The 2012 Playoffs-The ALDS

As the 2009 season drags ever onward (Spring Training started 8 and a half months ago on February 12th!), I decided I'd take a look ahead at the 2012 playoffs and what to expect (well hope to expect). It beats watching all those ex-Indians excel in the playoffs.....

Coming off a strong 95 win season, the Cleveland Indians won the AL Central by a robust 9 games and captured the two seed in the playoffs. Their opponent: the AL East-winning Yankees and winners of 92 games, having edged out the Red Sox for the AL East crown by a game. The fourth seeded Red Sox played the first seeded Texas Rangers, winners of 105 games.

Game 1 of the ALDS (New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians)

Cleveland's Lineup:
LF-L Michael Brantley
CF-L Grady Sizemore
C-S Carlos Santana
1B-R Matt LaPorta
RF-L Shin Soo Choo
DH-R Manny Ramirez
SS-S Asdrubal Cabrera
3B-L Lonnie Chisenhall
2B-R Jason Donald

RHP Hector Rondon

New York's Lineup:
CF Austin Jackson
2B Robinson Cano
1B Mark Texieria
RF Matt Holliday
C Jesus Montero
3B Alex Rodriguez
DH Nick Swisher
SS Stephan Drew
LF Derek Jeter

LHP CC Sabathia

Game 1 Summary:
The game started out well for the tribe as Michael Brantley walked, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out by Grady Sizemore and scored on a Carlos Santana sac fly. Manny Ramirez, who signed a 1 year 4 million dollar deal over the offseason to give the prominently left-handed lineup some balance and spell the oft-injured Travis Hafner, made it 2-0 tribe on a towering solo homer in the second. However, CC Sabathia handled the Indians from there, allowing just two more hits and a walk the rest of the game. Hector Rondon was roughed up allowing 5 runs over 5.1IP including 5BB. Despite a terrible, injury-filled season (.257, 14 HR), Alex Rodriguez went 3-5 with a double, homer and 3 RBI.

Box 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
NYY 0 0 2 1 0 3 1 0 0 = 7 12 0
CLE 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 = 2 4 1

Noteables: NYY Sabathia CG, 4 H, 2ER, BB, 9 K's
CLE Ramirez 1-3 HR, RBI

Game 2:
The Yankees used the exact same lineup and turned to free agent pickup Matt Cain (14-8 3.78 ERA) for game 2. The Indians turned to Carlos Carrasco and used the same lineup except young Nick Weglarz (who was called up following a shoulder injury to Hafner in July) got the call at DH instead of Ramirez and left handed hitting Luis Valbuena replaced Jason Donald.

Mark Texieria welcomed Carlos Carrasco to his first postseason with a 2 run shot in the first and Austin Jackson's two run double in the second made it 4-0 Yankees early. Matt Cain was perfect through 4 1/3 innings, but ran into trouble in the 5th when Shin-Soo Choo rocketed a solo homer to destroy his perfect game, no hitter and shutout. Cain surrendered hits to Weglarz and Cabrera before Lonnie Chisenhall roped a 2 run double into the right field corner making the score 4-3 Yankees. Carrasco was yanked after 5 and the Indians bullpen held it a one run game until the 9th. The Yankees closer Phil Hughes was almost perfect through the season converting 46 of 48 save opportunities and had the Indians down to their last out before Luis Valbuena rocked a 2B into the right center alley to plate Asdrubal Cabrera. In the 10th, Joba Chamberlain struck out
Grady Sizemore to begin the inning, but walked Santana and LaPorta before giving up a game winning single to Shin Soo Choo. Indians win 5-4.

Box 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
NYY 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0=4 12 0
CLE 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 1=5 10 0

Notables: NYY Texieria 1-3 2 BB, HR, 2RBI
CLE Choo 3-5 HR, 2 RBI


Game 3
AJ Burnett toed the rubber for the Yankees for only 3+ innings allowing 6 runs and 5 walks. A bases loaded 3-run double by Carlos Santana finished him with no outs in the 4th. Rookie of the Year TJ House pitched 5 strong before running into trouble in the 6th inning. With one out, House gave up gave up consecutive doubles to Mark Texieria and Matt Holliday and would be yanked after he issued a walk to Jesus Montero. In relief of House, Zach Putnam struck out Alex Rodriguez, but gave up a 3 run homer to Nick Swisher to cut the lead to 6-5 Indians. In the 7th, the tribe's bullpen ran into further trouble as Jess Todd and Tony Sipp coughed up 2 runs to get the Yankees a 7-6 lead. Bobby Jenks, who'd thrown a perfect 7th for the bronx bombers, ran into trouble in the 8th issuing walks to Luis Valbuena and Michael Brantley before Grady Sizemore connected on a double into the right field corner. Valbuena easily scored, but a terrific relay throw from Robinson Cano gunned Brantley down at the plate. 7-7, mid-8th. Nick Hagadone came on for the tribe and struck out the side to go to preserve the tie into the 9th. Phil Hughes came on for the Yankees and after taking care of Santana and LaPorta, Shin-Soo Choo connected on a 2-2 fastball into the gap for a 2 out triple. Hughes threw the very next pitch about 56 feet and Montero was unable to prevent it from going all the way back to the backstop. Choo scampered home to make it 8-7 tribe going into the bottom of the 9th. Seemingly shaken by the obnoxious Yankee crowd, Cleveland closer Chris Perez walked Mark Texieria on 4 pitches to begin the inning. After falling Perez fell behind 3-1, Matt Holliday connected on a fastball for a base hit up the middle putting runners on 1st and 3rd with none out. Jesus Montero, first pitch swinging, popped up to the 2B to give Perez his first out. With the tying run on 3rd and winning run on 1st, A-Rod stepped up to the plate and swung through two 97 MPH fastballs to fall into an 0-2 hole. He slammed the next Chris Perez offering, but right into Matt LaPorta's glove, who is able to tag out Holliday before he can retreat back to first. Indians win 8-7.

Box 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
CLE 1 0 0 5 0 0 0 1 1= 8 11 1
NYY 1 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 0= 7 12 1

Notables: NYY Nick Swisher 2-4 BB, HR, 3 RBI
CLE Carlos Santana 4-5, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI

Game 4
Three hours prior to game 4, the NY Post leaked a story claiming that A-Rod had had an affair with CC Sabathia's wife. A-Rod came out of the dugout with a black eye, which he claimed was caused by his dog. Sabathia seemed shaken in this crucial start allowing three Indians run in the first two frames. After settling down and pitching scoreless 3rd and 4th innings, Sabathia coughed up another 3 over the next two innings and it took him 131 pitches to get through 6. Justin Masterson seemed unfazed by the pressure yielding only two solo homers to Texieria and Swisher over 6 innings of quality work. Already down 6-2, the Yankees bullpen imploded in the 7th. Jenks and Chamberlain walked 5 batters between them and Lonnie Chisenhall capped the inning off with a grand slam to give the tribe 7 in the 7th. A dejected and divided Yankees dugout watched as Aaron Laffey retired all 9 batters he faced and the Indians mobbed the center of the diamond with their 2nd ALDS victory at Yankee stadium in 6 years.

Box 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
CLE 2 1 0 0 1 2 7 1 0 = 14 14 1
NYY 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 = 2 6 1

Notables: NYY CC Sabathia 6.0IP 8H, 6 ER, 4BB, 8K's
CLE Lonnie Chisenhall 2-5 HR, 6 RBI

ALCS matchup Cleveland vs. Boston (next week).

Your Pal,
Alex Trebek

PS: Don't be afraid to comment and tell me what you think!