The Tribe roll into Atlanta winners of 5 of 6 and 7 of 10. The pitching has been excellent and the offense is doing (just barely) enough to scrape by.

The Southern Wigwamers ended July and started August on fire and have opened up a 13 game lead in the NL East. They have cooled off a bit, losers of 4 of their last 6 vs the Mets and the Cardinals.

Matchups

Tuesday

Salazar 1-1 3.52 vs Wood 2-2 2.50

Wednesday

Masterson 14-9 vs Maholm 9-10 4.51

Thursday

Jimenez 9-8 3.95 vs Medlen 10-12 3.74


This is off the top of my head but I have to imagine the last time Ubaldo pitched in Atlanta was his no hitter with the Rockies. Hopefully he brings those good vibrations to the series finale. Masterson has a shot to pickup his 15th win and gives him an outside shot at 20 wins if he wins the rest of his starts.

5 more days...

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

What a difference a week makes...just as it was earlier in the month...and so it will be before the Tribe returns home again.

First two games are against LHers. The Tribe is second in the ML at 24-17 against lefties. Hopefully the trend continues. It would help a lot if Raburn could play.

Do or die week.

the next 9 games are against the Braves, Tigers, and Orioles...all legitimate playoff contenders.


i'm curious what everyone thinks would be a good (acceptable) record over those games. I'm thinking that 5-4 would be just great....6-3 and I'm ecstatic!

.500 ball and I think we still have a fighting chance.

Dan Gilbert;1491514 wrote:Do or die week.

HitsRus;1491528 wrote:the next 9 games are against the Braves, Tigers, and Orioles...all legitimate playoff contenders.


i'm curious what everyone thinks would be a good (acceptable) record over those games. I'm thinking that 5-4 would be just great....6-3 and I'm ecstatic!

Dan Gilbert;1491537 wrote:.500 ball and I think we still have a fighting chance.

So no one saw my breakdown?

Ill post it again lol

Home:
Minny -1
Baltimore - 3
Royals - 3
NYM - 3
Houston - 4
White Sox - 2

Road:
Minny - 4
Detroit - 3
Atlanta - 3
White Sox - 4
Royals - 3

So, thats 16 at home and 17 on the road. 33 total. Can the Indians go 20 and 13? We all said 90 wins gets us in the playoffs. If they can survive the tough 9 game stretch...even at 4-5, and as much as it will suck while its happening, 3-6, I think we get have a chance. 16-8 is very attainable with the schedule after that (if we go 4-5). 17-7 is also very possible, just not as much wiggle room.

If we get to 90 wins and dont make the playoffs, well, tip your cap to those who make it. 90-72 is a heck of a year for this team. That is what I am looking for at the moment.


Now, this was all before we played Minny in the 3rd game. So, we now have 19 wins to 90 and one less versus Minny and 1 less at home.

I stand by my prediction that 4-5 is fine (15-8 after that) and anything over .500 is gravy. I also stand by 3-6 being salvageable as long as you split with the Os.

Laley23;1491540 wrote:So no one saw my breakdown?

Ill post it again lol

I saw it, I just personally think we need to go .500 just for mental and momentum reasons especially going against 2 playoff teams and another contender.

I think if they go .500 they will need help. I also don't want them shooting for the wildcard, a play in game isn't good enough against teams that have been more consistent. The Tigers have been slipping since they swept us, losing some to the White Sox and Twins, the Indians just couldn't capitalize on it losing 2 of 3 in Oakland. I wouldn't count them out of the Division yet.

Would love to come out of it 6-3, which makes this Atlanta series really key. Because we know how they've done against the kitties.

I believe they miss Fister though.

royal_k;1491590 wrote:Would love to come out of it 6-3, which makes this Atlanta series really key. Because we know how they've done against the kitties.

I believe they miss Fister though.

They havent announced that far have they?

Leyland has been known to stagger starts to get his best going against the 2nd place team for a series. I wouldnt put it past him here either.

Tribe, on the other hand, needs to win every game. So staggering starts for Salazar/Masterson/McCallister to face Detroit does no good if we lose to Atlanta. Tigers can afford a loss or 2 vs the As.

Laley23;1491597 wrote:They havent announced that far have they?

Leyland has been known to stagger starts to get his best going against the 2nd place team for a series. I wouldnt put it past him here either.

Tribe, on the other hand, needs to win every game. So staggering starts for Salazar/Masterson/McCallister to face Detroit does no good if we lose to Atlanta. Tigers can afford a loss or 2 vs the As.

Scherzer ( which is who I meant) is scheduled to pitch thursday against Oakland. He may hold him back one day though. According to their rotation we would get Porcello, Sanchez, and Verlander.

^^^These are the teams you are going to have to beat to go anywhere in the playoffs.

I don't think 3-6 is going to cut it, because if you go 3-6 you are going to lose ground to multiple teams and you are basically down to 4 weeks left. It's bad enough to be chasing one team....but to be behind 3 or more?....ehhh I think we'd be done.

Laley23;1491597 wrote:They havent announced that far have they?

Leyland has been known to stagger starts to get his best going against the 2nd place team for a series. I wouldnt put it past him here either.

Tribe, on the other hand, needs to win every game. So staggering starts for Salazar/Masterson/McCallister to face Detroit does no good if we lose to Atlanta. Tigers can afford a loss or 2 vs the As.

Oakland 4 Tigers 2 in the 5th so far against Sanchez.

Verlander, Fister, Scherzer round it out for the A's series. So far Porcello is slated for game 1 against the Tribe.

royal_k;1491609 wrote:Scherzer ( which is who I meant) is scheduled to pitch thursday against Oakland. He may hold him back one day though. According to their rotation we would get Porcello, Sanchez, and Verlander.

Gotcha.

Without looking, I think we throw McCallister, Kazmir and Salazar.

I dont now if Leyland will switch anything around, but it wouldnt surprise me. Its a 4 game set with Oakland though, so they dont have a day off...

HitsRus;1491615 wrote:^^^These are the teams you are going to have to beat to go anywhere in the playoffs.

I don't think 3-6 is going to cut it, because if you go 3-6 you are going to lose ground to multiple teams and you are basically down to 4 weeks left. It's bad enough to be chasing one team....but to be behind 3 or more?....ehhh I think we'd be done.

You would think so, but you arent playing the Braves. Tigers are a given in the division. Only the Os are a threat in the WC.

Just look at the schedules of Texas, Oakland, Tampa, Boston, NYY, Os. They all have like 18 "tough" games left. We have 9. Honestly, with our schedule, if we dont make it I would almost call it a choke job if I didnt think they were playing above their heads this entire season

Yeah, that's who's in line for us. And I actually like those 3 against them.

royal_k;1491622 wrote:Yeah, that's who's in line for us. And I actually like those 3 against them.

TBD on my MLB app so far for the Tiger's series.

royal_k;1491622 wrote:Yeah, that's who's in line for us. And I actually like those 3 against them.

Kazmir is a WC. I would love to have the rookie going for a sweep, but I dont think it will happen. ZMac vs. Porcello is our advantage. But we are on the road versus a team who owns us this season. Im skeptical to say we would have an advantage if we threw Clayton Kershaw and they had Jeremy Sowers going.

I'll be honest. After the Tigers series at home, I went to Game 2, I was about to give up on the Indians. Started to work on the house more and watch the games less. But these guys don't quit and I am pumped for a September run.

OAK 7 DET 4 in the 7th.

After losing 6 of 7 to the Tigers and Angels, I thought they;d pack it in. The team doesn't quit...so neither will I. Frankly, this team is a lot of fun to watch.