Update: After another solid outing on July 7, against the Rays – six innings, two ER, eight K’s, and one walk – Jimenez has a 2.93 ERA since June 1. 

Ubaldo Jimenez is finally pitching like the player the Indians had eyed at the trade deadline last year.  It just took 21 starts to get to that point.

Cleveland shocked a lot of people last year by dealing top pitching prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White along with Joseph Gardner and Matt McBride for Jimenez, who had more than a few question marks surrounding him even at that time.  His velocity was declining – it would finish 2011 nearly two miles per hour slower than the previous season – and his ERA was way up (4.46), nearly two runs higher.  Right or wrong, the Indians went all in, bringing to Cleveland the type of pitcher that could potentially –