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!"

*******************
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.

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

-- Kevin Cuneo