| Power Rankings |
| Date | Ranking | Previous |
| 07/22/2008 | 25 | 28 |
| Actual AP headline from Sunday afternoon: "Cliff Lee's 11-Hitter Leads Indians Over Mariners." Rarely has semi-dominance been phrased so pithily ... The only upside to the Victor Martinez injury, one of 372 that have befallen the Tribe in 2008: The team's getting an extended look at Kelly Shoppach and has to mostly like what it sees. |
| 07/09/2008 | 28 | 22 |
| The CC Sabathia trade clinches it as a lost year, but that was a real nice get in Matt LaPorta. Bats like his don't come around too often and Sabathia might even be a candidate to re-sign this winter. Getting him back and having some other young talent come along can make them a worst-to-first story next year. |
| 07/01/2008 | 22 | 21 |
| If not for the collapse of the Mariners, the Indians have to be considered the biggest disappointment in baseball in the first half. Unlike some other sinking ships, including the one the Mets are riding, the Indians have injury to blame. They hold the biggest chip before the trade deadline in C.C. Sabathia and clever GM Mark Shapiro should get them the biggest haul of all, even more than the M's Erik Bedard. |
| 06/24/2008 | 21 | 23 |
| They are one of only three AL teams to have a losing record vs. the NL. The other two, Seattle and Toronto, both fired their managers last week amid interleague play. Eric Wedge is safe, but the Indians are going nowhere this year. |
| 06/18/2008 | 23 | 23 |
| They just can't seem to catch a break -- unless it is the wrong kind, of course. They are minus their 3-4 hitters -- not to mention two-fifths of their rotation. Now a C.C. Sabathia deal looks like a sure thing this July. |
| 06/10/2008 | 23 | 20 |
| The pitching depth is all but used up and the offense, save for Ryan Garko and Ben Francisco, still doesn't look capable enough. At what point does C.C. Sabathia become their latest bargaining chip in their every-other-year rebuilding program? |
| 06/03/2008 | 20 | 18 |
| A bad season just seems to get worse at every turn. They are 0-5 in their past five series. Even the starting pitching depth -- the one thing they had going for them -- has fallen apart. This has the look of an every-other-year team. |
| 05/27/2008 | 18 | 11 |
| A brutal 1-9 stretch would be more catastrophic if the stinking Mets weren't dominating the news. The loss of Fausto Carmona (hip) hurts a lot less than you would think with Jake Westbrook (rib) returning conveniently in his spot. Pitching is not the problem, though. This team has no business boasting the worst average in baseball at .233. |
| 05/20/2008 | 11 | 14 |
| They still are tied for the second-worst batting average in the league at .236, but oh that starting pitching is awesome. Paul Byrd will be on the block, especially since Cliff Lee and Aaron Laffey have been so darn good. Someone needs to go once Jake Westbrook (ribs) is ready next week. They should make a play for Ken Griffey Jr., an all-Ohio trade. |
| 05/13/2008 | 14 | 18 |
| We always have to give the benefit of the doubt to teams with starting pitching. The Indians, while struggling offensively, have the best rotation ERA in baseball at 3.16. Cliff Lee has been the comeback player of the year and added even more depth to an already deep staff. If they only had a trustworthy bullpen and Travis Hafner wasn't so very average at best. |
