It seems the reason for RHP Jorge Julio's anger the other day in Chicago may have had to do with LF David Dellucci's inability to catch Joe Crede's liner that became a double. The hit stayed in the park and banged off the wall just above the warning track. In other words, even someone slightly height-challenged---as Dellucci might be described---should have been able to snag that drive.
After all, it was a late inning with a power arm facing a power bat. Any contact conceivably could result in a long ball and an OF in that situation has to be cognizant of keeping any such drive in front of himself. He either mis-read that ball---and it must be acknowledged, as Rick Manning has many times reminded us, that a liner directly over an OF's head is his toughest play---or he was simply not playing deeply enough.
The only possible defense (no pun intended) for Dellucci's alignment was his being quite aware of his deficient arm strength, causing him to cheat in so as to be able to prevent a runner from taking an extra base. That same arm hurt the Tribe terribly last night---not once, but twice. In the same eighth inning.
Fans of the club know quite well both Franklin Gutierrez and Ben Francisco possess strong throwing arms able to gun down anyone attempting to score who has not yet hit the bag at third by the time the ball entered one of their gloves.
Dellucci had two such opportunities last evening, the first with the score still tied at one. Sox CF Brian Anderson, inserted just three batters earlier as a pinch-runner, scored easily from second on Carlos Quentin's grounder to shallow left, though DD had the ball in his grasp just as Anderson was arriving at third base. Instead of being tossed out, Anderson not only coasted in, but Dellucci's extremely weak rainbow was mis-handled sixty feet up the line, bounding away to permit Quentin to attain scoring position, from which he added an insurance run on Jermaine Dye's subsequent single to Dellucci, almost indentically into shallow left.
Again, the runner scored without a threat from Dellucci.
Inasmuch as Dellucci had pinch-hit for Gutierrez in the top half of that inning, it was not as if Manager Eric Wedge was replete with defensive options. But the point remains the defensive ineptitude of Dellucci contributed significantly to close-game losses on successive nights in Chicago.
What is more, Dellucci played a fateful role in Saturday's loss in Cincinnati, as well, as he froze long enough to allow Joey Votto's slap shot to land safely in short left. Very realistically either Ben or Gut comes up with that ball and Adam Dunn never appears in that decisive inning, the one in which he launched a three-run game-winner off Masa Kobayashi.
The good news is Shin-Soo Choo should be arriving momentarily to assume heavy duty in the corner OF rotation with Francisco and Gutierrez. It is all the more reason Dellucci should be accompanying RHP Paul Byrd in some weekend deal for something of longterm value to the organization. Perhaps they could bring a future closer from some NL club in need of a veteran hurler for its rotation. StL and NYM are two outfits fitting the description. Dellucci's proven abilities as a pinch-hitter might serve such a team well during the stretch run.
Reportedly, LHR Craig Breslow has already been designated to create a roster opening for the return of closer Joe Borowski. Andy Marte should similarly be getting his exposure to waivers soon, so as to accomodate either Choo or RH starter Jake Westbrook---assuming the young 3b can't be dealt. Maybe he'll make his way through the process to a Buffalo assignment. (He is out of options, so can't otherwise be farmed.)
With sincere apologies to Dellucci for seemingly identifying him as primarily responsible for three of the six straight Cleveland losses---no, that has indeed been a whole-team effort---David's acquisition by GM Mark Shapiro has never made any sense. Seemingly, it was all about helping to justify the signing a year earlier of another former NL OF of modest skills: RH Jason Michaels. Dellucci would be the LH half of a LF platoon, since neither has had historic success batting against those throwing from the same side as they hold the stick.
With Choo already in-house and a plethora of rising OF talents among its farmhands---Gutierrez, Francisco, Brian Barton (since lost in Rule 5 to the Cardinals), Trevor Crowe, Brad Snyder, et al---investing in two marginals, particularly with Dellucci apparently demanding a three-year contract, represented a scenario better passed on.
While it cannot be denied that Snyder has become a non-prospect (despite once having been a number-one draft pick) and both Choo and Crowe have been too impaired since to factor---in fact, Crowe is still at AA---auditioning its kids is how a ballclub evolves and refreshes itself. Should it later become necessary to resort to the veteran journeymen alternative, there are always such types available as non-roster invitees, much as Jason Tyner was this past off-season.
As has been written previously, Dellucci might best aid this year's contingent by bringing some helpful return in trade.
Before leaving behind memories of the dreadful road trip, the players should be instructed as to the intelligence and game-turning significance of Anderson's aforementioned pinch-running exhibition, specifically his having tagged-up at first base on AJ Pierzynski's deep fly to CF Grady Sizemore. So frequently, Cleveland runners fail to employ this technique, instead going halfway on fly balls they'd comfortably get two bases on---even if tagging---were they to drop uncaught. Here, Anderson got himself into two-out scoring position, creating a win out of what might otherwise have become a first-and-third situation.
On another matter, Wedge botched the simple double-switch scenario for which NL late innings are known. Wedge not only failed to get Dellucci out of LF, a move recommended for the reasons stated above, but he waited until mid-way through the half-inning to position the better-fielding Michael Aubrey (making his MLB debut) at 1b for Ryan Garko, so as to have the youngster batting in the pitcher's spot once Cleveland came to bat.
Whereas his method might've been defensible by waiting to see what Reds' manager Dusty Baker would have warming in his pen, the LH-hitting Aubrey ended up facing lefty Billy Bray anyway.
What this all evidences is yet more of the organization's chronic shortage of foresight.
Having been out-scored 28-13 on its winless road trip, having achieved but two hits off White Sox hurlers on Thursday night, having scored but a single run or fewer for the ninth time in 46 games, this one completing a 5 for 41 spell with RISP---credit to the PD's Paul Hoynes for all these stats---the Tribe finds itself again confronting a ballclub featuring a cleanup hitter Wedge alienated. Last weekend, it was Reds' 2b Brandon Phillips. This weekend, it will be Texas OF/DH Milton Bradley, who is at .322, with 8 homers and 27 rbi.
In fact, Texas has five hitters with 24 or more rbi, whereas Cleveland has but one. The Rangers have 21 more homers and 61 more runs, hitting 47 points higher than the Lake Erie bunch, a team that has but five batsmen over .228---two of whom are recent promotees totalling 62 AB between themselves.
Since everyone is panicking and wondering what should be done, here are a few proposals:
Peralta to San Diego with Gutierrez for RH 3b Kevin Kouzmanoff and 2b Tadahito Iguchi. (Rationale provided in an earlier entry.)
Byrd and Dellucci to Mets for RHP Mike Pelfrey, to be groomed as a future closer.
Mastny, Elarton and Breslow to Pitts for LHR Damaso Marte.
Farm Cabrera and send Andy Marte to Toronto to bring back John McDonald for everyday SS. (This deal could be expanded to exchange Kouzmanoff for Scott Rolen.)
In the meantime, please bunch the better hitters 3-8. Appearing consecutively, they just might allow for an occassional offensive outburst.
Read the complete post at http://www.xanga.com/MALeonard/658313136/cant-blame-julio-for-anger-or-frustration.html