David Huff will start for the AAA squad and is pencilled in to be the #1 starter, followed by Jeanmar Gomez, Alex White, Zach McAllister and Joe Martinez. Corey Kluber was intended to be the #5, but he was hit in the head last week with a line drive and has not yet been cleared to return.
McAllister will get the start for the Cleveland team, despite never pitching in a major league game and not making a strong push this spring. Zach's start is a troubling bit of news that is hopefully not indicative of the team that Manny Acta will field tomorrow. I have been, for months, looking forward to a true showing by the (sort of) MLB team. If Choo, the Cabreras, etc as aren't around, I will be quite put out.
Justin Masterson (5.40 ERA) continued a string of solid finales by the Indians' starting rotation by going five yeoman innings. Masterson gave up 2 earned (3 total) on 6 hits and a walk, while fanning six. Like all of the Tribe's starters, he was inconsistent over his 6 starts and one would hope this to be an effect of Arizona winds and an exhibition mindset. If the rotation throws as it did in March over the course of the full season, I would take the under on Vegas' win-line of 72.
Matt LaPorta was 0-for-3 with a strikeout to drop his average to .153. There is no more to be said or speculated about Matty, he simply has to show up on the field this season or accept that he's not a major league baseball player.
Shin-Soo Choo (.322) went deep twice with his solo shots accounting for 2 of the Indians' 3 runs.
Rafael Perez (6.75) was smoked for four earned in a third of an inning. Get it out of your system now Raef. On the flip side, Jess Todd, ticketed to Columbus (and maybe off of the 40-man?) tossed 2 clean innings to lower his spring ERA to 0.93. Certainly not the type of performer that we want on the lake.
To underscore a point made yesterday, after Jack Hannahan (ugh) was lifted in the 7th, Matt Lawson entered to play 3rd. This is the same substitution that has been made every day since Cord Phelps was demoted last week. I'll make this as clear as I can for you. The Indians. Do. Not. Have. A backup third baseman. Get it?
Tomorrow, the gates of beautiful Huntington Park open at 11a, 2+ hours prior to the 1:05p first pitch. Fans (like me) who choose to brave the chill will be treated to the full MLB batting practice session and a unique opportunity to see the Tribe up close. Hopefully the players all show and the cold keeps the fickle away.
Cheers.
