Now We Know Why Everyone on the Braves and Indians Are Hurt

Apparently the ghosts of deceased Native Americans finally decided to take matters into their own hands in regards to team names like "Braves" and "Indians" this baseball season. I'm not going to get into the whole discussion on the insensitivity of these names because that's neither my inclination nor my job.

Still, it's quite eerie they way these two franchises in particular have been plagued this year.

Both were expected to be contenders for the World Series, chock full of fantasy gems. Instead the disappointments and injuries are plentiful, and sometimes hand-in-hand.

The most recent casualty is Victor Martinez, and he already fit the bill as a bust. He's normally picked in the first five rounds (earlier many times). His owners have been treated with pathetic numbers this year relative to expectations (.277, 0 HR). And now he's on the DL with a bum wing (inflamed right elbow, if you must know ... but "bum wing" is so much more fun). The catcher could be out until the All-Star break, so this is a big blow to both the Tribe and your fantasy squad. Unfortunately, I believe you have to sit on him in fantasy, because he's liable to get hot when he does come back and no one will give you anything valuable for an injured bust in a trade.

More haunted individuals ...

Indians

-Travis Hafner was awful earlier in the season (.217-4-22 currently) until he was mercifully placed on the DL with a knee injury.

-Fausto Carmona, expected to help lead this team to the promise-land in a 1-2 rotation punch along with C.C. Sabathia, currently sits on the DL with an injured hip. An injured hip? What is he, an 80 year-old woman?

-Jake Westbrook was supposed to be a rotation fixture -- much moreso than Cliff Lee -- and now he's having Tommy John surgery and ending his season.

-Sabathia's on his way back (shutout earlier this week), but really started poorly beyond their wildest fears in Cleveland. After four starts he was 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA. It has since been whittled down to 4.34, but if you told Indians fans before the season that the big man would be 4-8, 4.34 in mid-June they'd have freaked out.

-Asdrubal Cabrera was beyond bad at the plate before finally being optioned to triple-A in favor of last year's bust, Josh Barfield. Three days later Barfield was headed to the DL himself after six hitless at-bats and a strained middle finger.

-Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko have fallen deeply short of expectations with the stick as well.

-Boy, I'm shocked they are 6.5 games out before June 15, aren't you?

Braves

Brinson covered their woes earlier today some in his detailing of Tim Hudson's dehydration issues. He also covered the Tom Glavine injury earlier in the week, but there are more:

-Jair Jurrjens fell down the stairs on his way down the clubhouse in Wrigley Field earlier this week. He already missed a start -- in which his replacement was tattooed -- and now he could be headed to the DL.

-Mike Hampton. No explanation needed.

-John Smoltz's season is already over and possibly his illustrious career.

-Chipper Jones is destroying everything in his sight, yet he's recently become ailed with a hamstring injury.

-Rafael Soriano was supposed to be a quality fantasy closer this season, instead he can't rid himself of elbow pain/soreness.

-Matt Diaz and Mark Kotsay are currently battling injuries on the DL as well.

-Boy, I'm shocked they are 7.5 games out before June 15th, aren't you?

I think it's pretty obvious the spirits are telling us enough is enough with these archaic names and logos. It's pretty clear you are much better suited to root for an animal (like a baby bear, for example), a color of a sock, something inanimate (Phillie), or something Godly (Angel).