I think we all know our outfield hasn’t exactly lit the lamp with the bat this year.  Scott Hairston and Will Venable have been league average hitters; Tony Gwynn Jr OPS+ hovers at 82.  Ludwick addresses that need in a big way.

My concern for the Padres, in making trades, was that they not upset their run prevention model.  That is why I am not completely sold on the Miguel Tejada deal.  I have no such reservations with this move.

Read the rest of this blog post at Padres Trail.

Read more on the breakdown of this trade at Baseball Digest Affiliate I-70 Baseball.

It was the later of the two deals that was the least impressive as the Yankees sent the now famous PTBNL (Player To Be Named Later) to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Austin Kearns.  Kearns has been a serviceable outfielder in Cleveland, playing all three outfield spots at separate times.  He has hit for some power with 8 Home Runs and 42 Runs Batted In while posting a Slugging Percentage .413.  A .268 Batting Average and .351 OBP make him an attractive edition to the lineup.  The Yankees see a hitter that can provide some solid hitting against right handers.  Against right handed pitchers, Kearns is hitting .278 with 6 of his home runs and 32 of his Runs Batted In.  His strikeouts are high, but he could provide some depth to the team as they make their stretch run.

It was the first trade of the night that sent the internet, scribes, and professionals scrambling as the Yankees added Lance Berkman to the pinstripes.  “The Puma” leaves Houston after twelve seasons, the latest casualty of a rebuilding team in Houston.  His average has struggled this year as it hovers around the .245 mark and he has hit 13 Home Runs and 49 Runs Batted In.  A change of venue, being surrounded by a solid lineup and being caught up in a pennant race may be just what the doctor ordered for this veteran who now has a chance at a ring.

On their way to the rebuilding Astros are right-handed relief pitcher Mark Melancon and switch-hitting infielder Jimmy Paredes.

Melancon has spent most of his season at AAA Scranton for the Yankees, pitching in 40 games and closing out 17 of them.  A WHIP of 1.669 has kept him working out some kinks in the minors, but he projects as a solid relief pitcher in the future.  His strikeouts are near double his amount of walks, with 58 Ks over 31 BBs.  At 56.1 innings pitched, it is easy to see that his stuff can be dominant at times.

The scrappy infielder Jimmy Paredes has been playing ball in Class A Charleston this season, hitting .282 but putting up a .312 On Base Percentage.  When he is on base, he is a catalyst, stealing 36 bases and only getting caught 10 times.  He has also hit 5 home runs and drove in 48.  He is a long way away from the big leagues, but Houston likes what they see and will put him in motion through the system.

Who is the big winner in these deals?  That is a tricky question.  The Yankees have added some great firepower towards their annual run deep into October.  The Astros continue to rebuild and obtain pieces to make themselves competitive in the future, even if that is a few yards away.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor for BaseballDigest.com.
You can find daily news about the Royals and Cardinals on Bill Ivie’s official Baseball Digest affiliate site, I-70 Baseball.

When it comes to life, Hollywood gives us an escape. A place to go where things are not the way they are in the world. To forget our problems and get away from life.

When it comes to baseball and Hollywood, we get exposed to a lighter side of the game, usually. A game that is played by boys, admired by women, and embraced by fans. The “behind the scenes” look at our national pastime is generally portrayed as humorous and light-hearted. It becomes what we wish our game really was like. And if that is how our game was, there would be no better manager than Lou Brown.

Lou Brown, the manager of the Cleveland Indians in the first two installments of the Major League movies, was everything you would want your manager to be. He made his leadoff hitter do push-ups for hitting the ball in the air. He made his third baseman do sit-ups for not getting in front of a ground ball. When the same third baseman showed him that it was against his contract to require him to do so and asked what he thought of that, Lou promptly urinated on the paperwork. He stood defiantly in the buff in front of the female owner of the club claiming he was too old to go diving into lockers. He would sneak a personal radio into a hospital just to listen to a playoff game. Most of all, he put together a winning team from a bunch of misfits by delivering speeches that spoke directly to their character. He overcame adversity and forced the world to see him for what he was.

James Gammon, the actor that played Lou Brown, passed away this past Friday after a long battle with cancer. He was 70 years old.

Baseball Digest Classic will remember him as possibly his most famous character he portrayed in his career. Lou Brown deserves a place in every fan’s baseball memories. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the Gammon family today.

In the world of baseball movies, Lou Brown would manage any fantasy team that I would field. I’m sure he is sitting next to some great players right now and looking down at his Cleveland Indians and wondering why he was not appointed to manage this bunch of misfits too.

As part of the Pepsi Refresh Project, each (Pepsi) Club has outlined an idea – from creating Milwaukee’s first universally-accessible baseball league for those with a physical or mental disability to cultivating an urban garden that would grow fruits and vegetables to be donated to various local non-profit organizations to feed the hungry – that will vie for fan votes and an ultimate $200,000 Pepsi Refresh grant to fulfill the project. Launching today thru Tuesday, August 17 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, fans can cast their votes at www.mlb.com/PepsiRefresh or via text by typing the team’s name to 76462 (e.g. R-A-Y-S) for the ideas they believe should receive a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project.

To lead off the promotion, the players will team up with Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, Jenny McCarthy, and local community representatives for a special Pepsi Refresh Project event in Anaheim, the site of the 2010 MLB All-Star Game.  In partnership with LA Commons, an organization which engages communities in artistic and cultural expression, participants will paint a mural that embodies the essence of the Pepsi Refresh Project. The mural, created by artist Roberto Del Hoyo will be constructed at El Salvador Community Center in Santa Ana, stand almost 10 feet high by 86 feet wide, take 500 hours to complete and leave a lasting legacy in the community. Additionally, today MLB All-Star FanFest will be Presented by Pepsi and feature player appearances and clinics.

“The Pepsi Refresh Project makes it easy for fans to make a difference in America’s communities,” said Gwynn. “We hope fans will get behind the team ideas and support them off the field as much as they do during each and every game to help make this project a huge success.”

A new television spot titled “Jocks” will break tonight during the All-Star Game broadcast on FOX highlighting the team ideas and player representatives which include:

* Arizona Diamondbacks/Justin Upton – Help Best Buddies program build social skills and increase independence of those with developmental disabilities
* Chicago Cubs/Geovany Soto – Allow hundreds of kids of all ages to participate in baseball through the Humbolt Park Little League
* Chicago White Sox/Gordon Beckham – Supply much-needed school supplies to participants of Chicago’s Inner City Youth Baseball Program
* Cleveland Indians/Grady Sizemore – Expand The Cleveland Baseball Federation, which provides 4,200 kids ages 5-19 with 20 minute sessions about personal responsibility, money management and college preparations
* Detroit Tigers/Johnny Damon – Work with Detroit Tigers Youth Baseball to Refresh Recess and fight childhood obesity by introducing the game of baseball to nearly 20,000 students in 40 elementary schools
* Kansas City Royals/Billy Butler – Restore 37 baseball/softball fields in small communities in the Midwest region with Royalty Fields
* Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim/Torii Hunter – Partner with Orange County United Way to work toward the goal of graduating 100% of at-risk high school seniors who are four-year college eligible with a clear career path plan
* Milwaukee Brewers/Prince Fielder – Construct Milwaukee’s first universally-accessible baseball league for children with any physical or mental disability with the Miracle League of Milwaukee
* Minnesota Twins/Michael Cuddyer – Create a specialty softball field for Courage Center’s Rolling Twins softball wheelchair team
* New York Mets/Jeff Francoeur – Partner with City Year New York to improve educational outcomes for low-income communities by focusing on attendance, behavior, course performance and civic involvement
* New York Yankees/CC Sabathia – Work with Out2Play, Inc. to provide children throughout all regions of the New York City public school system with safe, fun and developmentally beneficial playspaces
* Oakland Athletics/Andrew Bailey – Build an adapted sports field and community park for differently-abled people with the Miracle League of the Alameda East Bay
* Pittsburgh Pirates/Andrew McCutchen – Partner with the City of Pittsburgh to plant and cultivate an urban garden that would grow fruits and vegetables to be donated to various local non-profit organizations to feed the hungry
* Seattle Mariners/Felix Hernandez – Team up with the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence to mentor young male athletes and promote positive messages of honor and respect
* Tampa Bay Rays/Evan Longoria – Work with the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation to provide cancer education for kids

Giles called a 15 year career to an end Thursday, citing the inability to play the game at the level he expects of himself, a decision that is not heard of enough in professional sports today.

Drafted at the age of 18 by the Cleveland Indians in 1989, Giles would first reach the major leagues in 1995 with a six game cameo appearance for the club.  By 1997, he had become a regular in the Indians’ lineup and was beginning to develop as a reliable outfielder and hitter.  Playing all three outfield positions and DH over the next few seasons, it was his arrival in Pittsburgh (via trade for Ricardo Rincon)  in 1999 that was a turning point in his career.

Giles would thrive as a member of the Pirates from 1999 through August of 2003.  Becoming one of the best hitting outfielders of that time frame, he would reach two all star games and solidify his offensive numbers.  In 1999, Giles broke through at the plate posting a career high .315 Batting Average while clearing the fencing 39 times (another career high) and driving in 115.  The following season in 2000, he would post 123 RBI, the most of his career, while tying a career high Batting Average of .315 and hitting 35 home runs.  He would continue that level of play in 2001 hitting .309 with 37 Home Runs and 95 RBI.  Showing that his offensive output was not a fluke, he would hit .298 with 38 Home Runs and 103 RBI in 2002.

2003 would bring change to Brian Giles career and the ballpark he would call home for the remainder of his major league career.  In August of 2003, Giles would be traded to the San Diego Padres.  Many fans have forgotten the details of the trade or just how highly sought after Giles was at that point in his career.  On that day, the Padres would send Oliver Perez, a player to be named later (Corey Stewart) and Jason Bay to the Pirates in exchange for Brian Giles.  Giles would patrol the outfield for the Padres for the remainder of his career, from August 2003 until 2009.

His numbers never quite reached the level that they did in Pittsburgh.  He would consistently hit in the high .200′s and post home run totals between 12 and 23 home runs as a member of the San Diego squad.  In 2009, he would be limited to only 61 games due to injuries to his knees.

He accepted a non-roster invitation to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring training in 2010 and stated immediately that it would not take long for him to determine if his knees would allow him to continue his career.  On March 11, 2010, Giles decided that he could not compete at the level that he holds himself to, and would retire from major league baseball.

His career numbers feature a .291 Batting Average, 1897 hits, 287 Home Runs, 1078 RBI, and three all star appearances.  Giles path from here will not lead him into Cooperstown, but for Pirates and Padres fans, he will remain in stories from father to son to grandson for years to come.

Share your favorite memories of Brian Giles in the Baseball Digest Bleachers.
Bill Ivie is the Content Editor for the St, Louis Cardinals on BaseballDigest.com. Follow him on Twitter — twitter.com/poisonwilliam

• Justin Masterson, RHP, Boston.  Masterson is more or less a known quantity at this point, as he has posted a 3.76 ERA in 160 1/3 MLB innings.  Masterson has primarily pitched out of the bullpen for the Red Sox, but will likely be given every chance to win a rotation spot in Cleveland for 2010.  Masterson was 2-2 in his 6 starts for Boston in 2009, with an ERA of 5.48.  His overall ERA for 2009 is almost a full run lower at 4.50.  Prior to 2009, Baseball Prospectus’ prospect guru Kevin Goldstein listed Masterson as the #6 talent in the Red Sox organization aged 25 and under, ahead of Daniel Bard, Michael Bowden, Josh Reddick and Ryan Westmoreland.

• Nick Hagadone, LHP, Low-A Greenville.  Hagadone had Tommy John surgery in 2008, and the Sox have been understandably careful with him since.  A 6’5″, 230lb southpaw out of the University of Washington, Hagadone sits between 94-96 with his fastball, and can touch 98.  He compliments that heat with a curveball that projects to be plus, and is developing a changeup as well.  Hagadone was the Sox 1st round pick in 2007 (sandwich pick, #55 overall), and a guy that many scouts are high on.  Back in May, Peter Gammons was suggesting that the Sox would never move Hagadone because of his high ceiling.  His main issue at this point is commanding his pitches in the strike zone.  He is 0-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 10 appearances this season, and all 7 of his earned runs were given up in 2 of those appearances.  He has 32 K’s and 14 BB in 25 his 25 innings.  Hagadone just started pitching again in June, and will likely report to Low-A Lake County or High-A Kinston.  If he makes it through 2009 healthy, he could jump straight to AA Akron next year out of spring training. 

• Bryan Price, RHP, High-A Salem.  Price is a power righthanded arm who pitched primarily out of the bullpen in college at Rice, but the Red Sox were convinced his future was as a starter so they moved him to the rotation.  A supplemental 1st rounder in 2008 (#45 overall), Price throws a fastball that sits between 92-95, and he mixes in a power slider that can flash plus to go along with a still-developing changeup.  He started 2009 in Low-A Greenville before being moved up to High-A Salem.  His numbers in Greenville were much better than Salem, as he posted a 2.45 ERA in Low-A vs. a 6.54 ERA in High-A.  In 96 1/3 combined innings, Price has struck out 97 and walked 31. 

Rafael Betancourt, Ryan Garko, Cliff Lee and now Victor Martinez have all been moved in the past few weeks as Indians GM Mark Shapiro has gone into full-on rebuild mode.  If you look at the players coming the Indians way, you will see an extreme emphasis on power pitching.  This is in stark contrast to the guys like Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, Scott Lewis and even David Huff who have been the Indians pitching prospects in the past couple of years.  Shapiro has gone to great lengths to acquire a number of projectable arms who have demonstrated an ability to miss bats.  I support the change in philosophy, and I think that several of these guys have the ability to make an impact at the major league level in the near future.  There is a new “plan” in place, and Shapiro is going all-out to rebuild with an eye on 2011.

·     Carlos Carrasco, RHP with AAA Lehigh Valley.  Carrasco was struggling in AAA this year after a strong performance there to close out last season.  His line this year is a so-so 6-9 with a 5.18 ERA and in 20 starts.  He does have 112 K’s and 38 BB in his 114 2/3′s innings pitched, which is impressive.  Carrasco will likely report directly to Cleveland and slot into the Indians rotation for the rest of 2009. Carrasco was rated as either the #1 or #2 prospect in the Phillies system entering 2009, but his disappointing campaign at AAA has him pushed down to the #4 or #5 ranking at this point, as he has been passed by Kyle Drabek and others.

·     Lou Marson, C with AAA Lehigh Valley.  Marson is a puzzling acquisition for the Indians on the surface.  Marson is a low-power, high-OBP catcher who profiles as a Jason Kendall type guy in the majors.  Marson is now the 4^th best catcher in the Indians system behind Victor Martinez, Kelly Shoppach and Carlos Santana.  With defensive specialist Wyatt Toregas having a solid offensive season at AAA Columbus and super-utility guy Chris Giminez finding playing time in Cleveland, it is difficult to see where Marson fits in the organization at this point.  The inclusion of Marson in the deal makes me think that Victor and or Kelly Shoppach will also be on the move before the calendar reads August.

·     Jason Donald, IF with AAA Lehigh Valley.  Donald had a solid AA campaign last year, hitting 14 HR and posting an OPS over .800.  This year in AAA though, he has just 1 HR and an OPS under .700.  Donald is a solid but not spectacular defender at 2B, SS and 3B and profiles as a utility infielder at the big league level.  Look for him to be a cheaper, taller version of Jamey Carroll for the Indians, possibly as soon as this year if Carroll ends up getting moved. 

·     Jason Knapp, RHP with Low-A Lakewood.  Knapp is really the key to the deal and has the highest ceiling of any of the players the Indians received.  Knapp has been shut down with arm issues, but prior to that he struck out an eye-popping 111 batters in 85 1/3 innings.  Knapp is a big, young, projectable power arm and basically serves as a lottery ticket for the Indians at this point.  The payoff could be huge, but it will be well down the road if ever.  As Indians fans have seen with Adam Miller, all the talent in the world doesn’t assure success if the injuries start to pile up.  Knapp has star potential, but a lot could happen between now and then. 

This trade is not playing well in Cleveland right now, and for good reason.  Unless GM Mark Shapiro has a couple of surprise moves in store, the team is basically admitting that they won’t be contending in 2010.  This is a frustrating turn of events for a team that was picked by many to win the Central Division in 2009.  As I alluded to earlier, the addition of Marson means it is likely that we will see Victor Martinez pack his bags and be the next man out of town (likely to Boston), which will be an even bigger blow to a frustrated fan base.  Martinez has stated his love for Cleveland and his desire to retire as an Indian, which isn’t something that Cleveland fans get to hear too often.  If Vic is moved, look for Marson and Toregas to hold down the catching position until super-prospect Carlos Santana is ready.

I am as optimistic of an Indians fan as you will find, but even I am struggling with the logic of this deal.  It seems like a straight salary dump for a team that I really thought could contend in 2010.  The package Philly gave up was not a “Godfather” offer along the lines of the Bartolo Colon deal in 2002.  I have a lot of trouble thinking the Indians couldn’t have gotten a similar package next year at this time if the 2010 team struggled.  A Cy Young caliber pitcher with an affordable team option for 2010, Lee should have been moved only if there was a Kershaw-type pitcher included in the deal.  I just don’t see the necessity to pull the trigger on this deal at this time. 

Now that the Indians have started the selling process, look for Victor Martinez, Kelly Shoppach, Kerry Wood, Jamey Carroll and Carl Pavano to be aggressively shopped before the deadline.  Shoppach, Carroll, Pavano and even Wood could be moved in August as they would have a decent chance to clear waivers.  In the meantime, Indians fans will at least be treated to the development of Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Luis Valbuena and the rest of the young, exciting players in the organization. 

I had a chance to talk to the Bowie Baysox coaching staff before last night’s game to get their thoughts on Carmona.  By way of background, Baysox manager Brad Komminsk managed the Aeros when Carmona was pitching in Akron, so he has a history with Fausto and has seen him at/near his best.

When I asked Komminsk what he thought about Fausto’s start, the first thing he said was, “that is just not the same Fausto.”  He said that Fausto used to be a power pitcher, aggressively attacking hitters with his fastball to set up his devastating sinker as his out pitch.  He thinks that Carmona is a good 8 MPH slower on average with his pitches, and is trying to be a finesse guy.  He mentioned a couple of times that all Carmona really did was do a good job getting a poor-hitting AA team out for 7 innings (Bowie’s roster doesn’t have much in the way of position player prospects now that Brandon Snyder has been called up to AAA).  I asked both he and hitting coach Moe Hill if they told their hitters to make any adjustments for Fausto (lay off the sinker, make him throw strikes etc), and they both said no.

Komminsk, Hill and pitching coach Larry McCall all said that his sinker was nothing special Tuesday night.  McCall did say that Carmona’s slider was better Tuesday night than he remembered, but he couldn’t understand why Carmona has gotten away from throwing his changeup, which McCall thought could be an out pitch for him.  McCall and Hill agreed with Komminsk that Carmona had gotten away from his power-pitching mentality;  McCall even went as far as to say that Carmona looked like a “right-handed Jeremy Sowers out there.”  Ouch.  Komminsk and Hill both said that the strike zone was “huge” in the game for Carmona, and Komminsk said he thought that Carlos Santana framed the ball well enough behind the plate to get Carmona a number of borderline pitches that shouldn’t have been called strikes.

Komminsk seemed almost frustrated with Carmona’s outing.  He said that Carmona was one of the best pitchers he has coached, and can’t understand why he has gotten away from the power pitching mentality that made him so successful.  McCall closed our conversation by telling me that he thought Carmona was better when he saw him pitch for the K-Tribe several years ago in Kinston than he was last night.

On a lighter note, Komminsk talked a little bit about some of the Aeros alumni currently with the Indians.  He said that Victor was one of his favorite players ever, and saw his success at the major league level coming a mile away.  He said that Sizemore will “play through anything,” which is why he must have really been hurting to go on the DL this year.  I was going to ask him for his thoughts on Jhonny Peralta but he beat me to it, bringing him up with a smile and saying he enjoyed coaching him.  Komminsk thinks that if Sizemore comes back healthy next year, the Indians are contenders.

Special thanks to the Baysox PR staff for setting up the interview and many thanks to the Baysox coaching staff for taking the time before the game to talk.

• After struggling at Kinston and Lake County this year, John Allman has hit in six of the first seven games for Mahoning Valley and been on base in all seven.  Allman was signed as an UDFA out of Kansas in 2008 and hit .315 in 27 games last year in the Gulf Coast League.  The 24-year old OF/DH was a walk-on for the Jayhawks, but managed to play his way to a 2nd team All-Big 12 selection his junior year.  Allman is a “grinder” in every sense of the word…he works hard, plays good defense and does everything he can to maximize his talent.  The odds are against him making it to the bigs as a UDFA, but all he can do is continue to hit and take advantage of the opportunities he is given. 

• The Indians 9th round pick in 2008, Clayton Cook has started two games for the Scrappers this year, and has been impressive.  Cook has allowed just one ER in 10 2/3 IP, and has struck out 12 and walked 4.  Cook was selected out of Amarillo High School in Texas, and doesn’t turn 19 until next month.  His fastball sits in the low 90′s, but he will likely add velocity as he matures and fills out his 6’3″ frame.  Cook had a 2.52 ERA last year in the Gulf Coast league, and struck out 26 in his 25 innings there.  If he can continue to pitch this well in Mahoning Valley, look for him in Lake County before the end of 2009. 

• Saving my favorite for last, Nick Weglarz has been red hot for Akron lately.  He has hit in 17 of his last 21 games, including 10 of his last 11.  During those last 11 games, he has gone 15-36 (.416) with 4 HR, 17 RBI and 10 walks.  He has homered in 3 straight games, and now has 11 on the season.  Wegz has put together two very productive months after an April that we’d all like to forget, and his season OPS is up to .898 with no signs of slowing down.  To give you an idea of just how bad his April was, his OPS in April was lower than his OBP in either May or June.  His walk rate is at a fantastic 17.2%, and his batting average w/RISP is .377 on the season.  I could go on all day about the big Canadian’s performance this season, but I don’t want him to take out a restraining order before the Aeros come to Bowie next week to take on the Baysox.  Be sure and tune into or set your DVR’s for the Future’s Game in St. Louis on July 12 at 2pm to see both Weglarz and Carlos Santana playing for the World Team. 

Three Down:

• Kinston left-hander Ryan Morris has struggled of late, giving up 14 ER in his last 19 2/3 innings.  Morris has dropped three straight decisions, and is 3-8 on the year with an ERA of 5.59.  A soft-tossing lefty that needs to be able to spot his pitches to be successful, Morris has walked 43 batters in 67 2/3 innings this season.  Morris is still just 21 playing in high-A Kinston, so some struggles are almost expected.  Morris will likely remain in Kinston for all of 2009 so he can work on better locating his secondary pitches.

• Carlos Santana has been in a bit of a funk lately, hitting just .188 with a HR in his past 10 games.  He is hitting .227 in June, but his OPS for the month is a robust .866, so he is still producing.  Tabbed as a top prospect and hitting in the middle of the Akron order has pitchers focusing more on Santana this year than in the past, and he is being pitched very carefully on a nightly basis.  To his credit, Santana has remained patient, with 50 walks against just 35 strikeouts keeping his OBP over .400 for the season.  Santana will be fine long-term, and will join his Akron teammate Nick Weglarz on the World Team for the Futures Game in St. Louis.

• Aquired as part of the C.C. Sabathia trade last year, Zach Jackson has struggled mightily in his last four starts.  The Zach Attack has allowed 17 ER in 21 IP, and has dropped four straight decisions to run his record to 3-6 on the year.  With Jeremy Sowers and David Huff up with the Indians, the continued struggles of Jackson leaves Chuck Lofgren as really the only “prospect” in the AAA rotation this year. 

• Alex White got the start for UNC against Arizona State on Sunday in the CWS, and the righthander did not disappoint. White went 9 innings, struck out 12, walked 3 and gave up just one earned run. Oh, and he threw 131 (!) pitches. While I am sure Mark Shaprio and company didn’t appreciate the pitch count, they had to have liked what they saw out of their 1st round draft pick. White worked ahead in the count for most of the day and did an excellent job of using his fastball to set up his other pitches. His splitter had great down action. ASU really didn’t get anything going on him all day except for the 2nd inning, and even after giving up a run White came back to get a strikeout to get out of a jam. Tribe fans got a nice treat Sunday, as we were able to watch 2nd round pick in the game Jason Kipnis as well. Kipnis went 1-4 with a double off of White in the 1st inning.

• Beau Mills and John Drennen are both riding modest hitting streaks right now for the Aeros. Mills is in the midst of a 6 game hitting streak while Drennen has hit in 7 straight. Both are and identical 10 for their last 24 (.416). Mills has a HR and 4 RBI during his streak, bested slightly by Drennen’s HR and 6 RBI. Surprisingly, the slower Mills has one SB while the CF Drennen has none.

• Wyatt Toregas has made his name more behind the plate than at it, but the defensive-minded catcher has been hitting well lately. Toregas is hitting .324 in his last 10 games, with 2 HR and 7 RBI’s. Chris Giminez got the call to Cleveland because of his versatility, but Toregas profiles very well as a #2 catcher in the bigs. He is an excellent receiver with a great feel for the game, and as he is showing with his .822 OPS in Columbus this year, he will hit enough to be effective. This is his 2nd time through AAA, and should be a September callup this year. The Indians have as much depth at the catcher position as anyone in baseball, with Martinez, Shoppach, Giminez, Toregas and Santana in the organization.

Three Down:

• Last year’s 1st round draft pick Lonnie Chisenhall is cooling off after a red-hot start for the K-Tribe. Chisenhall is hitting just .217 so far in June with 2 HR, and his OBP is .260. This can be at least partially explained by his BABIP numbers. Chisenhall hit .372 on balls in play in May, an almost unsustainable average. So far in June, his BABIP is .250. His liner rate dropped from 22% to 11%, so the BABIP naturally followed. His liner rate in 2008 for Mahoning Valley was 21%, so look for Chisenhall to get back on track before too long. His season numbers are still very good (.287/10/46), especially in the pitcher-friendly Carolina League.

• The well-documented struggles of Carlos Rivero continue at AA Akron, as a slow-start has manifested itself into a season-long slump for the SS. Rivero is hitting just .122 so far this June, and is below the Mendoza Line at .198 on the season. His season OPS is a paltry .537, and he has hit only 1 HR so far this year. Rivero is just 21 years old and has yet to repeat a level in his minor league career. Expect that to change if this keeps up.

• After giving up just 3 runs in his first 8 appearances (14 IP) for AA Akron, Zach Putnam has been touched up for 9 runs in his last 4 2/3 innings including an ugly 8 ER in 2/3 of an inning against Reading. Moved to the bullpen to fast-track his arm through the system, Putnam began the season in Kinston as a starter after graduating from That School Up North. He remains a long shot to make the bullpen for the Indians this year, but with a strong 2nd half could put himself in the mix out of Goodyear next spring.

Three Up:

• Matt LaPorta has not let his struggles at the major league level effect his mindset in AAA, as he has picked up right where he left off in the middle of the Clippers lineup. LaPorta is hitting .366 (11-30) in his last 8 games, with 2 HR and 7 RBI to boot. Sometimes players who yo-yo between the minors and the Show can fall into a funk when they get sent down; it is good to see LaPorta is not suffering from any such issue. If he keeps hitting (and he will keep hitting), LaPorta will be in Cleveland again this year, possibly as soon as Sizemore returns from the DL and Trevor Crowe’s defense in CF is no longer a necessity for the Indians.
• Ryan Edell is in the midst of a hot streak on the mound for Akron. In his last 3 starts, Edell has recorded 17 2/3 IP and given up just 5 earned runs while striking out 19 and walking 6. Edell has posted solid numbers since moving into the Akron rotation on May 17, and if the command-and-control lefty can keep this up, he will be in line for an audition in the Cleveland bullpen at some point this year simply because he is left handed and can throw strikes.
• Beau Mills is starting to heat up for the Aeros, hitting an even .300 with 2 HR and 3 RBI in his past 10 games. The big lefty is still just 22 and used a strong 2nd half performance in 2008 to propel himself to the Carolina League MVP, so there is no need to fret about his slow start. Mills will hit in his sleep, its just a matter of getting him untracked.
• A bonus “up” for this week…congratulations to Chuck Lofgren for recording his first W at AAA Columbus this past Friday. Lofgren threw 7 innings of shutout baseball against the Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate, striking out 3 and not walking a batter. It is great to see Chuck throwing the ball as well as he has this year, and hopefully he is back on track as a top prospect in the Indians system.

Three Down:

• Jeanmar Gomez has struggled since his record-setting perfect game. In his last three starts since the perfecto, he has given up 15 ER and 27 hits in 16 IP. Quite a contrast to his prior 4 starts where, including the perfect game, he threw 29 innings and gave up just 1 run on 9 hits. I have not personally seen Gomez pitch these last three starts, so I could only speculate as to the issues he is having. But if he is healthy, I am confident that this is just a temporary bump in the road, and Gomez will get back to his successful ways sooner rather than later. He should pitch in Akron this Thursday against New Hampshire.
• Ron Rivas is scuffling at the plate down in Kinston, hitting just .200/0/1 in his last 10 games. Rivas has been playing every day at SS for the K-Tribe, but just can’t seem to string anything together at the dish. Rivas is just 20, but he did hit .291 for Lake County last year, so his season average of .247 is a little disappointing.
• Kirk Sarloos/Jack Cassell combine for the final “down” of the week. Both of these journeyman starters have ERA’s over 5.50, and WHIP’s of over 1.60. They are eating innings in Columbus, but that’s about it. If they haven’t been called up to Cleveland at this point after the rash of injuries in both the starting rotation and the bullpen…it probably isn’t happening. Good to see the younger guys like Lofgren get called up and have their shot at pitching at the AAA level. If and when Rondon, Gomez and others are ready, there is no reason for guys like Sarloos and Cassell to stand in their way.

Three Up:

• Lake County southpaw T.J. House is just 1-5 on the season, but has really pitched well and has been the victim of some poor run support. So far this year, House has a 3.10 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and has a K/BB ratio of more than 2 to 1 (42/19). In his most recent start on Saturday, House took the ND, going 6 1/3 innings and giving up just one run, striking out 5. T.J wont turn 20 until after his season is finished at Lake County, and is a guy to really keep an eye on as a potential fast-mover in the Indians system.
• Another 19-year old at Lake County, Abner Abreu, has really come on in the last couple of weeks. After a slow start to the season that saw him hitting just .208 in April, Abreu has gone for .405/3/5 in his last 10 games to help raise his average to .293 on the season. He is still striking out a lot (54 in 184 AB’s this season) and not walking enough (just 8 BB on the year), but the kid can hit. Standing at 6’3″ and 170lbs, if Abreu fills out his frame and develops some plate discipline, look out.
• Although his season numbers aren’t eye-popping by any means, Michael Brantley has started to show signs of breaking out in Columbus. After struggling with some early-season injuries, Brantley has been on base in 9 out of his last 10 games and has his average up to .245. His OBP in those 10 games is an outstanding .421, which is what will eventually punch his ticket to The Show. His 2 home runs are already more than he hit last year, and has swiped 15 bases while being caught just twice. Brantley recently celebrated his 22nd birthday, so he is still young for AAA and is on track to contribute at the big league level sooner rather than later

Three Down:

• Josh Tomlin has had back-to-back uncarachteristicaly rocky outings for the Aeros. His season numbers are still pretty good, with a 4.79 ERA and K/BB ratio of 44/9, but in his last two starts he combined for 8 IP and 10 ER. Both starts were against Erie, so the Sea Wolves’ hitters benefited from seeing a lot of Tomlin. He gave up 15 hits in those 8 innings, and will look to get back on track this week on the road against Reading.
• Jared Goedert had a breakthrough 2006 that saw him hit 20 home runs between low A Lake County and high A Kinston, but has regressed since then. He hit .255 with just 10 HR last year in Kinston, and is struggling at the plate this season in Akron. Goedert is hitting just .198/2/7 on the season, and .184/0/1 in his past 10 games. Goedert has been getting regular playing time in Akron, but is just not taking advantage of it. His .636 OPS is not what the Indians are looking for out of the third baseman.
• Matt McBride was one of the hottest hitters in all of minor league baseball with high A Kinston before deservedly getting bumped up to Akron. He has struggled somewhat with the better pitching at AA, hitting just .214/0/10 in 20 games since getting the call. McBride is also still learning a new position in the outfield, as the Indians made the decision to convert him from catcher to the OF during the Hawaii Winter League this offseason. McBride is an outstanding natural athlete who is scuffling a bit with the better competition, but he is a guy that I expect to have good numbers at the end of the season when all is said and done.

Three Up:

• Carlos Santana is in the midst of solidifying his status as one of the top two or three catching prospects in all of baseball. After last year’s breakout season split between the California and Carolina Leagues, some were suggesting that Santana’s numbers were an aberration. After a merely mortal start, Santana has really come on in the past couple of weeks to stand at .306/7/29 on the season, with an OPS of .989. The comparisons to Victor Martinez are almost too easy at this point, but the switch-hitting converted catcher wearing #41 is putting up stats that make it too obvious to ignore.

• Its all Aeros, all the time here on the inaugural 3 Up. A record of 31-11 will have that effect. I would be remiss if I didn’t touch on the recent hot hitting of Aeros OF Nick Weglarz. Wegz was hitting .085 at one point this April, and even shaved his head to try and shake the early season slump that he was mired in for a month. His season line now stands at .250/4/30, and his OPS is up to .780. Not the numbers we were hoping for out of the big Canadian, but much more in line with what was expected than his month of April. His 30 RBI rank 6th in the Eastern League, and for the 20 games so far in the month of May, Wegz is hitting an eye-popping .391/3/24 with a 1.128(!) OPS, showing why he is seen as one of the top OF in the Indians organization.

Three Down:

• Carlos Rivero was seen by many as the next Jhonny Peralta coming up through the system, especially after a strong finish to his 2008 season in Kinston. The 21-year old is struggling so far in his first taste of AA, hitting just .205 with 1 HR in 151 AB’s. His May OPS is just .532. Rivero’s prospect standing has always been a little more about projection than production, and he is young for the Eastern League, but you have to hope he can put up some better numbers as the weather warms up. The Indians system does not have much to speak of in the middle infield, so Rivero is an important guy to keep an eye on.

• Staying in the middle infield, Cord Phelps has cooled off after a hot start. Phelps hit over .300 in April, but has slumped to .234 in May. The K-Tribe 2B has also seen a .171 point drop in his slugging percentage, from .444 to just .273 this month. Phelps doesn’t have a lot of power, which is fairly typical of players who are drafted out of Stanford (hence the term “Stanford Swing”) so he needs to get on base reguarly to be effective in what has turned out to be a very potent K-Tribe lineup. 

• Some (myself included) expected Jon Meloan to be a primary option out of Columbus if the Indians bullpen struggled this year. While the big league bullpen has been a disaster, Meloan has had his share of difficulty as well, posting a 6.66 ERA (creepy) in 25 2/3 innings of work. He is still striking out nearly a batter per inning with 24 on the season, but those 24 K’s are accompanied by a .313 BA against. Meloan actually started for the Clippers this past Saturday, and gave up 2 ER in his 3 innings of work. In his last 3 appearances, Meloan has given up 6 ER in 5 innings, striking out 3. The struggles of the hard throwing righty combined with the injury to Adam Miller and trade of Jeff Stevens have turned what was once thought to be depth in the AAA bullpen into a serious deficiency.

• AAA: The Columbus Clippers.  The Indians’ AAA affiliate moved from Buffalo to a brand new, beautiful facility in Columbus this year.  The Clippers roster has some of the best talent in the system, including Matt LaPorta, David Huff, Jon Meloan, Luis Valbuena, Wes Hodges and Michael Brantley.  The Clips are currently 9-11, 2.5 games back in the Western Division of the International League.
• AA: The Akron Aeros.  The club formerly known as the Canton-Akron Indians is currently in 1st place in the Southern Division of the Eastern League, with a record of 14-4.  The Aeros roster boasts plenty of talent, including Hector Rondon, Carlos Santana, Chuck Lofgren, Beau Mills and Nick Weglarz.
• A+: The Kinston Indians.  The K-Tribe plays in the pitcher-friendly Carolina League, where they currently sit in 1st place with a 11-9 record.  Last year’s 1st round draft pick Lonnie Chisenhall joins Kelvin De La Cruz, Zach Putnam, Matt McBride and Eric Berger in Kinston this season.
• Low-A: Lake County Captains.  The closest affiliate to the big club as far as geography goes, Lake County currently plays in the Sally League.  That could change as soon as next season though, as a move to the Midwestern League makes much more sense in terms of bus travel. TJ House, TJ McFarland, Alexander Perez, Karexon Sanchez and Abner Abreu are among the more intriguing prospects at this level.  The Caps are sitting at 8-11 right now, in the middle of the pack in the Sally League. 
• Short-Season A: Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  This is where the 2009 Rule 4 draft picks and younger NDFA’s from Latin America working their way up through the system will open up, for the most part.  The short-season starts just after the Rule 4 draft in June, and the players assigned there will get the privilege of playing for former Indians and Tigers all-star Travis Fryman, who manages the Scrappers.

Check back Thursday for a look at how some of the top players on these teams are performing so far in the young season.  Can’t wait till Thursday?  Whet your appetite by checking out my take on the top 20 prospects in the Cleveland organization (I’d move Hodges down if I could re-do the list today).

The 25-year old Sipp was my #13 overall prospect in the Indians system entering 2009.   He is finally healthy after having some pretty serious arm issues, including the dreaded Tommy John surgery in 2007.  He came back towards the end of 2008 and resumed pitching in the minors, but had some shoulder issues that caused the organization to shut him down until spring.  Drafted in the 45th round out of Clemson due to signability concerns, Sipp has long been projected as an impact arm at the back end of the bullpen.  The Indians will be relying on him to be just that, as the relievers this year have mostly been pouring gasoline on a grease fire when they enter the game. 

If Sipp can’t step up and get outs, there aren’t many more lefthanded options in the minors.  Jon Meloan, Randy Newsom, Vinnie Pestano and Frank Herrmann are potential options from the right side if the bullpen continues to struggle.

• Lofgren wasn’t overpowering, but he was extremely effective.  He had the Baysox off balance all day, and seemed to get stronger as the game went on.  He was sitting at around 83 with his fastball in the 1st inning, but cranked it up to 88 mph in his 6th and final inning.  Lofgren didn’t allow a baserunner until a one out walk in the fourth, and didn’t give up a run until a solo HR with one out in the 5th.  Lofgren’s intense competitive streak was on display on Sunday, as he was fired up all game long.  He was really upset with himself after giving up the HR, but didn’t let it effect him as he came back to get the next two hitters.  The only other baserunner he allowed was a bloop single in the 6th.  It was his 2nd good start of the season, and if he keeps pitching like this he will find himself back among the ranks of the top Indians prospects in a hurry.
• 1B Beau Mills had a great day with the bat and in the field.  He was 2-5 with a double and two runs scored at the plate and got a chance to show off his wheels in the 5th.  Running on the 3-2 pitch, he scored all the way from first base on a Carlos Santana single to right that was misplayed by the RF.  In the 2nd inning, he made back-to-back nice plays in the field on the Baysox 4 and 5 hitters.  The 1st play was a simple popup down the 1B line, but as Mills moved over to catch it, Baysox catcher Guillermo Rodriguez literally screamed right in Mills’ face as he was running down the 1B line.  I have never seen anything like that before, and give credit to Mills for hanging in and making the play despite the bush-league antics.  The next Baysox hitter smoked a hard grounder to the hole between 1st and 2nd,  and Mills made a great diving play to get to the ball and even beat the runner back to the bag himself for the out.  Mills can hit in his sleep, and if he can continue to field the ball like he did on Sunday, he will be in Cleveland sooner rather than later.
• Nick Weglarz got off the schnide in a big way, hitting a deep SAC fly to drive in Mills in the 3rd inning and hitting an absolute bomb the other way over the left center field fence in the 5th.  I was sitting right behind the Aeros dugout, and the look on Weglarz’s face when he rounded third could probably be best described as relief.  He is doing a good job staying back on the baseball, as in 3 of his 4 AB’s he hit the ball to the left side of the field.  Wegz may have been pressing just a bit due to the slow start, so hopefully this can get him untracked and he can hit the way we all know he can.
• Neil Wagner looked decent in relief of Lofgren, giving up a solo HR but touching 95 on the radar gun.  Randy Newsom seemed to struggle a bit with his release point and walked a couple of guys.  Fellow sidearmer Vinnie Pestano came on to record the last out of the game for his 5th save of the season. 

I really can’t tell you how enjoyable it is to cover these minor league baseball games.  You get right down on the field to watch the games, you can sit wherever you want in the ballpark, you can hear the players joking back and forth…I highly, highly recommend it to any baseball fan.  I was able to chat with the players before and during the game (Nick Weglarz is a really nice guy), listen to the guys in the bullpen make fun of each other (Randy Newsom is hilarious), and really get a good read on how they react to what happens on the field.  The tickets were cheap, the food was good, and there were no lines for the bathrooms.  A good rule is to try and see twice as many minor league games in person as major league games during the year.  Look for these recaps anytime an Indians minor league affiliate comes to the DC area this season.

The Aeros lost a heartbreaker to the Bowie Baysox last night by a final score of 2-0.  Overall, it was an extremely well pitched game by both teams, and the final time for the game was just over 2 hrs.  It took me almost as long to get to the game in DC traffic than it did for the actual game to be played.   Frank Herrmannstarted for Akron, and was the hard luck loser giving up one run on just three hits in 7 innings pitched.  One of those hits was a fairly routine flyball to center by Bowie leadoff hitter Paco Figueroa that Aeros’ CF John Drennan lost in the lights for a triple.  Two batters later, a sac fly to Drennan plated the Baysox first run, and that was all they would need against an Aeros team that just couldn’t get anything going with the bats.  Bowie’s 2nd run scored off reliever Neil Wagner after a Carlos Santana error.  Baysox starter Troy Patton worked ahead in the count most of the night and kept Akron’s hitters off balance enroute to the combined shutout.  Some quick thoughts about the game:

• Herrmann did an outstanding job changing speeds and mixing in all of his pitches.  He threw all three of his pitches for strikes consistently, walking just one batter in his 7 innings.  He got several Baysox hitters to look downright silly flailing at his changeup, and didn’t have a ball hit hard off him all night.  Of the three hits he gave up, one was a “triple” that got lost in the lights, one was a swinging bunt down the 3rd baseline, and the third was a ball that was fisted down the rightfield line into no-mans land after Herrmann got in on the hands of a Baysox hitter.  He sat at 90-91 MPH consistently with his fastball, and was as high as 94 in the 7th inning.  Most importantly, the seperation between his fastball and changeup was consistently around 10 MPH.  An outstanding job, and a really tough loss for the young righthander.
• Nick Weglarz is struggling a bit at the plate in this young season, and last night couldn’t have done anything for his confidence.  His 1st AB was a hard line shot to the hole between 1st and 2nd on  a 1-2 pitch.  The 2nd baseman made a great play to knock it down, but couldn’t come up with the ball to throw Weglarz out.  The official scoring was an error, but at home I think he gets a hit.  Later in the game, Wegz worked the count full, fouled off some tough pitches, and went the other way with a hard grounder to the right of the SS.  Another great defensive play by a Bowie middle infielder, and Weglarz was nipped by a half-step at 1st.  In his final AB of the game, Wegz came up with 2 on and 2 out in the top of the 9th.  Again the big LF worked the count full before tapping a ball down the 3rd baseline, and again getting nipped at 1st by less than half a step.  The Baseball Gods owe him a couple of cheap hits later in the season.
• Carlos Santana made a throwing error on a perfect bunt in the 8th inning leading to Bowie’s final run.  He actually made a great play to spring out from behind the plate and get to the ball, but his spin throw sailed over 1B for the error.  It was an difficult, athletic play that Santana will likely be able to make with some more experience behind the plate.
• Good to see Josh Rodriguez on base 3 times with 2 singles and a walk.  Both hits were solid line drives, and Rodriguez is hitting .313 on the young season.
• Niuman Romero made a great play diving to his right to rob what would have been a double down the line.
• Beau Mills smoked a double into the gap, and looked adequate at 1B.  His bat is his ticket to the majors, but if he wants to get the call sooner rather than later, his defense has to improve to the point that he is more than a DH.  I think it can, if it hasn’t already.

Check back on Monday for a recap of Sunday’s series finale.  Chuck Lofgren will be starting for the Aeros.

The Tribe jumped out to a 5-1 lead on the strength of a two-run HR fromMark DeRosa and a two-out, two-run double off the bat of rookie Trevor Crowe.  Crowe’s double was particularly encouraging, as he had reacted to his prior K with 2 outs and RISP by Bo Jacksoning his bat over his knee.  The rookie will have his ups and downs, but as I wrote previously, I think he is a better option than David Delucci for the Tribe this year.  DeRosa is now showing signs of life after an ice-cold start, with 5 RBI in the past two games. 

The final margin of victory was provided by a two-run HR by none other than Travis Hafnerand a run-scoring single by Choo, both in the home half of the 8th inning.  Kerry Woodcame on in the non-save situation and mowed down the Jays in the 9th, striking out the side on just 13 pitches.  Wood has pitched two innings so far in Cleveland, and now has six strikeouts.  Cleveland fans are rejoicing as they now have a closer who is consistently in the mid to high 90′s for the first time since Mike Jackson.

Three Up:

1. Anthony Reyes.  Just what the doctor ordered for this Indians club.  Six effective innings, limiting the walks, getting ahead of hitters.  Now we just need the rest of the staff to get on board.

2. Travis Hafner.The man once known as Pronk has 3 HR in 3 straight games this season after hitting 5 all of last year.  I’m not ready to say that Pronk is back just yet, but 3 HR and a double off the top of the fence Friday have me smiling.

3. Indians bullpen.Three innings, no runs, two hits, four strikeouts.  That is the kind of performance a team needs from its bullpen to be successful.  Kerry Wood at the back end gives this team a dimension it has not had in years.  Wickman and Borowski got the job done in the 9th more often than not, but it was usually an adventure.  With KWood in the 9th, opposing teams feel like they have to get it done by the 8th inning or not at all. 

Three Down:

1. The Strikeouts.  Indians hitters struck out eleven times yesterday, including ten in the 4 2/3 innings that Jays starter David Purcey worked.  Outs are outs, but strikeouts are as unproductive as possible and its always better to put the ball in play. 

2. Situational hitting.  This goes hand in hand with the strikeouts.  To win consistently, teams have to do the little things to get runs home.  As the old saying goes, two-out RBI’s will get you to Heaven. 

3. The weather.  I am picking nits at this point, in case you couldn’t tell.  It was chilly, and the sun got in Choo’s eyes on a flyball.  Hopefully there will be many more games where I have to complain more about the weather than the performance of the Wahoo Warriors.

If only he could get his pitching to feel the same way.

Another late offensive surge wasn’t enough for the Indians as they came up just short against Roy Halladay and the Toronto Blue Jays to get off to their first 0-5 start since 1985. After Halladay befuddeled the Cleveland hitters for seven solid innings, the Tribe mounted their comeback against closer B.J. Ryan in the ninth inning.

In the end, Victor Martinez struck out with the tying run of Mark DeRosa on second base. If only they could have saved one run in the previous eight innings.

They had plenty of opportunities.

You can start with Cliff Lee, who definitely looked like the lesser of the Cy Young winners in his head-to-head duel with Halladay.

Lee’s four runs look tremendous compared to the seven runs he gave up last Monday, but he labored through the five innings he pitched. It also pales in comparison when someone like Halladay is the opposition and he’s throwing as well as he did today.

Lee pitched his entire outing from the stretch, letting the leadoff man on four of his five innings pitched. In fact, Lee failed to retire the first two hitters of any of those innings, and only the fifth inning went remotely quick with him facing just four hitters.

In the second is where the Tribe defense squandered an opportunity to save Lee a run when Shin-Soo Choo made a pin-point throw on an Aaron Hill single to right field. Choo hit Shoppach’s glove perfectly, while Shoppach had a perfect block on the plate.

The missing part of the whole thing was that when Shoppach went to tag the lumbering Kevin Millar, he dropped the ball.

Lee’s final line: five innings, four runs, seven hits, four walks, and five strikeouts. Three of the walks surrendered were to Toronto’s leadoff hitter Marco Scutaro.

Freshly added Vinnie Chulk was used to his fullest extent today and he did his best to keep the four run deficit intact. Chulk was charged with the fifth and final run that the Blue Jays scored when Scutaro hit a sacrifice fly off Joe Smith.

Anywhere else the Tribe might have been able to preserve a run or two?

“Doc” was solid for the Blue Jays, but he was far from untouchable. The second inning was the inning of missed opportunities, with not only the dropped ball at home plate, but a base-running blunder by Choo.

Jhonny Peralta’s first double of the year took a tricky bounce that right fielder Alex Rios couldn’t handle. Choo rounded second, but missed the bag and had to return. He ended up on third, but could have surely scored had he not had to go back and touch second.

Offensively, Choo did go 2-4 in the cleanup spot, with designated hitter Travis Hafner getting a day off.

Indians hitters couldn’t get ahead of Halladay and Lee couldn’t get ahead of Toronto’s, making it a long day for the Tribe collectively. Factor in the base-running and defensive miscues, there isn’t really shock to see the Tribe lose a close game.

It wouldn’t have been close had B.J. Ryan not lost all sense of control in the ninth inning. After a double play erased a leadoff walk by Ryan Garko, Ben Francisco singled and Ryan would then load the bases by walking Asdrubal Cabrera and Grady Sizemore.

Mark DeRosa made it interesting by banking a double off the left field wall, bringing home everyone on base and sending Ryan to an early exit with one out left to get in a non-save situation.

It was at that point Jason Frasor came in and struck out Victor Martinez to end the game and give the Indians a new sense of frustration. Frasor picks up his first save of the season, Halladay improves to 2-0, and Lee falls to 0-2.

The Indians will try to avoid their second straight sweep and their first 0-6 start since 1914 on Sunday at 1:00 ET. Anthony Reyes (0-0 0.00 ERA) makes his season debut against David Purcey (0-0 2.57 ERA), who is coming off a strong seven innings against Detroit on Tuesday.