Twitter is very helpful. Not only does it list major trending topics (like #YouWillNotBeTakenSeriouslyIf and #CantBeInARelationship, because it’s, you know, important to learn these things about people) but it tailors individual trending topics. This afternoon, “Scott Kazmir” was one of my tailored trending topics. And why shouldn’t he be? He went 6 six innings, gave up only one run, no walks, and struck out 10 batters. If my Twitter feed is any indication, he’s the hot item for fantasy ball club owners.

If you’ve been wistfully wallowing through your 1995 Indians season yearbook this season and haven’t been following Kazmir’s  story: Up until this season, he hadn’t pitched regularly in the majors since 2010 (let’s just forget about the 1.2 innings he pitched in 2011). The journey Kazmir has made from this guy to This Guy is testament to every adage you ever heard about hard work and talent.

Kazmir’s great performance today made it easy for the Tribe to sweep the A’s in a decisive 9-2 victory.  After last night’s “Who-are-we-to-argue-with-the-ump’s-call?” win, we needed a no-questions-asked sort of win. The Tribe hit the ground the running. Michael Brantley led off the game with a single and Jason Kipnis scored him with a two-run homer. Doubles by Mark Reynolds and Yan Gomes, a single by Drew Stubbs, and a sacrifice fly by Kipnis scored 3 more runs in the 2nd. Nick Swisher hit a solo dinger in the 3rd to make it 6-0. The Indians scored 3 more runs in the 5th on a double by Asdrubal Cabrera, a Jason Giambi single, and Mark Reynolds’ 11th home run of the year. (He is leading the AL in home runs and is second only to Justin Upton in the majors.)

This win, this sweep begins to answer of the lingering questions most fans have had thus far this season: Can the offense step up without it being feast or famine? Can we find a solid starting rotation? Oakland came into the series leading the American League in runs. We outscored them 21-8 and hit 9 home runs. Jimenez, McAllister, Masterson, and Kazmir each had very good starts. Masterson and McAllister were stellar and solid, respectively, during April. Kazmir has now had three good starts in a row. Jimenez has had two. (And let’s not forget that his first start of the year on April 3, he went 6 innings and gave up 1 run.)

This team is starting to make hitting a habit and winning a habit. Yes, we have the most home runs by any team in either league. What I like just as much is that we’re also 2nd in the AL in batting average and 4th in on-base percentage. So much of our scoring over the first 20-25 games of the season was binge scoring–we either scored a ton of runs or couldn’t even rustle up 3 runs a game. The offense seems to be stabilizing. The starting rotation seems to be stabilizing. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the Detroit series.

 

9 Comments

  • medfest says:

    Don’t forget only one error in the last twelve games committed by the Tribe and their gold glove center fielder is coming off the DL.
    The Detroit series will be big.If the Indians hope to compete, they need to beat the Tigers themselves they can’t rely on the rest of the central division to do it.

  • The Doctor says:

    I’m as excited as you are, but let’s slow our roll here on Ubaldo, Kazmir, and Kluber/whatever else we throw out there as questions that have been answered.

    After 46 starts of sheer garbage I’m not ready to annoint Ubaldo as the second coming after 2 strong efforts. Kluber and Kazmir remain wildcards that could explode at any moment. I’m obviously wishing the best for them but I’m not anywhere near being able to trust them for anything – hell, even Masterson can’t really be trusted to provide consistently good performances.

    Standard Tribe pessimism aside, they’re really hitting the hell out of the ball and have been incredibly fun to watch. My only complaint as far as the lineup is concerned is wondering what the hell it’s going to take to get Cabrera out of the 3-spot. Outside of that 3 game stretch against KC and his 2-homer game the other day, he’s been his normal rally killing roll over to first or strikeout self.

    • Kevin Price says:

      We don’t need consistently good performance. But if Jimenez and Kluber can give us a good start every other start, then I think we’re in good shape. I think Kazmir will be a steal and we will have a solid 1-2-3 of Masterson, Kazmir, McAllister even next year and that is something that the Indians haven’t had since the first half of 2008 with Sabathia-Carmona-Lee.

  • Jerry Greer says:

    Proud of the Tribe. I would like to know the last time we swept the A’s in a 4 gamer in Cleveland…. The 60’s maybe?

  • Travis says:

    I believe it was 1995 Jerry

  • Mike says:

    Great win for the team. Kazmir really surprised me. No walks and 10 K’s. He controlled the game. WOW!Swisher going yard and acknowledging the fans in right field the next inning was awesome. Let’s hope the fans start showing up because the attendance this year is a complete joke. How can the Miami Marlin’s be averaging a lot more fans than us?? It’s time to support these guys. Stop using the excuses(the cost, the weather, the terrible 2012 season) and get out to the game. The Dolan’s shelled out some cash so “the payroll” or lack thereof is no longer a feasible excuse. Anyways, keep it up fellas.

  • Joe Jackson says:

    I was at the 1-0 Tuesday gmae. McCalister was on, saw him pitch a lot in c bus. Watch the ” young Indians “14 games a year in Columbus. So where are the fans at Progressive field????