civ ollilavad wrote:Quantrill earns the job. Not sure what job, [6th starter?] but he looked good: 4 innings, 1 walk, 1 hit, 4K. Plutko stumbles through the 5th with 2 hits and a walk. We lead 1-0 on Carlos Hernandez 1st inning homer.

Naylor's not hurt badly, back in the lineup.

civ - he had only thrown 38 pitches too! The announcers talked about it but I wish they had left him in.

Quantrill of course is so overlooked but he was a top kid in the SD system. Don't sleep on him as an important part of that trade!

I yhought that Lindors hit in the 10th went over the yellow line and should have been reviewed, Jose R. made it moot.

I'm afraid Abreu wins the MVP but Ramirez is a one man offense for the Indians and hot at the right time. He will be a top 5 finisher; although Bieber will share some votes too from Cleveland-friendly voters.

It's still mystifying how he lapsed into that half a season long slump a couple years back.
I will always give Joe Z credit for "discovering" Jose during one winter league season. I'm waiting for Joe to find us a super outfielder this winter: I'll accept George Valera or anyone else who can hit

Too bad no crowd to go wild after the big blast

Did anyone else think it wrong for Sandy to let Perez go to second to start the 10th? On a normal double, he could have been thrown out at the plate. Mercado should have been in there for him. Turned out OK, but still.....

No it was stupid. He has 3 catchers although I don't think Sandy is aware of that.

Bieber with probably career high 3 walks. Only run is unearned so ERA at 1.63 and he wins that title. 10 K in 5 innings and he's clinched that title [runner up Giolito has 8 K in 4 innings and will be a solid competitor for Cy Youngs in the future.
98 pitches for Bieber. If Alomar is keeping track, he will pull Shane now. But anything is possible with our temporary manager.

Update on the Idiots in the Outfield; game 1 vs Chi Naylor with his 3 hits but Naquin and DeShields none, as a group 3-11
Game 2 more typical Naquin hitless, Naylor hitless, DeShields single; as a group 1-11
Game 3 tonight not sure why he plays every night but Naquin is so far 0-2, Luplow with a rare appearance 0-2, Mercado 0-2. Of the 6 at bats, only 1, by Mercado was not a strike out. Still a few more innings to go so perhaps they will turn it on in a big way down the stretch. To recap, for the first 24 innings of the series the group is 4-28.
I will again note that Zimmer, Johnson and Bauers must be whiffing at AA pitchers in Eastlake if none is worth a return to the limelight.

Have to agree especially Daniel Johnson.

And one of the OFs comes through: Luplow can hit lefties, but he's still a disaster hitting under 100 vs right handers. He could be useful as a 4th OF or a pinch hitter for one of our many catchers but no possibility of being a regular. Anytime a RH comes in to pitch he needs to be lifted. There's room for him on a 28 man team, not so sure on the 26 man teams of the post-pandemic future.

The others are still atrocious. I give Naylor a chance to prove himself. I give Mercado a replay after this disaster of a sophomore year. Naquin now 1 hit in his last 25 at bats with no walks and 9 strikeouts. No role for him in the playoffs. Rush someone up for the final few days to get some at bats against big league pitchers; Johnson or Zimmer cannot hit any worse.

Is Santos a genius giving the green light to Luplow on a 3-0 pitch with game tied, nobody on, 2 outs?
Probably not. I assume all hitters in the bottom of the 9th in a tie game, have the green light with nobody on.

I'll give give Alomar credit; I've not given him credit for anything else positive and I don't want to be unkind to jhim.

3 consecutive pinch hit singles get the rally going in the 7th by of all people: Naylor, Naquin and Freeman.

Last time the Indians had 3 straight pinch hits in an inning was in the 9th inning of Beer Night! by Ed Crosby Rusty Torres and Alan Ashby. shortly before the fans rioted onto the field. [One of the Classic Cleveland Moments along with the Burning River]

Don't use up all your luck. Save some for the playoffs.

Unbelievable !!! Another walkoff. 3 in a row.