"Eye-gor" Speaks Out!

Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro, pronounced with a long "i", has affectionately been referred to on these pages as Igor, also with a long "i" from the movie "Young Frankenstein".

Anyway, here is a pearl of wisdom from the top of the Indians' management. This latest brain fart to be released from the wrong end of the torso was posted in the Sunday morning edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"Our last eight games we're trending better. If we keep trending in that direction, we'll be OK. If we slip back again, then we've dug a hole for ourselves. So far, we've dug a rut, not a hole."
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Mark Shapiro,
general manager, on the Indians' rocky start.

Holy Sinkholes, Bat-lessMan, me thinks my home is a little too uncomfortably close to Progressive Field where you can see China from the Chasm the Indians have dug themselves into this season. I may need to add erosion of biblical proportions to my homeowners insurance.

When the Cleveland Division of Streets heard this quote, they laid off two-thirds of their road repair crews thinking that if people will put up with Shapiro's "rut", they will be less bothered by the 4'x4'x4' craters drivers navigate around town presently.

On the brighter side, manager Eric Wedge made some progress last night as he uncrossed and then recrossed his legs in the dugout after the 7-1 loss last night. In fact, he raised his voice just a bit with reporters when he stated the following;

''I think where we are, off to a poor start, we have to address everything,'' Wedge said. ''I don't want to dig too big a hole for ourselves. What bothers me more than anything is that we're not making good outs. With the exception of a couple of guys, we've had a very poor approach at the plate. There's no excuse — a lack of discipline, lack of confidence — they better figure it out pretty quick. I'm not going to sit around and watch this. They're not kids anymore.''

Holy crap! Was that our Wedgie talking? Too bad these guys have to figure it out themselves though. What do the coaches do?

We shall see what today will bring. I am going to cut the grass now, but when I get tired and need a nap, I will tune in and sleep through another exciting game of Indians' baseball. However, I will be looking for any signs of stress in the ground from that big sinkhole at 9th St. and Carnegie Ave.

What A Way To Run A Railroad!

Who's on first?...Better yet...Who's in charge?????


After Grady Sizemore ensured a victory on Thursday vs. Kansas City, He stated that this was the first series that the team had won this season. Further he stated that if we want to win this year, we must win these series.
Don't you think the manager should say that?...Or at least think that?!
Well, if you follow this team and you cringe everytime manager Eric Wedge gets in front of a microphone, all you are going to hear is the tired, old Wedgeisms we have become numb to over the years;
"We just gotta keep after it."
We need to keep grinding it out and it'll get there."
"It's too early to panic."
Bullshit!
This guy has no concept of when the season begins or when it ends. He thinks he has all the time in the world to develop this team. He has so much patience, the next event giveaway at Progressive Field is going to be script "I" pillows so fans can catch up on their sleep. The only thing "grinding" around here is teeth!

Here is a little gem from Eric "Tylenol PM" Wedge. When asked if he will stay with Masa Kobayashi or send him down, Wedge said that he will have patience with Masa and give him the time to get back on track from his tough spring.
''What he has to do is keep the ball down and throw it where he wants to. When he does that, he gets people out.''

Ya Think?!

Every major league manager and their pitching coaches will find those words to live by. what an Epiphany! It is that simple! So forget about mechanics or watching tapes to help the dumb bastard, let's just put him out their to "grind it out!"

Right now, the Tribe is losing 5-0 to the Twins in the top of the 9th on Saturday night. Wedge just brought in Masa. Let's see what happens...

Ground out, 1 out...So far, so good.

Solo Home Run!

Solo Home Run!

Ground out, 2 outs.

Strike out! Hooray! We go now to the bottom of the 9th with the score now 7-0 Twins.

Wanna know how it comes out? Yeah, so do I but I feel a nap coming on...Yawn!

Get rid of that stupid ------ ------ Wedge!

It's That Time Again...

Yes, it is early but is it too early to start calling for the scalp of Cleveland Indians Manager Eric Wedge?
Why not?!
The team is 1-5, off to their worst start since 1985. They had a terrible Spring in which they blamed the weather, the atmosphere, the baseball gods or demons for their desert failures.
I grow so very tired of waiting for "it to come together." How many time do we "grind it out" with the same poor results.
Last year, when the team failed miserably in April, we were told that no changes were going to happen until 40 - 50 games into the season. Guess what? Nothing did change, they kept on losing and we wound up 81 - 81 for 2008.
Yes, the Indians were the best team in baseball in the second half of the season last year but who cares when it doesn't matter?!
How long do we let Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona go out and get shelled until their mechanics are adjusted? These guys had a miserable Spring but you know what, it must have been the thin desert air. Bullshit! It is more than likely just an air biscuit from pitching coach Carl Willis. The thin desert air was there for both teams.
Note to Eric Wedge; If you always do what you have always done, you will get the same results.
Try going for a win for a change!
So yeah, now everyone can say I am full of shit and I could care less.
This team is full of shit if they are going to keep a bargain basement manager and expect to compete...2007 was more of a fluke...a fluke that came up short, imagine that!

One More Day!

Just one more day and it begins again!

Finally! Although this winter passed a bit easier than the one before, that was probably because our hearts weren't ripped out like they were the previous October when we had the Red Sox down 3 games to 1 in the ALCS and let them up off the grass of Fenway.

So here we are, about to embark on another season of Indians' baseball. This is my 59th (and a half) and I must say the lure of Opening Day is very much alive as ever.

This year is the same but different.

We still have Eric Wedge but we don't have CC or Casey.

The field is still called Progressive but Spring Training was in Arizona.

Masa is still around (for the moment) but now we got Kerry.

Tom Hamilton and Rick Manning are back but a great guy named "Herb" will be missed.

The Cleveland Indians organization has found another classy way to remember a great contributor. The patch below will be worn by all Indians' players throughout the season to remember player/announcer Herb Score who left us last Fall.
So there is much speculation as to the make-up and performance expectations of this 2009 Cleveland Indians team. Plain Dealer writer Terry Pluto gave what I thought to be a kind of pessimistic view of this team all Spring training long from Goodyear, Arizona. However, in today's edition he picks the team to "squeak by" the Twins and win the division! Terry certainly has the advantage to seeing the Spring performance of the individual players on an up close view while I have to read about it. But we all make our predictions for the season with the same roll of the dice as the average fan. There are the pessimists, the realists, and the believers. Opening Day is for believers and I will not have it any other way.

In fact, in my family, Easter Sunday is a day where the entire family; brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, etc, all write their predictions for the season on a piece of paper and they are kept by a trusted family member until Thanksgiving. On that piece of paper go all 6 division winners and the 2 wild cards, the American League Central finish from 1st to 5th, and the leagues' as well as the Indians' MVP. It is incredible to review when the season has been concluded. Most are way off but a few are right on. Try it!

Anyway, Terry Pluto is honest in his assessment but harsh. http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2009/04/terry_plutos_talkin_about_a_to.html

I too, believe that the Indians will win the division despite manager Eric Wedge. I think that the team should have won more games in the Spring. However, playing Texas, Toronto, and K.C. from the get go could lead to an impressive 8-1 start! Then, on to the new Yankee Stadium to face old friend CC Sabathia...We will kill him! 2 outta 4 from the Yankees will put us at a very good start of 10 and 3 for the first 13 games.

Unlike Terry Pluto, I think that Travis Hafner will have a torrid, not horrid start to the '09 season. There are too many reason for the big guy to come out strong, some of them being hungry sluggers just 2.5 hours away in Columbus.

Carl Pavano is the real deal. He has found a new home and a new guru in Carl Willis. He impressed in the last 2 weeks of training.

If only Kelly Shoppach would cut down on his strikeouts, he would be the man of the year.

Scott Lewis has done absolutely nothing to hurt the Indians in any regular season game. This guy will continue to dominate the opposition. Look for some shutouts and even a no hitter from this young cowhide wizard.

Lee and Carmona will dominate...period!

Sizemore and Peralta have had monster springs! No doubt that will continue.

We still have two very big events from last season that will continue to fuel the fires of passion in this team. The first is Cliff Lee's Cy Young dominance...what a season he had! The second is "The Brawl" from September 19th, 2008. That little get together did more for team building and earning respect in the league than can be truly measured. Plus the entertainment value was priceless! Fausto, serve your final game of suspension tomorrow with a big smile and biceps flexed! Too bad Shef is outta reach in the National League.

Unlike Pluto, I am not as concerned with the Twins nearly as I am with the Royals! Next to the Indians in the Central, they are the most improved. I saw the same design unfolding in Tampa 3 years ago that I see in K.C. right now.

So there it is, a slant on the season more from the heart that the brain. But then again, Opening Day is more emotional than it is logical.

Enjoy the best day of the year when every team is in first place and every team starts with a chance!

Play Ball!