A common theme among reader emails recently has been - beleive it or not - about the bright pink backpack the relievers tote out to the bullpen before every game. And yes, it does indeed have wings.

Why do they it? Honestly, because they’re boys. Boys, with a lot of time on their hands.

You see, every bullpen needs to be stocked with enough gum and sunflower seeds to make it through a long game - espeically when it goes into extra innings. Thus, the backback is stocked with the goodies and lugged out to the bullpen by a different player before each game. That’s a lot easier than having to run back and forth to the dugout to get fresh supplies. Saves the legs, you know?

Why didn’t they pick out say a nice, green camouflage G.I. Joe backpack? I don’t know. Maybe they figured it would blend in too much. The pink one with fairy wings not only stands out, it gets them lots of attention, to boot.

Another email came from a concerned fan regarding the status of Erie catcher Steve Torrealba. In Friday night’s game he was hit in the face by a splintered bat. It looked pretty bad, with a piece of the bat coming straight down into his face as he looked up towards the night sky for the ball. Believe it or not, Torealba only suffered a spilt lip and was back in action by Monday.

Candace emailed Monday concerned about third baseman Pat Osborn. Number One - was he alright after getting hit in the left elbow by a pitch Sunday?

Yes, Pat is O.K. He’s wearing a wrap on it and will be out for a few days, but has yet to be placed on the DL, which makes me think it can’t be too bad.

Number Two - What’s been wrong with him lately? He just hasn’t seemed like himself in letting too many balls go by him without much of an effort.

I agee with Candace. I can’t quite put my finger on it. But Pat has seemed rather lackluster out there. I don’t think there’s anything physically wrong with him. He just doesn’t seem to have the range anymore you want out of a third baseman.

Got more question? Send more for future mailbags.

Can the Indians be hindering their minor league players instead of helping them by sending so many roving instructors and front office personel to Akron?

Certainly these former players and managers and enlightened specialists are here to help, their knowledge chuck full of experienced wisdom. But six at one time? Isn’t that a litle much?

Take Thursday’s game with Altoona for example. Between the ususal Aeros manager Tim Bogar, pitching coach Greg Hibbard and hitting coach Lee May Jr. were the Indians Ross Atkins (director of player deveoplment), Ellis Burkes (special assistant to Baseball Operations), Buck Showalter (senior advisor of baseball operations), Dave Hudgens (field coordinator), Dave Miller (pitching coordinator) and Ted Kubiak (defensive coordinator).

All but Atkins were in the home dugout, elbowing for position at the top of the fence - forcing players to fend for themselves for good views of the field - of the game THEY were playing.

Perhaps there was a scheduling conflict or mishap that put everyone in Akron on the same day. But most likely, the Aeros home games just fit in well with their schedules considering the parent-club Indians and low Class-A Lake County were on the road and high Class-A Kinston is just returning from a road trip.

Still six extra sets of eyes? Most times, one or two are enough. Any more must be very distracting.

The revolving door that has become the Aeros bullpen spun some more over the past week as the Aeros added right-hander T.J. Burton to the mix from Class-A Kinston.

Burton joins recent newcomers in left-hander Rich Rundles from Extended Spring Training and right-hander Randy Newsom from Kinston - both, as luck would have it, are sidearmers.

“You have a bunch of guys out there now who are bullpen guys, and have been,” Aeros manager Tim Bogar said. “I like the way our bullpen sets up now. I like having Newsom and Rundles like that and (Reid) Santos closing the game.”

Bogar was referring to the Aeros starting the season with a handful of pitchers in the bullpen who were really starters like Joe Ness (who’s now in the starting rotation) and Jake Dittler (since promoted to Triple-A Buffalo).

On Monday, right-hander Nick Pesco joined the group from Triple-A Buffalo, giving Bogar even more options late in the game.

Newsom earned his first save Tuesday night in the Aeros 5-3 win - a sight Aeros fans ought to get used to, especially with Santos struggling as of late.

The Aeros returned to Canal Park Monday night and were greeted by a standing-room only crowd that really energized the place.

They also came home with a new look - with struggling outfielder Trevor Crowe batting seventh in the lineup instead of in his usual spot as leadoff. It’s a move that had to be made (and probably should have been made two weeks ago).

Crowe entered Monday night’s game with the rival Altoona Curve batting a mere .178 in 38 games with 26 strikeouts to 20 walks. He’ll show signs of breaking out of his prolonged slump here and there, but has struggled to string together enough good games to shake the funk.

Batting him lower in the lineup has got to help. Plus, as Monday’s game showed, moving Crowe down allows second baseman Argenis Reyes to show what he can do in terms of getting on base, stealing second and making the things happen that Crowe just can’t do right now.

I don’t anticipate Crowe being buried in the order very long. Once he relaxes, takes more pitches and feels less pressure on him, his natural ability will eventually shine through. But until that happens, moving him down in the order is the right thing to do.

A few thoughts about the Aeros recently-completed home stand:

Akron just wrapped up a seven-game home series with Erie and Bowie, winning a season-high tying four consecutive games before suffering Thursday’s 3-2 loss. The Aeros split the series with the SeaWolves and took the first two games from Bowie to win that series.

Erie was much better this time around (important to keep an eye on since the Aeros play them a season-high 24 times this season). Bowie’s starting pitching was decent, but the bullpen really needs work.

Speaking of the ‘pen, I saw plenty of improvement in the Aeros bullpen with the addition of right-handed side-armer Randy Newsome, left-handed submariner Rich Rundles and right-hander T.J. Burton. I really like Rundles and have heard nothing but great things about Newsom. I need to see Burton more to make an accurate assesment.

Lanky lefty Mariano Gomez has better out of the pen as of late, but I think Reid Santos is still looking to find his way in his new closer’s role.

Outfielder Brian Barton had a good series, Outfielder Trevor Crowe was up and down, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera continues to look good, but will be sidelined for a few more games as he recovers from Tuesday’s collision in shallow centerfield with Crowe.

Brandon Pinckney has filled in nicely for Cabrera. I wish we could see him more often in the lineup, because I really like his scrappiness (not sure if that’s a real word).

Oh, and before I forget, left-handed ace Chuck Lofgren no-hit the SeaWolves on Sunday for seven innings but was pulled after 84 pitches due to a strict pitch count. See my story in the Beacon and a previous post with more information on Lofgren’s Mother’s Day masterpiece.

If there are any other players you would like to hear more about over the weekend, let me know.

I am really starting to like the evolving Aeros bullpen. Instead of being chuck full of starters-turned-relievers, it has taken on a better shape with more defined roles that fit the individual players better.

The addition of side-arming right-hander Randy Newsom from high Class-A Kinston has already shown to be a plus in the few days he’s been with the team - as he pitched well again in tonight’s 13-6 win over visiting Bowie. In 11 games with the K-Tribe, the Cincinnati native was 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA in 11 appearances.

Lefty Rich Rundles, who looks like a sidearmer but who really throws from three quarters, has also been a plus since arriving from extended spring training 10 days ago. In four appearances, he already has a save and a win to go along with a tidy 2.08 ERA. Additionally, he has not allowed a hit in his last three outings.

With the way this Aeros lineup can hit (they produced 13 runs on 17 hits tonight), they ought to feel like they can be any game now that they have a bullpen that can hold an opponent at bay like the Aeros bullpen has done the last couple of games.

On anothe note, two consecutive days off appears to boasted the confidence of struggling Aeros outfielder Trevor Crowe. In Tuesday’s win, he made a spectacular diving catch in center field, hit a lead-off home run in his first at bat and went 3-for-5 on the night. While it’s only one game, it could be the beginning of him turning around his dismal start.

I wrote a story for Saturday’s paper that dealt with reminding Aeros fans the real purpose of minor league games. While everyone loves to win, the Number One priority in the minor leagues is development. Let me say it again: Development of a player will always superceed winning.

As much as fans needed the reminder (Bogar has been hounded by fans for not pulling struggling pitchers quicker), I probably wrote the story a day too early. That’s because Sunday’s Aeros win over visiting Erie proved yet another lesson in player development when Akron ace Chuck Lofgren was taken out of the game with a no-hitter through seven innings.

Instantly my cell phone rang, and I knew exactly who it was. For anyone who knows me and what a baseball fan I am, let me just say that Toby Rosen is my baseball twin. No sooner had Jake Dittler come on in relief than she was on the other end in exasperation. “What are they doing?” my good friend Toby asked from her seat down in the stands, scorebook in her lap. “Lofgren’s only thrown 84 pitches! He’s throwing a no-hitter! What is going on?”

First, let me giver her credit. i didn’t even know Lofgren had thrown just 84 pitches. I don’t always keep count when I’m working on a couple stories at one time, and I figured he was closer to the 95 mark or so.

Toby didn’t want to hear about pitch counts and young arms needing to be protected. She wanted to witness Lofgren get the no-hitter. And the effortless way in which he was pitching, I honestly feel he could have done it.

Aeros manager Tim Bogar joked in office after the game that when he told Lofgren his day was done, he first said. “If you’re going to punch me, do it now. But that’s it for today.” He admitted Lofgren was upset at first, but quickly understood it was happening for his best interests.

A little later, Aeros pitching coach Greg Hibbard (who is incidentaly the best pitching coach I’ve ever worked with in my 10 years in the minors) explained that Lofgren had thrown 107 pitches in his previous outing in Binghamton. And there was no way the organization was going to allow him to do it in back-to-back outings this early in the season.

Bogar admitted he could have sent Lofgren out for a few more batters, but what was the use of pushing the pitch count if he didn’t have enough pitches left to go the full nine innings anyway? As a fan of the game, I didn’t like the answer, either. But deep down I knew Bogar and Hibbard were right.

Understand, these are not decisions that are made lightly. It kills coaches like Bogar and Hibbard to pull a guy working on a no hitter. They both played in the Major Leagues, they know how specail such a feat it is. But their jobs aren’t to help a pitcher throw a no-hitter in the minor leagues. Instead, their jobs are to get Lofgren prepared to be able to it at the Major League level some day.

Sooner or later, we all have to understand that.

Friday’s night’s Aeros game isn’t even over yet, and already I’m ready to call it a night.

It’s the top of the seventh inning at Canal Park and the host is trailing 9-1. The Aeros lose their share of games, but rarley do they look this bad doing it. Did I mention first place in the Southern DIvision is on the line?

Anyway, starting pitcher Scott Lewis couldn’t locate any of his pitches, resulting in giving up three early runs on seven hits through just FOUR innings.

Reliever Joe Ness wasn’t any better, dishing up six runs over the next three innings - including a three-run home run to Clete Thomas. It wasn’t until Rich Rundles came on with out in the seventh that the Erie bats settled down. Rundles joined the team last weekend from extending spring training when closer Bubbie Buzachero was called up to Triple-A Buffalo.

Honestly, a blow out here and there is expected at this level. But a blowout with the bullpen struggling as much as the Aeros’ is can quickly turn into a losing trend.

Consider that over the past 11 games, Aeros relievers have allowed 25 runs over the final two innings. Ouch.

Moves have already started with right-hander Kyle Collins being sent down to Class-A Kinston before the game and right-hander Randy Newsome joining the team from Kinston.

Who’s next? One guess is the struggling Joe Ness (a converted starter) if he doesn’t figure out a way to better handle throwing out of the pen.

Not long after writing my last post about hoping to see Aeros lefty Reid Santos get a shot as the closer for the team, guess what happens?

Of course, it happened by default, as Santos simply slid into the role when veteran right-hander Bubbie Buzachero was promoted to Triple-A.

Buzachero got the nod recently when the Indians demoted (and most likely have lost) reliever Jason Davis, causing a chain reaction of moves that sent Buffalo closer Edward Mujica to Cleveland, Buzachero to the Bisons and Santos…well into the closer’s role in Akron.

I don’t know for sure if the kid can close, but right now he’s the best candidate - especially among a bullpen even manager Tim Bogar admits is “going through a rough patch right now.”

Closing is a weird thing in the minors. In many respects, closers aren’t necessarily “developed”, meaning they may close at one level and just be part of the bullpen mix at the next.

Take for example my favorite Aeros closer of the last five years - Rafael Betancourt. Betancourt may take forever on the mound, but he was near perfect for Akron the season he closed. Still, since he made it to the Indians, he’s been a set up guy.

Is Reid Santos the answer to the Aeros problems late in games? I’m not sure. But I’m willing to sit and watch to find out.

There is nothing all that impressive on first glance at Reid Santos. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound pitcher from Wahiana, Hawaii, could easily be lost in a crowd of teenagers at the mall if he wasn’t careful.

However, what makes Santos stand out on the baseball field is the fact that the unseemly kid simply gets the job done.

Aeros manager Tim Bogar admitted recently he isn’t quite sure how Santos does it either, except that everytime he calls the quiet lefty from the bullpen, he not only gets a crucial left-handed hitter out, but tends to be equally effective against right-handers as well.

“His changeup makes him a good commodity against right-handed hitters, so he can be more than a left-handed matchup guy,” Bogar said.

In the Aeros first game of a double header sweep Monday in Binghamton, Santos came on for the last two outs of the game to earn his second save of the season.

Three days earlier, he helped rescue closer Bubbie Buzachero after the veteran right-hander allowed visiting Harrisburg to come back and tie the game with four runs on five hits in an eighth-inning rally.

Now with two saves to his credit, many are wondering if Santos shouldn’t be closing all of the Aeros close games - a concept Bogar said he’d heard tossed around the dugout recently.

“I don’t think we know what we want to do with Reid yet,” Bogar said. “He’s one of those guys who snuck up on us last year and now he’s here doing it again.”

I’d like to see Santos at least get a shot.