Some questions concerning the woeful Wahoos, who are limping back home with one of the worst records in baseball after a less-than-fruitful interleague road trip:

** Is there any reason to keep watching this team?

Not unless you like watching a Triple-A-caliber club wearing your hometown colors get thumped on an almost regular basis.

Oh, sure, there’s right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, an above-average player who is as good as it gets on this club. And there’s projected star catcher Carlos Santana, who is finally at the big league level and playing well out of the gate. Still, the Indians are bad. There’s really no other way to put it, and watching bad baseball is about as entertaining as taking in a documentary on the life and times of team mascot Slider.

** Who is going to represent the Indians at the All-Star Game in Anaheim?

If it wasn’t mandated by the league, the Indians wouldn’t be sending anyone. Choo’s numbers aren’t good enough to gain admittance as an American League outfielder, but since each club gets one, it would be shocking if he isn’t Cleveland’s pick. Rookie right-hander Mitch Talbot looked like an early candidate but has floundered a bit after a fast start. Fausto Carmona had pitched well up until his last outing, but his season record and ERA don’t qualify as star-studded statistics. It’s going to be Big League Choo, the Indians’ best and most consistent player, by default.

** What’s wrong with Kerry Wood?

A number of things. Giving Wood the benefit of the doubt, the veteran right-hander isn’t getting enough opportunities to stay sharp. But it’s tough to give the benefit of the doubt to a closer who’s making $10.5 million and has stunk up the joint nearly every time he’s taken the mound. Wood might still be ailing from an injury that left him on the disabled list to start the season. He might be disinterested in pitching for a last-place team. He might just not have it anymore.

It’s a good thing Mark Shapiro is moving out of the general manager spot and becoming team president next year. Focusing on his new duties will help him try to forget one of the worst signings of his tenure. It’s tough to hammer Shapiro too hard on this one, though. The Indians needed a closer and thought they were getting a top-shelf one in Wood. Still, that’s how a GM is graded, and Shapiro gets an “F” on this one.

** Are the Indians going to deal off veterans at the trading deadline?

They don’t have much to offer, but it’s a safe bet that someone will be headed to a better place. First baseman Russell Branyan, outfielder Austin Kearns and starting pitcher Jake Westbrook appear to be the most likely candidates to leave for a contender. Branyan can still hit homers, Kearns has been steady at the plate all season and Westbrook could help a club short on starters.

The Indians would love to unload the salaries of Travis Hafner or Wood, and come to think of it, Jhonny Peralta, but that’s not going to happen. The Indians could get the most in return out of dealing Choo, but they would be bucking their trend of waiting until their players become stars before shipping them out of Cleveland.

** What is Hafner’s season going to look like?

The franchise leader in home runs and RBIs by a designated hitter is on pace to bat around .250 with 16 homers and 60 RBIs, not exactly what the Indians envisioned from Hafner, who was deemed completely healthy for the first time in three seasons.

Pronk had begun to pick up the pace at the plate before an extended stint on the bench during the recent interleague road stretch. It will be interesting to see if he’s able to relocate the swing or slumps to the finish line. Whatever happens, Hafner hasn’t been the same hitter since he signed a lucrative long-term deal that the Indians are still kicking themselves over.

** When are we going to see more prospects from the minors?

Who cares? Sorry, but getting to see another round of outfielder Michael Brantley, catcher Lou Marson and the like just doesn’t get me all that giddy. How ’bout you?

** How is Manny Acta doing?

It’s tough to criticize a manager who is sent into a gunfight with a water pistol.

Acta talked about contending in the balanced Central Division during spring training, then lost two of his best players – Asdrubal Cabrera and Grady Sizemore – to injuries shortly into the season. Even before those two went down, the Indians probably weren’t talented enough to contend in any division with a suspect pitching staff and a highly overrated  offense.

That’s not Acta’s fault. No manager is going to win without talent and that’s the situation Acta is in during his dud of a debut season in Cleveland.

Contact Chris Assenheimer

at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

The Indians traded slugger Russell Branyan to Seattle on Saturday night, acquiring a pair of minor leaguers in the deal.

The trade was announced after the Indians’ 6-4 loss at Cincinnati.

The move was made to clear room for Matt LaPorta, who will join the team today in Cincinnati for the series finale with the Reds.

Cleveland netted Triple-A center fielder Ezequiel Carrera and advanced Class A shortstop Juan Diaz.

Branyan, whom the Indians signed as a free agent from Seattle this offseason, hit .263 with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs in 52 games for Cleveland.

CINCINNATI – The only thing different about the surging Cincinnati Reds was their headgear.

Drew Stubbs drove in four runs with a homer and a single Friday night, powering the NL’s top-hitting lineup to its fourth straight victory, 10-3 over the Cleveland Indians.

“We’ll ride this out as long as we can,” said Stubbs, who matched his career high for RBIs. “Eight to 10 wins would be great.”

The Reds wore green caps as part of an Irish Heritage Night promotion, bringing a new hue to the intrastate rivalry – one that’s been one-sided lately. Cincinnati is 12-4 in the series over the last three seasons.

Aaron Harang (6-7) gave up eight hits in seven innings, getting his first victory in three starts. Cincinnati had been shut out in his last two starts.

Didn’t take long to end that trend.

Stubbs hit a two-run homer in the second off Aaron Laffey (0-2), and added a two-run single in the fifth that made it 8-2.

“When guys score runs early like that, it makes it easier to pitch,” Harang said. “You don’t have to worry as much about making mistakes.”

Scott Rolen drew a bases-loaded walk and homered for the Reds, who lead the NL in batting average and hits. Jay Bruce doubled twice, scored three times and had a sacrifice fly.

Cincinnati took control with 10 hits in the first five innings.

“The offense came through big-time,” manager Dusty Baker said. “It feels good to get a lot of hits.”

The Indians’ plummet continued unabated. Cleveland fell a season-low 20 games under .500 at 26-46 – the third-worst record in the majors. The Indians have lost 10 of 11 overall.

While the Indians wallow in last place in the AL Central, the Reds remain locked with St. Louis in a two-team race in the NL Central, separated by a half-game.

Cincinnati’s pitching has been exceptional the last week, a trend that Harang struggled to extend on a hot, muggy night. He pitched out of two-on threats in the first, second and third innings, when Cleveland squandered chances to take advantage of his control problems. Harang walked a season-high five batters, but only one of them scored.

Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer in the fifth, then left the game with a sore left thumb. Jhonny Peralta added a solo shot in the sixth.

Santana jammed the thumb when he hit an inside pitch during his first at-bat. It started to swell as the game went along and was bothering him his homer. X-rays were negative.

Laffey moved from the rotation to the bullpen this season, but struggled in May and was sent to Triple-A to get back into a starting mode. He was called up before Friday’s game and made a disappointing return, needing 86 pitches to get through four innings.

Nothing new for the Indians, who are among the AL leaders in walks allowed.

“He needs to throw more strikes,” manager Manny Acta said. “That’s been a problem for a lot of guys here.”

Laffey gave up a couple of hits to open the third, then walked the next two, including Rolen with the bases loaded.

“After the first two batters reached, things kind of fell apart,” Laffey said.

The left-hander has never done well against Cincinnati, going 0-4 in four appearances with an 11.12 ERA. Both losses this season have come against the Reds – he got the other one in relief during a 7-4 defeat on May 21 in Cleveland.

Notable

The Reds pulled ahead in the series 34-33.
• The Indians are 4-12 in interleague play this season. The Reds are 7-6.
• Cleveland has lost 11 of its last 13 games in National League ballparks.
• Baker dropped slumping leadoff hitter Orlando Cabrera to second in the order. Brandon Phillips batted first for the third time this season. Cabrera doubled in his second at-bat, breaking an 0-for-19 slump.

TONIGHT

• WHO: Cleveland at Cincinnati
• TIME: 7:10
• WHERE: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
• PITCHERS: Masterson (2-6, 4.87 ERA) vs. LeCure (1-4, 4.50)
• TV/RADIO: WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

NORTH RIDGEVILLE — The explosion in an Eastview Street home Thursday night was caused by fumes that built up from gas leaking from a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was parked in the garage, North Ridgeville Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bement said today.

He said it will likely never be known what caused the fumes to ignite, causing the explosion which severely damaged the house owned by Gary Klemens.

Klemens’ son, Adam Klemens, was the only one in the house when the explosion occurred and was treated and released from Fairview Hospital for smoke inhalation, Bement said.

The Klemens home at 5955 Eastview St., is probably a total loss because of the heavy damage it sustained in the explosion, Bement said.

Heat from the fire melted vinyl siding on the homes on either side of the Klemens home as well, Bement said.

See Saturday’s Chronicle for more on this story.

Earlier Story

NORTH RIDGEVILLE — An Eastview Street home was heavily damaged Thursday night in an explosion and subsequent fire.

The explosion occurred around 10:30 p.m. at a two-story home at 5955 Eastview St. No one was injured, said North Ridgeville Assistant Fire Chief John Reese.

According to data from the Lorain County auditor’s website, the property is owned by Gary Klemens.

The front of the house was completely destroyed, and a car in the driveway was burned. The home was fully engulfed when firefighters from North Ridgeville, Westlake and Avon arrived.

Reese said that since there was a reported explosion, the fire marshal would investigate.

Dozens of neighbors gathered to watch.

Mallory and Michael Walsh were at home next door with their two small children when they heard what Mallory described as a “loud boom.”

“I grabbed the kids, Michael called 911 and we ran out,” she said. They went to the house on the other side of them, where Misty Blalock was asleep and was awakened by her neighbors knocking on the door.

“I didn’t hear (the explosion),” Blalock said.

Kara Koprowski and Sarah Kitko were at Kitko’s home, more than a mile away south of Center Ridge Road, when they heard what sounded like fireworks.

“I thought it was pretty early for people to be setting those off,” Koprowski said. “Fourth of July’s still a few weeks away. Then Sarah’s sister got a text that a house blew up, so we came to see.”

The houses on both sides had siding melt from the fire, Reese said, and firefighters immediately hosed them to prevent any further damage.

Mallory Walsh said they had left a sliding screen door which faces the Klemens’ property open, which she feared meant more smoke damage in their home. Shortly after midnight, the Fire Department let Michael Walsh go into the home to lock up and pack some essentials like diapers and formula for the night.

Contact Melissa Hebert at 329-7129 or mhebert@chroniclet.com.