CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the Indians, these four games with Detroit at Progressive Field are more than a big series.

It's huge series. It's a series that can set up the entire second half of the season.

I write those words knowing that Terry Francona loathes every single syllable. He is a classic "play 'em one at time" manager.

While he knows much about the Tribe's recent history of late-season collapses, he refuses to discuss it.

This year. This day. This game.

That's all that matters to Mr. Francona, who has done a terrific job this season.

Francona knows more about the personality and motivations of his players than any of us do.

But I go back to the original thesis: These four games with the Tigers comprise the most important weekend of the Tribe's season.

Part of the reason is the last two games, losses by scores of 6-5 and 10-7 in Kansas City.

Bullpen blowouts, both times.

Would you have signed up for the Tribe having a 7-4 record when they began this 11-game trip to Chicago White Sox, Baltimore and Kansas City? In five of those games, they came from behind to win.

The Indians are 45-40. Before Detroit's game Thursday, the Indians were one game behind Detroit in the Central Division.

I realize some fans fear a repeat of last season, when the Tribe was 44-41 at this point in the season -- and finished 24-53.

Maybe that's the reason ticket sales have been rather mediocre for the homestand, other than about 35,000 expected Friday. For the rest of the games, it's in the "20-something" thousand, according to a Tribe operative.

Since I don't pay to cover games, I refuse to insist fans should buy tickets. But I will say that this is Tribe team is fun and easy to like. I've enjoyed watching them most nights this season, and I sense that is true for at least the hard-core fans.

Do I think they WILL win the Central Division? No.

Do I think they CAN win the Central Division? Maybe.

That's important . . . keeping the "Maybe" alive in the minds of those who care about the Tribe.

In these four games, the Tigers can remind the Tribe why they have owned the Central Division in the last two seasons. It was only a month ago that the Tribe was swept away in a three-game series at Detroit.

At that point, they were 5 1/2 games behind the Tigers.

Then something remarkable happened -- the Tribe went 15-8 after that series to climb right back into the Central Division race.

The last two games leave a sense of baseball heartburn. The Indians have bullpen issues.

Cody Allen has served up homers in the last two games. None of their lefty relievers have any sort of consistency. Bryan Shaw has been solid most of the season, but suddenly he's been shaky. Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano are still trying to return to their excellence of 2011-12.

The Indians are 2-6 vs. Detroit.

For the Tribe to keep on the Tigers" tail, that trend has to stop. And that also means the bullpen has to shape up.

To reachTerry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com; 216-999-4674