The trade deadline came and went today, and not surprisingly, the Indians did nothing.
Financially-challenged teams like the Indians can't take chances like other teams, either in alienating their fan bases further by punting away the season, or in taking on a contract that could turn out to be a 600-pound dead gorilla on their backs.
Other teams called about Kevin Millwood. Apparently, whatever was being offered for Millwood wasn't enough to offset the backlash from fans and media as the Indians, essentially, would have given up on yet another season.
Millwood will finish the season and most likely move on. The Indians will be compensated only with a draft pick for losing him in free agency.
The Indians called about hitters. Adam Dunn (Reds probably wanted too much), Carlos Lee (nope), Moises Alou (nope) and Kevin Mench (Rangers just traded for Phil Nevin. You think they're giving up on the season?)
The only other logical piece that would have fit the Indians' puzzle, Joe Randa, was whisked away to San Diego last week.
All of it adds up to no deadline deals. And the knowledge that what you see is pretty much what you will get with the Indians for the remainder of the season, in all likelihood: several games over .500 and no playoffs.
Adding pieces, if it can be done, will have to wait for the off-season.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Manny
The title of this post is simple because there is only one "Manny." No matter how many other uniforms he wears, there is only one Manny to Indians fans.
He has a head for hitting and it appears not much else. He is an idiot-savant, studying pitchers, working tirelessly in the batting cage, perfecting his craft.
When it comes to life in general ... that's another story.
Manny does what Manny does and Manny wants what Manny wants. What he wants today might not be what he wants tomorrow, but Manny is a real "here and now" kind of guy. It's a big part of what makes him such a good hitter. He never concerns himself with the past or the future in between the white lines of the batter's box.
Manny thought Cleveland was all right. But then he hurt his hamstring in 2000 and then-general manager John Hart accused his prize hitter of sandbagging and milking his injury for time off. It should be noted that this was in the heat of a furious playoff push that was ultimately unsuccessful.
Manny grew upset with Hart. Strange messages began appearing on his batting-practice spikes, though the origin was never publicly determined.
As a free agent that off-season, Manny tore up any chance of a hometown discount for the Tribe and bolted for Boston. He told the media he was sick of being in Cleveland and just winning the division every year. He said he wanted to go someplace where he could win the World Series.
Many of us in Cleveland laughed, including me. After all, no franchise was more cursed than the Red Sox, right?
It took a few years, but Manny, like a cat, always seems to land on his feet. Not only did he get his championship, he received World Series MVP honors.
Last October, Manny's time in Cleveland officially became a footnote to his career, kind of like Randy Johnson's spell with the Expos.
Now, Manny wants something new. He did it all in Boston, and apparently he wants out. Rumors are flying that he could be shipped to the Mets as part of a three-team deal by Sunday's trading deadline.
Or he might stay put. He was almost gone to Texas for Alex Rodriguez two years ago when Boston grew fed up with his inability to be a baseball soldier. He was caught commiserating with Enrique Wilson, a member of the blood-rival Yankees, after a game in 2003.
We understood in Cleveland. Those two went way back as members of the Indians. But not in Boston. Even if he's your twin brother, you do NOT have idle chit-chat with a sworn enemy.
The deal was in place on paper, but Boston management couldn't justify taking on Rodriguez's huge salary. The rest is history.
Now, Manny appears to be the one who wants out. He's the king of Boston, he's rich, he's a champion, he has everything anyone would want from life. So why does he want out? If he's willing to go to New York, it sure as heck isn't to get out of the spotlight glare.
The answer might be that there is no answer. Boston fans, obviously upset with his trade desire, booed him during his first at-bat Friday night at Fenway Park. Manny was later seen smiling in the Red Sox dugout, but David Ortiz took umbrage in a postgame rant aimed at Boston fans.
Others care how Manny is perceived by the outside world. Others worry about what's going on in his head. Others spew their love or hate toward him. Manny is unfazed.
Manny wants what Manny wants. It frustrates others no end. Not that Manny cares.
He has a head for hitting and it appears not much else. He is an idiot-savant, studying pitchers, working tirelessly in the batting cage, perfecting his craft.
When it comes to life in general ... that's another story.
Manny does what Manny does and Manny wants what Manny wants. What he wants today might not be what he wants tomorrow, but Manny is a real "here and now" kind of guy. It's a big part of what makes him such a good hitter. He never concerns himself with the past or the future in between the white lines of the batter's box.
Manny thought Cleveland was all right. But then he hurt his hamstring in 2000 and then-general manager John Hart accused his prize hitter of sandbagging and milking his injury for time off. It should be noted that this was in the heat of a furious playoff push that was ultimately unsuccessful.
Manny grew upset with Hart. Strange messages began appearing on his batting-practice spikes, though the origin was never publicly determined.
As a free agent that off-season, Manny tore up any chance of a hometown discount for the Tribe and bolted for Boston. He told the media he was sick of being in Cleveland and just winning the division every year. He said he wanted to go someplace where he could win the World Series.
Many of us in Cleveland laughed, including me. After all, no franchise was more cursed than the Red Sox, right?
It took a few years, but Manny, like a cat, always seems to land on his feet. Not only did he get his championship, he received World Series MVP honors.
Last October, Manny's time in Cleveland officially became a footnote to his career, kind of like Randy Johnson's spell with the Expos.
Now, Manny wants something new. He did it all in Boston, and apparently he wants out. Rumors are flying that he could be shipped to the Mets as part of a three-team deal by Sunday's trading deadline.
Or he might stay put. He was almost gone to Texas for Alex Rodriguez two years ago when Boston grew fed up with his inability to be a baseball soldier. He was caught commiserating with Enrique Wilson, a member of the blood-rival Yankees, after a game in 2003.
We understood in Cleveland. Those two went way back as members of the Indians. But not in Boston. Even if he's your twin brother, you do NOT have idle chit-chat with a sworn enemy.
The deal was in place on paper, but Boston management couldn't justify taking on Rodriguez's huge salary. The rest is history.
Now, Manny appears to be the one who wants out. He's the king of Boston, he's rich, he's a champion, he has everything anyone would want from life. So why does he want out? If he's willing to go to New York, it sure as heck isn't to get out of the spotlight glare.
The answer might be that there is no answer. Boston fans, obviously upset with his trade desire, booed him during his first at-bat Friday night at Fenway Park. Manny was later seen smiling in the Red Sox dugout, but David Ortiz took umbrage in a postgame rant aimed at Boston fans.
Others care how Manny is perceived by the outside world. Others worry about what's going on in his head. Others spew their love or hate toward him. Manny is unfazed.
Manny wants what Manny wants. It frustrates others no end. Not that Manny cares.
The "Just shut up" award
...goes to Tim McCarver for his distinguished work during the ninth inning of today's Fox broadcast of the Yankees-Angels game:
"Sliding really well with that slider."
...commenting on the off-speed pitch of Los Angeles closer Francisco Rodriguez during his at-bat to Gary Sheffield.
"You could call this match-up 'Rod-Rod'."
...one batter later when Francisco Rodriguez faced Alex Rodriguez.
Despite a late Angels rally, Francisco Rodriguez gagged, blew the save and lost the game 8-7, proving that not even a good closer can overcome the bad mojo of Tim McCarver's commentary.
"Sliding really well with that slider."
...commenting on the off-speed pitch of Los Angeles closer Francisco Rodriguez during his at-bat to Gary Sheffield.
"You could call this match-up 'Rod-Rod'."
...one batter later when Francisco Rodriguez faced Alex Rodriguez.
Despite a late Angels rally, Francisco Rodriguez gagged, blew the save and lost the game 8-7, proving that not even a good closer can overcome the bad mojo of Tim McCarver's commentary.
Friday, July 29, 2005
On the road: Scranton
SportsCenter is doing their "50 states in 50 days" series over the coming weeks. Well, I'm on the road, too.
Call it "Papa Cass: Three states and one district in seven days."
Between yesterday and this coming Thursday, I will be road-tripping to the Poconos and Washington, D.C., taking in the sights, walking until my legs hurt, and eating a lot of food I probably shouldn't.
My trip includes the states of Pennsylvania (where I am now writing from), Maryland, Virginia and, obviously, the District of Columbia.
Today, I am in a hotel room in Hamlin, Pa., about 20 miles east of Scranton in the state's northeast corner.
Among other things, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area is the native region of former Cavaliers guard Bob Sura. Scranton and Wilkes-Barre (about 10 miles to the south) are towns that boomed in the 19th and early 20th centuries when coal was the lifeblood of America's industry, and mining the anthracite was one of the most in-demand (and demanding) jobs in the country.
Today, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre survive as the largest cities in northeast Pennsylvania, but are showing the wear that comes with time and the decline of coal mining. Like many towns in the Appalachians, Scranton has no shortage of decaying buildings.
The eroding brick and rusting steel and iron add to the muscular, industrial feel of the region, however. Scranton is home to the Steamtown National Historic Site, a federally-managed museum complex dedicated to the history of the railroads in the U.S.
Outside the museum, old rail cars, rusting, rotting, some dating back more than 100 years, wait to be refurbished. By themselves, they would be junk. Linked together on storage rails, they are pieces of history.
Just south of town is Moosic. Moosic is to the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area what Arlington, Texas is to Dallas and Forth Worth: a common town in which to place the stadium for the shared-allegiance baseball team.
The Scranton/Wilkes Barre Red Barons are the Class AAA farm team of the Phillies. They're managed by former White Sox and Pirates skipper Gene Lamont.
As of the time of this post, the Red Barons were 51-55 and last in the International League's north division (the Buffalo Bisons, the Indians' top farm team, is in first place).
The hot story currently surrounding the Red Barons is pitcher Terry Adams, who gave up three runs in the eighth inning against Ottawa Thursday night, and then left the team "for personal reasons," the Scranton Times-Tribune reported today.
Manager Gene Lamont told the paper Adams "to the best of my knowledge is not coming back." He reportedly cleaned out his locker before Thursday's game. At 32, it appears Adams is abandoning his baseball career midseason for unspecified reasons.
As far as major-league allegiances, it would appear the majority of northeast Pennsylvanians follow the Phillies, the Yankees or the Mets, since Philadelphia and New York are the two closest major-league cities. The majority of football and basketball fans appear to hold their allegiances to the Eagles and 76ers, as opposed to New York's offerings: the inconsistent Giants and Jets, and the wretched Knicks.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre also has a minor-league hockey franchise: the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins of the AHL, the same league the Cleveland Barons compete in. The minor-league Penguins (affiliation obvious) play their games in the thoroughly modern-looking Wachovia Arena in Scranton.
Call it "Papa Cass: Three states and one district in seven days."
Between yesterday and this coming Thursday, I will be road-tripping to the Poconos and Washington, D.C., taking in the sights, walking until my legs hurt, and eating a lot of food I probably shouldn't.
My trip includes the states of Pennsylvania (where I am now writing from), Maryland, Virginia and, obviously, the District of Columbia.
Today, I am in a hotel room in Hamlin, Pa., about 20 miles east of Scranton in the state's northeast corner.
Among other things, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area is the native region of former Cavaliers guard Bob Sura. Scranton and Wilkes-Barre (about 10 miles to the south) are towns that boomed in the 19th and early 20th centuries when coal was the lifeblood of America's industry, and mining the anthracite was one of the most in-demand (and demanding) jobs in the country.
Today, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre survive as the largest cities in northeast Pennsylvania, but are showing the wear that comes with time and the decline of coal mining. Like many towns in the Appalachians, Scranton has no shortage of decaying buildings.
The eroding brick and rusting steel and iron add to the muscular, industrial feel of the region, however. Scranton is home to the Steamtown National Historic Site, a federally-managed museum complex dedicated to the history of the railroads in the U.S.
Outside the museum, old rail cars, rusting, rotting, some dating back more than 100 years, wait to be refurbished. By themselves, they would be junk. Linked together on storage rails, they are pieces of history.
Just south of town is Moosic. Moosic is to the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area what Arlington, Texas is to Dallas and Forth Worth: a common town in which to place the stadium for the shared-allegiance baseball team.
The Scranton/Wilkes Barre Red Barons are the Class AAA farm team of the Phillies. They're managed by former White Sox and Pirates skipper Gene Lamont.
As of the time of this post, the Red Barons were 51-55 and last in the International League's north division (the Buffalo Bisons, the Indians' top farm team, is in first place).
The hot story currently surrounding the Red Barons is pitcher Terry Adams, who gave up three runs in the eighth inning against Ottawa Thursday night, and then left the team "for personal reasons," the Scranton Times-Tribune reported today.
Manager Gene Lamont told the paper Adams "to the best of my knowledge is not coming back." He reportedly cleaned out his locker before Thursday's game. At 32, it appears Adams is abandoning his baseball career midseason for unspecified reasons.
As far as major-league allegiances, it would appear the majority of northeast Pennsylvanians follow the Phillies, the Yankees or the Mets, since Philadelphia and New York are the two closest major-league cities. The majority of football and basketball fans appear to hold their allegiances to the Eagles and 76ers, as opposed to New York's offerings: the inconsistent Giants and Jets, and the wretched Knicks.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre also has a minor-league hockey franchise: the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins of the AHL, the same league the Cleveland Barons compete in. The minor-league Penguins (affiliation obvious) play their games in the thoroughly modern-looking Wachovia Arena in Scranton.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Useful info
Have you ever had questions about the NBA's salary cap and why the Cavaliers can do certain things and can't do others?
Brian Windhorst, the Cavs beat reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal, has a blog, and one of his most recent posts offers some great insight into the giant, throbbing, mutant brain that is the NBA salary cap.
Brian Windhorst, the Cavs beat reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal, has a blog, and one of his most recent posts offers some great insight into the giant, throbbing, mutant brain that is the NBA salary cap.
The eve of camp
Some random thoughts and predictions as the Browns approach the opening of training camp on Thursday:
First-round pick Braylon Edwards isn't signed yet. If he doesn't ink on the dotted line, that would be the fifth straight year the Browns haven't had their first-rounder in camp on time.
The two most-hyped Browns draft picks, Edwards and quarterback Charlie Frye are the only two left to sign. The fact that Frye isn't inked is especially troubling. Quarterbacks need mental preparation to take the field more than any other position. Edwards can show up and run wind sprints for the first week and be cool. Frye needs to learn and implement the whole playbook.
General manager Phil Savage isn't a slick charmer like Carmen Policy. Head coach Romeo Crennel doesn't spew the word "guts" like Butch Davis. This might be the most low-key sports regime in Cleveland, personality-wise. Good. Let's shut up and build a winner, then. The less talking and more doing, the better.
Prediction: safety Brodney Pool will be the Browns rookie who will have the most immediate impact. He has the size to play safety and adequate speed to play the corner. He might find an immediate niche as a nickel-package back.
Prediction: the stability that Trent Dilfer will lend to the quarterback position will go a long way to helping the offense jell, even if Dilfer won't put up gaudy numbers.
Prediction: Dilfer will lend stability just in time to get injured again, paving the way for either Frye or Josh Harris to take over. How the youngsters react to being tossed in the fire could determine the course of the season.
Suggs will have a good season, but constant ping-and-ding injuries will prevent him from latching onto the feature running back role. With nobody among Suggs, Green and Droughns able to emerge from the pack, the running back position will remain muddled.
Much like last year, Steve Heiden and Aaron Shea will be good enough as tight ends to make us forget about not having Kellen Winslow Jr.
You won't notice much of a difference between having L.J. Shelton as the starting left tackle versus Ross Verba. However, the odds of veteran Shelton having 3 a.m. booze orgies at his house and winding up on the police blotter are probably less than with Verba.
(By the way, at last check, Verba still hasn't gotten that big, fat contract the Browns weren't going to give him. Come on, other NFL teams! He's one of the top five offensive linemen in the league! He would be a heck of an anchor along with Santa Claus and Quasi Modo.)
Bonus list time....
The Browns' first-round picks since returning to the league, ranked by effectiveness of the pick (Edwards not included since he has yet to play):
1) Jeff Faine, C, 20th overall, 2003. Injuries have hampered him, but who on the offensive line haven't they hampered?
2) William Green, RB, 17th overall, 2002. Has done so much wrong off the field, but has done just enough right on the field to apparently convince the Browns to hang onto him. Could potentially make the tailback position very deep with Lee Suggs and Reuben Droughns.
3) Tim Couch, QB, 1st overall, 1999. The C.C. Sabathia of Cleveland quarterbacks. Showed flashes of stardom, but could never sustain it. A chronically terrible offensive line coupled with virtually no running game until Green arrived didn't help matters. He was branded as a "system" quarterback at Kentucky, and his downfall in Cleveland was in large part the product of a system, too. An inept one.
4) Courtney Brown, DE, 1st overall, 2000. Maybe he lacked the "killer instinct" of a Jevon Kearse, but we can only imagine what could have been had Brown's knees not been destroyed by injuries. Fresh out of Penn State, he was 6'-7" and lightning quick.
5) Gerard Warren, DT, 3rd overall, 2001. Butch Davis's first draft pick as Browns coach was an overestimation of talent that would become synonymous with the Davis regime. He was ballyhooed as the next Warren Sapp coming out of Florida, but proved to be no more than a decent hole-plugger at his best. At his worst, he was a stone-dumb buffoon who called out the quarterback of a red-hot division arch-rival ("Kill the head and the body's dead.")
6) Kellen Winslow, TE, 6th overall, 2004. He might be a good tight end in the future. If he doesn't get himself killed first.
First-round pick Braylon Edwards isn't signed yet. If he doesn't ink on the dotted line, that would be the fifth straight year the Browns haven't had their first-rounder in camp on time.
The two most-hyped Browns draft picks, Edwards and quarterback Charlie Frye are the only two left to sign. The fact that Frye isn't inked is especially troubling. Quarterbacks need mental preparation to take the field more than any other position. Edwards can show up and run wind sprints for the first week and be cool. Frye needs to learn and implement the whole playbook.
General manager Phil Savage isn't a slick charmer like Carmen Policy. Head coach Romeo Crennel doesn't spew the word "guts" like Butch Davis. This might be the most low-key sports regime in Cleveland, personality-wise. Good. Let's shut up and build a winner, then. The less talking and more doing, the better.
Prediction: safety Brodney Pool will be the Browns rookie who will have the most immediate impact. He has the size to play safety and adequate speed to play the corner. He might find an immediate niche as a nickel-package back.
Prediction: the stability that Trent Dilfer will lend to the quarterback position will go a long way to helping the offense jell, even if Dilfer won't put up gaudy numbers.
Prediction: Dilfer will lend stability just in time to get injured again, paving the way for either Frye or Josh Harris to take over. How the youngsters react to being tossed in the fire could determine the course of the season.
Suggs will have a good season, but constant ping-and-ding injuries will prevent him from latching onto the feature running back role. With nobody among Suggs, Green and Droughns able to emerge from the pack, the running back position will remain muddled.
Much like last year, Steve Heiden and Aaron Shea will be good enough as tight ends to make us forget about not having Kellen Winslow Jr.
You won't notice much of a difference between having L.J. Shelton as the starting left tackle versus Ross Verba. However, the odds of veteran Shelton having 3 a.m. booze orgies at his house and winding up on the police blotter are probably less than with Verba.
(By the way, at last check, Verba still hasn't gotten that big, fat contract the Browns weren't going to give him. Come on, other NFL teams! He's one of the top five offensive linemen in the league! He would be a heck of an anchor along with Santa Claus and Quasi Modo.)
Bonus list time....
The Browns' first-round picks since returning to the league, ranked by effectiveness of the pick (Edwards not included since he has yet to play):
1) Jeff Faine, C, 20th overall, 2003. Injuries have hampered him, but who on the offensive line haven't they hampered?
2) William Green, RB, 17th overall, 2002. Has done so much wrong off the field, but has done just enough right on the field to apparently convince the Browns to hang onto him. Could potentially make the tailback position very deep with Lee Suggs and Reuben Droughns.
3) Tim Couch, QB, 1st overall, 1999. The C.C. Sabathia of Cleveland quarterbacks. Showed flashes of stardom, but could never sustain it. A chronically terrible offensive line coupled with virtually no running game until Green arrived didn't help matters. He was branded as a "system" quarterback at Kentucky, and his downfall in Cleveland was in large part the product of a system, too. An inept one.
4) Courtney Brown, DE, 1st overall, 2000. Maybe he lacked the "killer instinct" of a Jevon Kearse, but we can only imagine what could have been had Brown's knees not been destroyed by injuries. Fresh out of Penn State, he was 6'-7" and lightning quick.
5) Gerard Warren, DT, 3rd overall, 2001. Butch Davis's first draft pick as Browns coach was an overestimation of talent that would become synonymous with the Davis regime. He was ballyhooed as the next Warren Sapp coming out of Florida, but proved to be no more than a decent hole-plugger at his best. At his worst, he was a stone-dumb buffoon who called out the quarterback of a red-hot division arch-rival ("Kill the head and the body's dead.")
6) Kellen Winslow, TE, 6th overall, 2004. He might be a good tight end in the future. If he doesn't get himself killed first.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
The meltdown continues
A caller phoned the show of local sports radio yakker Greg Brinda on WKNR AM/850 in Cleveland this morning. He tried to liken the struggles of Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia to those of Jaret Wright five, six and seven years ago.
Wright, you might remember, was the darling of the 1997 postseason for Cleveland. He beat the Yankees twice in the division series, and won Game 4 of the World Series. He became the second-youngest pitcher ever to start Game 7 of the World Series. His arrogance, bravado and 98-mph fastball made him a boy wonder at age 21. His 8-3 record during the regular season blinded people to his ERA, which approached 5.00.
In October 1997, Wright was on top of the world. We should have seen it coming, but that would be his 15 minutes of fame. The ensuing years brought shoulder surgeries and exposure as the one-trick pony he really was. Without that 98-mph fastball, he wasn't much of anything on the mound.
He rebounded with a 14-win season last year under the watchful eye of pitching guru Leo Mazzone in Atlanta, but is back on the disabled list after signing a contract with the Yankees.
In retrospect, Wright was an overblown creation of hype. He was never going to be as good as people expected him to be after his run in 1997, even without the shoulder problems. He lacked the maturity and pitching arsenal to be a staff ace.
The same, Brinda's caller suggested, could befall C.C.
C.C. gave up eight runs in Monday night's 13-4 drubbing at the hands of the Athletics. The Indians were in an 8-0 hole in the third inning when Rafael Betancourt relieved.
Monday's outing was the latest in a monthlong string of poor pitching by C.C. It's been a month in which he has all but abandoned everything Indians coaches and management have tried to teach him since his rookie year in 2001. He has lost his patience easily, opting to throw harder in tough situations instead of trying to make better pitches. His arrow-straight fastballs have been denting outfield walls as a result.
When he is pulled from a game after a rough outing, he opts to get into verbal sparring with heckling fans as opposed to ignoring them. Fox Sports Ohio microphones picked up C.C. dropping F-bombs toward the crowd following an early exit several weeks ago.
C.C. is crumbling under the pressure of being the organizationally-ordained "staff ace." He is crumbling under the pressure of an $18 million contract extension handed to him earlier this season, which was pretty much the Indians telling their young pitcher "lead us to the promised land."
Like Jaret Wright, he lacks the maturity and pitching prowess to lead the Indians to where they want to be taken. This is the danger of trying to christen messiahs before they have proven themselves. The Indians were in such a rush to appease the fans after the implosion to rebuild three years ago, so eager to show everyone how bright their future is, that they might have given C.C. more than he can handle.
A 17-win season as a rookie is far more attributed to run support than C.C. impersonating Randy Johnson. Other than that, his numbers have been average-to-good, but nowhere near ace-caliber. There would be nothing wrong with C.C.'s development if he had been branded as, say, a future middle-rotation pitcher. But he wasn't.
Now that the Indians have staked their reputation as talent evaluators and C.C.'s reputation as a pitcher on his ability to transform into a Cy Young Award candidate, there is no turning back. C.C.'s career, and possibly his mental health, might be getting run over in the process.
Wright, you might remember, was the darling of the 1997 postseason for Cleveland. He beat the Yankees twice in the division series, and won Game 4 of the World Series. He became the second-youngest pitcher ever to start Game 7 of the World Series. His arrogance, bravado and 98-mph fastball made him a boy wonder at age 21. His 8-3 record during the regular season blinded people to his ERA, which approached 5.00.
In October 1997, Wright was on top of the world. We should have seen it coming, but that would be his 15 minutes of fame. The ensuing years brought shoulder surgeries and exposure as the one-trick pony he really was. Without that 98-mph fastball, he wasn't much of anything on the mound.
He rebounded with a 14-win season last year under the watchful eye of pitching guru Leo Mazzone in Atlanta, but is back on the disabled list after signing a contract with the Yankees.
In retrospect, Wright was an overblown creation of hype. He was never going to be as good as people expected him to be after his run in 1997, even without the shoulder problems. He lacked the maturity and pitching arsenal to be a staff ace.
The same, Brinda's caller suggested, could befall C.C.
C.C. gave up eight runs in Monday night's 13-4 drubbing at the hands of the Athletics. The Indians were in an 8-0 hole in the third inning when Rafael Betancourt relieved.
Monday's outing was the latest in a monthlong string of poor pitching by C.C. It's been a month in which he has all but abandoned everything Indians coaches and management have tried to teach him since his rookie year in 2001. He has lost his patience easily, opting to throw harder in tough situations instead of trying to make better pitches. His arrow-straight fastballs have been denting outfield walls as a result.
When he is pulled from a game after a rough outing, he opts to get into verbal sparring with heckling fans as opposed to ignoring them. Fox Sports Ohio microphones picked up C.C. dropping F-bombs toward the crowd following an early exit several weeks ago.
C.C. is crumbling under the pressure of being the organizationally-ordained "staff ace." He is crumbling under the pressure of an $18 million contract extension handed to him earlier this season, which was pretty much the Indians telling their young pitcher "lead us to the promised land."
Like Jaret Wright, he lacks the maturity and pitching prowess to lead the Indians to where they want to be taken. This is the danger of trying to christen messiahs before they have proven themselves. The Indians were in such a rush to appease the fans after the implosion to rebuild three years ago, so eager to show everyone how bright their future is, that they might have given C.C. more than he can handle.
A 17-win season as a rookie is far more attributed to run support than C.C. impersonating Randy Johnson. Other than that, his numbers have been average-to-good, but nowhere near ace-caliber. There would be nothing wrong with C.C.'s development if he had been branded as, say, a future middle-rotation pitcher. But he wasn't.
Now that the Indians have staked their reputation as talent evaluators and C.C.'s reputation as a pitcher on his ability to transform into a Cy Young Award candidate, there is no turning back. C.C.'s career, and possibly his mental health, might be getting run over in the process.
Monday, July 25, 2005
The curse of caution
For weeks, I have heard names surrounding the Indians in trade rumors. The Indians selling, the Indians buying, the Indians staying put. It's just like colonial times, except no wampum beads.
The trade deadline is now less than a week away, and I am becoming more and more convinced that if you are waiting for even a mildly-impactful acquisition, you are going to grow old doing so.
One of the best moves the Indians could have made, nabbing a right-handed .300 hitter from the Reds in Joe Randa, fell by the wayside over the weekend when Randa was shipped to the Padres.
Randa could have given the Indians a legit bat at third base. He wouldn't have cost a top-level prospect, and since he was playing for the Reds, his salary probably was manageable.
We're not talking about mortgaging the future for Alfonso Soriano here. Or even giving up someone like Jason Davis for a young power bat like Kevin Mench.
I am getting the feeling the Indians might be the most cautious team in baseball. There's nothing wrong with thinking things through. Considering all possible outcomes is only prudent. But I think, when it comes to making trades, the Indians are cautious to the point of waffling.
I have no proof, but my guess that the rumor that the Reds were going to hold onto Randa, as The Plain Dealer reported last week, was either not right or a well-timed pump fake by the Reds. Randa is 36. The Reds, as has been the case more often than not in recent years, are on the fast track to Nowheresville. A 36-year-old third baseman with a .300 average is more valuable to a sub-.500 team as trade bait than for anything he can do on the field.
My guess is that the Indians were at least marginally interested, but spent so much time hemming and hawing over what players they should be willing to give up that the Reds quickly lost interest in dealing with them.
The Jody Gerut for Jason Dubois deal was an attempt at a last-minute kick save by general manager Mark Shapiro, trying to land a right-handed power bat. But that's probably what is going to have to pass for a clutch acquisition in Cleveland this summer.
A big bat for the heart of the order, coupled with the (hopeful) return of Travis Hafner to the lineup soon, could at least keep the Indians in the thick of the wild card race for the duration of the season. But this is what happens when the owner handcuffs the team's decision makers with financial constraints. Instead of being able to get a proven bat like Randa to augment the lineup, the Indians have to settle for a young bat like Dubois, of which they already have plenty.
The Indians are proving adept at restocking their farm system and cultivating the talent that will form this team's core in the coming years. Tribe brass loves to trumpet their team's future. To an extent, they should. But I am concerned getting "the future" to become "the present" is going to be a major stumbling block, as this team spends more time considering moves than actually making them.
The trade deadline is now less than a week away, and I am becoming more and more convinced that if you are waiting for even a mildly-impactful acquisition, you are going to grow old doing so.
One of the best moves the Indians could have made, nabbing a right-handed .300 hitter from the Reds in Joe Randa, fell by the wayside over the weekend when Randa was shipped to the Padres.
Randa could have given the Indians a legit bat at third base. He wouldn't have cost a top-level prospect, and since he was playing for the Reds, his salary probably was manageable.
We're not talking about mortgaging the future for Alfonso Soriano here. Or even giving up someone like Jason Davis for a young power bat like Kevin Mench.
I am getting the feeling the Indians might be the most cautious team in baseball. There's nothing wrong with thinking things through. Considering all possible outcomes is only prudent. But I think, when it comes to making trades, the Indians are cautious to the point of waffling.
I have no proof, but my guess that the rumor that the Reds were going to hold onto Randa, as The Plain Dealer reported last week, was either not right or a well-timed pump fake by the Reds. Randa is 36. The Reds, as has been the case more often than not in recent years, are on the fast track to Nowheresville. A 36-year-old third baseman with a .300 average is more valuable to a sub-.500 team as trade bait than for anything he can do on the field.
My guess is that the Indians were at least marginally interested, but spent so much time hemming and hawing over what players they should be willing to give up that the Reds quickly lost interest in dealing with them.
The Jody Gerut for Jason Dubois deal was an attempt at a last-minute kick save by general manager Mark Shapiro, trying to land a right-handed power bat. But that's probably what is going to have to pass for a clutch acquisition in Cleveland this summer.
A big bat for the heart of the order, coupled with the (hopeful) return of Travis Hafner to the lineup soon, could at least keep the Indians in the thick of the wild card race for the duration of the season. But this is what happens when the owner handcuffs the team's decision makers with financial constraints. Instead of being able to get a proven bat like Randa to augment the lineup, the Indians have to settle for a young bat like Dubois, of which they already have plenty.
The Indians are proving adept at restocking their farm system and cultivating the talent that will form this team's core in the coming years. Tribe brass loves to trumpet their team's future. To an extent, they should. But I am concerned getting "the future" to become "the present" is going to be a major stumbling block, as this team spends more time considering moves than actually making them.
Sarunas Chitwood
Apparently the combination of LeBron James and countryman Zydrunas Ilgauskas wasn't enough to lure point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius to Cleveland.
Media reports Monday say Jasikevicius will re-enact his own version of "Hoosiers" and sign a three-year deal with the Pacers. This comes several weeks after Cleveland and national media outlets reported Indiana had dropped out of the race for the Lithuanian, who was his European league's player of the year two years ago.
Utah also reportedly made a play for Jasikevicius, but it is unclear how serious the inquiry was.
It looks like Indiana's playoff experience was the deciding factor for Jasikevicius, who told FoxSport.com through his agent he viewed the Cavs as an up-and-coming team, but viewed the Pacers as a team that can contend for a title in the immediate future.
For the Cavs, the focus now most likely shifts to Clippers restricted free agent Marko Jaric, who has been rumored to be coming to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade for Drew Gooden, and Portland free agent Damon Stoudamire.
Media reports Monday say Jasikevicius will re-enact his own version of "Hoosiers" and sign a three-year deal with the Pacers. This comes several weeks after Cleveland and national media outlets reported Indiana had dropped out of the race for the Lithuanian, who was his European league's player of the year two years ago.
Utah also reportedly made a play for Jasikevicius, but it is unclear how serious the inquiry was.
It looks like Indiana's playoff experience was the deciding factor for Jasikevicius, who told FoxSport.com through his agent he viewed the Cavs as an up-and-coming team, but viewed the Pacers as a team that can contend for a title in the immediate future.
For the Cavs, the focus now most likely shifts to Clippers restricted free agent Marko Jaric, who has been rumored to be coming to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade for Drew Gooden, and Portland free agent Damon Stoudamire.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Salvaging the homestand
The Indians, sucking major wind the past three weeks, finally found an oasis to cool their loss-parched tongues this weekend. All they had to do, it appears, is bring in a team not from the AL Central.
The Seattle Mariners, at the bottom of the AL West, did just fine for Cleveland's purposes.
A heartbreaking 4-3 loss on Friday was followed by a nail-biting 4-3 win on Saturday and a 6-3 win today.
That, ladies and gentlemen, means the Indians have now won three of their last four. It's not total redemption, but for a team grasping at straws to find anything to feel good about, it's a start.
The Indians finished the homestand 4-7. Bad, but not as bad as it could have been, considering it got off to a 1-6 start.
But the road doesn't get any easier, as a cross-country flight and a series against the Athletics now awaits. When last the Indians saw Oakland, they were pitiful. The Indians walloped Oakland in a three-game sweep over May 27-29 that might have set the stage for Cleveland's 17-10 June.
But the A's always do this. They get off to a horrid start, and then the jets come on in May or June. Since the start of June, Oakland has baseball's best record, despite no longer having Tim Hudson or Mark Mulder, and losing designated hitter Erubiel Durazo to injury for the season. They are now 51-45, and boring holes in the back of Minnesota's head with their eyes in the wild-card race.
Northern California native C.C. Sabathia goes for the Indians tomorrow night. Get some home cooking, C.C., and keep the turnaround going.
The Seattle Mariners, at the bottom of the AL West, did just fine for Cleveland's purposes.
A heartbreaking 4-3 loss on Friday was followed by a nail-biting 4-3 win on Saturday and a 6-3 win today.
That, ladies and gentlemen, means the Indians have now won three of their last four. It's not total redemption, but for a team grasping at straws to find anything to feel good about, it's a start.
The Indians finished the homestand 4-7. Bad, but not as bad as it could have been, considering it got off to a 1-6 start.
But the road doesn't get any easier, as a cross-country flight and a series against the Athletics now awaits. When last the Indians saw Oakland, they were pitiful. The Indians walloped Oakland in a three-game sweep over May 27-29 that might have set the stage for Cleveland's 17-10 June.
But the A's always do this. They get off to a horrid start, and then the jets come on in May or June. Since the start of June, Oakland has baseball's best record, despite no longer having Tim Hudson or Mark Mulder, and losing designated hitter Erubiel Durazo to injury for the season. They are now 51-45, and boring holes in the back of Minnesota's head with their eyes in the wild-card race.
Northern California native C.C. Sabathia goes for the Indians tomorrow night. Get some home cooking, C.C., and keep the turnaround going.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Oh happy day
The Indians get to face Jamie Moyer again tonight when the Seattle Mariners come to town. This is like urinating on a wounded man when he's down.
Here's the battle plan: bunt. Just bunt, and keep bunting. Taking full swings against Moyer never works, so let's make him run that bony, 42-year-old body all over the infield chasing bunts.
If he can junkball the Indians into oblivion, they should be able to do the same to him.
Here's the battle plan: bunt. Just bunt, and keep bunting. Taking full swings against Moyer never works, so let's make him run that bony, 42-year-old body all over the infield chasing bunts.
If he can junkball the Indians into oblivion, they should be able to do the same to him.
Did I say...
Sarunas Jasikevicius was going to ink a contract with the Cavaliers? Like, a done deal? Thank heaven I attributed that to The Plain Dealer.
The Plain Dealer might have a bit of egg on its face for running a graphic earlier this week showing Jasikevicius and Donyell Marshall with the caption, "The newest Cavaliers."
Marshall is in the fold, but Jasikevicius could still be going elsewhere. The hot point guard rumor of the moment has the Cavs acquiring Marko Jaric from the Clippers in a sign-and-trade for Drew Gooden.
Of course, if the NBA salary cap is set higher than anticipated, the Cavs might have room for both. Life would be good with defenders Jaric and Larry Hughes in the starting lineup, and sharpshooters Marshall and Jasikevicius coming off the bench.
I can dream....
The Plain Dealer might have a bit of egg on its face for running a graphic earlier this week showing Jasikevicius and Donyell Marshall with the caption, "The newest Cavaliers."
Marshall is in the fold, but Jasikevicius could still be going elsewhere. The hot point guard rumor of the moment has the Cavs acquiring Marko Jaric from the Clippers in a sign-and-trade for Drew Gooden.
Of course, if the NBA salary cap is set higher than anticipated, the Cavs might have room for both. Life would be good with defenders Jaric and Larry Hughes in the starting lineup, and sharpshooters Marshall and Jasikevicius coming off the bench.
I can dream....
Thursday, July 21, 2005
A reprieve from sucking
This is why the Indians are so frustrating to watch. They drool all over themselves for two and a half weeks, then find a phone booth and change into "Superteam" for one afternoon.
This Indians team does more teasing than Paris Hilton at a Monaco night club. Reference today's 10-1 spanking of the Royals, in which the Indians hit a pair of three-run homers.
Last night, who on Earth though this team would hit two more three-run homers all season?
Suddenly, the offense erupts (without Travis Hafner in the lineup), tantalizing the fans with its potential, making us believe everything might be all right after all. They might take two of three from the Mariners this weekend, broadening our smiles, reassuring us. They'll sniff at the wild card like an interested dog, making us coax them along.
"Only two more games to the Yankees!" we'll say. It will be there, so close, so very reachable.
Then they'll keel over again at the most inopportune time and kill the season. They'll win seven of their final eight games in September when the point is moot, but management will make it their propaganda focus for next season.
And us fans will be waiting, growing older. Like we always do.
This Indians team does more teasing than Paris Hilton at a Monaco night club. Reference today's 10-1 spanking of the Royals, in which the Indians hit a pair of three-run homers.
Last night, who on Earth though this team would hit two more three-run homers all season?
Suddenly, the offense erupts (without Travis Hafner in the lineup), tantalizing the fans with its potential, making us believe everything might be all right after all. They might take two of three from the Mariners this weekend, broadening our smiles, reassuring us. They'll sniff at the wild card like an interested dog, making us coax them along.
"Only two more games to the Yankees!" we'll say. It will be there, so close, so very reachable.
Then they'll keel over again at the most inopportune time and kill the season. They'll win seven of their final eight games in September when the point is moot, but management will make it their propaganda focus for next season.
And us fans will be waiting, growing older. Like we always do.
What's going wrong
Last year, when the Indians delivered a D-day-like offensive on first place, they reached a high-water mark of 63-55 in early August and came within a game of the first-place Twins. Apparently, they ran out of gas in an extra-inning loss to the Twins, which led to a nine-game losing streak that effectively ended their season.
Last year, we could chalk it up to an inexperienced bunch overwhelmed by their first taste of contention. But this year is proving that last year was not just the product of inexperience.
This year, the Indians got to 46-36 on July 4 and appeared to be a runaway steamroller ready to take over the wild card. The next night, they lost to Mike Maroth and the Tigers, and haven't been the same since.
They have lost 11 of 13 to fall to 48-47. While the brunt of those losses have come against the red-hot Yankees and the unconscious White Sox, the last two have come against the pitiful Royals. Not only that, the offense has possibly been worse than in April and early May. The Indians have been shut out three times in the past six games.
A lot of fans want to pick on their favorite whipping boy when things go bad, be it owner Larry Dolan, general manager Mark Shapiro, manager Eric Wedge, or offensively-challenged players like Aaron Boone and Casey Blake. But there's plenty of blame to go around.
I've isolated three areas I think contribute to the Indians inability to sustain success. Feel free to add to it by commenting below.
1. The lack of veteran leadership.
This might sound like a meaningless catch phrase spewed out by a "Baseball Tonight" commentator on ESPN, but it applies to the Indians. Look at the roster. Almost all the veterans are signed to one-year deals. Clubhouse father figures aren't designated on opening day, they develop over time. Kevin Millwood, Scott Elarton, Bob Wickman, Aaron Boone and Ronnie Belliard are all signed only through the end of the year. Over the span of a couple of months, veterans might not get comfortable enough on their new teams to start speaking up to the younger players, and might not be able to gain the trust of the coaching staff enough to advocate for younger players. Why would someone like Millwood go to the trouble of trying to become a clubhouse pillar when he knows there is a significant chance he won't be here at the end of the month, and a near-certain chance he won't be here next spring?
The result is that when the going gets tough, there is no calming, stabilizing effect on the team. It seems to become every man for himself.
Next year, it could be a whole new cast of veteran characters guys like Jhonny Peralta and Grady Sizemore will be asked to look up to. That's not a recipe for stability.
2. The way the roster is built.
This plays into the point above. Ever since the rebuilding project began in earnest in 2002, Shapiro has had two main ways to stockpile talent: the farm system and the bargain bin.
The farm system is very necessary. It is this team's lifeblood, and should be. Teams with bad farm systems are either bad right now, or will be bad soon when their lack of depth is exposed.
But the farm system is a starting point. It's not the alpha and omega of baseball. Dolan has shown a willingness to spend on farm system development, but little else, since the rebuilding project began.
If the Indians want to seriously contend for a championship, they need to be able to make at least several impact acquisitions to augment their roster, either through trades or free agency. Jody Gerut for Jason Dubois isn't what I'm talking about, either.
Other than drafting or trading into the farm system, Shapiro has pretty much been relegated to sifting through the clearance rack to find players coming back from injuries (Millwood, Boone, Elarton, Scott Sauerbeck and Bob Howry), players looking to rebound from bad seasons (Belliard), and late bloomers (Blake).
There's nothing wrong with trying to find a bargain. All teams try to find the occasional scratch-and-dent deal. To Shaprio's credit, many of his bargain acquisitions have worked out to greater or lesser extents. But if thrift-store shopping is one of the two main ways you have to improve your team, that's a problem.
If Dolan thinks the farm system and bargain hunting alone are going to lift the Indians to legitimate contention, he is mistaken.
3. A tale of two managers.
If I had carte blanche to go anywhere I wanted in Major League Baseball this season, go into clubhouses as I pleased and hang out with teams at their hotels, I know two of my destinations.
I would spend several weeks shadowing the White Sox, learning what manager Ozzie Guillen does that enables his team to be so good. I'd take careful note of how Guillen and the White Sox players respond to losses.
I would then spend several weeks tailing the Indians, and contrast Wedge's managerial style with Guillen's. I'd take careful note of how high the Indians players get after wins, and how low they get after losses.
Something tells me there would be stark differences. Maybe it all wouldn't fall on Wedge's shoulders, but I have to believe there are lessons Guillen has gotten through to his team that Wedge hasn't gotten through to his.
Last year, we could chalk it up to an inexperienced bunch overwhelmed by their first taste of contention. But this year is proving that last year was not just the product of inexperience.
This year, the Indians got to 46-36 on July 4 and appeared to be a runaway steamroller ready to take over the wild card. The next night, they lost to Mike Maroth and the Tigers, and haven't been the same since.
They have lost 11 of 13 to fall to 48-47. While the brunt of those losses have come against the red-hot Yankees and the unconscious White Sox, the last two have come against the pitiful Royals. Not only that, the offense has possibly been worse than in April and early May. The Indians have been shut out three times in the past six games.
A lot of fans want to pick on their favorite whipping boy when things go bad, be it owner Larry Dolan, general manager Mark Shapiro, manager Eric Wedge, or offensively-challenged players like Aaron Boone and Casey Blake. But there's plenty of blame to go around.
I've isolated three areas I think contribute to the Indians inability to sustain success. Feel free to add to it by commenting below.
1. The lack of veteran leadership.
This might sound like a meaningless catch phrase spewed out by a "Baseball Tonight" commentator on ESPN, but it applies to the Indians. Look at the roster. Almost all the veterans are signed to one-year deals. Clubhouse father figures aren't designated on opening day, they develop over time. Kevin Millwood, Scott Elarton, Bob Wickman, Aaron Boone and Ronnie Belliard are all signed only through the end of the year. Over the span of a couple of months, veterans might not get comfortable enough on their new teams to start speaking up to the younger players, and might not be able to gain the trust of the coaching staff enough to advocate for younger players. Why would someone like Millwood go to the trouble of trying to become a clubhouse pillar when he knows there is a significant chance he won't be here at the end of the month, and a near-certain chance he won't be here next spring?
The result is that when the going gets tough, there is no calming, stabilizing effect on the team. It seems to become every man for himself.
Next year, it could be a whole new cast of veteran characters guys like Jhonny Peralta and Grady Sizemore will be asked to look up to. That's not a recipe for stability.
2. The way the roster is built.
This plays into the point above. Ever since the rebuilding project began in earnest in 2002, Shapiro has had two main ways to stockpile talent: the farm system and the bargain bin.
The farm system is very necessary. It is this team's lifeblood, and should be. Teams with bad farm systems are either bad right now, or will be bad soon when their lack of depth is exposed.
But the farm system is a starting point. It's not the alpha and omega of baseball. Dolan has shown a willingness to spend on farm system development, but little else, since the rebuilding project began.
If the Indians want to seriously contend for a championship, they need to be able to make at least several impact acquisitions to augment their roster, either through trades or free agency. Jody Gerut for Jason Dubois isn't what I'm talking about, either.
Other than drafting or trading into the farm system, Shapiro has pretty much been relegated to sifting through the clearance rack to find players coming back from injuries (Millwood, Boone, Elarton, Scott Sauerbeck and Bob Howry), players looking to rebound from bad seasons (Belliard), and late bloomers (Blake).
There's nothing wrong with trying to find a bargain. All teams try to find the occasional scratch-and-dent deal. To Shaprio's credit, many of his bargain acquisitions have worked out to greater or lesser extents. But if thrift-store shopping is one of the two main ways you have to improve your team, that's a problem.
If Dolan thinks the farm system and bargain hunting alone are going to lift the Indians to legitimate contention, he is mistaken.
3. A tale of two managers.
If I had carte blanche to go anywhere I wanted in Major League Baseball this season, go into clubhouses as I pleased and hang out with teams at their hotels, I know two of my destinations.
I would spend several weeks shadowing the White Sox, learning what manager Ozzie Guillen does that enables his team to be so good. I'd take careful note of how Guillen and the White Sox players respond to losses.
I would then spend several weeks tailing the Indians, and contrast Wedge's managerial style with Guillen's. I'd take careful note of how high the Indians players get after wins, and how low they get after losses.
Something tells me there would be stark differences. Maybe it all wouldn't fall on Wedge's shoulders, but I have to believe there are lessons Guillen has gotten through to his team that Wedge hasn't gotten through to his.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
No, they can't
Did I say the Cavs' free agents would be able to ink their contracts Friday? Silly me, I forgot business always gets in the way.
A new Marshall in town
The Cavaliers needed an outside shooting threat. So, logically, that means they signed a perimeter-scoring .... power forward?
I guess a shooter is a shooter.
Donyell Marshall became the third major free agent to jump on the Cavs' bandwagon Tuesday, reportedly agreeing to a four-year deal between $20 million and $25 million.
Marshall has been a NBA nomad in his 11-year career, journeying to Minnesota, Golden State, Utah, Chicago and most recently Toronto. His 6'-9", 230-pound frame makes him a sturdy low-post player who can body up on defense. But the dimension that makes him truly special for his position is his ability to shoot.
Last year, he was a modern-day Sam Perkins, nailing 41 percent of his three-point attempts. The percentage was 11th-best in the league and tops among frontcourt players.
He averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds as primarily a bench player for the Raptors last year. Over his career, he has averaged 12.4 points and 7.3 boards per game.
Unless rebound vacuum Anderson Varejao develops low-post moves and a mid-range jumper by this fall, Marshall is almost assuredly going to start for Cleveland, which could raise questions about his durability over the course of his contract.
Marshall is 32, which will make him a downright-ancient-by-NBA-standards 36 at the end of the deal. By the contract's second half, Marshall will probably be best-served coming off the bench, so the Cavs would still be wise to groom Varejao as a starter.
Marshall's arrival almost certainly paves Drew Gooden's road out of town. He is heading into the last year of his rookie contract, coming off a season in which he was plagued by inconsistency but still averaged 14 points and nine rebounds. The low contract and reasonably high numbers should make him very tradeable.
The Cavs' three-week spasm of free-agent signings should come to an end today, when The Plain Dealer reports Lithuanian point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius should agree to terms. Like Marshall, Jasikevicius is an outside shooter. The Cavs became the primary target for Jasikevicius when they re-signed close friend Zydrunas Ilgauskas last week. Indiana reportedly dropped out of the running for Jasikevicius last week, making Cleveland the lone remaining serious suitor.
Marshall, Jasikevicius, Ilgauskas and Larry Hughes will all ink their contracts Friday, the first day teams can sign players.
I guess a shooter is a shooter.
Donyell Marshall became the third major free agent to jump on the Cavs' bandwagon Tuesday, reportedly agreeing to a four-year deal between $20 million and $25 million.
Marshall has been a NBA nomad in his 11-year career, journeying to Minnesota, Golden State, Utah, Chicago and most recently Toronto. His 6'-9", 230-pound frame makes him a sturdy low-post player who can body up on defense. But the dimension that makes him truly special for his position is his ability to shoot.
Last year, he was a modern-day Sam Perkins, nailing 41 percent of his three-point attempts. The percentage was 11th-best in the league and tops among frontcourt players.
He averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds as primarily a bench player for the Raptors last year. Over his career, he has averaged 12.4 points and 7.3 boards per game.
Unless rebound vacuum Anderson Varejao develops low-post moves and a mid-range jumper by this fall, Marshall is almost assuredly going to start for Cleveland, which could raise questions about his durability over the course of his contract.
Marshall is 32, which will make him a downright-ancient-by-NBA-standards 36 at the end of the deal. By the contract's second half, Marshall will probably be best-served coming off the bench, so the Cavs would still be wise to groom Varejao as a starter.
Marshall's arrival almost certainly paves Drew Gooden's road out of town. He is heading into the last year of his rookie contract, coming off a season in which he was plagued by inconsistency but still averaged 14 points and nine rebounds. The low contract and reasonably high numbers should make him very tradeable.
The Cavs' three-week spasm of free-agent signings should come to an end today, when The Plain Dealer reports Lithuanian point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius should agree to terms. Like Marshall, Jasikevicius is an outside shooter. The Cavs became the primary target for Jasikevicius when they re-signed close friend Zydrunas Ilgauskas last week. Indiana reportedly dropped out of the running for Jasikevicius last week, making Cleveland the lone remaining serious suitor.
Marshall, Jasikevicius, Ilgauskas and Larry Hughes will all ink their contracts Friday, the first day teams can sign players.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Nature intervenes
Somebody up there took pity on the Indians last night.
In the fifth inning, right after last night's game against the Royals became official, the rains came and didn't let up all evening. After several hours of waiting, the Indians were awarded a rain-shortened 6-2 win, snapping a season-high five-game losing streak and giving the win column a little more breathing room in front of a fast-encroaching loss column. The Indians are now 48-45.
Starting pitcher Cliff Lee, teetering on the brink of another mid-season collapse, was working on his fourth straight shaky outing when he gave up two runs in the first. But he settled down long enough for the offense to erupt for their biggest output since an 8-7 win over the Yankees on July 9. The six-run outburst included two homers from Ben Broussard, alleviating concerns that he had been kidnapped by aliens and replaced with a cardboard cutout.
Lee finished with four scoreless innings to gain his 10th win of the season and keep his ERA below four (now 3.88).
----------------------------------------------
After the game, the Indians announced the trade of Jody Gerut to the Cubs for outfielder Jason Dubois. It's a swap of extra outfielders. The Indians get a right-handed bat with more pop than Gerut's, and the Cubs get a left-handed bat who hits for a higher average than Dubois.
I think highly of Gerut. His intelligence separates him from the stereotype of the country-bumpkin ballplayer, and he is a very hard worker. Never considered a top prospect, he worked hard to not only make it to the majors, but be a good player once he got there. Gerut gets to go home to his native Chicago and play for the Cubs now. Good luck to him.
Back on the homefront, the Indians get a guy who has been productive in his minor league career, and has some major league experience. Last year, splitting time between the Cubs and the minors, Dubois his 31 homers. Dubois, 26, has spent most of this season with the Cubs, hitting .239 with seven homers and 22 RBI in 52 games.
Dubois is the latest in a long line of attempts by general manager Mark Shapiro to land a productive right-handed power bat. So far, the search has ranged from Shane Spencer to Ryan Ludwick to Jose Hernandez to Juan Gonzalez. Needless to say, it hasn't gone well.
Media reports say Dubois is expected to replace Gerut on the 25-man roster.
In the fifth inning, right after last night's game against the Royals became official, the rains came and didn't let up all evening. After several hours of waiting, the Indians were awarded a rain-shortened 6-2 win, snapping a season-high five-game losing streak and giving the win column a little more breathing room in front of a fast-encroaching loss column. The Indians are now 48-45.
Starting pitcher Cliff Lee, teetering on the brink of another mid-season collapse, was working on his fourth straight shaky outing when he gave up two runs in the first. But he settled down long enough for the offense to erupt for their biggest output since an 8-7 win over the Yankees on July 9. The six-run outburst included two homers from Ben Broussard, alleviating concerns that he had been kidnapped by aliens and replaced with a cardboard cutout.
Lee finished with four scoreless innings to gain his 10th win of the season and keep his ERA below four (now 3.88).
----------------------------------------------
After the game, the Indians announced the trade of Jody Gerut to the Cubs for outfielder Jason Dubois. It's a swap of extra outfielders. The Indians get a right-handed bat with more pop than Gerut's, and the Cubs get a left-handed bat who hits for a higher average than Dubois.
I think highly of Gerut. His intelligence separates him from the stereotype of the country-bumpkin ballplayer, and he is a very hard worker. Never considered a top prospect, he worked hard to not only make it to the majors, but be a good player once he got there. Gerut gets to go home to his native Chicago and play for the Cubs now. Good luck to him.
Back on the homefront, the Indians get a guy who has been productive in his minor league career, and has some major league experience. Last year, splitting time between the Cubs and the minors, Dubois his 31 homers. Dubois, 26, has spent most of this season with the Cubs, hitting .239 with seven homers and 22 RBI in 52 games.
Dubois is the latest in a long line of attempts by general manager Mark Shapiro to land a productive right-handed power bat. So far, the search has ranged from Shane Spencer to Ryan Ludwick to Jose Hernandez to Juan Gonzalez. Needless to say, it hasn't gone well.
Media reports say Dubois is expected to replace Gerut on the 25-man roster.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Rogers surrenders
At least Arlington, Texas law enforcement isn't into kissing Kenny Rogers' butt.
Of course, the case against Rogers hasn't gone into the court system yet. Rogers could still get a dropped charge if he smiles at the right people, and maybe makes some Rangers luxury box tickets magically appear in the right mailboxes. Or maybe I'm just being cynical.
Of course, the case against Rogers hasn't gone into the court system yet. Rogers could still get a dropped charge if he smiles at the right people, and maybe makes some Rangers luxury box tickets magically appear in the right mailboxes. Or maybe I'm just being cynical.
Fallout
The first four-game sweep for the White Sox in Cleveland since 1963 created a ton of fallout as the Royals arrive in town tonight for the start of another four-game series. Some of the blame for this weekend rests with the quirks of the schedule. Some rests with the Indians. Some of it rests with the White Sox being blatantly better.
I can't distill this into a nice, smooth column, so I'm just going to throw it all against the wall and see what sticks. Kind of like the Indians this weekend.
1. The White Sox are not a better team than Cleveland talentwise, but they are a better team. They were able to come in here and use their pitching to impose their will on the Indians. And when Chicago had the Indians down, they knocked them out. That's a killer instinct, and I gained a whole new respect for what I think the White Sox can do in October if they get a lead. The Indians, by contrast, showed just how fragile their collective psyche is. It doesn't take much to break the Tribe mentally. To me, that's a case of Ozzie Guillen vs. Eric Wedge.
2. Maybe the all-star break was a bad thing. Or maybe it wouldn't have made a difference. I thought, after losing three of four to the Yankees, taking a three-day break would be a nice mental health holiday for the team. Maybe it just made them rusty or sluggish, because I haven't seen the Indians be simply dominated in a series this season like they were this weekend.
3. While Chicago did dominate the Indians in every phase of the game, I will give the Indians this: you need to be lucky sometimes. The Indians hit their share of balls hard this weekend, and just about every one of them was drawn to a White Sox fielder like iron shavings to a magnet.
4. The White Sox led in 35 of 36 innings this series, and were tied only once after a scoreless first inning on Saturday. The only thing more amazing than that statistic is Chicago's record against the AL Central, now 30-5.
5. The division race is over. No more talk about catching Chicago, which is now 15 games up on the Indians. The chances of winning the division before this series were slim and none. Right now, slim has left the building and is on a flight to Rio. The Twins are the only team now standing between Chicago and the Indians' record 30-game margin of victory in 1995.
6. Per Zach's comment to my post below, I can see Wedge not wanting to be too aggressive on the bases. Let's face it, this series (with Sunday as a possible exception), the Indians had to treat baserunners like gold. They didn't get many of them. And, sooner or later, you're going to need a hit to drive the runners in. That didn't happen this weekend.
7. The good news? The Indians are still in the wild-card chase. The bad news? Six of their final 13 games are against the White Sox.
8. If the Indians are looking for relief just because the last-place Royals are coming to town, don't think that relief will come as easily as popping a Rolaids tablet into your mouth. The Royals are managed by Buddy Bell, who, as you might know, began the season as Cleveland's bench coach. The Royals are still bad, but have played respectable 20-22 ball since Bell took over. And who wouldn't want to have your opponent's former bench coach in your dugout? Bell can give his pitchers and hitters expert insight on handling the Indians. Whether the Royals players can carry out Bell's advice is another matter, but they will be well-prepared for this series.
9. This series against Kansas City is the hour of reckoning for the Indians. If Cleveland's team morale is so thoroughly shot that the Royals come in here and take three out of four, it might be time to start shopping Kevin Millwood, Bob Wickman and Ronnie Belliard for prospects. The silver lining to that cloud is, after what I saw of the White Sox pitching this weekend, teams like Boston, the Angels and Yankees would be wise to fortify their pitching before the trade deadline. The Indians could get a few really nice Class AA or Class AAA prospects from a team or two desperate to add good arms.
10. Of course, option No.1 would still be for the Indians to remain in close wild-card contention and be able to add a bat without blowing up the roster.
I can't distill this into a nice, smooth column, so I'm just going to throw it all against the wall and see what sticks. Kind of like the Indians this weekend.
1. The White Sox are not a better team than Cleveland talentwise, but they are a better team. They were able to come in here and use their pitching to impose their will on the Indians. And when Chicago had the Indians down, they knocked them out. That's a killer instinct, and I gained a whole new respect for what I think the White Sox can do in October if they get a lead. The Indians, by contrast, showed just how fragile their collective psyche is. It doesn't take much to break the Tribe mentally. To me, that's a case of Ozzie Guillen vs. Eric Wedge.
2. Maybe the all-star break was a bad thing. Or maybe it wouldn't have made a difference. I thought, after losing three of four to the Yankees, taking a three-day break would be a nice mental health holiday for the team. Maybe it just made them rusty or sluggish, because I haven't seen the Indians be simply dominated in a series this season like they were this weekend.
3. While Chicago did dominate the Indians in every phase of the game, I will give the Indians this: you need to be lucky sometimes. The Indians hit their share of balls hard this weekend, and just about every one of them was drawn to a White Sox fielder like iron shavings to a magnet.
4. The White Sox led in 35 of 36 innings this series, and were tied only once after a scoreless first inning on Saturday. The only thing more amazing than that statistic is Chicago's record against the AL Central, now 30-5.
5. The division race is over. No more talk about catching Chicago, which is now 15 games up on the Indians. The chances of winning the division before this series were slim and none. Right now, slim has left the building and is on a flight to Rio. The Twins are the only team now standing between Chicago and the Indians' record 30-game margin of victory in 1995.
6. Per Zach's comment to my post below, I can see Wedge not wanting to be too aggressive on the bases. Let's face it, this series (with Sunday as a possible exception), the Indians had to treat baserunners like gold. They didn't get many of them. And, sooner or later, you're going to need a hit to drive the runners in. That didn't happen this weekend.
7. The good news? The Indians are still in the wild-card chase. The bad news? Six of their final 13 games are against the White Sox.
8. If the Indians are looking for relief just because the last-place Royals are coming to town, don't think that relief will come as easily as popping a Rolaids tablet into your mouth. The Royals are managed by Buddy Bell, who, as you might know, began the season as Cleveland's bench coach. The Royals are still bad, but have played respectable 20-22 ball since Bell took over. And who wouldn't want to have your opponent's former bench coach in your dugout? Bell can give his pitchers and hitters expert insight on handling the Indians. Whether the Royals players can carry out Bell's advice is another matter, but they will be well-prepared for this series.
9. This series against Kansas City is the hour of reckoning for the Indians. If Cleveland's team morale is so thoroughly shot that the Royals come in here and take three out of four, it might be time to start shopping Kevin Millwood, Bob Wickman and Ronnie Belliard for prospects. The silver lining to that cloud is, after what I saw of the White Sox pitching this weekend, teams like Boston, the Angels and Yankees would be wise to fortify their pitching before the trade deadline. The Indians could get a few really nice Class AA or Class AAA prospects from a team or two desperate to add good arms.
10. Of course, option No.1 would still be for the Indians to remain in close wild-card contention and be able to add a bat without blowing up the roster.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
10 years ago today
The resurgence of the Cleveland Indians might have had its breakthrough moment on July 16, 1995, when the Indians staked their claim as the rally kings of the decade.
The Indians and Athletics battled through 11 innings at Jacobs Field until Oakland scratched out a run in the top of the 12th for a 4-3 lead. On came Dennis Eckersley, Oakland's now-hall-of-fame closer.
Cleveland managed a baserunner before getting two outs. Manny Ramirez stepped to the plate as the Tribe's last hope and proceeded to foul off a number of pitches against Eckersley.
He was looking for a pitch he could drive. Eck eventually served one up.
Manny made it count.
The ball went about as high as it did far, eventually landing deep in the left-field bleachers, the thunderbolt that delivered the Indians to a 5-4 win.
As he walked off the mound, Eckersley mouthed the word "wow," making no attempt to hide his amazement at how far the ball traveled.
If the Indians and Ramirez hadn't arrived prior to then, they certainly had when that ball reached the fans.
Albert Belle had his own encore two days later against the Angels' Lee Smith, depositing a walk-off grand slam into the center field picnic plaza at Jacobs Field for a 7-5 win. Smith later said the ball landed "in the barbecue."
(Personal side note: I went to the game on July 17 that year, an 8-3 loss to the Angels started by then-rookie Chad Ogea. So, one step away from history on both sides, I went to the dud game sandwiched between two of the most memorable finishes of a memorable season. Such is life.)
The Indians and Athletics battled through 11 innings at Jacobs Field until Oakland scratched out a run in the top of the 12th for a 4-3 lead. On came Dennis Eckersley, Oakland's now-hall-of-fame closer.
Cleveland managed a baserunner before getting two outs. Manny Ramirez stepped to the plate as the Tribe's last hope and proceeded to foul off a number of pitches against Eckersley.
He was looking for a pitch he could drive. Eck eventually served one up.
Manny made it count.
The ball went about as high as it did far, eventually landing deep in the left-field bleachers, the thunderbolt that delivered the Indians to a 5-4 win.
As he walked off the mound, Eckersley mouthed the word "wow," making no attempt to hide his amazement at how far the ball traveled.
If the Indians and Ramirez hadn't arrived prior to then, they certainly had when that ball reached the fans.
Albert Belle had his own encore two days later against the Angels' Lee Smith, depositing a walk-off grand slam into the center field picnic plaza at Jacobs Field for a 7-5 win. Smith later said the ball landed "in the barbecue."
(Personal side note: I went to the game on July 17 that year, an 8-3 loss to the Angels started by then-rookie Chad Ogea. So, one step away from history on both sides, I went to the dud game sandwiched between two of the most memorable finishes of a memorable season. Such is life.)
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