There are only ten games left for the Cleveland Indians. Just ten more games in this painful season. Ten more chances to finally improve the play of this team before they take off for the winter.
Tribe skipper Manny Acta said after Tuesday’s game in which his team blew a three run lead and lost 6-4 to the AL Central Division champion Minnesota Twins that the Tribe is a young team still learning how to play. The question here is this: Isn’t this game 149?
The point is most of these players have played at least half the season at the big league level, yet they continue to make fundamental errors. Why?
The AAA National Championship Game was a stark contrast, because at least in this game, the Indians’ highest minor league team played a fine game doing the little things you need to do to win at the big league level. Why can’t the major league team do these things?
It’s because a losing atmosphere is permeating this organization. Losing is accepted. The front office makes excuses for losing. Poor performance is written off as a learning experience.
Fans accepted it last year, but have started to tune out this baseball team. They will not tolerate another 90-loss season in 2011. That is if they care at all anymore.
It was refreshing to see the Columbus Clippers win the AAA title because for the most part, they did it without a bunch of ex-major leaguers, trying to play their way back to the big leagues. These were mostly guys on the way up. These are players who should get a chance in Cleveland next season. Many of them won an Eastern League title in Akron last season. They are used to winning.
Naturally, it appears that only a couple of the heroes of this title team will be called up before the year, catcher Luke Carlin and closer Vinnie Pestano. The only reason one can think of is the cost of bringing up more players is prohibitive.
Once again, money is getting in the way of progress for Cleveland Indians.
Seriously, look at the lineup the team is putting out on the field right now. Are Mark Shapiro and Manny Acta telling us we need to see more of Luis Valbuena instead of giving Cord Phelps a shot? Jose Constanza get take some of Trevor Crowe’s playing time? And let’s not forget Jared Goedert at third base in place of the immortal Jayson Nix.
The Tribe will tell you they don’t have space on the 40-man roster, but they could easily make some moves. They will probably put Nick Weglarz and Hector Ambriz on the 60 day disabled list to make room for Carlin and Pestano, and they could easily designate guys like Chris Gimenez and Andy Marte for assignment to make room for more players.
That seems cruel to those players, but check out the transaction page of your local newspaper, other teams are doing it.
And it shouldn’t be about being nice it should be about winning.
In spring training, once again, the roster will be virtually predetermined and only selected young players will have an opportunity to break camp with the major league team. And you wonder why the Tribe gets off to poor starts?
If Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall hit .450 in Arizona, let them open the season with the Indians. Stop worrying about what might happen if they fail, that part of the defeatist attitude that exists at Progressive Field.
Let’s start a new tradition of playing the best players. That would help the fans be serious about the franchise.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 