Trevor Bauer's Insinuation

In today's world of baseball, batters are typically questioned whether they are using substances or steroids to boost their stats. Pitchers have mostly avoided the spotlight, though some have been questioned for the same things. Doctoring pitches is also added into it if they were to get caught. Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer has some thoughts on the Houston Astros starting rotation.

Bauer has gone on Twitter thinking the Astros starters are using substances to help with their spin rate of the baseball. Some of them like Lance McCullers are not responding enthusiastically about this. I kind of buy into this... somewhat. I'm looking at mainly Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton. As far as others go, Justin Verlander has always been a dominant pitcher and he has built a very solid career. Most likely, another four to five years of success, and he can be heading to Cooperstown. The only thing that seems off might be his ERA but that's not much to really go on. He's just a lethal pitcher. No way is he putting illegal substances on the ball. However we'll have to see how the year goes for him before making a final judgment.

Morton has never had a strong career Inconsistency, injuries, you name it. Even though he put up career numbers last year, it wasn't the greatest. His stuff this year is a little questionable, but he's probably the healthiest he's been in a while. Being able to pitch without batting most of the time in the American League can feel pretty good. The only thing that sticks out with Cole is his ERA and strikeouts. He's only 27 years old. I wouldn't say he's using substances to help his spin rate. If he is, shame on him, because those kind of pitchers his age can be dominant with their arms.

The only guy I've thought would doctor their pitches is Dallas Keuchel. I've seen filthy pitches in my life that can strike out batters, but nothing this filthy. Just some of his sliders seem doctored. Like Morton, he hasn't had a strong career. The last few years haven't been his best due to injury and just not being as good. Not as bad as 2012 and 2013, but still disappointing. I feel like he's the only one that would use substances on the baseball, but his career numbers just don't add up. The only other starter is Lance McCullers. I don't think he's doing anything illegal. He's still a young pitcher, still has a career in the making, so there's nothing that makes me think he's using substances.

I kind of buy it, but I don't at the same time. Verlander has been on a resurgence going back to 2016. Morton is just a healthy pitcher who isn't coming off of injury from the previous season. Cole and McCullers are young talent that can be beneficial to a team. Keuchel... I don't know. Bauer needs a lot more than just spin rates. Then again, there's worse accusations.

Scary: The 2017 Cleveland Indians

There are those records that can be traced back to who knows how long. Odds are we'll never see someone break Cal Ripken Jr's consecutive game streak, which he broke Lou Gehrig's in September 1995. The 56 game hitting streak set by Joe DiMaggio in 1941 could be broken as some batters can get 30 game hit streaks, but fail. That being said, what this Cleveland Indians team has done this past month is nothing short of spectacular.

As of this blog, the Indians have won 19 in a row dating back to August 24th. They have played 11 straight games with the start of September to now. When this season began, they looked mediocre. Some might have questioned the players that acquired like Edwin Encarnacion. Since mid-June, they have been a bigger team in the American League Central. A few hiccups here and there, but they could get back into the World Series. What is that makes them scary?

For one thing, you don't want to face pitchers Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco. They will find ways to get batters out and produce lengthy outings. Both them and Trevor Bauer are a deadly trio, though Bauer has a high E.R.A. The relief in the bullpen shows some stand outs like Cody Allen and Andrew Miller. They can get those innings in case things go bad or close out to get a win. Four of the relievers have struck out 60 plus batters, so there isn't too much of a weakness in that area.

Batting has its obvious strengths and weaknesses. What team doesn't? The Indians have some power. Francisco Lindor has been on a tear with the long ball. Encarnacion has been a decent addition. His numbers aren't like what they were the last five years, but Cleveland should be happy this year. With 34 home runs, it's still good enough to guarantee wins. They can hit the ball well with Jose Ramirez, Lindor, and Carlos Santana. A problem is being healthy. Jason Kipnis and Michael Bradley have had issues being on the field. The Indians have just lost Bradley Zimmer for the rest of the season due to a broken hand in their latest game. They don't have much talent on the bench outside of Austin Jackson. 

Could the Indians get cold, though? Absolutely. Look at the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have lost the last few weeks, and what could have been an easy candidate to represent the National League in the World Series is now in question. It's going to be tight for Cleveland to get home field advantage throughout the playoffs with the Houston Astros breathing down their neck.  However, they could make history with their next few games. Win another one and they will tie the 2002 Oakland Athletics streak at 20. Another one can tie the 1935 Chicago Cubs with another one securing the number one streak as far as consecutive games without a tie goes. The record, tie or not, is 26 set by the 1916 New York Giants. Funny as it is, these records were around August and September of their respective years. (Update: They are second all time and their streak lost last night, September 15th)

The only team I see scaring Cleveland is the Astros. With the addition of Justin Verlander in the Lone Star State, the pitching can be even more dangerous. Don't rule out the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees as. When they are good, they can't be stopped. Cleveland can't let their foot off the gas. It's crunch time and every game matters not in the sense of division (they're going to win the Central), but as mentioned, home field advantage. Similar to the Dodgers, anything less than a World Series championship will make 2017 a big year for nothing.

Fair or Unfair: Kevin Gausman's Ejection

Before we get into this blog, I am announcing that I will go to one blog a day. I am working a job now, but I will try to promote that day's blog as much as I can. I will still promote previous blogs a day after and top blogs for the week. With that mind, let's get into what happened Wednesday night.

After another incident the night before. Kevin Gausman of the Baltimore Orioles looked ready to battle the Boston Red Sox. The first inning went fine, and then the next inning, he hits Xander Bogaerts with a 76 mile an hour pitch. Home plate umpire Sam Holbrook immediately threw out Gausman, who couldn't believe what happened. If it were a 90 mile an hour fastball, maybe I could understand, but there was no malicious intent. At the same time, you can't blame Holbrook for reacting that bad. Obviously, he didn't want to see the teams get into a melee or full scale riot where someone winds up going to the hospital.

This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, we something like this happening anywhere in the league. One that comes to my mind is the New York Yankees. Getting plunked six times in three games is pretty bad. The next two games also had batsmen hit, with the last one leading to an ejection. In June of 2011, Mitch Talbot of the Cleveland Indians hits the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez. Umpire Dan Iassogna threw Talbot out, who complained about the mound being wet (It did rain that afternoon), but Iassogna didn't care. The night before after a big home run, the Indians' Fausto Carmona (now under the name Roberto Hernandez) hit Mark Texiera, and the frustration blew up for the Bombers. Even with that, you can't really complain about the umpires doing their jobs. At some point, enough is enough, even if you're not the main reason for it happening. There's certain things in sports where the second person always finds themselves in trouble.

It will be until the start of June that the Red Sox and Orioles begin another series against each other. Maybe things will be calm. Let's hope that. Then again, grudges can last a long time, even if it's late in the year. May there be a chance for both to settle down and get back to trying to win a division.