Cleveland Sports Forum

Because they wont take them to the opposite field when they go for the outside corner. Only Brantley consistently does that.

Absolutely right. If I had to watch one more idiot try to pull that soft stuff away and roll over on it for a weak grounder I would have puked.

Cleveland Indians have no answer when Kansas City's Jason Vargas doubles down
Posted on June 3, 2017 at 12:54 AM


By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

phoynes@cleveland.com

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Jason Vargas spent Friday night doubling the Indians' pain, while out-lasting Josh Tomlin at Kauffman Stadium.

The game took only 2 hours and 19 minutes. One of the reasons was because the Indians kept making two outs with one swing of the bat. They did it four times in the first six innings in a 4-0 loss to Vargas and the Royals.

Vargas has already made three starts against the Indians this year. Friday he was at his best, pitching a seven-hit shutout. In those three starts, the Indians have scored two runs in 20 2/3 innings against Vargas.

Vargas, when he's right, is a hitter's nightmare because he's a teaser.

"That's what makes him good," said manager Terry Francona, when asked about the four double plays the Indians hit into. "You're always reaching. You want more. With a guy like that, when we talk about keeping the line moving, our right-handed hitters are going to have to hit the ball the other way at times.

"Or at least think that way so when they get something slower, we're just not rolling over."
Indians manager Terry Francona on duel between Josh Tomlin, Jason Vargas

All four double plays came from the right side of the plate - two by Carlos Santana, one by Jose Ramirez and one by Francisco Lindor. Santana, Ramirez and Lindor are switch-hitters who were batting right-handed against Vargas.

To make Vargas more bedeviling, the Indians put the leadoff hitter on base four times in the first six innings with no return.

"We'd do a good job of getting guys on base to start innings," said Jason Kipnis, "but once we got them on, he got more disciplined and we got less. It's not any surprise that he's going to go to off-speed pitches in those situations. We just didn't do a good of staying back tonight and rolled into a bunch of double plays that hurt us."

Vargas, counting the double plays, recorded 18 outs on the ground.

"Those double plays allowed me to stay in the game," said Vargas, who threw his first shutout since Aug. 11, 2014 against Oakland. "It kept us from getting innings extended on us. It set the tone to get the offense going.

"It just really sets the tone when we're able to put guys away with one ball put in play."

Tomlin was every bit as good as Vargas for much of the night. He retired 16 of the first 18 batters he faced, including 11 straight, when Alcides Escobar singled through the mound and into center field with one out in the sixth. He took second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Mike Moustakas grounded out to Tomlin.

Lorenzo Cain mishit a ball and sent it rolling down the third baseline. Tomlin grabbed it and threw to first where Cain was called out by umpire Ed Hickox. The Royals challenged the out call and after a review of 1:15 it was overturned, meaning Escobar scored from third for a 1-0 lead.

It turned out to be the biggest run of the game because the Indians never scored.

Tomlin, who allowed three runs on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings, is 10-5 against the Royals in his career. This season he's 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA against them in three starts.

Vargas is 8-3 against the Indians. He's 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA in three starts against them this year.

"That guy has been a tough customer, not just against us but against the whole league this year,'' said Tomlin of Vargas. "He's been pitching his tail off and continued to do that tonight. I got out-pitched by a pretty good pitcher."

Maybe this is a dumb question, but if they know what the problem is, why won't they correct it? Tito should be all over guys who refuse to hit to the opposite field.

Game has changed. When I was a kid managers would fine players for doing dumb shit like that. Or make Wesley Snipes do push ups every time he hit the ball in the air. But now players are so rich and pampered and have strong unions so only way you can hurt them is playing time. And if managers go that route they hurt themselves cause if you don't win you get fired. No job security anymore.

I know there isn't many hockey fans around here but I just love the Blue Jackets coach John Torterella. If guys don't play the game the right way, don't follow the game plan, or keep making silly mistakes he sits their ass down. Healthy scratch for next couple games. And it doesn't matter who it is. He has sat down expensive veterans like Scott Hartnell, and he even sat Cam Atkinson, the teams leading scorer this year some games.

Hell, he traded away my favorite player and teams best player, Ryan Johansen, for not doing what he asked.

Players tend to hate him at first, but after a while they come to really appreciate him and respect him.

But you don't see it in baseball. Once in a great while, like with Puig not long ago, but not often enough.

First Carlos Santana goes deep with a solo ...
Then Zimmer got on a roll with a 2 run shot!
3-0 good guys!

Love the graphics, HB!
But it has all gone down the toilet this (5th) inning

The Royals are even getting baserunners on Ks!

For a minute there we looked like the A's the other day. Or Bad News Bears. Gomes, Santana, and Kipnis all fail to catch a ball on the same play that could have got an out.

This game is pissing me off! KC is in last place. We had a good lead with Carrasco on the mound, and I was looking forward to a win. Then it all went to hell!

OK, there needs to be an investigation. The Indians are throwing this game! No way is our defense this crappy!

We played Thursday at home then flew to KC for Friday game. Wonder if that wore guys down cause they are obviously not themselves. Usually a good defensive team but this is a joke.