We Are All Kipnises

Especially when he hits the team's first grand slam on the season (and the 1st of his career).  Woooooooooooooooooooh!  I turned and said, as Kip strode to the plate, "The pitching coach was out, this kid had better be looking for a first pitch strike he can drive."  And he did.  He stayed back on a change-up and the ball shot out to right center field.  Jason also stole a bag and started a dazzling double play.  Face it guys; this is our All-Star.  One would have to assume that Robbie Cano is going to win the fan vote (stinkin' Yankees), but Kipnis should definitely be the first reserve.  He leads AL second basemen in home runs (9) and RBI (34) and the whole friggin' league in stolen bases (12).  He's second in WAR (2.2) and runs scored (35).  Really, the only number that doesn't rank highly is his OPS (.804, still not bad) because the guy somehow only has 4 doubles all season.  Still, if he keeps this up, it would be a travesty should he not make the squad.

Speaking of travesties, why are Juan Diaz and Aaron Cunningham still on this team?  Diaz is like flood insurance in Nevada, he's around for an incredibly unlikely emergency.  And Jose Lopez could play short for a few innings in a pinch anyway.  Cunningham has some defensive utility, but a team batting Lopez in the cleanup spot does not have the luxury to carry such an automatic out.  Bah.

Derek Lowe needed to be the stopper tonight and stop the Twins he did.  After his war crime of an outing last Saturday, the birthday boy induced 11 ground ball outs in his 6.2 innings and faced just 2 over the minimum through the first 6 frames.  In his 9 quality starts this season, Lowe is 6-1 with a 1.63 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and a .268 OBA.  In the other 2 starts, those numbers jump to 0-2, 16.20, 3.60 & .486.  In other words; when he's good (that is, keeping the ball down); he's very, very good; but when he's bad; he is horrid.

Bid a fond farewell to Jairo Asencio, who was claimed on waivers by the Cubbies today.  A last place club is exactly where that bum belongs.  Good riddance.

When Lonnie Chisenhall squares the ball up, he hits it with as much authority as anyone that I have ever seen.  He has scorched 2 long balls in 4 games and his 3 hits tonight bring his season average to .385.  Even woManny can't leave him in the 8 spot any longer.

Johnny Damon, who had 1 multi-hit game in his first 22 with the Tribe, has supplied 2 hits apiece in each of his last two, raising his average from .152 to .186.  That's still not where it needs to be, but I'll take anything that I can get from JD right now.

Oh, and a Plain Dealer report suggests that Roberto Hernandez could be back in the big leagues by the All-Star break.  Jeanmar Gomez, 0-2 with 9.82 in his last 2 starts and 1-3 with a 5.58 in his last 5, will have to return to his early season form if he wants to keep his slot in the rotation.

Do I really have to pay attention to the White Sox?  They suck.  Really, they do.  Just like the Indians in the first two months of 2011, every single man on their roster is playing over his head.  Unless you think Paul Konerko is a .400 hitter and AJ Pierzynski is the best catcher in the AL, they will regress to the mean.  C'mon guys, they have 3 starters with ERA's over 5.00.

Roll Tribe.

Cheers.