Results tagged ‘ Justin Masterson ’
Indians end seven-year drought vs. Browns in Bowl For Kids Sake series
The Cleveland Indians have ended the Cleveland Browns’ seven-year winning streak in the teams’ annual Bowl For Kids Sake matchup Thursday night at Freeway Lanes in Parma.
The Browns had won seven straight and held a 7-3 edge in the teams’ all-time series. But the Indians — led by Reggie Hawthorne, a Progressive Field Retail Stand Captain who recently participated in the National Intercollegiate Bowling Championships for Notre Dame College — beat the Browns by about 7,000 pins.
Players who participated included Justin Masterson, Chris Perez, Yan Gomes and Bryan Shaw, while wives including Amanda Kluber, Meryl Masterson, Jenny Gomes, Kristin Shaw, Melanie Perez, Kathleen Reynolds and Meredith Chisenhall joined the festivities. Browns players including Jabaal Sheard, Billy Winn, John Hughes and Craig Robertson also were on hand, while mascots Slider and Chomps made appearances.
Proceeds from the event go to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cleveland, the largest provider of one-on-one youth mentoring services in the United States. The group has been bringing caring adults into the lives of children for over 100 years. BBBS of Greater Cleveland provides professionally-supported one-on-one mentoring services to youth, serving over 600 children annually in Cuyahoga County, either in the community or at a site or school. For more information visit http://www.bbbsneo.org.
–TribeVibe contributor Joel Hammond (photos by Dan Mendlik)
Yan Gomes, Meryl Masterson, Indians front office staff pitch in to help at Providence House
Members of the Indians organization spent time Monday morning volunteering at Providence House, an organization that fights to end child abuse and neglect by protecting at-risk families, empowering families in crisis and building safe communities for every child.
Located in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, Providence House serves kids ranging from infants to 10 years old; its model goes beyond emergency shelter and includes a range of case management and supportive services for both children and their families, with a goal to stabilize, strengthen and reunify each family.
Indians volunteers ranged from various departments – ownership, communications, community outreach, PR, merchandise and finance. Even the Tribe’s most recent starting catcher, Yan Gomes, and his wife, Jenna — as well as Meryl Masterson (wife of Indians pitcher Justin Masterson) — gave up one of their precious few off days to come down and lend a hand.
Providence House staff gave volunteers an overview of their services, a tour of their newly remodeled facility and asked Indians staff to help assemble intake bags, which are kitted items that each child receives upon arrival at Providence House and takes home when he or she leaves (toothbrush, 5+sets of clothes, shoes, etc.).
And the best part of the day was the chance to interact and play with some of the kids who were currently staying at Providence House.
“I absolutely loved it,” said Indians payroll manager Mary Forkapa about the experience. “The fact that we got to interact with the kids and make a direct and immediate difference in their lives made it incredibly worthwhile. Seeing them get excited about having us there was just awesome. I plan to come back and do this again on a regular basis.”
The Indians have a long relationship with Providence House through their community outreach department and provide financial and volunteer support to the organization. In addition, on Opening Day, new Tribe first baseman Nick Swisher and his wife, Joanna, donated $75,000 to Providence House in direct support of the crisis nursery. For more information about getting involved, please visit www.provhouse.org.
–TribeVibe contributor Anne Keegan (photos by Kyle Emery)
Harlem Shake: Bring your own costume Monday!
According to Nick Swisher, Monday’s filming of the Tribe’s Harlem Shake video was “Bring your own costume Monday!” And boy did he and his teammates ever. Here is the roster of the downright ridiculous costumes on display in the Tribe Town 216 edition.
Parrot: Jason Kipnis (costume courtesy of Vinnie Pestano)
Ohio State football star: Nick Swisher
Green man: Jason Giambi
Big baby: Terry Francona
Prisoner: Sandy Alomar, Jr.
Camo man: Mark Reynolds
Human bear: Justin Masterson
Lloyd Christmas & Harry Dunne (from “Dumb and Dumber”): David Huff & Chris Perez
Mario: Lonnie Chisenhall
Two Luigis: Mike Sarbaugh & Brian Jeroloman
Nerd: Michael Brantley
Flamingo wrangler: Cody Allen
Reno 911! cop: Ubaldo Jimenez
Hot dog with beard: Nick Hagadone
Disco man: Carlos Carrasco
Ironman: Drew Stubbs
Scarecrow: Trevor Bauer
Mummies: Juan Diaz & Michael Bourn
WWE wrestler: Brett Myers
Two Gumbies: Mike McDade & Scott Barnes
Two Easter bunnies: Rich Hill & Lou Marson
Three penguins: Matt Capps, Matt Langwell & Zach McAllister
Egyptian Pharaoh: Danny Salazar
Hula dancer: Cord Phelps
Spiderman: Joe Martinez
Gene Simmons: Mickey Callaway
Waldo: Matt Carson
Angry Birds: Scott Kazmir and Bryan Shaw
And in case you missed it, here’s the video again:
Harlem Shake: Tribe Town 216 edition
Yes, we’re a little behind on the craze. Sue us. We’ve been a little busy, you know, with Spring Training and all.
We think, though, that the Harlem Shake: Tribe Town 216 edition is worth the wait. On Monday, we teased it with a partial roster; today, we bring you the full video, with, in our humble opinion, the best “Shake” intro of them all.
Hope you enjoy.
–TribeVibe contributor Joel Hammond
The Harlem Shake has come to Goodyear
In case you haven’t heard, Nick Swisher is excited to be in Cleveland and a member of the Indians.
On Monday, that excitement manifested off the field: as the organizer of an Indians Harlem Shake video. The video will be released on in the next day or so, so stay tuned to TribeVibe and our social media channels. In the meantime, this photo gallery will have to do. A partial roster:
- Green man: Jason Giambi
- Camo man: Mark Reynolds
- Human bear: Justin Masterson
- Lloyd Christmas/Harry Dunne (from “Dumb and Dumber”): Chris Perez, David Huff
- Mario with a diaper on: Lonnie Chisenhall
- Reno 911! cop: Ubaldo Jimenez
- Hot dog: Nick Hagadone
- Disco man: Carlos Carrasco
- Penguin: Zach McAllister
- Parrot: Jason Kipnis
- Ohio State football star: Nick Swisher
Cleveland media were on hand, too, and had these dispatches from Goodyear:
Paul Hoynes, Plain Dealer: “Told that bear costume he wore for Harlem Shake video looked like real bear, Masterson said: “It was a real bear. . .at one time.”
Jordan Bastian, MLB.com: Giambi on this morning’s Harlem Shake antics: “It was fun. That’s the stuff you need to build team unity.”
The Reno 911 sexy cop costume? Can confirm that Ubaldo Jimenez picked it out himself. Told Big U that I can’t un-see that. He laughed.
–TribeVibe contributor Joel Hammond
Day 2 in Goodyear another great one for Fan Correspondent @ClevelandChick
There are two types of days at Indians Spring Training – good days and great days.
Yesterday, my friends, was a great day. It was the first full day in Arizona and we started it off right by heading to batting practice first thing in the morning. I was at the field 10 minutes when Cord Phelps came up to me and asked if I wanted his bat. My answer was a squeaky little “yes, please.” Awesome. The Indians have bleacher seats set up for those who want to watch practice and a fence to hang on for those who want to snag an autograph. I spent most of the morning on the fence waiting for Jason Kipnis and Matt LaPorta.
In my last post I mentioned how important it is to say hello to people. At batting practice, I would suggest the same. While hanging on the fence, sharpie and baseball cards in hand, I met some great people. An older gentleman that has been in Arizona 15 years and became a Tribe fan five years ago when the team moved Spring Training to Goodyear. The man had never been to Cleveland but loved the team just from seeing them at the park. I met a family with photos and cards split among mom, dad and an aunt to send back to a man cave in Parma. One proud grandma had a picture of her three grandchildren, all in Tribe jerseys, for the team to sign. There was a little good-natured ribbing from some Reds fans about Choo and Hannahan (that made me tear up a little). Justin Masterson came by and signed for everyone and chatted with fans. And much to my excitement, Mike Hargrove came over to sign my slightly bent card. It pays to say please, kids. I can’t forget to mention that Cleveland comedic son Mike Polk Jr. was there and I talked to him for a couple of minutes as well.
After practice, my friend and I went straight to the game, which is right down the street. A fan note here: Some players walk back to the practice facility from the game in case you want to take a walk as well. Goodyear Ballpark is, in my opinion, the jewel of the Cactus League. The park is fan-friendly with a mini field for kids to play catch and run the bases. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. The most important thing is how friendly everyone is. From the guy selling hot dogs to the ushers, everyone has a smile to greet you. The ushers also know that there are fans from all over the country (and continent with the World Baseball Classic going on) and it may be the only time someone can get up close and personal with their favorite players. I took a lot of fantastic pictures by simply asking an usher if I could go to the front row and take a picture. I have never been turned down.
The overall vibe at Goodyear is laid back and relaxed. The players are easy going and the fans are fun.
We ended our awesome day, a little sunburned, in Tempe for dinner.
Today is a new day, and I can’t wait to see what happens!
–TribeVibe Fan Correspondent Traci (@ClevelandChick)
Cleveland native Traci Christler, who blogs independently at http://www.HappinessIsaHotPierogi.com, is in Goodyear this spring and writing about the Indians for TribeVibe. The Indians are not compensating her for her coverage, nor did they fund her travel.
Sunny Weather and Timeless Tribe Memories ahead at Spring Training
Can’t wait for Opening Day? For some Tribe fans, enjoying sunlit baseball games begins well before April. Spring Training is quickly approaching, with just eleven days until pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Arizona.
TribeVibe had the chance to speak with Ryan Lantz, Manager of Spring Training Operations, on what makes a trip out to Goodyear such an awesome experience for Indians fans.
“First of all, the weather is incredible this time year,” Lantz explained. A quick peek at the forecast and sure enough, it’ll be sunny: in the mid-to-high 70’s.
“It’s also really the perfect time to get an up close and personal experience with the players, in a laid back atmosphere.”
The meet-and-greets and availability of the players lends to plenty of opportunities for fans to get autographs and interact with the team.
“Once the workouts start, one of the best opportunities to get autographs is 8:30-11:30 AM. Before the games, the place to be is down the first-base line. You can also come and catch BP on the major fields.”
TV also spoke with Tom Bowen, a huge Tribe fan and a regular at Spring Training who is excited for a relaxing vacation and to meet some of the new Tribe players.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting some of the players up close, especially [Nick] Swisher,” Bowen said. “In the past, my wife and I got the chance to meet and talk with Justin Masterson a few times, who is just a really friendly, nice guy.”
Lantz and Bowen both love that all of the Cactus League ballparks are within a 45-minute drive, with most being twenty minutes or less, which is a huge draw for those who want to maximize the amount of games they can attend.
“It’s really nice to be able to see some of the other facilities and teams,” Bowen continued. “You can watch half of the league within a 45-minute drive, which is really convenient.”
As Lantz pointed out, Goodyear is also conveniently located for fans who would like to explore outside of the ballpark, with ample places for golf, hiking, shopping, etc. Sedona, Scottsdale, and Phoenix are nearby, and the Grand Canyon is less a than four-hour drive away.
“I’m looking forward to traveling up to Sedona and spending some time in the parks in Phoenix; it’s very scenic,” Bowen said.
If you’re interested in learning more about Spring Training or want to head out to Arizona yourself, indians.com/spring has all the information needed to get you on your way to Goodyear. The Indians travel partner Professional Travel has some great packages to fit any size family, vacation and budget.
“They are very helpful with the planning; they helped us book an extra day onto our six-day package, and accommodated my brother and his wife who are coming from San Diego. We can’t wait!”
– TribeVibe contributor Courtney Shilling
A second career for Masterson? Righty right at home on the radio dial
Look out, Jim Rosenhaus. Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Justin Masterson is getting awfully comfortable behind the microphone.
Masterson, who enters the 2013 season entrenched as one of the Tribe’s top pitchers, joined Indians On Deck host Al Pawlowski on the broadcast of the Cleveland State-Wright State men’s basketball game on Wednesday night from Dayton. And while his chosen second career might be as a pastor, as he told Indians.com recently, he’s showing his broadcasting chops.
Wednesday was the third time Masterson has joined Pawlowski for a Vikings game; CSU previously had beaten Butler last January and Ball State in November with Masterson providing color commentary. The Vikings weren’t as fortunate on Wednesday, as the Raiders won, 69-53.
So, how did Masterson get started on the CSU games? And how does he do? Pawlowski answered a couple questions for TribeVibe:
TV: Did Justin approach you last winter when he joined you on the CSU-Butler game, or did you reach out to him to gauge his interest?
AP: Justin and I have always had a good relationship and we would talk about things outside of baseball. Toward the end of the 2011 (baseball) season, we got to talking about college basketball. He knew that I called the Cleveland State games on radio and said, “If you ever need a color guy, I’d be glad to help you out!” I told him that would be great, I would love to have him, and we made plans to do the Butler game, which was the first broadcast we did together in January of 2012 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The games in that part of the country are good for him because he lives just outside of Indianapolis. He grew up in Beavercreek, which is just a few minutes away from the Nutter Center (Wright State’s home arena).
TV: How is he on the calls?
AP: He’s very good on his calls. He does his homework, reads the game notes, checks out the press conferences online and keeps up with Cleveland State when he can, so he has some good insight. I told him last night that it was like we were doing our 30th game together, not just our third. He has a good instinct for where to jump in with color on radio, which can be tricky in basketball. We have a good chemistry calling the game. He also is into college basketball, so he really knows the game.
TV: Is there any chance of Justin taking your job, or Tom Hamilton’s or Rosey’s any time soon?
AP: He’s received great reviews from our fan base, so yes. He may have all three of our jobs when he retires from baseball! Another side note: The fans love him. Several came up to him at the scorer’s table and he’s great with them. We saw about a dozen Tribe fans down in Fairborn last night. Most of them are also CSU fans, so they love the fact that he’s supporting the Vikings.
Meanwhile, Nick Camino, who covers the Indians for flagship radio station WTAM AM1100, tweeted on Wednesday night, “Justin Masterson is cracking me up on CSU radio call. Let’s go Vikes!” (Camino had a vested interest in the game, as he lost a bet with Indians righty reliever Joe Smith, who went to Wright State.)
Camino — who confirmed he now must wash Smith’s car at an unspecified future date as a result of losing the bet – later added, “As a color analyst, Justin knew when to talk and when to stop talking. That’s important during a radio broadcast, especially for the analyst. It sounded like he read up on both the Vikings and Raiders, because he not only knew players but also what types of plays they run and the the defensive styles they play.”
–TribeVibe contributor Joel Hammond
Indians players describe their Thanksgiving plans
Indians employees took part in a Day of Giving last Sunday, November 18 in the Terrace Club.
As people across the U.S. take part in their annual Thanksgiving traditions, Indians players are making their own holiday preparations. TribeVibe caught up with several players to hear their plans for Thanksgiving this year, which range from 50+-person family gatherings to trans-Atlantic vacations.
Pitcher Joe Smith:
“I’ll head over to my aunt Wanda and Uncle Ray’s house where most the family goes. My aunt Judy always passes around a sign-in sheet because they like looking back and seeing who all has made it. It’s usually around 50-60 of us with too much food, of course. After we eat, some of my cousins, my grandpa, friends and Uncle Ray will pack in downstairs to get away from the crowd, and do what everyone likes to do after thanksgiving meal: Football and Nap.”
Pitcher Vinnie Pestano:
“I’m going back home to California for Thanksgiving. My Mom is having it at my parents’ house so it’ll be good to see my whole family. I’m thankful I have a wonderful cast of people in my support system without which I would not be the person or player I am today.”
Infielder Jack Hannahan:
“Where do I start? My side of the family (16 people) will be coming over to the house where I will be preparing a 22 pound turkey on the Big Green Egg!
“350 [degrees] for four hours and the big boy will be singing!
“I’m thankful for my loving and supportive family, a healthy baby boy, my loving wife and the baby on the way. I’m thankful for a mother and a father who have been married 37 years. They worked so hard to put four kids through private schools.”
Pitcher Justin Masterson:
“I am heading to the in-laws for thanksgiving in South Bend, Indiana. We get together with friends and family there and then on Friday we’ll have a party with my family. So I get two turkey dinners in a row. It’s just a good blessing to have food on the table and be amongst those whom we love. I think we need to make everyday Thanksgiving.”
Second Baseman Jason Kipnis is using part of the weekend to head overseas to begin a two-week vacation in Spain. His destinations include Granada, Sevilla, the Canary Islands, and Barcelona – where he plans on attending a bull fight and an FC Barcelona soccer game.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Indians and TribeVibe!
