Here are 12 Walk-Off Thoughts after the Indians’ 8-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox Saturday night.
1. Saturday night went about how you might expect a bullpen game to go in which the Indians face a pitcher like Jose Quintana while also trying to stay away from their better relievers.
2. The Indians threw eight different pitchers, none of whom were Andrew Miller, Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero or Zach McAllister. The Indians were delivered a tough blow with the injuries to both Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. Thanks to their sizable lead in the division and roster expansion in September, these bullpen games are possible every fifth game. The Indians are just trying to get through September and to October, when a fifth starter is no longer needed.
3. The Indians’ magic number is down to two, after the Tigers blew a ninth-inning lead to the Royals, meaning they could clinch on Sunday at home. It also means that if they don’t clinch on Sunday, they’ll have to win only one of the four games in Detroit.
4. Said Indians manager Terry Francona on if it was a challenge with the fifth spot in the rotation, “It was tonight because it takes a little bit of, I don't want to say the wind out of the sails, but it's a lot of moving parts and then we fall behind, I think it makes for a long night for the position players, I get it.”
5. It’s been an odd month for the Indians trying to piece together games. Francona isn’t a huge fan of roster expansion, but in this instance, it’s been a huge help. He said the other day that since it’s a rule, they’ll use it. The Indians’ last bullpen game could be needed on Thursday, though once they have clinched they could get creative beyond that to piece together innings.
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6. Said Francona, “I think we have enough guys to do that. It might not be the way you would draw it up necessarily, but I don't think that's going to get in the way of us winning or losing. I think we just need to ... the parts can reach. They didn't tonight, but that doesn't mean it won’t."
7. It hasn’t been the best situation. The Indians know that. But it’s been how they’ve chosen how to handle it without wanting to make a move on the 40-man roster and cost someone a job.
8. Said Chris Gimenez, “I think, honestly, they've done the best job they could have. Nobody really plans to lose two of your five starters in 10 days. Thankfully, it did happen in September, where we have plenty of people to kind of come up and fill that role. I think it's a little unconventional, obviously, and it also might not be ideal to have bullpen days every fifth day, but I think, too, a lot of times it's given a lot of these younger guys a chance to throw, to get in the games, some meaningful games late, at the back end of September. You feel bad for a lot of those guys, too, because some of them haven't thrown in 10 or 12 days, but they're going out there and they're competing. They might give up a few hits or a few runs, but I've been pretty impressed with a lot of the moxy of the younger guys. I think that's been impressive. And, honestly, it's invaluable experience for later on in their careers. You never know, obviously, when we're going to need them.”
9. The Indians used 24 players, a club record for a nine-inning game. Though, that’s in a way the heart and soul of September call-up season.
10. Said Gimenez, “You know what? That's kind of what September baseball's all about. You get a lot of the younger guys an opporunity to come in and play a little bit, even if it's for an inning or two, or an at-bat. You can never take something like that for granted, because you never know when your last day in the big leagues is going to be. I've heard of people coming up and only having one at-bat in a game like that, and that's the only experience they ever have in the big leagues. Every day you get up here is special. It's a good opportunity. It's a good to get those jitters out for a lot of those younger guys. And guys who haven't played third base in a while.”
11. Gimenez made an appearance at third base, just to make things weirder.
12. “That definitely caught me off guard a little bit,” he said. “I wasn't really thinking third base was in the mix, but I was kind of glad he did it. It kind of brought back my memories of when I was a young pup. And I even got a ball. I got a fly ball. I told Gonzo, 'Get the heck out of there. I'm catching that thing.”