If what SEA and RUSTY say is true,

Name the free agents that have decided to play on Cleveland sports teams in the last 20 years ?

Very few unless they were in the twilight of their career or Cleveland was the highest bidder by a lot.

Just listened to Pedro Gomez (ESPN baseball reporter) on the Carmona situation.

Gomez says that there is about a 10% chance that Carmona will pitch this year.

Pedro Gomez says that Carmona was paying the actual Fausto Carmona in the DR for his identity. The "real" Fausto Carmona wanted more money and the Indians Fausto said no. So he turned the Indians Fausto in to authorities.

why am I not surprised. We keep signing pitchers who had a 5.5 era last year and young players with a .207 lifetime average. But things are looking good!

The question is then, RUSTY, how can the team improve the situation? Or can we be successful w/o any quality FAs?

J.R. wrote:The question is then, RUSTY, how can the team improve the situation? Or can we be successful w/o any quality FAs?

You have to be really good at drafting, trading, and taking chances on rehab cases and players at the end of their careers. Baseball is run now by how much money your local TV rights are worth. I would think that Cleveland is near the bottom.

When the Indians were winning, the players left. Even those married to local people.

Gilbert and Lerner are willing to spend to win. Who has been willing to take their money unless they were obligated by a collective bargaining agreement ? The facts are the facts.

The Tigers have done OK in attracting FAs, largely due to Mike Ilitch willing to pay big bucks. I doubt that the Tigers make much more than the Indians on their TV contract, and Detroit doesn't seem to be a more attractive city than Cleveland.

So I guess we need an owner with deep pockets, who is willing to spend, even overspend on FAs. There is revenue to be had in increased attendance and post-season games. kenm will agree that Dolan is not the man to do that.

So why does no one take Gilbert's or Lerner's money ?

People in Cleveland do not like it but Detroit is a more preferred location when it comes to major league sports.

Please do not reference Ken M unless we are talking about crying. That is something he understands.

[quote="rusty2"]So why does no one take Gilbert's or Lerner's money ?

People in Cleveland do not like it but Detroit is a more preferred location when it comes to major league sports.

Please do not reference Ken M unless we are talking about crying. That is something he understands.

If you expect an owner to buy the Indians and spend his own money you better pray for Gilbert because he is our last chance.

The area is DOA with capital letters. It is only going to take 2 or 3 more large companies to close and it will be a ghost town.

rusty2 wrote:

rusty2 wrote:So why does no one take Gilbert's or Lerner's money ?

People in Cleveland do not like it but Detroit is a more preferred location when it comes to major league sports.

Please do not reference Ken M unless we are talking about crying. That is something he understands.

If you expect an owner to buy the Indians and spend his own money you better pray for Gilbert because he is our last chance.

The area is DOA with capital letters. It is only going to take 2 or 3 more large companies to close and it will be a ghost town.

One would have thought that with the likes of leadership of Metzenbaum, Oakar, Kucinich, Carl Stokes and Michael White over the years, Cleveland would have been faring much better.

Maybe Jimmy Dimora can save Cuyahoga County.

Cleveland has had Democrat mayors for about 57 of the last 71 years. It was all downhill after Laushce and Celebrezze took their helm.


That said, I do think your outlook for Cleveland is a bit too bleak, Rusty.


There aren't too many places in America where a family with two wage earners earning a couple bucks more than minimum wage can qualify to buy a slightly less than average priced house.

Indians signed INF Julio Lugo to a minor league contract.

The deal comes with an invitation to major league spring training, but Lugo is doubtful to crack Cleveland's Opening Day roster. He batted .136/.208/.136 with zero homers and three RBI in 48 plate appearances last season.

Source: Dionisio Soldevila on Twitter Jan 21 - 9:39 PM

rusty2 wrote:Indians signed INF Julio Lugo to a minor league contract.

If we were going to gamble on a 37 year old middle infielder, we should have gambled on Omar Vizquel.

The Moneyball Guys are reported to want KenM's Manny
for 2012.

From the sublime to the ridiculous.

rusty2 wrote:

rusty2 wrote:So why does no one take Gilbert's or Lerner's money ?

People in Cleveland do not like it but Detroit is a more preferred location when it comes to major league sports.

Please do not reference Ken M unless we are talking about crying. That is something he understands.

If you expect an owner to buy the Indians and spend his own money you better pray for Gilbert because he is our last chance.

The area is DOA with capital letters. It is only going to take 2 or 3 more large companies to close and it will be a ghost town.

Rusty the king of the dolanites is back with a vengence. He is somehow blaming the city of Cleveland for the fact that dolan treats this team like a slum lord. Of course Cleveland is not a preferred destination for a free agent but to somehow equate that truth with the reason why this crappy owner refuses to give the tribe a median sized budget to build a team is nonsense. More important than percieved weakness of the city is the fact that team just wont spend. You think free agents are clamoring to go the Yankees because they are the Yankees in NY. No they spend 4 times what other teams spend on free agents. Before you bring up Lequit, just note that guy seems to have a character flaw and also before the present ownership/management that organization was as weak as the tribe and in the NBA if you make mistakes with players you are killed for a generation.

Ken M the whiner. Do you own a business in the Cleveland area ? Do you live in the area ? Do you know how many MLB owners subsidize their teams with their own money ?

Keep blaming Dolan when the issue is MLB. Of course it is not Cleveland when free agents flock to teams run by Lerner and Gilbert with deep pockets.

Wait a second. They don't.