Comments on The Cleveland Pros

 

As we come to the end of another month, some comments on each of the Cleveland sports teams—

 

CAVALIERS

 

The wine and gold have played just two games this season, and there is every confidence they will be a championship contender, but a few things are irritating after training camp and these first two games. 

 

First, Mike Brown needs to shelve the idea of playing Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas at the same time.  For a coach who made his mark in the NBA coaching defense, he has to see that this is a huge defensive liability.  Toronto outscored the Cavs by a bundle when this duo was on the floor together. 

 

I understand the coach is still trying to find his rotation, but he needs to get J.J. Hickson and Jamario Moon on the floor more often.  Hickson will never learn to subtleties of NBA defense on the bench, and Moon brings the athleticism missing with Delonte West’s absence, particularly on defense. Anthony Parker is not cut out to playing 35-40 minutes per night. 

 

If you are built on defense, then put your best defensive team out there on a more consistent basis.

 

BROWNS

 

Their season is in the toilet, and the coach is talking about special teams.  I don’t claim to know more than an NFL coach, but I thought rookie Coye Francies looked pretty good in the pre-season games.  However, he’s been inactive for the last three games.

 

Why?  Apparently, because he’s not making an impact on special teams. 

 

Meanwhile, the Browns’ secondary is getting beaten like an egg.

 

Why not give Francies a shot at playing defensive back, the position he’s been trained to play?  Heck, right now the team is using a wide receiver as a nickel back. 

 

The guys on special teams are players who are back ups, because a coach doesn’t want to risk his starters on punt and kickoff teams.  Isn’t it more important to have guys play on every down, and play well?  If the rookie can perform better at CB than Brandon McDonald, then he should be on the field even if he’s not a good special teamer.

 

The Browns have a very good special teams unit.  However, they seem to have trouble stopping the pass and tackling.  Francies seemed like a guy willing to stick his nose in and hit someone. 

 

Mangini should worry more about receivers gashing his secondary than keeping a guy on the active roster who can cover kicks.

 

It’s another case of misplaced priorities for the Browns’ coaching staff.

 

INDIANS

 

Still recovering from watching Cliff Lee dominate the Yankees in game 1 of the World Series, it reminded me that Lee should still be pitching for the Tribe next season.  The Phillies will undoubtedly exercise the option on the southpaw’s deal for 2010, something the Indians could have done as well.

 

GM Mark Shapiro’s biggest need for next season is starting pitching, yet he traded one of the game’s best for a group of players who will not have nearly the same impact on the ’10 Tribe as Lee would have. 

 

Lou Marson might be the Indians’ starting catcher next season, and INF Jason Donald may be a platoon player at 2B with Luis Valbuena, but Shapiro could have easily have found people to take their places.  Behind the plate, you could keep Kelly Shoppach (yeck!) or promote Carlos Santana, and at the keystone spot you could keep Jamey Carroll, or sign another utility infielder.

 

Carlos Carrasco might be in next season’s rotation, but he also may have to start the year in Columbus based on his performance in September.  Jason Knapp, the so-called “key to the deal” had shoulder surgery a couple of months ago, and was in Class A ball anyway.  He is years away from appearing in the big leagues.

 

It would be one thing if Shapiro had received players who would impact the big league roster in 2010 for Lee.  He didn’t, and by the way, he still needs a starting pitcher…like Cliff Lee.

 

MW