Indiana
Work has been so hectic the last week that I have neglected the blog. I was in Terre Haute, Ind., covering the Division III college baseball playoffs this week. So here a quick take on a number of things.

- Cleveland teams don't win Game 7s on the road. Boston hasn't lost on the road in the playoffs yet.

It really it going to hurt losing two Game 7s in Boston in one year, but I fear that's where we're headed with the Cavs.

- As Casey Blake continues to hover around .220, and the rest of the lineup fails to do much better, I have to wonder why the Indians don't give Andy Marte a shot somewhere to see what he can do.

I wrote Terry Pluto about it, and he responded (quickly, which is why we respect and appreciate him so much in this region) the Indians were trying to win this year, and couldn't risk Marte. Paul Hoynes said pretty much the same thing in today's PD.

My point is, I want the Indians to win now, too. And how much worse can Marte do than some of the guys in the lineup? This isn't really about Blake, since he's been productive. But there has to be a spot for Marte somewhere. Maybe he can spell Garko or Hafner.

If the Indians are convinced he cannot produce and is a bust, then they need to cut him, and soon. The situation right now works for no one.

- Barack Obama's people sure jumped all over the President for what he said in Israel. The President did not even mention Obama by name.

This was political opportunism. Obama has hit a bumpy stretch lately, and a slight from the President (who is historically unpopular right now) is the best thing to happen to him.

Of course, Hillary Clinton jumped on the bandwagon of saying Bush's comments were outragous. As if her people haven't said and done worse.

Just politics is no politics at all.