Tribe Talk: Eagerly Awaiting Fausto Carmona's Return, Or Dreading It?

(Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Nino Colla: Well I'm still following the Indians and will do so every day of the year. But as the Indians drop farther and farther away from first place and any hope at making the playoffs, I find myself more and more interested in the rest of baseball.

One team whose bandwagon I’ve been on since the start of the year is the Florida Marlins, my pick to win the NL East.

Some people thought I was crazy, and still did when they were leading the NL East to start the year. Then I got laughed at when they fell down to earth, but now they are healthy, pitching wise, and right back in the thick of it. Who's laughing now?

I think the Marlins got staying power and they are my own little underdog that I'm pulling for, even if they are the same team that ripped our hearts out in 1997. It's okay since none of those players are still on that team.

I would never root for the Yankees as long as I live. Let's just leave it at that. You couldn't pay me their payroll to do so either.

Samantha Bunten: I like the Brewers because they have the best owner in baseball, a brilliant manager in Ken Macha, and a charismatic, hard-working young team that plays with a lot of heart.

I would also back St. Louis out of respect for their outstanding fan base and well-run organization, the Phillies on behalf of Jamie Moyer, and the Mariners for the sake of giving the incomparable Ken Griffey Junior one last chance to win it all. I also like the Dodgers and the Rangers because they’re so much fun to watch.

I would never root for the Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Cubs, or Tigers.

Dave Wiley: Never, ever root for the Yankees. That is just a rule. You are either a Yankees fan, or you hate them.

Never root for Boston either, unless Boston is playing the Yankees. Always root for the Central Division Champion unless it’s the White Sox, because that is counter-productive to rooting for the Cubbies.

If it wasn't for Manny Ramirez being a part of the Dodgers, I'd take them hands down. You have the history, the shunning of the current coach by the hated Yankees, and Casey Blake, an ex-Indian everyone hated see go, playing third base. You have a group of guys playing small ball. On top of that, you have the history. Tommy Lasorda is one of the coolest guys in baseball.

Also, I always root for the Cubs. Ownership will be changing hands is a guarantee that the Cubs will win the World Series. After all, that is how the Cleveland Browns broke their Super Bowl Curse. They changed owners and moved to Baltimore. (Writer disclaimer—I am not implying the Cubs are headed to Baltimore).

The Coop: Being a Clevelander, it should come as no surprise that I am a big supporter of the underdog. I also love to cheer for teams who have not had a lot of recent success. For these reasons, I’m rooting for the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins in the American League and San Francisco in the National League. I’ve also always admired St. Louis for being such a great baseball town and having a well-run franchise.

I would never, ever, EVER root for the New York Yankees, for obvious reasons…UNLESS, they’re playing the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox and their fans are the most obnoxious, annoying, rude, arrogant, and loathsome people in all of sports. They do not deserve any of the World Series championships they’ve won, and I hope that someday a Biblical plague wipes Fenway Park off the map forever.

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