AL Streaks Collide
Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge said this week could "make or break" his team’s season. So far, it’s looking like the latter.
The last-place Indians look to snap a five-game losing streak when they open a three-game series against the surging Minnesota Twins on Friday.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook SBG Global have made the Minnesota Twins -125 money line favorites for today’s game. The over/under for this game has been set at 9.5 total runs according to SBG oddsmakers. (View game matchup report)
The Indians (37-48) stumble into the weekend series after being swept in a three-game set by AL Central-leading Chicago. Cleveland won the division last year but is 11 games below .500 for the first time since Sept 24, 2006.
"We’re frustrated," center fielder Grady Sizemore, who homered twice in Wednesday’s 6-5, 10-inning loss, told the Indians’ official Web site. "It can change day-to-day or week-to-week, but we’ve got a long way to go."
Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro was expected to meet with Wedge and the rest of the coaching staff during Thursday’s off day to discuss possible changes. Cleveland’s bullpen has been especially bad this season, posting the second-worst ERA in the majors at 4.85 and going 0-2 with one blown save and a 5.52 ERA in the last five games.
Relief pitching was one of the team’s biggest strengths in 2007, as the bullpen posted a 3.73 ERA (sixth-best in baseball) and went 26-17.
"It’s fairly obvious where we’re at," Shapiro said. "Our expectations have not been met, and it’s bitterly disappointing."
After facing the division-leading White Sox, the Indians don’t expect much of a break when they visit the second-place Twins (47-38), winners of 13 of 15.
Minnesota took two of three from Detroit in its last series, winning 7-0 on Wednesday. The Twins were 2 1/2 games behind the White Sox going into Thursday’s action.
"We’ve got a lot of young guys playing really well, and they bring a higher energy," infielder Nick Punto said. "It’s hard not to feed off that. We’re having a lot of fun."
The Twins have played 12 of their last 15 games at home, averaging 5.8 runs and batting .325 in those 12 games. Minnesota is 29-18 at the Metrodome this season, including 11-3 against its own division.
To keep up their momentum, the Twins will try to beat Paul Byrd (3-9, 5.26 ERA) for the second time this season.
Byrd is 10-4 with a 3.79 ERA in 18 starts against the Twins, including 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA in 10 starts at the Metrodome. He struggled against them June 11, however, allowing six runs in three innings of an 8-5 home loss – his shortest career outing versus Minnesota.
The right-hander has dropped his three starts since that defeat, the most recent coming Saturday when he gave up four runs and six hits in six innings of a 5-0 loss to Cincinnati.
Minnesota counters with another struggling pitcher in Livan Hernandez (8-5, 5.22). The right-hander lost his last outing Saturday against Milwaukee, allowing five runs over seven innings of a 5-1 defeat. He’s lost three of his last five starts, with a 6.43 ERA during that span.
In Hernandez’s only career start against the Indians, he allowed seven runs and 12 hits – two home runs – in a 12-2 loss June 12.
Cleveland and Minnesota have split their six games this season, with the Twins winning two of three at home April 18-20.
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