Over this winter, we have been very critical of the Cleveland Indians organization.  This would lead people to believe that we think the upcoming 2010 season is hopeless.  This couldn’t be farther from the truth.  The various publications who are saying the Tribe is one of the worst teams in the major leagues are dead wrong.

 

In fact, we feel the Tribe will finish in third place in AL Central this season, winning about 75-78 games.

 

That’s why it galled us that the front office did virtually nothing this off-season.  They weren’t as far away as they thought they were.

 

The biggest question mark with this ballclub is the pitching, both starting and relief.  There simply isn’t one guy you can hang your hat on as an anchor to this pitching staff.  And the front office didn’t do anything to rectify this during the off-season. 

 

So, when the season opens on Monday, the rotation will consist of Jake Westbrook, who hasn’t started a big league game since 2008; Fausto Carmona, who won 19 games in ’07 but has done little since; Justin Masterson, who has more experience as a relief pitcher; David Huff, who is in his second season; and rookie Mitch Talbot. 

 

Not exactly, the rotation the team had in 2007 is it?

 

In the bullpen, there are some good arms, but they belong to hurlers largely unproven in the majors.  Chris Perez will open the season as the closer replacing the injured Kerry Wood, and he was impressive as a set up man last year, but he has yet to show he can fulfill this role at the big league level.  Rafael Perez has had success, but had a poor 2009, and the rest of the relief corps is unproven.  Aaron Laffey will be the long man out there, and Joe Smith can be effective against right-handed hitters.

 

The pitching woes mask the fact that this team will score runs.  A healthy Grady Sizemore will be the centerpiece of the attack, with Shin-Soo Choo and Asdrubal Cabrera forming a very good top of the lineup.  There is also guarded optimism for Travis Hafner, who seems to have put his shoulder woes of the past two seasons behind him. 

 

Matt LaPorta looks like he can provide a solid right-handed power bat at 1B or LF, and Jhonny Peralta will provide his usual numbers at third.  Michael Brantley will open the season on the big league roster, providing the ability to get on base and some speed at the bottom of the order.  It will be interesting to see if the youngster acquired in the C.C. Sabathia trade will be Grady Sizemore to Russell Branyan’s Juan Gonzalez in 2005. 

 

That is to say, if Brantley gets off to a good start, Branyan may be in a reserve role when he comes back.

 

At second base, Luis Valbuena will platoon with someone, probably Anderson Hernandez.  Just 23, we feel Valbuena will be a fine major league player.  Yes, he could improve defensively, but more and more, second base is regarded as an offensive position in today’s game, and Valbuena can be a plus offensive player if he can become more selective at the dish.

 

All in all, this isn’t a great team, but it’s not the worst team in MLB by a longshot.  If the pitching is decent, this club will contend in a division where there is no great teams.  The Twins can hit, but without Joe Nathan, their pitching is questionable.  The White Sox and Tigers can pitch, but their hitting is a little soft.  The Royals are well, the Royals. 

 

At the 76-78 wins we project, the Indians will be within 10 games of first at the end of this campaign.

 

MW

 

 

 

 

 

Over the last month, a lot of things have changed for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but winning has remained constant.  The wine and gold maintain a three game lead for the best overall record in the NBA with just eight games left on the schedule.

 

It is doubtful the Lakers will be able to overtake Mike Brown’s crew, especially when you consider that Cleveland has the tiebreaker by sweeping both games against Los Angeles.

 

Since the All-Star break, the Cavs have traded Zydrunas Ilgauskas and got him back, lost Shaquille O’Neal to a thumb injury, had LeBron James miss two games with an ankle injury, had Anderson Varajao miss a game an a half with a hamstring problem, and have a new second leading scorer in veteran Antawn Jamison, picked up in the deal for Ilgauskas. 

 

Yet, they keep on winning and winning.

 

However, there is one more thing that has to change, and it is not getting Shaq back for the playoffs, although that will happen.  This team needs the old Mo Williams back in the lineup, and the sooner, the better.

 

Since the all-star game, and coincidentally since recovering from his shoulder injury, Williams hasn’t been the same player.  His scoring is down from 16.9 PPG before the break to 11.9 PPG since the break.  Some of that drop off can be attributed to the arrival of Jamison, who has replaced Williams as the team’s second option, and the primary scoring threat while James is resting.

 

However, Jamison’s presence shouldn’t affect the guard’s shooting, which has declined since his return.  Mo Gotti shot 44.6% from the field before the all-star game, and is shooting at a 39.5% clip since.  His three-point prowess hasn’t been off as much, dropping to 40% from 42.9% before he went out of the lineup. 

 

In his defense, his assists per night are up slightly (5.3 vs. 5.1), but that figure doesn’t mean he has turned into a point guard like John Stockton.  The Cavaliers still need his shooting ability, especially as the playoffs come around and the interior defense gets better.

 

If you compare this season to last, there is a marked improvement in Williams’ assist total as he is averaging 5.3 in 2010 compared to just 4.1 in the 2008-09 season.  However, he has dropped in points per game (17.8 in ’08-’09 vs. 15.3 this season), and his shooting percentage has dipped to .432 from .467 a year ago. 

 

In watching him shoot the ball since his shoulder problem, it does appear that his shot is flatter than before, that is to say, not as much arc.  This makes for an inconsistent shot.  The coaching staff probably sees this as well, and is working with him on it.

 

The Cavaliers need a threat in the backcourt heading into the playoffs.  Although James and Jamison can make the three, not having a primary ball handler be able to put it in the basket creates problems.  It will allow teams to play off Williams, therefore giving them a double team chance. 

 

Williams has not been taking the ball to the hoop since his injury, which affects his shooting percentage as well.  One, because he’s not getting easier shots, and two, since he is hesitant to drive, defenders can get up on him tighter, therefore not giving him room for his jumper. 

 

That might just be the solution.  If Williams can start attacking the basket and using the “Mo Flow” teardrop shot he used last year, he may be more effective as a shooter. 

 

Either way, the Cavs need the Williams who played in the regular season last year to help them in this season’s playoffs.

 

JK

 

Spring training is nearing an end, and the Cleveland Indians continue to pare down its roster to the Opening Day limit of 25 players.  However, are they making the correct decisions?

 

We have been critical so far of the organizations unwillingness to give its top prospects more of a look in training camp.  Perhaps the team feels pressure to get off to a good start, so they are concentrating on getting veterans ready for the regular season.  But maybe the Tribe keeps getting off to poor starts because they continue to bring the wrong 25 players north.

 

Let’s focus on the bullpen, which has been a large factor in several of the team’s poor Aprils.  Josh Judy was recently sent back to the minors despite allowing just one hit in 5-1/3 innings.  The front office said that Judy had turned some heads in camp but needed more experience. 

 

Perhaps Judy needs experience like Jamey Wright, who has a lifetime ERA of 5.03 in 420 big league games.  Or experience like Saul Rivera, who had a 6.10 ERA in 30 appearances last season.  Or experience like Jensen Lewis, who allowed 13 homers in 62 innings last season. 

 

All three of those guys are likely to be in the bullpen at the start of 2010, while Judy will toil for the Columbus Clippers.  Experience is only a good factor if the experience is a positive one. 

 

When the Indians lose some games early in the season because of bullpen struggles, keep an eye on who is having problems.  That’s not to say that these three guys haven’t had success at the big league level, but when you see a guy getting people out in exhibition games, why not give him a shot to make the ballclub. 

 

The new organizational catch phrase is "finishing guys off" at the minor league level.  That’s why all of these high level prospects are being sent back to AAA.  However, how do they explain Carlos Carrasco, who pitched all of 2009 at the AAA level.

 

Carrasco has been impressive in his last two outings, throwing nine scoreless frames, and overall this spring has pitched 12 innings, allowing just three runs with three walks and eight strikeouts.  Yet, apparently he has been eliminated from the race for the starting rotation.  You have to wonder at what point will the young right-hander will be ready for the majors.  One would think the brass would want to give him the benefit of the doubt since he came over in the Cliff Lee trade.

 

Granted, fitting him in would be a challenge because all three of the candidates for the 4th and 5th starter spots (Aaron Laffey, David Huff, and Mitch Talbot) have done well, but wouldn’t you think Carrasco would still at least be in the mix? 

 

Instead of making some changes, the Indians seem content to put the same people out there who "contributed" to a 65-97 record last season, and the second worst ERA in the AL at 5.06.  Obviously, there’s nothing broken, so why fix it?

 

Perhaps some of these decisions are made with an eye on keeping service time to a minimum, thus pushing eligibility for arbitration until after the player’s third season.  If that is the case, it’s just one more black mark against the Dolan ownership.  The object of the front office and manager should be to win games, not save the owner’s cash. 

 

If players are ready for the major leagues, they should be in the big leagues.  Otherwise, they are being wasted.  Just think, if the Tigers’ Rick Porcello were in the Tribe organization, he would be preparing for life in Akron right about now.

 

KM

 

 

 

Ever since Shaquille O’Neal went down with his thumb injury, the Cleveland Cavaliers have basically been playing without a center.  They’ve been starting J.J. Hickson at the position, although Anderson Varajao has been getting the bulk of the minutes there.

 

How has the team responded?  Well, they’ve won nine of their last ten games, and continue to have the best record in the league at 56-15.  They lead the Lakers by three games for home court advantage throughout the playoffs, and have a 6-1/2 game bulge over Orlando for best record in the Eastern Conference.

 

They’ve responded very well, thank you.

 

When the team takes the court tonight for Game 72 against New Orleans, they will have a legitimate NBA center on the roster.  Yes, Zydrunas Ilgauskas is back with the Cavaliers, thus completing the Antawn Jamison transaction.

 

In essence, GM Danny Ferry picked up Jamison for nothing, and added injured point guard Sebastian Telfair in the transaction as well.  Thank owner Dan Gilbert’s deep pockets for this one.

 

Mike Brown did a great job of changing on the fly, going from a team with perhaps the ultimate low post presence in O’Neal to a team who ran a little more and spread the floor in the absence of a dependable scorer inside. 

 

Still, defensively, the wine and gold missed the size and length of Shaq and Ilgauskas, as teams frequently attacked the basket with more vigor than they would had the two seven footers been there. 

 

Although Ilgauskas doesn’t move very well laterally, he still changes shots inside because he’s so tall.  That’s been missing from the Cavs defense.

 

The big man’s return just adds to the depth that exists on the Cavaliers’ roster.  They released Darnell Jackson to make room for Ilgauskas, and even he has shown he can contribute if need be.  Now that Leon Powe is getting some minutes, Brown could play any of the 12 guys dressed on a given night, and not have to be nervous.

 

That’s very rare in the NBA these days.

 

We’ve said this before, but a lineup of Delonte West and Daniel Gibson at guard, Varajao at center, and Jamario Moon and Powe at forwards may not be a playoff team, but they wouldn’t be the New Jersey Nets either.  It’s a very respectable lineup, and none of those guys start for the 2009-10 Cavaliers.

 

The coaching staff once again faces the challenge of fitting another body into the rotation.  The good news is Brown should only have to do this one more time this season, and that will occur during the playoffs when O’Neal returns to the lineup.  Hopefully, there won’t be too much of an adjustment or slippage in play.

 

The best thing about the depth on this roster is that it allows them to play different styles and still win consistently.  You want to play an up and down game?  The Cavs can do it and win.  You want to pound the ball into the post?  The Cavs have the bodies to defend this.  You have a lot of size?  So do the Cavs. 

 

This team has enough quality role players, guys like Moon, Gibson, Powe, Jawad Williams, etc. that they can play effectively against any style. 

 

Tonight, the Cavaliers take the court and have their veteran big man back and in uniform.  The depth just keeps getting deeper.  With eleven games remaining in the schedule, there is just one piece still missing for this team to make a run at a title. 

 

JK

 

The Minnesota Twins did it.  They kept their franchise player, Joe Mauer in a Twins’ uniform by inking him to an eight-year contract extension worth $184 million dollars. 

 

In the past few years, the Twins have now kept a pair of MVP’s in Mauer and Justin Morneau. 

 

Meanwhile, the Indians have had to trade Cy Young Award winners C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee because they wouldn’t (note the word wouldn’t not couldn’t) make a legitimate contract offer. 

 

Both teams operate in small to middle markets, yet the Twins found a way to keep their star players, while the Indians haven’t been able to do so. 

 

Yes, the Twins are moving into a new ballpark and are flush with revenue as a result.  And there is no question that Mauer did take a hometown discount because he was worth more than the $23 million per year deal on the open market. 

 

Still, the Twins ownership understands the impact of star players, and also the importance of not letting other teams, namely the Yankees and Red Sox, set the market on their players. 

 

Understand that the Indians tried to keep their free agents prior to the 2007 season by inking Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner to long-term deals.  It does appear, though, that the offered deals to the guys they thought they could sign rather than going after the big fish in Sabathia. 

 

Westbrook is a 3^rd starter on a good team, and Hafner is a DH, meaning the number of teams interested in his services would be cut in half.  The point is the Indians continue to let true star players go when it is time for free agency, and that hasn’t changed in the past 15 years. 

 

Here’s a list of names:  Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Bartolo Colon, and the aforementioned Sabathia and Lee.

 

In the Tribe’s defense, signing everyday players is a less risky process than giving a pitcher a multi-year deal.  Heck, Minnesota faced the same situation with Johan Santana, and they decided to deal the Cy Young Award winner rather than get tied up in a four or five year deal.

 

The reason this hits home, besides the market size and the fact that the Twins happen to reside in the same division as Cleveland, is the impending free agent status of Grady Sizemore. 

 

Sizemore is a legitimate star player, although, he was injured last season, so most fans have apparently forgotten how good he is.  He will be 28 years old this season, meaning he will be 30 when his contract with the Tribe ends in 2012. 

 

He’s never been a league MVP like Mauer and Morneau, but that’s more a factor of the Indians’ record.  Sizemore’s 2006 and 2008 seasons would have merited MVP votes had the Tribe been in contention. 

 

Will the Indians think about trying to ink Sizemore and keep him in Cleveland long term? 

 

Critics will contend that Sizemore is currently playing a prime defensive position (CF), and he likely will have to move to LF as he gets older.  The rebuttal would be that Sizemore’s bat would play in a corner outfield spot.  He can be a guy who hits 30 HR’s per year for a while.

If Sizemore returns to be the player he was when healthy in 2010, he will no doubt be looking at a mega-dollar contract when his free agent year hits.  Based on the past, that means the Indians will not be players in those sweepstakes.  However, they should be. 

 

This is another situation where you can have the centerpiece of your franchise, a likely future hall of famer, in place for a long time.  If the Minnesota Twins can do it, why can’t the Cleveland Indians?  That’s a question president in waiting Mark Shapiro should be asking, especially since his father negotiated the Mauer deal with the Twins.

 

KM

 

Before spring training began for the Cleveland Indians, we said one of the story lines in Arizona was how the Tribe would handle their top prospects.  Remember, this was a team that lost almost 100 games a year ago, so it would seem that a bunch of jobs would be open. 

 

Apparently, the ballclub has stayed with its tried and true method of bringing along players at a snail’s pace.  They will tell us that they are sending guys out now to give the players who have a legitimate chance to make the team more opportunities, or so the players who will be playing in Columbus can build some comradery.  However, that’s just an excuse.

 

Today, the Indians sent seven players back to the minor league complex, including catcher Carlos Santana, pitchers Hector Rondon and Jeanmar Gomez, and outfielder Nick Weglarz. 

 

The question is why the rush to send these guys out, since they have done well thus far in camp.  Granted, spring training numbers are not the same indicator they are in the regular season what with other teams playing their prospects as well, but why not let these guys play it out a little longer?  Let them play themselves off the roster. 

 

GM Mark Shapiro will tell you they don’t want to effect these player’s confidence.

 

Actually, the team’s top prospect, Santana, is the least accomplished of these guys during spring training, going 4 for 16 with two doubles and an RBI in exhibition play.  The other hitter on this list, Weglarz, was 5 for 15, with a home run, five ribbies, and nine walks!  He is coming off an injury plagued season, but he did play in the World Baseball Classic last year, so he has seen some higher competition.

 

For a team crying for effective pitching, the farming of Rondon and Gomez is curious at best.  Rondon, arguably the Indians’ best starting pitching prospect in the higher levels of the organization, was unscored upon in 5-2/3 innings, allowing just five hits and no walks.  He has fanned five as well.  His last performance was yesterday when he threw three scoreless frames at Cincinnati.

 

He was joined in doing that by Gomez, who is unscored upon in 5-1/3 frames, allowing just three hits and a walk, while striking out four.

 

Yes, yes, the Reds didn’t exactly have their "A" lineup in yesterday’s contest, but Rondon and Gomez were still effective.  More effective than some of the guys still on the roster have been.  Why not continue to give both of these guys opportunities? 

 

The likelihood is that the 2010 Indians will need three or all four of these guys during this season.  They shouldn’t be sent out just because someone "thinks" they aren’t ready.  The Tribe didn’t think C.C. Sabathia was ready in 2001, but Charlie Manuel pushed for him to make the team.  He went 17-5 that season. 

 

No one is suggesting these young players could have the same success in 2010.  But why not let their performance dictate when they are ready, not some amateur psychologist who thinks they may be devastated if they fail.

 

KM

 

 

 

Spring training has a little bit over two weeks to go, and the first roster cuts have already been made by the Cleveland Indians.  No one figured that Kelvin De La Cruz and last year’s first round draft pick Alex White were going to make the team anyway. 

 

However, the roster is starting to take shape.  The main battles going into camp were in the starting rotation and on the bench.  Here is a status report—

 

Starting rotation.  Jake Westbrook looked good against the Giants on Tuesday, and Fausto Carmona had a good outing against the Angels last week.  Justin Masterson has held his spot with three solid outings.  He appears to have a better changeup, which he is using against left-handed hitters.  He has fanned 12 hitters in seven innings, a much-needed attribute on a starting staff that needs some swing and miss hurlers. 

 

David Huff has been good twice and bad once, and so has Aaron Laffey.  Another bad outing might change their status.

 

However, the surprise thus far has been righty Mitch Talbot, picked up from Tampa in the Kelly Shoppach deal.  Talbot has made three appearances and has allowed just one run in eight innings with no walks and six strikeouts.  He may force his way into the rotation with Laffey going to the bullpen. 

 

Bullpen.  Five of the seven spots are etched in stone barring injuries:  Kerry Wood, Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, Tony Sipp, and Joe Smith are locks, in spite of Smith’s struggles during camp. 

 

Rule 5 draftee Hector Ambriz developed an injury, conveniently, so he likely will begin the season stashed on the disabled list.  The guess here is the loser in the starting rotation battle will go to the ‘pen as well, so that leaves one spot left with the main contenders being Jensen Lewis, Jess Todd, Saul Rivera, and Jamie Wright. 

 

Our opinion is that Lewis should be tried as a starter because of his propensity to give up the long ball, which is a killer for a reliever.  Wright is a journeyman with a long history of stinking in the big leagues.  Todd has struggled thus far, allowing three runs in 3-1/3 frames.  That would leave Rivera, who pitched for Manny Acta in Washington, or a perhaps an extended look for youngster Josh Judy, who pitching in AA Akron last season.

 

Bench.  Although the Indians maintain that 1B Russell Branyan will be able to play the last week of spring training and therefore can start the season, his lingering absence opens the door for Michael Brantley to claim the LF job, with Matt LaPorta at first base.

 

Branyan’s injury puts the rest of the bench in flux.  Mike Redmond will most definitely be the back up catcher to Lou Marson, who will likely win the starting nod.  Mark Grudzielanek looks like he will be the reserve infielder, although it will be interesting to see when he will get some reps at 3B.  If Asdrubal Cabrera needs a rest, Luis Valbuena will probably move to shortstop.

 

That is, unless Brian Bixler takes one of the two remaining roster spots.  Bixler is a SS by trade, and the Tribe is using him all over the diamond, including the outfield in order to increase his versatility.  Bixler has been in 11 games already with 16 at bats.  His weakness is his bat, as he has struggling with the stick in the big leagues.  He has four hits in camp, all singles.

 

If Bixler isn’t on the roster, his spot will likely go to Andy Marte, who can play 1B or 3B, and adds a right-handed bat.  Marte is 4 for 18 thus far in exhibition games.

NOTE:  Bixler was designated for assignment shortly after this was published.  The Tribe claimed INF Anderson Hernandez from the Mets.  Hernandez is a switch hitter who played 2B, SS, and the outfield for New York last season.  He hit .251 with 3HR’s in 2009.  He’s a better hitter from the right side, so he could be a platoon partner with Luis Valbuena, which would also put Grudzielanek’s spot in jeopardy.

 

The last spot will be between Trevor Crowe and Austin Kearns.  The management would probably like Crowe to play everyday in AAA Columbus, but Kearns hasn’t recovered the batting prowess he had at the beginning of his career in Cincinnati.  His only offensive strength nowadays is his ability to take a walk.  He’s currently 3 for 16 with one extra base hit.

 

Crowe is 5 for 15 with four runs batted in and two walks in his action in Arizona.  He has speed and is a good outfielder.  Right now, it would seem that it’s his job to lose. 

 

There’s a lot of action left in training camp, but watch who is playing and who isn’t.  That usually tells you whom the organization wants to make the 25 man roster come Opening Day.

 

MW

 

 

As stated in this blog last week, the trade for Seneca Wallace was not the last move by the Mike Holmgren led front office in regards to the Browns’ starting quarterback decision.  On Saturday, the brown and orange signed free agent QB Jake Delhomme to a two year deal.  The former Carolina Panther is expected to compete with Wallace for the starting job. 

 

In a related move, the Browns then shipped Brady Quinn to Denver for RB Peyton Hillis, a 6th round draft pick in 2011, and another choice in the 2012 draft which depends on Quinn’s playing time.

 

Already, there has been outrage from the fans of the Browns complaining about Delhomme, who is coming off of a poor season with Carolina in 2009.  Why?  They need to ask one question before being critical–Are the Browns better off at the position with Delhomme and Wallace or with Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn?  The honest answer is absolutely yes!

 

Despite his poor season last fall, Delhomme has started 81 NFL games, more than Anderson and Quinn combined, and has guided three teams to the playoffs.  Don’t recall anywhere close to that kind of success from the team’s previous signal callers.

 

In fact, Delhomme started ten or more games in five seasons prior to 2009, and had a winning record in four of them.  He’s quarterbacked the Panthers to two NFC title games and one Super Bowl. 

 

You can make statistics say just about anything, but of Delhomme’s 18 interceptions last season, 11 came in three truly awful games (a 38-10 loss to the Eagles, a 20-9 loss to Buffalo, and a 17-6 loss to the Jets).  In his other eight starts, he threw 8 touchdowns and seven picks.  Overall, he 54-38 as a starter.  That’s a better success rate than any QB to wear a Browns’ uniform since they returned to the NFL in 1999.

 

The Browns will try to coach Delhomme to be safer with his throws and make the smart play.  Don’t force the ball.  However, if he continues to turn the ball over, then Eric Mangini can go to Wallace, who has started games in the NFL, and has been an efficient quarterback at the pro level.  Plus, as an added benefit, both Delhomme and Wallace will provide some leadership at the position.

 

You also have to remember that Holmgren and GM Tom Heckert are also going to pick a QB to develop in this year’s draft.  The stockpiling of draft picks, including another 3rd rounder in exchange for Kamerion Wimbley (more on that later), enables the Browns to have the ability to move up if they need to to get the guy that they want.

 

The value for Quinn dropped considerably from where it was prior to last season.  That’s probably the biggest problem Mangini created since his arrival.  The two potential starters he had going into last season went from being worth high draft picks, to being released and bringing a journeyman running back and a couple of lower choices in the draft. 

 

That said, Hillis is intriguing.  He ran well in college and also against the Browns when he played against them in 2008. 

 

As for Wimbley, apparently the front office looked at Marvin Benard, Matt Roth, and Jason Trusnick as being the equal of Wimbley in terms of production, so they cashed in their ticket and picked up another 3rd round draft choice.  Wimbley has had two good seasons with the Browns, but although he played better last season, he still didn’t approach his rookie year.  It’s not like we are talking about the second coming of Lawrence Taylor here.

 

The new regime may be doing things differently, but you can’t argue that the quarterback situation for the 2010 Browns is better than that of the 2009 edition.  If you take the emotion out of the decision, you will realize it’s true Browns’ fans.

 

JD

 

 

 

 

 

The Cleveland Indians have turned into a spring training juggernaut, winning their first five games.  Seriously, it’s better than losing these games, but there are always teams who dazzle people in spring training, but stink in the regular season. 

 

However, there are some things that stand out after the first week of exhibition play.

 

First, new manager Manny Acta is a breath of fresh air.  He doesn’t carry the somber, serious tone in talking to the media as his predecessor did.  He jokes with the players and keeps the atmosphere loose.  He probably will need to drop the hammer before the camp ends, and he definitely will have to during the season, but it’s nice to show that it’s a game that these men are playing.

 

Second, Grady Sizemore is healthy.  Last season, Sizemore was plagued by a nagging groin and elbow problems, and these issues were taken care of in the off-season. 

 

It seems people have forgotten what a tremendous player he is because of last year’s injuries.  Remember, this is a guy who had an MVP type season in 2006 at age 23.  He’s been the Tribe’s regular centerfielder since 2005, meaning this will be his 6^th year as a starter.  Yet, he will turn just 28 during the season.  He’s a three time all star. 

 

Having him back in the lineup on a regular basis will be a huge help for the Indians.

 

A third good early sign is the play of Michael Brantley.  Apparently, the young outfielder took the news of Russell Branyan’s signing personally, and has decided to make it very difficult for Acta to send him to Columbus next month.

 

Brantley has reached base in seven of his 16 plate appearances (5 hits and 2 walks), and has yet to strikeout, a skill greatly needed on the 2010 Indians.  He also has two extra base hits, which was a concern because he needs to show he can drive the ball.  It’s only 16 at bats, but it’s good to see how Brantley responded to a challenge.

 

The other young Indian to make an early impact with the bat is Wes Hodges, who has been moved to the organization’s most popular position, 1B.  This move is merited because Hodges had some problems defensively. 

 

He will most definitely start the year in Columbus, but he’s had six hits in his first 11 at-bats, with three doubles and four runs knocked in. 

 

Remember, pitchers likely aren’t throwing a lot of breaking stuff, so you have to look at hitting stats with a jaundiced eye, but both of these guys are making fans notice early in camp.

 

KM

 

The winds of change are blowing through the Cleveland Browns complex, and it includes the quarterback position.  The team acquired QB Seneca Wallace from Seattle for an undisclosed 2011 draft pick.  Now that Mike Holmgren traded for a guy who played the most important position in the game for him during his tenure with the Seahawks, it’s obvious someone is leaving.

 

Or should I say “someones”?

 

In a corresponding move, the team released Derek Anderson.  That move was very much expected. However, Wallace’s arrival probably means that Brady Quinn will be joining him in leaving the organization before the 2010 season starts.

 

Holmgren obviously brought Wallace in because he wanted someone who was familiar with his offense.  He also will be looking to bring in another signal caller to develop in the upcoming NFL draft.  Whether or not that’s the guy who will be the Cleveland quarterback of the future will be determined.

 

It is doubtful the organization will bring Quinn back as a back up to Wallace, just as it is doubtful that Wallace is being brought in to back up the less experienced former first round draft pick.

 

The former Iowa State star is 29 years old, and has made 12 NFL starts, winning five of them.  He’s completed 60% of his 556 pro passes, with 25 touchdown tosses and 14 interceptions.

 

Quinn is 25 years old, and has made 11 NFL starts, winning just three of them.  He’s completed just 52% of his 353 career throws, with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

 

Note the completion percentages.  The hallmark of the west coast offense is accuracy.  There is no question Wallace is the more accurate quarterback. 

 

Before you start to use the excuse of the Browns’ feeble offensive game plans, keep in mind that last season, the Seahawks offense wasn’t great in 2008, a season in which Wallace made eight starts.  However, Wallace’s record as a starter that season was 3-5.  Seattle’s record in games he didn’t start?  1-7.

 

Quite simply, Wallace has been a more productive player than Quinn when he has had the opportunity.

 

Quinn’s unfamiliarity with the new offense will put him behind Wallace in the mini-camps, that’s the reason the former Irish star will be likely be gone before long. 

 

However, if The Big Show can get another experienced quarterback to run the offense, then Wallace becomes a perfect back up and a mentor to whatever rookie is drafted as the future at the position.  Quinn couldn’t do that job if the roles were reversed, and it’s fairly obvious Holmgren doesn’t think Quinn can win as a starter.

 

As for Anderson, he was the victim of two horrible seasons after his Pro Bowl season of 2007.  He simply could never regain the magic he had early that season.  After the first half of the Steelers’ game in Pittsburgh that season, the Steelers took away the deep ball and DA could never adjust.

 

It’s better for him to go elsewhere and jump-start his career.

 

JD