Sleepers who may awaken in second half

Chris Perez appeared to move further away from a closer role when he was traded from the Cardinals to the Indians. He had been working in a setup role behind journeyman Ryan Franklin, but now he has Kerry Wood to contend with in the bullpen. But Wood has struggled (5.08 ERA, four blown saves). Also working in Perez's favor is that in 2008 Cleveland auditioned virtually all of its other ninth-inning options, without much success. Jensen Lewis entered 2009 as the No. 2 man behind Wood, but he's posted a 5.03 ERA. If Perez pitches well initially, he could quickly rise to the closer-in-waiting position, and waiting for a Wood injury is never a bad percentage play.



(usatoday.com)