Travel Day

Sorry, crimestoppers, but real life has kept me from posting regarding the last two games until now. If only I could find some way to get myself paid for doing this. Anyway, today is a travel day for the Tribe, as they come back from a dramatic 2-4 West Coast swing, having split the last two with the Angels.

• Tuesday night the Indians took some measure of revenge for Toriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Hunter's walk-off slam of the night before when Pronk smashed a two-run shot in the top of the 9th off the Angels of Orange County Which is Kinda Close to Los Angeles closer Justin Speier to win 4-3 behind a complete game from Jake Westbrook. This game was notable for an Andy Marte sighting. Marte came in to play the field after Ryan Garko was lifted for a pinch runner, which slid Casey Blake to first base.


• Wednesday afternoon, Paul Byrd thought the early start time meant that he was throwing batting practice instead of pitching in a game that really counted. Age and Treachery could not fool the Angels who teed off on him for 3 homers, including a Denny's signature breakfast from Mike Napoli. The Indians were down 6-nil before they suddenly came to the realization that instead of a good pitcher, they were facing Dusin Moseley, and beat him up for 4 runs in the 6th to at least make the game interesting. That didn't last very long as Jensen Lewis gave up a three-run shut to Vlad the Impaler in the 7th. After that, it was all over but the plunking, as Justin Speier, in a blatant display of poor sportsmanship, hit Pronk on his bad elbow in the 9th inning. We shall see if the Indians have the cojones to return the favor when the Angels of Orange County Which is Kinda Close to Los Angeles come to town later this year.

In other news, even as I write this the Indians are holding a press conference to announce that they have locked up Fausto Carmona to a contract extension guaranteed through 2011 with three club option years that will likely keep Carmona in Cleveland until 2014. Huge. Totally Huge.

Oh, and no more lolcats for the near future. The Motor City Kitties have finally won, to up their record to 1-7.

Mojo Watch:

Mark Shapiro: Fausto Carmona through 2014! Enough said.

Travis Hafner: The game-winning shot off Justin Speier was a huge display of Pronkitude, and perhaps getting hit by Speier in that last at-bat will reawaken the Incredible Pronk.

Age and Treachery: Right now, Paul Byrd, like Michael J. Fox, has got No Elvis.

Jake Westbrook: If the Tribe could have managed more than 1 run off John Danks last week, Westbrook would be sitting at 2-0.

David Dellucci: The left field position is now off the schneid, with Dellucci registering 2 hits to raise his average over the Mendoza line to a smokin' .231.

Jason Michaels: Michaels right now has No Elvis. In order to see his .048 batting average, you need one of these:

Franklin Gutierrez: Since his incredible opening day, Frank the Tank is 1 for 22. He was benched in Anaheim for Jason Michaels - against a right handed pitcher.

Andy Marte Watch:

Game 8:

Mop up duty. Field only, 9th inning no at bat. Started nifty double play.

Game 9:

Pronkitude! Tightrope Saves! Spills, Chills and Thrills Aplenty!

Pronk went yard in the first inning last night to stake the Tribe to a first inning lead for the second night in a row, and the Indians survived another bizarre save by Joe Borowski to hold on to a 6-5 victory over the now not-quite-so-hot-as-they-were Twins.


Grady Sizemore also went deep for the Tribe and Asdrubal Cabrera, Ryan Garko and Jhonny Peralta all came up with big RBIs, as the Tribe extended their AL Central lead to 3.5 games over the Tigers and 7.5 games over the Twins. Last night the Motor City Kitties lost 6-3 to the Royals.

With the Tribe leading 6-3 going into the ninth, Joe Borowski came in and promptly gave up Brian Buscher's first major league home run. After inducing Rondell White to pop up, Borowski gave up a bunt single to Jason Tyner, and then Jason Bartlett hit what looked like an inning-ending double play down the third base line, where Casey Blake, playing on the line to prevent doubles, was hunched over ready to field the ball. Because Joe Borowski was on the mound, however, the ball hit the base and took a crazy hop right through Casey Blake's legs for a double, putting the tying run on second base. After retiring Torii Hunter on a sac fly, Borowski then struck out Justin Morneau looking with a wicked slider on the outside corner and Cleveland was able to breathe again. I'll say it again - Joe Knows Closing.

The game also featured a phenomenal catch by Torii Hunter in centerfield, who robbed Blake of extra bases with a full speed leaping catch, after which he hit the wall hard and laid on the turf for a couple minutes, clearly winded. Nick Punto also made a nice barehanded stop of a bouncer up the middle to get Ryan Garko.

With this win, the Indians have now guaranteed their fourth straight series victory, and have won four in a row and eight of their last twelve. Pronk has a 5 game hit streak and has raised his average to .256.

Mojo Watch
Pronk: Pronk looks like he's coming around.

Indians Bats: The two-out clutch hitting continues.

Indians Pitching: Although neither Westbrook nor Byrd nor Borowski cruised, they are getting the job done, and the Two Raffies (Betancourt and Perez) are locking down opponents.

Indians Overall: No reason to reduce them from 4 Elvi. They're getting the job done, this series against a good team that needed to win to stay in the pennant race. It's nice to see the Indians exposing the Twinkies for the pretenders that they are.

Next up: Santana vs. Sabathia. So far the Indians have managed not to lose to Santana this year. Here's hoping the trend continues.

Cleveland 8, Kansas City 3

Pronkwatch: 1/3, a single, with 2 BB.

Another theory on Pronk's Mojo - Perhaps he has loaned it to Casey Blake, who has been en fuego lately.

Among the people who do not have Pronk's Mojo:

• Chauncey Billups
• Scooter Libby
• The country of Oman
• The Ottawa Senators
• Andrew Speaker
• Stray-Rod
• Daunte Culpepper
• Bjarne Riis

Pronkless at the Denouement

Pronkwatch: 2/4, with 1 RBI. 0K, 0BB. Indians lose to KC 4-3.

The good news: Mark Teahen got to feel the power of Pronk's Mojo, as a mighty shot of Pronkitude caused Teahen to misplay a fly ball to right field into an RBI double for Pronk as Kelly Shoppach scored the Indians first run in the 6th.

The bad news: After singling in the 8th to load the bases, Pronk, representing the tying run, was lifted for pinch-runner Franklin Gutierrez. Alas, Gutierrez did not score that inning, and the move had dire consequences, as Gutierrez came up in the ninth with the game on the line and the tying run at third base and the winning run at second base. Gutierrez grounded out weakly to short, ending the game. What would Pronk have done? We'll never know.

Gutierrez Grabs Slice of Pronk Mojo

Pronkwatch: 0 for 4, 3Ks

The good news: CC Sabathia outdueled Jorge de la Rosa for a 1-0 Tribe victory. Gutierrez grabbed a small slice of the Freefloating Pronk Mojo to club one over the left field wall for the only run of the game.

The bad news: a very unPronklike performance from our man Travis, who went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts.

Even if LeBron and the Cavs still have some of Pronk's shared Mojo, there should be enough left for him to pound Jorge de la Rosa. Clearly, something else, something diabolical is at work. It is up to TribeNation to keep up the vigilance to help Pronk regain his Pronkitude.

Keep looking. It could be under a rock. It could be at the Applebee's in Westlake. It could be at a rest area on I-77. Some of it might be in San Antonio. Regardless, Pronk needs to recover his full Mojo very soon.

Weekend Pronkitude

Pronkwatch:

Friday, June 1: 0/3, 2 runs, 2 BB
Saturday, June 2: 2/4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1BB, 2K
Sunday, June 3: 0/3, 1BB, 2K

The spirit of Pronk was very evident all weekend of Cleveland, even if Pronk himself was only using a limited portion of his mojo. The comeback win on Friday night was helped by a 9th inning Pronk free pass, and while the Indians lost the next two games, Pronk went 2 for 4 on Saturday with another walk. Sunday, well, the team, clearly fatigued, ran into the buzzsaw named Jeremy Bonderman, who is either very good or very bad against the Tribe. This time, he was very good. The Tribe gets a free day today knowing they are 2.5 games up on the Motor City Kitties.

And speaking of the Motor City, the free ranging Pronk Mojo was fully in evidence Saturday night. The Cavaliers made good use of the Pronk Mojo that was lent to them to Beat Detroit at the Q. This time, it was Daniel Gibson who made full use of the Pronk Mojo to clog up the Pistons.

With the Cavaliers putting the Pronk Mojo to good use, it is entirely possible that it may take another couple weeks to see the Full Pronk back at the ballpark. Most of Cleveland will accept that tradeoff, as long as the rest of the team keeps hitting.

Note: my wife and I were in Cleveland this last weekend at the Saturday game, and without Internet access - hence the full weeked Pronkwatch summary. Downtown Cleveland was crazy after the Cavs game.

Pronk Knows How to Beat Michigan

Like Jim Tressel, Pronk knows how to Beat Michigan, or at least he did last night, going 2 for 3 with a monster two-run homer and a two-run single. In addition, he padded his league-leading walk totals, being allowed to trot leisurely to first base twice by the umpiring staff.

Pronk appears to be regaining Pronkitude, and it's thanks to you. You cannot slack off now.

If Woody were still here he would ask "What are you doing today to help Pronk Beat Michigan?"

And, by the way, LeBron knows a little bit about what it takes to Beat Michigan, too.

Pronk Still Needs You!

Pronkwatch: Yesterday (5/30, v. Red Sox) 3 for 5, 2 RBI, with 2 doubles.

Pronk made a big stride forward yesterday, and your positive energy helped. But it's just one day, and until Pronk makes an extended display of continual Pronkitude, we cannot assume that he is fully back.

Woody Hayes used to ask his team, "What have you done today to beat Michigan?" With the series with the Tigers starting tonight, I ask you, "What have you done today to help Pronk beat Michigan?"

Pronk is counting on you.