Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Reds marked the official halfway point in the season for the Cleveland Indians. With 81 games down, and 81 more to go, it seems as if it's a perfect time to assess the situation in front of us.
The situation of course is the Cleveland Indians and their horrendous start to the 2008 campaign. I think "start" is a relatively lost term at this point. It's no longer a start to the season; it has drawn on longer than a month, it's more of a season at this point.
What's particularly frustrating about this team is the fact that they are not out of the race by any stretch. A poor start from the Tigers, combined with the inability for Chicago to run away with the lead has kept the Indians in it.
In addition, the team has shown those spurts and flashes of a team that we know can get the job done.
It's been a season of turmoil, injuries, and ever-lasting doubt.
No one will ever have faith in this team again. Not after reaching the closest point to the World Series humanly possible, and following that year up with a total clunker.
Let's be honest. This team isn't winning the World Series, not with this awful luck, injury-riddled lineup, and overall offensive inconsistency.
Still, why not further torture myself by grading and commenting on the players and team at this halfway mark?
Starting Pitchers
C.C. Sabathia: B
6-8, 3.78 ERA, 114.1 IP, 118 SO, 3 CG
C.C. Sabathia got off to probably the worst start of his career in April. Every start he made was a disaster, and it really got people wondering what was up with the reigning Cy Young winner.
He followed that up with quite possibly the best stretch of baseball in his career. In his last 13 starts, Sabathia has a 1.96 ERA and he has the major-league lead in strikeouts.
Why litter this with trade discussion? I won't do that to C, he's too good of a guy. His first few starts were rocky, but his recent stretch has been downright awesome.
Cliff Lee: A+
11-1, 2.34 ERA, 103.2 IP, 90 SO, 1 CG
Cliff Lee has pitched above and beyond expectations. I thought Cliff was in store for a bounce back year to be honest, but I never in my wildest dreams would have thought he would be the front-runner to start the All-Star Game.
There isn't enough you can say about the job Cliff has done, and I firmly believe this success will carry. Lee had to reinvent himself as a pitcher, with a new attitude and philosophy. He has saved his career and is panning out to be the pitcher we all knew he could be.
Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook: No Grade
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