Tribe Talk: Shapiro's Frankenstein Of A Team Comes Back To Haunt Him

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I think Peralta is a talented player. I think he would benefit from a change in leadership. The Indians do not have a ton of top talent on the roster right now and need Peralta. I think he is one of many players who could benefit from a new managerial voice.

5. Fun Question of the Week: The All-Star game is fast approaching, and a team as bad as the Indians typically only gets one player onto the roster for the summer classic. In your opinion, who is more deserving of the nod: Cliff Lee or Victor Martinez? Why?

Dale Thomas: Cliff Lee all the way. Cliff has thrown well, even in his losses. Also to his credit, he hasn't broken any bones punching stuff when our bullpen kills his leads.

Victor is a great hitter, but he still can't play defense with any authority whatsoever. In a game of darts, Victor couldn't even hit the dart board, much less hit the bulls-eye. In a ballgame, he can't hit the second or third baseman even with a pitch-out and a runner that trips a couple of times. We've actually seen this.

Since this is a “fun” question, I'll say we get one "player" and one DH on the roster and Victor gets the DH spot for being really good at HALF the game.

Samantha Bunten: Both Lee and Martinez deserve to go, but the worst team in the American League is not likely to get two roster spots at the All-Star game.

If the All-Star game were truly about choosing the best player, then the nod would go to Lee. Martinez has an impressive average at .313, but his offensive numbers across the board are not nearly good enough to make up for his absolutely horrendous defense, so Lee is the better player because he isn't failing at 50 percent of his job.

However, whether it is right or wrong, the All-Star game isn't really about showcasing the "best" players, it is about showcasing the fan favorites. Lee wins the skill contest, but by All-Star game standards, Martinez should represent the Tribe. This game is for the fans, and I think the fans would rather see Martinez.

Scott Miles: Personally I think both will make the team. But if I had to choose just one, I would have to go with Victor Martinez.

Though his offensive production has cooled considerably, he's still the most dangerous hitter in the lineup now. Not only that, he's playing two positions, and he's the only one who actually seems to care about the team's performance night in and night out. He's the true definition of a leader, he's played well—it would have to be Victor Martinez.

Jeff Smirnoff: Victor Martinez. He has been consistent all season minus a small interleague stretch. Cliff Lee also deserves to go but will not because of his poor win-loss record and slow start in April.

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