The Indians begin their last series against the White Sox tonight, as Ubaldo Jimenez takes on Hector Santiago.  I think it’s pretty obvious that when you hold a slim one-game lead over the second wild card spot, every game is pretty much “must win.”  However, tonight the Rangers are taking on the Astros, losers of ten in a row (in part, thanks to the Tribe).  The Rangers pummeled them 12-0 last night to gain a half game on the Indians, and tonight Yu Darvish takes the mound for the Rangers.  It probably won’t be very pretty.

As for the Indians and White Sox, Jimenez hopes to build upon a phenomenal September – he’s 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP.  In his most recent start against Houston last Thursday, he gave up 1 ER and 6 hits in 7 innings pitched.  He’s faced the White Sox twice this season and he is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA.  In his most recent appearance against them, on September 14, he gave up 1 ER and 8 hits over 8.1 innings pitched as the Indians won 8-1.  On June 29, he gave up 3 ER and 9 hits over 5 innings pitched as the Indians won 4-3.

Hector Santiago’s last start was actually against the Indians on September 13; he has not appeared in a game since then.  The White Sox decided to skip him because manager Robin Ventura felt he looked “tired,” and they considered shutting him down for the year.  Despite the fears that he was tired (he’s thrown a career-high 142.2 innings this year), he was solid against the Indians, giving up 3 ER on 6 hits over 4 innings pitched, but took the loss 3-1.  He faced the Indians one other time this year and it did not go well for him – on June 28 he gave up 5 ER and 7 hits over 2.1 innings pitched as the Indians won 19-10.

The key to the game is a pretty Captain Obvious one – Ubaldo needs to stay in September form, and the Indians need to jump on Santiago early and often.

Use this thread to chat about the game!

57 Comments

  • powza says:

    Go Tribe!!!!

  • Weston says:

    Ubaldomatic Win with this ace on the mound! Go Tribe!

  • Leo says:

    Matt Underwood with his usual tiptop performance. Brantley singles then he calls both Aviles and Bourn Brantley. Somebody please check on him.

  • Seattle Stu says:

    glad to see we got that messy offensive outburst stuff out of our system that last game in Houston…time to make our starters (and fandom) sweat it out….

  • Jami says:

    The only thing comforting about this 2-2 tie right now is that 1-0 score over in Texas.

  • Seattle Stu says:

    here we go…..perez time…..

  • Seattle Stu says:

    way to go doper….cmon perez fans, let’s hear the defenses….you knew this guy would cost us down the road….

  • Andy says:

    I hate Perez. If Francona lets this idiot blow our playoff chances he should be canned right along with the hippie. There is no reason at all to keep bringing Perez into lose games.

  • Leo says:

    Let me count the ways I loath seeing Perez coming into pitch. If we make the playoffs he cannot cannot be counted on. Every time I hope is his last. But he returns more irritating and stronger everytime just like thrush.

  • Seattle Stu says:

    please tell me someone on this blog is at the game and will cuss CP out as he drags his endomorphic blob back to the dugout….UNREAL….i can only hope he is too tired to pitch anymore….

  • Seattle Stu says:

    perez lovers, can we get the stats again on how great he really is?

  • D.P. Roberts says:

    THAT’S IT. SOMEONE GET THE TAR, I’LL BRING THE FEATHERS.

  • Robert says:

    Shouldn’t even have to be typing this, but here’s to hoping Gomes, Brantley, Aviles can pick their teammate up..

  • Nikki says:

    I’m so busy thinking angry, angry thoughts that I can’t even see straight.

  • Stephanie Liscio says:

    I’m there, he was booed a lot and it’s depressing as hell.

    • Alex says:

      it’s depressing that he is booed, or that he keeps blowing or nearly blowing saves, and this is our “playoff” closer?

  • Alex says:

    Two home runs. TWO. IN A ROW. F***ing F*** YOU, PEREZ.

  • peter says:

    I never want to see him pitch in a tribe uniform again.

  • Leo says:

    Again, a solid if not spectacular effort by the rest of the team is reversed by that smug buffoon. The amount of times this year he has high-fived and swaggered around after walking batters and giving up walks only to be saved by a great fielding effort is ridiculous. No one is going to try and justify his stats. He’s 25th or worse in every category for closers this year.

  • Seattle Stu says:

    steph, what was his body language?

  • Seattle Stu says:

    at least we know he’ll take his medicine like a man and talk to the media….not…..

  • Stephanie Liscio says:

    No, I mean the blown lead is depressing as hell. Go from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. That comeback to make it 3-2 was fantastic and it was ruined.

  • Seattle Stu says:

    brantley got the memo we’re in a playoff race….nice work young-un.

  • Stephanie Liscio says:

    I’ve had a hard time seeing finer details like strike zone and body language so I can’t say. (I’m in the left field corner.) It didn’t seem dramatically different though.

  • D.P. Roberts says:

    I TAKE BACK EVERY BAD THING I HAVE EVER SAID ABOUT JASON GIAMBI. I WILL GLADLY HAVE HIS BABIES, AND I’M A DUDE.

  • Robert says:

    Giambi!!!!!!!

  • mondo dentro says:

    Giambi wins it!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Seattle Stu says:

    WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

  • Alex says:

    JASON “MR. WALK OFF LEGEND” GIAMBI!!!!!!

  • Seattle Stu says:

    THAT MADE HIS SIGNING WORTH IT….PERIOD….WOW….I’M PRANCING AROUND MY KITCHEN…STEPH, TELL US HOW GREAT IT WAS!!

  • Stephanie Liscio says:

    So uhhhh, remember what I said about the highs and lows? I need to do some bourbon shots when I get home. I have an ulcer the size of a baseball.

  • Alex says:

    Hey Steph, How’s THAT FOR HIGHEST HIGHS AND LOWEST LOWS?

    THe highest highs is of course that towering shot that Giambi hit into orbit!!

  • mondo dentro says:

    Everybody on this team has his head in the game except Perez. I’d rather see Carrasco close.

    WOW. Thank you, Jason, for some major cojones. What a finish. My hairs are standing up on end.

  • Jami says:

    MAY BE THE BEST MOMENT OF THE SEASON!

  • Tribe Texan says:

    I about lost myself when Perez coughed up the lead.

    I DEFINITELY lost myself when Giambi sealed the win!!

  • Steve says:

    Hurray! Holy Moly. I think we can agree that this team is bad for your health, but I watched the ’97 WS so I’ve known that for a while now.

  • Leo says:

    Doesn’t get any better.

  • Nikki says:

    I was in the middle of an anti-Giambi rant when he hit the homer. Anyone got hot sauce for this crow I’m about to eat? 😀

  • shaun says:

    so I was on delay after putting the baby to bed and screwed up and hit live from where I was at the top of the 6th…

    I got thrown into the bottom of the 9 and epic never-say-never ensues…

    I’ve been saying since mid-season that cp cannot be given the keys to the car with a one run lead…maybe 3 runs…maybe but not 1. did he catch somebody in the showers? is the team trying to salvage some sort of value for him in a trade? I can’t handle him anymore..

  • Dave says:

    I’ve been an Indians fan for 60+ years. I now live in Michigan and don’t get to see the tribe very often … following only via the web. I thought Perez couldn’t do any worse when he blew Kluber’s great pitching effort on Aug 5. Then tonight he tried to do it again. How many times can the rest of the Tribe cover his fat a**? Come on Francona … can’t we put on the DL or possibly add him to the Browns trade?

  • Cale says:

    I have been in Perez’s corner all season, and even I am finally done with him. I have never been more wrong and will be more than happy to eat any crow placed in front of me.

  • Leo says:

    Don’t think he was even on the field to celebrate the victory. I don’t care how bad you’ve played as an individual, you stay and support your team. I hope this doesn’t gloss things over with Tito, that should be the last time he pitches in a Tribe uniform.

  • mondo dentro says:

    The problem is, if we do make it to the playoffs, the pitching will be very good and the scores low and close. So you need a someone with a closer’s mentality. Who should Tito put in instead of Perez?

  • Leo says:

    Anybody but him, I’d even go with Ryan Raburn before him. Personally I’d go with Salazar, it’s hard for even the best hitters to catch up with 98+.

    • mondo dentro says:

      Salazar is an interesting idea. He also seems like he might have the cool to do it. Tough to experiment during the playoffs.

      It’s a tough call. I trust Francona to think it through rationally, unlike us hot-headed fans. 🙂

      • Stephanie Liscio says:

        Someone suggested Masterson on Twitter. I find it an intriguing idea, but I’m not sure how serious that injury is. Carrasco is a solid idea, although on Francona’s post game press conference, it didn’t sound like he had plans to pull Perez yet.

  • Stephanie Liscio says:

    So a few things now that I’ve been home, stopped shaking some, and had a bourbon shot.

    1. After Scrabble hit the batter, I was about to wet myself. I had tried to hold it, but had to get up and go to the bathroom. While there, I saw people streaming out of the gate at the home run porch. Sucks to be them!

    2. I seriously lost my damn mind after that. I can hardly swallow from the screaming…people were jumping up and down hugging…absolute insanity. My friend threw his hat up in the air in the excitement and almost lost it.

    3. Everyone seemed to stay in their seat, and waited for the replay on the scoreboard with Tom Hamilton’s call.

    4. When we were leaving, everyone seemed almost in a daze. Smiling, excited…just kind of wandering aimlessly. I don’t even really remember walking to my car, and I hadn’t been drinking!

    5. Cars were honking, people were yelling as I was leaving. Craziness.

    6. One of the best games I’ve ever been to, and I was at that game with the bugs in the 2007 ALDS.

  • JimM. says:

    god hate i perez. blew it again, what a piece of…hey, we won!

  • Robert says:

    I’d rather see him starting games, but Masterson in the 9th is an intriguing idea if the team doesn’t think he’s healthy enough to pitch at length. Cue the discussion about how closing is a special niche that some people are or are not made for, whether for him, Carrasco, or anyone else.

  • mondo dentro says:

    From ESPN’s recap:

    “He left a couple pitches that were over the middle of the plate,” said Francona, who shot down any thought of changing closer this late in the season. “We’re not going to shift gears with four games, five games, however many we have left.”

    Well. There you have it.

  • Weston says:

    sweet effing lord what a 9th inning.

  • Cale says:

    I like the idea of Carrasco in the future, but do you really want to throw him into the fire in a playoff atmosphere? He’s a headcase as it is, he gets roughed up one time and we may never hear from him again, I don’t think it’d be fair to put that on him.

    The Masterson idea is very interesting…

  • The Doctor says:

    masteron can’t be trusted to find his command in a single inning. i could see a lot of 9th innings consisting of 9 straight balls and then a 12-hop seeing-eye grounder that gets through to blow the save.

    sounds pretty much like a perez save attempt, but with a laser shot double and/or homerun rather than the grounder.