It’s been such a bad year for the Cleveland Indians, that even its alumni can’t get a break. Bert Blyleven missed election to baseball’s Hall of Fame by five votes, and Roberto Alomar was eight votes shy of getting to Cooperstown this summer.
The good news for each player is that every player who has gotten as close as the Dutchman has eventually been elected, and Alomar’s vote total is the highest for any first year eligible who didn’t get elected in his first year on the ballot. Both will likely gain entrance into baseball’s shrine next season.
Perhaps GM Mark Shapiro is contacting both players about a spot on the 2010 Indians. However, if either wants to be paid, the Tribe is probably not interested.
In other news, the team signed OF Austin Kearns and 1B/OF Shelley Duncan to minor league contracts. Can’t you see the line forming at the box office of Progressive Field?
Kearns hasn’t had a good season since 2007 (coincidentally the last time the Tribe had one as well) when he hit .266 with 16 HR and 74 RBI with the Nationals, where his manager was Manny Acta. His last pretty good year was the prior season when he hit .264 with 24 HR and 86 ribbies splitting time between Cincinnati and Washington.
His best season was his rookie year (2002) as he hit .315 with 13 dingers and 56 RBI’s in 107 games.
The downward trend of his career is inspiring, isn’t it?
He’s not really a platoon guy because his career numbers are about the same against right-handers or southpaws.
The Tribe will tell you that he’s been battling injuries the past two years, but he’s a bargain pick up, and the fact all he can get is a minor league deal tells you all you need to know.
Duncan is 30 years old and has played all of 68 games in the big leagues with a career batting average of .219. He hit 7 homers in 83 at bats with the Yankees in 2007, but in 80 at bats since, has hit just one dinger.
He has hit lefties pretty well in the bigs, hitting 90 points better against southpaws, although it is a very small sampling.
Aren’t all Indians’ fans excited at these two signings?
What is beyond understanding is the acceptance of this inertia from the media. Why do the Dolans get a pass? Yes, yes, we know the system isn’t fair, and Cleveland is a small market. However, this division is winnable! However, the team has to add to the talent on hand.
And in baseball, if you can get to the post-season, you have a shot. Right now, the ownership is not even giving the players or the fans that chance. That’s the crime.
If the Dolan family cannot have a team with a middle of the road payroll, they need to sell the ballclub. If they were really Indians’ fans, as they proclaim, they would understand it’s the best thing for the franchise. No one expects the Tribe to have a $150 million payroll like the Red Sox or Mets, but to say this team is in full rebuilding mode after one bad year (they were a .500 team in 2008), is not acceptable.
Another week, month, season of disappointment awaits fans of the Cleveland Indians until the owners authorize the front office to make moves.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 