What a great start to the road trip by taking 2 of 3 from the A's. BRF is really really happy to keep this good thing we have going......going on even more! Now we move over to the LA Angels for a 3 game series. Let's see what we can get out of this.

First up, we have Justin "Bat" Masterson at 5-0 and 2.25 vs. Chatwwod at 2-1 and 4.94 with a 10:05 start time.

Game 2 pits Alex White at 0-0 and 3.00 vs. Jered Weaver at 6-1 and 1.39 <------WOW! This game starts at 9:05 on Saturday.


Game 3 features Carmona at 3-3 and 4.43 (much improved from his 39.00 after his first start.............remember that, Tribe fans?........who woulda thunk after watching or listening to game ONE of this year that we would have been in this position?) vs. Haren at 4-2 and 1.76. This game starts at 3:35 ...........which is Mother's Day <----hint from BRF, be sure to do something nice for your mother!

*ICL was expressing concern about Chris Perez in his closer role. BRF also feels it, too. Let's hope he can still do the job and GO TRIBE! Keep up "the clutch"!

White vs Masterson should be interesting.

CP54 (Perez) did his best Bob Wickman impression today.

Love the first match-up with Justin Masterful.

Really looking forward to seeing what Alex White does in his second start. Angels will have tape on him, but he has been in the bigs for a week now and has to feel more familiarity and comfort. But I wont go in expecting a win with Weaver.

Game 3, I think is a toss up, as Carmona has been brilliant recently, but Haren is, well, Haren. Id give the Angles a slight edge in that one and about a 60% chance to take the series. But even if that happens, the Oakland series allows us to go 1-2 in LAA and still have this be a successful trip.

Love this caption!

EDIT: Well the caption wasnt part of the picture, but heres the link http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/

I think we will take this series. They took a game in the last sreies that we should have won. I have a feeling we win the 1st 2. WE have hit Weaver in the past and Masterful should win game 1.

But I also have my concerns for CP. Hopefully he gets it figured out.

Im not too worried about Chris Perez. We forget he came into the Tigers series for ALL 3 games, and his outings in the first 2 went unnoticed because they werent for the save. But he couldnt give up a run in either, and he didnt. Then he shut down Oakland in game 1. He HAS had 3 bad outings, which I suppose is cause for concern. But it hasnt been all in a row. He has bounced back from the first 2, and despite a shaky outing today, no harm was done in the end.

This one isnt going to be easy. Weaver and Haren in the same series is gonna be tough.

OQB Checking in!


Should be another low scoring series with the guys pitching....but I do believe we can win the series!! I think the Angels left a bad taste in our mouth the last time out and we will get our revenge this time around!

Perez will be fine.....no time to panic!


Finally thank God we are done playing in Oakland, I absolutley HATE that stadium!

Go Tribe!!

lets go injens!

I feel like traveling across the country will have an effect on the Angels tomorrow.

LET'S GO TRIBE!!!!

Damn that looks good

Yes it does, especially when you take this out of it:

The Indians have the sixth-best team ERA in the majors (3.35), and they've compiled that number with the youngest staff in baseball with an average age of 26.3. Indeed, Fausto Carmona and Mitch Talbot -- both 27 -- are the old men of the starting rotation, and only reliever Chad Durbin has hit his 30th birthday.

I posted in the A's series thread that Chris Perez has been suffering with some back stiffness. He said it's been affecting the location of his pitches as well.. Don't think it's anything too serious, but it would be nice to give him a few days rest.

So, let's blow'em out

Seriously though, 1-2 keeps us at 3-3 on the west coast trip, which is always a plus. I do believe that we could swing two games our way though. We have 2 very good pitchers ging ourselves, and 1 (Alex White) who has a ton of potential himself.

I think winning 2 of these games is definately a possibility.

The Angels are coming off a series with Boston that was IN Boston. Wednesday's game was delayed and didn't finish unil 2:45 AM on Thursday. Then they played a day game to close the series out and have to make a trip back home across the country to play the Indians tonight. That is 3 games in a matter of 48 hours.....plus changing time zones on their way back to LA. The Angels will be tired so we need to jump on them early and often in this first game.

They have to win the first game. I wouldn't be upset with 1-2 but I don't expect better. Anything greater is gravy.

We need to win tonight with Masterson to take the pressure off. I also have an issue with Choo, and think he needs a day off or two. Listening to it on the radio, it seemed he wasn't going after balls at all, and his bat was non existant. I know he is slow to start, but, with the dui and everything, I think he just needs to get his head back in the game.

iclfan2;761243 wrote:We need to win tonight with Masterson to take the pressure off. I also have an issue with Choo, and think he needs a day off or two. Listening to it on the radio, it seemed he wasn't going after balls at all, and his bat was non existant. I know he is slow to start, but, with the dui and everything, I think he just needs to get his head back in the game.

He should have been sat the game after the DUI to send a message. I agree with what you were saying. I was pissed when I was driving home and heard that one of the runners on base for the A's was due to Cabrera not being able to reach a pop fly and Choo not going after it.

Lots of reasons to be excited about our chances tonight. In four starts vs the Angels, Masterson has an ERA of 1.42 and a WHIP of 1.184. Chatwood is averaging almost 4 walks a start and in his last three starts has a WHIP of over 2. On the season, he has walked 17 and struck out only 13. The Tribe should have baserunners and opportunities to push across some runs early tonight and give Masterson a lead, which he has done great with all season. This is without question the most winnable game of the series, but I think they can beat anybody on any given night. Wouldn't shock me if they took 2 of 3, wouldn't be disappointed if they only get 1. Getting this one tonight will make the weekend feel like playing with house money.

Quiet night....Tribe up 1-0 in the 5th. Masterson has given up 7 hits, but the gametracker says more than half have been infield singles.

Need an insurance run or two this inning.

Wildcat24;761683 wrote:Quiet night....Tribe up 1-0 in the 5th. Masterson has given up 7 hits, but the gametracker says more than half have been infield singles.

Yah 7 hits but only 2 have left the infield. Masterson pitching well again but I'd like to see the offense put up a few more runs here.

Helluva snag by the pitcher there for a dp

Wildcat24;761683 wrote:Quiet night....Tribe up 1-0 in the 5th. Masterson has given up 7 hits, but the gametracker says more than half have been infield singles.

Not only that...2 of them could have been errors, at least imo (especially the Orlando Cabrera one). Then on top of that, we have DRILLED 6 balls, and until the last 2B by Santana, all have been outs.

All tied up

Choo with the cannon