Peter Gammons @pgammo 3h
If what GMs say the pricetags on Peavy, Norris, Lee and Santana hold, Wednesday is going to be very quiet.
Re: Articles
3857"Every year I have a bad month," Smith said. "Every year I'll have something like a 5.00 ERA in one month. This year I have an 8.00 (8.22) in July. But with the All-Star break and some of the work we've done, I feel great physically."
Smith (4-1, 3.3) didn't allow a run in eight innings in April. He followed that with a 1.80 ERA in May and a 3.65 ERA in June. In July, he's 0-1 with a 8.22 ERA (seven earned runs in 7 2/3 innings).
In early July, Smith replaced struggling Vinnie Pestano in the eighth inning as closer Chris Perez's set-up man. It does not sound as if manager Terry Francona is ready to take him out of that spot.
"Smitty has walked a few more people lately than normal," said Francona. "Then he made a bad 0-2 pitch to Kinsler. Other than that he's fine. He comes out every night with the same stuff. He's walked six guys in his last 13 innings, but that will change.
"He's about as a dependable guy as we have. I love when he pitches because normally he doesn't walk people, he keeps the ball down and he's hard to run on. You've got to bunch your hits to beat him and that's hard to do."
Smith said the key to pitching well is retiring the first batter he faces.
"I've got to bear down and get ahead of guys and just start throwing strikes," he said. "I feel good. I've been through bad times before. I know when I feel good, it translates into me throwing strikes and getting outs."
Smith ended the eighth inning in Saturday's 1-0 victory by getting Adrian Beltre to fly to left with Nelson Cruz on first. He has retired 68 percent (30-for-44) of the first batters he's faced this year.
Smith (4-1, 3.3) didn't allow a run in eight innings in April. He followed that with a 1.80 ERA in May and a 3.65 ERA in June. In July, he's 0-1 with a 8.22 ERA (seven earned runs in 7 2/3 innings).
In early July, Smith replaced struggling Vinnie Pestano in the eighth inning as closer Chris Perez's set-up man. It does not sound as if manager Terry Francona is ready to take him out of that spot.
"Smitty has walked a few more people lately than normal," said Francona. "Then he made a bad 0-2 pitch to Kinsler. Other than that he's fine. He comes out every night with the same stuff. He's walked six guys in his last 13 innings, but that will change.
"He's about as a dependable guy as we have. I love when he pitches because normally he doesn't walk people, he keeps the ball down and he's hard to run on. You've got to bunch your hits to beat him and that's hard to do."
Smith said the key to pitching well is retiring the first batter he faces.
"I've got to bear down and get ahead of guys and just start throwing strikes," he said. "I feel good. I've been through bad times before. I know when I feel good, it translates into me throwing strikes and getting outs."
Smith ended the eighth inning in Saturday's 1-0 victory by getting Adrian Beltre to fly to left with Nelson Cruz on first. He has retired 68 percent (30-for-44) of the first batters he's faced this year.
Re: Articles
3858Terry Pluto:
About Lonnie Chisenhall ...
Some fans wanted the Indians to trade Chisenhall to the Cubs for Matt Garza. Not me.
Garza makes $10.2 million a season. He's 7-1 this season with a 3.02 ERA. He makes any rotation better. But he would not have signed with the Tribe after the season because he's in line for a whopper of a contract. Despite last winter's spending on Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, the Tribe prefers to pay for happy meals rather than whoppers in free agency.
Besides, Chisenhall remains a legitimate third-base prospect. No one at Class AAA can make that claim.
At Class AA Akron, Giovanny Urshela is batting .272 (.701 OPS) with 7 HR, 32 RBI. He has walked only 12 times. While those numbers are rather mundane, the Indians like Urshela because he's in the Eastern League at 21, and he's an exceptional defensive glove. But he remains a long-range prospect.
After a dismal road trip with four errors in six games, the temptation is to say, "Just dump the guy. It seems like we've been waiting forever for him to do something." That's because this is Chisenhall's third season with the Tribe, and it was frustrating to see him open the year here only to be sent back to the minors after batting .213 in 26 games.
He changed his batting stance and hand position slightly at Columbus, and hit .390. Since coming back to the Tribe, he's at .270 (.776 OPS) with three homers and 14 RBI in 89 at-bats.
In some ways, Chisenhall mirrors Alex Gordon, who was a first-round pick for the Royals and first arrived in the majors at 23. He was a third baseman, a left-handed hitter and supposed to be the next George Brett. But in his first four seasons, he averaged .236 with 14 homers and 41 RBI per season. There were several trips to the minors.
At 27, he became an All-Star. He also moved from third base to left field.
Chisenhall has problems, especially against lefties (3-of-34 this season). So platoon him.But I agree with Terry Francona, who said: "I don't think he's even tapped into what he's going to be. There's going to be a day when it clicks. There's going to be thunder in that bat."
About the Tribe ...
1. It's been really painful to watch Mark Reynolds, batting .159 (22-of-138) with only two homers since June 1. As the strikeouts pile up, there is no extra-base power to compensate. It appears the Indians are going to cut back his playing time.
2. It would help if Reynolds hit lefties, but he is .218 vs. lefties, .213 vs. righties. The Indians believe he could have another April-type hot streak (.301, 8 HR, 22 RBI), but there's no signs of it happening. In July, he is 5-of-47 (all singles) and one RBI.
3. The Indians have been impressed with Yan Gomes' catching, having thrown out 53 percent of attemped steals. He entered the weekend batting .270 (.799 OPS) with 7 HR in 141 at-bats. Gomes is a righty hitter with some power, so Carlos Santana can play some first base or DH. Nick Swisher also can play some first. That means the Indians can play without Reynolds.
4. I checked on a couple of former Tribe pitchers -- Jeanmar Gomez and Roberto Hernandez (Fausto Carmona). Gomez is having a solid year with the Pirates (2-0, 2.65) switching between the bullpen and the fifth spot in the rotation. Hernandez is 5-11 with a 4.92 ERA for Tampa Bay.
5. In Trevor Bauer's last start at Class AAA Columbus, he threw nine innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He walked four, struck out four. His fastball was between 91-95 mph. Yes, he used his windup. He's 5-2 with a 3.84 ERA for the Clippers.
6. The Indians are looking at Clay Rapada (1-0, 2.78) at Columbus as a possible reliever. He was 3-0 with a 2.82 ERA in the majors last season with the Yankees. He's a side-arming lefty who has been effective against left hitters, but has major problems with righty bats.
7. This is my idea: Carlos Carrasco to the bullpen, rather than Danny Salazar. Former Tribe GM John Hart used to put hard-throwers who struggled as starters into the bullpen, and it often worked with Jose Mesa, Eric Plunk, Steve Karsay and Danys Baez.
8. The Wahoo Club Luncheon will feature Tribe pitcher Joe Smith on August 24 at 11:00 a.m. at the Terrace Club. For more information, call Bob Rosen at 440-724-8350 or go to wahooclub.com.
9. I will be speaking Monday at 7 p.m. at the Jesuit Retreat House in Parma. For more information, check jrh-cleveland.org/book-signing-with-terry-pluto.
About the Tribe experiment that is working ...
Tony Wolters was a third-round pick in the 2010, a middle infielder out of Rancho Vista High in California. Because the organization is loaded with prospects there, Wolters moved to catcher this season.
"We had been talking about Tony changing positions for a while," said General Manager Chris Antonetti. "He did catch a little in high school, so that was in the back of our minds."
Wolters was a .270 (.728 OPS) career hitter in the minors. He was assigned to Class A Carolina, where phenom Francisco Lindor was the starting shortstop, and Joey Wendle (now leading the Carolina League in batting) was set at second. Late in spring training in a meeting with Francona, the manager mentioned the idea of Wolters as a catcher. That led to some serious discussion, and what may become a career-changing decision.
Wolters agreed to the switch. At Class A Carolina, he was batting only .205 on June 1. That's understandable after such a dramatic position change. But since then, Wolters is batting .316 with two homers and 12 RBI.
"Even more impressive is how he's taken to catching," said Antonetti. "He's passionate about the game. He works with the staff. He has a good arm. He now has a real future as a catcher."
For the season, Wolters has thrown out 18 of 61 attempted steals (30 percent). Anything over 20 percent in the minors is considered good. The backup catcher at Carolina is Alex Lavisky, the St. Edward's product who was the Tribe's eighth-round pick in 2010.
Lavisky broke his toe early in the season and was out for more than a month. He's batting .246 (.669 OPS) with one homer and 12 RBI. He has thrown out 7 of 22 runners (32 percent), and seems to be putting his career back on track.
About Lonnie Chisenhall ...
Some fans wanted the Indians to trade Chisenhall to the Cubs for Matt Garza. Not me.
Garza makes $10.2 million a season. He's 7-1 this season with a 3.02 ERA. He makes any rotation better. But he would not have signed with the Tribe after the season because he's in line for a whopper of a contract. Despite last winter's spending on Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, the Tribe prefers to pay for happy meals rather than whoppers in free agency.
Besides, Chisenhall remains a legitimate third-base prospect. No one at Class AAA can make that claim.
At Class AA Akron, Giovanny Urshela is batting .272 (.701 OPS) with 7 HR, 32 RBI. He has walked only 12 times. While those numbers are rather mundane, the Indians like Urshela because he's in the Eastern League at 21, and he's an exceptional defensive glove. But he remains a long-range prospect.
After a dismal road trip with four errors in six games, the temptation is to say, "Just dump the guy. It seems like we've been waiting forever for him to do something." That's because this is Chisenhall's third season with the Tribe, and it was frustrating to see him open the year here only to be sent back to the minors after batting .213 in 26 games.
He changed his batting stance and hand position slightly at Columbus, and hit .390. Since coming back to the Tribe, he's at .270 (.776 OPS) with three homers and 14 RBI in 89 at-bats.
In some ways, Chisenhall mirrors Alex Gordon, who was a first-round pick for the Royals and first arrived in the majors at 23. He was a third baseman, a left-handed hitter and supposed to be the next George Brett. But in his first four seasons, he averaged .236 with 14 homers and 41 RBI per season. There were several trips to the minors.
At 27, he became an All-Star. He also moved from third base to left field.
Chisenhall has problems, especially against lefties (3-of-34 this season). So platoon him.But I agree with Terry Francona, who said: "I don't think he's even tapped into what he's going to be. There's going to be a day when it clicks. There's going to be thunder in that bat."
About the Tribe ...
1. It's been really painful to watch Mark Reynolds, batting .159 (22-of-138) with only two homers since June 1. As the strikeouts pile up, there is no extra-base power to compensate. It appears the Indians are going to cut back his playing time.
2. It would help if Reynolds hit lefties, but he is .218 vs. lefties, .213 vs. righties. The Indians believe he could have another April-type hot streak (.301, 8 HR, 22 RBI), but there's no signs of it happening. In July, he is 5-of-47 (all singles) and one RBI.
3. The Indians have been impressed with Yan Gomes' catching, having thrown out 53 percent of attemped steals. He entered the weekend batting .270 (.799 OPS) with 7 HR in 141 at-bats. Gomes is a righty hitter with some power, so Carlos Santana can play some first base or DH. Nick Swisher also can play some first. That means the Indians can play without Reynolds.
4. I checked on a couple of former Tribe pitchers -- Jeanmar Gomez and Roberto Hernandez (Fausto Carmona). Gomez is having a solid year with the Pirates (2-0, 2.65) switching between the bullpen and the fifth spot in the rotation. Hernandez is 5-11 with a 4.92 ERA for Tampa Bay.
5. In Trevor Bauer's last start at Class AAA Columbus, he threw nine innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He walked four, struck out four. His fastball was between 91-95 mph. Yes, he used his windup. He's 5-2 with a 3.84 ERA for the Clippers.
6. The Indians are looking at Clay Rapada (1-0, 2.78) at Columbus as a possible reliever. He was 3-0 with a 2.82 ERA in the majors last season with the Yankees. He's a side-arming lefty who has been effective against left hitters, but has major problems with righty bats.
7. This is my idea: Carlos Carrasco to the bullpen, rather than Danny Salazar. Former Tribe GM John Hart used to put hard-throwers who struggled as starters into the bullpen, and it often worked with Jose Mesa, Eric Plunk, Steve Karsay and Danys Baez.
8. The Wahoo Club Luncheon will feature Tribe pitcher Joe Smith on August 24 at 11:00 a.m. at the Terrace Club. For more information, call Bob Rosen at 440-724-8350 or go to wahooclub.com.
9. I will be speaking Monday at 7 p.m. at the Jesuit Retreat House in Parma. For more information, check jrh-cleveland.org/book-signing-with-terry-pluto.
About the Tribe experiment that is working ...
Tony Wolters was a third-round pick in the 2010, a middle infielder out of Rancho Vista High in California. Because the organization is loaded with prospects there, Wolters moved to catcher this season.
"We had been talking about Tony changing positions for a while," said General Manager Chris Antonetti. "He did catch a little in high school, so that was in the back of our minds."
Wolters was a .270 (.728 OPS) career hitter in the minors. He was assigned to Class A Carolina, where phenom Francisco Lindor was the starting shortstop, and Joey Wendle (now leading the Carolina League in batting) was set at second. Late in spring training in a meeting with Francona, the manager mentioned the idea of Wolters as a catcher. That led to some serious discussion, and what may become a career-changing decision.
Wolters agreed to the switch. At Class A Carolina, he was batting only .205 on June 1. That's understandable after such a dramatic position change. But since then, Wolters is batting .316 with two homers and 12 RBI.
"Even more impressive is how he's taken to catching," said Antonetti. "He's passionate about the game. He works with the staff. He has a good arm. He now has a real future as a catcher."
For the season, Wolters has thrown out 18 of 61 attempted steals (30 percent). Anything over 20 percent in the minors is considered good. The backup catcher at Carolina is Alex Lavisky, the St. Edward's product who was the Tribe's eighth-round pick in 2010.
Lavisky broke his toe early in the season and was out for more than a month. He's batting .246 (.669 OPS) with one homer and 12 RBI. He has thrown out 7 of 22 runners (32 percent), and seems to be putting his career back on track.
Re: Articles
3859Cleveland Indian Ryan Raburn is having fun again
By Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer
on July 28, 2013 at 9:44 PM, updated July 28, 2013 at 9:45 PM
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ryan Raburn's main goal entering this season had nothing to do with statistics. It had everything to do with emotionally distancing himself from the events of the previous season.
"I wanted to have as much fun as possible, to get back to enjoying the game I've enjoyed my whole life,'' he said. "Last year was such a grind, I almost forgot how much fun the game is.''
Raburn is smiling again -- and he hasn't even needed regular playing time to do so. Raburn, a reserve outfielder for the Indians, is hitting .268 with 11 homers and 31 RBI in 164 at-bats over 59 games. He is slugging .543.
Raburn started in right field Sunday and went 0-for-3 with a walk in the Tribe's 6-0 victory over Texas. His highlight came in the field.
Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland led off the eighth inning against Ubaldo Jimenez with a drive deep to center. Raburn fully extended to make the catch on the run as he crashed into the wall, not far from the Tribe bullpen.
When the ball left the bat, Raburn did not appear to have a chance. Center fielder Michael Bourn was in closer proximity and is much faster, but there was a problem.
"Bourny didn't see it,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said.
Raburn said: "I knew it was more Bourny's ball, but when I glanced over at him, he had no idea. He lost it in the sky. So I just took off and gave it my best effort.''
Raburn stayed on his back on the track for several seconds. Then he opened the glove, showed the ball and flipped it to Bourn.
"I wasn't hurt at all,'' Raburn said. "It was more funny than anything. Sometimes, when you're not getting hits, you've got to contribute defensively.''
Raburn entered the day as the only American League player with 11-plus homers in fewer than 200 at-bats. His production is in stark contrast to that of 2012. In 66 games for the Detroit Tigers, he batted .171 with one homer and 12 RBI. He dealt with an assortment of injuries and lost the second-base job.
"It was just one of those years where everything that could go wrong, did,'' he said.
The Tigers released him in November, ending a relationship that had begun in 2001 when Raburn was their fifth-round pick. Raburn hit .256 with 54 homers in 566 games for Detroit. In each of three seasons from 2009-2011, he played at least 113 games and hit at least 14 homers.
"Through all that happened last year, I never questioned my ability,'' Raburn said. "I knew I could still play. I really wanted another chance to show it.''
Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti and Francona called Raburn over the winter. The Indians were not willing to offer a roster spot, but Antonetti and Francona conveyed to Raburn how much they wanted him to compete for one in camp.
"Those two calls set the Indians apart from other teams I was interested in,'' Raburn said. "For Tito and Chris to take the time to do that went a long way, especially after the year I just had. Tito expressed how they felt about me as a player, and how they would love for me to be a part of this team. He said I would be a great fit.''
When the call for a guaranteed spot never came from another team, Raburn signed with Cleveland as a minor-league free agent Jan. 21, 2013. He performed well in spring training and made the club.
"I'd played against a lot of these guys, and I knew the talent in this room,'' Raburn said. "And from everything I'd heard about Tito, as a manager and person, it almost seemed like a no-brainer. From the first day I got here, I was glad I took the chance with this organization.''
Raburn's teammates compliment him for the tangibles and intangibles. They say they enjoyed watching him with the Tigers because of his professionalism and grit. Raburn's old-school mentality has been a hit in the clubhouse.
"I'm not going to be setting records, but if I can put a good impression on people concerning how I played this game, how I went about my business, then I think I have accomplished something,'' he said. "The respect you get from your peers and the guys you played against mean a lot more than some of the accolades you get.''
Raburn has started 33 games in right, six in left, two at second and five as designated hitter.
He's back: Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers pitched a scoreless seventh. It was his first work of the series for various reasons, including the condition of his head.
Late Thursday night, Scheppers suffered a bruised left eye after he said he was "sucker punched'' by a person in a group of young men a few blocks from the team hotel.
"It's one of those things ... I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Scheppers told MLB.com before Saturday night's game. "It happened so quickly. The police were called. They said unfortunately this happens quite a bit."
Scheppers did not pitch Friday night because of a headache. He said the men scattered when he hit the ground. He added that he was not robbed and no police report was filed.
On Sunday, Cleveland police spokesman Sgt. Sammy Morris sent out an email with more details regarding the incident. Here is what the email read:
"The preliminary investigation reveals that on Friday, July 26, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Texas Rangers pitcher Tanner Scheppers was involved in a physical altercation at Panini's Bar located on W. 6th Street. Further investigation reveals that the altercation was called in by Downtown Alliance workers and that Third District officers responded to the scene to investigate. Once on scene, officers attempted to get information from Scheppers for a report; however, he refused to provide information and refused to make a police report. Further, officers called for EMS and he refused medical attention and EMS was disregarded. The officers then conveyed Scheppers and another male to the Rangers' team hotel. There is nothing further at this time."
Plain Dealer reporter Paul Hoynes contributed to this article.
By Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer
on July 28, 2013 at 9:44 PM, updated July 28, 2013 at 9:45 PM
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ryan Raburn's main goal entering this season had nothing to do with statistics. It had everything to do with emotionally distancing himself from the events of the previous season.
"I wanted to have as much fun as possible, to get back to enjoying the game I've enjoyed my whole life,'' he said. "Last year was such a grind, I almost forgot how much fun the game is.''
Raburn is smiling again -- and he hasn't even needed regular playing time to do so. Raburn, a reserve outfielder for the Indians, is hitting .268 with 11 homers and 31 RBI in 164 at-bats over 59 games. He is slugging .543.
Raburn started in right field Sunday and went 0-for-3 with a walk in the Tribe's 6-0 victory over Texas. His highlight came in the field.
Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland led off the eighth inning against Ubaldo Jimenez with a drive deep to center. Raburn fully extended to make the catch on the run as he crashed into the wall, not far from the Tribe bullpen.
When the ball left the bat, Raburn did not appear to have a chance. Center fielder Michael Bourn was in closer proximity and is much faster, but there was a problem.
"Bourny didn't see it,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said.
Raburn said: "I knew it was more Bourny's ball, but when I glanced over at him, he had no idea. He lost it in the sky. So I just took off and gave it my best effort.''
Raburn stayed on his back on the track for several seconds. Then he opened the glove, showed the ball and flipped it to Bourn.
"I wasn't hurt at all,'' Raburn said. "It was more funny than anything. Sometimes, when you're not getting hits, you've got to contribute defensively.''
Raburn entered the day as the only American League player with 11-plus homers in fewer than 200 at-bats. His production is in stark contrast to that of 2012. In 66 games for the Detroit Tigers, he batted .171 with one homer and 12 RBI. He dealt with an assortment of injuries and lost the second-base job.
"It was just one of those years where everything that could go wrong, did,'' he said.
The Tigers released him in November, ending a relationship that had begun in 2001 when Raburn was their fifth-round pick. Raburn hit .256 with 54 homers in 566 games for Detroit. In each of three seasons from 2009-2011, he played at least 113 games and hit at least 14 homers.
"Through all that happened last year, I never questioned my ability,'' Raburn said. "I knew I could still play. I really wanted another chance to show it.''
Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti and Francona called Raburn over the winter. The Indians were not willing to offer a roster spot, but Antonetti and Francona conveyed to Raburn how much they wanted him to compete for one in camp.
"Those two calls set the Indians apart from other teams I was interested in,'' Raburn said. "For Tito and Chris to take the time to do that went a long way, especially after the year I just had. Tito expressed how they felt about me as a player, and how they would love for me to be a part of this team. He said I would be a great fit.''
When the call for a guaranteed spot never came from another team, Raburn signed with Cleveland as a minor-league free agent Jan. 21, 2013. He performed well in spring training and made the club.
"I'd played against a lot of these guys, and I knew the talent in this room,'' Raburn said. "And from everything I'd heard about Tito, as a manager and person, it almost seemed like a no-brainer. From the first day I got here, I was glad I took the chance with this organization.''
Raburn's teammates compliment him for the tangibles and intangibles. They say they enjoyed watching him with the Tigers because of his professionalism and grit. Raburn's old-school mentality has been a hit in the clubhouse.
"I'm not going to be setting records, but if I can put a good impression on people concerning how I played this game, how I went about my business, then I think I have accomplished something,'' he said. "The respect you get from your peers and the guys you played against mean a lot more than some of the accolades you get.''
Raburn has started 33 games in right, six in left, two at second and five as designated hitter.
He's back: Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers pitched a scoreless seventh. It was his first work of the series for various reasons, including the condition of his head.
Late Thursday night, Scheppers suffered a bruised left eye after he said he was "sucker punched'' by a person in a group of young men a few blocks from the team hotel.
"It's one of those things ... I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Scheppers told MLB.com before Saturday night's game. "It happened so quickly. The police were called. They said unfortunately this happens quite a bit."
Scheppers did not pitch Friday night because of a headache. He said the men scattered when he hit the ground. He added that he was not robbed and no police report was filed.
On Sunday, Cleveland police spokesman Sgt. Sammy Morris sent out an email with more details regarding the incident. Here is what the email read:
"The preliminary investigation reveals that on Friday, July 26, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Texas Rangers pitcher Tanner Scheppers was involved in a physical altercation at Panini's Bar located on W. 6th Street. Further investigation reveals that the altercation was called in by Downtown Alliance workers and that Third District officers responded to the scene to investigate. Once on scene, officers attempted to get information from Scheppers for a report; however, he refused to provide information and refused to make a police report. Further, officers called for EMS and he refused medical attention and EMS was disregarded. The officers then conveyed Scheppers and another male to the Rangers' team hotel. There is nothing further at this time."
Plain Dealer reporter Paul Hoynes contributed to this article.
Re: Articles
3860Yes, this post is for TF in SC
Certainly there is a lot of room for discussion on the practices of management in past years.
But the farm system is now turning out talent.
And, best of all, the signing of Terry Francona is absolute genius. It should be apparent at this point that it was the most important signing this franchise has made in years.
To dwell on the past is not a healthy thing. Things happen for a reason, and that reason is often not ours to know. Enjoy the present.
Hail Tito!!
Certainly there is a lot of room for discussion on the practices of management in past years.
But the farm system is now turning out talent.
And, best of all, the signing of Terry Francona is absolute genius. It should be apparent at this point that it was the most important signing this franchise has made in years.
To dwell on the past is not a healthy thing. Things happen for a reason, and that reason is often not ours to know. Enjoy the present.
Hail Tito!!
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
3861The guy is no longer a fan of Cleveland sports teams. He is a former fan. And it's because of the 2012 POTUS election (bizarre, I know). He started trolling the Browns board with his political crap a long time ago, and threatened to disown anything and everything to do with the city of Cleveland, in particular the sports teams if they voted the "wrong" way. After the election there started to be an ever increasing number of babbling, incoherent posts that mingled politics with generally denigrating the residents of the city, and anyone who follows the sports teams.TFIR wrote:Yes, this post is for TF in SC
Certainly there is a lot of room for discussion on the practices of management in past years.
But the farm system is now turning out talent.
And, best of all, the signing of Terry Francona is absolute genius. It should be apparent at this point that it was the most important signing this franchise has made in years.
To dwell on the past is not a healthy thing. Things happen for a reason, and that reason is often not ours to know. Enjoy the present.
Hail Tito!!
The people at the Browns board either had him on ignore or they wanted him gone. It's a pretty dead place but his posts were wrecking the value for the few quality posters who do show up.
As far as I'm concerned he's abdicated any and all rights as a fan of Cleveland sports teams regardless of any future success any of our teams may have. The bandwagon is closed, and anyone who gives up and tries to get back on is nothing more than a bandwagon fan. I predict he'll try to do so at some point if this team does well, and if they fail he'll be right back here throwing his barbs and arrows.
I appreciate all the true Cleveland die-hards here and in all 3 sports.
Re: Articles
3862TFIR- "And, best of all, the signing of Terry Francona is absolute genius. It should be apparent at this point that it was the most important signing this franchise has made in years."
Yes, managers do make a difference, we would have certainly won it all in 2007 with Terry at the helm.
Yes, managers do make a difference, we would have certainly won it all in 2007 with Terry at the helm.
Re: Articles
3863Meatloaf springs to mind. Go Tribe! Go Cavs!MtFan wrote:I appreciate all the true Cleveland die-hards here and in all 3 sports.
Re: Articles
3864loufla wrote:TFIR- "And, best of all, the signing of Terry Francona is absolute genius. It should be apparent at this point that it was the most important signing this franchise has made in years."
Yes, managers do make a difference, we would have certainly won it all in 2007 with Terry at the helm.
Yep, Wedge let them down and not CC, Carmona or the position players with a commanding lead in the series.
Re: Articles
3865I'm married to a Steeler fan from Youngstown who defected the Browns when Modell moved to Baltimore. I know you're a lifelong Stools fan, so I suppose appreciating your fandom in 2 out of 3 will have to do in your case.Darkstar wrote:Meatloaf springs to mind. Go Tribe! Go Cavs!MtFan wrote:I appreciate all the true Cleveland die-hards here and in all 3 sports.
Re: Articles
3867You dumb (apparently drunk) arse, Rusty, Mt Fan has discussed his geographical family history with you previously.rusty2 wrote:What part of Youngstown, Mt Fan ?
Hint: You discussed the possible indigenous speech inflections of Bernie Kosar not too long after MtFan shared his career ending wrestling injury.
(Now I am putting you back on skip status)
Re: Articles
3868TFISC, as usual your drinking and hate has clouded your comprehension skills.MtFan wrote:I'm married to a Steeler fan from Youngstown who defected the Browns when Modell moved to Baltimore. I know you're a lifelong Stools fan, so I suppose appreciating your fandom in 2 out of 3 will have to do in your case.Darkstar wrote:Meatloaf springs to mind. Go Tribe! Go Cavs!MtFan wrote:I appreciate all the true Cleveland die-hards here and in all 3 sports.
I was asking Mt fan about his wife.
I do enjoy that you have a need to respond to my posts and then post that you are putting me back on skip. Must somehow make you feel better about yourself.
I would have thought your picture on the Big Apple board was all you needed. Guess not.
Re: Articles
3869Giambi delivers walk-off bomb and a consistent message in Indians clubhouse
Jul 29, 2013 -- 10:40pm
By: T.J. Zuppe | ESPNCleveland.com
There was a moment this season where many were questioning the worth of veteran slugger Jason Giambi on the Cleveland Indians roster. The 42-year old scuffled early in 2013 but I cautioned many that I believed his time would come.
After Monday night’s game, it would be hard to find anyone that would question his worth.
Giambi was called upon to pinch-hit in the ninth inning of a tie ballgame. The score was 2-2 and manager Terry Francona was looking to get the bottom of the frame started in style.
Giambi not only started it, he ended it.
The left-handed hitter drilled the second pitch of the bottom of the inning deep into the night for a walk-off solo bomb, giving his club a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.
"That's what keeps you coming back,” Giambi said. “That moment. Winning a ballgame, celebrating as a ball club. There's nothing better."
“There’s no moment more special than when you get that embrace from your teammates. All those smiles. It’s exciting.”
Even with his heroics on Monday, Giambi’s mates do not just view the veteran as a valuable power bat off the pine. To them, he is much more than that.
He has the respect of the locker room and his voice stood out immediately as a leader to a young core of players. His lessons on and off the field provide a calming, steadying influence.
And Giambi is enjoying every minute of it.
"I love how we're growing,” Giambi said. “And that’s what I keep telling (my teammates). We’re going to keep learning and getting better and better. We’re making a few mistakes here and there but we had opportunities to win games, which I was most excited about. It's exciting how it's all coming together.”
When the man dubbed “Big G” speaks, his teammates listen. And he’s tried to deliver a consistent message throughout the season.
“I’ve been preaching all year that one guy isn’t more important than the other,” Giambi said. “It’s going to take all 25 of us or more to win ball games. And we’ve done it all year. It’s exciting to be a part of.”
With Giambi’s game-winning blast, the Tribe improves to 57-48 on the season, which equals their high-water mark of the 2013 campaign.
Jul 29, 2013 -- 10:40pm
By: T.J. Zuppe | ESPNCleveland.com
There was a moment this season where many were questioning the worth of veteran slugger Jason Giambi on the Cleveland Indians roster. The 42-year old scuffled early in 2013 but I cautioned many that I believed his time would come.
After Monday night’s game, it would be hard to find anyone that would question his worth.
Giambi was called upon to pinch-hit in the ninth inning of a tie ballgame. The score was 2-2 and manager Terry Francona was looking to get the bottom of the frame started in style.
Giambi not only started it, he ended it.
The left-handed hitter drilled the second pitch of the bottom of the inning deep into the night for a walk-off solo bomb, giving his club a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.
"That's what keeps you coming back,” Giambi said. “That moment. Winning a ballgame, celebrating as a ball club. There's nothing better."
“There’s no moment more special than when you get that embrace from your teammates. All those smiles. It’s exciting.”
Even with his heroics on Monday, Giambi’s mates do not just view the veteran as a valuable power bat off the pine. To them, he is much more than that.
He has the respect of the locker room and his voice stood out immediately as a leader to a young core of players. His lessons on and off the field provide a calming, steadying influence.
And Giambi is enjoying every minute of it.
"I love how we're growing,” Giambi said. “And that’s what I keep telling (my teammates). We’re going to keep learning and getting better and better. We’re making a few mistakes here and there but we had opportunities to win games, which I was most excited about. It's exciting how it's all coming together.”
When the man dubbed “Big G” speaks, his teammates listen. And he’s tried to deliver a consistent message throughout the season.
“I’ve been preaching all year that one guy isn’t more important than the other,” Giambi said. “It’s going to take all 25 of us or more to win ball games. And we’ve done it all year. It’s exciting to be a part of.”
With Giambi’s game-winning blast, the Tribe improves to 57-48 on the season, which equals their high-water mark of the 2013 campaign.
Re: Articles
3870The Indians remain focused on adding a lefty reliever and have held serious talks with Colorado about Josh Outman.