Did someone leave town recently? Forget about that, Terry Pluto is trying to focus on a team and players that are still here.
View full sizeJayson Nix, top, has been playing well for the Indians, but it's too soon to count on the career .204 hitter becoming a regular starter.Trying to talk to myself about the Indians . . .
Question: Why are you in such a good mood?
Answer: Because I'm not writing about LeBron James.
You're not going to write about . . .
The Indians.
The Indians?
You know I like baseball. You know I have a soft spot for the Indians, dating back to when my father took me to games in the 1960s. It's the middle of summer, the Indians are 4-0 since the All-Star break. They just swept the Tigers, shut them down with sensational pitching.
Aren't they still in last place?
Details, details. They are playing better, and most of the guys making an impact are young players who will be around for a while.
Come on, you know how it is . . . they'll get good and leave. Everyone leaves, including that guy from Akron . . .
I'm not talking about him! I'm writing about how Carlos Santana has the best swing of any young Tribe hitter since Manny Ramirez. Mr. Line Drive rarely looks fooled. His .274 average is solid, but look at his .432 on-base percentage. Look at the six homers and 18 RBI in 106 at-bats. If you'd never heard of him, you'd swear he's been in the big leagues for five years.
What about the ESPN special where LeBron said . . .
Jason Donald is growing on me. Not sure if he's a regular shortstop, but they have Asdrubal Cabrera coming back soon. Donald is hitting .272, with an decent .742 OPS for a rookie middle infielder. He could be the regular season baseman.
What about Jayson Nix?
That's the spirit. Let's see what he's doing a month from now as he'll be 28 at the end of August. He's a career .204 hitter in the majors, and batted only .224 (.716 OPS) with the White Sox in 255 at-bats last season. He does hit some homers, but I'm not ready to anoint him a regular.
When are the Indians going to trade Jhonny Peralta?
I hope it's soon, for his sake and that of the team. Since Opening Day 2009, Peralta is batting .253 . . . that's .254 last season, .252 this season. In 892 at-bats, he has 18 homers, 125 RBI. His on-base percentage was .316 last season, .314 this season. He's no longer the guy who averaged 22 homers and 80 RBI while hitting .264 (.790 OPS) in 2007-08. He's a .250 hitter with diminishing power and below-average range at third base.
Meaning what?
If the Indians find a team to take Peralta, don't worry about getting much in return. He needs a change of scenery. The Indians need to look at Jared Goedert at third. He has 16 homers in 149 at-bats at Class AAA Columbus. He's hitting .317, with a 1.103 OPS. Combined with his stats at Class AA Akron, this guy is batting .321 with 23 homers and 65 RBI (1.007 OPS) in 308 at-bats. He's 25, it's time to bring him up.
Doesn't he need work defensively?
Yes, Goedert has an alarming 10 errors in 30 games at third for the Clippers. But the Indians know what they have in Peralta. He doesn't have to play every day. DH Travis Hafner is hitting .200 against lefties. He can sit when lefties pitch. Peralta or Goedert can DH, the other can play third. Yes, they can find a way for Goedert to play three to four games a week once they create a roster spot.
Fine, with me, but don't you think LeBron would have . . .
I'm looking forward to Shin-Soo Choo coming back at the end of the month. Put him in the lineup with a healthy Cabrera . . . you have Choo, Matt LaPorta and Santana in the middle of the lineup. I'm hoping Michael Brantley can start to hit, because he has the physical gifts and speed to be a leadoff hitter.
Don't you think the Cavs should have . . .
I'm thinking the bullpen has been great lately. Love that Frank Herrmann . . .
Not Kerry Wood.
Out two weeks for a blister right before the trading deadline, great timing.
Speaking of timing, wasn't what LeBron did . . .
STOP! I'm talkin' Tribe here. This is a LeBron Free Zone, and boy, do we ever need it.
To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674