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We've only faced the Indians nine times in franchise history, which is tied for the least in franchise history. The last time was more than six years ago, which explains why I had to find and download the logo above - the last time was back before I was doing "posh" intros to the Gameday Threads. Only one of the Diamondbacks who appeared in the last game between the two teams is even currently active in the majors:- Craig Counsell. But there could well be a survivor from that game appearing tonight for Cleveland, in Grady Sizemore.
- Kelly Johnson 2B
- Stephen Drew SS
- Justin Upton RF
- Chris Young CF
- Miguel Montero C
- Ryan Roberts 3B
- Juan Miranda 1B
- Gerardo Parra LF
- Ian Kennedy RHP
No DH, so no room for Wily Mo Pena in the line-up: he will, of course, be available off the bench [Luke AFB has been notified...] The team needs to put yesterday's meltdown behind them and start playing the way they were, in this battle of surprising overachievers. With Kennedy on the mound, I'm feeling the kind of optimism that you only get with your ace starting: we're lucky to feel that twice every five days, and it's in sharp contrast to the uncomfortable digestive rumblings we feel the other three times [though Saunders' starts are down to a Defcon Three level of Pepto-Bismol consumption]
I'm on my usual Monday recap, which is good news for the team, as they last lost a Monday contest back on May 16. So I'm optimistic I'll have good news to write about, after we punish the Indians for their thoughtless failings over the weekend in San Francisco, which saw them drop out of first in their division. They've lost five of the last six, and are 8-16 in June, so it could be that the end of their overachieving is in sight. Nice though it was, driving some nails into that coffin would be very satisfactory.