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