TRIBE IN TROUBLE: WHY CLEVELAND INDIANS FANS SHOULD WORRY

I'm not sure what's shakier right now: the Indians pitching or the economy. And Joe Borowski's disabled-list stint -- after blowing two April saves in fantastically painful ways -- is kind of like the coming economic stimulus. It will provide temporary relief, but won't keep the ball club from getting screwed later. (Most of you will have to pay back that stimulus, by the way.)

The biggest problem the Tribe has isn't even Joe Blow or the closer position. It's the reigning A.L. Cy Young award winner C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia is 0-3 with a preposterous 13.50 ERA after his shelling last night at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. Though most of the damage came in a nightmarish 5th inning, in which Sabathia did not record a single out, Sabathia totally harmed himself by walking five, a troubling trend that fellow starter Fausto Carmona has also shown this April.



Analyst after analyst has said, "C.C.'s gonna snap out of it. He's too good." I sincerely hope all of them are correct. But I wouldn't be me -- the annoying, told-you-so me -- if I didn't point you to this post from the off-season. I proposed the idea that if the Indians couldn't make a trade for Jason Bay or another everyday corner outfielder (didn't happen) and if they couldn't re-sign Sabathia before spring training started on their terms (also didn't happen), then they should shop him -- trade him to get something for him before he bolts at contract's end.

As much as I hate to be wrong, sometimes I hate to be right. This is one of those times.

I got murdered for this idea from everyone who read it because most of them blinded by loyalty to No. 52 and because most of them never read Terry Pluto's book about the Indians, Dealing. I was berated fiercely because one of the names I mentioned was Juan Pierre, who I'll admit delivers an .OPS akin to the attendance at most Florida Marlins games. But, really, I imagined the Indians acquiring an outfielder, a closer (the Indians are without a legitimate one right now) and whatever prospects they could get to fill out the farm. I suggested, logically, they trade him to a place like L.A., which is close to home for Sabathia and has two organizations with the cash capabilities to pay him his astonishingly high market value when he becomes a free agent.

I won't rehash every ounce of logic I spewed there. Go back and read it yourself. But what I will say is that Mark Shapiro -- who is a genius for assembling the Indians core of Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner, Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Garko -- couldn't quite put together a safe but bold off-season deal that would have guaranteed the Indians to be a winning ballclub for years to come. He put a little too much faith in Borowski, and he didn't recognize that Sabathia, in all likelihood, was going to go the route of Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez, testing the free-agent waters only to say "Siyanara" to the city on the lake. With no changes or risks coming into 2008, the Indians organization was collectively sitting at a game of five-card draw, holding three 4s and refusing to draw a card. Too bad quite a few hands can beat a three-of-a-kind.

Sabathia may turn this around and go 17-3. The Indians might start finally start hitting, climb out of this 5-10 hole they've gotten themselves into, and play right back to the top of the A.L. Central. But Kansas City is better, Chicago is off to a startlingly good start with revived pitching, Minnesota isn't as barren as everyone says, and Detroit proved tonight how they can play their way back into the race and win the division: scorch everyone to death with the best one-through-nine in baseball.

What does the Tribe have? A lot of question marks. They need a savior, an unexpected pick-me-up from someone we've written off. Maybe it's Cliff Lee or Andy Marte or Josh Barfield. Maybe it's Ben Francisco, who most people are dubbing the next Carl Yastrzemski in comparison to Cleveland's woeful Jason Michaels/David Dellucci platoon. Maybe it's Trevor Crowe, Adam Miller, or Rafael Perez. Call me a pessimist if you want, but it's probably not C.C. Sabathia. In retrospect, though, if he bombs this year, the Indians might be able to overpay for him in the off-season and bring him back.

This rough start is enough to make you wish you could go back in a time to October and shanghai Joel Skinner and Josh Beckett in the night. I'll be watching the Indians at Yankee Stadium in May, and I really hope I don't have to bring a paper sack to wear over my head. Maniac Manny Ramirez's ninth-inning blast Monday was enough to remind us Wahoos of the world that we were so close yet were -- and are -- so far away.

FAREWELL, 2007, YEAR OF ALMOSTS

It’s only fitting that in a year dubbed Ohio’s “year of almosts” that another near-miss would cap 2007, just as it started.

Yesterday, the Tennessee Titans prevailed over the backup-laden Indianapolis Colts 16-10, snubbing the Cleveland Browns, who finished 10-6, from the playoffs. The Browns methodically disposed of the San Francisco 49ers at home, 20-7, earlier in the day, in a game they hoped was a playoff tune-up. But luck, as it always does, stayed away from the most tortured sports city in the country.

This year, Ohio might be the most tortured state.

Let’s start with Jan. 3. Ohio State’s football team dominated its way to a 12-0 season before being outplayed and outcoached by Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators in my new digs, Glendale, Ariz., during the national title game. In the spring, the Buckeyes mens basketball team earned a shot at redemption, before losing to those same Gators in the national title game. The Cavaliers, behind the godlike play of LeBron James, reached their first ever NBA Finals before being swept by San Antonio. The Columbus Destroyers, though of little significance to many, played their way out mediocrity by advancing to the Arena Bowl, before losing there. The Cleveland Indians blew a 3-1 series lead in the ALCS to the eventual World Series champion Boston Red Sox. OSU made it all the way to the NCAA finals in mens soccer and then lost. Then yesterday…the Browns.

However, saying the Browns lost their playoff hopes yesterday ignores all of their other missed opportunities. Yes, I wanted to punch Tony Dungee in the goatee for playing his junior varsity, even when the game could have gone his way, and for not managing the clock at game’s end. Clearly, he wanted Tennessee in the playoffs over the Browns (and I don’t blame him.) But the Browns left the playoffs on the shelf when they laid an egg in Cincinnati a week ago, when they committed four turnovers in Arizona and when they played down to the Raiders—and lost the game on a timeout-induced botched field goal. Granted, the Browns pulled out a couple of close ones, but the end story is all too familiar: close, but no cigar.

Fellow sports writers and friends are reflecting on 2007 and calling it a “Season of Dreams.” Given my recap above, I fail to see what’s so dreamy about it. I’m often accused of being a pessimist, but 2007 for the Ohio sports fan has been about as pleasurable as getting hot and heavy with someone before the other person whispers they have an STI. It’s been the year of fool’s gold, where as soon as the thought creeps into your head that “this could be the year,” a twist of fate chokes those dreams around the neck.

You implore, “But John? What about all of the good memories? LeBron’s 48 points? Bugs attack Joba Chamberlain at the Jake? Browns egde Bills in the snow bowl? Hey, I never said the year wasn’t entertaining or lacked good times. As it stacks up with other years, I suppose 2007 has been a pretty good one. But never, never have I, a Cleveland/Ohio sports fan, been inside of so many different championship panties just to get shooed out of them.

As we turn the page to 2008, the Buckeye footballers can silence all of the doubters with a win over LSU. Will the coming year be the year of finishing? Or can we expect more of the same?

MITCHELL REPORT DELIVERS ANOTHER BLOW TO BASEBALL

Though many will argue that ignorance does not mean bliss, for many baseball fans, they could do without a lot of the information they have heard, particularly that the greatest right-handed pitcher of the modern era probably used steroids.

The 409-page report issued by former senator George Mitchell implicated Roger Clemens as a steroid-user, detailing particularly interactions between Clemens and a trainer in Toronto and New York.

My personal reaction: This is the darkest day for baseball since I have been old enough to understand it. I was barely into T-ball when the Pete Rose gambling scandal hit the press. I do remember the 1994 strike, but my fondest baseball memories came post-strike anyway. Hands down, hearing that so many players "cheated" bummed me out more than any other scandal. But then I started to think. Did they really cheat?

The Clemens camp vehemently denied the accusations, but the detailed testimony of Clemens' former trainer would be tough to fabricate. Clemens himself has remained silent on the issue, speaking through his lawyer. That fact alone makes him guilty in the court of public opinion.

The report also confirmed what we already knew: Barry Bonds used steroids from the BALCO lab, though his story is still "he didn't know they were steroids." A federal jury will determine that.

Ex-Cleveland Indians David Justice and David Segui were mentioned in the report, marking the only Indians from the power-hitting "glory days" to have accusers, a bit of a surprise to me. (In a cynical, vindicative way, I was clamoring for my childhood hero Jim Thome to be named.) The only saving grace for the Tribe is that none of their traning staff has ever been subpoenaed, leaving most of the limelight to ballplayers who made careers in New York or the Bay Area, as Miguel Tejada, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi all used while playing for the Oakland A's.

I have some baseball-enthusiast friends who have minimalized the report's release, saying, "Everyone was using back then. We'd rather not know about it and just try to forget the whole thing ever happened."

Baseball, though, is a sport that survives based on the fact that we can't forget what happens. It's a sport that built its popularity on records and numbers, records and numbers that are inevitably skewed by an era of rampant performance-enhancing drug use.

Though not named in the Mitchell Report, Tribe pitcher Paul Byrd confessed to human growth hormone use in 2002. Though HGH is on the banned substance list now, it wasn't then, and Byrd maintains he took the substance at the advice of a doctor and because he was recovering from elbow surgery.

Did he cheat? That's dicey. It really depends on whom you ask.

If you ask me, and if you're reading this, you essentially are, "cheating" is a knowing and intentional breaking of rules to give one an advantage. The rules on steroid use in baseball have toughened, and the number of violations has decreased (though reported violations have gone up because of positive testing.) This "stuff" coming out of the woodwork from years ago comes from times when the banned substance list contained many loopholes and a unified message of "We don't do this thing in baseball" was absent. Of course, then, that some of the world greatest competitors who depend on on-field performance will push the limits of legality. They will take whatever means they can to gain an advantage.

Commissioner Bud Selig gets the "response" half-right. The plan to test for steroids is fine. The plan to retro-actively punish active players for use in the past (possible suspension of Andy Petitte et. al.) is wrong. The game has changed, and it is closer to the pure, innocent game Americans love, and some integrity has been restored. We have to accept that like there was a Dead Ball Era, there was also a Steroids Era. Little by little, that era is ending.

It's tough for me, though, because I fell in love with the game during that era, and I'm left knowing more about my childhood heroes than I wanted to know.

'CY CY' SABATHIA PROVIDES DILEMMA TO TRIBE FRONT OFFICE

After C.C. Sabathia earned the first Cy Young Award for the Indians since Gaylord Perry in the 70s, it's time to get serious about talking about his "New Deal." I'm guessing FDR's actually will end up being less expensive.

It's possible that Mark Shapiro will be able to sign the left-handed ace. It's also possible that Britney Spears will become a good mother. But likely?

Therefore, I've developed a contingency plan.

We all know the Indians are interested in acquiring the Pirates' Jason Bay. The Tribe is probably going to see if C.C. will go for their first contract offer before seriously pursuing Bay, a left-fielder who would fill the Lofton void. (Give up, Lofton-lovers, Kenny's encore was a great one, but it will be short-lived.) So, Plan A for off-season moves is 1.) Get C.C. a new contract and 2.) Make a trade for Bay.

If neither of those things work, here's what I propose: trade C.C. to the L.A. Dodgers for a variety of possible players including Juan Pierre, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, Takashi Saito and prospects. Here's my logic:

1.) Though a lot of things could happen in 2008, I'm guessing C.C. Sabathia will have another good campaign. His 100 career wins and 3.83 ERA indicate nothing to the contrary. But 2007 was a career year, and even though C.C. is only 27, given the depth of pitching talent in the AL, it's not likely Sabathia is going to be winning many more Cy Youngs. In fact, it's likely he has peaked and will never be quite as dominant as he was in 2007.

2.) Sabathia will likely command a $150-200 million contract. That's his going rate now. Without paralyzing their payroll, the Indians cannot pay anyone that much. Remember what happened with Thome and Ramirez? Left at the altar. This would be Round III.

3.) It may not appear the Indians have a lot of off-season needs, but in reality, they do. They need to figure out whether Andy Marte or Casey Blake are the real solution at third or whether they're going to move Peralta there, move Cabrera to shortstop and play Barfield at second. Priority No. 1 is an outfield bat. A somewhat lower priority has been to ink a genuine leadoff hitter so that Grady Sizemore can move down to the No. 3 spot in the lineup, a good move after seeing Hafner's tough 2007 (Pierre batted .293 and stole 64 bases this year, by the way, and check out this cool MLB contract site to see the inherited financial burden). Even after signing Borowski, they could stand an upgrade at closer. Dealing Sabathia would give them that flexibility.

4.) The Indians could fill several vacancies and question marks by pulling a deal like this, and of course, you all are thinking, "Sure, but then we've got a big f***ing vacancy at our No. 1 starter slot." That answer is easier than you think. The Indians are loaded with young pitching talent. Carmona is ready to be the go-to guy. If he can learn to pitch in Boston, he'll be the best right-hander in the league without question. Westbrook and Byrd will stay solid, so the Indians have to hope that of Cliff Lee, Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey, at least one of them emerges. Personally, I think both Lee and Sowers will return to form. Remember, the Tribe still has Adam Miller, who is still on the mend from arm surgery. Both Jensen Lewis and Rafael Perez have starter arm strength and experience. Looking down the road and past 2008, the Indians will be fine in the starting pitching department. Plus, they could demand a top prospect in the trade.

...but why the Dodgers, you ask?

5.) C.C. is from California (albeit Northern) and tempting to West Coast teams.

6.) L.A. just hired Joe Torre and is pursuing A-Rod, but "overpay-Rod" has decided to stay with the Yankees at 10 years, $275 million. The Blue and White still want to make a big off-season splash after finishing third in the N.L. West last year.

7.) They have three good starters and two big question marks in their rotation. They would love to add a fourth, or part with a No. 3 to add a No. 1.

8.) As part of that "big splash" mentality, the Dodgers--like the Yankees, Cubs and other big-market juggernauts--are short-sided. The fact that they know C.C. is a free agent at the end of the year doesn't scare them. They would have the resources to re-sign him anyway.

9.) They're in the National League (even though Cleveland does play them in June).

Though Sabathia stepped up as a clubhouse leader and spokesperson this year, the Indians should only let them prevent a deal if Wedge and Shapiro think it would lead to an imminent collapse of the team in 2008. Honestly, if a deal is done correctly, it can make the Indians better for 2008 and definitely better for the future.

If I could have any of the proposed players I mentioned, I would send Sabathia and try to pick up Pierre and Saito. If they wouldn't throw in Saito, I would demand some AA pitching prospect(s). The Tribe could even throw in Borowski if the Dodgers wanted him as an insurance policy at closer. If they won't part with Pierre, then the Indians get Kemp or Ethier plus Saito and prospects, or there's no deal.

Honestly, baseball is economics. Terry Pluto's book Dealing showed us how the Indians have to be cutthroat and savvy in that business to have success. C.C.'s stock has never been higher, and you know what they say: "buy low, sell high."

I STILL CAN'T DIE IN PEACE, BUT THE 2007 INDIANS CAN.

With apologies to Bill Simmons -- no, wait a minute! No apologies to Mr. Butt-Buddies-With-Boston -- I still can't die in peace. And neither can you, nor can this blog, because I have resurrected it. I chose tonight, this moment, from my new digs in Arizona, to end my blogging hiatus because after completing the five-step grieving period (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance), I think I have finally finished mourning the death of the Cleveland Indians' 2007 season. I have decided the most dignified way to do that is to deliver the eulogy. So, on behalf of Tribe nation, here it goes:

Friends, we are all gathered here this evening to remember our good friend, the 2007 installment of our beloved Cleveland Indians. I'm honored to be in front of you tonight, though I know the last couple of weeks have been particulary difficult. I've heard from many of you that you've had trouble sleeping. You see Joel Skinner's stop sign, Kenny Lofton's subsequent freeze frame rounding third base, J.D. Drew's grand slam and other horrible images as you shut your weary eyes. Friends, it's time, hard as it may be, to forget these images and remember some others.

First, remember the scene at Yankee Stadium after Joe Borowski closed out Game 4 for a 3-1 series win. Remember Trot Nixon's bloop hit and Franklin Gutierrez's no-doubter in Game 2 of the ALCS at Fenway to put an exclamation point on the inning. Remember Tom Mastny's 1-2-3 10th inning in the same game. Remember our second mascot, the Canadian soldier, and his assault on Joba Chamberlain. Remember Pronk's game-winner (but only if you can manage to forget that he did bubkus in the playoffs after that.) Remember the 12-3 rout, the clutch double-plays, and Paul Byrd's double-feature of great performances. Don't you dare forget how good it felt to see Kenny Lofton take a curtain call after his home run in Game 3.

Go back to the regular season. Remember how happy you were when Rafael Betancourt fired a third strike to clinch the division, ending a six-year playoff and division-championship drought. Likewise, think back to Casey Blake's walkoff homers in September, particularly against Detroit. Recall the emergence of Asdrubal Cabrera and Jensen Lewis, who both were integral in making the season as long as it was. Think about how Fausto Carmona emerged from Day 1 as an up-and-coming Pedro Martinez, and we didn't even miss Jeremy Sowers.

Remember the unlikely comeback against Detroit at the Jake in early June, ended on a David Delucci single up the middle. Reflect on all of the come-from-behind wins, making us all nostalgic for 1995.

Think about how hard you laughed at "I'm dreaming of a white home opener," how pissed off you were at how MLB screwed the organization in the makeup of those games with Seattle and how much you ended up not caring because the good guys took three out of a four of that series anyway.

Smile at the "Major League" jokes made when the Tribe played its their first game in the home whites in Milwaukee.

Now, if you're feeling any better, let me offer a little bit of perspective. Most of you wanted to "Trade Shapiro" in 2002 (that's for you, Proto), and now you can't stop singing his praises. Only the most vicious malcontents of you still don't like Eric Wedge. Most of you are out campaigning for him to win Manager of the Year from the AP, even though he already won it from The Sporting News. In 2003, when the Indians might as well have hung up a sign in front of the ballpark saying, "We're rebuilding. Come see us in a couple of years," they dropped 94 games, struggled to score 600 runs, and the most potent hitters were Jody Gerut and Matt Lawton. This team that we remember today fared better than the 2005 installment, who choked against Tampa Bay and the White Sox (thanks for making it clear, Ozzie Guillen). The 2007ers blew away the 2006ers, except maybe for Hafner's stats. At least in '07, we could pull out the close ones. In '07, we returned to the playoffs, and it felt so good just to be watching October baseball again and truly caring about the outcome.

Remember the monniker "The Jake." After Jacobs Field is renamed, you'll eventually feel odd if you keep calling it that.

Finally, I offer you hope. Byrd, whose HGH use to combat an injury shouldn't bother you anymore than Rafael Betancourt's did, is back. JoeBo, who gives us what Wickman gave us without all the fat jokes, will be back, too. The young arms--Rafael Perez, Carmona, et al.--will all be back. C.C. still has another year left on the contract, and even though some of you might want to run him out of town because he couldn't match up with Josh Beckett, Sabathia still might win the Cy Young. Grady won a gold glove, Victor had an M.V.P.-type year, Peralta proved he can hit under pressure--and against good pithcing. All of your other favorites, with the probable exception of Lofton, will be back in 2008 with a massive-sized chip on their shoulders.

We're back. We're on top of the division. We're there to stay. Things aren't bad. They're not championship-good, yet, but I don't think any of us expected that. The 2007 Indians are gone, a memory. Like a relationship that ended badly but had so many great memories, let's put the snapshots of the seaosn on our mantels and...*sigh*..move on.

This year, it wasn't meant to be, but one year, the ring will come. Our friend 2007 was a good year. If you didn't have fun, you weren't paying attention.

CARMONA YET TO CONQUER GREATEST ADVERSARY--HIMSELF

New Indians "closer" Fausto Carmona has, in my opinion, been the Indians best pitching prospect for the past couple of years.

Even with his third consecutive ninth-inning loss last night, I'm still not ready to recant on that statement. I do, however, think it only stengthens my assertion that Carmona is meant to be a starter, not a reliever.

Yes, Carmona thrived for much of the year as an eighth-inning set-up man, kind of in the same mold as Julian Tavarez (well, for 1995, at least.) He struggled as a starter in his few outings. But moving Carmona to the closer's role upon trading Bob Wickman was a move he just wasn't ready for. That much is poignantly evident.

Though the fickle fury among Cleveland fans is calling for young Fausto's head on a platter, or at least for his demotion to Buffalo, I must remind everyone that wins and losses this year mean less than the experience guys like Carmona are getting.

Last night, Carmona dominated Willy Mo Pena and Coco Crisp for the first two outs of the ninth. His "stuff," which features a devastating slider, was there. For two hitters, his command was there. For once, he appeared as though he wasn't trying to throw the ball through a brick wall. So if his mechanics were flawless for two hitters, and all he needed was to retire the light-hitting Doug Mirabelli, what on Earth could have caused his implosion?

Just like Yogi said, 90% of baseball is half-mental.

Carmona was staring his first big-league save in the eye, and he flat out crumbled under the pressure. When he took Mirabelli to a full count, the raccous Fenway crowd got into his head, nested, and festered there. He plunked him, then Gonzalez, and we all knew what was going to happen next.

I thought Wedge might pull him, but I'm glad he didn't. Mota probably would have let the inherited runners score anyway.

I'm not trying to make excuses for him or have pity on him. After all, Wedge and Shapiro don't care how many times he screws it up, they're going to keep sending him out there until he gets it right, which eventually he will.

But very few pitchers have the Bob Wickman- (yes, he had it) or the Mariano Rivera-like psyche; they can't get geared up just to work one inning when the game is on the line. Too much pressure.

The thought of a full start--6, 7, or 8 innings--probably terrifies Carmona much less than a ninth-inning gauntlet.

My proposition: move Carmona into the role as a long reliever/spot starter. This way, you're guaranteed to go light on innings for Sabathia, Lee, Westbrook, Byrd, and Sowers the rest of the way out. For the rest of the year, use Mota, Cabrera, or even Jason Davis as the closer. If Carmona continues to struggle with his mental control as a starter, then obviously they'll need to send him back to Buffalo.

I don't think that will happen, though. Most scouts said in Spring Training that Carmona was ready for the majors, and I agree. Looking at him on the mound reminds me of a young Pedro Martinez, in delivery and style if not yet in domination.

With the success of Sowers and the continued progress of Adam Miller, the Indians know they have two guys who can develop into stud pitchers. Regardless of what has happened in the past week, I think they have a third in Carmona.

SHOULD THEY STAY OR SHOULD THEY GO? TRIBE FAN, BLOGGER WEARS GM HAT IN MIDST OF DISAPPOINTING SEASON

"What's our record?"
"45-59."
"How'd we ever win 45?"
"It's a miracle."
"It's a miracle."

That Bull Durham reference seems apropriate considering what the 2006 season has been for the Indians: bull. I'll try to steer clear of the tirades and rants, though they are a manifestation of my frustration. This year, 2006, was supposed to be the year of fruition. The Tribe would return to the postseason and make a legitimate run at the World Series. However, the best laid plans often go awry, and GM Mark Shapiro, realizing that, has been dealing faster than a Colombian drug cartel.

It's no secret the Indians are not contenders this year and are a far cry from the motivated bunch who made a pennant push last year. The offense has rocked the Jake on certain nights, bringing hope. On other nights, it hasn't even gotten off the team-chartered buses or planes. The starting pitching has been mediocre, the bullpen below average, and the defense, baserunning, situational hitting, managing, and effort (am I forgetting anything?) can all be filed under "A" for "abysmal."

Before the trade deadline, I had started writing a piece where I lumped every Indian into categories based on tradeability. Of course, I never got to publish that draft before Wickman, Broussard, and Belliard were shipped out. Of course, the true "core" pieces (Hafner, Sizemore, Martinez, Peralta, Sabathia, etc.) were safe, but everyone else could have been dealt. Now, I get to play the always fun role of second guesser. Of the Indians four notable pre-deadline trades, I have given them four different distinctions: excellent, good, fair, and poor.

EXCELLENT - Eduardo Perez to Seattle for Asdrubal Cabrera
If the Tribe had been contending like Shapiro and Wedge had hoped, Perez would've been a good fit against left-handed pitching. But ultimately, he was a platoon player, past his prime, and in return for him we got a 20-year-old defensively solid prospect in Asdrubal Cabrera. Cabrera may not be offensively strong yet, but at 20, he's showing he can at least hit through a AA level, or he wouldn't be playing in AAA. I don't know what the future holds for Jhonny Peralta, who is the most disappointing Tribe position player by far this year, but at least now we have an insurance policy at short. Omar couldn't really hit in the minors, either, and Cleveland got him from Seattle.

GOOD - Ben Broussard to Seattle for Shin-Soo "Big League" Choo
I am probably in the minority here among most writers. Most think Shapiro got ripped off, but I think most highly over-estimate the ceiling on Broussard. I always liked Ben's friendly demeanor and thought, from a personality standpoint, he was a good fit for the Indians. This year, his high batting average indicated he was resembling the former minor-league batting champ the Tribe traded Russell Branyan for. However, Benny B started to slack with the glove, which made no sense because that was among his alleged strengths. His effort left something to be desired, even in 2005, and that landed him in Wedge's doghouse, to which he had been chained ever since. The trade is also an indication that Cleveland is going to stick with Wedge, despite the under-achieving this year.

Choo provides not only an outlet for witty puns (see mine above) but also gives the Tribe another high energy outfielder, Grady, of course, being the first. He's 24, has hit well above .300 in AAA, and likes to steal bases! An Indian with speed?! It can't be! If the John Hart high-octane offenses taught us nothing else, it's that if you want to score a lot of runs, you need good "table-setters." The Indians traded one away in January in Coco Crisp (and I won't be labeling that trade yet, but if Andy Marte turns out to be a bust, so does that trade.) Now, Cleveland may have another one. Jason Michaels has been better than I thought but nothing to write home, or in a blog, about. Choo will have the rest of the season and spring training next year to earn a spot in the 2007 Indians starting outfield. Of the up-and-comers, I see only Ben Francisco and Franklin Gutierrez providing a challenge, unless the Indians make a big free-agent signing. Wait, Larry Dolan is the owner. Nevermind.

FAIR - Bob Wickman to Atlanta for Max Ramirez
I would have liked to have seen the Indians all-time saves leader and all-around good guy finish his career in Cleveland. "Robert Rolaids" may not have been a bastion of efficiency or fitness, but he still entertained and saved a helluva lot of ballgames. This is why Atlanta was willing to give him a shot, though his career is all but over. I expect a retirement in the off-season.

I lumped this under "fair" because I have no idea what we got in return. Supposedly we got a young kid who could hit in Max Ramirez. That's a good start. Why no pitching prospects? The Braves system is famous for breeding pitching. Why couldn't we have at least snagged a young starter in AA or A out of it? Here's hoping Ramirez hits like Manny and thinks like Sandy someday.

POOR - Ronnie Belliard to St. Louis for Hector Luna -- straight up!
OK, this one I don't get, not just because I liked Belliard about as much as any other Indian. I don't understand how Hector Luna was all they could get for him.

I'll start with Luna. Yes, he's young, so anything could happen. But in St. Louis he got settled into a utility role, and ulitilty is futility for the Indians right now. The Tribe has Vazquez and Inglett, who, by the way, appears to be a contender for a starting job at second base next year. Is Luna a "decent" acquisition? Sure. But the odds he will ever develop into an impact player are slim.

I'd like the deal more if we had been able to swindle one other major-league ready player out of the deal. After all, with a .291 batting average and several "Web Gems," Belliard was the most coveted Indian on the trading block, no doubt. The Indians bullpen is insanely young after veterans like Sauerbeck tanked this year. An experienced set-up man, or even any pitching prospect with good stuff, would have sweetened this deal for me.

My argument for why Cleveland shouldn't have done this deal has to mean that the cons outweigh the pros, and they do. Ronnie Belliard, Shapiro's best free-agent signing by far in 2004, has done nothing but impress and play hard in an Indians uniform. I realize he was about to demand a multi-year deal, but he is one of the few of the former Indians I thought deserved a 3-4 year deal. They gave up on Phillips (ouch!) so that should have solidified Belliard as the long-term second base solution. He's not an injury-prone guy, so I would have been in favor of the investment. I suppose it's still possible, since Belliard will be a free agent at the end of the year, that Cleveland will make him an offer, but the deal signals that it's not likely.

What do the Indians get out of it? A career backup. To be honest, Casey Blake looks like the best option at second. They almost moved him there in the spring of '05 before re-signing Belliard, and I think he'll give you much better production than Inglett or Luna ever would.

Now, as the season limps toward the finish line, Indians fans are haunted with the mantra of "next year." We, as fans, hope for two things: 1.) The slumps of Cliff Lee and Jhonny Peralta are flukes and 2.) Mark Shapiro is doing what he thinks is best, not what Larry Dolan says he can afford. The rest will take care of itself.

SPRING MEANS WELCOMING BASEBALL, SAYING FAREWELL TO WOEFUL BRACKETS

Before I begin this long-overdue post, could we please have a moment of silence for the absolute worst bracket I've ever filled out?
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Thank you.

Seriously, zero teams in the Final Four? Ohio State getting manhandled by Georgetown? Bradley knocking off Pitt? And, most poignantly, George Mason knocking off one of my elite 8 teams in the first round, and my national runner-up in the fourth round? What can I say but the madness has been truly mad. Like almost everyone outside of Gainesville, Fla., I, too, will be rooting for the "Kryptonite Kids" from Fairfax, Va., this weekend. My wounded ego might prohibit me from making as many predictions from now on, so instead, I'll just try to stick to analysis and insights.

Major League Baseball, which slowly but surely is trying to put aside the steroid scandal and overcome the letdown of the World Baseball Classic, gets underway officially with the Tribe playing at the White Sox Sunday night. It's the second time in recent memory the Indians have played the first game (they opened the 2002 season, too.) I know this upsets Reds fans who feel that "baseball started in Cincinnati, and that's where it should start every year!" I'm a sucker for tradition, too, but I can't help but be excited to see the Tribe on national TV taking on the world champs and division rivals.

Quite frankly, if the Indians want to make their 90+ wins count this year--meaning get them into the playoffs--they'll need to get a few more victories against the south siders. With the number of times these two teams will play each other, Indians hitters will have to figure out Buerhle and Contreras and win some ballgames.

No doubt part of the reason the Indians offense was inconsistent last year was that both Chicago and Minnesota have great pitching, and the Tribe saw them seemingly every week. Notice how the Indians beat up on the weak pitching from the NL West? Winning baseball games is contingent on strong pitching. The bad news is the Indians will see plenty of that again this year. The good news is they will have good pitching of their own, though it might be in a different form.

Millwood's gone. Elarton's gone. Byrd and Johnson are new. I consider these transactions a push, and I'm not concerned with the loss of Millwood. Though I don't know what the Indians will get from Johnson, I expect good things out of Sabathia, Lee, Westbrook and Byrd (a nice veteran pickup.) If Johnson falters, Carmona--who I think should have gotten the fifth starting job anyway--is waiting in the wings, and trust me, that guy can get people out.

The bullpen has a new look, and we should expect this every year from Shapiro. Though Wickman is back, Mota and Graves are in to replace Howry and Rhodes. It's hard to say whether the staff got worse or better. Wickman saved 45 games last year, so I won't join the "Wickman must go" club yet. He's earned the right to have another chance. Plus, Cabrera, Mota, and Graves are all insurance policies if he struggles. As long as the Indians are consistently ahead after the 7th inning, I feel confident they're going to win a lot of games. Their problem last year, at least to the White Sox, was being down by one run and never being able to make it up.

The big question mark: For me, it's still offensive production. I'm not worried about Sizemore, Hafner, Martinez, Peralta or Belliard. I'd like to think that Casey Blake is better than what he showed last year. But what about Boone, Broussard, Perez and the new left-fielder Jason Michaels? If you're a faithful reader of mine, you know I wasn't happy about the Indians' replacing of Crisp with Michaels. Though Michaels has had a decent spring, and Wedge has called him "a great #2 hitter," I am not sure how well he'll do at the top of the order. My suspicion is that he'll hit when Sizemore hits, but he'll struggle when Sizemore doesn't. Last year the Indians really had two leadoff hitters hitting back-to-back. That isn't the case this year. I'll avoid passing too much judgment on him, but I won't be surprised if he gets dropped in the order and either Belliard or Boone winds up hitting second.

We all know that this is Ben Broussard's last chance. Honestly, I do like him, but he just did not hit last year when it really mattered. Garko and Marte will both push him. We'll see how he responds.

The reality is expectations are high, not just from Cleveland, either. The Indians are a dark-horse pick to win it all. I'm not even going to venture a prediction on the number of wins, whether or not they make the playoffs and certainly not if they will advance in the playoffs. But I will say this: Grady Sizemore and Jhonny Peralta playing under long-term contracts (as well as the rest of the "core') means fun Indians baseball to watch for the next several seasons. I can't wait.

TRIBE TRADES CRISP TO BOSTON

It's been a long time since my last post, but nothing brings me out of the woodwork faster than a trade I don't agree with.

Mumblings about a Coco Crisp trade have been ongoing since last Sunday, and finally the deal is done. When I attended the Cleveland Indians Press Tour Monday, no representative of the team (Eric Wedge, Tom Hamilton, Fernando Cabrera, Ryan Garko or Jhonny Peralta) would comment on the deal. It was an omen of bad things to come. Photos from this event are coming, once I cool off.

Despite Guillermo Mota's unimpressive physical in Cleveland earlier this week, the Indians acquired him from Boston along with catching prospect Kelly Shoppach, cash and most notably, highly-regarded third-base prospect Andy Marte. Marte adds a lot of depth to the Indians' third-base position behind Aaron Boone, and most scouts say he has star potential. Of course, they said the same thing about Alex Escobar. For all of this, the Indians lose Crisp, David Riske and Josh Bard, who was the odd man out in the race for the 2nd and 3rd-string catcher positions.

The Indians other swap in this extravaganza was sending Arthur Rhodes to the Phillies for Jason Michaels, an outfielder who may be the first option in Spring Training as the starting left fielder. Michaels doesn't look awful on paper, but he's never played a full season as a starter--platooning last year with Kenny Lofton--and he has a "colorful" off-the-field personality.

I will give you that I have doubted Shapiro before and it has turned out well. When he signed Ronnie Belliard we all thought, "Geez, who the heck is this guy?" Shapiro is the GM who has brought them back to contention, after all.

Now that I have thrown Shapiro his bone and shown "the other side," here's what I really think:

If the Indians were going to do this deal at all (and they would've been fine if they handn't) they should've left Philadelphia and Jason Michaels out of it. I would have much preferred getting Cincinnati in this deal and taking Austin Kearns. That's not just because he's a more familiar name than Micheals but because Kearns really started to play well after he was sent down to AAA last year to straighten out his swing. I have to wonder if this trade was more about "making the club better" or avoiding arbitration with Crisp. Some have said Crisp was not worth 3+ million, but I have to say I'd disagree. For an outfielder who is consistent, healthy, and "adds a spark," I don't think Coco was asking for a figure way above his market value. That, and he's 26.

Crisp hit 42 doubles last year. How many did Michaels have? 16. ESPN's scouting report describes him as "a free swinger who strikes out too much." He only played in 104 ballgames last year while Crisp played in 145. If you think Crisp's numbers are going to be replaced by Michaels, you're wrong.

Coco's presence in the clubhouse will not be replaced by this guy, either. Instead of a community leader and fan favorite, now the Tribe has a guy who gets drunk and beats up police officers. As far as baseball talent goes, Cleveland may have to wait for Franklin Gutierrez or Brad Snyder to blossom to find an adequate replacement for Coco. That won't happen this year.

But will Mota be any better than Riske? Haven't the Indians just added more question marks in their bullpen? Now, it looks like the group is Mota, Wickman, Cabrera, Miller, Rafael "Roids" Betancourt. Steve Karsay and Danny Graves may not even make the team in Spring Training. The left-handed presence is lacking. Though Cabrera impressed me earlier this week when I interviewed him and I believe he will be solid in the bullpen, it's going to take more than him to make this bullpen even a shell of the one which dominated last year.

I see Mota for Riske as probably a push and I see Rhodes for Michaels as merely a stopgap, a temporary solution for left field. The only way the Indians come out of this looking like geniuses is if:
A.) Crisp bombs in Boston
B.) Marte develops into Mike Schmidt.

The Tribe will miss Coco--in more ways than one.

DAMON ALIGNS WITH 'EVIL EMPIRE,' CAVALIERS STREAK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Johnny Damon has been the face of 'Red Sox Nation' for the past two seasons. Say what you want about Ramirez, Schilling and Varitek, Damon had been the heart and soul of the Boston juggernaut since 2003. His home runs and clutch hits in the 2004 postseason are now staples of baseball lore. Beloved in Boston, Damon had been loated in the Big Apple.

In classic Yankee fashion, they now welcome him with open arms and $52 million.

Damon will be introduced as a New York Yankee today after he agreed to a 4-year deal yesterday. He fills a gaping void in centerfield for the Yankees and, likely, vaults himself into the leadoff position. In short, he does the unthinkable: improves a lineup that already has Jeter, Sheffield, Rodgriguez, Giambi, Matsui etc. What it really means is when the Yankees make their first trip to Fenway Park, a Bronx cheer (ironic title, don't you think?) will reverberate all the way down the eastern seaboard.

Why did this happen? No one really thought Damon would leave Boston, right? Well, from a business standpoint, Damon negotiated first with the Red Sox. He wanted to stay but also wanted at least four years. Boston wasn't willing to commit to that. The Red Sox and Damon were like an engaged couple who had been dating for five years when one of the parties wanted to push back the wedding date even more. Damon had enough. Like the baseball homewreckers that they are, New York swooped in, and now the adultery is on.

My post about this is inspired by two things:

A.) A rumor is circling around ESPN and RotoWorld that the Indians might be looking to deal Coco Crisp to the Sox (filling their centerfield void) along with other prospects for Manny Ramirez, a deal I would vehemently oppose. Manny is extremely overpaid, and for as much as Crisp produces, he is an extreme bargain.

B.) Perhaps most importantly, this scenario of beloved players coming back to face their former teams has become one of the sources of great drama in baseball. In fact, it's so prevalent that whenever a star returns to the old city, it becomes the headline in sports news for the day. When Jim Thome, with the White Sox, makes his first appearance in Cleveland May 1, you can bet the outcome of the game will be secondary to the greeting Cleveland fans give him. In an era where players are about as loyal to team as Enron executives were to shareholders, this betrayal notion has turned Major League Baseball into a perpetual Act II of Julius Caesar. As a fan, I hate it. As an unbiased writer, I must say I am intrigued by it. In a morbid, twisted way, it adds something to the game, and it gives me something to write about.

In other news, the Cavaliers disposed of the Utah Jazz without much problem last night, 110-85. Carlos Boozer missed his second opportunity to become re-united with the Cavalier faithful (another Caesar-esque storyline) but that didn't keep the fans from coming out to watch the carnage. Most people were extremely down on the Cavs a little over a week ago when they sat at 11-9 and had lost five out of six games. I tried to stay level-headed, though, and the Cavs has turned things around with a three-game winning streak. They will also be spending most of the holidays in the friendly confines of the Gund...errr..."Q," so I expect the winning will be a trend. Zydrunas Ilgauskas chipped in with 18 points last night, and I have always said Z, not LeBron, is the key to the Cavalier offense. When they are getting Z involved, James and the outside shooters don't have to do too much; they can let the game come to them. I think an increased Z presence will hurt LeBron's numbers but it will significantly improve the Cavaliers' number of wins.

At 14-9, the Cavs are fourth in their division. Don't worry, though. The Eastern Conference's Central Division is, by far, the toughest division in basketball. The Pistons, of course, are dominating everyone, and if the playoffs started today, every team in the division would be in it.

NOMAR SAYS 'NO WAY' TO TRIBE

I'll be honest: I really, really wanted to see Nomar Garciaparra playing for the Indians in 2006.

I thought a one-year deal in a place where Juan Gonzalez and Kevin Millwood resurrected their careers might appeal to Nomar. I thought he would fit in nicely at first base, and, eventually at shortstop if the Tribe moved Peralta to third in 2007 (Boone's contract would have been up by then.) That was my two-year plan for the Tribe, but now it's all moot.

Shapiro and Dolan (GM and owner of the Indians) made a reasonable offer to Nomar. They offered one year somewhere in the vicinity of $6 million. For someone who has spent more than half of the past two seasons on the disabled list, that's a competative offer. Nomar, however, has ties to L.A. Even though Wedge and recently signed Lou Merloni were lures for Cleveland, the Dodgers have Derek Lowe, Grady Little and most importantly, Mia Hamm (who has a house somewhere in the L.A. megalopolis) pulled Nomar to Hollywood.

I could be bitter about this, but instead, I choose to go back to my initial offseason philosophy for Cleveland: don't splurge on risky free agents. Save up that money to pay off the "core" (i.e. Sizemore, Crisp, Lee, Peralta) in a year or two when they have established themselves as stars.

Shapiro went out and signed Paul Byrd in late November as a contingency plan for signing Kevin Millwood. Millwood has now all but left Cleveland, and I expected as much. He wanted too much guaranteed money for his injury-prone arm. Elarton bolted for Kansas City, but this is no unpatchable hole. I liked "Big Scott," but I like Fausto Carmona and Jeremy Sowers more. Both of these guys have star potential.

Shapiro has also brought back Bob Wickman after the failed courtships of B.J. Ryan and Trevor Hoffman. Most are lukewarm about this, but I'm OK with it. As long as Wedge and pitching coach Carl Wills think Wickman can still close games, I think it, too. He proved last year he's a mental warrior. You can't argue with 45 saves. Additionally, Steve Karsay and Danny Graves will report to camp with minor-league contracts. I don't expect both to become major contributors, but even if one of them makes the club and works into the bullpen rotation, it will turn out as a brilliant pickup.

Your typical, cynical Indians fans are already hammering Shapiro (who won almost every executive-of-the-year award you can win this offseason) for not keeping up with the champion White Sox in the Hot Stove race. I know all about the Thome signing, the Konerko re-signing and the Javier Vasquez deal. I also know that championships are not won in December. Sure, the Indians may not be making themselves look significantly better on paper, but the team's improvements will have to be made by Wedge, the coaching staff and the players' off-season training. Another 93-win season would probably put the Indians in the playoffs in 2006. To be honest, I would be perfectly content with that. We know from watching the playoffs that anyone can win it; it's only a matter of getting there. The Indians may not be as active as other teams in the free agent market, but right now they are good enough to win the wildcard or, who knows, even the division--if the Sox have a post-championship slump.

Look for potential trades involving Ben Broussard, Josh Bard, Jason Davis and maybe even Casey Blake. Though I wouldn't mind if the Indians walked away from the Hot Stove poker table, I have a notion that Shapiro isn't through dealing.

THANKS, HAL

Contrary to the opinion of several readers, I didn't die or drop off the face of the earth, but midterms, my internship and newspaper obligations have kept me from posting daily. You'll notice that in the blog description I have removed the word "daily." I'm a realist, and posting on here daily just isn't going to happen. Though there is something to talk about in the world of sports everyday, there isn't always time to talk about it.

Unfortunately, my long-overdue post will be a somber one. Everyone who follows Cleveland sports and pays attention to the Northeast Ohio media probably keeps one name synonymous with all the happenings in the worlds of the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers: Hal Lebovitz. Lebovitz, who had once served as the sports editor for The Plain Dealer and numerous other papers and wrote the famed "Ask Hal" column, died this week at the age of 89. I read his writings in the Mansfield News Journal, which syndicated his columns. Numerous Ohio journalists have written tributes to Hal, and I hope there's room on the bandwagon for this humble blogger.

When I was eight years old in 1993, I loved Bernie Kosar and the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, Kosar's career was showing its downslope in the middle of the season and the team's second quarterback, Vinny Testaverde, began to shine. I typed Hal a letter on an old Tandy 1000, printed it, and after a little parental editing, sent it off to him. I wanted to know if he thought it was a good idea for the Browns to make a quarterback switch and bench the local legend. Two weeks later, Kosar was released. I had forgotten all about the letter in my anguish of seeing Bernie go, but sometime in December, I got a hand-written letter in the mail from Hal. He was very courteous, saying that he anticipated the Browns' management's move, and mentioned that even though my question was moot now (this was when I learned what "moot" meant), he wanted to make sure he replied.

Another story--at age 11, I really felt that my Little League team had gotten railroaded by the umpire on a double play call while we were batting. I'll spare you the details of the play, but in my angst, hoping to prove that I was right, I wrote Hal. It was a longshot that my question would even appear in the column, but it was definitely worth the time to punch out a letter to send to my favorite writer. Sure enough, a question about baseball rules from John Carlisle, Shelby, Ohio, appeared in the paper. The irony was that Hal told me the umps got the call right. I was a little miffed, but I respected his decision because I knew he had years of playing and umpiring experience.

These anecdotes are two of thousands people will use to remember Hal. To be honest, he is probably the reason I have this blog right now. When The Chimes asked me to write a column, his were the ones I modeled mine after. He believed in a straight-forward "Here's what I know, and here's what I think about it" column. The result? A loyal readership and the admiration of players, coaches and owners of the Cleveland area. In the 70s, Indians owners kept considering moving the team out of the city but Hal convinced them otherwise--three times. When Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore, Hal tried to persuade him also, but it fell on deaf ears. According to sources, Lebovitz and Modell haven't spoken since.

Lebovitz's style of journalism and sports writing epitomize integrity and loyalty. I will miss his writings greatly, and I send condolences to his family. Thanks, Hal.

93-69, FATE, AND THE CURSE OF GRADY SIZEMORE'S DROPPED BALL

We're cursed. We've got to be.

If I had known in late March the Cleveland Indians would win 93 games, I would have said they were a lock for the playoffs. I probably would have said they were a lock to win the division. If you would have told me that the Juan Gonzalez signing would've been a bust, but it wouldn't matter because Grady Sizemore would have a breakout year, I would asked to confiscate your flask. And if you would have prognosticated Bob Wickman's 40+ saves, I would have checked your pulse.

All of those things came true. The Indians also played .700 baseball in August and September. Victor Martinez went from hitting his IQ to finishing seventh in the league in batting.

Unfortunately, if you would have told me that the Indians would contend for the wildcard, only to come up short on the last day of the season, I would have disagreed with my heart and believed you in my head.

There are a few undeniable truths in baseball. If you make the first or third out of an inning at third base, you're probably not going to score. If you're an outfielder and you don't hit the cutoff man, more often than not, that will result in extra run for your opposition. Finally, if your team is in a playoff race in the last week of September and you lose six of your last seven games, you're not going to make the playoffs.

But how could a team that had been red-hot and won 17 of their last 20 games and appeared posied for the postseason drop six of seven? How could they lose five of six at home--two of which to the Devil Rays? And most strangely, how can five of those six losses be one-run losses, and the other is a two-run loss?

I cannot place blame. Shapiro put this team together, so he deserves more praise than I have the energy to give him right now. Wedge deserves manager of the year. After all, this team overachieved, and he handled the pitching staff and substitutions about as well as anyone could as this week. You can't blame guys like Hafner and Martinez. They're the reason the Indians got as far as they did. You certainly can't blame the pitching; it was terrific all week. You might put the blame on Ben Broussard for striking out so much and going 0-for-the-week with men in scoring position. You might even try to blame Ronnie Belliard for hitting into a double play Tuesday night.

If I had to find a culprit for derailing the Tribe's momentum, I point to the Kansas City sun and cosmic powers greater than pragmatism.

Last Sunday the Indians had 92 wins and were rolling toward a four-game sweep of Kansas City. They had a one-game lead in the wildcard over two teams and they were 1.5-games behind Chicago. They had a 3-0 lead behind Jake Westbrook, blew it and in the bottom of the ninth, Sizemore just couldn't pick up the ball in the sun. It happens to every outfielder at least once, maybe more times, in his career. The sun was, indeed, wicked. The Indians should have still had their lead, and it shouldn't have cost them the game--but it did--and it cost them their postseason, too.

You could try to justify the loss, saying "Well, there was that game in Kansas City earlier in the summer where the Tribe won on a dropped ball, so the law of averages is just evening things out." That was my overt philosophy, but inwardly, I had a bad feeling in my gut. It was one loss. It could have meant nothing. A bounceback win against Tampa Bay, and all would be forgotten.
Two losses later, the Tribe finally won, but that hardly qualifies as a bounceback win. The pressure was mounting, and the hope and confidence that had filled the clubhouse was replaced with doubt.

That's the stuff that chokejobs are made of.

It's really no one person's fault, but I guarantee someone will take the fall for it. Ben Broussard may not be back in a Cleveland uniform, and Casey Blake may not either. They are two good guys who fell victim to a cruel game. They were on the front line of a battle the Wahoos lost with fate.

We, as fans, can take solace in next year and the Tribe's exciting young core of players. There is some pride in being a Cleveland baseball fan again.

A city that hasn't had a championship team since 1964 and a ballclub that hasn't won a World Series since 1948, a ballclub that watched two World Series' slip away and just watched their team go from hottest in baseball to crumbling under the pressure has to wonder if there is something at work here that no one can explain.

Offseason priority #1: Break out the garlic and holy water at Jacobs Field.

OH NO! NO RED SOX IN PLAYOFFS! CRY ME A RIVER!

Since I last posted, claiming the Chicago White Sox faced the true pressure in the last game of their series with the Indians, the Tribe not only won that game 8-0 but have won the first two games in their series with Kansas City. Travis Hafner has homered in six straight games, and Scott Elarton, in that third game of the Chicago series, had probably the best big-game performance of his career. As it stands, the Indians trail the ChiSox by 1.5 games in the division with another three-game series--this time in Cleveland--on the slate to close the regular season next week. You cannot help but be excited as an Indians fan. Playoff tickets go on sale as I am typing this.

The national media has finally warmed up to the Tribe, but deep down you know that ESPN and FOX are quietly pulling for both the Yankees and Red Sox to make the playoffs. Why? The highest-rated baseball games on television are consistently Yankees/Red Sox grduge matches. I, however, am sick of it. Putting aside my pro-Cleveland bias, I am utterly exasperated with having the baseball experts ram the New York/Boston matchup down my throat. Were the series in the last two years exciting? Sure, no one will argue that. But if the biggest complaint against baseball is that the game has been lacking parity, wouldn't it be great to see a small-market, low-payroll, "cinderella" team like the Tribe get into the playoffs and make some noise? Also, there are closet Indians fans all over the country just like there are closet Browns fans. They are all native Clevelanders who moved away when their job got raped from NE Ohio (wait, this is a sports blog, I'll stop right there.) Regardless of what I say, though, the major networks who cover the postseason, especially FOX who has the primetime rights, are pulling hard for the Red Sox. Unfortunately, they could be grossly unhappy.

To my Reds-fan readers, I promise the year is almost over. Last night, the Reds imploded, blowing a 10-6 lead in the ninth to the contending Phillies, and the Phillies won 11-10. The Reds' don't seem to be relishing their spoiler role, and I don't blame them. With Griffey out for the rest of the season, there isn't really a good reason to watch them. My advice is hop on the Benglas bandwagon and buckle your seatbelt. The Reds desperately need to rebuild, as last night's game was a microchosm of the whole season.

Ohio State will be playing in its second-biggest game of the season today against No. 21 Iowa. (No, the biggest was not against Texas.) Last year the Hawkeyes completely handed it to the Buckeyes, so revenge is necessary. In order to win, the Buckeyes will have to play their best game of the season. That means hanging onto the football, picking up those big first downs on third and short and getting Ginn as many touches as humanly possible. I'll take the Buckeyes 17-14.

I won't get a chance to see the game, though, because I'm covering Capital at home against Heidelberg. Though the rain might slow the scoring down a bit, I would give you Heidelberg and 30 points in a bet. They're terrible, and if Collins is any kind of coach at all, Capital should be angry from the way they gave the Otterbein game away.

Enjoy the weekend, and of the Buckeyes, Browns and Bengals, at least one team has to win, right?

RUBBER MATCH BEARS MORE WEIGHT FOR CHICAGO THAN THE TRIBE

If you watched the Indians game last night, you know they lost 7-6. We won't get into the nitty gritty of why or how it happened (Jose Hernandez! Leaving Riske in too long!); instead, we'll move on to tonight--Scott Elarton "Big Start Scott" and Jon Garland.

In tonight's game, the pressure is still on Chicago, not Cleveland. Some of you are thinking, "What kind of backwards logic is that? The White Sox have their 3.5-game lead back. They have the momentum of a walk-off home run! The Indians now only have a .5 game lead in the wildcard again! And the pressure is still on the Sox?" Yep.

The Sox are supposed to win tonight. They are supposed to win this division after cushion they built. The Indians aren't even supposed to be in the playoffs, let along chasing after Chicago's heels. Who do the Indians get to play next? Kansas City and Tampa Bay, the teams with the two worst records in the American League. (Say what you want about Tampa and a resurgence; I'd still take playing them over a lot of teams.) I truly think the Indians can take a wildcard lead into their final series at home with Chicago next weekend, regardless of what happens in tonight's game. However, if the Sox lose, they have to face the fact that Cleveland came into their stadium for three games and left one game closer to them than when they came in. In other words, a Cleveland win means Chicago just keeps blowing it, slowly but surely.

The Tribe just needs to do what it has been doing all year--staying relaxed and having fun. Close losses happen, but so do bounce-back wins.

My apologies to everyone wanting to hear more commentary than that JUST of the Cleveland Indians. During mid-week, though, this series is the focus of not just Ohio and Cleveland attention, but national attention. My thoughts on New Orleans sports, fantasy football booms and busts, and other notable issure are coming. Just bear with me.

AARON BLEEPIN' BOONE

To the casual baseball fan, a single up the middle might not be as sexy as a grand slam or a 500-foot tape measure home run. It is tough, though, to find a bigger hit in the Indians' season than the one Aaron Boone got last night--not his early-game home run to left but instead his two-out, two-strike single to center to bring in the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning. The result? The Indians win 7-5 over the White Sox. The divisional gap now sits at 2.5 games.

This guy might have not have hit his weight in April or May, and even lately he has been slumping, but he is exactly what the Indians will need for the stretch run and/or playoffs. A clutch, ice water-in-the-veins, hitter. The Indians may be hitting a lot of home runs lately, but it will be singles to center that win the ones that count the most.

TRIBE ROLLS INTO CHICAGO 3.5 GAMES OUT, BROWNS, BENGALS PICK UP HUGE WINS

Sunday was a good day to be an Ohio sports fan. The Indians pounded the Royals 11-0, the Bengals make a statement with a 37-8 victory over the Vikings and the Browns picked up their first win under Romeo Crennel, 26-24 over Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

The Indians have won 12 of 13. Last year, the Indians were a streaky team. They would win five and then immediately lose six. They're streaky again this year, also, only in 2005 they put together a lot more winning streaks than losing ones. In fact, this recent streak cannot be chaulked up to "They're just hot right now." Maybe they're just good? Really, really good. They will face their biggest test of the season tonight in a huge series with the White Sox, who won yesterday, in Chicago. Kevin Millwood will face Freddy Garcia, who like all of the other Sox starters has dominated the Tribe this year. First pitch is 8:05, and you can bet that only an emergency will keep me from watching.

I told you the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings would be the game to watch this weekend, and in a way I was right. Though the score was lopsided, it exclaimed something to the media around here: The Bengals are for real. The Vikings were my Super Bowl pick, but their supposedly improved defense was no match for Carson, Johnson, Johnson and T.J. Not only that, but the Minnesota quarterback is playing more like Dante Bichette than Daunte Culpepper. If the Bengals can eliminate turnovers and reduce mental errors, they could be the Pittsburgh, or at least Indianapolis of this year. They have as much talent as anybody, and my prediction for 10 wins may not be enough.

Romeo Crennel and his staff probably enjoyed a nice toast after the ballgame yesterday, and they deserved it. The Browns 26-24 win in Lambeau is a huge step for the franchise. I realize the Packers are down this year and Favre still managed to carve up the Browns secondary, the Browns have to be excited for their big play potential. Braylon Edwards' long touchdown yesterday along with Heiden add a dimension to the offense I didn't think they had: The ability to go deep on every play. If Trent Dilfer can perform even close to the way he did yesterday and do it against better defenses, the Browns will score points. Don't get ahead of yourselves, yet, Browns fans. They are still inexperienced, over-penalized and nowhere near a playoff contender. Revel in the fact, though, that you've got a .500 team, if only for a week.

I called out the Marlins and they responded, beating Philadelphia last night. Florida still has a shot, in my opinion, but I called last night a must-win for them. The NL wildcard is wide open, and the AL one is still up for grabs (as are all the divisions.) The picture changes every night, and that is what is so much fun about September baseball. The real winners are people like you and me, who get to watch it all unfold.

ANOTHER SPORTS-FILLED SATURDAY

God told us to honor to the sabbath and keep it holy (for some this means watching the NFL.) As a result, Saturdays, especially in September when college football is heating up and the wildcard race is coming down to the wire, have to be the most eventful day of the sports week. One week after the OSU/Texas hoopla, the 17th proved to be another day full of bliss and disappointment; here's my take on it.

First of all, I was able to take in my second Indians game in a week, and once again, it was a huge win. After taking an early 5-0 lead, the woeful KC Royals added four runs off Cliff Lee, who was again solid, making it 5-4. Though the Indians offense couldn't push across another run, the bullpen held on for the Tribe's 5-4 victory; Wickman recorded his 43rd save. 30,000+ made it out to the game, and for my second game in a row, the crowd was loud and into the game. The atmosphere is back, the talent is back and I have a feeling that October magic will be back, as well. The White Sox loss earlier in the day makes the Tribe, who were once 15 games behind Chicago, now only 3.5 back. After the Indians finish off Kansas City today, they head to Chi-town for an enormous series with the Sox. If you would've asked me in July if the two series with Chicago in September would have division implications, I would've said, "No way."

People saying "no way" is what has fueled this team's drive for the playoffs.

The way this team has responded so far to the pressure of a playoff push has been astounding. Thanks to my generous roommate, I was able to take in the ballgame from directly beyond home plate, five rows from the protective screen--by far the best seats I have ever had at the Jake. I have some terrific photos that I will post as soon as I get them developed.

At the request of a loyal reader, I will also share my thoughts about the NL wildcard race. My pick all along--the fashionable pick among the experts--has been the Florida Marlins because of their three-headed starting pitching monster of Willis, Beckett and Burnett. However, it's the Astros tribunal of Clemens, Oswalt and Pettite that now has a .5 game lead over the Phillies, and the Marlins have slid back to 2.5 games back. Yesterday, with the Marlins leading 2-0 in the 9th at home, closer Todd Jones blew the save and the rest of the bullpen allowed the Phillies to score ten runs in ninth. The result was a 10-2 loss for the Marlins and a ruined brilliant start by Willis. Today is a must-win for Florida. After blowing the game in a demoralizing fashion like Florida did, they need to bounce back today, or, I feel, the NL will become a two-horse race of Houston and Philly.

...Now for the really bad news for my Capital readers. What do five fumbles and some bad luck get you in a rivalry game on the road? It gets you beat. The Crusaders, who led 14-2 (strange score, I know) at the end of the three quarters in what was a sloppy and bizarre game to that point, blew that 12-point lead to Otterbein and ended up losing 17-14. Paul Stetzler, Ricardo Lenhart and the Otterbein offense took a page out of the Capital playbook. They threw efficient short passes and lulled the Capital defense, who was playing "not to lose," to sleep. With about three minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Otterbein made the score 14-9. Capital STILL should've had the game in control at this point, but receiver Kive Kraft fumbled on the Cap 43-yard line on the Capital possession, which put incredible pressure on the Cap defense to hold up again. They couldn't. After Otterbein scored the go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion, Capital didn't have enough time to set up a field goal. Instead, they settled for an unsuccessful hail mary. Then the Otterbein fans commenced their upset ruccous and "over-rated" cheers.

I hope the Crusaders regroup and refocus before their home opener this week, but I have to reiterate what I have been saying from August. Capital is probably not going to beat Mount Union on the road, so for them to make the playoffs as an at-large team, they would need to go 9-1, winning every other game. Unfortunately, that is not possible now. It will be interesting to see how they react.

One team that bounced back was the Ohio State Buckeyes, winning 27-6 yesterday over San Diego State. What was missing from this win was an exclamation point. OSU played sloppy, espcially early. They turned the ball over, were penalized a lot and looked like a team who is still trying to find itself. They have another week to find themselves before another huge game at home: Iowa. Troy Smith's mentally weak performance yesterday results has made me realize one thing: No one can be critical of Tressel's choices regarding his quarterbacks because neither has stood out. They both have been mediocre at best in the past two games. Who will start this Saturday? Who knows. A win against the Hawkeyes might require a blocked punt, a kick return for a touchdown and a defense holding Iowa under ten points. If OSU does all of that, they might have a chance to win.

In the meantime, enjoy the nice weather while we still have it. Cleveland fans, head up to the Jake if you get the chance. Trust me, these guys are special. You won't be disappointed.

FOUR DAYS BRINGS BUSTLING ACTIVITY IN SPORTS

Though I haven't been living up to the "daily sports chronicle" billing of this Web site, partly because I'm ashamed I actually picked the Browns over the Bengals and partly because homework got in the way, I am back, insightful and profound as ever for your reading pleasure.

I'll start with the Browns' debauchle to get it out of the way. Bengals fans, rejoice. Browns fans, get used to it. The Bengals offense, lead by coming-into-his-own Carson Palmer, is poised to propel to the Bengals to 10-11 wins. Barring injuries, I think the Bengals will be a fun team to watch, especially when they have the ball. Can they beat Minnesota this weekend? Well, they are at home and Minnesota looked absolutely terrible last week. I'm not predicting anything, but I will make the Bengals/Vikings game my "NFL must-see game of the week." Cleveland might want to consider throwing all of their support behind the Indians, at least until mid-October. The Browns are going to have growing pains in the early going. Reuben Droughns was a great acquisition, Braylon Edwards, I'm confident, was a much better pick than Kellen Winslow, and Trent Dilfer proved with 270 yards passing that he won't be terrible. Some experts think the Browns actually have a chance to beat the Packers this weekend. What does that say about the Packers?

Tennis, anyone? Andre Agassi lost to Roger Federer in the final in four sets. Federer, the machine that he is, was playing even with Agassi through three sets. It was teasing enough for the viewers to think that Agassi actually had a chance. Then Federer blows Agassi away in the third-set tiebreak and never looked back. Good tennis players win a lot of points. Great tennis players win a lot of points that matter (break points, set points, match points, etc.) The greatest of all time, however, wins the points that matter against other great players. Roger Federer's consistency doing this makes him, right now, the best male tennis player I have ever seen. Sampras should enjoy having the most titles in men's tennis now because Federer will eclipse that accolade.

To hell with the inverted pyramid, I'm saving the best for last! THE TRIBE beat Oakland twice out of three games, losing the first but rebounding to take the next two. I was fortunate enough to be there for the middle game of the series, a game which some are calling the Indians' biggest win of the year. Trailing 2-0 with Kevin "I get no run support" Millwood, Eric Wedge was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, the Indians had made three errors, two by Ben Broussard, and the lights went out. Sitting by the visitors' bullpen, I was fortunate enough to hear Oakland closer Huston Street's taunts of "Why don't you pay the electric bill?" Funny, Huston. Broussard supplied all the power Cleveland would need the rest of the game, smacking two home runs, including a three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth, en route to the victory. I don't care that there were only 21,000 fans there. At least the feeble 21,000 were loud, cheering and having fun. To top it all off, I took a souvenir home courtesy right fielder Casey Blake, who tossed a ball right into my mitt.

Last night, Jake Westbrook outdueled Barry Zito and the Tribe won 6-3. With the win, the Indians are a season-best 22 games over .500. They have a one game lead in the wildcard over the Yankees (now 3.5 over Oakland) and they have trimmed a once 15-game deficit to Chicago to five games. Even if the Indians don't make the playoffs, the stretch run has been so fun to watch and will continue to be that way.

It's an exciting time for sports. If only it were my real job to write about it.

THE SUN CAME UP TODAY

I'm sure for many OSU fans, when the Buckeyes' 25-22 loss to Texas became official, it seemed like tomorrow would never come. Well, here it is. Life goes on, the Buckeyes are 1-1, and if they take this loss and use it to their advantage, they could go 10-1 and 8-0 in the Big Ten.. Even though I'll admit the game last night had huge implications, it isn't even the biggest game on our schedule; Michigan is, and Iowa is a close second.

I have no doubt that the Buckeyes are the most talented team in the Big Ten. The goal should be revised at this point: Instead of a national title, let's just focus on winning an outright conference championship. After all, Ohio State hasn't won one since 1984.

The Indians won 7-5 over the Twins, giving them their sixth win in a row. With a Yankee loss to Boston, the Tribe now has a 1.5 game lead in the wildcard with their ace--in my opinion anyway--Cliff Lee starting tonight's game. The Tribe's sucess has numbed my Ohio State pain.

Finally, the Browns and Bengals are set to start as I type this. I think the Bengals will win ten games this year, but one of them will not be today. The Browns are very tough on opening days at home. I think a fired up crowd and an improved running game will lead to a close victory for the Browns.