Saturday, October 13, 2007

More Links Than a Sausage Factory


Before we link articles of the carnage that was Game One, here are some MTAC SIDE NOTES:

1. I've had a night to sleep on it. No need to panic, its only one game. If Fausto Carmona comes out tonight and dominates the way he can, the Tribe will come out of Boston with a split and be in prime position coming home to Cleveland for three games.

2. Franklyn Gutierrez is really struggling at the later. He hasn't been able to touch a breaking pitch over the past week and a half. Josh Beckett made him look silly at the plate again last night. As much as I don't want to say it, I bet Eric Wedge goes with former Red Sox great Trot Nixon in Right tonight to try to catch lightning in a bottle. The problem is the way the Red Sox hitters go the other way, it could become an adventure for the statue Trot has become in the field.

3. Should we be worried about C.C.? He hasn't been the same guy we saw all season in his two postseason starts. He is having trouble spotting his off speed stuff and he isn't challenging guys the way he can. Said Sabathia: "I wasn't throwing a lot of strikes. I wasn't challenging guys. That's what happens."

4. On the subject of C.C., Manny Ramirez owns him, and he pitched like it. Ramirez entered the game hitting .571 (12-for-21) against Sabathia. He went 2-for-2. C.C. grooved a 1-2 pitch right down the middle in the first for an RBI single. In his next AB with the bases loaded, he had Manny down 0-2 and then threw four straight breaking pitches out of the strike zone.

5. I hated the Indians approach at the plate last night. All year long, Wedge and hitting coach Derek Shelton have preached patience, yet for some reason, they were wildly swinging at first pitches all night. Ryan Garko, Kenny Lofton, Jhonny Peralta, and Victor Martinez were all offenders.

6. The only good thing that can be taken away from last night was that Rafael Betancourt and Rafael Perez didn't pitch and will be fresh for tonight.

7. Prediction for Game Two: Fausto pitches a gem into the seventh. Perez shuts down Big Papi in a big spot late. The Realtor does the same to Manny. Tribe gets just enough offense to win it 4-2.

LINKS:

Hyped-Up Sabathia's Wild and Crazy Outing a Huge Dissapointment - Patrick McManamon, Akron Beacon-Journal

Indians Missing one of two Aces up Their Sleeve - Bud Shaw, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Carmona's Job Just Got Harder - Terry Pluto, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Indians Getting Much Less than Sabathia's Best - Jim Caple, espn.com

Carmona's Job: Make Boston Hitters Uncomfotable - Howard Bryant, espn.com

Big Game Beckett Strikes Again - Jackie Macmullan, Boston Globe

Sox Put a Chill on Indians in Opener - Dan Shaughnessey, Boston Globe

Sox Have Most Dangerous Weapon - Tony Massarotti, Boston Herald

Red Sox Superstars Play Their Part - Ken Rosenthal, foxsports.com

What's Next, Wedgies? BoSox Bullies Impose Will on Cleveland - Scott Miller, cbssportsline.com

Taste of the Ace - Tom Verducci, si.com

Carmona's Law - Melissa Segura, si.com

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