Indians at crossroad of season

By JOSH WEIR

Eric Wedge bristles at the notion that regrouping for 2009 is more important than winning in 2008.

CLEVELAND — The All-Star break is over. The open casting call begins.

Friday night in Seattle, the Indians settled into the evaluation process that is the rest of this 2008 season.

The game was not completed in time for today’s edition.

With the Tribe 13 games out in the Central Division race and CC Sabathia now a Milwaukee Brewer, the Indians (41-53) have made it clear that the final 68 games are about research and development for 2009.

Among the important topics:

UWhat can Andy Marte do with regular playing time?

UIs Asdrubal Cabrera — recalled from Triple-A Buffalo — back to being the Asdrubal Cabrera of last year?

UWho among the young outfielders can help the Indians in 2009?

UWho among the masses in the bullpen can be viable options for next year, and how do the Indians get Rafael Betancourt back on track?

UCan Jeremy Sowers get back to the form that produced the second lowest ERA in the American League in the second half of the 2006 season?

Winning games in 2009 seems to be more important than winning games right now. The organization’s actions have made that clear.

But manager Eric Wedge kind of bristles at the notion.

“There’s always been a certain amount of development that’s gone on at the big league level, especially for an organization like us that’s always going to be infusing young players,” Wedge said recently. “... We might have a little more of that [right now], but still, without a doubt, 100 percent, we’re looking to win, and looking to win first. We feel like we can do that along with giving the experience and opportunities we need to give to some of these young players.”

Along with finding out what they have with their youth, the Indians also want to build momentum toward next year. The Tribe’s strong second half of the 2006 season has been cited as an important reason for their 96-win season in 2007.

So, keeping that in mind, Wedge’s patience will only go so far with poor play.

“There’s always a road, and there’s always an end to that road, I can promise you that much,” he said. “We’re going to stick with people and I believe in sticking with people and being patient. But if we get to the point where we don’t feel like somebody can help us be a championship club next year or the year after, then we’ll move on.”