Those were the frustrated words spoken just before the All-Star break in 1999 by former Texas Ranger Juan Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was miffed because he had finished fifth in the All-Star voting for American League outfielders, behind Ken Griffey, Jr. of Seattle and Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton and David Justice of Cleveland.  He was mad and accused the Indians and their fans of “stuffing” the ballot boxes at Jacobs Field.

Not making many friends, Gonzalez also took a little shot at his own fans as well.

“I respect the fans,” Gonzalez said “But if they don’t vote for me, I don’t want to play.”  True to his word, Gonzalez sat out the 1999 Mid-Summer Classic.

Juan Gone’s gripe was justified as the slugging right fielder had posted a .316 average with 23 homeruns and 77 RBI when the voting had closed.  Those numbers compared well to those of both Griffey and Ramirez, but were far better than those put up by Lofton and Justice.

Tribe fans need to turn back time and stuff the ballot boxes again, as two deserving starters currently reside in the Indians lineup.

Both Carlos Santana and Mark Reynolds, at least at this point, have made very strong cases to be the starters at both catcher and designated hitter for the AL squad.  Justin Masterson has also put up an All-Star April and May, but fans do not get to vote for pitchers.

The two sluggers will need the votes of every Cleveland fan in order to have a chance to start, but the recent past has not shown much Cleveland “ballot-box stuffing” like it did during the Indians 455 straight sellouts in the late 90’s.  Ironically, the last Indian to be voted into an All-Star game was Gonzalez himself during his one year Cleveland stint in 2001.  Both Cliff Lee (2008) and Asdrubal Cabrera (2011) have started the game since then, but neither was elected to start.

Tribe fans have their work cut out for them if they’d like to break the 12 year drought, however.  The biggest competition for the two will come from two All-Star veterans who have been voted in numerous times before.

At catcher, Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins poses the biggest threat to Santana, as Mauer is healthy, productive again and certainly has the recognition of the national fans.  Mauer is a five time All-Star and was voted in to start every year from 2008-2010.  While Santana’s numbers have come back to Earth in recent weeks after his ridiculous start, it should be—but probably won’t be nationally—noted that Santana is a key contributor on a contending team, while Mauer’s Twins plummet into mediocrity and beyond.

In a battle of cool nicknames, Hurricane Reynolds will likely face off against David Ortiz for the DH spot.  Big Papi is an eight time All-Star and has been voted in as a starter six times including the last two seasons.  Ortiz is putting up big numbers once again, but was hurt for much of the first month with inflammation in both of his heels.  No Tribe fan needs to look at numbers to understand what Reynolds has meant to the Indians this season and no baseball fan needs to see another Red Sox player on the field, so voting him in should be a top priority.

To send the Tribe’s two deserving stars to play at the Mets Citi Field in July, fans need to get online and vote.  Fans can vote on the Internet 25 times and can add an additional 10 times to their total if they login to an MLB.com account.  The subscription is free.  If additional votes are desired, the old fashioned punch ballots are available at Progressive Field, and the supply is unlimited at the ballpark.

Just ask Juan Gonzalez.

Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images

He couldn’t have expected the “warm welcome” the Boston lineup gave him, however.

Masterson’s former team got to him early on the way to a 8-1 Red Sox victory over the Indians on Friday night in Boston. John Lackey struck out eight for the Red Sox (29-20) and gave up just two hits in seven innings. The loss drops the Indians (27-20) into second place in the American League Central for the first time since May 12.

Despite a 42-minute pre-game rain delay and a soggy playing field, both pitchers got out to a strong start, retiring the side in the first inning. The Indians threatened in the second after a Carlos Santana walk, but Lackey was bailed out when Jason Giambi grounded into an innng-ending double play.

Giambi went 0-for-4 on the night, dropping his batting average to .150. The veteran is now just 3-for-29 in the month of May with 6 RBI, good for a .103 average.

The Red Sox wasted no time in jumping on Masterson in the second. After a David Ortiz walk and Mike Napoli single, Mike Carp took a slider from Masterson deep to right field, giving Boston a 3-0 lead.

“I was hanging a lot of sliders, not getting through pitches like I want to,” said Masterson in the locker room. “We try and battle and work through it, [but] we were just a little off.”

Cleveland would strike back one bizarre half-inning later. With Mark Reynolds on second and Michael Brantley on first, the Indians pulled off a double steal. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia threw down to third, but the wet ball slipped out of his hand and was lofted into left field. Carp bobbled the ball, allowing Reynolds to score from third. An Asdrubal Cabrera groundout would end the Cleveland rally.

After the game, manager Terry Francona told reporters he was happy with the way his team executed the double steal.

“[Boston] wasn’t paying attention to him,” Francona remarked. “It was a great baseball play by Mark [Reynolds].”

Both pitchers would settle in after the difficult third, as neither team would record a base hit until the bottom of the sixth inning. Boston would be the beneficiary of another strange play, as one run came in on a 6-4-3-2 double play.

With the bases loaded, Napoli grounded to Cabrera, who quickly flipped the ball to second. Jason Kipnis’ relay throw was off the mark, forcing Swisher to miss the tag on Napoli. A quick throw from Swisher to Santana ended the inning as Dustin Pedroia was tagged out scampering for home.

Masterson’s night ended the next inning, when a leadoff double by Saltalamacchia led to the call to the bullpen. He would finish the night having given up five earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts. With the loss, he falls to 7-3 on the season with a 3.20 ERA.

Rich Hill entered the game and quickly loaded the bases. Jacoby Ellsbury broke the game open with a two-run single past a diving Swisher, and Hill was removed after retiring the next batter.

Matt Albers would be unable to put out the fire, as Pedroia punched a single to right field, scoring two more. A Napoli groundout finally ended the inning with no more damage and an 8-1 Red Sox lead.

The offensive explosion ended Lackey’s night, as John Farrell brought in Koji Uehara to pitch the eighth. Brantley led off the inning with a double that would have normally hopped over the three-foot fence in right field, but the puddles accumulated on the warning track kept the ball from bouncing. The Indians would not muster another base hit, stranding Brantley.

Vinnie Pestano worked a scoreless eighth for the Indians as the Red Sox failed to record a base runner. Alfredo Aceves slammed the door on the Indians in the ninth, including a strikeout of Swisher. The first baseman would go 0-for-4 in his first game back off of the paternity list. Swisher’s wife, JoAnna, gave birth to their first child on Tuesday.

Francona reflected on the impact of the loss and the slide into second place. “Regardless of what happens, tonight’s game has no bearing on tomorrow,” Francona said post game. “That’s how we do it.”

Saturday afternoon’s contest will pit Scott Kazmir (2-2, 6.35 ERA) against Jon Lester (6-1, 3.15 ERA). Lester pitched a gem against the Indians on April 18, giving up just two runs in seven innings at Progressive Field. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.

Photo: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

One acquisition that was looking bad over the initial few weeks was giving $7 million dollars to 32-year-old Brett Myers and making the 2012 reliever a starter. Through his first four appearances, three starts, covering 21 and 1/3 innings, the veteran right-hander was not very good. He was 0-3 with an 8.02 ERA. He had allowed a league-high 11 home runs.

On Apr. 20, Myers went on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation. He is now close to returning to the Indians after making his second rehab start for Double-A Akron on Wednesday. Now, the question may be where and if Myers fits into the big league club?

When the Indians signed Myers it was to shore up a shaky rotation. Nos. 1 and 2 starters, Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez, were coming off forgettable 2012 campaigns. The rest of the starting pitching hopefuls were unknown youngsters and comeback-trail journeymen. Myers was signed because he had pitched well out of the bullpen a year ago (3.31 ERA, 19 saves in 65 IP) and had a track record as decent starter before that.

Since Myers went on the DL, however, a lot of the younger players have earned a shot to start for the Indians and proved they belong in the majors. Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber were both called up and showed promise, despite up and down performances. Kluber is still with the Tribe. Zach McAllister has been one of Cleveland’s two most consistent starters, along with Masterson. Jimenez has had as many good starts as bad, a step in the right direction for him. Kazmir has been good enough to be thought of as someone to keep for the duration of the season. That he is a lefty helps his cause. Where Myers was a need in the winter, he is now just an extra arm.

That said, there is no question Myers will be with the Indians soon. The team is not going to let him go until it sees more than just a few games of work – not at that $7 million price tag. The hope is the arm issues were the cause of Myers’ early-season struggles. The fear is being a reliever last year and throwing far fewer innings than he had as a starter has weakened his arm to the point it cannot handle throwing 90-100 pitches every five days.

Either way, the Indians and their fans are going to find out the answers within the next two or three weeks. Myers made his first rehab appearance on May 17. The rule for pitchers is that teams have 30 days to activate a hurler from the time his minor league assignment starts. After struggling against Double-A Bowie on Wednesday (4.1 IP, 3 earned runs and 1 home run allowed) it seems likely Cleveland may wait as long as it can to bring Myers back to the big show. At least that should be the plan. Let Myers stretch his arm back out and be certain he can withstand the rigors of starting again.

When Myers does return, he is likely to take the place of Kluber. The 2012 rookie has had some bright moments, but has struggled, overall, with a 5.19 ERA. It would not hurt Kluber to get a little more seasoning while the Indians see what they have in their free-agent acquisition.

However, Myers should be on a short leash. Something around the lines of four or five starts should be enough to get an indication of where he stands. If he goes out and continues to serve up gopher balls and tires out quickly, his time in the rotation should be numbered. Cleveland now knows it has plenty of other options to step into the rotation should need be. Kluber or Bauer could be called back up. A trade could also happen for a proven starter. Either way, the Indians are no longer stuck with trotting out a player who is having major issues.

One option for Myers could be going to the bullpen. It is not a bad option. He was successful there last year. He has the makeup to be another late-inning guy to go with Chris Perez, Vinnie Pestano and Joe Smith. We have seen Perez and Pestano struggle with injuries and bad outings in the first part of the season. Should someone like Perez be dealt in a deal for a starter, Myers would certainly provide needed depth to the relief corps. The Indians do not really have a long reliever on staff and that could be another possibility for him. So, even if Myers should falter in his comeback as a starter, he would not have to be a waste. He could still help in other ways.

Unlike there were in December, there are now options in the rotation. That means there options with Myers. Just because he is a veteran getting paid well no longer means Cleveland needs to have him start if he struggles. The Indians do not have to do that, nor should they.

Photo: Bob Levey/Getty Images

The Indians struck early and often and used a six-run sixth inning to pace themselves to a 12-3 victory, taking the first game of a four game series in Boston. The win was the first for Indians manager Terry Francona since his eight year tenure as skipper of the Red Sox ended two years ago. Zach McAllister turned in another solid start, controlling Boston with the exception of one pitch.

Cleveland struck first in the top of the second inning. Carlos Santana bunted down the third base line to start the inning, defeating the shift. Mark Reynolds followed with a walk to put runners on first and second base with no one out. Yan Gomes struck out and Mike Aviles flew out, but Drew Stubbs dropped a looping double down the right field line to score Santana and give the Tribe a 1-0 lead.

The Indians tacked on to their lead in the very next inning when Asdrubal Cabrera singled, followed by Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana walks to load the bases. Reynolds followed with a single to center field, scoring Cabrera and Brantley to make the score 3-0 against the Red Sox and Dempster.

After Gomes walked, Aviles grounded to shortstop, but was able to beat the relay throw to eliminate the double play. The fielder’s choice allowed Santana to score again, making the score 4-0, Tribe. Dempster struck out Stubbs to end the inning, but it would also end his night.

Dempster (2-5) survived only three innings, allowing five hits and four runs, while walking four and striking out four. He was pulled after three innings and 85 pitches. Clayton Mortensen took over for Boston in the fourth inning.

McAllister ran in to his lone trouble in the bottom of the third inning when the Red Sox answered right back. Jacoby Ellsbury started the frame with a bunt single down the third base line, similar to Santana’s bunt. Daniel Nava walked and Dustin Pedroia singled up the middle. However, Michael Bourn threw a strike to home plate and Ellsbury was punched out for the first out of the inning. The throw was crucial at the time because David Ortiz hit his eighth home run of the season, a three run blast, to make the score 4-3 after three innings.

The Indians tacked on runs in the fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead. Bourn doubled off the Green Monster in left field to start the fourth inning and was singled home by Cabrera. Aviles reached on an infield single to in the fifth inning and stole second base before Bourn singled him home to make the score 6-3 after five innings.

Cleveland blew the game open in the top of the sixth inning. Cabrera walked to start the inning, followed by Brantley lining a single up the middle and Santana drawing his own walk to load the bases. Mortensen was chased from the game in favor of Alex Wilson. Reynolds greeted him to the game with a single to left field to plate Cabrera.

After Gomes popped up to first base and Mike Napoli dropped a routine out, he laced a double down the left field line scoring Brantley and Santana to make the game 9-3 with no one out in the sixth inning. Aviles popped out, but Stubbs tripled home Reynolds and Gomes and Bourn logged his third hit of the evening to plate Stubbs and make the game 12-3 after six innings.

McAllister’s (4-3) night was finished after five innings, allowing only five hits—all three runs on the Ortiz home run—while walking three and striking out five on 96 pitches. Cody Allen worked a scoreless sixth inning with little threat from the Red Sox.

After the sixth inning, the Tribe offense quieted the motor. Scott Barnes pitched a scoreless final three innings for Cleveland, earning his first save of the season in the lopsided contest. Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Columbus prior to the game, replacing David Huff on the roster.

It was all the offense the Indians would need to control the game and pace them to a victory. The win was a much needed triumph as the Tribe had lost two straight to the Detroit Tigers. It also helped alleviate any pressure of Francona’s return to Boston, his first since being fired as manager in Sept. 2011. The offense was pace with three hits each by Bourn, Reynolds and Stubbs.

Friday the Indians will look to take their second game of the four game series when Justin Masterson (7-2, 2.83 ERA) takes on the Red Sox John Lackey (2-4, 3.31 ERA). Game time from Fenway Park is slated for 7:10 p.m.

Photo: Charles Krupa/AP Photo

The first-place Indians (26-19) lost their first series, during the week to the Tigers, since the last time they met up with the Red Sox. They maintain a one-half game lead over Detroit in the American League Central. They are 15-6 in the month of May.

The Red Sox (28-19) fell on some hard times after their previous meeting with the Indians. After finishing the month of April at 18-8, they are a game under in the month of May at 10-11. They have lost four series this month – in Texas, versus Minnesota and Toronto at home, and in Chicago against the White Sox in their last series. After charging out of the gate in first place in the AL East, they have fallen as far as three games back and are currently in second place, one-half game back of the New York Yankees.

Zach McAllister (3-3, 2.65) will start for Cleveland in Thursday’s opener. Ryan Dempster (2-4, 4.27 ERA) will take the ball at 7:10 PM ET for the Red Sox. McAllister earned his second consecutive no-decision despite another stellar outing his last time out. He has now allowed three runs or less and completed at least the fifth inning in all eight starts this season. Dempster has struggled in each of his last two starts, allowing eleven runs in nine and two-thirds innings of work. He walked six in his last outing, a no-decision against Minnesota.

Justin Masterson (7-2, 2.83) and John Lackey (2-4, 3.31) will be Friday’s starters in the 7:10 PM ET scheduled start. Masterson was honored with the AL Player of the Week honor after allowing just one run over 16 innings, including a complete game shutout against the Yankees. He struck out a season-high eleven in a win over Seattle on Sunday. Lackey was sharp in his last start, allowing just one hit and one hit batter in six innings of work against the Twins, earning the win.

Saturday will pair left-handers Scott Kazmir (2-2, 6.35) and Jon Lester (6-1, 3.15) in a 1:35 PM ET start. After a pair of quality starts with seven or more strikeouts, Kazmir has allowed nine earned runs in his last eight innings and lasted just three against Seattle on Monday. Lester allowed six runs in earning his first loss of the season his last time out. He defeated the Indians earlier this year.

In Sunday’s series finale, Corey Kluber (3-3, 5.19) will toe the rubber against Felix Doubront (3-2, 5.61) at 1:35 PM ET. Kluber lost a tough matchup against Detroit on Tuesday, allowing three earned runs in six and one-third innings with a season-high eight strikeouts. Doubront allowed a pair of runs in five innings earlier this year to Cleveland and got his first win of the season. He is winless in May after a 3-0 April.

All four games of the series will be shown on Fox Sports SportsTime Ohio and NESN. Radio listeners can listen in on the Cleveland Indians Radio Network or on WEEI 93.7 in New England. Thursday’s game will also be shown on the MLB Network.

The Indians lost a tough pair against their division rivals during the week, marking the team’s first series loss in over a month.

Detroit claimed Tuesday’s opener by a 5-1 final on a strong outing by Max Scherzer. Kluber allowed three extra base hits to lead off the top of the sixth – an Andy Dirks homer, Torii Hunter double, and Miguel Cabrera homer – to give the advantage to the Tigers. They added a pair of RBI singles in the ninth. Cleveland’s lone run came in the bottom of the first on a Michael Brantley sacrifice fly.

Weather interfered consistently throughout Wednesday’s game and seemingly killed several Cleveland rallies, as the club fell again to the Tigers, 11-7. Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3, 6.04) was not as sharp and lasted four innings on the night, allowing two runs in the first and four runs in the third. Justin Verlander, who got the win thanks to the offensive explosion by his offense, allowed five runs in five innings, including a two-run homer to Carlos Santana. Yan Gomes added a solo shot the next inning, his fourth of the season. Cabrera was gifted his second home run of the series, his 13th of the season.

Gomes continues to swing a hot bat when given a chance to crack the lineup. He is batting .462 over the last week (three games) and has three home runs and five runs driven in over his last two games. He is batting .406 in May in nine games.

In his last four games, Brantley is batting .438 with seven hits and nine RBI. He replaced Swisher as the cleanup hitter in the Detroit series.

Michael Bourn has stolen four bases over the last week while batting .370. Several of his ten hits on the week failed to leave the infield, but his all-out hustle earned him the single. He has reached base safely in his last six games.

Jason Kipnis is second in the MLB in RBI in the month of May with 20. His six home runs are good for fifth overall. He is a .394 career hitter at Fenway Park with four home runs and five RBI. He missed the previous series against Boston.

The Indians remain the MLB leaders in home runs (62), slugging percentage (.457), and OPS (.789). They have won 18 of their last 24.

Boston salvaged the series finale against Chicago after dropping the first two games of their series with the White Sox.

Lester earned his first loss of the season after allowing five earned runs and six total in six innings of work as Chicago defeated Boston 6-4 on Monday. A three-run home run in the first by Adam Dunn paced the White Sox. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two-run homer, his fifth, and Will Middlebrooks had a pair of RBI.

Jose Quintana had another impressive outing and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the White Sox prevailed over the Red Sox, 3-1, on Tuesday. Doubront earned the loss in six innings of work after allowing a two-run fifth inning homer. Boston had just four hits – all singles – on the night.

Clay Buchholz allowed just one run in seven innings and lowered his AL-leading ERA on the way to a 6-2 win for his Red Sox against the Pale Hose on Wednesday afternoon. David Ortiz knocked in a pair with a single in the first and Daniel Nava did the same in the ninth. Boston plated a pair in the eighth on a sacrifice fly and a passed ball.

Ortiz has been a hitting machine this season, despite a brief three game slump two weeks ago, and has hits in 24 of his 28 games this season. After starting the season with hits in each of his first 15 games, he was hitless for three straight before ripping off hits in nine of the next ten. He is batting .351 on the season and .375 in his last ten games. He missed the earlier matchup between the two clubs while on the disabled list.

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia is batting .333 on the season and .326 in May. He is a lifetime .324 hitter against Cleveland, including a .452 season last year. He struck out six times in 15 plate appearances in three games at Progressive Field in April.

Mike Carp, who batted .458 in April in 24 at bats, has just two hits in 19 May at bats (.105). In his previous series against Cleveland, he had four hits in five at bats with a single, two doubles, and a triple in the three games. Against McAllister in his career, he has three strikeouts, a walk, and a home run in five plate appearances.

Several Indians hitters have not done well against Lackey in their careers. Mark Reynolds has batted .125 with six strikeouts in nine plate appearances and Nick Swisher has batted .164 with 25 strikeouts in 78 plate appearances. Jason Giambi, however, has been successful, with a .341 average through 51 times in the box with 14 hits (three home runs) and seven RBI.

The Red Sox are second in the AL in on-base percentage with a team mark of .342. The Indians are third at .332.

New papa Swisher is scheduled to return from the Paternity List for Friday’s game. He will miss an opportunity to see Dempster – in 12 career plate appearances, Swisher has three hits and three walks, including two home runs and nine RBI. Infielder Cord Phelps is expected to return to Columbus to make room for Swisher.

Lefty reliever David Huff was designated for assignment following Wednesday’s loss. He is out of options and can decline the assignment and declare free agency if he so chooses. Scott Barnes was called up from Triple-A Columbus to assume his roster spot.

Cleveland starting pitcher Brett Myers pitched in a rehab start on Wednesday at Double-A Akron. He threw 74 pitches (40 strikes) in four and one-third innings and allowed three earned runs, two hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. All three runs, both hits, and two of the four walks came in the first inning. He is still expected to make at least one more rehab start.

Catcher Lou Marson remains on the 15-day disabled list.

Boston’s Franklin Morales may return this month after suffering a bulging disc in his back. The reliever has been on the 15-day disabled list. One-time closer Joel Hanrahan will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing flexor tendon and Tommy John surgeries last week.

Former Indians reliever Rafael Perez was signed by the Red Sox on Friday to a minor league deal. He had been released from a AAA contract with the Minnesota Twins last week.

Backup catcher David Ross is eligible to rejoin the team from the 7-day concussion DL on Friday. He is scheduled to catch in a rehab start on Thursday in Double-A.

Outfielder Shane Victorino is day-to-day with tightness in his left hamstring.

Boston swept Cleveland during the teams’ previous meeting at Progressive Field in April and outscored the Indians, 19-8. Cleveland maintains the all-time advantage between the two franchises, 1,024-966.

The Indians return to Ohio after the series, but not to Cleveland. They begin an unusual home-and-home series with Cincinnati, playing two at Great American Ball Park before returning to Cleveland for a pair. The Red Sox will play a similar style series with the Phillies, playing two in Boston before heading to Philadelphia for another pair.

Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images

On May 14, the Indians organization announced that the 20-year-old from McKinney, Texas, was the Cleveland Indians’ Minor League Player of the Week for May 6-13.

“It’s just awesome to have your name there,” Merritt said of his award. “Every player looks to get that kind of recognition.”

For Merritt, this season’s success has come from consistent development throughout his time in the Indians organization. Drafted in the 16th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of McLennan Community College, Merritt has been climbing through the minor ranks since starting in Arizona in 2011 and playing last season in short-season Mahoning Valley.

“When I went to Arizona, I didn’t really know what to expect,” the six-foot, 165-pound Merritt said of his first year in the system. “It was a slow process.”

In Arizona, Merritt went 0-0 with a 1.08 ERA. He appeared in four games, pitching a total of 8.1 innings. In those innings, he pitched only two balls and ten strikes, giving up three runs on 10 hits.

Moving up to Mahoning Valley continued to aid in Merritt’s development as a pitcher, offering him his first real taste of playing baseball professionally.

“Mahoning was my first half season, so I got used to it,” Merritt said. “I got used to the professional hitters.”

In the 14 games he pitched in while with the Scrappers, Merritt threw 40 strikes as opposed to only 17 walks. He went 3-4 and posted a 4.09 ERA.

His time in both Arizona and Mahoning Valley have helped prepare Merritt for this year in Lake County, as he describes his previous two seasons as helping him mentally as well as building physical development.

“Coming here [to Lake County], I’m coming with a little bit more confidence,” Merritt said. “I’ve just got a little bit more behind me.”

Also behind Merritt this season is a defense that been, to put it lightly, lackluster. The Captains have had a fair number of errors on the season, which can be disheartening to a pitcher.

Merritt, though, understands that the performance of the players behind him is no reflection of his pitching. He doesn’t allow himself to get discouraged during less-than-stellar plays. Low-A baseball is a league all about learning and development, which Merritt seems to internalize when talking about his teammates.

“It’s baseball, it happens,” Merritt said of his team’s performance. “If you start losing confidence in your defense, you’re not going to pitch well. You can’t let that kind of stuff get to you. They’re out there playing hard.”

And Merritt is playing just as hard as the teammates he describes. He is 2-3 on the season, with a 3.35 ERA. He is tied for first on the team with Dylan Baker, with each throwing 36 strikeouts. Merritt has thrown just 11 walks on the season in his 43.0 innings pitched. He has allowed 21 runs on 45 hits with only one home run.

Merritt is striving to continue his upward movement as the season continues through physically strengthening himself on the mound.

“I’m working on putting on weight and trying to increase my speed,” Merritt said. “I want to throw the ball harder, get everything sharper, the fastball, curve ball, change up. I’m just working to have better command.”

Merritt has had a promising start. He is upbeat and positive about where he can go this season, using his confidence to propel him forward.

“I’m throwing a lot of strikes and working hard, playing with my defense, staying confident in my defense,” Merritt said of his season’s success thus far. “I’m just not giving up and staying confident through everything.”

Photo: Jesse Piecuch/DTTWLN photographer

Through 44 games the Indians rotation has been okay. Masterson and McAllister have had strong starts, Jimenez was shaky, and then seemed to string a few good starts together, and Bauer has shown control issues but pitched well. The pitchers deserve a lot of credit for what they have done so far, but the defense behind them deserves some too.

The defensive side of the ball has two factors, pitching and fielding. The pitchers control home runs, strikeouts, walks, and in an immeasurable way balls in play. The fielders only have control over balls that put in play, and they have a great deal of control at that. To separate the fielder’s performance from the pitchers performance and see exactly who gets credit for what, a couple of statistics can be used.

Defensive Efficiency Rating, or DER, is a baseball statistic used to measure the defensive effectiveness of a team in converting batted balls into outs by the fielders. DER is calculated by comparing the number of hits allowed, not including home runs, to the defensive opportunities, which are all balls hit into play except home runs. The higher the DER, the better the team’s fielding ability is considered to be. While pitchers who are credited with a lot of strikeouts tend to prevent runs from scoring, those who allow a large number of balls in play, like sinkerball pitchers, would benefit more from a high team DER. The Cleveland Indians defense ranks second in the American League in DER. This means that the Indians defense is efficiently turning balls in play into outs. They are making plays and saving runs both in the infield and in the outfield.

Another stat that separates defensive performance from pitching performance is FIP. FIP stands for Fielding Independent Pitching and it determines the quality of a pitcher’s performance by eliminating plate appearance that involves defensive play. The basic pitcher-dependent outcomes are home runs, walks and strikeouts. This enables us to separate the pitchers performance from the fielder’s performance. If a pitcher that allows a lot of ground balls have an amazing infield behind him, he will give up less hits and less runs than if he had an infield with poor range and poor arms. FIP allows us to take the defense out of the equation. By taking them out, we can actually see how they contributed to overall run prevention. When a pitcher FIP is higher than his ERA one can conclude that the low ERA is due to a strong defensive performance.

Through ten starts in 2013 Masterson has an ERA of 2.83. His FIP is a very close, but higher 2.93. This is an indication that the defense is saving him a tenth of a run every time he takes the mound. A very small increase, but an increase none the less. For McAllister this number is even more inflated. McAllister has a very impressive ERA on the season of 2.65 but his FIP is a very average 4.17. This is where the defense starts to come into play. When McAllister is on the mound the defense is saving him 1.52 runs per game.

This is not a coincidental statistic, it is not like saying a batter has a high batting average at night or a pitcher has a low ERA in day games. This is a statistic that measure how a pitcher pitches and how his defense plays on his balls in play. McAllister gets a great deal of help from the Tribe defense and with a gap that large, his 2.65 ERA may not be sustainable.

Looking at the Indians other starting pitchers the defense gets even more involved. Trevor Bauer through three starts has an ERA of 2.76, but his FIP is a huge 5.24. The number of walks Bauer has given up is big eye opener especially considering how few of those walks scored.

The Tribe defense has come up big for many of the Indians starting pitchers. The Indians team ERA is 3.94 but the FIP is 4.25. The defense is saving over a quarter of a run per game. That may not seem like much but over the course of 162 game season, they are saving 40.5 runs. Equating that to wins that is about a five win difference, which in the Central Division could mean the difference between an end of the season exit, or watching the Tribe in the 2013 playoffs.

Photo: Paul Sancya/AP Photo

The Tigers kicked off the first with some quick lighting when Andy Dirks led off the game with a single to center. Dirks stole second before Torii Hunter laced a single to left putting two on and no out. Of course, the big man Miguel Cabrera stood in next and shot a double to left driving in Dirks and moving Hunter to third. Jimenez managed to keep the runners in place with a line out by Prince Fielder to short before Victor Martinez shot a sac fly to right scoring Hunter putting the Tigers up 2-0. Jimenez finished off Johnny Peralta with a strikeout ending the inning.

Meanwhile the Indians the returned the favor, after two quick strikeouts of Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera knocked a double to right. Michael Brantley shot a ball to second that ricocheted into the outfield allowing Cabrera to score cutting the Tigers lead in half, 2-1. Carlos Santana then followed suit with a single to left center putting runners on first and third, but Verlander managed to get Giambi to ground out to end the first.

It seemed that Jimenez came back with the right adjustments and made quick work of the Tigers in order to end the second.

Mark Reynolds led off the second with a shot to short for an infield single. Ryan Raburn followed with a deep fly to right that Hunter chased down but watched the ball go in and out of his glove putting two on and no out. Yan Gomes hit a screaming line drive to left that Dirks made a spectacular catch for the first out to keep the runners in place. Bourn came through in a big way bouncing a single in between first and second scoring Reynolds and putting the game back to even at two. Kipnis engaged in an 11-pitch at bat before Verlander struck him out for the second out but Bourn managed to steal second. Cabrera followed up by working in a walk to load the bases. Lucky for Verlander, he managed to get Brantley to ground out to third for an inning ending force-out.

After getting a quick groundout off the bat of Dirks to lead off the third, Jimenez walked Hunter and Cabrera. Fielder came through next, taking Jimenez to the opposite field for a ground rule double to score Hunter and put the Tigers up 3-2. Martinez followed with his second sacrifice fly of the game sending one to left to score Cabrera making in a 4-2 ballgame.

Unfortunately, it did not stop there as Peralta ripped a double to right netting another run. Brayan Pena kept the hit parade coming when he doubled to right making in 6-2. The frustration continued as he walked Don Kelly as he drew a walk. Finally, Jimenez managed to get Omar Infante to bounce short to end the inning.

Verlander seemed to rebound nicely with the newly given lead and set down the Indians in a row in the third inning.

Jimenez showed a little better control in the fourth getting a quick first out before allowing a single to Hunter who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Cabrera struck out before Jimenez hit Fielder, putting two on and two out, but then struck out Martinez to end the inning.

After a quick strike out of Ryan Raburn to start the fourth, Gomes hit a grounder to short but managed to beat out the throw for an infield single. Alas, Verlander recovered nicely afterwards striking out Bourn and Kipnis to end the inning.

Left-hander David Huff came on in the fifth to replace Jimenez but proved ineffective. He allowed four consecutive singles to open the inning and the Tigers plated two runs making in 8-2. Huff managed to strike out Dirks for the first out and then with Hunter at the plate Gomes gunned down Infante trying to steal second but that allowed Kelly to score making in 9-2. Hunter eventually struck out to end the inning.

Cabrera led off the fifth for the Tribe with a double then replaced by pinch runner Mike Aviles. It served as a smart move as Brantley followed through with a single to center plating a run making it a 9-3 game. Santana stood in next and came up big with a two-run homer to right center making it a 9-5 ballgame. Verlander struck out Giambi for the first out before the game went into a rain delay. After a 62-minute rain delay, play began again and Verlander quickly retired Reynolds and Raburn to end the inning.

Bryan Shaw came on in relief in the sixth and quickly disposed of the Tigers in order.

Gomes led off the sixth with a solo home run on the first pitch from lefty Drew Smyly who came on in relief of Verlander making it 9-6. Smyly managed to get two consecutive groundouts before yielding a double to Aviles. Brantley came through again taking a breaking ball to left field scoring Aviles and advanced to second on the relay throw making in 9-7. Santana worked a solid at bat to earn a walk but Giambi hit a ball to first that Fielder made a play to end the inning.

Shaw quickly retired Peralta on a line out to left on a stellar play by Brantley to start the seventh. Up next, Pena managed to shoot a ball into right for a single. Kelly connected on a laser shot to center that Bourn made a stellar play on before throwing back to first for an almost double play. Infante then launched a ball deep to center but Bourn made another spectacular running play to rob extra bases and end the inning.

Luke Putkonen came on in relief for the Tigers in the seventh and made quick work retiring the Tribe in order. Just after the conclusion of the seventh, the game went into another rain delay.

Just 48 minutes later, play resumed and Rich Hill came on to pitch for the Tribe in the eighth. Dirks led off with a single before Hill struck out Hunter. Cabrera stepped up and launched a pitch to center that Bourn got a glove on but then bounced out for a two-run homer, putting the Tigers up 11-7. Martinez followed suit with another shot to center that Bourn made a highlight reel grab before striking out Peralta to end the inning.

Joaquin Benoit came on in the eighth for the Tigers and quickly set the Indians down in order.

Hill came back on in the ninth and had a perfect inning with two strikeouts.

The Tigers’ closer Jose Valverde came on for the bottom of the ninth and locked up the game retiring all three Indians’ hitters he faced.

Jimenez is saddled with a loss after tossing four innings giving up six runs on seven hits striking out three and walking three. The victory goes to Verlander who tossed five innings giving up five runs on ten hits striking out nine and walking one.

With the loss, the Indians lead in the AL Central over the Tigers is just a half a game after the two game sweep. The Indians (26-19) look to get back on the winning track with the start of a four game series with the Red Sox (28-19). Zach McAllister (3-3, 2.65 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Tribe against Ryan Dempster (2-4, 4.27 ERA) with a 7:10 pm start at Fenway Park.

Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images

For the Carolina Mudcats, there is one reason that stands out above all others.

On Tuesday, the Mudcats bullpen faltered late yet again. After losing a 3-2 heartbreaker to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 11 innings at TicketReturn.com Field, Carolina has now dropped 13 one-run games on the season, accounting for almost half of the team’s losses during the first two months of the 2013 campaign. The Mudcats are now 1-3 in extra inning games.

With starting pitchers who have excelled, such as current Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Cody Anderson and Will Roberts, the Mudcats have not been strapped for quality starts.

But with Roberts recently promoted to Double-A Akron, and Anderson still developing arm strength as the righty makes the transition from reliever to starter, Carolina typically has a need for multiple innings from its bullpen corps on a daily basis. The results have not been pleasant to the eye.

The later it gets in the contest, the less likely it has been that Carolina will win the game.

Carolina manager Dave Wallace, a catcher in his playing days, is working to address the bullpen woes.

“There are some guys that are really trying to find a good rhythm,” Wallace said. “We (the coaching staff) have just got to make sure they come in the game ready to attack  their two best pitches and ready to attack.”

The lack of bullpen efficiency is costing the Mudcats what is certainly winnable games.

On May 11, Carolina squandered a 4-run lead to the Lynchburg Hillcats, yielding eight runs over the final six innings, including a back-breaking four runs in the final two frames as righthander Owen Dew took the loss in a 9-8 heartbreaker at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.

The biggest misfortune from Carolina’s inability to get outs after the starting pitcher exits the game is that it typically offsets a good hitting performance.

The Mudcats, owners of the worst record in the Carolina League by far, have an almost-equally large lead in batting. Carolina is the league leaders with a .268 average on the season and has some of the more dynamic offensive players in Class A baseball with players like Francisco Lindor, Jerrud Sabourin, and Tyler Naquin along with recently called up left handed-hitting catcher Tony Wolters.

After 44 games this season, Sabourin is third in the Carolina League in batting, while Lindor is fourth and Naquin is sixth.

But what is most disconcerting for Wallace is those offensive stats being offset by equally woeful pitching numbers.

Dew is tied for second in the Carolina League in home runs allowed. Of the 17 pitchers who have yielded the most homeruns, Dew is the only reliever.

Minus closer Jeff Johnson, who has been sterling with a five saves and a 1.59 ERA, no Mudcats reliever has posted an earned run average better than 3.75.

“What is really killing us is the leadoff walks,” Wallace commented. “It puts pressure on things and that can make it worse.”

“We are falling behind guys in counts and making them a lot better hitters than they really are.”