It may be September and meaningful games are few and far between for the Indians, but Friday's game was exactly that. New manager Sandy Alomar Jr. made his debut as the Tribe skipper, and the Indians made sure to do their part as well as the team defeated Kansas City 8-5. Jim Berdysz offers his Second Thoughts after the jump.
With six games left in the season, Manny Acta's firing Thursday came as a surprise to many. The Indians now find themselves back at square one as there is no definitive long term answer for the team's managerial vacancy. Knowing that, are the Indians better off with or without Acta? IPI's Steve Orbanek ponders after the jump.
The Cleveland Indians fired Manny Acta on Thursday so they could presumably get a jump start on their offseason pursuit of a new manager. With Sandy Alomar Jr.'s name being bantered about with several potential openings come this offseason, this could give the Indians an advantage. Of course, with the front office intact, will a new manager really make a difference? Jim Pete discusses 'new manager folly," after the jump.
The Cleveland Indians today announced that manager Manny Acta will not return as manager. The decision is immediate and he will not manage the team the last six games of the season. Bench coach Sandy Alomar will serve as interim manager for the remainder of the season.
The Indians won their final road game of the season by beating the White Sox 6-4 on Wednesday night, largely thanks to a strong showing from the bullpen. By taking the rubber game of their series against Chicago, the Indians bumped the Sox out of 1st place in the division. Adam McGavin chimes in with his second thoughts on the game.
A few weeks ago Jeff Ellis compared the Indians to the Reds hitter by hitter and using the highest ranking that player had achieved on Baseball America's top 100 list he tried to decipher if there was a rhyme or reason to prospect failure. This time around he looks at the pitchers for the Indians and Reds and uncovers several interesting things while coming to an obvious conclusion.
...it was the worst of times. With the Indians season winding down, the 2013 season looms. While the Indians are likely to make a move with regards to Chris Antonneti and Manny Acta quickly, what's less sure is what's going to happen to the roster. Here's Jim Pete's quick look at what could happen, as he looks into his crystal ball...after the jump...
Facing a left-hander Tuesday, it did not seem promising for the Cleveland Indians. However, the Tribe was able to capitalize off a big three-run fourth inning and then held on for the win. Also, Russ Canzler stayed hot and hit his second home run in as many days. IPI's Steve Orbanek offers his Second Thoughts after the jump.
The Indians fought admirably on Monday night, but Vinnie Pestano had a rare stumble and a two-out, 9th inning rally came up just short as the Indians fell to the White Sox 5-4. Zach McAllister pitched very well and the Indians hung in there against Chris Sale, but two Adam Dunn homers did them in. Adam McGavin shares his thoughts on the game.
Given the way that the Indians season has gone, it's hard to talk about moral victories, but the Indians got a big one yesterday. With the team's 15-4 win over the Kansas City Royals, the Indians improved to 63-90 and are now assured that they will not lose 100 games this season. IPI's Steve Orbanek offers his Second Thoughts after the jump.
It seems like it was not long ago that Hector Rondon was one of the most promising starting pitching prospects within the Cleveland Indians farm system. Fast forward to 2012 and Rondon is no longer the prospect he once was. What does the future hold for Rondon? IPI's Steve Orbanek offers his take in this week's edition of Then & Now.
Tony chimes in with his weekly Sunday notebook and touches on how he believes that the Matt LaPorta Era in Cleveland is sadly (or mercifully) coming to an end this year, notes the lack of faith the fans have in the organization from top to bottom, looks at Terry Francona as a managerial candidate, gives an update on Roberto Hernandez and his future, plus lots more.
The Indians lost their second straight game to the Royals Saturday as Kansas City earned a 5-3 win. Even worse was the performance of Tribe starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who again pitched poorly and earned his Major League leading 17th loss. IPI's Jim Berdysz offers his second thoughts after the jump.
The Browns look to upend the Buffalo Bills in week three. Are the Browns ready to win, or...are they ready to disappoint? Is the Eastern Conference's Central Division ripe for the taking, or are the Bulls ready to run away and hide...with or without Derrick Rose? Do the Indians have anyone worth keeping in the rotation at this point, or is it time to just dump them all, and start guys off the street? Wild Thing?...you out there? Join Steve and Jim on CSI...tonight at 10:30
In a new Saturday staple, Jim Piascik recaps all the pieces from the week and gives some interesting links from around the web in the IPI Weekly Recap.
Missed “royal” opportunities could be one way to describe the Indians game on Friday night as the team struggled to score runs against division rival Kansas City. With the loss, Cleveland fell to 62-89 and is now the sole owners of last place in the American League Central Division. IPI's Jim Berdysz shares his Second Thoughts on the game after the jump.
The 2013 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider book featuring the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is now available. Also, previous editions from 2008-2012 are also available at a discounted rate. Just click on the book image for more information. Thanks again for all the support!