The Indians are still playing?

I have to admit I enjoyed my Indians sabbatical. I didn't really pay too much attention to the Indians except for the two nationally-televised Yankee games of over a week ago. One of those turned out OK. So lets review what I might have missed.

- Sizemore is on the DL, finally.

- Hafner is off the DL, hopefully for good this time.

- Some guy named Chris Gimenez is now on the team.

- Fausto Carmona is pitching in rookie ball.

- Asdrubal Cabrera went down with a separated shoulder.

- Jake Westbrook pitched a few scoreless innings in limited action at AA Akron.

- The savior of Cleveland baseball, Dick Jacobs passed away.

The Sizemore thing was something I thought should have happened at least a week earlier. No one is questioning the character of Grady because he went on the DL. Hafner comes back and hits a home run. Well that probably makes David Ortiz jealous. Carmona got sent down and I totally agree with this move. Whatever was wrong with Fausto was not getting solved in his three-inning-long starting appearances. Luis Valbuena should most likely be sent down to AAA. Give Barfield and Carroll and DeRosa the bulk of the playing time and let Valbuena get regular at-bats in Columbus. David Huff has improved immensely over his last three starts, probably because he had nowhere else to go. Now all we need is for him to start going an inning longer and we may have the beginning of a rotation forming.

Next up the Indians return home to face the Kansas City Royals in a battle for fourth place in the AL Central.

Game 1: Brian Bannister, RHP (4-3, 4.97) vs. Cliff Lee, LHP (3-6, 2.96)
Game 2: Gil Meche, RHP (2-5, 4.08) vs. Carl Pavano, RHP (6-4, 4.63)
Game 3: Zack Greinke, RHP (8-2, 1.55) vs. Jeremy Sowers, LHP (1-3, 5.40)

Well games one and two should be good. Cliff Lee and Carl Pavano are as good as this team can hope for in back-to-back pitchers. The only reason Pavano isn't our number one guy right now is because reigning Cy Young winner Cliff Lee is also on this pitching staff. Even though Greinke was roughed up his last start against the Blue Jays I still wouldn't bet on Sowers in game three.

Finally I wanted to say a few words about Richard Jacobs. I don't know what would have become of the Cleveland Indians had the Richard Jacobs and his brother not purchased them in 1986. What I do know is under his ownership the Indians made two World Series appearances, sold out 455 straight games at The Jake, and became my favorite sports team, period. Thank you Dick Jacobs, thank you.

Go Tribe!

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)