Cleveland Sports Forum

I met Jack the Dad and he kidded around so much that I never really knew if he had all those kids. Sorry to hear of his demise. He didn't post much, as he said too busy making kids.

John P. 'Jack' Hibbard
age 80, died Monday at his home in the arms of his wife. Born in New York City, he moved to Canton in 1978. Jack was in the United States Air Force from 1952 until he retired in 1979. He then became a mail carrier with the United States Postal Service until retiring in 1996. Jack was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church, Lebanese American Association, Mercy Cardiac Rehab since 1993 where he had many friends, and was a cofounder and a past president of the former Canton Akron Indians Booster Club.

Survived by his wife of 57 years, Jacqueline 'Jackie' (Addessi) Hibbard of the home; 10 children and their spouses, Susan and Dan Jajczyk of Colorado, Cynthia and Sam Sliman and Diane Thompson of Canton, Kathleen and Rob Thomas of West Virginia, John and Leslie Hibbard of Virginia, Karen (Michelle) Hibbard and Janice Hibbard of Canton, David (Charlie) Hibbard of New York, Mary and Lou Serapiglia of North Canton, and Michael and Marrie Hibbard of Colorado; Grandpa to 25; Grandpa-pa to eight great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Susie Hibbard of Texas; and many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his parents, sister, and a brother.

Family and friends will meet on Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church for a Mass of Christian Burial with Msgr. Lewis Gaetano and Fr. Edward Beneleit as Concelebrants. Burial will be in St. Peter Cemetery. Friends may call Thursday from 5-8 p.m. at the Lamiell Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Peter Catholic Church or Canton Central Catholic High School Scholarship Fund in Jack's name. Condolences may be made to:

http://www.lamiellfuneralhome.com
(Lamiell, 330-456-7375)

Over winter of 2011-12 the Indians added Salazar to the 40-man roster although he'd not pitched beyond A ball and was coming off surgery. In their prospect rankings over that same winter Baseball America rated the following RH starting pitchers above Salazar among the distinguished Indians' minor leaguers, in order::

Dillon Howard -- now on drug suspension, still in Rookie ball
Zach McAllister major leaguer
Austin Adams AA bullpen
Jake Sisco Lake County rotation
Felix Sterline LC bullpen
Hector Rondon Cubs bullpen
Jason Knapp RIP
Clayton Cook Columbus bullpen
Corey Kluber Tribe starter
Michael Goodnight Mahoning Valley DL
Kyle Blair terrible 2012, hasn't pitched in 2013
THEN DANNY

Heck of a debut today. I hope it's a portent of things to come in a Tribe uni, and not merely showcasing trade bait.

ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweets that the Indians are on the lookout for rotation upgrades, but they prefer pitchers who are controllable beyond 2013. As such, Matt Garza is a tough fit for the Tribe.

OK, we can exhale now. This traded Indian did NOT turn into a superstar.

A Mariners person said they've gotten calls on injured center fielder Franklin Gutierrez, but his injury history hurts his value.

Elias Says...
By Elias Sports Bureau, Inc.
Special to ESPN.com

Salazar shines as he wins his big-league debut

From Elias: The Indians sent Danny Salazar to the mound to make his major-league debut with a start against the Blue Jays and Salazar recorded the win for Cleveland as he held Toronto to one run and struck out seven batters in six innings. The starting and losing pitcher for the Blue Jays was R.A. Dickey, the 2012 N.L. Cy Young Award winner. Salazar is only the fourth pitcher to post a win in his major-league debut while making a start in a game in which the opposing starter was a reigning Cy Young winner. The other pitchers to do that were Lee Tunnell (1982 vs. Fernando Valenzuela), Matt Beech (1996 vs. Greg Maddux) and Edwin Jackson (2003 vs. Randy Johnson).

Salazar's victory on Thursday marked the fourth time this season that a pitcher won his big-league debut while allowing no more than one run and registering at least seven strikeouts. The other pitchers to do that this year are Alex Colome, Jose Alvarez and Zack Wheeler. There were only four MLB debuts of that kind over the previous eight seasons: by J.P. Howell in 2005, Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2007, Johnny Cueto in 2008 and Matt Harvey in 2012.

Indians play the Royals this weekend, Tigers have the Rangers. Can we catch the Tigers by the All Star break?

Salazar is only the fourth pitcher to post a win in his major-league debut while making a start in a game in which the opposing starter was a reigning Cy Young winner. The other pitchers to do that were Lee Tunnell (1982 vs. Fernando Valenzuela), Matt Beech (1996 vs. Greg Maddux) and Edwin Jackson (2003 vs. Randy Johnson).

Not illustrious company to join.

Maybe it's just me but the guy I would trade for a top of the rotation starter is Santana. Package him with say Carrasco and a mid level prospect and you can get a top starter under team control beyond 2014.....

I love Gomes....

It always go by contracts. Cabrera is the guy to go.

Just not going to get much of anything for Caberera...

Then he won't get traded.

People know what he can do, and injuries have held him back so far this year. So far.

And people know that.

The 2013 Cleveland Indians ARE NOT going to make the post season.

Shapiro and Antonetti need to unload that horribly future crippling contract they gave Swisher.

Again, the organization is on the hook for $15 million to Swisher in 2014, $15 million in 2015, and $15 million in 2016. If Swisher gets the qualifying AB's in 2016, he is owed another $17 million for 2017.


I called for Swisher to be traded weeks ago. Now the number of post season hopeful possible trade partners has diminished as the NL races have stretched out with more obvious season "also rans" as the break approaches.

For those still hopeful for a Cleveland miracle, just trade Swisher and STILL go for it. Cripes, his numbers through 95 games of a 162 season are not that hard to get from someone else the final 67 games left in 2013.

OK. The Tribe is mathematically able to catch Detroit to take the division, and is of course tied for 7th in the American League and still mathematically in the wild card hunt.

The last time this organization "oops" it's way into the playoffs with fewer than 87 wins was 1997.

The Cleveland Indians are not going to finish ahead of the Detroit Tigers in 2013. That's a fact.

Wild card is the only possible futile hope.

Cleveland has to go 36-31 to get to 87 wins, a reasonable number to project as the possible bottom rung for making the post season.

To get the the same 87 wins here is what the 7 teams at or above The Indians in the standings have to do:

Texas just needs to go 33-34.

Oakland just needs to go 31-36.

Boston just needs to go 29-36.

Tampa just needs to go 33-34.

Baltimore just needs to to 34-32.

New York has to go the same 36-31.

Detroit, FWIW, only has to to go 35-33.


I believe the post season bar is actually going to me MORE than 87 wins.

I do not see the 2013 Cleveland Indians playing the .570+ ball the final 67 games to exceed 87 wins.

Shapiro and Antonetti need to unload that horrible Swisher future dampening contract they gave him, ASAP!

Even those baseball incompetent idiots should realize now is the best time they will ever have to do so.

No way will we trade Swisher....