Joe Borowski was designated for assignment, at the same time the Indians are considering possible deals for C.C. Sabathia.
The great expectations for 2008 have been dashed, amid injuries to
Travis Hafner and
Victor Martinez, who were supposed to be the heart of the Cleveland lineup, and the sudden regression of the Indians' bullpen, which is Exhibit A for the volatile nature of bullpens.
Fausto Carmona went down with a hip problem, and
Jake Westbrook -- who looked so good in spring training -- blew out his elbow. You can bet that as the Indians drew up their plans for this season, they did not envision
Ben Francisco and
Ryan Garko lined up in the 3-4 spots in their lineup.
But what the Indians are faced with now is not a full-blown rebuilding job, but what could be a relatively smooth re-adjustment that would bring them right back into contention next season. The Indians will have
Cliff Lee heading their rotation, in the season after he probably will start the All-Star Game for the American League, along with Carmona, and
Aaron Laffey. The Indians need help for the middle of their lineup, for sure, and they should be getting some when they make the Sabathia trade. They have some pieces to rebuild the bullpen, and as they saw in 2007, you can go from awful to great in one season with your relief.
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Buster Olney
