Through nearly four months of the season, the Indians, surprisingly enough, looked like contenders for their first Central Division title since 2007.
Now, they just look like posers.
Yes, Cleveland entered Saturday trailing the first-place Tigers by just four games in the standings, which technically qualifies them as a contender. But this is not a playoff team — and far from a championship-caliber one.
The pitching that has carried them for much of the year, has deserted them — even in a top-shelf bullpen, where previously impenetrable relievers Chris Perez, Vinnie Pestano, Tony Sipp and Rafael Perez have all stumbled as of late.
The starting staff has been bolstered by the addition of right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, but outside of Justin Masterson, the rest of the arms in the rotation have been inconsistent at best.
Josh Tomlin, who looked like a Cy Young candidate over the first two months of the season, is scuffling, with opposing teams appearing to figure out what he’s bringing to the mound as they’ve seen him more often, and producing the expected results — bad ones for Tomlin and the Indians.
Carlos Carrasco has been disgraceful over the last month and could be headed to the minors after serving his six-game suspension for throwing at the head of Kansas City’s Billy Butler because he couldn’t get anybody out.
One-time ace Fausto Carmona? The Indians are pleased when the right-hander works a mediocre outing, since the majority of his starts this year have been bad ones. This from a pitcher that finished fourth in Cy Young voting four seasons ago.
The defense, which had been solid for much of the year has been atrocious as of late. If the ball isn’t hit to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera or third baseman Jack Hannahan — when he happens to be in the lineup — look out.
It would figure that an offense that has held the team back for the majority of the season would start to produce right about now. But it isn’t going to last, not if the Indians keep running out the same anemic lineup that has taken the field the past month or so.
Shin-Soo Choo is coming back soon and Grady Sizemore might return before the season is complete. In most years that would be cause to celebrate, but both players have failed to produce up to expectations during an already injury-filled season for both.
The downward slide began in earnest during Cleveland’s first homestand of the second half, when the Indians went 2-6 and dropped three straight series to the White Sox, Angels and Royals — yes, the last-place Royals.
Most recently, the Indians bounced back to show some mettle in hanging with Boston for a split of a four-game series at Fenway Park.
They will point to the pair of one-run losses the Red Sox hung on them as a positive, since both were close games. But those are the games that contenders win — at least one of them.
Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury beat the Indians with game-winning hits in each. Did you know Cleveland took outfielder Trevor Crowe before Ellsbury in the 2005 MLB Draft? The Tribe also selected pitcher Jeremy Sowers before Angels AL All-Star starter Jered Weaver in the 2004 draft.
Just sayin.’
For once, the Indians made some noise at the trading deadline as buyers, not sellers, but they didn’t purchase enough — Jimenez and Kosuke Fukudome — to turn them back into contenders. Jimenez is a great addition for the future, but the Indians needed offense and Fukudome isn’t nearly enough of it now.
It’s all going downhill at this point and the Indians don’t have enough talent to stop the slide, even in a suspect division such as the Central.
Better luck next year, Wahoos.
Power Poll
1. Philadelphia Phillies: With the starting staff these guys have, they aren’t going away for a long time.
2. New York Yankees: Even without A-Rod, the Bronx Bombers have climbed back to the top of the AL East.
3. Boston Red Sox: BoSox are probably still the best overall team in the American League.
4. Atlanta Braves: Second-place to the Phillies in the NL East, the Bravos would be leading every division in baseball, save the AL East.
5. Milwaukee Brewers: Red-hot Brew Crew is starting to put some distance between themselves and the Cardinals in the NL Central race.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
