All season long, we have been talking about the depth of the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The deepness of the wine and gold roster has never been more evident than in the team’s current eight game winning streak, much of which has occurred without primary ball handlers Mo Williams and Delonte West.

 

In fact, the Cavs have won five straight with Daniel Gibson as the starter, and using LeBron James more and more to initiate the offense.  Gibson was getting very little time over the previous four weeks, with Jawad Williams getting more minutes after Jamario Moon went out with a pulled abdominal muscle. 

 

Basically, Mike Brown was in a situation where he had to give a player who wasn’t getting any minutes about 30-35 minutes per game, and his team didn’t miss a beat.  

 

They’ve won close games (one point wins against Oklahoma City and Miami), road games (Miami and Indiana), and blowouts (14 points against Minnesota, 21 points vs. Indiana, 25 points against the Clippers).  They are looking better and better as each month of the season passes.

 

Having James at the playmaking spot allows Brown to use a big and versatile lineup with Anthony Parker at guard, Moon or Williams at small forward, Anderson Varajao at power forward, and either Shaquille O’Neal or Zydrunas Ilgauskas at center.  And they all can defend, which is most important to the coach, and also needed at playoff time.

 

This added depth has also allowed the team to not rush West back from his broken finger.  Had the wine and gold struggled with him out, the team might have had him back in the lineup at less than 100%.  The winning allows him to heal completely because they are actually gaining in the standings, as they now have a 5-1/2 game lead over Orlando for the best record in the East. 

 

Many people have labeled Parker a disappointment, but those people are overlooking the former Raptors’ play on the defensive end.  He did a very good job on Kobe Bryant a few weeks ago, and offensively, he is in there to hit open three point looks, which he does.  Anyone who thought Parker was going to come in and average 10-12 points per night didn’t understand why the Cavs signed him.

 

They say in the playoffs, coaches play eight guys and trust seven.  Mike Brown has the unenviable position of playing up to ten guys without much of a drop off.  Because most of these guys are role players, it may not be a difficult as it looks. 

 

Then again, all the depth accumulated by GM Danny Ferry and developed by the coaching staff may come in real handy in a couple of weeks when the trading deadline arrives. 

 

JK

 

One by one, the starting pitching options for the Cleveland Indians disappear.  Just this week, free agent hurlers Jon Garland and Ben Sheets signed contracts with the San Diego Padres and Oakland A’s, respectively.  Note that neither pitcher signed with big market teams.

 

Sheets received $10 million per year from Oakland, an outrageous amount considering he didn’t pitch at all in 2009, and is coming of flexor tendon surgery in his right elbow.  It is surprising that the former Brewer received a guaranteed deal instead of an incentive laden one.

 

Garland signed for around $5 million for this season, reportedly.  It says here he would have been a perfect option for the Indians, seeing that he is a proven innings eater, a reliable starting pitcher, something the Tribe really doesn’t have on their roster, no matter what they tell you.

 

Were the Indians interested in either pitcher?  We know that they did not actively scout Sheets when we worked out for most of the other major league teams.  As for Garland, there was no buzz involving Cleveland’s interest in him, as well as Jarrod Washburn and Eric Bedard, the other quality starters on the market.

 

Over the weekend, SportsTime Ohio’s Al Pawlowski was asked about his reaction to an article by ESPN’s Buster Olney saying the Indians were cheap.  Pawlowski took the company line and said the Tribe may be active closer to spring training when some bargains may be available.  The only two possible bargains that are worth anything are the aforementioned Washburn and Bedard, so it doesn’t look good for that type of signing.

 

Again, we are not saying the Indians should have a $150 million payroll.  This market doesn’t support that.  However, having a payroll in the $45-$55 million range is being cheap.  It is projected that the Indians’ 2010 players’ salaries will be around $54 million.  That’s in the Pittsburgh Pirate territory.  At that amount, the Tribe will have a lower payroll than any other team in the division, and outside of the White Sox, there are no major markets to compete against.

 

Also, it is understood that Cleveland is rebuilding, but is it necessary in this division?  With some added starting pitching, the Dolan family could find itself in the middle of a divisional pennant race.  However, it appears they are more interested in saving money. 

 

Maybe Indian fans can root for a profit?  Instead of cheering for players like Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez, the team could display their financial statement on the jumbotron, the crowd could go wild.  Instead of following the daily standings, fans can follow the financial pages.  We understand that it’s a business, but it’s also a sport, in which supporters of the team want to see victories. 

 

The Indians have taken that aspect away from the fans.  That’s what the Dolan ownership is all about.  That’s why the fan base has been eroded.

 

MW

 

As soon as the New Orleans Saints clinched a spot in the Super Bowl on Sunday, it was just a matter of time before it was noted that the Cleveland Browns are now one of four NFL franchises that have never been to the big game, along with Jacksonville, Houston, and Detroit.

 

The Jaguars and Texans (would any state besides Texas have a franchise named after the citizens of that state?) have an excuse.  Jacksonville has been in the NFL only since 1995, while Houston entered the league in 2002.  Both teams are relatively new.

 

However, the Lions and Browns have both been in the NFL over 50 years, the Lions entering in 1930 while the Browns came into the league in 1950, although they were absent for a few years in the 90’s, thanks to Art Modell. 

 

One of the things that bug me about the NFL is their lack of awareness of history, meaning they conveniently forget about anything that happened before the first Super Bowl following the 1966 season. 

 

In fact, the NFL records now refer to all NFL Championship games before the Green Bay-Kansas City Super Bowl I matchup as NFC title games.  This was noticed looking at the record for most touchdowns in an NFC championship and the names of Gary Collins (1964) and Otto Graham (1954) are tied for the record with three apiece.

 

The legendary “Greatest Game Ever Played”, the 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants that went to overtime, is now relegated to NFC Championship game status, a game in which the winner plays for the Super Bowl title. 

 

It means the glory days of the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, which occurred in the 1950’s are diminished, even though they were the NFL Champions!, the same as the team which wins a week from Sunday in Miami. 

 

However, according to the people who report about the sports right now, the Browns and Lions have never won an NFL title. 

 

Unfortunately, the Lions won the championship in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957.  The Browns won in 1950, 1954, 1955, and 1964.  Those are simply facts. 

 

Why can’t the NFL list the champions before 1967?  Most people think of the Vince Lombardi-led Packers as the winners of the first two Super Bowls, and that Green Bay has won three Super Bowls.  But those Packers also won NFL titles in 1961, 1962, and 1965, which means that Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis and company were part of five championship squads.  In fact, the Packers have won a dozen titles in total.

 

It’s also disrespecting to the greats who played during this era.  While many speak of Joe Montana and his four championships, keep in mind that Bart Starr won five NFL titles, or that Otto Graham and Johnny Unitas were at the helm for three championship teams. 

 

It is time the NFL recognized all teams who have won NFL Championships.  They can definitely speak of the Super Bowl era, but they shouldn’t forget the formative years of the league in the 1940’s and 50’s.

 

JD

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers got some bad news before last night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers as they found out Mo Williams will be out 4-6 weeks with a sprained shoulder.  The news didn’t affect them as they went out and beat the defending champs 93-87, thus sweeping the two regular season games against Los Angeles.

 

Despite the victory, the Cavs received more bad news after the game as Delonte West injured his ring finger on his shooting hand, and may miss significant time.

 

Kobe Bryant has the reputation as the ultimate closer in the NBA, a reputation, I may add, that is well deserved.  However, last night it was LeBron James who took over the game down the stretch, scoring 11 straight points late in the fourth quarter to get the wine and gold a victory.

 

Bryant started out hot, but ended the game needing 31 shots to get his 31 points.  Of course, Bryant came into the game reportedly suffering some effects from the flu, a bad back, and a broken finger.  Why does it always seem Bryant isn’t at his best physically against the Cavaliers?

 

The Cavs used a combination of physical defense by Anthony Parker early, and double teams with Parker and Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the fourth quarter to keep Bryant in check.

 

James was much more efficient, scoring 37 points on 25 shots, while dishing out 9 assists.  He was just the opposite of Bryant on this evening, shooting the ball very poorly early in the night, but hit some big shots from the perimeter late.  In the interim, he attacked the basket, getting to the free throw line 12 times, making 10.

 

The King had help, though.  Shaquille O’Neal put the Laker bigs in foul trouble, Parker hit two big threes in the second half, and J.J. Hickson played one of his best games with 11 points and more importantly 14 rebounds. 

 

The Cavs now have to look forward to an immediate future without Williams and likely, West.  Daniel Gibson will probably move into the starting lineup if West is out for a while, but even with Delonte healthy, ball handling would be a concern.  Gibson struggles with the ball when pressured by defenders. 

 

GM Danny Ferry may bring back Coby Karl on a ten-day contract to bolster the spot, but Karl really hasn’t played extended minutes (76 total career) in the NBA, especially as a point guard.  He’s more of a shooting guard who can play point if necessary.

 

Ferry may also look at Antonio Daniels, who the Cavs took a look at earlier this season.  But if West is going to be out for an extended time, the team will need to add a guard who can handle the ball unless LBJ takes over some of those duties, and that’s something the Cavaliers should stay away from.  James is far more important as the finisher.

 

At this point, it appears the moves made over the summer have paid off.  The Cavs are 3-1 on the season against the Celtics, Lakers, and Magic, with two of the three wins on the road. 

 

The moves Ferry makes in the next couple of days to bring in a guard may be just as important for the wine and gold if they want to secure home court advantage throughout the playoffs. 

 

JK

 

The Cleveland Indians actually showed a little activity last week, signing free agent veteran catcher Mike Redmond, and trading prospect Jose Brito to Pittsburgh for light hitting utility man Brian Bixler, a Sandusky native. 

 

Going into the off-season, GM Mark Shapiro said he wanted a right-handed hitter, a backup catcher, and a utility man, and he filled all three spots.  Now you can debate how well those spots were filled by guys like Austin Kearns, Shelley Duncan, Mark Grudzielanek, Redmond, and Bixler, but they were filled.

 

Didn’t anyone look at the pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation?

 

Actually, getting Redmond is a good signing.  He’s been a solid hitter in his career, albeit without a lot of power.  He’s 39 years old, but hasn’t been a regular in his time in the big leagues; in fact, he’s never played 100 games in a season.  He’s a lifetime .289 hitter, but has just 13 homers in 2201 career at bats.  He also puts the ball in play on a regular basis.

 

As for Bixler, he seems to be a John McDonald-type of player:  good glove, no bat.  He hit .227 in 44 at bats with the Bucs last season, but hit just .157 in 108 at bats in 2008.  He can play all over the infield, but is a shortstop by trade.  He will be in the mix to replace Jamey Carroll as the backup infielder.

 

However, the starting pitching is a huge question mark, and that puts the Tribe on the outside looking in when it comes to contending for a division title.  Here are the candidates to start for the 2010 Cleveland Indians:

 

Jake Westbrook:  The expectation is he will be the Opening Day starter.  However, he’s pitched exactly 34 innings in the major leagues since starting Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS against the Red Sox.  Please note he only started 25 games that year, so he’s three years removed from the last of three consecutive 200 inning seasons from 2004-06.  Even when healthy, Westbrook has a lifetime ERA of 4.31.  If he can hold up, he’s a good third starter, but…

 

Fausto Carmona:  Carmona has pitched in the major leagues in four seasons, and has had three years with an ERA of over 5.00.  That would make his 19-8 season in ’07 the aberration, correct?  He has electric stuff, but has had problems controlling it.  Without his magical 2007 campaign, he’s 14-29 in the majors with a 5.79 ERA.  Right now, he should be a fifth starter with his track record.  Someone you aren’t really counting on, which is a direct opposite of how the Tribe views him.

 

David Huff:  The 25-year-old southpaw led the Indians in victories last season with 11, but had an ERA of over 5.61 and allowed 159 hits in 128 innings.  Huff should be getting better, and did improve as the season went along last season, but he has no proven track record.  At this point in his development, he should be a back of the rotation guy. 

 

Justin Masterson:  Acquired in the Victor Martinez deal, the 25-year-old right-hander is another young guy with plus stuff.  However, he went 1-7 with a 4.55 ERA after joining the Tribe, and has thrown all of 217 innings in the show.  Control has been an issue with 100 walks in those frames to go along with 187 strikeouts.  He may be better suited coming out of the bullpen, and in fact has made only 25 starts in 78 major league appearances.

 

 Aaron Laffey:  The 25-year-old southpaw may have the best track record of any of the young pitchers, with a 16-18 career record accompanying a 4.39 ERA.  Unfortunately, he has only pitched 264 big league innings, with a high of 121 last season.  He has problems finding the strike zone at times, as evidenced by a whiff to walk ratio of 127:100.  He needs to show better control to succeed long term as a starter.  Yet another guy suited for the back of a rotation.

 

Jeremy Sowers:  This former first round pick may need a big spring training to save his employment with the Indians.  After a promising rookie season (7-4, 3.57 ERA) in 2006, Sowers has gone 11-26 with a 5.63 ERA over the past three seasons.  Sowers’ history has been that he’s good the first time through an order, but struggles thereafter.  Right now, he should rank behind both Huff and Laffey.

 

Carlos Carrasco:  One of the guys who came to town in the Cliff Lee deal, the 23-year-old righty was a top prospect in Philly, who’s star fell a little bit.  He struggled mightily in his September call up with the Tribe, going 0-4 with an 8.87 ERA.  His minor league numbers were 11-10 with a 4.64 ERA last season.  He has always been a guy who looks better than his numbers.  If he does well in Goodyear, he should get a shot at opening the season in the bigs, as opposed to some of the other alternatives.

 

Hector Rondon:  The 22-year-old is the dark horse in this race because of the Tribe’s cautiousness in dealing with prospects.  Rondon started last season in Akron where he went 7-5 with a 2.75 ERA before being promoted to Columbus, where he was 4-5 with a 4.00 ERA at the tender age of 21.  However, with the shortcomings of the other candidates, Rondon should get a shot if he pitches well in the desert.

 

As you can see, the starting rotation is a gaping hole for the Cleveland Indians.  If Fausto Carmona returns to his 2007 form, if Carrasco or Rondon prove ready to win at the big league level, if Westbrook holds up all season long. 

 

For a team with the offense and bullpen to compete in the AL Central, that’s too many question marks. 

 

KM

 

 

All in all, going 3-2 on a five game road trip out west is a successful trek.  The only disappointment was the Utah game where unknown Sundiata Gaines, hit a three with Anthony Parker guarding him well, otherwise the wine and gold would have gone 4-1 on the trip. 

 

Still, the Cavs ended the trip with the best record in the Eastern Conference, and with a favorable schedule to come, it will be very difficult for the Celtics, Magic, or Hawks to overtake Cleveland and finish the season with the #1 seed. 

 

The Cavaliers play 11 of their next 13 games at home, a streak that extends past the All-Star game, well into February.  There are some tough opponents on the slate, including three games against playoff teams this week at the Q against Toronto, the Lakers, and the surprising Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Kevin Durant. 

 

After a couple of road games next week, the wine and gold return to downtown Cleveland for five straight home contests.  That’s a very long home stand by NBA standards.

 

Now the debate is whether or not the Cavaliers have enough to bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Cleveland after the playoffs.  It says here they do, but that doesn’t mean GM Danny Ferry should pass on an opportunity to make his team better.  There were some in the media who panicked after the loss to Utah (WKNR host from 6-9 PM was one), but it was one loss.

 

It’s more important for the wine and gold to operate their offense properly down the stretch of games.  They have lost more games because of that than the more play of individual players.  That’s why it’s not necessary to make a move. 

 

Also, remember that basketball is the ultimate team sport, and bringing in a significant player may cause more harm than good.  You also need to keep in mind the salary cap, meaning that Antawn Jamison’s mega-salary for next season would hamper Ferry from making a big move in the off-season. 

 

Another thing to be aware of is that the Cavs will get another role player after the all-star break in Leon Powe, who should return from his knee injury around that time.  All of the home games on the schedule during this period will give Powe a chance to practice and get on the same page as his new teammates.

 

If Ferry can make a move that makes sense, why not do it?  However, screwing up the chemistry is something that cannot be overlooked.  Remember how the Cavs started the season?  Everyone was shocked at two straight losses. 

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to win a title.  They were last season as well, but they have made changes to address the weaknesses that showed up in the Orlando series last summer.  This team has different ways to beat teams, they have shown that ability already in putting together a 31-11 record thus far. 

 

JK 

 

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

 

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers have started out winning two out of three on their current and last west coast trip of the season.  They now have opened up a two game lead over the Boston Celtics for the best record in the Eastern Conference, and as previously written, the schedule gets easier for the wine and gold after this trip.

 

The biggest news of late for the Cavs is the emergence of another member of their bench, making arguably the deepest bench in the NBA even deeper.  The new contributor is even a hometown guy, who grew up in Cleveland and played at St. Edward High School before going on to North Carolina. 

 

Jawad Williams, welcome to the real beginning of your NBA career.

 

When Jamario Moon went on the shelf with an abdominal strain a little over a week ago, the common thought was that Daniel Gibson would pick up his minutes.  However, it has been Williams who has gained the most playing time.

 

He took advantage of his opportunity in the last home game against Washington, playing 25 minutes, scoring seven points and dishing out four assists.  He was also on the floor when the Cavs went on a couple of runs leading to an easy victory.

 

He played less than 10 minutes in a loss to Denver, but contributed two huge three pointers in Sunday night’s win at Portland.  Jawad played 17 minutes in that game, scoring 10 points (a career high) and grabbing a couple of rebounds.

 

In Oakland Monday night, Williams established a new career high in points with 11, and also passed out two assists in 20 minutes.  He’s long and uses his size on defense, which has helped him gain time in Mike Brown’s rotation. 

 

Meanwhile, Gibson’s playing time has dwindled since the coach decided to go to a nine-man rotation.  Williams seized his opportunity to pass Gibson on the depth chart, and he has been a big contributor in the past four games. 

 

We knew the Cavaliers were deep going into the season, but we had no idea they had a gem on the far end of the bench like Jawad Williams.  Based on their performances when they get on the floor, both he and Darnell Jackson could get a lot of minutes for many NBA teams, but it’s tough to get that time when you are playing for a team that wins 75% of its games.

 

The Cavs have been searching for a “stretch four” all off-season and this year as well.  Perhaps the answer could be Williams, who is 6’9” and 220 pounds, a similar build to Orlando’s Rashard Lewis, who hurt the wine and gold in the playoffs and is 6’10” and 230 pounds.  It will be interesting to see if the former St. Ed’s standout remains effective with extended minutes, and will he continue to play when Moon returns to the lineup.

 

Even if he goes back to the end of the bench, Jawad Williams has paid dividends for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  It’s a tribute to GM Danny Ferry for giving him a shot, and also a tribute to the coaching staff for developing a young player. 

 

Williams wouldn’t be the first player who is a late bloomer.  Just ask the guy he’s replacing in the rotation.  It took Jamario Moon a long time to be an NBA regular too.

 

JK

 

Mike Holmgren is set to name Tom Heckert as the Cleveland Browns’ GM as early as today.  However, his first move as the team president proved to be a stunner.  He kept Eric Mangini on as his head coach. 

 

Most observers figured Holmgren would bring in someone he has worked with in the past, someone who is also a West Coast offense aficionado.  But he stayed with Mangini, who won his last four games after starting out 1-11.

 

Why?  There are several possibilities to ponder. 

 

Perhaps The Big Show thought the four consecutive victories showed the team turned the corner.  After all, the last team to win their last four after a 1-11 start was the 1993 New England Patriots, and they made the playoffs the following season. 

 

It’s more likely though, that Holmgren wanted to wait until 2011 to look for a coach when Jon Gruden might be interested in coming back, or perhaps the Eagles’ Andy Reid may be available.  After all, that’s where Heckert is coming from. 

 

In the meantime, Mangini will get a year to see if he can work with Holmgren and Heckert, and to see if he can live with just coaching.  That’s not the job he came here for, he was to have control over the draft and the 53-man roster, something he likely no longer has.

 

Perhaps it’s just as simple as having to trust Holmgren on this one.  He was hired because of his experience in the NFL, and his success in the league.  Most Browns’ fans rejoiced at finally having a football man in charge.  So now, you have to trust that he knows what he’s doing in keeping Mangini as the head coach of this football team.

 

However, Mangini has to learn to coach talented players who might have a little different attitude.  It’s nice if your best players have a tremendous work ethic, but that always isn’t the case.  You can’t keep getting rid of guys who can play. 

 

It will also be interested in seeing the make up of the coaching staff.  Yes, the entire staff was welcomed back, but it would be stunning if some changes weren’t made, especially on the offensive side of the ball.  You know Holmgren will want a coach who is very familiar with the west coast attack.

 

The same is true with the hiring of Heckert.  The Eagles have had some good drafts recently and hopefully, he is responsible for them.  We have no way of knowing for sure, but you have to trust Holmgren and Reid, who recommended Heckert for the gig.  Apparently, Heckert will have control of the 53-man roster something he didn’t have in Philadelphia. 

 

Some of compared his hiring to making Phil Savage the GM, but the huge difference here is the presence of Holmgren.  Savage was the highest football man in the organization, and didn’t seem to want to be in the office much, preferring to be out on the road scouting. 

 

Heckert will not have that handicap as Holmgren is in the office running the football operations.

 

Mike Holmgren wants to win and wants to do it as soon as possible.  It is doubtful he would make decisions that would be detrimental to accomplishing that.  You have to trust the man based on his track record.

 

JD

 

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