Results tagged “Indians” from The Southpaw

That's it.
Now that Tim Lincecum has won the Cy Young award despite having just 15 wins, baseball fans are up in arms.
Either they believe it's an injustice that a pitcher could win the award without winning 20 games or it's an injustice because people still consider wins an important stat.
The rhetoric is getting as heated as the health care debate.
And I've had it.
The problem is these people not getting the point. And they're doing themselves and the game an injustice.
Wins are still a very valuable statistic. It's just one that has evolved over the years.
But more on that later.
What's most important is that we discuss the relevence of the big numbers (20 wins in a season, 500 home runs or 3,000 hits).
These are numbers that are benchmarks.
But, somewhere along the line their true meaning has been lost. We began thinking a pitcher needed 20 wins to be successful or that a slugger needed 500 home runs to reach the Hall of Fame.
Don't fear.
The Southpaw is going to straighten you out.
Let's start with 20 wins.

So, Zack Greinke won the Cy Young. But can he slay a gnome?
An interesting look at Omar Vizquel and where he could end up.

Former Indians Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia, above, will face of in Game 1.
Cleveland Indians can only ask themselves, "What if?"
It's a question that haunts us all, but is really pertinent to Tribe followers during this World Series.
Consider what they have to watch in Game 1.
CC Sabathia, who was the Indians' ace just more than 16 months ago, will throw out the series' first pitch. And not the ceremonial type either.
The Big Boy will be the Yankees' Game 1 starter.
To answer, the Phillies will throw Cliff Lee to the hill. He's the man who won the Cy Young while pitching for the Indians last season.
So, the Indians could have been much better off with those two making 40 percent of their starts.
Three good friends of the Southpaw - York Daily Record/Sunday News sports copy editor Matt Goul, St. Louis Post Dispatch photographer Emily Rasinski and Frederick News Post sports writer Greg Swatek. - are Indians fans and were willing to offer their perspective.
Here's what they had to say.

Every World Series has its memorable moment. Or two. Or three.
One player can make a name for himself as a goat or a hero.
Here is each World Series summed up in one sentence.

The Indians have hired former Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta.
Basically, the Indians ate their vegatables and pushed the desert tray away by not choosing Bobby Valentine.
Terry Pluto, the Cleveland Plain Dealer's columnist, thinks the Tribe needs to see results soon.
Acta has enough respect in the game that he was, according to reports, offered the Astros managerial job as well.
The reason Acta is the right man for the Indians' job is his ability to get a young, talented team fired up and playing above expectations.
In Washington, Acta just had a young squad.
In Cleveland, he'll have some talent too.

He's not wearing his mask, but could Bobby Valentine be donning the Cleveland Indians' threads in 2010?

The Cleveland Indians appear to be closing in on bringing in their new manager.
One of two possibilities is Bobby Valentine, who led the Mets to the World Series in 2000.
The affable Valentine has spent time in the broadcast booth with ESPN and managed in Japan.
Which former manager with local connections is Option No. 2?

The strike, 15 years later.
Kevin Youkilis strikes back.
The Phillies strike late.

Andre Ethier is clutch. Three walk-off home runs this season. Five walk-off hits. Word on the street has it he single-handedly saved Cash for Clunkers.
Break up the Yankees.
And while you're at it, the Nats too.

A
Tampa Bay Rays players are about to pounce on Evan Longoria, who's about to bounce on home plate. Did the rays just win a game that could kickstart a late season push for the wild card?
Apologies all around about Tuesday's first pitch. It was a very busy day in the newsroom and by 12 p.m. I realize, "Hey, I never got to The First Pitch."
So here's a doubly good effort today.
Hank Aaron wants names. And Pete Rose to be reinstated.

Cleveland has agreed to trade C/1B Victor Martinez to the Red Sox, SI.com has learned.
From CNNSI.com

"The deal is believed to include right-hander Justin Masterson and another pitcher. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo says the other player involved is lefty prospect Nick Hagadone. Coveted Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz is not included in the deal, SI.com has learned. Hard-throwing reliever Daniel Bard won't be involved either, as Cleveland only wants starters.

This deal comes two days after the Indians traded reigning Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco to the Phillies for four prospects."

The Southpaw returns and has a lot of catching up to do.
The Phillies and Yankees are on fire.
A Mets beat reporter has to defend himself.

The first pitch returns after an enjoyable All-Star break.
Why can't people stop putting Dave Trembley on the hot seat?
Holy cow, Jamie Moyer looked like Randy Johnson. Minus the fastball.

York County's own Vic Wertz blasted a solo home run off Sal "The Barber" Maglie during the 1951 mid-summer classic.
It wasn't enough, however, as the National League won 8-3.
Wertz played in three All-Star games and was selected for another. He went 2-for-7 with a home run and two runs driven in as a representative for the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers.

The champs play like chumps. The chumps play like champs.

We take a look at one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball.
Cubs fans are fed up with Carlos Zambrano.

So many players have missed significant amounts of time, however several players are coming back tonight.

1. Grady Sizemore - The Indians are dead last in the American League Central, but Sizemore could have a huge impact. In the last three seasons, the center fielder has finished 11th, 12th and 10th in MVP voting. He averages 27 homers and 27 stolen bases a season. That should provide Cleveland with a major boost.
2. Ryan Howard - While the Big Fella hasn't been on the disabled list, he ended his consecutive games streak while being hospitalized. We all know how big he's been for the Phillies during the past four seasons.
3. Joey Votto is a young thumper for the Reds. Votto is batting .357 this season and bashed 24 homers last year. He's missed time to deal with the death of his father.

Who was fighting in the outfield?
Yorvit Torrealba speaks out about his son's kidnapping.
And how come no one cares about Ivan Rodriguez anymore?

On Oct. 7, 1991, David Cone took the hill against Jim Fregosi's Philadelphia Phillies and already had a 3-run lead.
The Phillies were barely ahead of the Mets in the standings going into that final day, but both squads were 20 games back of first place.
No one expected anything special in this game.
Especially not with the Phillies starting lineup of shortstop Kim Batiste, second baseman Mickey Morandini, left fielder Wes Chamberlain, right fielder Dale Murphy, third baseman Dave Hollins, first baseman Ricky Jordan, center fielder Braulio Castio and catcher Doug Lindsey.
Then again, maybe fans should have expected something special. Dale Murphy was aging more quickly than an apple slice on an August day. Hollins and Morandini would each make all-star teams for weak National League squads in the future, but the Phillies' real offensive thunder of Darren Daulton, Lenny Dykstra and John Kruk were MIA.
David Cone, however, was concerned he was going to be arrested. He knew he was under investigation for rape. He didn't know, at the time, that the police would find the woman's allegations to be unfounded.
All David Cone could do on the mound that day was ecape from fear.
And he did.

Say it with me folks: RAAUUUL. IBANEZ.
Games were tight Thursday. Real tight. Tighter than the Orlando Magic.
And happy birthday to the Hall of Fame.
Oh yeah, there's no way you'll believe how the Indians won.

Man was it a busy day in the Big Leagues.
Did David Ortiz right him self?
Manny Spoke to teammates.
Oh and there was the little thing of the draft.