Nice sweep on the road vs the Angels. Right in the hunt at the end of August. I have thought this team was dead multiple times but they have some 'never say die' in them. Hopefully that continues moving forward. Big series here vs the Twins because they are must wins. The schedule gets tough coming up for a stretch so they need to take advantage of games vs below average competition. Offense needs to step up and put up some runs to take some of the pressure off the staff.

Friday

Deduno 7-7 3.82 vs Jimenez 9-7 4.00

Saturday

TBD vs Kazmir 7-6 4.39

Sunday

Pelfrey 5-10 5.19 vs McAllister 6-7 3.59

9 more days...

it would be nice to put togther a nice streak and get momentum before heading to Detroit the following weekend. We need to keep piling up W's...and then win the last Detroit series. If we do that, I think we will be in it till the end.

The good news is, we have Salazar and Masterson going versus the Braves and then Salazar should get the back end of the Tigers series with Masterson leading off the Os series. But, the bad news is, it makes these games versus the Twinkies a lot more evenly matched with Kazmir and Ubaldo going and I would say they are almost more important. Cant lose ANY momentum with the tough 9 game stretch to follow. 2/3 will keep the momentum going and we have a chance at a series win versus the Braves with the pitching match-ups. Braves throw 2 good arms at our 2 best. Game 3 will be a toss up with Maholm or Medlen starting for them.

Im hoping for a sweep, but I dont want to be unrealistic and be upset with a loss. 2/3 will be good. If they win 7/11 remaining series (4/6 total from White Sox...a 4 and a 2 gamer), they make the plaoffs.

As others have said , this is a must series. Next week is brutal. The day off will help the overused bullpen and give everyone a little break. This coming week will make or break them.

^^^I think that is true. ...By Sept 2 we'll be excited or devastated....the writing will be on the wall.

One thing that particularly concerned me about the Angels series, was the apparent unwillingness to run. In the 14 inning game we had lead off men with speed on the bases in the 8th and 9th and we did not even attempt a steal. One time Tito even gave up an out using Bourn to bunt Stubbs to 2nd base.....WTF. In the last inning of yesterday's game, we had Stubbs on third and Bourn on first.....and Swisher swings at a marginal first pitch (Bourn was not running) and grounds into a DP to end the inning. Not sure what the thought process is, but with an offense struggling to produce the big hit, you would think the Indians would take advantage of the teams' speed. Oh sure, the Tribe is 4th in the league in SB and right up there with % successful....but it is hardly using that speed as a primary weapon. With the team struggling to score runs...it needs to.

I agree w/ this. Bourn is right at his career BA, and his RBI and HR #'s are right in line. His K's are a little up from years past, but you knew he is a candidate to K a bunch. What has been disappointing to me is he is stealing 3-4 less bases a month than years past. Same goes for Stubbs. His average is up, but he is running way less. That was supposed to be a weapon for this team, but they don't seem to be using it up to their potential.

But, with Shappy/Antonetti and pretty much all of baseball leaning more and more "new" school/sabremetric it isn't that big of a surprise that they aren't running much.

Twins blew a 6-2 lead over Tigers. Now 6-6 in the 8th. Jackson hit a 3 run bomb in the 4 run 6th for Detroit.

Hopefully, the Twins continue to be hot garbage for another 3 days starting tomorrow.

TBone14;1490116 wrote:Twins blew a 6-2 lead over Tigers. Now 6-6 in the 8th. Jackson hit a 3 run bomb in the 4 run 6th for Detroit.

Hopefully, the Twins continue to be hot garbage for another 3 days starting tomorrow.

Verlander getting rocked again, eh?

Twins up 7-6 bottom of 9th....bad news is Hunter, Cabrera and Fielder due up

VMart grounds into a DP, Twins win :thumbup:

Geez...the hapless Twins can beat the Kittys....but not us.:mad:

I expect another sweep. Pitching has gone silent and our bats suck.

The Tigers are 13-3 against the tribe but only 9-7 against the Twins. Go figure.

After the absolute pounding (7-1) the Tigers laid on us in the 2 previous home series', it's amazing that the tribe can still make amends in Detroit next week.

Go Tribe.

Some other random notes for this weekend. Dice K, who the Tribe released a day or two ago, will start for the Mets vs Detroit tomorrow. That one could get ugly. Its gets better over the weekend, however, as the Mets will throw Harvey and Gee on Sat and Sunday.

The Tribe enter the weekend 2.5 behind Oakland for the 2nd wild card but also just 4 behind the Rays for the 1st wild card. 1st wild card is huge because you get the game at home. Also only half a game ahead of Baltimore and a game in front of the surging Yankees and of course 5 behind Detroit.

Go Tribe!

Go T-Bone!

For the young pups: ^^^^ Brett Butler and Lionel Richie.....er..Joe Carter

Side note: we wouldLOVE a Baltimore sweep of Oakland this weekend.

BRF;1490456 wrote:Go T-Bone!

For the young pups: ^^^^ Brett Butler and Lionel Richie.....er..Joe Carter

Good call BRF...2 all time good ones!

Side note: we wouldLOVE a Baltimore sweep of Oakland this weekend

wouldn't mind a split.

Heading down to the game tonite....dollar dogs and fireworks.

TBone14;1489936 wrote: Friday

Deduno 7-7 3.82 vs Jimenez 9-7 4.00

Saturday

TBD vs Kazmir 7-6 4.39

Sunday

Pelfrey 5-10 5.19 vs McAllister 6-7 3.59

Indians just announced McAllister will pitch Saturday to give Kazmir one more day of rest.

Thru 2 innings...Ubaldo on pace to give up 9 runs but also strikeout 27 hitters.

Well, we have been clamoring to run more...but Jesus Tito, NOT when you have a guy who is losing command, 2 on and a 2-0 count with a lefty up!!!

Run ourselves right out of a big inning.

WTF Stubbs? Terrible route followed by terrible fielding.

4-1 Twins. Gonna need a big time comeback tonight.