I feel like I'm going to be sick. This is happening again. 1999. 2001.
These playoffs were supposed to be different. The 90s were full of teams with ungodly hitting and no pitching. This time around, Cleveland had the pitching. Not one, but two aces! If they would've had one of these guys last decade, they'd have a World Series title under their belt. Sabathia and Carmona were the different makers.
And they both have failed.
I thought Fausto was going to make it out of the first inning unscathed. He had only given up two infield signals and a walk but nothing was really hard hit; he just unlucky. But he was getting behind hitters. How he got behind J.D. Drew is beyond me. You can't blame the game on the ump, because Cleveland basically self imploded, but if Schilling's 2nd pitch to Hafner was a strike, then Carmona's first pitch to Drew should've been one as well. But he got behind. He got behind hitters all night. The ump was terrible (and I think they've been terrible behind the plate all series long- to no ones advantage) but it didn't even matter.
Why Wedge chose to bring in Rafael Perez to relieve Carmona is beyond me. Once Perez walked to the dugout, the game was over. I can't even begin to describe how frustrated I felt watching this game. It turned into a comedy of errors.
I want to try to stay positive. I want to say "hey, if you would've told me 5 months ago that Cleveland would be playing Game 7 of the ALCS in Boston, I'd be thrilled". But I don't really believe that. That's almost fooling myself. The Tribe had two chances to close out Boston with their two best pitchers on the mound and not only did they fail, they failed spectacularly.
If you're a Cleveland fan, can you really 'stay positive' right now? Your two best pitchers just got shelled. Manny Ramirez is batting somewhere around .450. Boston's lineup actually showed up for Game 6. Cleveland's lineup has been non-existent for the past two games. Your number 3 hitter can't even make a productive out at this point. The Tribe's pitchers are scared of Boston's hitters while Cleveland's hitters are pressing.
Confidence? More like dread.
We're all thinking "not again". All of Cleveland's playoff follies are coming back. The Drive. The Fumble. The Shot. Mesa blowing game 7. The Tribe blowing a 2-1 series lead in the 1998 ALCS to New York. The Tribe blowing a 2-0 lead to Boston in the 1999 ALDS. The Tribe blowing a 2-1 ALDS lead to Seattle in 2001. It's gone from 3-1 to 3-3 and in those two losses, they've been outscored 19-3. Game 7 is in Boston. Paul Byrd is being linked to HGH. Everything is falling apart (except for Victor Martinez. That guy is a fucking rock). Lord help
It feels like 1999. At this point, all I want for Game 7 is a close ballgame, just not another blowout. Please. Lord help me if Josh Beckett trots out of the bullpen to shut the Tribe down like Pedro.
I just have a sick feeling we're going to see some final score of 13-6. I dunno, the team looks shellshocked. Wedge is leaving pitchers in too long. He hasn't moved Hafner down in the lineup (seriously, move Peralta up. It's time). He keeps throwing out Raffy Perez.
They look bewildered.
They look like Cleveland.
I'm gonna be sick.
3 comments:
Mike Hargrove was fired over playoff errors involving pitching changes. Grady Little was dropped in Boston for it. Manager of the Year or not, any chance we see it happen to Wedge for keeping Sabathia in for the 7th in G5, and/or bringing in Perez last night?
This isn't Wedge's fault. His players/pitchers have completely let him down.
Now, it doesn't look good but we've all been wrong about how this series would play out. We thought we'd ride CC and Fausto and its been the total opposite. What happens tonight is anyone's guess, although I must say I don't feel good.
As far as Byrd is concerned, msn.com's interview of Byrd suggests Byrd indeed has hormone deficiences which means its perfectly understandable why he'd take the drug. Obviously, who knows how much he took or anything else? He did not seem to get a very glowing endorsement from Shapiro though.
This isn't Wedge's fault. His players/pitchers have completely let him down.
Now, it doesn't look good but we've all been wrong about how this series would play out. We thought we'd ride CC and Fausto and its been the total opposite. What happens tonight is anyone's guess, although I must say I don't feel good.
As far as Byrd is concerned, msn.com's interview of Byrd suggests Byrd indeed has hormone deficiences which means its perfectly understandable why he'd take the drug. Obviously, who knows how much he took or anything else? He did not seem to get a very glowing endorsement from Shapiro though.
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