Cleveland vs Chicago, it's time!

[Alex]

It's time to find out how the Indians play against a very good Chicago team.

I'm a bit concerned at our inability to get a bunt down or be able to do a double steal.

I think those plays have their time and place and other than Coco laying down bunts, we don't seem to be able to get the job done.

However, it also appears we don't seem to be hitting into as many double plays, which tends to make the purpose of bunting or double stealing less important.

Let me just say that I will be surprised no matter what happens this series, I am clueless.

Chicago's "collapse" has really just been them playing .500 ball for the past 46 games.

Both the Indians and White Sox have had streaks where they won around 30 games while barely losing approximately dozen.

However, the White Sox didn't meander under .500 the way the Indians did earlier in the season, hence the primary reason why they are still 3.5 games ahead of the Indians.

Or is it because the White Sox are 10-3 against the tribe this year????

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 22, 2005 12:50 AM: Message edited by: Alex ]</font>

[Alex]

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad! It's just amazing how momentum affects the season literally moment by moment.

Win the first game, get to within 2.5 games, lose the second in heartbending fashion in 10 innings, and suddenly the Indians number 5 starter is facing the Sox number 2 starter.

Indians win the rubber game 8-0. Hafner was huge in the series. Blake hit a homer in the 3rd to make it 1-0.

Grady got a single in the 7th and was bunted to second by Coco, a very KEY play because once Grady was on second, Jhonny Peralta was pitched carefully to and was walked, setting the way for Travis Hafner to hit a three run homer and make the score 5-0!

It's pretty clear that the bunt and avoiding the double play are two incredibly key situations to being a winner.

Each and every game in the series at some point hinged on a teams ability to avoid a double play or lay down a successful bunt.

All I know is if a ballplayer cannot maintain at least a .260 average, I would insist they learn how to bunt.

[WillieMcGee51]

How do you think the Indians will do this weekend?

[Alex]

It's hard to be impartial, so for that reason I see us winning 2 out of 3, I see us winning Friday and Sunday.

I predicted we would go 94-68 (currently we are 93-66) on the Cleveland Live forum. Either I will have predicted the correct won loss total OR we make the playoffs, (unless we lose all three games, yech!).