Today was a regularly-scheduled Indians game for me. I picked up a couple of tickets behind home plate on StubHub the other day for $15 per. Bargains abound, people. Sneaking a peek at the weather forecast late last week kind of clinched the deal. And even the threat of rain that was so prominent in yesterday's forecast got debunked by morning.

My Dad and I were in 153, and the sun at this time of the year conveniently didn't envelop our row, so it was quite comfortable. And we were rewarded with a win today, which was the first time I could say that in 4 tries, so far, this season.

Today's pitching from the Tribe was top-notch. Aaron Laffey has emerged as the most consistent starter since his recall after Week One. He got into the seventh today. Tony Sipp came on that inning and struck out Morneau and Kubel with the bases loaded for an escape. Rafael Betancourt (no White Stripes today) pitched an uneventful 8th. Then came my first look at Kerry Wood up close. Jeezy creezy.

Wood put the first two guys on, then it looked like he got mad. Got a double play grounder and struck out Brendan Harris for the save. When his pitch hits the catcher's mitt, it sounds fast. What a pop! He was hitting 99 on the gun. If he then throws Uncle Charlie like he did today, the hitters have no chance. That curve of his breaks an awful lot. The pitching needs to be good enough to get to Wood. He has now whiffed 12 in 6 innings.
























Not sure the hitting or Eric Wedge's disgust at the hitting had much to do with the win. Shocked to see a lineup today that included Peralta, DeRosa (so bad he changed his Wilco music), Graffanino and Crowe. More timely hitting today, but those four are really struggling.

Regardless, the Tribe wins, 4-2.

Meal of Links

The GOP is not going away. Outside the Beltway, they are still stoking the flames of bad policy. BTW, just in time for Swine Flu. The R's took out a whole bunch of funding for...pandemic preparation.

How to get the best out of iTunes.

Matt Underwood is now on Twitter. I still am not. I'm having a hard time grasping the use of Twitter. I get that if you need an answer to some problem, it can help. I don't mean to pick on Underwood, but what would I care if it's like summer at Progressive Field. Dude, I don't have my air on, I feel it. Matt should be describing what Rick Manning is eating during a game.

My Tweets today would have been:

Turkey burger...Mmmmm
about 5 hours ago from txt

Carl Edwards just went airborne!
about 6 hours from txt

Kerry Wood...Ballgame!
about 8 hours ago from txt

Uncle Joe just paid $6 for a Strickland blizzard. Hah!
about 9 hours ago from txt

More Minnesotans in my section today.
about 11 hours ago from txt

I just had my third beer.
about 12 hours ago from txt

F1 is in Bahrain. Anybody been there?
about 14 hours ago from txt

Damn. No one at Dave's Mercado this morning.
about 15 hours ago from txt

I dunno, I don't find these things noteworthy in snippet form. I'm probably wrong though, hips AND numbers don't lie.

Exercise Yard

Is the NFL Draft still going on? Well, the Browns did crank up the excitement by trading down yesterday. Then trading down again. Then trading down one more time. Then sucking the air out of the room by drafting a center, Alex Mack. Thankfully, it wasn't Alex Mack from the Disney show or Clarissa would have to explain that move. BTW, the best line from yesterday was Paul saying that the group at B.J. Raji's house looked like The Klumps.

So, the Browns addressed a need with that move. Then, as I kept pleading for Shady McCoy in Round Two, we got two receivers. Shady is the next Brian Westbrook and the Eagles probably wet themselves over the fact they now have McCoy and Westbrook. But the receivers include another OSU player (kill me, please) and one from Georgia who has the dropsies. I guess we addressed that need, as well. Not sold on the pass rushing end from Hawaii or the lesser known of the four USC linebackers with the next two picks but, like always, until we see these guys in pads, who really knows?

AFC North analysis.

Visitor

None, on a sunny Sunday.