The team with the most 8th inning runs allowed in baseball was at it again on Saturday blowing a game that would have been a great comeback and a series-winner.
The Indians rallied from 5-0 down after starter Aaron Laffey was chased in the 4th to take a 7-6 lead thanks in part to solid bullpen efforts from Vinnie Chulk and Tony Sipp. However, all of that came undone when Rafael Betancourt gave up 3 runs in the 8th inning and Jhonny Peralta blew a chance to make things interesting in the 9th, stranding runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs.
This team is the most frustrating in baseball. One day you get double-digit runs, then you get 12 runs in 6 games. The starters are up and down and the bullpen is mostly down, with no bridge whatsoever to closer Kerry Wood (perfect in 5 save opportunities).
I propose a complete bullpen shakedown to save this pitiful season.
Send Jensen Lewis and Rafael Perez to AAA Columbus and bring up youngsters John Meloan and his firey fastball and Zach Jackson who started the season as a longman with the Tribe. The Indians need to strongly consider designating Masa Kobayashi for assignment if he can't prove to be effective and think about moving Scott Lewis or Anthony Reyes to the pen for another effective arm. Betancourt will be reduced to a mop-up guy until/if he can turn things around and Chulk and Sipp moved to the 8th inning responsibilties as the only guys in the pen with ERA even close to being under 3.00.
God help us all if this bullpen can't turn things around. Why did Wedge fire Luis Isaac again?
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