Indians fans are most loyal
Their fervor can rarely be spoiled.
But it’s surely no fun
When they score just one run
And drop one to the God-awful Royals.
At 70-67 the Tribe has 25 games remaining…..say they go 15-10, .600 ball and a solid clip….gets us to 85 – 77….now let’s say Detroit loses tonight just for kicks and sits at 77-63, 22 left to the finish line….they would need to go just 9 – 13 to clinch….it just seems like a very steep hill….those 6 games against Detroit are key, but if we see Verlander twice is anything better than 4-2 in those games realtistic?
Well, somehow they managed to pull out a win today. I have the same concerns about Verlander. Masterson goes against him on Wednesday in one of those noon games that we always seem to lose.
Yes, the Indians have won their last three series, at home versus the bottom-dwelling Royals and Athletics, and most recently in Kansas City (although they almost gave away the last game at the end there), before a three game home stand against the Tigers starting tomorrow. However, the Indians, after being swept by the Tigers in Detroit, have gone 8-6 in their last fourteen, including one win in four games against the lowly Mariners in Cleveland, hardly a playoff push. As for those Detroit Tigers, since sweeping Cleveland, they have gone on to win ten of their last fourteen, including an 18-2 massacre of the White Sox (who are also slowly dropping out of contention) that just concluded a couple of hours ago. In my mind, the Indians have to win, at the very least, two out of three against Detroit at home, preferably all three (unlikely, though, as the Indians have to face Justin Verlander, a twenty-one game winner and potential Most Valuable Player, on Wednesday to end the series), to remain a viable contender. Otherwise, I am sorry to say, it’s all over, I think. After the Tigers, the Indians go to Chicago, Texas, and Minnesota, for a four-game and two three-game series, respectively, one of which is against the defending American League champion, all of which are tough wins to get in another team’s ballpark, before coming back home for one last make-up game against Seattle (hardly a sure thing), followed by back-to-back four game series against the White Sox and the Twins, both in Cleveland, by which time I am afraid it will be too late – perhaps the Indians will win a game or two in Detroit to end the season if only because the Tigers will already have the division in the bag. Which is all to say, if the Indians are going to win the Central, they need to start getting real hot right now, I mean really, really hot, and it all begin and ends against the Tigers, who in case you already forgot, just hammered the White Sox 18-2 (including ten runs on eight hits in the first three innings against four-time All-Star and Chicago ace, Mark Buehrle). Of course, they could all three to Detroit and still somehow make the playoffs. Stranger things have happened, but I wouldn’t bet your savings on a triumphant September. Go Tribe.
Kaufmann Stadium’s #1 concession seller has to be No-Doze…..
At 70-67 the Tribe has 25 games remaining…..say they go 15-10, .600 ball and a solid clip….gets us to 85 – 77….now let’s say Detroit loses tonight just for kicks and sits at 77-63, 22 left to the finish line….they would need to go just 9 – 13 to clinch….it just seems like a very steep hill….those 6 games against Detroit are key, but if we see Verlander twice is anything better than 4-2 in those games realtistic?
perhaps i was too hasty in assuming we win this game here….after all the KC powerhouse line-up is tough to tame…..
Well, somehow they managed to pull out a win today. I have the same concerns about Verlander. Masterson goes against him on Wednesday in one of those noon games that we always seem to lose.
Yes, the Indians have won their last three series, at home versus the bottom-dwelling Royals and Athletics, and most recently in Kansas City (although they almost gave away the last game at the end there), before a three game home stand against the Tigers starting tomorrow. However, the Indians, after being swept by the Tigers in Detroit, have gone 8-6 in their last fourteen, including one win in four games against the lowly Mariners in Cleveland, hardly a playoff push. As for those Detroit Tigers, since sweeping Cleveland, they have gone on to win ten of their last fourteen, including an 18-2 massacre of the White Sox (who are also slowly dropping out of contention) that just concluded a couple of hours ago. In my mind, the Indians have to win, at the very least, two out of three against Detroit at home, preferably all three (unlikely, though, as the Indians have to face Justin Verlander, a twenty-one game winner and potential Most Valuable Player, on Wednesday to end the series), to remain a viable contender. Otherwise, I am sorry to say, it’s all over, I think. After the Tigers, the Indians go to Chicago, Texas, and Minnesota, for a four-game and two three-game series, respectively, one of which is against the defending American League champion, all of which are tough wins to get in another team’s ballpark, before coming back home for one last make-up game against Seattle (hardly a sure thing), followed by back-to-back four game series against the White Sox and the Twins, both in Cleveland, by which time I am afraid it will be too late – perhaps the Indians will win a game or two in Detroit to end the season if only because the Tigers will already have the division in the bag. Which is all to say, if the Indians are going to win the Central, they need to start getting real hot right now, I mean really, really hot, and it all begin and ends against the Tigers, who in case you already forgot, just hammered the White Sox 18-2 (including ten runs on eight hits in the first three innings against four-time All-Star and Chicago ace, Mark Buehrle). Of course, they could all three to Detroit and still somehow make the playoffs. Stranger things have happened, but I wouldn’t bet your savings on a triumphant September. Go Tribe.