It’s a good question because I think we can get so wrapped up in what we’re doing, we can easily forget all the other 11 teams in the Eastern League are going through the call-up blues as well.

Just like Akron recently losing shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and outfielder Brian Barton in a week’s span, Erie lost top pitcher Andrew Miller a few weeks ago to the Major Leagues, Trenton’s loaded pitching staff was reduced by two when stud hurlers Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain were promoted to Triple-A Scranton a weeka nd a half ago and even rival Altoona lost slugging first baseman Steven Pearce last week to a much-deserved promotion.

The thing that has helped the Aeros stay steady and make the playoffs the last few years is that when the team loses talent to Triple-A, there always seems to be young talent ready to come up to Akron from Kinston and make their mark.

Last year, the arrival of outfielders Ryan Goleski, Brian Barton and Trevor Crowe provided a major lift mid-way into the season and ultimately heading into post season play.

Unfortunately, this year, that hasn’t been the case yet. Not many big Kinston studs have come up and really made a mark on this team save for closer Randy Newsom.

And that could cost the Aeros this season come playoffs.

Ironically, I was actually in Columbus last week covering Curt Schilling’s final minor-league rehab, and asked that very same question of a few friends in the know at old Cooper Stadium.

Turns out that there is indeed a pretty big possibility the Indians could move out of Buffalo and bring it’s Triple-A club in state.

Although Buffalo isn’t a whole lot further from Cleveland than Columbus (we’re talking about an hour’s difference in driving), the fact that Columbus broke ground for a new downtown stadium last week indicates the city is interested in luring an Ohio team - and both Cleveland and Cincinatti’s Triple-A affiliate deals are up after the 2008 season.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect.

Further, Cincinatti appears more than happy to stay in Louisville, Ky., where the Bats have a newer ballpark - thus leaving the door wide open for Cleveland to slide right into the new Columbus stadium in time for the 2009 season.

A side note to this discussion is that assuming Columbus does eventually become an Indians affiliate (the Clippers were the New York Yankees top affiliate for 31 years before switching to the Washington Nationals this season), Advanced Class-A Kinston (N.C.) would be the only Indians affiliate besides the Gulf Coast League team to not be located within Ohio’s borders.

What is exactly so amusing about Altoona, by the way? However, all the posts on the team’s background and the city’s former professional sports are indeed correct.

I guess after 12 years in minor league baseball, the names don’t really seem so silly to me anymore. Either that, or I’m just used to them. Although I have to admit that I always get caught up on the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Seriously, who named that team?

Altoona actually had a “major league” team in 1884 in the Union Association. It’s probably a mistake to consider the UA a true major league, because the typical UA player had nowhere near the talent of his contemporaries in the National League and American Association, but the UA has still historically always been considered a major league. If memory serves, Altoona was a very late entry in the league, because league founders decided they needed a place along the train route between the eastern and western cities where teams could stop and still get some games in.

Anyway, Altoona is the smallest city to ever have a major league team.

Oh, and unless I’ve overlooked it, no one has pointed out yet that Brian Barton has been promoted to Buffalo.

What’s the deal with the Indians, their shortstops and their second basemen? They thought Vizquel was on the verge of being grossly overpaid and completely washed up, and there he is, still better than what they’ve got. I don’t understand why Jhonny Peralta doesn’t simply give his first name some Lasix surgery, that way he’d be able to see the “Cabby” threat.

Hopefully Buffalo will move to Columbus. But I don’t want to have to settle for a Brian Barton autograph. I want something on the back of a napkin that says “Asdrubal.”

What’s Barton’s nickname? I’d like “B Squared” more than I would “Barty.”

Anything can happen but I am not sure I would plan on getting Cabrera’s autograph in Columbus in 2009 even if Cleveland moves their AAA affiliate there from Buffalo. The way they are moving him sure suggests they plan on him playing in Cleveland sometime in 2008, maybe before.

Altoona is a great name, even without a minor league baseball team. But to actually have a minor league baseball team there, that kills me. How can Stephanie type “The Altoona Curve sunk the Portland Sea Dogs” without giggling? I mean, Altoona’s mayor is actually named “Wayne Hippo!”