Monday, April 12, 2010

Indians PItcher Kerry Wood

You have to wonder why the Indians would spend what little free agent money they had last year on Kerry Wood. It didn't make much sense to think that a group of has-beens, never were's and never gonna be's could get enough games to the late innings with an Indians lead for him to save.

Now that he is injured, there really doesn't seem to be much difference. The team still blows the games late. Somebody has to win the close games, but it doesn't seem like it will be the Tribe very often. The big bucks they paid to him wouldn't have helped the team much anyway.

He won't put anybody in the seats, either, since no one knows when he's goint to get into the game. At least fans would turn out when Cliff Lee was pitching.

On a funny note, I would following the game on Yahoo Sports and they have pictures of the players as they come to bat. Ryan Garko was still wearing his Indians hat. Players move around quickly these days.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Why Cold Weather Baseball Teams Lose

The Tribe played it's first 6 games on the road, and they will be on the Road for 15 or their first 21. Yes, it will help attendance in that more games will be played in warmer weather, but since away teams have a worse record, it is going to make it more likely that they have a poorer record when they play all those games at home.

Which, as things work, means they are going to have poorer attendance, since fewer fans go to teams with lousy records. It is possible to overcome that, but with this teams prospects (and I mean that in two ways) it isn't likely.

2-4 in those first 6 games, and they have lost in different ways, bad starting pitching, a poor bullpen, and no hitting.

The Indians are now 2-3

The bats have been mostly silent, no consistency throughout the line-up. I suppose that's to be expected with some very young players mixed in.

Pitching has done reasonably well, but it is early and cold, and when the bats warm up, we will see how these guys do. Pretty much what was expected from the team at this point.