Cleveland Indians: The Saga Of Jeremy Sowers

Jeremy Sowers didn't really belong on a rotation with C.C. Sabathia, Fausto Carmona, Cliff Lee, and Jake Westbrook, who took the team to the playoffs in 2007. In fact, he was used mostly as a "replacement" pitcher, in the two years prior to the current one, meaning that he was called up when someone was injured and a rotation spot needed to be filled. He was one of five who competed for the final starting slot in spring training in 2009, and lost. The winner, Scott Lewis, was injured early in the season, and his replacement was Aaron Laffey. But now, Sabathia and Lee have been traded, and Carmona has gone "south" (figuratively). Westbrook has been out for the 2009 season with Tommy John surgery. So Sowers was called up in May, when reliever Vinnie Chuik was designated for assignment. Sowers got off to a typically bad start in the month, with an ERA well above 7.00. But his monthly ERA dropped below 5.00, in June and stayed there subsequently, finally pulling ...