We are finally reaching halfway (my wife has muttered things about how long this season is).
Why do we dislike the Marlins? 1997. The Marlins (then the Florida Marlins) defeated Cleveland in an absolute epic 7-game thriller. The series ended in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7 with a dramatic walk-off single by Edgar Renteria. And to remember why we hate it, it was in that inning when Craig Counsell hit a routine, bouncing dribbler to the right side. Cleveland’s second baseman, Tony Fernández, completely biffed it and the ball went right under his glove for a devastating error. That error moved a Marlins runner to third, directly setting up Renteria’s series-winning hit just minutes later.
The Marlins were the fastest expansion team to ever win a World Series at the time (just their fifth season). And two days after their parade, the owner, Wayne Huizenga, claimed the team was losing millions of dollars and ordered management to slash the payroll. Over the next few months, almost every single major star from that World Series team was traded away or let go to save money.
So not only did Cleveland lose to an expansion team, they lost to one who threw away their own team.
No, I’m not still chapped about that.
“But Mika,” you may say. “Isn’t that series also why you hate José Mesa?”
Yes, Mesa is my second most hated closer in all of Cleveland history because he blew the save in that game. We were actually ahead! Two outs from making history! Two outs from breaking the curse! And he fucking let up a single.
(My current hated closer in all of Cleveland history is reserved for Emanuel Clase)
Series Results
It’s good to win the last series before the break. Better to win against the Marlins for both historic Cleveland reasons, and the fact that they’re actually a good team. They’re better than the Guards, but basically because they can hit.
Well the Guards decided to not only hit, but run. Stealing bases is exactly how you bug the catcher and make them muffled plays. And guess what? That’s what happened!
Jason Kipnis is actually a solid color man, and I hope the Guards pick him up to fill in as Hammy is probably retiring in the next ten years. Just playing the odds, folks. Kip talked about how people were giving Bazzana shit for not being a great second baseman. He explained that back when he was a player, there were more MLB calibre players in AAA, jokingly called the 4A players.
Those pros were instrumental in teaching the young guys how to play at an MLB level. There were quality MLB pitchers staying in the minors because it would be a waste to bring them up and have them sit in the Pen. There were hitters who maybe didn’t field well and got kicked down, but could hit forever. That means, a decade ago, Bazzana would have batted against high level pitchers and fielded rockets off the bats of heavy hitters.
Nowadays, the minors are … well … kiddie league. It’s super young. The guys coming up just haven’t handled screaming grounders like they see in the Majors. Of course there’s a gap. But they’re catching up. If you compare Bazzana, Watson, and DeLauter to Haplin, Ingles, or Britto, and there is a difference. The first three are growing every day, and that matters.
Speaking of, Cooper Ingles was sent back to Columbus and Petey Halpin came back up. So that experiment didn’t go well. Poor Cooper. He just wasn’t ready mentally.
Game Results
Game 1 (97) – WON
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| MIA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
- Messick had a no-no (no hitters, no one on base) until the 6th.
- DeLauter’s two run homer really made this work. He’s in a tear since his return,
- Sabrowski is having a rough go at it, coming off the IL. He hasn’t got the feel for things back.
Game 2 (98) – WON
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| MIA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
- Kwan’s heads up play in the 3rd, faking a throw to home to get the guy at second before the run scored is why he’s a Gold Glove.
- Kwan’s getting his hitting back. In the next inning, he knocked in two runs with a hit up the 3rd base line.
- Our catchers are really getting it done this year.
Game 3 (99) – WON
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| MIA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
- To my delight, we started with Goblin Ball! A walk, a shitty hit, another one, and we got runs in!
- Hunter Gaddis hit a guy and then had the best defensive play of the game.
- Rocchio’s solo shot could only have been better if men were in base.
- Bailey had a beautiful bunt.
Time for a break! I don’t generally watch the All Star Game, especially since it no longer makes any impact. I liked when it decided home team advantage for the World Series.
Post Break, I expect that José and Angel will be back. Halpin will go back down, and probably Watson, unless we trade someone. The other option would be Schneemann or Fry, neither of whom are getting as much playing time right now.
I’m predicting we trade Arias, though. And it’s no secret I don’t like the guy.
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