2010 Indians Game Discussion

[Gimme Some Mo]

Season Opener

Monday, April 5 U.S. Cellular Field | 2:05 PM ET

Indians @ White Sox (Westbrook vs Buehrle)

Scouting Report:
Indians: This is a start nearly two years in the making for Westbrook, who returns from June 2008 Tommy John surgery to front the Tribe's rotation. Westbrook's last big league start was May 28, 2008, against, coincidentally enough, the White Sox. He proved his health in camp, and his velocity is intact, but his ability to command the strike zone was a bit inconsistent. Westbrook, who also started on Opening Day in 2005, is 8-11 with a 4.94 ERA in 27 career appearances against the Sox. He is 5-5 with a 4.46 ERA in 13 career appearances at U.S. Cellular Field.


White Sox: When Mark Buehrle throws his first pitch against the Indians, the left-hander officially will be making his franchise-record eighth Opening Day start. He previously shared the mark with White Sox legend Billy Pierce. Buehrle enters the 2010 campaign on a stretch of nine straight seasons with at least 30 starts made, 200 innings pitched and double-digit victories. During that run, he has finished just two seasons with an ERA over 4.00. Buehrle posted a 13-10 record and a 3.84 ERA last season, which also included the second perfect game hurled by a White Sox pitcher, as well as a Major League record 45 straight batters retired. Buehrle has an 11-14 mark and 4.74 ERA lifetime against the Indians, his lowest win total against any AL Central club, but also has a career 76-46 record at U.S. Cellular Field.

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/new...x.jsp?c_id=cle

Could be a tough opening series going against Buehrle, Peavy, and Floyd.

Here is the depth chart on Indians.com..... http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/tea...x.jsp?c_id=cle

I am interested to see what the lineup looks like. I want Brantley to lead off to slide Sizemore to 3rd or 4th in the lineup, but that isn't going to happen. The 4-6 spots could go in any order with Hafner, Peralta, and LaPorta. The 7-9 spots could also go in any order with Marson, Brantley, and Valbuena. I am not sure whether I would rather have Brantley hit 7th so he might get some extra AB's, or bat him 9th so we can have some speed on the bases when Asdrubal and Grady come up.


Here is the White Sox depth chart: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/team...x.jsp?c_id=cws

They are another team I could see either being terrible or really good. They have a lot of power in that lineup. The rotation looks pretty good and Putz and Jenks are solid at the back end of the bullpen.

[Gunther]

Looks like Grudz will be playing for Valbuena tomorrow. Not a bad deal, IMO, that guy can hit and he's a solid veteran. Here's the lineup per Hoynes Tweet:

hoynsie #Indians lineup: SS Cabrera, CF Sizemore, RF Choo, DH Hafner, 3B Peralta, 1B LaPorta, 2B Grudzielanek,C. Marson,CF Brantley, P Westbrook
half a minute ago via txt

Our lineup could be really potent this season. Opening days in foreign ballparks are tough, but I'd love to see us beat Chi tomorrow.

[Chris]

Just please, please, PLEASE score some runs. Do not start the season hitting .070 w/ RISP like we have the past few years, that is so dreadfully boring I can't take it.

[Gimme Some Mo]

Looks like Grudz will be playing for Valbuena tomorrow. Not a bad deal, IMO, that guy can hit and he's a solid veteran. Here's the lineup per Hoynes Tweet:



Our lineup could be really potent this season. Opening days in foreign ballparks are tough, but I'd love to see us beat Chi tomorrow.

If I can't bat Brantley lead off, that is how I would have the lineup as well. Depending on how fast LaPorta develops and if he starts hitting great, I might move him to 4th and Pronk to 5th to get the Righty, Lefty, Righty thing going in the middle of the order.

[Amherstcavsfan]

If I can't bat Brantley lead off, that is how I would have the lineup as well. Depending on how fast LaPorta develops and if he starts hitting great, I might move him to 4th and Pronk to 5th to get the Righty, Lefty, Righty thing going in the middle of the order.

I'm much more excited that Acta can form a lineup which can sustain a good amount of balance throughout a game.

Notice how he goes player who gets on base then puts a player behind him who can hit. Especially when the lineup turns over.

[Gunther]

If I can't bat Brantley lead off, that is how I would have the lineup as well. Depending on how fast LaPorta develops and if he starts hitting great, I might move him to 4th and Pronk to 5th to get the Righty, Lefty, Righty thing going in the middle of the order.

Yeah, I like the lineup in theory. I guess there is no hurry to have Brantley lead off. With the lineup Acta has, we have speed 9-1-2-3, then power 4-5-6 (although Choo and Sizemore have power as well). Should be fun to watch.

[Chris]

How long is Val out for?

[Gunther]

How long is Val out for?

I'm not really sure. Hoynes reports it as a bruised right hand, so it probably won't be too long for just a bruise. I'm sure they will let it heal completely before he starts playing every day. I've always been a fan of Mark G, and was happy with the signing. I'm looking forward to watching him play.

[b00bie]

Even if Val weren't beat up, Grudzie probably starts anyway with MB on the mound.

Gives him an extra two days.

[Chris]

O sounds like he will be okay then, I actually dug his play last season.

[Gimme Some Mo]

Yeah, I like the lineup in theory. I guess there is no hurry to have Brantley lead off. With the lineup Acta has, we have speed 9-1-2-3, then power 4-5-6 (although Choo and Sizemore have power as well). Should be fun to watch.

There isn't any hurry, and I am alright with him not hitting leadoff, but I just think it puts everyone else where they should be in the lineup if Brantley hit leadoff.

IMO, Cabrera is exactly what a #2 hitter should be, and Grady is the exact opposite of what a #2 hitter should be (besides the speed).

Brantley hitting leadoff allows Cabrera to hit 2nd and Grady to hit 4th (where he should be IMO). This then also slides Hafner to 5th instead of 4th (also where he should be IMO).

I guess I will just wait and see how it goes. I just think a top 5 of Brantley, Asdrubal, Choo, Sizemore, Hafner (in that order), looks better than Asdrubal, Sizemore, Choo, Hafner, Peralta.

More guys on base for Grady, more speed at the top of the lineup. Allows some more steal/hit and run opportunities.

[SixPACK]

Wow I am so excited for the season to start. Like all have been saying we, that lineup can do some damage if we don't leave our damn r.i.s.p. all the time.

Hopefully our offense can get a few early runs on the board to calm Westbrook's nerves down a bit. Would be amazing for moral to come out here and get a W on opening day in a foreign ballpark.

[SixPACK]

I guess I will just wait and see how it goes. I just think a top 5 of Brantley, Asdrubal, Choo, Sizemore, Hafner (in that order), looks better than Asdrubal, Sizemore, Choo, Hafner, Peralta.

I kinda like that too actually. And shit even if the top of the order goes 1,2,3..then you have Grady leadin off in the 2nd anyway, followed by hopefully a rejuvinated Hafner.

[Gunther]

There isn't any hurry, and I am alright with him not hitting leadoff, but I just think it puts everyone else where they should be in the lineup if Brantley hit leadoff.

IMO, Cabrera is exactly what a #2 hitter should be, and Grady is the exact opposite of what a #2 hitter should be (besides the speed).

Brantley hitting leadoff allows Cabrera to hit 2nd and Grady to hit 4th (where he should be IMO). This then also slides Hafner to 5th instead of 4th (also where he should be IMO).

I guess I will just wait and see how it goes. I just think a top 5 of Brantley, Asdrubal, Choo, Sizemore, Hafner (in that order), looks better than Asdrubal, Sizemore, Choo, Hafner, Peralta.

More guys on base for Grady, more speed at the top of the lineup. Allows some more steal/hit and run opportunities.

It's kind of a nice problem to have. Personally, I don't see Sizemore as a cleanup hitter, and especially not if Hafner is back in form again. The other problem is the fact that there would be so many left-handed batters in the top of your proposed lineup. It would be L-S-L-L-L.

If Brantley were to lead off, I could see Cabrera, then Choo, then Hafner, then LaPorta then Sizemore 6th. That would be L-S-L-L-R-L with speed at 1-2-3 and power at 4-5-6. But then that is probably not a great plan if Sizemore is healthy because you'd be taking the bat out of his hands too often. For that reason, I like having Brantley bat 9th right now.

I think Acta has it right on paper. His lineup is S-L-L-L-R-R with a nice chunks of speed followed by nice chunks of power. Let's see if it translates to the field!

[ice cream man]

Hafner will suck.

But since it's opening day in Chicago the final score will probably be 13-11 White Sox.