http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2011/07/its_time_for_the_tribe_to_agai.html
Is wooball Terry Pluto?
It's time for the Indians to once again change their infield.
Cord Phelps should be sent back to Class AAA Columbus, with the Indians promoting Jason Donald.
That's a move they can make right now. During next week's All-Star break, they can decide if it's time to turn second base over to Jason Kipnis.
This is not about blaming all the Tribe's recent defensive problems on Phelps -- or to say he's the reason the Tribe lost to the Yankees at Progressive Field on Tuesday night.
But All-Star Asdrubal Cabrera is dragging, having played all 84 games this season. He is battling a sore knee and tender ankle. He left Tuesday's game in the fourth inning.
Yes, veteran Orlando Cabrera played short for 16 years, but the Indians view him as a second baseman at age 36. He was at third Tuesday and dropped an over-the-shoulder catch on a tricky pop-up down the line. It was correctly scored a double, but a good third baseman makes the play. Orlando Cabrera never played that position until last month.
An average second baseman turns what should have been an inning-ending double play in the second inning. The bases were loaded when Yankee catcher Francisco Cervelli hit a grounder to Asdrubal Cabrera at short. He made an easy flip to Phelps at second for one out, but Phelps threw the ball to first in the dirt.
It was knocked down by Carlos Santana, so there was no error.
And also no double play.
And the poor throw led to four more New York runs. Carlos Carrasco lost his cool and began throwing batting practice after the mistake. So the pitcher is an innocent party in that five-run inning.
A middle infielder must catch the ball in the middle of a playoff race, and Phelps hasn't done that. Not with five errors in 11 games heading into Tuesday night. Phelps also was hitting only .200 before the game.
In his first exposure to the majors, it's obvious the 24-year-old Phelps is dealing with the jitters. He would have been cut from his high school team for the type of errors he has made.
The fact is I pushed for Phelps to be promoted from Columbus, partly because I believed he would be a solid second baseman. He had no errors at that spot in 13 games at Columbus -- and only 20 errors in his past 240 games at second since 2009.
This is not to write off Phelps. Most players don't stick in the majors when they receive their first promotion. But it makes sense to send him back to Columbus, especially because the Indians need someone to spell Lonnie Chisenhall at third base when a lefty pitches.
That would be Donald.
He was being groomed to take over at third -- at least for a while -- in spring training. But he suffered a hand injury. When he came back, there was a knee injury.
Now healthy, Donald is hitting .278 (.752 OPS) at Columbus. He has played 15 games at short and seven at third.
Last season, Donald made three errors in 41 games at second for the Tribe. He also batted .283 (.833 OPS) against left-handed pitching, something that should be valuable for the Tribe.
Then there is Kipnis, who is demanding the Indians pay attention. He was named the Tribe's Minor League Player of the Week, hitting .500 (13-of-26) with three homers at Columbus.
The left-handed-hitting second baseman is batting .305 (.914 OPS) with 11 homers, 50 RBI and 11-of-11 in stolen bases. At some point this season, the Indians were going to "transition" -- their phrase -- Chisenhall to third, Kipnis to second.
That could happen very, very soon.
