Tribe Update

I really liked the way we had been playing before the whole snowout debacle of last weekend. I went to the game in Chicago last Thursday, and even though we lost I was impressed with the way we worked pitchers, controlled the running game, and did a lot of the things we failed to do last season.

(Lets just say I was not impressed with US Cellular. Terrible sightlines with pillars blocking the view to the field, belligerent, AJ Pierzynski-loving South Siders, and an organ player infatuated with Gwen Stefani and Fall Out Boy made it a experience to forget.)

Anyway, the next day I got on a bus back home to Cleveland expecting to take in the game on Saturday at the Jake. When I heard about the opener being cancelled I was actually thrilled, because that meant I had an opportunity to witness live a rare Opening Day doubleheader. Of course that didn't happen on Saturday, Sunday or even Monday, but by that point I was back in Chicago anyway. I felt cheated. So when I heard that the Indians had made the genius move to shift the Angels series to Miller Park, I felt like I had a final chance at redemption. Mere hours later I was off to Milwaukee.

(Miller Park was a very impressive stadium, but its hard to talk about that game without mentioning the Brewers' single greatest mistake; they grossly miscalculated the amount of fans who would show up and consequently didn't staff enough concessions workers or order enough food. I don't think anyone waited in a concession line for less than 40 minutes. I waited 45 for three brats, and then had to walk halfway around the stadium just looking for some ketchup. 10 dollar tickets were great, but it still would have been nice to not miss 4 innings of the game in line.)

I came to the game expecting anything. The whole situation was so surreal, a mix of Indians, Brewers, Angels, Blue Jays, Cubs and White Sox fans had all driven up to take in the game. Our cabbie said that the traffic getting into the park was worse than the last two Brewers games; this was certainly not what David Dellucci imagined when he predicted there would be less fans here than at little league games. In this kind of atmosphere, after such a long layoff, it was tough to imagine how the Indians couldn't have lost their momentum, their edge, and their focus.

Not with this team.

The Indians came out of the gates strong, doing the same things they had done in the Chicago series: be patient on offense, play strong defense, and pay attention to runners. Josh Barfield in particular made a great play getting to a rocket ground ball and turning two at a point in the game where the Angels were really threatening. Kelly Shoppach gunned down a stealing Erick Aybar to end the game, and everyone went home happy. Momentum preserved.

Now we're 5-3 and coming up on the rubber match with the Sox at Jacobs Field. Pending the weather, CC is up again against Jose Contreras, who the Tribe lit up on opening day. A win to end the homestand would be huge as we begin an 8 game road trip starting in Yankee Stadium.
Lets Go Pronk.

(More on Westbrook's new contract and the implications of the Seattle snowout later)