Morning Rundown: Oh Just Ubaldo, Taking Care of Business, No Biggie

I sat here ranting and raving how I'd given up. I was waving the white flag and tapping out. I had seen enough of Ubaldo, I wanted nothing more to do with him. Regardless of what ended up happening, I had it. It was time to move on.

Photo - Getty Images via Yahoo! Sports

I'm not ready to take it back, because the minute I do that, whatever Ubaldo did on Monday to suppress his inner-Ewwbaldo will seep its way out.

What was last night? I have no clue, but it was certainly a welcomed site two and a half years in the making.

INDIANS - 9 | ROYALS - 0
W: Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2)
L: Wade Davis (2-2)
[BOXSCORE]

It quite frankly was the best start that Ubaldo Jimenez has ever made for the Cleveland Indians. He looked like a totally different pitcher, one capable of giving his team seven solid innings of no-run ball in which he moved the ball around effectively, pitched aggressively for strikes, and had a command of all his pitches.

Morning Rundown: Indians Split Doubleheader with Royals, But KC Gets Klubbbered

Friends, the Kansas City Royals actually have some pitching. Cleveland will leave Kauffman Stadium without having James Shields , pretty odd for a four game series, but if that statement doesn't tell you anything, you must not be paying attention to what is going on in KC.

The Royals have pitching, and we didn't even see James Shields.

The ROYALS HAVE PITCHING!

It was a stark contrast this weekend. Sure there's one more game and while the Indians can still split, you tell me which team deserves to be leading the division right now and which one has the potential staying power.

Hint: my answer is not Cleveland.

The difference? The Royals pitching is near the top in the American League. The Indians? Well, the rotation is at the bottom.

Tribe Versus: Kansas City 4/26-4/27

The Tribe travels out to Kansas City to take on the red-hot Royals with a four game weekend series. After splitting a short series against the White Sox, Cleveland looks to steal a few games from the Kansas City sovereigns in monarchial systems of government.

[Due to rainouts for both teams, starting probable pitchers have not been set for all games. Because of this, I'll be breaking down this preview into two parts.]

Mini Rundown: Sick Lineup Can't Support Shaky McAllister

I've figured it out. I keep saying that I like day games. I do, I really do. But I always find myself disliking them and I think I figured out why.

If the Indians lose, I highly dislike it. I dislike it more if I was to watch the game. These day games that fall during the week. I can deal with them, and I like the aspect of day baseball when its nice and can be watched with the enjoyment of good weather.

But I figured it out. I just hate the outcome of the Indians losing and not knowing all the full details. I can survive on an Indians win and not knowing the small details that went into it. I simply just can't stand a loss that I know little about.

So how to add context to this defeat? Just muscle through I guess. I'm a regular Z-Mac.

Morning Rundown: Cabrera and Baserunning Help Masterson Win Number 4

This is bizarro world right now in Major League Baseball. You have the Twins and Royals at the top of the division early on, the Rockies playing like no one thought they would and aside from all that, team's are going on some really weird streaks.

So as quickly as the Indians went on a streak that was bad, they've pulled off three straight and are now 3-1 against their division foe Chicago. Must be a good sign of things to come when they get the rest of their division.

At least, I would hope it is. Despite losing two games to rain, the Indians have played just as many, if not more games than everyone in their division, which is kind of weird. But nevertheless, we are now entering a point in the month where an AL East team is not lurking in every series, which should help considerably.

INDIANS - 3 | WHITE SOX - 2
W: Justin Masterson (4-1)
L: Matt Thornton (0-1)
S: Chris Perez (3)
[BOXSCORE]

Morning Rundown: Pitching, Defense and Playing the Astros

The three best biggest elements to winning a baseball game. The Indians somehow got the first one, had a good amount of the second, and of course, the third was a given.

Especially after Friday's game, it became really necessary for the Indians to find whatever it was that was bugging them (especially offensively) and win this series.

Well, they did that on Saturday in a huge way, as you probably saw. But you can score 50 runs in one game, and it still only counts for one win. So the task was simple. Come back on Sunday and win the game, win the series, and hold back the pitch-fork wielding mob that would be charging forward.

Photo - Getty Images via Yahoo! Sports

One man did that in particular, at least for four days.

INDIANS - 5 | ASTROS - 4
W: Cody Allen (1-0)
L: Hector Ambriz (0-1)
S: Chris Perez (2)
[BOXSCORE]

If I said to you that at one point, Ubaldo Jimenez retired 13 straight hitters, you would of thought he pitched a pretty good game.

Positive Swish: Scott Kazmir Will Save Our Rotation!

Things have been rough this week. I know how you feel. It looks kind of bleak, like there's no hope for this team. I mean, the Astros? The Red Sox, okay, that's different. Once we get over the fact that Ubaldo is just bad and there's no hope, we could at least look for the other four games he doesn't pitch. There's got to be something there.

And hey the Astros are everyone's favorite whipping boy, we can get a few wins, maybe three off of them. A sweep? Sure. But at least two.

Yeahhhh...about that. Two wins are still possible, but look ever so hopeless with Ubaldo's start on Sunday. Or at least, one inning of relief work at the beginning of the game. Whatever it turns out to be.

I know how you feel. You feel kind of cruddy after watching this week of Indians baseball and hope it turns around here with two days left. So let's go with that, and let's bring some good karma with a positive message.

You're probably saying, "save your positive hokum and just give us a starting pitcher!" and to that, I say, okay. You're a little crazy, because this isn't hokum. This is real man! Or should I say... Bro

Morning Rundown: Notice - Indians Will Pay for Two-Out RBI Hit

Jimmy Haslam's company is in trouble, so the Browns are obviously effected. Not to mention, their 2013 schedule is out and the draft is approaching. Byron Scott got fired and the Cavaliers are going to be looking for a new coach as their season ended.

And yet here we are. I want to talk about the Indians? But they got swept by Boston, they suck. Their pitching is garbage and the money they spent on the new offensive talent is just not working. People are hurt, some guys are off to painfully slow starts, and blah bah blah blah.

Why would we possibly want to talk about this last place baseball team right now? We could talk about a franchise in trouble and who they'll be playing five months from now and one that just came off a horrible season and will be looking for a new coach.

Why should we talk about this team!?

If you didn't get the point of that, you never will.

Morning Rundown: Masterson Can't Buck BoSox Tough Lefty Lineup

Well, 19 scoreless, a perfect record, all went away in one game, heck in one inning.

There's something deflating when your ace goes out and gets bombed in the first inning. Granted, the Indians weren't really ever out of this one, but it is an uphill battle when your offense can't get it going immediately and your best starter who has accounted for three of your team's five wins thus far has given up a three spot right off the get-go.

Oh gosh, if Masterson doesn't start, the Indians pretty much lose. Now we have to wait four more games for another chance to win. Great.

The Indians did have some chances in this one, but were put in too much of a hole early on to ultimately overcome. They had a specific chance that we will talk about in a second, but when you are analyzing one specific chance and saying "things could have been different if this specific chance went the other way" you are probably not in the best position to win the game.

Now the Indians just need to focus on avoiding the sweep, if they can do that without their ace on the mound.

Pulse of the Tribe: The Best of Ubaldo Jimenez's Worst Start Ever

Last night's adventure with Ubaldo Jimenez was certainly not fun, but the day after, we need to be able to laugh about it. Well, at least try to. Why wallow in our own pool of misery?

So I went ahead and piled through to find the absolute best of Ubaldo's worst.

Perhaps one of the best things I came across though? The related search suggestion, and only suggestion, to searching "Ubaldo" on Twitter.


Yup, that'll about some it up.

Tweets after the jump...

Morning Rundown: Ubaldo At His Worst; Eww-Baldo At His Best

Not sure if I ever got to this point last season, but I'm tapping out. I'm done, wave the white flag, cancel my subscription, check please, I've seen enough, take him out back and end it.

I think we have gone through enough Ubaldo Jimenez. Yes, it's only three starts, but it is emotionally draining watching his man pitch. He has completely lost any and all good will with giving him a chance with his second outing.

And for me to say this, at this juncture of the season, not even halfway into the first month of baseball, must tell you a lot. I'm the last one to light up a torch or sharpen a pitch fork, but I'm doing it. I'm joining the angry mob. I'm getting putting gasoline in the glass bottle and finding a lighter. I'm grabbing a megaphone and leading the charge.

Ubaldo Must Go!

RED SOX - 7 | INDIANS - 2
W: Felix Doubront (1-0)
L: Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2)
[BOXSCORE]

Tribe Versus: Boston Red Sox 4/16-4/18

Photo - Getty Images via Yahoo! Sports

Our Wahoo Warriors stormed into battle last weekend against rival Chicago and won the first divisional series of the season, but at what cost? As a major contributor to our offense, losing Michael Bourn for even one game will be felt. The Indians list him as day to day, but reports out of MLB.com say that he's likely out until the five stitches in his right index finger are removed. This could be anywhere from five to seven days. Bourn is hitting .333/.375/.600 and leads the Tribe in hits with 15 which includes four doubles, one triple, and two homeruns. To compensate, look for the skipper to play Drew Stubbs in centerfield with either Nick Swisher or Ryan Raburn taking right, and the trio of Swisher/Giambi/Reynolds at first base during this weeks series against the rosy stockings from Beantown.

Morning Rundown: Indians Fall to Sox, But Seeing Lefty Success

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I've given up on my quest to find Mark Reynolds a nickname. I'm sure something will come along, at least all my brilliant ideas do when I'm not trying. Which means, I have no brilliant ideas, because I'm always trying. See what I did there?

Reynolds has reached rock star status in my mind. The guy hits some incredible bombs at the most opportune times. Granted it is only two weeks, but the man is quickly endearing himself to Cleveland. Which is all the more reason he needs something cool to call him by. I mean, Mark is so plain and boring. And with a regular last name like Reynolds? Come on now.

Until that happens, I <3 Reynolds will have to do. I could just add a 'y' on the end like Tito does for everyone. Swishy, Bourny, Stubby (heheh), Yany (haha!)....Reynoldsy. Yeah that doesn't work.

WHITE SOX - 3 | INDIANS - 1
W: Jake Peavy (2-1)
L: Brett Myers (0-2)
S: Addison Reed (4)
[BOXSCORE]

Do not look down on Brett Myers for his start against the White Sox in this one. Of course, if you just look at his line, six innings, two runs off six hits and one walk with four strikeouts, you would be impressed and hopeful that maybe Myers can be a functioning member of those rotation.

But if you were to watch the game, you might be a little mad that Myers surrendered the lead in the sixth. Never mind the fact it was a 1-0 lead and it was in a game in which Jake Peavy was on.

Carlos Carrasco Suspended Again; Eight Games for Hitting Youkilis

The hammer came down on Carlos Carrasco for his beaning of Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis on Tuesday, his first start since 2011 and his first start since serving a reduced five game suspension for a similar situation against the Kansas City Royals.

Photo - AP via Yahoo! Sports

Carrasco was suspended eight games and fined, according to Tom Withers of the AP , $3,000.

That's peanuts, the game amount, not so much.

Eight games? A repeat offender will get a more heavier punishment, especially since he technically had no games pitched between the serving his last suspension and this incident.

The big question, of course, surrounds the idea of if he was intentionally trying to hit Youkilis or not.

Does anyone remember the situation in which Carlos Carrasco originally was suspended for way back when in 2011?

Tribe Versus: Chicago White Sox 4/12 - 4/14

LOLTribe: 4/10 Tito Needs Some Directions

It's the most celebrated and highly acclaimed feature on The Tribe Daily...

Back again for the first time this regular season!

Remember that if you'd like to try your own, submit it to me and I'll feature it here the next time (you can use http://wigflip.com/roflbot/ to produce something if you are not super tech savvy) I post LOLTribe.

You can submit your entries to me on Twitter (@ TheTribeDaily ), on Facebook , or through e-mail .

Got that? Good...

Morning Rundown: Return of the Pronk

The best part about Opening Day, or at least a Home Opener, is the fun and excitement that surrounds the opening of the park. It is awesome and a lot of fun, having been a part of an Opening Day before myself. There's all sorts of pomp and circumstance, usually something special happens, as was the case on Monday when the Indians welcomed the Yankees to open up Progressive Field.

The problem that has been the case with the Indians the past few seasons? They never really win the game. So all the fun and excitement is quickly poked with a needle and popped. Or in this case, a slight slit that causes a slow leak, because that game took forever!

The Indians pulled out all the stops this year, having five fathers throw to their sons . The fathers of Zach McAllister , Nick Swisher , Michael Brantley , Sandy Alomar Jr., and Terry Francona all threw the first pitches out to their sons all at once. Talk about a family affair, talk about tradition, talk about something incredibly cool for everyone watching, and those particular families.

"It's something unusual," said Sandy Sr. "It's something that hasn't been done before. It's something special for all of the fathers here."

Tribe Versus: New York Yankees 4/8 - 4/11

After riding the high of beating up the Blue Jays in Canada, the Tribe brought us back down to earth this weekend. After not just losing, but getting shut out for two games and held to just seven hits, it seemed like our offense didn't clear customs back into the States. Yesterday's game was the toughest match-up of the series, with the Tribe going up against 2012 Cy Young winner David Price, but the Indians stormed into the Trop and crushed the Rays, getting 17 hits and 13 runs, with five homers. Guess they felt they had some making up to do, or perhaps getting shafted on several calls the night before just got under their skins. Either way, we avoided being swept and are coming home with a 3-3 record to face the New York Stankee Yankees.

Morning Rundown: Maddon Takes on the Mafia; Tribe Annihilate Rays in Finale

Sunday morning's have become the worst. It has become apparent to me that I need to start reading more and make Sunday morning my reading time. The fact that I was duped into thinking I had MLB Network does not help the fact that I have nothing to turn on.

I was going to turn this intro into some long thing about how I enjoy watching baseball, and that you can save some of the other drama going on right now in sports for another day and another person. But that was a rant that can't be contained in this post and it is likely not what you came for this morning. Not only did our Tribe win big on Sunday, there several other pressing matters to attend to.

Oh yeah, Sunday, right. Yeah, that's the highlight of my morning. The point to which I realize there is an Indians game coming on. That and pancakes.

INDIANS - 13 | RAYS - 0
W: Justin Masterson (2-0)
L: David Price (0-1)
[BOXSCORE]

You know what's funny? Despite getting shutout in the first two games, the Indians ended up out-scoring the Rays in the series as a whole.

Of course, it only counts for one win though, not two or three, so that stat is meaningless, but still nonetheless the cool thing about Sunday's output. Friday and Saturday? No way was that fun to watch.

Tribe Daily Invitational II: Grading the Field

Hopefully the sequel is as good as the first one.

Then again, the first one was not very good, at least for nine people. For one, it was pretty good.

Hey, I felt good about my team last year, but winning is the only option when it comes to fantasy baseball.

So I'm back for round two, and I have a new brand of nine comers taking the challenge. This year's field for the Tribe Daily Invitational II has a few old faces, some new ones, and our two new contributors here on the blog. And this year's field is perhaps much tougher looking than last year's.

So before much more of the season occurs, I'm going to provide a preview and my non-expert critique on each team. Not that that means anything.

Both offense and pitching will get a grade, and because this year was so good with the creativity and variety of names, I have thrown in grades for each team name. Indians-related names became strongly encouraged. Maybe it was just the spirit, or maybe everyone was just trying to top Chiz in the Hall. Psssh, good luck with that.

And while I appreciate the names, I can't do anything without a visual, so I went ahead and picturized each team name in logo form.

Tribe Versus: Tampa Bay Rays 4/5-5/7

Now that, my friends, is how you start your season! A series win against a team favored by many to win the AL East, who traded the farm to Miami for most of their talent and then spent bookoos of cash in the free agent market, is the confidence boost our boys needed. The Tribe has a tough month of baseball ahead of them and wins like this We played scrappy baseball which at many points was anything but pretty, but we scratched and fought our way to victory over Toronto.

The wheels keep turning, and our Tribe rolls on. Next up, the bottom feeding Rays from inlet of Tampa.

Morning Rundown: Jays 'KO Myers to Prevent Tribe Sweep

As the great Conan O'Brien would say. Whooaaaa....wait. I already used that introduction?

Well, okay, that issue aside, yesterday's introduction still applies. Don't go crazy now folks, the Indians are going to lose games just like everyone else. The Tigers got pounded 8-2. Let's keep it in perspective. At least the Indians were in this one.

The problem here is that I was stuck in class last night and didn't see anything past the third inning.

Photo - AP via Yahoo! Sports

INDIANS - 8 | BLEU (hehe!) JAYS - 10
[BOXSCORE]
W: Steve Delabar (1-0)
L: Brett Myers (0-1)
S: Casey Janssen (1)

So after I made the comment that J.P. Arencibia is Canadian for "Crushes Brett Myers " I have nothing really to go off of other than a second home run for J.P later in the game off Myers.

Welcome to the American League? I know Myers spent a little bit of time with Chicago last year, but, now he's a starter and he's going to be seeing a lot of hitters he is not familiar with. Not only that, he was not effective last night. So that's another thing.

Morning Rundown: A Whole New U?

As the great Conan O'Brien would say. Whooaaaa, my babies. Settle down!

I know you want to get excited about a 2-0 start and a pitching staff that so far does not look as bad as everyone thought. But it is two games. The rotation has not even gone through once and we still don't even know if the fifth starter is going to be okay.

Photo AP via Yahoo! Sports

I'm excited too. But just enjoy what you are watching and let that hope and optimism build instead of rushing to save money for a playoff ticket. I mean, save money for a playoff ticket, but pay your rent, that's more likely to happen right now.

INDIANS - 3 | BLUE JAYS - 2
[BOXSCORE]
W: Matt Albers (1-0)
L: Sergio Santos (0-1)
S: Joe Smith (1)

A series win is certainly a good thing though, and the overcoming of a blown save is even better. And oh yeah, that Ubaldo character.

Morning Rundown: Opening Day Redemption for the Tribe

Tribe Versus: Toronto Blue Jays 4/2-4/4

Morning Rundown: Some Valid Hope to Shock the World

2013 Cleveland Indians Season Predictions

Welcome Back! Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back!

Baseball!

Although we have to wait til tomorrow night for our own personal Opening Day (or at least part one until the Home Opener), baseball is back!

And while tomorrow will be reserved for doing the usual trip around the internet to look at the predictions and analyze what everyone thinks (or doesn't think) of the Indians, today is all about us. And when I say us, I mean the three of us here at The Tribe Daily.

I went to Bryan and Justin and said, hey, let's have some fun. With two new voices on the blog, it would be nice to combine the three of us and get each of our opinion on the same things, and what better to do so with a season prediction list.

So here are some fill in the blank questions I asked the guys and each of our responses. Enjoy and prepare for tomorrow's fun!