Boston comes into Cleveland with a hot catcher and hot-and-cold pitcher.
Victor Martinez tonight makes his first return to Progressive Field since being trade to the Boston Red Sox last year. What kind of reception will he get?
Updated 1:54 p.m.
Cleveland, Ohio -- Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka is kind of like baseball's equivalent of Sybil; you just don't know who's going to take the mound on any particular night.
Tonight, when the Red Sox begin a four-game stay at Progressive Field, the hapless Indians mostly likely are hoping for the Matsuzaka who gave up eight walks against Kansas City in his penultimate outing and not the one who followed up with seven strikeouts and no walks against Oakland in the succeeding start.
Actually, Starting Blocks didn't care; we just wanted an excuse to show the world we knew the proper time to use the word, "penultimate."
But seriously, Fausto Carmona, who's on the hill for the Tribe tonight, could face a tough opponent in Matsuzaka. According to nesn.com, the 29-year-old is 2-1 against the Indians, with a 3.86 ERA. Carmona's numbers are pretty much the opposite against Boston: 1-2, with a 5.94.
Overall, Matsuzaka is 4-2 with a 5.49 ERA vs. Carmona's 4-4, 3.53.
Not that it really matters; the price of beer remains constant despite the discrepancy in ERAs: too high.
Victor's returnA Boston Herald preview of the Tribe-Red Sox series noted that the Indians' logo will be the most recognizable thing for Victor Martinez when he returns to Cleveland.
It hasn't even been 11 months since the Indians beat the trade deadline and swapped Martinez to the Red Sox for pitchers Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price. Cleveland has rebuilt its roster, leaving center fielder Grady Sizemore, designated hitter Travis Hafner, second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera and shortstop Jhonny Peralta among the few regulars remaining from Martinez' tenure.
"Not too many guys still there," Martinez said yesterday after cracking a two-run homer in the Red Sox' 4-3, 11-inning loss to the Orioles. "But I'm excited about (going back). It's my first visit after I got traded, so definitely, it'll be good."
Martinez came up through the Indians minor league system and spent parts of eight seasons in Cleveland.
What the Herald failed to point out is that two of those four regulars from Martinez's past -- Sizemore and Cabrera -- won't be here, both being out with injuries.
What the Herald did point out, however, is that Martinez is hotter than the proverbial firecracker: Overall, he's hitting .294 with eight homers and 29 RBI. But in the past 15 games, he's hitting at a .463 pace (25-for-54) with five dingers and 12 RBI.
Somebody cue up the Marlon Brando speech from "On the Waterfront."
"We coulda been a contender!"
Hello, Andy. So long, Matt
The Indians today activated infielder Andy Marte off the disabled list. To make room, they shipped Matt LaPorta to Columbus. Marte is hitting .208; LaPorta is hitting .218.
In today's Plain Dealer, sports writer Dennis Manoloff looks at tonight's amateur baseball draft. Dman says that Jim Callis, the Baseball America executive editor whom he describes as the baseball equivalent of football's Mel Kiper Jr. and Mike Maock, has the Indians picking University of Texas-Arlington outfield Michael Choice with their first pick, the fifth overall.
ESPN.com expert Keith Law doesn't agree. He has the Tribe going for LHP Drew Pomeranz from Ole Miss.
Frankly, Starting Blocks isn't sure who to believe. Perhaps we should check with the Yankees, Red Sox or Dodgers to see who they're going to want to trade for in four years.
From The Plain DealerEvery time Starting Blocks reads a Paul Hoynes game story about an Indians loss, the audiotape of the radio guy who covered the Hindenberg crash. As a matter of fact, we're waiting for a game story to be led with, "Oh, the humanity!" The story in today's paper, about starter Jake Westbrook surrendering not one but two three-run leads in an 8-7 loss to the White Sox in Chicago, could have been a good option.
For his Indians Insider column, Hoynesie talked to manager Manny Acta about the passing of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden. Wooden's death means the Tribe skipper will never get to meet one of his heroes. Acta adapted Wooden's leadership methods to baseball and, so far, has won two championships as a manger.