Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

It's amazing how quickly some things change in baseball. Exactly one week ago, after Cleveland's flat, disappointing series in Washington, I wondered seriously if the Tribe was running out of gas. Now, after impressive series victories against Oakland and Tampa Bay, I'm thinking, to paraphrase the late, great Frank Sinatra, maybe the best is yet to come.

Am I simply blinded by wins over two slump-ridden teams? No, it's more than that. For the first time this season, the Tribe's starting pitching -- all five starters -- seem to be rounding into shape. Now, if Fausto Carmona gets bombed again tonight, as he was in his last start, I might have to amend that statement. But, if not, Cleveland will head into the second half of the season with its starting corps in place.

Plus, if Adam Miller's sore finger on his pitching hand recovers sufficiently, the Indians could add a badly-needed quality arm to its bullpen. In my view, the pen, once you get past Joe Borowski, Rafael Betancourt, and a couple others, still has serious holes. Cleveland needs another solid arm it can count on.

The other ray of hope is in the outfield where Franklin Guttierez continues to improve, and Ben Francisco won a game last Friday with a 9th inning home run. Players like Guttierez and Francisco, if they can produce, will be of more help than retread vets like Trot Nixon and David Dellucci. Dellucci's hurt, of course, and won't return until late August at the earliest, and Nixon's bat seems to have none of his former pop. When he hits, which isn't that often, he looks like a guy who's coming off back surgery, which he is.

It would be nice if General Manager Mark Shapiro could add a proven bat, like Jermaine Dye's, but I wouldn't mind if the club gave Guttierez and Francisco a chance -- just so fans can see what they can or can't do.

Perhaps the most gratifying story of the season thus far is the solid comeback by Jhonny Peralta, whose bat is back and who is playing infinitely better at shortstop than he did a year ago. The other feel-good story is Casey Blake's success at third base. Had you told fans at the start of the season that Andy Marte would be a non-factor of this club, they probably would have predicted disaster. But, thanks to Blake, Cleveland pitchers have benefitted from solid infield play.

I think you must credit Eric Wedge and his staff, as well, for never panicking when Jesse Barfield was hitting .118. Over the last five weeks, Barfield has been one of the club's most reliable hitters.

Now, if Travis Hafner can come close to returning to the form he showed in 2005 and '06, the Indians' offense could soar in the second half. Taken all together, it's enough to make even the grumpiest Indians fan sit up and say, "Well, I guess they just might be able to do!"

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The answer to the last Quickie Quiz is: Marquis Grisson was the playoff and World Series hero for the Indians in 1997.

Today's quiz: Name the hall of fame pitcher who started his career with the Indians in 1975. He posted 197 wins and 390 saves during his career.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

In baseball, you're only as good as what you do today. Taking seven of eight games against Oakland and Tampa Bay is old news. Forgotten. Now it's on to Detroit for a three-game stretch against division arch-rival, the Tigers.

But before we talk about the land of Kaline, Cash and Lolich, let's not forget that beating the slump-ridden teams matters. It's what the 2006 Tribe didn't do, and it's why the club was out of the division race by early June. This edition of the Indians seems much better at taking care of business -- doing all the little things that count so much. Many of the players seem to be at their best in the late innings, as illustrated by the Indians' high number of comeback victories -- best by any club in the majors.

Six strong innings by Fausto Carmona were a welcome relief last night, especially after he'd dropped three of his previous four decisions and was brutalized by the A's last week. The pitching hero of Monday's game was young reliever Rafael Perez, who took over for Carmona in the seventh inning with two runs in, bases loaded and nobody out. He escaped without further damage -- aided tremendously by his leaping grab of a high bounder near the mound, which he lobbed home for a force out.

The hitting star, again, was Ben Francisco, who slugged a homer, double and single, driving in three runs. The 25-year-old Francisco makes the most of his plate appearances, and is hitting .500 since his promotion from Buffalo. The kid has always been a hitter, and Rick Manning observed after Big Ben's third straight hit last night that "the ball just leaps off Francisco's bat."

Best of all, Francisco has always hit righthanded pitchers as well as lefties. If he can be a contributor during the second half of the season, it would really bolster a trouble spot in the Indians lineup -- the outfield. Realitistically, he won't keep hitting the way he is now, but if he can average .270 and whack another 8-9 homers during the second half, it would be a huge bonus.

Now, on to Detroit. Even if the Tigers sweep the Indians, it would leave the Tribe only a game out of first place, which isn't bad. But you know the Tribe would love to get one or even two wins in Motown.

Locally, Cleveland-Detroit games are huge because of the friendly rivalry between fans of both teams. Erie has always boasted a lot of Tigers fans dating back to the days when we had a Detroit farm team here -- Dick McAuliffe couldn't even hit .200 when he played here in 1958. Another reason was the strong signal from WJR radio, as Tiger fans in Erie enjoyed listening to the dulcet tones of Ernie Harwell, Ray Lane and others for many years.

I used to love listening to baseball on the radio, but Tom Hamilton really grates on me, and I think he's even having a negative effect on Mike Hegan, who had been a solid broadcaster for 20-plus season. I love all the Tribe games on TV, and think the team of Matt Miller and Manning is a big improvement over John Saunders and Manning. It wasn't so much that I disliked Saunders. I didn't. But the chemistry between he and Manning was terrible, and you felt those bad vibes over the air.

My only complaint about the games on TV is that I'm doing way too much sitting in the evening. At least when you listened to the games on the radio, you could putter around. Plus, my wife is about ready to kill me. She doesn't worship the Tribe with the same reverence I do.

Oh, yeah. And we were talking about the Tigers. It was easy to hate Detroit back when Jack Roach Sr., Johnny Roach and Barry Roach cheered for the men of Mayo Smith. And the Tigers, really good in those years, used to regularly wallop the Tribe.

Now that so many players on the Tigers played in Erie on their way to the bigs -- and most were very good guys, too -- it's not easy to dislike them. I'm also a big Jim Leyland fan and consider him one of baseball's finest managers. But, for old time sake, I'll hate the Tigers for the next three nights.

Go Tribe!

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Dennis Eckerley, of course. He started his hall of fame career in Cleveland in 1975. Too bad he didn't stay longer.

Today's quiz: Name the longtime Tigers first baseman of the 1960s and early '70s who was traded from Cleveland in one of the club's all-time worst deals.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

See how important Cleveland's extra-inning victory over Detroit was on Tuesday? Not even two subsequent losses to the Tigers, including today's 12-3 hammering, could prevent the Tribe from leaving Motown with a 1-game lead in the A.L. Central Division.

The victim in today's loss was C.C. Sabathia, who yielded three home runs and seven runs in four innings. It was by far his worst outing of the season. Hey, anybody can have a bad day, and, if truth be told, it might not be a bad thing for the Indians to stub their toe against the Tigers. Cleveland is not a powerhouse club by any stretch of the imagination, and I'm getting a little concerned about so many Indians fans talking about "the return of the Jacobs Field magic," and all that happy horse manure.

This is a nice Indians team -- a fun team to watch. But it's going to have to claw and scratch for everything it achieves. The players or fans can't afford to get swelled heads.

As we head toward the all-star break, I have few serious complaints about Tribe manager Eric Wedge, who's in the last year of his contract. Let me amend that; I wish Wedge would go with the hot hand, meaning that young Ben Francisco should be inserted into the starting lineup and remain there until his bat cools off.

A good rule of thumb is: if a batter is hitting .500 or better, play him! No ifs, ands or buts.

Now, let's quickly forget about today's Indians loss and set our sights on Toronto for the weekend. Cleveland needs to finish off what's been an enjoyable first half of the season by winning this final series before the break.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: Norm Cash. The Indians traded him for Steve Demeter. Yes, I know, Steve Who? Another beauty of a trade by Frank Laine.

Today's quiz: Name the hall of fame Indians outfielder who broke into the majors 60 years ago today.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

In spring training, when the Indians worked hard to convince Travis Hafner to sign a multi-year contract extension, fans prayed it would happen. It didn't, but insiders say Hafner now would be more amenable to extending his career in Cleveland.

Sure, fans say, now that he's hitting .257, he wants to stay. The case also illustrates what a difficult business baseball can be for people such as Tribe general manager Mark Shapiro. Say he swallows hard and commits tens of millions to Hafner, and the big slugger ends up being a .257 batter with occasional power for the rest of his career. Fans would scream bloody murder.

On the other hand, fans scream boody murder over everything, and Shapiro, who's a big boy with a tough hide, understands that. But the question remains: should the Indians re-sign Hafner for big bucks. That's certainly what it would take.

Let me pause for a moment while I mull this over. Like most Tribe fans, I love Pronk. Until May 1st, the guy had been locked in for nearly three full seasons. Last year, only a broken hand prevented him from hitting 50 homers. But since the 1st of May, Hafner has looked lost for much of the time. Only until the last couple of weeks has he shown signs of pulling out of this long slump. Is it enough of a concern for the Tribe to close the checkbook and head in another direction? Good question.

First, Shapira and staff need to find answers to some questions. What do Eric Wedge and his coaches think? Has Hafner suddenly grown old at age 30? It's happened before in baseball. The last thing you want to do is commit to a player just as his prduction is about to head south.

Or, is Hafner just going through a prolonged slump? In Cleveland, fans blame his poor hitting on Pronk's bride, unfair as that seems.

I don't know the answer to this dilemma, but my gut tells me it's just a slump, and once Hafner's contract worries are behind him, he'll start murdering the ball again. Of course, as an Indians fan, I reserve my right to complain -- no matter how things turn out. Isn't fandom wonderful?

I say, if the Indians can work out a deal that's fair to both sides, go for it. The truth is, the club probably won't be able to afford to re-sign C.C. Sabathia when his contract expires at the end of the 2008 season. Unless, that is, the big lefty keeps pitching like he did against the Tigers on Wednesday. Then we can blame it on his wife.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Larry Doby, the American League's first black player, started his career with the Indians in July, 1947. Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier three months earlier, is remembered best as baseball's greatest pioneer. But, as Doby once told me in an interview, "Things didn't change all that much in baseball or in the nation between April and July of '47."

Today's quiz: Which one of the following men never had an ownership share of the Cleveland Indians -- Vernon Stouffer, Nick Mileti, Ted Bonda, Steve O'Neill, Peter Bavasi, Richard Jacobs.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

After playing 65 games in 68 days, including 52 in the past 54 days, you might say the Indians looked a bit tuckered out in losing two of three to the Blue Jays over the weekend. Yes, they looked downright exhausted. Unfortunately, Detroit swept its series from the Red Sox to take a 1-game lead over the Tribe at the All-Star break.

What does this mean? Well, I'd say the Indians still have a lot to prove during the second half of the season. Hardly any national baseball writers or broadcasters believe that Cleveland can beat out Detroit, and I kind of like that. It's much better to sneak up on teams than to have them laying in wait for you.

Instead of coping with a rash of injuries, the Indians are tired, not hurt. In fact, when the second half begins on Friday, the Tribe's starting pitching should be in better shape than it's been all season. Injuries to Cliff Lee and Jake Westbrook propelled Fausto Carmona into a starting role, and the 23-year-old righty responded brilliantly. Now, Lee and Westbrook are back and should be ready to finally give the Indians the kind of pitching performances they've come to expect from the two veterans.

Jeremy Sowers is still suffering in the minor leagues and is now 0-3 since his demotion to Buffalo. While that's a disappointment, the Indians don't really need Sowers at this point. So, if he's going to slump, now is the time and Buffalo's the place. Adam Miller is the organization's top pitching prospect, and if anyone from the minors can help the Indians this season, he'll be the guy.

I expect the Tribe to take stock of its bullpen over the next two days and I'll be surprised if Fernando Cabrera is still on the club by Friday. Not since April has the talented righthander been able to get anyone out with the game on the line. He coughed a key run to the Blue Jays over the weekend, and I think it was enough to convince Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge that he just can't help the big-league club. If he had any minor league options left, the kid would have been sent packing weeks ago.

This is a tough one for Cleveland, because Cabrera has a live arm and has had some success -- limited, I'll grant you -- at the big-league level. But he just can't get it done now, and they can't afford to play nursemaid any longer.

It feels as if the Indians are getting serious about making all the moves for a big second-half run, and management has run out of patience with Cabrera. Don't be surprised if the Tribe sends Cabrera and Andy Marte packing. Both, for whatever reasons, seem like underacheivers. Marte will be out of options soon, and he just doesn't seem ready to take over at third on a fulltime basis for Cleveland.

The club can keep Casey Blake there until, say, 2009, when young shortstop Adrubal Cabrera, is ready for the bigs. The kid is currently playing at Akron, where Tribe scouts are drooling over his talents. Eventually, he'll end up in Cleveland, and Jhonny Peralta can move to third base.

I predict the Indians will either trade for a back-of-the-bullpen guy now, or they'll promote Miller and see how he fares for 2-3 weeks. If Miller is hurt or shows he's not ready, they'll trade before the Aug. 31 deadline.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: Peter Bavasi never had an ownership stake in the Cleveland Indians.

Today's quiz: How did the Indians acquire Asdrubal Cabrera?

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

When friends told me this week, "Nobody cares who wins baseball's All-Star Game," I bit my lip. I might be on the south side of middle age, yet I care desperately who wins the All-Star Game.

It goes back to my childhood, I assume, when the National League routinely knocked the American League's socks off -- Red Sox, White Sox, you name it. I wept when Sam McDowell blew the 1965 game in the 10th inning in Minnesota, but I was only 10. Five years later, McDowell, on of my all-time heroes, would have been the winner until the N.L.. rallied to tie the score 5-5 in the 9th inning.

Worse, the Senior Circuit won when Pete Rose crashed into Tribe catcher Ray Fosse, scoring the winning run, the following inning. Fosse, who'd been having a great year, was never quite the same after that. He admitted some years later, his shoulder was so badly damaged in the collision, he never had the same arm strength again, which affected his throwing and batting.

Fast forward to 1997, and another Indians catcher, Sandy Alomar Jr., clouted the decisive home run before the home fans at Jacobs Field. He won the MVP award and went on to have the best year of his career. The Tribe advanced to the World Series and came within two outs of winning it all.

Which brings us to 2007. Victor Martinez, thanks to his 2-run pinch-hit homer in the 8th inning, provided the margin of difference in last night's A.L. triumph over the N.L., 5-4. C.C. Sabathia pitched a scoreless inning, and Grady Sizemore also got some playing time in right and center field (even though he fanned on three pitches in his only time at bat).

All in all, a most satisfying night for the Tribesmen and the American League all-stars. I can't help but think perhaps it's some kind of sign of good things to come during the second half of the season. We can only hope.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: The Indians acquired minor league shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera for first-baseman Eduardo Perez.

Name the "throw-in" in the Sam McDowell for Gaylord Perry trade who ended up starting at shortstop for six seasons for the Tribe.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

So, the Indians called a players' only meeting that lasted for 45 minutes, following Saturday's public blowup between pitcher Cliff Lee and catcher Victor Martinez. They tangled twice on the field, and Tribe manager Eric Wedge had to get in the faces of both players after they returned to the dugout -- just to make sure they had their heads in the game.

I don't know about you, but I actually like these kind of confrontations. It shows that players care deeply. Now, you don't want pitchers and catchers coming to blows, as happened in the Chicago Cubs dugout earlier this season, but it's nice to see players who have passion. Kind of reminds me of the Thurman Munson-Reggie Jackson Yankees of the late ''70s, and those great Oakland A's teams of the early ''70s. Those guys hated each other, but it seemed to drive them.

Who knows what's going through Cliff Lee's head these days? He got pounded by the Rangers for 5 runs in the first inning, but then pitched well after that. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Martinez got angry with Lee the second time after the pitcher showed little remorse over beaning Sammy Sosa. Frankly, I don't know why that would bother Martinez so much. He was probably still angry after his earlier confrontation with Lee.

I've wondered if some Tribe pitchers aren't so crazy about working with Martinez. Paul Byrd now works exclusively with Kelly Shoppach, and you hear other Indian hurlers say complimentary things about Shoppach's ability to call a game. Is it a backhand rap at Martinez? Could be, but I can't really say for sure.

This could all be on Lee, however, who's had a frustrating season dating back to spring training when he pulled an oblique muscle. The good news is the players called an immediate meeting and aired their grievances. We've all watched losing teams over the years, and when these types of things flare up, they never bother to address them. It's partly why they're losers.

Note that Trot Nixon took charge on calling the meeting. Nixon's playing skills are greatly diminished, but he remains a positive force in the clubhouse. The guy will probably make a great manager some day.

I'm also reminded of former Tribe catcher Tony Pena, who served as backup to Sandy Alomar Jr. on those great Indians teams of the mid-'90s. When Pena worked behind the plate, and Jose Mesa was on the mound, the catcher thought nothing about using his big mitt to slap Mesa across the face. "I have to do it to keep him focused," Pena would explain. The act would infuriate Mesa, but it always seemed to work.

I was just sorry that Pena wasn't behind the plate in the 9th inning of the 7th game of the 1997 World Series. Had Mesa kept him mind on business that night, the Tribe probably would have taken the world championship.

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Today's quickie quiz: Name the former Indians outfielder and DH who was known on the club as "The Big Mon." He visited the team in Texas over the weekend.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

I've been arguing with some of you Indians fans for days now, as the debate over the questions if the Tribe should make a trade, who the Tribe should trade, and how much should the Tribe surrender in a bid to get into position for a final run at post-season play.

First, yes, I would love to acquire Jermaine Dye, Kenny Lofton, Octavio Dotel or half a dozen players who are reported to be available. Dye could provide a powerful bat in Cleveland's outfield, Lofton could infuse the top of the lineup with speed, and Dotel could help solidify late-inning relief out of the bullpen.

There was even a report out of St. Louis that the Cardinals would be willing to part with third-baseman Scott Rolen for young lefthander Jeremy Sowers, currently toiling at Triple-A Buffalo. First, I'd be surprised if that trade was on the table. And even if it was, I wouldn't trade Sowers for a 32-year vet who's already played nearly 1,500 games in the big leagues. Rolen has been a great third baseman for more than a decade, but his best years are behind him, while Sowers' career is just beginning.

Yes, Rolen would be a great fit in Cleveland's lineup, but Sowers could be a fixture in the Tribe's rotation for the next decade. Forget for a second that he's trying to put the pieces back together in the minors. Sowers looked so good during the second half of 2006 that the Indians would be nuts to give up on him now. Think Detroit trading young John Smoltz for Doyle Alexander.

While we're on the subject of parting with talented young players, no, Cleveland should not trade either Franklin Gutierrez or Ben Francisco to Kansas City for Dotel. The Royals would reportedly swap Dotel for either of those young outfielders. Yes, it would be nice to have Dotel, but he's coming off serious arm problems.

The truth is I doubt that Tribe GM Mark Shapiro will part with any of his promising kids. He's already been burned in the Coco Crisp trade, Brandon Phillips trade, and the decision to dump Jeremy Guthrie. Shapiro is sweating bullets over the decision to place Francisco Cabrera on waivers, and that sad-sack reliever hasn't retired any hitters since Lyndon Johnson's administration. OK, only a slight exaggeration -- since the first George Bush administration.

One player I might part with is third baseman Andy Marte, because he'll be out of minor league options the next time the Tribe promotes him. But, realistically, who wants Marte? And would you be willing to part with any player of real value for him? Dye for Marte? Forget it. Would never happen. But, if the moon and all the stars should align, Shapiro shouldn't hesitate a single second if the White Sox come calling with Dye for Marte.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Rico Carty, the hard-hitting outfielder/DH for Cleveland in the 1970's, visited his old team in Texas last weekend.

Today's quiz: Name the first Indonesian-born player to appear in a major league game.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

The plan that seemed to make so much sense three weeks ago has gone up in smoke. And those smoke signals spell bad news for the Cleveland Indians.

Prior to the All-Star break, it appeared the Tribe would promote Adam Miller, the prize of its farm system, to the big leagues. Miller has always been a starting pitcher, but after suffering an injury to a finger earlier this season, the Indians brass was convinced he could switch to the bullpen. If he resembled anything close to the dominant pitcher he'd been in spring training, he would be able to shore up the back end of Cleveland's bullpen. That was the plan, anyway.

Even though he shows no sign of weakening yet, Tribe GM Mark Shapiro worries that Rafael Betancourt will soon start running out of gas. Betancourt has been a teriffic setup man for closer Joe Borowski, and only Rafael Perez has inspired confidence that he might be able to step in and do the job should Betancourt falter.

Now that Miller had been sidelined for at least the next month by an elbow injury, the Indians will likely have to go out and acquire some help for the pen. Kansas City demanded either Franklin Gutierrez or Ben Francisco for Octavio Dotel, which Shapiro quickly declined. But now perhaps the Indians will have to look again.

Personally, I would be leery of trading either of the two young outfielders. Perhaps if David Dellucci showed something at bat before he got hurt, or if Trot Nixon gave some sign that he could regain the form that made him such a valuable performer in Boston for all those years, I'd say, go ahead: trade one of the kids. But Dellucci could be out for the year, and, frankly, he proved a major disappointment before he tore a muscle. Considering that he'd be recuperating from a major injury, could the Indians realistically expect much from him? I wouldn't.

Nixon provides solid clubhouse leadership, but, as player, he's a ghost of what he was. If I was Eric Wedge, I don't think I'd play him much at all anymore. It means the Indians would have to bank on Gutierrez and Francisco, which would be fine with me. Richard Jacobs doesn't own this club anymore, which means the era of deep financial pockets is over. The Indians just can't (or won't) go out and buy players anymore, so you have to put your faith in talented kids.

But Shapiro's worries about the bullpen are probably correct. The Tribe needs help. Miller apparently isn't the answer, which means the club has to go another route.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Tom Mastny. He is believed to be the first Indonesian-born player to advance to the big leagues.

Name the Indians player who grew up idolizing Ozzie Guillen. Hint: he's a Venezuelan.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

For days now, my children, who have become avid Indians fans, have been complaining about the Tribe's apparent refusal to trade for Kenny Lofton. They barely remember when Lofton was an all-star centerfielder for Cleveland in the 1990's. In his second stint with the Tribe, he played until 2001, but his batting averaged slipped to .278 and then to .261 in his final two seasons at Jacobs Field.

He looked like a shadow of the guy who showed such great range in the field and who ran like Maury Wills on the base paths. After the left the Indians, I thought Lofton might be able to hang on for another season or two, but felt he was essentially washed up.

I was wrong. Lofton reinvented himself as a "player for hire," and he ended up in the World Series in San Francisco in 2002. He also helped lead the Cubs to the playoffs in 2003, played on the Yankees' championship series team of 2004, and the Dodgers playoff team of 2006. A glance at the record book shows that Lofton batted .335 in 110 games with Philadelphia in 2005 (22 stolen bases), and .301 in 129 games with the Dodgers (35 stolen bases) last year. He put up similar numbers with Texas this year.

In fact, during Cleveland's recent series against the Rangers, Lofton played like a 25-year-old. He hit line drives, chased down fly balls all over the outfield, and stole bases standing up. He must have really wanted to return to Cleveland, because you could see him straining to beat the Indians any way he could.

Tellingly, Lofton mentioned to sportswriters, "I don't want to go to any club that doesn't want to use me in center field, but I would make an exception in Cleveland." Now, thanks to today's trade of minor league catcher Max Ramirez to Texas, Lofton is returning to the Indians.

My kids are thrilled, and, despite my misgivings about trading a skilled young player for a 40-year-old guy who will likely remain in Cleveland for just a little more than 2 months, I'm happy, too. Lofton is Indians royalty. He was a key cog on their great teams of the 1990s, and he still carries himself with great pride. Best of all, he wanted to return to Cleveland and could end up adding speed and punch to the top of the batting order.

I expect the Indians to bat him second, which would give the club an excellent one-two punch, with Grady Sizemore and Lofton.

Now, one final word about Max Ramirez, the catcher the Tribe shipped to Texas. I think he will eventually become a solid major league performer. He's 22 and has averaged well over .300 with plenty of power in five minor league seasons. Ramirez came to the Indians from the Braves last season in the Bob Wickman trade.

Long after Wickman and Lofton are gone from the big leagues, Ramirez could be a star. But, for now, the trade for Lofton feels good. It even takes the sting out of losing three of four games to Boston.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: As a youngster in Venezuela, Victor Martinez grew up idolizing Ozzie Guillen.

Today's quiz: True or false, playing with the Indians in the 1990's, Kenny Lofton won five Gold Gloves.

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-- Kevin Cuneo

Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

The trading deadline passed today, and the Indians failed to obtain Octavio Dotel or anybody else to shore up the bullpen. I'm a little disappointed, but I'd have been angry had the Tribe paid too much for Dotel. Originally, Kansas City wanted Ben Francisco, which would have been way out of line.

Some fans might fret and complain, "So, the Indians stood pat." Not really true, inasmuch as they acquired Kenny Lofton on Friday. Lofton will likely leave the club at the end of the year, but Cleveland could still be in better shape next spring, as a couple of their blue-chip prospects might be ready to make the jump to the big leagues.

Part of the reason for Cleveland's turnaround this season has been the steady play -- at bat and in the field -- by shortstop Jhonny Peralta. He's shown great improvement from 2006 when he was a severe liability in the field.

Now, here's how I see things getting even better in 2008. Twenty-one-year-old shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, acquired a year ago from Seattle in exchange for Eduardo Perez, looks to be a real find.

Cabrera, who was promoted from Akron to Buffalo today, excelled in several games against the Erie SeaWolves this year at Jerry Uht Park. The 6-foot, 170-pound Cabrera batted .310, with 8 home runs, 54 RBIs and 23 steals in Akron. He played 52 games in Buffalo last season after coming over from Seattle's farm system, and he batted a decent .263, but the Indians sent him back to AA Akron to work on his hitting.

If Cabrera continues to hit well at Buffalo over these final 50-plus games, I wouldn't be surprised to see him make a bid to advance to Cleveland next spring. This might be a stretch, but if he keeps improving, perhaps he could replace Peralta at shortstop, and Jhonny could move to third base.

Realistically, that probably won't happen next year, but it could. And it could definitely occur in 2009.

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I liked C.C. Sabathia's quote about the Indians recent slump in which they've won 8 and lost 9 since the All Star break. "Actually, it could have been a lot worse," Sabathia said. "We've been through that streak and we're still only a game out of first place. Not too bad, if you ask me. Now, we just need to get going again."

Sabathia's exactly right. The Tribe simply needs to gear it up again. Perhaps Monday's day off helped rejuvenate the club.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: False. Kenny Lofton has won only 4 Gold Gloves, not 5.

Today's quiz: Name the Indians pitcher who led Louisiana State University to three successive appearances in the College World Series.

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-- Kevin Cuneo