Lofty return for Kenny

Kenny Lofton's third time around with the Cleveland Indians began with 3 hits and a pie in the face on route to the Tribe's 10-4 victor over AL Central rivals, the Twins. Lofton, who stated that he has always felt at home in Cleveland proved that he still has some kick left. Regardless of Lofton's production levels, I know that Indians fans around the country are certainly glad to see Kenny back in a Cleveland uniform. He will provide invaluable experience to this young team and he can let these guys know what it was like to dominate the division in the early 1990s.



Paul Byrd earned another win this evening, allowing 10 hits and 4 runs. With so much inconsistency surrounding Cliff Lee (who was optioned to the minors today) and Jake Westbrook, it is certainly nice to know that Paul can go out and pitch 7 solid innings on any given night. I was also glad to see him earn a win considering his excellent game he pitched in Toronto that ended in a 1-0 loss.

Trade Deadlines Near

As the July 31st trade deadline nears, many fans around the MLB are wondering what is going to happen to their favorite players. Eric Wedge has stated several times that the Tribe is working aggressively on filling in their roster.

The Washington Nationals, a team that reminds me quite of bit of the Indians during their rebuilding phase, are also in the heat of negotiations. Recently, two of my Nats blogger friends interviewed some Mets fans to get a little insight on some trade rumors. Check out their interview here: http://wevegotheart.blogspot.com/

Potter Craze Hits Tribe

Like the rest of the world, Ryan Garko, the Tribe's first baseman, is caught up in the Harry Potter craze. He is working his way through the book, but he is only on page 100 as of tonight. Having already finished the book, I will not spoil the ending for Ryan or anyone else. So if you see Ryan at the Jake or around Cleveland...keep quiet!



While Ryan may be caught up in Harry Potter, fans are caught up in his 17 game hitting streak that we certainly hope continues. Not only does our offense need Garko's power, but it is certainly nice to see a guy who isn't necessarily that well known earn some recognition. Keep up the good work Ryan and keep reading!

Former Indian Signs with Nationals

Former Cleveland Indian, Ronnie Belliard, was awarded a 2 year contract extension for 3.5 million dollars. Belliard has had a terrific season with the Nationals and has recently taken over the starting job at 2B while Guzman recovers from an injury. In a recent interview, Ronnie was questioned about his unique style of play in the field. He responded that he was not allowed to play back in the grass while in Milwaukee, but credits the Indians for allowing him to return to his style of play. Belliard is a great player who is really taking advantage of his chance to shine with the 3rd best batting average for the Nationals.

Rumors Hurt

As the summer heats up and the rumor mills churn heavily in both the MLB and NBA, I'd like to take a few minutes to talk about some of the current rumors concerning the Cavs. From what I've seen on Yahoo! sports, the Cavs are deep in talks with Mike Bibby of the Sacramento Kings. The possible trade would almost definitely involve Drew Gooden and probably Damon Jones as well.

I understand that trades are necessary to improve the team and make us a real championship contender for years to come, but it always hard to watch someone who we have rooted for move on to another team. I personally have always thought that Drew Gooden was a key player for the Cavs, despite his sometimes tumultuous performances in the playoffs. He plays hard every day and he brings an intangible to the Cavs and I am not confident Mike Bibby will bring.

On a happier note, it looks as though Anderson Varajeo will remain with the Cavs. I truly believe that if the Cavs can harness his energy and make it work for them, that Anderson could easily be one of the best and most intense players in the NBA. It would for sure be a mistake for the Cavaliers to let this man go.

LOT$ MORE PRONK

Travis Hafner has agreed to a $57 million dollar contract extension, which means that he will be a member of the Tribe through 2012 with an option for 2013. Although much has been made of his season long slump, Hafner's numbers are far from horrible. He is currently tied with teammate Jhonny Peralta for 13th in the AL with 14 home runs and he's in 11th with 57 RBI's. Hafner has proven that he can come through for the Tribe in clutch situations, so there is no need to dwell on his current batting troubles. As a matter of fact, Hafner was starting to look like the Pronk of 2006 just before the All-Star break.


Now that the Indians have reached a deal with both Jake Westbrook and Pronk, they can turn their attention to the all important C.C. Sabathia.

A Much Needed Break

Congratulations to our own CC Sabathia, Grady Sizemore and Victor Martinez on their selections to the 2007 All-Star team! While these three men will spend the break in San Fran playing, the rest of the Indians will enjoy a much needed break. They have struggled to put together a complete game in the last week, but have shown glimpses of excellence. Paul Byrd pitched a fabulous game today, despite the defensive miscommunication that occurred to allow a double. He put together his longest outing of the season and did not walk a batter in 8.1 innings. Thus far the Indians have played beyond expectation and shown that deserve to be #1 in the AL Central. Perhaps the thing most lacking in this first half has been consistency. Several times throughout the season we'll see them go on a 5 or 6 game winning streak, only to lose the next 4 out of 7. When they return from the break they will also need to work on putting together a complete game. It seems that when our pitching is spot on (like today), our bats are silent. A trait of the Cleveland Indians has often been our offensive power and we need to ensure that returns following the break in order to avoid another situation like 2005.

With that said, congratulations again on a spectacular first half and to CC, Grady and Victor!