The good news is the Cleveland Indians made a deal with the Chicago Cubs for an outfielder.

The bad news is that it isn’t Reed Johnson.

Instead, the Tribe picked up Kosuke Fukudome for two minor leaguers, reportedly toolsy Kinston OF Abner Abreu and Columbus relief pitcher Carlton Smith.

Fukudome is 34, and hits left-handed, and he can get on base.  He has a lifetime .369 on base percentage.

However, he has little pop in his bat, with a .369 slugging percentage this year and a lifetime .403 mark.

He does hit lefties as well as righties, but hasn’t hit well away from Wrigley Field, batting just .214 with no home runs and 593 OPS. 

If the former Cubs is viewed as an alternative to Austin Kearns, Travis Buck, or Ezequiel Carrera, then it is a decent move. 

That’s not much of a standard though.

Seriously, Fukudome should be able to help because he gets on base.  It would make sense for skipper Manny Acta to put him in the leadoff spot or the #2 hole (behind Michael Brantley) in the batting order and drop Carrera to the ninth spot in the order. 

Buck was designated for assignment to make room for the former Cub.

Hopefully, there are more moves to come, because this one will have little impact in the grand scheme of things.

MW

Early in the season, Angels’ right-hander Dan Haren pitched a one hitter against the Cleveland Indians. 

Today, his teammate, Ervin Santana did him better by throwing a no-hitter against the Tribe to win the series, two games to one.

In a crucial homestand, with a trip to Boston and Texas coming up next week, the Indians have started out 1-4, scoring seven runs in the five games combined.

And don’t blame the pitching.  Cleveland pitchers gave up just seven runs in the three game series, and still got pinned with two losses.

What is just as disturbing about the series finale is the five errors made by Cleveland, giving them a weird line score of 1-0-5.  Don’t see that very often.

And the errors were made by veteran players, save for Lonnie Chisenhall’s miscue early in the game. 

The Indians didn’t make Santana work very hard in the game, as he threw just 104 pitches. 

David Huff took the loss in this one, but his defense didn’t help him as one of the runs he allowed was the result of a passed ball by Carlos Santana, and he had to throw several extra pitches in the fourth inning when he had to record five outs.

Let’s face it, the Cleveland Indians aren’t a very good baseball team.  Their hot streak lasted 45 games (30-15), and they’ve played 57 games since then going 22-35 during that span.  They’ve been bad longer than they were good.

Still, a quick check of the standings shows the Tribe just two games out of first place with 60 games to go.  They are in the race and the front office should be buyers instead of sellers, without a doubt.

Outside of Asdrubal Cabrera, Michael Brantley, and Travis Hafner, there are no consistent offensive threats.  Chisenhall has improved the offense at third base slightly, and the hope is that Jason Kipnis will do the same at 2B. 

Carlos Santana is too streaky at this point, but still would have to be considered on the plus side, since his OPS is second among all American League catchers. 

And despite commenting about the strikeouts when hitting coach Jon Nunnally was let go, Cleveland now leads the AL in failing to make contact at the plate. 

That’s why scoring runs is still akin to pulling teeth for this team.  They can’t play “action baseball” because they whiff so often.  Santana had 10 punchouts today. 

When people get hopeful about getting a B. J. Upton or Colby Rasmus (traded to Toronto today), they don’t understand this team needs someone who makes contact on a regular basis, not another guy who strikes out a lot, which both of those guys do.

Conversely, the pitching staff, which by the way is not among the top half of the AL in ERA (currently 9th), is second last in the league in striking out opponents.  That’s why GM Chris Antonetti is also looking at adding a pitcher. 

FYI:  Detroit has a staff ERA almost a quarter of a run higher than the Tribe.  And that’s with Justin Verlander.

So, what should this team do?

They are close so they should take a shot and try to improve the team as much as they can, but with an eye on the future as well. 

It’s not easy to do, but after today’s game, let’s face it.  There is nowhere to go but up.

KM

 

 

There hasn’t been a lot of football to write about since the NFL draft occurred in April.  We try to stay with on the field stuff for the most part, and with the lockout being in place, that means no football to discuss.

But the billionaires that run the sport finally settled with the players, and training camps will open this weekend.

The days leading up to those opening will be filled with a flurry of player movement, as teams can start signing their own free agents today, and can start talking to both undrafted free agents and veteran free agents in the next day or two.

The Browns aren’t expected to be major players, but should look to improve the defense through this process.

Cleveland’s front seven is very thin, especially with the switch to a 4-3 alignment by new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron. 

Yes, GM Tom Heckert’s first two draft picks this year were defensive linemen in DT Phil Taylor and DE Jabaal Sheard, but the only veteran certain of a spot is Ahtyba Rubin.  It is doubtful that the Browns want to go into the regular season starting two rookies on the defensive line.

At linebacker, the Browns are projecting D’Qwell Jackson as a starter, the same Jackson that has missed most of the last two seasons with a pectoral injury.  Plus, another starter, Scott Fujita was injured last season too, and when he was out, the defense dropped off noticeably. 

Heckert has to be looking to add some depth to the front seven, because right now, Cleveland is awfully thin in that area.

There are questions in the secondary too, although at least two starters are in place in CB Joe Haden and S T.J. Ward.  Veteran Sheldon Brown will probably start somewhere, either at corner or moving to free safety.  So, there is one spot open.

It doesn’t seem likely that the front office will re-sign S Abe Elam, a holdover from the Mangini days, although Elam did pick up his play in the second half of last season.

Also, the Browns have a decision to make on CB Eric Wright, who suffered through a dismal season in 2010.  Look for the team to keep Wright and hope he rebounds from an off-season.

On offense, don’t look for too much action from Heckert.  He may look for an experience offensive lineman, since OT Tony Pashos has been injury prone the last few years, and they don’t want to count too heavily on rookie Jason Pinkston.  Remember that Shawn Lauvao, a rookie last year, probably would have started had he not been injured just prior to the season opener.

As for the position most fans fixate on, wide receiver, don’t look for any signings.  Once again, the Browns coaching staff and personnel people believe the current crew will be fine once they start to play in a professional passing game.

Everyone in Berea is high on second year wideout Carlton Mitchell, who barely touched the field last season for whatever reason.  Also, remember that Cleveland also used a second round pick on WR Greg Little, a big physical guy who can run after the catch.

The Browns may be active in the trade market, dealing some veterans who were favored by the previous regime for more draft picks in 2012.  It is apparent that Mike Holmgren and Heckert like to build through the draft and more picks mean more maneuverability.

Despite all the changes, it’s time for the Cleveland Browns to start winning football games.  A 5-11 or 6-10 record should not be acceptable.  The results have to start showing in the win column.

JD

A few weeks ago, we talked about how this was Indians’ skipper Manny Acta’s first foray in a pennant race.  He had been managing in the obscurity of bottom tiered teams during his career, and suddenly, he is involved a race to make the playoffs.

For the first time, all of his moves will be viewed with greater observation.

The biggest dilemma he has is at second base, where he has been playing veteran Orlando Cabrera most of the year. 

Acta will tell you how much leadership Cabrera has brought to a young team, and how he is 5th on the ballclub in RBI’s with 38. 

There is no doubt about the former and the latter statistic is a fact.

However, the Indians have brought up one of the prize plums of their farm system in 2B Jason Kipnis, and the Tribe ranks near the bottom in the American League in offensive production at the position.

Since the first of May, Cabrera has hit just .228 with 2 HR and 28 runs knocked in.  For the season, his OPS is 596, which is dismal no matter how you cut it. 

Yes, the veteran ranks high on the team in RBI, but he’s hitting just .230 with a 495 OPS with men in scoring position.  And his lack of production is compounded by the manager placing him sixth in the batting order, behind a bunch of guys who get on base often.  If you bat enough with guys on base, you’ll eventually knock a few in.

With Kipnis on the big league roster, he has to play almost every day.  It’s very difficult for a young player to come up and play one day, sit the next, play again.  They don’t get into a rhythm.  It’s very different from anything they’ve done throughout their minor league career. 

Ask Cord Phelps.  That’s the way he was used and he ultimately failed in his first go at the big league level.

If Cabrera is such a leader, and a great guy in the clubhouse, then he should know that diminished playing time is better for the team.  There were reports that he did a lot of griping when Phelps was brought up.  If that’s the case, then that’s not being a leader.

Most baseball writers have said using Kipnis at second is an automatic upgrade over what the Indians were getting offensively out of the position.  And they don’t mean Luis Valbuena.

And Cabrera is average to below average in terms of range at second, so it’s not like he’s going to win a Gold Glove.

Kipnis received the start in his first game in the bigs, but won’t play in game two because Cabrera is back in the lineup, mostly because he’s hitting .333  lifetime against White Sox starter Edwin Jackson.  However, that’s the past.  Right now, OC isn’t really hitting anyone.  And once again, Kipnis needs to play every day.

There is no question that Orlando Cabrera has meant a lot to the 2011 Cleveland Indians.  He’s been a mentor to Asdrubal Cabrera, who has responded with an MVP type season.  He’s also brought a winning attitude to the team, fostered from his consistent appearances in the post-season. 

Manny Acta has to make the best decision to win games.  And with a struggling offense lately, the best decision is to play Jason Kipnis everyday.  We need to find out if indeed he can contribute with the bat.

MW

Unless you are a baseball team located in a large market, the farm system has to be the life blood of your organization. 

Being able to scout, draft, and sign amateur players and then nurture them into major leaguers allows smaller market teams to be able to compete. 

Heck, the main reason the Cleveland Indians have produced just two good teams from 2002-2010 is because of the poor success they’ve had in developing players.  How many first round draft picks until Lonnie Chisenhall in 2009 are contributing in the major leagues?

Since C.C. Sabathia was picked in 1998, the only first rounders that made the major leagues were Jeremy Guthrie, Michael Aubrey, Brad Snyder, Jeremy Sowers, and Trevor Crowe.  None of those players are anything close to being all-star types.

Over the last three seasons, the farm system has been slowly built into one of the game’s better ones.  They don’t have a lot of potential superstar coming up through the ranks, but they are considered to have many major league caliber players at various levels.

After years of a farm system drought, there is finally rain on the horizon.  Players such as Chisenhall, Jason Kipnis, Adam White, Drew Pomerantz, Cord Phelps, Chun Chen, Zach Putnam, Josh Judy, and others at Kinston and Lake County have given the Tribe depth in the organization.

That’s why it is strange to hear many fans saying the Indians should deal a prime prospect for a hitter or pitcher who might wear a Cleveland uniform for two months.

It just doesn’t make any sense.

Do the Indians need to improve their big league roster?  Of course, particularly if they have designs on making the playoffs this season, which they have a legitimate chance to do.

But you can’t start dealing players who should be everyday players or big league rotation starters in a year or two.  That’s why Chisenhall, Kipnis, White, and Pomerantz have to be considered off-limits.

There isn’t any question that most scouts consider these four players to be big league ready for next season.  Chisenhall is already with the big club, and a lot of people think Kipnis should be in Cleveland. 

White already made a handful of starts for the Tribe before spraining a finger on his pitching hand, but showed he can handle getting major league hitters out.  And Pomerantz was just moved to Akron, following the same path as White in his first year of professional baseball. 

If he continues that path, he’ll be in Cleveland next season.

Large market teams can afford to trade high prospects because they can always fill a hole on their major league roster by signing free agents.  Organizations like the Indians cannot do that.  They have to fill holes within, or get very lucky that a lower tier free agent makes a quantum leap. 

That usually doesn’t happen.

Should the Indians dip into their rich system to get a player who can help them in the stretch drive?  Of course.  Dealing a player like Phelps, who really is blocked by Kipnis, seems to make sense.

In addition, the Tribe has a lot of serviceable arms at Columbus that a rebuilding team might be interested in.  Think about hurlers such as Jeanmar Gomez, Zach McAllister, and David Huff. 

Also, there are some live arms at the Class A level, and swapping one of those guys for a useful big league part this year isn’t a huge gamble because those guys may need two or three more years of seasoning. 

GM Chris Antonetti understands this.  He knows the farm system is of major importance for a franchise like the Indians. 

Trading one of the team’s elite prospect for a rent-a-player would be foolhardy.  Even dealing for a guy who won’t be a free agent for two years doesn’t make sense. 

The elite prospects could be here for six years, not two.

Plus, there is no guarantee that a player like Carlos Beltran or Hunter Pence puts the Indians in the playoffs anyway.  It’s a gamble not worth the risk.

KM

The Cleveland Indians continue to be a resilient bunch. 

After a disappointing weekend in Baltimore, losing the last two games to the Orioles after winning the first two, the Tribe went into Minnesota on Monday and swept a day-night doubleheader from the Twins, and now lead the AL Central by one game over Detroit.

This was after getting the news that Grady Sizemore once again injured his right knee and had to be put on the 15 day disabled list.  Sizemore joins Shin-Soo Choo and Alex White among key Indians currently on the shelf.

Yet, the team continues to win, coming up with big victories just when you think the season in starting to come apart at the seams.

Yesterday’s unlikely hero was left-hander David Huff. 

Huff was terrible last season, going 2-11 after winning 11 games as a rookie in 2009.  In spring training, it seemed like Huff would pitch well once around the batting order, but then follow that up by giving up a big inning and taking his team out of the game.

But there he was, throwing seven shutout frames in a big game on the road, in a place where the Indians won just once in the past calendar year. 

He even earned a spot on the big league roster.  Huff was expected to make a spot start only, but his performance, coupled with a poor outing from Jeanmar Gomez on Sunday, forced the front office to keep the southpaw and send Gomez back to Columbus.

Another key contributor in the sweep was CF Ezequiel Carrera, who contributed an RBI single in the first game, and stole two bases in the twinbill.  Carrera was picked up from the place which seemingly is part of the Cleveland farm system, Seattle, in exchange for Russell Branyan. 

You can add Carrera, a great defensive outfielder, to Choo and Asdrubal Cabrera as players picked up from the Mariners for marginal major league players.  He’s probably a fourth outfielder in the long run, but he has great speed and makes contact.  If the Indians want to stay in the race, they can’t rely on Carrera to replace Sizemore.

Still, if I’m the Seattle owner, I’m telling my GM not to accept any calls from Cleveland.

And as for Asdrubal Cabrera, he continues to show that he is a candidate for league MVP if the Tribe can stay in contention. 

The switch-hitting SS is now hitting .290 with 17 HR and 59 RBI’s while making a daily highlight reel defensively as the key defensive position on the field.  Cabrera ranks in the top ten in the AL in hits and extra base hits, and should get consideration for his first gold glove at the end of the season.

He continues to put up numbers and Cleveland remains in the playoff hunt, he’s going to garner a lot of MVP support. 

One player overlooked though is catcher Carlos Santana, who’s been a fixture in the middle of the lineup all year, but gets ignored because of his low batting average, hovering around .230. 

However, Santana is on pace to hit around 25 homers, knock in 80 runs, and still has an on base percentage of over .360 because he’s in the top five of the league in walks. 

Recently, his power numbers have been increasing.

The Indians have now won 51 games this season, about a month ahead of where they were at this point last season.  They done it despite missing Choo, Hafner, Sizemore for significant chunks of the season, and with off years from Fausto Carmona, Choo, and Sizemore.

A different guy is the hero seemingly every night.  The constants are Asdrubal and Michael Brantley (another guy quietly putting together a solid season), but there usually is another guy every night.

The outstanding work from the bullpen and solid work of the starters figure in here too, no doubt about that.

Who will emerge during the last two and a half months of the season?

MW

The all-star break is over, and quickly, the Cleveland Indians have jumped back into first place in the AL Central Division with a pair of wins over the Orioles, and now have a one game lead over Detroit.

The positioning of these two teams will change almost daily for a while, so fans shouldn’t get too excited by day-to-day alterations by either team, and you can probably add in the White Sox and Twins as well.

However, it is still better to be in first place than not in first place. 

Also, this is a critical stretch of games for the Twins, with three against the Royals and four with the Tribe at home over the next week.  If Minnesota doesn’t win its share of these contests, they just may have to change their thought process and be sellers rather than buyers at the July 31st trade deadline.

That brings us back to what the Indians’ front office will do over the next two weeks. 

We have been adamant that the Tribe needs to upgrade its bench, first and foremost, because they do not have alternatives to give players a day off here and there, and also because of the hope that Shin-Soo Choo will be back sometime in August.

To improve the roster, GM Chris Antonetti needs to get guys who have been productive coming off the pines.  That’s why players like Reed Johnson of the Cubs, and Josh Willingham of the A’s seem to be good fits. 

Both players can figure into platoon situations with Travis Buck in right field, or as guys who can pinch hit for say a Lonnie Chisenhall against a situational lefty late in a game. 

The fact that neither would require dealing a prime prospect is a good thing as well.

The team you have to worry about making a big splash is Detroit.  They are looking to add a big-ticket player at the deadline, such as Dodgers’ RHP Hiroki Kuroda or Mets’ OF Carlos Beltran.  Getting either would be a huge lift for a team which needs depth in its starting rotation after Justin Verlander, and more pop in the lineup after Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez.

If the Tigers get either or both players, it will be tough to be in the Tribe front office and a fan of the team as well.

The problem for Detroit is their farm system is not as deep as Cleveland’s, which means other teams won’t be all that interested in who the Tigers may be willing to give up.

Besides the farm system, the Indians other area of strength is the bullpen. 

It has been invaluable to the team all season long, but remember there are options in the minor leagues as well. 

We’ve already seen Josh Judy a couple of time this year, and he has performed well at Columbus (3-2, 2.91 ERA and 13 saves, 43 K’s in 34-1/3 innings), but don’t forget Chen Lee, another righty who has pitched at both Akron and Columbus and has been very effective at both places (3-1, 2.05 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 48-1/3 innings).

If Antonetti would include one of his lefties in a deal, Cleveland has LHP Nick Hagadone (5-2, 2.87 ERA. 49 whiffs in 47 innings combined at AA and AAA) ready to step in.

Hagadone is a power lefty, getting it up there in the mid-nineties, and came over in the Martinez deal in 2009.

Look for the Indians to make some sort of move because they have to, both to improve the squad, and also to let the fans know they are serious about making the post-season.

If they don’t the anti-Dolan parade will resume around Progressive Field.

MW

Baseball’s second half of the season starts tomorrow night with the Indians in Baltimore to begin a four game series. 

Trailing the first place Tigers by just a half game, there is no question this team is in a race for a division title and a trip to the playoffs. 

What, if anything, will the Indians do to stay in contention?

First, GM Chris Antonetti will not trade any of the Tribe’s top prospects.  That means do not look for any trades involving Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall, Alex White, and Drew Pomerantz.

There certainly isn’t anyone out there, that another team is willing to deal, that is worth giving up players regarded as cornerstone guys for the next few years.

The players who have contracts that end this year are rental players, they more than likely will not be here at the beginning of the 2012 season, so you may be able to get them for some lower ranked prospects.

Think someone currently playing at the Class A level.

If you don’t think that’s true, check what Milwaukee gave up to get Francisco Rodriguez from the Mets.  Two players to be named later, neither of which are expected to be prime prospects.

In the past few days, Indians’ president Mark Shapiro said there isn’t an existing contract out there that the Tribe couldn’t handle for two months.

If that’s true, and there’s no reason to think it isn’t, then the guy to go after is Mets’ OF Carlos Beltran. 

Beltran’s massive contract ends this season, so he will be highly motivated to play well down the stretch. 

He’s already having an excellent season, making the National League all-star team, batting .285 with 13 HR and 58 RBI and an 880 OPS.  He leads the NL in doubles with 28.

He’s also a switch-hitter and can play either right or left field. 

With the Mets’ financial situation, they would be happy to not have to pay the balance of Beltran’s contract for two months. 

Also, remember that the Cleveland farm system is considered very deep by most baseball experts.  Not a lot of superstar type players, but many good major leaguers. 

Even though he didn’t play well with the Indians during his brief time here, but Cord Phelps would be very desirable by other organizations.

A more likely scenario would be trading for a lesser known, lower profile right-handed hitter, giving up a low grade prospect in return.

Players who fit that description would be Cubs’ OF Reed Johnson (.328, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 922 OPS), A’s OF Josh Willingham (.241, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 736 OPS), and A’s 1B/OF Conor Jackson (.243, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 636 OPS).

All of those players have track records for their career of hitting left-handed pitchers, which is a big need for the Indians.

Players like Astros’ OF Hunter Pence, who won’t be a free agent until 2014, are probably not on the Tribe’s radar because he’s eligible for arbitration now, and Cleveland would have to address the free agent issue after next season.

Plus, a player like that would command one of the prime Indian prospects.

However, keep an eye on Houston for some sort of transaction, because remember, the first baseman at Class AA Akron is former first round draft pick, Beau Mills, whose father happens to manage the Astros.

The Indians will add to the roster before the July 31st trading deadline, just don’t look for deals for the high ticket available players.  The cost for those guys would be too high for an organization who believes in player development, first and foremost.

KM

When Manny Acta was named the new manager of the Cleveland Indians following the 2009 season, there were critics citing Acta’s record as a big league skipper. 

He had piloted the Washington Nationals for 2-1/2 years, compiling a .385 winning percentage, with his best record being his first season at the helm, a 73-89 mark in 2007. 

Add in his 69 win season in his first year with the Tribe last season, and it’s not a pretty picture.

This is not to say Acta is a poor manager, in fact, he’s done a tremendous job keeping the Indians in the divisional hunt in 2011, considering all of the injuries, and poor production from players counted on to have good seasons. 

Right now, he has a lineup that includes an outfield that is offensively challenged.  Michael Brantley is the only consistent fixture in that area, and even he has been slumping as of late.  Grady Sizemore is hitting under .200 since coming off the disabled list and is striking out at an alarming rate, and right field is a choice between the oft-injured Travis Buck and the oft-out making Austin Kearns.

Many national baseball writers have said Acta deserves to be the AL Manager of the Year for his work with the Indians this season.

However, Acta’ s past records should remind you that this is his first time as the manager of a baseball team in a pennant race. 

Fans shouldn’t be worried strategy wise, because the skipper is going to stay true to the ideals and game plan he has gone with all season long in terms of the use of his pitching staff, the bunt, etc.

It will be interesting to see how Acta handles players who are not producing, because although patience is a virtue, it can kill you in a pennant race. 

When your team is languishing in fourth or fifth place, it’s seems it would be easy to keep good people, guys who matter in the clubhouse, on the roster because they have a professional attitude, they play hard every day, they set a good example for younger players with their work ethic. 

When you have to win every night, sometimes you need guys who will come up and get a big hit when needed, who can make a contribution with a big hit when called upon. 

Going into the all-star break, Acta and GM Chris Antonetti have some tough decisions to make.  The three game losing streak to end the first half of the year was a reminder that the Indians need help, and that the roster needs to be upgraded.

They will have difficult decisions regarding a spot in the starting rotation and the bench, which right now is filled with players who are struggling offensively.  Some of those guys may be great clubhouse guys, but if they can’t produce at the plate or in the field, they have to be replaced. 

It’s cruel, yes, but professional sports is a cruel entity. 

It may be tough in the locker room as well, but players know who is helping them and who isn’t.  Don’t let anyone tell you differently. 

In 2007, GM Mark Shapiro made a tough decision in late summer and brought up young infielder Asdrubal Cabrera to replace Josh Barfield at second base.  That worked out quite nicely, didn’t it.

This isn’t to say Manny Acta isn’t capable of making decisions like that, it is to point out that he’s never had to do it before.  His willingness to do so could play a large role in whether or not the Cleveland Indians can stay in AL Central Division race.

MW

The All-Star break will take place after tomorrow afternoon’s games and it’s a good time for organizations to evaluate their rosters. 

The Cleveland Indians are no exception. 

The trade deadline will be here at the end of the month, so don’t expect any real activity until the week before July 31st.

However, teams can make internal moves, and that’s where Tribe GM Chris Antonetti may be active, because he has a very weak link in his starting rotation.

That would be Mitch Talbot, who for the most part has been getting hit hard every fifth day when it is his turn to pitch. 

That’s not a big surprise, because Talbot was considered shaky coming into the season. 

Although Talbot won 10 games last season (10-13 with  4.41 ERA), it was horribly weighted.  The righty was 5-3 with an ERA under 3.00 in April and September, the two months when baseball people tend to discount statistics.

The rest of the year he was 5-10 with an ERA over 5.00. 

That means that in nine months of big league pitching, Mitch Talbot has given the Indians two real good months, and seven mediocre ones. 

For a team in a race for a division title, that’s simply not good enough.  Especially when there seem to be better alternatives at Columbus. 

First, you have right-hander Jeanmar Gomez, who is 9-3 with a 2.59 ERA.  Gomez has stepped it up after being demoted to AAA earlier this season.  He has strikeouts and just 29 walks in 94 innings of work.

He would appear to be the frontrunner to replace Talbot if the organization makes a move with the rotation.

Zach McAllister would be another candidate with an 8-3 mark and a 2.97 ERA.  McAllister made his big league debut this week against Toronto, allowing three runs in four innings.  He may have been victimized a bit by home plate umpire Dana DeMuth’s moving strike zone.

A third candidate would be lefty David Huff, who is 8-2 with a 3.84 ERA.  Remember that Huff won 10 games at the big league level in 2009 with the Tribe.

Huff has been working on a cut fastball, and since he started using the pitch, his numbers have been better than his season stats.

He would bring a southpaw to the rotation, which the Indians currently do not have. 

A dark horse candidate would be another lefty, Scott Barnes.  Barnes is 7-3 with a 3.61 ERA and has 85 strikeouts in 82 innings.  He doesn’t have any prior big league experience though.

He did pitch in the Arizona Fall League last year, and came to the Tribe from the Giants for Ryan Garko.  Another case of the Indians getting a good prospect in a trade for a marginal veteran.

Based on the way Talbot has pitched recently, all of these guys would be able to keep the Tribe in games at the very least.  Something Talbot hasn’t been able to do as of late.

The Indians need to continue to win to stay in this thing, and guys who can pitch six solid innings every fifth day are gold, particularly with the team’s bullpen.

And lately, that bullpen is showing signs of wear.  Counting last Saturday, when Fausto Carmona left after two innings with an injury, Cleveland starters have failed to go five innings in four of their last seven game.

That’s taking a toll on some people, such as Tony Sipp and Vinnie Pestano.

It will be interesting to see if the Tribe starting rotation will have a different look when the season starts up again Thursday in Baltimore. 

The bet here says it will.

MW