Bleacher Report - Articles by chris davies

Complete Cleveland Indians Trade Deadline Recap

chris davies — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:59:58 -0400

"This is my house. I'm leaving my house."

Those are the words of the now former Indian catcher Victor Martinez. As most of you are aware he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox today as a part of a four-team deal.

As vapid MLB news consumer I am not shocked by this deal in the least, but as an Indian fan I still feel a bit taken aback by the last few days.

Since the Mark DeRosa trade way back on June 28th, the Indians have made five deals stripping the team of their opening day starting pitcher, left fielder, first baseman and third baseman, not to mention their back-up first baseman and set-up man.

Of course the team got quite a haul in return. Besides saving payroll for the 2009 season the Indians have now shed $17 million from their 2010 payroll (only Lee and Martinez were guaranteed money next year).

Since it's been a whirlwind the past few weeks we'll recap everything that the Indians have brought in prior to today's deadline.

Position Players

Lou Marson, C (from Philadelphia via Cliff Lee trade)

The 23-year-old catcher was rated as the third best prospect from within the Phillies system by Baseball America and was evaluated by General Manager Mark Shapiro as "at least an average everyday catcher."

At bat he is known for his ability to work the count and it has shown in his OBP (.382). He has hit well for average, hitting a solid .294 for Lehigh Valley, and has carried that average through high A and AA. Behind the plate Marson is highly regarded for his game-calling and receiving and many scouts describe him as a natural leader.

Where he fits within the organization is somewhat ambiguous, however. At the moment Wyatt Toregas has been called up from AAA and Marson has taken his place in Columbus. With Kelly Shoppach and Chris Giminez (to a lesser extent) also able to play behind the plate and the future of the team Carlos Santana killing time in Akron, Marson's place seems tenuous.

His acquisition could signal an end of Shoppach's Tribe tenure during the August waiver period, either that or Marson could become trade bait in the off-season given the Indians will have some payroll flexibility.

Jason Donald, SS (from Philadelphia via Cliff Lee trade)

Like Marson, Donald joining the Tribe comes with a bit of confusion. Directly ahead of him in the middle infield are the likes of Asdrubal Cabrera, Luis Valbuena and to a much (much) lesser degree Josh Barfield.

Currently Donald is playing in Columbus, but the idea is to have him compete with Valbuena in the spring for the 2B position or perhaps fill the "Jamey Carroll" role and compliment Luis as the right handed bat to his left. Another possibility is that Donald could be moved in the off-season to a team in more desperate need than the Indians.

Donald started the year slowly after recovering from off-season knee surgery. At Lehigh Valley he was batting a paltry .236, but he did have a good offensive season at AA in 2008. He was the Phillies fourth best prospect according to Baseball America, but scouts see him filling a utility role rather than a starting role in the big leagues.

Starting Pitchers:

Justin Masterson, RHP (from Boston via Victor Martinez trade)

Mark Shapiro has changed his mind a bit about the teams 2010 chances since acquiring Masterson on Friday. The 6'6", 250 lb. Jamaican born right-hander is expected to join the big club immediately, starting in the bullpen and slowly getting stretched out to a starting role; by the end of the season Masterson should be pitching in the rotation.

With the Red Sox this season he has gone 3-3 through 31 games, six as a starter. Masterson has notched 68 strikeouts and only 25 walks this season but has had a slightly inflated ERA at 4.50.

His big body makes for an ideal pitchers build and he throws the ball from a three-quarters motion that makes him appear to sling the ball to home plate. His best pitch is his sinker which he varies between 84 and 94 mph along with a heavy, late sink. His slider is also a plus pitch which sits in the low 80's. Added to that arsenal is a circle change that he keeps between 77 and 81.

Primarily Masterson will use the sinker as his out pitch, but he compliments it well with his secondary pitches. Along with Carlos Carrasco he gives the Indians rotation a chance of being decent despite losing Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee.

Carlos Carrasco, RHP (from Philadelphia via Cliff Lee trade)

Though Carrasco is currently in AAA his impact could be felt to the North before September call-ups. The young (22) righty has already spent six years in professional baseball, but '09 (his first full season at AAA) has been one of his poorest to date.

At Lehigh Valley he has gone 6-9 with a 5.18 ERA through 20 starts. Despite those poor baseline statistics Carrasco has managed to strike out 112 batters through 114.2 innings and only walked 38.

His fastball has been clocked as high as 94-95 but it is his change-up that is his bread and butter. Sitting in the low 80's Carrasco is unafraid to use the change-up and against anyone and according to one scout "it can be a big league out pitch at it's best."

The Phillies front office still valued Carrasco and took most of the blame for his start, claiming that they imposed some changes upon him to make him a better major league player.

His raw stuff are inspiring and the scouting report on him project his stuff at major league average or above. The Indians believe that he can slot in to the middle of the rotation and make an impact as early as 2010.

Jason Knapp, RHP (from Philadelphia via Cliff Lee trade)

His raw stuff alone make this 18-year-old the centerpiece of the Lee trade. Standing in at 6'5" Knapp has the size to intimidate the opposition and the arm to back up that size.

Knapp works with three pitches and reaches the mid-90's consistently with his fastball, however, beyond the fastball his stuff is marked with inconsistency. Of course, that is to be expected from a player who has yet to reach his 19th birthday.

Mechanically Knapp has already cleaned up a few of the issues that have plagued his young career, which could have led to his poor start to the 2009. Pitching for Class A Lakewood this season he went 2-7 with a 4.01 ERA but he has averaged 11.7 K/9 and kept his WHIP at 1.195.

Knapp hasn't thrown since July 11 because of shoulder issues but he should be back to throwing for Lake County sometime in August. Though his future remains unsettled he is currently projected as a high end rotation starter. He was listed as the 10th best prospect in the Phillies organization prior to the trade.

Scott Barnes, LHP (from San Francisco via Ryan Garko trade)

Barnes, the ninth best prospect in the Giants organization by Baseball America, is often compared to another Giant arm: Madison Bumgarner. The lanky left-hander skipped low A this season and accelerated to high A and has flourished since.

At San Jose Barnes has gone 12-3 over 18 starts with a 2.85 ERA, good enough for tops in the California League in wins and second in ERA. His 99 strikeouts tied him for ninth in the league and kept his average per nine innings slightly above 9.0.

Jason Grey of ESPN describes his motion as "whippy" and "slingerlike" making the ball tough to pick up out of his hand. His delivery has been cleaned up while in the minors and he has shown consistency and the ability to repeat his delivery with nothing that would cause alarm. Grey predicts him to spend more time in the minors, obviously, but projects him as "a solid starter down the road."

Connor Graham, RHP (from Colorado via Rafael Betancourt trade)

The lone return from the Raffy Right deal jumped from A ball with the Rocks directly to AA Akron for the Tribe. Graham, an Ohio native, is another big bodied pitcher standing in at 6'6" and 235 lbs.

He is a hard thrower with the numbers to prove it (9.7 K/9 at Modesto) but he also struggled with his command allowing nearly five walks per nine innings. Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer thinks that he Graham has a future in the bullpen, though he has spent his career as a starter, and likens him to former Indians power relievers Jose Mesa and Steve Karsay of yesteryear.

Currently the Indians have no plans to move Graham to the 'pen, and his win-loss (7-4) and low HR allowed numbers (two over 80 innings) while in Modesto seem to back up their assertion.

Nick Hagadone, LHP (from Boston via Victor Martinez trade)

With a fastball that tops out at 98, a plus slider and an improving change-up there is considerable upside to this lefty acquired for the former Indian captain. Rated as the number three prospect in the Sox system (ahead of Daniel Bard) his control is listed as one of his strongest assets.

In 10 starts at Class A Greenville Hagadone has gone 0-2 but allowed seven earned runs in 25 innings which calculates to a 2.52 ERA. He is averaging 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings and kept his WHIP at 1.08. However his walk numbers have been high, despite scouting that touts his control, and has averaged almost five bases on balls per nine.

Hagadone is coming off Tommy John surgery and only made his season debut June 6th. He will be reporting to Lake County. The Indians will have a decision to make in the near future as to where this young lefty will end up, in the rotation or the bullpen. His scouting report describes his motion as fluid but compact, which might indicate a future in relief work for the Indians.

Bryan Price, RHP (from Boston via Victor Martinez trade)

Since Price changed his arm action and developed higher velocity while at Rice University he has been on the Indians radar. Shapiro mentioned that he was on the Indians mind during the 2008 draft when he was selected 45th overall in the sandwich round.

Price's fastball has a good deal of velocity on it, clocking in between 92 and 95 mph. He profiles as a pitcher with a smooth three-quarters deliver but with some unnecessary movement. He also throws a two-seam fastball that has nice inward movement toward right handed hitters. His slider is described as a "plus" pitch which he relies on as an out pitch, and his change-up is still a work in progress.

Price is another one of the young pitchers that could be used in relief or as a starter. With High A Salem this season Price has gone 1-6 with a 6.54 ERA over 11 starts. He fared better at Class A Greenville, going 3-2 with 2.45 ERA. His command has been questioned under duress, but his scouting report details him as a generally good control and command pitcher.

Relief Pitchers

Chris Perez, RHP (from St. Louis via Mark DeRosa trade)

Obviously we've had some time to see this kid and so far his numbers haven't been great. However, if you take away his horrific first appearance he has only allowed two earned runs over 8.2 innings, which is good enough for a 2.19 ERA, which is much better than his current 4.64 overall ERA.

In his second year in the big leagues Perez is showing the talent to be a solid bullpen arm, which can be a rare commodity, and certainly worthy of a player like DeRosa with an expiring contract.

Perez's arsenal is best described as filthy, and Future Redbirds described his stuff as the "best pure stuff of any pitcher in the [Cardinals] system." That kind of praise does not lightly, and will certainly serve him well in Cleveland.

I see Perez as the heir apparent to Kerry Wood, thus usurping the role from Jensen Lewis, who has shown too much inconsistency in his young career.

Jess Todd, RHP (from St. Louis via Mark DeRosa trade)

I was very pleased with the Indians selection of Todd as the PTBNL in the Mark DeRosa trade, and I feel that it really swung the balance of the trade to the Indians favor.

Todd spent the first half of this year closing for AAA Memphis and has since taken over that role in Columbus. With Memphis he earned 24 saves in 41 appearances over 49 innings. During that time he struck out 59 and only walked 13 all while keeping his WHIP and ERA low at 1.061 and 2.20, respectively.

Since moving to Columbus he has earned one save in two appearance and is yet to allow a run. In those two innings of work he has struck out three and walked none.

Todd uses a 90-94 mph four seam fastball along with a two-seamer and a circle change that moves like a splitter. Though he is a bit smaller, only 5'11", he throws hard and has a strong delivery, albeit one that requires a good deal of effort on his part.

Because of this, Todd profiles best as a reliever and in my opinion the best man to set up for battery mate Chris Perez in the near future. It won't be long before Todd moves north, I would have to guess he would be a September call up at the latest.

What it all means

The Indians have netted a strong core of young, promising prospects for two proven stars, two decent utility men and two young players without a future in Cleveland.

Overall, I would say that these deals have the potential to be very lucrative for the Indians, similar to the now famous Bartolo Colon deal (which, of course, brought Grady, Cliff and Brandon Phillips to Cleveland).

But they are called prospects for a reason, and clearly 2009, and for all intents and purposes 2010, will be used solely as rebuilding years. As I mentioned previously, with Masterson and Carrasco ready to move in to the rotation shortly Mark Shapiro has some optimism for next year though it would be a long shot.

"I think in a division that's not perfect, with no real powerhouse team, it will take all things firing right, but I think [contention] next year is not out of the question," Shapiro said. "I think what's more important is that we have a multi-year opportunity to have a good team."

I have reason to believe that the Indians are not done dealing, and that August may still be a busy month. With a bad economy players are more likely to clear waivers and players like Carl Pavano and Jamey Carroll, both of whom have high value to contenders, could easily be moved with their budget friendly contracts. Even Kelly Shoppach may be made available next month since he will be arbitration eligible after this season.

Beyond that I believe that the team may be able to make a play in free agency this off-season. Thought I doubt the team will make any huge moves, the $16 million in salary that was freed up by the V-Mart and Cliff Lee deals may be able to go to good use, especially when you consider that Shapiro was never asked to offload salary.

As usual I implore you Tribe fans to stay positive and look to the future. But even as I was writing this the Victorless, Cliffless, (dare I say) hopeless Indians pulled off a 13 inning win against the Central leading Tigers.

There is hope, there is next year.

Originally posted at The Wahoo Blues.

Ryan Garko Going West, Andy Marte Moving Up

chris davies — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:40:20 -0400

As most fans know by now Ryan Garko was shipped to the Giants yesterday in return for left-handed minor league pitcher Scott Barnes.

Right now I like this deal for the Indians.

Garko, who admittedly had been heating up recently, never really seemed to cement his place in the starting nine with his defense or his offense. His numbers were generally only noteworthy against left-handed pitching, thus making him only valuable at certain times, and certainly more valuable to a National League team.

Barnes has the pedigree of a future major league ballplayer. Coming in to this season he was ranked as the Giants ninth-best prospect despite only playing one year in Class A.

A product of St. John's University, Barnes was an eighth round pick in the 2008 draft and spent parts of last season in the minors with San Fransisco's Rookie, Low A and A affiliates.

This year at High A San Jose he has compiled a California League leading 12 wins, and his ERA, 2.85, is good enough for second. His WHIP has remained relatively low, at 1.13 and he is averaging 9.09 K/9 and only 2.66 BB/9.

At 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds he has intimidating size on the mound. However it isn't his velocity that will help him excel through the minors, rather his command.

On the San Jose Giants Web site there is an article detailing Barnes stuff in which San Fransisco Giants VP of Baseball Operation Bobby Evans dotes upon the young lefty.

"He doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he’s a strike-thrower. You need to be able to command your stuff and Scott has done that. It’s impressive," said Evans.

Baseball America reports his fastball as a mid-80s pitch which he "changes speeds like a major league veteran." Anytime those words are used to describe a prospect it is certainly exciting, but the same article also mentions that his change-up may be his best pitch.

Obviously Barnes is a couple years away from making an impact in the big league rotation, but this trade will have an immediate impact on the big club with Garko gone.

MLB.com beat writer Anthony Castrovince noted on his blog that Andy Marte will be taking the bus from Columbus to Cleveland and begin seeing time at first base.

This move will please many fans who noted that upon returning to AAA this season he has hit .327 with 18 home runs and only 50 strikeouts in 300 plate appearances. The team has been hesitant to recall Marte after his poor performances in Cleveland over the past two seasons, including the entire 2008 season which he spent on the bench.

The move will be risky, because should Marte struggle at the big league level again the team will have to expose him to waivers in order to demote him and bring up another player (say, Matt LaPorta). However, the Indians may be priming him for an August waiver deal, as his value is arguably the highest it's ever been while he has been with the club.

Regardless of how Marte does, this deal does eventually free a 25-man roster spot for prized prospect Matt LaPorta. With Garko out of the way, LaPorta will be able to share time with Victor Martinez at first.

This deal makes 2010 look increasingly good for the young position players. The lineup could potentially look something like this:

Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Grady Sizemore, CF
Victor Martinez, C
Shin-Soo Choo, RF
Matt LaPorta, 1B
Jhonny Peralta, 3B
Travis Hafner, DH
Michael Brantley, LF
Luis Valbuena, 2B

Of course, in this perfect lineup Grady is not our lead-off hitter and Michael Brantley is starting. This may or may not happen, a lot of what happens depends on who is managing by this time next year. Regardless, I would have to say that these past couple deals made by the team have made a lot of sense and have made the future look better for the Indians.

Originally posted at The Wahoo Blues.

Jess Todd, The Final Piece

chris davies — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:57:19 -0400

...of the Mark DeRosa trade. In no way is Jess Todd going to solve everything, that's far too incredulous a statement.

However, since he is the last piece coming from St. Louis, let's break down his numbers.

I want to start by expressing the relief I am feeling that the Indians did not take the other pitcher that was speculated to be on their short-list, Francisco Samuel. Everything I read about Samuel highlighted his inconsistency and questioned his future.

Then I saw, first-hand, Samuel blow up at the All-Star Futures Game in St. Louis and prayed the Indians would get Todd.

Good pickin' Shappy.

Todd came out of the University of Arkansas as the best Razorback starter featuring four pitches that can reach the mid-90's. The righty's main pitch is a four]-seam fastball but he partners that with a hard mid-80's slider that he uses as an out-pitch.

He also throws a two-seamer and a circle change that have been rated as fringe average or below.

The big plus to this acquisition is that Todd's two best pitches were evaluated as two of the best pitches in the entire 2007 draft for the Cardinals (thanks to Future Redbirds for the info).

Todd stands in at 5'11", and doesn't really have the body to intimidate the players that he is throwing to with his size. However, he doesn't have many, if any, mechanical flaws that are often present in players who attempt to overthrow.

Todd is able to keep his velocity up using a "tall-and-fall" pitching method in which he leads with his hips and follows through his tilted shoulders. His motion looks as if he is stepping over an invisible step on the mound, which allows him to more aggressively rotate his hips to maximize his velocity (thanks to Pitchers Hit Eighth for the info).

The Cardinals made the decision to place Todd in the bullpen prior to starting the season, and by all accounts it seems to have gone well to this point. Pitchers hit Eighth believes that his mechanics and stuff are best suited for a late-inning role and Future Redbirds also like the young righty as a set-up man in the future.

In 41 games at Triple-A Memphis (zero started) Todd has gone 4-2 with a 2.20 ERA and 24 saves. What I like the most about his numbers, and what so many beleaguered Tribe fans have to agree with, is that over those 49 innings Todd has only given up 3 home runs, and just 12 earned runs total. His WHIP has remained low at 1.06, and his K/9 has been an astonishing 10.8.

The walks have not been a huge issue this season for Todd, only allowing 2.4 per nine, and have never been a huge issue, even as a starter.

I would expect to see Todd begin at Columbus, but I wouldn't expect the team to keep him there for a very long time. Hopefully this half of the DeRosa deal will begin paying dividends in Cleveland in a very short period of time.

Originally posted at The Wahoo Blues.

Betancourt Headed West, Tribe Looking to the Future

chris davies — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:26:12 -0400

The Indians made an important move yesterday in trading Rafael Betancourt to the Rockies for Class-A pitcher Connor Graham.

This is a move that will surprise no one, considering the team was unlikely to exercise their $5.4 million option on Raffy Right next year. However, this move signifies that the team is willing to look beyond 2010.

I think that most fans can agree that this is a good thing. With the current state of the pitching rotation, and the fact that some of our best prospects are two years away, competing in 2010 is not as important as 2011.

Currently, the Indians have four players listed in Baseball America's top-50 prospects; with Carlos Santana listed as No. 7, and Matt LaPorta coming in at No. 22 (Lonnie Chisenhall and Nick Weglarz were simply listed by alphabetical order in the 25-50 half of the list).

Of those four, I would only expect to see Weglarz and LaPorta in the big leagues prior to next September (at least for serious consideration). Unfortunately, none of those prospects listed can provide pitching help.

That's where Graham comes in.

In two-and-a-half seasons in the minors, Graham, from Miami of Ohio, has pitched in 48 games, and started all but two of those. His numbers have been impressive in Class-A ball, with an overall 20-10 record, and an ERA of 2.55.

This year for the Rockies Advanced-A team in Modesto he has gone 7-4 over 80 innings, notching 87 strikeouts to only 41 bases on balls. Though his WHIP is a bit high at 1.35, his K/9 makes up for it at 9.7, and his HR/9 has been microscopic at 0.2.

Baseball America describes Graham as a hard-thrower that sits in the mid-90's and can touch 96 at times. In the past, Graham has had issues with location, in part because of a hard slider that he has difficultly controlling, and a fastball with "plus natural life" according to BA.

As it stands currently, he is projected as a solid bullpen option for the Indians. However, should he be able to reign in his two current pitches, and pair them with a curve or change up, he would be a valuable addition to the big league rotation.

Looking forward, this deal could work out well for the Indians, who certainly got their money's worth out of Betancourt—a converted infielder.

Time will tell who else among this current batch of Tribe players becomes a big league troubadour...until then, stay positive Tribe fans.

Originally posted at The Wahoo Blues.

Eric Wedge Still Has a Job

chris davies — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:43:05 -0400

And I don't understand why.

I have never been the kind of person who throws a coach under the bus. Maybe it's because I aspire to be a coach, or maybe it's because the players are the ones who are competing on the field.

But at this point in the Cleveland Indians season, I have had more than enough of blown leads and missed chances and I'm ready to see Eric Wedge get the boot.

Last night, watching one more game slip between our fingers in the latest of innings, I lost my hope.

It's May 20, the Indians are 8.5 games out and eight games under .500. These are difficult odds, but not insurmountable odds, to overcome. Something tells me that nothing is going to get better under Eric Wedge, however.

Since May 6, there have been five moves made between Columbus and Cleveland. During the same time span, the line-up and defensive alignment have been tinkered with what seems like 100 times.

Clearly Wedge's incessant tinkering hasn't benefited the team, but rather resulted in continued exercises in futility.

I can't say that some of his moves haven't been warranted; for instance, the decision to send Masa Kobayashi to the minors, or to drop Grady Sizemore in the line-up, have been a long time coming.

Truthfully, those moves came much later than they should have, all because of Wedge's stubbornness.

The brain trust of Shapiro and Wedge has been dominated by the latter half for the past few years, and the bench coaches clearly aren't speaking out either.

If the Indians organization wants to make a statement and really show this team that they mean business, then it is time to stop shuffling relievers like playing cards and make a move that says something: Fire Eric Wedge.

Ten Reasons 2-7 Ain't That Bad

chris davies — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:01:06 -0400

Winless in their first five games, and only two wins through nine, the Indians have looked downright pathetic. On paper at least. So what, 2-7 isn't the best start the team has ever had, but there are plenty of reasons to look up. In this slideshow we'll go through these reasons by looking beyond what the boxscore shows. These ten slides will break down the top ten reasons that Tribe fans should keep their heads up. Remember, baseball is a marathon, not a sprint.

Begin Slideshow

Cliff Lee's Rough Outing Comes with Upside

chris davies — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:02:32 -0400

Woe is me, the Cleveland sports fan.

I watched Cliff Lee, our ace-in-the-hole, implode after a rough second inning, en route to allowing seven runs touch home plate through five innings. Cliffy didn't allow his seventh run until his eighth start on May 18 last season!

What will we do?

This is one game. This is only one game, and it's early in the season. We must quell the demon pessimist inside of us Tribe fans, we must move past this outing.

The Indians.com comment boards are already ringing with the sounds of displeasure.

"Fire Willis!"

"It's going to be an extremely long year."

I know it is hard to put aside the pain that we, the Cleveland sports fan, have endured these long pennant-less years. But alas, we must have faith in our team.

We all hold our grudges against CC Sabathia at this point, given, but we must consider his numbers last year, when he made a strong case for Cy Young in either league. He started the season 1-4 over six starts allowing 28 runs with two outings of less than five innings.

Cliff Lee's rough first outing is just that: the first outing. He was not himself, only gaining three groundball outs to seven flyball outs, but on the positive side more than two-thirds of his pitches went for strikes. On Saturday, he is going to come back and bring the stuff that earned him the title of reigning Cy Young award winner.

Continue to fight that inner pessimist and consider that of the five hits the Indians managed against the dominant Rangers pitching two of them came from Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez.

The keys to the magical 2007 team managed not only to account for 40 percent of the teams hits, but they also managed not to strike out at all. Which is very inspiring considering their injury-riddled 2008 performances.

Another plus to focus on is Masa Kobayashi, one of the biggest questions out of Goodyear, pitched a solid inning against the top of the Rangers order without letting a run cross the plate.

There is good news in this tough first loss. We must swallow this bitter pill, and move beyond it.

There is no Indian baseball tomorrow, so take a breath and forget this. I can guarantee you that is what Cliff Lee will be doing.

Wednesday the team comes back with Fausto Carmona, injury-free and looking to return to his 2007 form. Stay positive Tribe fans, and remember that the Rangers pitchers can't stay strong forever in that hitters paradise of a ballpark.

Help Me Albert Pujols, You're My Only Hope

chris davies — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:48:40 -0500

If you had been paying attention to ESPN today, you may have seen the bottom line scroll this lovely new bit of information: "Primobolan was not available for legal purchase, over-the-counter or with a prescription in the Dominican Republic between 2001 and 2003."

Does this ring a bell?: "A-Rod connected to steroid-linked trainer Angel Presinal."

After his lackluster press conference that left more questions than answers, A-Rod's fall from grace has deepened. His ubiquitous press conference left many reporters questioning his honesty as well. After journalists answered some of these unanswered questions, it seems that they have cracked his armor and discovered the cowardly liar underneath.

At first it seemed as though he had learned from the mistakes of Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, and other steroid users. His almost tearful admission had me convinced that maybe he was telling us the truth. It seemed like he wanted to be on a different page in history than these previous steroid users. It seemed so simple: tell the truth, be forgiven.

We didn't get the truth though. We got fragments and unanswered or hole-ridden answers. Those holes have been filled now, and the Yankees no longer have a third basemen.

They have a joke.

There will be no escaping the media for Rodriguez this season, maybe ever. No matter how many times he says "I'm done talking about that," the questions will never go away.

So what is baseball to do now? With its highest paid player, once a figure of the utmost respect, now no better than a cheater. Where does it turn?

The answer is simple: Albert Pujols.

For several years now, I have argued that Pujols has been the best player in baseball. Without the "'roided-out" monster Bonds, he would have three MVP awards already.

If we compare A-Rod's performance-enhanced numbers to Albert's numbers, Pujols was as good as the cheating A-Rod.

Batting Average:

A-Rod - '01: .318, '02: .300, '03: .298

Pujols - '01: .329, '02: .314, '03: .359

Home Runs:

A-Rod - '01: 52, '02: 47, '03: 57

Pujols - '01: 37, '02: 34, '03: 43

RBI:

A-Rod - '01: 135, '02: 142, '03: 118

Pujols - '01: 130, '02: 127, '03: 124

In these categories, we only see a slight edge for A-Rod over Pujols. Considering that Rodriguez was five years older than Pujols, the statistical gap between him and Pujols should be bigger.

So what can baseball do? Attach yourself to the image of Pujols: a clean ball player, a player with no controversy, a player who won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2008 for his outstanding community service work.

Just do whatever you can to distance yourself from the tarnishing image of Rodriguez and bring the game back to the prestigious level it needs and deserves to be at.

With Luiz Felipe Scolari Gone, What's Next for Chelsea?

chris davies — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:36:12 -0500

Chelsea Football Club announced today the dismissal of Luiz Felipe Scolari as manager of the first team, with immediate effect. No. 2 man Ray Wilkins will lead in the interim.

In a statement, the board failed to explain their decision, and rather insisted their "gratitude for his time as manager." The club expressed regret with the statement, "Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined and we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so soon."

However, it seems to me as if the board may have had more regret for hiring the big Brazilian than firing him.

Chelsea's recent form did nothing to help save the Brazilian from the axe. After being dropped from the Carling Cup by Burnley on Nov. 12, Chelsea won only four games in two months. A string of wins seemed to re-energize the team and help Felipe's standing in the front office before a loss at Liverpool Feb. 1.

A draw with lowly Hull City, who had gone eight weeks without a win, pushed Chelsea into fourth place and gave the board the cannon fodder needed to sack the man in charge.

In his time at Chelsea, Scolari failed to assert himself as the dominating, command style coach that had won him a World Cup with Brazil. I believe this is more of a reflection upon the Chelsea ownership than on Scolari.

The further down Chelsea slips, the more it seems that Roman Abramovich is not the right person to own the West London outfit. With pressures coming in heaps from the front office, it is no wonder even a man of Scolari's stature failed to meet expectations.

Many reports surfaced that the players were unhappy with Scolari's training regiments and his managerial style, and it seems that the Brazilian was simply trying to be the person that he thought the board wanted him to be. This did not allow him to be the World Cup winner that he is.

Chelsea will now be searching for their fourth coach in less than two years. The general malaise that has spread over the first team since the departure of Jose Mourinho seems unlikely to be diminished with a revolving door of coaches.

What comes next for the team remains a mystery. Will they attempt to lure Gianfranco Zola to the other side of London? Or will they look at the international level again to fill the vacancy?

Whoever takes the job will be a stronger man than many people, and will most assuredly believe that he has the cajones to take on the “Russian tzar's” expectations.

The man in charge, for the time being, will be expected to continue the "instant success" philosophy in place at the Bridge. Wilkins' side faces Watford the on Feb. 14, in an FA Cup draw, and a big challenge in two weeks when the team travels to Birmingham to face third place Aston Villa.

As for Scolari, he will undoubtedly return to football in the near future, and most likely return to his winning ways as the coach he has always been. He will do his best to put these past seven months behind him and move forward to better things.

Josh Barfield: The Man, The Mystery

chris davies — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:28:47 -0500

Prior to the 2007 season, second baseman Josh Barfield had difficulty adjusting to life in the American League and breaking in with his new team when the Cleveland Indians first acquired him.

In his rookie season with the Padres, he hit .280 over 150 games. The following year in Cleveland he hit .243 over 130 games, and has since been marginalized to AAA, constantly on the fringes of the majors.

Now, it seems that Barfield might be working his way back to relevance in Cleveland once again.

Earlier this year Indians beat writer Anthony Castrovince revealed that Barfield will be given time in the outfield, third base, and shortstop this offseason to gauge his versatility and value to the team.

Last season, Barfield was recalled from Buffalo to fill in for the struggling second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, but only played in three games. He was forced on the disabled list after being struck on the middle finger with a pitch.

In Sept., Barfield joined the Tribe again, batting .222 in 27 at-bats. His plate discipline seemed poor still, as he had no walks in that time span.

The biggest question with Barfield has always been his bat. He has proven that he can field his position well.

But with Cabrera, Mark DeRosa and Luis Valbuena all contending for the second base position in the near future, it seems that Barfield's future with the club will not be at that position.

If Barfield is to stick with the team in the upcoming 2009 season, it will be as a utility man and late-inning defensive substitution. The most important thing for Barfield to do this spring is to focus on his defensive versatility and to continue working on his offense.

I believe that Barfield can be very valuable to the team this year, wherever he is playing. With some patience and diligence, he can overcome his struggles and regain the form that convinced Cleveland to ship Kevin Kouzmanoff to the west coast for Barfield.

Four days left until the Indians season officially begins. It's time to get excited fans.

It's Tribe time now.

Indians Pitching Staff: A Plus or a Problem?

chris davies — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:23:51 -0500

It's that time of year again kids, spring! With one week left until pitchers and catchers report to the Indians new spring digs in Goodyear, Arizona and a strange warmth in the air (Dodge City, KS actually reached 82 degrees today, while the rest of us enjoyed beach weather at 45) that means baseball season is just around the corner.

I am practically tingling with excitement. Of course I have good reason, after a second half of the season when the Tribe had the best offense in baseball I have no reason to believe that we cannot win the wide-open AL Central. The key to victory, as usual, lies upon the pitching, the starters in particular.

The newly minted ace of the staff Cliff Lee has been diligently preparing for the season in the same way that he did last year. Do not expect a repeat of his Cy Young award-winning '08 performance, in which he went an astonishing 22-3 with 170 strike-outs and 34 walks. However, as dedicated was Lee to earning his spot on the team last year, he is just as focused on pitching his best this year. Lee wants to lead this team to the playoffs, I'm sure that he still has a bad taste in his mouth from watching the team during the '07 run.

Fausto Carmona will be taking over the role of the number two starter again this year and hoping to improve on his mediocre, injury riddled 2008 performance. Last year Carmona gave the cynics good reason to doubt whether or not '07 was a flash in the pan for the Dominican righty. However, I have no reason to believe that Fausto cannot become the same dominant pitcher that won 19 games.

Much like Lee in '07, last year Carmona was battling injuries that wrecked his consistency and over all took away from his ability to dominate pitchers. During winter play he has gone 2-2 with a 2.76 walk per nine innings ratio (thanks to my buddy Michael Taylor at Tribe Report for those numbers).

In his appearances last year Carmona was not allowing players to take his pitches out of the park, a common problem for low-ball pitchers. Rather, he still induced ground balls, kept the ball on the ground and had a high level of first pitch strikes. A repeat of of '07 may not happen, but a solid year by number two pitcher standards could be a real possibility.

Number three, in the absence of Jake Westbrook, will most likely fall to youngster Anthony Reyes. Before sustaining an injury last season Reyes went 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA between the Cardinals and the Indians. The most impressive part of his state line is Reyes' ERA was a meager 1.83 upon coming to the AL.

It will be interesting to see how Reyes rebounds from his injury; he is a product of the University of Southern California, the same school that produced Mark Prior. It has been noted the delivery of these pitchers has put them at higher risk for injury, however, it can be very effective against hitter. Hopefully Reyes has a bit more ruggedness than his former teammate and can pitch well in the three hole through the first half of the season at last.

New acquisition Carl Pavano looks to fall in to the four slot for the Tribe this year. Another pitcher who has struggled with injury, Pavano has only pitched nine innings for a total of 45 innings the past two years.

The beleaguered righty told the Indians that his problems were more an issue of poor handling by the Yankees organization than his own unwillingness to play. Shapiro seems to think that this was a sound, economic investment as well.

"This is not a guy you're guessing is going to come back. He made seven starts [in August and September] last year, with no problems. He's in great shape right now. He's strong, fit and highly motivated," Shapiro said.

The hope is that Pavano, as a number four starter, can eat innings and win 11 or 12 starts next year. If he can stay healthy and pitch like he has shown he can in the past there is no reason to believe that this is a far-fetched notion.

The position of number five starter remains a mystery to everyone, including the Indians front office. There are a number of candidates (Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, Scott Lewis, Dave Huff, Zack Jackson) that could fill this position and every Tribe fan and their brother has their own opinion about who it should be. For the sake of brevity I will remove Jackson (a likely bullpen option) and Lewis (too few innings at AAA).

Sowers has a shot to earn this spot out of camp, but unless he proves that he has regained command and can pitch at the major league level. Projected stats do not seem to favor him, and unless he pulls a Cliff Lee type reformation in Spring Training I would not expect him to earn a spot in the rotation.

Another long shot is Dave Huff, but don't count him out completely. His projections look better than Sowers do, but I think that AAA will be his first stop of the 2009 campaign. I do expect to see Huff at some point next year as the first option out of the minors in case of an injury.

That leaves Aaron Laffey to take the number five spot out of camp. Projections for 2009 look best for the young lefty who has made the best impression at the big league level recently. After command problems of his own last season Laffey rebounded nicely in AAA going 6-2 and only allowing 18 walks in 62 innings, approximately 3.5 BB/9 inn.

As long as health problems stay at a minimum this season the Indians looked primed for a run at the playoffs. If Jake Westbrook can return with the same command he had prior to Tommy John surgery (75 percent of pitchers pitch as well or better after recovery) the stretch run will be boosted by the addition of another strong arm. Things look good for the Tribe in '09, cynics be damned.

Chelsea Silences Critics With Roots Hall Rout

chris davies — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:27:46 -0500

Prior to Chelsea's third-round replay with Southend United at Roots Hall, Luiz Felipe Scolari insisted that the teams' "spirit had not been busted" and that this may be their biggest match of the season.

His tactics, which have been widely criticized, worked against the League One minnows, as the Blues cruised to an easy 4-1 victory on Wednesday night.

Prior to the match Scolari told reporters that his team had been performing at "35 percent" the past few matches and that "all the players have had their chance." Those who did not live up to his expectations could expect to see less playing time.

One notable star who was left in London was striker Didier Drogba, who had started in place of leading scorer Nicolas Anelka the past three matches. Another absence from the side was Deco, who had up to this point, appeared to be Scolari's pet.

Chelsea did not open the scoring on the night, instead allowing Shrimpers' defender Adam Barrett to take the honor. However, Chelsea were not absent for long, and just shy of halftime Michael Ballack slotted home a high right-footed equaliser for the visitors.

Fifteen minutes after the restart Salomon Kalou found the lower left corner to put Chelsea in front, where they would stay the remainder of the match.

Late goals from Anelka and Frank Lampard served as icing on the cake for the Premier League side who utterly outclassed their opponents. Chelsea rallied behind their beleaguered boss on the evening and proved that they are not the same team that had gone without a win since Boxing Day.

The statistics on the night are the most telling of how Chelsea dictated the play of the game. The Blues controlled the ball 81 percent of the game and had 19 shots, nine being on target. The Shrimpers were simply denied by the defense, a marked contrast from their last match against Manchester United, and only forced Petr Cech in to action twice.

This result comes as a relief to Chelsea fans, players, and more than anyone else, Scolari. Recent form had forced many to wonder if Scolari was the right man at the Bridge, but similar results in the next few matches the team will still contend for the title in all of their competitions and ensure the Brazilian his job.

Is Luiz Felipe Scolari To Blame for Chelsea's Woes?

chris davies — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:29:48 -0500

Times are tough at Stamford Bridge for the first time in recent memory. Over the course of the last six games Chelsea have lost 11 points, their sole win coming against lowly West Brom on Boxing Day.

Some may call this run a simple spell of bad luck for the Blues, and that they may be able to pull out of it with harder training and determination. However, their latest display, a 3-0 pummeling at the hands of the hated Red Devils from Manchester, was evidence that with a rejuvenated squad (John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho returning) and more intense conditioning were not enough to change the team's "luck."

Luck in my opinion has nothing to do with the club simply underachieving, and more often than not a club that is underachieving is often due to a lack of commitment to the manager.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, for his part, has done nothing to dispel such notions. Much media attention has been given to his dilemma of having two stellar center forwards whom he claims "cannot work together" despite each player offering a dissenting opinion.

To combat this Scolari struck out by saying that such a pairing is impossible because he does not have a true left-footed winger to use in a 4-4-2 formation. However, in his star-studded squad he has the multi-talented Joe Cole, who often plays left wing internationally, and until last week he had the oft-unused services of Wayne Bridge, whose supreme versatility allowed him to play in midfield and defense.

The same amount of media attention given to the forward issue has also been given to the fact that billionaire owner Roman Abramovich is undergoing a personal money crunch during the current global economic downturn. In spite of all those reports (and a squad that would make most teams drool and most payrolls cringe), it appears that Scolari is begging for additional resources in the January transfer period.

His brilliant response to his problems? To bench the league leader in goals to start the past two league games. Honestly, I do not know what Scolari was thinking. Didier Drogba has been of decent form lately, but it does not compare to that of Nicolas Anelka all term. The other problem that is immediately evident in the benching of "Le Sulk" is that he will be his old, moody self and not play at the same level.

With the team now simply a point ahead of Manchester United and four behind pacesetters Liverpool, it is time for Scolari to begin cracking down with authority and playing both of his strikers, dealing with the fact that Joe Cole may actually be a good player and deserves to play more (he has only finished one game so far this campaign) and that the team is solid as is.

Another hard truth that he may have to face is that his Portugese pupils (Deco, Jose Bosingwa) are not performing as well as they did at the beginning of the term, and he must not play favorites. Though he may not want to do so, struggling players need to see the bench and focus themselves more. Deco and Jose Bosingwa need such direction to find the players they were at the beginning of this season.

With stronger direction and a firm hand (i.e. Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant) this team is capable of producing results, and with a coach as capable as Scolari has shown himself to be, there is no reason to believe that Chelsea cannot still contend for a title run this year, or, for that matter, a Champions League trophy.

Indians Bullpen Has Promise

chris davies — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:01:55 -0500

The short comings of the Tribe bullpen in 2008 is still an open wound for many fans; from Borowski to Betancourt, there were disappointments abound. At the beginning of the offseason Mark Shapiro made it known that one of his main priorities would be to address the bullpen situation, and, at least on paper, present a core of relievers that would look more solid than the 2008 bunch.

In a short period of time Shapiro has done just that, and with a group that could be better than those of 2007, has shown that the Indians intend to be contenders in 2009.

James Pete at MVN presented some interesting ideas about the group of players that will be comprise or are vying for spots in the 'pen including: Kerry Wood, Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez, Rafael Betancourt, Masa Kobayashi, Joe Smith, John Meloan, Tony Sipp, Rich Rundles, Adam Miller and Zach Jackson.

At first glance the nucleus seems to be solid and all the peripheral players also seem to be of good composition as well. However, the same was thought at the beginning of last season. So to properly analyze how good this bullpen could be it is important to consider the numbers each pitcher has put up previously.

First is the big offseason acquisition, Kerry Wood. Kid K has electric stuff that is obviously perfect for a closing role. Despite his injury-riddled past, it seems that closing has been very good for his arm, having only been on the DL once last season for a non-arm related issue.

Last season Wood went 5-4 with 34 saves, 84 K's, 18 walks and an ERA of 3.26 in 64 games. These numbers (and the fact that he and Mark DeRosa are very good friends) give Tribe fans just reason to be excited about the ninth inning, instead of fearing the Borowski blow-up that we had become accustomed to.

Jensen Lewis was one of the brightest stars in the bullpen last season, ending the year by successfully saving all 13 games he was asked to close. The team decided to keep the youngster in a setup role during the offseason, because it would be unfair to expect him to repeat that feat over an entire season.

However, given Lewis' past with the team it is not unreasonable to expect him to be a solid arm in the 7th and 8th innings all year long.

One pitcher that got a bad reputation last year because of a slow start is Rafael Perez. Those fans who continued to watch games later in the season saw him regain most of his 2007 form and become the lights-out lefty that the team relied so heavily on in '07. I would expect Perez to continue his run of fine pitching and assist Lewis as the 7th and 8th inning setup man.

Betancourt and Kobayashi were both a bit lackluster in 2008, and neither posting an ERA under four. Betancourt was expected to pitch as he did in '07, when he posted a 1.47 ERA and was the right to Perez's left. Kobayahshi, on the other hand, was expected to be similar to Boston's Hideki Okajima, but appeared to be more Hideo Nomo circa 2004. In the latter parts of the season Kobayashi, who was accustomed to Japan's shorter season, was seldom seen as a precaution.

Both players signed multi-year deals prior to '08, and appear to be locks for the '09 bullpen. Both pitchers will have less weight resting upon their shoulders this season, and hopefully will respond more positively.

Recently acquired Joe Smith is the type of solid young reliever that the Indians have had success with in past years (see: Perez, Betancourt in '07). Last season in 82 appearances for the Mets Smith posted a 3.55 ERA with 52 K's and 31 walks over 63 innings. Switching leagues could be a concern for Smith, however, it seems as though he will be a good right handed option for Wedge to call on for spot appearances.

It remains to be seen who will be retained of the remaining rookies. Adam Miller could very easily earn a spot with a decent showing in Spring Training. The highly touted prospect has dealt with injury problems throughout his minor league career, but has bounced back and pitched very well in the closing parts of the 2008 season and in Winter Leagues.

Likewise, Rundles, Meloan and Jackson pitched very well at the end of the season on the big league club and could factor in to the teams 2009 plans. Tony Sipp has consistently thrown well in the minors and, as a lefty, could have a spot on the team come spring.

On paper, this bullpen is built for a playoff run. Following the collapse of the 2008 team any optimism that can be taken from this Indians team must. Keep the faith Tribe fans, and believe that this year is our year.

Tribe Talks to Junichi Tazawa

chris davies — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:05:23 -0500

According to Jason Beck of MLB.com, representatives from the Cleveland Indians met with Junichi Tazawa and his agent in Japan on Tuesday.

Tazawa has made a splash in his native Japan, opting to enter Major League Baseball rather than playing in the Japanese League. He requested that Japanese teams not draft him prior to their draft on Oct. 30, so he is free to enter the MLB immediately.

The 22-year-old flamethrower has already been contacted by the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, and Atlanta Braves, but has gained the attention of several other teams. It is reported that the Braves have already offered a contract to the right-hander.

With a fastball that has been clocked at speeds as high as 97 mph, many more teams will be in contact with Tazawa.

According to NPB Tracker, a Japanese baseball blog, Tazawa's fastball has plenty of movement and runs in on right-handed batters along with a 12-6 curve. Last season with Nippon Oil he allowed only six earned runs over 54 innings, struck out 56 batters, and walked only four.

The Indians' interest would increase their already deep pitching pool for the 2009 season. The Indians have lefties Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, and Scott Lewis, and righties Anthony Reyes and Zach Jackson vying for the final three rotation spots next season.

Cleveland Indians' Winter Plans, Part Two: Just Getting Started

chris davies — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:10:35 -0500

There are only a few absolutes for the Indians' starting rotation entering the 2009 season: First, Cliff Lee is first; second, Fausto Carmona is second; third, Adam Miller will not begin the season in the rotation.

With so little being set in stone, this offseason is certainly going to be an interesting one for the Indians' starting pitchers.

Obviously, Cy Young winner Lee will be back and will be the No. 1 starter, and Carmona, who is under contractual control for the next three seasons, will be the No. 2 man.

The Indians are hoping to see a return of Carmona's 2007 form, in which he won 19 games, rather than his injury-plagued 2008 season, in which he only won eight games and posted a 5.44 ERA. Should Carmona find his old form, the Tribe can look forward to at least two quality starts every five days.

Who will be the third starter in the Indians' rotation is one of the remaining mysteries of the offseason. With Jake Westbrook on the disabled list until midseason, the Indians may seek to fill the hole left by his absence via free agency.

The Tribe have been optimistically linked with Jon Garland, due to his history in the A.L. Central, however, his price may be too steep for the club. The Indians will be very cautious while approaching a free-agent pitcher and would probably shy away from someone like Randy Johnson, who is injury prone and will demand a high salary.

One interesting name that has been mentioned is Freddy Garcia, who, if interested in a one-year contract, could be an effective fill in for the Tribe.

The trade market may also be a viable means for the Indians to fill their hole. With depth at catching (Victor Martinez, Kelly Shoppach, Carlos Santana), and teams such as Boston in need of catching help, a trade for another starter could be an option.

Mark Shapiro also has several in-house candidates to choose from to fill the holes at the end of the rotation. Without a doubt, the last couple spots will be filled by young arms, but should Shapiro decide that free agency and the trade market do not have what he wants, he would elect to use three young starters.

The options that are available for the Tribe at the end of the rotation are indeed deep, and to narrow them down will be difficult. With four options being left-handed, as well as No. 1 Lee, finding a balance will make the decision that much harder.

Aaron Laffey, who began the 2008 season with the club, is one of the left-handed options. If Laffey can show the same command that helped the 2007 club reach the postseason, he would be able to wrap up one of the remaining rotation spots.

Scott Lewis, another lefty, would have to be one of the front-runners for a rotation spot in 2009 for his role at the end of the 2008 season. Lewis pitched 15 scoreless innings to start his big-league career. In four starts, Lewis won four games, posting a 2.63 ERA over 24 innings, striking out 15, while only walking six.

Prior to injuring his elbow, Anthony Reyes seemed like the best midseason pickup for the Indians. With the Tribe, Reyes was 2-1, however, he pitched seven innings twice in no decisions, in which he only allowed one run. As one of the few right-handers competing for the rotation spot, he seems to have an advantage over the others.

Jeremy Sowers, also a lefty, is another option for the team; however, he has been a consummate underachiever since being the best pitcher in the majors for the second half of the 2006 season. Zach Jackson, a part of the CC Sabathia trade, is another arm vying for the a rotation spot, although he seems destined for the bullpen in 2009 for its shortage of lefties.

Should the Indians seek another arm to add to the mix, there is no doubt that their depth in pitching will provide a significant benefit for the upcoming season, perhaps in the trade market as well.

Next time, part three: position players.

Anelka-Mazing! Chelsea's New First Choice

chris davies — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:49:23 -0500

For the past four seasons at Stamford Bridge it has been the Ivorian Didier Drogba atop the Chelsea eleven leading the attack. Without question he has been the most dominating force in front of goal for the Blues.

How the mighty have fallen.

A coaching change, a lingering injury, and a looming suspension have left Drogba kicking his boots against the bench instead of looking for the back of the net.

After sitting out for a month with a knee injury suffered against Cluj in the Champions League he has struggled to find the form that made him a prolific striker.

Shades of his former self appeared against Burnley as he opened the scoring for the Blues, only to be booked for tossing a coin back in to the stands, for which it seems he will receive a mandatory three match ban from the FA.

Then, in what could be his last game prior to suspension, he watched for 75 minutes Saturday as his replacement, Nicolas Anelka, notched his sixth and seventh goals in four matches.

Anelka, to his own credit, has been nothing short of amazing so far this campaign. He has found the back of the net 12 times in 13 league games and added another in Champions League play.

Under the reign of Luiz Felipe Scolari Anelka has been able to shine. With the focus more on flowing football, with short effective passing more prominent than deep balls, Anelka has put on a clinic for each opposing team.

His domination of the league has placed Drogba on the outside looking in, for more than a little while, it would seem. Both strikers are the solitary type: They prefer to patrol the box alone, and it seems would not do too well sharing.

Assistant first-team coach Ray Wilkins expects nothing short of a battle between the two in the coming months.

Wilkins said: "I think the system we play—with one central striker—suits them both down to the ground. Using 4-4-2 would only come in to play if we were losing, although I wouldn't fancy playing against them both!

"It is up to whoever has the shirt to make sure they stay in there...it's a healthy rivalry. Felipe is getting the quality out of Anelka. He can get hold of the ball much better now and has been working so hard in order for us to play around the opponents' penalty box. That is what Didier is exceptional at, though.

"I have only known him for about six weeks, but I can see he has an in-built determination to succeed and I don't think he is going to lie down lightly."

Such competition can only be good for a team searching to reclaim the Premier League title and their first Champions League title in club history.

Though it remains to be seen how the rivalry will pan out, it is evident which striker has the upper hand currently, and who will continue to be favored. For the time being at least.

A Busy Winter in Cleveland, Part One: We All Need Relief!

chris davies — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:09:53 -0500

After a year of disappointment, this winter is a time for the team to step back and admit some hard truths. Though the team showed promise toward the end of the season, it was not a club that could reach the playoffs in 2009 without additional help.

As fans there is one truth that we all must accept, no matter how hard it is: CC Sabathia will not be back in Cleveland next season.

In the spirit of the rapidly approaching holidays, and the free-agency period, it's time to take a look at the Indians offseason shopping list. Everyone in Cleveland needs a little bit of relief from the disappointing Indians and Browns, basketball fans can watch LeBron and the Cav's win a few games.

The Indians, on the other hand, just need relief, which is where we will begin to assess their offseason needs.

Mark Shapiro has already stated the club will pursue all bullpen options available to them. "If there's a closer option out there, we will be involved," he told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. This does not limit itself solely to the free agent market, however.

The market does include such high-profile names as Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes, though it seems as though they will go to the highest bidder, which, as most Indians fans are aware of, is not the Tribe.

New additions to the free-agent market include all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman and former Cub Kerry Wood. Many reports have already linked the Tribe to Hoffman based upon their attempts to sign him before the 2006 season.

With few teams really in dire need of ninth-inning help prices may come down some, which would allow the Indians to make a serious play for one of the aforementioned names.

Other teams, such as the Tigers, have already announced that they have been priced out of the market for the big name relievers, which places the Indians at a bigger advantage.

However, most free-agent pitchers will be searching for multi-year contracts and with the Betancourt and Kobayashi multi-year deals still looming as question marks for the team it remains to be seen how willing they will be to commit to such deals.

The free-agent closer market is not the sole means of help that the Indians will test. Recent reports have linked the team to setup men as well. Some of the names that have been mentioned are Jeremy Affeldt and Juan Cruz, who are comfortable in the role of either closer or setup.

Signing a set-up man could play out in one of two ways for the team. Either as a stopgap closer until the team decides that Jensen Lewis is ready for the role, or simply as a backup should Lewis pull a Borowski.

Outside of free agency, the trade market still has plenty to offer the Indians. Though Kevin Gregg and Huston Street have been taken via trade, at least the latter is still available.

Jayson Stark reported that Street has already been placed on the market again by the Rockies. The Indians interest in Garrett Atkins is well documented, however, they have seemingly been unwilling to part with any of their starting pitching depth to acquire him.

With Huston Street to sweeten the deal for the Tribe, a deal may yet be reached.

What the Indians do remains to be seen, if the past is any indication I would expect the Indians to remain cautious in the Free Agent market. Though Shapiro knows that his job depends on success in the very near future.

Top Free Agents and Where They May Go

chris davies — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:00:49 -0500

Though the 2009 free agent market is not the deepest it will be interesting to see where each player ends up and who will have the money to spend on the big names.

On Friday, teams will be able to discuss financial terms with these players and in the spirit of the season I have decided to offer my input as to where these players may end up.

Without further ado, the top 50 2009 free agents:

1. CC Sabathia, SP

Without a doubt the best player in the free agent class. Seventeen wins and ten losses over 253 innings in 2008 while leading the Brew Crew to their first postseason since 1982.

Though the Yankees will certainly throw copious amounts of money at him this off-season I don't expect him to fall for it, though a smaller market team will not have the money to swoon him. The most likely destination for the big lefty is near his home on the West Coast.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

2. Mark Teixiera, 3B/1B

Tex only beats Manny as number two because of his age, and the likelihood of prolonged quality years left in his bat. The Angels need his bat more than they need another arm, so though the team will make a run at Sabathia as well I imagine they can only afford one of the two.

Though they are waiting until after Friday to put in an offer I doubt it will hinder them, it seems they are just catering to Boras' games.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

3. Manny Ramirez

Scott Boras is not going to get what he expects for Manny, I see this as more of a Carlos Beltran situation. That being said, Manny will fetch big bucks from some team, and the only one willing to offer such money seems to be the team he carried to the postseason.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

4. A.J. Burnett, SP

Burnett will have quite a selection of suitors this off-season to select from, however, I expect him to go with his experience and stay in the AL East. The Red Sox and Yankees will pursue him, he is a solid second choice for the Yanks after Sabathia.

Prediction: New York Yankees

5. Francisco Rodriguez, RP

K-Rod's record year does a lot to hide the fact that his numbers have dropped off over the past couple of seasons. The decline will be noted by GM's, but it won't be significant enough to keep teams away. The Mets are the only large market club looking for a closer which makes them the favorite to land the flame thrower.

Prediction: New York Mets

6. Derek Lowe, SP

Lowe has put up consistent numbers from year to year and will reap the rewards this off-season with a big contract, which can only come from a big team.

Prediction: New York Yankees

7. Adam Dunn, OF

Dunn is a solid bat however strikes out too often and is only an average defender at best. I wouldn't be surprised to be surprised at where he lands this season.

Prediction: Washington Nationals

8. Rafael Furcal, SS

As the top free agent shortstop Furcal will have options, but a return to the Dodgers seems imminent.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

9. Ryan Dempster, SP

Dempster's decision seems to be held in the balance of the Jake Peavy trade. Should Peavy become a Cub, Dempster will walk, however, the Braves seem to have a better package for the Padres.

Prediction: Chicago Cubs

10. Pat Burrell, OF

Burrell had one of his best season in a contract year, surprise. He belongs in the AL where he can DH.

Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays

11. Ben Sheets, SP

Often injured Sheets will not receive as much attention on the market as his counterparts, which may be in favor of the Brewers. However, if they decide to take a run at Sabathia instead they will most likely lose both.

Prediction: Houston Astros

12. Orlando Hudson, 2B

The top second baseman on the market will price himself out of the range of smaller teams such as Cleveland, who have a need. St. Louis would have enough to sign him, and he would be an upgrade over Adam Kennedy.

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals

13. Brian Fuentes, RP

Without many large market teams in need of a closer expect Fuentes stock to fall some, but not too far. The NL Central looks like a possible destination for him.

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals

14. Mike Mussina

Unless he really wants to go for 300 wins I don't expect to see the Moose again. He had an excellent career and should be satisfied with his work.

Prediction: Retirement

15. Bobby Abreu, OF

With the Yankees looking to spend on pitching I would not be surprised to see Abreu playing elsewhere in 2009. The Cubs seem like a viable option, Abreu in right with Fukudome and Reed Johnson platooning in center.

Prediction: Chicago Cubs

16. Raul Ibanez, OF

Ibanez will be sought after, but because of his age will be a question mark. He will go to the highest bidder.

Prediction: New York Mets

17. Casey Blake, IF

Blake will be back with a small market AL Central team. Which one remains to be seen, Mark Shapiro likes him, but would probably rather have Garret Atkins or Brian Roberts if the price was reasonable.

Prediction: Minnesota Twins

18. Milton Bradley, OF

Had his best season in a contract year, see a trend? The Rangers like him and will try their hardest to keep him around to protect Josh Hamilton.

Prediction: Texas Rangers

19. Jason Giambi, 1B/DH

With Matt Holliday now an Athletic a return to the Bay seems unlikely. He and his gold thong will likely stay on the east coast.

Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays

20. Orlando Cabrera, SS

With the announcement that Alexei Ramirez will be taking over at short, the White Sox took their names out of the running for Cabrera. Would be an upgrade offensively over John McDonald for the Jays.

Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays

21. Kerry Wood, RP

Will gain some interest from other teams, but this Jim Hendry favorite will not stray from his roots.

Prediction: Chicago Cubs

22. John Garland, SP

He is a work horse and innings eater, he would fit nicely in Milwaukee if Sheets and Sabathia leave. I wouldn't be surprised to see a team like Cleveland make a run at him either.

Prediction: Brewers

23. Andy Pettite, SP

Retirement or Yankees, though he claims to be looking for two years. If he is serious about length he could find wind up on a small market team looking to contend.

Prediction: New York Yankees

24.Jamie Moyer, SP

Moyer said recently that he would pitch into his fifties as long as he is given the chance. With a title for the hometown team I expect to see him back with the Phils again.

Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies

25. Randy Johnson, SP

Looking for number 300, will give some team quality starts as long as he stays healthy.

Prediction: Texas Rangers

26. Mark Grudzeilanek, IF

Solid career numbers and the potential to sign a short term contract make him a solid pickup. If the Indians miss on their trade targets would make a good platoon partner for Jamey Carroll.

Prediction: Cleveland Indians

27. Randy Wolf, SP

Good fit in Houston, they will use what money they have to bring him back.

Prediction: Houston Astros

28. John Smoltz, SP/RP

Career Brave, he and Frank Wren will work out a way to bring him back

Prediction: Atlanta Braves

29. Oliver Perez, RP

At only 27 years old he may come as a bargain.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

30. Brad Penny, SP

Despite injuries Penny will hear some offers, Jays will need a replacement for Burnett.

Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays

31. Edgar Renteria, SS

Not an AL player, expect to see him back in the senior circuit next season.

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals

32. Freddy Garcia, SP

Back from injury and ready to show everyone he can still throw. A one-year deal is the best he will get.

Prediction: San Francisco Giants

33. Ivan Rodriguez, C

Still a good game caller, Omar Minaya seems to like him.

Prediction: New York Mets

34. Paul Byrd, SP

Neal Huntington wants another starter and knows Byrd from Cleveland.

Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates

35. Jeremy Affeldt, RP

Stopgap closer for the Tribe while they decide whether or not Jensen Lewis can handle the role.

Prediction: Cleveland Indians

36. Ray Durham, 2B

Maybe one more decent season in this veteran.

Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks

37. Braden Looper, SP

A veteran arm that will soak up innings, perfect for a young team.

Prediction: Kansas City Royals

38. Trevor Hoffman, RP

The Padres let him walk, he could choose retirement.

Prediction: Colorado Rockies

39. Joe Crede, 3B

If he can put his injuries behind him will make a decent acquisition to replace Blake.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

40. Nick Punto, OF

If he doesn't mind being a utility player the Rays are a nice fit, otherwise he will have to look elsewhere. With Ibanez on the way out Seattle may be looking.

Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays

41. Rocco Baldelli, OF

Would fit nicely into the Phillies outfield every few days.

Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies

42. Damaso Marte, RP

Surprised the Yankees let him go? Me too, the White Sox may remember how well he played for them and give him another shot.

Prediction: Chicago White Sox

43. Mark Kotsay, IF/OF

Filled in admirably with the Red Sox, will find a home somewhere else.

Prediction: Cincinnati Reds

44. Jason Varitek, C

Can you see him anywhere else except Boston? He may not be every day anymore, especially if the Sox seek a trade for Kelly Shoppach or Jarrod Saltamacchia, but would still be valuable.

Prediction: Boston Red Sox

45. Garret Anderson, OF

Not worth his declined $14 million option, but will likely come back to LA for less.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

46. Jim Edmonds, OF

Showed there is something left in his tank, may do well in the AL as a DH candidate.

Prediction: Seattle Mariners

47. Odalis Perez, SP

Innings eater, able to provide quality starts. Teams will balk if he seeks multiple years.

Prediction: Washington Nationals

48. David Weathers, RP

Journeyman has a little left to offer next year, solid veteran presence in the bullpen.

Prediction: Kansas City Royals

49. Felipe Lopez, IF

Hit well with the Cards, could replace Brian Roberts should he be traded.

Prediction: Baltimore Orioles

50. Kevin Millar, IF/OF

Though his numbers have declined a smart GM may remember his part on the 2004 Red Sox.

Prediction: Colorado Rockies

There you have it, the top 50 free agents as I seem them. Feel free to agree, disagree or completely tear apart my predictions.

Adieu Derek Anderson, We'll Miss You...Kind of

chris davies — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 06:04:08 -0500

It was a good run, I suppose.

You got a new contract out of it, and I'm sure that after this season, you are going to be able to see what it's like to live in a different city. Those benches look comfortable, so stay optimistic, Derek!

However, at some point, you have to face facts. Unless Brady Quinn gets injured this season (God forbid), you'll be riding pine and watching the kid start a new era in Browns football.

In his first game behind center, Quinn played a better game than Anderson did all season. He threw for 239 yards, completing 65 percent of his passes, for two touchdowns with zero interceptions, matching Anderson's season bests in the latter two categories.

In fact, only twice this season has Anderson thrown for more than 239 yards and only once has his passer rating been higher than 104, Quinn's rating on the evening.

Sure, there is no denying the fact that Anderson's performance against the Giants was commendable—if he played that way every game he wouldn't have to watch the games.

That is not to say that Anderson has not been good to Cleveland in the past. Without him replacing Charlie Frye last year, the Browns would have never come as close to the playoffs as we did, and we certainly would have never earned three prime-time games this season.

So, Derek, for all that you did while quarterbacking our beloved Browns, we thank you. But, unfortunately, it is time for us to bid farewell to you and usher in the new era of Cleveland football: the Quinn era. An era in which we are hoping for a bit more prolonged success; however, we will first settle for success and then strive for the prolonged part.

Chelsea-Roma: Chelsea Get Champions League Blues in Italy

chris davies — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:46:57 -0500

Without stalwart Ricardo Carvalho, Chelsea saw their defense and their matchday four clash with AS Roma fall apart on Tuesday.

After starting the game in commanding fashion it seemed that Chelsea had retained the dominance of the side that handed Sunderland a 5-0 thrashing on Saturday. However, after a clumsy give-away by Jon Obi Mikel and a card-warranting challenge from Deco, Chelsea seemed to pause while Christian Panucci ran past and easily flicked the ball behind Petr Cech into the net.

The goal was the first allowed by the West London side in all Champions League matches, and only their second in their last nine games in all competitions.

Prior to the foul Roma had only seen their end of the field, playing almost entirely in defense, not getting a chance to expose the glaring weakness in the Chelsea center defense.

The communication and teamwork were clearly an issue on the night, with Alex playing in the stead of the injured Carvalho. From the Panucci goal on it was clear that even Captain Fantastic, Terry, was out of sorts with his defensive partner.

As the game progressed Chelsea continued to press forward and command possession. However, with Roma content to sit back and wait on a counter attack and Chelsea failing to make any progress, things began to slip for the Blues.

The players who had stood out in the opening began to look bewildered and as the second half began Scolari decided a change was necessary. Felipe pulled his wingers and inserted Juliano Belletti and Didier Drogba.

Chelsea continued to press forward and keep the ball in the Roma half. However, when given an opportunity to move forward the Italian side moved fast and struck with frightening accuracy with Mirko Vucinic finding the net three minutes after the break and another 10 minutes after that.

Chelsea saw a glimpse of hope 15 minutes from time when Terry slotted home a rebound. Things seemed to fall apart five minutes later though, when Deco was given his second yellow card after taking a free kick too quickly.

Roma continued to press until the final whistle, giving Chelsea's back line trouble and Cech plenty to do. When the final whistle blew it seemed as though not a single man in Blue was not relieved.

Chelsea were out-classed by the Italians, who turned their defensive play into flowing counter attack and truly beautiful football. When Roma turned to the offensive they played much more like Chelsea than the London side did all evening.

Though the Blues were out-played, Scolari's handling of his side seemed very questionable. His moves after the break, opting to remove Cole and Malouda who had been playing well on the night while leaving defender Alex, who was clearly out of sorts, certainly did not work out according to his plan.

One suspicious omission is that of the Chelsea ghost man Branislav Ivanovic. Despite being available on the bench often in recent matches, he has remained absent from the side. The Brazilian will certainly bemoan the absence of Carvalho post-game and cast some blame upon the injury crisis, and not his own decision to sit the Serbian defender.

The Italians will certainly be pleased with their 3-1 victory, coming on the heels of five consecutive losses. The Blues, on the other hand, will be searching for answers on the practice field in Cobham and look to rebound against Blackburn on Sunday.

Philly Was Frustrated? They Should Visit Cleveland

chris davies — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:35:48 -0400

Twenty-five years? Is that all? What Cleveland wouldn't give to just have 25 years of disappointment.

Let's recap the postseason woes of the Cleveland sports franchises, shall we?

The last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series was 1948. This is second only to the Chicago Cubs and their well-known drought. To put it in context, six teams that have won the World Series since 1948 were not even in existence in 1948, some of whom (New York Mets, Florida Marlins) have won the World Series twice (the same as the total number of Series the Indians have won in their existence) during the same time span.

In the Super Bowl era, 1967 to the present, the Cleveland Browns have not only never won a Lombardi trophy, but have never even earned the chance to play for one. The last championship that the Browns won came in 1964. Since the Super Bowl era began, they have only reached the playoffs 14 times (keep in mind that is out of 41 years). Not to mention the fact that the team was completely non-existent between the years of 1996-1999 thanks to Art Modell.

Then of course there are the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 38 years that the team has been around, not once have they won a championship. Only once have they even been in the Finals, and of course, that is due to a gentleman named James. From '74-'94 the team wasn't even good enough to play within Cleveland city limits!

Without a major hockey franchise in Cleveland, that brings the total number of years since the City of Cleveland has celebrated a championship to 44. I have never been very good at math, but I know that 44 is greater than 25. Without those NFL Championships the Browns won prior to the Super Bowl, it has been 60 years without a championship for the city.

What makes this all the worst, at least for Indians fans, is that Charlie Manuel managed the Phils to the title. Manuel managed the Indians from 2000 to 2002, a span in which their best finish was a first-round loss to the Mariners in 2001. Thanks Charlie.

You got yours Philly, but really, is "phinally" the right word?

Chelsea-Roma: John Terry Saves Chelsea in Lacklustre Champions League Win

chris davies — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:24:25 -0400

Following their 5-0 thrashing of Middlesbrough, the Blues looked lacklustre and disappointing against Roma in their Matchday Three game.

Chelsea were lucky to come away with three points after a John Terry header 12 minutes from time. After a poor first half, in which Chelsea seemed to press far too hard, the team played similarly in the second, only managing a goal when Terry headed in from a corner.

Terry himself disclosed that perhaps his side did not deserve all three points on the night. "They worked very hard all night and maybe they deserved something but thankfully we got three points."

Chelsea retained their slim lead atop the group, due primarily to an even worse display from Roma. Captain Francesco Totti represented the only down field presence for the Giallorossi.

It is no wonder that Chelsea managed to control the ball for 63 percent of the game. The Italian side clearly were in need of an offensive force, however, their defense did hand in an impressive performance, keeping the Blues hitmen silent for 90 minutes.

One glaring weakness for Chelsea was the lack of striker Didier Drogba. His replacement was Nicolas Anelka, who has begun his campaign well, with four goals in the Premier League so far.

Tonight Anelka looked out of place and consistently out of touch with his teammates. Le Sulk's performance will have inspired few.

His French counterpart, Florent Malouda, was equally dismal. After an early yellow card, for a trite offense, it seemed as though he was tempting the referee to give him another and dismiss him from the match. Luckily for Malouda, and the rest of the team, Luiz Felipe Scolari replaced him after the break.

With so few offensive substitutes available, Scolari elected to replace the winger with defender Juliano Belletti. Belletti has been the jack-of-all-trades under his new manager, able to fill in wherever needed, and he played a decent second half pushing forward into Roma's half.

All told, the story of the evening was that the West Londoners, despite their wealth of players and money, still have a few glaring weaknesses when injuries hit, specifically in attack. Against a formidable opponent, the Blues seemed to be unable to step up their game in the same way that was evidenced on Saturday against Middlesbrough.

With Liverpool, who are equal on points with Chelsea at the top of the Premier League, set to visit the Bridge on Sunday, Blues fans can only hope that the team that takes the field is the same one from the Riverside Stadium, not the paltry team at the Bridge on Wednesday.

The Monday Night The Browns Remembered How to Play Football

chris davies — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:32:00 -0400

Maybe it was the national spotlight, or the throwback helmets, or perhaps the 80 degree weather in October. I suppose the reason isn't all that important, but the result is.

On Monday Night Football in front of thousands of national viewers the 1-3 Browns upset the reigning champion New York Giants.

Not only did the Brownies upset the New York Football Giants they did it by playing their style of football. They pounded the running game and spread the ball across the field making the Giants defense seem silly at times.

The most important thing to take from this game has to be Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards finally becoming in sync with each other.

It took six weeks but Anderson finally found the form that earned him a pro-bowl appearance and a new three-year contract. Up until this game the best Anderson had to offer simply elicited requests to see Brady Quinn behind center. Eighteen completions from 24 attempts for 310 yards with two touchdowns might just be good enough to quell the crowd for at least one more week.

Edwards, likewise, stepped into his own against the Giants. After four games with three catches or fewer for no more than 32 yards, he remembered that he is supposed to be one of the premier receivers in the league. Five receptions for a career high 154 yards, including one for 70, show signs that Edwards' amnesia has passed.

The rest of the team gave the defending Super Bowl champs no breaks either. Jamal Lewis carried the ball 22 times for 88 yards, reminding Brandon Jacobs who invented the power rushing game.

Even the Browns secondary, which has had more holes than mosquito netting in the past four games, seemed to find their game picking Eli Manning three times (triple his previous total for the season) and allowing only one touchdown.

From the beginning it seemed as though the Browns were ready to play, and determined to erase their first three games from memory. Braylon Edwards, in a post game interview, stated that the team was now "2-0 in a new 14 game season;" the kind of statement that exemplifies the attitude that fans would like to see from the Browns, one that shows optimism and promise for the rest of the season.

With 11 games to go in the regular season it will be exciting to watch these Browns go after opponents, hopefully with the same vigor that was present on Monday night.

Confessions of a D1-AA Student

chris davies — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:49:47 -0400

The thrill of attending a sporting event is one that rivals few other such experiences in life. It is intangible and exhilarating. It is all at once delightful and awesome.

To be a part of the crowd and to feel that you are, in fact, helping your home team like an extra man on the field is truly unique to sporting events. It is a chance for the average person to feel as though he is a part of something bigger than himself—and a part of such a high level of athletics.

It is more than just support and cheering. It is a bonding experience for parents and their children as well as perfect strangers brought together by their affinity for their team. It is a love that so many fans know well—to claim to have your team's colors running in your blood.

It's not like that when your school has a Division 1-AA football team. Instead of intense rivalries and spirited home crowds, here at Illinois State we have a consistently disappointing team that inspires crowds to leave at half-time.

We have a football stadium that is put to shame by some high school fields. (Let's not even compare it to other colleges.)

We have a student section that cares enough to come, but cheering sometimes is asking too much.

Perhaps I am spoiled by growing up in Champaign, home of the University of Illinois and one of the greatest student sections in the country: the Orange Krush. Honestly, I don't think that it is too much to ask that students care about the team and want to cheer them on to victory.

As a child I always dreamed of attending a school at which I could raucously cheer on my team and paint my chest or something else equally as crazy. Alas, it has become just another one of my childhood dreams that has since been crushed to bits like a boat on a rocky shore.

I am not certain that all D1-AA school crowds are the same. In fact, I'm sure that there are schools with impassioned fans out each Saturday to play the role of 12th man on the football field. However, such a school is not to be found in Normal, Illinois.

Instead, I am stuck attending (or not, as I have resigned myself to simply saving money and disappointment) home games that are better viewed as social events or just another reason to get drunk before 6:00 pm.

Maybe someday, some passionate student will instill a fighting spirit in the Redbird crowds. Though I doubt it will be while I'm in attendance here.

Is Romeo Crennel Brave Enough to Go with Brady Quinn?

chris davies — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:11:59 -0400

At what point do the Browns throw their hands in the air and say "What the hell! Put the kid in!"?

When does Romeo Crennel forget about the 3-year $24 million deal that Anderson signed this offseason and place him on the bench?

I'm not one to short change someone, I will give Anderson credit for the job he did in 2007 as the starting quarterback. No one can take away his 3,787 passing yards, 29 touchdowns or 78 long balls: he was good.

However, that was last year, this is not. So far Anderson has put up a passer rating of 49.9 and thrown only three touchdowns over four games. Let's call the pot kettle black and say that Anderson has been terrible.

The only win that Anderson has been able to notch for the Browns came last week against the beleaguered Carson Palmer-less Bengals. Not quite a résumé builder to say the least.

Which brings us back to the question I posed at the beginning, at what point does Quinn enter the picture?

It will certainly be hard for an organization that is so invested in their quarterback to give up on him, but, honestly, what did they expect?

When Quinn signed his five-year deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 million with incentives, the Browns made it clear that he would be the future of the club. No one told them to sign Anderson up for three more years!

The Anderson signing was doomed from the start: signing a hardly-proven player to a long-term deal while holding a contract on a first round draft pick that plays the same position. It had disaster written all over it from the start.

So, I have no sympathy for the Browns in this situation. So when will Romeo Crennel play Brady Quinn? Who knows. It will most likely be too late and won't help the team a considerable deal.

It's the Browns. I am used to this. One and three is nothing new and neither is a string of poor decisions from the front office. Just don't move again.

Cubs Fans: Cheer For The Dodgers, Nothing Else Works

chris davies — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 05:34:17 -0400

For 100 years you loyally have defended your boys in blue and cheered them on despite decades of losing and near misses.

On Thursday night you watched that same club essentially fall apart and give the Dodgers a gift at Wrigley.

Here's my suggestion to you, Cubs fans: cheer for the Dodgers tonight.

You don't have to mean it, I certainly hope you don't. Stay loyal to the Cubs for life because that's what real fans do. Just tonight, however, give it up for the Dodgers.

You're probably wondering why anyone would cheer for the team that is one game from eliminating their favorite team. Well, it's because nothing else seems to work.

The fan support at Wrigley was enough to make each infielder commit an error. So let's take that support and give it to the Dodgers, maybe they will forget how to play baseball too.

Maybe Kuroda and Fukudome will start playing like each other if everyone is cheering for the Dodgers. Fuk will play well against the Dodgers and Kuroda will implode and start giving away runs, it will be like Freaky Friday (on a Saturday).

Perhaps, if every Cubs fan cheers loud enough for the Dodgers the Cubs will put up some runs, play good defense and get a good outing from Rich Harden. You know, play like they're getting paid millions of dollars a year to do so.

They might even sneak a few wins in there if everyone is cheering for the Dodgers. Over the past century with a huge fan base they haven't been racking up those titles by any means, so why not turn the tables on them?

Maybe not, they are the 'lovable losers'. But don't losers deserve to win at least once in a century?

CC Sabathia Is Kevin Garnett

chris davies — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:32:04 -0400

Three days rest, three times in a row, and a complete game against the best team in the National League in only 115 pitches.

Senior circuit beware: when asked about game one on Wednesday against the Phillies the reporter could hardly get the words out before CC asserted that he will be the man to take the mound, with only three days of rest once again.

CC Sabathia has pitched like a possessed man. Truth is, he is possessed by the demons of a terrible 2007 playoff with the Indians.

In the division series against the Yankees the big man won one game posting a 5.40 ERA. In the championship series against the eventual champions he won none and lost two with an ERA of 10.45.

You had better believe that memory haunts him. The Phillies, Dodgers, and Cubs had all better take note as well, because after turning in nine innings of four hit ball on three days rest, it appears that nothing is going to slow down the Brewers' ace.

He is very similar to another big man acquired to help his team make a run at the postseason: Kevin Garnett.

When you look at the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Brewers it is easy to make a connection. Long periods of playoff drought or complete failure, team re-energized by young players and wily veterans, and a blockbuster player leading the team to the playoffs.

Ever since joining the Brew Crew, CC has put up stellar numbers (11-2, 121 innings, 7 complete games) in the same way that Garnett did upon arriving in New England. The numbers these two put up carried their teams to the postseason. It is easy to surmise that both teams might have been spectators without the contributions of these two.

Sure, Boston has a history of excellence and they won their conference, but let's put that aside. The fact is that the acquisition is every bit as important to the Brewers as K.G. was/is to the Celtics.

After watching Garnett's contribution to the Celtics championship run, I think that every team (even those AL heavyweights) have something to be worried about.

If CC can lead this Brewers team to October glory there will be no doubt that his trade will go down as one of the best ever made, and certainly every bit as good as the deal to bring K.G. to Boston.

With Andy Marte Injured, Jhonny Peralta Will See Time at Third

chris davies — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:21:23 -0400

Many fans got their wish on Wednesday. Andy Marte will no longer be a part of the Indians' lineup for 2008. He heard a pop in his left calf and was taken off the field. The injury has been diagnosed as a calf strain and has forced Marte to use crutches to get around, effectively ending his season.

I wouldn't say that anyone wished for Andy Marte to get injured—just to see him out of the lineup.

On the season Marte was batting .221 with only three home runs and 17 RBI. Not exactly the kind of numbers that you would like to see coming from a potential everyday third baseman.

In the meantime Jamey Carroll has taken over at third base, and with Asdrubal Cabrera suspended for his role in the fight last week, Josh Barfield has taken the reins at second base.

So many Tribe fans have expressed their discontent with Marte since his arrival to the team. Arriving via the Atlanta Braves, in a three-team deal that saw Coco Crisp leave the Indians to join the Boston Red Sox, Marte has never been able to live up to the potential that he showed as a prospect in the Braves' farm system.

This season, with no minor league options left on his contract, the Indians opted to keep Marte on the 25-man roster all season rather than expose him to waivers and risk losing another Brandon Phillips type player.

This decision left many scratching their heads, as, until Casey Blake was traded to the Dodgers midseason, Marte spent much of his time warming the bench. Upon Blake's trade Marte began to see more playing time, however, still failed to impress.

This prompted many fans, who presumably are big Barfield fanatics, to question Wedge's decision not to move Jhonny Peralta from short to third and move Cabrera to his natural position at short, thus placing Barfield in at second.

It seems like a natural solution to a nagging problem, however, the Indians time and time again have shown an unwillingness to make any such moves.

Now, with Marte shelved, it seems time for the Indians to experiment. Sure there are only four games left, and Cabrera is suspended, but what the hell, do it Uncle Eric! Consider this the first phase of Spring Training, the fall installment.

Personally, I think the Indians have made a big mistake hanging onto Marte for this long. So what if we got burned on Brandon Phillips? The guy we have at second now certainly is no slouch. Besides that we traded Kevin Kouzmanoff for Barfield, so we may as well see what the kid has in him. He's already proven his worth at the big league level, which is more than Marte can say.

So, to the Indians front office, I humbly suggest that you shift Peralta over and see what he's got—we all know he can't play short forever. Then cut your losses on Marte and see what you've got in Barfield.

I can guarantee that I won't be the only fan happy if you make these moves.

Update

According to Anthony Castrovince's blog for MLB.com, Jhonny Peralta has been informed that he will start at third on Friday. So, thanks Eric, you listen well.

Gary Sheffield Needs to Shut His Mouth

chris davies — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:00:13 -0400

Look closely at that picture. That's what you get when you run your mouth off and charge the mound.

You get put in a headlock by a 6'4'' Dominican who proceeds to beat you like you stole something.

For those of you who are unclear about what happened last night, allow me to fill you in.

Fausto Carmona was on the mound for the Indians in the top of the seventh when Miguel Cabrera hit his second home run of the evening to propel the Tigers ahead of the Indians 4-2. Two batters later, Gary Sheffield stepped up to the plate and was struck on the elbow by Carmona.

Sheffield took exception to the pitch, and made it clear on his slow walk to first base holding his bat. Carmona took his place on the mound and looked in for the signal. He then fired a pick-off attempt to first base attempting to catch Sheffield napping. This development prompted the Tigers slugger to shout to Carmona, "Throw to home."

What did he expect? A kind nod and a quick delivery to the plate?

It was clear from the way in which Sheffield walked to first that there would be a brawl between the two players. All it took was one more spark to send the two to the ground.

Which brings me to my main point: why on earth was Gary Sheffield looking for a fight?

Could it be because he is mired in a season-long slump in which he has only hit .220 with 53 RBI in only 108 games? Perhaps. Or maybe it's that in his 20th professional season, he is no longer a feared and respected hitter as he once was. Or it could have been the amazing disappointment and frustration that has been the entire 2008 season for the $100 million+ Detroit Tigers that finally got to Sheff.

However, the most persuasive argument might just be that he is a hot-headed player who has a tendency to run his mouth off (see: Joe Torre comments) and have his mouth write checks that he can't cash as a player any longer.

Whatever it is, I would be hard pressed to place this one on Carmona. He leads the Indians in hit batters this season, in an injury shortened season.

Sheffield claims this to be the third time the lefty has plunked him (young Andrew Gribble of Indians.com did some research that seems to disagree) and that Carmona "called him out". When Sheffield is called out, he "answers the call".

Unlike his brawling counterpart, Carmona refused to speak of the incident post-game. He took the high road and let Sheffield do what he does best and run his mouth off to the press.

I doubt that Sheffield has learned any lessons from this, despite Carmona trying to pound one into his head. He will undoubtedly spout off again and enrage other aspiring journalists.

We can hope that maybe next time he will remember where his stature has fallen to as a player before he does so. It looks doubtful though.

Let us not forget the most important part of this game either: the Indians won.