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By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 12:10 a.m. EDT, Apr 25, 2009
CLEVELAND: Where have all the hitters gone?
Suddenly, the Indians' offense has disappeared. It's a big city, so there are plenty of places for players to hide. But why? Manager Eric Wedge is ready to fill out a missing persons report for the entire lineup, but that will take time.
For his sake, it is hoped that Tribe batsmen show up soon, because now that the starting pitching has stabilized, winning games will depend on how well the attack can grind out runs.
Friday night at Progressive Field, Twins starter Nick Blackburn toyed with Indians batters for seven innings, holding them to one run and six hits, as the Tribe fell 5-1.
In the past three games, the Indians have scored six runs, four of them in the eighth inning Thursday against the Royals.
''I think we're a good offensive club,'' Wedge said. ''Their guy did a good job, but I always think it's on us, that we can do a better job. We were missing some pitches [we should hit], and we were fouling off pitches.''
This is not the first time Blackburn (1-1, 4.44 ERA) has baffled the Indians. He came into the game with a career record of 3-0 and a 1.71 earned-run average against them.
The key for Blackburn was his sinker and his excellent command. He walked none and induced 11 batters to beat the ball into the dirt for outs.
''His sinker was pretty good, better than it's been in the past,'' said Ryan Garko, who singled in three at-bats off Blackburn. ''He's always had a good breaking ball and changeup. He does a good job throwing strikes. The ball is going to be in play, so it's just a matter of whether we get hits.''
It was no contest, really. The king of the ground ball, Fausto Carmona, started for the Indians, and in six innings he threw his share of worm killers. But three of them scooted through the infield for hits.
Carmona (1-3, 7.36 ERA) gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks. He deserved better. Two earned runs scored after he gave up consecutive singles (one a bouncer), then left the game at the start of the seventh inning.
Rafael Betancourt was summoned from the bullpen and gave up an infield hit to load the bases. With the infielders playing shallow, Alexi Casilla forced a runner at the plate to raise false hopes for the Tribe.
Justin Morneau followed by whacking a hard ground ball to Garko at first. First to home to first double play coming up? No such luck, because Garko fumbled the ball and eventually had to settle for the out at first, one run scoring.
With the bases still loaded, Michael Cuddyer reached on another infield single and a second run scored. The play at first on Cuddyer was ultra close, but umpire Brian Runge ruled that the runner beat Jhonny Peralta's throw from deep short.
Wedge wasn't happy about Garko's inability to start the double play.
''If Garko makes that play, it's a different ballgame,'' the manager said.
Garko had no excuses, saying: ''The ball kind of hopped up on me. I just didn't field it cleanly.''
The runs in the seventh gave the Twins a total of five, which was three more than they needed. However, with a little luck — that is, if Garko had turned the double play — no runs would have scored, and it would have been a different game.
Moreover, Mark DeRosa committed an error that led to an unearned run in the fourth inning.
''That [poor defense] hurt us tonight,'' Wedge said. ''I haven't been particularly pleased with the defense in general. We've got to do a better job making plays.''
Wedge had positive things to say about Carmona's performance.
''I thought Fausto was really good tonight,'' he said. ''I thought he threw the ball as well or better than any time this year. I'm very pleased with what I saw of him.''
Carmona had only one complaint with his performance, the first pitch he threw in the fourth that Justin Morneau hit over the wall in right for a home run.
''I missed inside with that pitch,'' Carmona said. ''I'd like to have that one back. But I threw a lot of ground balls, and I was getting [seven strikeouts] with my sinker and changeup. That's the best stuff I've had this year.''
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters. Follow the Indians on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Indians.
CLEVELAND: Where have all the hitters gone?
Suddenly, the Indians' offense has disappeared. It's a big city, so there are plenty of places for players to hide. But why? Manager Eric Wedge is ready to fill out a missing persons report for the entire lineup, but that will take time.
For his sake, it is hoped that Tribe batsmen show up soon, because now that the starting pitching has stabilized, winning games will depend on how well the attack can grind out runs.
Friday night at Progressive Field, Twins starter Nick Blackburn toyed with Indians batters for seven innings, holding them to one run and six hits, as the Tribe fell 5-1.
In the past three games, the Indians have scored six runs, four of them in the eighth inning Thursday against the Royals.
''I think we're a good offensive club,'' Wedge said. ''Their guy did a good job, but I always think it's on us, that we can do a better job. We were missing some pitches [we should hit], and we were fouling off pitches.''
This is not the first time Blackburn (1-1, 4.44 ERA) has baffled the Indians. He came into the game with a career record of 3-0 and a 1.71 earned-run average against them.
The key for Blackburn was his sinker and his excellent command. He walked none and induced 11 batters to beat the ball into the dirt for outs.
''His sinker was pretty good, better than it's been in the past,'' said Ryan Garko, who singled in three at-bats off Blackburn. ''He's always had a good breaking ball and changeup. He does a good job throwing strikes. The ball is going to be in play, so it's just a matter of whether we get hits.''
It was no contest, really. The king of the ground ball, Fausto Carmona, started for the Indians, and in six innings he threw his share of worm killers. But three of them scooted through the infield for hits.
Carmona (1-3, 7.36 ERA) gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks. He deserved better. Two earned runs scored after he gave up consecutive singles (one a bouncer), then left the game at the start of the seventh inning.
Rafael Betancourt was summoned from the bullpen and gave up an infield hit to load the bases. With the infielders playing shallow, Alexi Casilla forced a runner at the plate to raise false hopes for the Tribe.
Justin Morneau followed by whacking a hard ground ball to Garko at first. First to home to first double play coming up? No such luck, because Garko fumbled the ball and eventually had to settle for the out at first, one run scoring.
With the bases still loaded, Michael Cuddyer reached on another infield single and a second run scored. The play at first on Cuddyer was ultra close, but umpire Brian Runge ruled that the runner beat Jhonny Peralta's throw from deep short.
Wedge wasn't happy about Garko's inability to start the double play.
''If Garko makes that play, it's a different ballgame,'' the manager said.
Garko had no excuses, saying: ''The ball kind of hopped up on me. I just didn't field it cleanly.''
The runs in the seventh gave the Twins a total of five, which was three more than they needed. However, with a little luck — that is, if Garko had turned the double play — no runs would have scored, and it would have been a different game.
Moreover, Mark DeRosa committed an error that led to an unearned run in the fourth inning.
''That [poor defense] hurt us tonight,'' Wedge said. ''I haven't been particularly pleased with the defense in general. We've got to do a better job making plays.''
Wedge had positive things to say about Carmona's performance.
''I thought Fausto was really good tonight,'' he said. ''I thought he threw the ball as well or better than any time this year. I'm very pleased with what I saw of him.''
Carmona had only one complaint with his performance, the first pitch he threw in the fourth that Justin Morneau hit over the wall in right for a home run.
''I missed inside with that pitch,'' Carmona said. ''I'd like to have that one back. But I threw a lot of ground balls, and I was getting [seven strikeouts] with my sinker and changeup. That's the best stuff I've had this year.''
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at http://www.ohio.com/tribematters. Follow the Indians on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Indians.
Comments
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Posted 08:02 AM, 04/25/2009
It's all about hitting approach. Every hitter except for Martinez is trying to pull the ball rather than going with the pitch. Same thing as last year. Doesn't the hitting coach have some responsibility here?
Canton, OH
Posted 08:12 AM, 04/25/2009
C'Mon, Wedgie, LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUTTA THE WAY. . .
Naples, FL
Posted 08:50 AM, 04/25/2009
Seems to me they have the same hitting coach they've had as they came into the series leading the ML in runs scored.
Akron, Oh
Posted 10:03 AM, 04/25/2009
4 earned runs in 6 innings pitched is considered stable starting pitching?
Stow, OH
Posted 11:08 AM, 04/25/2009
The qualifications for major league hitting coach are like the commercials on TV .... excuse me , do you know anything about hitting,why no , but I slept in a Holiday INN Express last night .
Posted 11:39 AM, 04/25/2009
Ramon - it's 4 runs - a team average 5 a game - it's all about being able to come back from a reasonable of runs down - the pitcher keep the team in it and would have been better due to fielding errors - that's called baseball. Ever watch it?
Akron, Oh
Posted 12:11 PM, 04/25/2009
@Duke
Evidently you have not watched it Duke since you think fielding contributes to earned runs. Note to Duke new to the game..runs scored after fielding errors are NOT earned runs. Note to Duke 4 earned runs in 6 innings equates to an ERA of 6! Note to Duke 6 is a bigger number than 5!
