CALIFLA: You are sounding like a broken record. Everybody knows your feelings about Shapiro. Enough already!

J.R. wrote:CALIFLA: You are sounding like a broken record. Everybody knows your feelings about Shapiro. Enough already!

OK.....

Duly noted.

I just hope I can drag everyone up with me to the mountain top, to celebrate when we are free at last of Mark Shapiro and can get to a World Series promised land.

We ain't going nowhere with that guy in charge.

There is track record of his ineptitude, not knowing baseball, and taking Cleveland for granted as an "easterner."

Reminder.....I once noted that I believe Mark Shapiro and his Dad clock anyone in Ohio as "a rube."

I still believe it.

If Mark Shapiro gets a Cleveland Indians team to the playoffs, I'll get off his case.

Let's be honest, NO ONE here would bet money on the Mark Shapiro led Cleveland Indians making the playoffs this year, or next.

Or next.

And Mark Shapiro has inexplicably coasted for now near one quarter of a century of the Cleveland Indians payroll. Dolan wastes money on his salary.

Dolan being a dumb arse pi$$es me off as much as him having Mark Shapiro in charge of Cleveland Indian Fandom pleasure and hope.

As in Mudville, there is NO HOPE at present in Cleveland as Opening Day is lurking.

Who was the GM in '07?

Also of note: When Terry Francona was interested in the Bosox job, he called Shapiro for advice.

J.R. wrote:Who was the GM in '07?

Also of note: When Terry Francona was interested in the Bosox job, he called Shapiro for advice.

Yes, and in Moneyball, Brad Pitt played the Mark Shapiro character opposite him to be a losing fool.

Different meaningless stuff when it comes to winning Cleveland Indians games, as Mark Shapiro continues seemingly happily being paid for his running of Cleveland Indians Baseball for double digit years of decline on all quantifiable measures.

Antonetti is the guy in charge.

Shapiro got kicked upstairs to count hot dogs and schedule snow days. Granted Antonetti got a brown nose when Shapiro stopped short as part of his training to take over.

All the moves are Antonetti's now.

Other GMs call Antonetti not Shapiro.


I'm sure he has to run things by Shapiro, but he has the hammer now.

seagull wrote:Antonetti is the guy in charge.

Shapiro got kicked upstairs to count hot dogs and schedule snow days. Granted Antonetti got a brown nose when Shapiro stopped short as part of his training to take over.

All the moves are Antonetti's now.

Other GMs call Antonetti not Shapiro.


I'm sure he has to run things by Shapiro, but he has the hammer now.

Translation:

Dolan is a dumb arse, Shapiro was gifted the short bus, and Dolan forgets that Shapiro hired Antonetti before Dolan gave him (Shapiro) the short bus.

If Mark Shapiro gets a Cleveland Indians team to the playoffs, I'll get off his case.

Which happened in 2007.

CALIFLA:
I don't see what the point is of coming to a team's forum and telling its members to stop following or rooting for that team. Or criticizing people for hoping for the best. That's what trolls do, and I know you are not one.

J.R. wrote:CALIFLA:
I don't see what the point is of coming to a team's forum and telling its members to stop following or rooting for that team. Or criticizing people for hoping for the best. That's what trolls do, and I know you are not one.

With a nod to the movie Bull Durham, I believe what I believe.

I fully accept and embrace the Hope of Spring for Baseball Fans.

I just believe....based upon history and facts..... it is all a false dream with regard to Cleveland Indians Baseball with the current front office and ownership.

I want change and a positive outlook, and I believe that means that the losing legacy of Mark Shapiro must be jettisoned.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong?




Trust me, if The Cleveland Indians are in it in September 2013, I'll host a crow roast proudly wearing Cleveland Indians colors.

In the meantime, I won't bother to look up the laws in Florida regarding shooting and grilling crows.

And as I posted earlier, I think the Mark Shapiro and Dad machine intimidates the "scared for jobs" Northeastern Ohio press from writing what they really observe and think.

Off season moves by Tribe were good, especially Bauer and sneaking in Myers to the middle of the rotation. Team is balanced R/L for a change. OF defense should be much better. Not sure if that's all worth an A, but will be if Bauer turns out to be what most of baseball still expects.

Wait, is this the General Discussion folder? I thought it was the Articles folder. Let me do something to restore balance:

"a"

"the"

Followup discussion on posted Articles will look a lot like General Discussion.

Aw, I don't really care, I just like making dumb jokes.

Aviles, Indians avoid arbitration with two-year deal
Club also signs southpaw Hill to contract that includes spring invitation

By Zack Meisel / MLB.com | 2/7/2013 3:58 P.M. ET

CLEVELAND -- The Indians have quite the aversion to arbitration hearings.

On Thursday, the team agreed with utility man Mike Aviles on a two-year contract worth $6 million. The deal includes a club option for a third year and prevents the Indians from having to settle Aviles' salary in an arbitration case. The organization has not gone to a hearing since 1991.

Aviles was the club's final unsigned, arbitration-eligible player. They already locked in outfielder Drew Stubbs, catcher Lou Marson and right-handers Justin Masterson, Chris Perez, Joe Smith and Matt Albers to pacts for the 2013 campaign.

"We certainly saw Mike being a good fit on the team for multiple seasons," general manager Chris Antonetti said Thursday. "Once we started the negotiating process and understood that Mike had an interest in a multi-year deal as well, we worked to try to get something done."

Cleveland acquired Aviles and catcher Yan Gomes from Toronto on Nov. 3 in exchange for right-handed reliever Esmil Rogers. The 31-year-old is expected to fill a variety of roles for his new team, including backup infielder, part-time designated hitter and emergency outfielder.

"I'm blessed and cursed with versatility," Aviles said at Tribe Fest last month. "I can play everywhere and it's just something that I've always had a knack for, trying to pick up second, short, third, left, right, whatever the case may be. As long as I get a chance to play, I know I can help the team win."

Aviles batted .250 with 13 homers, 60 RBIs and 14 stolen bases as Boston's primary shortstop in 2012. He totes a career average of .277 in 475 contests. Aviles finished fourth in the voting for American League Rookie of the Year in 2008, when he batted a career-best .325 in 102 games for Kansas City.

The Indians essentially bought out Aviles' two remaining years of arbitration eligibility. He wouldn't have been able to hit free agency until after the 2014 season. Asdrubal Cabrera, the team's starting shortstop and a two-time All-Star, is also eligible for free agency following the '14 season.

Arbitration hearings for the league's eligible unsigned players commenced on Monday and run through Feb. 20. Aviles' camp originally requested a salary of $3.4 million. Cleveland countered with a proposal of $2.4 million. Aviles earned $1.2 million in his first year of arbitration eligibility last season.

"We thought that it made sense to provide [Aviles] with some security and get us some cost certainty for the next few years," Antonetti said. "That was the motivating factor behind the deal."

In 2011, Aviles played in 38 games for the Red Sox under manager Terry Francona, who took over as Tribe skipper this offseason.

"In the two months I played for him in Boston, he was the best manager I've ever played for. He was a good guy, definitely a player's manager. He's always going to stick up for you."

The Indians also signed hurler Rich Hill on Thursday to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invitation to Spring Training. The 32-year-old southpaw posted a 1.83 ERA in 25 relief outings with the Red Sox last season, tallying 21 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings. For his career, Hill is 23-20 with a 4.59 ERA in 118 outings (70 starts).

Antonetti said Hill will vie for a spot in the bullpen.

"When he's been healthy, he's had success in that role," Antonetti said. "We're looking forward to seeing him come to camp and compete for a spot."

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Indians are no longer pursuing veteran slugger Jim Thome.
The Indians considered the possibility, but they don't one to commit the roster spot to one player. Thome, 42, is working out in hopes of playing his 23rd season in the majors. He's currently sitting on 612 career homers, which is seventh on the all-time list.


Source: Ken Rosenthal on Twitter Feb 7 - 4:27 PM