The Indians are not playing well since the All-Star break, though the starting pitching remains a strong point. I am wondering if some of the hitters are leveling off and are not going to contribute much the remainder of the season. That is another reason why a Lucroy means so much. He is a good hitter, way better than anything the Indians have behind the plate. The offense needs some kind of jolt and he could bring it. Other players like Steve Pearce and Danny Valencia would help the offense the rest of the way. I know it is tough to trade away prospects like Zimmer, Frazier and Sheffield, but now is the time to compete for the World Series. I hope the Indians take a chance and acquire the players they need. The window of opportunity never stays open for long.

All the races except for the Cubs have really tightened up. I thought San Francisco would easily win the N.L. West but they have really hit the skids. Somehow the Dodgers without Kershaw have been closing the gap. Miami has moved into second place behind Washington and just acquired pitching help from San Diego. They have a real shot. In the A.L. East, Baltimore continues to lead but Boston and Toronto are hanging close. We may have some interesting playoff races after all.