The Cleveland Indians have figured out a way to combat the hitting slump that has plagued the ball club all season long, they just don’t let their opponents score. If the other team doesn’t score, you can’t lose. At least that’s what it seemed like on the home stand that concluded yesterday with a 4-2 victory over the Oakland A’s. The Tribe starting pitching allowed just one earned run on the seven game set at Progressive Field, confirming that the hurlers are indeed the foundation of this team.
Now that C.C. Sabathia has overcome the mechanical problems or tipping his pitches, or whatever was ailing him early in the year, the starters are reaching the dominant level. Cliff Lee has put up unworldly numbers in his seven starts. Fausto Carmona is still walking too many hitters, but is keeping his club in every game he starts, and his ERA remains under 3.00. Paul Byrd has provided six or seven good innings most nights, and Aaron Laffey has stepped in for the injured Jake Westbrook and had an ERA under 2.00 in his four starts.
The question that has risen recently is do you deal some pitching to get a bat, which would help the offense? ESPN’s Buster Olney has reported a rumor where the Tribe would send Laffey and Jhonny Peralta to Colorado for 3B Garret Atkins. Remember, the Indians have a situation where they may have to replace 40% of their starting rotation after the season with the impending free agency of Sabathia and Byrd. Can Mark Shapiro afford to trade one of his young pitching prospects?
Beyond Laffey, the cupboard is not bare for the Indians. Jeremy Sowers has pitched well at Buffalo, and will get a spot start (showcase?) tonight against Cincinnati. Adam Miller, a seeming perpetual prospect, has recovered from a blister problem in spring training, and has put together several very good outings in Class AAA. His velocity is said to be in the mid-nineties on his fastball. At Akron, former first round pick David Huff has followed up a strong Arizona Fall League performance with an ERA hovering around 2.00 thus far, and another lefty, Chuck Lofgren, a top ten prospect for the Tribe, has recovered from a slow start, and has done well his last couple of outings. So, there are options on the farm.
It says here that Shapiro doesn’t want to include Laffey in the deal. If the Rockies would settle on Sowers instead, talks could move quickly. What is odd is that the Rockies would want Peralta. They just signed Troy Tulowitzki to a long-term deal, and although he is out until the All Star break, he was the complete package at SS for them last year. Unless they plan to move Peralta to 2B or 3B, I’m not sure where he fits. Second base is a position of weakness for Colorado, so perhaps they are asking about Josh Barfield’s availability?
Atkins is 28 years old and has some pop in his bat. His numbers have to be viewed with a jaundiced eye since he plays in Colorado, but he did belt 15 HR’s on the road last year. His batting average is more impacted at home, as he hit almost .350 at home in 2007, compared to .258 on the road. Overall, he’s a .300 lifetime hitter and has knocked in over 100 runs the past two seasons. He would be the right-handed power bat the Tribe desperately needs. If the Tribe gets him, where Casey Blake and Andy Marte fit in is anyone’s guess. The best guess is Blake becomes a utility man and Marte is designated for assignment.
Interleague play is starting tonight (insert yawn here) with a three game set against the Reds. The first place Tribe needs to keep winning series, and it would be nice to score more than four runs a game every night for a while. Keep an eye on Sowers tonight; he could be the bait that brings the Indians a hitter very soon.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 