Morning Update: No More Names... They Are Simply, "The Bullpen"

So I don't know what to say anymore.

I've gotten to a point where I want to make some changes.

I don't know why.

I just antsy.

But that isn't my style.

Suggestions have ran rampant lately, but really what else is there to do?

Yeah it's easy to say, fire everyone in the bullpen, bring up a bunch of different people. But who's there to bring up? John Meloan? Okay that will work.

Not saying a call up wouldn't spark Meloan or anything, but one addition doesn't fix the problem here.

There's also these radical ideas like ohhh let's call up such and such.. Let's trade for such and such.. Let's not do anything like that, but let's make a change somewhere else.

Really?

I've heard a defensive change.

Which actually, I don't know how much it would help, but at this point would actually be something I support.

Really? Yeah. Kind of.

Peralta to third, DeRosa to second, Cabrera to short.

I know I know, we've heard it before and I blasted it.

But I think it's something that actually might be time.

I've done the research and really I hate to admit when I was wrong, even though I'm technically not wrong.

I believe I said that they didn't and shouldn't make a move like this unless it got to a point where it was necessary.

Is it necessary for success? Emmmmmmmm.. Not totally, but it might be best for this team, defensively.

Peralta's range sucks.. It's pitiful. It's costing runs. Not a lot and it certainly isn't the reason the bullpen sucks. But it hurts.

The bigger reason this move makes sense though.

In 302 games at second base, DeRosa has committed 22 errors. Compare that to the 28 erros he's made in just 230 games. That's a .982 fielding percentage to a .947.

Look, DeRosa hasn't been awful there, but he certainly hasn't been top notch. Peralta makes more sense at third. DeRosa can play a good solid second, and of course Cabrera is Gold Glove caliber at any spot.

Peralta's range just doesn't fit at short, not now, not ever and it's only going to get worse. Third will suit him, his arm will translate to way above average. He'll get to a lot more balls than he has at short.

He may not like it... But he needs to learn to suck it up and do it for the team. If not Victor can smack his head in. Wedge may have endorsed the idea with this comment.

"That play has to be made," said Wedge. "We had Jhonny playing up the middle, but he broke the wrong way on the ball. Reyes made a very good hitter put the ball on the ground. It's a play that has to be made."

Sure, he broke the wrong way.. But it doesn't matter. Like you said, play has to be made.

It's almost comical to watch the highlights on the ESPN. They are making jokes about us at this point.

Eric Wedge walking to the mound keeps showing, every time he does it. And it is kind of comical. Like oh here he comes again, and again, and again.

Then of course when they show Wedge with that scowl on his face and Willis looking like he's ready to hunt himself instead of whatever it is he hunts.

I was watching Baseball Tonight...because sometimes I have nothing better to watch. I've gotten sour on the show I once loved. But really that's not the time or place.

John Kruk, who I've semi-respected before had some harsh words for the Indians. He said that they've quote, "shutdown."

I really screeched, WHAT? when I heard that.

Why don't I see it? I keep hearing a select few people, Kruk not being the first to say this team has quit.

HOW HAS THIS TEAM QUIT?

Their bullpen sucks, yes.. But the fight they've showed these past two games suggest otherwise.

Shutdown? No... They haven't shutdown. Their bullpen blew a lead that wasn't able to come back against.

Has Wedge lost the team?

I don't think so. I think the bullpen has lost Wedge. I think this team still believes in him and I think they are still playing hard.

What are we going to do though? What CAN Wedge do though? Obviously you can imagine what he had to say after the game towards the bullpen.

"It's unacceptable. We've got to do better than this," Wedge said. "Obviously, we're having a very difficult time in the bullpen. We're having trouble getting people out, having trouble getting people out in key situations. We tried everybody and we're going to keep working to figure it out."

"We have got to keep working hard to figure out how to get these guys going here," said the manager. "We're going to continue to make changes, we're going to continue to try people, whether they are here, or in Triple-A, or not even in the organization.

"We're going to do whatever we have to do to try to get people down there that we can count on."

Now you can say what you want about the offense and some of their whatevers and notevers. But you know they haven't given up, despite what John Kruk might have said. Sure there's been some issues early and yeah this team still has some flaws need fixing and we can get on them all we want.. But let's be real.. The offense isn't the big problem here.

"These guys are being tested in a big way right now," Wedge said. "We all are. One thing you can't do is give into it. It's an emotional game. It can wear on you, but you've got to separate it from day to day. We've always done a pretty good job of that.

"It doesn't take away from what kind of fight our kids have. It doesn't take away from the way these guys keep pushing it offensively and working to get a lead or retake a lead, whatever it may be."

I still want Derek Shelton fired at some point in my lifetime, but really, that isn't the main reason this team is losing their games as of late. They didn't show up in several games this year early on, and that is inexcusable. But really, can we really be that upset with them doing as well as they are doing in terms of scoring total runs? No, we can't be.

You can say what you want about the offense and their ups and their downs. But at least they haven't gone through four pitchers just to surrender seven runs.

All of this was pretty awesome for Wedge considering he's dealing with a little bit of a sickness right now. He's under the weather and his bullpen sucks. Related? I think so. Maybe not really.

Josh Barfield's Dad, Jesse, played in Toronto for some time. So you can understand how the comeback win the other night was a little special for him.

"I love coming back here," Barfield said. "It's probably my favorite place to play. I spend a lot of time up here and I've got family that lives up here now. It's a great city and I've got a lot of memories up here, so it's always fun to come back."

Josh still gets asked about his Dad up in Toronto and he still has that consistent relationship with his padre going on. His Dad helps him out with his game watching every game and we still haven't really gotten a chance to see the "tune-ups" elder Jesse made the previous offseason on his son's swing. I hope we do consistently, but I know we won't.

Did you see the awesome stat on Barfield though? How he's 11-18 in extra innings? The highest percentage out of all active players? Clutch!

For whatever reason, Fausto Carmona has put an embargo on talking to reporters for the rest of the year. I'm not sure I like this attitude.

"I'm not mad at anybody," said Carmona, "I'm just not talking to the media for the rest of the year. I'm serious."

Asked if he would talk to reporters if he threw a no-hitter, Carmona said, "If I throw good, bad or a no-hitter, I'm not talking."

This needs to be prefaced with the fact that reporters did not talk to Carmona after the game on Monday. That needs to be prefaced with the fact that the game ended late and as Hoynes put it, "He did not figure into the outcome." That needs to be prefaced with, I don't friggin care Fausto, you talk to the media you jerk. Unless of course this turns around your play, then by all means.. Go ahead.

Finally a sad note... Many condolences to the family of and the Cleveland Indians organization for the loss of Joe Corrado. You don't hear about these guys until it's too late, but Joe was one of the guys of Progressive Field that can legitimately say he was there way before the park even went up and beyond. 59 years with the Indians. Amazing.