Live at the Social Deck

7:30 p.m. Just arrived at the Tribe Social Deck, it’s 3-0 White Sox in the top of the second (yeah, I got here late, sue me:) ). Not sure how the Sox scored, but glad to see Mitch Talbot keep up his strong second half performance (I had a couple drinks beforehand. Sarcasm is dripping.). I’m going to keep updating throughout the game, or at least as long as I feel like.

7:31 p.m. Omar Vizquel gets a nice cheer from the sparse crowd at Progressive Field. Bases loaded after Talbot hits Juan Pierre. Why he did that, I do not know.

7:40 Marson throws out Pierre at third for the second out in the inning. It’s 5-0 White Sox, still top of second.

7:43 p.m. Carlos Quentin flies out to Shelly Duncan in left to (mercifully) end the inning. 5-0 Sox. Let’s hope for a comeback.

7:46 p.m. Marte Par-tay at first base tonight.  El Gato lives. He’s at least on life number 7 at this point though. He laces a double to left, and the Indians have a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the second.

7:50 p.m. Just bought a water. The guy was yelling, “How bout the best soda, for the best fans in baseball?” I couldn’t point out to him that he was hawking Pepsi, which is the second best soda, to Indians fans. No comment.

7:51 p.m. Michael Brantley strikes out to strand Marte. Marte will have to wait till next at bat to Par-tay.

7:57 p.m. Mark Kotsay singles to right. Talbot has 57 pitches through 2.2 IP. That bullpen better be ready.

8:06 p.m. Been 9 minutes. Probably should check in. Did you know Omar Vizquel has a .358 OBP this year? Neither did I. Apparently he wants to play another year. And the Indians need a stopgap at third, which he has conveniently learned to play this year. I’d take Omar on a one year dea

8:12 p.m. Mitch Talbot … how did I ever think you were an all-star?

8:16 p.m. Tribe gets out of the inning when Alexi Ramirez grounds into a double play that nearly wasn’t. Asdrubal Cabrera throws the ball wide of the bag but my man Marte makes the tag to get Talbot out of the inning. Doubt Mitch is back for the fifth.

8:20 p.m. Who knew Pronk had power still? Hafner drives the ball to deep center field for a double with nobody out. The man was chugging into second.

8:23 p.m. Jayson Nix must have seen my tweet yesterday. Launches a home run to deep left field just over the Social Deck (a couple rows behind us). 5-2 Sox.

8:28 p.m. And now I have visual confirmation that Lou Marson has been on base. He walked.

8:29 p.m. Anthony Castrovince is now in the Indians Social Deck. No, I’m not geeking out.

8:31 p.m. Why is Mitch Talbot still pitching? 86 pitches with an 0-2 count to Alexi Ramirez.

8:34 p.m. Food run. Be back soon.

8:52 p.m. Back, while I was gone, Andy Marte walked and then the Indians left the bases loaded. Typical. On the plus side, Castrovince interviewed me about the Social Deck, and I’ll have a link as soon as he posts it. Again, I am not geeking out here or anything.

8:53 p.m. Castrovince just took a picture of us at the Social Deck. I put down my chicken tenders for the picture.

8:55 p.m. WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH RIOS??? HE (HIT A HOME RUN)

9:04 p.m. Another feeble inning by the Indians offense. Between innings, the scoreboard shows “Pong Cam” where two people play pong with their hands on the scoreboard. The couple was definitely old enough to remember pong.

9:10 p.m. Runners on first and second, one out, and Justin Germano is on the mound. Prior to Rios’s HR, I’m pretty sure Germano hadn’t given up a run. He looks primed to give up at least one more. Pitching coach Tim Beltcher out to the mound to try to settle him down.

9:14 p.m. Comebacker to the mound by Kotsay. Germano throws to first for the sure out. Then, he’s yanked by manager Manny Acta for The Herrmannator, Frank Herrmann.

9:18 Herrmann nails Gordan Beckham in the fingers. Bases loaded. Beckhamn leaves the game and Brent Lillibridge (who?) in to pinch run.

9:20 p.m. Groundout to Donald at second and the inning is over.

9:22 p.m. Did you know Manny Acta reads blogs???

9:23 p.m. One of the few downsides to the Tribe Social Deck is that the people watching is very limited. While there’s a few people in the deck tonight, we’re all on our computers and phones, tweeting and blogging. Nothing really else to watch, other than that silly game going on in the diamond.

9:27 p.m. I just realized Chris Sale is pitching for the White Sox. He was their first round pick in this year’s draft, and the Indians were considering him with the #5 pick. Doubt he’d be pitching for the Indians already if the Indians had taken him, as the Sox are in a pennant race, but still, I just needed to point that out.

9:30 p.m.  Jayson Nix has just been tossed by the home plate umpire, assuming for arguing balls and strikes, since it was after a strikeout. Manny Acta had to restrain him, and is still talking to the umpire. Luis Valbuena in at third.

9:34 p.m. The umpire is Bill Welke.

9:38 p.m. Mad tweeting going on in the Social Deck. Hit up @cgcalfee, @AmyHarber, or @MatthewLaWell. We’re seriously all tweeting each other and sitting in a five foot radius of one another. Ahh, technology.

9:40 p.m. Marte makes a nice scoop of a bad Luis Valbuena throw. Again, the Indians have a second baseman playing third, and a third baseman playing first. Makes perfect sense.

9:46 p.m. Marte Par-tay at bat. I’d love to catch a HR ball, Andy …

9:47 p.m. Alas, a lazy fly out to the second baseman for Marte. 🙁

9:50 p.m. Marson safe on an otherwise beautiful play by Lillibridge. Unfortunately for the Sox, the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag.

9:51 p.m. Single to right by Brantley. Tribe has runners on the corner with two down in the 8th. Cabrera up to bat.

9:52 p.m. Bobby Jenks in to pitch. Is anyone still reading? (crickets ….)

9:57 p.m. Asdrubal strikes out to end the threat. Herrmann has left the game. My ride is also leaving the game, meaning I must depart. The fact that Sidewindin’ Joe Smith is on to pitch doesn’t hurt my decision. Hopefully you enjoyed my running diary and my musings. Leave a comment if you feel this is something I should do more of.