Cleveland Sports Forum

You might have missed this amidst all the excitement, but Michael Bourn was lifted for Drew Stubbs in the 9th inning. Here's why:

Cleveland Indians' CF Michael Bourn left game with sprained right wrist
By Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group


CLEVELAND,Ohio -- One downer to the Indians thrilling 5-4 walkoff victory over Chicago on Tuesday night was a right wrist injury to leadoff hitter Michael Bourn.

Bourn, a Gold Glove center fielder, left the game in the ninth inning because he said he couldn't swing the bat the way he wanted. Manager Terry Francona said Bourn's wrist was examined and is "structurally sound.'

"I'm going in to talk to the trainers right now to see what I have to do," said Bourn, when asked if he was going to get an MRI on the wrist.

Bourn injured the wrist sliding into second base in the fifth inning. He reached on a bunt single and hustled to second when left-hander Hector Santiago made a wild throw to first after fielding the bunt.

"He bent the wrist back sliding into the bag," said Francona.

Said Bourn, "I jammed it and it stiffened up on me pretty good. I couldn't really swing at the time. I told them I wasn't able to swing like I wanted to. If I could have swung a little bit, I would have stayed in there, but I knew I couldn't swing the way I want to swing without having to manipulate it."

Bourn was in the trainer's room getting treatment from Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, when Jason Giambi hit the game-winning, two-run homer with two out in the ninth.

"I almost broke Lonnie's neck celebrating," said Bourn. "I was happy. That was a good win. You don't see it happen every day like that. That came from a true veteran who won the game for us with one swing of the bat."

Bourn is hitting .260 (134-for-516) with 21 doubles, five triples, six homers and 48 RBI. He ranks second on the club with 73 runs and 23 steals.

Drew Stubbs replaced Bourn in center field in the ninth.

Cleveland Indians MVP? How about the entire team?
Terry Pluto


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians MVP for this season is …

I'm not sure. That says so much about this team, which was 68-94 a year ago and is knocking on the door of the playoffs with an 87-70.

Usually, when a team makes a high jump like that, a couple of players are having great years. Not good years … great. But the Indians are different. Very, very different.

"We have eight different guys with at least 10 homers," said General Manager Chris Antonetti. "We have 10 different guys with at least 40 RBI."

But only one player has 20 homers -- Nick Swisher, who has exactly 20. Only one player as at least 80 RBI -- Jason Kipnis, who has 81.

But who is the MVP?

"It's really hard to identify," said Antonetti. "You could say that Mark Reynolds was our MVP in April." Signed as a free agent, Reynolds hit .301 with eight homers and 22 RBI in the first month of the season.

After that … well … just know he was waived in August. Reynolds signed with the Yankees, had a few good games … but is batting .133 in his last 10 games.

"For most of the summer, you'd probably say Kipnis," said Antonetti. The second baseman was batting .301 with 13 homers, 21 steals and 57 RBI at the All-Star break. You certainly can say Kipnis was Mr. June, as he was the American League Player of the Month. He also made the AL All-Stars. But after that, Kipnis is batting .243 with four homers, 24 RBI and seven steals.

"After the All-Star Game, you could make a strong case for Ubaldo," said Antonetti, referring to Ubaldo Jimenez, who is 6-5 record and the best ERA (1.83) of any American League starter after the All-Star break.

"It's really so hard to pick one guy," said Antonetti. "Ryan Raburn has been super. Our whole bench has been great. Justin Masterson (14-10, 3.52 ERA) was an All-Star. Nick Swisher may be the MVP in September (five homers, 14 RBI). It really has been a team effort."

You also can say that Antonetti and his front office deserve some consideration for a strong off-season adding talent.

Fans weigh in

I asked fans on my Facebook page the Tribe MVP question. I gave them 45 minutes to respond, and there were more than 160 comments.

David Martin posted, "It's Kipnis, not even close."

When a second baseman has an OPS of .803 and leads your team in RBI and stolen bases, it's impressive.

Steve Podsedly should be hired as an agent for Kipnis, writing how he leads the team in everything from bunt singles to extra-base hits to sacrifice flies to runs scored to seeing the most pitches -- 2,654.

Alex Goodlive simply insisted Kipnis "is the heart of the team."

Bob Rosen and Lin McDowell voted for Jimenez. As McDowell posted, "He's pitched like a man possessed in the second half."

Jimenez received a lot of votes from the likes of Vashon Keith McGlothlin, Ryan Sweeney and Jeffrey Coy -- several admitting they couldn't believe they'd ever find themselves voting for Jimenez. But his 3.38 ERA is the lowest of any Tribe starter.

There were several votes for the entire rotation -- Scott Kazmir, Zach McAllister, Corey Kluber, Jimenez and Masterson. Only Kazmir (9-9, 4.14 ERA) has an ERA higher than 4.00. The overall team ERA is 3.13 after the All-Star break.

That led to votes for Mickey Callaway, the rookie pitching coach. "No If's or But's about it," wrote Victor Cooke III.

After all, the rotation was supposed to be the weakest part of the team. Jimenez led all American League pitchers with 17 losses last season. Masterson was 11-15 with a 4.93 ERA. Kazmir was pitching independent ball in Sugar Land, Texas. McAllister and Kluber were prospects still trying to establish themselves.

Now, it may be the strength of the team.

How about most consistent?

Antonetti nominated Michael Brantley for that, at least among the non-pitchers.

Brantley is batting .283 (.730 OPS) with 10 homers, 70 RBI and 16 steals. He batted .279 before the All-Star break, .285 after. There is little change in his batting average vs. lefties or righties.

"He comes through in the clutch, he's great in (left) field and he's a quiet leader," wrote Donna Hein Hess.

Michael Gardner and Jerry Kendig supported Brantley because he doesn't complain about where he bats in the order, or when asked to switch between center and left field.

Brantley is batting .363 with runners in scoring position. The only others above .300 are Michael Bourn (.307) and Ryan Raburn (.303).

Raburn received the backing from several fans. Chris Dougherty wrote: "He has provided much-needed depth and a ton of production! Could hit 35-38 home runs if he played everyday!"

Yan Gomes has impressed many fans. Jim Grosser wrote that Gomes is the best Tribe defensive catcher since Sandy Alomar. Evan Shanley and Patrick Fulton praised the clutch hitting of Gomez. Fans such as Nick Kellogg wanted to nominate the entire Goon Squad, as the bench calls itself: Mike Aviles, Drew Stubbs, Jason Giambi, Raburn and Gomes.

The big picture

Fans love the spirit of the team. Lisa Reschke wrote that "Jason Giambi and Nick Swisher changed the dynamic of the locker room."

Tim Evans believes relievers Joe Smith and Cody Allen have done a wonderful job and received little attention.

Mark Zimmer suggested Tito Francona, because the manager was "the first piece" of building the team.

Francona also received a lot of votes and praise for his handling the bench and guiding the team through slumps.

Ali Asad said the team's surprising success has caused him to rethink "my position on the whole organization … From top to bottom ... owner, front office, manager, coaches and players."

An excited Jim Evans wrote, "Can we just pick everyone?" That's exactly what Francona would do, especially after their 11th walk-off victory Tuesday night.

Finally, Shamus MeGraw wrote, "The team's MVP is that there is no quit in them."

And that may be what fans like best about this year's Tribe.

Terry Francona says Justin Masterson will be ready to pitch Wednesday or Thursday

September 24, 2013 at 5:22 PM, updated September 24, 2013 at 6:59 PM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manager Terry Francona said Tuesday that Justin Masterson could be available to pitch in relief this week.

"He will be available to pitch in a game as early as Wednesday or Thursday," said Francona before batting practice. "We need to sit down and talk about it, but we'll do that after he throws today."

Masterson, who leads the Indians in victories, innings pitched and strikeouts, has been sidelined since straining his left oblique muscle on Sept. 2 in a start against the Orioles.

He threw a simulated game Sunday and worked out during Monday's day off.

"I feel normal, just the way I hoped I'd feel," said Masterson.

The Indians have six games left in the regular season. They hold the AL's second wild-card spot by a game over Texas entering Tuesday's game against Chicago.

If Masterson takes the mound as a starter anytime in the near future, it means the Indians have advanced past the wild card game in the postseason.

"We'd have to play for a while for him to start," said Francona.

Masterson has taken an optimistic approach to an injury that couldn't have come at a worse time for the Tribe's No.1 starter.

"It's great because we're winning ballgames," said Masterson, when asked what it's been like to sit back and watch his ballclub without being able to help. "They're going out there and fighting hard. Look at Ubaldo (Jimenez), he's been tremendous for us and that's what you like to see.

"Everyone else is picking it up. They don't need me. I'm just here to encourage and smile and give 'em hugs. It seems like that's what's working right now."

Masterson made his big-league debut for Francona's Red Sox in 2008. In the postseason that year, he was effective pitching in relief. Among his concerns right now is finding a seat in the bullpen.

"We've got like 100 guys down there, I might have to take a seat in the back," said Masterson with a laugh.

Whatever the Indians have in mind, he's game.

"Starting sometime in the postseason would be the goal," he said. "What we want to do is make sure we don't get too greedy and still make sure we get where we want to. I'm not above anything, whatever I can do to help the team."

Francona was impressed with Masterson's performance on Sunday.

"We got to stand behind him, which you never get a chance to, and his stuff was really good," said Francona. "As he said, he hasn't been down that long.

"What could have been a real loss for us, has turned into a positive because Masty could be a big weapon for us."

American League wild card update: Jason Giambi keeps Tribe in second wild card spot; Rays, Rangers both win
By Glenn Moore, Northeast Ohio Media Group
on September 25, 2013 at 8:15 AM, updated September 25, 2013 at 9:07 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians are racing for a playoff spot in the 2013 MLB postseason.
Stamping a ticket to the postseason through one of the two wild card spots is becoming more realistic after each game.

The Tribe is contending with a handful of other teams and each morning we'll take a look at how those teams performed the night before. Playoff probability percentages are courtesy of MLB.com.
Here's an explanation on playoff tiebreakers from MLB.

Cleveland Indians
Record: 87-70
Games ahead for second wild card spot: 1.0
Probability of reaching postseason: 63.4%
Probability of winning wild card spot: 63.3%
Yesterday's game: Pinch-hitter Jason Giambi belted a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a stunning 5-4 win over the White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race.
Today's game: Chicago White Sox (Dylan Axelrod 4-10) at Cleveland (Danny Salazar 1-3) -- 7:05 p.m.
Chasing...

The Tribe is chasing this team for home field advantage for the play-in game:

Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 88-69
Games ahead in wild card top spot: +1.0
Probability of reaching postseason: 92.6%
Probability of winning wild card spot: 92.6%
Yesterday's game: Matt Moore had New York flailing for five wild innings, and the Rays beat the Yankees, 7-0, to push them to the brink of missing out on the postseason for the second time in 19 years.
Today's game: Tampa Bay (David Price 8-8) at N.Y. Yankees (Phil Hughes 4-13) -- 7:05 p.m.

In Contention With...

Three other teams are trying to catch the two wild card leaders:

Texas Rangers
Record: 86-71
Games behind in wild card: 1.0
Probability of reaching postseason: 42.2%
Probability of winning wild card spot: 42.2%
Yesterday's game: Adrian Beltre homered at home for the first time in more than a month and the Texas Rangers stayed close in the wild-card race, beating Houston, 3-2, and sending the Astros to their 11th straight loss.
Today's game: Houston (Dallas Keuchel 6-9) at Texas (Martín Perez 9-5) -- 8:05 p.m.

Kansas City Royals
Record: 83-74
Games behind in wild card: 4.0
Probability of reaching postseason: 1.5%
Probability of winning wild card spot: 1.5%
Yesterday's game: ustin Smoak hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning and the Mariners beat Kansas City, 4-0, putting the Royals' postseason hopes in serious jeopardy.
Today's game: Kansas City (Ervin Santana 9-9) at Seattle (Hisashi Iwakuma 13-6) -- 10:10 p.m.

New York Yankees
Record: 82-75
Games behind in wild card: 5.0
Probability of reaching postseason: 0.3%
Probability of winning wild card spot: 0.3%
Yesterday's game: The Yankees trail the Indians, who won 5-4, by five games — and also are behind the Rangers and Royals. The Yankees would be eliminated Wednesday if Cleveland wins and they lose.
Today's game: Tampa Bay (David Price 8-8) at N.Y. Yankees (Phil Hughes 4-13) -- 7:05 p.m.

Manager of the Year?
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
On Twitter: @Castrovince

giambifranconaA Boston beat reporter got in touch with me the other day, because he has an AL Manager of the Year vote and he wanted to make sure he did his due diligence all the candidates, rather than just circling John Farrell’s name and being done with it. He’s quite familiar with Terry Francona’s managerial stylings, obviously, but he wanted to know the in-depth details of how that’s translated to Cleveland.

Knowing too well the tunnel vision the baseball beat can create when you’re surrounded by one team and one team only for the better part of eight months, I respected that this BBWAA member was putting homework ahead of homerism. That’s not always the case, of course. And anyway, he got me thinking more seriously about the Manager of the Year topic.

You’d have to imagine, right off the bat, that Farrell is the favorite. Not only did he guide a team from worst to first in his first season at the helm, but he did so in the AL East and, yes, in a major media market.

The Manager of the Year award sometimes seems to follow the same criteria as the Comeback Player of the Year award, acknowledging those who made the most successful strides from oblivion to relevance. That’s why the A’s Bob Melvin was such a great candidate last year and why, I imagine, he won’t get nearly as many first-place votes this year. It’s nothing against Melvin or the two-time division champion A’s, it’s just that the A’s are established now. Like George Costanza carrying around a picture of a beautiful ex-wife to attract other beautiful women, Melvin’s hand has been stamped, he comes and goes as he pleases.

Sometimes it comes down to who did more with less. That’s where Joe Girardi comes into play. The Yankees were officially eliminated from postseason consideration Wednesday night, but the fact that they were in it at all is a minor miracle. Based on playing time, this is what will be remembered of the Yanks’ 2013 lineup:

C: Chris Stewart 1B: Lyle Overbay 2B: Robinson Cano 3B: Jayson Nix SS: Eduardo Nunez LF: Vernon Wells CF: Brett Gardner RF: Ichiro Suzuki DH: Travis Hafner

All this, combined with the A-Rod media madness and staff ace CC Sabathia enduring a 39-percent regression in performance, and I wouldn’t wish that particular club on anybody. Not even Bobby Valentine.

So, yeah, Girardi did a great job. But he’s not the Manager of the Year, either. To me, it really does come down to Farrell and Francona, two guys who are the best of friends and who have intimate knowledge of each other’s organizations.

I’ve got a ton of respect for Farrell, no matter what anybody in Toronto says or thinks about him. He was an incredibly insightful resource back when he was farm director for the Indians, and I was convinced he was on the path toward a GM job. But I underestimated his desire to get back into uniform, and he was certainly a big part of the Red Sox’s run (through Cleveland, of course) to the 2007 title. His time in Toronto was largely unfulfilling and uncomfortable, and now people there feel he was too distracted by the thought of returning to Boston to do an adequate job. In reality, I’m sure Farrell was like a lot of people in that his heart might have been elsewhere but his mind was on the task at hand. And as the Jays’ 2013 season has demonstrated, the task of building a winner can often be a long one devoid of shortcuts.

It all worked out for Farrell in the end. He got the job he wanted, and while the Blue Jays have been one of the biggest busts in baseball, the Red Sox have surged to first place with 96 wins, entering the season’s final weekend. If Farrell wins the Manager of the Year honor, he’ll be lauded for “changing the culture” in that clubhouse in the wake of the Valentine era. And while there’s certainly truth to that – just as there’s truth to Francona “changing the culture” in Cleveland – what I see in Boston is an ultra-talented team that got the most out of its ability thanks in no small part to the direction and preparation provided by Francona and his coaching staff. It wasn’t just about a group of guys getting along with each other and their manager; it was about guys like Jon Lester and John Lackey and Clay Buchholz making the necessary adjustments to return to the strengths that had once made them so successful. And I have very little doubt that Farrell played an integral role in that transformation.

So the Red Sox made the major stride in the standings, which is why Farrell is such a good candidate. I wouldn’t, however, say he did more with less. The Red Sox have nine qualifying position players with an OPS above the league average. Nine of them! That’s a staggering amount of depth, and, with all due respect to Farrell, I think that’s more attributable to Ben Cherington’s excellent offseason – piecing together Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Stephen Drew and Jonny Gomes – than to anything actually tactical.

Still, worst to first in the East, 96 wins and counting, a great back story and a pitching staff that shaved nearly a full point off its ERA from year to year (despite some notable injuries in the back end of the bullpen). You can do no wrong in voting Farrell for Manager of the Year.

MLB: Boston Red Sox at Cleveland IndiansThat said, you can do no wrong voting for Tito, too.

The story of Francona arriving and completely altering the outlook of this organization has been repeated and repeated and repeated again, to the point that even Francona is probably tired of it.

“I think I’ve probably gotten too much credit at times,” he said Wednesday. “I think organizationally there are so many outstanding people already in place here. Just because you haven’t won or haven’t won recently doesn’t mean they’re not good people, or know what they’re doing. I think that whatever has happened good, like for me, I think these people in this organization have helped bring it out.”

Indeed, I think the $56 million waved in front of Nick Swisher and the $48 million offered to Michael Bourn (as camps were opening and he remained in free-agent limbo) and the mere opportunity that was granted to Jason Giambi and Scott Kazmir — those are all things that likely would have lured those guys to Cleveland, independent of the manager.

But the manager didn’t hurt. And Francona, having been in Boston when the Red Sox targeted and eventually acquired Mike Aviles, had big input into what was the Indians’ most successful offseason transaction — the trade of Esmil Rogers for Aviles and Yan Gomes. So he gets major points for that, in my book.

Francona also gets credit for the steadiness he’s provided in what has been a strange and at times rocky season. He’s always the same guy in front of the cameras, assertive in his assessments and ultra-protective of his players. And funny. Funny always helps.

More to the point, the Indians aren’t riding the wave of any outlandish seasons, unless you count what Ubaldo Jimenez has done in the second half as outlandish (and you just might). They’ve got just two guys – Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis – with an OPS above .800, they’ve experienced regression from setup man Vinnie Pestano and, lately, closer Chris Perez, and the rotation has required quite a bit of patchwork and problem-solving (if there’s a Pitching Coach of the Year award, give it to Mickey Callaway). The Indians’ greatest asset has undoubtedly been the bench, and it’s a bench that Francona has expertly employed, getting the most out of Ryan Raburn and Aviles and Giambi without over-stepping his bounds.

And while this might not mean anything to anybody, it is nonetheless worth noting that Francona’s Indians are two games ahead of their Pythagorean win expectation (based on run differential), while the Red Sox are two games behind theirs.

The only strike against Francona is the division-heavy schedule that has allowed the Indians to creep into contention. Would they be here had they not played 19 games against the White Sox? Hard to say. (Then again, would the Rangers be in this contention conversation without their 19 games against the Astros?)

I think Francona’s right. He probably gets too much credit. But I think that’s true of any successful manager, and I think the reverse is true of many of the unsuccessful ones. In the final analysis, though, I find it really hard to imagine this club being where it is – potentially on the brink of a postseason appearance – had it not hired a manager with Francona’s poise and presence. My only issue with the guy is that he let Danny Salazar face Miguel Cabrera a fourth time on Aug. 7, but I’ll get over it.

Manager of the Year? Everybody in baseball knows and respects Terry Francona, so I’m quite certain he’ll fare well in the voting, and he’ll be deserving of every vote he gets.

I don’t know if he’ll win it, but I already know he’s won more in 2013 than anybody could have reasonably imagined.

~AC

Cleveland Indians' CF Michael Bourn left game with sprained right wrist

Is this a sign that the Tribe has destiny on its side:

IF Bourn had not been hurt, he would not have been replaced in the lineup by Carson and if Carson had not been the hitter with 2 out in the 9th, Giambi would more than likely NOT have been called on to pinch hit for Bourn. And Bourn would more than likely NOT have hit a game winning two run homer.

That is putting things into perspective Civ!

Man Stabbed to Death Nearby AT&T Park Following Giants-Dodgers Game.

The rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers is one of the most heated in sports, but it has been marred by violence in recent years. That disturbing trend continued on Wednesday night as a man was stabbed to death outside AT&T Park in San Francisco, according to Lisa Fernandez, Christie Smith and Shelby Hansen of NBC Bay Area.

The incident reportedly occurred four blocks from AT&T Park at 11:39 p.m. local time following the Giants' 6-4 win over the NL West champion Dodgers. According to Fernandez, Smith and Hansen, the victim was walking with his brother and father, both of whom were decked out in Dodger gear, though the victim himself was not wearing baseball-related clothing.

Explaining tiebreakers in the AL wild card race featuring Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays
By Evan Grant/reporter
egrant@dallasnews.com

ARLINGTON – With five games to go, the Rangers are still in third place for two wild card spots, but the pack is jumbled with only two games separating the Rangers from current top seed Tampa Bay. Baltimore was eliminated from wild card consideration on Tuesday and both the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals could be eliminated on Wednesday, officially making it a three-team race.

With that in mind, here are some tiebreaking scenarios to understand should the Rangers tie one of the other teams for the second wild card spot or should all three teams tie for both spots:

• In the event the Rangers tie with Cleveland for the second wild card spot: Cleveland would own the tiebreaker based on head-to-head record (Cleveland won the season series, 5-1). The Rangers would play at Cleveland on Monday, most likely at 6 or 6:30 CT, to determine who would advance to play at Tampa Bay in the one-game wild card playoff on Wednesday. The winner of that game would then go to the AL’s top seed to open the Division Series. Currently, Boston has a one-game lead over Oakland for home field advantage.

• In the event the Rangers tie with Tampa Bay for the second wild card spot: The tiebreaking game would be played in Arlington on Monday with the winner advancing to play at Cleveland on Wednesday and the winner of that going to either Boston or Oakland.

• In the event the Rangers tie with Cleveland for the top spot: The two teams would then be the wild card teams and the wild card game would be played on Wednesday in Cleveland with the winner going on to either Boston or Oakland.

• In the event the Rangers tie with Tampa Bay for the top spot: The two teams would then be the wild card teams and the wild card game would be played Wednesday in Arlington with the winner going on to either Boston or Oakland.

• In the event of a three way tie for the two wild card spots: Cleveland would receive the top designation and would have its choice, but the most likely option would be that it would choose to play Monday at home in Cleveland. The winner of the Monday game would be considered the top wild card seed. Tampa Bay would get the second designation and could pick to have two chances to win one game, both on the road, or play one game at home for the second wild card spot. The advantage in picking to play in the Monday game is that te loser of the Monday game essentially gets a double elimination format. The third team does get a home game, but gets only one chance to win.

• In the event the Rangers win the top wild card spot and Cleveland and Tampa Bay tie for the second spot: Cleveland would play at Tampa Bay on Monday with the Rangers hosting the winner Wednesday.

Hope this helps

Hope this helps

Well yeah, and it all means that unless we climb ahead of Tampa we will either play an extra game or two or will open on the road. Maybe the 3-way tie would be the most fun for the fans, and it guarantees a home game.

Terry Pluto:

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What a time to have no closer.

Actually, the Indians do have a closer -- maybe.

And while they haven't talked about it, the Tribe knew that it might come to this -- that Chris Perez could collapse at the end of the season.

After his latest disaster in the 6-5 Tribe win at Minnesota on Thursday, Perez has an ERA of 7.52 since August 1. He's been hit hard for weeks.

The odds are now that Tribe fans have seen the last of Perez, because there is no time for reclamation projects in the heat of a playoff race.

So who closes?

While I think Joe Smith can do it, the most intriguing possibility is Justin Masterson. Remember, this is not about making Masterson the closer forever. It is about getting through the weekend, and maybe the Wild Card game. The rest can be figured out later.


Never forget that Masterson not only was a reliever when he came to the big leagues in Boston, but his manager was Terry Francona. Yes, it's the same Francona who is now trying to pick a closer for the biggest three games of the regular season.

Masterson has pitched very little in relief since 2009, when he was traded by Boston to the Tribe in the Victor Martinez deal. He made one relief appearance for the Tribe in 2009 and 2011, and worked out of the pen five times in 2010.

Masterson made the 2013 All-Star team as a starter for the Tribe. But he suffered an oblique injury in early September -- and it appeared he might be out for the rest of the regular season. Right now, it's hard to imagine him pitching more than 3-4 innings.


But he pitched the ninth inning of Wednesday's 7-2 victory over the White Sox. It looked like more than finding an inning for Masterson to return to game shape. It was a backup plan for Perez being tested.

While Masterson has been a reliever, he was never a closer in the minors or majors. But he has the strong arm and confidence that could help him pitch these clutch innings this weekend -- and perhaps in the playoffs. Because his arm has been trained as a starter since 2009, it's doubtful Masterson can pitch two or three days in a row.

Smith is a viable option. I received an email from a fan this morning that read, "Smith makes me nervous."

Right now, everything makes Tribe fans nervous with the a playoff berth so close -- and the race so tight.

But since August 1, Smith has pitched 23 2/3 innings. Guess how many earned runs that Smith has allowed?

Two. That's right, two in his last 23 2/3 innings.

While Smith is a right-hander with a side-armed motion that usually has troubles against lefties, guess what lefties are batting against him?

It's .227.

Last season, it was .218.

In the last three years, Smith's ERAs have been 2.32, 2.96 and 2.01.

He does have his only three career Major League saves this season.

When it comes to a closer, Perez is done with the Tribe.

And the door should be open to Masterson and Smith -- in that order.

civ ollilavad wrote:Terry Pluto:

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What a time to have no closer.

Actually, the Indians do have a closer -- maybe.

And while they haven't talked about it, the Tribe knew that it might come to this -- that Chris Perez could collapse at the end of the season.

After his latest disaster in the 6-5 Tribe win at Minnesota on Thursday, Perez has an ERA of 7.52 since August 1. He's been hit hard for weeks.

The odds are now that Tribe fans have seen the last of Perez, because there is no time for reclamation projects in the heat of a playoff race.

So who closes?

While I think Joe Smith can do it, the most intriguing possibility is Justin Masterson. Remember, this is not about making Masterson the closer forever. It is about getting through the weekend, and maybe the Wild Card game. The rest can be figured out later.


Never forget that Masterson not only was a reliever when he came to the big leagues in Boston, but his manager was Terry Francona. Yes, it's the same Francona who is now trying to pick a closer for the biggest three games of the regular season.

Masterson has pitched very little in relief since 2009, when he was traded by Boston to the Tribe in the Victor Martinez deal. He made one relief appearance for the Tribe in 2009 and 2011, and worked out of the pen five times in 2010.

Masterson made the 2013 All-Star team as a starter for the Tribe. But he suffered an oblique injury in early September -- and it appeared he might be out for the rest of the regular season. Right now, it's hard to imagine him pitching more than 3-4 innings.


But he pitched the ninth inning of Wednesday's 7-2 victory over the White Sox. It looked like more than finding an inning for Masterson to return to game shape. It was a backup plan for Perez being tested.

While Masterson has been a reliever, he was never a closer in the minors or majors. But he has the strong arm and confidence that could help him pitch these clutch innings this weekend -- and perhaps in the playoffs. Because his arm has been trained as a starter since 2009, it's doubtful Masterson can pitch two or three days in a row.

Smith is a viable option. I received an email from a fan this morning that read, "Smith makes me nervous."

Right now, everything makes Tribe fans nervous with the a playoff berth so close -- and the race so tight.

But since August 1, Smith has pitched 23 2/3 innings. Guess how many earned runs that Smith has allowed?

Two. That's right, two in his last 23 2/3 innings.

While Smith is a right-hander with a side-armed motion that usually has troubles against lefties, guess what lefties are batting against him?

It's .227.

Last season, it was .218.

In the last three years, Smith's ERAs have been 2.32, 2.96 and 2.01.

He does have his only three career Major League saves this season.

When it comes to a closer, Perez is done with the Tribe.

And the door should be open to Masterson and Smith -- in that order.

Any thoughts to Salazar as a closer?

That is intriguing.

I agree! That is intriguing. But! If my sequence is correct. Salazar will pitching the first playoff game whether its the tie-breaker or the start of the series. I don't think that will change. The long term plans have Salazar as a top of the rotation type pitcher, possibly our ACE now that he appears to be 100%. The important thing right now is getting Salazar over that 5th and 6th inning hump.

My guess is "closer by committee." Lefty-righty matchups.