If you are looking for one main culprit as to why the Cleveland Indians are scuffling this year, look no farther than designated hitter Travis Hafner.
Pronk, as he's known, has really been on a downward cycle since his big 2006 year, but this season has been especially bad. Hafner is hitting just .217 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 46 games this year. He is currently in the midst of a 3-for-21 drought.
He did not play in Monday night's loss to the White Sox due to a shoulder problem. It was his fourth non-start in the last 10 games.
Hafner is still bothered by soreness in his right shoulder that has lingered since spring training. He and the team have often downplayed the seriousness of the injury, but it's obviously affecting him.
"The shoulder's bothered him on and off," manager Eric Wedge said. "We're listing him as day to day."
Meanwhile, the Tribe may be moving toward a platoon situation at first base. Michael Aubrey got his third straight start there Monday night in place of Ryan Garko.
"I just like the way Aubrey is playing right now," Wedge said. "I like the way he's swinging the bat. I like the way he's moving around out there defensively. Garko needs to be doing better."
The right-handed-hitting Garko went through an 0-for-25 stretch at the end of April. Since then, he has batted .254. He's at .236 overall. He is, however, hitting.357 against left-handed pitching, but just .208 against righties. The left-handed hitting Aubrey entered Monday batting .250 with a couple of home runs and is good with the glove.
Cleveland has scored three or fewer runs 28 times, and is 6-22 in those games.
The White Sox start left-hander Mark Buehrle (2-5, 4.82 ERA) on Tuesday night, meaning Garko likely will be back in the lineup while Hafner, a left-handed hitter, could well sit again.
Buehrle has allowed just a run in each of his past two starts and went seven innings on Thursday while allowing the Indians one run on two hits for his first win since April 6.
Buehrle is 4-4 with a 4.07 ERA in 14 career starts in Cleveland, but lasted just 1 2-3 innings while allowing seven runs in a 10-8 loss on opening day.
He's opposed by Cleveland's Aaron Laffey (2-3, 1.60 ERA), who has allowed only two earned runs in 28 innings in May, going seven innings in each of those four starts. But he has lost twice in that span, including Thursday against Chicago and Buehrle, when Laffey allowed two runs on six hits.
Cleveland is a -157 money line betting favorite (over/under: 8) on WagerWeb.com.
Betting trends: White Sox are 10-1 in their last 11 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5. . White Sox are 1-4 in Buehrle's last 5 starts as a road underdog. . Indians are 1-5 in their last 6 games as a favorite. . Under is 8-2 in Buehrle's last 10 road starts vs. a team with a losing record. . Under is 7-1 in Indians' last 8 games as a home favorite. . Under is 8-1 in Laffey's last 9 starts overall. . White Sox are 1-4 in Buehrle's last 5 road starts vs. Indians.
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