The Tribe ended their west coast trip at 3-3, losing the series to the Los Angeles Angels despite getting well-pitched games in two of the three contests.  Still, the way the Indians have played on the road this year, a .500 trip should be considered a success.  The ballclub returns home for three with the Twins over the weekend, featuring the return of Fausto Carmona, and then four more with the Tigers, the last game being played the same day as the trading deadline.  Here are thoughts on the Angels series:

Eric Wedge and Carl Willis should shoulder part of the blame for the 14-11 loss in the rubber game of the series.  After losing a pair of two run leads (2-0 and 4-2), there is no way Aaron Laffey should have been sent out there again once Cleveland took a 6-5 advantage.  The bullpen was rested and there was an off day on Thursday.  The skipper could have put Tom Mastny out there to start the inning, or even Jensen Lewis, and tried to get them through the sixth.  If they held the lead, the Tribe still had Edward Mujica and Masa Kobayashi to finish up.

I understand the staff is trying to find out about some young guys, but it doesn’t hurt anyone to try and win a game while you are doing it.  Laffey had allowed eight hits in four innings, and clearly didn’t have it.  He had already blown two leads, and if I were managing there would have been no way he would have had a chance to blow a third.  Bringing Mastny in with the bases loaded also was unfair to the young reliever, particularly since he hadn’t pitched since July 13^th. 

Going back to looking at young guys, if this is true, then how come the manager pinch-hits for Andy Marte at pretty much every clutch situation?  I understand the young 3B has just 4 RBI’s on the season, and has struggled with men in scoring position, but any time he comes up in a last game situation with men on base, Wedge goes to the bench.  He can’t have it both ways, if the management wants to take a look at the young guys, then Marte needs to bat in clutch opportunities.

On the positive note, in the first two games of the series, the pitching was very good.  Paul Byrd raised his trade value by allowing just one run in 5-1/3 innings, and more importantly kept the ball in the park.  He could be an attractive piece for a National League contender looking for back of the rotation help.  Matt Ginter also threw well, allowing three runs in six innings.  It will be very hard to send the veteran back after the two outings he’s had for the Tribe.  At the very least, he’s kept his team in the game in both starts, which is better than Laffey and Sowers.  However, the management needs to make judgments on these two southpaws.

The situational hitting continues to be a problem.  The Indians have to lead the league in having a man on third with no one out, and not getting him in.  It happened again on Wednesday afternoon.  Either the hitters are too anxious and swing at a borderline first pitch, or they are too patient and get themselves into a hole.  Contrast that to the Angels’ hitters, who many times swung at the first pitch and hit the ground ball to the right side to move a runner.  Part of the Tribe’s problem is too many hitters are prone to the strikeout.

The next ten games are against Central Division contenders, Minnesota and Detroit.  The big things to look at this weekend are Cliff Lee going for win #14, and of course, the return of Carmona to the rotation.  His return may help stabilize the starting staff a little bit.

MW

The Cleveland Indians didn’t deal with last year’s success very well, and now it’s the Cleveland Browns turn.  The Brownies narrowly missed the playoffs last season with a 10-6 record, and now many experts are projecting the brown and orange to get to the post-season for the first time since 2002.  Expectations are high in our city.  Fans expect this football team to have a very good season.  Training camp starts today so let the hype machine begin.

Last year, the Cleveland defense had a problem stopping the run.  So, GM Phil Savage went out and traded for defensive linemen Corey Williams from Green Bay and Shaun Rogers from Detroit to shore up the area.  He gave up cornerback Leigh Bodden and draft picks to get them, and Savage’s aggressiveness is just one more reason for football fans in Northeast Ohio to be excited.  Savage seems to understand that Browns’ fans are tired of waiting for a contender, and last season’s near miss just heightened their anticipation.

There is no question that the improvement of the defense is the key to a winning season.  Early last season, the unit was abysmal, but got better as the year went on.  Fortunately, the offense put up points at a rapid rate, and the Browns stole some victories.  If this year’s defense, under new coordinator Mel Tucker, can move into the top half of the league’s rankings, it should be a fun fall and winter down at the lakefront. 

While the line is stronger due to Savage’s acquisitions, the secondary, particularly at cornerback appears shaky.  With the trade of Bodden and the season ending injury to Davin Holly, the starters are second year men Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald.  There isn’t much depth either with veteran Terry Cousins as the nickel corner, and the fourth cornerback spot is very much up for grabs.  However, the improvement up front could lessen the load on these guys.

The offense should still put up points if guys like Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Jamal Lewis remain healthy.  Derek Anderson gets more support nationally than he does in Cleveland, but why shouldn’t he be better with a year’s experience under his belt.  And, of course, Brady Quinn is here, meaning Romeo Crennel has a good option as a back up should Anderson be a one-hit wonder.  The depth at wide receiver with Joe Jurevicius hurt, and at running back behind Lewis could be problematic, and is something to watch in the exhibition (read: pre-season) games.

It’s been a long time since Cleveland can feel good about its football team.  Let’s hope the Brownies have a little bit more luck than the Indians is carrying things over from last year.

JD

The Cleveland Indians came out of the All-Star break with a thud, but rebounded to take two of three in Seattle against the Mariners, who are the only team in the AL with a worse record than the Tribe.  The win on Saturday broke a 10 game road losing streak, and it was the team’s first road series win since beating the Dodgers just about a month ago.  Still, it was better than losing a series to the woeful Mariners.  Now, it’s on to Anaheim to take on the team with the best record in the American League, the Angels.

Cliff Lee continued his tremendous season yesterday, throwing a complete game in a 6-2 Indian victory.  The lefty is now 13-2 with a 2.29 ERA on the season.  It is amazing to me how many people talk about dealing Lee for more prospects.  Yes, he is having a career season.  However, it’s not like Lee is a stiff who is having the first good season of his career.  Remember, Lee won 18 games in 2005, and 14 games in 2004 and 2006.  He finished in the top five in the AL Cy Young Award voting in ’05, and may win the honor this year.  If you look at his statistics, it’s pretty clear that last season’s horrible record was the aberration, not this season.

Asdrubal Cabrera returned to the ballclub as we requested, and had hits in each game he played.  Both hits went to left-center field, which is encouraging in that the infielder is going with the pitch.  Cabrera played 2B in both games, but I think he will get some reps at shortstop with Jhonny Peralta getting some partial days rest at DH.  Jamey Carroll played well in Cabrera’s absence, and doesn’t deserve to lose all of his playing time.  Carroll could be another veteran available in a deal at the July 31^st deadline.

It was interesting to note that one pitcher who did not appear in the series was Rafael Betancourt.  He certainly could have pitched an inning in the 8-2 loss on Friday night, but wasn’t used.  Perhaps Eric Wedge no longer feels comfortable in using the right-hander with a lead, and that is why he wasn’t used in the two victories.  Edward Mujica pitched two scoreless frames in the Saturday win, continuing his good performance.  It may be that Mujica is going to get a good look with games on the line in the second half.

Wedge says the Indians are staying committed to Jeremy Sowers, who did gain his first win of the season on Saturday, but early on, the southpaw was very shaky.  He got out of trouble with double plays in the first two innings, and then gave up a few loud outs while seemingly cruising through the next three innings.  With a 9-2 lead in the sixth, Sowers hit a batter, gave up a hit, and then walked a hitter, ultimately giving up two runs.   It was a win, but I don’t think anyone is counting the days until Sowers next start.  On the other hand, if they are playing for 2009, the team has to find out about the young lefty.

However, it was disturbing for the skipper to talk about the ballclub needing David Dellucci.  The veteran did drive in a run in Sunday’s victory, and he was in the lineup for two of the three games.  Maybe the Tribe is showcasing him, but his performance of late would only serve to lower his already ebbed trade value.  The front office has heard from pretty much everyone that they need to make other arrangements for the OF/DH.  Allowing him to take at-bats away from people this team needs to see is not a productive use of the Indians time out of contention.

KM

The Cleveland Cavaliers made their first move of the off-season by re-signing guard Daniel Gibson to a five-year contract extension yesterday.  Gibson showed a lot of improvement from his rookie season by averaging slightly over 10 points per game.  Unfortunately for Boobie, he hurt his ankle just as he seemed to be hitting his stride at the All-Star break, gaining MVP honors in the Rookie Game, and finishing second in the three point shootout.  He then separated his shoulder in Game 5 of the Celtic series, thus missing the last two games of that round.

We will never know how much a healthy Gibson would have impacted the second half of the season.  Besides fitting in the new players who came in the mega-deal at the deadline, Mike Brown had to find ways to get Gibson make in playing shape so he could help in the playoffs.  You may remember the second year guard struggled mightily upon his return, but the coach stuck to his guns because he understood how important Gibson’s outside shooting is to the wine and gold offense.

Although this is the first move by GM Danny Ferry, it probably won’t be the last.  Remember, this team is still better than the one that went to the NBA Finals after the 2006-07 as a result of acquiring Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Delonte West, and Wally Szczerbiak.  First round draft pick, J.J. Hickson has shown promise in summer league action, showing a good low post game.  However, his minutes will depend on how quickly he picks up Brown’s defensive concepts.  On Mike Brown’s squad, if you can’t defend, it is tough to get playing time. 

If he develops, Hickson could be the young blood the team is looking for in the frontcourt.  It appears the front office can’t wait for that date in December when Anderson Varajao loses his ability to veto a trade, so they can unload him as soon as possible.  Remember that Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Wallace, and Smith are all on the wrong side of 30, and of course, all are a year older than they were last season.  It is doubtful the Cavs can count on the same amount of production from this trio in the upcoming season.

Ferry still needs to get another player who can put the ball in the basket on a consistent basis, and it would be golden if that person could also create his own shot.  Remember, the wine and gold have a lot of money tied up in the expiring contracts of Szczerbiak, Eric Snow, and Damon Jones.  The bad part about that is those guys won’t be real attractive until the trading deadline, and the Cavs can’t wait until then.  They can’t have another season where they are worried about jelling with 25-30 games remaining on the schedule. 

All in all, keeping Boobie Gibson is a very good move by the front office.  Ferry must do the same with West, because he has turned out to be the key player in the trade.  However, the GM cannot stop there.  The Cavs still need another all-star type player.  Ferry knows this as well.  Don’t be surprised if another move is made before training camp starts in early October.

JK

It appears that the traditional three-day All Star break is all but gone.  Tomorrow, the Tigers and Orioles will play the only game in the American League.  The rest of the league gets back to work on Friday, including the Indians who will start a three game series against the Seattle Mariners, and then travel to Anaheim for a set against the Angels. 

Even though the Tribe has played 94 games, the All-Star break is the traditional half waypoint of the season.  Here are some things I would like to see the rest of the year, and see them sooner than later.

Bring Asdrubal Back.  Since being sent to Buffalo, Asdrubal Cabrera has hit .326/.375/.475 with 4 HR and 13 RBI.  Because the Indians are looking ahead to 2009, it’s time to bring him back to Cleveland and play him everyday at 2B.  The Tribe can designate journeyman utility man Jorge Velandia for assignment.  While I would like to see Cabrera take more walks (only 7 in 141 at bats at AAA), it looks like he has regained his hitting stroke.  The Indians need to see if Cabrera can hit enough to play everyday at the major league level.

Put La Porta on the Fast Track.  Matt La Porta is the guy GM Mark Shapiro wanted in the CC Sabathia deal, and it is obvious he has mastered the AA level.  He has hit .292/.401/.575 with 21 HR and 70 RBI in 318 at bats.  Let’s move him to Buffalo and see what he can do at the AAA level.  It’s not as though the Bison outfield is loaded with prospects.  He would be replacing guys like Jason Tyner, Jason Cooper, Todd Linden, and Brad Snyder.  It would set the slugging outfielder up for a promotion to the big club perhaps as early as mid-August.  There is no need for him to stay at Akron.

Trade Casey Blake.  Blake has been a solid performer since he came to the Tribe in 2003, even though he seems to be a lightning rod for the fans.  However, he is making $6 million per year and with the season he is having, would likely want more next season.  That being said, he will be 35 years old next season and is unlikely to be better in ’09.  He can do a solid job at 1B, 3B, LF, and RF, and is a solid major league hitter.  Mark Shapiro needs to get what he can for Blake, and give him the chance to play for a contender.  His departure would also give an opportunity to see Andy Marte and/or Wes Hodges at 3B the rest of the season.

Look At Some Kids.  Besides the aforementioned La Porta and Hodges, the Indians should give some big league time to guys like reliever Jeff Stevens (let’s give him a shot to close), OF Trevor Crowe (if he ever gets healthy), 1B Jordan Brown, RP Tony Sipp (just back after Tommy John surgery) and even lefty Zach Jackson, who was in the Sabathia deal.  This team cannot waste time giving more at bats to guys like David Dellucci. 

Get Healthy.  It looks like Fausto Carmona will rejoin the starting rotation next week when the team comes home from the west coast.  Hopefully, the Victor Martinez that returns in August will resemble the guy who played here last season.  And it would really be great if Travis Hafner could get some at bats before the season ends, so the management can see if he can show signs of getting back to a guy who can hit 30 HR in 2009.

Hopefully, some of these moves can occur before the season resumes in Seattle Friday night.  If the Cleveland Indians are in re-tooling mode, there isn’t any reason not to start the process as soon as possible.

MW

If you want more proof that baseball is a funny game, look no further than the Indians four game sweep over the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend.  The Tribe came into the series on a 10 game losing streak, and the Rays had the league’s best record.  Cleveland has a journeyman just up from the minor leagues (Matt Ginter) and a guy who hadn’t won a big league game all year (Jeremy Sowers) pitching the last two games of the series, yet won both games.  Weird, indeed!

Want more proof?  Look at SS Jhonny Peralta.  Peralta was struggling all season long at the plate.  His strike zone judgment regressed, his batting average was in the .220 range, and he couldn’t seem to get a hit with a man on base.  For some reason, Eric Wedge decided to put him into the clean up spot in the batting order.  Since that move has been made, Peralta has torn the cover off the ball.  Over the last 30 days, the SS is batting .340 with 5 HR’s and 24 RBI.  He’s raised his batting average to .261, and his OPS is approaching 800, which is above average league wide.  Very, very strange.

At the end of May, the Indians’ offense was killing them.  The pitching was very good; particularly the starters, but the offense just couldn’t score runs.  When June 1^st hit, the hitting started to pick up, but the pitching went south, especially the bullpen.  Since that date, Joe Borowski has been released, Rafael Betancourt has had several meltdowns, and the shuttle back and forth to Buffalo has been in full force.  In the eight game road trip, in which the Tribe went winless, the bullpen was particularly bad.  So…

The Indians come home, and all of a sudden the relief corps picked it up.  Only newcomer Juan Rincon gave up a run in the four game series, and the bullpen contributed three shutout innings in each of the first two games against the Rays, and came up with five scoreless frames on Sunday.  If not for Rincon and his inability to throw strikes, the relief crew would have worked a clean series against Tampa Bay.  A big contributor has been Edward Mujica, who after his horrible outing against San Diego June 14^th, has not allowed a run.  Not exactly something anyone would have predicted.

Even Ryan Garko got into the swing of things in the series.  The right-handed hitter has been mired in all sorts of slumps since the beginning of May, but he hammered a two run dinger and a three run double Saturday night against Matt Garza.  And Franklin Gutierrez came out of an 0 for 32 slump with hits in back to back games.  Andy Marte even slugged his first home run of the year. 

Some things though went according to form, though.  Cliff Lee threw six scoreless innings on Friday night to win his 12^th game before he goes to New York for the All Star Game.  The Tribe’s other all-star, Grady Sizemore belted his league leading 23^rd homer on Saturday.  Aaron Laffey pitched well in the series opener.  And more good news…Matt La Porta belted a game winning two run home run for Akron on Friday night, his first long ball with the Indians’ organization.

Good luck to Sizemore and Lee this week, and here’ hoping the good play continues in Seattle on Friday night.  Also, here’s hoping Fausto Carmona shows he is healthy tonight in his first rehab assignment with Lake County, so he can be back in the rotation sometime next week.

KM

It was quite a contrast last night.  In Milwaukee, CC Sabathia received a hero’s welcome as he won his debut with the Brewers.  In Detroit, his former teammates got a Casey Blake double and a Jhonny Peralta home run in the first to take a 2-0 lead.  Unfortunately, those would be the only hits the Tribe mustered in a 9-2 shellacking at the hands of the Tigers.  Get ready for more tough times ahead with Paul Byrd serving up homers tonight, and apparently minor league veteran Matt Ginter will pitch for Cleveland against the Rays on Saturday.  Ouch!

That being said, here are some more thoughts on Monday’s big deal. 

The Key to the Deal.  Yes, Matt La Porta provides a much needed power bat to the organization, but in many ways, the key to the trade is Fausto Carmona.  Before he injured his hip, Carmona had an inconsistent 2008 season, walking more hitters than he struck out (38/23).  The fact that he had an ERA of 3.10 despite these control problems is a testament to how good his stuff is.  If the right-hander can throw strikes, he would replace Sabathia as the ace of the staff, with Cliff Lee as the #2 starter going into next season.  The Tribe needs a Fausto Carmona closer to the 2007 model than the 2008 pitcher.

Scouting Problems.  The deal underscores the problem the Indians’ scouting department has had since the turn of the century.  They have been unable to draft a productive hitter.   Last year’s #1 choice, Beau Mills is hitting pretty well at Kinston (.276/.361/.492) with 41 extra base hits in 83 games.  Another left handed hitter at Kinston, Nick Weglarz, just 20 years old, also shows promise (.272/.398/.449).  However, both are 1B/LF/DH types.   3B Wes Hodges is doing well at Akron, and hopefully we will see him in Cleveland before the season ends.  However, there isn’t much at AAA Buffalo, outside of another left-handed hitter, 1B Jordan Brown.  Obviously, the need for a right-handed power hitter was dire for the Tribe.

Let’s Be Aggressive.  Watching the Red Sox’ game the other night, made me think that Jonathon Papelbon would never have been given the job as Tribe closer as a rookie.  According to the Indians’ thinking, you have to have a veteran in that spot.  Why?  Here’s hoping La Porta is moved to Buffalo after a good week at Akron, and then up to the big club if he has a couple of good weeks at the AAA level.  There is no reason to hold him back.  Also, let’s take a look at Hodges, and some more pitchers such as Jeff Stevens.  Why not give Stevens a shot at closing?  He might just do the job.

It Should Have Been Us Last Year.  The Brewers made the bold move the Indians should have made last season.  The Tribe did pick up Kenny Lofton to replace an injured David Dellucci, but Mark Teixeira was on the block, but the Indians didn’t pursue him.  Would they have won the World Series by making a deal for the slugging 1B?  Maybe not, but perhaps they would have.  The Indians are hesitant to deal prospects, but the players the Rangers would have wanted would have been guys like Adam Miller (now injured), Ryan Garko (struggling), and Ben Francisco (an okay player).  Over estimating their minor league talent is a definite problem for this organization.

The Heat Has Been Turned Up.  Ryan Garko, Ben Francisco, and Shin-Soo Choo should have a little more pep in their step today.  Matt La Porta was brought in because these guys have been less than overwhelming.  They have been handed regular jobs, but haven’t taken advantage.  Garko in particular has been a huge disappointment after solid seasons in 2006 and 2007.

The Indians need to give us a reason to watch them the rest of the season.  Trotting out Jeremy Sowers every fifth day doesn’t do it.  Neither does penciling Dellucci in at the DH spot.  If Mark Shapiro is serious in having a contending club in 2009, he needs to find out about some young players, and why not try something different by using some youngsters. 

KM