Jun
16
2009
The Incorruptible John Kruk
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | 1 Comment
The Incorruptible John Kruk
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | 1 Comment
I may not be much for politics these days, but I’ve still got a warm spot in my heart for… Integrity. The target is ESPN’s John Kruk, prognosticator extraordinaire.
Karl Ravech: If you could sell one team in the major leagues, who would you sell?
[Video of Evan Longoria running out an infield grounder.]
John Kruk: I’d sell the Tampa Bay Rays. They’re in third place right now, and that’s all you need to know to tell you they aren’t making the playoffs.
Later in the same show…
Top 9 Moments of the 2009 MLB season so far… #4:
[Video of the Cleveland Indians come-from-behind 11-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, May 25]
John Kruk: The reason why I picked this moment is because it’s a telling moment for the Cleveland Indians. Coming into the game 8-1/2 games out in the American League Central Division and down by 10 runs before the game actually even started, they had every right to say this game’s over and look forward to the following day. But no, they score 7 runs in the bottom of the 9th to win 11-10. It showed a lot of character and a lot of heart, and the reason why they’re still in this race in the American League Central.
The Cleveland Indians have split their last 6 games 3-3. Other than sweeping the Rays at home for the 17th game in a row (a streak even the stellar 2008 Rays did not interrupt) the Indians have not won more than 2 games in a row this season, and have had losing streaks of 5 games once and 4 games twice.
Since they met on 5/25, the Rays are 11-7, and the Indians are 11-9. The Rays started the series 23-23, the Indians were 11 games under .500.
The Indians have since picked up two games in the AL Central race, but are still in last place. They are now 8 games under .500.
The Rays have slipped 1 game in the AL East division. After winning their last 5 in a row and 11 of their last 15, they are tied for third, 5 games behind the Boston Red Sox. They are now 3 games over .500.
There are 98 games left in the season.
UPDATE: Later the same day, compare and contrast:
Rays roll to sixth straight win: Tampa Bay sets club record with 12 extra-base hits (12-4 win over the Rockies)
Missed chances doom Tribe: Indians put plenty of runners on but can’t cash in (5-7 loss to the Brewers)
Meanwhile, Kruk repeated his claim that the Indians were “still in it”, despite the snickering of his fellow panelists on Baseball Tonight. Integrity, I tell ya.