Tribe Talk: Cleveland Indians Say Goodbye To "The House That Ruth Built"

Welcome to Tribe Talk, a season-long look at the trials and tribulations of the Cleveland Indians from the views of the loyal Tribe fans here on Bleacher Report.

I would like to thank my fellow Indians community leader, Nino Colla, and newcomer to Tribe Talk, Samantha Bunten. This discussion is not just meant for the included Indians fans. Please feel free to comment on any of the questions or any of our answers below.

This week we detail the Indians offensive struggles and what moves could be done with the immediate roster. Also, of note is the Indians final trip to Yankee stadium. There have been many memories there, and we chose some of our favorites.

Without further ado, let's talk Tribe!

Another week has passed and the Indians are still struggling to score runs. Eric Wedge has now resorted to toying with the lineup to try and jump-start the team. What would be your batting lineup as of right now with Hafner slumping?

Samantha Bunten: I've worked out a good number of hypothetical lineups in my head already this spring, but at this point I can't help but wonder if maybe the best solution to the problem is just to leave things alone for now. Messing with the order doesn't seem to be helping. The shakeup hasn't ignited the team's flailing offense, and now I might even venture that the inconsistency is making this team's already fragile ability to execute even shakier.

Tne exception: I would put Hafner behind Martinez. Even though Pronk is struggling, I still say he is a better choice to follow Victor than Peralta if we don’t want opponents taking the bat out of Martinez’ hands. As an opposing pitcher, I’m likely to walk Martinez and look for a double play ball from Peralta . With Hafner behind Martinez, I don’t think it’s that simple. Sure, Hafner is struggling, but if he gets ahold of something, Victor will be one more runner on base who will score. I think Martinez will see more hittable pitches with Hafner following him, and as our best hitter, we don’t ever want to deny Victor the opportunity to bat.

Nino Colla: I've been very critical about the lineup Wedge has put out, but I support him making changes.

CF- Grady Sizemore
RF- David Dellucci
1B- Ryan Garko
C- Victor Martinez
DH- Travis Hafner
SS- Jhonny Peralta
RF- Franklin Gutierrez
2B- Asdrubal Cabrera
3B- Casey Blake

A simple flip flop of Hafner and Garko, and I don't mind that Garko is struggling. In my mind, your most clutch hitter of your three best bats should hit clean up, that is Victor Martinez. Ideally I'd love to hit Ryan Garko third, Hafner cleanup, and Martinez fifth, but that isn't possible the way Hafner and Martinez have been hitting. I think giving Garko that protection would let him bust out, and also put Hafner back on top in terms of walking a lot. I moved Casey back to the nine-hole because that is where he is most effective, and I concerned Gutierrez up at two, but Dellucci has done a good job. My main beef is with the one Wedge is using is Dellucci hitting third, that isn't acceptable in my eyes.

Michael Taylor: I like Gutierrez, but not batting second as he has over the weekend. He does not work counts and strikes out way too much for a two hitter. He is better served around seven or eight right now. Many people don't like it, but I still say Dellucci hits second. His career .344 OBP is not the greatest, but with what the Indians have to work with right now, he is one of the few hitting the ball and can move Grady along. Third, I have always like putting your best hitter there who can drive in runs. Victor is by far the most complete hitter on the team and I like him there. Cleanup is tough right now with the main power sources struggling, but to split Victor and Hafner up I put Garko fourth and Hafner fifth. This leaves inconsistent Jhonny, average yet clutch Blake, and finally, the youngsters who obviously need more time, Gutierrez and Cabrera at the bottom.

1. Grady Sizemore
2. David Dellucci
3. Victor Martinez
4. Ryan Garko
5. Travis Hafner
6. Jhonny Peralta
7. Casey Blake
8. Franklin Gutierrez
9. Asdrubal Cabrera

The Indians now sit at 14-17, but remain somehow only 2.5 games out of first place. How reassuring is this as a fan to think, that at any time if the Indians finally get on a roll, that first place is still right there for the taking?

Samantha Bunten: As a Cleveland fan you have to be an optimist, so I feel pretty good about where we're sitting right now. We’ve played badly, but have also gotten lucky, as everyone in the central is playing bad baseball. Chicago looks to be on their way out already. We fully expected to be battling it out with Detroit, even if we didn’t expect either team to be doing it to keep ourselves out of the AL Central cellar. Right now I think Minnesota is my biggest concern. I think we need to steel ourselves for a 3-team race.

At this point I'm not too worried. I look at it this way: At this time last year, people laughed at me when I said the Tribe would win the division. The only reason we appear to be any worse off now is that expectations are higher this year. This group is a second half team. The fact that the rest of the central is also struggling just makes it that much easier for us to atone later for our characteristically slow start.

Nino Colla: It is reassuring but I hate thinking like that. The Twins are the only team above .500 in the so-called "Best Division in the American League." The Tigers seemed to get on a role, but as we all figured (or at least I did), their offense can't carry them the whole year. They need pitching and they don't have it. Like I said last time, the biggest disappointment is the fact that there hasn't been more ground gained while they are struggling. Plus we play the majority of our home games early in the year.

Michael Taylor: I guess it is, but you don't want to look back at the end of the season and know you past up such a great opportunity as they have had to take the division. These are the things that come back to bite you later. Still, knowing that the Indians are still where they is reassuring and that IF they catch fire, they will most likely be in first place within a week. It also says a lot about how far the rest of the division has fallen. This was widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best division in baseball coming into 2008.

The Indians will visit Yankee stadium for the final time this week. There is a lot of storied history between the Indians and Yankees there. Do you have a favorite moment of an Indians game in Yankee stadium?

Samantha Bunten: Game 2 of the ALDS in 1997: A matchup of the young, unproven Jaret Wright vs. the solid Andy Pettite looked like trouble for the Tribe, and already down 1-0, we needed the win to avoid going back to the Jake for game 3 facing elimination. Despite being down 3-0 in the 1st, the Tribe rallied back with a 5-run, 2out 4th. Matt Williams tagged one in the 5th to add 2 insurance runs. The Tribe hung on to win 7-5 and return to Cleveland with the series tied 1-1. My heart stopped several times that day, but it is still one of my favorite Tribe moments in the Bronx.

Nino Colla: Yes, and it was the game they dismantled the Yankees by scoring 22 runs. I enjoyed that one the most because I think just about everyone hit a home run or knocked in a run. I think I displayed the picture of the scoreboard everywhere I could online. It not only is one of the greatest moments at Yankees Stadium, but in the history of baseball, just because it was the Yankees of course. It is also the only one I really remember really vividly other than Joe Borowski nailing the door on Game 4 of ALDS. But everyone would say that.

Michael Taylor: As a Manny Ramirez fan, I remember back to his second big-league start in 1993. There was a huge group of Ramirez supporters in the left-field seats going crazy for him, as this was Ramirez' homecoming as a NY native. He went 3-4 and hit two home runs for his local supporters that night and has never looked back.

Another would be Jim Abbot's no-hitter against the Indians, even though it was against us, it was amazing to watch the one-armed pitcher dominate as he did.

My favorite though has to be the Indians clinch the ALCS in Yankee stadium last season. It was great to do it on their turf and watch the Yankee fans with their sad looks on their faces. Like they haven't won it all in sooooo long.

Player Debate of the Week: Rafael Betancourt--
We have now seen him in the closer role for two weeks. He has two saves a loss and a blown save. What is your opinion on his time as the closer and do you see him returning into the role at some point this year after Borowski returns?

Samantha Bunten: If the only 2 options at closer for the rest of the season are Betancourt and Borowski, then I choose door #3: jump off a bridge. Seriously though, Betancourt is a good 2+ inning guy and I would hate to waste him in the closer’s role if he doesn’t prove to be particularly good at it. I would rather get 2 good innings out of him as a set up guy. If Borowski can return to his scary, yet mostly effective 2007 form, I’m all for giving him his job back.

Nino Colla: I think he has done a solid job and I don't blame the blown save on him. I do think he hasn't been as good as everyone expected, but right where I expected. With that he goes right back to the set-up role after Borowski gets his feet wet when he comes back. You can't throw Joe back into that role immediately, but he will be back there. I think if anything should arise again, Masahide Kobayashi would take over the closers role, as he has proved to be a good set-up guy so far and really he has been the most reliable arm in hold situations since getting put there.

Michael Taylor: Aside from the fact of the Indians offensive struggles, the bullpen is flying under the radar with its own problems. At the time of the Borowski injury I was all for Betancourt, just to see if his stuff would work this time as the closer, but obviously he has again regressed as he did in 2004 as a closer. We now know the answer, and Borowski will likely return to his job and restore order to the bullpen. We'll have to see how long it lasts though.

The best part of this has been the emergence of Kobayashi, he has solidified his job as a setup man and possibly the closer in-waiting for the next opportunity.

Fun Question of the Week: What is your favorite promotional item recieved or promotion attended at a MLB ballpark?

Samantha Bunten: I once got an Indians “10th man” wristband, which I dutifully did not take off for the entire season.

Nino Colla: I'm a fan of any bobble head really. But as someone who attends 20 games a year (mostly weekends, so I get a lot of the good promotions), my favorite item has to be the Drew Carey Bobble head... No, I'm just kidding. I really enjoyed the rally towels from the playoffs last year, I have them hanging in my room. My favorite bobble head is the Jhonny Peralta one, just because I think they did the best job in terms of likeness. The Grady ones don't really look like him and they both look different. The Sabathia disco one looks goofy.

Michael Taylor: I would have to say Magnet Schedules. I love them and have collected about 5-6 years worth of them to put on my refrigerator. Although, I now have lost that battle with my wife and they are stuck to my filing cabinet in the basement office.

Another is of course bobble heads, I have more Cincinnati Reds bobble heads than Indians because I went to school near Cincinnati, but nevertheless they are fun to collect and put on your shelves. I just wish I could have gotten that Bob Wickman "bobble belly," that one was really hilarious.

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