caulfield12

The Indians by far have the lowest attendance in the major leagues. They also currently have the best road record (6-1). (Yes, I realize last year when they were leading the majors in late inning comebacks, especially the first three months of the season, that the majority of those happened at home before small crowds, too.) There's probably some correlation there. With the White Sox last year, it was more about the pressure of the "All In" thing from the fans and media, expectations, booing, whatever you want to throw out there.

Yep, Dunn is 19th in the AL in OPS. AJ's 2nd, our old friend Reimold from the O's 3rd, Cespedes 22nd, Konerko 25th and DeAza 29th. Heck, Alex Rios is 40th. Amazingly enough, Derek Jeter is answering all the critics and more with his production at SS at his advanced age (12th).

Ventura doesn't trust Reed yet to be the closer. There are issues with Santiago, but if he can gain confidence to throw his offspeed stuff more often, he should be fine. He has 4-5 pitches he can use, he just needs to stop over-relying on the fastball.

That's what Santiago needs to throw a lot more often, his fastball is too flat to just keep pumping it in there pitch after pitch.

Ventura has been comparing Santiago with John Franco, his former teammate. We can only wish he has that type of career.

Now Viciedo's a mess. And we can't really say that Beckham and Morel are close to being over their problems, either. Oh, well. First outing for Santiago since the Tuesday night debacle.

Time for Viciedo and/or Beckham and hopefully even Morel to show something in the top of the 9th.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Apr 20, 2012 -> 11:29 PM) Threw a lot of sliders. It was working pretty well. Montero hit an absolute bomb off the fastball, and he hung a slider to Ichiro out over the plate...the other run was 1/2 Thornton's fault. BTW, Cespedes' first career 3 hit game, getting his average back to respecatability, I think he has 14 RBI's too. Would have been amazing to see a team with Viciedo, Cespedes and Ramirez all playing together.

Vicious line drive by Dunn. He's back. Up to .265 now. Mitchell's back in AA. Both with 5 RBI games and homers (Adam two and a double to boot). Paulie, not so easy to foul a ball off your back foot. No shin protector there.

This game is becoming more and more dangerous. Sale ends up giving up 3 runs in 6 1/3rd. Viciedo's arm holds Ichiro to a single, that run is becoming quite important. Thankfully, no Adam Jones, Reimold, Wieters, Reynolds, Davis or Andino to face tonight for the back of the pen.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 20, 2012 -> 11:15 PM) And that's the perfect illustration of why many are skeptical of Morel. He hit that ball well to right, but he just doesn't have the opposite field power to consistently hit it over the right fielder's head. Compare that with Casper Wells earlier, who made it look easy to hit it off the right field wall. That's because Sale's fastball supplied half the power, lol. The point remains on Morel. He's more productive as a Joe Crede-Lite (like in the last 6 weeks of '11) swinging away at the bottom of the line-up than putting up a 550-575 OPS at the top of the line-up and hitting everything to the opposite field.

110 pitches. 11 K's. That's why he led the majors in K's/9 ratio for all left handed pitchers, just over 10.

Sale at 101 pitches and climbing. Thornton warming up for the Sox.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Apr 20, 2012 -> 11:09 PM) Yes, 250 AB's into his career, it's obvious what he'll always be. Just going by his minor league track record as well. That's why a lot of people have compared him to Carlos Lee as a hitter. When he has a more compact swing, he can go on the hottest of hot streaks. But now he's way too long and in-between. Hence, the nickname Hot Fire. When he came up with the Sox in 2010, when he was hitting well last year in May/June, now he's as cold as can be but it's really just 4-5 games.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ Apr 20, 2012 -> 10:53 PM) So you are just giving CLE the win when they are up 4-2 in the 6th? Lol As long as they stay away from Cespedes, he's already got 2 hits tonight. 10 K's for Sale through 6. Right around his 3.09 ERA entering the game, 2 ER's in 6.

You know your manager doesn't have much confidence in you when you haven't been used in the first 15 games of the season. Won the Japanese version of the Cy Young award in the Pacific League five years ago, but not much velocity. Viciedo is now struggling more than anyone on the team. Seems like he will always be very very streaky. Now Montero takes a center cut fastball over the CF fence. 6-2 and close to getting interesting again.

Greg's Royals (despite being 0-7 at home) just passed the White Sox in attendance. Guessing that Seattle has at least high 20's with Ichiro bobblehead night, we're now in 29th place in the majors, lol. Only ahead of CLE, who's about to be 6-1 on the road this April. 8 K's now, one more inning probably. Sale is sailing smooth seas through the Seattle smog. Major league debut, just turned 31. Spent entire career in Japan.

In another positive sign, only 1 K so far tonight. 5 for Sale through 3. Cleveland playing like the best team in the AL on the road...strange. One big hit here and the Mariners are right back in it. Sale not quite sharp tonight, but making some big pitches with RISP. 76 pitches through 4 IP. One of the concerns with Chris coming into this season....pitch count and the bullpen. But he's still maintaining his 94-95 MPH fastball.

Saladino 3/5, Garcia 3/4....Mitchell had to remind us about his issues by striking out his last two ab's. 10-0 Barons massacre.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Apr 20, 2012 -> 10:16 PM) Once Sale builds his arm strength for starting, he might get it up around 97-98 more. If he does, look out. When's the last time we had a starter prospect that potential? Probably going back to Bere, Alvarez, McDowell and Alex Fernandez.

Went to the well once too often on that slider against Ichiro.

Shades of early 2010 with Alex Rios now. Solid line drives. Rios at .306, Dunn at .255. Hopefully it lasts.

LOL at Mariners DHing Miguel Olivo, who's hitting .143. Nasty pitch to wipe out Ryan. Escapes from trouble two innings in a row.

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Apr 20, 2012 -> 08:52 PM) so much more fun to watch with a few runs. Just want to see Morel and Beckham get some confidence. maybe going on the road -- and facing a mediocre pitcher -- was just the thing. And Noesi went 8 innings last outing, giving up 0 runs. The Rangers and White Sox have roughed him up, though.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 20, 2012 -> 08:49 PM) Dunn with the bomb. And he was all over it. If he's not as fat and he doesn't appear as fat, could hit have a decent year?? Sure, why not? No expectations, less pressure. If AJ and Rios continue to be strong presences offensively, he has a ton of protection behind him...obviously, Konerko's one of the best hitters in the game, all that helps. Greg, your Royals are managing to blow another lead late. Speaking of bad. Very good play there by Ryan, unfortunately he can't hit so well.