Yesterday morning, my friend Nick, who opens the YMCA every day at 5:30 a.m. (bless his heart), commented that the Indians-Rockies series was what the 2007 World Series should have been. It’s a nice thought, but I think we could have beat them in 2007. Right now, we haven’t been able to beat them in the last two games. What makes it more frustrating is that we came awfully close to winning it last night. Yes, hindsight is 20-20, but it doesn’t take much hindsight or foresight to realize that when it’s the bottom of the ninth with two outs and the game is literally on the line, the guy you send in to pinch hit is not Austin Kearns. He’s just really… mediocre is the word that comes to mind. In the clutch, you don’t want mediocre. Acta’s choices were somewhat limited–he had Everett, Kearns, and Orlando Cabrera available to bat. Out of those three, I would have used O. Cab, who has 5 go-ahead hits this year, more than Everett (0) and Kearns (1)  combined.

Acta used 12 of his 13 position players last night. It makes me wonder if we really need a 7-man bullpen. I’d prefer a 6-man bullpen with a 14th man on the bench. I don’t know that Lonnie Chisenhall is ready yet, but Ezequiel Carrera is close. He only had 8 at-bats  (and two hits) when we brought him up in in May from AAA Columbus. It took Cord Phelps 8 at-bats before he got his first major league hit, and then another 8 before he got his second. But the team gave him a little time and he seems to be finding his groove. If we had given Carrera a little time, I think he would have found his groove too. I’d rather have Carrera’s speed on the bench than both Chad Durbin and Frank Herrmann and their somewhat bloated ERAs in the bullpen.

No, this is not the 2007 World Series that should have been, thank goodness. Let’s hope this series doesn’t end  for the Tribe like it did for the Rockies then–no more sweeps, please.

 

6 Comments

  • Bri says:

    I can only watch the games from ESPN Gamecast, so when I saw A.Kearns hitting for A.Everett, I refreshed the screen fifty times before I believed that Acta made the change. Disappointed that Perez gave up that homer, but he’s been solid most of the year. Hopefully tonight we’ll get this thing turned around.

  • Susan Petrone says:

    I had the same feeling. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I can’t gripe at Perez for giving up the home run. It’s been almost a year (June 27, 2010) since he gave up a homer. That’s darn impressive. I just wish we could have come back. As it was, there was thunder and drizzling from the 8th inning onward. Then as soon as Kearns struck out, it seemed like the sky opened the floodgates.

  • Tribefan14 says:

    How bout just sending Kearns down and bringing up Carrera. Or does Kearns not have a minor option in his contract?

  • Susan Petrone says:

    I don’t know the particulars of Kearns’ contract, just that he signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the club last December. It does have incentives for increased plate appearances. Too bad it doesn’t include incentives for actually doing something useful during those plate appearances. (see: http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/3391/player?r=1 and click on the contract link, unless you feel like reading about his DUI from last February again.)

  • Mark says:

    As long as we are questioning Manny moves (or lack thereof), how about how long he left Carmona in the other night while he was failing so “spectacularly” (to steal Stephanie’s word). After retiring the first two batters in the fifth inning with a 4-1 lead, he went Walk-Single-Single-Walk-Double-Home Run-Double. I guess Manny felt his pitch count was still low?? It was pretty clear to me that the guy had lost it as he was behind in the count on almost each hitter (I believe that the home run came on a 3-1 pitch).

  • Seattle Stu says:

    @ Mark you nailed it – had same thought on fausto….we dont need another grover/wedge who is loyal to a fault with the starters…see him laboring when u have an offense that struggles to put runs on the board, yank him….use your great pen.

    another thought on kearns at bat….he had 5 pitches in that at bat and NONE of them were strikes….except the 3 he wildly swung at…pitcher had just walked AC on 5 pitches (again none of them in the strike zone except one AC waved at)….if you’ve got a guy struggling why go up there hacking? make him come to you….so frustrating….that at bat alone he’s on my waiver wire.