Mike Rouse designated for assignment
I actually read the news on my own blog, and I didn't even write it. Thanks Erik . You made my day.

Mike Rouse was designated for assignment today, meaning the Indians have finally seen the value in having 25 major league players on the 25-man roster.

The Indians now have 10 days to trade, rele... oh, come on. He'll go through waivers, no one will claim him, and the utility infielder will end up back at Buffalo.

I'd make a list of Rouse's top moments as an Indian, but considering he had just eight hits in his four-month tenure, there's not much to say.

You have to figure he's a good guy, because if he wasn't, he'd be on the Akron roster right now. But the big leagues can't be about being just a good clubhouse figure and nothing else. If it were, I'd have advanced far beyond my preliminary softball team as a kid.

The interesting thing was on Sports Time Ohio (the Indians' own station) the clip they kept showing was Rouse's error in Texas. They also mentioned he had the lowest batting average in the league of anyone who had at least 60 at-bats.

As for tonight's game, Jake Westbrook was brilliant, and the Indians scratched out seven hits and two runs, which was somehow enough to win.

Cleveland also survived a brutal ninth inning, where Victor Martinez dropped a called third strike, allowing a Chicago hitter to reach, and then with two outs, Martinez and Ryan Garko let a foul pop drop between them.

It was the second time in a month the Indians had forced closer Joe Borowski to get at least five outs in the last month. Borowski bailed the Indians out again.

But the Indians won't get away with this down the stretch, against contending teams. That's why you have to be concerned. You can't give most teams more than three outs in the ninth inning and emerge unscathed.

For the moment, the Indians are in first place. But there are serious questions about how long they can stay there. The team seems to lack poise at times, and in pennant races, that can be the greatest sin.