All-Aught Indians--#1 Starter--CC Sabathia (2001-2008)

CC Sabathia had a lot on his shoulders when he was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Indians in 1998.  The Tribe had been looking for an ace to go along with their vaunted offense for the better part of five seasons.  While Sabathia, a high school phenom, wouldn't be joining the Indians in 1998, the big lefty was certainly fast-tracked to the majors, should he match the potential that made him a first round selection.  By 2001, he was with the Indians, and by 2007, he was a Cy Young award winner.  No, Sabathia wasn't the answer to the great Indians run in the 90's and early 2000's, but he certainly was everything the Indians thought he would be, and more.  The All-Aught Indians Ace is CC Sabathia.

There likely aren't words in an article that can express what Sabathia meant to the Indians over the eight season that he put on the uniform with Cleveland across the front.  The Tribe had spent the best part of every offseason hunting for an ace in the years leading up to Sabathia's emergence.  Sure, there was Orel Hershiser, Dennis Martinez, Jaret Wright, Charles Nagy, Jack McDowell, Chuck Finley and Bartolo Colon attempting to lead the Tribe staff.  While all would at one point or another, be considered the "ace" of the Indians starting rotation, none seemed to relish or run with the title.  Some either lacked the talent, the head or simply were too far past their prime to contribute the way the Indians were looking for.  Colon was close, but he always left the impression, while with the Indians, that he was a 1b, and that his best years would be with a starter in the #1 role.

If only CC Sabathia had come seven years sooner.

Sabathia entered the fray for the Tribe in 2001, the last year of their eight year run as one of the best teams in baseball.  The hefty lefty went 17-5, and while his statistics were certainly a product of good offensive production (his ERA was never south of 4.00 that season), the signs were all there for his future with this club.  His first big league season saw him go 180 innings, while striking out 171, and walking 98.  There certainly were control issues, but Sabathia was still learning how to pitch.  He was not only the youngest player on the Tribe's roster, but the 20-year-old was also the youngest player in all the majors.  Here was the Tribe's workhorse, their stopper, the ace that would finally line up the Tribe starters.  Of course, by the middle of 2002, the team was dismantled, and Sabathia was the light at the end of a long tunnel of rebuilding.

Sabathia started off the 2002 season looking like the ace many thought he would be.  After three starts, he was 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA.  Unfortunately, Sabathia's season, like the Tribe's as a whole, went south quickly.  By the end of April, Sabathia was 2-3 with a 6.82 ERA.  He would fight and claw for everything he could in May and June, and would see his ERA drop in eight of ten starts.  At the end of June, he had lowered his ERA to a respectable 4.70, to go along with a 6-6 record.  His last June start, on the 28th, was a big one for me with regards to Sabathia, as it was the day that Colon was traded.  Sabathia was officially the ace of the staff.  How did he respond?  He went 7 2/3 innings of one run ball, getting his sixth win.  In his next six starts, he would struggle.  His ERA would rise in every game pitched, and after his August 1st start, he was back up to 5.49, with a 6-9 record.  Then, for the first time, Sabathia became the pitcher the Tribe brass thought they had drafted.  Sabathia would go 7-2 for the rest of the season, with a 2.54 ERA.  His overall ERA would drop over a point during that time period, ending the season with a 13-11 record.  For the first time in his career, he'd pitch over 200 innings, with 210.

2003 was Sabathia's tough-luck season, even with an all-star season.  He started off the year without a win in April, going 0-2.  The catch-22 of that scenario was that there really wasn't a bad start in the bunch, as he walked out of the month with a 3.79 ERA.  This would become the mantra of Sabathia's 2003 campaign, as he would receive the fifth worst offensive support in all of baseball.  Sabathia would win four of five starts that May, and lower his ERA to 2.92, far and away his best month of the season, going 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA.  He would end the season with a 13-9 record, and a 3.60 ERA.  He led the team in wins for a third straight year, and was clearly the best pitcher on the team, and getting better.  Remember, he was still only 23-years-old.

I suppose 2004 was an off-year for Sabathia.  He made only three starts in April because of an injury.  Still, he was 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA.  He would have a topsy-turvy May, but his ERA would remain below 3.00.  His best month was June, going 3-0, and maintaining his sub 3 ERA.  He would be selected to his second all-star game, but would really scuffle for the rest of the season.  He ended the year with an 11-10 record, and a 4.12 ERA.  With the emergence of Cliff Lee, there was talk that Sabathia may not be the best pitcher on the staff.  Still, there were stretches where he looked like the best in baseball.  At 24, he was still learning how to become an ace.  Take into account that his final record reflected 6-blown-wins.  He left six games with a win in hand, only to have an atrocious bullpen blow the lead.

In 2005, Sabathia appeared to have to separate seasons.  The first half of the year saw the lefty continue to scuffle, as his ERA steadily rose .92 at the end of April (with a 2-0 record), to 5.27 at the beginning of August, and a 6-9 record.  Sabathia would then explode in August and September, winning seven straight starts, and 9 of 11.  he would only have one no decision, and his ERA would again shrink over a run in less than two months.  He would end the season at 15-10, with a 4.03 ERA.  While Sabathia was still waiting to put together an entire season of quality, he was continuing to showcase months of dominance at a time.  In six September starts, Sabathia went 4-1 with a 1.45 ERA.

Sabathia would start on opening day of 2006, but after only three innings, was pulled with an injured oblique.  he'd be placed on the dl, and wouldn't make another start until May.  While Sabathia's final record for the season would end up 12-11, in many ways, this was Sabathia's best season up to this point.  In May, Sabathia was his dominant self, going 5-1 in six starts, with a ridiculous 1.20 ERA.  He was named pitcher of the month for May.  In August and September, Sabathia really showcased what has made him a special pitcher.  He made 11 starts during the stretch run, and only one game saw him pitch less than seven innings, a 5 2/3 of an inning outing.  During those games, his ERA would never rise above 3.43, or drop below 3.22.  He was locked and loaded...the stopper that he was meant to be.  When Sabathia was on the mound, you knew what you were going to get.  He now knew how to pitch, and was making every start a quality effort.  He could overpower you, outpitch you, or simply where you down.  2007 was a foregone conclusion.

Sabathia's entire 2007 season was a mirror of August and September of 2006.  His low ERA would come on April 15th, when it was 2.14.  His highest was on May 11th, when it was 4.02.  From that point on, it would never rise above 3.81, or below 3.09.  He would win 19 games that year, and lead the league in innings pitched with 241.  He would eclipse 200 strikouts for the first time, with 209 for the season.  From April 20th through July 5th, Sabathia never allowed more than one walk in a game.  The most walks he had in a game all season was three, in two separate starts.  He would end the season with a 19-7 record, and a 3.21 ERA.  His 209 K's looked good up against his paltry 37 walks.  Sabathia would win the Cy Young Award as the best pitcher in baseball.  While he struggled in the playoffs, Sabathia was clearly the key to the Indians making a World Series run.  He was entering a contract year.  It would be a make or break year for the Tribe and Sabathia.

Like his rookie season, a lot was riding on Sabathia at the start of the 2008 season.  He didn't wear it well.  For the first time in his career, there was no doubt outside talk was getting to him.  Many were berating him for his weak performance for the Indians in the post-season.  There was also a bunch of discussion regard whether or not Sabathia would be dealt.  There was also the matter of nearly 250 innings pitched.  Sabathia crawled out of the gates, going 1-4 in April, with a 7.88 ERA.  It was that bad.  In May, Sabathia would right the ship considerably, dropping his ERA over three points, and another point in June.  In the two months, Sabathia would only make two starts under seven innings (6 and 6 1/3 innings), and would go 5-4 during that stretch.  His record was mostly due to the Tribe's lack of punch, more than anything.  Entering July, the writing was on the wall.  The Indians weren't producing, and Sabathia wasn't signing.  It was time to make a deal.  At the time, Sabathia was only 6-8 overall, but was leading the league in K's and K's per 9.  He already had three complete games.  His last start as an Indian came on July 2, 2008.  Sabathia would get a no decision, but typical of his starts, he'd go eight innings, striking out five, and walking only two.  On July 7th, Sabathia was traded to the Brewers.  How good was Sabathia in 2008 with the Indians, and ultimately the Brewers?  Over his last 31 starts, Sabathia would go 17-7 with a 1.88 ERA.

In eight years with the Indians, Sabathia went 106-71 with a 3.83 ERA.  He'd strike out 1,265 batters, while walking nearly 500.  He'd make three all-star appearances, and win one Cy Young award.  Sabathia was also allowed to leave the Indians without having to choose another team, as many had before him.  In a very classy move, Sabathia took out a full page ad, thanking the city of Cleveland for his eight fantastic seasons.

Sabathia has since signed a mammoth deal with the New York Yankees, now has a World Series ring (but not a victory), and has moved on to "bigger and better" things.  But, for eight seasons, Sabathia's vast talent resided on the North Coast, and the team was always the better, for it.

All-Aught Indians--#2 Starter--Cliff Lee (2002-2009)

The top two starters for this All-Aught Indians team has been a given ever since the 2007 and 2008 A.L. Cy Young awards were given to CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee respectively.  Anybody who gives thought to putting a Westbrook or a Colon in these two thoughts, think again.  While Westbrook had three consistent seasons as an Indians workhorse, he was never able to show the brilliance that Sabathia showed year-after-year, and that Lee showcased during his out-of-nowhere 2008 season.  Bartolo Colon may have been as talented as the lefty duo, but his time during this decade was all to brief.

Now I could take the controversial approach and give the #2 slot to Sabathia, but it would simply be a lie.  While Lee undoubtedly had one of the best seasons as a pitcher in 2008, his career over the past seven seasons has been some kind of rollercoaster ride since the Indians acquired him in the Bartolo Colon deal in 2002.  While Lee would win 14, 18 and 14 games in his first three full seasons with the Tribe, he would find himself in the minors after struggling in 2007.  While those numbers alone place him in the same category as Jake Westbrook, his sublime 2008 season would see him dominate the A.L. from day one.  The All-Aught Indians #2 starter is left-hander Cliff Lee.

All-Aught Indians--#3 Starter--Bartolo Colon (2000-2002)

Bartolo Colon came up with the Indians as one of their top pitching prospects, but was overshadowed by another bright young gunner, Jaret Wright.  Wright seemed to be the future ace of the staff in 2007, going 8-3, while Colon made his debut the same year, going 4-7.  Wright would hang on with the club through the 2002, struggling with injuries and mechanics problems.  Colon would also last until the 2002 season with the Tribe, becoming the ace of the staff, and also one of the best pitchers in baseball.  The All-Aught Indians #3 starter is Bartolo Colon.

Colon entered the 2000 season coming off his best season, having gone 18-5 with a 3.95 ERA.  Remember, this was the height of the steroid era, and only seven total AL pitchers that year had an ERA under 4.00.  Colon finished fourth in the A.L. Cy Young race.

Colon would come out of the gates in the new millennium struggling.  While his record would stand at 6-2 on June 3, he had given up six runs in an outing twice, and was sitting on a 4.23 ERA.  He had also struggled a bit with injury, spending the latter part of April on the DL with a pulled oblique. After a loss on July 26, Colon's record stood at 4.49 ERA.  He wouldn't lose another game that year.  He would end up at 15-8, and he would lower his ERA to 3.88.  His signature win that season came on September 18th in a start in New York.  In his only shutout of the season, Colon would throw a one-hit shut out, walking one and striking out a season high 13.  Overall that season, he would strike out 212 batters, becoming the first Indian since the 70's (Dennis Eckersley) to strike out over 200 batters.

Colon would consider his patter in 2001.  On June 30, Colon was 6-7 with a 4.89 ERA.  Colon wouldn't lose a game in July, going 4-0, dropping his ERA to 4.39 in the process.  Colon would only win one game in August, but he would continue to drop his ERA, to 4.12.  In September, Colon would go 3-1, bringing his record to 14-11, and dropping his ERA to below 4 for the first time all season.  He'd get lit up in a meaningless game in October against Kansas City, which would put his ERA over 4.  Still, a typical season tantalizingly close to great, but back-and-forth enough to make people wonder if he'd ever go from being an almost great, to a Cy Young winner.  Then came the playoffs, and we got to see just how big game Colon, in his prime, could be.

The Indians were going up against the Seattle Mariners, who had won 300 games that season, and were heavy favorites to beat the Tribe.  Colon promptly shut the Mariners down in game one.  He went eight innings, giving up six hits and two walks, while striking out ten.  He was dominant, and put the Mariners on their heals.  Colon was equally dominating in his game four start.  Then came the sixth inning.  Colon would almost get out of a bases loaded jam with a 1-0 lead, but would end up giving up three runs before leaving the game.  Still, his big game performance couldn't be overlooked.  He'd finish the series with a 1-1 record and a 1.84 ERA.

Colon would save his best for last in 2002.  It seemed as though Colon finally figured out how to bring out his best from start-to-start.  He would make sixteen for the Tribe that season, and he'd win ten of them, going 10-4, with an impressive 2.55 ERA.  He stopped trying to strike out every hitter, and began to pitch.  Colon's best starts of the season were back to back complete games at the end of May.  He'd give up one unearned run in the first game against Toronto, and shut out Chicago.  It turns out that Colon was pitching too well for an Indians team that was struggling.  He was traded to the Expos after his last start...ironically enough...in a win against the Expos for his tenth win.

Colon's 2 1/2 years with the Tribe were enough to put him in this club of Indians elite.  Colon was 39-24 with a 3.67 ERA.  He'd strike out 488 batters in 536 2/3 innings pitched, and 80 starts altogether.

Colon's final piece to this All-Decade team was his return in the trade.  The Indians would receive Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Lee Stevens.  Two of those players show up on this All-Aught roster.  Another (Brandon Phillips) surely would show up on Cincinnati's.  Not a bad haul for one of the best pitchers in the game.

All-Aught Indians--#4 Starter--Jake Westbrook (2001-2010)

Jake Westbrook came to the Indians as the main piece from the Yankees when the Indians dealt David Justice the New York.  Westbrook had been a number one pick by the Colorado Rockies, then traded to the Expos in a deal for Mike Lansing, then traded to the Yankees for Hideki Irabu, before the trade to the Tribe.  While Westbrook may have lost a bit of the shiny goodness that comes with being the #1 pick, he ended up being the glue of the rotation for the better part of the decade.  The All-Aught Indians #4 starter is Jake Westbrook.

Westbrook's first three years with the tribe were fairly uneventful.  He spent most of the first two years in the pen, making the occasional spot start when needed.  His ERA with the lack of work was 5.84 over the two seasons, and it looked like the Tribe had ruined another pitcher by yanking him around.

In 2003, things would begin to change for Westbrook, in that the Indians would let him start more than relieve.  The tenacious Westbrook would stay true to form even while continued to be bounced around between Buffalo and Cleveland, and between the pen and the rotation.  Westbrook would finish the year at 7-10, with a 4.33 ERA.  He started 22 games, relieved 12, had his first complete game, and pitched 133 major league innings.

Westbrook would actually start the year in the bullpen because of Bob Wickman's injury, but it would be his last time spent in the bullpen during his career.  Westbrook not only would start in 2004, but he would essentially serve as the ace of the staff once he stepped into the role.  Westbrook led the majors with five complete games, while going 14-9 with a 3.38 ERA.  His ERA was the third lowest in the A.L., and he would pitch a career high 215 2/3 innings.

Westbrook would continue his steady hand in 2005 and 2006, winning 15 games in each year.  In 2005, who would lose 15, with a 4.49 ERA.  In 2006, he would lose only 10 games, with a 4.17 ERA.  In that three year period, Westbrook would go 44-34 with a 4.01 ERA.

Westbrook would struggle in 2007 to start the year off, going on the DL on May 2 for nearly two months.  He struggled prior to the DL-stint, but when he came back, he pitched some of the best baseball of his career.  In the second half of the season, Westbrook went 5-5 with a 3.44, but in August, had a league best 1.90 ERA, while gong 4-1.  While Westbrook was the only starting pitcher to struggle against the Yankees in the Division series, he was the most consistent starter in the ALCS, going 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA.

Westbrook would only start five games for the Tribe in 2008, and they would be his last starts of the Decade.  Westbrook had been lights out during the spring, and this carried over to the regular season.  He started the year off at 1-2, but had a 2.73 ERA.  He would go on the DL, rehab, make one start that was decent, but get pulled.  He would undergo UCL surgery in June, and wouldn't start again for the Tribe until 2010.

Overall, Westbrook went 63-62 with a 4.25 ERA, in 158 starts.  He wasn't the Tribe's best pitcher, nor did he pitch the most games, but he certainly was the clue that kept this staff together.

All-Aught Indians--#5 Starter--Fausto Carmona (2006-present)

The battle for the #5 starter on the Indians team of the decade came down to two players.  The first player had one exquisite season that was so good, many felt he would be one of the best pitchers in baseball for years to come.  The other pitcher never had a season with an E.R.A. below 4.53, but was as consistent as you could be as a bottom-end starter.  The first pitcher, Fausto Carmona, was brilliant in 2007, then dropped off the map as a starters in 2008 and 2009.  The second pitcher, Paul Byrd, was never lights out, but always managed to win double figures.  Unfortunately for Byrd, many of his wins were less about his pitching, and more about his offense.  At the end of the day, Fausto Carmona's 2007 season carry him in this battle.  The All-Aught Indians #5 starter is Fausto Carmona.

Carmona's first season with the Tribe seemed to be typical Tribe management with their pitching staff in the 2000's.  Carmona's first appearance was as a starter in 2006, replacing an injured CC Sabathia.  He would win the game, but struggle in his next two starts before getting sent down with the return of Sabathia.  Carmona would return in late May as a relief pitcher, and over 28 1/3 innings, would only give up four runs, three of them earned.  That's when the Indians made him their closer, and poof, it was all gone.  Over the next four games, he would give up 11 runs, losing all four games, and blowing three saves.  I could keep going, but it just keeps getting worse.  Carmona had gone from the 2003 minor league pitcher of the year, to limbo.

Then came 2007.  The numbers?  Carmona went 19-8, with a 3.06 ERA.  In 215 innings, Carmona would strike out 137, and walk only 61 batters.  He beat Johan Santana twice in a month and had a streak of 22 shutout innings.  After the break, Carmona went 9-4 with a league leading 2.26 ERA.  Torii Hunter commented that Carmona's pitches weren't "normal," and "He's not even human. It was so scary, I thought I was hung over.  That dude is filthy," Hunter said. "We've been struggling, but even if we had been playing good, we wouldn't have beaten him. If you've never played the game, listen to me, I'm a hitter. Right-handers have no chance unless they get lucky and get a hit on a broken bat."

Still, after that sublime season, what Carmona will best be remembered for was his performance in the ALDS against the Yankees.  The two teams were swarmed with midges, and the seemingly unbeatable Joba Chamberlain was on the mound for the Yankees.  Unfortunately for Chamberlain, he couldn't focus with the midges flying around him. The Tribe would tie the game 1-1 with Chamberlain on the mound, then win the game in extra innings.  Alls Carmona did was go nine innings, giving up three hits and a run, while striking out five, and walking only two batters.  Oh yeah, and he defeated the evil midges.

Now we could sit here and chat about Carmona's struggles against Boston, and how he went downhill in 2008 and 2009, but for one big season, Carmona wasn't just good, but he may have been the best pitcher in baseball.  Overall, Carmona went 33-37, with a 4.69 ERA during the decade, which lets you know just how good that 2007 season was.  It overcame a 1-10 season, and an 11-game losing streak, as well as a season in which is ERA was nearly 7.

It's good to know that Carmona has righted the ship somewhat, in the second decade of the century.  Let's hope that continues.

All-Aught Indians--Closer--Bob Wickman (2000-2006)

Whenever I think of former closer Bob Wickman, three things immediately pop into my head:

1.  He severed his index finger down to his first knuckle when he was two in a farming accident.
2.  He has the most saves in Cleveland Indians history.
3.  I had to purchase a defibrillator to help jump start my heart after nearly every one of his outings.

During the best of days, Bob Wickman stabilized the Tribe bullpen, providing the Indians with a surefire, ninth-inning win.  During the worst of days, Wickman was an injury-prone emergency room filler, living on the edge during every appearance.  Through it all, Bob Wickman was the only closer that provided longevity and consistency throughout his run during the first decade.  The All-Aught Indians closer is the hefty righty, Bob Wickman.

It's almost hard to believe, but Wickman was first brought up as a starter for the New York Yankees way back in 1992.  Wickman isn't a typical power pitcher, throwing a decent fastball, sinker and slider.  What made him special was that half-finger of his.  According to Wickman, and every coach he pitched for, that half finger gave him natural movement.  When he was on, too much movement for any opposing batter.

The Yankees ultimately moved Wickman to the bullpen, where he was one of the main set-up man for closer John Wetteland.  The Yanks traded to the Brewers in 1996, where in his first game with the Crew, gave the Indians a glimpse of their future, blowing a save, but getting the win in a late August game.  The Tribe would trade for Wickman, Jason Bere and Steve Woodard in the 2000 Richie Sexson trade.  While the Indians needed starters, Woodard and Bere wouldn't make it for a complete season.  Wickman became a staple.

Wickman immediately was placed in the role as closer for Steve Karsay, and saved 14 of 17 games.  He went 1-3, with a 3.38 ERA in 26 appearances and 26 2/3 innings pitched.  He only struck out 11 batters however, while walking 12.  Let the roller coaster ride begin.

Wickman had one of his best seasons as the Tribe closer in 2001, saving 32 of 35 chances, while going 5-0 with a 2.39 ERA.  He made 70 appearances, and pitched in 67 2/3 innings, and was a true workhorse.  The Indians made a strange move in June, dealing the unhappy Steve Karsay to Atlanta for crazy closer John Rocker.  Rocker was immediately made the closer, and after starting off like a house of fire, imploded.  Re-enter Wickman, who continued his spectacular season.

As good as the 2001 season was, was as bad as the 2002 season turned into.  Wickman's elbow bothered him all season until he was shut down in August.  His season ended with Tommy John surgery.  Wickman's ERA lived above 4.00 for most of the season.  He still saved 20 games for the season.  Wickman would miss the entire 2003 season rehabbing his elbow.

2004 would start off much like the previous two seasons, on the DL, with a strained elbow.  He would return in early July as a set-up man, before entering as a closer after his fifth appearance, and fourth hold.  While he wasn't lights out, he did save five games in six days in early August.  Overall, he saved 13 of 14 games, and righted the bullpen a bit.  He finished the season strong, with three saves in his final four games, and no runs allowed.

2005 was Wickman's finest year as a closer, saving 45 games in 50 chances, which was tied for the AL lead.  Wickman went 0-4 with a 2.47 ERA.  For the first time in three years, Wickman pitched in over 60 innings, and would be chosen into the all-star game.

2006 was Wickman's final year with the Tribe, and he pitched like he was disinterested for much of the first half of the season.  He went 1 and 4, with a 4.18 ERA, saving 15 games in 29 appearances.  Wickman was traded in late July to the Atlanta Braves. He was light's for the Braves, saving 18 games with a 1.04 ERA, showing that when focused, he could be one of the top closers in baseball.

Wickman had a long run as the Indians closer, and while injury-issues were a problem in the middle of his Tribe career, those problems were bookended by outstanding seasons.  Sure, I now need a pacemaker because of the round mound of closers, but there is no doubt he was the best in Tribe-land during the first decade.

All-Aught Indians--RP1--Rafael Betancourt (2003-2009)

Rafael Betancourt was clearly the best Tribe reliever during the 1990's.  Like many of the Tribe pitchers of the decade, Betancourt was a bit of a reclamation project.  He had spent the previous six seasons all over the place, learning how to pitch, and it all came together with the Indians.  Betancourt threw a low-to-mid-90's fastball, a curve and a changeup, and while none of his pitches were considered plus pitches, it was his location that made him special.  The All-Aught Indians top relief pitcher is Rafael Betancourt.

There isn't a longer, stranger trip to the All-Aught Indians roster than Betancourt.  The right-hander was signed by the Boston Red Sox out of Venezuela as a good fielding, light hitting shortstop.  Betancourt, who worshiped the ground that Omar Vizquel walked on, wanted nothing more than to play shortstop in the bigs.  Boston farm director Bob Schaefer suggested Betancourt try pitching, and after seeing him make three tosses, knew it was the right move.

Bettancourt would spend some time in Boston's minor league system, but injury issues and struggles learning to pitch led the Red Sox to release him.  He headed to Japan for a season, was sent to the minors there after a short stint in the major leagues, then returned to the States and re-signed with the Red Sox.  After a month at AA, Bettancourt would end up shut down for the season before undergoing surgery on his right elbow to transpose the ulnar nerve as well as having a metal rod placed in his right forearm to stabilize his right elbow and ulna.  The Red Sox would release him, and he sat out the entire 2002 season.

All-Aught Indians--RP2--David Riske (1999, 2001-2005)

David Riske didn't have the flair for the dramatic, and when you think of relievers, Riske's name likely won't jump out at you.  Still, for most of his five-plus years with the big league Indians, he was one of the most consistent relievers in the pen.  Riske's primary role over the years was as the eighth inning, right-handed set-up man, but he showed up in the box score where the Tribe needed him.  He even spent some a small chunk of time as their primary closer, in perhaps his best year, in 2003.  Riske gave the Indians obvious bang for their buck, but he also just happened to be their most consistent closer over a five-year stretch, including two dominant seasons.  The All-Aught Indians relief pitcher #2 is David Riske.

The Indians selected Riske in the 56th round of the 1996 draft.  Obviously, when they picked the big righty, they didn't exactly expect him to become much of a player.  It's not like 56th rounders traditionally have 10-year careers, but Riske did, recently being released by the Milwaukee Brewers.  Riske brought a low nineties fastball, but his bread and butter pitches were his plus slider, and his split-finger.

Riske's first cup of coffee with the Tribe was in his third professional season, in 1999, and to say it was successful would be a mistake.  In his first six games, he gave up 10 earned runs, and watched his ERA balloon to 13.  There was still some improvement, as Riske only gave up three earned runs in his last six outings, dropping his ERA by four earned runs.  Still, his overall numbers weren't that good.  In 14 overall innings, he gave up 20 hits and 15 earned runs, while going 1-1 with a blown save.  Still, he closed stranger than he started, and things looked up.

Cleveland Indians fans gives thanks

I've always been a thankful Cleveland Indians fan.  Perhaps the feeling is based in being a fan of this baseball team in the dreadful 1970's.  Not a single Tribe team during between 1970 and 1970 finished above fourth place in A.L. East, and only two teams finished above .500.

It just got worse in the 1980's, with the Indians never finishing above fifth place, with only one team finishing above .500 (the now infamous 1986 Tribe, that led SI to put them on the cover of their 1987 pre-season baseball issue, only to have the Tribe lose over 100 games).  No, it wasn't pretty at all.

Growing up with those sad-sack teams has made it very easy for me to find the silver lining of just about any baseball club that Cleveland can field.  I can't tell you how many times I've said, "Yeah, but he's scrappy," or "Sure he can't throw a strike, but he hits 95 on the gun!"  I've learned to cope in a world in which coping is the only way to remain a fan.  No, the current version of the Indians aren't going to remind anyone of the 1927 Yankees, but there certainly is a lot of good, mixed up with the bad.

Here are ten reasons we all can be thankful for as Cleveland Indians fans.

A First Look at the Cleveland Indians Top Prospects

It's that time of year when the Major League Basebal top prospect lists start pouring in.  Normally, it's just a part of the normal hot stove season for each major league team.  You know the drill:  sign some free agents, make some trades and reevaluate your minor league system.  For the Indians, that drill should be a much simpler proposition thanks to Paul Dolan's recent revelation to Paul Hoynes of the PD:

“It’s not the right time to spend. No question about that. It’s not the right time to spend in the cycle of this franchise. The spending is deficit spending. When New York and Boston spend, they’re spending from their profits. It’s a riskier proposition for clubs like us to spend. We’re taking a far greater financial risk than whatever it is a large-market club spends on a large free agent. It’s the unfortunate nature of our game.”

While the conversation about Dolan's statement will take the better part of the winter months, and likely the entirety of the 2011 baseball season (you know, the one in which Mark Shapiro believe the Indians would be in contention again...oops), let's instead discuss the first of the baseball prospect ratings that have come out.

On November 17th, Baseball America released their top ten rankings. BA's rankings always tend to veer towards the current drafts and/or trades, and while there is value to their rankings, the definitive rankings tend to come from Tony Lastoria via his prospect book and website, Indians Prospect Insider. To give some perspective, let's take a look at last year's rankings, compared to this year's, both compiled by Baseball America's Ben Badler:

Free at Last, Free at Last, Shin-Soo Choo is Free at Last!

The days of worrying about a 30-month long commitment to the South Korean military ended for Cleveland Indians rightfielder Shin-Soo Choo today as South Korea defeated Chinese Taipei 9-3 to win the Asian Games gold medal.  The South Korean government gives exemptions to any gold medal winner of the Asian Games.

More on this game later, and what the future holds for Choo later today.

Choo leads South Koreans to Gold Medal finals

Shin-Soo Choo is one game away from leaving his 30-month military service, as South Korea defeated China 7-1 today in the semi-final game.  Today, the 28-year-old right fielder went 1-for-1, with a solo home run in the seventh inning.  Choo walked three times, scored three runs, and managed to steal a base as well.  Overall, Choo is 6 for 10, with three home runs, two doubles, two stolen bases and five walks.

South Korea gets a rematch with Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) in tomorrow's gold medal game.  Don't expect Choo to get many pitches to hit, as he went 2 for 4, with two homers and four RBI in 6-1 South Korean victory to open the games.

Should South Korea win the game, Choo would be exempt from serving a mandatory 30-month military obligation.

Shin-Soo Choo dominating Asian Games in his quest for military exemption

And so, the 2010-2011 offseason begins. The New York Yankees will be debating how many millions they will overpay Derek Jeter and Mariano River, while not blinking at the 150 million or so dollars they throw the way of former Indians ace, Cliff Lee. The Boston Red Sox will spend their typical offseason in the midst of their quaint Red Sox Nation, throwing around how many millions they will or won't throw at Adrian Beltre or former Indians catcher Victor Martinez, while debating on whether or not they will dally in the discussion for Jayson Werth, Carl Crawford and/or Prince Fielder.

The Indians? Our offseason will be focused on one player, and one player only: Shin-Soo Choo.

Let's face facts, Tribe fans, as far as players go, Choo has been the main topic of Cleveland Indians discussion for the better part of 2 1/2 years. You could make a case that he's really the only major league player worth talking about with any sort of consistency.  Not only has the Tribe right-fielder been far-and-away the best player to put on an Indians jersey since he's become a regular, but there's also been a rather large question hanging over Choo's head. Will he have to leave by July of 2012 to serve a mandatory two-year military service in his homeland of South Korea?

Let's just say that Choo is doing everything he possibly can to avoid that service.

Choo is currently spending his offseason at the Asian Games in China, trying to earn what could be a reprieve from joining the South Korean army.  Should the South Koreans win the gold medal at the games, the South Korean government would give every member of the team an automatic exemption.  Choo is taking this possible reprieve extremely seriously.

On Saturday, in the opening game for Korea, they faced off against the defending Asian Games gold medalists, Chinese Tapei, and promptly blew them out of the water, 6-1.  The clear star of the game was Choo, who went two for four, with two homers and four RBI.  Choo didn't stop there.

In game two on Sunday, he went one for three, with a double, a walk and two RBI in a 15-0 shellacking of Chinese Hong Kong, in a game that was stopped in the fifth inning, thanks to the long lost little league ten run rule.

Finally, yesterday, Choo went two for two with a walk and a double, scored three runs, and drove in two.  He added a stolen base, as the Koreans blitzed Pakistan 15-0.  You guessed it, the Pakistanis were ten-runned in this one as well, as Choo was taken out after the fourth inning, apparently out of breath from all the work around the bases.

Overall, Choo is batting .556, with two homers, two doubles, two walks and a stolen base.  I would guess you could call that motivation.

The South Koreans will face off in the semi-finals tomorrow against the host country, China.  It should be a win, but the game could get interesting.  You never really know what to expect when you're playing the hosts, who are 2-1, with two dominating wins.  Their only loss came to gold medal favorites, Japan, 3-0.  Japan is playing in the other semi-final, against Chinese Taipei.

Choo is two games away from closing the door on one of the most hotly discussed topics over the years within the Indians community.  Of course, if they do win gold, then what will we have to talk about?

Oh yeah, Choo signed with agent Scott Boras, so then we'll get to start worrying about how to sign him.  One step at a time folks, one step at a time...

Carlos Carrasco set to join Indians

In one of the worst-kept secrets of the season, Carlos Carrasco will be heading to Cleveland to join the Indians on Wednesday when the rosters expand from 25 to 40 players.

Carrasco has had a solid year at Columbus, going 10-6 with a 3.65 ERA. He's been particularly effective lately, going 2-3 in his last ten games, but with a paltry 2.76 ERA. In his last four games, the big righty has gone 1-1 with a 1.95 ERA, earning his call-up. Carrasco likely would already be with the big league club if not for a minor forearm injury in late-July.

Carrasco could start on Wednesday, which would be his normal five day rest. Josh Tomlin is scheduled to start, but it's possible that Manny Acta may be planning to move to a six-man rotation to allow his starters to avoid strain at the end of the season, in particular with starter Justin Masterson. It's likely that Masterson may either get shut down, or more likely, move to the pen for the last two or three weeks. This would allow Masterson to pare back his innings during his first full season as a starter.

Carrasco has struggled in his brief cup of coffee with the Indians last season. Carrasco went 0-4 with a near 9.00 ERA. Carrasco came over in the deal with the Philadelphia that sent the Phillies ace Cliff Lee. Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp also came over in the deal, that so far, hasn't paid off in immediate success for Cleveland.

Marson is currently platooning with Chris Gimenez, and is batting below the Mendoza line at .188. Marson is a capable back-up, but hasn't yet developed into the Carlos Santana alternative that many had in mind. Jason Donald has been a solid middle-infielder for the Indians this season, although many hoped he would show a little more offensively than he has. There's still plenty of room and upside for Donald, but the Indians ultimately are looking at Donald as a utility player, as Cord Phelps and Jason Kipnis continue to develop at second base. Jason Knapp just returned from shoulder surgery recently, and had two blazing starts, before struggling last night. Many are resting their hats on the big righty, who if healthy, is a can't miss ace. Still, Knapp's race to the majors has many miles in between.

Carrasco may be the only tangible piece to this trade that could pay off quickly. Many wonder whether Carrasco is nothing more than a quad-A player (tell me you didn't just think of Andy Marte), but after putting up solid numbers, now is the time for the former Phillie to make his move.

While it's likely we won't know how the Indians came out in the Cliff Lee trade until Jason Knapp maneuvers his way through the system, it would be helpful to know that the Tribe received at least two better-than-average players for one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Man-Ram heads to Chicago

It's official.

Manny Ramirez and the nearly 4 million dollars left on his contract is heading to the South Side of Chicago to finish the season out for the White Sox.  Manny, of course, will play his first game for the White Sox against his former team, our Cleveland Indians.  It's unclear whether or not Manny will play tonight, or debut tomorrow for the White Sox, but either way, it could prove to be an interesting conglomeration of personalities.

Manny has been a non-entity with the Dodgers since June 29th because of a calf-strain, only playing in six games since then.  One of those games was Saturday's one-pitch performance in which the enigmatic outfielder was thrown out of the game for arguing a call.  When he has played, he's been effective, batting .311, with eight homers and 40 RBI.  Still, it's distinctly arguable that at this stage of his career, hitting or not hitting, that Manny is ever really effective in helping his team win games.

We all know Manny.  When he's interested, there really isn't a better hitter in baseball.  The swing is sublime, and hasn't changed since picking up his first bat.  He's absolutely a hitting-savant.  When he's not interested, well, he's still a great hitter, but one could argue that he takes more away from a team than brings to it.  How will this translate to the Chicago White Sox, who are 4 1/2 games behind the division leading Minnesota Twins?  I'm not sure, but it should be an interesting watch.

Manny may show up, and may help this team offensively.  As a matter of fact, I can almost guarantee it.  Ramirez has something to prove, and he's known to respond under similar circumstances.  But you do have to wonder, as a Tribe fan, what could happen if something goes wrong.  What happens if something tweaks Ozzie Guillen?  What happens if Manny is Manny, and Ozzie realizes that it isn't just "Manny being real," as Guillen stated in his comments about Man-Ram coming to the team just yesterday.  What happens if he really gets under the skin of the outspoken White Sox manager?

Well, that could be an explosive proposition, couldn't it.  I, for one, can't wait to see it happen.  There isn't a team that deserves it more than the Chicago White Sox.

The Westbrook Watch

All eyes will be on Jake Westbrook today as he takes the mound for the Cleveland Indians against the Toronto Blue Jays. Not many people will actually be paying much attention to whether he wins and loses, instead wondering whether or not if the Tribe will continue their perennial sell-at-all-costs spiral into the oblivion started after the 2007 crash-and-burn against the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS.

With Jhonny Peralta (Detroit) and Austin Kearns (New York Yankees) heading to much greener pastures in recent days, look for Westbrook to get plenty of hits today from several teams looking for pitching.

Topping the list of potential suitors for the veteran righty are the recurrent trading partners for the Indians, the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cards are looking for a starter that can eat up innings, and Westbrook may just be the guy. He's already thrown 127 2/3 innings this year, which is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Cardinals.

The only potential road block in a deal with the N.L. Central leaders is Westbrook's salary. He's schedule to make four million over the final two months of the season, and the Indians would likely to have to take on much of that salary. Top that off with a two million dollar bonus that Westbrook would receive if a trade is made, and you may have a deal-breaker.

The Indians faithful shouldn't expect much for Westbrook in the deal, although as the deadline looms closer, you really never know what the Indians may get. Also take into account that Westbrook is pitching today. Should he put together a solid performance, it could teeter a team on the brink of a move before today's 4:00 deadline.

Other clubs that may have interest in Westbrook's services are the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the Yankees seem to be doing what they always do during the deadline, and trade for everything whether they need it or not, I can't imagine that Westbrook is heading their way, or he likely would have been part of the Kearns deal. The Dodgers, who tend to overpay for players, likely aren't going to make any big deals with the ownership in the midst of an "As the World Turns" divorce.

In Westbrook's nine years with the Tribe, he's gone 69-69, with a 4.29 ERA.

The Indians will get their 2011 preview, whether they like it or not

I was thinking back, this fine Fourth of July morning, to the beginning of the Major League season. Things weren't exactly bright for the Cleveland Indians, but there certainly were bright spots, and you know what they say, hope springs eternal.

The Indians top three offensive players, and likely, their top three defensive players, were Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo. These three, along with a cavalcade of prospects acquired through the years via trade (you know, kinda like Sizemore, Cabrera and Choo), were going to gel together in preparation for a run perhaps as early as 2011. Some even thought, that if everything went perfectly, this team could surprise some this year.

Today, Shin-Soo Choo was placed on the 15-day DL with a right thumb injury. He'll likely be out for six to eight weeks. For those counting at home, that means that Asdrubal Cabrera (out, but coming back soon), Grady Sizemore (out for the season) and Choo (possibly out until September) will miss considerable time.

Those prospects that were supposed to supplement the stars will now be responsible to carry this team over the next several weeks. The good news is that not much will be expected from this group, since the Indians are already in last place. The bad news? There won't be much guidance on the field from the veterans, unless you are hoping that Jhonny Peralta is going to become the mentor.

Consider this. In center field, you have Trevor Crowe, a soon-to-be fourth outfielder, who until this year, has only had a cup of coffee in the bigs. In right field, you'll likely find Michael Brantley, who was called up today to take the place of Choo. If not Brantley, you'll find Shelley Duncan there. I'm not sure Duncan is good enough to be dealt, but he's not exactly what many would consider veteran leadership. In right, you have Austin Kearns. Kearns has always been a positive presence in the clubhouse. The problem is that he'll be gone soon, via trade. Peralta is at third, but you have to believe that someone looking for an infielder, like Philly, might make a call. Jayson Nix is at second base, and I'm not even sure I spelled his name right. Rookie Jason Donald is at short, Matt LaPorta is at first, and Carlos Santana is behind the plate.

That's a whole lot of youth, surrounded by a whole lot of trade-able assets, and I use the term assets loosely. Does that make Travis Hafner the offensive and veteran leader of the Tribe? It absolutely does. Take that for what it's worth.

While this is a crazy scenario for the Indians and Manny Acta, in this case, it happens to be the right scenario. These prospects that the Indians dealt their talent for needed to get their chance to prove they can play. The Tribe brass, now with their hand a bit forced, are going to do just that.

What kind of team will we have in 2011? I'm not sure, but we are about to get a head's up during the second half of 2010.

From IPI: The Sunday Drive with Some Offensive Fireworks on this 4th of July

I do some writing at the best Minor League site on the planet, Tony Lastoria's Indians Prospect Insider, where I currently write about the Kinston Indians. While I won't publish all of my stuff from IPI here, I will on occasion. Here the latest:

While watching the fireworks blast over Lake Benson here in Carolina last night, I couldn't help but think of the state of the Kinston Indians and their past week. Kinston rolled out a 4-2 record this week as their roster continued to transition into the second half.

Kinston's offense has struggled to put runs on the board for most of the season, and with most of their offensive weapons moving up the system, things weren't looking all that good for the second half. Then something funny happened. This week, Kinston found some power, and with continued brilliance from the pitching, there might be a playoff run from the K-Tribe yet. How brilliant is the pitching? While I think there's been a transfer of power to the bullpen, the overall staff's ERA is a mind-boggling 2.88, with a 1.26 WHIP. Yeah, not to shabby...

With fireworks and cookouts about to get started, let's get driving...

Where We Stand in Week 13, with a clean slate:

Overall Record: 41-38 (4-2 this past week)
Second Half Record 5-4 (1/2 game back)

Week 13 Games:

27 vs. Potomac, W 6-4 (WP: T. Turek; LP: J. Estrada; SV: C. Burns)
28 vs. Potomac, W 6-5 (WP: T. McFarland; LP: M. Frias; SV: C. Burns)
29 vs. Potomac, Postponed: Rain
30 @ Myrtle Beach, L 1-2 (WP: A. Paulino; LP: J. Mahalic; SV: L. Avilan)

July (all times local unless noted)

1 @ Myrtle Beach, W 6-4 (WP: B. Grening; LP: R. Delgado; SV: C. Burns)
2 @ Myrtle Beach, L 2-4 (WP: J. Hoover; LP: J. Gardner; SV: B. Oberholtzer)
3 vs. Frederick, W 3-1 (WP: C. Jones; LP: J. Mariotti; SV: C. Burns)

This Week's Transactions:

07/03/2010 3B Jeremie Tice assigned to Kinston Indians from Lake County Captains.
07/03/2010 1B Chris Kersten assigned to Lake County Captains from Kinston Indians.
07/03/2010 C Chun-Hsiu Chen assigned to Kinston Indians from Lake County Captains.
07/03/2010 OF Tim Palincsar assigned to Lake County Captains from Kinston Indians.
06/30/2010 RHP Marty Popham assigned to Kinston Indians from Akron Aeros.
06/29/2010 RHP Marty Popham assigned to Akron Aeros from Kinston Indians.
06/28/2010 RHP Rob Bryson placed on the 7-Day disabled list. Right Shoulder Strain
06/27/2010 SS Juan Diaz traded to Kinston Indians from Seattle Mariners.

Week 13 Offense:

Kinston finally started showing off some power this week, hitting seven home runs, and scoring 23 runs in six games. They did strike out a bit more, which comes with the territory, but if this team continues to score more runs with this pitching staff, the playoffs are a real possibility. It will be interesting to see this offense continue to develop, with the additions of Bo Greenwell and Juan Diaz. A lot rests on Abner Abreu, who took a step back this week, but to keep kicking this dead horse, if he continues to progress, Kinston could have solid power.

Lucas Montero continues to impress and prove his value to Kinston. He went 10 for 22, with five runs, a homer, two RBI, four walks, five K's, and two stolen bases. Montero has found a home in center, but has more value than many, because he can play all three outfield positions. His .455 average this week will help his cause in moving up. He is at an advanced age at 25, but could move through the system quickly because of his versatility and speed. It is interesting to see his play improve now that he has a steady job in center.

Bo Greenwell has continued to play well since his call-up last week. In his first full week at Kinston, the left-fielder went 8 for 23, with a team-leading six RBI, two doubles, two RBI, two walks, four K's and two stolen bases. It's clear that the 22-year-old is beginning to figure out how to play at the highest levels. He started the year off like a house of fire in Lake County before leveling off. It will be interesting to see if he continues his tear through Carolina league, or if he drops off.

Kyle Bellows had a nice week, going 7 for 21, with four runs, two homers, four RBI, three walks, two K's and two stolen bases. Bellows had a five game hitting streak that was broken last night. He continues to show improvement at the plate, and has all the tools that can the Indians are looking for. There still is a belief in the system that the 6'3", 210 pounder can develop plus power, while hitting for average. He has a cannon for an arm, and continues to improve his plate discipline. Bellows isn't consistent yet, but he's at the right stage of his career to begin figuring it all out.

Abner Abreu did hit another homer this week, but also went 5 for 21 for a .238 average. His inconsistency this year has been mind-numbing. Juan Diaz, the shortstop acquired in the Russell Branyan didn't have a hit in 15 at bats. This kid does have tools, and I'm not surprised he struggled out of the gate. Everyone can't be Carlos Santana. There are scouts that see a ton of upside in this kid, so it will be interesting to see what happens to him as the season develops. It's unfortunate for Ron Rivas, who seemed to finally be picking up his offense enough to overlook his defense. Diaz did play a nice shortstop, not making an error.

Week 13 Bullpen:

The bullpen slowly but surely has become the strength of the pitching staff. Maybe not so slowly. They went 3-0 this week, with four saves and two holds. In 25 2/3 innings, the bullpen only gave up 17 hits and six earned runs. They walked 13 batters, and struck out 38. Yeah, it was that good. It's funny how a rock solid closer can line up the rest of the staff. Rob Bryson was out this week with a strained shoulder, which should tell you just how good this pen is, since Bryson is one of the better relievers on the K-Tribe roster.

Chris Jones may just be the best reliever in the Carolina League. In two games, Jones went 1-0, giving up a hit and a walk, while striking out eight batters. Overall, Jones is 2-1, with a 0.81 ERA in 15 appearances.

Brian Grening made a resurgence this week in a relief appearance of a struggling T.J. House. He went four strong innings, giving up only one hit, while striking out four in getting the win. Grening has struggled over the past month, so it's good to see the righty get back on track. Now, if we can just see some consistency.

Travis Turek continued his transformation into one of the better relief pitchers on this team. In two appearances, Turek went 1-0 with a hold. In five innings, he gave up four hits, an earned run, walked five, and struck out three. The run that Turek gave up last Sunday was his first since June first, and hes seen his overall ERA drop to below 3, at 2.96. If he continues at this right, he just might find himself in Akron.

Matt Langwell has become the invisible man. He just comes out and does his job. In two appearances, he went four innings, gave up three hits and and earned run, while walking three and striking out five. Langwell has a 1.75 ERA for the season, and has been the stabilizing force in this bullpen all year long. Let's hope it pays off with a promotion at some point.

I do want to mention Dave Roberts. Yes, he did ride his weekly roller coaster, with both good and bad appearances. His good appearance was just very, very good. He went three innings on Saturday night, giving up only one hit and two walks, while striking out a season high seven batters. Perhaps Roberts can use this appearance to right the ship a bit.

No, I haven't forgotten about Cory Burns. Alls he did is make four appearances during the week, and saved all four games. He went 4 1/3, giving up three hits, an earned run, a walk, while striking out nine batters. Burns is leading the Carolina League with 15 saves. He has 27 saves combined while at Lake County.

Imagine how good this pen becomes when Bryson returns. Of course, it's likely that someone will get bumped up...or down.

Week 13 Starters:

The K-Tribe starters continued their walk through the Carolina League park. Overall, the starting staff had a 3.08 ERA in 26 innings pitched. They gave up 30 hits and nine earned runs. They walked 16 batters and struck out 21. They did go 1-2, but they continued with a pristine 3.08 ERA.

T.J. McFarland went 1-0 this week. He went six innings, giving up three hits, two earned runs and three walks, while striking out one. Overall, that brings McFarland to 8-2 (leading the league with eight wins) with a 1.94 ERA (also leading the league). In 78 2/3 innings pitched, he's struck out only 52, while only walking an impressive 18. This is exactly what the Indians needed to see in McFarland, who has proven to be one of the best pitchers here at Kinston.

Austin Adams pitched two games, and will be utilized with a hand-cuff throughout the season (perhaps Marty Popham, who was briefly called up to Akron and made a fantastic start, before getting called back down). In his two appearances, Adams went 7 2/3, giving up six hits and two earned runs, while walking three and striking out 11. Adams was selected in the fifth round last year, and is certainly on Mark Shapiro's radar. He was converted to a pitcher during his final year in college, and is still learning the trade, which is why Cleveland is bringing him along slowly. He has big league heat, averaging out in the mid-90's, and can touch the upper 90's. I firmly believe that the Indians have this power arm earmarked for the bullpen. The ONLY reason why they are starting him is to build up consistency and arm strength. It will be interesting to watch him develop.

Joey Mahalic with 5 2/3, giving up eight hits with two earned runs, while walking four and striking out two in his loss. Joe Gardner went six innings, giving up seven hits, three earned runs and three walks, while striking out six batters in his loss. TJ House only went an inning, giving up two hits, three runs, an earned run, while walking three and striking out one. He only lasted an inning, which seems to be because of his struggles, and not because of an injury. If I hear anything more, I'll make sure to get it out to you.

Week 13 Awards:

Offensive player of the week: Lucas Montero
Relief pitcher of the week: Cory Burns
Staring pitcher of the week: T.J. McFarland

Player of the week: Lucas Montero

Here comes week 14:

4 vs. Frederick, 6:00 PM
5 vs. Frederick, 7:00 PM
7 vs. Salem, 7:00 PM
8 vs. Salem, 7:00 PM
9 vs. Salem, 7:00 PM
10 @ Frederick, 6:00 PM

A Quick Note: Manny Acta reported last week that Jason Knapp is on the mend, and soon to return. As soon as I can get any information on when Knapp will be back, where he'll be, and what he'll be doing, I'll get that up and posted. Also, congrats to Michael Brantley, for getting his much deserved cal-up.

The Rearviewmirror: Sorry to move away from baseball for a moment, but am I the only one glad that all this egotistical garbage with LeBron James is over? It's kind of funny, when you think about it. These guys get together four years ago, and plan to all sign three-year deals. Now, here we are, and we don't think they haven't planned this all out? While I can't prognosticate how this is all going to end, there really is a big part of me that thinks they have pre-destined to converge in Miami. Why? Was it predetermined all those years ago? No, but I don't doubt that they didn't come up with a pact that said they'd all play together at whoever wins a title. What are they doing now? Perhaps they are trying to find a way that they can all play in Chicago at peak money, or perhaps they are all going to end up at home. Either way, I'm glad the idiotic tours are done. I mean, listening to the programs these teams put up. The Knicks with the Sopranos, and the Cavs with some dumb video. It's all ridiculous, the hoops these teams are jumping through. Perhaps the Clippers had it right. Show up, let them know how much you want them, and leave. This isn't my NBA, that's for sure. Will LeBron stay? You know, after all the years I've put into this team, I don't think I care. I remember listening to Tate and the Cavs during the Miracle at Richfield, with my Dad when I was a wee little one. I remember the shot, but more importantly, all those good Cavs teams in the late 80's. Can the Cavs win without James, you bet they can. A friend of mine asked me the other day, what I would do, as a NE Ohio native, if I were as gifted as LeBron, playing for the Cavs. I said to him, "Well, I'm from Ohio, grew up watching the Indians, the Cavs, the Browns and the Buckeyes. The Cavs have offered me more money than anyone else can. We've been the the precipice of a title before. My owner has deep pockets, and a willingness to spend. In other words, every scenario that no other Cleveland team or player HAS EVER HAD, and I can stay in my own hometown. I told my friend it was a no-brainer, not only would I have said yes on July 1, but I would have been saying yes all year long. 'Bron is a card-carrying member of the bandwagon club. He's a Yankees fan, because he grew up watching them win titles. He's a Dallas Cowboy's fan, because he grew up watching them win titles. He's a Chicago Bulls fan, because he grew up watching the Bulls win titles. Now I want LeBron to stay, and I hope he does, but this fairweather characteristic really makes me wonder. How many friends, who grew up right here in the area, are card carrying Bulls, Cowboys and Yankees fans? I'm not saying LeBron doesn't love the area, love his hometown, and love the Cavs...but at his core is a kid who follows the winners. Who can make him a winner the earliest? I don't know, but I can't wait until the DECISION is in the rearviewmirror.

The Justin Masterson Chronicles

Should Justin Masterson start or close?

This has likely been one of the top three questions asked by most Cleveland Indians fast this year, and it's not one that's easily answered. Looking at Masterson's game log is reminiscent of riding any Ceder Point roller coaster, just not as fun.

Masterson came out of the gates at least resembling a decent starter. In his first three starts, Masterson went 0-2, but only gave up five earned runs in 15 innings pitched. Over the next seven starts,including the complete month of May, Masterson would give up 30 runs in 38 2/3 innings. His ERA would balloon to over 6 at one point, and most assumed it was time to move him to the pen, or even to Columbus. AT 0-5 with a 5.87 ERA, something had to be done.

Then Masterson took another turn. He would go 2-0 in his next two starts, including a complete game, two-hit shutout. In 14 2/3 innings, he gave up seven hits and one run, while striking out seven. His ERA would drop a complete run, and Masterson seemed to turn a corner. Why? He did this against the White Sox and the Red Sox.

Masterson would sandwich two bad starts around a decent one over his next three appearances. In the two bad appearances, he would go 0-2 in 12 innings, while giving up 12 runs and 16 hits. In the good appearance, he gave up two runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out seven in a no decision.

Finally, on July 1st, Masterson went 8 1/3 innings, giving up only one run on eight hits. He struck out five without giving up a walk in getting his third win of the year.

Masterson is still terrible at getting lefties out. They are hitting .314 against Masterson this year, and until he figures out how to consistently pitch to left-handed hitters, he won't be a top-tier starter.

So the question remains, is it worth the ride while we wait for Masterson to figure things out?

Maybe the better question is who is going to take his place? Jeanmar Gomez is 6-7 with a 5.46 ERA. A closer look shows that Gomez is 3-0 over his last four starts, with a stellar 1.03 ERA. Still, do you want to bring up a guy who's finally figured things out after struggling all season? Yohan Pino is 7-4 with a 5.38 ERA. As hot as Gomez has been, is as cold as Pino is. He has a 6.50 ERA over his last ten games. Carlos Carrasco is 7-3 with a 4.22 ERA. Carrasco also has struggled a bit recently, but the Indians may be antsy in getting a look at the young righty. The most intriguing of the Columbus starters is Josh Tomlin, who is 7-2 with a 2.66 ERA He's been solid over his last four starts, and really all season long. Unfortunately for the Indians, and for Tomlin, is the fact that Tomlin was recently charged with assault. I'm not an expert, but I'm guessing that Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti aren't looking for that kind of press.

So there are your choices. Sure, Masterson may ultimately end up in the bullpen, especially with Alex White, Kelvin De La Cruz and Nick Hagadone on the horizon. But right now, there just aren't any better options. Top that off with the potential trades of Jake Westbrook and even Fausto Carmona, and you have too many holes with not enough Indians on the reservation to fill them.

So it appears as though we'll be riding the roller coaster known as Masterson at least until the end of the season, if not longer. And you know what? He just might turn into the next great ride in Northeastern Ohio.

Something tells me the Masterson chronicles are just getting started.

Cleveland's Kerry Wood's top seven trade destinations

Kerry Wood has his bags packed, and he's ready to travel?

Do you need any more proof than his last three appearances in back-to-back-to-back games? In those games, Wood has given up a hit (a single), no runs or walks, while striking out six altogether (he struck out the side against Cincinnati on Sunday night). He's thrown 45 total pitches, 30 of them strikes. He saved all three games.

You can say what you want about Wood. Either he really does have his bags packed, or he's finally healthy after spending the first five weeks of the season on the DL with a strained shoulder. Either way, teams needing bullpen help likely took notice, as Wood became a commodity once again.

Where might Wood be headed? Here are the top seven teams that just might come knockin'.

#7--Boston Red Sox--A lot of folks will have the Red Sox higher on the list of potential trade candidates for Wood, but I'm not one of them in a straight up deal. The Red Sox have been flat out burned over the years when dealing for relievers. In 2007, they traded a boatload of moderate prospects to the Texas Rangers for Eric Gagne. Gagne promptly exploded (a near 7 ERA). The Sox did acquire Billy Wagner in a waiver deal last year, and did acquire two picks when he signed with the Braves, but I don't see Boston swinging a deal for Wood unless it's a similar-type deal. Unfortunately, Wood has a club option (it will never vest into a player option, he has to finish 55 games), so they wouldn't receive picks should they not exercise the option. Still, should Boston's pen continue to be just adequate, Wood could be on their radar should he continue his recent performance.

#6--Detroit Tigers--The Tigers pen is one of the best in baseball, with a 3.36 ERA. So why do they need a reliever? Joel Zumaya's gruesome injury on Friday is why. Zumaya was the primary set-up man for the Tigers, and has been exceptional this season. While there are pitchers to take his slot, Wood could plug into the set-up role, leaving one of the best pens intact. With the recent injury, Detroit could be more willing to deal than other teams.

#5--Philadelphia Phillies--The Phillies pen hasn't been bad this season, but they haven't been all that good either. They rank 15th in the league in ERA at 3.93, but you can tell that Charlie Manuel has no faith in his relief corp. Brad Lidge has become a bit of a basket case over the past couple of years as the closer. Ryan Madson is currently on the 60-day DL, but has made two minor league rehab appearances, and looked good in doing it. It's believed that Madson will make two more appearances, one in AA, and one in AAA, before returning to the Phillies. I'm not sure what his role will be, but it should help. Chad Durbin and Antonio Bastardo are also injured. Will they return to health? With all the unknowns, the Phillies might be willing to swing a deal for Wood, who would more than support the Phillies pen, and could close as well, should Lidge become, well, Lidge.

#4--Cincinnati Reds--The Reds bullpen is currently 23rd in the league in ERA, and there are some holes. Closer Francisco Cordero has 21 saves, but his 4.14 ERA has left people questioning whether or not he should be at the back-end of the pen. Old Tribe-hand Arthur Rhodes is the set-up man, and may be the best reliever in baseball. The Reds may not want to move him out of the set-up role, or may want to make him the closer. In either case, Wood could fill in the other slot. Of course, what are the chances that the Reds are going to move out Cordero from the closer's role? More likely would be the Reds using Wood as the righty set-up man to Rhodes lefty. Thing Dos Rafael, without the Rafael. The rest of the pen has been up and down, but you aren't going to deal for Wood to be another guy in the pen. Not the best fit, although a healthy Wood puts you over the top.

#3--New York Yankees--Well, the Boston Red Sox are on this list, so you knew that the Yankees would be on here somewhere. Cliff Lee is the big fish in the trading pool, and the Yankees are, of course, in the mix. With the press focusing their attention on the starters, the Yankees are likely more focused on the relievers. Rivera is still a rock, with 17 saves in 18 chances, and a sub 1.00 ERA. Still, starting with primarly set-up man, Joba Chamberlain, the rest of the pen has been nothing but inconsistent. Chamberlain really has had only four bad outings, but there are still question-marks, in particular late in the season. David Robertson and Damaso Marte have been up and down leading up to Chamberlain. Sergio Mitre was the most consistent of the bunch, but is now on the DL. Wood could solidify the pen, and it would be interesting seeing him pitch in New York.

#2--Chicago Cubs--Obviously, Kerry Wood back to the Cubs would be an interesting story. I'm not sure how positive it would be, but all my Chicago fans insist that Wood was a leader there, and that they'd take him back in a heartbeat...especially considering the past week's developments with regards to Carlos Zambrano. Stability and a bit of good press would do nothing but help, not to mention Wood's current state of pitching. Zambrano was moved to the pen, then put on the restricted list (at least until after the All Star break), and John Grabow reinjured his left knee on Monday, after missing most of June with the same injury. He's going to be out at least three weeks. According to manager Lou Pinella,

"We've been short [in the bullpen] and really short when Grabow got hurt again."

Former Tribehand Jeff Stevens and another minor leaguer are filling in, but Wood would fill a definite need.

#1--Anaheim Angels--The Angels pen is 27th in the league with a 4.84 ERA (which is still better than the Indians, mind you), and in dire need of bullpen help. There's only one reliever with an ERA under 3.00, and three with an ERA under 4.00. One of those, Fernando Rodney, has given up four earned runs in his last seven innings of work. Another, Jason Bulger, is currently on the DL with a strained right shoulder. The final, Sean O'Sullivan, has made all of three appearances this year. Their closer, Brian Fuentes, has made 14 of 17 saves this year, and has a near 5.00 ERA. I could keep going, but it keeps getting worse. Wood, pitching the way he currently is, could immediately improve the Angels chances at the playoffs, as either the closer, or the primary set-up man, and the Angels have prospects to deal. This is far and away the worst bullpen of any contender, and a deal could be imminent.

What would the Indians get in return for the likes of Wood? If he continues to pitch well, he certainly could put names on the table that could turn into major league players. They would likely either be prospects from the low minors with a high upside, or former top prospects who need a change of scenery. Let's hope Wood can continue to show the rest of the league why the Indians paid him 30+ million, for three years.

Choo, LaPorta, Perez and Santana show Cleveland that their future is now

The Cleveland Indians won their fourth straight game tonight by beating the Blue Jays 3-1 at Progressive Field. Sure, you could make a big deal about winning four in a row, but let's be honest, it's not like this team is going to make a run for the playoffs. What you can get excited about is that the Indians' future was on display tonight in neon lights.

Okay, so Shin-Soo Choo isn't exactly a newbie, but he's certainly part of the Indians foreseeable future. Choo continued his power streak tonight with a first inning, one-out solo shot, to give the Tribe a 1-0 lead. Over Choo's last eight games, he has five homers and nine RBI. Overall, Choo leads the Tribe with 13 home runs, and until a recent call-up, was the Indians best offensive player.

Now, Carlos Santana is showcasing his offensive wares, and it's been pretty "supernatural" since his recent call-up. Santana went 2 for 4 tonight, with a run-scoring single. Choo was thrown out at third on the single, or it could have led to an even bigger inning. Santana is currently hitting .345 for the Indians, with eight doubles, four homers and 14 RBI in 17 games. His line is .333/.456/.704, and that 1.160 OPS is impressive, regardless of how few games he's played. He's walked 13 times, and struck out a grand total of seven, making him a rarity to the Indians line-up. Defensively, this kid has made only one error, and thrown out six baserunners out of twelve. Yeah, 50% isn't just good, it's, well, "supernatural."

Then there's Matt LaPorta. Cleveland fans, including myself, have either been ho-humming his performance, or been slamming the Tribe brass for holding him back. Well, the Indians sent him down in early June because of his struggles. He was recalled this past week, thanks to the Russell Branyan deal. In his four games back, he's gone 4 for 13, with two home runs, two runs scored, two RBI, two walks and three K's. Take out his 0 for 4 in his debut-back game, and he's really streaking...even to the quad. He's hit two homers in as many games.

Finally, I thought I'd mention Chris Perez. While it would have been nice to see Kerry Wood become Mr. Iron Man, and save his fourth game in as many nights, Perez took over his closer duties, and recorded his seventh save in ten chances. He had a 1,2,3 inning, with a K, and even got through a bit of adversity when Andy Marte dropped Aaron Hill's foul ball. Perez responded by striking Hill out.

Will the Indians youth lead the Tribe to the promised land this season? Not likely, but there's certainly reason to get excited about 2011 and beyond.

Kerry Wood puts himself in the trade spotlight with back-to-back saves

Entering Sunday Night's save opportunity, Kerry Wood's ERA was a less than modest 7.98. He was 1-3 with five saves in eight chances. His ticket out of here, originally thought to be through a trade, was likely heading towards an end of the year release after the Indians refused to trigger the club option on his contract.

Then, something crazy happened. Maybe it was all this Stephen Strasburg talk, sending Wood back to the days when he was Strasburg. Maybe it was all the talk about Wood being stuck with the Indians for the rest of the year. Perhaps he's just figured something out. Regardless of what you believe, Wood regained the form that enticed the Indians into signing him nearly two years ago.

Wood threw 17 pitches, 11 of which were strikes. Wood would strike out the side, and gain his 6th save, while lowering his ERA by half a run, to 7.48.

Tonight, Wood came in and threw 18 balls, 12 of which were strikes. He would give up a two-out hit, and strike out two in getting save #7. He lowered his ERA nearly another half run, to 7.02.

What does this mean? Kerry Wood might be making himself valuable again. There's always room for relievers on contending clubs, and Kerry Wood is one of the more enticing ones. Why? He still throws in the mid-90's, and when he's on, he is one of the better relievers in the league.

The Indians and Mark Shapiro are likely looking at all options as we speak, with Wood's coals directly in the fire. Can they get a top prospect for Wood? Not likely. But with another couple of shut-down performances, perhaps there is someone with some upside waiting in the wings.

With Chris Perez waiting in the wings (he had a hold in tonight's game, after giving up two runs last night) as the heir-apparent closer, Wood might just be pitching his way right out of Cleveland.

Where to? More on that as we get closer to the deadline.

Matt LaPorta recalled; will it open up the Indians' prospect logjam?

Did you ever get blamed for something you didn't do? Matt LaPorta must have felt that way on June 7th, when the Indians sent the former keystone of their CC Sabathia deal two summers ago to Columbus.

What was his response?

LaPorta, who played both first base (7 games), left field (10 games) and DH (1 game) during his ridiculous return to Columbus, had an incredible line of .362/.457/.638. Yeah, that 1.094 OPS had to have some eyes open in Shapiro's office. LaPorta had multi-hit games in seven of his 18 games, had a ten game hitting streak at one point, and hit in 14 of the 18 games. It's also worth noting that LaPorta had less walks (10) than strikeouts (12), and had 16 RBI in 18 games. Not a bad pace. LaPorta also managed an error-free tenure at both fielding positions in 82 chances (70 at first, and 12 in the outfield).

So why the sudden turnaround from his mostly horrific start to the season in Cleveland?

Oh, if you're Mark Shapiro, you'll say that when he was sent down, he was more motivated to perform. Yeah, that's all fine and good, but I'm sure some of it had to do with the fact that LaPorta got regular at bats. Theoretically, he'll get that opportunity now in Cleveland. Of course, you never know with this regime.

The Indians idiocy in the upper management never ceases to amaze me, as this piece by Tony Lastoria at Indians Prospect Insider can attest to. This should be the platform piece whenever a discussion needs to be made about how moronic the braintrust can be in Cleveland. Look no further than Matt LaPorta's situation, as well as the Josh Rodriguez.

Hopefully this initial move of sending Rusty Branyan to Seattle opens the floodgates for the youth movement to begin to be applied at all positions. LaPorta now will likely be the full-time first baseman. With Valbuena down, Josh Rodriguez or Cord Phelps should find their way to the bigs at second. Jason Donald is a fine candidate to hold the fort down at short, although I wouldn't at all mind seeing Rodriguez, Phelps and Donald in some sort of rotation while ACabs gets healthy. With a hopeful Jhonny Peralta deal in the future, taking a look at Jared Goedert at third would be ideal with Lonnie Chisenhall knocking on the door by July of next year, if not sooner. Goedert is currently on a five game hitting streak, with three homers and six RBI during that same span. Overall, he's hitting .329, with seven homers and 16 RBI in his Columbus tenure, after hitting .329, with seven homers and 32 RBI to start the year in Akron.

In the outfield, with the Austin Kearns tenure about to end (I'm sorry Mr. Pluto, but if Austin Kearns is a long-term answer for the Tribe, than the entire management team should be fired today), it's time to bring up some of these kids. Let's see what Jose Costanza brings to the team. Bring up Michael Brantley. Granted, both lack power, but their speed could make things interesting.

Point being, it's time to see what we've got. Enough of the post-ACab/Sizemore charade of trying to compete. It's over folks, for this year.

But next year could be promising, but only if Mark Shapiro and his seemingly overrated bunch start doing the right thing. Perhaps the Branyan/LaPorta move is the first sign that good things may happen.

Indians trade Branyan for two Mariners prospects

Russell Branyan was just dealt for two high upside prospects, and from a team out of the playoff chase and nearly as bad as Cleveland? Yeah, right...

The Cleveland Indians have managed to somehow deal Russell Branyan to the Seattle Mariners for two prospects that seem to have some upside. The Indians aqcuired outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and SS Juan Diaz today from the Mariners, in exchange for Branyan and either cash, or a player to be named later.

Carrera has hit .268 this season, with 24 runs, six doubles, two triples and 18 RBI. He's also stolen nine bases in 14 attempts. He doesn't strike out much (32 times in 64 games, and has a decent OBP. Carrera was signed in April 2005 by the Mets as an undrafted free agent. After four solid seasons in the low minors for the Mets, he was dealt to Seattle in the J.J. Putz deal. In 91 games with the AA Wast Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, he led the league with a .337 average, while stealing 27 bases. He played most of his games at centerfield, but also saw time in left as well. He's not a bad get, when you consider Cleveland only gave up Branyan to get him. I'm not sure where he fits in the grand scheme of things, but I'd take a case of beer for Branyan. Carrera will likely join Columbus as soon as possible.

The real get may turn out to be Juan Diaz, a 6'3" shortstop playing for the High Desert Mavericks, the Mariners Advanced A team in the California League. Over the past two seasons, he's broken out a bit with raw skills. He's currently batting .295, with seven homers and 41 RBI in only seven games. Not only that, but he's got eight stolen bases in 10 attempts. He doesn't walk much, but his OBP is .345, so he does find a way to get on base. Last season, splitting his time in rookie ball and High Desert, he hit .317, with five homers and 30 RBI. Obviously, this kid has some untapped potential. At 6'3", and only 170 pounds, he's likely going to fill out, which absolutely will improve his power. He does have a ways to go defensively, but his offensive potential is clear. He'll start the season off with High A Kinston.

So, is it me, or does this deal smell an awful lot like the Shin-Soo Choo or Asdrubal Cabrera deal? What are the Mariners freaking thinking? They don't have a chance in hell of doing anything this year, and are mulling a potential deal for Cliff Lee, who they just dealt for this year. They are 14 games back and 12 games under .500. What was Seattle thinking? Give up two prospects for Branyan? Really? That's almost as bad (or worst) as dealing Cabrera for Eduardo Perez or Choo for Ben Broussard. Could you imagine that deal at once? Eddie Perez, Ben Broussard and Russell Branyan for Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Diaz and Ezequiel Carrera. If both those kids are busts, you make that trade ten times over. I'm not a Shapiro fan by any stretch, but well done.

Yes, the Cleveland Indians may very well be the worst team in baseball when it's all said and done, but Seattle may have lost their minds. At least we can go to bed at night knowing that the Indians can steal a prospect or two every couple of years from the Mariners. Yeah, I know, Franklin Gutierrez. Don't remind me...

maybe this was Seattle's way of saying thanks...