Walking Disaster

The Bullpen walked 14 batters over the 3 game series. These guys (above) can't believe it.

The Indians were swept today by the Milwaukee Brewers in just agonizing fashion, losing 9-8 in 11 innings. The bullpen gave up six runs in six innings. The only guy to not give up a score was Kerry Wood. The Tribe rallied for four in the ninth to tie the game, but Ryan Garko was tagged out after delivering a bases loaded double by rounding second too widely, twisting his ankle, and finally collapsing to the ground in a big heap. Even when the Indians do something good, they manage to look bad doing it. It just adds the misery that has been the first half of the 2009 season, the Season of Bullpen Nightmares.

After Wood's scoreless 9th, the immortal Greg Aquino walked some guys like he usually does, and then a sac fly got home the go ahead run. The Wahoos did get runners on first and second with one out, but Shin Soo Choo struck out in an actual good at bat, and finally Ben Francisco (playing due to Garko's injury) stuck out on a ball slider that would have loaded the bases. The team could have pulled within 5.5 games, but slid back into what they are, a last place team. Now for some random thoughts...

Here is the understatement of the century.. The bullpen blows. Besides Wood, they all stink, every single one of them. 18 runs in the 16 innings they threw in the series. This is probably a good thing that the pen had to pitch so much as it exposes them to what they really are, a bunch of fringe major league jobbers. The Triple A train better be bring back Tony Sipp and possibly Vinnie Chulk (another stiff) because they really really are awful. Just terrible.

Ben Francisco is completely lost and needs to be either sent to Columbus or glued to the bench. Bring up Michael Brantley to play center if Grady is out for an extended time. He can't be any worse than what is currently on this team.

Why not let Kerry Wood throw another inning. I know the "plan" says Wood has had arm trouble and is only to throw one inning, but he only threw 13 pitches. The team only had Greg Aquino left, so you know he is bound to give up a run. Most managers extend the guy, the Indians are too afraid.

Why do the Indians keep babying Travis Hafner? I know they have been saying 2 games, 1 day of rest, but the club is going to play National League ball the next six games and Hafner will have plenty of days to rest his shoulder as he will be limited to pinch hitting duty. At least have him pinch hit for Shoppach, who is also lost.

Trevor Crowe (pictured left) was terrible today. Misplayed 2 balls in center, ran to third base when the ball was hit in front of him and was subsequently thrown out. He is a 4th outfielder at best and is way overmatched. He also seems to be scared to communicate with his fellow fielders (ask Grady Sizemore). Having the pleasure of watching Sizemore man center, (and even Franklin Gutierrez last year), Crowe is average at best.

Jhonny Peralta is a moron. He fielded a ball in the first and had an easy throw to home to get Craig Counsell, and for some reason he went for the out at first. Just a nightmare. How many to the Indians lose by?

Laptop Manager Eric Wedge played Ryan Garko in left and Mark DeRosa in right. Combined with Trevor Crowe-hop, that is a scary outfield alignment. I guess Wedge wanted to rest Choo and have him DH, but Jesus, Ryan Garko? Let him DH and give your pitchers a chance. Garko was nowhere to be seen when Crowe layed out for a ball he had no chance at in the first.Jeremy Sowers and David Huff's 5 inning and fly routines just aren't going to cut it with this Disaster of a bullpen. Coupled with Hot Carl looking how we expected (not good), the starting staff is also at fault for the bad bullpen because they are forced to pitch so much. With Tomo Ohka scheduled to throw Saturday because Pavano has apparently a shoulder injury, but he is fine? OK. Join the club.

Batting Chris Gimenez after Travis Hafner Tuesday was not a good idea Tuesday. The Brewers intentionally walked Pronk twice and Gimenez struck out with the bases loaded and looked overmmatched. I know Wedge is always trying to send messages (benched Peralta that game), but make those mental moves after you look at your lineup and noticed you have Gimenez/Francisco/Barfield as your 7-9, you may have already lost.

The Brewers lineup is really impressive, similar to an American League Club. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are the real deal, and Corey Hart, Matt Gamel, and Casey McGehee will be part of their core for a long time. If they can add a few more starters, Milwaukee will run away with the NL Central.

As for positives, I really like the way Luis Valbuena plays the game. He makes hard outs, works the count, and plays a great shortstop. This kid is definitely a player to watch.

Martinez/DeRosa/Choo are all saving the offense. Batting DeRo second is actually a very good move by Wedge because it at least gets the best hitters up to bat more often. Besides those three, the lineup is not good at all (Hafner does not count yet).

These past three games were some of the worst baseball I have seen the Indians play in a long time. Monday's debacle just led to more ugly things to come. It will be practically impossible, as bad as the AL Central is, for the Tribe to stay competitive if their pitching continues to be this bad.

Thank God Cliff Lee pitches Friday at Wrigley to hopefully save this team from slipping into the depths of sucktitude.

29-39, 10 games under .500. Instead of being 3 games back in the win column behind Detroit, they are in sole possession of last place in the worst division in baseball. I am now going to bang my head against my keyboard

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.

Pronk Returns, Carmona sent WAY Down!

As speculated yesterday, Fausto Carmona has been sent down to the minors, but to Rookie ball down in Arizona. This is pretty telling, demonstrating how far Fausto has fallen. I imagine they will be able to keep better track of him down there with all of the new technology and the club will probably send special instructors (Tim Belcher, Jason Bere) to monitor his progress. Look for Carmona to be "working on things" for a minimum month time period. It looks like Tomo Ohka will be the new addition to the rotation, just hopefully on a 1-2 start basis until Aaron Laffey and Jake Westbrook return. Travis Hafner returns, which will help out the beleaguered lineup even if he only able to play 4-5 times a week. It will also take some pressure off of Shin Soo Choo, as he is more of an 5-7 hitter anyways. The DiaTribe has some good lineup solutions today for our Wahoos, so make sure to check it out.The Indians take on the White Sox this weekend in Chi-Town for a 3-game series.

Fausto pounded again, Likely headed to Columbus

After allowing 7 runs in the first 2 innings today (raising his ERA to 7.42), Fausto Carmona is likely headed to Triple A Columbus. With Travis Hafner likely being added tomorrow in Chicago, Fausto will probably be the guy headed out. Columbus pitching coach Scott Radinsky has done a great job with guys like Rafael Perez, Jeremy Sowers, and Aaron Laffey (maybe they should have him up in Cleveland)! I imagine that won't be the only move coming, because Trevor Crowe looks terrible at the plate, Luis Valbuena has been struggling, and with Victor Martinez healthy, Chris Gimenez doesn't look to be getting too much time. I would imagine everybody's favorite rookie Matt LaPorta won't be down in Columbus too much longer as the injuries and inconsistencies pile up.

As for the series, barring an unbelievable comeback, the Tribe will lose 2 of 3 to the Twins. The first 2 games were played well, but Carmona pretty much killed any momentum the club was looking to build on from Wednesday's 10-1 victory (a great start by Cliff Lee with a bit of Jhonny Peralta sprinkled in). Hopefully the pitching will be adequate, because the back end of the the rotation as of now (Sowers, Huff, Ohka) looks pretty scary right now. Great for Columbus, but not so hot for a Major League squad.

Clippers Clips: "Hypnotized"

There are two things that Columbus Clippers starting shortstop can claim that no other person on the team can....a batting average below .200 and the fact that he is the only white guy on the team, scratch that, in the world that comes up to the plate with rap music. That's right, Andy Cannizaro, the 5'10 170lb number 9 hitter who looks like a mix breed between the bitter beer guy and an umpa lumpa comes to the plate each time when he is up to none other than NOTORIOUS B.I.G's "Hypnotize" That being said, the Clippers took a little bit of what seems like will be A-Can's only clam to fame will ever be, and used it to whoop up on Norfolk on Monday night beating them 16-3. I was truly HYPNOTIZED after this one folks. After getting crushed the last three nights by the Tides, the Clippers took one out on starting pitcher Radhames Liz. Although the right hander threw some gas topping out in the high 90's. As they say.... "the faster it comes in the faster it goes out!" Just ask Matt Laporta who went 3 for 4 hitting a blast off Liz in the 2nd inning. Also looking good tonight were Andy Marte going 3 for 5 and Jordan Brown going 2 for 3. As a matter of fact the Clips did so well tonight that Cannizaro even went 2 for 5, but don't worry his average is still under .200, finishing the evening at .197. Maybe he will drink a few Keystone Lights tonight and erase that face

Notables in this game were Travis Hafner and pitcher Joe Smith. Hafner who went 1 for 4 had two things going for him. Number one he looked really good in his uniform tonight, and number two he swung the bat with some authority. I was really impressed with his warm up swings in the on deck circle. In one of his warm up swings he took it deep, it look to me like it would have been a Home Run (more importantly he seemed not to strain or pull anything). Anyhow, I am sure he will be back up to Cleveland any day now. Joe Smith also made his first appearance in his rehab assignment. Although he did not look as good as Hafner in his uniform (not as muscley), he looked pretty good having only faced 4 batters and giving up one hit. The MPH sign on the scoreboard said he maxed out at 93mph however from my vantage point it looked closer to 94.

Jack Cassel started for the Clippers throwing 5 shutout innings before giving up 2 runs in the 6th and 1 more in the 7th. As mentioned earlier, Joe Smith threw to four batters in the 8th and then Blaine Neal came in for the save in the ninth, shutting the door the only way he knows how. All in all, the Clips were running on all cylinders tonight. The win brings Columbus back to .500 with a 26-26 record which oddly enough keeps them in first place of the God awful International West Division. Let's tip our cap and chug another Stone for ole' Cannizaro, every AAA club needs a guy like him!

Transaction Update: Tony Sipp gets recalled from Columbus

Tony Sipp was recalled today, as Rafael Betancourt was placed on the 15 Day DL. Raffy's groin injury will probably shelve him for 2-4 weeks, adding him to the list never-ending long list of disabled Indians. Their 8 man infirmary (Sizemore, Scott Lewis, Laffey, Reyes, Joe Smith, Hafner, Westbrook and Betancourt) is the second most behind Tampa Bay's league leading 9.

Since being in Columbus, the T-Train was 1-0 was a 4.15 ERA in 9 games. He has already pitched 6 1/3 innngs for the Tribe this year with a 4.26 ERA. It will be interesting to see who will be pitching the 8th inning for the Tribe, as Betancourt (although shaky sometimes) was the most reliable pitcher out of the pen. IT will be probably based on match ups with Sipp and Rafael Perez being the lefties, and Matt Herges and Luis Vizcaino being the righties. As long as Sipp doesn't totally implode, he should be on the roster for the remainder of the season.

Dellucci Finally Gone! Perez back.

The David Dellucci era is finally over in Cleveland, as the Tribe designated the veteran for assignment while recalling Rafael Perez. His 3 year, $11.5 million dollar contract was a bad decision from the start, and the Indians will be eating the remaining $4 million left on his deal for 2009. He hit 15 HRs, 68 RBIs, with a .238 BA in 183 games, utilized primarily as a platoon outfielder over his 3 seasons. Double D got the wrath of many Tribe fans mainly due to his horribly overinflated contract and his inability to field or do what he was brought in to do, hit right handed pitching. Hopefully the Indians have learned there lesson in not signing aging players to multi year contracts. Rafael Perez makes his return to the Wigwam tonight and will be probably eased into steady work with the success of veterans out there (Herges, Aquino, Vizcaino). The club is currently rocking a 13 man pitching staff, which isn't a terrible thing considering how many innings the pen has compiled over the past week. Look for Travis Hafner to be the next player added sometime early next week while I imagine Tomo Ohka will be the pitcher to be sent back to Columbus.

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.

Dellucci back with the Tribe, Fans Rejoice

Our savior is back! Although it has not been made official, the Indians have recalled David Dellucci from his rehab assignment in Columbus. The Columbus Clippers/Durham Bulls game is telecasted over the Internet and the announcer said that the Clippers were playing short handed due to Dellucci returning to the Tribe as he is on his way to Detroit. I imagine Rich Rundles will be sent back to Triple A, so the pitching staff has been trimmed to a mere 13. With Hafner out, Double D will be filling in at DH and unfortunately out in left field. He is under contract for $4 million this season so that is the reason why he is back and playing with the big league club. Hopefully he will bring his bat to the plate, unlike this photo. This season just keeps getting better, doesn't it?

Hafner to DL, Rich Rundles Returns!

Travis Hafner's comeback attempt has been on hold for now, as he was placed on the 15 day DL with shoulder soreness. Pronk has been out of the lineup off and on for the past 4 days. He is off to visit Dr. Death (James Andrews) soon so he can evaluate Hafner's now chronic shoulder condition. Hafner has been pretty solid so far, so hopefully he will be ok and rest is only needed. I am happy the Indians made their decision to DL him early so we weren't forced to watch a 60% healthy player again. Rich Rundles is back, if only for a night as the bullpen was heavily taxed yesterday (7IP 1 ER). He is on the 40 man roster so it was an easy decision. I would imagine everyone's favorite Italian Double-D David Dellucci will be called up to take Hafner's roster spot tomorrow, which is unfortunate. Josh Barfield is an option, but Wedge really doesn't seem to like him very much. Chris Gimenez has an outside shot as well due to his position flexibility, but he is hitting a woefull .137 with 18 K's, not exactly numbers that show promise. Other options that most fans would like to see are Matt Laporta and Luis Valbuena, but the club usually waits until the team is in a really big hole to call up promising rookies. The move opens up more playing time for Ryan Garko, who has been swinging the bat well as of late and getting on base.

No Signs of Relief

The big opening extravaganza that was this weekend in the Bronx has now come and gone and not made me feel any more confident in our Tribe. They did some unbelievable this offensively (one 9 run inning, another 14 run inning), and some unbelievably awful things in relief (3 earned runs allowed Friday, 6 Sunday). The Indians now stand at 4-9, which just looks as bad as it is. They are only 3 1/2 games out of first, with the rest of the division hovering in mediocrity with seven wins apiece. As all Tribe followers are unfortunately aware of, a bad bullpen makes a team excruciatingly tough to watch. The thought of one of the 8 guys trotting out today is going to blow the lead is constantly in your head. Monday brings a much needed day off for the Sons of Geronimo to get out of the circus that is New York and head back to more comfortable 40 degree weather back in Cleveland. Random thoughts from the weekend.

• I think Shin Soo Choo's bat is for real, but his fielding and throwing accuracy is not consistent at all. Wedge needs to leave Choo in Right or at DH as his horrible reaction time and angle to that ball hit by Cody Ransom in the 8th was not good at all.


• Rafael Perez is struggling way too much to be brought in with the Tribe holding only a 2 run lead. I understand it's early and Wedge is trying to get him some confidence, but he has been all over the plate. He needs to be in mop up duty for now.


• His bullpen mate Jensen Lewis has been giving up way too many gopher balls (3). He should figure things out eventually, hopefully soon.


• As it stands now, the manager has exactly two bullpen arms he can rely on. Jackson is a long guy, Chulk and Kobayashi are mop up guys. Perez is lost. Lewis and Betancourt have been up and down. Smith has been good but they are afraid to use him against lefties. Wood has been lights out but has only one save and needs someone to step up and bridge the gap to the ninth. If they don't trust Chulk and Kobayashi, get rid of them and get somebody from Columbus (Meloan, Sipp) that may catch fire.


• Hot Carl pitched a great game. Got to give him credit. I think his pitching will remain a rollercoaster, but we shall see.


• Lee and Carmona pitched better, but need to have one of those 7 inning 1-2 run gems to help save the pen.


• Hafner stills seems awkward at the plate, but is producing.


• Graffanino should never recieve more than one start a week.


• That second inning Saturday was one of the most enjoyable innings of baseball I have ever seen.


• That BS Trevor Crowe fan interference call stunk, but DeRosa and Martinez not getting a run home the previous half inning with the bases loaded hurt more.


• The Yankees are overrated and will not make the playoffs in 2009.

The Royals come to town Tuesday to start a 9 game homestand for the Indians. Sidney Ponson vs Aaron Laffey in a 40 degree drizzle will make buying a seat at the Jake pretty easy. How about a 6-3 clip to get the team to a respectable 10-12. I think it can happen. Can it?

Bad Tribe Vibe

There really isn't much worse than watching bad baseball. To sum up the 2009 Cleveland Indians, it is like watching the Oxygen network for 8 straight days. The starting pitching has been terrible, the teams' hitting with runners in scoring position is dreadful, the bullpen has been bad, and the hitters strike out almost every other time at bat. 1-7 looks bad, and the team has probably played worse. A few random thoughts before I fire the remote through my TV.

• The lineup does not look imposing at all


• I don't care if he only gave up 6 runs today, Carl Pavano still sucks


• Rafael Perez caught the WBC disease


• Grady is pressing way too much


• Hafner should not be batting 4th


• Choo should not be batting 4th


• The constant lineup changes may have had a negative effect on this team

The good news is Sidney Ponson is pitching for the Royals tomorrow. It will be Aaron Laffey's first shot in 2009 to stick with the club. I imagine we will see more lineup juggling as well. I keep reminding myself to take a deep breath and remember that only 5% of the season has been played.

Heading Towards the 480 Bridge

I know it's just 3 games. I know a baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. But c'mon! Being down a combined 18-0 in the first 2 innings of each game is down right horrifying. Allowing 29 runs in 3 games is an abomination. Another sign of bad things to come was Grady Sizemore promptly leading each game of with a strikeout. The Tribe fell to the Rangers 9-1, 8-5, and 12-8, but the games weren't even that close. There really isn't much to say about the series, besides...

Lee and Carmona were bad, but weren't a complete disaster.

Carl Pavano is really really bad and a complete disaster. I want to pick him up in my fantasy league just so I can cut him.

Sans the long ball, the team collectively had really no clutch hits whatsoever.

The Indians are still in sleep walk spring training mode.

Hafner's swing still looks slow.

The review was pretty short because I just don't have the heart to rehash this garbage of a series more in depth. The great thing about baseball is tomorrow is another day, another game, and the home opener. Scott Lewis takes on some guy named Scott Richmond of the Toronto Blue Jays. Let's pray the rain holds off and the starters allow less than 5 runs.

Ran off a Cliff

I was debating whether just to forget this game even happened blog wise and just move on. Well I couldn't do it. All of my preseason fears about the 2009 Cleveland Indians came true today as they were battered 9-1 at the hands of the Texas Rangers. The way the team looked hitting-wise out of the game gave me a feeling of "here we go again." When Victor Martinez grounded into an inning ending double play in the first after putting together a very impressive at bat (10 or 12 pitches), the team just looked flat with the bats and sluggish in the field. Peralta and V-Mart both seemed just a step late in the disastrous second, barely missing sharply hit balls in the holes. As for Lee, he didn't seem to use his curveball enough as he fell behind early and often in counts due his fastball being left up. After Hank Blaalock hit a comebacker off of his left elbow, it was an unfortunate omen of bad things to come. One game does not make a season, but it really could not have been any worse. To put it simply, Cliff Lee stunk, the offense was worse, and I have already second guessed my Central Division Prediction. Here are a couple more notes and observations from Monday's meltdown.

• Lee said he was fine after getting hit on his throwing elbow. That is a big sigh of relief.


• I think I have seen Ben Francisco get at least 8 swinging bunts in his short career.


• Pronk looked ok, thankfully didn't pull out any of those embarrassing half swings from spring training to the park today.


• I hope and pray that this team does not start slow offensively, because there isn't anything worse than seeing a ballclub that can't hit. If you don't believe me, remember the sickness?

The Tribe gets a much needed day off tomorrow and resumes action Wednesday in Arlington as Fausto Carmona takes on Vincente Padilla. Let's hope for an extra base hit.

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.

Answering the Fans

I was lucky enough to attend an Indians season ticket holders' Town Hall event held at Westlake High School Tuesday where Assistant GM Chris Antoneti and Manager Eric Wedge, among others (Bob Dibiasio, Dennis Lehman) answered some questions from the common folk. The usual softball questions were asked as I expected, since we all were pretty much just fans excited to talk to the leaders of our favorite club. The panel was extremely cordial and answered even the stupid questions about signing big name free agents. I was able to record about 15 minutes of it, (I am the guy who asked about the teams' philosophy on injuries and if the Tribe would resign Manny) and took a few mental notes as well. This first video is about Travis Hafner and Jake Westbrook.

Here is a synopsis of what I heard

When Wedge was asked about Andy Marte, he basically said they haven't been able to tap into his full potential in Cleveland and that it might have to happen somewhere else. Said for some guys sometimes their ability to stay consistant just clicks on one day(used the example of Casey Blake after 8 years in the minors and Jamie Moyer, saying he remembers facing him in the minors). I would say Marte is pretty much done as an Indian.

Wedge said they wouldn't have guessed Cliff Lee would accomplish the season he had after his first spring training start (joked that he asked Carl Willis what the two had been working on all winter). After his amazing April continued into May and June, Wedge knew Lee's season would be special. Told Cliff after CC was traded, he was the man, his ace. Also mentioned Kelly Shoppach while speaking about Lee prominantly, so don't be surprised to see a Lee/Shoppach battery most of the time.

Antonetti spoke about how the Indians decided to bring in Carl Pavano. Said he was in the best shape he had been in 4 years. Pavano also bluntly talked about that he pretty much sucked in New York and was ready for a big comeback. Apparently the team was impressed with his desire to bounce back and Pavano seemed to be the most physically recovered reclamation project out there. Stressed it was a low risk/high reward signing.

Wedge spoke about how Josh Barfield needs to develop some more "flexibility" in his game to make the club, saying that he may need to learn the outfield to become more versatile. Also talked about Ryan Garko learning some left field (yikes!) for when Victor Martinez plays first. Doesn't have any illusions that Garko will be the next Willie Mays out there, but just being serviceable would add to club overall. Also said DeRosa would play some right field for Choo against tougher lefties and that Jamey Carroll may patrol the outfield as well. The skipper seems to really want to be able to juggle his players around to find the right fit any given day. Stressed it was a 162 game season and needs to be treated as such. (never overact to any situation).

Antoneti mentioned 3 players to watch in AA Akron, Carlos Santana, Beau Mills, and Hector Rondon as well as hyping up the AAA Columbus outfield of Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, and Trevor Crowe (compared him to Coco Crisp).

Wedge spoke a bit about the usual question that comes up at these type of events, Cleveland's market size and players coming and going. He said that the 10 game losing streak was more of a product of the players' uncertainty about the CC trade talks and felt the team didn't really give their best effort. Said a lot of players got exposure last year to the big league team that they normally would not have, and will help come 2009. Mentioned that the two biggest team leaders left (Sabathia, Blake) but more talent will come on through (mentioned Matt LaPorta, David Huff). Antonetti talked about even though the season was a disappointment, they were able to replenish the farm system more than expected through their various deals.

When I asked about the teams feeling concerning disclosing injuries, Wedge and Antonetti both basically said that the team would lose a competitive advantage if they told the media every little bump and bruise. (The video is below).

It was a fun experience for my wife Lynsey and I to go out and hear about our beloved Tribe (It was also the first time we left our 1 month old son at Grandma's house). The event gave the fans an up close feeling of where the front office hopes and feels the team will be in 2009. We will be off to the winter caravan tour in Sandusky with Ryan Garko and David Huff Monday so I will have some stuff up here about that as well. Here is the last clip which is really just financial talk and kind of boring. For all you Derek Jeter fans there is some drooling over him in here as well. Enjoy!

Texas-Sized Split

Just when you think the Indians potentially may string together a few wins... they don't. While hitting in The Ballpark in Arlington is similar to hitting at Softball World, at least the offense got going a bit. I will give the rotation a pass for the past 4 games as it must be extremely difficult to pitch there, but the bullpen is an utter mess. 11 pitchers have been used in relief and a total of zero of them have been consistent. General Manager Mark Shapiro laments the fact that bullpens are volatile, and he has never been more correct. If the Tribe's relievers were even average, this team would be over .500 and probably tied for first place.

This team is now at a crossroads. There are 102 games left in the season, so I would say the next 20 games will tell the tale of how management proceeds the rest of the season. If they tank, I say deal CC Sabathia when you have a chance to get value for him. Now I realize that they probably won't deal CC since Carmona and Westbrook are on the DL, but might as well try and build for 2009 while maybe pulling together something for the rest of 2008. If the Tribe can string any type of winning streak together over 4 games, they are immediately back in the race. I personally don't feel to encouraged right now, and here is why:

• Victor is obviously hurt and not the same player. Just end his misery and place him on the DL.


• No meat in the middle of the order. Garko had a great series, but he is not a clean-up hitter. The Indians have no legitimate middle of the order hitters.


• Jhonny Peralta's inconsistency at the plate has been excruciating to watch. He flails away at the high fastball, waves at curveballs in the dirt, and has actually less range in the field than he did last year. I wrote back in early April that Jhonny was destined for a breakout year, boy was I wrong.


• Injuries to Carmona, Westbrook and the myth Adam Miller has quickly dwindled the teams pitching depth. One more injury to the starting staff and guys like Jeff Harris and Matt Ginter are in discussions about starting. EESSHH.


• Travis Hafner is also on the DL and hopefully he is searching for his stroke because it is gone. Along with Sizemore and Martinez, he is vital to the success to this team. Without him performing at least average, the Tribe has struggled mightily.


• Guys like Blake/Dellucci/Carroll/Choo/Gutierrez/Cabrera have to over perform to make this team a contender, and they have not. This team lacks punch, and besides a few great single game feats of strengths, these guys have all collectively been well below mediocre.


• The Bullpen as I stated before is awful. Nothing deflates a team more than the blown save, and this squad, (especially Betancourt) has blown a bunch. Names such as Bauer, Mujica, Elarton, and Slocum do not strike fear into the hearts of opposing batters, (all of which are actually sitting out in the pen). The Wahoos will not go anywhere this season without a decent bullpen, and that is looking less likely game by game.

The team did hit the past four days sans a 15 batter stretch Thursday. No lead is safe in that park, so with the Rangers pitching looking pretty terrible, I assume they will not be a contender in the AL West.

Here were some of the Highlights:

Ryan Garko: 11-20, 6 runs, 7 RBI's. The singles machine sure got some confidence back over the past 4 days. If he can consistently bat around .300 it will help this team immensely.

Ben Francisco: 9-20 HR, 5 RBI. One of the few consistent hitters on this team. Had some pretty bad at bats Thursday, but everyone is entitled to bad days. Will play everyday in this lineup as long as he continues to hit.

Casey Blake: 6-18, 2 HR 8 RBI's (7 in one game). Casey had a great Tuesday, would love to see him in a super sub roll instead of an everyday player.

David Dellucci: 6-10, 2 HR, 7 RBI's. Double D raked in his former ballpark, which was nice.

Areas of Concern:

Victor Martinez: 4-15, 5 RBI's. Drove in some runs, looks uncomfortable at the plate. I would stick him on the DL, looks like Victor will continue to "grind."

CC Sabathia: 6 IP, 4 earned runs, 9 hits, 3 walks, 8 K's. CC pitched ok but seemed to lose his composure after infield hits and defensive misplays (Choo). Needs to work through these situations and lose his cool.

Rafael Betancourt: (Thursday Game): 2/3 IP 2 hits. 2 walks, 3 earned runs. Has been up and down (mostly down) all year. Apparently he almost went on the DL a few days ago, might be there soon. Mr. Conquest was a main key to this team last year, and his terrible pitching this year is killing them.

Tribe Decision Makers (Shapiro, Wedge, Willis) I understand that the team was in a bind Wednesday with Westbrook going on the DL, but how could they have not known of this potential issue beforehand? Having to start a reliever in a major league game is inexcusable. They basically threw away the game and chalked it up as a loss. The way the Indians have played in 2008, can they really afford to do this? Call up a guy in Akron or Kinston, someone who can pitch more than 2 innings. If it means you may lose an arbitration year or a crappy guy like Elarton, Mujica or Slocum off of the 40 man roster, than so be it. This is not 2007, every game counts now after the proverbial hole they have dug for themselves being 6 games below .500.

I am not ready to kick dirt on the 2008 Wahoos, but am really close. They can't gather any momentum and seem to just float on by series by series. Since sweeping Oakland on May 15th, the team has went 5-14. That just is not going to cut it, even in a division as bad as the AL Central this season. Expectations were huge going into this season, as many pundits (including myself) predicted a World Series appearance. I knew I shouldn't have done it, since the last time I predicted such success was 2006, when the team fell apart. I predicted a 3rd place finish in 2007 which was smart since I wanted to avoid my self-inflicted jinx. This blog and my prediction may have jinxed the 2008 Indians, but who believes in such things? Every time the Tribe has people expecting big things, they fall on their face. I am now predicting the 2009 Cleveland Indians will finish in last place with the worst record in baseball.

Pronk to DL, Choo to the Rescue

Friday the Indians placed Designated Hitter Travis Hafner on the 15 day DL with a shoulder injury. Hafner should be out for at least a month due to interleague play coming up in the middle of the month. This is the best case scenario for Hafner, as he has struggled all year. Hopefully he can heal and straighten out these massive batting struggles. Shin Soo Choo is back, and will be added to the various platoons going on throughout the lineup. We will get to see what type of hitter he is as he will be used 3 or 4 times a week. With Victor Martinez continuing his own personal power outage, the middle of the lineup looks bleak. Still the team is only 5 games out, so who knows.

Believe it or not, Jorge isn't at home

Anthony Castrovince of indians.com is reporting that Jorge Julio will be designated for assignment tomorrow when Jake Westbrook is activated from the disabled list. Jorge has been horrible as of late, laying proverbial eggs against the White Sox and Rangers. Management liked his fastball, and apparently so did opposing hitters. Everytime he came in to pitch, Tribe fans everywhere I think died a little. Surprisingly, Scott Elarton and Edward Mujica survived to pitch another day, but neither are on solid ground. The Bullpen now consists of...

Borowski

Kobayashi

Perez

Betancourt

Elarton

Mujica

Not exactly reminiscant of the Nasty Boys. Hopefully guys like Mastny and Lewis can figure out there issues in Triple A. Also I imagine that they will eventually stick Travis Hafner on the DL and promote Shin Soo Choo over the weekend. With Interleague play coming up, the current lite hitting Hafner won't be needed until the end of June.