Frustration reigns at Progressive Field

It just doesn't get more frustrating than this.

The Tribe started this four-game series against the Yanks with two straight wins.

A sweep was looking like a possibility and certainly a series win was at hand.

You could rationalize yesterday as the Tribe being victimized by Chien-Ming Wang at his absolute best.

But then there was today, with the Tribe flailing away at old-man Mussina's 69 mph change-up and then getting mowed down by the Yankee pen.

Second and third and one out in the third - no runs as Dellucci strikes out and Jamey Carroll grounds out.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Tribe scored twice to take a short-lived lead, but they should have had more, leaving the bases loaded with Mussina on the ropes.

Once the Yanks bullpen came in in the sixth, the Tribe packed up their bats for the night (not that they used them much to that point).

Watching this awful offense was certainly frustrating, but the throw-your-shoe-at-the-TV moments came in the top of the sixth inning.

The Yankees scored four times in the sixth while hitting just one ball out of the infield. And there were no walks mixed in - although there was one hit batsmen with the bases loaded - and don't you just love that!

To start the inning, a bouncer off the plate went over Casey Blake's head and was contained by SS Jhonny Peralta, but Aaron Laffey's no-hit bid was history.

Next up was Derek Jeter, who hit a spinning swinging bunt that Blake spazzed out on. Base hit. First and second no outs.

Bobby Abreu had the only solid wood of the inning, with a routine, line drive single to left (which might have been caught if there had been a real left fielder - rather than Dellucci - out there. Bases loaded no outs.

Laffey, trying to come inside on A-Rod with two strikes came a little too inside and popped him on the thigh. 2-1 Tribe, basses still loaded.

Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui both hit bouncers to Garko at first that were so well placed that an out at first base was the only option, as the runners moved up. 2-2, and then 3-2 Yankees.

With Morgan Ensberg coming up and A-Rod still on third Jensen Lewis was brought in - even though only one ball was hit out of the infield all inning.

In keeping with the tend, Ensberg hit a worm-killer in front of the mound that Lewis couldn't bare-hand. Another infield single. Another Yankee run.

Another frustrating, disheartening Cleveland loss.

It's only been a month since the season began, but I can't take watching this offense for much longer. They can't hit!!! Plain and simple.

Travis Hafner's swing is stiff and slow and he appears just too muscle-bound to do anything about it.

Ryan Garko has disappeared.

Jhonny Peralta gets hot for a game or two at a time and then starts trying to pull every pitch.

Casey Blake had his week and should go into hibernation for a while now.

The Dyspeptic Duo in right and left field? Please!

Victor Martinez can't do this alone, and even he has turned into a singles hitter.

The front office is going to have to give up some of their prized pitching depth and get somebody in here who can hit in the middle of the order.

Until (or unless) Hafner stops looking like Ahhnold Schwarzenegger with a bat in his hands he has to be moved down in the order, or maybe out of it. That can't be done until someone with a real stick is brought in.

It's wonderful to have great pitching, but how long can we watch that great pitching get flushed down the toilet by the worst offense in the American League?

The numbers say so and my eyes tell me so. And I don't know how much more my eyes can take.