Giant Misses

6 runs in 3 games = 1 win. The lineup the Indians have been trotting out has been just plain terrible. I understand not having Martinez and Hafner hurt, but I never realized how much since watching the past 12 or so games. Besides Sizemore (who has had a down year also), the lineup has a severe lack of power. Batting Garko and Peralta in the four hole is unfortunately their only option, which is not a good one. Also, when Sowers and Byrd have been on the mound lately, it has resulted in a loss. They both pitched admirably after giving up runs in the first in their respective last starts, but they are no Fausto Carmona or Jake Westbrook. This team is unfortunately a bad one, with half of the season to go. Crazier things have happened (2007 Rockies), but I just can't see this team putting together any kind of winning streak. The hitting is weak, the bullpen is bad, and two of the starting pitchers are inconsistent. When you mix that all together, you have a team that is just not very good. The Reds come to town this weekend, another under .500 team the Indians will probably lose to.

The remaining 2008 season will be probably rough to watch. Trading CC seems to be the only interesting facet left, and that may or may not happen. The Indians may feel 2 1st round picks is a better option than any of the proposed packages they may receive. If that is the case, at least we will get to watch a great pitcher throw in an Tribe uniform for August and September. This is how I would manage the rest of the summer months. I am tired of seeing David Dellucci strike out so they just need to Trot Nixon him and glue him to the bench. Andy Marte has been ruined by the Indians, so might as well throw him out a 3rd for a few weeks to see if he can get that elusive first RBI. Stick Casey Blake at first base, he is more productive than Ryan (right knee in the dirt) Garko. Platoon Shin Soo Choo between DH and right field, and let Sal Fasano grow out his mustache. Ship Edward Mujica out of here because he is terrible and bring up Jeff Stevens. Finally I would get rid of Paulie Byrd (even though I said earlier we should keep him) and bring up David Huff to see what we got. The Indians literally now have nothing to lose, they have lost enough.

Omar Y Amigos

Well Omar is back in town tonight. I imagine the Indians will have a very good crowd tonight to cheer on one of Cleveland baseball's favorite adoptive sons. His 11 years here were memorable and his flare for fielding is unprecedented. I remember watching him grow from an all glove no bat guy in 1994 to slugging 14 homeruns in 2002. His 8 gold gloves as an Indian will probably never be matched, and his basestealing prowess was great in his prime. Although he is struggling this year batting only .171, Tribe fans everywhere will be tuned in this week to remember how much he meant to this organization during the golden era of Cleveland Indians baseball (1994-2001).

Many of the talk shows have said that Cleveland should bring him back so he can retire as an Indian. It would have been a treat for that to happen if we were in contention (like last year with Kenny Lofton), but unfortunately the Wahoos are 7 games under .500 and look dead in the water. I would like to see him get traded to Boston or the Cubs as a late inning defensive replacement so he can have one more October to make barehanded stabs and get a chance to win a ring. Omar Vizquel will always be one of my favorite Indians of all-time and tonight will be a chance for all of Cleveland to celebrate his career.

Wahoos take 2 from the Dodgers, Sign Tony Graffanino and Juan Rincon

Two more journeyman were added to bolster Triple A Buffalo, as infielder Tony Graffanino and relief pitcher Juan Rincon were signed to minor league deals. The Tribe has now added an abundance of thirty something year old jobbers to the organization, possibly to fill in when the parent club makes a trade. Not what any of us expected, that is for sure.

The weekend series with the Dodgers provided some comfort as winning a series is always a positive. The hitting has still be spotty, but they did come out victorious in two extra inning games. Without a middle of the order with any semblance of power, this season is unfortunately going down the crapper. Also watching the pitchers' spot come up time in and time out with runners on base becomes increasingly rough to watch. The NL is just not as fun to watch with an automatic out in the lineup. Now I know CC slugged a homerun, but the rest of the pitchers did not fair as well. Omar comes to town Tuesday with his Gigantes.