The 2011 season started badly for the Cleveland Indians as they dropped their first two games.

Starting pitching was thought to be one of the primary concerns surrounding the team and after watching Opening Day starter Fausto Carmona getting lit up for 10 runs in three innings it appeared as if it was going to be a long year for the Tribe.

Since then the team has went 8-0, its longest winning streak in over three years.

The much maligned rotation has been a big factor to the team’s success during this span posting a 6-0 record with a 1.55 ERA as the unit has allowed just 33 hits and walked 19 batters in 52.1 innings of work.

Former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson has looked masterful and youngsters Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin have shown promise. Carmona bounced back nicely in his second start and the team is hopeful that the 27-year old sinker-baller can find the form he had just a few short years ago.

The offense is filled with some young stars in the making in catcher Carlos Santana and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo. Veteran Travis Hafner has enjoyed a resurgence early on after a few injury-riddled years and is batting .355 with 2 HR and 6 RBI early on. Youngster Asdrubal Cabrera already has 4 HR and 10 RBI while batting .317 and newcomer Orlando Cabrera is off to hot start as well with a .361 average.

FINAL TAKE: Mirage – The AL Central doesn’t blow me away by any means so it will not surprise me if the Indians stick around in the race, but I still have a tough time seeing them getting too many games over .500. They have the potential to surprise, but I am sticking to my guns until they can perform at this level over a more lengthy period of time.

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