Weekend Buzz: Indians' Losses Are Rival Tigers' Gain
1. Whoooosh go the Indians: That sound you heard over the weekend -- part-roar (in Chicago), part-gasp (in Cleveland) -- was that of the Tigers chasing down Cleveland in an increasingly close AL Central race.
Justin Verlander's Tigers have won 18 of 29, including 13 of their past 15 against the hapless White Sox (this year and last) and have sliced Cleveland's lead to 2½ games. As Detroit's Jhonny Peralta rocks, the Indians are getting rolled: This is the first time since April 26 that their lead has slipped to less than three games.
We knew Cleveland was not going to continue sizzling at the same .667 winning percentage they were at in April. How did we know this? Because while the Indians' latest rebuilding project is far ahead of schedule, it's not 108-54 ahead of schedule.
You keep playing .667 ball, that's your record, unless you're the 2001 Mariners (116-46) or the 1998 Yankees (114-48). And good luck with that.
The trick now for Cleveland is to get back on the road while all four wheels are still attached. There is no shame in getting knocked around a bit by Boston, Tampa Bay and Texas, as the Indians have during a particularly harsh part of their schedule (and with Travis Hafner still disabled). Not that it makes Texas' first four-game sweep in Cleveland since 1978 any easier to take, but. ...
Shin-Soo Choo continues to snooze and admitted over the weekend that his May 2 DUI is affecting his game. That's got to change, as does this: Fausto Carmona and Justin Masterson are a combined 0-8 with a 6.36 ERA since May 8.
