Jake Westbrook will be making his first start of the season at Jacobs Field tonight. So why after 4 so-so starts do I say Jake will win tonight? How about some stats to back me up:

Jake is 22-13 over the past 3 seasons at Jacobs Field. Over the same span he has a record of 3-8 in April and 8-4 in May. Jake’s best outings so far this season were in the domes of Milwaukee (6.0 IP, 2 ER, 11 ground-outs) and Tampa Bay (7.0 IP, 4 ER, 9 ground-outs). As a sinker ball pitcher it is obvious  that the weather has affected him in his career (12-3 in August the last 3 seasons). He was blasted in NY where it was mid-40s and rainy, he struggled in Chicago where it was 31 degrees at first pitch. Only a total of 7 ground ball outs in those two games.

It will be a little humid tonight. The game time temperature is expected to be in the mid-50s and I think these are encouraging numbers for Jake, who’s pitches will be more effective tonight.

So he will win tonight, and yes, the beard will help keep his face warm in turn making it seem warmer outside which will help him pitch more effictively and propel the Tribe to their 6th straight win. (Note: If Westbrook takes the mound beardless this prediction is no longer valid.)

THE SCHILLING SOCK
First of all … who really cares if it was blood or not? The guy was obviously injuried either way and played thru the pain with his teams playoff life on the line. I respect Schilling and I don’t blame him for being upset. Gary Thorne will be in town with the Orioles tonight. I don’t blame him for this at all. His team was losing, quite frankly they stink and there isn’t much to look forward too this season. He was doing what any broadcaster would have done when you’re watching another lack-luster performance by your team, he was making conversation. It’s not his fault that ESPN and the majority of the media focus on negatives. It’s always been that way. When someone messed up someone else is there pointing the finger right in their face and making it known to anyone around.  I’m sure Schilling has made a mistake or two in his life before and so has everyone else. So the point is … take a step back and ask yourself, "why does this even matter?"

I’ve been Eric Wedged. I’m trying not to live and die on every pitching this season (mostly becuase I was "dead" in May last season). Wedge always talks about respecting the length of the season. Not getting too up about a win or too down about a loss. So my hope remains in todays game and I’ve already forgot about last nights sloppy 10-3 loss to the New York Yankees. So I’m not going to reflect on last nights game. I did find something very interesting that came out of yesterday’s trip to New York, however.

Take a close look at this photo from Cleveland.com. The caption began, "Marty Miller, right, the New York Yankees director of performance enhancement, talks with Yankees closer Mariano Rivera at Yankee Stadium in New York". Hmm. What an interesting title. Sure enough I verfied this on Yankees.com. They even have a "Performance Enhancement Assistant".

What a curious title. Now I don’t like speculating (unless it comes to the Yankees), but do you see that vain popping from the Director of Performance Enhancement’s neck?

In a time where the words "performance enhancement" are synonymous with steroids this brings up a lot of questions for me. Is this man handing Rivera pills? Is he friends with Jason Giambi? Why hasn’t he helped out Carl Pavano or, last season, Randy Johnson to "enhance their performance"?

I’ve come up with some alternate titles for the Yankees in case they’ve wondered if they should change his title, and they should:

• Director of Player Development (a title used by the Indians)
• Strength and Conditioning Coach (what most major league clubs use)
• Steroid Provider (it is what it is)
• Director of Player Potential Realizer
• Director of Performance Enhancement, non-steroid department
• Effectiveness Guru

Any of these are better than the currently ambiguous title

Well it’s the first day of this new Cleveland Indians blog: "The Script I". I felt the Tribe needed a little more representation on the MLBlogs. The Tigers have about 20 blogs, the Dodgers have Alyssa Milano, and the Tribe only had 4 (mostly inactive) blogs. Even the Royals have 4 blogs. C’mon.

I wonder if I’ll get a press pass for being a MLBlogger…

Anyway the Tribe is in New York tonight where bad weather seems to be following them. With the banged up Yankees rotation we’ve got a great chance to continue taking 2 of 3. Remember in the second half of 2005 Eric Wedge preached about "winning the series"? Well if the Tribe can continue taking 2 of 3 we’ll finish with about 108 wins!

Quick Thought:
At the new Heritage Park in Jacobs Field, there are countless bricks that claim, "#1 Tribe Fan". I’m thinking about getting a brick that says "#2 Tribe Fan" in which case the #1′s would be disqualified on a count of there being so many that they lose their credibility therefore making me the true "#1 Tribe Fan".