MVN - Most Valuable Network

Masa Kobayashi shows his mah-bles in Tribe’s 4-2 victory

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Oakland	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		2	8	0
CLEVELAND	1	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	X		4	9	1
W: Aaron Laffey (2-2), L: Greg Smith (2-3) S: Masa Kobayashi (2) HR: CLE: Jhonny Peralta (7)

Aaron Laffey gave up an unearned run in seven innings, and Masa Kobayashi bailed out Rafael Betancourt, as the Cleveland Indians completed their sweep of the Oakland A’s with an impressive 4-2 victory in an afternoon game at Progressive Field.

Masa Kobayashi walked into the game in the ninth inning in a bit of a jam. Interim closer Rafael Betancourt, who has not only inherited the closer role from Joe Borowski, but also seemingly added on Borowski’s ERA to his own, had loaded the bases with two one-out singles, and a one-out walk. Eric Wedge immediately brought in the hook, and Kobayashi was given a shot to close the game. It started out a bit rough for the former Japanese closing phenom.

Kobayashi started with a 2-0 count on Mike Sweeney, then threw a wild pitch past Kelly Shoppach that Sweeney swung at, to allow a runner to score, and the runners on first and second to advance, making the score 4-2 in favor of the Tribe. Then, with the tying run on second, Kobayashi went to work. He worked the count to 3-2, then threw a wicked slider to the outside of the plate that Mike Sweeney could only fling his bat at. He tipped it, right into Shoppach’s glove for a strikeout, the second out of the inning.

Ryan Sweeney came up next, and Kobayashi jumped ahead in the count, 1-2, before throwing another viscious slider to the inside of the plate that Ryan Sweeney had no shot at. The strikeout ended the game, and the inning, and more than likely put Kobayashi permanently on the Indians’ map as a new cult hero, and newest problem to Joe Borowski’s return.

Kobayashi showed a bit of tenacity, pumping his fist pretty adamantly after both K’s. He obviously has a closer’s mentality. You can pretty much bet that as long as Kobayashi is around from this point on, there will be a closer’s controversy. At least until he blows one, or is just given the job. I’m looking forward to an entire section in Cleveland wearing traditional Japanese samurai garb.

I gotta give it to the fans here at Tribe Report for making the call. Masa Kobayashi just might be what the doctor ordered in regards to the closer role. Now, we just need to figure out how to get him to run down the line yelling MAH-BLES.

Aaron Laffey broke the Indians’ starters’ scoreless inning streak in the top of the second inning this afternoon, when he rushed a throw on a slap-grounder, and it went into right field. Bobby Crosby hustled home from second. It was the only run that Laffey would give up in another outstanding start from the young lefty. Laffey went seven innings, giving up five hits and the unearned run, walking only one, and striking out six.

In Laffey’s four starts, this season, he has gone seven innings in his last three games, and has lowered his ERA to a pretty impressive 1.35 (of course, with Cliff Lee on this team, his 1.35 sounds downright Joe Borowski-ish). With Jake Westbrook rolling out his rehab assignment starting on Saturday, Mark Shapiro must be racking his brain trying to figure out a way to keep the hot pitchers up and around. Really, how do you send Laffey down to the minors?

Maybe an idea bantered around here earlier in the season by a couple of readers would make a bit of sense. Might the Indians consider a six-man rotation? If you have six guys throwing as well as it appears the Indians are doing, there could be some merit into it. Of course, there are stats that suggest a pitcher doesn’t get enough work every sixth day, especially with days off, but with every starter pitching like an ace, it has to be something that will be discussed by Eric Wedge and his staff. With Jeremy Sowers being called up today, keeping Laffey becomes a possibility. Watch Sowers throw a no-hitter, or something else ridiculous (please?). Then what do you do? Add Shin-Soo Choo, who is working out the kinks in a rehab assignment, and you have one heck of a mixed-up web. Why couldn’t we have had this pitching in the 90’s?

A deal is more than likely on the horizon.

Pssst, the Indians’ starters haven’t given up an earned run in over 50 innings. Yeah, yeah, when they give up a run, I’ll figure out some other streak.

Cleveland did score four runs today, which for the Tribe, must seem like a 10 run day. Ryan Garko hit a run-scoring double in the first inning, scoring Jhonny Peralta who had singled, to give the Indians their short-lived 1-0 lead. It was offset by Laffey’s wild throw in the second. Cleveland jumped on Oakland starter Greg Best in the third inning, after he beaned Grady Sizemore to lead off the inning. Jhonny Peralta followed with a walk, and Ben Francisco made them pay with a single that scored Sizemore. Ryan Garko flied out for the second out, then Travis Hafner hit another run-scoring single, scoring Peralta. Cleveland was up 3-1.

Peralta completed his fantastic day with a lead-off homer in the Indians’ seventh inning, to end the scoring at 4-2.

Cleveland hitters only struck out 11 times! Yeah!

Travis Hafner is recreating himself into a singles-hitting, walk-drawing speed demon. Don’t believe me? His fifth inning stolen base is going to become a trend. Hafner will continue to lose weight, and completely transform from Jim Thome to Kenny Lofton. Look for Hafner to move to an outfield position soon with his newfound speed, and answer the call for a corner outfielder. Hell, maybe he can lead off, and allow Sizemore to bat down in the order. Peralta, with his stolen base today, and Hafner just might become the speediest 1-2 duo in the league.

Cleveland heads to freakin’ Cincinnati for our “natural rival.” That makes me want to freakin’ puke. Jeremy Sowers goes up against Johnny Cueto.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 15th, 2008 at 8:52 pm and is filed under Oakland A's, Mike Sweeney, Ben Francisco, Eric Wedge, Aaron Laffey, Greg Smith, Mark Shapiro, Progressive Field, Ryan Sweeney, Masa Kobayashi, Shin-Soo Choo, Cliff Lee, Rafael Betancourt, Kenny Lofton, Cleveland Indians, Joe Borowski, Cincinnati Reds, Jhonny Peralta, Bobby Crosby, Jim Thome, Kelly Shoppach, Travis Hafner, Jeremy Sowers, Ryan Garko. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.