Ohio MLB Update: Indians in AL Central Cellar, Reds Staying Above Ground
The Indians come home from playing ten of their first 13 games away from Cleveland at 4-9, and buried in the AL Central cellar, where they’ve resided all season.
Despite outscoring the Yankees 40-19 in the first series at the new stadium in the Bronx, Sunday’s loss meant the Tribe split four there, and went 3-4 on the road trip overall after losing two of three to the resurgent Royals. Anyway you slice it, this is a porous beginning for a team with playoff aspirations, as some have noted. Their team ERA is nearly seven, and MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince has broken it down further.
The Reds are staying above ground, after taking five of seven on their current road trip to stand at 7-5 overall. Despite not scoring a single run off Houston starters in the first three of the wrap-around four game weekend set — and just two scores off reclamation project Mike Hampton last night — winning three of 
four in Houston was a rarity for the RedLegs, as they often struggle in Houston. Although the team batting average stands barely above .210, the pitching has been consistent and the bullpen has been lights out. Joey Votto continues to be a stud in the three hole.
Speaking of young gems, I saw yet another Cincy super prospect, Adam Rosales, last Thursday night from the third row in Indianapolis. Playing for AAA Louisville, the shortstop homered and had two other rocket shots. At this time last year I saw Jay Bruce homer twice from the same seats. Dusty Baker, who to his credit has not been obstinate with lineup changes in 2009, brought up Jay soon after; but as for Adam, not so fast.
Some asides, following up from last week:
1. The Padres and their young hurlers continue to roll, despite blowing a lead and losing in heartbreak, walk-off fashion Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia. I said last week that a 4-5 road trip would be ideal; thus far, San Diego is 4-2, with just two games in the Bay Area to go as they fly cross-country after last night’s rain out in Philly. Jake Peavy goes tonight. Problem is, they’re still in second, behind the Dodgers, who may be the NL’s best team. LA’s line-up is so stacked. Joe Torre is the Phil Jackson of baseball: he’s always given loaded teams.
2. In the end, Boston won out as there’s no justice in the Josh Beckett debacle. The team cleverly had his suspension reduced to just five games for hurling a ball at defenseless Bobby Abreu on April 12. He won’t miss a start. The Boston media, naturally, thinks this is a tragedy and that their top pitcher is being oh so mature in not appealing further. Beckett feels otherwise; he’s still angry (bold by me):
“Everybody has to answer to somebody, and my boss told me this was the best thing for the ball club,” Beckett said. “If it was up to me, obviously, we would have gone through with this whole thing, because I don’t think I deserve even one game. When your boss tells you that something is best for the whole group, that’s what we do. I don’t support this at all.”
Josh, that you won’t miss a single start defeats the entire purpose of the suspension. What’s there not to support? Apparently, like the New England region, Red Sox nation thinks general rules don’t apply to them. They’ve won their last five games nonetheless. No worries, this is the last time Boston will be mentioned in these columns.
Lastly, the baseball season is over two weeks old, and therefore, the steroid talk in the sports media needs to stop now. Yahoo! Sports is the main culprit, looking to bash baseball as often as possible. The fatuous Jeff Passan did it over the weekend and Tim Brown did it again yesterday. The irresponsible media’s anti-baseball agenda is so transparent and unnecessary. Do the NFL and NBA national writers bash their sport for having endless playoffs, thugs, drug users or women abusers? Not nearly as often.
When they’re not bringing up non-issues like steroids, the AP is all too eager to write baseball’s “demise” by publishing attendance numbers that “dip.” Good grief.
Tags: Cincinnati Reds, cleveland indians, MLB
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