Some Stuff While Waiting for MNF

Since the Browns don’t play until tonight, here’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that on Cleveland sports—

·          The best line of the weekend in the newspaper was by The Plain Dealer’s Doug Lesmerises, who wrote that Ohio State won’t pass, so they can’t run.  That describes the Buckeye attack in a nutshell.  I realize that Terrelle Pryor is a freshman, but Coach Jim Tressel has to open up the offense a little bit.  Mix in a pass on first down every once in a while.  Until that happens, opposing defenses are going to bring more and more men in the box to stop Beanie Wells.  Pryor is young, but he is a tremendous weapon.  He needs to be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. 

·          Speaking of college football, doesn’t it seem like the pollsters now vote with the BCS system in mind?  It should work the other way with the polls being part of the formula to determine the BCS standings.  How else can you explain how #2 Alabama doesn’t jump to the top spot after Oklahoma lost?  Texas jumps from the fifth spot to #1, and last year remember that LSU jumped from below the fifth spot to #2 after winning the SEC Championship.  If you thought Alabama was the second best team last week, how do you not think they are best team today?  It doesn’t make any sense; although that’s not the first time someone has said that about college football.

·          Isn’t it amazing the national media now realizes that Manny Ramirez is the best right-handed hitter of this generation?  The fact that he put the Dodgers on his back and into the playoffs is apparently the capper on his great career.  Even when he was in Boston, he was over-shadowed by first Nomar Garciaparra, and then David Ortiz.  It’s also funny that no one remembers that Ramirez was part of two World Series teams in Cleveland, which helped him build his great post-season numbers. When Manny’s career ends, the numbers he will put up will rank among the all-time greats.

·          For all the people who want the Indians to sign players to big contracts, what are your thoughts on the signings of Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner?  I was in favor of the Hafner signing and lukewarm on the Westbrook pact, but both were hurt within a year of inking those deals.  Now you know why smaller market teams avoid making these kinds of deals.  If Hafner can’t return to his former self, his contract is a huge albatross on this franchise.

·          If you are a Tribe fan and want something to pay attention to at this time of year, keep an eye on the Arizona Fall League and Hawaii Winter League.  Several top prospects are playing this year, namely Beau Mills and Wes Hodges.  Hodges, a third baseman, has started quick, hitting two home runs in his first three games.  If the Indians are going to move Jhonny Peralta to the hot corner, Hodges could be the type of prospect other teams would covet.

MW