Today the Indians hope to bounce back from a disappointing and costly loss to the Tigers. It’s still too early to pay close attention to the standings, but the Tigers (and the Royals) haven’t lost a game yet. Another Tigers win today would mean a series sweep, and would put the Indians four games behind the AL Central leader (or leaders, if the Royals should also win), and two games under .500. An Indians win would bring the Tribe to .500.
I say yesterday’s loss was costly because starting catcher Yan Gomes was injured when Tigers outfielder Rajai Davis slid into Gomes’s foot in a ninth-inning force play at the plate. Gomes had to leave the game, and today was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right knee. Roberto Pérez will handle the catching duties while Gomes is out.
To bolster the weary bullpen, the Indians brought up right-handed pitchers Austin Adams and Shaun Marcum from the AAA team in Columbus, and sent Kyle Crockett back to Columbus.
Here are today’s starting lineups:
| Tigers | Indians | ||
|
CF
|
Rajai Davis |
CF
|
Michael Bourn |
|
2B
|
Ian Kinsler |
SS
|
Mike Aviles |
|
1B
|
Miguel Cabrera |
2B
|
Jason Kipnis |
|
DH
|
Victor Martinez |
1B
|
Carlos Santana |
|
RF
|
J.D. Martinez |
LF
|
Jerry Sands |
|
LF
|
Yoenis Céspedes |
RF
|
Brandon Moss |
|
3B
|
Nick Castellanos |
DH
|
Ryan Raburn |
|
C
|
James McCann |
3B
|
Lonnie Chisenhall |
|
SS
|
José Iglesias |
C
|
Roberto Pérez |
|
SP
|
Kyle Lobstein |
SP
|
T.J. House |
We welcome your comments below!
PS: In case you’re wondering who this Jerry Sands fella is, he of the 3 for 4, two doubles, and 4 RBI performance of yesterday, be sure to take a look at Ryan McCrystal’s post of earlier today.
[message_box title=”Detroit Tigers Scouting Report” color=”#d40134″]
[list type=”arrow2″]
- Starter: LHP Kyle Lobstein
- Overview: Rookie with six career starts. Soft-tossing lefty with similar style to Jeremy Sowers.
- Repertoire: Fastball (58%, 89 mph), Slider (21%), Change (16%), Curve (5%)
- K Pitch: Mix of inside fastballs and outside sliders to lefties.. Inside fastballs and sliders to righties
- vs Tribe: 5.23 ERA in two starts (Tigers won both). 10 Ks in 5.1 IP last September 2.
- Key Matchups: Bourn: 1-6, 3 K vs Lobstein… Kipnis: 1-9 vs LHP this year… Raburn: 0-6 vs LHP
[/list]
Sources: ESPN Stats & Information, Baseball-Reference [/message_box]
I know it’s early – we’re still only 6 games into the season now – and it seems like it ought to be too early in the season to panic. But between the collapse of our bullpen, the complete inability of our #4 and #5 starters to get anybody out, and now the injury to Gomes, who will be out for the next two months (and who knows if he will be his old self right away after that)… perhaps it really is time to panic? I mean, it would normally be too early to panic, there must be a set of extenuating circumstances that would entitle people to actually, legitimately panic, and perhaps the Indians have actually reached that point?
Is this a nightmare? I am very sad, its not panic of course its just sad and every loss to Detroit just hurts. Baseball shouldn’t make me this sad and I am glad it is on again but just idk.. I want Yan back.
AHHHH! Run Away! (that’s the sound of me panicing!) This is a very disheartening start to what I had hoped would be a promising season. And being swept by the Tigers…ouch! 6 games into the season and we are already 4 back? AHHHHH!