Cleveland Indians: Tribe stuck in abyss of mediocrity as they drop another game

Things continue to spiral downward for the Cleveland Indians as they let the Kansas City Royals have a home-run derby at Progressive Field.

I hope some of you spent your Labor Day at the beach, or the pool, perhaps at a cookout. If for some reason you decided to watch the Cleveland Indians play baseball today, I simply ask why? Why have you submitted yourself to the torture of watching the offense float down a river without a paddle?

Watching Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez struggle has become painful to watch. Jose is finding it to be almost impossible to get his 38th homer (although he was close today). Francisco Lindor did manage to get his first homer since August 8th, but it was all for naught. Both have looked like they’re trying to see how wide they can swing their bat in every plate appearance.

For a while the Indians were able to get by with Melky Cabrera and Yan Gomes producing from the bottom of the order while these two slumped. But now it seems like everyone is slumping. In six of their last 11 games the Indians have scored less than three runs, while they’ve allowed five or more runs in seven games during that span.

A lot of that has to do with pitching. The Indians have had a knack for keeping their starters in just a tad too long, allowing for a big inning in either the sixth or seventh inning. That was the case today as Adam Plutko allowed the two extra runs in the sixth and the Royals got an insurance run (as if they needed it) in the eighth.

The Indians offense came close to scoring it felt like quite a few times today. There was the awful double-steal attempt with Lindor and Greg Allen, where Allen’s hesitation resulted in being tagged out at home. Then it felt like in every inning someone in the Indians lineup flew out to the warning track. But you aren’t going to get much going if your offense goes 1-2-3 for six of the nine innings.

I keep saying the Indians offense is bound to wake up, and the inclusion of Josh Donaldson can help with that, but for now this Indians team looks unmotivated. The home-run ball that has been their friend for so long, cost them this game. And personally these ninth inning rally attempts are cutting my life-span down. Go Tribe.