The Fresh Prince IS A Royal

When we lose to the Royals, I become so deflated that I've barely the strength to rant.  Following Justin Masterson's latest stinker (I don't care how well he pitched over the final 4 innings, the game was already lost) the starting staff has completed an entire turn of the rotation with an ERA 12.52.  Bat's 6 inning outing today was only the second to go further than 5.  The opposition batted .346 and homered 7 times in 23 innings.  And did anyone else notice that there was never anyone warming behind Masterson?  Not when we thought Mike Moustakas had gone deep and not after he had surrendered 7 runs before getting 6 outs.  That's the kind of wall a team gets backed into when its manager refuses to use the disabled list and decides not carry a long man in the bullpen.  Freakin' idiot.

Having watched Luke Carlin for three consecutive games, I feel as if I understand his limitations.  Despite just a .248 career minor league average and a .152 MLB clip before joining the Tribe, Carlin has a decent approach and seems to do a good job of using the middle of the field.  The issue is, apparently, with his defense.  Luke looked tremendously slow in his lateral movement behind the dish.  He has now allowed 5 passed balls and 7 wild pitches in 49 career major league games.  Additionally, he's caught just 20% of potential big league base stealers (0-of-2 this season) versus a league average of 27% in that time.  Perhaps the worst display of defensive acumen came on the fielder's choice that opened the door for the Royals 5-run second inning.  With runners on first and third, Jose Lopez came home on a weak ground ball.  The throw beat Eric Hosmer, but Carlin had positioned himself in front of home plate rather than to the third base side.  Leaving the bag exposed, Carlin had to lunge back at the runner and failed to tag Hosmer before the Royal had gotten his hand to the base.  I know he's our third catcher, but he's been down in Columbus for like 2 years now and there's, like, gotta be a better option.  On the wild side, he did become just the 11th player since 1960 (when records of such things began being kept) to reach base three times all by error (no one has done it 4 or more times) and only the second (joining Walt Bond of the 1964 Houston Colt .45's) to do so in his first three at-bats.  For all of you hard core diamond heads (I know, we crossed that line a while back), he is the first guy in Major League history to reach 3 times, only by error, in his first 3 AB's, to three different fielders.

Asdrubal Cabrera was back in the line-up tonight, as the designated hitter.  Everything seemed to go well, which likely means that he will be back at short tomorrow.  In my mind that means Juan Diaz goes bye-bye.  If the team could go four days with only Diaz available for the position, then they can go a hundred thousand with only AzCab.  Sadly, Diaz probably stays put.  WoManny will rationalize keeping the utterly worthless rookie by saying that "he's not sure yet about Cabrera's hammy."  Whatever, idiot.  The same could be said about Travis Hafner.  Either dude can play or he can't.  I believe the expression is "either shit or get off the pot."  Either a guy can play or he's on the DL.  End of story.

We'll close with a quick look at Aaron Cunningham.  Slater's batting .211 and his most marketable skill is that he can play all 3 outfield positions.  Christopher Cross, man, if that's all it takes to make it to the bigs, I've gotta go dig out my cleats.  Cunningham has exactly 2 extra base hits (both doubles) and 2 RBI to show for his 57 at-bats in 2012.  His OPS is .543.  I sure don't care what else he brings to the table.  If he can't hit or win a Gold Glove then he does not belong in the Majors.  Just think how much more competitive we would have been over the past 5 games if we had had better reserves to begin with.  AC is trash, so dump him.

Best beat the Royals at high noon tomorrow to take the series.  Else, I feel a rampage coming on.

Roll Tribe.

Cheers.