The emergence of shortstop Jhonny Peralta shows that GM Mark Shapiro made the right move in letting longtime Tribesman Omar Vizquel leave as a free agent, and give the starting job to Peralta.  Whether or not the move was made for financial reasons or based on talent evaluation, it was the correct move and now the Indians have a core of four young players to build around.

 

With last night’s two home run performance, Peralta now is hitting over .300 with 18 HR and 58 RBI.  He likely will end the season with more dingers than any shortstop in Tribe history.  Baseball Prospectus ranks the 23 year old Peralta as the fourth best at his position in the American League, behind only Miguel Tejada, Michael Young, and Derek Jeter. 

 

His defense has been fine as well.  After a tough first week of the campaign, Peralta has done a solid job with the glove.  No, he is not Vizquel’s equal defensively, but he is not a tin glove either.  There is no evidence that the youngster cannot do the job at short, so people who complain that he could be moved to third and Vizquel could have stayed are just delaying the inevitable. 

 

As stated previously, Cleveland now has four everyday players 27 or under, who are among the best at their position in the league:  catcher Victor Martinez, DH Travis Hafner, CF Grady Sizemore, and Peralta.  Three of those guys fill difficult positions to find–Martinez, Sizemore, and Peralta.  This bodes well for not only this season, but the next four or five season for the Indians.

 

Finding a middle of the order hitter, a professional hitter, a guy who bats right handed, hits for average and power, and doesn’t strike out a million times should be the priority for the front office.  The Indians have pitching depth in their minor league system, so perhaps a trade could be made over the winter. 

 

Not only does the present look better, but the future is bright as well.  Maybe if people stopped pining for the days of Ramirez, Belle, Baerga, and Thome, and focused on this team, they would see a contender developing at Jacobs Field.

 

MW

 

The Indians’ woes at Jacobs Field continued over the weekend when they were swept by the last place Tampa Bay Devil Rays in a three game series.  Granted, the D-Rays have played well since the All-Star break, but you can’t lose three straight at home to them if you are in contention for a playoff spot.  Although some will point the finger at the hitting, the starting pitching let the Tribe down twice against Tampa.

 

After being spotted a 3-0 lead on Friday night, Jake Westbrook imploded, allowing six runs in the top of the second inning.  Sure, Jhonny Peralta booted a double play ball that allowed the first run, but that doesn’t give Westbrook the right to walk the eighth and ninth hitters to tie the game.  This is why Westbrook is a fourth or fifth starter.  He loses confidence in his stuff too often and starts nibbling.  He doesn’t know how to battle his way through a game if he doesn’t have his best. 

 

Trailing 8-5 in the ninth inning of that game, Manager Eric Wedge decided to bunt runners over after three consecutive hits closed the gap to 8-6.  The problem was he asked Ronnie Belliard to do the job after the second baseman had three doubles in the game.  Taking the bat out of a hot hitters’ hands isn’t a smart move.  After Belliard forced the runner at third, Aaron Boone hit into a double play to end the game.

 

Scott Elarton gave up three bombs in the first three innings on Saturday night to put the Indians into a 4-0 hole that they couldn’t climb out of.  Cleveland eventually went down to defeat 8-2. 

 

Sunday’s game was on the bats.  Cliff Lee threw eight shutout frames, but the Tribe went down 1-0 when Bob Wickman allowed a pinch hit homer in the ninth to Travis Lee. 

 

More curious decisions occurred yesterday.  First was the recall of Jason Dubois, who whiffed three more times to run his total to 20 K’s in 36 at-bats.  I realize the team needed an outfielder because of Casey Blake’s shoulder injury, but couldn’t GM Mark Shapiro call up someone who may make contact once in a while?  What was worse was Dubois left runners on base with his strikeouts.

 

Another questionable move was letting Blake hit with a man on second and one out in the ninth.  Wedge had two left handed hitters on his bench at the time, Ben Broussard and Jeff Leifer.  I would have had one hit for Blake and the other hit for Dubois (which Leifer did).  Rays’ closer Danys Baez is equally effective versus lefties and righties, but Broussard has a better average than Blake.  I’m not a fan of Broussard, but this was the move that should have been made.  Wedge’s blind loyalty to Blake is puzzling.

 

Speaking of Broussard, am I missing something here?  Benny is hitting .257 and the man who has replaced him recently, Liefer is batting .220 in 50 at-bats.  Liefer has also walked just once in those times at the plate.  I’m all for finding a substitute for Broussard, but Liefer is not the guy.  He’s a career journeyman at best.  Now, if you want to bring Ryan Garko up from Buffalo to play first, I’m all for that.

 

Anyway, if the Tribe had taken 2 of 3 from Detroit, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay everyone would be happy.  There record today is the same as if that had happened.  They just did it the wrong way.  They have to turn it around this week against Texas, a team they have struggled against recently.

 

MW 

 

Today is one of those rare days when both the Indians and Browns are playing in town on the same day.  Even though the Browns are playing a meaningless exhibition game, the Tribe is the one who will be in the back of the Cleveland sports fans minds on this day. 

 

Tonight’s game at Cleveland Browns Stadium is the start of the new management regime of General Manager Phil Savage and Head Coach Romeo Crennel.  Every move these two guys have made upgraded the team, and their collective attitude is a refreshing change from the smugness of former Coach Butch Davis.  Savage has improved the offensive line, the secondary, and the running game.  They also give fans the confidence that they will make the right personel moves down the line. 

 

However, the best fans can expect from the Brown and Orange is a 6-10 record.  This is a franchise who hasn’t won a playoff game since the early 90’s.  They have never been to the Super Bowl.  Yet, people in Cleveland act like the Browns are the jewel of the Cleveland sports landscape. 

 

Meanwhile, the Indians, who will be playing up the street are in contention for a playoff spot RIGHT NOW!  This is not a rebuilding team.  Also, the Tribe has been in the World Series twice in the last ten years, narrowly missing the ciity’s first sports championship since 1964 in 1997. But, this town’s baseball team cannot even draw 23,000 fans after a six game road trip where the team won every game.

 

WKNR’s Greg Brinda is always saying the Browns get a free pass from the fans and he is absolutely correct.  For whatever reason, the Browns can do know wrong. But, the 2005 team may be more of an expansion type team than the one in 1999 when the franchise was resurrected.  Meanwhile, the Tribe battles for a spot in the post season, and no one is noticing.

 

MW

 

My radio is tuned to WKNR-AM radio most of the day listening to sports talk.  Lately, the station gets changed at 3:00 PM so I don’t have to listen to the ramblings of Kenny Roda.  It is one thing to have opinions that people disagree with, that’s what talk radio is all about.  But, when the facts are not right, and the host’s point of view is way out of whack, the show becomes unlistenable.

 

Yesterday, Roda was all up in arms about the Indians restructuring of Aaron Boone’s contract.  He ranted about how he wanted to work for Indians’ owner Larry Dolan since he rewards mediocrity.  Of course, Roda had the facts all wrong.  In reality, Boone was already signed for the 2006 season, and gave the Indians money back, probably because he knows he is not having a good year.  In exchange, the Tribe gave him a mutual option for the 2007 season.  If Boone produces in ’06 like he has since June 1st, the Tribe got a great break.  If he doesn’t, they are paying him less next year.  Boone did an honorable thing, and Roda went crazy without reading the press release which said Boone restructured his deal for next year.

 

Roda played basketball at Baldwin-Wallace College, a Division III school, and he has a D-3 mentality about the game.  He discounts the skills of Cavs’ All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and doesn’t understand what a big man who can score does for a team.  Even the Miami Heat, who have Shaquille O’Neal double on Z in the post.  Sure Z is never going to be Bill Russell on defense, but Larry Bird couldn’t guard anyone straight up either, the Celtics team philosophy covered up for him.

 

I realize he is pandering to the people who call his station, most of which are very emotional about the teams they follow, after all they are fans.  But these callers want C.C. Sabathia traded everytime he has a bad game, and then want to give him the Cy Young Award when he pitches well.  The host should lend some sanity to the program.

 

Another thing that bugs the crap out of me, is his constant talk about his son’s Hot Stove team and comparing them to the Indians.  There is a huge difference with how you treat Major League ballplayers and how you treat kids.  Adults, particularly pampered athletes will not tolerate the same things children will.  Maybe Eric Wedge should take the Tribe to Dairy Queen after the game.

 

For people like me who want intelligent sports talk, afternoons at WKNR is not where to go.

 

MW

 

 

The Cleveland Indians’ offense continues to sputter after ranking 5th in the American League in runs scored last season.  In 2005, the Tribe ranks 10th in the league in scoring.  What was been the biggest reason for the drop off?  You can start by checking out how often the team strikes out.  Unfortunately, it ranks 2nd in the AL in that category.

 

Situational hitting is greatly helped by being able to put bat on ball.  Moving runners over, scoring with outs, getting runners in from third with less than two outs, all of these things require hitting the baseball.  This team has too many players in the lineup who whiff in critical situations.  That’s why they struggle with these opportunities. 

 

This is not to say that striking out is the worst thing in the world.  The Texas Rangers lead the AL in K’s, but they also rank 3rd in league in runs scored.  This is due to hitting 52 more home runs than the Indians total of 120.  So, the Tribe ranks 6th in round trippers, but 2nd in striking out.  Not a good combination.

 

In Saturday’s loss to Seattle, the Indians had a chance to tie the game late with the bases loaded and one out in the 8th inning, trailing 3-2.  But, Jason Dubois and Grady Sizemore both fanned, and the tying run was left at third.  This happens far more often than not.

 

To make things worse, Cleveland’s hitters do not walk much either making the team rank 10th in the AL in on base percentage.  In fact, only three Tribe hitters have OBP’s above .350:  Travis Hafner (.416), Jhonny Peralta (.355), and the recently traded Jody Gerut (.357).  Here is another stat which shows the lack of plate discipline on the team.  The only Indians who have NOT struck out twice as much as they have walked are Hafner, Victor Martinez, reserve catcher Josh Bard, and barely Coco Crisp (55K’s, 28 walks).

 

Among the horrific K/BB ratios are:  Grady Sizemore (86/32), Aaron Boone (62/19), Jose Hernandez (42/8), Peralta (70/27), and Casey Blake (73/30).  It is much to late in the season to expect these guys to start making contact to advance runners. 

 

Tribe Manager Eric Wedge is asking the impossible.  It is like he expects my Chrysler Sebring to win the next NASCAR race.  It simply isn’t going to happen. 

 

One of the newest Indians fits right into the whiff machine, outfielder Jason Dubois.  The righthanded "hitter" has fanned 17 times in 31 official at-bats.  If Wedge thought he was going to tie the game on Saturday, he’s not as smart as I thought he was. 

 

That’s why GM Mark Shapiro has to make contact more of a priority for Cleveland both the rest of this season and next year.  Too many K’s leads to not enough R’s.

 

MW

 

So many of the experts have concluded that the Cleveland Indians’ biggest need is a right handed power hitter.  Although it would be nice to have a proven bat behind Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez in the batting order, it doesn’t appear there is one available on the trade market.  The best hitter who appears to be available is Tampa Bay 1B/OF Aubrey Huff, and he bats left handed.

 

However, maybe a leadoff hitter could be the missing piece, and I have a guy in mind who GM Mark Shapiro could probably acquire:  Reds’ infielder/outfielder Ryan Freel.  Freel is a right handed batter who can play 2B, 3B, and the outfield.  He has a lifetime on base percentage of .378, and this year has walked more than he has struck out in over 200 at bats.  He is also a base stealer, swiping 28 bases this season and 37 in 2004.  He doesn’t have much pop in his bat, but he is only 29 years old and isn’t making a whole lot of cash, an important factor for owner Larry Dolan.

 

This move would also enable the team to move current lead off hitter Grady Sizemore into the middle of the order.  Sizemore’s on base average of under .330 indicates he is not a true table setter, and his rank of second on the team in RBI’s shows he is a run producer.  He could drop to fifth or sixth in the order where he will have the opportunity to drive in more runs.

 

Getting Freel would also allow the team to bench the struggling Casey Blake.  Blake was dropped to ninth in the batting order recently, but potential rallies continue to find him.  If he is not dealt, Blake could become a utility man filling in at first base, third base, and the outfield. 

 

I would still pursue Huff, as he would be a major upgrade at 1B over current starter Ben Broussard.  The pitching has continued to be strong, save for C.C. Sabathia, so the opportunity is still there.  The offense has to be improved, and getting a slugger isn’t the only way to go.

 

MW 

 

With the Cleveland Indians remaining just 2-1/2 games behind Minnesota and Oakland in the Wild Card race, it would seem pretty obvious General Manager Mark Shapiro should add to the current roster to stay in the race.  However, it is a much more complicated question than it would appear.

 

Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane has mastered the art of buying and selling in the same trading period.  Shapiro should do the same thing.  Trading potential free agent Kevin Millwood before the July 31st deadline may say the team does not think it can get to the post season in 2005.  But if dealing the right hander could bring a hitter to bolster the Tribe’s attack, it may not be a sign of surrender.

 

Let’s face it, Millwood has only won four games for this team.  I know, I know, he has pitched well enough to win twice that amount.  If the Tribe could deal Millwood to the Angels or Rangers and get a productive hitter and then turn around and deal some prospects and spare parts to another team for a pitcher, it could be the move to get the Indians headed in the right direction.

 

For a mid market team, the idea of buying and selling before the deadline might make the most sense.

 

Patting myself on the back…Several media outlets including The Plain Dealer and Tribe announcers Mike Hegan and Rick Manning were critical of the Tribe’s move involving the recall of infielder Brandon Phillips.  This space told you the move stunk last Wednesday. 

 

Wickman going?  It has been reported that Cleveland has been talking to Boston about a possible deal involving the Tribe’s closer.  I don’t think it will happen because Wickman’s presence all year has solidified the bullpen.  Wicky may retire at the end of the year, but I don’t think he will head to the Red Sox until the Tribe falls way out of it. 

 

MW

 

It’s not bad enough that the Indians have lost 10 of their last 12 games, including getting shutout in half of their games after the All-Star break.  For some reason, the Tribe has decided to spot their opponents a player and will play with 24 guys for awhile.  No, the Tribe still has 25 players on the team.  But, they have decided that infielder Brandon Phillips will be on the team for instructional purposes, not to play.

 

Since the Indians are still only three games out of a playoff spot, this type of thinking is stupid.  Why not get a player who can help the team win?  This is the big leagues!  You can’t convince me that it is worth taking up a place on the team so Phillips can be exposed to the Major League staff.  What does this say about the coaches you employ in the minors?  If the young infielder needs more seasoning, send him back to Class AAA Buffalo and bring up someone who might be able to play and get a base hit.

 

If Phillips is here because the team is shopping him, his market value is not exactly rising while sitting on the bench.  This type of thinking does not exactly sell tickets, which is very much on the mind of Tribe Owner Larry Dolan.

 

The Indians did make a trade on Monday, sending outfielder Jody Gerut to the Cubs for outfielder Jason Dubois.  Although not a blockbuster trade, it’s worth the gamble.  Gerut never lived up to the promise of his rookie year, which was not surprising since he never put up numbers like that in the minors.  Dubois is a power bat that the team desperately needs.  He has had problems making contact in brief major league appearances, but with some consistent at-bats he may develop. 

 

MW

 

The Chicago White Sox sweep of the Cleveland Indians over the weekend means the Tribe has now lost nine of their last ten games, and is now only two games over the .500 mark at 47-45.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is the team is still only three games out of the American League Wild Card chase.

 

As usual, it is much too early to look at the Wild Card standings on a day by day basis.  But, it is too early to write off the Indians because they lost four games to the team with the best record in baseball.  I don’t think Major League Baseball will deny Cleveland entry in the playoffs because they have a bad record against good teams.  Much has been made about the White Sox 30-5 record against the Central Division teams.  The Indians have pinned three out of the five losses on the Pale Hose.  That means the Twins, Tigers, and Royals are a combined 2-20 versus Chicago.  Why is there no hand wringing about the Twins lack of success against the Sox?

 

What was disturbing about the four straight losses at home by Cleveland was the lack of hitting.  The Tribe scored just three runs off the White Sox starters in the four games. Manager Eric Wedge and GM Mark Shapiro can play Dusty Springfield records ("Wishin’ and Hopin’) all they want, but he still is not getting any offense at three positions.  Jody Gerut has apparently been benched in right for Casey Blake, who has less RBI’s on the season than Aaron Boone.  Gerut has not shown much pop this year, but he does get on base.  Perhaps moving him to the leadoff spot and dropping Grady Sizemore into a run producing spot would jump start the offense. 

 

Ben Broussard looked feeble at the plate during the series, and is hitting just .210 since the end of May.  If Shapiro can’t get a first baseman in a trade, perhaps the recall of Ryan Garko is imminent. 

 

Wedge gets a lot of flack for not bunting, but you have to get guys on base with no one out to do that.  The past few games, any rally the team starts is with one or two outs.  It is up to the players to get runs home.  Ronnie Belliard knows to get a run home with less than two outs, but isn’t patient enough to wait for a pitch he can elevate.

 

This team still needs to do the things listed in a previous blog.  There is still plenty of time left to do it, and who knows, a week from today, the Indians could be just a game out of the playoffs.  The big picture says the Tribe is still a playoff contender.

 

MW

 

The All-Star break is over and the Cleveland Indians return to the diamond tonight with the first of a four game set with the Central Division leading Chicago White Sox.  This is the first of an eleven game home stand for the Tribe.  If Cleveland wants to advance to the post season for the first time since 2001, here is a list of things that must occur:

 

1).  Start winning at home and in the division.  The Tribe is just 21-19 at home in 2005, and just 15-21 against division foes.  A change in this trend can start tonight.

 

2).  Victor Martinez must resemble the player who made the All-Star team in 2004.  With Travis Hafner leading the American League in OPS (on base percentage + slugging percentage), Martinez has to start hitting or Hafner will be walked on a continuous basis.

 

3).  The bullpen has to continue its first half pace.  The Tribe’s relievers are ranked #1 in ERA, but recently have shown some wear and tear due to ranking 4th in the AL in innings pitched.  In particular, Bobby Howry and Arthur Rhodes have not done well over the last ten games.  They have to right themselves as play starts in the second half.

 

4).  C.C. Sabathia has to have a better second half.  The big lefty is not a true #1 starter yet, but he has to improve on his performance over the last month.  Sabathia has to start giving the team 7 innings on a consistant basis. 

 

5).  Add a power right handed bat.  Three positions could use a offensive upgrade the rest of the season.  At first base, Ben Broussard is too streaky to be in the middle of the lineup for a contender.  Aaron Boone’s hitting struggles have been well documented, and in right field Jody Gerut started with a bang after being recalled, but now has settled into the way he hit in 2004.  A trade to improve any of those spots would be welcomed.

 

If GM Mark Shapiro can pry Wily Mo Pena out of Cincinnati for Gerut and some prospects, that would be excellent.  Pena is still just 23 years old and has power potential galore.  If the Reds don’t want him, it would be good to see him stay in Ohio and move up north. 

 

6).  Take advantage of the schedule.  The Indians play the least amount of games against teams with a .500 record of any of the Wild Card contenders.  Cleveland must beat up on these teams the rest of the way.

 

Let the games begin again.