Barfield sent to Columbus to make room for Perez

As mentioned several days ago the Cleveland Indians traded utility man Mark DeRosa to the St. Louis Cardinals for reliever Chris Perez and a player to be named later. That being said, the soon to be 24 year old Perez made his way to Cleveland and therefore was activated today. Not only will he be available for tonight's game against Chicago, he will also get to meet his fellow bullpen members (pictured to the left) for the first time. To make room for Perez the team sent Josh Barfield back down to Triple A Columbus. Although Barfield started the year with the Tribe he has been optioned three times this season. In the time he has spent with the club this year he has seen limited playing time in in that he has only appeared in 17 games and had just 20 at bats. Furthermore, this is not good news for Columbus Clippers All-Star Andy Cannizaro as Barfield will likely steal his playing time.

Hopefully Perez can stir something up in this god awful bullpen and show these guys how to actually pitch. On a side note, Aaron Laffey decided that he wants to pitch like the rest of the Indians bullpen and suck it up. He made what was thought to be his last rehab start yesterday at Double A Akron and only lasted 3 1/3 innings giving up 3 runs on five hits. He also walked six (how can you walk that many people) and hit one batter. Eric Wedge actually made a logical comment stating, "We need to see more than that before we bring him up here." Well no crap Wedgie.

The Tribe take on the Chicago White Sox tonight in a three game series at Progressive Field. They have lost their last four series. To take a quote from the Chinese grounds crew from the Movie Major League, "these guys are sh!tty"

*The photo in this article was created by The Tribe Daily

Frowns Town: Tribe loses another series

More of the same from the Sons of Geronimo, as the Indians lost 2 out of three to the Reds. The series started off so well, with a 9-2 thumping Friday. Saturday and Sundays performances were a giant yawn with Cincinnati dominating their cross state rivals. If you want to relive this awful year, read this great article, it pretty much sums up everything. More random thoughts from a lost season.

• Just when you think Jeremy Sowers is dead an buried, he throws 7 shutout innings? I can't figure him out at all, but he probably has a place somewhere in the Indians bullpen potentially in 2010 as a long reliever.
• Tomo Ohka needs to be back in Columbus where he belongs.

David Huff's performance Sunday was a bit of a disappointment. I was sure he had settled into a groove, due to him stringing together some very good starts. Hopefully it is just a blip on the radar because the Tribe really need him the rest of this year and next.

• My new favorite Indian Luis Valbuena is in a huge slump (1-22 i think). He needs a day off, but should still get a chance to play a ton for this last place club.


• The more I see Garko out in left, the more I realize he is terrible out there, but at least he gives effort and doesn't complain when he is benched for 3-4 days in a row. Garko is a good guy, just probably not an everyday 1st Baseman.


• So long to Mark DeRosa, we hardly knew you. You really didn't have a great glove at 3rd like you were supposed to, but you hit pretty darn well and played everywhere. I wish you the best!

Also, look for newly aquired reliever Chris Perez to be activated today with Josh Barfield riding the long bus back to Columbus.

The White Sox come to town Monday for a 3 game series. Don't miss it, because I am pretty sure most will.

DeRosa Traded to Cardinals

Mark DeRosa was traded today to the St. Louis Cardinals today for Chris Perez and a player to be named later. DeRosa was batting .270 with 13 homers and 50 RBI for the Tribe this season, playing all over the diamond (3B, 1B, RF, LF). It is ironic that he was traded for pitching because they gave up originally 3 pitchers to get him. Mark was a solid clubhouse guy and will probably be missed in the lineup as well. Look for Asdrubal Cabrera to take his roster spot tomorrow, with Perez possibly snagging Tomo Ohka's.

Chris Perez (pictured above)is a soon to be 24 year old who has went 1-1 with 4.18 ERA with one save in 29 games. The Right hander has stuck out 30 and walked 15 in 23 plus innings of work. He looks to be a pretty solid reliever the Indians are surely missing. The PTBNL is supposedly supposed to be a top prospect that the club will be tracking for the second half of the season (a la Michael Brantley). Look for that acquisition to happen after the season). By looking at his photo, he seems like a dude who likes to have a good time, which is always a welcomed addition.

I don't imagine that there will be many more trades by the Indians in trading off veterans. They don't really have that many assets available to be moved. Carl Pavano was a possibility, but he stinks right now and is probably hurt. This move should also stabilize the lineup a bit more, as Wedge won't have DeRosa anymore to move around the field and lineup each day.

Also, Jensen Lewis was sent to Columbus as Jose Veras was added to the bullpen from Hell. Lewis never could keep the ball down in the zone, resulting in 8 homeruns allowed. He will probably be back in a month. As for the team, they look to win their first series in 4 chances tomorrow with David Huff taking on Micah Owings.

Tribe drops 2 of 3 to the Pirates

Interleague play can't end soon enough for the Indians, as they have lost 8 of their last 9 games to their National League foes. The Pittsburgh series was a microcosm for the season, lose 2 games (one by the bullpen) and the only win you get, they almost blow it as well. Nothing real positive to say about this team right now, they are just floating along mired in the basement of an average division. With the Tigers rattling off 7 wins in a row, it is time for the Tribe to start building towards next season (a common occurrence in this town). With the Cavs getting Shaq and probably more, the Cleveland baseball team will struggle to get any attention in this town. T

here isn't a single move they can make to the moderate fans of the club interested, because if they trade Lee or Martinez, immediately they are considered cheap and worthless to watch. Trading Pavano (no one wants him) or DeRosa (should be able to garner some pitching) would let out a collective yawn from the fanbase. So what do the Indians do? Try and trade Francisco or Garko or both, they are not in the long term plans of this team, nor should they be. Go with a youth movement. Call up LaPorta and Brantley, move Laffey into the rotation, and let's see what they got (read this piece by The DiaTribe for more in depth moves, all of which I totally agree with).

Get guys like Matt Herges (pictured above) out of here and let whatever young relievers the system has (Rundles, Meloan, Herrmann) pitch up in Cleveland. We know that old man Herges will not be here in 2010, so get him out of here. I imagine the attendance is going to real tail off towards the end of August and in to September, so at least let what fans you have left see some young talent that may have a shot at the future, whatever that may bring.

I will be in attendence tonight as the Reds come to town. I sure am pumped to see 5 and Fly Jeremy Sowers throw. Only 108 games left in the season!

Sizemore activated, Sipp recalled, Crowe sent down, Vizcaino sent packing

The Indians finally received some good news today, as All-Star Centerfielder Grady Sizemore was activated off of the 15-day DL. Hopefully Grady is fully healthy because his stats so far in 2009 have been less than stellar (.223 (46-for-206) with nine homers and 31 RBI, 25 BB and 52 K's).

To make room, Trevor Crowe was sent down to Columbus to work on pretty much every aspect of his game. Crowe hit a dismal .169 and did not display much confidence out in center field. He needs to work on a bunch of things in Triple A to even have a shot at a bench spot for the future. Look for Mark DeRosa to take over in Left, while Ben Francisco takes a seat on the bench for the foreseeable future.

Tony Sipp returns for a third time to Cleveland, where he has had some success (3.12 ERA). His main problem was walks, which he had 10 while striking out 10. Walking batters is a team wide issue, so he will fit in nicely. The Luis Vizcaino (or what I refer to him, as "The Rally Starter")experiment is now over, he sure showed us why the Cubs dumped him after only a few weeks. His 5.40 ERA in 11 games was a lot worse than the stats tell, because he walked 12 guys and always was teetering on the brink of disaster when he didn't blow the game entirely.

Hopefully these are some of the first moves in going with more young players, because this season is about over. Hopefully Sizemore and Sipp can help bring an end to the worst stretch of losing the Indians have experienced all year.

Lee Masters Cardinals, Tribe wins Season-Best 3rd Series in a Row

Cliff Lee successfully no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals for 7 innings Sunday, bringing the Indians to within 6 games of the first place Detroit Tigers. Lee was utterly brilliant, using just 93 pitches (70 strikes) to dispose of the redbirds while cooling off the red-hot Albert Pujols (0-3, BB). Even more amazing, Lee threw first pitch strikes to 26 of the 32 batters he faced. He stuck out six, gave up three hits and 2 walks while shutting out St. Louis, lowering his ERA to 2.88. I didn't even realize that he was flirting with the no-no until the 6th when the crowd began to cheer louder after each out. Clifton really has solidified his place among baseball's elite, proving that his 2008 Cy Young campaign was no fluke. His starts have vaulted into the category of must-see events, hopefully getting him onto the All-Star team despite his 4-6 record that is definitely not his fault. Here are some of the highlights below...



The bats were not really around for the past 2 games, scoring just four runs total over Saturday and Sunday. I would say that the lineup is finally settling down, with Jhonny Peralta seemingly positioned to man the hot corner most of the time. Luis Valbuena has been outstanding in the field at short, but his bat has not progressed as quickly. He has been getting robbed of hits a bunch over the past week. Wedge said that he plans to stick with him.

Kelly Shoppach needs to be given some major credit in the starting staffs' revival. He is currently the personal catcher for Lee, Carl Pavano, and lately David Huff. All seem to be really comfortable with him behind the dish. Shoppach has struggled at the plate lately, but went 2-3 with a homer and a double Sunday. The offense may look a little weaker with Valbuena and Shoppach in the 8 and 9 hole, but the defense and game managing more than makes up for it. When Asdrubal and Grady comeback hopefully soon, look for Valbuena to platoon with Jamey Carroll and Shoppach to play at least 5-6 days a week. These moves will definitely cut into the regular playing time (with DeRosa your Left Fielder) of Ryan Garko and Ben Francisco, which really isn't a bad thing.

The Milwaukee Brewers come to town Monday for a 3 game series. Here are the pitching matchups...

David Bush vs. Carl Pavano Monday
Yvonni Gallardo vs. Jeremy Sowers Tuesday

Jeff Suppan vs. David Huff Wednesday

The Tribe has a real shot to get back in this the way the schedule is shaping up with 12 of their next 18 games at home with a short 6 game roadtrip covering just Chicago and Pittsburgh. If they can get to 4 or less games back by the All-Star break (when the team should be at full strength) this season just get a bit more interesting.

"This one's for the Birds"

So far the entire 2009 season has been for the birds. Last night the Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-3 in the bottom of the 10th making this game definitely "For the Birds" If you follow the Tribe you have probably realized that Progressive Field seems to be the Noah's Ark of of Baseball Stadiums. Whether it's bugs, bees, or birds, it always seems like the players are competing for space out there with creatures of nature. Last night was a special case in which the Indians won with the assist of....non other than a Lake Erie Gull. With Mark DeRosa on second and Victor Martinez on first, Shin-Soo Choo came up to the plate after going 0 for a million in this series and lined a single into center field. Just as Coco Crisp was about to make a play on the ball one of the famous gulls that was getting an up front and personal seat to the game decided to make the play instead. You could see the ball just ricochet right off the little guy giving the ball just enough movement to make Crisp miss the ball. That being said DeRose scores easily from second and...THE INDIANS WIN, THE INDIANS WIN! (actually it really was not that dramatic as DeRosa would have scored even if Crisp would have fielded the ball cleanly)


Although the Tribe won last night which was good as they won their second series in a row there were a couple things that I kind of scratched my head on last night...I know you all care about my comments so I will share them with you. The first being that on Wednesday, when Cleveland Indians beat writer Anthony Castrovince wrote an article about the managers' lineup card. Castro reported that Eric Wedge was really coming around to liking Jhonny Peralta playing third and thought that Luis Valbuena was a good fit at shortstop, at least while Asdrubal Cabrera was out.

After watching the starting lineup take the field, where does Jhonny go, but to shortstop. I understand that Carroll had the night off but come on, put Jhonny over at third, let Valbuena play short and put DeRosa at second. Wedge just got done saying that Peralta seemed to be coming around at third and needs more time there to get comfortable. Besides it is not like DeRosa doesn't know how to play second as he played there all last year. OK, enough venting....I am sure others out there will disagree with me. I guess I just got upset when DeRosa made his 132 error last night on a play that my grandma could have made.

I can't stand Ben Francisco. In the bottom of the 3rd the score was 0-0 with one out and Luis Valbuena was on third base. B-Franc had an 3-0 count and he swings at the next pitch fouling off to the catcher. WHY!! I listed to Manning on STO and he agreed with it but I thought it was stupid. First of all, it is 3-0 and second of all you got DeRosa, Martinez and Choo coming up....and just for craps and giggles, third of all you have Zack Greinke pitching and you are probably not going to get a hit anyway. I agree if you are a good hitter and it is 3-0 count then by all means you have the green light but Francisco is not a good hitter. He either hits a home run or does nothing. Case in point ol' Benny boy swung and popped up to the catcher...NICE. If he would have walked, then it would have been first and third, and then he would have moved to second when DeRosa walked. Now when Martinez singles we score two runs instead of one. I realize that anything can happen and if he did get a hit or sacrifice Valbuena in then it would have been a great call. Furthermore, I am not much of a stat guy, but my stats in my head were saying statistically, Ben is terrible and that was a dumb decision. They won the game, but he needs to show more patience, especially hitting in the leadoff position.


This game was for the birds, literally. More flying creatures are scheduled to invade Progressive Field this weekend, with the St. Louis Cardinals headed into town for a three game series. Let's try and make it 3 series wins in a row.

Chi-Town, My Kind of Town

If I ask my friend Jon his weekend plans and I receive the reply "Chi Town" via either text or email, I know he is visiting his fiancee in Chicago. That is just his personality, simple one word answers or short phrases to explain his feelings, emotions, or even destinations. That 2 word coupling worked out great for the Tribe this past weekend. When your favorite club is in desperate need of a positive series (a team littered with aging veterans and suspect pitching), just hope "Chi-Town" is on the schedule.

The Tribe looked a lot better over the weekend, taking 2 of three from the south-siders. Maybe it took the truly "Hot" Carl Pavano to set the tone for the series (9 inning shutout). Or possibly the return of Pronk, who homered in first game back into the lineup, helped charge up the Wigwammers. The most probable answer is that the White Sox are just about as good as the Indians right now, but that is why you play the games. The Columbus contingent has been playing pretty well lately, and the bullpen sans a shaky outing by Luis Vizcaino Sunday threw effectively. Let's look back at the good and the not so good against the White Sox.

3 Not so Good

Mark DeRosa has been an decent addition to the club, but his .329 OBP ranks 12th on the team (below even our boy David Dellucci). He does have ok power numbers (9 HR's, 38 RBI) but is a man without a position. The team has more than enough position flexibility, so strike while the trade iron is hot and start a bidding war for DeRo. Valbuena looked pretty good at short yesterday, so Jhonny won't have to mind the 6 spot hopefully too often. His wife is hot, though.

The man with the silent H is still in a bit of a funk. He went 0-7 in his two starts during the series, with a big error on Saturday. Jhonny needs to be put back at 3rd for good to allow him some stability. Peralta tends to heat up in the summer months, so jerk him around the infield will probably not be good for his weak psyche. Also, I would love to know the Indians' ERA with Peralta at short. I bet you it is higher than when anyone else plays there. Have Valbuena play short, and let Barfield get an audition for a week at second until Asdrubal comes back. Bounce Jhonny between 3rd and DH with only one start a week for him at short against a team with a bunch of lefty hitters.

We all know what Ben Francisco is. A 4th outfielder that shows glimmers of greatness but more than likely is average at best. He went 2-12 with two walks against Chicago with 2 walks. He is not a leadoff hitter (.329 career OBP) so move him down where he belongs at the bottom of the order. That way he won't put too much pressure on himself because I have a feeling he does. When he batted 3rd of 4th last season, he stats went down dramatically. If you look at his stats from 2009, I almost guarantee he hits better at the bottom of the order.

3 Real Good

The Columbus Trio all played major roles in the victory Sunday. Chris Gimenez (pictured above) went 1-4 with a homerun and moved a runner to third by hitting to the ball to the right side of the infield. Luis Valbuena went 1-2 with a sac fly, a walk, 2 RBI and looked pretty good playing shortstop for the first time in the majors. Trevor Crowe went 1-4 and made two amazing catches out in center, one of which with the bases loaded robbed White Sox rookie Gordon Beckham of his first major league hit and was destined to clear the bases with two outs in the 8th. If the rookies play this well, (along with David Huff's first ML win), the Indians can make a run to .500.

I have developed a new found respect for Jamey Carroll. The guy goes out and does his job, whether at 2nd or 3rd, never gives up on an at bat, is playing with a sprained finger, and leads by example. Carroll went 5-9 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI's over 2 games and looks to be a very solid 2 hitter for the time being. He always works the counts and usually puts the bat on the ball. He is a guy the club should consider resigning for 2010 because of his position flexibility and toughness. Jamey is the perfect utility infielder.

Carl Pavano continues to amaze, throwing 9 shutout innings Friday to help start the series off on the right step. Pavano struck out 6 while only allowing 2 walks and 3 hits. Trade rumors will start to circulate about him, but the Indians will keep him on the club up until the July 31st deadline because the rotation is just too decimated by injuries(Laffey,Reyes,Lewis) and ineffectiveness (Carmona). If the Tribe are completely out of it, then Pavano can be shipped on out.

The Royals come to town Tuesday for a 3 game series. The pitching matchups are as follows:

Tuesday Brian Bannister vs Cliff Lee

Wednesday Gil Meche vs Carl Pavano

Thursday Zack Grienke vs Jeremy Sowers

Should be interesting to see if the Indians can string together another series win before interleague play starts up again over the weekend. Hopefully I can text Jon "KC" and that will mean a 3 game sweep of the Royals.

Trevor Crowe Recalled, LaPorta back to Columbus

Apparently 42 at bats over the span of a little under four weeks was enough for the Indians to send top prospect Matt LaPorta back down to Triple A. He batted .190 with one home run and 4 RBI, but never received consistant playing time. I do agree that the if the former Brewer is not getting regular at bats in the Majors (and he definitely is not) then he should be playing everyday in Columbus. Wedge does not like rookies much, so a less heralded Trevor Crowe fits in better stuck to the pine. This probably does bode well for Luis Valbuena, as I imagine Mr. Utility Mark DeRosa will be getting some time in Left Field with Benny Francisco and hopefully not David Dellucci. This also points to the organization that they are still in the division hunt, so going with two rookies playing everyday is not the prescription for a competitive remedy. We will see Matt LaPorta again in 2009, let's just hope next time it is on an everyday basis and for good.

DeRosa on the Trading Block

The 2009 version of Casey Blake is available to the highest bidder, as Jon Heyman of SI.com has reported that the Indians are shopping Mark DeRosa. This comes as no shock to me as the move of Jhonny Peralta to third spelled the end to the former Cub as an Indian. Apparently, the Tribe is interested in Mets top pitching prospect Bobby Parnell. Parnell is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in 20 games of relief for New York this season. The 6'4 righty has a mid to high 90's fastball and has both started and relieved in the minors. I would seriously consider trading DeRo straight up for this guy, as it adds a power arm to the team while allows Luis Valbuena to get an extended look this season. It also doesn't raise the white flag on the season either. With Carlos Delgado out for 10 weeks, the Mets desperately need a versatile guy in the infield. Mark DeRosa just may be there man.

40 Game Mark

"Every time you think the Indians have hit rock bottom, they find another level." These were the words uttered by Indians play-by-play voice Tom Hamilton after the Tribe blew another game, 6-5. Here comes the rants...

• 14-26. Worst record in the American League.
• Worst bullpen in the history of baseball.
• Team looks completely defeated.
• Off Season acquisitions (Wood/DeRosa) severely under performing.
• Closer really showed his intestinal fortitude tonight, blowing an easily winnable game when the team really needed a victory in the worst way.
• Star Centerfielder batting .212.
• DH hurt all the time, broken down, and signed through 2012.
• Best 2 players (Lee/Martinez) free agents after 2010 season.
• Manager refuses to throw best pitcher 9 innings when he is at 101 pitches because "That is what you are supposed to do."
• Manager is truly managing like a laptop computer.
• Manager needs to pick a lineup and stick with it.
• Manager probably needs to be replaced.
• To win just 88 games, the team would need to go 74-48.
• Finds a new way to lose each and every way possible.
• No one in this town cares about the team anymore, becoming a joke.
• Who really believes they can turn this around with the mind numbing loss they have absorbed? Position players never feel safe With a lead.

As Paul Cousineau wrote earlier today , I hate this team.

"If you ain't first, you're last."

The Indians are sure in last. They have lost three in a row, are 11 games under .500 and looking worse as the days go by. The bullpen still stinks, their starting pitching overall is average at best, and most of the lineup is under achieving. I really have nothing much else to say about this hapless ball club that lost to a team that had to bat their pitcher in the 3 hole and allowed him to hit a double over your left fielder who should be playing first. Here are some random thoughts...

• Trade Mark DeRosa for some pitching prospect. If Peralta is now your third baseman, no one wants to see this guy learn first base on the job.


• Matt LaPorta and Luis Valbuena need to play 5-6 games a week. This team is lifeless and if the team is going to struggle all year, I would rather see young guys than Dellucci or Carroll.


• Anthony Reyes needs to turn it around soon or he should be out of the rotation.


• Move Grady down in the lineup for his mental well being. Can't hurt.


• Play Garko more than every other day. He is one of the few batters in the lineup who has confidence at the plate.


• Do not trade Victor Martinez, try and sign him to extension and make him a solid part of the future. A deal for V-Mart probably won't happen because of Hafner's long awful contract.

Catching up on some roster moves not posted here because I was having a garage sale, (apparently the Indians have had one in their bullpen) Masa Kobayashi, Tony Sipp and Jeremy Sowers were all sent to Columbus, while Greg Aquino, Luis Vizcaino, and David Huff were added to the major league roster. Huff was unimpressive in his debut (3 3 2/3 Innings, 7 earned runs) as an Indian, but hopefully he can turn it around to add some punch to the big yawn (besides Lee) that is the Tribe rotation. The club limps into Kansas City for a three game roadtrip. UGHHH!!!!

Let's Blow this thing up

12 runs in an inning before even registering an out with a Boston lineup consisting of Rocco Baldelli, Jeff Bailey, Nick Green and George Kottaras is pathetic. Jeremy Sowers is a jobber and better be on a short leash as I would rather see David Huff get a shot as we pretty all much know what we have in Sowers. The bullpen is a disaster. Masa Kobayashi is down right embarrassing and should be cut today. Why is it so hard to find pitcher to pitch one inning? The organization has done a terrible job home growing their own relievers, deciding rather to turn every good arm into a starter. Teams like Red Sox and Angels seem to always have internal options to go to in their minors for relief work. The Tribe would rather go with journeyman stiffs like Vinnie Chulk and Matt Herges. I have no idea what they should do to make the situation tolerable in the late innings. They are making the decision now to turn starters in AA and A ball into relievers (Herrmann in Columbus, Putnam in Akron), but it probably is too late for 2009. The bullpen of agony has done some good deeds for their team mates, masking the hitting struggles of Mark DeRosa, Jhonny Peralta, and Grady Sizemore. The trio has performed well below expectations and need to right their respective ships quickly or the season will be officially lost for good. Our Indian summer may be ruined. I guess it can't get any worse.

Two ways to go

If there were ever a game to jump start some sort of sustained winning streak, today's game would be it. It was excruciating to watch, you never felt comfortable with any lead, and you figured the Indians would somehow blow it in the end. Well, the Tribe won Monday, but it is tough to feel good about it. How should we look at it?

Cons

One reliable bullpen member crapped the bed (Wood) another looks downright lost (Perez), and one final member came in with the winning run at the plate who has yielded 6 homeruns in 25 games. Also, your offense was no hit for 6 1/3 innings by a junkball lefty who normally pitches in middle relief. Your uninterested shortstop (Peralta) seems to be swinging a pool cue instead of a Louisville Slugger. Your key offseason infield acquisition (DeRosa) boots the ball more than Aaron Boone. Lastly, your superstar centerfielder seems to be unable to get a big hit with runners in scoring position to save his life (we all know who).

Pros

Starting pitching was solid (Carmona). Rookie reliever pitching great (Sipp). Rookie stud outfielder tied the game with a bomb (LaPorta) Were able to tie the game with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth with 2 strikes (Cabrera). Pinch hitters/late inning replacements came up clutch (Dellucci/Barfield). Struggling reliever saved the game with winning run up and one out (Lewis again). Never gave up.

Time will tell us if this game made any difference in the 2009 season. They could go out tomorrow and lose ugly. I will give it the Indians, when they win (and it has not been often) they do it in exciting fashion. Let's just hope it isn't a once every three day occurrence.

Wraping up Arizona: Spring Training Reflections

As the Tribe officially moves out of their home away from home in Goodyear and on to two meaningless paid exhibition games with the Houston Astros, it is time to take a look back of the long adventure that was Cleveland Indians Spring Training. With the second installment of the WBC this season, the Cactus League was extended by two weeks and many, many games. The pitchers "got their work in". The position players "took it a day at a time". And manager Eric Wedge used countless other analogies to describe baseball games in March that don't count. Here were some of the highlights and low lights of the Spring that was...

Lowlights:

Cliff Lee's 12.46 ERA.

I never know how to judge a pitcher in exhibition baseball. Are they working on certain pitches? Is the Arizona air misrepresenting the flight of the hit baseballs? Do the pitchers really try? Besides one solid outing against the Rockies (6IP, 2ER), Clifton was shelled, but he wasn't the only one. Wedge opinioned about the pitching in general here. A few of his starts he was apparently just working on spotting his fastball, while others he said he just didn't have it. Lee seems to be the kind of guy who really gets focused on each and every start through scouting and mental preparation, so obviously his normal in season routine is fairly different. I am not too worried about Cliff, just a bit concerned especially when he has his first start in the band box that is The Ballpark at Arlington.

Shin Soo Choo .118 batting average.

Choo was gone for three weeks of camp due to the glorified exhibition that was the WBC. Even though his actual at bats were of more significance than a normal Cactus League game, they were far to infrequent. When Choo experienced some tightness in his left arm (where he had Tommy John surgery), the Indians asked the Korean team to use him strictly at DH. That seems to have made the right fielder a bit rusty, making mental mistakes out in the field and over swinging on high fastballs. Choo should be fine, but don't be surprised to see him sitting a few days a week against left handers in favor of rookie Trevor Crowe.

Masa Kobayashi 12.27 ERA in 11 innings.

When a soft tossing reliever can't keep his 85 MPH down in the zone, it may be time for his team to move on from said pitcher. Masa has been a disaster this spring, basically supplying batting practice for the various teams out in Arizona. If he wasn't on the hook for more than $3 million this season, he would have been jettisoned just like Tomo Ohka earlier in March. The way Wedge has been describing Kobayashi in the media ("Masa's pitches were flat and up," ) I wouldn't think it would take too many more clunkers to have him jettisoned off the club. The pen seems pretty solid with Wood, Perez, Lewis, Smith, and Betancourt. The other two roles may be a revolving door most of the season.

Highlights:

Mark DeRosa .367 batting average, 3 HR, 9 RBI.

Another WBC casualty, DeRosa was able to make an impact in limited time (30 AB) spent in Goodyear. He also led Team USA in RBI's, where he played like 5 positions. The former Cub has assimilated himself to the club very nicely and has immediately become a big threat in the 2 hole this season. This will provide much needed protection to Grady Sizemore in the order. In only a few weeks with his new mates, DeRosa has become a team leader and eventual fan favorite. Cubs fans sure were.

Kerry Wood/Rafael Perez/Jensen Lewis/Joe Smith Combined ERA 1.87 in 33 2/3 IP, 37 K's

If these guys pitch like this in the regular season, the Indians will be in contention all year. Newcomers Wood (0 ER in 6 IP) and Smith (12 K's in 7 2/3 IP) look like excellent acquisitions, while Perez (3.00 ERA, 9 K's in 9 IP) and Lewis (1.64 ERA, 10 K's in 11IP) picked up where they left off last season. Normally relief pitchers feed off of one anothers' success so hopefully their performances will spill into the regular season. Guys like Jackson and Kobayashi won't be relied upon as much and the fans can start putting last seasons' bullpen from hell out of their memories forever.

Trevor Crowe .304 batting average, 7 stolen bases, eventual David Dellucci Replacement.

With David Dellucci and his 3 year $11 million dollar contract hovering over the Indians like a buzzard, it was nice to see a guy go out and really compete for an outfield spot who has more than one discernible skill. The former first rounder and top prospect amassed 56 at bats this spring and played all three outfield positions very well. Double D will start the season on the 15 DL with probable time spent in Columbus, opening up a roster spot for some new blood. Nothing against The Looch, but with the current make up of the corner outfield having question marks, a guy like him with his skill set (left handed pinch hitter) does not fit well on this current club. If Crowe hits, runs, and hustles like he did in Arizona, he will find himself on the roster as a guy who can play center field, switch hit, and run. Look for Trevor to play a few times a week also.

Many other positives (Young guys in Columbus, steady Grady, Victor, Fausto) came out of camp as well as other questions (Scott Lewis' last 2 starts, Shoppach's K's, fielding issues) popped up as well. The team as a whole hit extremely well and pitched pretty poorly. The only real answers will come as the season plays out an Opening Day begins a new year of baseball. Cliff Lee takes on Kevin Millwood Monday, finally putting to rest all of the reflections, prognostications, and hyperbole. Let's PLAY BALL already

Cactus Action

With the Tribe already completing their 7th spring training game and STO not showing a match up until the end of March, I decide to put up some of the game action from last weeks' Diamonbacks game. Nothing real earth-shattering, just some semi regulars getting some work. I think Tomo Ohka is still icing his neck after his forgettable outing

Asdrubal Cabrera grounding out.




Josh Barfield drawing a walk.




Mark Reynolds and Tony Clark batting against Rich Rundles with a cameo from Mark Shapiro.




Dan Haren vs Kelly Shoppach




Mark DeRosa strikes out against Haren




Mark DeRosa Pops up




Grady Sizemore bloops a single




It is always a welcomed site to watch Indians baseball games even if they don't count. Hopefully next year STO will carry games more frequently than over just a two week span.

Are we talking about Practice?

Spring Training is a time where everyone's team has a shot to win a division. Having scene with my own eyes the Indians running the bases and firing baseballs aroung the diamond, I can assure you of one thing. The Indians practices definitely sound just as exciting in the paper as they are in real life. Station to station drills were what was on tap before last Thursday's Diamondback game, as players were in groups of 4 while taking batting practice and leadoff third base practice. The most interesting group was Sizemore/DeRosa/Hafner/Valbuena for sure. The other two groups I witnessed were Hodges/Brantley/Cannizaro/Cabrera and Mills/Head/LaPorta/Espino. I have no idea how or why they were paired in that way, but watching DeRosa interact with Grady and Pronk showed me that he will fit perfectly in with the clubhouse as they were constantly joking around with each other.

The Tribe's brand spanking new training complex in Goodyear, Arizona is about a 10 minute walk from the ballpark, and is literally in the middle of nowhere, next to a literal airplane graveyard. Fans are allowed to watch practice down the right field and left lines of the field closest to the road through a 15 foot high fence. I was able to capture some shots of batting, infield, and outfield practice by standing on top of the bleachers and sticking my camcorder through the openings of the fence. It isn't much, but the following clips are of our favorite baseball players preparing for a hopefully exciting season.

Clip 1 Eric Wedge Rallying the troops...


Clip 2 A little outfield work...


Clip 3 Guys jogging on the field... (shocking video)


Clip 4 Guys walking off of the field... (mesmerizing stuff!)


Clip 5 Grady stretching and guys leading off third base..


Clip 6 Some more Indians leading off of Third...


Clip 7 Running the bases with the Tribe!


Clip 8 The Indians taking some grounders...


I hope this provides a little more insight into what the Indians do on a daily basis and what the new practice field looks like. Manager Eric Wedge definitely has them on a strict routine and is loving the flexibility the new complex is affording his players and staff. Arizona is definitely a desert, but definitely more like home watching Indians uniforms run around. Tuesday's TTO will feature clips from the game against the Diamondbacks.

3 Burning Tribe Questions

In celebration of the various lists, previews, and breakdowns circulating around the Internet concerning the 2009 MLB season, Tribe Times has decided to jump into the fray. With the equipment trucks on their way to Arizona (yawn), and the most recent news of the Indians signing Vinnie Chulk (bigger yawn), let's get the prognostications flowing...

1. Can "Hot" Carl Pavano become the teams' 3rd starter?

At first I thought this signing had the makings of a Kevin Milwood-type reclamation project. By further examination, it looks as more likely to turn into a Jason Johnson-type disaster. Pavano has been horrible since 2004, basically suffering through injury after injury. He didn't take to well to the New York media, dated this girl, and was called out by his teammate Mike Mussina (who rarely ever says anything) questioning his intestinal fortitude. Here is an excerpt from spring training 2007.

"When one guy is out there playing the game despite whatever is going on and somebody else is not, that's how teammates get bad tastes in their mouths," Mussina said. "As another starting pitcher, who hasn't been 100 percent for all of the last two years, I know what it takes to be able to go out there and pitch, and I know when you can't go out there and pitch. And sometimes it's a fine line, but I think after 15 years I kind of know where the line is."
Pavano says that one injury led to another and that he finally feels well after working out with a new trainer in Arizona during the offseason. Some of his teammates kept pointing out that each time it appeared he was close to being ready to pitch in the major leagues, another injury occurred.
"I'm looking at from a perspective of just the way each thing happened and the timing of it and just piecing all those things together," Mussina said. "You get to form your own evaluation. It didn't look good. From a player's and a teammate's standpoint, it didn't look good. Was everything just coincidence over and over again? I don't know."

Never a good sign that a guy you may slot in as your number 3 man in your rotation has confidence and toughness issues. The front office has stated that of all of the guys considered as low risk/high reward alternatives (Pavano signed a 1 year 1.5 million incentive laden contract), he was in the best shape and possessed the most confidence. The Tribe brass may be kicking themselves at signing Pavano so early as guys like Ben Sheets and Pedro Martinez, among others are still currently free agents and will likely have to take contracts in the 4-7 million dollar range on one year deals. Granted, the payroll is pretty well maxed out, but if they would have waited and scrounged up another couple million, the team and the fans may have a bit more to feel confident about when you look at the starting rotation. If Pavano has any injury in Spring Training lasting more that a week, I would hope the team cuts bait quickly.

Best Case Scenario:

Pavano regains some Marlin magic and wins 15 games with an era under 4, helping to solidify the middle of the rotation.

Worst Case Scenario:

Carl hurts his arm, shoulder, or whatever and lights the Progressive Field mound on fire after every start, resulting in his ultimate release at the end of May.

Prediction:

Carl muddles through most starts until the All-Star break, eventually getting DL'd for a third time and being replaced by Jake Westbrook by August.

2. Will Travis Hafner rePronk his career?

I have been a huge Hafner fan ever since he was dealt from the Rangers for Einar Diaz and Ryan Drese and hope he can return to his former glory, but the 2009 season may be a make or break for number 48. Red Flags surround the DH, as besides the lost season of 2008, pundits have questioned his sharp statistical decline of 2007 in relation to 2006 when he hit 18 less homers in 23 more games. Terry Pluto recently wrote that he felt for Hafner to be somewhat effective this season, he would need to rest at least once or a twice a week. That is a worrisome proposition in that a guy whose sole responsibility to the team is swinging a bat needs a regular break from doing what he does best can't be a good thing.

The lineup can recover from Pronk sitting a few out as they showed at the end of last year (Kelly Shoppach, take your bow), but Travis seems to be his own harshest critic. A repeat of 2008 would sure to render him frustrated and nothing better than a guy off the bench. The bigger problem would be the 49+ million dollars left on his 4 year deal that would severely hinder the front offices' payroll flexibility if Hafner is rendered useless. The team and player seem confident that all problems in the shoulder have been fixed and we should see the Travis of old in 2009, sans his significant weight loss.

Best Case Scenario:

Hafner his fully healed, plays in 140 games, slugs 35 homeruns, has a OBP soaring over .400 and becomes the feared hitter he was back in 2006. Pronkville Rejoices!!!

Worst Case Scenario:

Elbow flares up, can't get into a rhythm, and we are stuck with a .220 50 million dollar DH for 4 more years

Prediction:

Pronk is tough, and his part project part donkey side takes over. Travis belts 25-30 homeruns, spends one or two short stints on the DL, hits around .270, and hears more cheers than boos at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

3. Does Mark DeRosa have what it takes to bat second and be a difference maker?

Everything out of Chicago has been extremely positive about the Tribe's new third baseman. I have heard words like "gamer" and phrases like "great clubhouse guy" when describing DeRosa, but will he produce in the AL? He primarily batted in the second half of the Cubs order, generally being protected from being heavily counted on to spark innings (which DeRosa did on his own to his credit). The Indians haven't had a solid number 2 hitter sans two months of Asdrubal Cabrera in 2007, or more notably since Coco Crisp in 2005. DeRosa seems a pretty solid player to plug in to the 2 hole with his .376 OBP. His 106 K's need to be cut down as he will be more heavily counted on to move runners along by putting the ball in play. The conversion over to the American League shouldn't be an issue as he played for Texas in 2006, having some success. In the past 3 years(2 in Chicago, 1 in Texas, 500 AB's in each season), DeRosa has only manned the hot corner a mere 99 times while committing 9 errors. The team has stated that 3rd Base is his best position, which is up for debate. His fielding percentage at third over the sample size above is .960, while his career FP there is .949, which rank him pretty much average and a slight upgrade over Casey Blake.

The real question will be if Asdrubal struggles a la 2008, or Peralta's lack of range gets worse, will the D-Man be back at second? DeRosa's ultra flexibility to be able to play pretty much anywhere (notably the corner outfield positions) seems to be what really attracted the Indians to the former Wrigleyviller, so don't be surprised to see him all around the diamond. His club friendly $5 million dollar one year contract may also provide this 2010 free agent some incentive to put together another productive season.

Best Case Scenario:

DeRosa further strengthens the top of the order, gets on base, helps set the table for the 3-4-5 hitters, flashes an above average gloves, and helps lead the Wigwamers to another division title.

Worst Case Scenario:

Struggles in April and May with his league transition, forgets how to play third, becomes Casey Blake lite or worse, an overpaid utility infielder and we see Wes Hodges sooner than we would like up in Cleveland.

Prediction:

DeRosa delivers, provides leadership and above average production, and helps the Indians battle deep into September for a very winnable AL Central Division crown.

There are obviously a lot more questions then answers floating around the 2009 Indians. More on those in the coming days, including a Central Division preview that spell out the road for baseball possibly (hopefully) being played in Cleveland in October.

DeRosa an Indian

Not breaking news, (more than a week old), but the Indians traded Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer, and John Gaub to the Chicago Cubs for infielder Mark DeRosa. DeRosa played the majority of 2008 at Second Base, but the Tribe is looking at stick him at third. For more in depth analysis, check out the DiaTribe. I really like this move as it adds more flexibility to the 2009 roster.