CLEVELAND -- Looking for a job with lots of time off? The Indians' revolving door closer role may be right up your alley.

Of course the perks, though seemingly glamorous, come with a few nasty side effects. The scant opportunities, based on the results of the many relievers who have assumed the role this season, have translated to largely sour results. The Tribe has converted just 21 of its 38 save opportunities.

Jensen Lewis, the latest in line of de facto Tribe closers until general manager Mark Shapiro addresses the glaring vacancy in the offseason, hadn't left the bullpen for five days prior to closing the door for a save against the Angels on Sunday. He was getting antsy in the bullpen prior to seeing game action in the finale.

"You can't simulate the experience," Lewis said. "It's difficult to really get that adrenaline going in the bullpen, as opposed to getting out there, so you just do everything possible that you can to stay in a rhythm."

Whether it's a result of too much idleness or not, it has been no mystery that whomever is dubbed the Tribe's closer has not had much success -- or work.

When Rafael Betancourt took over the role from Opening Day closer Joe Borowski, who went on the disabled list on April 14, he didn't get a save opportunity until 10 days later. After picking up back-to-back saves on April 24 and 25, Betancourt didn't see any action until four days later. He gave up three runs to the Mariners in an April 29 loss before blowing a save two days afterward.

When Borowski returned from the DL, he worked back-to-back outings just once and pitched on at least five days' rest on three separate occasions. After a July 1 outing where he gave up two runs in a game the Indians went on to lose, Borowski was designated for assignment.

Before Lewis was anointed as the team's ninth-inning guy last Friday at Toronto, he earned the role after allowing just one unearned run in three out of four games from July 29-Aug. 1 and notching a scoreless two-inning outing three days later at Tampa Bay. Since that appearance, Lewis has logged just four innings in four separate outings, picking up three saves along the way.

As the hottest arm in the Tribe's bullpen has been mostly idle, struggling relievers Ed Mujica, Masa Kobayashi and Betancourt along with the steady, but heavily used Rafael Perez have taken the brunt of the load. The results, as they have been all season, have been poor. Everyone in the Tribe 'pen, except for Lewis and Betancourt, has allowed at least a run or an inherited runner cross home in the past six games.

To stay fresh, Lewis said he simulates an at-bat when he warms up in the bullpen. If he doesn't get in, he then throws a few game pitches, so that "it almost feels like you're getting in."

"It's all in your preparation, and your mentality is a big thing," Lewis said. "You really have to take every appearance, regardless of what inning it is, as though you're closing."