Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

I'm still mulling over Fausto Carmona's demotion to Buffalo, and I've decided the Indians need to take a few more chances -- like their NFL counterparts, the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns did well for themselves during Saturday's NFL Draft by snagging both Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn in the first round. They succeeded by refusing to sit back and letting the action come to them -- they took it to the rest of the teams.

The Indians should try that game plan. Don't sit back and wait until a roster spot opens for Carmona; go out and make something happen. The Yankees have to be dying for a starting pitcher, especially after 20-year-old Phil Hughes took a no-hitter into the seventh inning last night and then promptly pulled a hamstring muscle. He's expected to be on the disabled list four to six weeks.

The Yankees' staff was already in disarray, which means they might be willing to part with some decent talent for Paul Byrd. I think Byrd, even though he's pitched well this season, is the most expendable Tribe hurler because of his age -- 36 -- and the fact that his contract is up at the end of the year.

With Carmona and Adam Miller down on the farm, the Tribe should be willing to part with Byrd -- at the right price, that is.

If the Yankees don't want to part with a good prospect, deal Byrd out of the league. That would be better anyhow. You wouldn't want him coming back to haunt you in October.

On another matter, I'm glad to see Jhonny Peralta's bat heating up so nicely. When he hits, it adds a whole dimension to the offense. He also has some pop, and now trails Travis Hafner by only one home run. In fact, he's driven in one more run than Hafner.

Give credit to Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge for bringing Peralta around. He's better in the field and his hitting could mean a lot for Cleveland.

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Today's quickie quiz: Which star was a minority stock holder in the Indians, Bing Crosby or Bob Hope?

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

Well, I guess that old baseball cliche is true -- you really can never have too much pitching. The Indians were so flush with live arms earlier this week that they sent Fausto Carmona to Buffalo. He'll be shuffling back to Cleveland now that Jake Westbrook appears headed to the disabled list with a pulled stomach muscle. It sounds like the same type of injury that cost Cliff Lee more than a month. Fortunately, Lee returns to the rotation tonight for his first start with the Indians this season.

Today, the Tribe activated Lee and called up 24-year-old southpaw Rafael Perez from the minors. To make room, they sent Shin-Soo Choo and Ben Francisco back to Buffalo. It's kind of a ripoff for Choo, whose solid hitting and fine defensive work in the outfield gave the Tribe a lift during the time when injuries hampered David Delluci and Trot Nixon.

Now that both of those players seem restored to good health and are producing at the plate, Choo has to accept his demotion.

The Indians can use Perez after last night's 11-inning, 7-6 win over Toronto. The Tribe went through its entire bullpen, which means Perez will be welcome. I was disappointed that Jason Davis and Aaron Fultz pitched so poorly. It's the third rocky outing in a row for Fultz, which means Perez could be handed a golden opportunity.

I've expressed concerns before about the Tribe's bullpen. Yes, as a whole, the relievers have been effective, but only Fernando Cabrera and Rafel Betancourt have been outstanding to date. Oh, I suppose I shouldn't gripe about Joe Borowski's success as a closer, but his 8.25 earned run abverage is troublesome. Tom Mastny hasn't been too bad, either, but the whole group feels shaky. (You can tell a longtime Indians fan -- they always wait for the sky to fall down).

You always hate to see a gamer like Westbrook go down, but, hopefully, Carmona will be able to pick right up where he left off. I'm happy for him, at least, that he'll be rewarded for his good work.

Lately, I'm thinking the key to the Indians offense is Jhonny Peralta. When he's hitting, which he has been so impressively of late, it makes everything else so much easier. The Tribe has won 8 of out 10, including every series to date, except for those three straight game they lost to the Yankees in New York. Peralta looks like a new man.

Before Westbrook went down, I was like so many other Indians fans who felt the time was ripe to peddle Paul Byrd. Of course, nobody really knows -- outside of Mark Shapiro -- if the club could have received anything in return for Byrd. I think he's a decent starter, don't get me wrong. But would anyone, even the clubs desperate for pitching, be willing to part with a top prospect? It's doubtful, I guess.

So, we should be happy with what we have, and grateful that Carmona can drive over from Buffalo in less than four hours.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Bob Hope once owned a chunk of the Indians in the late 1940s. Hope is a Cleveland guy, after all.

Today's quiz: OK, here's a tough one. Tell me the real first and middle names of former Tribe thirdbaseman Toby Harrah.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

Did you notice which team has the best record in all of major league baseball? How about our beloved Cleveland Indians! Yes, I know the team is batting only .235 and the earned run average of the starting pitchers is a hefty 4.64, but this team has excelled -- so far, at least -- at doing the little things.

The Indians don't choke in the late innings, for instance. Well, they did cave to the Yankees in the ninth inning of a particularly awful game last month, but not since that day have they coughed up a big lead. In fact, Cleveland has proven quite adept at overcoming early deficits.

It's not like 1995 when that powerful Indians team waited until the seventh or eighth inning of every game to strike -- like a viper hiding behind a rock. That club had so many sluggers that it just bludgeoned opponents to death.

In the first five weeks of this season, these Indians have been killing their opponents with a thousand tiny cuts, rather than one giant slash. Here are some other things I'm enjoying about this club: the guys, who seem to genuinely like each other, really support one another. When Toronto catcher Jason Phillips started yelling in Josh Barfield's ear, following a bang-bang play at home plate Thursday, David Dellucci, who was standing nearby, immediately took up the fight for Barfield.

Actually, it wasn't really needed because, it turns out, Phillips is just a high-spirited talker. The following inning, as he stood on second base, he appeared to engage Barfield in another animated but non-threatening conversation. But the point is, Dellucci was there for Barfield. "David had my back, which I appreciated," the young second baseman told reporters after the game.

Dellucci, for his part, seemed greatly charged up by the incident and spent most of the rest of the game diving for low line drives and whacking extra base hits.

I was also impressed by Paul Byrd's offer to Eric Wedge to take the mound in Wednesday's extra-inning game against the Blue Jays, if needed. He even went down to the bullpen to warm up. These strike me as players who enjoy picking each other up.

General Manager Mark Shapiro stressed the need for assembling a team with strong veteran leadership, and it seems players like Byrd, Delluci, Roberto Hernandez, Casey Blake, Trot Nixon and others are doing the job.

The Tribe also has enough youngsters -- Barfield, Ryan Garko, Jeremy Sowers -- that there's still a sense of exuberance. Those players seem as if they're enjoying every aspect of every game. Instead of acting like weary travelers when the club hits the road, they seize every opportunity to enjoy what each new city has to offer.

So far, it's been a fun, enjoyable season. Best of all, I love it when I hear players like Grady Sizemore say the guys haven't nearly hit their stride yet.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Toby Harrah's real first and middle names are Colbert Dale. No wonder he went by Toby!

Today's quiz: Name the Indians outfielder of the mid-to-late '80s who came in a trade with the Cubs. Much was expected of him, but after he suffered serious injuries in a car accident, he never quite met those expectations.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

It's hard to believe C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland's giant-sized southpaw stopper, is only 26. First, it seems as if he's been around forever --been everywhere, done everything. Because of his massive build and the baseball gravitas he provides every time he toes the rubber, Sabthia seems older than his years.

He also takes seriously his role as ace of the Indians pitching staff. Sabathia improved his record to 5-0 in Sunday's 9-6 win over Baltimore, but he also also pointed out that Cleveland has won every one of his starts this season.

"I don't care what my record is," he told sportswriters after the game, "winning is the only thing that matters to me." What's amazing is that Sabathia already owns 86 major league victories. He's a lefthander, and, for some reason, it usually takes southpaws longer to become effective than it does their righthanded counterparts.

Sabathia, though, is a gamer. He loves to bat and once walloped a long home run against Cincinnati. He's also not afraid to show emotion on the field. When Grady Sizemore leaped to spear a line drive in the gap to end a bases-loaded threat in Sunday's game, Sabathia pumped his arm in exultation, and then he waited to congratulate Sizemore as he ran to the dugout. Even after Sabathia comes out of a game, he usually remains in the dugout to cheer on his teammates.

Sabthia's contract with the Indians expires at the end of the 2008 season and, based on past performance, it's doubtful the Tribe will be able to re-sign him. But nobody should be concerned about that now. The Indians should simply go out and try to win every game when their ace takes the mound.

In many ways, that seems easier with Sabthia in charge. I know I enjoy watching the big guy out-pitch and out-think Cleveland's opponents. If it's only for this year and next, so be it. But in the mean time nobody's going to rob me of the singular pleasure of watching C.C. Sabathia pitch in an Indians uniform.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz: The Indians outfielder of the 1980's who never fully regained his skills following a serious car wreck was Mel Hall.

Today's quiz: Name the third baseman Cleveland signed as a free agent on Dec. 18, 2002.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

The trouble with getting better, as the Indians obviously are, is they can no longer afford to carry players who once showed promise, but can't seem to get it done. When the Tribe stank, they'd keep those types of guys forever. No more, as Jason Davis learned Monday, the day before his 27th birthday. He was designated for assignment, which means he'll likely either be traded or claimed by another club on waivers. If nobody wants him, Davis will likely accept a demotion to Buffalo, or risk forfeiting the bulk of his $670,000 annual salary.

Davis has a good arm with live stuff, and he made an impressive debut as a starting pitcher for Cleveland in 2003 when he posted an 8-11 record. But he's never been able to find his niche as either a starter or reliever with the Indians. Mainly, he lacks command of his pitches and will walk too many guys, or simply give up a flock of hits.

Davis pitched well in spring training and he looked decent at the start of the season, but, lately, has fallen back into his old maddening habits. A couple of recent poor outings apparently doomed his spot on the roster, although his demotion caught most Tribe fans by surprise.

I always had high hopes for Davis, because he seemed to have closer stuff. But I'm not sorry to see him go. Every pitching spot on this club is precious -- especially in the bullpen. It wouldn't surprise me if other players get the axe in coming weeks.

Some might say, "Yeah, here's another Brandon Phillips, I can see it coming." While there are similarities in their situations -- both were out of minor league options, for instance -- Davis has had infinitely more opportunities than Phillips ever did to prove himself with the Indians.

Plus, Cleveland could have carried Phillips as an extra infielder in the spring of 2006, instead of opting to trade him. That was just a bad error in talent judgment.

As I said, Davis has the arm to make it in the majors with some other club, and I hope he does. Everyone says what a good teammate he was, and I enjoyed his personality during his visits to Erie as part of the Tribe Caravan. But when Fausto Carmona got sent down a week ago (before Jake Westbrook got hurt), and younger, more promising pitchers are available in Buffalo, the Tribe made the right choice.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Casey Blake. The Tribe signed him as a free agent after the Twins released him.

Today's quiz: Name the Indians catcher who made 125 or more assists in a season 7 times.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

Cliff Lee might have missed the first month of the season, but he looked to be in mid-season form last night, as he tossed a nifty three-hitter aagainst the Angels. He even went all the way for only the third time in his career.

If Lee is back, the Indians really do have quite a staff of starting pitchers -- maybe the best since the mid-1960s when they featured Sam McDowell, Sonny Seibert, Luis Tiant, Gary Bell and Steve Hargan. That stellar group was undermined by one of the world's worst bullpens, but that doesn't seem to be the case -- so far, at least -- with the 2007 staff.

The 28-year-old Lee has averaged a shade higher than 15 wins over the last three seasons, and most baseball experts believe he has the chance to get a lot better.

I've always liked Lee for his soft-spoken, Arkansas charm. Though polite and reserved by nature, he always goes out of his way to connect with Indians fans of all ages. Twice he's visited Erie as part of the club's annual winter caravan, and each time he was a huge hit at the Dr. Gertrude Barber National Institute. It's because Lee has an uncanny knack for picking out the young fans who are most excited to see their heroes up close and in person. They're thrilled, but they're too shy to say anything, or even to look their heroes in the eye.

I've watched Lee sweep kids like that into his arms and make a big fuss over them in front of their family and friends. On his last visit to Erie in 2006, Lee told me about the terrible ordeal he and his wife went through with their young son after he fell deathly ill. Through good medical care and a lot of love, the boy is now in remission, and Lee feels a compulsion to give back. "God was good to me and my family, and the least I can do is try to brighten up somebody else's day," he said mildly.

He seemed like such a good guy. Yet, at the same time, he's known as a tough customer out on the mound. Nobody's going to be pushing this guy around. As a lefthander, Lee has yet to reach his full potential, and he showed last night that he's taken note of Fausto Carmona's excellent work as a substitute starter -- first for Lee and, more recently, for the injured Jake Westbrook.

If what we saw last night is the result of competition on the pitching staff, I say, "Keep the competitive fires burning intensely!" I'm sure the rest of Indians fans are with me on that one.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Steve O'Neill, Cleveland's great catcher of the early 20th century.

Today's quiz: Name the Tribe player who led the club with a .235 batting average in the six-game World Series against the Atlanta Braves in 1995. Remember, the Tribe batted only .179 as a team in that series.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

Jeremy Sowers is about the last guy I thought would suffer through a sophomore jinx. So bright and cerebral, he seemed capable of out-thinking hitters when he breezed through his 14-game stretch as a starter in the Indians rotation on 2006.

But now Sowers is strugging. Driven from the box a week ago after just two innings against Baltimore, Sowers coughed up six runs to Anaheim yesterday in just five innings of work. His record now stands at 0-3 with a 6.56 earned run average.

Still, Tribe manager Eric Wedge praised Sowers for closing well against the Angels, even though the young southpaw surrendered a run in his final inning. It feels as if Wedge is trying to build up a young pitcher's confidence, which must be pretty shaky at this point, I would assume.

Unless he's ailing physically, Sowers should be able to pull it together. I suspect Wedge's intentions are good -- this is a pitcher you don't want to give up on too soon.

It hurts a bit that the Tribe has slipped into second place, but the baseball season is so long, with so many twists and turns, that a manager or players can never afford to get too high, or too low.

I must admit I was suprised when the Tribe called a "players only" meeting on Wednesday, which rarely happens when a team is in first place. Notice that the Indians have lost two straight since the meeting.

It's been a good, 3-week stretch of solid baseball, even though many Cleveland players are still not hitting consistently.

Fans should make it a point to check out the current issue of Sports Illustrated, which features Grady Sizemore on the cover. The story is a full-length treatment of Sizemore that actually made me wonder if it was too lavish in its praise for the 24-year-old centerfielder. It certainly made Sizemore sound like a good guy -- and it made Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro sound like a genius for signing him to a long-term contract.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: Albert Belle led the Tribe with a .235 batting average during the 1995 World Series.

Today's quiz: We're coming up on the anniversary of Len Barker's perfect game against Toronto. Name the Indians right fielder who led the club with three hits in that game.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

One strike away from victory, and the Indians blow one in the ninth inning against Oakland. Instead of rallying to finish 5-5 on its west-coast road trip, the Indians limp home at 4-6, with a whole new set of questions about their bullpen.

Fernando Cabrera, who had looked so impressive until 10 days ago, surrendered game-winning homers in consecutive games. Always susectible to coughing up the long ball, Cabrera seems to have completely lost it. Suddenly, you wonder if brooming Jason Davis was the right move. Actually, I think it was, because he couldn'd get anybody out, either.

I was listening to the end of the Indians game on the radio Sunday, and you could feel the tension in Tom Hamilton's and Mike Hegan's voices. Clearly, they don't have much faith in Joe Borowski.

The Indians' clutch hitting has been wanting on this trip, and the bullpen unreliable. This is kind of a re-run of what we saw last year when the bottom started falling out of Cleveland's season. I don't think that will happen to this club, but unless the relievers can regroup, every close lead in the late innings could cause fans to chew their nails down to their knuckles.

Jake Westbrook probably won't be ready to come off the disabled list for at least 2-3 more weeks, which might be lucky for Jeremy Sowers. Now it appears Sowers could be the odd man out -- not Fausto Carmona -- when Westbrook returns.

The Indians brass is also beginning to admit that Andy Marte might not be the complete players the club had hoped for when it traded Coco Crisp for him. Marte's lapses in the field before he went on the disabled last have been attributed to his "discomfort level in bitter cold weather."

At least Tribe general manager Mark Shapiro refused to make excuses for Marte. "I don't know how he's going to play in Cleveland if he can't perform in cold weather," Shapiro said.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: Jorge Orta, playing right field for the Indians, collected three hits the night Len Barker pitched a perfect game against Toronto.

Today's quiz: Name the Indians first-baseman/designated hitter who swatted 214 home runs for the Tribe.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

Even if you are too young to remember Gomer Hodge's blazing start for Cleveland in 1971, you might have been touched by the outpouring of affection for him in recent months. Hodge, who died Sunday at age 63 after a long battle with Lou Gehring's disease, said he was greatly cheered over the past months by all the cards and letters he received from Indians fans.

Hodge's son, Nick, wrote to me last summer after I mentioned "Gomer the Great" in a blog. Nick asked if I had any specific memories of his dad, which, of course, I did. I was in the stands at Municipal Stadium on the frigid April day in '71 when Gomer came on as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of the home opener and lined a base hit. An inning later, he lashed the game-winning hit.

In all, he cracked four hits in his first four trips to the plate. He won over Cleveland's sportswriters and fans by proudly proclaiming, "Wow, I'm hitting 4.000!"

His batting prowess didn't last, and Hodge ended the season with a .205 average. He did rap out 16 pinch hits, however, which is a pretty respectable number. By year's end, he was banished to the minors, never to return to the big leagues again.

Those were dark years for the Indians. They finished last in their division with a record of 60-102 and the front office was in complete turmoil. Alvin Dark, who'd wrested control of the club from Gabe Paul, was fired late in the season by owner Vernon Stouffer.

Sam McDowell, my all-time favorite Indians pitcher, was traded at year's end for Gaylord Perry and Frank Duffy, which actually turned out to be a good deal for Cleveland.

But early in the season, when fans cling to any shred of hope, Gomer Hodge lifted our spirits. After I wrote about Nick Hodge's request for information about his dad from fans, many Tribe rooters in Erie wrote back to say they'd called or e-mailed the Hodges. In September, I received a nice note from Gomer's wife, Linda Hodge, who said she was so grateful for the outpouring of good will from Indians fans in Erie.

Nick Hodge said his father often talked about his season with the Indians -- his only year in the big leagues out of the more than three decades he spent in baseball. "My father spent a lot of time in Class A ball, but he loved it," Nick said. "He just enjoyed being around the game -- the players, fans, sportswriters, everything and everybody. He's really challenged physically, but he has so many fond memories to sustain him."

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Andre Thornton. The Thunder Man finished with 214 home runs for the Indians.

Today's quiz: Here's another question about Tribe first basemen of note. Name the player who slugged 27 homers for the Indians in 1975. In 1970, he was named American League MVP, though he didn't play for Cleveland at the time.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

Descisions, decisions. Seems as if Cleveland Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro and Manager Eric Wedge have had to make quite a few calls in recent weeks concerning Cleveland's young players.

Fausto Carmona was optioned back to Buffalo and then recalled when Jake Westbrook went down. Jason Davis was sent packing to Seattle, as the Indians called up Edward Mujica.

Andy Marte pulled a hamstring and went to Buffalo on a rehab assignment. "He'll be back as soon as he's ready," said Wedge. But, now that Casey Blake is playing a solid third base and his bat is heating up, it appears there's a possibility Marte might stay at Buffalo.

If it were up to me, I'd keep him down on the farm. Marte was not at all impressive in the early games he played before getting injured. He blamed his poor fielding on the bitter cold spring weather, but that's a lousy excuse.

Shapiro and Wedge must also be worried sick about Fernando Cabrera, who was booed by fans at Jacobs Field last night after surrendering three hits, two runs and another home run in one-third of an inning. Cabrera has coughed up homers in successive appearances now, and he looks nothing like the sharp young reliever he was three weeks ago.

Is he hurting? It's a possibility. Cabrera has no minor league options left, but he could go on the disabled list and later put in a rehab stint at Buffalo. I would definitely give that option some serious consideration.

Finally, should the Indians send Jeremy Sowers back to Buffalo? If he continues to struggle while Westbrook convalesces, I would say yes. But, fortunately, that's not a call the Tribe brass has to make yet. Sometimes it's good to take as much time as you need before making the important calls.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Boog Powell smashed 27 home runs while playing first base for the Tribe in 1975.

Today's quiz: Who stole more bases, Joe Sewell or Kenny Lofton?

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

Take that, all you Indian haters who are convinced this club will fold sooner or later. In April, the anti-Tribesmen said the meltdown in the 9th inning against the Yankees would kickstart the tailspin. When that didn't happen, they predicted Sunday's awful loss in the 9th to Oakland would burst the Indians' bubble.

So, what do the Wahoos do? Only come storming back to take three straight against the Twins. Already, Cleveland is 5-0 against Minnesota this season, and 14-3 at home (including the three games it played against the Angels in Milwaukee).

You'll recall that when the Indians were stumbling around in 2006, they had a hard time winning at home. No more.

And who do we have to thank for this wonderful turnaround? Well, we can start with Fausto Carmona, who pitched a four-hit shutout against Twins ace Johan Santana Thursday afternoon. The Tribe used back-to-back homers by Victor Martinez and Ryan Garko to subdue the talented Santana, 2-0.

Carmona, who snapped a personal 11-game losing streak when he outdueled Santana last month, continues to sparkle. He's 5-0 in his last five starts and opposing players are raving about his stuff. They've been pounding his low, hard stuff into the dirt.

No way will the Tribe exile Carmona to Buffalo when Jake Westbrook returns. It puts the onus on Jeremy Sowers, who's scheduled to start Saturday against Cincinnati. Sowers is 0-3 and hasn't pitched well in his last several starts.

Personally, I think Sowers can still pull it together, and he's fortunate that Westbrook will likely be sidelined another three weeks.

Garko's fifth homer might be enough to keep Andy Marte in Buffalo for a while longer. The young Cleveland first baseman has played solid defense and he gives the Indians a strong righthanded bat. At this point, he's way ahead of Marte from a developmental standpoint.

Plus, Casey Blake, who's been playing a nifty third base, has hit in 9 straight games. Nope, the Indians shouldn't recall Marte until he's absolutely blazing hot in Buffalo. It's tough on the young guy, I know, but Cleveland doesn't want to screw up what's been a winning hand for more than six weeks.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Kenney Lofton, with 545 stolen bases, is Cleveland's all-time leader in steals.

Today's quiz: How old was Fausto Carmona when he started pitching in the Indians farm system?

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

They leave Cleveland with fond memories, but that never guarantees a warm welcome home. For proof, ask Jim Thome. When he returned to Cleveland last year as a member of the Chicago White Sox, Thome was booed unmercifully. Same with Mike Hargrove last night, even though Hargrove had been a popular player, coach and manager with the Indians for nearly two decades.

Hargrove still received a nice ovation when he was introduced to the crowd on opening day last month -- the first opening day, that is. He blew it that night by protesting that his players couldn't see through the snowstorm -- the one that eventually wiped out what looked to be a sure win by the Tribe.

"I knew I had only one chance with the umpires, but, fortunately, it worked," Hargrove said.

Last night, when Seattle returned to Jacobs Field to replay the game, there were no snow flurries to rescue the Mariners this time. Some timely hitting by Casey Blake, Josh Barfield and Grady Sizemore in the late innings propelled the Indians to a 5-2 triumph. It matched the Tribe's best-ever start at home.

Another former Indian who returned to Cleveland for the first time since he was traded last summer was Ben Broussard. The affable Broussard, who became quite popular along Lake Erie's shoreline for his skill as a rock and roll musician, was batting .321 when the Tribe sent him packing last July to the great Pacific Northwest.

Broussard is a classic streak hitter, but he's yet to find a home in Seattle. He's been playing mostly right and left field, and it appears his days as a first baseman might be over -- at least as long as Richie Sexson mans that spot for the Mariners.

When Benny came to bat as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of last night's game, he heard a lot more boos than cheers from the Cleveland faithful. Then, when he ripped a single, he solidified his credentials as an outsider.

Fans can be fickle. When Albert Belle was shoving cameramen, cursing female reporters and trying to run down trick or treaters, Indians fans loved the guy. Not for those antics, of course, but for his slugging exploits. Then, when he bolted the Tribe for the White Sox, he became public enemy No. 1 in Cleveland.

Even Sandy Alomar Jr., who was revered for more than a decade in Cleveland, was booed lustily once he became an ex-Tribesman. Ain't baseball great.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

That was an alarming column by Sheldon Ocker in the Akron Beacon Journal on Fernando Cabrera. Ocker believes Cabrera might be suffering from some kind of mental block that prevents him from making decent pitches. He equated it with the same type of malady that ended Steve Blass' career in Pittsburgh three decades ago.

The Indians are really in a spot with Cabrera. He's out of options, so they can't send him down, and he would almost certainly get claimed on waivers by teams that covet his skills. It's really a puzzling shame.

Worst of all for the Indians, Cabrera seemed to lose it the minute Cleveland decided to give up on Jason Davis, another talented reliever who could never seem to harness his skills. Davis is now a member of the Mariners and has pitched in three games thus far.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz: Fausto Carmona was barely 17 when he started pitching in the Indians farm system.

Today's quiz: Name the former Indians manager who left the club with great bitterness in 1974, only to land a Coors distributorsgip in Houston, which eventually earned him millions of dollars.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

Does it feel as if we're almost back to where we started? You'll recall what a complete mess the Indians bullpen was last season, and how General Manager Mark Shapiro spent the bulk of the off season trying to patch it up. He signed Joe Borowski and Keith Foulke as potential closers, Aaron Fultz as a lefthanded setup man, and veteran Roberto Hernandez as a righthanded setup man. Foulke, plagued by arm trouble, retired just before the start of spring training.

In the first five weeks of the season, Cleveland's bullpen performed well. Borowski's earned run average looks like a cab fare from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, but he's been generally reliable in posting 14 saves.

Unfortunately, the pen blew last night's game against Kansas City -- a game Cleveland should have won. Fultz came in to face one batter and walked in the winning run on four straight pitches. Hernandez has been unreliable for the past three weeks, and youngster Fernando Cabrera seemns to be suffering from such an extreme crisis of confidence that his career -- at least with the Indians -- might be threatened.

If the Tigers and Indians continue to battle nose to nose for the remainder of the season, which appears to be a possibility, my gut tells me Detroit will have the edge. Not because the Tigers' bullpen is any better than Cleveland's at the moment. It isn't. But, later in the year, when all of the injured Tiger hurlers have recovered, Detroit could find itself is the right position at the right time.

Unless Shapiro can find quality reinforcements, who knows what shape the Indians' pen might be in by August? He took a first step today by summoning former Arizona Diamondbacks righthanded reliever Mike Koplove from Buffalo. Koplove's promotion meant a demotion for Edward Mujica, who pitched in two games for the Tribe during his brief stay in the majors.

Koplove, 30, was a decent setup man a few years back, but I don't have high hopes that he can be the guy to push the Indians over the top. Frankly, I thought Mujica had more upside potential than a retread like Koplove, although Mujica did not look dominant during his brief test run.

That the Indians are checking out Troy Percival, who retired after his career came crashing to a halt, shows how concerned Shapiro is. Perhaps Percival's sore arm has healed, but I seriously doubt he has much, if anything, left.

Foulke, too, told Boston's newpapers last weekend that he might want to pitch again, but he needs arm surgery, which means he wouldn't be ready this year.

Almost as much of a concern as Cleveland's leaky bullpen is David Dellucci's continued inability to hit -- especially with men on base. I'm still scratching my head as to why everyone was so high on this guy. Yes, he hit 29 homers in 435 at-bats in 2005, but mostly he's been a journeyman. His five runs batted in this season shows what a weak contrubutor he's been. At this point, I would much rather see a youngster like Shin-Soo Choo or Ben Francisco in left field rather than Dellucci.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Ken Aspromonte piloted the Indians from 1972-74.

Today's quiz: Name the hall of fame pitcher -- the man many say was the greatest righthanded hurler of all time -- who managed the Indians for parts of three seasons in the 1930's.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

Why can't the Indians beat the lowly Kansas City Royals? During the disappointing 2006 campaign, the Royals owned the Tribe, and so far this season it appears as if nothing has changed.

Cliff Lee proved to be the big problem Wednesday night, as he quickly coughed up a 3-0 first-inning lead and handed the game right back to KayCee. Lee botched what should have been a double play and then later failed to cover first, as the Royals took command of the game.

The Indians really need Lee to step up and post the kind of numbers he has over the last three seasons when he averaged nearly 16 wins per year. So far, though, a pulled muscle midway through spring training cost Lee the first six weeks of the year, and he's yet to return to form on the mound.

Tribe manager Eric Wedge publicly upbraided Lee for his screwups last night, which is not Wedge's style at all. But it shows the depth of concern the Indians have for Lee and for a possible letdown. No contending team in the A.L.'s powerful Central Division can afford to go through the motions and expect to remain in the race.

Wedge pulled Lee behind closed doors and ripped him unmercifully, according to press reports. Then he told reporters what he'd done, though not in detail. That was the surprising part -- that he went public with it. But Wedge, who's in the final year of his contract, is under a lot of pressure, too. I applaud him for taking Lee to the woodshed.

Of course, the main thing is to get the 28-year-old lefty back on track. Lee is a laid-back, slightly eccentric pitcher who's always reminds me of the quintessential lefthander. I think Wedge has done a good job helping C.C. Sabathia, another southpaw, to turn his career around. Sabathia has honed his approach to the game and is now a gritty warrior on the mound. He stands to make at least $100 million when he becomes a free agent following the 2008 season.

More and more, you can see how vital the performance of Fausto Carmona has been to the Tribe's success this season. With Lee and Jake Westbrook out for much of the year thus far, and Jeremy Sowers still winless, Carmona's emergence as a reliable starter has been key.

I don't think it's realistic, however, to expect Carmona to continue to perform at this level. We saw how he struggled and eventually blew a lead to Kansas City Tuesday night. And despite how this young club managed by Buddy Bell performs against the Indians, we shouldn't forget they're still the Kansas City Royals.

That's what makes the losses in the first two games of this series so galling.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Walter Johnson managed the Indians for parts of three seasons in the 1930's. Even though he was respected as a gentleman during his long, successful career as a pitcher with Washington, Johnson was widely despised during his tenure as Tribe skipper.

Today's quiz: Name the Indians first baseman-designated hitter-outfilder-third basemen who went 29-for-55 with the bases loaded during his five plus seasons with the Tribe in the 1980s.
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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

Final score: Umpires 3, Indians 0. An odd ruling on Cleveland third baseman Casey Blake helped snuff out a ninth-inning rally Monday and secure a 5-3 victory for the Red Sox over the Tribe.

With runners at 2nd and 3rd and one out in the 9th inning, Blake was struck on the hand by a Jonathan Papelbon high-rising fastball. Home plate ump Rick Reed told Blake to take his base, but a protest by Boston manager Terry Francona prompted Reed to consult with first-base umpire Chuck Meriweather.

Meriweather ruled that Blake swung at the pitch, which meant it was a dead ball and, therefore, a strike. Blake was out and, so too, for all intents and purposes, was the Tribe's last-inning rally.

It marked the third time this season the Indians came up on the short end in a fairly major dispute with the umps. Reed was behind the plate on opening night in Cleveland when Seattle manage Mike Hargrove protested that his players couldn't see the ball for the heavy snowflakes that were falling at Jacobs Field. Reed suspended play -- even though the Indians were one out away from winning the game. Play never resumed and the Indians' lead and the game were wiped out.

A couple weeks later, the umpires reversed themselved on a decision in Baltimore and the Orioles were awarded a run three innings later. The snow on opening day was a tough call, but the other two were really bizarre. The umps, as it turns out, were within their rights, according to the rule book, but the calls were bizarre -- something you rarely see.

So, what does this mean? Nothing, if the Indians can continue to toss off such setbacks as if they don't matter at all. That's the way you have to do it -- play as hard as you can and not be overwhelmed by things over which you have no control.

Monday's game might have been one of those rare nights when the Indians could stage a three-run rally to come back against a talent like Jonathan Papelbon, but if it doesn't work, you can't fall into a tailspin. So far, the 2007 Indians have proven to be a resilient crew. Let's hope it stays that way.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz: Cleveland's "Babe Ruth with the bases loaded" was Pat Tabler. He was a pretty fair hitter the rest of the time, but, with the sacks jammed, he turned into Cobb-DiMaggio-Mays, all rolled into one.

Today's quiz: Name the player who started in the Indians organization as an outfielder/first baseman, but who wanted so desperately to pitch that he threatened to quit baseball. The Tribe finally relented and gave him a chance, and he ended up pitching in the big leagues for 12 seasons, winning 140 games.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe Fans Everywhere!

These last two losses to the Red Sox have been frustrating, but the Indians are still a game and a half up on the Tigers in the A.L. Central. It shows you how important that 3-game sweep of the Tigers in Detroit last weekend was.

Now that Jake Westbrook plans to start a game or two in the minors, it looks as if his pulled muscle is almost back to normal, which means the Tribe will be forced to make some hard calls.

A week ago, the decision looked easy. Jeremy Sowers would be demoted to Buffalo to open a spot for Westbrook in the rotation. No way can they send Fausto Carmona back to the minors -- not the way the kid keeps lighting it up every time he takes the mound.

Sowers' last two starts have to make the Indians' brass swallow hard, however, before they send the kid lefty packing. He coughed up a couple of homers in last night's game against Boston, and he ended up losing for the sixth time in seven decisions, but the kid clearly can pitch. His confidence was shot until these last two starts, and now he closely resembles the whiz kid who went 7-4 during the second half of 2006.

Fernando Cabrera has a great arm, but can the Indians afford to use him in a game in which their lead is less than 10 runs? I think not. Nobody knows exactly what happened to Cabrera, but the guy is useless. He's out of options, which means the Tribe would almost certainly lose him if they tried to send him down. So, what do you do?

Well, you can't win a title by hanging on to a pitcher who can't get any hitter out. Perhaps they can sneak Cabrera onto the disabled list, but I can think of no other solution.

With Westbrook's return, the problem with the starting staff remains. Too many starters and not enough turns in the rotation. A month ago, I kept advocating for Paul Byrd to join the relief staff. But, along with C.C. Sabathia and Carmona, Byrd has ranked among Cleveland's most effective starters. No, you can't do that to the guy. Unless he volunteers, that is. But why would he do that?

Well, he might if the Indians picked up his option for 2008. It's what I'd do if I owned the ballclub. But I don't, which is why I suspect they'll send Jeremy Sowers down. The Indians better get some help in the pen, though, because this situation is getting serious.

Could a trade be in the offing? You never know. That Yankees starting staff looks dreadful. The Indians could use a potent bat in the outfield, as many of us have grown weary of waiting for David Delluci to come around.

Interesting things lie ahead as the Tribe mulls over the decisions it will be forced to make.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Wilfred "Sonny" Siebert started as an outfielder before finally convincing the Indians farm director to let him have a shot at pitching.

Today's quiz: Name the former Indians starting pitcher who is seriously contemplating running for the presidency of Nicaragua.

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-- Kevin Cuneo