Indians Confidential

It was a wasted day in NYC, as the Indians had all the momentum going their way to walk out of the Big Apple with a 3-1 series win over the Yankees, and also some much needed lift going into a big 9-game homestand starting Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

Welcome to The Bullpen from Hell 2009.

It was that awful pen that allowed New York to push six runs across in the final two at-bats to turn a 3-1 Indians lead into an eventual 7-3 setback. Sure the offense only managed four hits all day, but two big homers (Choo and Garko) had the team winning entering the bottom of the 7th.

That’s when Eric Wedge gave the ball to Rafael Perez, who really should get a tune-up in the minors at this point. He gave up two hits and a run, then Jensen Lewis allowed a two-run homer to Jorge Posada to give New York the lead for good. Rafael Betancourt made sure the Indians had no chance of a comeback, as he gave up three runs in 1.1 innings to make it the final of 7-3.

Let’s see the ERA’s of our wonderful pen – Perez: 16.17. Lewis: 8.10. Betancourt: 6.14. Need I say more?

This team is never going to challenge anyone unless they get some help from their bullpen, and Eric Wedge and Mark Shapiro have to know that. Perez really needs to get his head checked at this point, as he can’t get anyone out, and Lewis has already allowed four homers in 7.2 innings pitched. Ouch.

Props to Carl Pavano, who did a nice job getting the Indians to the 3-1 lead in the 7th. He allowed just one run on four hits in 6 full innings. He walked one and struck out four, and has made some impressive strides since that first bombing he took in Texas the third game of the season.

So now the team will come home, unpack their bags for the first time in two and a half months, and settle in for a long homestand. Let’s be optomistic that the club can go 7-2 in the 9 games vs the Royals, Twins and Red Sox, and if that comes about, they will be 11-12 after 23 games. A bad homestand, and the club won’t even be the front page of the area sports papers.