Is the SI cover jinx to blame for the Indians' rough start?
The Cleveland Indians are running out of time.
Soon, they will no longer be able to look back on the early hole they've dug themselves into and say "it's still early."
And Trevor Bauer knows that.
The Indians starting pitcher made it through six valiant innings on Tuesday night after a nasty bout with food poisoning. But despite a solid outing, Bauer earned a no decision after the Indians bullpen blew a two-run lead, giving up eight unanswered runs, resulting in a 11-5 loss to the Royals. It was the Tribe's fourth straight loss, against a division opponent, no less.
After the game, Bauer expressed his frustrations about how the season has started off for the last-place Indians.
"Something has to change soon," Bauer told reporters Tuesday night, "really [expletive] soon, or else it's going to be a long season."
@TJZuppe pic.twitter.com/9TP6DKZarl
— Buck Miller (@BuckeyMiller) April 29, 2015
Through 19 games, Cleveland has a 6-13 record and they're 1-6 at home.
The last time that happened was 1987 -- which was also the last time the team was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
#Indians record: 6-13 Home record 1-6 Last time both happend...1987 pic.twitter.com/rcxNixmubU
— Jim Berdysz (@JBirdman27) April 29, 2015
So is it still "too early" to call this season a failure? Or is the SI cover curse real?
Let's take a look at some of the adversity the Indians have faced so far this season:
Early March: Starting pitcher Gavin Floyd, the Indians' key offseason acquisition, re-injures his troublesome pitching elbow and undergoes surgery. He is ruled out for the 2015 season.
April 11: Starting catcher Yan Gomes gets caught up in a home plate collision with Tigers outfielder Rajai Davis, who slid into him to break up a play at the plate. Gomes sprains his MCL and is ruled out for six to eight weeks.
April 14: Starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco gets hit in the face with a line drive by White Sox outfielder Melky Cabrera. Luckily, Carrasco isn't severely injured, but the Indians go on to lose the next nine of 13 games -- all against divisional opponents.
Sure you could chalk it up to just plain old bad luck, but it's hard not to at least entertain the idea that this team could be a victim of the dreaded SI cover curse.
"We know we're a good team," Bauer said. "We know we can win games. We're not doing it right now."
