Best & Worst of the First Half 2015

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Best Offensive Play

 May 16th, Jason Kipnis
On this night in Texas, the Indians and Rangers kept going back and forth, scoring runs in 12 of 18 frames. In the ninth, the Indians came to bat down one, but tied the game with a Jose Ramirez fielder’s choice. That was when Jason Kipnis came to bat with Ramirez on second. On a 1-1 count, Kipnis deposited the low fastball from Neftali Feliz into the upper deck in right to give the Indians a two run lead and eventually, the win.

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Best Defensive Play

June 30th, Francisco Lindor
There have only been three plays that I’ve marked as unbelievable this season and Lindor is responsible for two of these, despite joining the team in June. Against the Rays, this particular play was a beauty providing an example of Lindor’s extreme range, quick feet, great arm strength and accuracy all at once. In it, Lindor dives up the middle to keep an Evan Longoria single in the infield, then gets up and fires to first to end the inning in style.

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Worst Offensive Performance

May 17th, Brandon Moss: 0/4, 2 K’s, 5 RISPLOB
In giving credit to the great, we must also acknowledge the not so great. Against the Rangers in a five run loss, Moss had a lot of opportunities to shine, but never did. In his first at bat, he had runners on first and second and struck out to end the inning. In his second, he had runners on second and third when he lined out to left to end the third. In the fifth, the Indians scored their only run of the game, but with one out and runners on second and third again, Moss struck out for the second time. In his final at bat, Moss grounded out to second to lead off the eighth to finish the game 0 for 4.

Best Offensive Performance

April 24th, Brandon Moss: 2 HR, 2B, 7 RBI, 2 Runs
Not quite as impressive as Chisenhall’s similar effort on June 9th, 2014, Moss had himself a day as the Indians beat the Tigers 13-1. Responsible for more than half the runs scored, Moss doubled to center with runners on first and second with two outs in the first for his first two RBI, homered to right with two on in the fifth and added another two run home run to right center in the ninth for good measure. Of his 7 RBI, two were himself and three were Carlos Santana.

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Worst Defensive Performance

June 7th, Lonnie Chisenhall: 2 Errors, 1 Bad Play, 1 Unearned Run
Chisenhall greatly improved upon his defense in 2015 compared to previous seasons, but in his final game in the Majors, he had a very bad day. On June 7th against the Orioles, Chisenhall committed his first error in the third inning, allowing Travis Snyder to reach safely. The next inning, Manny Machado hit a bases loaded “single” to Chisenhall that he misplayed to extend the inning. In the 7th, he made his second error, allowing Chris Davis to reach base and Adam Jones move to third. Jones would eventually score the unearned run. Of the five balls hit to him, Chisenhall successfully completed just two outs.

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Best Defensive Performance

June 19th, Jason Kipnis
While this could fairly have been given to Lindor, Kipnis was all over the place against the Rays in this Indians loss. From the first hitter of the game, where he robbed Kevin Kiermaier by diving to his right, then throwing across his body for the out, Kipnis jumped and dove his way to eight defensive plays including two double plays.

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Worst Relief Appearance

June 14th, Scott Atchison & Ryan Webb: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 1 BB
While Allen did blow two games early on that could qualify, this game against the Tigers was even worse. Corey Kluber started and allowed just two runs through five innings, but it wasn’t just the run support that caused him to take a loss. Atchison was the first into the fray in the sixth when he allowed a walk, a single and a home run to J.D. Martinez to bring them all home. He was removed after just one out and replaced by Nick Hagadone who calmed things down for 1.2 innings. In the 8th, Webb entered and allowed three singles and a double to match Atchison’s three run effort. With the game out of reach, Webb was allowed to finish the inning.

Best Relief Appearance

May 19th, Cody Allen: 1.1 IP, 3 K’s, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 IR Stranded
Trevor Bauer pitched into the 8th in this game against the White Sox, but was pulled after allowing a single. Bryan Shaw walked a man and was removed as was Marc Rzcepzysnki after a strike out. At this point, Terry Francona went to his closer who struck out Avisail Garcia to end the eighth and strand two. Allen then struck out Conor Gillaspie, got Alexei Ramirez to foul out and struck out pinch hitter Emilio Bonifacio to earn the two run save.

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Worst Start

April 12th, T.J. House: 1.2 IP, 3 BB, 6 H, 6 ER, HBP, 2 K’s
The Indians second choice for fifth starter made his first appearance this year in game six against Detroit and it went about as well as any other Indians game against Detroit over the past three years. Before he recorded an out, House allowed a walk, single, double steal, home run and another single. After finishing the first, he got the first out in the second before alternating singles and walks for five players, expediting his removal from the game.

Best Start

May 13th, Corey Kluber: 8 IP, 18 K’s, 1 H, HBP
The Indians have had plenty of candidates for this so far this year and Carlos Carrasco certainly deserves credit for his own 8.2 IP one hitter, but he only struck out 13, walked two and let a run score. Against the best team in the NL, the St. Louis Cardinals, Kluber didn’t allow anyone to cross the plate and only a single by Jhonny Peralta marred his no hitter.
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