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Do IT this week: Layering
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
POSTED: 06:40 p.m. EDT, Apr 23, 2009
CLEVELAND: A wise man once said that when you think you've figured out a baseball game, it changes.
The Indians can only hope that their season changes the way Thursday's businessman's special changed.
For the better part of seven innings, the Indians kicked the ball around, ran the bases sloppily and looked like a team that had started the season 5-10.
They scored two runs on a Kansas City throwing error and a dribbler of a ground ball that barely made the infield dirt.
But one swing of the bat by Grady Sizemore changed a game. The Indians will answer whether it changes their fortunes, but Sizemore actually used the word ''momentum'' when looking forward.
There's not supposed to be momentum in baseball, but the Indians sure can use it. And should use it.
Sizemore waited on an 0-and-1 slider in the eighth inning and drove the ball 392 feet into the right-field stands.
What looked like a loss turned into a game that suddenly gives the Indians two out of three at the start of an early season homestand that has taken on large importance.
Quite simply, the Indians needed that Sizemore hit, and that win, in a very bad way.
Attendance for the businessman's special was 12,852. This gave the Indians a home average of 19,225 for six games, a drop of 11 percent from last season (after six games).
The last thing a team that bases its budget on attendance needs is a double-digit percentage drop in attendance.
The Associated Press reported that attendance throughout major league baseball was down 6.9 percent as of April 20.
Cleveland's through April 23 was worse.
This is what happens when a team starts poorly, and when the economy robs locals of entertainment dollars.
In fairness, the Indians would not have drawn 25,000 if they were 10-5, but drawing 12,000 when they're 5-10 signals trouble if the record does not improve.
A bad two weeks is one thing.
A bad month or two, and the Indians could have found themselves directly in the economic cross hairs — with no government bailout in the offing.
That's why they needed Thursday's win.
A start like this always brings out the ''cheap'' complaints, that the Indians lose because they don't spend money.
That argument won't hold water as long as the payroll of $81.3 million ranks 15th in baseball. The Indians will never spend like the Yankees, so comparing them to the Yankees is silly.
But aside from St. Louis, no team with a comparable market has as high a payroll.
The facts, as they say, are the facts.
So through 15 games, this payroll was either underperforming or the money was being spent on the wrong players or it was just a bad start that will change.
Clearly, the Indians believe the latter.
For much of Thursday, things did not look good.
Anthony Reyes pitched well, giving up two runs in six innings.
But the Indians dropped an easy fly ball and gave up a run on a grounder that didn't reach the mound.
Kansas City's Gil Meche put down 16 Indians hitters in a row, and Cleveland's first run came when Kansas City threw the ball into the outfield on Shin-Soo Choo's steal of third.
In the eighth, the Indians' line score read a rare 1-2-3, one run, two hits, three errors.
Then in the bottom of the inning, Tony Graffanino, a pinch runner, ran through a stop sign and was thrown out at home.
But the Indians kept at it — to use an Eric Wedgism — and managed to tie the game on Asdrubal Cabrera's ground ball.
That brought up Sizemore, whose home run made things look like they were supposed to look.
Kerry Wood came on to close things in the ninth, striking out two and getting the last out of the game on a comebacker.
The Indians finally looked like the team that was built in the offseason.
''To come back late,'' Wedge said, ''this is a big step for us.''
Because in this case, and especially in this case, the alternative was a whole lot worse.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/. Follow Pat on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/patmcmanamon
CLEVELAND: A wise man once said that when you think you've figured out a baseball game, it changes.
The Indians can only hope that their season changes the way Thursday's businessman's special changed.
For the better part of seven innings, the Indians kicked the ball around, ran the bases sloppily and looked like a team that had started the season 5-10.
They scored two runs on a Kansas City throwing error and a dribbler of a ground ball that barely made the infield dirt.
But one swing of the bat by Grady Sizemore changed a game. The Indians will answer whether it changes their fortunes, but Sizemore actually used the word ''momentum'' when looking forward.
There's not supposed to be momentum in baseball, but the Indians sure can use it. And should use it.
Sizemore waited on an 0-and-1 slider in the eighth inning and drove the ball 392 feet into the right-field stands.
What looked like a loss turned into a game that suddenly gives the Indians two out of three at the start of an early season homestand that has taken on large importance.
Quite simply, the Indians needed that Sizemore hit, and that win, in a very bad way.
Attendance for the businessman's special was 12,852. This gave the Indians a home average of 19,225 for six games, a drop of 11 percent from last season (after six games).
The last thing a team that bases its budget on attendance needs is a double-digit percentage drop in attendance.
The Associated Press reported that attendance throughout major league baseball was down 6.9 percent as of April 20.
Cleveland's through April 23 was worse.
This is what happens when a team starts poorly, and when the economy robs locals of entertainment dollars.
In fairness, the Indians would not have drawn 25,000 if they were 10-5, but drawing 12,000 when they're 5-10 signals trouble if the record does not improve.
A bad two weeks is one thing.
A bad month or two, and the Indians could have found themselves directly in the economic cross hairs — with no government bailout in the offing.
That's why they needed Thursday's win.
A start like this always brings out the ''cheap'' complaints, that the Indians lose because they don't spend money.
That argument won't hold water as long as the payroll of $81.3 million ranks 15th in baseball. The Indians will never spend like the Yankees, so comparing them to the Yankees is silly.
But aside from St. Louis, no team with a comparable market has as high a payroll.
The facts, as they say, are the facts.
So through 15 games, this payroll was either underperforming or the money was being spent on the wrong players or it was just a bad start that will change.
Clearly, the Indians believe the latter.
For much of Thursday, things did not look good.
Anthony Reyes pitched well, giving up two runs in six innings.
But the Indians dropped an easy fly ball and gave up a run on a grounder that didn't reach the mound.
Kansas City's Gil Meche put down 16 Indians hitters in a row, and Cleveland's first run came when Kansas City threw the ball into the outfield on Shin-Soo Choo's steal of third.
In the eighth, the Indians' line score read a rare 1-2-3, one run, two hits, three errors.
Then in the bottom of the inning, Tony Graffanino, a pinch runner, ran through a stop sign and was thrown out at home.
But the Indians kept at it — to use an Eric Wedgism — and managed to tie the game on Asdrubal Cabrera's ground ball.
That brought up Sizemore, whose home run made things look like they were supposed to look.
Kerry Wood came on to close things in the ninth, striking out two and getting the last out of the game on a comebacker.
The Indians finally looked like the team that was built in the offseason.
''To come back late,'' Wedge said, ''this is a big step for us.''
Because in this case, and especially in this case, the alternative was a whole lot worse.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/. Follow Pat on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/patmcmanamon
Comments
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Paradise, Oh
Posted 07:20 PM, 04/23/2009
This is a typical Eric Wedge team...sloppy and unprepared. For his career, Wedge has bombed in April.
He refuses to let any player get in a groove. Everyday, a new lineup, a new batting order.
After seven years of watching his teams, I've had enough of him. If he were canned tomorrow it wouldn't bother me in the least.
Bethesda, MD
Posted 07:29 AM, 04/24/2009
Playing baseball north of Cincinnati in April is not a good idea. I love the Jake but should it not have been an indoor park? Perhaps if they had shown the Cavs game live on the huge center field screen attendance would have been better.
Still, whether or not the fans will actually show up is unknown until the weather changes and the team plays like a championship contender. On the other hand, maybe it is time bring back Free Beer Nite or sign Barry Bonds?
Naples, FL
Posted 07:43 AM, 04/24/2009
Fire Wedge
Stow, OH
Posted 07:49 AM, 04/24/2009
This is why you don't start out the season 0 and zip.It takes forever for a team like the Indians just to get back to a .500 record,let alone "contenders".This team came back from spring training unprepared ,a typical Wedge team in other words .
Avon Lake, OH
Posted 09:04 AM, 04/24/2009
I was impressed with Anthony working his way out of some tough spots, once with the bases loaded and no outs.
I wonder how many teams who are 'spot on' this early in the season will carry it through the remainder of the schedule. I'm not pinning my hopes on a Marlins/Blue Jays world series...
Posted 10:11 AM, 04/24/2009
Not the Blue Jays, but there's no reason the Marlins can't be the best team in baseball this season. Just because everybody doesn't know the names doesn't mean they might not have the best pitching staff in baseball.
Akron, Oh
Posted 10:40 AM, 04/24/2009
Funny how OMG and KD are AWOL after a big victory. This team is in the race as long as the starting pitching hold up. Its also funny how people are harping on Wedge with a different lineup every day. I remember harping at him last year for refusing to take Casey Stiff out of the 2 hole spot until the division was lost. I guess Wedge just can't win either way. No wonder he ignores us fans.
Wilmington, NC
Posted 12:25 PM, 04/24/2009
This team traditionally starts slow in the month of April. This time it seems that it began with terrible starting pitching but decent to good hitting, then the bullpen, certainly pitching like a 'kittypen" then the starting pitching showed signs of consistency, but the hitting then lapsed while still the "kittypen" continued it's problems getting batters out..finally it "appears" as though this team is beginning to balance itself out with starting pitching, hitting/scoring and the now bullpen doing it's job, although I am still concerned with the constant mental lapses defensively. Hopefully we can now get these wheels a spinning and play the type of baseball this team was predicted to do...and what can we say about Kerry Woods-great pickup Mark, this guy is a stud!
Posted 02:13 PM, 04/24/2009
Wood has always been great when he's not on the DL.
