The wife and I were on our way to Shaker Lakes via RTA on Sat. Neither of us had ever been there and it was beautiful out. We stopped downtown on the way and seeing all the fans heading into the balllpark, we couldn't resist it. Change of plans.

 

We had such a great time at the game!!

For the Perez situation.  He may be right, he may be wrong.

 

BUT, is anyone else just tired of the drama that comes with Cleveland sports???  What other city experiences this?  My goodness.  If its not Braylon Edwards, or Jamal Lewis quitting...then its Lebron James, or Colt mcCoy's  dad, or Delonte West.  My goodness, the off-the-field stuff that goes on around here is insane!!

^Every other city experiences these types of things.  We've had a bumper crop of them since "The Decision," but this stuff happens in every city.  Just last week Boston had a much worse booing controversy with Josh Beckett.

The "save" is a worthless statistic. It does little more than tally up the appearances of the designated "closer" on a winning team. Please note that I'm not denigrating the pitchers -- just the statistic. But I do think Perez is a doofus for slamming the fans. You don't attract support by criticizing your potential supporters. But you might see a slight uptick in attendance by people eager to boo Perez if he falters. Low attendance might also have something to do with a lousy economy and overpriced tickets & beer.

^Overpriced tickets and beer?  Again with the excuses.  I heard a guy call into a radio program yesterday and said he wasn't going to Indians games because bottled water cost $5.00.  So DON'T BUY THE BOTTLED WATER!  Bleacher seats are $10 and most tickets in April and May are deeply discounted.

 

Facts:  The Indians currently have the fifth lowest average ticket price according to Seat Geek.  http://seatgeek.com/baseball-mlb-ticket-prices

The Indians have the 9th lowest fan cost index as calculated by Team Marketing Report:  http://fancostexperience.com/pages/fcx/blog_pdfs/entry0000017_pdf005.pdf

^^I tend to agree about the save stat.  Seems to lead to some absurd salary distortions and some questionable bullpen management. And there's pretty much zero evidence that closers pitch worse in non-save situations.  The difference is that they have a margin for error in a 3 run save, but none in the tie games they come in for, so people focus on the runs they give up that actually lose games.  Perez has not been lights out, but he's been really good in his normal role: coming on with no runners on base and a small lead.

 

^Every other city experiences these types of things.  We've had a bumper crop of them since "The Decision," but this stuff happens in every city.  Just last week Boston had a much worse booing controversy with Josh Beckett.

 

And before that it was Bobby V and Youk.  The sports drama in Cleveland is definitely no worse than in Boston or New York.  The difference is that there's been no pay-out for the fans at the end of the season in forever.

It's disingenuous to say that the Indians have had more success over the past 20 years than the Cavs and Browns.  It would be more accurate to say that the Indians were successful 15 years ago.  They have been terrible for the past 11 years, tallying exactly as many playoff appearances as the Browns, and obviously being much less successful than the Cavs.  The Browns will always draw, which is annoying, but the Indians will live and die by their success on the field.  Being in first place in May doesn't mean sh!t.  It happens in every city too.  Toronto finished with the same record as the Indians, operate in a market that's at least double the size, and finished behind us in attendance.  Why?  Because they don't go to the post season.

^I don't see how you can possibly argue the Browns have had as much on-field success as the Indians over the past 5, 10 or 20 years.  If you strain your eyes, narrow your metric to playoff appearances, and cherry pick an 11 year span, then yes, the two are equal, but I think that's kind of stretching it.  The Indians have not been "terrible" for the past 11 years.  You have to go to Pittsburgh and its 50% higher per game attendance to find that.

Game 1 good guys! 

 

Not sure if there was a quorum though, so may not have counted.

so perez got himself out of a big pile of doo doo with runners on 1st and 3rd & 1out in the 9th tonight -- i guess he is walking the walk and so ok he can talk all the ignorant (of cle sports history) sheet he wants to -- lol!

It would have been uuuuuugly if he had blown that one right after all his big talking.

It's super lame when players complain about getting booed.  I don't really have a problem with him calling out the terrible attendance though. If Perez keeps pitching well and the team wins, people are going to forget about all this stupid stuff pretty fast. 

 

I was at the game last night - Perez got huge cheers when he came into the game to close

It would have been uuuuuugly if he had blown that one right after all his big talking.

 

Yep. When he walked Ramon Santiago (batting sub .200), I walked away from the TV but didn't turn it off. When I heard the Indians won it, then I "rewound" my DVR to see how Perez escaped with his life.

 

Ya have to win the division games. That's non-negotiatable.

Tigers are slumping.  How many plays did the Indians beat out running to first base last night?  3 or 4?  Indians outhustled them.

 

Johnny Damon looked unbelievably slow trying to swing the bat.  After he struck out the 2nd time, I said in unison with the stranger beside me "I could have taken a better cut than that".  Need Sizemore back in the lineup

yeah i only caught the last part of it but from what they replayed it was definately a hustle win. awesome to see them play like that!

Get your brooms out!!!  Anyone going to the game this afternoon? 

^Im takin a half day and will be there!  I cant find anyone to go with, but im going anyway.

Weekday day games are just about the best thing ever.  Wish so bad I could go.

Get your brooms out!!!  Anyone going to the game this afternoon? 

 

I'm going with a bunch of people from work. Three of them are already flaunting their TIGERS GEAR. I want to put a broom by each their desks tomorrow morning.

 

Bleachers here we come!!!!

 

p.s. I'm always surprised how many Tribe fans don't know that YOU CAN BRING FOOD into the stadium. What I myself didn't know until last nite is that you can now take unopened bottled water inside as well.

p.s. I'm always surprised how many Tribe fans don't know that YOU CAN BRING FOOD into the stadium. What I myself didn't know until last nite is that you can now take unopened bottled water inside as well.

 

You can take food inside but you can't take a broom -- at least not a real one!

 

I'm glad we won the first two games because I don't expect a victory today against Verlander. But the weather is just about perfect today for an afternoon game.

His arm may still make his total defense above average, but Choo looks really, really bad moving back on deep drives.  Then again, hitting a lead off dinger off Verlander makes almost everything else forgivable :)

 

p.s. I'm always surprised how many Tribe fans don't know that YOU CAN BRING FOOD into the stadium. What I myself didn't know until last nite is that you can now take unopened bottled water inside as well.

 

I always think of this when I hear people say going to the game with a family is "too expensive" as an explanation for low attendance.  It's actually really easy to see a game without spending a whole lot.

sweep

Ohhh yeah!

 

To surf, Believeland, and the 23k+ rest of you at the game, I am insanely jealous!!  The only bad news is that the game was so short you have time to go back to the office now and put in a full afternoon of work.

I know it's only May but this series could really get things going for the tribe....Definitely looks like Masterson is back. 

OMG, the game was over by 2:30 p.m.!! That's just amazing.

 

Verlander was amazing, throwing 102 mph in the eighth inning. But the Indians as a team was better. What a wonderful series against the Tiggers.

^

Another save for Chris Perez! ;)

He got his save and was cheered by a respectable weekday afternoon crowd.  Looks like he's got everything working for him!

His arm may still make his total defense above average, but Choo looks really, really bad moving back on deep drives.  Then again, hitting a lead off dinger off Verlander makes almost everything else forgivable :)

 

p.s. I'm always surprised how many Tribe fans don't know that YOU CAN BRING FOOD into the stadium. What I myself didn't know until last nite is that you can now take unopened bottled water inside as well.

 

I always think of this when I hear people say going to the game with a family is "too expensive" as an explanation for low attendance.  It's actually really easy to see a game without spending a whole lot.

 

I biked to the game and bought a bleacher seat.  My afternoon was $10

Ohhh yeah!

 

To surf, Believeland, and the 23k+ rest of you at the game, I am insanely jealous!!  The only bad news is that the game was so short you have time to go back to the office now and put in a full afternoon of work.

 

Ha ha you're right....back to the office. Hard to focus. I think I have sun stroke, but the game and atmosphere was so good I don't care!!

Lucky. Only game I've been to was that rainy white sox away game where we lost 7-2. Bleh.

I biked to the game and bought a bleacher seat.  My afternoon was $10

 

I [almost] literally cannot think of a more perfect Thursday afternoon.

I despise the Dolans except for one smart thing: Mark Shapiro continues to run the club... He's not perfect and has blown some picks, trades, but overall, he's a sharp baseball man and, more importantly, he's built (2007), is building (today) a contender on a shoestring budget... We've now won a series against Texas and swept powerful/expensive Detroit... I'm slowly starting to believe in these guys. Maybe if...

^I don't think Shapiro's calling the roster shots anymore. Pretty sure that's all (or mostly) Antonetti.

I hate to say it, but I'm not sold on this team being a true contender.  With a run differential of -5, they seem to be overachieving in a way that isn't sustainable over 162 game schedule.  I'm enjoying the ride and hoping I'm wrong, but history and statistics is not on their side unless they turn that number around significantly. 

^I don't think Shapiro's calling the roster shots anymore. Pretty sure that's all (or mostly) Antonetti.

 

Structurally, you're correct.  But I still have to believe Mark no major roster move is made  without Shapiro's OK...

Nice football game yesterday. Too bad the Tribe lost despite Michael Brantley's circus "interception" in the end zone. I can't believe ESPN made that the only the #2 best highlight of the day, trailing the game-winning HR bombs in three games.

 

EDIT: at least they suggested it as the best "web gem".....

 

Web Gems

That catch was AWESOME!

 

I hate to say it, but I'm not sold on this team being a true contender.  With a run differential of -5, they seem to be overachieving in a way that isn't sustainable over 162 game schedule.  I'm enjoying the ride and hoping I'm wrong, but history and statistics is not on their side unless they turn that number around significantly. 

 

The team's record has certainly overachieved the player performances thus far, but if more the players start performing up to expectations, I'm hopeful they'll be able to keep it competitive for much of the season. So much uncertainty though.  And these recent injuries aren't helping.  Yesterday's lineup was really depressing, notwithstanding all the runs they scored.  If Hafner's injury is serious, I'm perversely curious whether they hand DH duties to one of their prolific 4A guys at Columbus. Would be thrilling to catch some lightning in a bottle.

Was going to go yesterday...glad I didn't.

Sox Park is nice...and easily accessible by train, especially if you are in the Loop or Michigan Ave area...but the train ride from Evanston is long on the weekends without the express service.

Anyway...in the 12 years I've been here I think the Tribe is 3-12 in games that I've attended...!

Hopefully Ubaldo stops the slide today...!!!!

Go Tribe!

Ubaldo Jimenez is pitching today?

 

For some reason I hear the sound of a mechanical pinball machine racking up a big score.....

Ubaldo Jimenez is pitching today?

 

For some reason I hear the sound of a mechanical pinball machine racking up a big score.....

 

He sure didn't disappoint.

I wonder if he has any options left to the minors.  If he gets shelled again, I think they have to send him down.  He's not even giving them a chance to win.  Zach McAllister was pitching great while Tomlin was out.  3.96 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 7.9 K/9.

 

Fans don't always give this front office its dues (Chris Perez for Mark DeRosa, Astrubal Cabrera for Eduardo Perez, Shin-soo Choo for Ben Broussard), but they will never escape this trade if White or Pomeranz amount to anything at all. 

Well said...

Re-signing Grady and not getting another bat in the off season were big flops, too...along with Ubaldo...but the front office has had some under the radar moves that have been solid!

35 runs allowed in three games against the White Sox? That's beyond awful. WTF??

It's just nuts what kind of power numbers Chicago's been putting up over the last few days, including the last three :( 

 

And I can't believe how much worse I feel about the starting 5 now than I did at the beginning of the season. No options left on Ubaldo so they can't unilaterally demote him to the minors, but at some point they may need to yank him out of the rotation. Hard to imagine they'll exercise his option for next year unless he turns things around big time.

He's not even giving them a chance to win.

 

Ubaldo has been awful, but somehow he has been giving us a chance to win sometimes, as he has won more games than he has lost, even after yesterday (his record is now 5-4).  That can't be said for Masterson, Tomlin, or Gomez.

The "save" is a worthless statistic. It does little more than tally up the appearances of the designated "closer" on a winning team. Please note that I'm not denigrating the pitchers -- just the statistic. But I do think Perez is a doofus for slamming the fans. You don't attract support by criticizing your potential supporters. But you might see a slight uptick in attendance by people eager to boo Perez if he falters. Low attendance might also have something to do with a lousy economy and overpriced tickets & beer.

 

It's so refreshing to find someone else who realizes this!  :clap: Perez is a good relief pitcher, but he's not as good as one might think by simply looking at his saves and he's definitely overpaid.  In regards to his actual comments, he should done a better job of phrasing the part about the fans supporting the first-place Tribe, but he wasn't wrong.  However what he said about Carlos Beltran was ridiculous...Beltran took more money to play for a proven contender and the defending World Series champs, period.  The fact that their fans are more supportive (and STL is a huge baseball town) is a secondary issue.

He's not even giving them a chance to win.

 

Ubaldo has been awful, but somehow he has been giving us a chance to win sometimes, as he has won more games than he has lost, even after yesterday (his record is now 5-4).  That can't be said for Masterson, Tomlin, or Gomez.

 

He's got an ERA of 3.60 in the five starts he's won, averaging exactly six innings of work per game.  Not terrible, but not exactly great either, and certainly nowhere near what was expected of him.  He's so inconsistent and while last year I thought he'd eventually snap out of it, this has gone on long enough that I just don't know anymore.  If/when either White or Pomeranz breaks out, management is going to really hear it from fans.

My favorite stat for pitchers is WHIP. In his 5 wins with the 3.60 ERA, his WHIP is 1.60, which is pretty bad.  It looks much worse than the 3.60 ERA would let you believe.  If there's a big disparity between WHIP and ERA, he's always working out of jams and getting "lucky".

 

And almost 7 BB/9 is awful.  It's a miracle he has 5 wins.

My favorite stat for pitchers is WHIP. In his 5 wins with the 3.60 ERA, his WHIP is 1.60, which is pretty bad.  It looks much worse than the 3.60 ERA would let you believe.  If there's a big disparity between WHIP and ERA, he's always working out of jams and getting "lucky".

 

And almost 7 BB/9 is awful.  It's a miracle he has 5 wins.

 

I wasn't really defending him.  As I said, he's been awful.  I was just saying that it's not accurate to say he's not giving us a chance to win because somehow (and I'm not really sure how either) he's managed to get more wins than losses.