OK, Fukudome ...

I've been mulling this over all day. Do I like the trade for Kosuke Fukudome? Initially, I didn't like it at all. Here's a 34-year-old outfielder who may only be needed for a couple of weeks, before Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo come back. Sure, he's a slight upgrade over the likes of Austin Kearns and Jason Buck, and it reduces the likelihood that we'll ever again see the disaster that was Luis Valbuena in left field, but was he worth the two prospects we gave up for him?

But the more I think about it, the more I think this was not such a bad idea. Fukudome is hitting .273 with not much power this year, but he does at least draw a lot of walks. And the first step to scoring runs is getting on base. The Indians are on the hook for less than $1 million of his contract, so it's not like this is going to make it hard to get another deal done. And let's face it, a contending team doesn't come easy in Cleveland these days. We've got one right now. The Indians are only 52-50, but that's good enough for second place. If a guy like Fukudome can help us hang in there until we get some more healthy bodies back, we should probably take that opportunity.

And the prospects we gave up, Carlton Smith and Abner Abreu, are really nothing special. Smith is 25 and has a 4.50 ERA out of the bullpen in Columbus this year. He'll probably reach the majors soon, but he's not going to become a Chris Perez or anything. Abreu is only 21 and has some tools, from what I've heard, but is hitting just .244 in A-ball this year. He might turn into a legitimate player, but I wouldn't put any money on it.

So yeah, I like this trade. It doesn't knock my socks off, but hey, there's still about 50 hours left before the trade deadline. Maybe Chris Antonelli can pull off something bigger yet.

Welcome to the bigs, Jason Kipnis

If Vinnie Pestano hadn't given up a two-run homer to Bobby Abreu in the eighth inning yesterday, the Indians would have won 1-0, there would have been no bottom of the ninth, and Jason Kipnis would still be looking for his first major-league hit. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't complain about a 1-0 win, but Kipnis winning the game with a single to right was quite a thrilling moment. I wasn't able to cheer because my wife and I were trying to put my 17-month-old daughter to sleep, but I cheered inwardly.

Now that Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall are both up in the majors to play every day instead of Orlando Cabrera and Jack Hannahan, respectively, the Indians truly have their best possible team on the field (considering injury). They are a game behind Detroit, and there's certainly no guarantee they can overtake the Tigers regardless of who's out there, but Hannahan and O-Cab haven't been doing feces offensively, and the offense has been struggling like crazy. Chisenhall may not be Hannahan's equal with the glove, but he'll surely more than make up for it with his bat, and the same is likely true for Kipnis.

Asdrubal's all-star appearance

The Indians' Asdrubal Cabrera will be the second batter in tonight's All-Star Game in Phoenix, and will start the game at shortstop. It's a well-deserved honor for Cabrera, who is hitting .293 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs, which are pretty gaudy first-half numbers for a shortstop even in today's day and age. And he turns in an eye-popping defensive play about every two or three games.

Cabrera replaces the Yankees' Derek Jeter, who was elected to start despite having a clearly inferior first half to Cabrera's (.270, 3, 24), but has bowed out of the game, citing fatigue. I'm not sure quite what to make of that, but Jeter is 37 and recently came off the disabled list, and the Yankees clearly need him more than the American League does. (The American League basically doesn't need him at all. They've got Asdrubal.)

Without looking it up, can you guess how long it's been since an Indian started the All-Star Game? Oh, it used to happen all the time, back when the Indians were selling out every single home game and all those fans were punching all-star ballots at the park. But it's now been 10 years since Juan Gonzalez was the last Tribesman voted to start the game. And Cabrera's the first Indian to start at shortstop since Lou Boudreau back in 1954.

None of this amounts to much, in the grand scheme of things, but as you're watching tonight's game, just remember that the winner gets home field in the World Series, and for the first time in four years, there's a chance the Indians will be the AL's representative.