Hello Tribe fans everywhere.

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get that same old bad feeling about the Indians defense. A horrible bullpen and leaky defense doomed the team to a losing record in 2006, and some of those problems seem to be resurfacing. Not with the bullpen -- not so far, anyway. But the infield -- especially the corners and behind the plate -- has not impressed anyone in recent days.

Base stealers are 5-for-5 against catcher Victor Martinez, who couldn't throw out Grandma Moses last season. If he starts the season like this, Cleveland will be forced to make a change. Yes, Martinez can really hit -- from both sides of the plate -- but you can't have a catcher who is unable to toss out the slowest of would-be base stealers.

Martinez would likely have to be moved to first base, and Kelly Shoppach installed behind the plate. I hope that doesn't happen, because Ryan Garko is a personal favorite. But Garko's defensive skills also need vast improvment. He's been working hard, by all reports, but he still looks clumsy around the bag.

I'm also concerned about Andy Marte at third base, who has not fielded particularly well this spring, even though he was a solid defender last August and September. It appears that Marte, a streak hitter, might struggle at the plate. I can see him batting about .240 with, maybe, 18 homers and 60 RBIs. Those are certainly not the kind of numbers the Indians thought he would produce when they traded Coco Crisp for him a year ago. But that's how it looks to me.

Shortstop Jhonny Peralta was a stiff in the field in 2006, but I actually think his performance will improve this season. His vision has improved, he's in better physical condition and his attitude seems so much more positive. Plus, I think Peralta will be helped by the addition of Jason Barfield at second base.

Ronnie Belliard was not a bad second baseman, but he played in shallow right field and, as a result, didn't have much range. Barfield, who's younger and swifter, should eventually prove to be an upgrade over Barfield. Maybe not right off the bat, but certainly by mid-season, once he becomes more familiar with the American League and its hitters.

The bullpen is always a crapshoot; you don't know what you'll end up with. I think Tribe GM Mark Shapiro has done what he could to position the team for success, from that standpoint anyway. But the defense, if it's leaky again, will have to improved immediately.

The Indians wasted way too much time last season, hoping for things to improve before they finally threw in the towel and summoned all the kids from Buffalo. Frankly, I wish they'd done it sooner. The season was a lot more interesting after the kids, practically all of whom hustled harder than the slugs they replaced, arrived.

These are some of the hard questions the Indians' braintrust must ponder in the days ahead. It's not enough to start the year and hope that the defense will be improved -- not when it hasn't performed very well in spring training.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz: John Farrell never worked as a fulltime broadcaster for the Indians.

Today's quiz: Name the Indians shortstop who dabbled as an artist and once had an exhibition of his paintings at a Cleveland gallery.

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-- Kevin Cuneo