WWMD?

What will Manny do?

New Cleveland Indians' manager Manny Acta faces his first real challenge, at least publicly with the ownership and upper management of the team.

Left Field heir-apparent Michael Brantley had a great end of season in 2009 when the Tribe called him up in September. He batted .313 in 28 games after the call-up. Brantley was batting .357 with a .447 on-base percentage and a .419 slugging percentage this spring prior to rolling his ankle Saturday.

Brantley appears more than ready to assume duties full-time for the Indians in left field, providing his ankle sprain is minor as the team has reported.

But this may or may not take place, based on the recent financial misfortunes of the team.

Here is the struggle; Put Brantley on the opening day roster as he has earned the position or hold him back in the minors until 3 - 4 months into the season to defer his arbitration ability for the future, as has been the practice recently.

Owner Dolan and GM Shapiro have to be salivating over this ankle sprain thinking this is the deciding factor at giving Brantley more time in the minors and delaying his future at arbitration. It is no secret that ownership and upper management don't give the Indians chances to be competitive this season a snowball's chance in hell.

But manager Manny Acta has been charged with putting the best 25 men on the field on a daily basis when the season begins. His reputation and future depend on it.

It is no secret that I detest the ownership of the Cleveland Indians by the Dolans and the management of the team by Mark Shapiro. As a lifelong fan of the team, I can only wait out these circumstances until they improve. Long standing Indians fans have been through this many times in the past; the most infamous GM in Tribe history, Frank "Trader" Lane put this team in a tailspin that took decades to overcome, the near loss of the franchise in Cleveland in the 70's and 80's until they were heroically rescued by the Jacob's brothers, and now the short-armed ownership of the Dolans combined with the painfully economical management of Shapiro have brought this team to the brink of disaster once again. We need another hero and Dick Jacobs is no longer with us.

That said, Manny Acta is at a crossroads himself early on in his management of the Cleveland Indians. Does he knuckle under to Shapiro and see Michael Brantley off to Columbus for a few months or does he insist on having Brantley on the opening day team?

Unlike the Dolans and Shapiro, Acta has to believe this team can be competitive in the American League Central right now. The team is 11 - 5 in spring training games. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it is only spring training but what would you say if they were 5 - 11?

Manny, here is hoping you are your own man and Brantley is in Chicago with the team on opening day.

I still insist that, given the ability of the other 4 teams in our division, this Indians team will be competitive this season, just as they were in 2005 and 2007 with many such "unknown" ballplayers. Call me a dreamer, a homer, or whatever, but come August, you may be a believer as well. Come on Manny Acta, be all that you can be and put the best 25 on the field and that includes Michael Brantley.

This will be a very interesting two weeks!

That's Right, we're 3-0!

Yeah, yeah...it's only Spring Training but what would you rather have, 3-0 or 0-3? All I can say is, so far, so good!

The pitching has been very good to date with a little bit of a rough outing for Jake Westbrook yesterday. He claimed that he felt strong but did not have command of his pitches. Regardless, he walked 3, gave up 1 hit, and allowed only 1 run. He may not have had great command yet, but he was in control. Pitching coach Tim Belcher has his guys attacking the strike zone early on and it is paying off.

The hitting has been an attack of its own. Michael Brantley came alive yesterday with a single, a double, and a triple as the Indians beat the Diamondbacks 3-2 for their 3rd win against no defeats in this very young Spring.

Something else that stands out; new manager Manny Acta is already in "win mode" as he is playing these games with late inning defensive and offensive strategies that are normally employed in the regular season. It is refreshing to see that this manager is playing to win from day 1 as opposed to his predecessor who was satisfied to "grind it out" and then "get after it" when the time is right.

We have a long way to go before we make any noise at all in the Amercan League, but aren't you pleased with how we are starting out?

"It's starting to come together Pepper!"

Manager Lou Brown to his coach in the movie "Major League".

USA Today, Part Two...

Is this a face you can trust?

Another excerpt from the USA Today;

['"We made the critical decision halfway through last year," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro says, "that we didn't think the club this year was certain enough to contend if we had kept Lee and Martinez. So what we're doing is dealing with the reality of cycles. You try to govern against going into a long-term downside.
"If you aggressively manage your cycles, you hope the talent you get back in those trades will get you back into contention much faster."
The Indians certainly are better off now, Shapiro says, than in 2002, when they last rebuilt. They have more proven position players in the lineup. The farm system is considered among the best in baseball. And they're in a forgiving division.
"I know it hurts for the fans," says Shapiro, who will become team president after the season and will be replaced by assistant Chris Antonetti. "It's not that I don't go through moments where I'm not disappointed too. But I look at it from a business reality, with total focus on how do we get back as fast as humanly possible."]

Mark, I hear there are some great baseball prospects in the rain forests in South America. These talented ballplayers are so good, they really require your personal attention. Take team owner Dolan with you because he will need to assess this talent first hand as well. You both should plan on staying for about 36 months because the talent is so plentiful. Please do pet the big snakes as they are quite harmless and yes, do drink all the water you can find, it is very healthful.

Promoted to team president?
If I did my job half as bad as you, I would have been fired long ago.
I am hoping that the line above about "Hurts the fans" is out of context;
"I know it hurts for the fans," says Shapiro, who will become team president after the season and will be replaced by assistant Chris Antonetti.
Yes, the fans should become team president but as soon as possible.

It Ain't (Just) Me, Babe!

You called me crazy in 2005!


You dissed me in 2007!


You may be laughing now!


Read the link below to the USA Today story from this morning and you may just stop for a moment as think, "Hmmmm....Naw!"



http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/indians/2010-03-02-indians-veterans_N.htm





Grady Sizemore was on the 2005 team that made a late season run only to lose their wild card play-off bid by one game to the Boston Red Sox.


Grady was an integral part of the Indian's team that was one game short of the World Series in 2007.


If Grady says that the future may be sooner than we think, that's more than good enough for me!


It is March 3rd and we have not yet played a Spring game yet (Friday is our first game). I will say it again; the 2010 Cleveland Indians have the ability to shock the baseball world as thy did in 2007 (everyone except me).
This team will be a factor in teams not getting to the playoffs. with the American Central Division as weak as it is, they could possibly be a factor in getting to the playoffs themselves.





[Center fielder Grady Sizemore says if the veterans play up to the numbers on their baseball cards and the pitching comes together, the future might arrive sooner than expected.
"It's a whole different feeling in here," Sizemore says. "It's tough to see good guys go, but when you're not playing well, moves have to be made.
"This is a new start. We know we can't control what people are saying about us, but you can change that when you step on the field. We still think we can do some damage."]

"This is my kind of team Charlie, my kind of team!"

Free Agents Over-rated?

Besides the Yankees and Red Sox, it appears most teams are not rushing to sign the high priced free agents or players on the trading block. Is this a sign of the future for major league baseball? If so, it just further substantiates my point that a small market team with talented young, relatively unknown players could make things difficult for the teams that have bought their way into the playoffs.

I still maintain that the Cleveland Indians could very well be one of those upstart, small market competitors. Of course they would need career seasons from two pitchers and three to four position players but isn't that what happened in 2005 and 2007?

I like new Cleveland manager Manny Acta's early approach to the season. What else can he do but try to make these young but hungry guys believe they are first, big leaguers and second, a team. There is much to make up for with Victor Martinez gone. Victor was first a hitter, second a pitcher handler, and third a defensive catcher. Acta has baseball beliefs that he will not waiver from. Initially, he is taking superstar Grady Sizemore from the lead off to the second batting position, a move I have been screaming about for three years. Acta has to believe in himself as well. He is coming off of an unsuccessful stint with the Washington Nationals. He professes to be a John Wooden disciple. Wooden had 14 losing seasons before he became the best college basketball coach in the land. Manny Acta knows he doesn't have that luxury.

There have been some strange twists in player personnel over the last couple of seasons that lead you to think that the front office is flip flopping on rebuilding and contending. Dumping players like Cliff Lee and Martinez prior to their free agency season is purely a money saving move. But then they acquire Russell Branyan to ensure they have a somewhat bona fide power hitting 1st baseman. Did GM Mark Shapiro switch gears recently and decide that the American League Central is weak enough for this team to contend in?

Whatever the reason, this team doesn't know they don't have a prayer and for that reason they are very dangerous.

Manny Acta has a Win-Win philosophy beginning with the first practice pitch in Spring. The previous manager had a wait and see, mind-numbing, patient, grind-it- out approach that rivaled watching grass grow for entertainment.

The next few weeks will give us an indication of what could be possible for the 2010 season. Veterans must lead and prospects must quickly overcome the mystique of the "Bigs" and make an impact quickly and regularly. If this happens, they certainly will not beat the Yankees or the Red Sox to the World Series but they may make it difficult along the way for those teams and find themselves in a run for the playoffs come late August.

As Jim Gammon said as manager Lou Brown in the movie Major League, "This is my kind of team, Charlie, my kind of team!"

Tickets, Tickets, Get Your Tickets!

Baseball's Opening Day is only 74 long, cold days away!
The Cleveland Indians' Home Opener is 81 days away!
Do you have your tickets yet? I do, in the Club Seats thanks to a very special Christmas gift!
Thinking of the time that will pass from now until then, it is quite entertaining to ponder what will take place.
Pitching coach Tim Belcher probably has the biggest challenge on his hands of all of the coaches. How strong will Jake Westbrook be after elbow surgery?
How do you get Fausto Carmona back to his near Cy Young performance of 2007?
As a starter, will Aaron Laffey find his groove and be the pitcher he can be?
How will Jeremy Sowers react to Belcher?
Is this the coach that can get the most out of these four guys?
Jake appeared healthy in Puerto Rico...Spring Training will be very telling.
It is my opinion that Fausto has been miss-handled for years. From the failed closer role in 2006 to superstar in 2007 to the deep minors in 2009, you have to give this guy the ball, reassure him that keeping the ball low will produce strike calls, and just let him pitch. Remember his gutsy performance in the "Bug" game? That's the Fausto we so desperately need.
Does Justin Masterson round out this starting five?
Will there be a free agent or trade?
Fun stuff to ponder!
Who is our everyday catcher?
Is Lou Marson ready?
Can Sandy Alomar get him to be the field leader needed by April?
I love, love, love the rest of this line up. This infield should be known as the No-Name Defense. They are slick fielders that have played together at different levels and they are going to hit, hit, hit! The outfield is superb if Grady comes back healthy and strong. The only knock is they all three bat left-handed in an everyday lineup.
While waiting in an airport recently, I saw ESPN pick the Tribe early on to finish 4th, just ahead of Kansas City. The division isn't that strong and this Indians team is going to be competitive and surprise many people.
If they make the right moves, they could compete for the division...I expect nothing less!
This is my kind of team...a gutsy, nothing to lose breed of hard-nosed ball players who don't know they are not supposed to win. I would rather play with them than against them. You will see. They have the ability to win the hearts of this town once again. They already have mine!
See you at the Opener!

Chief Sleep-Hoo

What is going on with the Tribe?

Not much...Jake Westbrook is looking promising and we need him strong with great leadership for 2010.

Why did we get Dave Duncan's kid? Is he slated to step up into a right-handed hitting outfield position or 1st base?

Look what Cincinnati did!

They signed Chapman!

I still maintain that this Indians team could be very competitive if the stars align properly...minimal to no injuries...2 pitchers have career years while others have very good seasons...Grady comes back strong...Sandy Alomar develops a catcher quickly and assembles a good pen...and Manny Acta plays to win from the first workout in Spring Training.

It sure would be nice to help us out though with a solid free agent...Any movement would be a good thing...Wake-up my Chief, a city is counting on you!