Tagged: Cleveland
The Comeback Kids :)
This game could only have been called a pitcher’s duel through 7 innings. I listened to it & was actually very happy that no one had scored, that way I wouldn’t have to be at-edge for a long time. Starting in the 8th inning, the Jays scored on a solo homer & it was 1-0 Toronto. I wasn’t to edgy after that, because I knew we could catch up. I did, however, become edgy when it was the top of the ninth & it was the last time we would have a chance to score. If we didn’t, we would lose. First, the Tribe’s Ryan Garko had an infield single & reached. Grady Sizemore tried to bunt him in, but the Jays threw the ball over the second baseman’s head trying to get Garko at second, & that advanced runner’s to 2nd & 3rd. Finally, Victor Martinez came to bat. I knew it would be perfect if he scored those runners, which would give him back his double that was stole from him in the last game, & officially bring him out of his slump ( in my mind. ) I was so happy when he actually hit a line hugging double to the left side of the outfield & scored two runners. 2-1 Cleveland. & To make it better, if he would have gotten out, that would have been the game. I was so proud that the Indians never gave up & came back. Cliff Lee came out to close the game, & he did. The final of the game was 2-1 Tribe 🙂
The defense of the Tribe was pretty good yesterday too, & did really well retiring the Jays. One of the most important was the double play turned by Asdrubal Cabrera.
I am really looking forward to today’s game also, with Carl Pavano on the mound. He has a good record & does a respectable job retiring hitters. After the game, Victor said this about his double ; “It’s always a great feeling when you do your job,” Martinez said. “It’s always great when you win a game, especially for the guy on the mound for us.” Now I know by now you all know about the trade rumors about Victor Martinez & Cliff Lee. From some articles I read, it seems as though they are taking trading Cliff Lee..”more seriously.” & I qoute. Which means if the Tribe got a good deal, they might trade him. Come on, I dont think we should! Unless it’s 2 good pitchers for the price of one or something. We shouldn’t be so desperate as to trade our best pitcher because of some bad pitching in our line-up. The fact is, he is our best pitcher right now, & it would be foolish to trade him.
Looking To The Future
Today the Tribe plays a night game at 7:07pm. We are playing against the Blue Jays, with Cliff Lee on the mound. The last game Cliff Lee pitched, he won. Hopefully we can bag anothher win & have some fun doing it, too. There are more things to talk about other than that, like the trade rumors. There are some swirling around about Victor Martinez & Cliff Lee. Do I think they are true? No. It’s a simple fact that those guys mean a lot to the Indians, & the Tribe would be crazy to trade them unless it was the best deal in the world. As for Victor, he has a genuine love for the Tribe & the fans of Cleveland, so why would we trade him? Here is a question that I found on the Indians Official Site, & it hit me hard, because I am thinking the same thing,
Can you give an update about Shin-Soo Choo’s military service requirement? I just really hope we don’t lose the most consistent player on our roster, nor do I want to lose the rain of “Chooooo” filling the stadium when he homers or throws a man out at second from the corner of the outfield. — Mike K., Akron, Ohio
Shin-Shoo-Choo is amazing. He seems like a good person, & he also does a lot for our club. If he does leave for military service after next year, it will break my heart. I will be worried about him, & I will also miss the rain of “Chooooo!” also. I really dont want him to leave, but if he has to leave & service the military then..I guess he should. I just really hope he might get a free-pass from the government to stay with the Indians.
I honestly cant wait for tonight’s game. I’m ready to get back in buisness with my Tribe watching & hope for a win 🙂 I hope we can crush the Jays. I REALLY hope they dont crush us!
One more thing I must look back on. It was one of the funniest things ever..& this picture should give you a clue. Shin-Shoo-Choo was also the one that hit the baseball that went off the seagull allowing us to win! I found this picture & thought it was a funny thing. Well, it’s true, which is one of the reasons it’s so funny! ( Sorry Royals Fans ) Anyways, I also really like that color blue. Another random but true fact. That win was probably one of the weirdest ways ever in MLB to win a game. Thank you, seagulls!
One of Those Games That Really Hurt
Well, this one hurts. The Tribe was down 3-0, but we eventually tied it 3-3 & I was very happy by that point. I thought we could win. Well, eventually Kerry Wood gave up some runs, & it was 5-3 Mariners going into the bottom of the ninth. The Tribe had two outs & one guy on base, & Victor Martinez came to bat. The crowd was going crazy, hoping for a homer which would tie the game & give us a chance. Well, he swung & I thought it was going out. It went so far..but right at the wall Ichiro jumped & made the catch. Ouch..Victor seemed as shocked & upset as I was, & you could hear a collective sigh from the crowd. It cant be happening again. Will the second half be any better? I hope so. Another thing, I felt betrayed because of Franklin Gutierrez. He used to be with the Tribe, & Ichiro said Franklin seemed more happy about the catch then Ichiro was. ..Wow. Anyways, I hope the next series is better..
Tribe Looks To Split Series At Even
The Tribe lost yesterday in what can only be called a pitcher’s duel. The Mariners pitcher did a great job- AGAiN. No wonder they say the reason the Mariners win a lot is because of their pitchers! That’s a lesson about just how important pitchers can be. The final score was 3-1. I liked how the Tribe didn’t give up, they kept trying to put the ball into play but were not able to a lot. Our bullpen did a great job, so the final score was nothing like the score could have been. Grady Sizemore had a few great plays, & even a diving catch. The fans at Pro Field cheered until the very end, which actually made it a lot easier to deal with the fact that we lost, for some reason. Today we have a afternoon game at 1:05 & look to even the series at 2 games a piece. One thing I cant help but hear the rumors about..will Eric Wedge still be the manager by the end of the year?
Tribe Enters 2nd Half With A Win & A Different Line-Up :)
I was so excited to finally get back to the season after the break, & I certainly should have been, because we started the 2nd half off with a resounding “W!” The first thing I noticed while sitting in my room getting ready for the game with my usual Ramen Noodles, was that Grady Sizemore was back in the lead-off spot & the line-up had a new look. I was really excited about that, because I know what a 1-2-3 punch of Grady, Asdrubal, & Choo can do to you. ( Hey that ryhmes! ) Anyways, we automatically took the lead in the first 1-0. We kept piling it on the whole game & eventually it was 3-0. After that the Mariners hit a homer to make it 3-1. Cliff Lee probably got fired up after that, because the rest of the game he just got better & better. This is what I would like to imagine what the baseball looked like coming at the Mariner’s hitters after that single homer was given up,
Wondering what the line-up looks like & why I’m making a big deal out of it? OK 🙂
Grady Sizemore, CF
Asrubal Cabrera, SS
Shin-Shoo-Choo, RF
Victor Martinez, 1B
Travis Hafner, DH
Jhonny Peralta, 3B
Ben Francisco, LF
Jamey Carroll, 2B
Kelly Shoppach, C
& Now that Grady is in the lead-off spot again, he seems to be pretty comfortable there..after all, he made great offensive & great defensive plays also, like the leaping grab at the wall to save extra bases from happening for the Mariners. I’m really glad he is back in the lead-off spot!
Not to be out-done, Asdrubal decided he would make some good plays too, making a smooth behind-the-back throw to the second base-man to start an amazing double play.
Here is the link to watch it : http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200907175581861 Grady said this about that defensive play ; “It was pretty special,” Sizemore said. “He made it look easy.”
After the game Cliff Lee was interviewed about his full-game, 4-1 win. I listened to it, & just as they were waiting for him to come & get interviewed, they started talking about all the trade rumors that have been going on. Of course, Cliff came up right as they were talking about him, & they started laughing. In the interview, they eventually asked him what he thought about all the rumors & how he deals with them, & he responded, “What rumors?” That’s your awnser right there. 🙂 He said, “I try not to really pay attention to any of those rumors. I dont read newspapers or any other articles about me or about rumors, all I pretty much watch is SportsCenter.” That got me laughing, & also I was shocked that he watched SportsCenter, because that’s basically what I watch, too. I shouldn’t probably have been shocked, but I was.
I know the fans were happier than they have been for awhile, ( I know I was ), because they filled up Pro Field pretty good & were even chanting “lets go tribe,” which I haven’t heard them do for awhile. 🙂 It was all around an enjoyable game for me. This is probably what I imagine all the players were doing after the game, since they all played a really good game.
Getting Ready For The Second Half of The Season
First off, the non-serious & sort of funny/ironic stuff. Well, I am going to put a picture under this paragraph that I found, where Ryan Garko is signing autographs & hats. Focus on one hat, it’s beige with a dark blue cap, & it’s right by Ryan’s arm. I have the same hat! It’s a Tribe hat, & I have one that look’s just like it! Thought I would post it & show everyone. 🙂
Next, first half evaluations, to get ready for the second half. The official Tribe Site has the same evaluations, but I am going to make my own version of what I think about everything.
Club MVP: Shin-Shoo-Choo. He is always producing runs in any way possible, & even had a 7 RBI game one day, & had two home-runs, making it a triple away from a cycle.
Call him “Ace”:Cliff Lee, whose record is certainly not accurate according to how good he has done. He has always been our ace, also. Other than C.C, who is gone now.
Greatest strength: I agree with the Tribe site again, our greatest strength right now is our very good run production, which averages over 5 runs a game.
Biggest problem: Obviously the bullpen & pitching.
Biggest surprise: That would be that Mark DeRosa was traded.
Team needs: Mostly pitching, but maybe another slugger in the line-up could also help.
Mark your calendar: July 31-Aug. 2: The Indians will enshrine Sandy Alomar Jr. into their team Hall of Fame at Heritage Park during the weekend series against the Tigers. Former pitcher Wes Ferrell and former owners Bill Veeck and Dick Jacobs will be inducted posthumously; Sept. 22-30: The final homestand of 2009 features games against the Tigers and White Sox, as the Indians could have a direct say in how the final AL Central standings shake out; Oct. 1-4: The Indians wrap up the season with a four-game set in Boston’s famous Fenway Park. ( Just going to keep what the Official Indians Site had, that pretty much sums up the important dates, credit goes to them )
Fearless second-half prediction: The Tribe will show some improvement, & likely make some trades, & I know they will definetely get better. 🙂
OK, now ending on a hilarious note. You all have to watch this video! It’s funny even if you are not a fan of the Tribe. Luis Valbuena of the Tribe & the Pittsburgh mascot were not getting along. Now some warnings for the second half : WATCH OUT FOR THE CRAZY PARROT MASCOT WHO WILL STEAL YOUR GLOVE! Oh, & one more thing before the video..WATCH OUT FOR THE CRAZY INSANE SEAGULLS!
Now watch your back or the crazy parrot mascot will come & get you.
Proud To Be An American Leaguer – & Victor Martinez’s Great Game
Well, this All-Star Game sure wasn’t disappointing! The AL League won as many expected we would again. It wasn’t all the way into the early morning hour’s, and Victor got a very fair amount of playing time. One thing that stands out about Vic, is that his son is always there with him. I find it so adorable! When the camera’s were on him, little Victor even flashed a peace sign for the cameras. Martinez, when asked about his son, said he hopes to be back for more mid-summer classics, but just in case, he gets as many souvenirs as possible for his son. “We got some stuff,” Martinez said, “so I can show it to him when he gets older.”
Victor’s only at-bat was sort of disappointing to me at first. He got intentionally walked! I could guess his thoughts by the look on his face : “Come on! I want to drive someone home!” He was laughing the whole time though, it was all smiles with him. 🙂 There is good in that, obviously his competitors are scared to face him, which makes me feel all warm and bubbly for some reason. Yes, be afraid. BE VERY AFRAID. When asked about it he said, “”That’s the last thing you think is going to happen, getting intentionally walked in your only at-bat,” Martinez said with a laugh. “That’s OK, though. I had fun.”
Victor’s help and contribution to the AL was definetely well known. He got us through a rough inning, and made one of the last out’s of the game. I am very happy for him, and
I’m glad he did so well.
Carl Crawford was the eventual MVP, for his huge catch that robbed the NL of a home-run, or we would have had some extra-innings, & maybe even lost in extra innnings.
Another rumor is swirling around about trading. This time, it’s of Victor Martinez going to the Red Sox?! No thanks. He seems to not want to be traded, because he came right out and said it. So please. DO NOT TRADE VICTOR. I have heard many Tribe fans already screaming that. He wants to stay, so do.not.trade.him. Asked about the Red Sox, he said, “They have a pretty good team, and I think if you ask around, everyone would like to play in Boston. I talk to David Ortiz [stats] when I have a chance, and some of the other guys, and they tell me how much fun it is there.”But that doesn’t mean I want to leave Cleveland. I hear some of the rumors, but I’ve tried to do a pretty good job of staying away from all the news about me.”
Getting Ready For The All-Star Game, & A Look At My Tribe-Filled Life.
This is going to be a entry with a lot of different info, so brace yourself. :}
First off, the home-run derby of last night. I watched the whole thing, and let me tell you..I was so wrong in my predictions! I thought it would come down to Albert and Carlos, & it came down to Nelson & Price. Who, “became king” according to the announcers. I was very suprised that Albert didn’t win, I thought he would at least be the top two. I enjoyed the derby a lot, and the special thing is..this was the first one I ever saw! It wont be my first All-Star game though, I watched that last year and stayed up until 1:00 in the morning.
Albert Pujols did very well though, I really liked his swing. The weird thing I noticed was that before when he swung, he had a kick to it, & then he suddenly didn’t. Either he was trying to lucky up his swing, or he was just tired, I’m not sure.
Okay, now into my Tribe-Filled Life. I cant have an Indians blog without talking about just how obsessive I am about my team. First off, my room. Every year I get more Tribe stuff to put in my room, & this is what I have so far : An Indians blanket and matching pillow, a Grady Sizemore Pennant, a “Official Indians Clubhouse” sign that you see before you enter my room, a Tribe Teddy Bear,a Grady Sizemore Cup, a Indians pennant, a Indians license plate, a Shin-Shoo-Choo poster, a HUGE blow up bat, a Mini Indians bat, a Indians doorhanger, a Indians flag, an Indians Pez Dispenser, a Indians ticket, 2 Tribe headbands and 2 sweatbands, a Indians cup, a Omar Vizquel baseball, and a regular Tribe baseball, & some pictures around my room. Now that’s just accesories..I have a lot of Tribe clothes too. I am going to put some pics below.
These are not all my Tribe things, just some of them. & The words about Cleveland fans is what is on the back of my Indians Pez Dispenser. 🙂
Last but NOT least, the All-Star Game. Who do you all think will win? I hope the AL wins, and to be honest I think they will. I’m predicting another extra inning game. Victor Martinez is catching, & he is the only representative going to the game for us. He said this about the All Star Game ; “Getting to be here with my family and enjoying it is great,” he said. “You look around and you see all these great players, and you have to enjoy it. The All-Star Game is all about having fun.” He was also asked where he would like to be next & said ; “I would like to stay [with Cleveland],” he said, “and hopefully retire as an Indian.”
An Update, & Getting Ready For The Home-Run Derby!
Ok, first I need to have an explanation as why I have been gone for a month. Well..I was grounded. No, really! I’m only fifteen so that can happen. Anyways, I had really bad grades when I got my report card, and it wasn’t pretty. So thats why I was grounded off the computer. But now I’m back for good! I hope, haha! 🙂
Well, first off, the Tribe has not done wonderful since I have been grounded. I always mark wins and losses on my calendar, and I am being honest when I say we have more losses. It’s not cool. Our record is our 6th worse going into the all-star break we ever have had – and the worst since 1991. So literally, this has been the worst season I have seen. But I REFUSE to give up! I know we can at least have better baseball after the all-star break.
Yes, a mission. A mission to make other fans stop giving up. I know it sounds totally corny and all, but I’m tired of hearing so called “Tribe Fans” complaining that the team
lost, and saying that there “hopeless this year” and that “they barely ever win.” Give me a break! I even heard a Tribe fan turning around and calling Cleveland “mistake on the lake.” Wow, that’s not very loyal, and certainly not true.
Okay, and now the heart-breaker of news that I got while being grounded. Markie was traded to the Cardinals for Chris Perez. Mark DeRosa was one of the Tribe that I got attached to to fast. Right after that, he got traded! I’m sure you can tell I got attached by the fact that I’m still calling him Markie. I am going to miss him A LOT. I hope St.Louis takes good care of him.
Tonight is the Home-Run Derby. I’m not really sure who from the AL is going to be there…I’m sure if not before it comes on, I’ll find out when it does! Albert Pujols is going to be there, and I am predicting him to win. If Grady is going to be there I dont want Albert to win, but he probably will. He has like 32 homers already! It’s crazy insane. He is like a machine or something!
A Question That Needs An Awnser.
Someone asked me, “Why do you root for the Indians, even when they lose and break your heart so often?” Well, many people are probably wanting the awnser to that, and some already know it. I know a lot of fans can relate to this, so I decided to awnser the question here. When you love a team, you stick with them no matter what happens. When you love a team that is losing a lot, that just makes those wins much better when you do win games. The joy and pride that comes out of whatever your team does, in the end, makes everything worth the trouble and heartbreak.
I think the awnser is, ” No matter what, everything will work it self out in the end, and things will go our way again, and we will continue to root for out favorite team even if they go back to having bad luck, or losing many ballgames. ”
Passion & Pride Collide 