Kings Of the Road

Before you get too excited about the Tribe's 7-1 start on the road, understand that it is their best since an equally strong beginning to the away schedule in that magical season of 1988.  Players like Dan Wheeler and Jairo Asencio would have fit nicely next to Bill Laskey and Chris Codiroli in that '88 bullpen, Aaron Cunningham might have platooned with eventually child molester Mel Hall in left field and Many Acta could have gotten some much needed tips on how to be a real live Major League manager from future peers John Farrell, Buddy Black, Ron Washington and Terry Francona.  Heck, I'd rather have skipper Doc Edwards back in the fold instead of woManny and Edwards is dead.

Yesterday, I suggested that I would have given Ubaldo Jimenez a lot more credit for gutting out the victory over Oakland if Ubaldo was not supposed to be a dominant front end starter.  Tonight, we saw exactly why.  Jeanmar Gomez by no means had his best stuff against the A's, but he kept the ball over the plate (88 pitches, 53 strikes), while walking just one and allowed the opposition (team batting average: .204) to get themselves out.  Again, Gomez certainly did not look like a world beater.  What he did resemble was a a high quality #5 starter, the kind of guy that will give his team a chance to win each and every time that he takes the mound.

And win tonight the Indians did.  Before two late punch outs, Jack "The Man"-ahan had his average up to .361.  In a shocking twist of fate, Cap'n Jack was not the hero offensive hero tonight, despite a pair of hits.  Instead, Jason Kipnis, who had been in a 1-for-13 slump and came into the game with exactly 8 hits on the season, busted out with 4 knocks and 3 ribies.  As Kip noted post-game, a player can only really control his effort and hustle, characteristics in which he takes great pride.  Eventually that determination (like a mad dash from second to score a key run) leads to offensive production.

A perfect seventh does not save Tony Sipp, he still gets demoted come Tuesday.

A save with a four run lead?  Chris Perez has wet dreams about games like this.

Casey Kotchman against everybody but the Royals: .075, .191 OPS.

Anybody know what Cliff Pennington's walk-up song is?  It's a 90's alternative piece that I just cannot place.  You know, it's the one that goes, dah-da-dah-dah-da-da-dah-da-dah-da-dah-da-dah-da-da-da-duh.

The Indians are 1 game back.

Roll Tribe.

Cheers.

P.s. Doc Edwards is not dead, he's managing the San Angelo Colts of United League Baseball.  Go see a game.  He only gets paid after they meet their 1000 hot dog quota each night.  Otherwise, he just gets the leftovers.