Cleveland Indians 1B/DH Travis Hafner was scratched from the Thursday's starting lineup to rest his surgically repaired right shoulder, with Shelley Duncan starting final game of a four-game series against the New York Yankees. Detroit Tigers

CLEVELAND -- Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs without hitting his 600th homer and the New York Yankees used a seven-run seventh inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 Thursday night.


Run batted in - Recreation - Shopping - Outdoors - Derek Jeter

Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs without hitting his 600th homer and the New York Yankees used a seven-run seventh inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 Thursday night. Dustin Moseley (1-0) won his first start, allowing a run and...

Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs without hitting his 600th homer and the New York Yankees used a seven-run seventh inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 Thursday night.



New York Yankees - Alex Rodriguez - Cleveland Indians - Run batted in - New York

Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs without hitting his 600th homer and the New York Yankees used a seven-run seventh inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 Thursday night.

CLEVELAND -- Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs without hitting his 600th homer and the New York Yankees used a seven-run seventh inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 Thursday night.

Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs without hitting his 600th homer and the New York Yankees used a seven-run seventh inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 Thursday night.



New York Yankees - Alex Rodriguez - Cleveland Indians - New York - Run batted in

Yankees 11, Indians 4 New York Cleveland ab r h bi ab r h bi Jeter ss 3 1 1 2 Crowe cf 4 0 1 0 R.Pena ph-ss .... Original article on Gaea Times at  : Yankees 11, Indians 4.

A-Rod has three RBIs, but no No. 600 in Yanks win CLEVELAND ? Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs without hitting his 600th homer and the New York Yankees used a seven-run seventh inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 Thursday night. Dustin Moseley (1-0) won his first start, allowing a run and four hits over six .... Source  : Gaea News Network.

Carlos Santana was pulled from Thursday's game with a bruised knee.

A local 16-year-old who is battling cancer had the opportunity to spend some time with the Cleveland Indians during batting practice before Wednesday night's game.

Indians 1B/OF prospect Matthew McBride was promoted to Triple-A Columbus after batting .285 with 17 home runs and 64 RBI in 94 games at Double-A Akron. Minor league baseball - Columbus Clippers - Cleveland Indians - Holidays - Columbus Day

13 Vote(s)

CLEVELAND -- Mitch Talbot of the Cleveland Indians left his start in the top of the third inning against the New York Yankees with an undisclosed injury.

Mitch Talbot was lifted from his start against the Yankees on Thursday with an apparent right arm injury.

The Phillies are last team standing on top at the trade deadline. Again.

This time last year, the Phillies added hot pitcher Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians, a grizzled lefty coming off a 2008 Cy Young Award. In the process, the Phillies dumped future prospects while bolstering an already decent rotation with 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels.

Lee added to his legend by posting a 5–0 record, 39 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched, and a 0.68 ERA in his first five Phillies' games down the stretch to a stellar 2009 World Series performance.

The problem, to most diehards, was no World Series. Ruben Amaro Jr., the Phillies' general manager, wanted to supplant the struggling Cole Hamels and helped set up a lethal rotation for years to come.

Another problem, was dealing with money. Aging veteran Jamie Moyer was owed $9 million dollars in 2010, and contracts wavering over hitters Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth put the organization into a corner negotiating the future of Lee.

Amaro solved his problems instantly by hooking his main fish--Roy Halladay, another AL Cy Young Award winner (2003) of the Toronto Blue Jays. The cost? Dealing more minor leaguers including first round pick Kyle Drabek.

The story of 2010 has been the roller coaster standings ride, frustrating fans and the Philadelphia media, entering the season with heavy expectations from two-time defending National League Champions. Aside from a subpar offense this year, the injuries to Jamie Moyer, J.A. Happ, and Ryan Madson have plagued the pitching. With Chase Utley shelved until Labor Day, they've been on brink of going over the edge in the standings or going overboard on selling the house, such as Jayson Werth, who becomes a free agent after 2010.

Now Amaro is going big or going home with this deal. Oswalt solidifies the rotation, and with the positive numbers on his career in the second half of the season, (56-16), there are reasons to get amped for a top of the line pitcher. He's a few months younger than Halladay, and with playoff experience under his belt with teammate Brad Lidge, the locker room should gel in competing for that coveted third straight National League crown.

Questions will linger off of Oswalt and his endurance heading into the future. With his last 'reported' shot July 7, it seems coincidental that he pitched a one hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

If fans want this chapter to close on a good note, look toward the near future. Chase Utley will return, Jayson Werth may pick up slack after a sluggish mid-summer form, bench players are collecting at bats, and the production of young Domonic Brown might be the best timing in energizing the offense that is now carrying the load for an impressive rotation, just a mere three games out of the NL East and Wildcard.

 

 

 

 

 

CLEVELAND -- Travis Hafner has been scratched from the Cleveland Indians' starting lineup.

Is the baseball season really a marathon? Or, can injuries, poor play, and bad luck end your season in just a couple of weeks? The Detroit Tigers will be able to answer that question rather quickly.

After a mediocre first two months of the season, the Detroit Tigers scratched and clawed their way to the division lead on June 28. As the Minnesota Twins spun their wheels in first place, objects in their mirror were closer than they appeared. 

The Detroit Tigers were sparked by an 8-1 stretch during interleague play against Pittsburgh, Washington, and Arizona. The Twins were swept by the last-place Milwaukee Brewers and had given back what was a five-game cushion in the AL Central. With Justin Morneau going down with a concussion just before the All-Star break, the Minnesota Twins looked like they could be the odd team out in a division that was thought to be there for the taking.

An awful start by Tigers pitcher Andrew Oliver allowed Minnesota to avoid a sweep at home to the Tigers in their final game before the break, so instead of being five games behind the Tigers, the Twins were only three-and-a-half games behind the streaking Chicago White Sox. Not only did the Tigers let the Twins inch closer, but the White Sox, behind a 25-5 record in June, took over the division lead by a half-game.

Out of the break the Tigers couldn't have played any worse. They were swept by the last-place Cleveland Indians in a four-game set at Progressive Field. They followed that up by losing the first two to the Texas Rangers by a combined score of 16-6. The Tigers offense scored only 12 runs in the first six games out of the break, and the pitching staff allowed seven or more runs, four times.

Then the a freight train of injuries stormed through the Tigers clubhouse, pretty much ending any chance they had of contending this season. First, Joel Zumaya went down before the break with a fractured olecranon in his throwing arm. After the break, a series of injuries began on July 22 when Brandon Inge was hit by a pitch and broke his hand. He went to the DL and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Following that up, on July 24 Magglio Ordonez broke his ankle sliding into home plate and was immediately placed on the DL and will miss six to eight weeks as well.

With the Twins and Sox playing well over the past week or so, the Tigers have fallen five-and-a-half games behind the White Sox and four-and-a-half behind the Twins. The White Sox are reportedly favored to acquire perennial power hitter Adam Dunn.

The Twins are in search of pitching help and with the continued absence of Justin Morneau, they could be in search of a right-handed bat to balance out their left-handed dominant lineup.

The Tigers acquisition of Jhonny Peralta from the Indians can't hurt the team, but it's likely too little too late. Losing three top-tier athletes in less than a month looks to be too much to overcome for manager Jim Leyland. The Tigers might be better off selling off assets this season to build towards next year. By the time Ordonez and Inge put on their cleats again, the division should be all but sewn up.

*A fan sporting a LeBron James Miami Heat jersey at a Cleveland Indians game Wednesday night drew the ire of the crowd and was eventually escorted out of the ballpark, reports the AP. Fans in the left-field bleachers began pointing and hurling foul language at the man during the sixth inning of the game between [...]

Welcome to Tribe Talk, where Bleacher Report's Cleveland Indians fans weigh in on the ups and downs of the club each week throughout the season.

This week, we talk trade deadline and celebrate Christmas in July as Jhonny Peralta is finally shipped out of town, share our two cents' worth on how our AL Central foes will fare in the playoff race, and marvel at Josh Tomlin's spot start. 

I would like to thank this week's participants Nino Colla, The Coop, and Lewie Pollis for their contributions. This discussion is open to all, so please feel free to comment below and pitch in your thoughts on the questions we're addressing this week.

Go Tribe!

1. The Yankees are in town for four games this week, just in time for Alex Rodriguez's bid for career home run No. 600. 

Obviously, no opposing pitcher wants to give up any sort of milestone hit. Especially a milestone as huge as a 600th home run. Especially to a Yankee. And perhaps mostly to a Yankee like A-Rod. 

Do you think A-Rod will hit his 600th this week off Tribe pitching? Any thoughts on who the unlucky pitcher to potentially serve it up might be? 

What's your strategy to avoid giving up said home run? Would you pitch to A-Rod any differently in this situation than you normally would, or are you of the opinion that this requires no different strategy from the standard approach dictated by the fact that you never want to give up a homer, whether it's number six or number 600, to an opponent?

Samantha Bunten: At first I wasn't totally opposed to the idea of A-Rod getting number 600 off our pitchers this week because it would be kind of fun to witness No. 600 for any hitter. 

Then my mother pointed out that when you factor in the steroids, this is really more like his 16th home run. So he's really only 13 career home runs ahead of Trevor Crowe. I am not impressed. 

In all seriousness though, with one game left in the series, it doesn't look like the Tribe will be the team to give up number 600 (*16). That said, I would certainly be careful with him, but mostly because he's still a dangerous hitter, home run count notwithstanding. 

And for the record, I would never intentionally walk a hitter to avoid giving up a milestone home run. Any competitive pitcher should want to prove that he can best a competitive hitter by pitching to him. 

Of course it IS a little different in this situation: If the hitter blatantly cheated to reach the milestone, shouldn't the pitcher be allowed to cheat just a teeny bit to avoid winding up on the wrong end of it? 

Nino Colla: I'm a little selfish, as I'm going to the game on Wednesday, so I'd like A-Rod to hit his 600th home run then, not just to witness some bit of history (tainted or not) and to possibly catch it. 

Why not? I'd love to get my hands on the A-Rod 600 home run ball. What would I do with it, you ask? I don't know, I'd definitely hold out for some favors in return. 

I wouldn't sell it, because I'm not that type of person, but I'd most definitely want something in return for it. I mean, it's the 600th home run of a possible Hall of Fame player's career. Who wouldn't want to have history in their hands? 

I do think he'll hit it this week though, maybe before Wednesday. He may be trying a little harder, because A-Rod tends to press in these situations, so throwing him junk balls down and away couldn't hurt. Or you could pitch him up and in and just make him hit some lazy flies to right field. 

If I had to pick one, I'd go with...Joe Smith, just because I'm a hater.

The Coop: Actually, I do NOT think A-Rod will hit No. 600 against the Indians. I believe that, because of what a jerk and cheater he is, the baseball gods will make him wait. 

I’m not one to wish injury on a player—even a Grade-A loser on the Yankees—but if there is one guy I’d like to see have a career-ending injury while on the cusp of a milestone, it would be Rodriguez.

Along those lines, then, it should not surprise you that my strategy for pitching to A-Rod would be to give him absolutely nothing to hit whatsoever. Plunk him, give him four wide ones, whatever. 

But I wouldn’t let a guy like that celebrate reaching what used to be a sacred plateau. Of course, I am aware that this approach is totally bush league. If it was literally any other hitter still playing, I’d try to get him out as best I could and let the chips fall where they may. But for this jabroney, I would never even give him the satisfaction.

Lewie Pollis: Let me start by saying WE TRADED PERALTA!!!!!!!!! 

Anyway, at this point, if it's going to be from us, it's probably going to be Mitch Talbot. 

There's no use trying to avoid giving him No. 600 because he's going to get it anyway (though I suppose I wouldn't mind if it took a long time for him to get it), and he really hasn't been much of an offensive threat this year so pitching around him wouldn't make sense. 

Frankly, it would be kinda cool to be there to see it (as I will tonight).

2. With Aaron Laffey landing on the DL with a case of dead arm, the Indians have once again found themselves in need of a spot starter for Tuesday's game. 

This time, the nod went to right-hander Josh Tomlin. Tomlin is 8-4 with a 2.68 ERA in Columbus (over 17 starts) this season, so his numbers are pretty good. Do you think Tomlin was the correct choice to make the spot start on Tuesday or is there someone else who you think would have been a better pick? 

If you were in charge, would Tomlin's recent legal troubles have influenced your decision at all? Is it fair to take a spot start away from David Huff for his twitter miscue, but allow Tomlin to take the mound after being arrested for assault? (Charges have since been downgraded to disorderly conduct.)

Samantha Bunten: At the risk of sounding like a Monday morning quarterback, I'll say I was completely in favor of giving that start to Tomlin. He did a fantastic job, and I'm sure we'll see him again in September.

Tomlin's legal trouble didn't (and shouldn't) have any effect on this decision. Yes, it's not nice to beat people up, he should never have done it, and I fully support the future decision of the court system to make him spend his offseason picking up trash on the side of a freeway. 

But in terms of how the bad behavior of Tomlin and Huff relates to the team, Huff was clearly the one who made the sort of mistake that should absolutely cost you a chance for a call-up. 

Huff's violation was baseball-related, so it's through baseball that he should have been punished. Perhaps the Indians can have him collect trash around the stadium for a comparable punishment to Tomlin's. 

Nino Colla: I'm not sure if Tomlin was the correct choice, but he certainly is deserving of the shot. I actually think given their options, this actually makes the most sense outside David Huff. 

I think Huff would make the most sense other than Tomlin because of the fact that he's got that major league experience and he's been good in Columbus the past few times out. 

I think Gomez needs to stick around in Triple-A as I think that start in the major leagues really kick-started him and I'd like to see him rip through some AAA hitters before we get him back up here. 

I think Carlos Carrasco left his last start anyway with more arm issues, so I'd rule him out. I don't want his next start to be in the majors after dealing with an injury. 

Tomlin makes sense because he's pitched well and he is deserving of the shot. As for his legal issues, not a factor for me at all. 

It's kind of a different situation from that of Huff as David directly disobeyed orders from the organization. What Tomlin did was way worse on ethical and moral grounds, but that was a few months ago and right now, I think there is no real reason to hold him back from making the start.

The Coop: Well, since I’m writing this on Wednesday, I would be an idiot to say anything suggesting Tomlin was NOT the right call after his masterful performance on Tuesday evening.

But, even before watching him shred the Yankees on Tuesday, I feel that, based on what he’s done at Columbus this year, he was as deserving as anyone. 

At this point, the Indians are in a situation where everyone is going to get their chance at some point. Sure, some will be called up later in the season, and most won’t get to make their major league debut against the Yankees, but if these guys have the right focus and attitude, they can make the most out of their opportunity. 

That’s all we should care about as fans: not who gets called up and when, but what they do when they get here. As far as the disciplinary problems that Tomlin had, I could not care less. I’m sure he was out of line in the barroom brawl, but I could make a case that Huff’s tweet was for more egregious because it put the (major league) team at a competitive disadvantage. 

Bottom line? Both guys did dumb things, but Tomlin gets guys out and Huff doesn’t.

Lewie Pollis: Given that he held the Yankees to one run in seven innings, I'm going to go ahead and say he was a good pick. But yeah, I think I would have made the same call. 

As for his arrest, that had nothing to do with baseball. Huff's tweet was a direct breach of protocol, but plenty of players have committed non-baseball-related crimes off the field and gotten away with it (No one complains about Babe Ruth's drinking during Prohibition.).

3. Let's take a moment to discuss how the rest of the AL Central is faring as we head into the thick of the pennant race. 

As of Monday, Chicago, Minnesota, and Detroit were not only all very much still in the race, but all within two games of each other. 

Who do you see as the winner in the end, and why? 

Additionally, part of the reason we keep having to address this question is that no one in the division seems to be able to gain a big enough lead—or hold on to one at all—for very long.

Combine that with winning percentages that are pretty low for division leaders, and it looks like even the winner here won't be much threat to other playoff teams. Do you agree? 

Is there any chance the AL central representative in the 2010 playoffs gets out of the first round alive, or will the league-wide rumblings that the division is weak gain credence when the division's postseason team makes an early exit?

Samantha Bunten: At this point, you have to like the White Sox as the easy favorite because Minnesota has spiraled into disaster and Detroit...well, it traded for Jhonny Peralta. That says it all. 

As for how the Central Division champ will fare in the playoffs, it isn't really about how they stack up against the other contenders right now. 

The team that wins in the playoffs is rarely the best team; it's the hottest team. That's how Chicago won a World Series in 2005. It could do it again this year depending on how hot (and how lucky) it is this October. 

Nino Colla: I picked Chicago before the season started and things didn't look good, but I actually stayed with my pick because I love its pitching, Peavy or no Peavy. 

I'm going to hold steady with the Sox, just because I feel good about them. Key words in this question are "looks like." Yes, so the division winner won't look too impressive in terms of the Rangers or Angels, the AL East Winner and its Wild Card team, because let's face it, the AL East gets its two teams in. 

Chicago, Minnesota, and Detroit all look like they couldn't hang with any of the other playoff teams, but that is why playoff baseball is great. Anything can happen, especially in a short series when a team like Chicago could have Danks, Buehrle, and Floyd in four out of the five games.

The Coop: In the round table season preview, I went with Detroit as the AL Central champion, followed by Minnesota, Chicago, Cleveland, and Kansas City. I was the only person who picked Detroit. 

I’d like to be stubborn, but I just can’t go with Detroit. Its recent loss of Ordonez and the fact that it has a ridiculous schedule down the stretch will be too much to overcome. 

But let’s be honest—Chicago had one of the greatest Junes/early-Julys in major league history, and it's only a half game up on Minnesota and 4 in front of Detroit? What does that tell you about Chicago and the rest of the division? 

Normally I hate the blanket dismissals of leagues, conferences, and divisions as strong or weak. But the AL Central, as presently constituted (including the decimating injuries that have been suffered along the way), is downright pathetic. I don’t see any of these teams making any noise in the playoffs.

Lewie Pollis: I really liked the White Sox as a sleeper team before the season started, and I still think they have the highest upside. 

I guess the question is which team will show up for the rest of the season: the anemic lollygaggers who we beat up on in April or the red-hot intimidating club that's made up so much ground the last couple months. I can't say with certainty which way it will go. 

As for the playoffs, I don't think any serious fan truly believes that the best team always wins. Seven games isn't nearly a large enough sample size to truly determine which team is more talented. It really boils down to luck.

4. This is the last week before the MLB trade deadline, and our last chance to predict what moves the Tribe will make before July 31st comes and goes. 

Indians rumored to be on the block: Kerry Wood, Fausto Carmona, Jhonny Peralta, Austin Kearns, and Jake Westbrook. 

Please rank those five players in descending order from the most likely to the least likely to be traded.

If you could only move one of them, who would you move? Where? What would you want in return? 

Finally, which of the above do you think has a chance to clear waivers and thus be a possible trade candidate after the July 31st deadline?

(Author's Note: Some panelists submitted their responses to this question before Jhonny Peralta was traded to the Tigers on Wednesday.)

Samantha Bunten: Jhonny Peralta is gone! Jhonny Peralta is gone! 

Ok, I'm done now. 

Realistically, Westbrook is the most likely to be dealt before the deadline. A lot will depend on how his salary would be divided up between the Tribe and the recipient, but he's the most appealing player we have to a potential suitor who is in need of a boost in the back-end of its rotation. 

Kearns won't fetch half what he would have in June, but he could still go before the deadline. There's no way he'll clear waivers, so this one is now or never. 

Wood could easily be moved in August, so it's unlikely he goes before the deadline. I'm still not certain he's truly movable at all given his salary, injury history, and general mediocrity, but on the other hand, if you can move Peralta, you can move anyone. 

As for Carmona, there is absolutely no logical reason to trade him. I realize logic doesn't often factor into Mark Shapiro's decisions, but moving him now given his performance this season and contract status just makes the move seem totally unlikely regardless.

Nino Colla: 1. Kerry Wood; 2. Austin Kearns; 3. Jake Westbrook; 4. Jhonny Peralta; 5. Fausto Carmona.

Just because Kerry Wood is first doesn't mean he'll get traded first though. I think Wood is gone AFTER the non-waiver deadline, whereas Kearns goes before. That basically answers the last question, as I think Wood is probably the only guy you'd trade after the non-waiver deadline. 

If I could only trade one, I'd trade Austin Kearns, mainly to open up playing time for all our young outfielders. I love Kearns, I'd love to have him as a fourth outfielder on my team and he's a great bench player, but that is what should make him attractive to other teams. 

The big thing in dealing him is playing time for other players, which is far more valuable in my eyes. I love Kearns, but I think he needs to get dealt.

The Coop: In order of most likely to be traded to least likely, I’ll go with Wood, Kearns, Westbrook, Carmona, and Peralta. 

If I could only move one, it would be Kerry Wood. He is making too much money for the performance he is providing, and in my opinion, the Indians have far superior options for the closer role. OK, I’ll say it. He’s garbage. But, he might be just what another contender needs. Bullpen “help” is hard to come by. 

Then again, Jake Westbrook hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, and he’s not cheap either, but he’s done more than Wood, that’s for sure. 

The only one that would clear waivers is Peralta. I don’t honestly believe that anyone has called the Indians to ask about him. He’s the only guy who could hit an inside-the-park home run and have his trade value actually decrease because people got to see exactly how slow he really is. 

I don’t think any of these guys, if moved, will command anything special, so I’m not expecting much. I’m not going to hate on Kearns like I normally do, but anyone who thinks that he will fetch a decent prospect or two in return is crazy. 

If the Indians trade Carmona, I will be furious.

Lewie Pollis: I can say with great certainty that Jhonny Peralta will be dealt. I am Nostradamus.

Aside from him, I'd say Westbrook, Kearns, Wood, Carmona. Though I think Kearns is the most likely to be dealt before the non-waiver deadline because he has no chance of clearing waivers. 

I think Wood will be dealt sometime in August. Westbrook could go either way.

5. Fun Question of the Week: As we mentioned, the Yankees are in town this week. Everyone likes to beat the Yankees, but do you really get more satisfaction out of that than you would out of hammering a divisional rival like Detroit or Chicago? 

Of all the other teams in MLB, who do you most enjoy watching the Indians beat, and why?

Samantha Bunten: I enjoy beating anyone who I consider a rival (Detroit, Minnesota, Chicago), anyone thinks they're entitled to win (Yankees), and anyone who is blatantly in bed with ESPN (Boston). 

It's just so tough to pick a favorite when there are so many appealing choices!

I guess the one that tops the list varies from year-to-year according to who is currently the most competitive with the Tribe for teams within the division, and who is currently the most obnoxious for teams outside the division. 

Overall, I suppose I'll pick the White Sox for their season-to-season consistency of being totally hateful, and because I'm trying to cut Detroit a break today because of the terrible, terrible, uh, gain it suffered yesterday.

Nino Colla: I get satisfaction out of seeing games like the 22-0 one in the Yankee Stadium opening assault of 2009. It gives more satisfaction because they spent millions and millions and maybe even billions of dollars on their baseball team's on-field talent, yet we still beat them 22-0. 

Sure every team has their embarrassing losses, but you just don't lose 22-0 like that when you buy your entire team with millions of dollars going to each player. 

Really, I get enjoyment from watching the Indians beat anyone...so yeah, let's just beat everyone and everyone will be happy, right?

The Coop: This one is easy, it’s the Red Sox. Yes, I hate the Yankees as well, but there is no one I hate more than Boston. 

The only thing that’s better than beating Boston is beating Boston in Fenway. There’s nothing funnier to me than 40,000 clam chowder-eating, Sweet Caroline-singing, pizza-throwing buffoons going home unhappy. 

I suppose when the Indians become a contender again, I will thoroughly enjoy beating the division rivals. But until that day, it’s the bums from Beantown.

Lewie Pollis: The Yankees, plain and simple. I am a proud Yankee Hater and have the official cap to show for it. 

My passion for the Red Sox as my other favorite team was initially fully driven by my hatred for the Bombers.

Am I a fan of Lebron leaving Cleveland to form a super-team so early in his career? No. Am I going to burn jerseys and issue ridiculous letters (Dan Gilbert) proclaiming to still be better than Lebron? No.

Maybe it's because I'm not a Cleveland fan, maybe because I realize that the game is still exactly that. A game.

Apparently it has become a lot more than that to the city of Cleveland.

But at what point do we draw the line? When people start getting hurt or killed?

Sourcing from yardbarker, a fan entered Jacob's field last night hoping to enjoy the Indians game. His offense? Wearing a brand-new $80-$120 Lebron James Miami Heat jersey. Sure, the guy knew what he was doing, but isn't a little razzing of one side or another accepted now a days?

The fan was instantly booed as he and his girlfriend (who was wearing an Indians shirt) made their way to their seats. Not even 30 seconds later, all the fans surrounding him moved to single him out, and make way for the sudden chucking of beer cups, hot dogs, snacks, and whatever else people pay too much money for at baseball games. After about five minutes of this, police escorts arrived and decided it would be best to eject the fan and his girlfriend. On the way out, threats were made to the man, and his girlfriend was pushed down and stepped on by rabid Cleveland fans.

When do we decide when we're taking the game too far? When fans (kids) are bringing Kobe/rape and Kidd/domestic abuse signs to ball games? When we're burning jerseys and dumpsters in the street? When we're knocking down women because their boyfriends are wearing a certain player's jersey? What exactly is it coming to?

The Cleveland fans gave the police a standing ovation after escorting the two Lebronites out the doors. Would they have still been clapping if the woman had hit her head on the concrete steps and died?

I really can't say for sure that they wouldn't.

 

Indians manager Manny Acta said Thursday that Jayson Nix will start at third base for the Indians for the foreseeable future.

The baseball landscape changes by the day, especially around deadline time, so it can be confusing to keep up with which teams want to do what. As such, SB Nation's Jeff Sullivan does his best to get everyone as up-to-date as possible on what all 30 teams are considering as we near Saturday's trade deadline.

The non-waiver trade deadline is rapidly approaching, which you've probably figured out by now even if you aren't a hardcore baseball fan, or a baseball fan at all. The 4pm EDT Saturday deadline is only two days away, and rumors are flying fast and furious as teams try to make improvements for the stretch run, and beat writers try to keep up with them.

But rumors aren't the only thing that can be tricky to keep up with. Also tricky can be figuring out where some of the teams stand themselves. A lot can change awful fast. The Rockies, for example, have lost eight games in a row, losing six games in the standings. The Phillies, meanwhile, have won seven games in a row, gaining 3.5 games on the Braves. At this point in the season, games for teams in the playoff hunt take on extra significance, and just a couple results can change the whole outlook.

What I will attempt to do here, then, is capture just where every team appears to stand as of this writing, shortly before the deadline. Who's a buyer? Who's a seller? Who's caught in between? Who are they looking at? We can assume that nothing major will change in the standings between now and Saturday afternoon, so consider this the most up-to-date...update...on the lay of the league. And if I'm wrong about somebody, well, I should be ashamed of myself.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM

The Angels, winners of the AL West in five of the last six seasons, are loath to concede a race as early as July, and just yesterday word spread of free-agent-to-be Derrek Lee invoking his rights to block a potential trade out west. However, at 8.5 out of the division and 12 back in the Wild Card, even the most stubborn Angels fan has to admit that things look grim. Not facing a rebuilding situation, the Angels will consider shedding some non-essential veterans while looking for players who could help in 2011 or 2012. Players like Dan Haren.  

HOUSTON ASTROS

Obvious sellers, Roy Oswalt has been getting all the attention for weeks, now, and it appears he's at last on his way to Philadelphia. Oswalt, though, was the one big piece on the roster, as the front office has apparently taken Brett Myers and Matt Lindstrom off the table. With Oswalt gone, there won't be much to do, other than try to peddle role players like Brandon Lyon and Jeff Keppinger.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

The second-place A's - second place! - had Ben Sheets as a potential trade target for a while, but then his elbow went and exploded, taking him off the table. And with the front office convinced the team can make a run in 2011, they're in no hurry to move otherwise tradable assets like Coco Crisp, Michael Wuertz, and Craig Breslow who are under contract beyond this season. The A's appear content to keep things as they are, and they're unlikely to do anything of significance unless someone blows them away.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The Jays have a ton of pieces they could move, with Scott Downs and big league home run leader Jose Bautista foremost among them. Also included: Kevin Gregg, Edwin Encarnacion, Lyle Overbay, Jason Frasor, and who knows who else. However, Toronto has reportedly set a very high price on its most attractive assets, so unless something gives it's very possible they could do little, if anything. Downs is getting a ton of attention as a left-handed ace reliever.

ATLANTA BRAVES

It's possible that dealing Yunel Escobar for Alex Gonzalez could end up being the only move the Braves make, as the team's generally content with its makeup and chemistry. They aren't getting themselves into too many rumors, while the Phillies have been going after guys fast and furious. One name they have been linked to is Josh Willingham, as Nate McLouth's continuing struggles and recent demotion has left the lineup in some need for another bat. But overall, they're keeping quiet.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Owners of Prince Fielder and Corey Hart, the Brewers are sellers, but Hart's recent wrist injury has dropped his stock for understandable reasons. Fielder has been dangled and bandied about by a number of contenders, while other teams poke around the Brewer bullpen for potentially useful arms. The Brewers will either have a quiet deadline, or a very very loud one.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

The Cardinals want to add a starter but didn't feel like putting up with the Astros' demands for Roy Oswalt, so they've turned their attention to the Jake Westbrooks and Ted Lillys of the world. It seems likely that they'll land some sort of rotation depth arm. They've also considered some infield depth, but nothing there would be major.

CHICAGO CUBS

The Cubs have one obvious movable piece in Ted Lilly, who probably becomes the most attractive starter on the market with Roy Oswalt off. Other than Lilly, the rest of the picture is composed of guys who're too expensive to move (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Kosuke Fukudome, etc), guys who don't want to move (Derrek Lee), guys who won't bring much back (Ryan Theriot), and Sean Marshall, a good reliever who's still under cheap team control through 2012. Lilly should command the bulk of everyone's attention.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The Diamondbacks already sold off their most valuable piece in Dan Haren, but tradable players remain in the persons of Edwin Jackson, Chad Qualls, Adam LaRoche, Aaron Heilman, and Chris Snyder. Jackson, naturally, could bring back the biggest return if he's moved, as the DBacks are looking for a young starter in exchange. Of course, given what they got for Haren, they might trade Jackson for a sandwich, or half of a sandwich cut diagonally.  

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Scott Podsednik answers some questions about outfield depth with Manny Ramirez proving unreliable. The Dodgers will now turn their full attention to trying to land a second- or third-tier starter like Ted Lilly or Paul Maholm. It looks like any improvement the Dodgers make in the coming days will be of the moderate and not blockbuster variety.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The Giants were hot after Scott Podsednik, who went to LA, Corey Hart, who got injured, and David DeJesus, who got injured. They've also chased Jorge Cantu, who appears Texas-bound. In other words, things have not quite gone Brian Sabean's way. With that said, the NL's current Wild Card leader has talked about names like Scott Downs, David Aardsma, Brandon League, Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, and Jose Guillen, so the Giants are clearly still looking to bring someone in from outside. It would either be a bat-first slugger or a setup reliever.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Cleveland already moved Jhonny Peralta and is reportedly reluctant to trade Fausto Carmona. The pieces left they could sell off are Austin Kearns, Jake Westbrook, and Kerry Wood, with Westbrook generating the most interest as a groundball-heavy starting pitcher. They've taken calls about Rafael Perez but have little incentive to move him right now. Look for Westbrook to get traded, as he's a free agent come November.

SEATTLE MARINERS

Cliff Lee was the big prize and he moved on ages ago, leaving the team with little to deal. Jose Lopez has been terrible, killing his value. David Aardsma and Brandon League, meanwhile, have underachieved out of the bullpen. Russell Branyan is there, but the team presumably got him for a reason and may not be real willing to give him up. It's looking like a fairly quiet deadline for the league's biggest disappointment, unless Jack Zduriencik pulls off a heist with one of his relievers.

FLORIDA MARLINS

Too far out of it to contend but too close to sell everything, the Marlins have apparently decided to hang on to guys like Ricky Nolasco, Leo Nunez, Cody Ross, and Dan Uggla while selling Jorge Cantu to anyone who wants him. Wes Helms and Clay Hensley are other guys who could move, but then, Wes Helms and Clay Hensley. The Marlins are more seller than buyer, but they're definitely not a seller in the exciting sense of the word.

NEW YORK METS

The Phillies are contending, and the Mets are only four back of them, so it's safe to say they're still trying. However, they're far enough out of it that they're not willing to give up a whole lot in order to land a short-term improvement. They've been linked to future free agents like Scott Downs and Ted Lilly, but they don't seem to be in a position to commit big prospects or big money, so if they do anything, they may elect to add an underperformer on the cheap. It's funny how a 4-13 mid-July stretch can change so much about a team's presumed behavior.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Mired in last place with a bunch of veteran talent on the roster, the Nationals are an obvious seller. Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, and Matt Capps are each good players who could help a good team, and who would bring back a solid return. The issue is that GM Mike Rizzo has thusfar made a habit of asking entirely too much for his players, essentially blocking any and all trade possibilities. Negotiations here could extend all the way up to the deadline as Rizzo and other GMs play chicken with one another.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

The worst team in baseball is sitting on a group of somewhat marketable veterans like Ty Wigginton, Miguel Tejada, Will Ohman, and Kevin Millwood, of whom Wigginton has drawn the most interest. What's certain is that, if they make a move, they won't get much back, as two of those are bench players, one is a relief specialist, and one is a struggling back-of-the-rotation starter. There'll be activity, but it won't be very interesting.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

The league's biggest surprise could use some improvements, but it doesn't have its eyes on anything major, preferring instead to sniff around a number of infield role players like Miguel Tejada and Ryan Theriot. They don't really have holes in many other places, nor do they have the means or desire to make an enormous splash. The rotation could use another arm, but that may end up waiting until August.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

In Roy Oswalt, the Phillies have landed their white whale, and one wonders if they're even going to try swinging anything else with the budget stretched so thin. For what it's worth, Ruben Amaro is an aggressive general manager and the team has been linked to Jose Bautista and Miguel Tejada, among others. The likelihood, though, is that they're done pulling big moves. Oswalt's already a tremendous boost.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

It's selling season once again in Pittsburgh, with Paul Maholm, Octavio Dotel, D.J. Carrasco, and Javier Lopez leading the list of available parts. None is a prize, but Maholm and Dotel could return useful pieces. Where things would get really interesting is in the event that the Pirates start seriously considering offers for younger relievers like Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan. As of now, though, there's no indication that will happen.

TEXAS RANGERS

The Rangers already set themselves up by landing Cliff Lee, and have turned their eyes towards Florida's Jorge Cantu. They've also thought about Ty Wigginton. These platoon infielders, though, would serve as the final pieces to a puzzle that the front office clearly believes is nearly complete. It will probably be a slow deadline for the Rangers and their fans, but only because they already traded for arguably the league's best starting pitcher a few weeks ago. It's possible they could get involved in the second base market with Ian Kinsler back on the DL.

TAMPA BAY RAYS

The Rays, who could really use a bat, were hot after David DeJesus and Jayson Werth, neither of whom remain on the table. More recently they've been linked to Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham, the latter more strongly since Dunn has expressed that he doesn't want to DH and the Rays don't want to stir up any trouble. Odds are the Rays will sit pretty and maybe just add a reliever if they do anything at all, but given that they're loaded with prospects and have a need, they remain a big bat possibility.

BOSTON RED SOX

At 5.5 behind Tampa Bay for the Wild Card, the Red Sox aren't in position to do anything drastic, so they're not going to land any superstars. Instead, they've been linked rather aggressively to many of the relievers available on the market as Boston's bullpen has been something of a rollercoaster all season long. It wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see Theo Epstein end up with a 7^th or 8^th inning guy like Scott Downs, if not two of them, but outside of that, nothing else looks likely.

CINCINNATI REDS

It's looking like a quiet deadline for Cincinnati, as the organization is content to run with what it's already got. You can think of Edinson Volquez as a deadline addition, if you like. They talked about Roy Oswalt for a bit, and they've considered various cheap relievers, but it doesn't look like anything significant will go down.

COLORADO ROCKIES

The league's greatest recent failure has gone from buyer to seller in the span of a week. Which isn't to say they're going to unload anything and everything from the back of the truck, but arms like Aaron Cook and Joe Beimel have become available, where just a little while ago they were helpful pieces to a team looking to contend. No one huge is either going to Coors, or leaving it.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

With Scott Podsednik and Alberto Callaspo already gone and David DeJesus out for the year, Dayton Moore's next two days will focus almost exclusively on Jose Guillen. Filler like Willie Bloomquist, Kyle Farnsworth, and Bruce Chen could also get moved, but there's no sense in haggling over price with any of those three, whereas Guillen could at least potentially bring something. Of course, given his cost and recent slump, even he is more of a giveaway than an asset. Podsednik was the last of Moore's "prizes" likely to get moved.

DETROIT TIGERS

The Tigers have slipped to five games back, thanks in large part to a number of big injuries. They landed Jhonny Peralta on Wednesday to fill in for Brandon Inge, but they have their eyes set on much bigger prizes, namely Adam Dunn and Ted Lilly. It's unknown how high the Tigers are willing to bid given their current state, and Dunn probably isn't going to happen, but Lilly has a real chance, and he'd be a quality addition to a rotation that's been thin behind Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.

MINNESOTA TWINS

The Twins were involved in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, so they've been thinking about buying for a while. The aces are gone, but Ted Lilly remains as a second-tier option, of whom the Twins are in pursuit. They've also placed a number of calls regarding late-inning relievers like Scott Downs and David Aardsma as they look to solidify their bullpen behind Jon Rauch. Gone is the chance the Twins pull something huge, but they remain very much active in the market.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Trading season with Kenny Williams is one of my very favorite things. One source described them as being "all over the place" right now, as they've been heavy on Adam Dunn, Prince Fielder, and in the starting pitcher market. Given how little they've gotten from DH, a bat makes obvious sense, and the Jake Peavy injury opened up a hole in the rotation. The White Sox as an organization are unpredictable, but right now they appear to be perhaps the most serious buyer of all.

NEW YORK YANKEES

The Yankees tried for Cliff Lee, but it didn't happen. The Yankees tried for Dan Haren, but it didn't happen. The Yankees tried for Scott Downs, but Toronto asked for a ton. The Yankees have tried for Adam Dunn, but more recently they've reportedly lost interest. It could end up being a quiet deadline for baseball's best team, as there just isn't a whole lot they need now that the top-tier starting pitchers are gone. As always, they'll be involved in negotiations for a middle reliever or backup infielder, but that may be about it. The Yankees are already ready for the playoffs.

People in Cleveland are still pissed about that whole "LeBron James betrayed our town on a self-congratulatory, national live TV special for the Heat" thing. Jeez, come on folks, it's b...

By now, the biggest question surrounding Alex Rodriguez’s 600th home run may not be where/what section in the stadium, but when?

Two long weeks ago, here at SeatGeek, we released our initial report on where Alex Rodriguez’s 600th home run may land at Yankee Stadium. There was a substantial likelihood that A-Rod would hit the milestone home run towards the end of the Yankees’ nine game home stand which began after the All-Star break.

One week ago, A-Rod hit career home run number 599, and had three games left on the current home stand to hit the milestone homer in front of the home crowd. Yet, A-Rod did not hit 600 in New York, and he took his chase with him to Cleveland, as the Yankees were slotted to play four games versus the Indians at Progressive Field.

SeatGeek and Hit Tracker followed up our initial report with a prediction of where the historic ball may land at Progressive Field. Given the frequency in which Rodriguez has hit home runs this season and in the past, there again was a high percentage chance he would hit one home run during the Cleveland series. Yet, three games have passed, and A-Rod has gone homerless. Now, here we are, preparing to release another report with a prediction of where A-Rod’s 600th home run ball may land at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay (the Yankees play their next three games after tonight versus the Rays–let us know if you want a sneak peak at the data).

Throughout the coverage of A-Rod’s milestone chase, SeatGeek and Hit Tracker have kept track of the percentage chances of when A-Rod may hit his 600th home run.

By now, everyone is wondering when (if ever!) will A-Rod actually hit number 600?

At this point, there is a 22 percent chance that Rodriguez puts one in the bleachers during tonight’s game at Progressive Field. Remember, if he does, the most likely section is Section 182, while "The Money Seat” is Section 181, Row J, the aisle seat in between Sections 180 and 181.

If A-Rod does not hit a home run tonight, there is a 42% chance that he hits it during one of the three games versus the Rays in Tampa. If he doesn’t hit it at Tropicana Field, then there is a 29% chance he hits it during the Yankees next home stand (seven games), beginning August 2nd–track Yankees ticket prices updated daily to track the impact, if any, that A-Rod is having on the secondary ticket market.

Don’t lose hope Yankees' fans! If you were hoping to see A-Rod hit his 600th at Yankee Stadium, there is still a chance!

If you want to go to any of the upcoming games in which the Yankees play and A-Rod may hit 600, SeatGeek is the place to get your tickets! Click on a game below to see the best ticket deals around on the secondary ticket market:

7/29 Yankees @ Indians

7/30 Yankees @ Rays

7/31 Yankees @ Rays

8/1 Yankees @ Rays

If you have any questions or data inquiries, don’t hesitate to email me at justin@seatgeek.com. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @SeatGeek, “Like” us on Facebook, and stop by SeatGeek for all of your ticket needs.

 

This article is also featured on SeatGeek Sports Blog

 

After showing up to a Cleveland Indians game in a LeBron James Miami Heat jersey, a fan and his girlfriend were harassed so much that they had to be escorted from Progressive Field. This is veteran trolling at it's best.

The Best Links:

1. Via The Daily Wh.at

View List ›

When you hear Fox Sports Detroit's Rod Allen and Mario Impemba , and radio announcers Dan Dickerson and Jim Price talk about the Tigers, what do you think?

Of course, they cite stats that make most Detroit Tigers fans cringe.

The Tigers are 6-21 in their last 27 road games.

The Tigers are 3-7 in their last 10 games.

And so on and so forth.

It's their job to keep viewers and listeners informed—whether it's good news or bad. But it seems that no matter how bad it gets, the four find a bright side to the situation.

But being paid to be optimistic while on air leads to a question: What do you guys really think?

With the recent acquisition of Cleveland Indians infielder Jhonny Peralta, both sets of Tigers game-callers still mention the need for a big bat in the Tigers' lineup—the sought-after Washington Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn .

Peralta is a step in the right direction for the ailing Tigers. He's driven in 68 or more RBIs in six of his eight seasons in the bigs, and he's a dual position player, with the ability to play either short or third.

Is the trade that sent Single-A West Michigan White Caps pitcher Giovanni Soto worth bringing the nine-year veteran Peralta to Detroit? Is he too little too late, or a start to something?

Considering the injury to Detroit's mainstay at the hot corner, Brandon Inge, Peralta would most likely play third.

But again, Dunn is still mentioned as the power hitter the Tigers so desperately need.

Dunn would play a valuable role as a No. 3 or No. 5 hitter, and he could play first base in the event Miguel "Big Fella" Cabrera needed a rest. Dunn is also a capable outfielder, which would aid the spot vacated by Magglio Ordonez's injury.

The Tigers' on-air foursome know baseball better than most, that's why they're in the booth game-in and game-out.

So I'm reaching out to Dickerson, Price, Allen, and Impemba—in the event they read this. Please, to ease the ears and minds of Tigers fans everywhere, let us know what you really think.

Matt Bellamy, who riled up an entire city, says he'd move to Florida too if he could find a way. But the siren song of Sandusky is too strong! [Cleveland Frowns] More »

A male fan wearing a LeBron James Miami Heat jersey was ejected from a Cleveland Indians baseball ga

That LeBron's was the most unprecedented free agency in world history was never really a question, but it's even much less so after what happened last night with the Guy Who Wore the LeBron Heat Jersey to the Indians game in Cleveland last night.

It's unclear whether he's the first one to make this fashion statement in such a public place in Cleveland, but he was certainly the first to get such a reaction. The story's been picked up by major papers in Cleveland, Miami, New Jersey and who knows where else. Guy shows up at Tribe game in the offensive jersey and ends up being escorted from the ballpark by police while an angry crowd shouts insults and throws things at him.  

I spent most of last night's game standing on the Home Run Porch in left field, and when the Guy walked through the Porch in the fourth inning with his girlfriend, I followed them as they was showered with insults, beer, and debris and we ended up chatting for a few minutes along with Paul Banks of SportsBank.net who was there too.  I also caught up with them after the game for a few more.

Last Night Rewind

• One of the hottest pitchers in baseball was Joel Pineiro. Unfortunately prior to last night's start against Boston, Pineiro strained an oblique muscle. The pitcher will be sidelined for six to eight weeks while the injury heals. The Angels are certainly short on pitching right now with Scott Kazmir out and Dan Haren hurting as well. Not much in the minors for them at this point, so a move may be in the cards.
• It should surprise no one that Ben Sheets will once again be sidelined for the remainder of the season. An exam yesterday found that Sheets had injured the same tendon in his elbow that required him to miss all of the 2009 season. Right now, no surgery is planned but we should certainly anticipate that it will not be easy for him to come back on time next year.
• Reports are swirling that Stephen Strasburg will miss his next start and will really be given a break. Jim Riggleman is looking to give him a break of about 10 days according to reports. Strasburg described the tightness in the throwing shoulder more as hitting a wall as opposed to actually injuring himself. Still hold on to him and keep him on the bench this week.
• The Tigers were able to acquire Jhonny Peralta from the Indians yesterday. Peralta should receive immediate playing time due to the injuries suffered by Brandon Inge and Carlos Guillen. Even when they return, he has a good enough bat to find his way into the lineup on a regular basis. Right now, Detroit's middle infield is weak and Pearlta's offense will help. Do not be concerned if you currently own him, this will be short-term playing time.
• With Shane Victorino on the DL, owners should not be afraid of looking long and hard at Domonic Brown. Brown had 20 home runs and a .327 average in his time with Double-A and Triple-A. He has the bat to do some damage and would be a nice addition to NL-only and all 14-team mixed leagues. His speed and offense will be a nice short-term boost for owners that have lost Victorino.

Thursday Notes

• Ugly numbers for Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham against Derek Lowe. Dunn is 5-for-28 without a home run and Willingham is 5-for-25. Nyjer Morgan is worth the play here. He is 9-for-16 against Lowe. In another random number, Adam Kennedy has hit .402 in 32 at-bats against the Atlanta starter. Use all others as normal.
• Ubaldo Jimenez is certainly one of the best pitchers in baseball, but he is getting killed of late. Jimenez has a 7.64 ERA in his last six starts. Add to it that he has struggled with command, walking 11 batters in his last 15.1 innings of work. Two good signs for him in this one, though: Jimenez is 6-0 at home this season and he faces the Pirates.
• Rick Porcello will once again take the ball for the Tigers. He has not won since early June and has been incredibly inconsistent over the bulk of the year. After a stellar outing against Cleveland, where he allowed one run in eight innings, he walked four batters without striking out one in a loss against Toronto. With the way Tampa is playing, not a good gamble here.
• Mat Latos has been simply impressive. He is 4-2 at home this season with a 2.23 ERA in those starts. In 44.1 innings, he has allowed only three home runs. Latos is 3-0 in July and has struck out 22 batters in his last 21 innings.
• C.J. Wilson continues to throw the ball exceptionally well. He has given up more than two earned runs just twice in his last 10 outings. In July, he may only have a 3-2 record, but he is holding opponents to a .159 average. On the season, he is 7-2 at home. Wilson has been brutal to lefties this season, holding them to a .090 average. Look to avoid Jack Cust and Daric Barton as a result.
• Look, I am not one to always advocate living on the wild side, but sometimes you do have to respect the statistics. Vicente Padilla has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his last six starts. In fact, he has allowed only six earned runs in his last 41.2 innings pitched. The Padres have not seen much of Padilla, and the numbers lead you to believe this would be a good start. Go for it here.
• Benching Chone Figgins today would be a good idea. Figgins is only 2-for-25 against Freddy Garcia lifetime. Jose Lopez is just 2-for-11 as well. You will always start Ichiro and you should look at Milton Bradley today as well. Bradley is 4-for-11 with a home run against the Chicago starter.
• Vin Mazzaro has won his last four decisions and he continues to be a pleasant surprise in the Oakland rotation. While he may not have the best offense behind him, he continues to produce at a level that would help many owners in a spot. Mazzaro may draw the hot-hitting Rangers, but he is 4-1 on the road this season and 3-0 in July. Expect a pitcher's duel down in Texas.
• Spot Starts: Mazzaro, Talbot, Padilla

 

Friday Notes

• Be careful using Roy Oswalt on Friday. His numbers have been fine, but there are rumors flying that he could be traded before he gets to the mound. A potential deal with the Phillies is in place and would only require Oswalt's OK for it to go forward. Simply a warning.
• Expect Blake DeWitt to get a start against Tim Lincecum tomorrow. DeWitt has the best numbers on the Dodgers against the starter, having gone 6-for-11. Look to avoid the 0-for-14 of Russell Martin and the 2-for-17 of Matt Kemp. Rafael Furcal at 3-for-16 is not much better.
• Ervin Santana has allowed just four earned runs in his last three starts, covering 23 innings of work. Josh Hamilton has been on fire of late, but he is only 2-for-18 against Santana while Nelson Cruz checks in at 4-for-19. Both Ian Kinsler and Michael Young remain solid plays. Young is hitting .400 against Santana lifetime.
• Jon Lester at home is always a good play. He is 6-2 inside Fenway Park this season and has held batters to a .215 average against him. Newly-acquired Jhonny Peralta should be held out of lineups where possible. Peralta is only 2-for-15 against Lester lifetime. No other concerns for your Tigers in this one from the numbers, but Lester has pitched very well of late.
• Chris Carpenter does not have a win this season against the Pirates, but he is 8-2 at home so far, a good sign. Only Lastings Milledge at a very limited 3-for-7 has had any reliable success against the St. Louis starter. Carpenter is 2-0 in his last three starts against Pittsburgh, allowing just six earned runs in 22 innings of work.
• Spot Starts: LeBlanc, Dan Hudson, Fister

Although I am of the opinion that the Tigers should be selling instead of buying at the trade deadline, the Jhonny Peralta trade, in which they gave up Giovanni Soto, is one I agree with.

At face value, the acquisition of Peralta seems to be a mistake. His 2010 stats are mediocre at best but when examined closely, it becomes apparent that Peralta is worth the risk the Tigers have taken in acquiring him.

So far this year Peralta is batting .246 with seven HR and 43 RBI.He did that with the Cleveland Indians. All you need to know about the Indians lineup is that Armando Galarraga nearly threw a perfect game against them. Their team leader in RBI this year, Shin-Soo Choo, has 46. In other words they are not very good.  

His performance against the teams the Tigers are chasing in the division has been impressive. In 20 games this year against the Twins and White Sox, his batting average is .315 with eight doubles and 12 RBI.

Peralta has played for the Indians since 2003 and that leads a lot of Tiger fans to believe he is an older player on the downside of his career. The reality is that at 28, Peralta is only 11 months older than Miguel Cabrera. 

Peralta can play multiple positions in the infield. He broke in as a shortstop and was moved to third. So when Brandon Inge comes back, he can easily slide back over to shortstop and allow Worth to move to second base, if Guillen is unable to play defense. If Guillen is healthy and playing the field, Peralta would be a big upgrade to the Tigers bench.

If Peralta plays well, and rediscovers the swing that allowed him to average nearly 80 RBI for the last five seasons, the Tigers can keep him next year by exercising a team option for 2011. That would make him more than just a rental player. The team option is for $7 Million and if they choose not to keep him, his buyout is $250,000.

All in all, the Tigers gave up a mid-level prospect from a ball for a guy entering the prime of his career and has already had success at the Major League level. This is a low risk and high reward transaction for the Tigers. Now if only they can teach him the right way to spell Jhonny!

New York Yankees CC Sabathia had a rare loss in his old stomping ground Tuesday night, falling 4-1 to the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees are in first place, with a margin of only two games before...

READ MORE....Visit Lady Loves Pinstripes And You Won't Be Disappointed.

Fans should be allowed to wear any shirt or jersey to a game that they please, as long as it's not offensive. However, any fan wearing the jersey of an opposing team is asking for trouble. Then there's the guy in Cleveland Wednesday night who took an opposing jersey to a whole new level. This brainiac showed up to an Indians game wearing a Miami Heat LeBron James jersey. Let's just say that LeBron is still a sensitive issue in Cleveland. Anyway, how much trouble did he get? Aside from being booed and razzed by fans, he was (get this) ejected! Security said he was ejected because he was causing a distraction and for his own safety. Part of me thinks this this goofball should've been allowed to stay because it was just a jersey. But another part of me thinks the guy deserved to get run because he was showing off in front of the fans, almost taunting them. Heck, the guy was being a wise guy by wearing the jersey in the first place.

Curtis Granderson was 2-4 with a triple in last night's 8-0 Yankee romp over the the Cleveland Indians. Granderson has been on fire lately. In his last 16 games, he is hitting .339 with three doubles, three home runs, 6 RBIs and 12 runs.

Has he turned the corner?  In a post on LoHud, Chad Jennings suggests that he might have. He compares him to Mark Teixeira who, last month, broke out of a season-long slump of his own.

I'm not so sure Granderson has turned the corner. As I stated in a previous post, he is playing against the AL Central, a division he knows and loves.  Most of the noise he has made (two doubles and three homers)  has come in the last eight games, all but one of which were played against AL Central teams.

It will be interesting to see how Granderson fares this weekend in Tampa Bay and next week against Toronto and Boston. If he does well in those games, I'll be happy to say that Curtis Granderson has, indeed, turned the corner.

SPOILER ALERT!!

In Zombieland, Bill Murray has what's probably the single greatest cameo of all time. If you haven't seen the movie, you suck. But in the interest of not spoiling too much, there's a scene where Tallahassee (played by Woody Harrelson) pokes his finger into Murray's gaping chest wound, and Murray says, "Aaah...that's still tender."

Well, Cleveland fans can understand that sensation. Especially the ones who were at last night's Indians/Yankees game. And that tenderness made 'em mean.

From the Associated Press:

A fan wearing a Miami Heat jersey of LeBron James drew the ire of the crowd at a Cleveland Indians game and was escorted out of the ballpark.

Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the game between the Indians and New York Yankees. Hundreds of fans joined in before security led the man out of Progressive Field.

As he left, some fans followed him toward the gate with more derisive chants.

Here's some footage. The language is not so safe for work.

The other day I wrote that Detroit Tigers’ GM Dave Dombrowski had a tough job on his hands at the trade deadline because the Tigers need so many different things. They need a third baseman, a middle infielder, a starting pitcher, and a right-handed reliever out of the pen.

 

Dombrowski decided to fill one of those needs on Wednesday by getting a third baseman. The Tigers acquired 3B Jhonny Peralta from the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Giovanni Soto. According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney via Twitter , the Indians will pick up most of the $1.8 million still owed to Peralta this season.

So what exactly are the Tigers getting here? With Peralta, the Tigers are getting a stop-gap third baseman, who they hope can get hot down the stretch. Peralta does have a club option for $7 million in 2011 with a $250,000 buyout and I will say there is a better chance of me playing third for the Tigers next year than Detroit picking that up.

Peralta was hitting just .246 with seven HR’s and a .308 in 334 AB’s with the Indians. At the age of 28, it appears Peralta’s best days are behind him. I don’t think we will see his 2008 season again when he hit .276 with 23 HR’s and had a .804 OPS.

Regardless of Peralta’s declining offensive skills, he should give the Tigers more then what Don Kelly or Scott Sizemore could give them.

In Soto, the Indians are getting a 19-year-old, left-handed pitcher who has a 2.10 ERA in two minor league seasons between Rookie and Single-A ball. He was the Tigers’ 21st round pick in the 2009 Draft.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

With the Major League Baseball trade deadline just three days away, we are starting to see the trades pick up.

Early last night we saw the Cleveland Indians trade Jhonny Peralta to the Detroit Tigers and later in the night, we had another trade.

The Kansas City Royals sent OF Scott Podsednik to the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league catcher Lucas May and minor league pitcher Elisaul Pimentel. The Dodgers will also assume the remaining $650,000 left on Podsednik’s contract.

I like this trade for the Dodgers for two reasons—

1. Podsednik gives them outfield depth for the remainder of the season. Believe it or not, Podsednik was one of the best free agent acquisitions of the offseason.

Signed by the Royals for one-year and $1.75 million, Podsednik was hitting .309 with a .352 OBP and 30 steals in 42 attempts for KC in 2010. According to Fangraphs , Podsednik was worth $4.8 million in value to the Royals in 2010. That is a very good signing at the end of the day.

With Manny Ramirez and Reed Johnson currently on the DL, Podsednik can be a more than serviceable fill-in for those two while they are out. When Ramirez comes back, Podsednik will be a valuable pinch-runner off the bench for Joe Torre’s club.

2. This trade keeps Podsednik away from the Dodgers’ rivals. The Dodgers really didn’t need to have Podsednik, but in getting him from the Royals, they keep him away from the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres who were both searching for outfield help.

I am not saying Podsednik is a HUGE difference maker, but any advantage the Dodgers can get over their division rivals is certainly a plus.

The Royals get in return two fringe prospects according to Baseball America’s Ben Badler (If you are not following him on Twitter , you most definitely should). May is a 25-year-old catcher who is a career .260 minor league hitter. He does have some pop in his bat (25 HR’s in High Single A in 2007), but only projects as a decent at best backup catcher in the majors according to Badler.

Pimentel is a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher, who has a career 3.68 ERA and 8.1 K’s/9 in four minor league seasons. He is a fringe prospect that throws 89-93, but has an inconsistent slider and change according to Badler.

Podsednik should be in a Dodgers’ uniform tonight when they take on the first place Padres in San Diego.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

I've got a feeling (woohoo) that this "LeBron James is hated in Cleveland" thing isn't going to die down for a while. It is almost as if they do not like him very much for choosing to play with the Miami Heat. After all the jerseys are burned and boos are yelled, there will still be hatred in the hearts of spurned Clevelanders. Eventually, that hatred will turn from LeBron to his fans, and it seems that's already started to happen.

Naturally, the first incident in fan-on-fan LeBron taunts — or, "LeBraunts" — took place in Cleveland. It all went down at Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, where some bro showed up wearing a LeBron James(notes) Heat jersey. The Cleveland faithful weren't too happy with his choice of shirt. From the Associated Press:

A fan wearing a Miami Heat jersey of LeBron James drew the ire of the crowd at a Cleveland Indians game and was escorted out of the ballpark.

Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the game between the Indians and New York Yankees. Hundreds of fans joined in before security led the man out of Progressive Field.

As he left, some fans followed him toward the gate with more derisive chants.

Well played, Cleveland. It's a little weird that some random guy was booed so vociferously that police had to step in to escort him and his ladyfriend away from trouble, but when you're heckling a fellow human for the clothes on his back, you really have to go for it. It's common sense.

Honestly, the guy had it coming. Not only did he wear the most hated tanktop in Ohio, he also wore Dane Cook jeans and popped his jersey while he was being moved away from danger. I'm guessing what the fans were chanting was actually pretty accurate.

Man Wearing LeBron James Miami Heat Jersey Heckled by Crowd at Indians Game and Is Escorted out of Stadium

While most of the world *dismissive wank* was tuned in to last night’s matchup between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees to see if admitted steroid user Alex Rodriguez would hit No. 600 (he didn’t), one young fan had a different reason for heading to Jacobs Progressive Field. With his loyal young lady at his side, a fan wearing his brand new LeBron James Miami Heat jersey found his way to his seats in the left field bleachers. And the Cleveland fans absolutely loved him.

Within a minute of arriving at his seats, this Miami “fan” was greeted with cheers, as many Indians fans in his section turned around and stood up to make sure that he was comfortable and to ask if he needed anything. “Can I buy you a hot dog,” one fan yelled. “Are you and the lady comfortable, fair sire,” another chimed in. And once the fan had proudly displayed his loyalty to the Heat, the entire section focused on the game and chanted, “Get him out! Get him out!” Obviously they meant the Yankee batter.

Wipe away a city’s tears, NBC Sports:

Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the Indians’ 8-0 loss to the New York Yankees. Hundreds of fans joined in before security led the man out of Progressive Field.

As he left, some fans followed him toward the gate with more derisive chants.

Below, you can watch what is labeled as Part 1 of one fan’s perspective at the game. By the handling of the camera I assume it was Paul Greengrass or Michael J. Fox, but nonetheless you can witness* the Heat fan’s bravery. I like to imagine Part 2 is filled with him using his girlfriend as a human shield. Seriously, that’s a quality woman, because either she knew his plans and still supported him or she was completely surprised by the reaction and didn’t buckle into a heap of highlights and tears.

*See what I did there, Cleveland?

Here’s a look at the unheralded players who played well yesterday.

 

 

Brian Duensing & Jason Repko, Minnesota Twins

Duensing picked up a win in his second start with the Twins, allowing two runs in six innings to improve to 4-1 with a 1.83 ERA. He’s 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his last two starts. Repko went 3 for 4 with a HR and two runs scored to raise his average to .324. Once Morneau returns, the Twins will juggle their lineup, meaning Repko will lose any fantasy value.

 

 

Bud Norris, Houston Astros

Norris gave up one unearned run on four hits in six innings to improve to 3-7 with a 5.63 ERA. He collected seven strikeouts.

 

 

Brad Mills, Toronto Blue Jays

Mills gave up only two hits in seven scoreless innings in his season debut.

 

 

Jeremy Guthrie, Baltimore Orioles

Guthrie took the loss despite giving up just one unearned run in seven innings of work. He fell to 4-10 with a 4.23 ERA. He’s given up three runs in his last 13-2/3 innings.

 

 

Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies

Ruiz went 3 for 4 with a run and three RBIs (17), raising his average to .284 and helping the Phillies roll to another victory.

 

 

Trevor Crowe, Cleveland Indians

Crowe went 3 for 4 to raise his average to .264.

 

 

Jon Jay, St. Louis Cardinals

Jay went 3 for 6 with a run to improve his average to and impressive .385. He has a modest five-game hitting streak going.

 

 

Jerry Hairston, Jr. (pictured)

Jerry went 2 for 5 with a run (38) and three RBIs (40), raising his average to .252.

 

 

Potent Middle Relievers

Wilton Lopez, HOU: 1 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Ks (31 Ks, 39-2/3 IP)

Manny Delcarmen, BOS:  1 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Ks (25 Ks, 37 IP)

Rich Thompson, LAA:  3 IP, 1 Run, 5 Ks (9 Ks, 7-1/3 IP)

Tyler Clippard, WAS:  1-1/3 IP, 0 Runs, 3 Ks (69 Ks, 60-2/3 IP)

Grant Balfour, TB:  1 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Ks (42 Ks, 42-1/3 IP)

Craig Breslow, OAK:  Save, 1 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Ks (49 Ks, 48 IP)

Sergio Mitre, CLE:  2 IP, 0 Runs, 3 Ks (19 Ks, 31-1/3 IP)

Sergio Santos, CHW:  1 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Ks (35 Ks, 32-1/3 IP)

Sean Gallagher, PIT:  Win, 3 IP, 0 Runs, 4 Ks (29 Ks, 31-1/3 IP)

Manny Corpas, COL:  2-2/3 IP, 0 Runs, 4 Ks (41 Ks, 54-2/3 IP)

Matt Belisle, COL:  1-2/3 IP, 0 Runs, 3 Ks (62 Ks, 62 IP)

 

Luke Gregerson, SD:  1 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Ks (61 Ks, 49-1/3 IP)

CLEVELAND (AP) - Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the game between the Indians and New York Yankees...

The second domino has been felled as the Indians’ continued purging of veterans who do not figure into their plans in 2011 and beyond rolls on as Jhonny Peralta has been traded to Detroit for Low-A LHP Geovanni Soto, who is obviously not the Cubs’ current catcher. The move, which includes the Indians covering the remainder of Peralta’s 2010 contract, comes as neither a surprise nor as a disappointment as there is enough disappointment to go around from Peralta’s regression from a 23-year-old SS who hit 24 HR and posted an OPS of .885 to the defensively-challenged 3B who has posted a cumulative .693 OPS with 18 HR in 242 games since the start of the 2009 season, a regression that has been illustrative of the unrealized potential that seemed so limitless for the Indians just three to five years ago.

Peralta departs as a player who was never able to take the next step that seemed so obvious when he burst on the scene to replace Omar Vizquel (and justifiably so, I might add) as the Indians’ SS, done in by inconsistency and by an inability to make adjustments to a league that had obviously adjusted to him. His departure represents another step away from that 2005 to 2007 team that once seemed so full of promise, which now looks empty. He will go to Detroit as a pure rental player, with the Tigers obtaining him to replace the injured Brandon Inge in the lineup and with the Tigers perhaps hoping that “Hot Jhonny” makes an appearance in Motown as they attempt to vault past the White Sox and Twins in the race for the AL Central.

From the Indians’ perspective, this opens the door for an extended audition among Andy Marte, Jayson Nix, and Louie V (to begin with) as they all attempt to stake some sort of claim to the hot corner before Jared Goedert presumably emerges (assuming his defense is deemed satisfactory) to serve as the eventual bridge to Lonnie Chisenhall, the 21-year-old “3B of the Future”, currently plying his craft in Akron and who may be further away than a presumed 2011 mid-season call-up.

For now, Marte, Nix, and Valbuena will vie for plate appearances at 3B as the idea that Goedert could come up in a September call-up is complicated by the fact that he’s not on the 40-man roster. That complication isn’t too profound as there is certainly flotsam and jetsam on the 40-man that can be trimmed, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see that MarteNixValbuena 3-headed monster handling 3B, with each limited player offering a different skill set for Manny Acta to utilize in the lineup and on the field.

As for the player coming to Cleveland for Peralta, it bears mentioning again that the Indians are covering Peralta’s 2010 salary and, while the skeptics would say that the only way that the Tribe was going to move Peralta and get more than the requisite bag of balls would be by paying that money, it represents a positive development in the way that the Indians (and I’m talking about the Dolans here) have been willing to cover money remaining on a contract in the interest of receiving a better prospect. The famous example is the Casey Blake and cash to the Dodgers for Carlos Santana (and, just to be clear, nobody’s purporting that Soto is in Santana’s class here), but in light of all of the financial criticism that the Indians and the Dolans take for the manner in which the Indians are operated, this practice of “buying prospects” (this one costing about $2M when they could have simply dumped that money with little to no public objection) is a new wrinkle in all of these trades involving veterans for lottery tickets…I mean, prospects. While it is often ignored and while the average fan could care less about the money changing hands in a deal like this, the presence of Santana in the Indians’ lineup for the next 6 years (at least) is a testament that this practice does have some merit, in terms of acquiring better talent.

In terms of that talent, that “lottery ticket” idea is wildly applicable here as Soto is a 19-year-old LHP who has been pitching in the same league that the Lake County Captains play in. His measurables say that he’s 6’ 3” and 155 pounds (that would likely be soaking wet) and his raw numbers show that he’s 6-6 this year with a 2.61 ERA and 76 K to 25 BB in 82 2/3 innings over 16 starts.

Soto’s left-handedness (remember how the Indians are lacking in a depth of legitimate LHP prospects) and his projection are what make him attractive as one scout told Baseball Prospectus’ Kevin Goldstein, “He has got a nice delivery, he’s super loose, and super skinny... we’re talking rail-thin. He’s at 85-88 mph [on his fastball] and throwing four pitches with a curve, slider, and change—none of them are really good right now, but you can’t eliminate any of them, either. I hate projecting velocity, but this is the kind of guy you look for when doing it.”

What does that mean?
It means wait for two to four years and come back to Soto to see if that velocity has arrived and if the results are there because of that increased velocity. While that may not quicken anyone’s pulses, it falls in line with what the Indians have been stockpiling (young, projectable arms) as they have moved the veteran pieces and parts of their recent rosters.

With Peralta however, the addition of Soto is the subtext as the Indians have made a further attempt to clear the decks of players that don’t figure in past this year and have made room for players that could potentially contribute in 2011 and beyond to assert themselves with their newfound opportunities.

The trade of Peralta – who, by the way, leaves with the 36th most plate appearances as an Indian in the organization’s history and is 21st on the club’s all-time HR list…seriously – is another turn of the page for the Indians’ organization as the Tribe attempts to find meaningful spots for players that project to contribute in their next “window of contention” and don’t serve as sad reminders of the now closed windows.

Jhonny is gone and the Indians continue their evolution into a new team, with a new group of players lining up to do what Peralta and his mates were ultimately unable to accomplish.

CLEVELAND — A fan wearing a Miami Heat jersey of LeBron James drew the ire of the crowd at a Cleveland Indians game and was escorted out of the ballpark.

Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the game between the Indians and New York Yankees. Hundreds of fans joined in before security led the man out of Progressive Field.

As he left, some fans followed him toward the gate with more derisive chants.

James' recent departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Heat caused a lot of anger in the city.

Many fans were near the left-field foul pole in hopes of catching the 600th home run ball by Alex Rodriguez.

More on LeBron James

A thoughtful young gentleman was escorted out of Progressive Field The Jake last night after taunting the already-tortured Cleveland fanbase by wearing a LeBron James Heat jersey. Amazingly, he made it out of the stadium without a flesh wound. Although according to the report, some fans “followed him toward the gate with more derisive chants,” [...]

The second domino has been felled as the Indians’ continued purging of veterans who do not figure into their plans in 2011 and beyond rolls on as Jhonny Peralta has been traded to Detroit for Low-A LHP Geovanni Soto, who is obviously not the Cubs’ current catcher. The move, which includes the Indians covering the remainder of Peralta’s 2010 contract, comes as neither a surprise nor as a disappointment as there is enough disappointment to go around from Peralta’s regression from a 23-year-old SS who hit 24 HR and posted an OPS of .885 to the defensively-challenged 3B who has posted a cumulative .693 OPS with 18 HR in 242 games since the start of the 2009 season, a regression that has been illustrative of the unrealized potential that seemed so limitless for the Indians just three to five years ago.

Peralta departs as a player who was never able to take the next step that seemed so obvious when he burst on the scene to replace Omar Vizquel (and justifiably so, I might add) as the Indians’ SS, done in by inconsistency and by an inability to make adjustments to a league that had obviously adjusted to him. His departure represents another step away from that 2005 to 2007 team that once seemed so full of promise, which now looks empty. He will go to Detroit as a pure rental player, with the Tigers obtaining him to replace the injured Brandon Inge in the lineup and with the Tigers perhaps hoping that “Hot Jhonny” makes an appearance in Motown as they attempt to vault past the White Sox and Twins in the race for the AL Central.

From the Indians’ perspective, this opens the door for an extended audition among Andy Marte, Jayson Nix, and Louie V (to begin with) as they all attempt to stake some sort of claim to the hot corner before Jared Goedert presumably emerges (assuming his defense is deemed satisfactory) to serve as the eventual bridge to Lonnie Chisenhall, the 21-year-old “3B of the Future”, currently plying his craft in Akron and who may be further away than a presumed 2011 mid-season call-up.

For now, Marte, Nix, and Valbuena will vie for plate appearances at 3B as the idea that Goedert could come up in a September call-up is complicated by the fact that he’s not on the 40-man roster. That complication isn’t too profound as there is certainly flotsam and jetsam on the 40-man that can be trimmed, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see that MarteNixValbuena 3-headed monster handling 3B, with each limited player offering a different skill set for Manny Acta to utilize in the lineup and on the field.

As for the player coming to Cleveland for Peralta, it bears mentioning again that the Indians are covering Peralta’s 2010 salary and, while the skeptics would say that the only way that the Tribe was going to move Peralta and get more than the requisite bag of balls would be by paying that money, it represents a positive development in the way that the Indians (and I’m talking about the Dolans here) have been willing to cover money remaining on a contract in the interest of receiving a better prospect. The famous example is the Casey Blake and cash to the Dodgers for Carlos Santana (and, just to be clear, nobody’s purporting that Soto is in Santana’s class here), but in light of all of the financial criticism that the Indians and the Dolans take for the manner in which the Indians are operated, this practice of “buying prospects” (this one costing about $2M when they could have simply dumped that money, with little to no public objection) is a new wrinkle in all of these trades involving veterans for lottery tickets…I mean, prospects. While it is often ignored and while the average fan could care less about the money changing hands in a deal like this, the presence of Santana in the Indians’ lineup for the next 6 years (at least) is a testament that this practice does have some merit, in terms of acquiring better talent.

In terms of that talent, that “lottery ticket” idea is wildly applicable here as Soto is a 19-year-old LHP who has been pitching in the same league that the Lake County Captains play in. His measurables say that he’s 6’ 3” and 155 pounds (that would likely be soaking wet) and his raw numbers show that he’s 6-6 this year with a 2.61 ERA and 76 K to 25 BB in 82 2/3 innings over 16 starts.

Soto’s left-handedness (remember how the Indians are lacking in a depth of legitimate LHP prospects) and his projection are what make him attractive as one scout told Baseball Prospectus’ Kevin Goldstein, “He has got a nice delivery, he’s super loose, and super skinny... we’re talking rail-thin. He’s at 85-88 mph [on his fastball] and throwing four pitches with a curve, slider, and change—none of them are really good right now, but you can’t eliminate any of them, either. I hate projecting velocity, but this is the kind of guy you look for when doing it.”

What does that mean?
It means wait for two to four years and come back to Soto to see if that velocity has arrived and if the results are there because of that increased velocity. While that may not quicken anyone’s pulses, it falls in line with what the Indians have been stockpiling (young, projectable arms) as they have moved the veteran pieces and parts of their recent rosters.

With Peralta however, the addition of Soto is the subtext as the Indians have made a further attempt to clear the decks of players that don’t figure in past this year and have made room for players that could potentially contribute in 2011 and beyond to assert themselves with their newfound opportunities.

The trade of Peralta – who, by the way, leaves with the 36th most plate appearances as an Indian in the organization’s history and is 21st on the club’s all-time HR list…seriously – is another turn of the page for the Indians’ organization as the Tribe attempts to find meaningful spots for players that project to contribute in their next “window of contention” and don’t serve as sad reminders of the now closed windows.

Jhonny is gone and the Indians continue their evolution into a new team, with a new group of players lining up to do what Peralta and his mates were ultimately unable to accomplish.

CLEVELAND - JULY 28: A fan wearing a LeBron James Miami Heat jersey at a Cleveland Indians game is escorted out of the ballpark by police while playing the New York Yankees on July 28, 2010 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

New York Yankees CC Sabathia had a rare loss in his old stomping ground Tuesday night, falling 4-1 to the Cleveland Indians.

The Yankees are in first place, with a margin of only two games before they get caught.

This added a lot of pressure on an already erratic AJ Burnett. It was mandatory that Burnett put the team in a winning position.

Burnett surpassed all that was required, as he dominated the Indians batters. Burnett’s teammates helped make sure he had a chance to shine again and the Yankees won 8-0.

Another factor in the Yankees success is using David Robertson in the eighth inning.

It is no secret where the Yankees biggest weakness lies—in the bullpen.

With Alfredo Aceves on the DL since May, the Yankee bullpen has become a total mess. Chan-ho Park, Joba Chamberlain, and Boone Logan are not reliable at all and it has spelled trouble whenever they were called on.

Robertson was right in the mix, with a bad beginning to 2010.

The timing could not have been more perfect for Robertson to get find his form again.

Robertson thrived as the eighth inning guy even under the lights of the 2009 World Series. Translation: The pressure does not bother Robertson.

Skipper Joe Girardi realizes that he can count on Robertson to get the outs needed with no regrets.

Robertson’s small role has made the biggest difference since the All-Star break.

Still, the bullpen is the biggest roadblock for the Yankees. Most Yankees fans take comfort in the idea that Hughes will join Robertson once Andy Pettitte gets off the DL in a few weeks.

For now, the Yankees will head to Tampa following the fourth game against the Indians. Friday night starts a three-game set at Tropicana Field against the second place Rays.

This weekend series will be a literal battle royale for first place in the AL East. Both teams have their work cut out for them, as both are on fire right now.

Whichever team wins will purely be based on who played better defense and how each starting pitcher sets the tone.

Why?

Simply because both ball-clubs have proved they can hit the heck out of the ball, but if a pitcher is throwing heaters it will be considerably harder to accomplish.

This might be the most important series of 2010 thus far, because the Rays are just two games behind the Yankees in the standings.

Please check out Lady Loves Pinstripes, as the next three posts will break down each game pitching matchups.

*First pitch is at 7:10pm this Friday night, but Yankees have to win the last game against the Indians tonight...but trust me, this weekend will be some damn good baseball.

Indians Vs. Yankees 7/29/10

The Indians host the major league's best New York Yankees.