Indians Monday News & Notes: Carrasco earning a spot in bullpen Circle of Trust

It's the Monday after the Indians took 3/4 from division-leading Detroit. We should all be feeling pretty good generally but personally, I still can't believe Torii Hunter not only alive, let alone playing baseball. Anyway, here's what's going on in baseball:

Yesterday's game: Tigers 5, Indians 1

All good things must come to an end, and Josh Tomlin is usually a good candidate for ending them.

• LGT recap (Jason Lukehart)
• Cleveland.com recap (Paul Hoynes)
• Indians.com recap (Jordan Bastian)
• Ohio.com (Marla Ridenour)

Indians news & notes

Carrasco building confidence as reliable reliever | Indians.com - LGT has noticed how well Carlos Carrasco (aka Cookie) has been picthing out of the 'pen lately, but it seems Tito has finally taken notice as well:

"For whatever reason... when he pitches in the bullpen, he just seems like he has a different mentality. Maybe someday that will translate to starting."

Don't blame Francona for Dickerson's 3-2 bunt | Cleveland.com - Chris Dickerson took it upon himself to try to bunt over Roberto Perez in the 9th inning of Saturday's game 2. Still dumb, but at least it wasn't Tito's idea. Also! Zach McAllister's weird balk-y wild pitch was the result of his leg just giving out.

Naquin, Lindor lead RubberDucks in WAR | Indians Baseball Insider- IBI's occasional "WAR Room" series updates us on how prospects at all levelas are playing. Look at it like a less sophisticated PTM.

Rotation must gel for Indians to compete | Cleveland.com - Terry Pluto astutely identifies the rotation as the key to the Indians being competitive in the second "half." Not so astutely, he uses ERA to show how much worse the rotation is than last year's version.

Is Santana the Indians' *best* defender? | It's Pronounced 'Lajaway' - IPL looks at UZR/150 to analyze the Indians offense, finding that maybe Carlos Santana ain't half bad.

Swisher and Francona provide perspective on Detroit series | Cleveland.com - Paul Hoynes interviews the Indians' manager and the first baseman/DH that "lives his life at 98 mph" yet can't hit a fastball at the same speed.

Notes from around MLB

• The Competitive Balance Lottery will be held Wednesday, giving the Indians and other small-market teams a chance at more draft picks in 2015
• The Indians are one of several teams interested in Joaqin Benoit
• Kyle Seager, All-Star, and his brother Corey, who played in the Futures Game are just two of a very talented family
• The Angels, trying their best to win the game of "who do you hate more?" mock Fernando Rodney's bow-and-arrow schtick
• Contrary to the usual trope, Giancarlo Stanton credits the homerun derby with restoring his stroke