everything unraveled.
"They hit the ball hard. We didn't catch it. It was a sloppy game from that point on. We didn't do anything good. We're going to have to get a little bit of rest, come back here Sunday and play a lot better because that wasn't close to good enough."
The Indians, with the third highest fielding percentage in the AL, made three errors. Kipnis made one early that didn't hurt. Right fielder Austin Jackson and third baseman Jose Ramirez made errors in the seventh that fueled a five-run inning by the Royals.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor chipped in when Jorge Bonifacio's liner deflected off his glove for a single to keep the seventh going.
"We were out on defense all day," said Francona. "Now our defense didn't help anything either. You hope it's an anomaly and you move forward because that's a hard way to win.
"Somebody asked me the other day about that Oakland game. I said be careful because it can happen to you."
On Thursday the Indians beat the A's at Progressive Field, 8-0. The A's contributed to the loss with three errors and a bevy of mental mistakes. The Indians didn't have anyone run off the field when there was only two out as the A's did, but this was not a defensive clinic.
"It's very frustrating," said Lindor. "Whenever you lose a game, it's frustrating. Playing the way we did today makes it's a little more frustrating."
Lindor said he should have caught Bonifacio's liner.
"I just missed the ball," he said. "It had nothing to do with the long innings. It had nothing to do with the pitchers. I just missed the ball.
"I've got to get in front of it instead of catching it on the side. If it gets past me, then it hits me in the chest."
Carrasco, speaking in a whisper, said he fell behind in the count in the fifth inning when Kansas City turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead. Nick Goody relieved with two out and Mike Moustakas on second base. He threw a 2-2 slider to Lorenzo Cain, who hit it over the left field fence for 6-3 lead.
Cain's homer represented the first earned run Goody has allowed this year.
"A hanger," said Goody.
Said Francona, "I don't know that someone can go through the year without giving up runs. He's been so good. He just hung a breaking ball."
Danny Salazar pitched the final 1 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts.
The Indians just took Salazar out of the rotation, but they're considering starting him Wednesday against the Rockies in Coors Field. Whether the 37 pitches he threw Saturday takes him out of consideration for that start or serves as his bullpen session remains to be seen.
"When he executes his pitches, he can go right through a hitter," said Francona. "When he doesn't, there's that pretty solid contact. We're still working at it."
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
phoynes@cleveland.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It was a bad day at The K for the Indians.
"We didn't play like a team that deserved to win today," said second baseman Jason Kipnis.
Carlos Carrasco fell apart in the fifth inning. What followed was not pleasant to watch as the Royals batted around in the fifth and seventh innings on the way to a 12-5 victory. A point to remember about the final score is that the Indians led, 3-0, through the first four innings.
Manager Terry Francona, who rarely criticizes his team, did so after the game.
Pointing to the fifth inning, in which Royals scored six runs on five hits, Francona said, "That inning they were hitting some balls hard. I thought we caught a break when he (Alcides Escobar) popped up bunt up (to Carrasco) but from there everything unraveled.
"They hit the ball hard. We didn't catch it. It was a sloppy game from that point on. We didn't do anything good. We're going to have to get a little bit of rest, come back here Sunday and play a lot better because that wasn't close to good enough."
The Indians, with the third highest fielding percentage in the AL, made three errors. Kipnis made one early that didn't hurt. Right fielder Austin Jackson and third baseman Jose Ramirez made errors in the seventh that fueled a five-run inning by the Royals.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor chipped in when Jorge Bonifacio's liner deflected off his glove for a single to keep the seventh going.
"We were out on defense all day," said Francona. "Now our defense didn't help anything either. You hope it's an anomaly and you move forward because that's a hard way to win.
"Somebody asked me the other day about that Oakland game. I said be careful because it can happen to you."
On Thursday the Indians beat the A's at Progressive Field, 8-0. The A's contributed to the loss with three errors and a bevy of mental mistakes. The Indians didn't have anyone run off the field when there was only two out as the A's did, but this was not a defensive clinic.
"It's very frustrating," said Lindor. "Whenever you lose a game, it's frustrating. Playing the way we did today makes it's a little more frustrating."
Lindor said he should have caught Bonifacio's liner.
"I just missed the ball," he said. "It had nothing to do with the long innings. It had nothing to do with the pitchers. I just missed the ball.
"I've got to get in front of it instead of catching it on the side. If it gets past me, then it hits me in the chest."
Carrasco, speaking in a whisper, said he fell behind in the count in the fifth inning when Kansas City turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead. Nick Goody relieved with two out and Mike Moustakas on second base. He threw a 2-2 slider to Lorenzo Cain, who hit it over the left field fence for 6-3 lead.
Cain's homer represented the first earned run Goody has allowed this year.
"A hanger," said Goody.
Said Francona, "I don't know that someone can go through the year without giving up runs. He's been so good. He just hung a breaking ball."
Danny Salazar pitched the final 1 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts.
The Indians just took Salazar out of the rotation, but they're considering starting him Wednesday against the Rockies in Coors Field. Whether the 37 pitches he threw Saturday takes him out of consideration for that start or serves as his bullpen session remains to be seen.
"When he executes his pitches, he can go right through a hitter," said Francona. "When he doesn't, there's that pretty solid contact. We're still working at it."
Re: Articles
5805Kind of the basics of being a pitcher."When he executes his pitches, he can go right through a hitter," said Francona. "When he doesn't, there's that pretty solid contact. We're still working at it."