Moohead Radio

How can David DeJesus overrun the bag at second while Gaithwright is lollygagging home with the tying run? Ask the Royals.

Betancourt throws inside and gets whacked, Cliff Lee struggles, but it was the long ball that saved us. That, and the bumbling Royals, now losers of 12 straight.

Of course, the lowly Tribe was not without its own baserunning mishaps. Ask speed merchant Asdrubal Cabrera, who celebrated his weekly hit by running himself off the bases. Or an inning where 4 hits and a home run managed only 2 runs.

All in all, you have to win a few. Eric Wedge is regressing to his vagrant unshaven look, as his team tumbles merrily out of contention.

Like a rat in a maze, the Indians are now trying previously failed strategies. Case in point: Eduard Mujica. Here’s a guy who hasn’t done squat since we sent him to AAA last year. Why is he back? Because Jensen Lewis is gone, and one good favor deserves another.

I guess failing at AAA is a sure fire way to make it to Cleveland. Others, like Michael Aubrey skip AAA altogether. Others, like Josh Barfield are doomed to remain there.

Then there’s Elarton. Long relief? I guess. I’d prefer an real relief guy. Like Eduard Mujica.

7 losses in a row, and Wedge’s twitch is reaching legendary proportions. Last night he was jerking faster than Ron Jeremy as a teenager.

Nobody believes that Mujica is an answer to these problems. It’s obvious, once again, that Shapiro/Wedge simply have no answers. Just put 9 out there and hope that the wind changes direction.

I have arrived in one piece. A sirloin. Zen must be shitting himself uncontrollably. More than 70 points from the Big 3 and they still lose. Ouch. Where’d the defense go?

Now…one for the road…please?

Eric Wedge:

“I don’t think these guys are happy, and I don’t think they should be. This is when you have to be tough. This is when you have to stand up and take it.”

Paul Byrd:

“We want to do better. We know we’re a better team than we’ve showed. But you don’t get better by pressing and panicking and trying to do too much. That’s what I did tonight.”

Victor Martinez:

Martinez, who has yet to homer this season, flied out to center field for the second out. Martinez slammed his helmet in frustration on his way to the dugout. After he entered the dugout, Martinez kicked a hole through a plastic barrel holding sunflower seeds. Bags of seeds went flying across the dugout floor.

Jorge Julio:

Martinez engaged in an animated conversation with reliever Jorge Julio on the mound in the sixth during Chicago’s game-winning five-run rally. Julio appeared to be upset after relieving Paul Byrd, giving up a RBI double to Joe Crede and intentionally walking Nick Swisher to load the bases. Martinez went to the mound and gestured with his hands to Julio.

Wedge’s explanation?

“I don’t know what was going on,” Wedge said. “I don’t think they were on the same page. I think Jorge was frustrated after giving up the double [to Crede]. Then we had to walk Swisher.”

Well Eric…you better figure out what’s going on. And it better be more comprehensive than “toughing it out”.

BTW: Franklin Gutierrez is the new whipping boy along with Ryan Garko. Here’s what Wedge says about Gutierrez:

Right fielder Franklin Gutierrez, counting Wednesday, has missed five straight starts. What happened to him?
“Ben Francisco happened to him,” said manager Eric Wedge. “Benny has come up and swung the bat well and taken some time away from him.”

Just 10 days ago, Wedge said that Francisco would NOT be a regular everyday player. In last night’s game, Wedge refused to pinch hit Gutierrez against a lefty, opting instead to let Dellucci hit against the lefty. Why?

“Right handers were hitting .152 (5-for-33) against Thornton,” said Wedge. “Dellucci was 2-for-4 with a homer. I know David hasn’t done much against lefties. But with history like that, and such drastic splits (batting averages by lefties and righties againt specific pitchers), I felt like staying with David right there.”

A strategy based on 4 career at bats. That’s percentage baseball.