Offense has been down all over baseball this year. At least in part due to the heavy use of defensive shifts and the death of the power hitter. So it's not really a surprise that many of our hitters are doing worse than their career norms. It does make it especially impressive how Brantley has lifted his game.

Here’s some more news and notes from around baseball…

Scouts for the Indians have been told to focus their attention on Rays minor leaguers, MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo reports, and Cotillo wonders if this could suggest that Cleveland is revisiting talks for David Price. Cleveland and Tampa discussed a Price trade during the offseason, as Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported, that involved Carlos Santana and Danny Salazar going to the Rays. (Tampa Bay also had interest in Francisco Lindor but the Indians consider Lindor virtually untouchable in any trade.) A new trade package, Cotillo speculates, could be Santana/Salazar for Price and a couple of Rays prospects, hence the Tribe’s interest in scouting Tampa’s farm system.

The difference in Brantley's power from last year might lead suspicious minds to consider "juice" as a reason.

PD article says McAllister may wind up being the "26th man" for the second game of the DH. That could be possible only if the normal rules about minimum minor league stays are waived for the 26th man rule.

Poor Francona. Only nine men in the bullpen to start the series with the Tigers.

Civ- Would Masterson going on DL allow him to come up?

Masterson's already on the DL; you can call a man up in less than the minimum time to replace a new placement on the DL.
I am sure they know what they're doing. There have been a variety of strange-sounding roster moves which were part of a deliberate plan.

Winning first 3 games in Detroit immediately following all star break = The Tito Effect.

Very good pitching by lots of guys.

Impressed with Carrasco in the 8th of the nightcap and so was Tito. He still has so many pitches that he really should be a starter, but use him where he excels.

Excellent late in the game hitting. Indians lead the majors, Hamilton said, in runs in the last 3 innings of games.

It certainly helps to go up against the rotten Detroit bullpen.
And Scherzer wasn't very good; and Verlander is having a lousy season.
They are greatly underachieving.

On Monday night the Indians announced that they have promoted shortstop and top ranked prospect Francisco Lindor from Double-A Akron to Tripe-A Columbus.

As part of a series of moves they also announced that shortstop Erik Gonzalez was promoted from High-A Carolina to Akron. With shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera leaving the game on Monday with a back injury he is expected to miss some time and infielder Jose Ramirez could be recalled to Cleveland on Tuesday.

Lindor, 20, spent the entire year to date with Akron hitting .278 (95-342) with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 5 home runs and 48 RBI in 88 games. He also drew 40 walks, scored 51 runs and swiped 25 bases. He entered play on Monday tied for 5th in the Eastern League in steals and tied for 11th in walks and runs scored. The promotion marks his debut at the Triple-A level.

Gonzalez, 22, spent most of the year with Carolina and spent six games in Akron in late June/early July when Lindor was sidelined with a broken nose. Combined at the two levels he has hit .290 (97-335) with 16 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs and 50 RBI in 80 games (51RS, 16 SB). He entered play on Monday 6th in the organization in batting average, tied for 5th in RBI and 5th in steals.

That kinda sucks about Lindor. Akron is playing in Portland next month when I'm in Maine, and I was hoping to see him play.

@CKluber: Shoeless Joe Jackson was quoted saying "toughest pitcher I ever faced was Scott Atchison"

@BIGLON8: Scott Atchison just told me a story and it started "Back in the Dead Ball Era"

@CKluber: Abner Doubleday is credited with inventing baseball...it was actually Scott Atchison

Chisenhall also posted a picture of Betty White, and labeled it, "Scott Atchison's high school sweetheart". And Posted a picture of Babe Ruth that said, "Scott Atchison's first career strikeout".

MLB Competitive-Balance Lottery

The Cardinals were one of six teams to land a competitive-balance pick in Round A, which takes place immediately after the first round of the MLB draft.
Team Round
Miami A
Colorado A
St. Louis A
Milwaukee A
San Diego A
Cleveland A

I'm surprised the Cardinals qualify. Is this based on population size of the city where team is headquartered? Cardinals have a market area of several states. Indians have one portion of Ohio.

Based on this career track why would anyone have expected Axford to be of any significant value in 2014?
He's pitching up reasonable expectations which make him a solid mopup man to be used after in order: Allen, Shaw, Carrasco, Atchison. If they had represented him as a replacement for Matt Albers they would provided a role he could feel satisfactorily, barely.

2010 era 2.48 whip 1.19 k/bb 2.8 1 hr allowed
2011 era 1.95 whip 1.14 k/bb 3.4 4 hr allowed
2012 era 4.67 whip 1.44 k/bb 2.4 10 hr allowed
2013 era 4.45 whip 1.52 k/bb 2.5 10 hr allowed

His ERA is best in 3 years (3.43) his whip is avg of last two season (1.48) and k/bb is worst ever (1.85). HR ball is a little rarer, 5 total or 1 in 8 innings.