Can the Indians Really Depend on the Pen?

This piece originally was posted March 23rd, 2009. This team currently has played 19 games since their last save. After today's bullpen debacle (blown 7 run lead), I just can't write anymore about this crappy relief corps. They suck.

Recent reports out of Goodyear have not been kind to Japanese import Masa Kobayashi. He currently is sporting a 14.40 ERA in 5 innings of work. Coupled with Easy Ed Mujica's 12.71 ERA, the duo is putting up stats reminiscent of the horrid bullpen of 2008 where a total of 6 pitchers who appeared in at least 14 games had earned run averages above 5.60! Thankfully young options (Sipp, Meloan, Jackson) to go with non roster guys (Chulk, Herges, Saarloos) are available to help sort out the final spots on the bench out in centerfield. The thought of those two toeing the rubber this season makes many Tribe fans quiver and for good reason. It seems as the Cleveland Indians bullpen goes, so does the teams' final record. Mark Shapiro has preached many times over the years that a teams relief corps is many times a crap shoot, and by looking at the corresponding ERA's with the Indians win totals, his analysis seems correct. Here is a breakdown of the past 5 years of Indians bullpens and how the club ended up.

2004 80-82 Third Place

Bullpen ERA 4.90 (Ranked 12th in AL) opposing batting average .271

Omar Vizquels' Indian career was ending, Grady Sizemores' was just beginning, and the Tribe Bullpen was just plain sucking. Bob Wickman started the season on the 60 day DL, so the team decided to begin the season with a closer-by-committee format. Boy was that a bad idea. In an attempt to bolster the clubs' holes in the area, they traded a quartet of future big league regulars (Ryan Church and Maicer Izturis to the Angels, Willy Tavares and Luke Scott to the Astros) for Scott Stewart and Jeriome Robertson. These ill fated moves, along with the signing of Jose Jimenez doomed the club from the outset. Here are their scary stats...

Scott Stewart 23 games, 13 2/3 innings pitched, 7.24 ERA
Jeriome Robertson 8 games, 14 innings pitched, 12.21 ERA
Jose Jimenez 31 games, 36 1/3 innings pitched, 8.42 ERA

Another star of the bullpen was Chad Durbin, who may have set a record (later matched by Fausto Carmona in 2006) in giving up 3 walk off homeruns in the first 28 games of the season. If there ever were a bullpen from hell, this was it as 20 pitchers threw in relief for the Indians, headlined by such names as Lou Pote, Jack Cressend, David Lee, Jake Robbins, Rick White, Matt Miller, and catcher Tim Laker. Let's just say the Indians knew things had to improve for the team to compete in 2005.

2005 93-69 Second Place

Bullpen ERA 2.80 (Ranked 1st in AL) opposing batting average .224

What a difference a year makes! After starting the season slow, the Indians charged hard over the last two months and missed the playoffs by a mere one game. The team resigned Bob Wickman to close (45 saves, 2.47 ERA), acquired veteran lefties Arthur Rhodes (2.08 ERA) and Scott Sauerbeck (4.04 ERA), and got an amazing year out of reclamation projects Bob Howry (2.47 ERA in 79 games) and Rafael Betancourt (2.79 ERA in 54 games). The worst regular reliever was probably Jason Davis, and he wasn't that bad (4.69 ERA). This was a bullpen built for the playoffs, but unfortunately the young supporting cast fizzled at the end of the season. Shapiro and Co. may have taken the success for granted.

2006 78-84 Fourth Place

Bullpen ERA 4.73 (Ranked 11th in the AL) opposing batting average .274

As Joni Mitchell once wrote, "Don't it always seem to go. That you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone," could very well have been the mantra of the 2006 bully. In a desire to strengthen the position player depth in the organization, the Tribe included David Riske (3.01 ERA in 2006) in the Coco Crisp trade (Josh Bard too) that netted the team top prospect Andy Marte, Kelly Shoppach, Randy Newsom and Guillermo Mota. In a seperate move to augment the loss of Crisp, the Indians also shipped Arthur Rhodes to the Phillies for the immortal Jason Michaels. These two moves, along with the loss of Bobby Howry to free agency really put the bullpen in a state of confusion. Now granted, Rhodes and Riske were no where near as effective in 2006 then they were a year earlier, but maybe keeping the guys together out there who led the league in ERA in their same respective roles may have been a good idea. Wickman got hurt, Mota was horrible (6.21 ERA), Fernando Cabrera (5.19 ERA) and Rafael Betancourt (3.81 ERA) were tired from their appearances in the WBC, Scott Sauerbeck got drunk and hid in some bushes with a woman not his wife (6.23 ERA), and a guy named Brian Sikorski (4.58 ERA) had to be purchased late in the season FROM Japan. This Bullpen of Horrors almost claimed Fausto Carmona as well. After Bob Wickman was traded the Braves, the Tribe stuck the young Dominican into the closers role In the span of seven days (from July 30 through August 5), Carmona recorded four losses and three blown saves for the Indians, including wall off home runs surrendered to Boston Red Sox David Ortiz and the Tigers' Ivan Rodriguez. Thankfully he was returned to his original role as a starter soon thereafter. The lone bright spot was eventual call up of Rafael Perez, a future bullpen star.

2007 96-66 First Place

Bullpen ERA 3.75 (Ranked 4th in the AL) opposing batting average .254

Mark Shapiro made it a priority to rebuild the 2007 pen by signing a quartet of pitchers (Keith Foulke, Joe Borowski, Roberto Hernandez, Aaron Fultz) to compete for the many open spots in the bullpen. Foulke never made it out of Spring Training, so Joe Borowski assumed the role as closer. As much as JoBo made Tribe fans' hold their collective breaths all season, he pitched with guts, saving an AL leading 45 games (as well as game 4 of the ALDS). His 5.04 ERA was a cause for concern, but that will be discussed later. Rafael Betancourt had a downright magical 2007 season posting a 1.47 ERA in 68 games, while Aaron Fultz (2.92 ERA) pitched well in the first half of the season. Aging veteran Roberto Hernandez was a bust (6.23 ERA) but a pair of young pitchers really helped the Tribe make a run to the playoffs. Lefty Rafael Perez (1.78 ERA in 44 appearances) and righty Jensen Lewis (2.15 ERA in 26 games) provided stability and excitement after the All-Star break. Ultimately, it was the starting pitching that did in the Tribe in the ALCS, but the bullpen was a huge strength and looked to be one in 2008.

2008 81-81 Third Place

Bullpen ERA 5.13 (13th in the AL) opposing batting average .280

With the success of the relievers experienced in 2007, Shapiro felt only minor tweaking needed to be done. He brought in Japanese closer Masa Kobayashi and veteran Jorge Julio to compliment his strong corps of arms. Kobayashi would serve as a type of insurance in the case of injury or major meltdowns like years' past. It may have been an omen of things to come when Aaron Fultz was released in Spring Training, making the Indians eat his $1.5 Million Dollar contract. The GM should have and probably internally did project the eventual decline of Joe Borowski (18 games, 16 2/3 innings, 7.56 ERA while showing at best 85 MPH fastball), but no one would have thought that the guys who had so much success in 2007 would fall completely on their face. Julio was a flop (5.60 ERA in 15 games). Betancourt looked terrible from the beginning (6.00 ERA in 42 games befor the All-Star Break) and never looked comfortable in closing games after Borowski was removed. Jensen Lewis's velocity was way down early and was eventually sent back to Buffalo (he rebounded late in the season, assuming the closers' role and saving 13 games). Kobayashi showed glimpses of being average, but eventually tired and posted a 10.32 ERA over his final 15 games. Here is the list of the over 5.60 ERA for the season club...

Edward Mujica 33 games, 38 2/3 innings pitched, 6.75 ERA
Juan Rincon 23 games, 27 1/3 innings pitched, 5.60 ERA
Joe Borowski 18 games, 16 23 innings pitched, 7.56 ERA
Jorge Julio 15 games, 17 2/3 innings pitched, 5.60 ERA
Brendan Donnelly 15 games, 13 2/3 innings pitched, 8.56 ERA
Tom Mastny 14 games, 20 innings pitched, 10.80 ERA

Those have got to be some of the worst stats a bullpen has put up in the history of baseball. I wouldn't want any of those guys autographs, let alone them pitching for my favorite team. The team did play quite well over, going 34-21 after July 31st. That success can be attributed in part to the stability of the closers' role (Lewis) and the lack of appearances of the jobbers listed above.

2009?

What will the 2009 bullpen look like and perform? The signing of closer Kerry Wood in the off season should solidify the Closer Role (assuming no lingering injuries), allowing the younger pitchers to settle into their respective spots in the Pen. The acquisition of sidewinder Joe Smith should help as well in providing depth and a different look. If the Cleveland Indians can compete with a better than average bullpen day in and day out, the statistics above support a better record and a most probable return to post season. Unfortunately as Shapiro has learned, Relievers are probably the most unpredictable positions on the diamond. The 2005 and 2007 seasons showed that having a guy finish games (Wickman and Borowski) effectively most of the time correlates into wins. Wood is saved 34 games in 40 chances and reportedly topped 98 MPH on the radar gun in the National League playoffs. Lewis and Perez have been lights out this spring, and Betancourt seems to be getting things together.

If these five guys can find consistency in their respective roles, 2009 should see a return to greatness for the Indians. It is also an odd year, which for some reason has proved to be good thing for these guys. From Jim Poole to Jose Mesa, Tribe fans have suffered through some excruciating performance from the last line of defense. Hopefully this season, Tribe fans can smile and not hold their breaths when the gate swings open out in centerfield at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

*Note... As of June 19th, the Indians bullpen had 15 guys throw at least 1 inning through only 79 games and is the worst in all of Professional Baseball. Guess which place they are in?

"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!!!!

Win a Series, Gain some Momentum

The Indians won their second series of the year Wednesday, beating the Chicago White Sox 4-0. Cliff Lee look superb again (7 IP, 0 ER, 9 K's), and the long ball returned with Victor Martinez and Ryan Garko both going deep. It was a good team win, but the Tribe needs to put some back to back wins together if they want to ever even consider rejoining the race for the AL Central. GM Mark Shapiro had a impromptu press conference before Tuesdays' game and pretty much said more roster changes are imminent and that he is putting his full support behind Eric Wedge. No surprise pertaining to the manager, but it will be interesting to see what other moves are going to be made.

Apparently, the addition of Luis Vizcaino is close to happening, so a pitcher will need to be jettisoned off the roster. The PD believes it to be Masa Kobayashi, but Castroturf said he was on the plane to Tampa. If Kobayashi has lived to see another day, look for Herges, Sipp, or Sowers to get the ticket back to Columbus. If it is Sowers (WTAM Mark Schwab said on STO that Sowers was talking to the travel guy after the game), look for Aaron Laffey to possibly return to the rotation or David Huff possibly making his Major League Debut Sunday.

As for the offense, Victor Martinez continues to rake, Grady has continued to slump at the plate and on the basepaths (5-11 SB's) and Matt LaPorta actually got some playing time (2-5, double, 2 walks in the last 2 games). The Tribe heads to Tampa for a four game series against the Rays. Let's push for another series win, this team need all the momentum they can get.

Sweeping a "Fire" Under the Bus

You just knew going into the 9th of today's game that the Tribe would get runners on base and flirt with victory. Then you realized they have teased us fans all year with a season-changing comeback or a last at bat win. As Choo flew out to end the game, I wondered to myself how long can a team find new ways to lose? Apparently many, as the Indians were swept away by the Tigers, scoring a total of 3 runs in 3 games. Random angry thoughts from a frustrated fan...

• Moves I would make to the roster today... Cut Kobayashi and Dellucci (why is he still playing, we all know that he sucks). Bring in Vizcaino (which will probably happen soon) and call up Jordan Brown/Michael Aubrey and make them your left handed bat off of the bench. Dellucci is a train wreck and there is no room for a team that is 10 games under .500 to even have a roster spot for a 35 year old washed up can't bunt can't field can't hit outfielder.


• Lineup changes I would make... Just move Peralta to third and get it over with. He is eventually going to play there next year and the defense is infinitely better with Cabrera playing short (see Friday's game). Let Valbuena play everyday as he has a flair about him and will get better as he plays more (Friday's game not withstanding). Move DeRosa to the outfield and hope he gets his bat going.


• LaPorta should be playing everyday and it inexcusable that he did not play in one game against Detroit. He is accruing service time and not gaining any experience riding the pine. That is a huge blunder by Wedge.


• Have Shoppach only play twice a week. His swing and plate discipline is a joke right now. Let him catch Lee and occasionally someone else. It's all or nothing with him. Give the other at bats to Garko, he at least usually gets on base.


• New lineup... Sizemore-Cabrera-Martinez-Choo-Garko-DeRosa-Peralta-LaPorta-Valbuena


• Still looks pretty crappy, but at least it shows some promise at the end. Francisco and Shoppach are strike out machines.


• I am done hearing Grady is not a vocal leader. He needs to man up, kick a cooler, yell at some team mates and help will this team to victory. Sizemore is not a young kid anymore.


• Wedge may not be the reason the bullpen blows or the team goes into hitting funks, but a club tends to take on the personality of it's manager. Here are Victor's quotes from after the game today...

"It's not Wedge's fault," he said. "I take all the blame, we take all the blame."
In case you missed it, Martinez does not think it's Wedge's fault, which means he does not think Wedge should be jettisoned.
"He's not the one playing," Martinez said. "I don't see any reason why he should pay for this."
Asked what is missing from the 2009 edition, Martinez said: "Energy and, you know, the fire, the fire to play this game."
As to why that would be, Martinez said: "Sometimes we get down on ourselves. We're really trying to do too much at one time. You can't get five hits in one at-bat. You can't get three homers in one at-bat. You have to take it pitch by pitch, at-bat by at-bat."

• Isn't it the role of a manager to help promote passion and intensity to help bring a team together? If the manager is relaxed and calm when the results are abysmal, the players may follow suit. It is nice to see Victor defending his skipper, but his comments kind of throw him under the bus. That "Fire" isn't going to come from a player's only meeting. That "Fire" isn't going to come when you can't get a sac bunt down in the 7th inning or when you miss a cut off. That "Fire" isn't going to show up when have got on base once to leadoff a game all season. The only way to catch the "Fire" is to play good, fundamental baseball, create scoring opportunities, pitch with confidence, and have fun for once. Do we really need to bring back this guy or do this after every win to loosen the team up?


• Whether it's bullpen coach Chuck Hernandez (who knows what he does anyways), or the Wedge-clone, hitting coach Derek Shelton, the demeanor, approach, and results of the players these men are supposed to have an impact on are well below acceptable. One or both should be canned just to let these guys here some sort of new voice.

I have a few theories concerning why the lineup looks so out of whack and have narrowed it down to these two main spokes in the bicycle in the Tour De Tribe.

Travis Hafner going on the DL was really no shock to anyone, but I didn't think the team would miss him as much as they have. The team is 3-8 since the last game he played in and are devoid of a true cleanup hitter. Who knows if Pronk will ever stay healthy for an extended time, but the mere presence of his bat in the lineup lengthened its productivity. Choo is not a cleanup guy at all and may hinder his maturation. Here is what the cleanup hole has produced in those 11 games...

Choo: (8-35, 2 extra base hits) .229 batting average .341 on base percentage .415 slugging percentage .756 OPS 0 Homeruns and 5 RBI.

DeRosa: (1-8, 0 extra base hits) .125 batting average .125 on base percentage .125 slugging percentage .250 OPS O Homeruns and 0 RBI. Combine the two and here is the production out of the cleanup spot over the past 11 games...

4 hole: .209 batting average .306 on base percentage .367 slugging percentage .673 OPS.

With all the blame going to the bullpen, the cleanup spots' production has been well below average and a glaring hole to fill. Another guy is equally to blame for the teams' struggles.

Grady Sizemore might be hurt. I went to the game April 26th when he collided pretty hard with Trevor Crowe. Grady got up pretty slowly and took a few moments to regroup himself. He obviously looks fine in the outfield and on the basepaths, but maybe he hurt a shoulder-wrist-elbow during the play and hasn't told anyone or the team is hiding the ailment. We all know how the Indians love to hide injuries as we learned straight from the skipper (See Tribe Town Hall Meeting Part 2 for Wedge's answer)in January. Grady is also a gamer and would be the last to make any excuses. Here is some quick numbers for Grady.

Up until April 26th season stats... .269 batting average .367 on base percentage, .564 slugging percentage, .931 OPS.

After April 26th season stats... .227 batting average .313 on base percentage, .424 slugging percentage, .737 OPS.

Over his past 12 games... (April 27-May 10) .167 batting average ..237 on base percentage, .288 slugging percentage, .525 OPS. Team Record (including game he had off) 4-9.

These stats are significantly terrible, even for a struggling Grady. Is he hurt or just in a slump? I know he almost took Verlander yard in the 9th Friday, but his swing is looking longer and his plate discipline has gone completely array. Time will tell. Sizemore and Hafner are two of the most important parts of this lineup (including Martinez). As they go, so does the team.

The best thing about a team playing bad is that tomorrow is another day and yet another potential way to right the ship. The White Sox come to town and hopefully the whole Tribe will decide to show up for once.

Heartaches, Headaches, and Head Scratchers

At least the Indians finally hit a triple! The Tribe's record now stands at a disappointing 8-14 after dropping 2 of three to the Boston Red Sox when they had a legitimate shot at winning all three. The team collectively went 2-32 with runners in scoring position, which is down right embarrassing. Every aspect of this team needs to be dissected and critiqued heavily. Here are some rants without any raves.

• Peralta is lost, needs to be sat down for a few games to figure some things out.
• Why a team carrying 14 pitchers trots out a reliever who is prone to the gopher ball (Lewis) for his third consecutive inning is a mystery. Why not throw the guy (Rundles) who gets lefties out against the lefty (Van Every)?
• The Indians blew a golden opportunity for a win when the Red Sox decided to sit Youklis, Drew and Lugo on the bench in favor of Bailey, Van Every, and Green. I don't care that Van Every hit the winning homerun, they are all jobbers.
• Shapiro better find 7 pitchers to throw out of the bullpen that he believes in because a major league team can not have a bench of 2 or 3 guys when the starting 9 is incredibly slow and not versatile.
• Lee and Carmona pitched great and have nothing to show for it.
• Reyes' fastball topping out at 85 MPH was not a good sign.
• Putting a closer in a tie ball game when he had pitched the night before makes no sense to me. I can understand if Wood hadn't thrown in awhile but it works like 50% of the time. I understood Wood throwing Tuesday as there really wasn't anyone left.
• Moves I would make tomorrow. Cut Kobayashi, Demote Graffanino, and Rundles, and call up LaPorta, Valbuena, and Barfield. Make Shoppach your backup catcher again, sit Peralta down a few days, and stick LaPorta at DH with an occasional spot start in left. What is worth more, LaPorta losing a year of arbitration or your team losing an entire season? Barfield, Crowe, Shoppach, and Peralta make up your bench for the time being. Send Barfield down when Carroll comes back. I don't even want to get started on Dellucci.
• If and when Pavano and Reyes keep sucking, ship the worse one out and call up Rondon from Akron. Would bring excitement and a guy who throws heat.
• I need not watch Friday's game or my blood pressure will become a health problem.
• I have a horrible feeling that the same old moves will happen tomorrow (Dellucci up).
• When is the point in the season when the team decides the core of this team just is not working together as a cohesive unit?
• What will be the club's excuse for their bad start this year? Hafner on the DL? The WBC? The Swine Flu?
• Should I feel optimistic that they are still only 3.5 games back?
  

The Tribe is thankfully off Thursday, but moves the train wreck on up to Detroit where Carl Pavano (0-3 9.50 ERA) takes on Armando Gallaraga (3-0 1.85 ERA). Who you got? Are you still in the Tribe?

Striving for Mediocrity

The Tribe took two out of three from K.C., and salvaged one win over the weekend against the Twins. What does this mean? The Indians are a team in a state of flux. It seems that they can't put any sort of solid baseball together over the stretch of a few games. The starting pitching has been much better over the 6 games, but the hitting has been basically non existent. It will be interesting to see what will happen against Boston and see if the team can turn their game up a notch as the Red Sox are riding a ten game win streak. The weather can't be an excuse this April as it has been gorgeous the past 4 days. More Random Thoughts:

• Tony Sipp was definitely the player of the game yesterday and hit 94 MPH on the gun. I liked his energy coming off the mound after striking out both Morneau and Kubel with the bases loaded. Could be a big add to the pen.


• Another Tony (Graffanino) needs to be sent packing. He is old, slow, and can't hit. If Wedge starts him again I may vomit.


• The last Tony (Anthony Reyes) reminds me of Paul Byrd in that he is an soft tossing escape artist on the mound. If he limits his walks and pitches 6 innings a start, I will be satisfied.


• Masa? More like "No Mas!"


• Asdrubal is just raking right now and it is a good sign that Wedge put him in the number 2 hole. Guys with and OBP above .400 should not be hitting last on a team that struggles to score runs.


• I would play Garko more in Right Field if Choo wasn't so terrible in left.


• Peralta looks more awful than he usually does in April. His vision is still quite good , though.


• Jensen Lewis' season is best described by this picture.


• Matt LaPorta is hitting over .400 in Columbus while Ben Francisco and Trevor Crowe make up a below average platoon out in left. The Indians need to forget all of the Super 2 shenanigans and not worry about his 6th year of arbitration. The guy has 5 dingers and is ripping up AAA. Call him up now, it immediately makes your lineup that much stronger, especially with the Manager resting Hafner so often.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield takes on Cliff Lee tonight as the Indians, 19 games in, have still yet to string 2 consecutive wins together.

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

Zach Jackson wins last spot in the Pen

The Indians announced today that the final spot in the bullpen will be filled by left-hander Zach Jackson. Acquired from the Brewers as part of the CC Sabathia trade, Jackson has been selected probably due to his ability to either start or relieve. His spring training numbers were not too impressive (18 plus innings, 6.87 ERA), but he will serve as an innings eater if one of the starters get pounded for runs in the first few innings, or as a spot starter if rainouts occur early. The loser in the race, right-hander Vinnie Chulk, has been sent to Columbus. Chulk has an opt out clause in his contract that allows him to leave the organization after May 15th if he is not on the major league roster. Chulk compiled a 1.72 ERA in 9 games this spring and will be the first bullpen option out of Triple A. The way Masa Kobayashi has been pitching (10.00 ERA in 9 games), Vinnie shouldn't have to wait very long. Masa will be on a very short leash in 2009. Only one more week to go until opening day, so it looks like the roster is finally set.

Split the Road, Tribe

Tribe Times has been on hiatus for a week and not much really happened. The Indians have been playing better of late sans Aaron Laffey's last two starts. The team as a whole seems to be having more fun actually playing the game rather than "grinding." It will be a long last few months of the baseball season, so I am going to add another addition of Random Thoughts.

The Retro 1989 jerseys need to be sold in stores and uses next year. Paul Hoynes said that the Mariners gave the 25 man roster a chance to buy their respective jerseys for charity and a whopping 20 did so. Bring them BACK!!!

Casey Blake may not be traded, which is not necessarily a bad thing. If they can sign Casey to a one year contract with a club option for 2010, I would be all for bringing him back. He is a definite team leader and a good guy to have around. Blake may not take such a deal since this is his first opportunity at Free Agency and he may want the security of a multi-year deal. That would be risky since he is 35.

Aaron Laffey better straighten things out our the 2009 rotation is looking thinner by the day.

Tom Mastny introduces himself with an "I'm Tom Mastny," meatball everytime he pitches.

Edward Mujica may not be as bad as I thought he was.

Juan Rincon may be worth a 2009 look, but will probably end up like Jorge Julio/Roberto Hernandez.

David Dellucci should be duct tapped to the bench.

Andy Marte is playing better, but is not the long term solution at 3rd Base.

Ryan Garko should not be our starting firstbaseman in 2009.

Jhonny hit good, field bad.

Travis Hafner may be done for the year.

Would you sign K-Rod to a 5 year, 65 million dollar contract if it meant no offensive help next year? I would.

Matt LaPorta will be an Indian in May of 2009.

Shin Soo Choo and Ben Francisco will form a platoon next season. Book it!

Fausto will be one of the few players to watch left this season.

Jamey Carroll has a future being a jockey at Thistledown.

Sal Fasano is one of my favorite Indians of all time.

Two roster moves happened over the past week, as Asdrubal Cabrera was called up and Jorge Velandia was sent to Buffalo. Also Fausto Carmona is due to pitch on Saturday for the first time since the middle of May, so look for Matt Ginter to be sent down.

Browns training camp opened today so I imagine not many people but the diehards are reading this anymore. Thanks to those who do, whoever and wherever you are.

2007 A.L. Saves Leader Joe Borowski Designated for Assignment, (Bauer too).

The Joe Bo era in Cleveland is officially over. Joe Borowski was released Friday, as was Rick Bauer. Borowski amassed 45 saves in 2007, but arm trouble and ineffectiveness plague his 2008 season. Ole' Joe Bo did get the last out of the ALDS, so he does have a place in Cleveland Indians history. The rest of the season will see a closer by committee set-up between Masa Kobayashi, Rafael Perez and (gulp) Rafael Betancourt. Relievers Jensen Lewis and Brian Slocum were recalled to try and revive one of the worst bullpens in the major leagues.

Gunned Down in the Queen City

Just when you think your team is on a roll, disaster strikes. Sunday was a crappy day in Cleveland sports as the Cleveland LeBrons were beaten in seven games by the geriatric celtics. Looks like two years left of professional basketball in Cleveland!

Getting back to baseball, we have all heard that the season is a marathon and not a sprint. Well interleague play became an annoying bunion on the big toe of the Indians as they were miserably swept by the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend. The hitting continued to suck dramatically, and our bullpen savior decided to recreate Bob Wickman's Great American Ballpark meltdown of 2006. How is it that Adam Dunn can be a slow, underachieving, below average fielder most of the season and then see Cleveland across the jerseys of the opposing team and immediately become Ken Griffey Jr in his prime? (Not the Griffey now, he looks about done). Watching Dusty Baker chew on his toothpick and readjust his wristbands in the dugout made me want swallow my remote. The Reds are playing well now, but I am sure that reality will strike them by the all star break as it usually does. Their old man general manager will hang on to Griffey and Dunn too long because the organization feels that they can compete this year. The two will leave for free agency, bringing no prospects in return. Also, what team starts Jerry Hairston and Corey Patterson? Those guys make Dellucci and Blake look like cornerstones to any franchise.

The Reds did uncover the flaws that have been plaguing the Tribe for most of the season. Through the first two games, the team went 0-15 with runners in scoring position. Some of that was due to pitchers batting, but most of it was due to the ineptitude of the lineup as a whole. I understand that Wedge is pretty much clueless as to who to bat where in the order (understandably so) but batting Dellucci 3rd is down right ridiculous. He has had some clutch hits with runners on this year but that is way too high of a spot for pretty much a journeyman fourth outfielder. It killed them in the first inning Sunday as he was up with two on and no out and flailed away at a high fastball. Might as well let Francisco hit 3rd as he right now is swinging the best bat. I would prefer just sticking Hafner back there Tuesday and letting things sort themselves out.

Also the savior to the bullpen, Masa Kobayashi became ordinary again. I like his demeanor on the mound but if he ever were to become the closer, these sort of blown saves may occur due to his stuff not being overpowering. His fastball to Dunn was right in his kitchen. The media has reported JoeBo will probably be back in a week and they seem to believe this will settle things down. Most fans will believe what I do, that the 9th will not be safe unless a legitimate closer is brought in. I was all for Raffy, but he wilted under the pressure of the 9th. Kobayashi would provides a decent option, but he is suspect to the gopher ball. As for JoeBo, get out the heart medication because he is excruciating to watch.

Here were some of the Highlights:

Michael Aubrey: First Major League hit was a Home Run: This one week honeymoon by Aubrey will be interesting to watch. His call up may show how committed they are to Garko for the long run. He now has 1 more than our cleanup hitter.

Ben Francisco: 5-11, first HR of the season: I think his teammates should take some notes on his hitting style. Don't over think, see the ball, hit the ball. Has played himself into the everyday lineup.

Fausto Carmona: 7 1/3 IP, 4 hits, 0 walks, 4 K's, 1 earned run: Continues to deal, was robbed of a victory by the bullpen and the offense. No walks is an excellent sign.

Jorge Julio: 1/3 IP, 0 earned runs. Got to pitch, probably a big deal for the Julio family.

Areas of Concern:

Ryan Garko: Got thrown out Sunday at second base after hitting the ball off of the wall. Decided to watch his stroke instead of getting out of the box and hustling down the line. Wouldn't be surprised to see him in a platoon with Aubrey over the next week as Wedge usually does not tolerate lazy play. Also I am gettin tired of his front knee hitting the dirt when he swings at a low pitch. Probably not the best form.

Masa Kobayashi: 1/3 inning, 3 run bomb to Adam Dunn in the 9th, blown save: Crushed the hopes and dreams of every Tribe fan hoping we finally found a closer.

Asdrubal Cabrera: 0-10. Even though his glove has been superb, may need to be sent down to regain confidence in his bat. He is only 22 but he is pulling the ball and hitting way too many fly balls.

David Dellucci: 1-9. Rough weekend for DD, Wedge is asking too much of him by batting him 3rd. Needs to be dropped down immediately.

The Indians get a much needed day off Monday before they face the Chicago White Sox for a three game series in Chi Town. 52 year old Jose Contreras battles CC Sabathia Tuesday.

What a Stretch!

To say that the Indians have been getting good starting pitching is an understatement, as they took 3 straight from Oakland. For a starting staff to yield 1 earned run over the past 7 games is down right mind-boggling. The bats won't need to come out of their coma if this keeps up. The Tribe, with winning 8 of their last 10, has vaulted into sole possession of first place in the AL Central. The offense has had a lack of forming any type of consistency and Rafael Betancourt has looked shaky at best, but who really cares when your pitchers are throwing shutouts. With the Tigers struggling mightily and the White Sox and Twins hovering around mediocrity, the Indians may be able to put some games between them and the rest of the division. Over the next 19 games, they face the Rangers 7 times, the White Sox 6, and the Royals and Reds 3 times each. Look for this team to continue it's roll as the weather warms up. Sweeping the Athletics was a huge step in this team putting their bad start behind them.

Here were some of the Highlights:

Starting Pitchers (Byrd, Sabathia, and Laffey): 23 1/3 IP, 15 hits, 0 Earned Runs, 3 walks, 24 K's. What can you say? They starting staff has been unbelievable and the best in baseball. If they continue to pitch anywhere close to this good, 2008 will be another season to remember.

Masa Kobayashi: 2 IP, 1 hit, 3 K's, 0 earned runs, 2 saves. Shows emotion and excitement everytime out. I have a feeling he will be our future closer sooner than later.

Ben Francisco: 4-7, 4 runs, 1 RBI. Ben has been playing great defense and mashing the ball consistently as well. Frankie G will be loosing time if B-Franc keeps it up.

Ryan Garko: 3-11, 2 HR, 5 RBI. Drove in 5 of the 10 runs scored in the series. Hope he has ended his batting funk finally.

Areas of Concern:

Rafael Betancourt: Another rough outing for Raffy, loaded the bases in the 9th of Thursday's game. May have pitched himself out of the 9th inning entirely.

Franklin Gutierrez: 0-8 4 K's. Does not like the curve ball much. Needs to get it going or will be a defensive replacement rather than a regular starter.

Casey Blake: 0-4. Casey likes to only hit when runners are in scoring position.

Andy Marte: 1-4. Picked off of first, I know the front office does not want to cut him due to depth reasons, but he really has no future on this team.

The Indians invade Cincinnati this weekend for a 3 game series. Jeremy Sowers takes on Johnny Cueto. Look for Pronk to play probably one game in the field, and for a lot of pinch hitting.

Also, for anyone thinking that the Indians are going to trade Peralta and Laffey to the Colorado Rockies for Garrett Atkins, you are a moron. TTO contributor Frisky told me he heard this rumor on the Munch show on WKNR Wednesday. Besides Greg Brinda, the whole station could care less about Indians baseball until September so that tells you a bit about their quality of sportscasting. I can't imagine the Tribe dealing Laffey with the impending free agency of CC and Byrd. Starting Pitching is too valuable to deal a guy you can control for the next 5 years. If anyone will be traded, I would assume it would be Sowers, but that may be a stretch as well. The Tribe does need a bat, but I believe they would trade lower level starters (Lofgren, Huff) before dealing Triple A depth. It is a long season and you never know when a starter may get hurt. I am now off the soap box.

Fighting for .500

Aprils can be tough to watch baseball in Cleveland. Bitter cold temperatures, rain, snow, and even hail can contribute to rough viewing down at Progressive Field. A little over 20,000 fans froze their tails off tonight to witness a series split. To be honest, most fans would have been content with a series split with the Bronx bombers, but when your team scores 2 runs over 2 days it can get quite frustrating. Monday's game was a microcosm of the season, good pitching wasted and timely hitting was non existent. The Indians have scored 50 runs with 2 outs, but tonight they only manage 2 runs with multiple opportunities. After playing two great ball games Friday and Saturday, but struggled to string scoring opportunities together the last two days. Part of the reason the hitting woes continue relate to Grady Sizemore being out of the lineup. His propensity to get on base and be one of the few real threats on the roster right now really hurts the overall punch this team needs. The Indians have won 2 series this year in 9 chances, which amazes me as I thought that their record was a lot worse. Let's hope this cold front passes through Cleveland quickly as their hitting has not been good when the mercury drops below 50 degrees.

Here were some of the Highlights:

Victor Martinez: 5-14, 3 walks, one huge RBI: Even though Victor has been able to really drive the ball yet this year (only 4 extra base hits), he is batting .365 for the season. As the weather warms up, V-Mart will continue to mash as he is the only member of the team hitting over .270 who plays consistently.

Franklin Gutierrez: 4-10, 2 runs, HR. Franky G seems to be getting back to a comfort zone, still playing a great outfield anywhere he plays.

Masa Kobayashi: 3 IP, 2 hits, 2 K's 0 ER. Has settled in as the go to righty out of the pen in late innings. Seems to has gained confidence as the season has went on.

CC Sabathia: 8 IP, 4 hits, 8 K's 1ER. Pitched with emotion and spotted the ball well. Made one mistake to Melky Cabrera, seems to be back on track.

Jeremy Sowers/Aaron Laffey: Pitched very well in spot starts, will be major factors in the development of this staff in 2009 after CC inevitably leaves. Probably getting tired of the bus trips back and forth to Buffalo. They do have great wings, though!

Areas of Concern:

Ryan Garko: 0-10. Just looks lost at the plate, wouldn't be surprised to see him benched for a few days in favor of Kelly Shoppach or even the immortal Andy Marte with Victor moving to First Base. May need to stay out of the Warehouse District for awhile.

Casey Blake: 1-12, 4 K's. The roller coaster ride that has been Casey's season continues. He has 18 RBI, and 17 hits. I guess that means he has been productive with his hits, but pretty crappy when no one is on base. Blake used to be the polar opposite, possessing an awful average with runners in scoring position. Let's hope he decides to hit in this next series.

Travis Hafner: 2-12, 4 K's, 2 RBI, 4 walks. Needs to produce if this teams has any chance to repeat a playoff run. Has been taking many third pitch strikes.

Ben Francisco in Buffalo: The team was 4-0 when he was on the roster, now has went 1-2. Karma people!

Cleveland Weather: Really sucks the life out of their bats. Our players seem to prefer the nice weather, hopefully it will return Tuesday since I have tickets.

The Seattle Mariners come to town for a 3 game series and the Tribe is lucky to miss Eric Bedard and Felix Hernandez. Fausto Carmona takes on meatball throwing Carlos Silva Tuesday.

Royals Swept Away

When in need to end a whole team slump, what better destination is there in the American League than Kansas City? The Indians played a nearly flawless 2 days of baseball, vaulting themselves into 2nd Place in the AL Central. Miraculously the Tribe has pulled within 2 games of .500 with the dreaded New York Yankees invading Cleveland tonight. Solid to outstanding starting pitching was prevalent all series. Hitters who have been struggling contributed, and the team made zero errors. With six games remaining, it is not out of the realm of possibility for the team to finish April 4-2, resulting in a 14-14 record. That would be an amazing feat considering how bad the Indians have played so far this year. Hopefully Progressive Field will be jam packed with Tribe for this upcoming four game series, but more than likely there will be many Yankee fans in attendance.

Here were some of the Highlights:

Grady Sizemore: 5-14, HR, 3 RBI. Had a great first game of the double-header, not so great the other two. He has tee'd off on average pitching as of late, but against tougher pitchers, he has struggled. Grady has become an outstanding mistake hitter, but his eye has been a bit off on breaking stuff in the dirt.

Casey Blake: 6-8, Grand Slam Homerun, 8 RBI. Casey collected almost 40% of his hits in two games, was aggressive as he usually is with first pitch strikes. Leading the team in RBI from the 9 hole.

David Dellucci: 3-9, 3 runs, one huge late inning homerun, 3 RBI. David has broken the left field curse (even though he misplayed a double in the last game of the series). If utilized correctly, can be a huge part of this team against right-handers.

Ben Francisco: 2-6, double, 2 runs, 1 RBI. He's Back!! Even though it looks like his stay will be short, he proved in the first game yesterday that he should be on this team at least plattooning in left field. Great slide, good at-bats, should not be in Buffalo anymore.

Masa Kobayashi: 1 1/3 innings, 0 hits, 0 earned runs. Masa pitched in a semi-pressure situation in the first game yesterday and pitched well. Has elevated himself into the 7th/8th inning role.

Cliff Lee: 9 innings, 3 hits, 9 K's, 0 earned runs. Cliff has been the best pitcher in baseball this year, now posting a eye-popping 0.29 ERA. Lee will come back to earth sooner or later, but has been the one stable force on this team all year.

Areas of Concern:

Aaron Laffey/Jeremy Sowers pitching 2 out of the next 4 games: Hopefully one of them can hold serve against the dreaded Yankees.

Jason Michaels: Had 2 hits yesterday, 1/3 of his season total. Needs to be jettisoned off the team so Ben Francisco can help this team progress. I asked my friend Kyle why most Tribe fans hate him like I do, and he said, "Who likes a chubby curly-haired blond guy anyways?" So true.

Jensen Lewis: Fastball is below 90 MPH, has been struggling most outings. Seems to have pitched himself out of the 7th/8th inning, making the bullpen a bit weaker.

The Evil Empire invades Cleveland tomorrow. Andy Pettite will take on Paul Byrd in a battle of the HGH hurlers.