Clip Joint Is Downright Offensive

It was bound to happen.  Scott Barnes (5.40 ERA) finally showed that his relative inexperience on his was to surrendering seven runs in five innings.  For a team that had run off eleven straight wins, thanks in large part to a spectacular stretch of pitching, it must have come as quite to a shock to watch their starter surrender four gopher balls and trail 9-6 going into the 7th inning.  I guess it was the good kind of shock.  The Clips tied it up in the seventh and used a nine run 8th to turn this one into a laugher.  Josh Judy (5.56) survived a brief Charlotte comeback attempt in the 9th, making the final 18-12.  Jensen Lewis (1.69) allowed his first two runs of the season, but pitched well enough to earn his third win in a week.  There were 37 combined hits in the game.

I could try to use words to describe the offensive explosion, but I used them all up when Columbus scored 19 against Louisville in the second game of this 12 game win streak.  Fine, I'll try.  If I had to pick an MVP at the dish it would be Ezequiel Carrera (.314) who notched four hits and 4 RBI (2 R, SB).  The rest of the lineup did make my decision difficult.  Lonnie Chisenall (.275) had three hits and two RBI while both Luis Valbuena (.303) and Luke Carlin (.346) added two hits and 3 RBI.  Jason Donald (.412, 2 H, 2 R, 2 RBI) smashed his first homer of the year.  Jerad Head had three hits and three runs scored to raise his batting average to to .379!

Yeah, yeah, 12 in a row.  TonyIPI qualifies all 24 guys on the roster as major league worthy.  Personally, I might quibble with Eric Berger and Mr. Head.  Wes Hodges doesn't make a good case batting .156, but the point is sound.  The big club is winning and the farm system is bursting at the seams with excess talent, if there can be such a thing.  Should the Tribe maintains its winning ways into July, plenty of trade chips will be available to snag a piece or two for the stretch run.  This is also why we bid...

A fond farewell to two time minor league MVP Jordan Brown.  Brown was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers today to open a spot for the recently returned Josh Rodriguez.  One of my fondest baseball memories will always be talking with Jordan on the eve of his promotion to the bigs last season.  If you have never seen the look in someone's eyes as his dream is about to come true, it is simply indescribable.  The very best to Jordan Brown, a true class act, as he chases a return trip to the Show.  I don't know about you, but it feels pretty stange to me that he's gone.

Columbus closes out in Charlotte tomorrow at 7:15p with Zach McAllister chasing his 5th win.  The team takes Wednesday off before they begin a home stand with Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg and his Lehigh Valley IronPigs coming to town.

Other Minor Points of Interest --

Whoever thought so much good news could come out of a 10-9 walk-off loss?  Akron's Jordan Henry (.338) slashed five hits, scored three runs, stole two bases, and, just for good measure, a pair of RBI.  Chun Chen (.295) continued his tear with two doubles and 3 RBI.  Over his last five games, Chen is batting .450 with all four of his season's home runs and nine runs batted in.  His OPS is just silly at 1.700.  On the mound, CC Lee (3.52) finally seems to be settling in, throwing 2.2 scoreless and striking out five.  Good stuff.

The Steven Wright knuckleball show rolled through Lansing, Michigan tonight and the Lugnuts did not enjoy it one bit.  Wright (2.63) gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits over five innings.  The ball was dancing as walked three and fanned just as many.  It seems that Wright is becoming more comfortable with the pitch with each outing, expect him at Kinston by mid-season.

Cheers.