Machete_French2;1180360 wrote:IMO there is a big difference between the Tribe team of last year and the Tribe team this year. At this time last year it seemed like they were getting all the breaks, winning in walk-off fashion every night, and they were kinda playing off their emotional high and letting it carry them to victories. Once the injury bug hit and they started slumping, they came back down to reality. But this year, they know they are capable of contending and winning in their division and it seems like their confidence level is comparable to that of a winning team. Younger players like Kipnis, Brantley, Pestano, etc. are finding their roles and fitting into them quite well. They aren't playing "unbelievable" ball like last year, but they are doing the small things right that win games. Even Acta said they haven't even played their best ball yet, but they're still winning. They aren't a team that will score 10 runs a game, so they know they have to play smart baseball and find ways to get on base and get runs home.

This Tribe team is the real deal. Putting Choo at leadoff and sliding Brantley down has proven to be a great move so far. Lowe is having a magical season. Ubaldo is sucking it up and he still has five wins. They just find ways to get it done without that feeling of "luck" which accompanied most of the games early last year. I don't think this team will fizzle out mid-year like the previous year, but they will keep on winning. Of course they will have some slumps, like even the greatest of teams have, but this team is built to win right now.

I am a little worried about the return of Sizemore though. It will be nice to be able to get Damon/Duncan out of the lineup and finally have a pretty solid outfield, but I just hope Grady doesn't screw up anything offensively. Personally I would keep the top of the lineup how it currently is and put Grady down in the 6 or 7 spot until/if he proves he can hit better than the guys at the top now. We don't need him striking out in the top of the order.

Roll Tribe! Let's get Verlander for the sweep and come out of this series 6 ahead of the Tigers!

wes_mantooth;1181092 wrote:The tribe has given me a three day boner

Laley23;1180462 wrote:1. Most Tigers fans I know in Toledo hate Leylands approach and think he shouldve been fired after 2009. They really want him gone after this start.

2. The Tigers offense is as good as it gets, 1-4. But they have more holes in that line-up after the top 4 than the Tribe. You got career years from Peralta, Boesch and Avila. Those guys are gonna regress. Then Santiago?? Delmon Young?? The line-up isnt that much more impressive than the Tribes. If Kipnis can hit at a .275 clip and Choo has an OPB around .380, I would argue the Tribes lineup 1-9 is better than Detroits and the top 5 would be close as well.

3. Pitching for Detroit is Verlander and Fister. Those 2 are very good. Porcello sucks. Stop thinking he will magically turn it on. Its been like 5 fucking years, the kid sucks. Scherzer is the same. He is what he is. Unhittable, or 7 runs in 3 innings. Cant count on him, and he has historically been worse that better. You dont even have a 5th starter, do you? Indians starters arent anything to write home about, but 1-5 they are pretty solid. No true 1 or 2 like Detroit, but a lot of depth. I think 3-5 we are better than most teams, despite lacking in the 1-2 spot.

4. Bullpen goes to the Tribe. ERAs may be the same, but look at the guys that matter. Pestano, Smith and Perez for the Indians, with a solid combo of leftys in Hagadone and Sipp. All better than both of Detroits set-up men in Coke and Benoit (what happened to him, used to be lights out?). Valverde always had issues in Houston and Arizona, not this bad, so I think he will right the ship. But 49/49 was a complete fluke. He always seemed to be top 10 closers, but around double digits in BS each year.

BR1986FB;1180780 wrote:So you're saying their manager doesn't use that pussy Sabermetrics/statistics bullcrap?

BR1986FB;1180876 wrote:Businessman's Special AND beating Verlander....VERY special day.

TBone14;1180873 wrote:I have to agree with you. A sweep definitely seems possible.

Crimson streak;1181188 wrote:How awesome has Jose Lopez been. I didn't realize he has a 10 game hit streak. He is hitting 375 1 hr and 7 rbis in those 10 games. Also playing solid d.

like_that;1181103 wrote:That would be horrible.

ESPNStatsInfoIndians are now 10-2 in one-run games, the best record in the majors.