White Sox at Indians, July 22, 23 & 24

[Pork Chop Pough]

Entering the series...
Indians: 51-46, 2nd place in AL Central, ½ GB the Tigers. 27-18 at home. 4-6 in last 10.
White Sox: 47-51, 3rd place in AL Central, 5 GB the Tigers. 26-26 on the road. 4-6 in last 10.
...The Indians split a couple of 4-game series on the road to start the 2nd half, despite winning the first two games in both of them, and find themselves back in the same position they were at the break. Chicago has made no headway, losing 9 of their last 14. They continue to linger, but momentum has eluded them, having put together a winning streak of more than 2 games only twice in the last 2 months. Despite being 4-1 against the Tribe, the White Sox are 11-19 against division opponents, the 3rd worst intra-divisional record in baseball.

Friday, 7:05 ET
Carlos Carrasco, RHP (8-7, 4.25) vs. Gavin Floyd, RHP (7-9, 4.37)
Since enjoying a June that proved to be the best month of his career, Carrasco has taken the loss in all 3 of his July starts. He's allowed 14 earned runs in just 14 innings during that span, in which opponents have put up a 1.059 OPS against him. He allowed 7 runs in 6.2 ip against the ChiSox in his first start of the season, but with a line of .308/.369/.495 vs. lefties, he should be happy to face a lineup where the only lefty power threat is the struggling Adam Dunn. • Floyd allowed just 1 earned run in 7.2 ip to pick up a win over the Tigers his last time out. The victory was his first in a month and a half, ending a 4-game losing streak. He also allowed just 1 run in 7 ip in his previous start against Cleveland this year, and no one loves a road trip more than Floyd (3.36 road ERA / 6.26 at home).

Saturday, 7:05 ET
David Huff, LHP (1-0, 0.00) vs. Edwin Jackson, RHP (6-7, 3.97)
Huff stunned Twins hitters and Tribe fans alike in his first MLB start of the season, allowing 5 harmless hits and 2 walks over 7 innings. He'll have another favorable match-up against a White Sox lineup that's only put up a .667 OPS vs. lefties. However, in 3 career starts vs. Chicago, Huff has an 8.04 ERA in 15.2 ip, yet his record is a perfect 2-0. • In Jackson's last start, he managed to scatter 9 Detroit hits enough to get a complete game shutout. He's been the opposite of Floyd in that he's struggled to a 5.12 ERA on the road (2.81 at home), and Cleveland's lefty-heavy lineup may not be any kinder (he's at .295/.355/.438 vs. LH). However, he's owned the Indians in the past, with a career 8-1 record and 2.70 ERA against the Tribe.

Sunday, 1:05 ET
Justin Masterson, RHP (8-6, 2.64) vs. Philip Humber, RHP (8-6, 3.27)
Masterson was denied victory yet again in his last start, despite shutting the Twins out for 7.2 innings, and allowing just 4 singles and no walks. He hasn't allowed an earned run in 3 of his last 5 starts, posting a 1.21 ERA over that stretch, and holding batters to a .465 OPS. Masterson has allowed just 1 home run in his last 63.1 ip. • Despite hitting his worst stretch of the season (9.64 ERA while losing his last 2 starts), Humber has turned out to be quite the waiver wire pickup for the White Sox. His loss to the Twins on July 7th was the only time this year he's allowed more than 4 earned runs or failed to go 5 innings. He's been death to righties (.181/.246/.287). Still, he's currently sporting an ERA of ? against the Tribe this year -- his only previous game in 2011 against Cleveland came out of the bullpen in the opening series, when he allowed 2 runs on 2 hits to 2 batters. He has just one career inning pitched against them.

NOTES:
• Jason Kipnis will make his MLB debut for the Indians Friday night. The 24-year-old 2B was hitting .279/.361/.481 at AAA, and was named Cleveland's 2010 Minor League Player of the Year. He'll start at 2B tonight and bat 8th.
• Cleveland will hope that Michael Brantley can pick up where he left off when he returns to the lineup. He's had 8 multi-hit games in his last 11 appearances, batting .412/.434/.471 over that stretch.
• Alex White threw a successful bullpen session today, using his splitter for the first time since his finger injury. Don't expect him back anytime soon, but he could still pitch for Cleveland again this season.
• A frustrated Adam Dunn clarified earlier comments to assure everyone that retirement is not in his plans. Why would it be? He's set to make $45 over the next 3+ seasons, while hitting .158 and leading the league with 124 strikeouts. He's 2-for-64 vs. left-handers this season.
• Juan Pierre is hitting .373 over his last 20 games.
• Gordon Beckham had a 10-game hitting streak snapped in his last game. He hit .395 during the streak, but the power he showed in his rookie season is still nowhere to be found. He's slugging a career low .359.
• The White Sox .988 fielding pct. is tops in the league.

Cleveland is 1-4 in their season series with the White Sox.
4/1 • L • 15-10. Win: Buehrle. Loss: Carmona.
4/2 • L • 8-3. Win: Jackson. Loss: Carrasco.
4/3 • W • 7-1. Win: Masterson. Loss: Danks.
5/18 • L • 1-0. Win: Peavy. Loss: Masterson.
5/19 • L • 8-2. Win: Floyd. Loss: Carmona.

SCOREBOARD WATCH
Tigers at Twins
7/22: Max Scherzer (10-5, 4.53) vs. Brian Duensing (7-7, 4.14)
7/23: Brad Penny (7-6, 4.47) vs. Scott Baker (7-5, 3.01)
7/24: Rick Porcello (9-6, 4.76) vs. Francisco Liriano (6-7, 4.56)

[Hermie13]

Carrera in the leadoff spot...interesting.

[criznit2009]

Carrera in the leadoff spot...interesting.

I like him there but Brantley shouldn't be in the 2 hole - these two guys need to be in the 9th hole and lead-off spot..... Where are Branltey's legs???? Seems so slow lately.

[Bearcatbob]

Hitless wonders.

Bob

[MadThinker88]

Putrid game offensively.

[Bearcatbob]

I think we need to look at our situation realistically. Without Choo and Sizemore - and with LaPorta MIA - this team has been fun but has little chance of holding on. The Tigers have three of the top hitters in the AL - including for some reason Peralta. I simply do not see how we compete. Last night we got shut out by a mediocre R hander.

Carasco gave up 3 runs - run one was too many.

Bottom line - is do not trade the ranch for short term help.

Bottom line 2 - how in the world does a team find itself with so many left handed hitters when the population is so right handed?

Bob

[GeronimoSon]

One mistake pitch.. and that's all she wrote. Carrasco's miss was the same miss he's had all season.. Marson set up on the outer half of the plate and the ball ran back toward the middle of the plate. Other than that, Car-Car was large and in charge...

-Chisenhall made some nice snags of liners hit at him and near him.. the one hot grounder he didn't get to was by him so fast, he didn't even have a chance to react..

-Kipnis swung at some pitches that he'll learn are not to be swung at..otherwise.. his defense was flawless and he did battle at the plate..

-The Carrera/Brantley/Asdrubal top of the lineup was unusual. Getting that group of rabbits at the top of the lineup could spell "manufactured runs" in future games..

Onward to game two of the series...

[Hermie13]

Carrera in the leadoff spot...interesting.

I like him there but Brantley shouldn't be in the 2 hole - these two guys need to be in the 9th hole and lead-off spot..... Where are Branltey's legs???? Seems so slow lately.

I disagree. While I was on Brantley's case earlier (and rightfully so, he was in a major slump), he has been one of our best hitters of late. Since July 1st, he's hitting .333 with a .354 OBP, .781 OPS and 10 RBIs in 17 games. He needs to be near the top and not stuck at the bottom behind the struggling hitters.

Carrera has performed well since his last callup (.360 OBP, small sample though). When Santana or Hafner get a day off, makes sense to have him near the top, will be interesting tonight to see if Acta keeps him up there and drops Santana a spot or if he goes back to Brantley, AC, Hafner, Santana 1-4 with Zeke hitting 9th.

[A.Zajac]

Z. Meisel: No Kipnis tonight for Tribe. Manny Acta said he wouldn't have predetermined amount of playing time, wouldn't always be in lineup against RHP

Sorry, but I find some big problems in this. If you call Kipnis up, you give him the bulk of playing time. Otherwise, you shouldn't have called him up.

[criznit2009]

Bastian: No Kipnis tonight for Tribe. Manny Acta said he wouldn't have predetermined amount of playing time, wouldn't always be in lineup against RHP

Sorry, but I find some big problems in this. If you call Kipnis up, you give him the bulk of playing time. Otherwise, you shouldn't have called him up.

Agreed. This is total BS. I want to see Kipnis almost every single game, Ocab get over it!!! Also that PH for Carrera, nice 1 pitch AB there. That was a poor call by Acta IMO, seriously Ocab is starting to mess this thing up.

[Hermie13]

Z. Meisel: No Kipnis tonight for Tribe. Manny Acta said he wouldn't have predetermined amount of playing time, wouldn't always be in lineup against RHP

Sorry, but I find some big problems in this. If you call Kipnis up, you give him the bulk of playing time. Otherwise, you shouldn't have called him up.

I agree and disagree here. I agree with Acta that he shouldn't be predetermine when Kipnis will play. If he truly thinks Cabrera is the better fit on a certain day then he should start him. We're in the race still, so play the guy you think gives you the best chance to win.

Now....I don't really see how Cabrera gives you that against a righty right now...

[Hermie13]

Agreed. This is total BS. I want to see Kipnis almost every single game, Ocab get over it!!! Also that PH for Carrera, nice 1 pitch AB there. That was a poor call by Acta IMO, seriously Ocab is starting to mess this thing up.

Um, that was actually a very well hit ball. That was a harder hit ball than anything we've seen from Carrera in the bigs so far. it was a good call with the tough lefty up. OC just put it in a bad spot.

[BrianM]

I wasn't happy with Santana being out of the lineup yesterday. If he were really struggling I could see him getting back to back days off, but he's been playing well. With Choo and Sizemore both out of the lineup, he needs to be in there everyday, especially against division opponents.

I also liked the top of the lineup last night, but Im not sure Michael Brantley is much faster than Lou Marson at this point. He looked like he was injured running out that DP ball. Acta will have a lot of options with his lineup in the next few weeks if Kipnis produces. I prefer speed and obp at the top, so id take Zeke over Brantley in the leadoff whole, and either drop Brantley right behind him in the two hole, or push him behind Santana to give him an opportunity to drive in some runs. I like the idea of Zeke>Acab>Hafner>Santana>Brantley>Kipnis because I personally believe are best players should bat 2,3,4 instead of 3,4,5, and I really believe that Brantley's patient approach at the plate and solid contact rate, along with having the protection of Kipnis (Assuming he plays to his ability) beind him, will allow him to thive in the 5 hole and be a very solid run producer in this lineup.


Anyway you look at it, Acta will have a lot of options with his lineup, I just prefer he lets his players get comfortable in a certain spot in the lineup instead of switching them around all the time. Thoughts?

[martyinnewyork]

Just chiming in on OCab's AB last night... he hit it well but the defense made a nice play... no criticism needed on that one!

[Pork Chop Pough]

Since no one seems to have noted it yet...

While the Indians are using the rain out to skip over David Huff and start Justin Masterson today, the White Sox will go with yesterday's scheduled starter, Edwin Jackson. And in case you haven't heard, no Jason Kipnis in today's starting lineup.

[A.Zajac]

OCab... 0-3 2K so far today. Yeah, some matchup.....

[A.Zajac]

Make that 0-4.

[Pork Chop Pough]

Yeah, personally I'd like to get at least two shots there with one out and the tying run at the plate, rather than spot Chicago the automatic out of Orlando Cabrera, but that's just me.

[criznit2009]

If Ocab is going to hit there, why did we call up Kipnis? To learn from Ocabs mistakes??? I don't get it.

[GeronimoSon]

Since no one seems to have noted it yet...

While the Indians are using the rain out to skip over David Huff and start Justin Masterson today, the White Sox will go with yesterday's scheduled starter, Edwin Jackson. And in case you haven't heard, no Jason Kipnis in today's starting lineup.

Not a surprising move for the CWSox.. Edwin Jackson has been much better on the road this year.. and starts the day 8-1 with a 1.70 ERA against the Indians.. In fact.. it's been August of 2007 since the last time the Indians beat Jackson...

A bad day for Zeke the Streak.. picked off.. error allowing two runs..RBI single and watches strike three go by in the 8th inning.. Now, not to put a fine point on it.. This is when Manny needs to have a talk with Zeke.. and put him in the starting lineup against the the tough right handers the Angels will be starting tomorrow and Tuesday...

btw.. I agree with the above.. Kipnis not being in the starting lineup.. was a shame.. he needs to play every day..

[Edible14]

Yeah, personally I'd like to get at least two shots there with one out and the tying run at the plate, rather than spot Chicago the automatic out of Orlando Cabrera, but that's just me.

I was going to post the exact same thing. I know he had that clutch double a week ago, but that's just not playing the percentages.

Don't know why Kipnis is up here. Seems Manny doesn't really want the guy non the roster. If you just want a guy to be a middle IFer off the bench, why not just stick with Valbuena?

[Bearcatbob]

Bottom line - rookies take time. We them to get as much time as they can this year. Phelps cannot be as bad as he showed.

Bob

[jellis]

Bottom line - rookies take time. We them to get as much time as they can this year. Phelps cannot be as bad as he showed.

Bob

thank you, could plus 1 this all day. They need time and patience, which sadly does not happen in play off races

[Hermie13]

Don't know why Kipnis is up here. Seems Manny doesn't really want the guy non the roster. If you just want a guy to be a middle IFer off the bench, why not just stick with Valbuena?

I disagree here. If Acta didn't want Kipnis on the roster, then he wouldn't be on the roster.