Time to tie up some loose end in the world of sports in Cleveland. Today, we will have comments about each of the three professional teams on the North Coast.
The Browns’ Defense. I have heard a lot about how the defense held Peyton Manning and the high-powered Colts’ offense to just three points last Sunday. And yes, Mel Tucker’s crew should get congratulations for that.
However, the same people point out how Houston was limited to just 16 points. I watched that game and the defense was a sieve in the first half. The only way the Texans were held to field goals was the penalties that put them in tough down and distance situations. In the second half, QB Sage Rosenfels threw a number of poor passes to open receivers that fell incomplete or became interceptions.
The Browns defense fails the eye test. That is to say, watch the games and tell me this is a good defense. Yes, they played well against the Colts, but I remember the games against the Cowboys, Ravens, Broncos, and even the Bills when they offered the same resistance as a piece of tissue paper. They got four turnovers against Buffalo and still gave up 27 points! This is not a good defense, period, and there must be changes in the off-season to upgrade the unit.
Tribe Search for a Closer. The baseball Winter Meetings take place in Las Vegas next week, and the Indians are still absent in the rumor mill. Yes, there is some stuff out there regarding Casey Blake, and occasionally 2B Orlando Hudson and Rockies’ 3B Garrett Atkins, but mostly there is quiet.
However, Baseball Prospectus’ John Perrotto has noted the Tribe will be players in the Francisco Rodriguez sweepstakes, and they have also been mentioned in regards to Seattle closer J.J. Putz. To me, Putz is the better option.
He will turn 32 in February and has a contract that includes a club option through the 2010 season. He is set to make about $5.5 million in ’09 and the option year is for a reported $8.6 million. This is far more affordable than the approximately $14-15 million Rodriguez will command. And Putz was the better pitcher in 2007. He has saved 91 games over the past three seasons.
Ferry Can’t Be Conservative. The Cavaliers are flying high right now and the temptation is to leave everything alone right now. The status quo is working, correct? I’m a great believer in player development, but when you can win a title by making a move, you have to go for it. You may not get another shot at winning and you owe it to the organization to try to get a championship.
Therefore, if Danny Ferry can turn the expiring contracts of Wally Szczerbiak or Eric Snow into something that can help the wine and gold in the playoffs, he has to do it. The Plain Dealer’s Brian Windhorst speculates that even if the Cavs deal Szczerbiak, he will be released by his new team, and would re-sign with the Cavaliers. He also said Joe Smith would be willing to come back here if he negotiates a buyout with Oklahoma City.
The point is this; the Cavaliers are good enough to win an NBA title next June. Whatever Danny Ferry has to do to accomplish this, he must do it. I’m sure owner Dan Gilbert will be behind any deal Ferry wants to make.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 