While Nick Swisher’s ebullient smile and incessant on-field/in dugout antics have endeared him to Indians fans as fast as one would expect; Swisher’s on field performance has been somewhat underrated with the stability of production he offers. On the other hand Chris Perez has had some early struggles but his numbers and career performance show he should be in for another 30 save season. The IBI's Michael Hattery takes a look at both in his weekly "Trend Spotting" piece.

It was a rough night for the Cleveland Indians as the Tribe struggled significantly against Red Sox starter John Lackey. With two games left in the series, it's imperative for Indians starters Scott Kazmir and Corey Kluber to go out and give the team quality outings. Join the IBI's Michael Hattery as he looks back at last night's contest and offers his Second Thoughts while also looking ahead at what the future could hold for both Kazmir and Kluber...

Three out of four Indians' minor league affiliates were in action on Friday night, and there was plenty of action to recap. Akron Aeros left-hander Matt Packer was among the night's most impressive performers as he pitched seven shutout innings and struck out 10 to lead the Aeros. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps Packer's performance and more as he takes you Around the Farm.

Justin Masterson’s 19-inning scoreless streak came to a close as the Cleveland Indians fell to the Boston Red Sox 8-1 on Friday evening. Not much went right for the Indians in the contest as the offense and pitching performances were both inconsistent, and the team could only muster one run. Join the IBI's Stephanie Metzger as she recaps the contest and looks back at all the action after the jump...

Few Cleveland Indians players have been as consistent as Michael Brantley this season as the left-landed hitter has provided quality offense and defense in almost every game he's played. With his value now at an all-time high, should the Indians now be exploring a contract extension? Also, how much would the Indians have to spend to extend Brantley? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he tackles both these questions in the weekly IBI staple, Orbiting Cleveland.

When asked if he has any hobbies outside of baseball, Akron Aeros third baseman Giovanny Urshela said no. The focus is all on baseball for Urshela. The 21-year-old infielder is swinging the bat well, hitting .275 in his first 39 games at the Double-A level, though his on-base percentage is lagging behind. Urshela has a plan to improve that, though, as he looks to improve himself as a ballplayer every day.

While the central storyline of this game was unavoidably the return of Terry Francona to Fenway, the Indians’ hammering of the Red Sox by a score of 12-3 should not be relegated to footnote status. This was a critical bounce back after a two-game stumble against Detroit, and it sets a very nice tone for a tough six-game holiday weekend road trip. The IBI's Andrew Clayman shares his second thoughts on the win...

You know it's going to be a good night when LeVon Washington is involved. The Lake County outfielder was up to his normal tricks, showing the all-around game that makes him one of the most dynamic prospects in the entire organization. The bats were also out in force in Akron, as the Aeros scored 11 runs and routed the Baysox. One bat in particular stood out as his power and overall talent took over the game. To find out who he is and all you need to know about the night in the minor leagues, join Jim Piascik and go Around The Farm.

After Wednesday night’s rain-soaked finale to a short series with the Detroit Tigers, some timely hits and an explosive sixth inning lifted the Cleveland Indians over the Boston Red Sox with a 12-3 series premiere. Right-hander Zach McAllister (3-3, 2.89) received the start as the team picked up the pieces after Wednesday’s long-winded loss. Join Stephanie Metzger as she recaps Thursday's big win.

The Low-A Lake County Captains have been a disappointment in the win-loss record to date and several of their higher profile prospects have underwhelmed to date. But one player that has had a good showing in the early going is outfielder Logan Vick, and the IBI's Kaily Cunningham recently caught up to talk about his season to date.

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, which is a great time to enjoy some good weather, some baseball, and most importantly remember and honor all of the veterans out there. In today’s Happenings, Tony touches on the promotion of Chun Chen and his blistering performance to date and what it could mean for him as a major league option going forward. He also provides comments from Ross Atkins on players like Danny Salazar, LeVon Washington, Francisco Lindor and others, talks about Austin Adams’ amazing return, and provides insight and information on Carlos Carrasco, Roberto Perez, Tyler Naquin, Dorssys Paulino and more!

The Columbus Clippers finished their seventh week of the season capturing six wins in the six games played. The Clippers are 28-18 on the year with a six-game win streak, their longest of the year. With the team hitting on all cylinders, the IBI's Cameron Weimer gets us all caught up on the week that was for the Clippers.

Looking to gain a series split against division rival Detroit, the Indians entered Wednesday’s game hoping for a repeat of their May 11 game against the Tigers, where Ubaldo Jimenez outdueled Justin Verlander en route to a 7-6 win. That was not the case, however, as Jimenez struggled and Cleveland lost. Join Michael Goodman as he gives his Second Thoughts on the defeat and how worried he is after bad Ubaldo showed up Wednesday night.

Join the Inside Pitch this week as we discuss the Indians, and if they can stay in the race. The MLB draft and how the fifth pick is shaping up. Also will discuss the NBA lottery and what it means for the Cavs

Just as the rain fell Wednesday night, so did the Tribe Thursday morning. After nine innings and two rain delays totaling one hour 50 minutes, the Detroit Tigers took down the Tribe 11-7, sweeping the two-game series at Progressive Field. Having won 18 of 22 coming into the highly anticipated matchup, Motown made quick work of Cleveland outscoring them 16-8 in the series.

The rains held off in the minor leagues Wednesday night, not subjecting those games to the wet quagmire the major league team had to slog through. Akron hosted Rehab Wednesday with two major league pitchers on rehab assignments, Carolina had a hard time scoring runs, and Lake County furiously tried to come back from a 9-3 deficit with a five-run ninth. The highlight of Wednesday, though, was a top prospect maybe, just maybe, beginning to break through after a season of struggle. To find out who this is and read all about the night in the minors, join Jim Piascik and go Around The Farm.