Player of the Game

David Huff won tonight's 'Player of the Game' to keep his streak for the season going. So far, he has won the award in every single game he has pitched in (3) this season. Huff has still only allowed a single earned run on the season, although the first run of tonight's game scored on his wild pitch. He pitched 5 innings tonight, only allowing 3 hits and striking out 6. His final game score was 5.46

Feathers Up

The rookies have taken the lead over the last few games, with Lonnie Chisenhall, Jason Kipnis and Ezequiel Carrera all playing big roles for the Tribe. Jason Kipnis has hit a home run in each of the last three games making him the first Indians rookie to do that since Richie Sexson. Lonnie Chisehall hit his third home run of the season (and his career) giving the Indians a one run lead early in the game and Ezequiel Carrera has had 2 total bases in each of the last three games.

A lot of people have been saying the Indians have trouble with the Red Sox, but even after tonight's tough loss to Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, the Indians are 5-3 against them this season. It seems to me that if you win four of the first six games in a 7 game series against a team, you would be considered the better team, but that doesn't count with east coast bias.

Feathers Down

While David Huff has been very impressive in his first three starts this year for the Indians, there is one small thing that may send him toward Columbus before Ubaldo Jimenez's first start. In three games he has only given up one run, but has only pitched out of the 6th inning once. While what he has given the Indians thus far is exceptional, it may be asking the bullpen a bit too much to have them pitch 4 innings a night. Hopefully, this won't bother Indians management much and they will make the right choice by sending Carlos Carrasco back to AAA.

Final Score: Cleveland Indians 2 - Boston Red Sox 3

Player of the Game

Asdrubal Cabrera took two deep tonight winning him his 13th 'Player of the Game' of the season. While he has been the Indians best player by far so far this season, he wasn't all that special in July, as he was never the best player in a game during that month. Cabrera earned 10.03 'POG' points for his 2 home run, 3 hit, 3 run, 4 RBI night. Jason Kipnis played also played well as he earned his highest score of the season, with a 5.46. His previous high was the 2.81 he earned yesterday. His score tonight more than doubled his career 'POG' total.

Feathers Up

Pitcher Josh Tomlin saved a run and prevented a potential error by center fielder Ezequiel Carrera in the bottom of the third inning. Keven Youkilis hit a triple off the garage door in center field, and when Carrera threw the ball in, he over threw the cut-off man. Youkilis then tried to score, but Tomlin, near the third base dugout, was there to backup the throw, and nailed Youkilis at the plate.

Josh Tomlin continued his streak of pitching at least 5 innings in every start of his career. Tonight in his no decision, Tomlin went 6 innings, giving up 5 runs. We look forward to seeing the continuation of this streak as the season goes on.

Back-to-back…that’s how the Indians roll. Asbrubal Cabrera gave the Indians the lead in the 6th inning with a 2-run shot down the right field line. Travis Hafner, jealous of the Asdrubal home run, decided he wanted one, too. Pronk blasted a John Lackey cutter into the Red Sox bullpen in centerfield.

Feathers Down

Carlos Carrasco was suspended 6 games for throwing a ball at Billy Butler's head in Kansas City. I'm not saying whether he deserved to be suspended or not, but he apparently thinks he is innocent, as he is appealing the suspension. He should make his next start, but will probably miss a start at some point down the line.

Final Score: Cleveland Indians 9 - Boston Red Sox 6

Summary:

...Red Sox have won 11 of their last 15 games.

...They've outscored the Indians, 25-19 in the season series.

...Beckett is 1-1 and Lester 1-0 against the Tribe this year.

...Carl Crawford is hitting .348 (8-for-23) with two homers and three RBI against the Indians.

Pitching Matchups:

RHP Josh Tomlin (11-5, 4.01) vs. RHP John Lackey (9-8, 6.20) Tonight at 7:10

LHP David Huff (1-1, 0.71) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (9-4, 2.17) Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.

*RHP Carlos Carrasco (8-9, 4.67) vs. RHP Tim Wakefield (6-4, 5.06) Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.

RHP Justin Masterson (8-7, 2.57) vs. LHP Jon Lester (10-4, 3.23) Thursday at 7:10 p.m.

*Could be Ubaldo Jimenez.

Red Sox Medical Watch:

• LF Carl Crawford (strained left elbow) did not play July 27. He appeared as a pinch hitter July 28, and started on July 29.

• RF J.D. Drew (left shoulder impingement) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 20.

• RHP Bobby Jenks (back tightness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 8. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection July 18. According to manager Terry Francona, the injury is located in the same area as the muscle strain that sidelined Jenks in June. It's unclear when Jenks will be ready to resume pitching.

• RHP Clay Buchholz (lower back stiffness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 17. He threw a bullpen session June 26, but he felt renewed tightness July 28. He received a cortisone shot July 6 and resumed throwing July 18, playing catch from 120 feet. He long-tossed July 20 and July 22. He threw off a mound July 25, but then was sore, causing him to cancel a scheduled July 27 bullpen session. He said he did not experience a setback, but he was expected to be examined by a specialist on Aug. 1. Buchholz was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 31.

• SS Jed Lowrie (sore left shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list June 17. Lowrie underwent an MRI exam on June 17 and got a second opinion from Dr. Lewis Yocum, who prescribed rest. He began hitting off a tee during the week of July 18-24, then took batting practice for the first time July 27. He might begin a rehab assignment on Aug. 1 at Class AAA Pawtucket.

• RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (sprained right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 17, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 3. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery June 10.

• LHP Rich Hill (sprained left elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 2, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 27. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery June 9.

Red Sox News/Notes:

• LHP Andrew Miller may be the pitcher most affected by Sunday's trade for LHP Erik Bedard. For now, though, Miller remains unconcerned. After allowing three runs on 10 hits in only 5-2/3 innings Sunday against the White Sox, Miller said he isn't worried about being moved to the bullpen in favor of Bedard.

• 1B Adrian Gonzalez sat out Friday night's game in Chicago because of a stiff neck, and manager Terry Francona indicated Sunday that the slugger was still feeling the residual effects. If that was the case, Gonzalez was utterly unaffected. By notching two doubles Sunday, Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 10 games. During that stretch, he's batting .535 (23-for-53) with seven consecutive multi-hit games.

• RHP Clay Buchholz is expected to see back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins on Monday in Los Angeles. Buchholz has been sidelined since mid-June with a lower back strain that has shown little improvement.

• C Jason Varitek staked the Red Sox to a lead in the second inning Sunday with a two-run home run against Chicago starter Mark Buehrle. Between them, Varitek and Jarrod Saltalamacchia have given the Sox 16 homers from their catchers. Among AL teams, only the Blue Jays (19) have more.

• LHP Jon Lester was both efficient and effective Saturday night in his second start since coming off the disabled list with a strained lat muscle.

  Lester allowed little more than a pair of solo homers and mostly mowed down the White Sox in a 10-2 victory and proved that, while the Red Sox sought to bolster the back of their rotation by acquiring LHP Erik Bedard, there is nothing wrong with their ace. Lester gave up four hits, struck out eight, walked only one and finished eight innings for the first time since June 18 en route to his first victory since June 30.

Player of the Game

With his first career home run, Jason Kipnis won his first "Player of the Game" award of the year with a score of 2.81. Carlos Santana took second place today with a score of 2.14, which included a single and a triple.

Feathers Up

Asdrubal Cabrera continued to be a human highlight reel today. He showed off his range, arm strength, and hops on several occasions this afternoon.

Jason Kipnis hit his first Major League home run today. This hit ended an 0 for 12 drought for Kipnis. He has only played in 7 games since being called up on July 22nd. In that time, Kipnis has gone 3 for 22. Maybe this home run will give Kipnis some confidence so he can settle in and hit on a more consistent basis.

In his 3rd game as a Cleveland Indian, Kosuke Fukudome finally gets his first hit, a lead-off double in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana combined today to go 5 for 8. Cabrera went 3 for 3 with two singles, a double and two walks. Santana went 2 for 4 with a single and a triple. Tribe bats finally seem to be coming around, but now the Indians need to figure out how to give their pitchers more run support.

Feathers Down

The Indians have not been very aggressive on the bases lately, compared to their stolen base activity earlier in the season. Today, both Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Brantley attempted to seal bases, but were caught before the pitcher even went to the plate. Both players were taking off on the first move, and the pitcher threw the ball to first on a pick off attempt.

Indians hitters combined for 12 strikeouts today. The main reason for firing Jon Nunnally, the former Tribe hitting coach, was because batters were striking out too much. Things have not seemed to have gotten any better.

Final Score: Kansas City Royals 5 - Cleveland Indians 3

The Tribe made a bold move tonight, bigger than any in recent memory, by trading top pitching prospects Alex White and Drew Pomeranz to the Rockies for Ubaldo Jimenez. Pitcher Joe Gardner and first baseman Matt McBride were included in the package sent to Colorado, but neither player has anywhere near as high a ceiling as the Indians first round draft picks of the last two seasons. The trade essentially gives the Indians two aces, with Justin Masterson and Jimenez. The best part about the deal is that Ubaldo still has multiple years on his contract and will be under Indians control through 2013. 

Over the past three seasons, Jimenez has pitched in at least 30 games each year, with an ERA of under 4.00. Last season was his best year when he went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA and 214 strike outs. This move most likely means that either David Huff or Carlos Carrasco will be removed from the starting rotation. This, combined with other speculative trades, possibly for Ryan Ludwick, could lead to a lot of roster moves within the next couple of days. If the Indians keep making trades like adding Kosuke Fukudome and Ubaldo Jimenez, people will start complaining about the big money Indians not giving everyone else a chance.

This move puts the Indians right back on top as the favorites to win the American League Central. 

As I was writing this, the Indians made another move official by trading Orlando Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Thomas Neal. If you haven't heard of Thomas Neal, don't worry, you're not alone. He has been in the Giants minor league system since 2006 and was playing this season at AAA Fresno. Don't get too attached to him Tribe fans, he might not be around for long. As for Cabrera, good riddance. So much for being a good leader and a presence in the locker room, Orlando was visably angered with the advancement of Cord Phelps and later Jason Kipnis. Rather than being a teacher and helping these rookies reach their potential, he seemed to harbor resentment against them. Every Indians fan knew before the season started that Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis were the infielders of the future and would make their debuts in 2011. This information was available everywhere including from quotes by both Chris Antonetti and Mark Shapiro. Apparently, Orlando was unaware that his position was only temporary.

Goodbye Orlando, and by the way, your range is terrible. 

Player of the Game

In dramatic fashion, Hero Matt LaPorta took tonight's "Player of the Game" honors. He did it with his walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the 9th inning. The home run, along with a double and great offensive play earlier in the game, gave LaPorta a PoG score of 6.11. Justin Masterson had a solid outing tonight and came in second with a PoG score of 5.04.

Feathers Up

Justin Masterson had a solid appearance today. He pitched 8+ innings and gave up just 2 runs on 9 hits. He was able to keep the Indians in the game all night, setting up the come-from-behind win. Masterson had great control all night, walking just one batter. He kept his pitch count low so he was able to pitch into the 9th inning.

Few plays in baseball are more exciting than a walk-off win at home. The Indians fought hard all game to stay within a few runs. Their offense finally came around in the 8th inning, scoring their first run in 24 innings. This momentum carried over to the 9th. A hit batter and a double set up for the tying run to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kosuke Fukudome. Lonnie Chisenhall then drew his third walk of the night, bringing Hero Matt LaPorta to the plate, who blasted a 3-run shot off the railing in left field.

Trade rumors have been stirring, and the Indians welcome Ubaldo Jimenez to the starting rotation. The Indians gave up four prospects in the deal. Stayed tuned to the site for more details regarding this transaction.

Feathers Down

In the trade mentioned above, the Indians gave up one of their top pitching prospects, Drew Pomeranz, who was just drafted last year. 

Final Score: Kansas City Royals 2 - Cleveland Indians 5

Player of the Game

Pitching 2.2 innings allowing just one run to score, Chad Durbin won his 3rd “Player of the Game” award of the season. This is the least amount of points any player has needed all season to win. On a side note, Carlos Carrasco recorded the lowest “Player of the Game” score (-10.35) since Fausto Carmona’s score of -12.63 on opening day. Carrasco also ended the streak of 4 straight starting pitchers winning “Player of the Game” honors.

Feathers Up

Kosuke Fukudome made his Cleveland Indians debut tonight. He did not do anything spectacular (0-4), but it is nice to see a fresh face in the Indians outfield. Once the Indians put their strongest lineup on the field, it will be interesting to see how Fukudome can help this team.

The Indians got a hit today, as a matter of fact, they got 5. Though, they produced more runs when they did not get any hits last time, it is nice to see that the ball is being hit into play and runners are getting on.

The bullpen ate up some innings tonight after the abrupt departure of Carlos Carrasco. Chad Durbin pitched 2.1 innings only allowing one run. Frank Herrmann then took over pitching 2 innings. Rafael Perez pitched a scoreless ninth. With the use of the bullpen today, we can only hope that Justin Masterson has a solid start tomorrow.

The defense today was a big improvement over last game. The Indians did not have any errors tonight, as compared to 5, two nights ago.

Feathers Down

Carlos Carrasco did not come out strong tonight. In the first inning alone, he allowed two earned runs on a single, a home run, a double, and a walk. In the second inning, he allowed another home run, this time to Alex Gordon. Carlos Carrasco has allowed at least one home run in each of the last 7 games he has pitched. Carrasco took the third inning off, as far as giving up home runs, but made up for it in the fourth by giving up a grand slam to Melky Cabrera. Carrasco was so frustrated, he decided it was a good idea to throw at the head of Billy Butler, the next batter. Needless to say, home plate umpire Scott Barry did not think this was a good idea and ejected Carlos Carrasco from the game.

Final Score: Kansas City Royals 12 - Cleveland Indians 0

Pitching Matchups:

Jeff Francis (3-11, 4.65 ERA) v. Carlos Carrasco (8-8, 4.25 ERA)

Felipe Paulino (1-4, 3.86 ERA) v. Justin Masterson (8-7, 2.57)

Kyle Davies (1-9, 6.75) v. Fausto Carmona (5-10, 5.34)

Royals News/Notes:

• RHP Luke Hochevar yielded only one hit after the third inning and allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings to pick up the victory Thursday at Boston. Hochevar, who walked one and struck out six Red Sox, has won back-to-back starts for the first time since April 10 and 15, when he beat the Tigers and Mariners. It was his seventh victory, which matches his career high. He was 7-13 in 2009.

• DH Billy Butler has hit home runs in three consecutive games and has four in his last seven games after 115 at-bats without going deep. In the four-game series at Fenway Park, Butler went 9-for-19 (.474), with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBI.

• The Royals sent nine men to the plate in their four-run fourth, which included a three-run home run by DH Billy Butler. They became the first club to bat around against Red Sox RHP Josh Beckett since the Yankees in the sixth inning on May 7, 2010.

• CF Melky Cabrera was given Thursday off against the Red Sox. It was the first time Cabrera did not start a game since June 25. He has played in all but four of the Royals' 105 games this season. OF Mitch Maier replaced Cabrera in center and went 0-for-4 with a walk and scored a run.

Royals Medical Watch:

• C Jason Kendall (right shoulder surgery in September 2010) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He was transferred to the 60-day disabled list May 5. As of June 8, he was taking batting practice on the field and throwing from up to 105 feet. Kendall reported to Surprise, Ariz., on June 20 to begin working out with the rookie-level Arizona League club, but he had a setback in early July. He underwent another shoulder operation July 13, and he will miss the rest of 2011 and all of the 2012 season.

The Indians made a few roster moves involving the Kosuke Fukudome trade. The minor leaguers that were sent to Chicago are relief pitcher Carlton Smith and right fielder Abner Abreu. Smith has been in the Indians for 7 years and was unlikely to produce much at the Major League level. Through 46 innings this season, Smith has a 4.50 ERA in 34 appearances and a 1.41 WHIP. The Indians probably have about a dozen pitchers closer to the big leagues than smith was. Abreu hit .244 in 91 games so far for Kinston this season.

To make room on the 40 man roster, the Indians designated Travis Buck for assignment.

Player of the Game

David Huff earned today's 'Player of the Game' with a score of 2.61 after pitching 5.2 innings only allowing 5 hits and one earned run. This marks his second award in as many starts and the 4th consecutive day the starting pitcher has won the 'Player of the Game'. Seven of the last nine winners have been pitchers showing another drop off in offensive production. In the last 5 games, the Indians have only scored 6 runs, never scoring more than 3 in a single game.

Feathers Up

David Huff should have considered changing his name before his call up this season as he is a completely different pitcher. After his last two seasons I was just about ready to give up on him, but he has shown talent in his first two starts this season that we have never seen from him in the past. The announcement that Alex White will be joining the bullpen upon his return means that we will be seeing a lot more David Huff for the rest of the season.

Vinnie Pestano made his triumphant return to the Bullpen Mafia today striking out the side in the 8th inning. This comes after two terrible outings by the rookie righty after which he shaved his head. Does lack of hair make you a better relief pitcher? Anecdotal evidence says yes.

Ezequiel Carrera used his pesky base running abilities to score the only Indians run. Carrera was safe on an error, stole second, went to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch. Because of this run, Ervin Santana's no hitter is irrelevant as far as baseball history goes, as it was not a shut out. If only the Indians were able to not make five errors, they could have won.

Feathers Down

This team is ridiculously inconsistent on defense. The Indians made 5 errors today, including 2 by players that have played well for the most part this season on defense. Asdrubal Cabrera bobbled a ball at short and Matt LaPorta turned a splendid play into an error by throwing a ball into the baserunners face. The other errors belonged to Austin Kearns, Lonnie Chisenhall and Carlos Santana. Santana not only made an error attempting to catch a runner stealing, but he also allowed a passed ball that lead to the Angels second run.

The Angels have been the toughest pitching team the Indians have played against this season. Amost every game played between the two teams has been closely contested and today's game was no different. This is the last time the Indians play the Angels during the regular season and that is great news for the Tribe as they have lost two games each time the two teams have played a three game series.

Final Score: Cleveland Indians 1 - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3