Cleveland Sports Forum

Seattle with three lefties in the bullpen. Wouldn't surprise me to see all three tonight.

These Cubans play some decent baseball.

Exercise is futility so far.

Heredia is a good ballplayer. Always liked him.

If you are a good ballplayer, and you play in the Cuban Series Nationale, your salary is about $3000.00 a year (90 game season - about 4 months).

Chief among them is Yulieski Gourriel, rated by many as the best player on the island and one of the leading third basemen in the world. Now 28 and plying his trade for Industriales, he has remained on the island as many of his peers have left. It is certainly not money that has kept him in Cuba. His standard salary increased by 26 times as a result of the new policy, but it is still only 13,000 Cuban pesos (£300) a month. Even with an additional $300 (£184) hard currency payment, he earns less than 0.5% of what he could make in the Major League

Gourriel's loyalty is partly explained by his background. He is the scion of Cuba's first family of baseball. His father, Lourdes, was the star of Cuba's Olympic baseball gold-winning team in 1992 and went on to be a club manager.

His uncle, cousin and great-uncle were all top-level players and his brother, Yuliesky (like many Cubans, they were given Russian names during the cold war), is a team-mate on Industriales.

And then there is brother Lourdes Jr.

Thought you quit watching the game live cause you jinx us, Joe?

What a shame to waste a quality start be Carrasco. Two bad pitches is all it takes. No hits is all it takes.

That was the Twins series Gaylord. I was trying to get us un-tracked. It worked pretty much. If it weren't for left handed pitching, we'd be running away with this division.

The Mariners have their closer, Diaz, warming up in the bullpen. Anyone seen him in the WBC knows he is a tough cookie. Let's hope Encarnacion doesn't try to hit every pitch out of the park. His goose could be cooked against this guy.

In decisions involving left handed pitching, we are 2-8.

MORE:
Average less than 2 runs a game; little over 3 hits a game (I think we gotta do better ?!?!?!). The two lefties nailed us down for 11 K's and closer, Diaz, fanned 3 of the 4 batters he faced. 14 k's & 2 w's between the 3 pitchers. Carassco another nice job fanned 7 walked 0.

TEAM LEADERS:
CLEAN SWEEP

BATTING AVG
Jose Ramirez
.337

HOME RUNS
Jose Ramirez
Francisco Lindor
6

RBI
Jose Ramirez
19

OBP
Jose Ramirez
.394

HITS
Jose Ramirez
28

Jose has done just about everything right so far this year except for yesterday. For a guy that rarely strikes out, he drew the hat trick, the only real flaw on his record. He only has one ill-advised error that he committed on a throw that he should have put into his back pocket. He was still playing second base at the time.

Live by the fastball down the middle of the plate.....die by the fastball down the middle of the plate. Two out, two run homer by Cruz. That didn't take long. Glad this guy we're going to face is right handed. At least we have a chance to come back in this one.

Don't look now, JOE, but it's 4-3, INDIANS now!

Lucky no southpaw. I thought we could come back against Gallardo.