One of the spots up for grabs in Spring Training for the Cleveland Indians is the fifth spot in the starting rotation.  The candidates are a trio of southpaws:  Cliff Lee, Aaron Laffey, and Jeremy Sowers.  Lee is the veteran of the group, and Laffey finished the season holding that spot.  Sowers pitched very well in 2006, but struggled early in the season and spent most of the summer in Buffalo.

 

With yesterday’s three scoreless inning performance against the Tigers, a frontrunner has emerged, and it’s Cliff Lee.  Although he struggled in his previous outing against the Reds, in which he didn’t get out of the first inning, the veteran has a 3.86 ERA in 4-2/3 frames.  This might not sound all that impressive, but the other two candidates for the spot both have ERA’s of 18.00 in four innings of work.  Laffey has walked nine batters in his three stints on the mound this spring, not a good thing for a ball club who preaches throwing strikes.

 

Lee had problems last year after starting the spring with an abdominal pull.  It through his entire season into disarray, but in reality his struggles started in 2006.  Following the 2005 season, Lee was regarding as one of the best young lefties in the game, some even rating him ahead of his teammate, C.C. Sabathia.  He put together an outstanding season, going 18-5 with a 3.79 ERA, and he allowed just 194 hits in 202 innings of work. 

 

The next season, his hits allowed increased by 30 in about the same number of frames, but he still posted a 14-11 mark with a respectable 4.40 ERA.  He won 46 games over a three-year period, and at worst would have been considered an above average starting pitcher.  Last year, Lee settled into a rut, one he could not get out of all year, and was sent to Buffalo after the All Star break.  He seemed to throw fastball after fastball, and hitters took advantage of his refusal to mix pitches.

 

A return to even his ’06 form would be a huge plus to the Tribe.  He would give them five starters who have won 15 games in a season at least once in their career.  How many major league teams can say that?  It would also give Buffalo a starting rotation some big league teams would love to have in Sowers, Laffey, Adam Miller as the top three starters.  This is the type of depth in pitching that allowed the Indians to win the division last season.

 

Cliff Lee threw down the gauntlet to his competitors.  Now, it is up to Laffey and Sowers to respond.  There is nothing wrong with a little competition within a team.  They say the toughest thing is not getting to the major leagues, it’s staying there.  Lee got a taste of failure in 2007, if he can put it behind him and learn from it, the Tribe will reap the benefits of not dealing him in the off-season.

 

MW

 

 

First, in building this team, GM Phil Savage took away their raison d’etre, the NFL Draft.  With no picks in the first three rounds, there will be no draft parties this year.  Many experts agree that the draft is the lifeblood of the NFL.  Teams that pick wisely are successful, and those that don’t resemble the Browns from 1999-2005.  The reason the brown and orange struggled in these years, were the number of high picks that turned out to be busts.  Remember, Tim Couch, Gerard Warren, and Courtney Brown?

 

As long as this is not an every year occurrence, there is nothing wrong with dealing draft picks for proven talented players who are not at the end of their careers.  Corey Williams is only 27 years old, entering his prime.  Shaun Rogers is slightly older, 29, and has had conditioning issues with the Lions.  However, Crennel and Savage probably look at a guy like Ted Washington, and figure Rogers could have four or five productive years remaining on the gridiron.

 

The other reason Browns’ fans are upset is the signing of Derek Anderson.  Normally, keeping a quarterback who fired 29 touchdown passes and let the team to 10-5 record in the games he started would be a good thing.  However, there are many members of the Dawg Pound who want Brady Quinn to be the Cleveland starter.  Most people fear the unknown, but Browns’ supporters embrace it.  They are convinced that Quinn is the better player.

 

Look, he may wind up to be better than Anderson.  I was very impressed with the former Irish signal caller in the exhibition season.  I also see some flaws in the current starter.  He did have a problem adjusting to defenses that took away the deep ball.  But, he did lead the Cleveland Browns to the brink of the playoffs and a 10-6 record.  He deserves to be the starting quarterback in the opener this fall.  If after a few weeks, he’s not getting the job done, and Quinn did well in the pre-season games, the coaching staff can make a change. 

 

All Anderson’s contract means is that he will start 2008 as the starter.  After that, the money involved isn’t prohibitive, so he could be dealt if the front office and coaching staff thinks Quinn is the man, he will take over in 2009 if not sooner.  Phil Savage is not giving up on Brady Quinn; he’s just hedging his bets by keeping both QB’s for one more year.  It’s a sound football decision.  There are many NFL teams who don’t have one legitimate signal caller; the Cleveland Browns have a pair.  With the injuries that happen at that position, Savage is doing the right thing, and he shouldn’t be criticized for it.

 

JD  

 

The exhibition season is a week old in baseball, and certainly it is way to early to jump to any conclusions about the 2008 Cleveland Indians.  In most games, half of the regulars are getting the day off, and pitchers who will be on the opening day roster are only throwing four or five innings.  However, there are some things to keep an eye on as spring training progresses.

 

Andy Marte.  The third baseman is learning to be more versatile by getting time at 1B and LF in camp, but the troubling thing right now is he is not hitting.  He had two knocks yesterday to raise his average to .200 in 15 at bats.  One good sign is he is making contact, striking out just twice.  However, Marte needs to start showing the pop he has displayed in his minor league career.  If he continues to struggle, it will be difficult to justify breaking camp with him on the 25-man roster.

 

Travis Hafner.  Although he has played in only three games, Pronk is still hitless in seven at bats this spring.  Remember, last year, Grady Sizemore struggled in Florida, and started whacking home runs when the regular season started.  However, the Tribe needs Hafner’s bat to return to 2005 and 2006 form to have enough offense to win the Central Division.  Starting out 0 for 7 makes me a slight bit uneasy.

 

Michael Aubrey.  The former first round draft pick has showed that he can indeed hit.  He came out of college with a reputation as a pure hitter, perhaps the most polished collegiate bat the year he was drafted.  However, injuries, mostly back problems, have stalled his progress.  He has been healthy this spring, and has gone 5 for 10 with a couple of doubles.  It would be nice if he can stay in the lineup all season to see how far he can advance in the organization.

 

Beau Mills.  Last year’s first round pick homered yesterday and is 3 for 7 on the spring.  It is said the ball makes a different sound coming off his bat, the same sound made as the good hitters.  Mills will probably start the season at Class AA Akron, and is definitely on the fast track to the major leagues.  His problem is what position he will play, 1B or 3B.  Most scouts feel his best spot is first or DH.

 

Scott Elarton.  The non-roster invitee has thrown 4-1/3 scoreless innings in three appearances.  He was brought to camp basically as a favor so he could showcase his wares for other teams, but might be pitching his way into consideration.  The big man is strictly working out of the bullpen now, so perhaps he starts the season in Buffalo, and could find his way back to the big leagues as relief depth for the Tribe.

 

MW

 

 

It has been almost two weeks since the Cleveland Cavaliers turned over their roster.  Six players departed and four came to the wine and gold in the well documented three-team deal consummated just prior to the NBA trading deadline.  Have the Cavs improved?  Are the strong enough to make a return trip to The Finals?  Has anyone surprised us? 

The most heralded players coming to the Cavaliers were Ben Wallace and Wally Szczerbiak, well known, highly paid veterans.  However, the best additions to the roster were the other two guys, Joe Smith and Delonte West.  West has moved into the starting lineup and has shown an ability to push the ball up the court unlike anyone the team has had in recent years.  West is also unafraid to stick his nose in and rebound, block shots, and play defense.  He may have problems with smaller quick guys like the Bucks’ Maurice Williams, but he has the length that Coach Mike Brown likes in his starting backcourt.

 

Smith has become the forgotten guy, not just by the fans, but also by his coach.  Smith’s ability to make the mid-range shot came in very handy Sunday afternoon as he hit four jumpers in the fourth quarter to help the wine and gold comeback.  Quite frankly, he needs to get more time.  He’s a solid rebounder, and also keeps the ball alive on the offensive end.  When Zydrunas Ilgauskas returns from his back issues, he and Smith will came a strong offensive combination in the frontcourt.

 

It is too soon to evaluate how much Wallace has in the tank, but I still believe he will be at his best playing around 25-28 minutes per night.  Against the Celtics, he did force Kevin Garnett off the low block, but he couldn’t handle the big ticket on the pick and roll.  The Timberwolves’ Al Jefferson scored 18 first half points against the Cavs last Friday night, and although you can’t hold Big Ben accountable for all of them, I thought the deal solved the wine and gold’s problems defending big men in the post.  Another thing is clear, you can’t have both Wallace and Anderson Varajao in the game at the same time.  It gives the defense two players they really don’t have to guard.

 

Szczerbiak is a perfect bench guy for this team.  He does struggle on defense, especially when forced to play off guards, and his shot has been off since coming to Cleveland.  However, against the Bulls, his shot returned and he hit some key shots in the fourth quarter.  When he’s making his long-range jumpers, he can change momentum in a hurry.  He is also not just a sniper.  We have seen him post up smaller opponents, and he can drive to the basket as well.  He will be a major contributor for the Cavs, especially come playoff time.

 

There is no question that all four players will be key contributors to any success this Cavalier team has.  However, if Smith and West continue to play well, they just may be the difference makers to get past Boston and/or Detroit in the post season.  The coaching staff needs to get Smith, in particular, on the floor more often for the Cavs to win.  All four are important, but Joe Smith and Delonte West are much more important than anyone analyzing this trade thought right after they became Cavaliers.

 

JK

 

 

What has happened in good ol’ Cleveland, Ohio?  Suddenly, it’s a city where wheeling and dealing occur.  Last week, the Cavaliers were involved in an 11 player, three team trade in which GM Danny Ferry unloaded half of his roster.  This past weekend, it was the Browns turn.  Phil Savage, a guy who is known for his draft expertise, traded two picks in the first three rounds to upgrade his defense.  The next thing you know, Tribe GM Mark Shapiro will make a seven-player trade before spring training ends.  Uh, maybe not.

 

A few weeks ago, I discussed the areas in which the Browns needed help.  The chief spot was in the front seven, and I wrote that Savage would probably replace at least three and maybe four starters among the defensive line and linebackers.  In two separate deals Friday and early Saturday morning, he took care of two spots and perhaps three.  He dealt a second round pick to Green Bay for Corey Williams, and a third round pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden to Detroit for two time Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers.  There was no standing pat for the Browns’ GM.

 

I was a little surprised by the trade of Bodden, because I consider cornerback one of the most important positions on defense.  If you have people who can handle wide receivers by themselves, it enables the defensive coordinators to do many things to rush the passer.  For example, a team could blitz using linebackers or safeties because they know the wide outs are taken care of.  Apparently, Savage thinks the Browns still have depth at the spot with Eric Wright, Brandon McDonald, and Davin Holly.  That, and Bodden’s frequent injuries (and perhaps his brush with the law), made him expendable.

 

The next spot on the agenda for Savage is linebacker.  Outside of Kamerion Wimbley, he and Romeo Crennel cannot feel confident with this position.  D’Qwell Jackson might remain as the starter, but I’m sure the Browns feel they can do better than Andra Davis at one inside spot, and veteran Willie McGinest at the other outside spot.  The Browns did talk to Titans OLB Travis LaBoy this weekend, so they are looking for another pass rusher to play on the outside.  That, together with the knowledge that Rogers and Williams can get to the QB, instantly improves the rush.

 

The other area of need addressed by the GM was wide receiver, where the team inked Donte Stallworth to a seven-year deal.  With Joe Jurevicius likely to play just one more year, getting Stallworth provides the team with three good wide outs.  Jurevicius will probably become the third receiver in 2008, with Stallworth moving in as the starter.  The move likely means that former third round pick, Travis Wilson, will likely be looking for a new job before the season starts. 

 

The Cleveland Browns demonstrated in 2007 that they could score points.  They bring back everybody from that offense in 2008, and they added depth at wide receiver.  They also may add another offensive lineman in free agency to maintain that depth.  The defense needed work, and Phil Savage went out and fixed the front seven, much like he fixed the offensive line before last season.  Several experts are saying the Browns are now the team to beat in the AFC North.  The Browns didn’t stand still in the off-season; they took a giant leap forward. 

 

JD

 

 

UPDATE:  Anderson signed a three year contract with the Browns after this was written.  I still feel Anderson will be traded for at least a first round pick before the NFL Draft.  Anderson’s new deal is more cap friendly than the deal he was asking for originally.  Perhaps, Phil Savage thinks he can get more than a #1 and #3 pick for the Pro Bowl alternate.

JD

 

It appears that Derek Anderson’s days as quarterback of the Cleveland Browns will be limited to the 2007 season, a year he was an alternative for the Pro Bowl.  Anderson and the team could not come to terms on a long term deal, so Phil Savage offered the high tender offer which means another team can sign the QB and the Browns would receive 1^st and 3^rd round draft picks as compensation.  I am not devastated by this news.

 

I have advocated keeping the former Oregon State signal caller for the 2008 campaign, but that was based on having him agree to a 3-year deal.  Apparently, Anderson and his agents want to sign a pact which gives him Tony Romo money, which is too much for a player who has started just one season.  Savage doesn’t want to break the bank on DA.  The best scenario would be for the brown and orange to keep both players for another season, but not if it is going to disrupt the salary cap in the future.

 

This is a key decision for Savage, but if you think he is doing a good job rebuilding the team, then you have to trust him on this one.  I have to believe that the GM and the coaching staff, in particular, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, have viewed all of the film from last season, and have determined that Anderson is not the second coming of Dan Marino.  These guys are professional and their opinion has to be respected.  I doubt that Savage and his people would make this type of decision if they felt the team would regress to 4-12 in 2008.

 

The same guys also watch Quinn in practice and appear to share the opinion that the 2007 first round pick can do the job as well as Anderson did this past season.  If Savage improves the defense like I think he will, the offense doesn’t have to score as many points to win in 2008, so the front office seems to feel that even if the second year player has some growing pains, the Browns will still be able to win enough games to make the playoffs.

 

Another reason that I believe Anderson will not be back is the likely trade with Green Bay for DE Corey Williams.  The rumors are that Cleveland is giving up a second round pick for the lineman, who has picked up 14 sacks in the last two years, and would help shore up the front seven for the Browns.  I find it very unlikely that Savage would give up this choice in a draft already lacking a first round pick if he didn’t think he was getting a first and a third round choice in a deal for Anderson.  In this scenario, the Browns get Williams and save the money they would have paid the quarterback so they can use it for more defensive help, and a back up veteran QB.

 

This is big decision for Phil Savage.  If he’s right on Quinn, the team can improve its defense and still have solid quarterback play.  If Quinn isn’t the answer, he is letting a guy who threw 29 TD passes leave the organization for draft picks, albeit very high ones.  Based on what the GM has done in his first three years here, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt.  The Cleveland Browns could vault into Super Bowl contention if he is right.

 

JD

 

 

Tomorrow afternoon, baseball will return to the Cleveland area, albeit via the radio airwaves.  The first exhibition from Florida will take place when the Tribe takes on the Houston Astros.  Finally, something to look forward to even if we are battling the snowstorm that has hit the North Coast this week.  The crack of the bat, pitches popping into the catchers’ glove, and vendors yelling peanuts will start to be heard in one more day.  Baseball is back and opening day is just around the corner.

 

Unfortunately, the first bit of bad news regarding injuries has already occurred with the news of Adam Miller’s finger.  Miller has had problems staying healthy over the past three seasons.  In fact, had he not been hurt, he probably would have already been with the Tribe going into the 2007 season.  It is definitely a concern that he has only been healthy one year out of the last four campaigns.  You have to wonder about a player who has a history of spending time on the disabled list.

 

However, I can think of another pitcher who had blister problems on his fingers in recent years and the problem was corrected and he’s turned into a bona fide ace.  That would be Josh Beckett, who helped the Red Sox eliminate the Tribe and win the World Series for Boston.  I understand Miller’s problem is not only blisters, but sometimes being patient with a young guy pays dividends.  It’s easy to look at problems and think a player is expendable, but Miller could turn into a dominant starter if he can stay healthy.  Let’s hope he can stay in the rotation early in the year at Buffalo, so he can show what he can do at the AAA level.

 

Another player to keep an eye on is outfielder Ben Francisco, who had three hits in the first intersquad game yesterday.  Francisco won the International League batting title last season, and delivered some big hits in his time wearing an Indians’ uniform.  It will be interesting to see what happens if Francisco puts up big numbers in spring training.  Will Mark Shapiro make room for him by trading Jason Michaels?  The youngster would be a good option in LF, with David Dellucci spelling him against tough right-handers, or in a strict platoon.  It’s not as though Michaels has put up huge numbers in his two years in Cleveland.

 

I’m also anxious to see Masahide Kobyashi in the exhibitions.  He comes to the Tribe with closing experience in Japan, and has been mentioned as someone who could do that job if Joe Borowski falters.  The bullpen was the biggest reason for the Indians success last season, and more good work from the relief corps will go along way toward repeating as division titlists.  Tony Sipp, who had arm surgery last season, could be the Jensen Lewis of 2008, coming to the rescue in the middle of the season.

 

Now that games have started, it is refreshing to talk about the game on the field, rather than appearances in front of Congress and performance enhancing substances.  It’s also nice to see reports from Winter Haven and not seeing any snow on the ground. 

 

MW

 

 

The new Cavaliers made their debut in the wine and gold last night and it was a resounding success.  The Cavs blew it open early, getting off to a 32-13 lead, and coasting to a 109-89 win over the hapless Memphis Grizzlies.  Ben Wallace and Delonte West joined the starting lineup, while Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak came off the bench.  All the newcomers contributed to the victory, although the level of competition will improve with road tilts at Milwaukee tomorrow and Boston, the team with the NBA’s best record on Wednesday.

 

Things may change after more practices, but it appears that Mike Brown decided to balance the defense lost by trading Larry Hughes by starting Devin Brown.  This will help the wine and gold get off to good starts instead of letting opponents’ guards scoring at will in the first quarter.  Coach Brown now has some firepower coming off the bench with Szczerbiak, Damon Jones,  and Joe Smith.  And when Anderson Varajao, Sasha Pavlovic, and Daniel Gibson return from their injuries, the Cavs will then be able to go ten deep.

 

That’s important in the playoffs because of the depth of their chief rival, the Detroit Pistons.  They are getting all kinds of positive press about being able to bring guys like Jarvis Hayes, Lindsay Hunter, Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey, and Amir Johnson off the bench for key minutes, but it is necessary for them because they are an aging team.  The Cavs have added some age as well, but now they can bring Varajao, Szczerbiak, Gibson, Smith, and Pavlovic in as substitutes.  That will help them match the Pistons, and also against a Boston team whose three best players are over 30.

 

Using Wallace at the power forward spot, which is his natural spot, seemed to give him an extra bounce in his step last night.  He also showed he can still finish close to the basket off of the pick and roll.  His minutes will be cut slightly when Varajao returns, which will keep him fresher to create his defensive havoc.  Joe Smith is another key acquistion.  He made open shots last night, and seemed to play with more energy than Drew Gooden had on most nights.  Having four talented big men is something that Mike Brown has dreamt about his Donyell Marshall started his slide last year.

 

West could be the question mark.  He is long, which is something GM Danny Ferry and Brown covet in the backcourt, but his shot has been inconsistent.  Still, last night he did find the open man consistently.  Szczerbiak will likely fill the sniper roll off the bench, and he becomes a precious trade commodity next year when he is in the last year of his deal.  The biggest thing is replacing two inconsistent starters in Hughes and Gooden.  Hughes has played better for the last month, but his shot is like a light switch, and Gooden’s up and down play has been discussed in this blog for a long time.

 

I understand that Memphis is not a quality team, far from it.  However, I liked the energy and style of the newest Cavaliers.  With the depth, especially in the front court, that the deal brings, the wine and gold are better from a playoff basketball standpoint.  If they can gel quickly, there may be a third team to fear coming out of the Eastern Conference.

 

JK 

 

Well, when Danny Ferry does something, he goes all out.  Today’s blockbuster 11 player trade totally revamped the wine and gold roster.  In one fell swoop; the Cavs added another defensive big man, a pure shooter, a young combo guard, and a serviceable veteran big man.  LeBron James has to be smiling today, as his general manager did something.  Whether this move gets the team back to the NBA Finals remains to be seen. 

 

Replacing Drew Gooden with Ben Wallace gives the Cavs exactly what Mike Brown wants out of his power forwards.  When healthy, Anderson Varajao played the majority of time in the fourth quarter.  Why?  Defense and rebounding.  That what the coach loves, and he will get plenty of that from Wallace, a former NBA defensive player of the year.  Plus, adding Joe Smith gives the team a fourth big man who can be effective.  Donyell Marshall couldn’t guard a bigger player anymore, so with four guys up front, Brown can keep all of his big men fresh.

 

Replacing Larry Hughes with Wally Szczerbiak gives the squad a more consistent outside shooting threat, which will open up the lane for James.  It does, however, weaken the defense.  No one has ever mentioned the former Miami (OH) standout with the great defenders of the game.  My guess is that Delonte West will also move into the starting lineup along side Wally.  West is not a pure point guard, but with LBJ really running the show, the Cavs don’t need one.

 

The Cavs will struggle in the short term because of the adjustment period that goes along with a trade like this, and because of the injuries to Varajao and Daniel Gibson.  Even if the newcomers can play against the Wizards, the bench will still be short because of the injuries.  It wouldn’t be a surprise if Ferry dips into the NBDL to fill out the roster.

 

Giving up Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons doesn’t really affect anything.  Even if one of them develops into a player, both were out and out disappointments in Cleveland.  Brown has all kinds of physical talent, but doesn’t grasp the game, spending much of his time with the Cavs jacking up as many shots as he could in garbage time.  That doesn’t impress guys like Mike Brown and Ferry.  Simmons just wasn’t healthy enough to contribute here.

 

With the moves made today, Danny Ferry is putting it all on the line.  He made moves he believes will bring the franchise a title.  He did it with out giving up a lot of the cap flexibility he will need in the future.  At least the Cavs weren’t idle.  Surrounding LeBron James with shooters is a good and sound offensive strategy.

 

JK

 

 

The Akron Beacon Journal’s Brian Windhorst is reporting the Cavaliers are talking to the 76ers regarding point guard Andre Miller and to the Grizzlies about shooting guard Mike Miller.  Both are good players who can help the Cavs in their pursuit of a return trip to the NBA Finals.  Which one is the better fit for the wine and gold?  The obvious answer is Miller, but which one?

 

It says here the Memphis guard would be the choice Miller.  The Cavaliers need someone else who can hit outside shots, and although the common talk around town is that the Cavs need a point guard, I think they need a shooter and another serviceable big man more.  Anderson Varajao should return to the Cavs line up in about a week, but the Brazilian’s style fits in better with Mike Brown’s system, and getting another defensive oriented big man would be a nice acquisition.

 

Over the past couple of months, we have seen what occurs when Larry Hughes, Daniel Gibson, and Damon Jones are clicking from the perimeter.  LeBron James can get to the rim easily, and if defended, he will hit his open teammates for wide open looks.  If Mike Miller can get those kind of looks, it says here he will go from a 17 point per game scorer to one who can average 20 per night.  Plus, Miller is still young and has two years remaining on his current deal.

 

He also allows Coach Brown to stay with a big lineup.  With Miller and Hughes starting in the backcourt, the wine and gold still go 6’5” and 6’6” at guard.   The current Grizzly needs to improve his play on that end of the floor, but the Cavs’ coach is a defensive teacher and can probably help in that regard.  Miller would have to want to improve, but I’m guessing going to a team with a chance to win the East would spur on his learning curve.

 

As for Andre Miller, he is on the wrong side of 30, and not a very good defender either.  The pros on him are that he is a pure point guard, one who would definitely make James the finisher of the play, not the initiator.  However, when it comes to crunch time, you want LBJ to have the ball.  It would be hard to imagine that any player would make better decisions with the ball than #23.  His shot is also inconsistent, but he can put the ball in the hole if left open.

 

Don’t get me wrong; either player would help the Cavaliers.   And from judging the rumors out of Memphis, the wine and gold would be giving up very little.  The names of Ira Newble (expiring contract), Donyell Marshall, Dwayne Jones, and Cedric Simmons have been mentioned as going to the Grizzlies.  Also, Memphis would like to unload the bloated contract of Brian Cardinal, a high-energy player who is willing to do the little things.  He likely would be a better player on a good team.

 

My preference would be Mike Miller, that simple.  I think his perimeter shooting and ability to slash to the basket would fit quite nicely with LeBron.  Plus, it would reunite two players who spent the summer with Team USA.  The best thing is that GM Danny Ferry is trying to seize the opportunity to make a return trip to play for a title.

 

JK