Marte Time

The Tribe has called up third baseman Andy Marte from triple-A Buffalo.

Tribe fans will now get their first look at the key component to to Coco Crisp trade last off-season.

Marte's hitting has improved slightly as of late as he's been making better contact at the plate. He's learning how to better excercise his impressive power, as evident in his domination of the home run derby at the International League All-Star Game.

However, comments from Tribe GM Mark Shapiro in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer surely weren't an endorsement of Marte's readiness to perform at the major league level.

"He looked better in spring training," said Shapiro. "He needs work."

Pardon my ignorance, but I was somehow hoodwinked into believing four months at triple-A Buffalo would've garnered some semblance of an improvement in some aspect of Marte's game. While Marte looked ready for prime-time during spring training, the ensuing 2006 season at Buffalo has been nothing short of a disappointment.

Marte has played in 96 games at Buffalo and cranked out 15 home runs and 46 RBI. He leaves western New York with a robust batting average of .261. He's struck out 81 times to go against only 33 walks.

NEWSFLASH TO AARON BOONE HATERS:

Marte isn't any better defensively, as he's already committed 19 errors.

Now I'm not jumping off the Marte bandwagon yet, as the youngster has yet to play a game in an Indians uniform at the big league level.

At the same time, such a lethargic performance and such noticible steps backwards between spring training and today surely don't instill much confidence in the capabilities of the Indians minor league instructors.

While everyone wants to fire Eric Wedge, the so-called "loaded" minor league system that the Indians boast continues to churn out players who have significant deficiencies in certain fundamental aspects of their game.

Jhonny Peralta has struggled with his fielding, Victor has struggled with his throwing, "Five-tool" prospect Franklin Gutierrez can't hit a ball past the warning track and nobody can lay down a bunt (with my apologies to Joe Inglett.)

I still have faith in the Indians as a team and an organization, and Andy Marte should turn out to be a solid ballplayer.

Yet, those who wish to criticize Eric Wedge regarding the fundamental deficiencies of certain players will be armed with more ammunition as they get an extended look at Marte.

Except that ammunition shouldn't be pointed at Wedge, it should be redirected to professional instruction that the Indians are offering their players at the minor league level...

Or lack thereof...