Crawling to the Break

The Indians have looked like a tired team the last 2 nights against Detroit, allowing Mike Maroth and Jeremy Bonderman to turn into Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, circa 1995.

They are in the midst of playing 18 games in 17 days, so there's definitely a reason for it. Maybe it's a good thing that Sticky is the only All Star, so these guys can get some rest (assuming of course they don't use the break for some sort of Vegas bender).

Alex Cora was traded to the Red Sox for a minor league utility INF this afternoon, prompting Brian Tallet to be called up from Buffalo for the Yankees series. The trade is less of a condemnation of Cora's spotty play (he really never got consistent AB's) than it is a statement on the progress of Jhon. Cora was acquired as insurance, in case Peralta wilted under the pressure of replacing Omar (who, coincidentally, may end up in a White Sox uniform before the year is out...and the next 3 years) and to prevent the annual Jelly Belliard August Disappearing Act, but Peralta has responded with a very solid first half and Brandon Phillips is ready to step into the Cora role, to give Belliard some days off.

The move also frees up about $1.3 million this year and $1.4 million next year that can be used in a bigger spot of need. And, I hate to harp on this, but at last night's game (yes, I went, to run my season record to 1-7) there were at least 3 conversations in the Mezzanine about how a RH stick would look great protecting Victor in the lineup. Hopefully the Cora money can be thrown at a RH bat, which looks more and more to me like a Mench or a Wily Mo.

After the All Star Break, expect B-Phil to be called up to play SS and 2B when Jhon and Jelly need a break. Maybe this approach of easing Phillips into the majors will have better results than thrusting him into the lineup under the title of "the next Barry Larkin".

C.C. looked horrible last night, again letting any and everything fluster him and allowing things to snowball around him. Driving home from the game, WTAM was reporting that the Crooked Cap had some choice words for a heckler that were caught on the FSN mikes. What exactly did he say? Then he said all the right things that make you think that he really gets it. That part of the act is getting old for me. If you know what you have to do, how to be an ace, blah, blah, blah...JUST DO IT!

Jody Gerut had some interesting comments after the Tuesday game's attendance of 18,500 regarding the marketing of the players on the team, who are exciting but still may be somwhat of an unknown quantity. Terry Pluto captured the feelings of many Tribe fans in his Wednesday column:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/columnists/terry_pluto/12064105.htm

I'm still blown away that people aren't coming down to the Jake to watch this team, particularly after the 4th of July Show. I actually heard callers to sports radio asking if there's a chance of getting Omar back and moving Peralta to 3B, then another caller asking if we should try to get Thome. Are you kidding me? Are people in this town THAT clueless about the happenings of the 2005 baseball season. We're not in 1995 anymore, people. Learn about this team and embrace it.

Another Pluto gem addresses what we've talked about here before, Shapiro's trading history:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/12066335.htm
If you're not getting his e-newsletter, sign up today. It's the only TRUE analysis of the Indians available in Northeast Ohio. Let's be honest, everything in the PD is just game summaries and notes (unless you like Roger Brown's mindless ramblings). In addition to that, I once was having trouble getting the newsletter and sent an e-mail, only to have it responded to by Pluto, who stayed on the case until the problem was rectified.

In response to some questions asked earlier:
Where does Jason Dangerously fit into this team's plans?
I think that he'll finish the year as a starter, bouncing between Buffalo and Cleveland, and will provide some insurance (along with Traber and Tallet) if Millwood (and Elarton) leave. I still think his stuff translates better to the pen (looking mainly at his success of 1st and 2nd time through the lineup), but for now, he's a starter.

Who is the leader (Varitek) of this team?
I love this question. I think that the leader of a team is based more on personality and work ethic than years in the league, strict performance, or sound bites. Current leaders of teams that I can name off of the top of my head are Varitek, Jeter, Tejada, Erstad, Chipper, and Rolen. Most of these guys are GREAT players, but they all have that intangible that makes other players follow them. The risk of just naming your best player your leader is what the Cubs ran into last year when "Cap'n Sammy" alienated the clubhouse and went to Baltimore.

With all of that being said, I would say that of all of the players on the team, Sizemore is probably the most likely to emerge as a leader. Much like Jeter when he broke in, Sizemore will establish himself as a star by quietly leading by example (his hustle, will to win, and enthusiasm). Hafner's goofiness and Victor's antics prevent them from being real leaders and C.C. seems to say everything right, but can never back it up. Give Sizemore another year, and he will have the universal respect of the locker room and will show himself to be the leader of this new Indians team.

Let's take a few from the Yanks.

Ohio is, Apparently, Ours

The Tribe completed a series win against those lowly Reds today to move to 39-34 heading into a tough stretch of games (Boston, Baltimore, NY) before the All Star Break (with at home series vs. Detroit mixed in). The Tribe used the homestand to its favor moving to within 1 1/2 games of the Twins and staying in the midst of the Wild Card (though it still isn't even the All Star Break).

I heard something on the radio the other day that I thought was interesting. They were talking about how 2005 was the target year when the rebuilding project began. A caller said that this is a farce because of the way the White Sox are running away with the Central. But, let's look at where the team is, almost to the halfway point: 5 games over .500. Nobody said that the Indians were going to win the World Series in 2005, just that they would be in contention, and that's exactly where they are. The Indians can't control that the White Sox are on fire, they can't make other teams beat the White Sox. They can only control the games that they play, and recently, have been doing a great job at it. I'm cautiously optimistic about this East Coast trip. I think they will win one of the series against the AL East, but not get swept in any of the series. I'd like to see them go 8-7 leading up to the All Star Break, which would leave them at 47-41 to start the second half. I'd take that.

Some thoughts over the weekend:

• Is there a difference between what Alex Cora is doing for us and what Brandon Phillips could do for us? Cora can't seem to hit but seems to play good defense when called upon. I realize the argument is to have a veteran to help out Peralta, but Phillips seems to have finally turned a corner in Buffalo (named to the IL All Star Team).
• With so many teams looking for relievers and Fernando Cabrera tearing it up in Buffalo, is anyone expendable? What about moving Howry (who's a FA after this year), and bumping Riske into the Howry role, Betancourt into the Riske role, and Cabrera into the Betancourt role? If Cabrera continues to dominate at the ML level, you move him accordingly in the pen. I know that you're not supposed to mess with a good thing, but Cabrera is becoming impossible to ignore.
• Couldn't Casey Blake fill the Jose Hernandez role (1B, 3B, occasional OF) better than Hernandez. The 2 HR night notwithstanding, Hernandez does nothing for me on this team.
• With all of those thoughts, what is the problem with moving 2 of those guys for a RH stick (Kearns) or even throwing in a AAA starter (Cruceta, or even Tallet/Traber) to get a Wily Mo Pena? RF needs to become a productive position, and its not happening with the Gerut/Blake platoon.
• Other possible trade partners could be the Dodgers (they would love Howry, but have little to offer), the Rangers (who would eat up Cruceta or Traber/Tallet, but again have only Kevin Mench to offer) or the Orioles.
• I would like to see Moises Alou added to this lineup (we can black out the 1997 Series from our memory banks, if we haven't already), but I don't know what the Giants would want.
• Nice to see a sellout on Saturday. A 12-7 game in front of 42,000? Did Assenmacher pitch?

As you can see, I've taken a much more optimistic approach to the season. After a conversation with a non-Clevelander who goes to a lot of games (my bride), I realized that I was getting too high and too low as each game was played.

After Thursday's game I was told that, "It's a long season, and it's not even July. The Red Sox are World Champs for a reason, they were better than anyone last year. The Tribe played 2 close games against them and you come home, freak out, say that everyone stinks, and that Hernandez couldn't play in a rec league softball game (I'll stand behind that comment). Just relax. That's what's wrong with Cleveland fans, you WAIT for things to go bad almost like you want them to, rather than focusing on the positive and just saying, 'Oh, well that was a great game. We'll get 'em next time'."

Good advice.

Tribe Record on the homestand with me there: 1-4

Tribe Record on the homestand without me there: 7-0

Anybody want seats in the Mezzanine for the rest of the year?

Left my Broom in San Francisco

Upon completion of their first sweep of the season (Omar's Giants in 3), the Tribe is looking at a favorable schedule over the next two weeks in the friendly confines at Prospect & Ontario. The next 12 games, all at home, are against Colorado, Arizona, Boston, and Cincinnati. Let's say the Tribe takes 3 of the 4 series (and that is the WORST case scenario), they end up 38-35. Let's be honest though, with the state of the Rockies and Reds this season and Boston's pitching troubles, I'm looking for 40-33 coming out of the homestand. It's time to stop scoreboard watching, wondering how long the White Sox can keep this up, and take care of the business in our own ballyard.

Watching the Giants' series was a pleasure. This is how the season was supposed to be: good pitching, timely hitting, an occasional bullpen hiccup (Howry on Saturday night), but solid enough to beat up on inferior opponents. A 7-5 trip is not that bad, figuring in the way that they started in Minnesota and Chicago. Seriously, this team is a Broussard error away from two consecutive sweeps. That being said, it's time for this team to take off, with the starting pitching continuing to lead the way and the lineup producing enough runs to get W's.

I know that one man cannot be to blame for the early season struggles, BUT the Tribe is 6-1 since Murray was fired, and I agree with TB in that multiple career years in 2004 probably unjustly saved Eddie's job. The team seems more patient and more aware of situational hitting. Also, they're finally settling into a lineup that feels right (it only took about 55 games):
CF Sizemore
LF Crisp
DH Hafner
C Martinez
1B Broussard
RF Gerut/Blake
2B Belliard
3B Boone
SS Peralta

The platoon of Gerut and Blake suits me just fine, and an occasional Alex Cora sighting is welcome; but please, no more Hernandez! He's a windmill who's taking up a roster spot. Casey could play 3B, 1B, and OF; Cora can play 2B and SS; that leaves an open spot where someone else (Ludwick?) could take some strain off of the OF's. Send Hernandez to the NL where he can "murder lefthanded pitching" for someone else.

Cliff Lee IS the Indians' All Star, no question. During today's outing, he has never been in a better rhythm and was in complete control (despite Jhon going Ankiel/Knoblauch a few times). He's become a solid 3, at least, with the possibility of developing further. If Lee finishes this season strong, look for the Indians to give him Westbrook money and a long-term deal.

To those Indians' "fans" who were rooting for Omar over the Tribe (there were multiple callers on Friday to radio stations who claimed that Vizquel was "wronged" by the team and wanted to see him exact his revenge), know this: Omar is playing for the Giants because he wanted and took more money and security than the Tribe (wisely) were willing to pay him. When his contract expires, he will be a 40 year old playing SS, while the Indians will be light years ahead of the geriatic Giants. Knowing the way that Omar played his hand to seem like the victim in this whole deal makes watching his team struggle ALMOST as pleasurable as watching Thome not be able to play DH to rest his back (Shapiro 2, Just About Everyone Else 0).

Jason Davis is still not a starter and nobody will be able to convince me otherwise.

I'm trying to design my own #41 jersey with "The Stick" on the back, but it's one letter too long. Maybe a #48 "Le Pronque" or #48 "Shrek" would suffice. The other option is to get #52 with a "CC XL".

C.C. slide was phenomenal. Thank God for my new DVR as the slide was rewound about 10 times.

I appreciate your return to the Diatribe after some time away. Trust this, with all of these Tribe thoughts flowing through my head and the weather heating up, it's on. So bookmark this or mark it down as a favorite, or do whatever you want; because this is starting to get good.

Boom Goes the Dynamite.

Time for Some Action

Taking instruction from the immortal B-Real of Cypress Hill, it's time to figure out why the Indians are 12-18 and 11 1/2 games back of the White Sox. I know that I said that I would reserve judgement until we hit the quarter pole (40 games), but something's gotta give.

Things that need to happen now

• Scott Elarton (or as he has been dubbed - "my boy") needs to be given his walking papers. He was picked up off of the scrap heap from Colorado and was a nice story, while certainly never blowing anybody away, but his time has come and gone. Let's call Brian Tallett up from the Herd (where he's pitching extremely well to the tune of 1-0, 2.10 ERA) and let him pitch every 5th. Giving Elarton the ball every fifth game was a message to the team and to fans that the Indians will never rip off more than 4 in a row. Elarton, to me, at best is a no decision; and at worst, a lopsided loss. If Tallett struggles, there are other options at Buffalo, just please no more Elarton.
• Send Jason Dangerously to Buffalo to give him one thing to focus on. It's time for the Indians' brass to decide if he's a starter or a reliever. This kid's getting signals from the Mariners dugout in the Naked Gun. They're coming fast and furious and they make no sense. Call it the Baez Syndrome, they're not sure where he should go, so they just keep him confused. He pitches 1 inning...He pitches 3 1/3 innings...He's a spot starter, etc. Enough. Send him to Buffalo to start or let him pitch in the 8th or 9th inning. My preference would be to make him a reliever in AAA. Let him get comfortable with a routine, get some confidence in a few pitches (not the 8 he tries to master as a starter) and ease his psyche into the idea that this is his future. Call Matt Miller back up to reward him for swallowing his pride and pitching well in Buffalo (2.08 ERA, 3 hits in 4 1/3 innings). There's still enough depth at Buffalo (Tadano: 2.22 ERA in 24 innings, Cabrera: 2.13 ERA with 18 K's & 1 BB in 12 2/3 inning) that if someone goes down, reserves are available.
• The offense is not as easy, though I'm through saying, "It's just a matter of time..." Wedge needs to set a lineup and stick with it. If that means Belliard leads off and plays every day, so be it. Let's get back to Hafner 3, The Stick 4, and maybe Broussard 5. I don't like seeing Broussard batting 3rd. I'll give the offense about 10 more games, and if we're still scuffling - well then,

Things That Can Happen at the 40 Game Mark

• Coco Crisp, unless he improves, will become the 4th outfielder that everyone thought he would always be. He can't hit consistently (particularly for power), he doesn't walk, and his arm is weak. Not your prototypical left fielder. The guess here is that whoever is ready to come back first (Gonzo or Jody G.) will come back to right, Blake will go to left, and Coco will become the 4th outfielder/pinch runner/Ruben Amaro type. I cannot believe that I just wrote that I'm holding a spot in the lineup for one of the Rehabbers, Juan Gone or Gerut.
• Ryan Garko may get a look. Where? I don't know, but he continues to tear apart every level that he plays at (.929 OPS in Buffalo). Maybe he platoons with Broussard, maybe the Indians work him into another position on the farm. Maybe I'm jumping the gun.
• Boone and Blake either need to step up or step aside. I'm not sold on Jose Hernandez playing 3rd, but what about Cora at short and Peralta at third? That would've been a ridiculous premise at the beginning of the season, but when my mom thinks that Boone should be cut, things are close to rock bottom.
• If nothing gets better, Eddie Murray takes the bullet for this team's struggles. I know that last year's team hit like crazy, but something has to change. Maybe Wayne Kirby can bring his batting acumen and huge lips on westbound trek on I-90 to try to save this sinking ship.

Maybe I'm grasping at straws, maybe I'm overreacting, but I can't listen to Hamilton call the play of this team, "just awful, in every sense of the game," and not have a reaction.

They're killing me softly.

Jake in Progress?

Excellent comments on the last couple of posts, if you haven't clicked on them - please do. While in attendance to Wednesday's game (there were less than 10K there), many things struck me about Jacobs Field and how it has evolved over the course of the last 10 years + 3 games.

-the scoreboard layout was changed this year, making it much easier to read. However, they are a little slow on getting what each player has done in previous at-bats onto the screen because of all of the graphics. While I can always peek over the shoulder of the guy who always sits in front of me who keeps score, I'd rather just have the information readily available.

-Chief Wahoo is no longer a part of Jacobs Field...anywhere. Why is it that the Tribe doesn't embrace their nickname and use it for clever marketing ideas, rather than shunning it like the plague. Are they that afraid of offending that tiny, tiny part of the population who takes offense to the name?

-the new Batters-Eye Bar in Center is brilliant, but they didn't go far enough. It is a great addition to the Market Pavilion (which has very good and cheap, relatively speaking, food) and now the area leading down to center field, next to the Tribe bullpen has tables and seats set up. This area should have been fully cultivated, with the area with tables having TV's and places to buy beer there. Advertise that it's open early and late, make food and beers available for discounted prices before the game and make it a party atmosphere. Name it "The Reservation" and have those girls behind those big tubs selling to the crowd that you want in there, the pre-game Panini's crowd. Have a big machine that sends up smoke signals when the Indians are threatening, make them correspond with John Adams banging on the drum. Make port-a-potties out there that look like teepees. Go all the way! I'm tired of these decent ideas down there being half-baked and not fulfilling their potential. There's a segment of the fanbase that would embrace that atmosphere, love the proximity to the bullpen and center and make that the "place to be" for a game.

-please, get rid of Slider!?! My hate for him grows and his profile seems to grow from year to year. Why can't the Indians have MoonDog (who's not quite as annoying) and the Cavs, oh I don't know, actually have a Cavalier for a mascot?

-I swear that I could get 5 guys together and bring back that party atmosphere at the Jake, while not turning off the segment of the population that the Indians seem so afraid to offend.

On to the actual games - last night, the bats woke up (particularly Pronk and the Stick) to save the team from Elarton and a sweep. I agree with the comment on Alex Cora, I think that the further that the season goes on, the more and more he's going to factor into the future. We'll see if the hitters can figure out Santana tonight and if Jake's sinker is actually sinking.

More to come on steroids in an upcoming post. I have some thoughts on this that may surprise. As a teaser, I've got two words, "Ripped Fuel".

Off Day Thoughts

Off day today, which gets me off on a few topics…

…I realize how early it is in the season, far too early to panic; so, I’ll temper my concerns about the offense.

…Eric Wedge continues to state publicly that Peralta is the starting SS, despite two straight starts by Cora. I hope so, and truly believe that Peralta will continue to start. Cora is a nice fallback option, though.

…While watching the Tribe game on Friday night at a local establishment, I spied a middle aged guy wearing a 1970’s throwback Tribe Jersey (blue knit top with the Flintstones writing) at the bar. I had seen the throwback online before and thought it might be worth the investment as it looked pretty cool. That is, until I saw it tucked into the khakis of a slightly overweight white guy killing oil cans of Fosters.

It begs the question: what jerseys are acceptable for wearing without looking like a complete tool. It’s a look that not many white guys in their 20’s-50’s can pull off with much ease. I think that the T-Shirt jersey (and its brother – the long sleeve T Jersey) baseball-wise represents the only safe bet. Otherwise you end up looking like “that guy”, wearing the same tired replica jersey to the same seats at every game you go to because you have to get your money’s worth off of a $200 investment that you can’t wear while doing yard work. I’m tired of seeing Travis Fryman sit 3 rows ahead of me in the mezzanine, regardless of the weather. Even worse is putting your own name on an authentic playoff jersey with your old high school number on it. Trust me, DEL VECCHIO #8 never played for the Tribe.

I got a Cliff Lee T-shirt jersey last year as he blazed to a 10-1 start. After his flameout, I was thanking God that I didn’t go for the MLB replica. It remains to be seen if the Lee jersey will be filed under the Jerry Browne file (quality, even if for a short time), the Odibe McDowell file (truly awesome), or the Reggie Jefferson file (a little embarrassing and destined for Easter Seals pick-up).

The corollary to that is what jersey (assuming anything was possible) you would wear to honor your favorite Indian. If I worked at Mitchell & Ness, I would be printing Pat Tabler jerseys, circa 1988, all day and night. The current Indian that I would get a jersey for is #48, but it would say “PRONK” on the back. I mean, if Ichiro can have whatever he wants on his jersey, why can’t Hafner? I’m still waiting for the late ’80s jerseys to be customizable online. You know the ones that have the blue and red lines up the sides. I’ll stock up with a Tabler, Jacoby, Dorn, Harris (he who puts snot on the ball), and Leach (Pepper, the 3rd base coach from Major League).

If I could customize any jersey, I’d get an Atlanta Falcons #7 with RON MEXICO on the back, but that’s a whole other story. I’d like to hear some other ones, if possible (outside of the obvious Jim Thome warm-up jersey with Chief Wahoo on the right breast).

But I digress…

…now that posting comments has begun, please identify yourself. This is not the Jungle, where self-glossing is forbidden. Whether honoring an Indians great of the past (Chris James, Alvaro Espinoza, Von Hayes, etc.) or giving yourself a ridiculously crude nickname, just sign it in.

…I’ll be in the right field mezzanine seats tomorrow night, 7:05PM – right where I belong.

Random Thoughts

Watching the Tribe take Friday night's game in Detroit, my mind was racing...
...why does Wickman always have really red cheeks while breathing uncomfortably hard when he's pitching?

...since when have the Indians' hats gotten a lighter shade of blue? It certainly is no longer navy.

...the Chief Wahoo logo is getting smaller and smaller. Next time you're at the Jake, try to find him anywhere in the stadium. It' all script "Indians" or the "I" that's supposed to look like a feather.

...Friday's PD carried a picture of CC in his Akron rehab assignment. I thought that I read that he was in the best shape of his career. He looked huge. Maybe it was a tighter uniform, toit like a tiger.

...I like the renewal of the longer hair by players. Boone, Riske, and Ludwick just to name a few have that "baseball curl" coming out of the back of their hats. It certainly isn't a Danny Gravesesque mullet, but it is a step in that direction.

...if Wickman, Rhodes, Riske, Miller, and Rocky keep pitching like they have (Wickman's meltdown notwithstanding), it will go a long way to keeping the Tribe in contention all year.

...you have to like the flexibility of the current lineup. Boone batted 4th last night and came through with the big homer. Hernandez, Cora, and Bard give Wedge the necessary bench players to keep everyone fresh (something that was sorely lacking last year).

...why doesn't Cleveland have a cool "C" for a logo. We used to have the Reds "C" with Chief Wahoo, then the Flintstones "C" of the late 70's, and finally the block "C" of the Andre Thornton era. What would be wrong with the script "C" from Cleveland on the front of the road unis. I've seen guys outside the Jake selling them and they look pretty cool.

...does anyone else see Ben Broussard as a cross between Herbert Perry and Paul Sorrento. I just don't see him on this team when they really start to put it together.

...Jhonny Peralta's inconsistency thus far can be chalked up as inexperience. I think that once he figures it out, he'll be fine.

...who put Ivan Rodriguez's head on Derek Jeter's body. That is scary looking. Just goes to show what can happen when you "eat right in the offseason", you drop 60 lbs. and completely change your body type. Right.

2005 Preview - Positional Analysis Part II

Second Base
At the conclusion of the 2004 campaign, much of the speculation surrounding the 2005 squad revolved around the question of whether Ronnie Belliard would return, or if Casey Blake would begin a new position with the acquisition of Aaron Boone. That speculation was ended when Belliard re-signed with the Tribe. Belliard's 2004 All-Star season started very strongly, with a gradual slow-down as the season wore on. Belliard's bat and quick turn at second were a big reason for the Indians being in the race for the Central up to late August. But, as the Tribe fell in the standings, Belliard's numbers fell as well. The book on Belliard was always that he carried too much weight to last a full season at 100%. Belliard finished with good numbers, but he certainly tailed off as the "dog days" of summer dragged on. With this in mind, Shapiro has brought in some insurance in the form of Alex Cora. Cora, brought in from the Dodgers, gives Eric Wedge the opportunity to rest Belliard periodically without a dramatic drop-off. This flexibility is a stark contrast to 2004, when John McDonald (although a great clubhouse presence) could not give the lineup very much, forcing Belliard to play in many games. It will be interesting to see if Belliard can build on his strong 2004 campaign, or if Alex Cora makes a push with his slick glove and high OPS. Look for Cora, signed through the end of the 2006 season, to play more seriously in the long-term plans as the season progresses. On the farm, this is an unusually weak position for the Tribe, particularly if Brandon Phillips remains a shortstop.
Shortstop
Replacing a legend is never easy, and Jhonny Peralta has stepped squarely into a spot that has only known one pair of shoes for the last 11 years, those of Omar Vizquel. Peralta will try to translate his 2004 MVP season in the International League to a successful 2005 campaign. His cup of coffee when Omar went down 2 years ago ensures that Peralta won't be overwhelmed by the new experience, but let's hope that the expectations and Cleveland's love affair with Omar don't have a negative effect on this talented youngster. Peralta's glove certainly won't come close to Omar's (whose does?), but he gives a different feel to the position. That being said, the contract the Vizquel signed with the Giants was so outrageous, in length and compensation, that few can blame the Indians for letting the natural progression of a potential star continue. Peralta is more in line with the body types of the shortstops of the late 90's (Tejada, Renteria, etc.) than Omar was, though he is nowhere near those perennial All-Stars. His ability to hit consistently and drive in runs will mature over the course of the season as he becomes more comfortable. Luckily for him, he will most likely bat out of the 9 hole, where pressure is minimal. Peralta's "competition" this spring, Brandon Phillips, is ticketed to start the season in Buffalo to once again see if he can hit. Phillips' future in the organization may be tied to the way that Peralta's body develops as he matures. If Peralta gains 15-20 pounds, a move to third could clear the way for Phillips to figure into the Tribe's plans once again. If not, Phillips could be used as trade bait as he is still a high profile prospect. Brandon Pinckney, slated to started in Akron, is the only other legitimate prospect in the organization.
Third Base
Casey Blake's career year in 2004 earned him...a move from third to the outfield. Though this seems to defy logic, the signing of Aaron Boone is the real cause for the move. Boone signed with the Indians after his much publicized basketball injury after a brief stint with the Yankees. Boone should add a veteran presence, that the team lost in Vizquel and Matt Lawton, that will stabilize a young clubhouse. If Boone can put up a typical year for him: solid play at third, decent average, solid numbers, the move helps the club more by getting Blake into the outfield to replace the quickly aging Matt Lawton. For insurance, Jose Hernandez can fill in for Boone adequately. Through the organization, this is a deep position. Even after the trade of Corey Smith to the Padres, the Tribe is stacked with Pat Osborn, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Matt Whitney, not to mention Jake Gatreau (the player acquired in the Smith deal).