Los Angeles @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2010 ) LA Angels 3, Cleveland 4
Jered Weaver has a .500 record.
His last victory came almost six weeks ago and he's 0-4 in his last six starts.
Given those numbers, one would think the Los Angeles Angels’ right-hander is having a poor season. Such an assumption would be wrong.
In fact, a case can be made that Weaver, who will start for Los Angeles in the second game of its series in Cleveland, is having the best season no one knows about. A lack of run support and some bad luck have left him with a mediocre record, even though he's pitched like an ace most of the season.
A scan of the pitching leaders in the American League will show Weaver's name in several categories. He's second in strikeouts (211), tied for second in games started (31), tied for fourth in opponents batting average (.220), fifth in innings pitched (197) and sixth in ERA (3.06).
Weaver also goes deep into games. He has pitched at least six innings in 20 of his last 21 starts and 33 of his last 37 starts, dating to last season.
Unfortunately for Weaver (11-11), his winning percentage isn't where it should be because his teammates simply haven't scored on the days he's been pitching.
The Angels have been shut out three times and scored one run on two other occasions in his winless stretch. That's why Weaver hasn't won, even though he has allowed three runs or less four times and has given up 16 earned runs in 42 innings overall in that stretch.
Weaver beat the Indians on April 26, allowing one earned run in six innings. He's 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA against Cleveland.
Jeanmar Gomez has been a pleasant surprise for the Indians since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus in July. Although he hasn't won since Aug. 12 and is 0-3 in his last four starts, the 22-year-old right-hander has made progress in his first season. Gomez throws in the low nineties and is working on a slider and changeup.
The Indians weren't planning on using Gomez this season, but injuries, trades and poor pitching by other starters forced them to call him up this season. He's pitched well enough to have a chance to win a job for next season's rotation in spring training.
The Indians have won three of their last four against the Angels, including a 4-3 win Tuesday night. Shelley Duncan drove in all four runs with a two-run homer, a solo blast and an RBI single. The loss snapped the Angels' four-game winning streak.