Yardbarker: Matt LaPorta

Indians close to re-signing Jamey Carroll

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:36:55 -0500

Looks as if the option on Jamey Carroll won't be getting picked up, it will be totally thrown out the window.

The Indians are close to re-signing Jamey Carroll to a contract extension, rather than picking up his two and a half million dollar option for the 2009 season.

"We want him back and there's a good chance it will happen," said GM Mark Shapiro. "We've had some positive conversations." (Plain Dealer)

That's perfectly cool with me, in fact I think it's a great move.

Jamey is a great guy, he plays the infield, can come in as a spark, and he's pretty much the ideal player you look for in a utility man. He very well may be the best at his job, so why not lock him up?

As we've seen with the Ramon Vazquezes and the Mike Rousees of the world, there aren't a lot of great utility infielders, so when you get one, cherish him. Fully support the move here and let's see what they iron out here in the coming days.

Let me update you on a couple of links in this pre-offseason chart day... thing..

Hoynes answers some question at the Plain-Dealer.. Nothing really catchy but worth a read.

Dear lord, the Brian Roberts-mania will not end!

Terry freaking Pluto jumped on the bandwagon.

Roberts' price is very high, because Baltimore is not dumb and they know exactly what they want. We aren't trading Aaron Laffey and a bucket of balls for this dude, who would be a one year rental by the by.

If Roberts just happens to be there, we haven't found a third baseman, and it is nearing the trading deadline, sure why not.

But this is a bad move in my opinion. Moving Peralta to third, for maybe one year? Shipping off a prospect like David Huff, because I CAN GUARENTEE you that is exactly what Baltimore wants.

I'm done on the Roberts idea. Let me continue...

Terry Pluto returns for yet another brilliant idea, let's NOT trade Ryan Garko! Finally someone with some sense, but let me remind you that it took Hafner's surgery to change his opinion.

I've reserved myself to the fact that Ryan Garko probably won't be a Cleveland Indian forever, especially with Matt LaPorta around, I think he's destined for first base.

But I'd at least like to keep him ONE more year before we give up on him.

I'm sick and tired of "singles-hitter" and all that garbage about Garko. He's knocked in 90 freaking runners. That's impressive in the Major Leagues, stop trying to discredit the guy.

This team has too many options, which is a good thing. What if say, Victor Martinez goes down again? Then you have Garko to play first ant Shoppach to catch. What if Hafner isn't ready for the season? WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS!

It's great to have too many options, because as we've seen, they can quickly dwindle to no options. Cliff Lee gets hurt and sucks, Jake Westbrook gets hurt, Jeremy Sowers is freaking awful... Boom here comes Fausto Carmona...

We need options, let's not trade them all away.

Thoughts on Mark Shapiro's Interview

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:09:48 -0500

If you tuned it at three you know that something came up. I don't know, I missed, I guess there was flooding.. No news on the presser I guess. Oh well.. Shapiro did come on for the interview.. Here is the gist of his answers and my thoughts.

*Luis Isaac
Shaprio said that it was a difference in philosophy was the reason for the dismissal. He said he didn't prevent Wedge from making the decision and this lied with Wedge. He used the term 'Comprehensive' in response to looking for a replacement.
I have no problem firing Luis Isaac for different of philosophy. Like its been stated, it makes all the sense in the world for Wedge to get "his guy" in there. I just am not pleased with the way they did it and the fact that he is no longer apart of the Cleveland Indians. Moving on.

*Michael Brantley
Shapiro said that Brantley provided Major League Value in a short time frame. Brantley will determine his time frame to the majors, but he, Matt LaPorta, and Trevor Crowe will start in Triple-A and be consideration for Major League impact next year.
I can buy all that and it isn't different from what I've heard from him in the first Brantley conference call he did a week ago.

*Grady Sizemore
Overtime he'll move to the three hole. We need one or two more players to put at the top of the lineup.
Same tune wedge had been singing for awhile. I agree. No moving Sizemore until we have a capable replacement.

*Outfield
Mark said that Choo is the early favorite at an everyday spot. May look at some alternatives, but they feel they have the pieces to move forward. Not a high priority in the off-season.
He brought up all three youngsters, LaPorta, Brantley, Crowe as well as Francisco, Gutierrez and ugh Dellucci. I don't really thinkk moving forward with Dellucci is a genius idea, but you have to do what you have to do. I get the feeling Francisco or Gutierrez will be dealt.

*Carroll
They plan to pick the option up.
I agree. Good to hear.

*Second Baseman
The infield is flexible, no limit to what positions they are looking at.
That's the basic deal Shapiro said. I mean whatever that's cool. He isn't going to go deep into it. Drennan asked him about acquiring one, specifically Brian Roberts, and he said the infield is flexible. I think its a mistake to go after a second baseman because....

*Barfield
Hoped the trade looked differently at this point.
Didn't we all, but he's young and we can't give up on him now.

*Third Base
Shapiro emphasized that they are going to ADD THE PLAYER WITH THE GREATEST VALUE this offseason and move forward.
Okay this means that Shapiro isn't going to define what he does based off need. He's going to find the guy that fits the team, make some deals and whatever works out works out. We'll get into position moving later, but I understand where he is going with this. Because there is no good option at third, they have to be open minded.

*Marte
Shapiro said he has been good defensively. He wondered if we can afford to look at him more, they haven't seen him enough.
I'm perfectly fine with keeping him around and letting him compete, but if he doesn't come into Spring Training in-shape and doesn't do well in that competition, LATER. Yeah we need to look at him some more, but not too much more.

*Moving Victor
Not going to move Victor to first without talking to Victor after all the hard work he put into being a catcher.
Drennan suggested the idea of moving Victor Martinez to THIRD?! Like we aren't killed at the corner spot enough with Garko, you want to put Martinez at third? Not happening and I agree with his position on Victor.

*Carlos Santana
Shapiro saw him play in Arizona last week and he used the words "Extremely Impressive"
Great to hear..

*Starting Rotation
Key guy for next year is Fausto Carmona, they need to get him close to form in 07. They are exploring FA market in starting pitching. Haven't decided if they will spend money yet or not.
Shapiro was pretty adamant about Carmona producing next year. They will explore the starting market. Which means yes they will try and sign a veteran starter, which I'm HIGHLY advising in my crow's nest.

*Closer
Still feels like they have to impact the bullpen. Add an experienced closer to the bullpen. Time will tell if they can. Jensen Lewis has made himself an option.
I'm highly encouraged that he mentioned Jensen Lewis. I didn't think he would but he did and he said Lewis was an option. Drennan asked him specifically if he would stick by his comments that he made about getting a closer and he said "I'll say we need to add an experienced MLB arm to the bullpen." Which just says how much they like Lewis, I'm happy with that.

*Adam Miller
Moving to the bullpen right now. The option for him to move to the rotation is there a few years down the road, but right now he is in the bullpen. He should impact the major league team if he's healthy.
Needs to be done right now and he should be a Major League Option next year.

*Bullpen
Lewis, Perez, Betancourt, Koby are the givens. Crapshoot after that.
Crapshoot was the term he used. Yes Crapshoot.

*Freed Money from CC, Blake and Byrd
Shoppach will get an increase, lots of players get bumps in contracts, some of it went to draft bonuses.
I'm fine with Shapiro's philosophy. Don't don't don't don't don't don't DON'T! get into that hole. Okay, you will spend money ONLY IF ITS WARRANTED. Don't go saying we have 15 million to spend, and we need to spend it. Don't go spending money because you have it, it just isn't smart. Now, Drennan is saying he isn't satisfied because hey you offered CC 18 million, why not go put that money into other spots. No, no no no. CC WOULD GET 18 MILLION.. You don't go say alright since we didn't give it to CC, let's use it somewhere else. No. that's not a good idea and Shapiro is right on.

*Overall
Imprtant work to do, WILL NOT BE COMPLACENT
That's basically what he said at the end.... Take it for what it is worth. Encouraging if you want to see them do something this offseason.

I want to leave you with the final quote that I really felt summed this up..

"We want to put the best players on the field that will produce."

That tells me that no stone will be left unturn, that they will do their due-dilgience and get something done.. Drennan made a great point that Shapiro tends to be active when the team is coming off a bad season. Look, Shapiro isn't going to give you straight up answers. He can't, he simply can't go into Brian Roberts stuff, he can't talk about another player. He really shouldn't bring up players specifically. Yeah he avoided the payroll question, but you need to know how to read that answer.

That is that. I'll see if I can find some press-conference type dealio, I'm sure plain dealer has quotes or audio. It will probably be more of the same.

Michael Brantley, Come on Down

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:45:54 -0500

Now that we have had a few days to soak in the final ramifications involved with dealing away last season's Cy Young award winner, I felt that it was appropriate to discuss the Tribe's newest addition: Michael Brantley.

Cleveland Indians Recap 2008 Part 3 - Where Do We Go From Here?

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:46:16 -0500

Well, here we are. We've talked about what happened in 2008 and also how much we paid for it, but unless you all are gluttons for the punishment that only Skip Carey and Joe Buck can provide, it's time to move on to 2009. The Tribe has some question marks heading into the off-season. Scott and I will do our best to identify those issues and put our collective keyboard to work to answer them...

PTBNL: Michael Brantley It Is

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:52:41 -0500

Well, it only took three months to find out, but the Indians are the proud new owners of outfielder Michael Brantley.

Indians to Receive Brantley

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:49:12 -0500

According to an AL executive, the Indians have selected Brewers outfielder Michael Brantley, who hit .319 with 4 HR in 106 games this season, to complete the Sabathia trade from July. As apart of the deal, if the Brewers made the playoffs, the Indians would be allowed to select the final player to be named from the Sabathia trade. That name came from a list of five that were preselected by both GM's.A

Brantley has solid potential, but probably won't be ready for a couple more years. The main prospect in that trade, Matt LaPorta, could see time in the majors next season. A

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

article written 09.30.2008 at 12:27 A.M.

Wedge Fires Luis Isaac...Awww; PEAVY AVAILABLE?!

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:14:23 -0500

"It was a tough decision I had to make," Wedge said.

Luis Isaac.. 62 Years old, Bullpen coach since 1993.. He's served with the Indians organization in some capacity longer than some of us have been alive.

44 Years... Yes.. 44 Years

That's most of his life and like a little more than double my entire life.. As CastroTurf eloquently put it, four more years than Wedge has been alive!

Anyway, we say good bye to Luis Isaac. One of my favorites.. I'm not sure what was the driving force behind this decision.. It wasn't totally his fault for the bullpen's collapse, was it?!

No it wasn't, Wedge said this was more about what the Tribe needed, not what Isaac didn't bring to the table. WHAT?!

Showing a rare sign of open displeasure was Castrovince on his blog.. After reading it, I'm going to echo it..

I mean.. Why isn't Shelton the one being fired.. it was HIS OFFENSE that was so pour, even WITH Hafner and Martinez healthy.. Why isn't HE the one being fired for the regressions of players Franklin Gutierrez and Asdrubal Cabrera..

Point is.. I don't think I would have fired Shelton.. Which means I CERTAINLY wouldn't have fired Luis Isaac.

This is RIDICULOUS!

I'll really miss Luis.. He was a fun guy to listen to, even though he was hard to understand. He'd always share his Roberto Clemente story on Roberto Clemente day on the radio.. Always a great listen.

---

In other news as we look towards the off-season.. JAKE PEAVY IS AVAILABLE?!

Dear lord...

The haul would be huge, one that I don't think we are ready to make, but Peavy would make us go nuts. Like I said though, large haul, we just restocked our farm system.. Peavy is under contract for not just next year but 2010, but that just makes the price even bigger.

MLBTR took a look at our roster for their Offseason Outlook series.

Wondering why Ben Francisco was ommitted from the discussion. He is a starter as of right now in the outfield, Gutierrez would be the odd man out and Dellucci IDEALY would be realeased, but we don't know how that will work out...

Take a look at what Wedge said

"We're going to look at everything -- closer, second base, our corner positions [first and third base, left and right field], rotation and bullpen," said Wedge. "We're not going to be able to cover it all, but we're going to take a look."

I think that's a comment that prompted MLBTR to suggest first baseman like Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder.. Highly unlikely.. If this team adds a corner infielder, it will be a third baseman.. They would be really boneheaded to add someone like Adam LaRoche to this team.. We have Ryan Garko, we have Victor Martinez, Matt LaPorta can play first (and probably should). This team needs a third baseman..

It might not be there, but they need to try and if not they need to get a few people in here to compete.

A name mentioned is Freddy Garcia and I'd be very open to that possibility.. I think any "reclaimation" project of sorts that would want an incentive laden deal is IDEAL for us, both at the starting spot and the closers position.

Here are some Wedge quotes btw..

On Travis Hafner: "I'm confident we'll have a championship middle-of-order bat next year. Does that mean 2006? Not necessarily. Does that mean 2007? I think he's going to be better than that."

On Jensen Lewis and Closing: "We want to go out and get a closer so we have two options at that spot. Jensen Lewis did a good job for us on a short-term basis. I don't know how we're going to do it. I know we're going to try. We'll put our plan together. Check out what's on the free agent list. If someone has a closer, they're not going to give up on him. That's why I'm not discounting what Jensen did."

This leads me to believe Jensen Lewis will compete for the job and be the go-to option if that name they bring in (if they bring one in ) were to fail.

On Jhonny Peralta to Third: "It's not working off of Jhonny. It's working off of what's available and what's the best fit for us. At some point, I do feel Jhonny is going to end up at third base and Asdrubal will be at shortstop."

WOW.. I didn't expect that to come out of his mouth at all.. Jhonny is destined for third, because of his body, his numbers and Asdrubal's potential.. If that's the case, make the move now and don't wait until Wes Hodges is here.. DO IT NOW Damnit...

On the Bullpen Spots: "The sure things are Rafael Betancourt, Jensen Lewis, Masa Kobayashi and Rafael Perez."

Agreed..

On the Rotation: "Reyes was more impressive than anybody that came over [in trades]. I think Laffey will come back and have a good year. ... Jackson and Lewis caught our attention. We have to iron it out when we get to spring training. A big part of that will be whether or not we acquire anybody this winter. ... Sowers is in that mix too. So is David Huff."

I'm going to say that would be fair.. Laffey seems to be his favorite, as is mine.. Interestingly enough he barely mentioned Jeremy Sowers..

On David Dellucci: "As of right now, he'll be back."

Discouraging Part of that Quote: He'll Be Back..

Encouraging Part of that Quotel As of right now...

WOOHOO theres a hope.

On the Catching Situation: "To have both of them competing at catcher, one of them being able to play first base and both of them being able to DH, I like that. If someone blows our doors off [in a trade offer], we'll have to look, but right now they're both coming to spring training on this ballclub."

So.. that tells you were they stand on the Shoppach trade.. It would have to be BIG for them to even listen.. I do believe it would also have to include PIECES that will help us THIS YEAR.. Not prospects only..

On Josh Barfield: "It's hard to lock him in for the second base job. But he will come to camp and compete for a job."

Fair enough, but if Peralta moves, he has to be the favorite provided we don't pick anyone up..

Laporta Plunked in Olympics; Will be Okay

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:45:58 -0500

From: The Indians Matt LaPorta, who is playing for Team USA in the Olympics was hit by a pitch in the head in Team USA's 9-1 victory over China today. LaPorta was taken to a hospital for precautionary tests, all of which came back negative. He rode the bus back to the Olympic Village [...]

Laporta Plunked in Olympics; Will be Okay

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:45:58 -0500

End of the Year Feathers: 2008

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:12:19 -0500

Welcome to the First Annual Tribe Time Report Feather Awards for the 2008 Season!

It's been a great year, despite the success the Indians had wasn't were we thought it would be.

This site was something I put a lot of effort into, and I know not many people read it, but that's why I'm working hard, I want more people to read it. For those of you who started reading, at whatever point in the season, I thank you. For everyone who's left a comment or sent me an e-mail, I thank you as well.

Stick around, because I'm keeping this going as long as I can and I'll continue to promote it the best I can to get a wider audience. Right now though, I'd like to give out some end of the year love and outlook.

These are the End of the Year Feathers. I want to do it every year, so why not start now. Five Feathers is the best of the best that the Tribe had. One is not the worst, but the players who didn't get the job done this year. Three is average, two is below average and four is exceptional. At the end I'll give out two special feathers, gold and silver. A gold feather is to our Team MVP. A silver feather is the unsung hero of the team.

With out further ado, the first ever End of the Year Feathers. 2008 is officially over!

Hitting numbers are listed like this: AVG(Batting Average)/OBP(On Base %)/SLG(Slugging %)
#Lead AL
*Lead MLB
^Lead Team
300 ABs to be considered for Team Leads

Cliff Lee: (31 Starts) 22-3*, 2.54 ERA*, 1.110 WHIP, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 223.1 IP, 170 K, 34 BB, 12 HR
What can you say about Cliff Lee that already hasn't been said? His homerun numbers from his last two complete seasons (05-06) were 22 and 29 and this year, just 12. His walk numbers have decreased and of course his strikeouts have gone up. All this while pitching twenty more innings and having his hits land in between the numbers he put up in 2005 and 2006. What has Cliff Lee changed? His mentality really.

He's become much more focused at the job at hand and he says it himself. He goes along pitch by pitch and doesn't look ahead. That's why Cliff Lee has become successful and that is why this isn't some one year wonder. Will he win 22 games and post a 2.54 ERA next year? Probably not, but don't expect those other numbers like walks and innings pitched to take a hit. Things like his WHIP should remain the same as Cliff Lee progresses through his career. This is Cliff Lee and the way he pitches. The only change is his attitude and demeanor. It's a change for the better and as long as he isn't going back to his old ways. I give five feathers to Cliff Lee and his 2008 breakout season.

Grady Sizemore: (157 G, 634 AB) .268/.374/.502, 33 HR^, 90 RBI^, 38/43 SB^, 101 R, 77 XBH#2nd, 11 HBP
Oh Grady...Where would our faith be without Grady Sizemore? His breathtaking catches in the outfield and his sudden power surge have fans chanting Hall of Famer, and he's only 26 years old!

Even though he only hit five more home runs than he did in his career high year in 2006, Grady Sizemore's power stroke has come a long way. He's making strides at the plate as a hitter year by year and this was by far, his most productive one. He joined the 30-30 club and became the first Indian to do so since Joe Carter. If production continues to increase as he enters his prime, there is no doubt he has the potential to reach the hallowed 40-40 club.

His defense is, as always, prime stuff and he surely is on his way to yet another gold glove award. People want to know if Sizemore should move down in the order to the three hole, I want to know why? Such a lethal weapon at the lead-off spot, as proved by what is now his record of most lead-off home runs in club history. If Sizemore can give you 90 home runs from the leadoff spot and you can find that production in other places, this lineup is dangerous.

Should it be any surprise to you that Grady Sizemore has earned five feathers? Continued All-Star and future Hall of Famer, Sizemore's just starting.

Jhonny Peralta: (154 G, 605 AB) .277/.331/.473, 23 HR, 89 RBI, 3/4 SB, 103 R^, 42 2B, 68 XBH
Jhonny Peralta's year can only be summed up in one thought. How did this happen? Not so much his numbers, but his performance in the situation he was in is somewhat surprising. He put up 89 RBI mostly from the cleanup spot in the order. This was a guy who struggled to hit in the three hole when he was put in there, now he's cemented himself into the middle of the order!

Peralta had a fantastic year. After a rough start with most of his RBI's coming off the home run, he finished the year as the teams leader in runs scored, average amongst starters that started for the entire year and was second in extra base hits. Peralta still has issues with striking out, but he's nearing that .500 mark in slugging percentage which is phenomenal for a shortstop. He did lead the league in home runs at his position and he continues to flourish as a hitter.

Defensively, Jhonny still has range issues, but he had another decent year. Unfortunately decent isn't good enough with a gold-glove caliber youngster manning the reigns at second. Jhonny however gets five feathers for carrying the middle of the order through most of the year with injuries to Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez.

Shin-Soo Choo: (95 G, 317 AB) .309^/.397^/.549^, 14 HR, 66 RBI, 4/7 SB, 68 R, 28 2B, 45 XBH
What can you say about Shin-Soo Choo's second half of the season? What can you say about him as a hitter? I'll admit I counted Choo out at the start of the season and even when he came back I wasn't real impressed.

But this kid is for real. The way he takes an at-bat and the way he swings. He is a pure hitter with great plate discipline and plate vision. He knows how to work a walk or take a pitch the other way for a double; he's just a good hitter.

Choo gets five feathers for establishing himself. He's going into next year as a starting outfielder; there is no doubt about that. He had a terrific second half and really put up impressive numbers, but watching him tells you the whole story. He is for real.

Carl Willis: Pitching Staff ERA: 4.44 (20th in MLB)
You might be asking yourself why a pitching coach who's team ERA is 20th in the entire Majors has earned himself five feathers.

The Indians pitching woes do not lie with Carl Willis. They lie with a multitude of reasons beyond Willis' control. This pitching staff to start the year was lights out. They had a huge streak of scoreless innings by the starters and they were returning one of the best bullpens in the major leagues.

Trades, injuries and just let downs from certain players have led to the inflated ERA, but make no mistake about it, Carl Willis is one of the best pitching coaches in baseball. He's a friendly guy, who teaches and molds his pitchers into high caliber competitors.

Two years straight now, he is the proud coach of two AL Cy Young award winners. He's brought around Fausto Carmona, Aaron Laffey and is now working another Cliff Lee-like reclamation project in Anthony Reyes.

What did Carl Willis do to Cliff Lee to make him a great pitcher? Nothing much really, he just told him he believed in him. Something he will continue to tell Anthony Reyes as he tries and molds him into a reliable starting pitcher.

Carl Willis earns five feathers for his work. He's done an outstanding job, despite whispers about firing him a few years ago. He's a great coach and a great guy and he deserves some publicity for the success his starting pitchers have been having.

Rafael Perez: (73 Games) 4-4, 3.54 ERA, 1.179 WHIP, 2 SV, 25 HLD, 76.1 IP, 86 K, 23 BB, 8 HR
Just another day at the office for Rafael Perez. A shaky start to the season for Perez, but he found himself and became the Indians most dependable reliever. He can come in and give you two innings, face a left-hander, pitch one inning against right handers. Perez's versatility is so valuable to this bullpen.

Perez will continue to grow and will probably be next year's prime set-up man. He gets four feathers for rebounding from a tough start and being Mr. Rubber Arm and Mr. Dependable.

Kelly Shoppach: (112 G, 352 AB) .261/.348/.517, 21 HR, 55 RBI, 67 R, 27 2B, .217 CS%
Kelly Shoppach's mammoth power is something to marvel at. We always knew he had power, but did we know he could hit home runs at the major leagues at that sort of pace? He lead the entire league in home runs from the catching position and he had only half the at bats than most full-time catchers! He was just two behind the National League leaders, Geovany Soto and Brian McCann.

Shoppach sort of digressed defensively, letting up a lot of passed balls and making some poor throws behind the plate to nail base runners. But he still has his arm and if he recommits himself to that aspect of the game, he can be one of the best.

Lots of questions will surround Shoppach in the off-season. He'll be a hot commodity among teams looking for a catcher. But this year, Shoppach has earned four feathers for his breakout season. He needs to cut down on the strikeouts and his defense needs to get back to that level, but he is destined for great things.

Jensen Lewis: (51 Games) 0-4, 3.82 ERA, 1.439 WHIP, 13 SV^, 66 IP, 52 K, 27 BB, 8 HR
I've been shouting from the top of my lungs that Jensen Lewis is this team's future at closer. He's got moxie and the bulldog attitude you need from a closer.

I think his early struggles were a product of lack of fire and emotion. Jensen is a guy that feeds off the pressure and the emotion of a crowd. The situations he was put in were just not like that. This guy was BORN to be a closer where he can feed off the crowd's energy and pump a fastball in there.

I'm giving Lewis four feathers for coming in and solidifying the back end of the bullpen. We'll have plenty of discussion on where he belongs, no doubt. But for now, he had a fantastic end of the season, didn't blow a save once he got the job and when he was put in tight situations, like facing Josh Hamilton with runners on, or giving up a home run in the inning, he bounced back and found himself.

Ryan Garko: (141 G, 495 AB) .273/.346/.404, 14 HR, 90 RBI^, 61 R, 36 XBH, 8 SF^, 15 HBP#3rd
You can say what you want about Ryan Garko and the year he had. But when all is said and done, you can't deny the fact that he had one of the better batting averages and he lead the team in RBI along with Grady Sizemore.

Garko's defense has also come along way. You may be surprised by this number, but he's committed just four errors this year. While he isn't a guy who covers a lot of ground, he's work so hard at becoming a respectable first baseman. Garko also has one of the best Range Factors among American League first basemen.

Offensively, his power numbers were definitely not there. He didn't have as many doubles as I was expected and of course the home runs were not there. But he got the job done anyway you look at it. The most important thing that Garko did this year was grow as a hitter. He went through a period of time where he learned a lot about himself. He became pull-happy and was in constant denial that he was doing anything wrong.

Then, a benching for not running out a ground ball and Garko was a changed man. Not only did he get back to basics, he got humbled. He realized he could admit when he was wrong and he went back to work. You may laugh at the fact that I've given him four feathers, but he deserves them the way he bounced back late in the year. We need to hold onto Garko in the long run, he could be primed for a break out in 2009.

Jamey Carroll: (113 G, 347 AB) .277/.355/.346, 1 HR, 36 RBI, 7/10 SB, 60 R
Where would this team be without Jamey Carroll? I'm going to get this out of the way right now and tell Mark Shapiro to pick up Carroll's option. Carroll earned the nickname sparkplug from me for his ability to energize this team. He was inserted into the starting lineup after Asdrubal Cabrera was sent to the minors and Josh Barfield got hurt. He quickly energized this team and is a big reason they finished the year at .500.

He is a super utility guy that this team has needed for awhile and could be a crucial cog in the team's success next year. He can play the infield, he has a decent glove and he is a scrappy veteran hitter. He can swipe a base and he is great in the clubhouse as he energized the team with some spunk.

Jamey Carroll gets four feathers for being a professional and for being one of the bright spots in Shapiro's recent additions. It was a crafty move to bring in a solid utility player in Carroll, now let's hope we make the move to keep him.

Mark Shapiro: Traded CC Sabathia for Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, Zach Jackson, PTBNL; Traded Luis Perdomo for Anthony Reyes; Traded Casey Blake for John Meloan and Carlos Santana; Signed Masahide Kobayashi; Traded Sean Smith for Jamey Carroll; Traded Jason Michaels for PTBNL/Cash; Signed Jorge Juilio, Brendan Donnelly, Juan Rincon to Minor League Deals
These are just some of the notable deals by General Manager Mark Shapiro and what he's done this year and in the off-season. By far the moves with the most impact were the trades of Casey Blake and CC Sabathia. Shapiro did a great job by taking advantage of a few free agents having good years and or good reputations to restock the farm system. It wasn't the move he wanted to make, but he still traded CC Sabathia mid-season after Sabathia rejected the Indians final offer for a contract extension.

When it became apparent that Shapiro had to deal Sabathia and Blake, he not only did it, he did it well. He got a great haul of players in return for Blake and Sabathia that has put the Indians farm system, back near the top. We all know about Matt LaPorta and Carlos Santana, but the prospect of John Meloan, Rob Bryson and the much debated, talented player to be named later all panning out makes these deals important.

Let's not forget the other deals he made, including the low-risk move of bringing in Anthony Reyes, trading for a bonafied utility man in Jamey Carroll, and he added another arm to his bullpen in Masa Kobayashi. He didn't make many off-season moves, but he made up for it with his mid-season deals. Shapiro gets four feathers for restocking the system and bringing in Anthony Reyes. Next year he could get five feathers for having a stellar off-season or one for making all the wrong choices, we'll see soon enough.

Ben Francisco:(121 G, 447 AB) .266/.332/.438, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 4/7 SB, 65 R, 12 Assists#2nd
For awhile there, the Indians thought they found their solution to the number two spot in the batting order in Ben Francisco. Injuries arose though and Francisco was placed into the three hole. Obviously, not something you want to do to a rookie player, but Francisco came up after the Jason Michaels trade and lit the world on fire.

He was the only hitter in the lineup that was hitting, eager to prove himself after most think he was wrongly sent to the minors after beating out both Jason Michaels and David Dellucci in spring training. Francisco cooled off, perhaps being a fastball hitter caught up to him as the league adjusted.

Francisco gets three feathers because of his fizzle and defense. He has an underrated arm in the outfield, throwing out 12 base runners, and second best in the American League. But Francisco is still learning the nuances of left and right field. He needs to make adjustments in his second year if he wants to remain successful. A player who has always hit for a higher average in the minors will need to get his average up and learn to take the ball the other way. He's definitely a dangerous threat with his power potential and quick swing.

Fausto Carmona: (22 Starts) 8-7, 5.44 ERA, 1.624 WHIP, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 120.2 IP, 58 K, 70 BB, 7 HR
Fausto pitched enough for me to give him some feathers. With that I decided that Fausto's injury would impact his feather count. I think after he got back from the hip injury he wasn't the same Fausto. All year he seemed to have problem with his control, but earlier in the year he got the double plays when he needed them.

Once he got back, he just wasn't the Fausto we know and love. He got off to a good start if you ask me, but after he returned he just wasn't the same and that's why I'm giving him three feathers. He was average, which I think is suitable.

Carmona will be back next year and hopefully he'll be healthy and ready to be himself. We signed him to a great friendly contract that could keep him here until he is 31 years old. A frustrating year for Fausto, but wasn't it for everyone not named Cliff Lee?

Aaron Laffey: (16 Starts) 5-7, 4.23 ERA, 1.431 WHIP, 93.2 IP, 43 K, 31 BB, 10 HR
Aaron came up and seemingly earned himself a rotation spot for the rest of the year, after he filled in for the likes of Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook.

But then, something hit Laffey and he was sent down. Laffey was spectacular, sort of Fausto-esque as he filled in for injured pitchers. He was in serious contention for rookie of the year until he hit a wall and was sent down. His numbers prior to the setback were phenomenal and just looking at them now they aren't bad. It turns out Laffey was dealing with some injuries down in Buffalo and he got shut down with a month left in the season.

He was better than expected, but didn't contribute enough to earn more than three feathers. Laffey is a lock down contender for a rotation spot next year and I'd expect him to win one after not winning the fifth spot last year.

Anthony Reyes (w/CLE): (6 Starts) 2-1, 1.83 ERA, 1.252 WHIP, 34.1 IP, 15 K, 12 BB, 2 HR
Anthony Reyes made quite a statement in his little time with the Tribe. He suffered a little bit of arm issues and it caused the Indians to take the cautious approach and shut him down, but since coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals, he's been brilliant.

Reyes was looked at as a low-risk, high-reward type move by Mark Shapiro, and so far the move looks like a good one. Reyes, along with Laffey will fight for a rotation spot and he is easing all Indians' fans minds in terms of what the plan is in the rotation next year. With CC Sabathia gone, Reyes was a big pick up for this team going forward.

Reyes gets three feathers for his excellent start with the Tribe, mainly because he didn't pitch enough to earn anymore. Dave Duncan might be a great pitching coach, but Carl Willis is right on his heels and Reyes will be his next success story. Anthony is comfortable in Cleveland and his talent is finally going to be able to blossom.

Asdrubal Cabrera: (114 G, 352 AB) .259/.346/.366, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 4/8 SB, 48 R
Asdrubal Cabrera has had one rocky year. After being the fan anointed "savior" to the Cleveland Indians 2007 season, Cabrera hit a wall. He was the butt of a lot of criticism from Eric Wedge, but also the butt of a lot of praise. Cabrera's glove kept him in the lineup despite his porous hitting, but it eventually sent him down to the minors.

Cabrera got the picture in Triple-A Buffalo, hitting from the moment he was sent down and not stopping until September 28. Maybe he's a second half player, I don't know, but I'd put my money on that not being true. Cabrera has worked hard with his hitting and has started to evolve, adding in the bunt single to his arsenal. Wedge had a lot to say about Cabrera's game shape and diet, so not only did he adjust hitting wise; Cabrera took a lifestyle change as well.

He needs to put on some more muscle and become a fit youngster, but Cabrera's future is bright. He gets three feathers for his outstanding defense, including the first unassisted triple play by and Indian since 1920, and his bounce back at the plate. Cabrera has put himself in the thick of next year's lineup, it just is a matter of what position will he be playing and where in the lineup will he hit.

Masahide Kobayashi: (57 Games) 4-5, 4.53 ERA, 1.419 WHIP, 6 SV, 55.2 IP, 35 K, 14 BB, 8 HR
It was a rocky debut for Masa Kobayashi to the United States. He battled through cold weather and the strange phenomenon called Wal-Mart. Joking aside, Kobayashi had to get used to the American way and the MLB, but when he did he was a joy to watch.

He isn't Hideki Okajima like everyone thought he was going to be, but he surely established himself as a reliable option out of the bullpen. He closed some games and the results were mixed, but closing in the MLB is a different animal than Japan. Going forward, Kobayashi will be much more conditioned for the 162 game season as he was pretty much not used down the stretch.

It was the most innings he's thrown in a year as a professional. But Masa has earned three feathers for his solid year. He is primed for a better 2009 with a year in the MLB under his belt, but his 2008 was not bad at all.

Sal Fasano: (15 G, 46 AB) .261/.340/.348, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R
Cleveland Indians' fans got a look into why Sal Fasano is some what of a folk hero around the Major Leagues. Not only for his signature mustache, but his calm, cool, and welcoming demeanor was something to cherish on this team.

This is a club that lost Trot Nixon, their leader of 2007. They then lost their emotional leader in Victor Martinez, so the arrival of Fasano couldn't have come at a better time. This team was fooling itself if they were going to go with Yamid Haad as their back-up catcher with Victor Martinez out almost two months.

Fasano didn't play much, but when he did, he played as well as you could hope for in a backup catcher. His rapport with Jeremy Sowers was outstanding and he really helped him grow into a better pitcher.

Fasano probably won't be back with this team as a player in 2009, which is a shame. But his value couldn't be measured. He's got a future in this game as a manager and his knowledge for not just the game, but in life is so amazing. Fasano gets three feathers, but he really deserves five.

Edward Mujica: (33 Games) 3-2, 4.45 ERA, 1.448 WHIP, 1 HLD, 38.2 IP, 27 K, 10 BB, 5 HR
No longer the shuttle reliever between Buffalo and Cleveland, Eddie Mujica finally got a shot to prove himself. He didn't really handle it that well. Mujica got a legit shot to pitch in the big leagues with all the injuries and failure and while there were some bright spots, he wasn't consistent.

He seems to struggle when used close together; he needs a lot of rest to be effective. Mujica is out of options, so this was a big year for him in terms of his future with the club. He didn't show enough to earn a spot, but he's shown some promise and he is still young enough to fight for a job next year. He gets three feathers for his year, which wasn't bad, but it wasn't spectacular.

Victor Martinez: (73 G, 226 AB) .278/.337/.365, 1 HR, 35 RBI, 30 R
Victor Martinez's year was derailed by a hamstring injury on opening day and then a floating bone chip in his elbow. It hurt his power stroke, not hitting a home run until he made his recovery and was playing again in September.

This was a lost year for Martinez, but he'll be back in 2009. He gets three feathers for showing that the injury was the reason for his struggles as he really came back and provided a spark in September. He also sort of stepped up as the emotional leader for this team with no one else there. His willingness to share the catching duties with Shoppach also shows he's thinking for the betterment of the team.

Eric Wedge: 81-81 Record
Eric Wedge had a year that he probably will want to forget.

You can't blame him for the failed expectations; he was not the reason for that. A lot of the hitting woes can be placed onto the shoulders of Derek Shelton. However, this team got decimated with injuries to key cogs, so it's hard to judge just how well of a job Eric Wedge did.

It isn't an excuse, but rather a hindrance on ones ability to properly grade Wedge. So for that, he's getting the average three feather salute. Wedge did his best to make due with what he had, but you can look at some of the decisions he made, and praise him or bash him.

Start with the Ben Franciso debacle, talk about the Andy Marte situation and end with the bewilderment of Jamey Carroll and Casey Blake obsession. Wedge has made plenty of questionable calls this year. But he's made due the best he can with what he had and for the most part, when his job was to find out about what we have, he did that. He still wanted to win games, but he did find out about players like Shin-Soo Choo. For that, Wedge earns three feathers. He wasn't good, but he wasn't bad.

Franklin Gutierrez: (134 G, 399 AB) .248/.307/.383, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 9/12 SB, 54 R
It was a good omen seeing Franklin Gutierrez hit a grand slam home run on opening day, at least I thought it was. Gutierrez had a pedestrian year at the plate after his great start to the season. He had every opportunity to win the starting right field job, but just could never find himself.

Gutierrez could go into next year as the fourth outfielder or he could be traded. His talent potential is high as a kid who can do it all. He has the arm, he can play defense, we know he has some pop in his bat. He is a loaded player but he needs it to click. Luckily he is still young and hope is still around. He had a sophomore dip, especially with his numbers, but I wouldn't be giving up on him. He gets two feathers for his defense, but he needs to get better at the plate.

Rafael Betancourt: (69 Games) 3-4, 5.07 ERA, 1.420 WHIP, 12 HLD, 4 SV, 71 IP, 64 K, 25 BB, 11 HR
The thing that sticks out the most about Rafael Betancourt's down season was his home run total. Last year he gave up just four home runs. This year he gave up his fourth home run in May.

Betancourt's control from last year didn't carry over, which is understandable. But, Rafael was stubborn and constantly disregarded the words of his pitching coach Carl Willis and Eric Wedge. He would not pitch inside, as many times as he would go out there, he'd continue to throw the ball outside. Because his control was not there, that ball would no longer hit the outside corner, it would float in and get hit the other way.

Betancourt started to come around down the stretch, but his year was a huge disappointment. He will have a chance to redeem himself next year, but this bullpen will not be the same if he doesn't bounce back. He had a career year in 2007, no one expects him to replicate it. But he needs to heed the word of his coaches and try and regain a little bit of that magical control. He gets two feathers for the extreme disappointment.

Josh Barfield (Cle+Buf): (85 G, 332 AB) .243/.292(Buf)/.368(Buf), 5 HR, 25 RBI, 9/14 SB, 33 R
I took into account Josh's numbers from Buffalo, seeing as he played half his year there. He wasn't what you were hoping for, but you are talking about a player who was a significant piece to San Diego's playoff run in his rookie year. He probably doesn't think he deserves to be in Triple-A.

That isn't what Barfield is thinking, but I'm sure that explains his pedestrian numbers. In Cleveland he got his shot with Asdrubal Cabrera's struggles but promptly dislocated his finger and was sidelined for two months. I think Barfield did a good job in the off-season with recommitting to the game and seeking advice from his dad. I thought he'd have the chance and he'd run with it this year, but he simply was on the bad end of luck.

He only gets two feathers, but this isn't a reflection on his performance with the big league club. He got his real shot in September and he looked like he was starting to come on. I want to see him do well in Spring Training next year before we give up on young Barfield, he has all sorts of talent.

Zach Jackson: (9 Starts) 2-3, 5.60 ERA, 1.427 WHIP, 54.2 IP, 30 K, 14 BB, 7 HR
Zach Jackson sure had an interesting by baseball standards. Four teams, including two major league ones, a trade and a first win in legendary Fenway park against Josh Beckett.

Jackson came on strong in his second batch of starts, picking up a couple of wins. He came over in the Sabathia trade as a "throw-in" and a guy the Brewers had given up on at the age of 25. Jackson probably doesn't have much of a future as a starting pitcher, but he showed he can get outs at the big league level. He might have a place on this team as a long-man next year.

Two feathers for Jackson as I was real impressed with him down the stretch. He is definitely in the mix next year, but because he is out of options, he'll have a lot to prove. I would give him three for exceeding expectations, but he didn't pitch enough.

Jeremy Sowers: (22 Starts) 4-9, 5.58 ERA, 1.488 WHIP, 121 IP, 64 K, 39 BB, 18 HR
Jeremy Sowers' had some tough luck winning games this year.

After spending the year in Buffalo, Sowers got his shot when Jake Westbrook got hurt for the second time and CC Sabathia was traded. He really started to find himself with the guidance of Sal Fasano.

Sowers has put himself in a position to compete with the likes of Aaron Laffey and Anthony Reyes next year in spring training. But, Sowers still hasn't shown the brilliance of his rookie year, which has many skeptical if he can really be what we think he can. Two feathers for a great effort, but still, Sowers is not meeting expectations.

Brendan Donnelly: (15 Games) 1-0, 8.56 ERA, 2.195 WHIP, 4 HLD, 13.2 IP, 8 K, 10 BB, 2 HR
You may want to rag on Brendan Donnelly for the high ERA and his shaky outings. But Brendan Donnelly was battling back from a tough injury. The Indians put some stock into him and let him rehab through their organization.

We'll see if that stock pays off in the off-season as they debate whether to bring him back and see if he wants to come back. Donnelly's MLB year was okay, not impressive or eye opening. His WHIP is something to scream about but Donnelly is a pro and he's been there before.

If they can bring him back on a low-risk deal, he might be worth it as a veteran. Donnelly gets one feather for his performance, but he is much better than that.

David Dellucci: (113 G, 336 AB) .238/.307/.405, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 3/5 SB, 41 R
David Dellucci is a poster child of the 2008 year, which I've deemed as the year of "Frustration." Whether it's his play or the fact that he is still on this team, Dellucci is frustrating. He "beat out" Ben Francisco to start the year, along with Jason Michaels.

Wedge claims that Dellucci is a leader in the clubhouse, which I can buy to an extent. But if he is leader, he isn't an emotional leader. Dellucci doesn't get it done with the bat the way they play him. If he was a leader and his sole purpose was to "lead" he shouldn't be playing as much as he is.

I don't think Dellucci has a place on this team, especially not with the potential of Choo and Francisco. That would make him the fourth outfielder, but he can't run, he can't play defense and he can't play every outfield spot. That makes him utterly useless. I'd rather waste a spot for Sal Fasano as the designated leader.

Either way, Dellucci had another poor year. His OBP continues to decline since his days in Texas and he is no longer a useful player. His one feather is a combination of taking up space from Francisco, Choo and Gutierrez and the fact that he is still on this team.

Travis Hafner: (57 G, 198 AB) .197/.305/.323, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 1/2 SB, 21 R
Like David Dellucci, Travis Hafner could be a fitting poster boy to that frustration mantra, but for different reasons. Hafner's injury is frustrating, as it was one that basically made his 2008 a lost cause.

Perhaps it was good though. I gave him one feather because I didn't know where else to put him. Considering this an incomplete feather, because Hafner's grade will depend on how well he plays next year. I do believe that his strength will be back next year and once he gets his timing back, we may see a rejuvenated "Pronk." I think its forced him to get back to the basics and no longer flail at those outside pitches that pitchers make him hit. He got away from what made him a dangerous hitter and when he gets back to how he used to hit, which I think the injury has made him do, he'll be the Hafner of old.

Brian Slocum (Cle+Buf): (32 Games-11 Starts) 3-7, 5.37 ERA, 1.527 WHIP, 1 SV, 3 HLD, 87.1 IP, 82 K, 42 BB, 14 HR
I included Brian Slocum in the mix because this was an important year for him with this team. He spent most of the year in Buffalo but Slocum appeared in Cleveland a few times to get absolutely lambasted.

Slocum in my opinion has no future with this team. His time is running out, he's getting older and he is a man without a pitching role. He might come into next year competing, but he'll end up on the wire. I give just one feather for Slocum for his combined effort in Buffalo and Cleveland.

Andy Marte: (80 G, 235 AB) .221/.268/.315, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 1/2 SB, 21 R
Oh Andy, Andy, Andy! Andy Marte's season is one of disgust and wonderment. First, we knew and I think most were perfectly fine keeping him around on the bench as a backup. But he simply didn't get any at bats what so ever. Then it got to a point where the team was going no where and Casey Blake was traded. Marte got his shot to prove himself.

He wasn't impressive and he didn't do what we thought he was capable of. Marte is probably a bust when it comes to high ceiling prospects. He just doesn't look like he can hit at the big league level. His glove is something to rave about, I love his defense. But he needs to hit and he is simply not doing that. He looked better once he got his shot full time, but you have to wonder about a kid who can't get it done.

He is still young, but if not now, when? Marte he has had ample time at the big league level to prove himself. Maybe he needs a change of scenery. I've given him one feather and it hurts to do so because I really like him. But, unless he comes to Spring Training in much better shape, something he didn't do this year, and starts hitting the cover off the ball. I see no future for Andy Marte in Cleveland.

Juan Rincon (w/CLE): (22 Games) 1-1, 5.13 ERA, 1.540 WHIP, 2 HLD, 26.1 IP, 19 K, 8 BB, 3 HR
Considering Juan Rincon pitched just as much for the Cleveland Indians this year as he did for the Minnesota Twins, I'm looking for improvement.

I don't really see much, other than he fixed his control problems and didn't walk as many hitters. But he still gave up runs and he still wasn't effective as he used to be.

I think Donnelly has more potential going forward than Rincon does. But, never underestimate the power of a clubhouse. Rincon has a lot of Venezuelan teammates here in Cleveland, including catcher Victor Martinez that he might be able to benefit from. I'd bring him in for a competition if he's willing. He gets just one feather because I wasn't totally impressed with what he did, like I said, he only improved in one aspect.

Derek Shelton: Runs Scored - 805, Team Average - .262
Derek Shelton's season was a rough start.

The turnaround might have saved his job, but if this team has another cold opening to the season, he will find himself on the hot seat. Shelton deserves a lot of the blame for the poor batting averages that were there at the start of the season. His sound ways of taking pitches and making the pitchers pitch to you was no longer working. Pitchers adjusted to the style of play the Indians had and they threw a lot of first pitch strikes.

Shelton did not adjust accordingly and for that he deserves just one feather. The team came on strong at the end of the year and ended up scoring an MLB top ten 800 plus runs. But it is unacceptable to start the season the way they did offensively.

Cliff Lee
Is there any other option to pick for Team MVP? It has to be Cliff Lee, who is the hands down favorite to win the AL Cy Young award and has accounted for 27 percent of his team's victories. It was Lee that was always there to stop a streak or derail a funk. He stopped multiple losing streaks on more than one occasion and when he pitched, there was a sense of immortality, as if the team wouldn't lose. He energized a defense to play well and excited an offense to support him. Cliff Lee is the hands down MVP of this 2008 team. Without him, there would be no season and there would be no good thing to look back on. He made Indians baseball watchable in the bleak periods and made it must-see TV in the bright ones. Cliff Lee is the first recipient of the Golden Feather, our Cleveland Indians Team MVP!

Jamey Carroll
This award could go in several different ways, but because the little guy is always the most liked, I bestow the silver feather onto Jamey Carroll. Carroll was big for the Indians when they didn't have a second baseman or a hitter in the two hole. Carroll stepped in and stepped up as the team's spark plug. Most memorable will be his battles with Travis Hafner over fantasy football transactions, but Carroll's clubhouse presence is also something to praise. Jamey Carroll is the silver feather recipient for the 2008 Cleveland Indians, our unsung hero!

There it is...The end of the year feathers for the 2008 Cleveland Indians. This is just the begining of our 2008 wrap-up. There is more to come!

Sabathia Carries Brewers in to Playoffs

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:01:15 -0500

The Milwaukee Brewers got exactly what they wanteThe Milwaukee Brewers got exactly what they wanted with the acquisition of C.C. Sabathia back in early July. Needing another arm to compliment Ben Sheets, Sabathia was likely more than the team even anticipated by going 11-2 with an ERA of 1.65 in 17 starts. d with the acquisition of C.C. Sabathia back in early July. Needing another arm to compliment Ben Sheets, Sabathia was likely more than the team even anticipated by going 11-2 with an ERA of 1.65 in 17 starts.

Tribe's first half offense - God awful but getting better

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:39:32 -0500

As some of you know, I've recently been asked to join MVN's Tribe Report, where a team of three writers - myself, James Pete and Brian La Shier - provide extensive and sophisticated (well the other two do any anyway) coverage of the Tribe.

Below is the first part (my contribution) of a three-part series which will look at the Tribe's first-half and a bit of what we might see the rest of the way. The other two posts will be coming over the All-Star break.

You should check out the site. You'll be glad you did.

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I could sum up the Tribe's first-half offense with one five-letter word. S-U-C-K-S !!

But since you came to this Web site for info, I assume you are looking for a little more than that.

So here goes.

For much of the first half of the season, the Indians' offense was just plain dreadful. The team was last in the league in hitting - with a team BA in the low .230's. Those are 1968-like (Year of the Pitcher) numbers.

Watching the Tribe bat for most of the first half of the season was painful to the eyes - and the nose (the stink made it all the way through to my TV set).

Making it even tougher to watch was the fact that the Tribe had a stretch of games in late April and early May where the starting pitchers were throwing like it was 1968, but they could never get more three games above .500.

In a stretch from April 18 to May 15, Indians pitchers gave up three or fewer runs in 20 of 25 games - 7 of which were shutouts. The team was 22-19 at the end of that stretch - the high-water mark of the season.

With its low-.230's BA, the Tribe was last in the league in hitting and also at, or near, the bottom in runs scored for most of the first half.

Hobbled by injuries to, and ineffectiveness of, the three-hole and clean-up hitters - Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner respectively - most of the rest of the hitters (term used loosely) in the Indians' lineup uderpeformed. (Ryan Garko, David Dellucci, Franklin Gutierrez you know we're talking about you.)

Others - Grady Sizemore, Casey Blake and Jhonny Peralta - are performing at about expected levels .

Jamey Carroll is about the only Tribesman who is performing better than expected simply because he is now an everyday player, something no one had imagined during spring training.

No one really could say with any certainty they knew what Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo would do. Choo started out hot after returning from Tommy John surgery but has been a bit of a disappointment after the hot start.

Ben Francisco is having a solid first full season and was on fire heading into the break.

But, the Tribe's offense has gone from unbearably bad to about average in recent weeks.

In the past 30 days the team has hit a more-respectable .263 and the team BA is now at .248 - still last in the league but lot's better than the low .230's and just behind 13th-place Oakland at .250.

The turning point seems to have come in a series in Texas at the beginning of June, when the high winds and hot temperatures helped both teams propel balls out of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington . Since the first game of that series, in which the Tribe scored 35 runs in three games, Cleveland has averaged 5.08 runs a game in 36 games. That's up from 4.03 average in the first 56 games of the year.

While the Texas series seems to be the jumping off point for the offense, some folks point to the insertion of Peralta into the clean-up spot as the a catalyst. But that doesn't seem to have been the difference, at least for the team overall. The Tribe is averaging 4.9 runs a game in the 17 games since Peralta was put into the No. 4 hole, virtually the same as their output since that memorable series in Texas.

The change has done Peralta a world of good though. He's hit an even .300 in those 17 games, with four homers, 11 runs scored and 14 RBIs.

To me, the key to the Tribe's offensive surge-ette has been the decision to correct two serious mistakes.

Hafner last appeared in a game on May 25, and Martinez on June 11 - both roughly around the time the offense started to pick up. It seems clear to me that the long-overdue decisions to put two hurting and hampered players on the DL instead of the middle of the lineup has made all the difference.

How can a team expect to score runs with their No. 3 hitter (Martinez: hamstring and elbow surgery) and No. 4 hitter (Hafner: shoulder) unable to swing a bat anywhere close to normal and making weak outs in the middle of the order? Of all the mistakes the Tribe deep thinkers have made this year, allowing these two to try to play through debilitating injuries was the biggest.

Other reasons for the offensive brownout in the first half include:

- The regression of Garko who at .237 is hitting nearly 40 points below his lifetime average

- The utter failure of Gutierrez, who is hitting only .215 with three homers and is now riding the bench

- The failure of the David Dellucci/Jason Michaels platoon (Dellucci .226; Michaels DFA'd)

- Literally no contribution from Asdrubal Cabrera (hit .184 before being sent to Buffalo in June)

On the other side of the ledger, the brights spot in the first-half were:

- Blake, who has hit so well in the clutch that he has 51 RBI on only 82 hits

- Sizemore - has 21 SB's and a league-leading 22 homers, making a 30-30 season very likely

- Francisco - .288, 8 HRs, 34 RBIs and 816 OPS

Kelly Shoppach is not exactly ripping it up, but he is hitting about .250 with a little bit power in his first full-time role, which are typical starting-catcher numbers.

Peralta, another Tribesman tearing it up heading into the break, is having his typical season overall - spurts of greatness and periods where he looks like he's never grabbed a bat in his life. That usually amounts to roughly 20 homers a year and a .260-or-so average. That seems to be where he is heading this year as well, with his .257 average and 15 dingers at the break.

Carroll is at .267, has taken over as the starter at 2B and plays an intelligent game. He's able to bunt, move a runner and slap a single when you need it, which is just what you want in the No. 2 hole.

While the offense seems to be hitting its stride as the teams take a three-day break, it's hard to say what to expect the rest of the way

Were Hafner's hitting woes a result of his shoulder injury, as seems likely? Or were they just a continuation of the deterioration that Pronk had started to show throughout most of last season? Will we even see Hafner - whose shoulder is at about 50% - again in '08.

Will Victor get his power back with his elbow repaired and his hammy rested? He didn't hit a single homer prior to his injury.

The team's second- and third-highest RBI men, Blake (51) and Peralta (45), are also the most-often-mentioned players in trade rumors, with the deadline looming.

Cabrera - now ripping up Triple-A - is likely to come back up in the second half. Will he resemble the confident, competent creative hitter of last year or the early-season disaster we saw this year?

Will we see the newly acquired Matt LaPorta? What can we expect from him given he's never played above Double-A and has the weight of fan expectations on his shoulders as the key piece in the CC Sabathia trade?

Unfortunately the answers to those questions won't matter much for the rest of this season. But they will make a big difference in the planning for '09, as the Tribe and its fans wait - once again - for next year.

(note to nit-pickers: The stats in this article are through Friday night's games and do not include Saturday or Sunday due to edit time requirements .)

Indians, Clippers. Clippers, Indians.

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:24:17 -0500

While Rock (remember him?) broke the ice on this one not too long ago, it appears that the speculation has come true. Per the Columbus Dispatch, the Cleveland Indians will officially have their Triple-A affiliate located within the state of Ohio in the form of the Columbus Clippers - formerly the affiliate of the Washington Nationals...

Indians, Clippers. Clippers, Indians.

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:24:16 -0500

Indians, Clippers. Clippers, Indians.

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:24:10 -0500