Tribe Gets Blanked- More Woes On The Basepaths

The Indians dropped their second in a row to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday afternoon by a score of 1-0. That run, unearned in the seventh as two errors, a walk and a Tony Sipp balk allowed Miguel Tejada to cross the plate was the ultimate demise of the Indians.

It’s tough to believe that Justin Masterson hasn’t won since April 26. Then you look at the run support he has been given and it becomes easily conceivable– just 22 runs during that stretch. Before this latest loss his ERA was 3.18…. And it’s going to go down.

I’m beginning to get a little concerned with the Indians on the basepaths. In the past two days they have made two glaring mistakes, one that probably cost them a chance at tying the game up in the eighth inning. Adam Everett was put in to pinch-run for Travis Hafner after he singled through the right side. Everett advanced to second on a single by Michael Brantley and to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cord Phelps. Then Asdrubal Cabrera hit a hard grounder to third baseman Pablo Sandoval and Everett took off like he was shot out of a cannon. Sandoval fired home, had Everett caught by several miles, and he was eventually tagged out at the plate.

Against the Pirates on June 17, a similar thing happened that resulted in Matt LaPorta going down with an ankle injury. Runner on second, ground ball hit to the shortstop automatically goes. The result? Ronny Cedeno throws to third, gets LaPorta caught in a rundown and he’s tagged out after he falls to the dirt in a heap.

I believe I learned this in Minor League, and it was Tom Dalrymple who I vividly remember telling his players“ Yo! If it’s hit to the left side hold up! Right side we’re rollin’!”

If there’s a runner on second or third and the ball is hit to the left side of the infield, WAIT TILL THEY THROW IT!

Not saying that would have magically turned things around and the offense would start getting hits with runners in scoring position (in which they were 0-for-8) but it could have tied the game.

Game three of the series on Sunday. Fausto takes the hill on national television. Gulp.