So far, the 2009 season has been one Cleveland Indians fans will want to forget.  The Indians are currently 10-16 and are the dictionary definition for the word inconsistency.  I don’t know how long Eric Wedge is going to be around if The Tribe keeps looking like a big unpolished product.

When the season started, The Indians could not get a quality start from any pitcher in the rotation.  As this season rolls on, the starting pitching has gotten much better, but Jensen Lewis and Kerry Wood are finding ways to blow leads almost every other night.  It’s getting old.  I’m not sure how or why Jensen Lewis is still on the roster, but do know if he continues to pitch this bad that I might be able to buy him a beer after a Mahoning Valley Scrappers game he will be pitching in this August.  Kerry Wood looks great sometimes.  For $22 million, he better look great most of the time. 

Travis Hafner, who I predicted would be hurt more than he would play this season, started the season with a bang, but is currently at his vacation home (The Cleveland Clinic) taking a break from that physically grueling platoon DH role.  Jhonny Peralta is another guy who needs to watch Tom Emansky’s How To Hit videos, because he forgot.

Matt LaPorta is up, and even hit a homer already.  This is a guy that management said would be back toward the end of the year as he develops in Columbus.  Treveor Crowe, batting about .140 was sent packing back to Columbus.  Do the math with me.  Grady Sizemore (1) + Matt LaPorta (2) + Shin Soo Choo (3) + Ben Francisco (4) + Josh Barfield (1/2) + David Dellucci (5 1/2) = too many outfielders.  LaPorta is batting .100 and getting starts.  I am a big LaPorta believer, he is the future, but he is not ready yet.

I am sure that when I publish this article that The Indians will probably make me look like a fool and win doing all of the things I am saying they are struggling with.  If this is indeed the case, save the article and read it again tomorrow, it will make more sense then.

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