If you are a constant watcher like me, and if you’re reading this, you surely are, you learn that baseball just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense sometimes. Trends become teases and expectations often fall short, but teams still manage to win more often than they probably should. You don’t question it. You don’t try to rationalize it, because you know that if you do, you’ll drive yourself completely insane.
The bottom line is the only thing that matters, even if you spend hours or days trying to figure out how the hell things are working out in the Tribe’s favor. As my colleague Vern Morrison points out, it all boils down to series wins. Gotta love them. And every “W” is a thing of beauty as long as Angel Hernandez is not involved with messing it up for somebody somehow.
As long as the Indians can continue to take two out of three, while splitting the occasional four-gamer (there’s some foreshadowing for ya!), there’s not a whole lot to complain about. When you win four straight series? That’s walkin’ on sunshine. Even with the frustration of days like yesterday when they could’ve opened things up early, the sting of not pulling off the sweep is lessened. If the starting pitching staff holds serve, which is to say they have has been very good lately, then that’s really all you can ask for.
How about Jason Kipnis, huh? In April and May, he was colder than a Slurpee in Antarctica. Now? The baseball looks like it is the size of a beachball. He’s as hot as lava. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of Mark Reynolds, whose regression to his normal means has been a large reason as to why the offense has been rather stagnant as of late. This is the start of when things stop being sensible.
Maybe it’s just me, I’m starting to wonder if Nick Swisher should be batting cleanup. He looked lost in his return from a six-game break to rest his shoulder. It might just be a timing issue, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tito drops him down a few spots. Like Reynolds, he’s clearly in-between at the moment, and the execution has been non-existent. And not exciting at all, bro.
The bullpen hasn’t been great, but they’ve managed to do just enough to keep the team above water. I believe Vinnie Pestano is playing through pain, simply because he hasn’t been the same guy all year. He has earned his spot as the eighth-inning guy and spot-closer, but he is laborious in nearly every appearance. Between him and Chris Perez being somewhat less than lock-down, it’s as if the spirit of Joe Borowski lingers in both guys. Souvenir City? Try Indigestion City. Bitten-Nails City. Peek-Through-Your-Fingers-After-Chewing-Your-Bitten-Nails-City.
See? For as average as the Indians have been, they have still won eight of their last eleven, making sure that Detroit still has to worry about slipping up. It doesn’t make sense. Maybe that’s why the Indians are often casually dismissed nationally; nothing they do is exciting. Nothing they’ve done plays along the script.
All they’ve done lately is win. Don’t question it. Better yet, forget this was ever posted.
Just keep the train rolling, boys.
These next 15 games – the 11 game road trip starting tonight and the four game series at home following the 4th of July vs Detroit – in my opinion will decide if the Indians are going to be a legit contender through the dog days of summer, or will be playing out the string for nothing more than finishing .500 or better.
Pretty much exactly what I said to Steph earlier today. It’s put up or shut up time.