Re: Articles
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:03 pm
Good point! why wait?
Cleveland Sports Forum
A permanent home for World Crossing and ABJ forum refugees.
http://clevelandsportsforum.net/
Articles
Page 465 of 713
Re: Articles
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:52 pm
It's different this time guys. Francona spoke to Salazar and he told Tito that he finally is throwing with no pain. No setbacks this time. Dude is healthy and ready to go!
Re: Articles
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:59 pm
By the way, I think there has been some wondering whether Salazar would come back as a starter or as a reliever.
Me personally, I was hoping they brought him back as a reliever. Just let him throw 1 inning 3 or 4 times a week and see if he can stay healthy. He has such a live arm, not having to stretch himself out, he could be really effective. Also, we have all these good young starters coming up, yet we have Wittgren as our main righty out of the pen. If he does make it back I think he could help us more out of the pen.
But in his rehab game in Arizona yesterday he did start. He was on a 35 pitch limit so he only went 1 & 2/3 ... he allowed 3 hits and his 5 K accounted for every out ... but he did start.
Not sure if anything is to be read into that but they might be leaving him at starter. I would hope if they were going to move him to pen they would go ahead and start letting him get used to warming up and entering a game, anyway. But this way he is sure to get in his pitch limit. So we will see.
Me personally, I was hoping they brought him back as a reliever. Just let him throw 1 inning 3 or 4 times a week and see if he can stay healthy. He has such a live arm, not having to stretch himself out, he could be really effective. Also, we have all these good young starters coming up, yet we have Wittgren as our main righty out of the pen. If he does make it back I think he could help us more out of the pen.
But in his rehab game in Arizona yesterday he did start. He was on a 35 pitch limit so he only went 1 & 2/3 ... he allowed 3 hits and his 5 K accounted for every out ... but he did start.
Not sure if anything is to be read into that but they might be leaving him at starter. I would hope if they were going to move him to pen they would go ahead and start letting him get used to warming up and entering a game, anyway. But this way he is sure to get in his pitch limit. So we will see.
Re: Articles
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:24 pm
I'd work him as a reliever; dont' overtax the arm. If he still has the same fastball he could be a good reliever, but I doubt he'd have the toughness to close. Give him the 7th innings.
Re: Articles
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:17 am
HB - If there's one thing I admire it's a man of FAITH!It's different this time guys
I'm with you - I picked him up in all my fantasy leagues. For some strange reason no one else wanted him.
Or probably remembered who the hell he even was. If it weren't for your post I'd be fuzzy on who he was too. If he is done with his setbacks
I think he fits best in the bullpen. Nasty stuff when healthy and able to protect his arm and build him back slowly - maybe a starter next season.I do think it's smart of them to build up his pitch count to start. What if we have another starting pitching injury? He'd be built up to do that so it keeps that option open. But I do believe it's the bullpen for him.
Re: Articles
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:17 am
Oscar Mercado thought he had run out of chances; now, he’s the Indians’ ravishing rookie
Zack Meisel 3h ago 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three years ago, Oscar Mercado visited the place every player attempts to avoid.
He was mired in minor-league quicksand, an unproven prospect who found it impossible to escape the constant flow of doomsday thoughts in his head. The most daunting hurdle standing in the way of his rise through the ranks was the person in the mirror, not his faulty bat or unreliable glove.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wake up with almost fear every day,” he said, “thinking, like, ‘When am I going to turn into that guy again?’”
That guy could fly around the bases and scoop up any baseball socked to his area code. That guy could force mistakes with his wheels and capitalize on mistakes at the plate.
That guy is precisely whom the Indians have witnessed over the last two months. Three years after Mercado doubted whether his future included baseball, he’s batting second for an American League postseason hopeful, hitting between a pair of All-Stars and helping ignite a previously dormant offense. He considers his numbers — he owns a .304/.349/.462 slash line since his promotion to the majors — and he wonders why that can’t be his new normal.
“I’ve been at the bottom,” he said. “I would never want to be there again.”
Mercado thought 2016 would be his breakout season, his emergence onto the Cardinals’ radar, and perhaps some top prospects lists. He finally had a full season under his belt, and he was ready to reward the organization for selecting him in the second round of the 2013 draft.
“Unfortunately,” he said, “it didn’t happen that way.”
Instead, a rough start to the season only snowballed and Mercado couldn’t escape his own detrimental thoughts. He batted .216. He didn’t hit a home run. He was caught stealing 20 times. He averaged an error every three games at shortstop.
He thought he had run out of chances.
“I didn’t know if I was cut out for this,” he said. “It got to the point where I was like, ‘I don’t even know if I’m an everyday guy.’ It wasn’t easy. And I wasn’t a very strong-minded kid. I made it harder than it would have been.”
He felt he had to prove to outsiders not only that he was worthy of his draft position, but also that he was even worthy of occupying space on the field. On July 1, he was batting .185 with a .228 slugging percentage. Three weeks later, the Cardinals shifted him to the outfield, with the message that it would better serve his career.
Mercado wasn’t naive. He knew he had worn out his welcome at shortstop, and there was another prospect pushing for playing time at the position.
Mercado sought guidance from his agent, his uncles, his parents, his older brother and his hitting adviser. He still makes an effort to talk to his parents on a daily basis, despite his unrelenting schedule.
“They didn’t sugarcoat it,” he said. “They let me know what was up. I called them frustrated all the time. It was a tough summer in ’16. They made sure to let me know, ‘Whatever path life takes you on, we’re going to be 100 percent supportive. We know baseball’s been your entire life, but eventually, it’s going to come to an end, whether it’s now or it’s 15-20 years down the road.’
“It’s just a part of my life. It’s not my whole life. I think once I started viewing it like that, that really helped me out.”
He would reminisce about the fields where, after a homework session and a family dinner, his dad would throw him batting practice, each toss delivered from a sidearm angle. There was no pressure at that time. Oscar Sr. never played baseball. There was no insistence on mastering the art of hitting, no concern about a career path in the professional ranks.
So, during his darkest days in the minor leagues, that stress-free setting comforted Mercado, reminding him that his performance on the diamond didn’t have to define him. If he had a bad game, his dad would stress, “That’s why you play every day.”
The defensive reassignment eased his mind a bit, too. No longer was Mercado terrified of the ball heading his way in the field. His athleticism could offset the learning curve in center field. He just needed repetitions. His ever-rising error total constantly weighed on him when he manned shortstop. He committed 89 miscues in 199 games from 2013-15.
“The biggest thing is just figuring it out,” Mercado said. “Eventually, no matter who you are, your chances come to an end. Eventually, you have to make something happen.
“I felt like I was on my last chance. And I made something happen.”
(Rob Carr / Getty Images)
Mercado batted .274 with a .369 on-base percentage in the final month of the 2016 season, which allowed him to exhale that winter. He thought those results could serve as a springboard for 2017, that a full season in the outfield could restore the Cardinals’ confidence in him.
“I knew it was probably going to be my last year to prove what I can do before I became an afterthought,” he said.
And the next year, he sprinted out of the gate, hitting .356 with a .984 OPS the first month. He started in left field and batted fifth in the Class AA Texas League All-Star Game.
The Indians identified Mercado as a trade target during their search for young, controllable outfield depth last summer. They coveted his tools, and they were impressed when he took the initiative to visit Cleveland over the winter to refine his swing mechanics.
“He’s always seeking to learn, always seeking to get better,” Chris Antonetti said. “And that mindset’s a really good ingredient to setting a platform to being a really effective major-league player.”
Mercado’s emergence helped convince the Indians they could sever ties with an underperforming Leonys Martín. Terry Francona initially hesitated to place Mercado near the top of his batting order, but Mercado has forced the issue with his consistency at the plate.
Mercado’s arrival, coincidentally or not, has disrupted the Indians’ offensive slumber.
Indians’ offense in 40 games before Mercado’s arrival: .219/.300/.343 slash line, 25.3% K rate, 141 runs
Indians’ offense in 44 games since Mercado’s arrival: .257/.332/.458 slash line, 19.9% K rate, 225 runs
He’s still learning from his mistakes, still solving the major-league riddle, adjusting to opposing pitchers, to the level of competition, to his new teammates in the outfield in unfamiliar ballparks. His 0-for-5 outing on Tuesday, which included some up-and-down defensive play, is a perfect example.
“It’s a learning experience,” he said. “Next time will be better.”
Still, Mercado has been a desperately needed catalyst for a team that limped through the first six weeks of the season. He knows some might expect him to plunge face-first into a prototypical rookie-season roadblock. He said he uses that skepticism as fuel. After all, he heard the same chatter two years ago, when he bid farewell to the bottom.
“I understand I wasn’t cutting it and I had no reason to be upset about it,” Mercado said, “so I took it as my last chance and I said, ‘OK, you can either take this and run with it, or you can just fold.’
“And here I am.”
(Photo: Ron Schwane / Getty Images)
Zack Meisel 3h ago 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three years ago, Oscar Mercado visited the place every player attempts to avoid.
He was mired in minor-league quicksand, an unproven prospect who found it impossible to escape the constant flow of doomsday thoughts in his head. The most daunting hurdle standing in the way of his rise through the ranks was the person in the mirror, not his faulty bat or unreliable glove.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wake up with almost fear every day,” he said, “thinking, like, ‘When am I going to turn into that guy again?’”
That guy could fly around the bases and scoop up any baseball socked to his area code. That guy could force mistakes with his wheels and capitalize on mistakes at the plate.
That guy is precisely whom the Indians have witnessed over the last two months. Three years after Mercado doubted whether his future included baseball, he’s batting second for an American League postseason hopeful, hitting between a pair of All-Stars and helping ignite a previously dormant offense. He considers his numbers — he owns a .304/.349/.462 slash line since his promotion to the majors — and he wonders why that can’t be his new normal.
“I’ve been at the bottom,” he said. “I would never want to be there again.”
Mercado thought 2016 would be his breakout season, his emergence onto the Cardinals’ radar, and perhaps some top prospects lists. He finally had a full season under his belt, and he was ready to reward the organization for selecting him in the second round of the 2013 draft.
“Unfortunately,” he said, “it didn’t happen that way.”
Instead, a rough start to the season only snowballed and Mercado couldn’t escape his own detrimental thoughts. He batted .216. He didn’t hit a home run. He was caught stealing 20 times. He averaged an error every three games at shortstop.
He thought he had run out of chances.
“I didn’t know if I was cut out for this,” he said. “It got to the point where I was like, ‘I don’t even know if I’m an everyday guy.’ It wasn’t easy. And I wasn’t a very strong-minded kid. I made it harder than it would have been.”
He felt he had to prove to outsiders not only that he was worthy of his draft position, but also that he was even worthy of occupying space on the field. On July 1, he was batting .185 with a .228 slugging percentage. Three weeks later, the Cardinals shifted him to the outfield, with the message that it would better serve his career.
Mercado wasn’t naive. He knew he had worn out his welcome at shortstop, and there was another prospect pushing for playing time at the position.
Mercado sought guidance from his agent, his uncles, his parents, his older brother and his hitting adviser. He still makes an effort to talk to his parents on a daily basis, despite his unrelenting schedule.
“They didn’t sugarcoat it,” he said. “They let me know what was up. I called them frustrated all the time. It was a tough summer in ’16. They made sure to let me know, ‘Whatever path life takes you on, we’re going to be 100 percent supportive. We know baseball’s been your entire life, but eventually, it’s going to come to an end, whether it’s now or it’s 15-20 years down the road.’
“It’s just a part of my life. It’s not my whole life. I think once I started viewing it like that, that really helped me out.”
He would reminisce about the fields where, after a homework session and a family dinner, his dad would throw him batting practice, each toss delivered from a sidearm angle. There was no pressure at that time. Oscar Sr. never played baseball. There was no insistence on mastering the art of hitting, no concern about a career path in the professional ranks.
So, during his darkest days in the minor leagues, that stress-free setting comforted Mercado, reminding him that his performance on the diamond didn’t have to define him. If he had a bad game, his dad would stress, “That’s why you play every day.”
The defensive reassignment eased his mind a bit, too. No longer was Mercado terrified of the ball heading his way in the field. His athleticism could offset the learning curve in center field. He just needed repetitions. His ever-rising error total constantly weighed on him when he manned shortstop. He committed 89 miscues in 199 games from 2013-15.
“The biggest thing is just figuring it out,” Mercado said. “Eventually, no matter who you are, your chances come to an end. Eventually, you have to make something happen.
“I felt like I was on my last chance. And I made something happen.”
(Rob Carr / Getty Images)
Mercado batted .274 with a .369 on-base percentage in the final month of the 2016 season, which allowed him to exhale that winter. He thought those results could serve as a springboard for 2017, that a full season in the outfield could restore the Cardinals’ confidence in him.
“I knew it was probably going to be my last year to prove what I can do before I became an afterthought,” he said.
And the next year, he sprinted out of the gate, hitting .356 with a .984 OPS the first month. He started in left field and batted fifth in the Class AA Texas League All-Star Game.
The Indians identified Mercado as a trade target during their search for young, controllable outfield depth last summer. They coveted his tools, and they were impressed when he took the initiative to visit Cleveland over the winter to refine his swing mechanics.
“He’s always seeking to learn, always seeking to get better,” Chris Antonetti said. “And that mindset’s a really good ingredient to setting a platform to being a really effective major-league player.”
Mercado’s emergence helped convince the Indians they could sever ties with an underperforming Leonys Martín. Terry Francona initially hesitated to place Mercado near the top of his batting order, but Mercado has forced the issue with his consistency at the plate.
Mercado’s arrival, coincidentally or not, has disrupted the Indians’ offensive slumber.
Indians’ offense in 40 games before Mercado’s arrival: .219/.300/.343 slash line, 25.3% K rate, 141 runs
Indians’ offense in 44 games since Mercado’s arrival: .257/.332/.458 slash line, 19.9% K rate, 225 runs
He’s still learning from his mistakes, still solving the major-league riddle, adjusting to opposing pitchers, to the level of competition, to his new teammates in the outfield in unfamiliar ballparks. His 0-for-5 outing on Tuesday, which included some up-and-down defensive play, is a perfect example.
“It’s a learning experience,” he said. “Next time will be better.”
Still, Mercado has been a desperately needed catalyst for a team that limped through the first six weeks of the season. He knows some might expect him to plunge face-first into a prototypical rookie-season roadblock. He said he uses that skepticism as fuel. After all, he heard the same chatter two years ago, when he bid farewell to the bottom.
“I understand I wasn’t cutting it and I had no reason to be upset about it,” Mercado said, “so I took it as my last chance and I said, ‘OK, you can either take this and run with it, or you can just fold.’
“And here I am.”
(Photo: Ron Schwane / Getty Images)
Re: Articles
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:27 am
I don't think this is unusual. It's stressful! So few finally end up making it.
I will say this - I believe the culture in Cleveland is the reason many kids we get from other organizations seem to work out here.
From the front office culture down to Tito. After all, they hired him.
If you can't be relaxed and confident playing for Terry Francona there is no hope for you. This guy could make a rainy day smile.
I will say this - I believe the culture in Cleveland is the reason many kids we get from other organizations seem to work out here.
From the front office culture down to Tito. After all, they hired him.
If you can't be relaxed and confident playing for Terry Francona there is no hope for you. This guy could make a rainy day smile.
Re: Articles
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:19 am
Great point!If you can't be relaxed and confident playing for Terry Francona there is no hope for you.
Re: Articles
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2019 11:43 am
Commentary: Terry Francona continues to work his magic, as Indians defy odds to climb back into contention
Jim Ingraham | The Chronicle-TelegramPublished on July 4, 2019
If the playoffs had started Wednesday, the Indians would have been in them as the second wild-card team, with a better record than, among others, the defending world champion Red Sox.
The Indians went into play Wednesday seven games behind the AL Central-leading Twins. That’s the closest the Indians had been to first place since May 22.
In June, nobody in the American League had a better record than the Indians, who were 17-9 (.654), tying them with the Yankees for the best record in the league.
The Indians went into Wednesday’s game with a record of 46-38 (.548). If they were in the National League Central Division, they’d have been in first place, a game ahead of Milwaukee.
How can this be? Seemingly, it can’t.
Because for most of the season the Indians have been without the top four starters in what would have been the best rotation in the majors. Corey Kluber has missed most of the first half of the season with an injury. Carlos Carrasco has missed most of the first half of the season with an illness. Mike Clevinger missed most of the first half of the season with injuries.
Trevor Bauer hasn’t missed a start, but he also hasn’t had many pretty ones. For most of the first half he has not been vintage Trevor Bauer. He’s gone from being a near-Cy Young Award winner last year to a pitcher this year who leads the league in hit batters and has given up, in half a season, twice as many homers as he gave up all of last year.
Bauer has gone from a pitcher last year who went virtually the entire season without a bad start to one this year who went eight starts, and nearly six weeks (May 6 to June 11), without winning a game.
The Indians’ best position player the last two years has been their worst position player this year. Jose Ramirez has gone from finishing third in the MVP voting in consecutive years … to Bill Selby. From fourth in the league in RBIs last year (105) to 85th this year (31). From fourth in home runs last year (39) to 127th this year (five).
The Indians’ lineup has been so punchless that second baseman Jason Kipnis, who in his first eight years in the majors batted fourth just 19 times, hit fourth 18 times in the first three months of this season.
The Indians, who were recently outscored 26-0 in consecutive games by an Orioles team on pace to lose 116 games, rank 16th in the majors with a paltry run differential of plus-4. The Cincinnati Reds, who are in last place in the NL Central, have a run differential of plus-38.
Baseball-Reference has a stat called Pythagorean winning percentage. It’s an estimate of what a team’s record should be, based on its run differential. It’s designed to show if a team has been lucky or unlucky.
The Indians’ true record going into Wednesday was 46-38. But their Pythagorean record was 42-42, meaning the Indians have gotten a bit lucky having the record they do with so meager a run differential.
Yet despite all of the above, the Indians are in second place in the AL Central and, in the last month, cut 4½ games off the Twins’ lead.
What’s wrong with this picture, right?
Here’s what’s right with this picture: Terry Francona.
In his nearly two decades as a major league manager he’s won two World Series, three American League pennants, four division titles, and his teams have reached the postseason in nine of 18 years.
This is his 19th year as a big league manager, and this might be, given all the above, his best one yet.
Whether the Indians go on to win the World Series, win the pennant, win their division, claim one of the wild-card spots or, more likely, none of the above, what Francona has achieved with this team in the first half of the 2019 season is jaw-dropping.
Baseball doesn’t normally work like this. When most of your key players are either hurt or having awful seasons, you shouldn’t have the best record in the league in June, you shouldn’t be in second place in your division, and you shouldn’t have a better record than the defending world champions.
Unless …
Unless you have the best manager in the league. If the Tito fits, ride him. That’s what the Indians have done in the first half of this season. They are milking The Tito Factor for all it’s worth — and it’s working.
The Franconamen are Franconaing their little hearts out.
The Indians have three players on the American League All-Star team, but their MVP in the first half is their manager.
Contact Jim Ingraham at 329-7135 or jingraham4@gmail.com. Follow him @Jim_Ingraham on Twitter.
Jim Ingraham | The Chronicle-TelegramPublished on July 4, 2019
If the playoffs had started Wednesday, the Indians would have been in them as the second wild-card team, with a better record than, among others, the defending world champion Red Sox.
The Indians went into play Wednesday seven games behind the AL Central-leading Twins. That’s the closest the Indians had been to first place since May 22.
In June, nobody in the American League had a better record than the Indians, who were 17-9 (.654), tying them with the Yankees for the best record in the league.
The Indians went into Wednesday’s game with a record of 46-38 (.548). If they were in the National League Central Division, they’d have been in first place, a game ahead of Milwaukee.
How can this be? Seemingly, it can’t.
Because for most of the season the Indians have been without the top four starters in what would have been the best rotation in the majors. Corey Kluber has missed most of the first half of the season with an injury. Carlos Carrasco has missed most of the first half of the season with an illness. Mike Clevinger missed most of the first half of the season with injuries.
Trevor Bauer hasn’t missed a start, but he also hasn’t had many pretty ones. For most of the first half he has not been vintage Trevor Bauer. He’s gone from being a near-Cy Young Award winner last year to a pitcher this year who leads the league in hit batters and has given up, in half a season, twice as many homers as he gave up all of last year.
Bauer has gone from a pitcher last year who went virtually the entire season without a bad start to one this year who went eight starts, and nearly six weeks (May 6 to June 11), without winning a game.
The Indians’ best position player the last two years has been their worst position player this year. Jose Ramirez has gone from finishing third in the MVP voting in consecutive years … to Bill Selby. From fourth in the league in RBIs last year (105) to 85th this year (31). From fourth in home runs last year (39) to 127th this year (five).
The Indians’ lineup has been so punchless that second baseman Jason Kipnis, who in his first eight years in the majors batted fourth just 19 times, hit fourth 18 times in the first three months of this season.
The Indians, who were recently outscored 26-0 in consecutive games by an Orioles team on pace to lose 116 games, rank 16th in the majors with a paltry run differential of plus-4. The Cincinnati Reds, who are in last place in the NL Central, have a run differential of plus-38.
Baseball-Reference has a stat called Pythagorean winning percentage. It’s an estimate of what a team’s record should be, based on its run differential. It’s designed to show if a team has been lucky or unlucky.
The Indians’ true record going into Wednesday was 46-38. But their Pythagorean record was 42-42, meaning the Indians have gotten a bit lucky having the record they do with so meager a run differential.
Yet despite all of the above, the Indians are in second place in the AL Central and, in the last month, cut 4½ games off the Twins’ lead.
What’s wrong with this picture, right?
Here’s what’s right with this picture: Terry Francona.
In his nearly two decades as a major league manager he’s won two World Series, three American League pennants, four division titles, and his teams have reached the postseason in nine of 18 years.
This is his 19th year as a big league manager, and this might be, given all the above, his best one yet.
Whether the Indians go on to win the World Series, win the pennant, win their division, claim one of the wild-card spots or, more likely, none of the above, what Francona has achieved with this team in the first half of the 2019 season is jaw-dropping.
Baseball doesn’t normally work like this. When most of your key players are either hurt or having awful seasons, you shouldn’t have the best record in the league in June, you shouldn’t be in second place in your division, and you shouldn’t have a better record than the defending world champions.
Unless …
Unless you have the best manager in the league. If the Tito fits, ride him. That’s what the Indians have done in the first half of this season. They are milking The Tito Factor for all it’s worth — and it’s working.
The Franconamen are Franconaing their little hearts out.
The Indians have three players on the American League All-Star team, but their MVP in the first half is their manager.
Contact Jim Ingraham at 329-7135 or jingraham4@gmail.com. Follow him @Jim_Ingraham on Twitter.
Re: Articles
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:49 pm
Amen
Re: Articles
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:02 pm
Or it's strictly luck.
Re: Articles
Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 4:07 pm
I'm thinking over half a season isn't luck.
We all know this season that the results seem to be far exceeding the sum of the parts. The parts have been largely underperforming or injured.
However in addition to Tito....
I will also give all kinds of credit to Lindor and his infectious attitude. Great player and leader. He's the one guy they can't do without for any period of time.
We all know this season that the results seem to be far exceeding the sum of the parts. The parts have been largely underperforming or injured.
However in addition to Tito....
I will also give all kinds of credit to Lindor and his infectious attitude. Great player and leader. He's the one guy they can't do without for any period of time.
Re: Articles
Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 4:12 pm
Did I forget Roberto Perez?
Re: Articles
Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 9:47 pm
The good, the bad, the ugly and the bizarre from the Indians’ first half
Zack Meisel Jul 5, 2019 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Long ago, when Neil Ramírezes still roamed the Indians’ clubhouse, Terry Francona’s bunch, clad in ski masks and turtlenecks, took the field in downtown Minneapolis.
The calendar read March. The Twins had yet to emerge as an American League powerhouse. Virginia had yet to cut down the nets. And speaking of Nets, Kevin Durant was a healthy Warrior, not a Brooklyn-bound crutches user.
A lot has happened in 14 weeks. The first half of the Indians’ season has felt more like three or four seasons. Despite a rotation ravaged by injuries, a mass exodus of underperforming veterans and a lineup that often features Jordan Luplow — optioned to Triple A in April — or Jason Kipnis — options are limited — in the cleanup spot, the Indians have kept plugging along.
It could make for a compelling 13 meetings remaining on the schedule between the Indians and Twins. But before the Indians begin their second-half march — and before an onslaught of All-Star Game coverage surfaces — here’s a rundown of the good, the bad, the ugly and the bizarre happenings that defined the Indians’ first half.
The good
American boy
Hey, have you heard that Carlos Santana is happy to be playing in Cleveland again? The storyline will reach a fever pitch this week as he participates in the Home Run Derby and starts at first base in the All-Star Game. It’s well-deserved recognition for a guy who was thrilled to return to the Indians and has rewarded them with a career year.
Tribe hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, who will pitch to Santana in the derby, said Santana has had his eye on the All-Star Game since spring training.
“This is his home,” Francona said. “I understand why he left. I probably would have, too. (The Phillies gave him) 60 million reasons. But to get him back, I think he was happy and he knew we were happy. It worked out well for everybody. We’re thrilled to have him back.”
Another Santana highlight from a first half full of them: He became a U.S. citizen in April, and he received his certificate at a ceremony in downtown Cleveland, where he was joined by his wife and three children. Since then, Santana has occasionally referred to himself as “an American boy.”
Catcher in the rye
Roberto Pérez vowed to produce more at the plate with daily at-bats. No one anticipated he would post the second-highest slugging percentage on the team.
That Yan Gomes trade sure looks favorable for the Indians at the moment, considering Cleveland acquired Daniel Johnson (a Futures Game participant this weekend), Jefry Rodriguez and minor-league infielder Andruw Monasterio, as well as better play at the catching position.
Pérez: .242/.336/.505 slash line, 116 wRC+, 15 HR, 1.6 WAR
Gomes: .211/.297/.304 slash line, 56 wRC+, 3 HR, -0.2 WAR
Pérez has also blossomed into a clubhouse favorite. He took plenty of playful grief for his hustle on a triple and a mad dash to the plate on a subsequent wild pitch Wednesday night in Kansas City. After the game, a teammate briefly switched off the customary postgame victory playlist to blare the first minute or so of “I Believe I Can Fly.”
Motley crew
OK, so the nickname “Brad Hand & The Funky Bunch” didn’t catch on, but the group — made up of a near-automatic slider-slinging closer and his cohorts with the deceptive deliveries — continues to stymie the opposition in the late innings.
The Indians boast the best bullpen ERA in baseball (3.52). No, Nick Wittgren didn’t break camp with the big-league club, but he has settled in as Hand’s chief setup man. Sure, Adam Cimber ranks in the 0th percentile in fastball velocity, but he limits hard contact and owns a 3.06 ERA. Yeah, Oliver Pérez turns 38 next month, but he continues to rack up outs like a reliever in his prime. Nick Goody has proved effective since joining the group, too.
Hand is the centerpiece, headed to his third consecutive All-Star Game, and Dan Otero described him aptly earlier this season: “I don’t think any situation is going to faze him. He doesn’t seem to be overwhelmed by anything. His resting heart rate is, like, 50, and then when he gets guys on base, I think it goes down, like, to 48. It’s like, ‘Brad, wake up!’”
Bieber Fever
When Shane Bieber burst onto the scene last summer, many marveled at his walk rate. He issued three walks in 65 1/3 innings prior to his promotion to the majors.
Sixty-five innings. Three walks.
So, the strikeouts were an afterthought, even though he averaged nearly one per inning. But now, the control artist with the low-90s heater throws in the mid-90s and ranks sixth in the majors in strikeout rate (and ahead of strikeout-hungry teammate Trevor Bauer).
Bieber has compiled a 3.54 ERA, a 3.40 FIP and is on pace for a 5-WAR season — not too shabby for a guy who turned 24 on May 31 and is just now on the doorstep of one full year of service time. He’s a key reason why the Indians believe their rotation can remain a strength for the foreseeable future.
Supermercado
Three years ago, Oscar Mercado doubted that his future included baseball. The Indians are glad he stuck with it.
Since Mercado’s arrival, the Indians’ offense has escaped hibernation. The resurgence isn’t a direct result of the rookie’s contributions, but he has undoubtedly provided a spark near the top of the lineup. Even though he went 0-for-13 in Kansas City this week, he’s hitting .289 with a 103 wRC+ in his first two months of major-league action.
“He wants to learn,” Francisco Lindor said after Mercado delivered a walk-off hit June 11. “He pays attention to details. He learns sequences from the catchers and pitchers. Every one of us, we’ve made mistakes. Sometimes we get a little carried away. But he’s done an outstanding job. I want him to win the Rookie of the Year Award that I didn’t win.”
(Duane Burleson / Getty Images)
Bauers’ hour
Jake Bauers planned to slap a single through the hole at shortstop, but Shane Bieber and Zach Plesac had a better idea.
“Dude, your approach is great,” Bieber told Bauers. “I love your approach. But you have to let it eat.”
Bauers stood a home run shy of the cycle, and with Bieber’s backing, he opted to swing for the fences. Mission accomplished. Bauers notched the Indians’ first cycle since Rajai Davis in 2016. Prior to that, no Tribe player had hit for the cycle since Travis Hafner in 2003.
The feat came at a perfect time, too. Bauers met with Francona in the manager’s office at Comerica Park earlier that day. Francona wanted to assure Bauers he wasn’t at risk for a demotion to Class AAA, so he could relax at the plate.
The Price is right
After only three starts at Class AAA Columbus, Plesac made his major-league debut — at historic Fenway Park, of all places. He kept pace with David Price as he pitched in front of nearly 20 family members, including his twin brother, who flew in from Alaska. When Plesac returned to his locker after his outing, he discovered a note from Price congratulating him on a successful debut.
The bad
Order, order
Trivia time: Can you name the eight players who have batted fifth for the Indians this season?
A quick aside as you prepare your answer: Brad Mills has taken to including a photo of a former or current Indians player as the background on each day’s lineup card in the clubhouse. Some days, it’s an old photo of Rick Manning. Other days, it’s Bieber. It adds a nice touch.
OK, let’s hear your responses. José Ramírez is the easiest answer, as he’s batted fifth in exactly half of the Indians’ 86 games. He’s not the only one with that surname to appear in that spot, though.
Remember Hanley Ramírez? That lottery ticket produced nothing but the small pile of debris that sticks to your fingers after some furious scratching. He batted .184 with a .625 OPS in 16 games before the Indians bid farewell.
Speaking of veterans who didn’t pan out, Carlos Gonzalez spent 15 games in the No. 5 spot. He batted fourth the night before he was designated for assignment, though.
Francona has penciled platoon partners Luplow and Tyler Naquin into that spot four times each. Bauers has hit fifth on three occasions, and Kipnis twice.
Is that eighth name stumping you?
Before Brad Miller jumped to the Yankees and then the Phillies — and before he vented to reporters about the Indians’ decision to sever ties with him — he appeared in 13 games for the Indians.
On April 4, the Indians’ lined up in this order: Martín, Ramírez, Bauers, Santana, Miller, Allen, Pérez, Naquin, Stamets
Yikes. Four of those players — including Eric Stamets, who posted a .222 OPS in 15 games — are no longer with the big-league club. Ramírez and Bauers have since settled in lower in the order.
Down in arms
First, Mike Clevinger’s upper back barked. Then, a line drive busted Corey Kluber’s forearm. Blood tests forced Carlos Carrasco to temporarily step away. Even one of the fill-ins, Jefry Rodriguez, has been shelved with a shoulder strain. The bedrock of the Indians’ roster has been tested like never before.
The Indians have already used 11 different starting pitchers this season (including a Tyler Clippard-led bullpen day). Last year, they used seven.
“One of the first things I tell them at spring training is how we handle adversity kind of defines … how your season goes,” Francona said in May. “Now we’re getting it thrown at us, so how can we handle it? I don’t see where teams are going to come in and feel sorry for us. … This can be our time to shine or we can feel sorry for ourselves and lose.”
(Mark Goldman / Getty Images)
The ugly
Woes against the O’s
The Indians were surging through June. The Orioles owned the worst record in baseball. When the clubs collided at Camden Yards at the end of last month, one team shellacked the other, 13-0, in each of the first two games of the series.
And since this is baseball, a sport that excels at making expectations appear foolish, it was the sad-sack Orioles who emerged triumphant in those lopsided affairs. Baltimore became the first team in league history to record consecutive shutout victories with that scoring margin, their first back-to-back wins in nearly two months.
And that led to this candid synopsis from Francona: “They beat the shit out of us. They hit better than us. They played better than us. They pitched better than us. And they managed better than me. This game will make you laugh sometimes. Sometimes, it’ll make you shake your head. Sometimes, it’ll about make you cry. You pick it up tomorrow and see if we do better.”
José, can you see (your stats)?
On Thursday, José Ramírez recorded his first multi-homer game since July 30, 2018. Could this be the spark that signals his turnaround at the plate? This isn’t the first time that question has been asked.
About a month ago, Francona acknowledged: “Every time I think he’s going to turn a corner, he doesn’t. I have so much belief in him that he will, it’s just been hard for him. It’s been a prolonged period and I know it’s got to be wearing on him. But I feel so strongly that he will figure it out.”
His resurgence would make a massive difference in the Indians’ lineup in the second half.
Ramírez in 2016
Games with 3+ hits: 10
Games with 2+ hits: 51
Ramírez in 2017
Games with 3+ hits: 21
Games with 2+ hits: 52
Ramírez in 2018
Games with 3+ hits: 14
Games with 2+ hits: 40
Ramírez in 2019 (through 86 games)
Games with 3+ hits: 1
Games with 2+ hits: 18
The bizarre
This season has lacked the wackiness we crave — no squirrels or seagulls or swarms of unrelenting midges, no bullpen nickname mix-ups, no episodes involving two baseballs on the field at the same time. Still, there have been some unusual happenings.
No no-no
On April 4, the Indians entered the ninth having permitted 10 Blue Jays batters to reach base. None of them reached via a hit. So, yeah, the Indians stood three outs away from their first no-hitter in 38 years. It just didn’t unfold in the pristine fashion that a typical no-hitter dream does. Trevor Bauer exited after seven innings and 117 pitches, having walked six and plunked a batter. Jon Edwards loaded the bases with walks and hit batsmen in the eighth. Hand allowed three hits in the ninth — bringing the tying run to the plate — and the Indians settled for a 4-1 victory.
Bauer was rather ho-hum about no no-no.
“None of it was nerve-wracking, to be honest,” he said. “It’s the game of baseball.”
Pay attention!
It’s typically beneficial for the player holding the baseball on the field to be aware of the goings-on around him. On June 15, Leonys Martín caught Tigers pitcher Victor Alcantara napping. Martín faked as if he were headed down the line from third base, but Alcantara never noticed. He dropped his head the moment he came set, so on the ensuing pitch, Martín dashed toward home plate — for real, this time.
Martín became the Tribe first player in 14 years to record a straight steal of home.
“I know it wasn’t a good idea if I was out,” he said, laughing, “but I was safe.”
Extra relief
The best ERA on the Indians belongs to … their backup catcher.
Kevin Plawecki has logged a pair of scoreless innings this season, having retired all six batters he has faced. When asked about Shane Bieber one May afternoon, Plawecki started his response with: “I’m not a pitcher — I mean, sometimes I am …”
The Indians needed a two-inning cameo from a position player in Baltimore last weekend, so Francona turned to veteran utilityman Mike Freeman. He served up a two-run homer. He also struck a hitter’s bat as it was held behind his head with a 53 mph curveball.
When Plawecki pitched, he used Clevinger’s glove, since the actual hurler hadn’t allowed a run while using it this season.
“My only thing is, they can hit as far as they want,” Plawecki said, “just don’t hit it at me.”
Zack Meisel Jul 5, 2019 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Long ago, when Neil Ramírezes still roamed the Indians’ clubhouse, Terry Francona’s bunch, clad in ski masks and turtlenecks, took the field in downtown Minneapolis.
The calendar read March. The Twins had yet to emerge as an American League powerhouse. Virginia had yet to cut down the nets. And speaking of Nets, Kevin Durant was a healthy Warrior, not a Brooklyn-bound crutches user.
A lot has happened in 14 weeks. The first half of the Indians’ season has felt more like three or four seasons. Despite a rotation ravaged by injuries, a mass exodus of underperforming veterans and a lineup that often features Jordan Luplow — optioned to Triple A in April — or Jason Kipnis — options are limited — in the cleanup spot, the Indians have kept plugging along.
It could make for a compelling 13 meetings remaining on the schedule between the Indians and Twins. But before the Indians begin their second-half march — and before an onslaught of All-Star Game coverage surfaces — here’s a rundown of the good, the bad, the ugly and the bizarre happenings that defined the Indians’ first half.
The good
American boy
Hey, have you heard that Carlos Santana is happy to be playing in Cleveland again? The storyline will reach a fever pitch this week as he participates in the Home Run Derby and starts at first base in the All-Star Game. It’s well-deserved recognition for a guy who was thrilled to return to the Indians and has rewarded them with a career year.
Tribe hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, who will pitch to Santana in the derby, said Santana has had his eye on the All-Star Game since spring training.
“This is his home,” Francona said. “I understand why he left. I probably would have, too. (The Phillies gave him) 60 million reasons. But to get him back, I think he was happy and he knew we were happy. It worked out well for everybody. We’re thrilled to have him back.”
Another Santana highlight from a first half full of them: He became a U.S. citizen in April, and he received his certificate at a ceremony in downtown Cleveland, where he was joined by his wife and three children. Since then, Santana has occasionally referred to himself as “an American boy.”
Catcher in the rye
Roberto Pérez vowed to produce more at the plate with daily at-bats. No one anticipated he would post the second-highest slugging percentage on the team.
That Yan Gomes trade sure looks favorable for the Indians at the moment, considering Cleveland acquired Daniel Johnson (a Futures Game participant this weekend), Jefry Rodriguez and minor-league infielder Andruw Monasterio, as well as better play at the catching position.
Pérez: .242/.336/.505 slash line, 116 wRC+, 15 HR, 1.6 WAR
Gomes: .211/.297/.304 slash line, 56 wRC+, 3 HR, -0.2 WAR
Pérez has also blossomed into a clubhouse favorite. He took plenty of playful grief for his hustle on a triple and a mad dash to the plate on a subsequent wild pitch Wednesday night in Kansas City. After the game, a teammate briefly switched off the customary postgame victory playlist to blare the first minute or so of “I Believe I Can Fly.”
Motley crew
OK, so the nickname “Brad Hand & The Funky Bunch” didn’t catch on, but the group — made up of a near-automatic slider-slinging closer and his cohorts with the deceptive deliveries — continues to stymie the opposition in the late innings.
The Indians boast the best bullpen ERA in baseball (3.52). No, Nick Wittgren didn’t break camp with the big-league club, but he has settled in as Hand’s chief setup man. Sure, Adam Cimber ranks in the 0th percentile in fastball velocity, but he limits hard contact and owns a 3.06 ERA. Yeah, Oliver Pérez turns 38 next month, but he continues to rack up outs like a reliever in his prime. Nick Goody has proved effective since joining the group, too.
Hand is the centerpiece, headed to his third consecutive All-Star Game, and Dan Otero described him aptly earlier this season: “I don’t think any situation is going to faze him. He doesn’t seem to be overwhelmed by anything. His resting heart rate is, like, 50, and then when he gets guys on base, I think it goes down, like, to 48. It’s like, ‘Brad, wake up!’”
Bieber Fever
When Shane Bieber burst onto the scene last summer, many marveled at his walk rate. He issued three walks in 65 1/3 innings prior to his promotion to the majors.
Sixty-five innings. Three walks.
So, the strikeouts were an afterthought, even though he averaged nearly one per inning. But now, the control artist with the low-90s heater throws in the mid-90s and ranks sixth in the majors in strikeout rate (and ahead of strikeout-hungry teammate Trevor Bauer).
Bieber has compiled a 3.54 ERA, a 3.40 FIP and is on pace for a 5-WAR season — not too shabby for a guy who turned 24 on May 31 and is just now on the doorstep of one full year of service time. He’s a key reason why the Indians believe their rotation can remain a strength for the foreseeable future.
Supermercado
Three years ago, Oscar Mercado doubted that his future included baseball. The Indians are glad he stuck with it.
Since Mercado’s arrival, the Indians’ offense has escaped hibernation. The resurgence isn’t a direct result of the rookie’s contributions, but he has undoubtedly provided a spark near the top of the lineup. Even though he went 0-for-13 in Kansas City this week, he’s hitting .289 with a 103 wRC+ in his first two months of major-league action.
“He wants to learn,” Francisco Lindor said after Mercado delivered a walk-off hit June 11. “He pays attention to details. He learns sequences from the catchers and pitchers. Every one of us, we’ve made mistakes. Sometimes we get a little carried away. But he’s done an outstanding job. I want him to win the Rookie of the Year Award that I didn’t win.”
(Duane Burleson / Getty Images)
Bauers’ hour
Jake Bauers planned to slap a single through the hole at shortstop, but Shane Bieber and Zach Plesac had a better idea.
“Dude, your approach is great,” Bieber told Bauers. “I love your approach. But you have to let it eat.”
Bauers stood a home run shy of the cycle, and with Bieber’s backing, he opted to swing for the fences. Mission accomplished. Bauers notched the Indians’ first cycle since Rajai Davis in 2016. Prior to that, no Tribe player had hit for the cycle since Travis Hafner in 2003.
The feat came at a perfect time, too. Bauers met with Francona in the manager’s office at Comerica Park earlier that day. Francona wanted to assure Bauers he wasn’t at risk for a demotion to Class AAA, so he could relax at the plate.
The Price is right
After only three starts at Class AAA Columbus, Plesac made his major-league debut — at historic Fenway Park, of all places. He kept pace with David Price as he pitched in front of nearly 20 family members, including his twin brother, who flew in from Alaska. When Plesac returned to his locker after his outing, he discovered a note from Price congratulating him on a successful debut.
The bad
Order, order
Trivia time: Can you name the eight players who have batted fifth for the Indians this season?
A quick aside as you prepare your answer: Brad Mills has taken to including a photo of a former or current Indians player as the background on each day’s lineup card in the clubhouse. Some days, it’s an old photo of Rick Manning. Other days, it’s Bieber. It adds a nice touch.
OK, let’s hear your responses. José Ramírez is the easiest answer, as he’s batted fifth in exactly half of the Indians’ 86 games. He’s not the only one with that surname to appear in that spot, though.
Remember Hanley Ramírez? That lottery ticket produced nothing but the small pile of debris that sticks to your fingers after some furious scratching. He batted .184 with a .625 OPS in 16 games before the Indians bid farewell.
Speaking of veterans who didn’t pan out, Carlos Gonzalez spent 15 games in the No. 5 spot. He batted fourth the night before he was designated for assignment, though.
Francona has penciled platoon partners Luplow and Tyler Naquin into that spot four times each. Bauers has hit fifth on three occasions, and Kipnis twice.
Is that eighth name stumping you?
Before Brad Miller jumped to the Yankees and then the Phillies — and before he vented to reporters about the Indians’ decision to sever ties with him — he appeared in 13 games for the Indians.
On April 4, the Indians’ lined up in this order: Martín, Ramírez, Bauers, Santana, Miller, Allen, Pérez, Naquin, Stamets
Yikes. Four of those players — including Eric Stamets, who posted a .222 OPS in 15 games — are no longer with the big-league club. Ramírez and Bauers have since settled in lower in the order.
Down in arms
First, Mike Clevinger’s upper back barked. Then, a line drive busted Corey Kluber’s forearm. Blood tests forced Carlos Carrasco to temporarily step away. Even one of the fill-ins, Jefry Rodriguez, has been shelved with a shoulder strain. The bedrock of the Indians’ roster has been tested like never before.
The Indians have already used 11 different starting pitchers this season (including a Tyler Clippard-led bullpen day). Last year, they used seven.
“One of the first things I tell them at spring training is how we handle adversity kind of defines … how your season goes,” Francona said in May. “Now we’re getting it thrown at us, so how can we handle it? I don’t see where teams are going to come in and feel sorry for us. … This can be our time to shine or we can feel sorry for ourselves and lose.”
(Mark Goldman / Getty Images)
The ugly
Woes against the O’s
The Indians were surging through June. The Orioles owned the worst record in baseball. When the clubs collided at Camden Yards at the end of last month, one team shellacked the other, 13-0, in each of the first two games of the series.
And since this is baseball, a sport that excels at making expectations appear foolish, it was the sad-sack Orioles who emerged triumphant in those lopsided affairs. Baltimore became the first team in league history to record consecutive shutout victories with that scoring margin, their first back-to-back wins in nearly two months.
And that led to this candid synopsis from Francona: “They beat the shit out of us. They hit better than us. They played better than us. They pitched better than us. And they managed better than me. This game will make you laugh sometimes. Sometimes, it’ll make you shake your head. Sometimes, it’ll about make you cry. You pick it up tomorrow and see if we do better.”
José, can you see (your stats)?
On Thursday, José Ramírez recorded his first multi-homer game since July 30, 2018. Could this be the spark that signals his turnaround at the plate? This isn’t the first time that question has been asked.
About a month ago, Francona acknowledged: “Every time I think he’s going to turn a corner, he doesn’t. I have so much belief in him that he will, it’s just been hard for him. It’s been a prolonged period and I know it’s got to be wearing on him. But I feel so strongly that he will figure it out.”
His resurgence would make a massive difference in the Indians’ lineup in the second half.
Ramírez in 2016
Games with 3+ hits: 10
Games with 2+ hits: 51
Ramírez in 2017
Games with 3+ hits: 21
Games with 2+ hits: 52
Ramírez in 2018
Games with 3+ hits: 14
Games with 2+ hits: 40
Ramírez in 2019 (through 86 games)
Games with 3+ hits: 1
Games with 2+ hits: 18
The bizarre
This season has lacked the wackiness we crave — no squirrels or seagulls or swarms of unrelenting midges, no bullpen nickname mix-ups, no episodes involving two baseballs on the field at the same time. Still, there have been some unusual happenings.
No no-no
On April 4, the Indians entered the ninth having permitted 10 Blue Jays batters to reach base. None of them reached via a hit. So, yeah, the Indians stood three outs away from their first no-hitter in 38 years. It just didn’t unfold in the pristine fashion that a typical no-hitter dream does. Trevor Bauer exited after seven innings and 117 pitches, having walked six and plunked a batter. Jon Edwards loaded the bases with walks and hit batsmen in the eighth. Hand allowed three hits in the ninth — bringing the tying run to the plate — and the Indians settled for a 4-1 victory.
Bauer was rather ho-hum about no no-no.
“None of it was nerve-wracking, to be honest,” he said. “It’s the game of baseball.”
Pay attention!
It’s typically beneficial for the player holding the baseball on the field to be aware of the goings-on around him. On June 15, Leonys Martín caught Tigers pitcher Victor Alcantara napping. Martín faked as if he were headed down the line from third base, but Alcantara never noticed. He dropped his head the moment he came set, so on the ensuing pitch, Martín dashed toward home plate — for real, this time.
Martín became the Tribe first player in 14 years to record a straight steal of home.
“I know it wasn’t a good idea if I was out,” he said, laughing, “but I was safe.”
Extra relief
The best ERA on the Indians belongs to … their backup catcher.
Kevin Plawecki has logged a pair of scoreless innings this season, having retired all six batters he has faced. When asked about Shane Bieber one May afternoon, Plawecki started his response with: “I’m not a pitcher — I mean, sometimes I am …”
The Indians needed a two-inning cameo from a position player in Baltimore last weekend, so Francona turned to veteran utilityman Mike Freeman. He served up a two-run homer. He also struck a hitter’s bat as it was held behind his head with a 53 mph curveball.
When Plawecki pitched, he used Clevinger’s glove, since the actual hurler hadn’t allowed a run while using it this season.
“My only thing is, they can hit as far as they want,” Plawecki said, “just don’t hit it at me.”
Re: Articles
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 2:45 pm
Cleveland Indians’ Roberto Perez gets chance, goes to work and takes control at catcher
Updated Jul 5, 6:48 PM;
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Catcher Roberto Perez’s wake-up call came long before a 98-mph foul ball off the bat of Whit Merrifield slammed into his mask on the first pitch of Wednesday night’s game at Kauffman Stadium.
Mike Clevinger threw it, Merrifield got a piece of it and Perez’s hockey goalie style mask caught the brunt of it.
“It got me really good,” said Perez. “It seems the last two weeks I’ve taken three or four of those. But that. . .on the first pitch of the game. It hit me pretty good.”
Manager Terry Francona and James Quinlan, Indians head athletic trainer, spent a lot of time talking to Perez to make sure he was all right. He’s already had one foul-tip induced concussion this season.
“That will bring you back to reality awfully quick,” said Francona, after the game. “Berto said he was all right. Right now his jaw is sore, but his eyes were clear. He’s all right.”
Said Perez, “I shook it off and went back to work.”
Perez has been hard at work all year. In his first chance to be the Tribe’s full-time catcher, he’s hitting .242 (47-for-194) with 15 homers, 34 RBI and an .841 OPS. Last year, playing sparingly behind All-Star Yan Gomes, Perez hit .168 (30-for-179) with two homers and 19 RBI.
He is headed into the All-Star break ranked second among AL catchers in homers and tied for fifth in RBI.
When the Indians traded Gomes to the Nationals in November to save money and bring some younger players into the organization – Jefry Rodriguez, Daniel Johnson and Andruw Monasterio – fans howled. They said ownership was cheap and questioned the sanity of the front office people who said Perez was going to be the starting catcher.
“I told everybody, man,” said Perez. “I just needed a chance to play. Right now I have the opportunity to play. I knew that I was confident enough, I knew what I was capable of doing if I got playing time.
“It’s hard to play once a week. I always told everybody that. I’m not taking this opportunity for granted. I’m just going out there and trying to have good at bats and I’m having good results.”
How much different is this season than any other season Perez has played for the Indians? He went into this year with 21 career homers in 818 at-bats. This year he has 15 homers in 194 at-bats.
“I’m not trying to hit homers,” said Perez. “I’m just trying to put the ball in play and make something happen. It’s going well for me.”
After having the structural integrity of his mask tested Wednesday night, here’s what Perez did at the plate. He started the third inning with a drive into the right field corner that caught the contour of the outfield wall and scooted past Merrifield like a gutter ball in bowling. Perez, like most catchers, does not run fast. Due to some good relay work, the throw beat him to third base, but he somehow avoided the tag of third baseman Hunter Dozier for his first triple of the year.
Then came a wild pitch by Kansas City’s Danny Duffy. Catcher Martin Maldonado quickly recovered the ball and threw to Duffy at the plate. Duffy had the ball before Perez arrived, but missed him with a swipe tag as Perez used another unique slide for a 1-0 lead.
When Perez got to the dugout, his teammates mobbed him.
“They were giving me a hard time,” he said. “They were impressed with my slides. They’d never seen me slide like that before.”
In the eighth inning, with the Tribe leading, 2-0, Perez hit a two-run homer down the left field line for a 4-0 lead. It stood as the final score.
But catchers cannot live by the bat alone. In the fourth inning he completed a strike-‘em-out-throw-‘em out double play by erasing Alex Gordon trying to steal second base. Clevinger said Perez turned five or six of his pitches from balls to strikes by the way framed them.
“I’m back there for them. Not just Clevinger, but the whole staff,” said Perez. ”I’m trying to make everything look like a strike. That’s a game changer.
“The count can go from 1-1 to 2-1 instead of 1-2. It’s nice to be back there for them Our pitching staff has been doing an outstanding job, especially the bullpen.”
Defense has always been the best part of Perez’s game. The team ERA when he’s behind the plate is 3.68 and he’s thrown out 13 of the 37 baserunners (35 percent) who have challenged him.
“He really coming into his own,” said Francona. “He’s grown. He’s always taken a real pride in getting pitchers through a game. Now he’s starting to help out offensively. That’s pretty good.”
Updated Jul 5, 6:48 PM;
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Catcher Roberto Perez’s wake-up call came long before a 98-mph foul ball off the bat of Whit Merrifield slammed into his mask on the first pitch of Wednesday night’s game at Kauffman Stadium.
Mike Clevinger threw it, Merrifield got a piece of it and Perez’s hockey goalie style mask caught the brunt of it.
“It got me really good,” said Perez. “It seems the last two weeks I’ve taken three or four of those. But that. . .on the first pitch of the game. It hit me pretty good.”
Manager Terry Francona and James Quinlan, Indians head athletic trainer, spent a lot of time talking to Perez to make sure he was all right. He’s already had one foul-tip induced concussion this season.
“That will bring you back to reality awfully quick,” said Francona, after the game. “Berto said he was all right. Right now his jaw is sore, but his eyes were clear. He’s all right.”
Said Perez, “I shook it off and went back to work.”
Perez has been hard at work all year. In his first chance to be the Tribe’s full-time catcher, he’s hitting .242 (47-for-194) with 15 homers, 34 RBI and an .841 OPS. Last year, playing sparingly behind All-Star Yan Gomes, Perez hit .168 (30-for-179) with two homers and 19 RBI.
He is headed into the All-Star break ranked second among AL catchers in homers and tied for fifth in RBI.
When the Indians traded Gomes to the Nationals in November to save money and bring some younger players into the organization – Jefry Rodriguez, Daniel Johnson and Andruw Monasterio – fans howled. They said ownership was cheap and questioned the sanity of the front office people who said Perez was going to be the starting catcher.
“I told everybody, man,” said Perez. “I just needed a chance to play. Right now I have the opportunity to play. I knew that I was confident enough, I knew what I was capable of doing if I got playing time.
“It’s hard to play once a week. I always told everybody that. I’m not taking this opportunity for granted. I’m just going out there and trying to have good at bats and I’m having good results.”
How much different is this season than any other season Perez has played for the Indians? He went into this year with 21 career homers in 818 at-bats. This year he has 15 homers in 194 at-bats.
“I’m not trying to hit homers,” said Perez. “I’m just trying to put the ball in play and make something happen. It’s going well for me.”
After having the structural integrity of his mask tested Wednesday night, here’s what Perez did at the plate. He started the third inning with a drive into the right field corner that caught the contour of the outfield wall and scooted past Merrifield like a gutter ball in bowling. Perez, like most catchers, does not run fast. Due to some good relay work, the throw beat him to third base, but he somehow avoided the tag of third baseman Hunter Dozier for his first triple of the year.
Then came a wild pitch by Kansas City’s Danny Duffy. Catcher Martin Maldonado quickly recovered the ball and threw to Duffy at the plate. Duffy had the ball before Perez arrived, but missed him with a swipe tag as Perez used another unique slide for a 1-0 lead.
When Perez got to the dugout, his teammates mobbed him.
“They were giving me a hard time,” he said. “They were impressed with my slides. They’d never seen me slide like that before.”
In the eighth inning, with the Tribe leading, 2-0, Perez hit a two-run homer down the left field line for a 4-0 lead. It stood as the final score.
But catchers cannot live by the bat alone. In the fourth inning he completed a strike-‘em-out-throw-‘em out double play by erasing Alex Gordon trying to steal second base. Clevinger said Perez turned five or six of his pitches from balls to strikes by the way framed them.
“I’m back there for them. Not just Clevinger, but the whole staff,” said Perez. ”I’m trying to make everything look like a strike. That’s a game changer.
“The count can go from 1-1 to 2-1 instead of 1-2. It’s nice to be back there for them Our pitching staff has been doing an outstanding job, especially the bullpen.”
Defense has always been the best part of Perez’s game. The team ERA when he’s behind the plate is 3.68 and he’s thrown out 13 of the 37 baserunners (35 percent) who have challenged him.
“He really coming into his own,” said Francona. “He’s grown. He’s always taken a real pride in getting pitchers through a game. Now he’s starting to help out offensively. That’s pretty good.”