Are Tribe Fans Apathetic?

 

Recently, it was reported in Sporting News Today that the Detroit Tigers are interested in free agent closer Jose Valverde, because they feel the AL Central race will be wide open and they don’t want to be caught without having a proven guy at the back end of the bullpen.  Yesterday, they went out and signed him.

 

What a novel idea!

 

In a related story, the Cleveland Indians are hoping right-hander Jake Westbrook will remain healthy enough to be the team’s opening day starter.  Keep in mind that Westbrook hasn’t started a major league game since early in the 2008 season. 

 

Isn’t it great to be an Indians fan!

 

Once again, it’s not like the Tribe is in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox, who have high payrolls.  They are in a division with a bunch of middle markets, except for the White Sox, who certainly do not spend like a big market team. 

 

The ownership talked last fall about how the best-case scenario for this team is to contend every few years, and hope to catch lightning in a bottle.  How do Larry and Paul Dolan explain the Minnesota Twins, who seem to be in the mix every season? 

 

Even the national pundits are starting to figure out that the Dolans have no intent of spending anything this off-season.  In a chat on Baseball Prospectus.com, John Perrotto stated that GM Mark Shapiro is in no-spend mode.  My question is why?

 

The owners told us many years ago that they would spend when they had a chance to win.  Certainly, the 2009 Tribe was a flawed team that won only 65 games last season.  To the naked eye, that would be a rebuilding club, but once again be reminded the AL Central is winnable, even for the Cleveland Indians.

 

Just a little over a year ago, the Detroit Tigers finished last in the division, and they vaulted to a playoff game to get to the post-season with the Twins in 2009.  It can be done.  The Tigers added one pitcher by trade (Edwin Jackson) and another prospect (Rick Porcello), improved their defense by adding SS Adam Everett and moving Brandon Inge back to the hot corner, and they improved greatly. 

 

As of this moment, the Indians aren’t doing anything to improve their pitching staff, and the help they are bringing in general are guys who coming off injuries (39 year old infielder Mark Grudzielanek), a bad couple of seasons (Austin Kearns), or career minor leaguers (Shelley Duncan).

 

That’s pretty much doing nothing.

 

Spring training used to be a time of hope for all baseball fans.  Even growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, fans always hoped things would change, usually because trades were made for guys like Gaylord Perry, Bobby Bonds, and Bert Blyleven. 

 

Now, the game has changed and the owners use it as an excuse to do nothing.  There is no hope in Cleveland this winter.  The Dolan ownership has stomped it out of us.

 

There is not even any conversation on the Tribe on local sports talk shows, and spring training is a little over a month away.  It seems like interest in the Indians is at an all-time low.  Even when they were horrible in the Gabe Paul era, people would call to complain.

 

Congratulations to the Dolan family.  They have made people apathetic about their franchise.  That’s the worst thing that can happen.

 

KM