Jun 13 2010 11:16 PM
Greetings from Utah, where I'm on a quick vacation before a business meeting in Las Vegas. I went out for a fifteen-mile hike in Zion National Park today, and I've got to say that baseball isn't foremost in my mind. Glad to see that the lucky Mets cap I've been wearing has been working, though.
Zion National Park doesn't suck. The Indians, on the other hand, do. Until a few days ago I didn't know a whole lot about them except that, despite a recent five-game winning streak ended by the buzzsaw that is Stephen Strasburg, they were still in last place. In the AL Central. That's right, these guys have a worse record than the Royals.
That should say it all, but I know the 'pool deserves a better KTE than that. So I sent an e-mail to my brother, who's lived in Cleveland for the past fourteen years and has gone native, and another e-mail to my old college roommate, who grew up there and has remained an Indians fan despite not having lived in the state of Ohio since well before most of the current Indians pitching staff was born.
Here's what they have to say:
Their two best players are currently DLed. Asdrubal Cabrera, their young, talented shortstop, got into a nasty crash with third baseman Jhonny Peralta. Cabrera, who is the answer to the trivia question "Who fielded the last unassisted triple play before the Bruntlett/Francoeur fiasco?", suffered a broken arm and will be on the DL for a long time. Peralta suffered nothing more serious than some rearranged consonants and is still in the lineup.
Grady Sizemore, one of the best centerfielders in baseball when healthy, recently had microfracture surgery on his knee. No word on whether he's running yet.
As far as the guys who are on the field:
Shin Soo Choo - RF - probably best all around player for Indians. Last year's numbers don't appear to be a fluke - hit .300 with 20HR's. Solid in outfield - many say he truly is a 5 tool player.
LF - right now Austin Kearns is the current resident. Free agent signing this year - played for Manny Acta in Washington. Doing ok - gives the Indians a right handed power bat.
3B - Jhonny Peralta - ugh. Inconsistent. and is serviceable defensively. He really didn't want to make the move from SS - but his range was awful.
SS - right now Jason Donald - came over from Philly in the Cliff Lee trade last year. Donald is doing ok - scrappy player - he also hit the disputed ground ball which the umpire called him safe to ruin Armando Galarraga's perfect game.
2B - Luis Valbuena - yuck. good defense - nothing more needs to be said.
1B - Russell Branyan/Matt LaPorta. Branyan signed as a FA and is in his 2nd stint with the Indians. Team needed a power bat - and got a streaky one at that. Bad back put Branyan on the DL to start the season, but he's playing now - and playing ok. LaPorta is the backup - and sometimes left fielder or DH - was the big name who came to Cleveland in the CC Sabathia trade to Milwaukee in '08.
Read that again next time you want to say that Omar is the worst GM in baseball. The Indians traded CC Sabathia. They got back Matt LaPorta.
Catcher - The Indians recently called up Carlos Santana, who did a fine job with mambo-tinged rock in the seventies and is starting to look like he may become Cleveland's Ike Davis.
DH - Travis Hafner. Matt Stairs skills, Oliver Perez contract.
Pitching matchups:
Tuesday: Justin Masterson (RHP, 2-5, 4.74) vs. Johan. 'Nuff said.
Wednesday: Mitch Talbot (RHP, 7-4, 3.59) vs. Niese. Talbot came over from Tampa Bay and has the potential to pass Mitch Williams as the best-ever Mitch to play in the major leagues. So I'm sort of rooting for this guy on most days. But not this coming Wednesday. Currently the ace of the Indians' staff - goes deep into games in addition to having the solid ERA.
Thursday: Jake Westbrook (RHP, 4-3, 4.62) vs. Dickey. Westbrook is coming off Tommy John surgery and is a moderately effective pitcher. He stands no chance against the Dickey juggernaut.
Bullpen: The closer is named Chris Perez. He's subbing for the injured Kerry Wood. Since I'm not expecting the Indians to be in a save situation this week, I didn't do any further research. I couldn't find another reliever with an ERA under 5.00.
Weather - 70s all week, slight chance of t-storms on Wednesday.
LeBron James situation - no idea, but any discussion of Cleveland sports has to include LeBron James.
Ex-factors -
Ex-Indians: Cora
Ex-Mets: Joe Smith and Anderson Hernandez. Also, Manny Acta is manager.
