Get your Forest Green out of the Forest City!

I wanted to get a quick post today in to say that I'm looking forward to the FIRST PLACE Cleveland Indians trying to sweep their three-game series with the Oakland A's today at 12:05. Athletics batters have thus far not been able to push a run across in two games against Tribe pitching, with Paul Byrd pitching 7 1/3 shutout innings and CC tossing a complete game shutout in the first two contests. Aaron Laffey, he of the odd 1.83 ERA yet 1-2 record, will try to extend the Indians' starters' remarkable scoreless streak, which now stands at 43 1/3 frames.

Because baseball is the sport where players and teams tend towards the mean so much, I find streaks like this one fascinating. Like when the A's won 23 games in a row a few years ago - in a game that's always driving towards averages and .500's, it was neat to see such a feat pulled off. Likewise with the Cleveland rotation's run of goose eggs. Watch out, Hershiser.

As for the club in first place - it sure is nice to see, huh? After all the ink that's been spilled (here and in any other forum that deals with the Tribe) about the club's struggles at the plate, which have been justifiably well-documented, the club sits atop the AL Central with a 21-19 mark. Note that it hasn't come cheaply either, as the Tribe owns the best run differential in the division and second-best in the entire American League! The only team better is...you guessed it...Oakland. A Tribe victory by four or more runs today (i.e. the Indians scoring four or more runs) will put us atop the coveted Pythagorean Wins Standings.

Go Tribe!