"That Ball Is History" - Bob Carpenter

"That ball is history" is the phrase Bob Carpenter, announcer for the Washington Nationals on MASN, used to call the record breaking home run, number 756. Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record in the bottom of the 5th inning with one out of the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants game. Mike Bacsik, whose father pitched against Bond's All-Star father, is the pitcher who will go in the record books as the one who pitched the ball that passed Hank Aaron.

Bacsik threw two balls and a called strike before Bonds made contact with the ball. Bonds then fouled one off, took another ball and hit one more foul before he crushed the ball into a lucky man's hands. It was clear from the crack of the bat that the ball was destined to go over the wall. Mike Bacsik, who earlier had stated it wouldn't be a "horrible thing" to be that guy, lowered his head and put his left hand on the back of his hat as ball sailed through air. As Bonds rounded the bases, his family made their way to the field and the Giants' dugout cleared. Hank Aaron's message aired on the screen, in which he passed the torch to Bonds and hoped that this would inspire others to chase their dreams.

Following the ceremony, Bacsik came back to get the final two outs of the 5th inning.
Regardless of the controversy surrounding the potential use of performance-enhancing drugs, it is clear that Bonds is a talented athlete who could not have gotten to this point without natural ability and hard work. The circumstances surrounding the record are unfortunate, but perhaps, for just a moment, everyone can take a step back and appreciate what this moment means to baseball.

AP Photo Credit: Ben Margot

Tangle with the Twins

As the Tribe gears up for a weekend series with the Twins, I want to take this time to remind everyone to keep the victims and their friends and family in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Although the Twins breifly contimplated postponing their game on Wed. night and possibly changing this series with the Indians, they have decided to continue their homestand as scheduled.

Tonight's pitching matchup will feature a battle of the lefties, the 13-6 C.C. Sabathia vs. the 11-8 Johan Santana. While C.C. will be working for his 14th win, the Tribe's offense will have to step against the often superb Santana. The Fan Forcast for the evening is 47% Indians and 53% Twins.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRADY

Happy Birthday to #24, the All-Star center fielder, Grady Sizemore!!! He turns 25 today. So far, he has driven in the only run of the game!!

2005...Anyone

Tribe fans will remember the second half (of the month of September) meltdown that kept the Tribe watching TV in October instead of taking the field in 2005. Although I've made comparison's between this squad and the comeback kids of 1995 and 1997, this team is starting to make me nervous and remind me of 2005. Inexperience and jitters aren't going to cut it this time though. These guys, although very young, have several things they didn't in 2005. They have seasoned vets in Trot Nixon and Kenny Lofton and experienced players all over the field.

The past 5 days have proved rather unkind to the Tribe as they have dropped 4 straight heading into tonight's game with the Rangers. Quiet bats combined with inconsistent pitching are to blame for the latest woes. It seems that when the pitching is spot on, our offense can't seem to get into a groove. There seems to be a jinx on players who have signed big contract extensions this season. Westbrook, who will take the ball tonight, is only 1-6 and suffered an injury that has set him back since signing his 3 year extension with Cleveland. Travis Hafner is also experiencing trouble that has lasted throughout the season but has been exacerbated in the past few days. He is batting an abysmal .132 in the past 9 days. For CC and the Tribe's sake, I hope that he doesn't get re-signed until the offseason!

Although this is a rather negative post, I am a true Cleveland fan and will always believe that they can make the most of the remaining season and get the job done. However, being a Cleveland fan also means that we are in for a roller coaster ride and we'll have to hold our breath until the last out that launches us into October.

Lofty return for Kenny

Kenny Lofton's third time around with the Cleveland Indians began with 3 hits and a pie in the face on route to the Tribe's 10-4 victor over AL Central rivals, the Twins. Lofton, who stated that he has always felt at home in Cleveland proved that he still has some kick left. Regardless of Lofton's production levels, I know that Indians fans around the country are certainly glad to see Kenny back in a Cleveland uniform. He will provide invaluable experience to this young team and he can let these guys know what it was like to dominate the division in the early 1990s.



Paul Byrd earned another win this evening, allowing 10 hits and 4 runs. With so much inconsistency surrounding Cliff Lee (who was optioned to the minors today) and Jake Westbrook, it is certainly nice to know that Paul can go out and pitch 7 solid innings on any given night. I was also glad to see him earn a win considering his excellent game he pitched in Toronto that ended in a 1-0 loss.

Trade Deadlines Near

As the July 31st trade deadline nears, many fans around the MLB are wondering what is going to happen to their favorite players. Eric Wedge has stated several times that the Tribe is working aggressively on filling in their roster.

The Washington Nationals, a team that reminds me quite of bit of the Indians during their rebuilding phase, are also in the heat of negotiations. Recently, two of my Nats blogger friends interviewed some Mets fans to get a little insight on some trade rumors. Check out their interview here: http://wevegotheart.blogspot.com/

Potter Craze Hits Tribe

Like the rest of the world, Ryan Garko, the Tribe's first baseman, is caught up in the Harry Potter craze. He is working his way through the book, but he is only on page 100 as of tonight. Having already finished the book, I will not spoil the ending for Ryan or anyone else. So if you see Ryan at the Jake or around Cleveland...keep quiet!



While Ryan may be caught up in Harry Potter, fans are caught up in his 17 game hitting streak that we certainly hope continues. Not only does our offense need Garko's power, but it is certainly nice to see a guy who isn't necessarily that well known earn some recognition. Keep up the good work Ryan and keep reading!

Former Indian Signs with Nationals

Former Cleveland Indian, Ronnie Belliard, was awarded a 2 year contract extension for 3.5 million dollars. Belliard has had a terrific season with the Nationals and has recently taken over the starting job at 2B while Guzman recovers from an injury. In a recent interview, Ronnie was questioned about his unique style of play in the field. He responded that he was not allowed to play back in the grass while in Milwaukee, but credits the Indians for allowing him to return to his style of play. Belliard is a great player who is really taking advantage of his chance to shine with the 3rd best batting average for the Nationals.

Rumors Hurt

As the summer heats up and the rumor mills churn heavily in both the MLB and NBA, I'd like to take a few minutes to talk about some of the current rumors concerning the Cavs. From what I've seen on Yahoo! sports, the Cavs are deep in talks with Mike Bibby of the Sacramento Kings. The possible trade would almost definitely involve Drew Gooden and probably Damon Jones as well.

I understand that trades are necessary to improve the team and make us a real championship contender for years to come, but it always hard to watch someone who we have rooted for move on to another team. I personally have always thought that Drew Gooden was a key player for the Cavs, despite his sometimes tumultuous performances in the playoffs. He plays hard every day and he brings an intangible to the Cavs and I am not confident Mike Bibby will bring.

On a happier note, it looks as though Anderson Varajeo will remain with the Cavs. I truly believe that if the Cavs can harness his energy and make it work for them, that Anderson could easily be one of the best and most intense players in the NBA. It would for sure be a mistake for the Cavaliers to let this man go.

LOT$ MORE PRONK

Travis Hafner has agreed to a $57 million dollar contract extension, which means that he will be a member of the Tribe through 2012 with an option for 2013. Although much has been made of his season long slump, Hafner's numbers are far from horrible. He is currently tied with teammate Jhonny Peralta for 13th in the AL with 14 home runs and he's in 11th with 57 RBI's. Hafner has proven that he can come through for the Tribe in clutch situations, so there is no need to dwell on his current batting troubles. As a matter of fact, Hafner was starting to look like the Pronk of 2006 just before the All-Star break.


Now that the Indians have reached a deal with both Jake Westbrook and Pronk, they can turn their attention to the all important C.C. Sabathia.

A Much Needed Break

Congratulations to our own CC Sabathia, Grady Sizemore and Victor Martinez on their selections to the 2007 All-Star team! While these three men will spend the break in San Fran playing, the rest of the Indians will enjoy a much needed break. They have struggled to put together a complete game in the last week, but have shown glimpses of excellence. Paul Byrd pitched a fabulous game today, despite the defensive miscommunication that occurred to allow a double. He put together his longest outing of the season and did not walk a batter in 8.1 innings. Thus far the Indians have played beyond expectation and shown that deserve to be #1 in the AL Central. Perhaps the thing most lacking in this first half has been consistency. Several times throughout the season we'll see them go on a 5 or 6 game winning streak, only to lose the next 4 out of 7. When they return from the break they will also need to work on putting together a complete game. It seems that when our pitching is spot on (like today), our bats are silent. A trait of the Cleveland Indians has often been our offensive power and we need to ensure that returns following the break in order to avoid another situation like 2005.

With that said, congratulations again on a spectacular first half and to CC, Grady and Victor!

Makin' Friends With 'Shorty'

Tonight I went to the Nats/Tigers game and unfortunately the Tigers were able to pull out a win. If it wasn't for the big 6th inning they had, the Tigers would have likely lost the game, giving my beloved Tribe a 1 game lead in baseball's toughest division, the AL Central. Perhaps the highlight of the game for me was watched Jimmy-boy put Gary Shefield out to pinch hit and he hit a pop fly!

As always, I had one eye on the game in front of me and one eye on the scoreboard that flashes the scores from around the League. Way to go Indians offense! That 8 run inning was amazing and I enjoyed sharing our progress with the Tiger fans around me. I also want to congratulate CC Sabathia on earning his 10th win. He is only the third pitcher in the AL to reach 10 wins and he is just the 2nd pitcher in Tribe history to earn at least 10 wins in 7 consecutive seasons! Keep up the good work!

As you know, the Tribe is making a trip to Washington, DC after a 36 year absence. I, for one, couldn't be more excited to watch my hometown team take on my new hometown team. Of course I will be there in my Victor Martinez jersey with my favorite red Indians hat cheering on my boys of summer. If you've ever been to a game at the Jake, you know that getting into the section by the Indians dugout a near impossibility unless you are lucky enough to have tickets in that section. Fortunately, RFK doesn't have these rules and anyone is allowed to try to get autographs until 10 minutes before the first pitch. I have big plans to get the whole team's signatures. Also, with the help of 2 devoted Nats fans, I was able to scope out where the Tribe will be exiting RFK. One of the security guards, who goes by 'Shorty' was chatting it up with us as we waited for the players tonight and even took one lucky Tigers fan to get autographs. Seeing this, I quickly made friends with 'Shorty' and will hopefully be lucky enough to get the Tribe's autographs after their games this weekend. I couldn't be more excited for my teams trip to my new town!!

GOOOO TRIBE!

Opening Day 2007: A Day To Remember

Last year a good friend and I were lucky enough to score AMAZING tickets to the Indians home opener vs. the Twins. I had never been to a home opener, and I have to say that feeling is different than any other game of the year. It is now my goal to make it to Cleveland for every home opener regardless of my geographic location. However, just one year after I set my goal, Mother Nature (or as I like to call her, Mother Nay) decided to test my dedication. The same friend and I got our tickets the day they came out and for months we had a countdown until Opening Day. We couldn't have been more excited...and then the day came.

Good Friday, 2007. You have undoubtedly heard the story of Cleveland's home opener by now...snow, blizzard, 20 degree temperatures...you get the picture. Earlier that week my friend and I decided we were going to be there no matter what, so when the day came we bundled up and took off. When I say we bundled up, I mean I had 3 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of socks and 1 pair of oober warm boots on. On top, I had a tank top, underarmer, long sleeve shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, long underwear, t-shirt, crew neck sweatshirt, hooded sweatshirt and a winter jacket on. We were soooooooo sure the cold wasn't going to get us. We got within 5 minutes of the stadium and we realized how wrong we were. It was that good ol' Lake Erie wind that chills your bones. So the game was delayed literally seconds after we got into the park so we were forced to wait it out in the cold. Finally play began and after 4 hours of frigid stop and go action, the Tribe was leading in the top of the 5th with 2 outs and a 1-2 count on the Mariners batter. Then that blasted Mike Hargrove comes flying out of his dugout. Why the ump didn't toss his ass back in the dugout and get that one pitch is beyond be and the other 30,000+ people in attendance, but Hargrove successfully stalled the game. So finally after another 1.5 hours of sitting in the women's bathroom waiting for play to resume (there was no way we were leaving) the game was called. I wish I were kidding about this next part but I'm not: the field looked better minutes after they called the game than it did the whole time the team was playing.

Regardless of how cold it was or the fact that I nearly got frost bite on my nose, the game was 200% worth going to see. It will become one of those that people will ask if you were there for years to come and I can proudly say that I was there!!

Thanks For Joining Us Cliff!

In a much needed solid win, Cliff Lee finally looks like he has calmed down and is back. After battling a frustrating injury that halted the start of Lee's season until May, he finally looks like the pitcher I remember from previous years. Lee has struggled all season with inconsistency. Although he pitched a gem in mid-May and the fell back on his old ways, I believe he's going to be able to control his nerves after keeping the NL's best offensive team to one run. If Lee can keep himself under control, the Tribe's pitching rotation will be significantly more dangerous to the opposition.

Speaking of the opposition, I attended the Nationals vs. Tigers game sporting my "Detroit Sucks" shirt that I acquired from the Eastern Conference Finals just a few weeks ago. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. I had to sit amongst several Tigger (that's right, I meant to say Tigger, not Tiger) fans, but the Nats brought the game within one run in the bottom of the ninth before Belliard struck out. Hopefully the Tribe can sweep the Phillies and the Nats will take the next two from the Tiggers.

GOOOOOOO TRIBE!!!!