You can look at where the Cleveland Indians are at this point of the major league baseball season in 2 different ways. A pessimist would say that after being swept by the Detroit Tigers and dropping to 4 1/2 games behind in the AL Central, that this is the point where they come crashing back to earth and settle in their annual spot somewhere near the bottom of the division. An optimist would point out that this is the furthest they’ve gone into a season with a record above .500 (after the sweep it’s barely there at 62-61) and that they still have a half dozen games left against the Tigers, including a huge season-ending series in Detroit, that they still have plenty of chances to right the ship and win the division. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how manager Manny Acta handles his young team – whether he succeeds in keeping their confidence level up and they stay in the race, or if they implode after being dominated in Detroit and fade away.
For the first time in years, the Indians, instead of trading away Cy Young Award-winning pitchers at the deadline, made some moves to improve and try to stay in the race. The most daring trade was the move to acquire starter Ubaldo Jiminez from the Rockies. Jiminez was dominating the National League last year before fading somewhat late in the year, and if he is right can be the number one starter the Tribe has lacked since they gave away C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee. So far the results have been mixed. Jiminez was impressive in beating the Tigers in Cleveland but was rocked in a return start against the Tigers. There has been talk that his velocity is down from early last season and that he might be damaged goods, but if that were the case he should be bad in all his starts. Jiminez was friends with Acta before the trade and the fit seems good for him in Cleveland’s rotation. Hopefully Acta can get the best, and some consistency, out of him.
Ubaldo Jiminez Kosuke Fukodome
There wasn’t as much hoopla involved with Cleveland’s other trade deadline acquisition, outfielder Kosuke Fukodome from the Cubs, but he has done a good job both in the field and at the plate since joining the Tribe. The Indians have also gotten a shot in the arm from a couple of players called up from the minors, infielders Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis. You have to hand it to the long-suffering fans in Cleveland for their sense of humor in supporting their teams. When LeBron James was playing for the Cavaliers, the city’s basketball arena had a huge action mural of him on the side of the building with the caption “We Are All Witnesses”. When LeBron “took his talents to South Beach” the mural was quickly removed. Recently at an Indians’ game after Kipnis had gone 5-for-5 the night before against the Tigers, a fan held up a sign that read “We Are All Kipnises”.
Jason Kipnis