Cleveland Sports Forum

INDIANS ROCKING, ROLLING

Latest Cleveland winner rides high atop AL Central

CLEVELAND The championship confetti has been swept away, the 1.3 million fans have gone back to their homes and the construction crews have taken over downtown, feverishly preparing for the Republican National Convention.

In the shadows of Quicken Loans Arena, where you can still find remnants of the NBA Finals logo on the streets, and amid all the scaffolding and massive Republican Convention banners, there’s a strange phenomenon happening down the block at Progressive Field.

This is where you’ll find the hottest and perhaps best-darn Major League Baseball team in all the land.

“It’s sure a good time to be in Cleveland,” Indians first baseman Mike Napoli said. “When the Cavs won and had their parade, I was out there. I walked through the crowd. I saw the parties. I saw firsthand how crazy this city can get. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?”

The last time Napoli was part of a celebration, he became a folk hero in Boston. Images of Napoli, shirtless, guest-bartending at local nightspots and pounding Fireball shots all night, will remain forever in the aftermath of the Red Sox’s 2013 World Series championship.

Napoli, laughing at the memories Wednesday, vows that if the Indians win their first World Series title since 1948, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

“If we win it, there’s no holding back this time,” Napoli says. “It’s going to be something.”

Says Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis: “I’ve already told him I want to be next to him if we do it here. I’ll be on his back, on his shoulders, getting a piggyback ride all through the city.”

Napoli, who signed a one-year, $7 million contract in January, has become a cult figure in Cleveland. He has 17 home runs and a team-leading 56 RBI as he bids to reach the playoffs for the eighth time in 10 seasons with four franchises.

It’s no wonder the hottest shirts in the Indians gift shop these days read Party At Napoli’s .

And it’s only July. Can you imagine October?

The Indians (51-33) are running away with the American League Central. They have a 6 1 ⁄ 2- game lead over the Detroit Tigers and are 25-9 since June 1. That month featured the start of a franchise-record 14-game winning streak and their best monthly winning percentage (.786) since 1954.

“I’ve been scoreboard watching since April 10,” Kipnis said. “It’s so much more fun doing it when you’re looking down instead of calculating, ‘If these five teams lose, we can get a wild card.’ “Now you keep hearing people say, ‘Does the Cavs winning the championship take the pressure off you guys?’ I want to say, ‘I don’t see LeBron (James) throwing any complete games for us.’ “But what they did do for us is show us the parade and the excitement around the city. We saw what can happen when you win games.”

Kipnis and Napoli have constructed a shrine in the empty locker between them, paying homage to Jobu, the doll in the iconic 1989 film Major League. There are two Jobu statues, three small Bacardi rum bottles in front of them and two large Jobu rum bottles behind it. There’s even a sweater with a picture of Jobu that Napoli purchased, complete with the inscription: “It is very bad to drink Jobu’s rum. Very bad.” It’s going to have to wait until October, and this franchise has become awfully thirsty over the years.

This small-market club hasn’t won a playoff game since coming a victory short of reaching the 2007 World Series. After 455 consecutive sellouts from 1995 to 2001, drawing more than 3 million fans for six years in a row, they are averaging the secondlowest home attendance in baseball at 17,204.

Yet even with a downtown population that has dwindled to about 15,000 residents, the Indians slowly are gaining attention. They had their first sellout for a non-season opener July 4, with nearly half the crowd of 34,163 waiting out a 2 1 ⁄ 2- hour rain delay and staying until the fireworks show was over. Cars were still piling out at 1:45 a.m. They are anticipating near-sellout crowds this weekend against the New York Yankees.

The uptick in excitement comes two weeks after most of the club’s front office watched the Cavaliers celebration from the upper concourse at Progressive Field, wondering if the giddy masses would clear in time for their players to reach the park for a game that evening.

“This is the most prolonged excitement I’ve ever seen here,” Indians general manager Mike Chernoff said. “We’ve seen a resurgence in the city.”

Hopes for an autumn parade rest largely with the Indians rotation, the envy of every club in baseball. They are all under club control through at least 2018, with four of the starters locked up through 2020. The 2016 salary of this group that leads the AL with a 3.61 ERA is $13.5 million.

“Having those guys here and with their contracts gives us the ability to plan around that group,” Indians President Chris Antonetti said. “We’re not going into an offseason saying, ‘Hey, we need to fill three holes in our starting rotation, how are we going to go into the market and do that?’ ” The offense is averaging the fifth-most runs in the AL. The Indians run the bases efficiently and have few, if any, defensive liabilities.

Oh, yeah, there’s that glorious pitching, with a rotation that entered Wednesday’s play ranked first in the AL in WAR (8.9), WHIP (1.16), opponent’s batting average (.232), opponent’s onbase percentage (.289), slugging percentage (.392), OPS (.681), Fielding Independent Pitching (3.87) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.4-1).

“It’s unreal,” All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor says. “They are so good, so talented and so gifted that when the catcher puts down a sign and I know it’s the right pitch, I say, ‘Good luck! You’re not going to hit it.’ “Really, we feel like we’re going to win every night.”

All-Star Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber, Danny Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer might not be household names outside of the 216 area code, but they are filthy in talent. You could make a case that the entire rotation, and not just Salazar (10-3, leagueleading 2.36 ERA), deserved to make the All-Star team, pitching coach Mickey Callaway says.

Should they reach the postseason, an old hand will be there with them. It’s no coincidence Napoli, 34, is a near-constant postseason presence.

“When I grow up I want to be Mike Napoli,” said Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who acquired him twice. “He’s one of my alltime favorites. He’s intense, he’s competitive, but yet he keeps things very loose.”

That started on opening day, when everyone was complaining about the 34-degree temperature, only for Napoli to dress in short sleeves, asking when it actually got cold in Cleveland.

“When we were trying to sign him, (Red Sox second baseman Dustin) Pedroia was just beating on me: ‘You have to sign this guy. You will love this guy.’ He just kept going and going,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “When you get an endorsement from Pedroia, that’s the gold standard for me.

“The way Nap has carried himself here, he’s probably even surpassed expectations. He’s made us so different, in a good way.”

The Indians no longer are just talented but now also have a ferocious edge. They’ve submerged the Tigers all on their own, beating them 11 consecutive times — by a 76-24 tally — before Detroit finally fought back in winning Wednesday’s series finale 12-2.

“That was the team I really worried about in our division when the season started,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “Not to take anything away from the Royals or anyone else, but you knew they would be good. Real good.”

Yep, even Cavs-good.

“In the 13 years I’ve been here, you could always feel the pessimism in this city,” Chernoff said. “Now, I think for the first time, you see people being hopeful about our sports teams. It’s palpable everywhere.”

Yes, sir, one epic month has changed a lot in Northeast Ohio.

“Come on, where else would you rather be right now,” Napoli said, “than right here in Cleveland?”
Manager Terry Francona, center, says Mike Napoli has helped to change the Indians.

Should they reach the postseason, an old hand will be there with them. It’s no coincidence Napoli, 34, is a near-constant postseason presence.

“When I grow up I want to be Mike Napoli,” said Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who acquired him twice. “He’s one of my alltime favorites. He’s intense, he’s competitive, but yet he keeps things very loose.”

That started on opening day, when everyone was complaining about the 34-degree temperature, only for Napoli to dress in short sleeves, asking when it actually got cold in Cleveland.

“When we were trying to sign him, (Red Sox second baseman Dustin) Pedroia was just beating on me: ‘You have to sign this guy. You will love this guy.’ He just kept going and going,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “When you get an endorsement from Pedroia, that’s the gold standard for me.

“The way Nap has carried himself here, he’s probably even surpassed expectations. He’s made us so different, in a good way.”

Score one for Chernoff.

All-Star Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber, Danny Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer might not be household names outside of the 216 area code

We're aware of them in 330. And in 440 and 234, too.

Cleveland Indians rise began with last season's Bourn/Swisher trade -- Terry Pluto

on July 09, 2016 at 7:06 PM, updated July 09, 2016 at 8:40 PM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When did it start?

That's what I was thinking about while watching 32,951 file into fans Progressive Field for what became a 7-6 loss to the Yankees.

When did the Indians become the team with the second-best record in the American League, a 52-35 team leading the Central Division by 6-1/2 games as the All-Star break looms?

I'm going to pick Aug. 7, 2015. That's when the Tribe traded Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn to the Braves for Chris Johnson. It was a trade of players with massive contracts, a money dump on both sides.

And this story is not about dumping on Swisher and Bourn, two veterans who helped the Indians to a 92-70 record in 2013 and a Wild Card playoff berth.

But by last August, they were both hurt and struggling. Bourn was batting .246. Swisher was hitting .198. In 390 at bats. They had combined for 2 HR and 27 RBI.

On the day of the deal, the Indians had a 49-59 record.

After the trade, they were 32-21 to finish the season at 81-80.

So you take the 32-21 record from last year, add it to this season and the Tribe is 84-56.

What's happening here is not an accident. The Indians have become a very, very good team.

GROWING LEADERSHIP

A week before the Swisher/Bourn deal, the Tribe traded veterans David Murphy and Brandon Moss. So four veterans were moved in less than two weeks as the Tribe's hopes of a playoff spot fell apart.

After the Swisher/Bourn trade, Tribe President Chris Antonetti and Manager Terry Francona began meeting with the players.

"Last year, I think everybody thought we were sending up the white flag (after the trades)," said Francona. "Chris and I talked to the core group, and then to the younger guys -- to explain how we viewed the second half."

It was a little more than that.

Antonetti and Francona challenged players such as Jason Kipnis, Corey Kluber, Yan Gomes, Michael Brantley, Carlos Santana and Carlos Carrasco to assume more leadership roles.

"This is now your team," those players were told.

"Kipnis and those guys ran with it," said Francona.

Francona mentioned the need for accountability. The players drew up a contract -- not Francona. It had to do with being on time, doing work before and after games -- becoming true professionals.

They also told the group of core players that they were no longer young players. If this team was going to be a contender in the near future, they had to supply the heartbeat by pumping some life into what was left of the 2015 season.

Francisco Lindor took over at shortstop. Gio Urshela was promoted to play third. After the Swisher deal, former third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall became a right fielder.

For whatever reason, the Tribe began to play with more of a sense of purpose.

More importantly, they began to catch the ball. They went from the worst defensive team in the American League in May to ranking No. 2 by the end of the season.

BUILDING A WINNER

The heart of the Tribe is the pitching staff. Their 3.61 ERA is the best in the American League.

As Mike Napoli told me, "Every time, we think we can win with this pitching. And we want to get them a few runs early, get them a lead."

But something else is happening besides the pitching. Something that began last season. Something dating back to the final two months of 2015.

"You're always trying to put yourself in the best position to move forward," said Francona.

The manager talked about his 2006 season with the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees had swept a series at Fenway Park.

"We had no pitching in the last two months, but we endured," said Francona. "Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia and (Jon) Papelbon got called up (from the minors). That group won the next year...the guys that endured and did it the right way. They grew from it."

Francona said it was "that kind of message" the players got last year.

As for those 2007 Red Sox -- the team that endured in 2006 -- well, they came back to beat the Tribe in the ALCS and then win the World Series.

Francona hates big picture questions. The manager always wants to keep the focus on this day, this game.

But he knows something special is happening here.

"It just feels different," said pitcher Carlos Carrasco. "We're more confident."

Tribe has Terry Talkin' winning and more winning -- Pluto

Tribe has Terry Talkin' winning and more winning -- Pluto

Cleveland Indians are winning with more than pitching. They are among baseball's best when it comes to running the bases and catching the ball.

LOOKING FOR CLUES

"When you get asked about chemistry, the way we run the bases is probably the best barometer because we need to do it correctly," said Francona.

Napoli said the same thing, mentioning how Rajai Davis "creates havoc" on the bases.

In the first inning of Saturday's game, Davis was on second base. As catcher Brian McCann was throwing the ball back to pitcher C.C. Sabathia, Davis bolted for third base.

He saw Sabathia was not paying attention. By the time Sabathia noticed what happened, Davis was safe.

"Raj has given us a speed element we hoped for," said Francona. "He's probably been even more of a threat on the bases than I anticipated -- a more consistent threat."

It was the 23rd steal of the season for Davis, tying him for the American League lead. Not bad for a 35-year-old.

"I don't play like everybody," said Davis. "God gave me the ability to run, and I use it."

Davis had only 18 steals with Detroit last season.

"They had those big boppers," said Davis, meaning the Tigers didn't want him to steal much. Give the home run hitters a chance to hit the ball out of the park.

The Indians have unleashed Davis, wanting him to return to the player who averaged 43 steals a season between 2012-14.

Fangraphs.com ranks the top base running teams not only on steals, but taking the extra base, etc. The Indians are No. 1.

They also lead the league with 66 steals in 82 attempts.

Francona believes if a team runs the bases well, "there's a pretty good chance they're doing the other things correctly."

WAHOO BASEBALL

The Indians are a team that plays the game the right way. The pitching often dominates. The defense ranks No. 3 in efficiency, according to fangraphs.com.

The additions of veterans Napoli, Davis and Juan Uribe have added to the the leadership that began to grow last August.

Napoli is having a monster season with 19 homers. His 61 RBI ranked fourth in the American League.

"Nap is kind of...gregarious, is that the right word?" said Francona. "I'm not sure but it sure sounds good. Nap has that personality where he pulls guys in the right direction."

Francona explained Napoili knows when it's time to party and have fun, "and when it's time to get to business...then it's time to get to business. He keeps an eye on things...Nap is probably one of the best I've ever seen at that."

The Indians opened the season with a game time temperature of 34 degrees. The home opener was postponed the day before because of 20-degree temperatures and light snow.

As the Tribe prepared to take the field on April 5, puffs of white smoke came out of the mouths of players every time they took a breath. Napoli wore short sleeves.

"What's wrong with everybody," he told the players. "Let's go, it's time to play ball."

And they have been playing wonderful baseball all season.

According to Tito Napoli = Giambi who still can play

Gomes = Swisher at the bat who can catch, call a game and throw.

Cleveland Indians in good shape at All-Star break, but there are a few warning signs -- Terry Pluto

on July 11, 2016 at 7:00 AM, updated July 11, 2016 at 7:01 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At the start of the season, would you have been happy with the Cleveland Indians having a 52-36 record and a 6 1/2 game lead in the Central Division at the All-Star Game?

Thought so, Tribe fans.

So let's keep at least one eye on the big picture.

That said, I didn't like how the Tribe played after the 14-game winning streak. They were 3-6. If they simply stopped hitting, it would be a little easier to digest.

But as manager Terry Francona said after Sunday's ugly 11-7 loss to the Yankees: "Hopefully, it's an anomaly. We kicked the ball around and made some mistakes."

The Tribe was charged with three errors leading to seven unearned runs. There also were a few other misplays.

Even after Saturday's 7-6 loss in 11 innings to the Yankees, Francona mentioned, "We looked a little ragged, we can't play like that."

It's very possible the Tribe was dragging heading into the All-Star break.

They have played 22 games in the last 23 days. They seemed to lose some of their edge after their 19-inning victory in Toronto on July 1. That was the 14th consecutive victory.

So there is no reason to panic.

The rest of the contenders in the division also have staggered into the All-Star break. Let's look at how the four top teams have played in their last 10 games:

White Sox -- 6-4
Tigers -- 5-5
Indians -- 4-6
Royals -- 3-7

Only the 32-56 Twins looked fresh. They were 7-3 in the last 10 games. The Tribe opens the second half of the season Friday in Minnesota. The Tribe is 24-7 against the rest of the Central Division, and 2-4 vs. the Twins.

Cleveland Indians have an 84-56 record since they traded Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher to Atlanta last August.

RUNNING OUT GAS?

That will be a challenge for Francona. He has pushed his key players hard to get out to this lead.

Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana have missed only one game. Jason Kipnis has sat out three.

All three are having good-to-outstanding seasons. Santana is the first Tribe player to reach 20 home runs at the All-Star break since Grady Sizemore hit 23 in 2008.

And I've received at least two emails from fans wanting to trade Santana. When I recently spoke at a library, I mentioned Santana's name and a guy from Rochester yelled from the back of the room: "Trade the bum!"

Let's take a deep breathe and look at how Santana is playing now, not last year.

If Santana were on another team, he's the guy you'd want to bring in for the second half. He's hot. He has a $12 million team option for next season, so he's motivated. And he's a switch hitter.

It's very possible he's been helped by the improved lineup with Mike Napoli, Tyler Naquin and Rajai Davis all being excellent additions.

My concern is the 34-year-old Napoli has missed only six games. He's having a powerful season -- 18 homers, 61 RBI. He told me that he feels good and part of the reason for his good year is playing more.

In the previous two seasons, he missed 29 and 43 games.

Davis told me the same thing: "Playing more helps."

He's been on the field for 77 games, batting .265 (.769 OPS) with 9 HR, 34 RBI and 24-of-27 in stolen bases. He played only 112 games for the Tigers last year.


The Cleveland Indians have an outfield that ranks well above average in many categories, and that's why there is no urgency to trade for help.

HELP ON THE WAY?

The return of Michael Brantley -- even playing four games a week -- would be a huge boost.

The career .292 hitter is beginning his minor league rehabilitation assignment this week. If his surgically repaired right shoulder is finally healed, Francona suddenly will be able to give more players more rest.

If Brantley can handle left field several days a week, Jose Ramirez can move to third base. That will mean less of the struggling Juan Uribe, who is batting .171 since June 1. He's 37 and looks older, while Davis and Napoli seemed to be defying age.

Yan Gomes is batting .168 -- including 1-of-26 in July. Maybe the All-Star break will help the catcher, who entered the season with a .267 batting average.

I know the Indians are looking for bullpen help. They are open to a trade for a hitter, but not at the expense of any of their top pitchers.

Danny Salazar is going to be given some extra rest as he won't pitch in the All-Star game. The Indians did the same for him in early June.

The rotation has been extremely healthy, the only real injury was to Cody Anderson.

Francona mentioned how the starters struggled in three games to the Yankees -- all losses. Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Salazar combined to give up 16 runs in 15 innings.

For the Indians, it all starts with their pitching -- the best in the American League.

"But so is paying attention to detail," said Francona. "That's how we have to play."

Gomes is more in need of a weekend in Vegas full of debauchery of any person I have seen in quite a while. I hope he spends the entire all star break there.

I'd seriously consider replacing Gomes with Roberto Perez when his rehab ends. Perez is another excellent defender and cannot hit worse. Gomes could become the backup but if possible I'd rather get him some quiet time in AAA. Giminez and Bauer have a thing going, but we certainly aren't going to keep 3 catchers. If Gomes weren't a complete dud at the plate I'd consider keeping Perez in reserve at AAA.

It may all come down to options, as is commonly the case.

But I agree, I think it's obvious that Tito likes Gimenez, so there is about to be a glut at catcher.

Many of us met for the first time in Akron, back in the "glory days."

Cleveland Indians Akron minor league team now glitters under new ownership -- Terry Pluto

on July 12, 2016 at 7:51 AM, updated July 12, 2016 at 7:53 AM


AKRON, Ohio -- "A ballpark needs a community a lot more than a community needs a ballpark."

That's what Jim Pfander told me as we walked through an empty Canal Park.

Pfander is the general manager of the Akron RubberDucks, who are preparing to host Wednesday's Eastern League All-Star game. This is a big deal, but it's another sign of a franchise that has been revived. It's about Ken Babby's ownership, which takes nothing for granted when it comes to appealing to fans.

To quote another Akronite, LeBron James: "In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned."

In the last three years, Babby and his staff have been earning back the support of Akron's baseball fans.

As I wandered through Canal Park, I kept thinking about how the home of Akron's Class AA franchise looked a few years ago.

Part of the scoreboard didn't work, another part would flicker on and off.

I called a friend who is a long-time season ticket holder. He talked about the place "being dirty and dark. They just let it go."

The fans were subdued, the entire place seemed tired.

Very, very tired.

I wondered if Akron had grown weary of minor league baseball. But I also was very aware the previous ownership did little to spark any interest in the team.

Those were the last days of the Akron Aeros.

When Ken Babby prepared to buy the franchise after the 2012 season, his front office did some market research.

"We found that people liked really Orbit (the cat mascot) and some liked the color scheme (purple)," said Adam Liberman, the team's director of public relations.

But that was about it.

"I was an intern with the Aeros in 1997, their first season," added Liberman. "When I came back here in 2012, everything felt the same, looked the same, even smelled the same."

Babby and his staff knew things had to change. They owed that to the community.


A DUCK OR A RAT?

One of the first changes was the nickname.

The team was called the Aeros.

"A lot of fans thought it was 'arrow,' a play on the team being affiliated with the Indians," said Liberman.

There's a long story behind how the team was called the Aeros, as in space theme. It originally was going to be the 'Blast,' and that was changed because of the death of Akron astronaut Judy Resnick in the Challenger explosion.

Exactly why the previous ownership was enamored with the idea of astronauts and outer space for Akron is a mystery.

"In the minors, you want your nickname to be fun," said Pfander. "One of the names suggested by a fan was the RubberDucks. Once upon a time, they actually made rubber ducks in Akron."

Babby said he actually liked "Canal Rats." The Ohio & Erie Canal runs through Akron. But he thought "Canal Rats" didn't reflect well on the city.

"I also liked Tire Jacks," said Babby.

Lots of names were mentioned.

"We played with the theme of rubber, Akron once being the Rubber City," said Liberman. "We liked RubberDucks a lot better than something like Rubber Chickens."

The name change was before the 2013 season. The franchise had been the Aeros for 16 years.

"Other GMs of franchises that changed their names told me prepare for about three months of a backlash from fans," said Pfander. "I swear, it lasted about three days."

The key was the logo.

"We didn't want our players wearing a little yellow rubber duckie," said Liberman.

So they came up with one tough looking duck, and he has big, mean teeth.

"Not many ducks have teeth," laughed Pfander. "We didn't want a Daffy Duck logo."

The general manager said the original design came in with a duck in "Pittsburgh Steelers colors... No way that would work. It's just like all the purple in the park. That's the Baltimore Ravens' colors."

So the team made blue the key color. And they sell lots of Rubber Duck souvenirs.

Liberman said the minors are full of quirky nicknames:

Fresno Tacos
El Paso Chihuahuas
Lansing Lugnuts
Montgomery Biscuits
Hartford Yard Goats

So if you hate the RubberDucks nickname, just know it could have been worse.


Ken Babby, the 36-year-old passionate owner of the Akron RubberDucks, has a few things to say when it comes to running a baseball team. And his efforts over the past few years culminate this week when the Eastern League All Star game comes to Akron.

WHAT REALLY MATTERS

I was at the first game at Canal Park in 1997. Jaret Wright pitched for the home team. He ended that 1997 season starting Game 7 of the World Series for the Indians in Miami.

The franchise had just moved up Interstate 77 from Canton to a wonderful, mini-Jacobs Field type park. Remember, this was 1997 when the Tribe sold out every home game. The Browns were gone. The economy was strong. The Indians were winning big. It was a great time to be involved in pro baseball in Northeast Ohio.

Akron had a 51-90 record that first year, but drew 473,232 fans. In the next two seasons, the team attracted more than 520,000 fans.

There were not a lot of creative promotions. The ballpark was superb, and summer on Main Street in Akron turned the Aeros into a hot ticket.

But that was years ago.

It's not enough to simply have a stadium and open up the gates with a sign out front proclaiming: GAME TONIGHT.

"You have to have so much more than talking about the top prospects we have on the roster," said Liberman.

Hardcore fans want to see Brad Zimmer, Clint Frazier and Nellie Rodriguez. Long time Akron fans can tell you about all the Tribe stars that have passed through the ballpark.

But the minors is about families and kids having a good time.

Other than a few special areas, most seats are $9 and $5. Hot dogs are always $2.

During the glory days of the franchise, Akron sold about 3,500 season tickets. Now, it's 1,400.

Pfander said picnics are at least 20 percent of business. People come to the park in groups for picnics, and the stadium has areas in left and right field for that.

SPENDING MONEY

Since taking over the team in 2013, Pfander estimates Babby has put about $7 million into the Stadium.

The scoreboard was replaced. Everything was painted. "The park got the first deep clean in years," he said.

About 1,400 seats were removed bringing the capacity down to about 7,700. That created the picnic and party areas. Going to the game is a social experience for a lot of fans.

In 2012, Akron drew 256,473 fans -- the lowest total since the team came up from Canton in 1997.

In the first three years of Babby's ownership, attendance has been:

2013: 295,459
2014: 350,704
2015: 340,916

And this season they are on a pace to draw more than 350,000.

The team has four mascots -- Orbit the cat, two ducks and a purple pigeon. The promotions seem to never end.

"When you come to our games, we want it to be a place where you can let your problems go for a day," said Babby. "Coming to a Ducks game won't solve relation problems or health problems, but you can get away from some of those worries for a few hours at an affordable price."

CBS Sports did one of Akron's games last year and the broadcasters & field reporter just raved about the park, food, and team brass.

I love the new name and unis. I own a couple different Ruberducks hats and get complimented on them all the time. Posted a picture of me in Vegas on Twitter one time and some guy I didn't even know asked me what hat I was wearing. It was the black one with the "mean duck". He said he was gonna have to get one of those.

MLB roundup: Yankees, Indians could make good trade partners

Buster Olney ESPN Senior Writer

As of this morning, Baseball Prospectus places the New York Yankees' chances for winning the division at 2.1 percent and their odds of reaching the wild-card game at 5.1 percent. So unless their situation changes dramatically between now and Aug. 1, logic screams that they should be sellers, to take advantage of the extraordinary market value attached to Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman and others right now -- value that will either dissipate or disappear one second after the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

Lest the Yankees be like a character from the movie "Dumb and Dumber," they should be prepared to move quickly, to trade assets and set up the team for 2017, and according to rival executives, that's why they are trading proposals with other teams.

If, however, they come through the difficult gantlet of games in the next two weeks and are still within range of a wild-card spot, they must be prepared to buy, and it figures they would become one of the many teams diving into the thin and overpriced market for starting pitching.

If the Yankees decide to swap Miller and/or Chapman, then the Cleveland Indians should be viewed as major players. The Indians, arguably the AL's best team right now, have the motive to get one of the Yankees' high-end relievers; they have the high caliber of prospects that would be necessary to deal for Miller or Chapman; and they have the need. Cleveland has an obvious need for a lefty in its bullpen, and according to sources, the Indians have not ruled out any of the range of options that could be available on the market, and there has been dialogue between the Indians and Yankees.

Cleveland's pursuit of a left-handed reliever probably won't be affected by the team's uncertain outfield situation. Michael Brantley continues to progress as he works his way back from a shoulder injury, as Paul Hoynes writes, and if Brantley demonstrates he's OK, then the Indians probably will have completed their collection of position players, other than to look for a possible outfield upgrade who hits right-handed.

If Brantley has a setback, however, the Indians will probably cast a wider net and be more aggressive in adding an outfielder.

Here's a guide to the Yankees' optimal playoff push, from Joel Sherman. David Lennon thinks the Yankees shouldn't cash out.
Notables

• On Wednesday's podcast: Alex Cora on Jose Fernandez and the All-Star Game, and the Rangers' and Dodgers' needs leading to the trade deadline; Bob Nightengale of USA Today on what deal-making 11 teams are doing as we get closer to Aug. 1, and on Tony Gwynn.

• Speaking of Fernandez, Jeff Sullivan concludes that he threw a slow fastball to David Ortiz in the All-Star Game, not a changeup.

• Thomas Boswell writes about the NL's three best teams.

• From Elias Sports Bureau: David Ortiz has 50 home runs, 150 RBIs, 109 extra-base hits and a 1.074 OPS over his last 162 starts. With the exception of the homers category -- in which he's tied for second -- those all rank first among active players in their last 162 starts.

• Another note from Elias: Kris Bryant leads the National League with 25 home runs. Bryant is the sixth different Cubs player to lead the NL in homers at the All-Star break, joining Hank Sauer (1952), Ernie Banks (1960), Ryne Sandberg (1990), Sammy Sosa (1996 and 1999) and Derrek Lee (tied with Andruw Jones in 2005).

• And one more (from Elias): There have been 3,082 home runs hit so far this season, and 503 of them were hit by players who were 24 years old or younger. That's the largest combined total of homers before the All-Star break by players age 24 or younger. The previous highest total by players of that age before the break was 457 home runs in 1987. The young sluggers that year included 23-year-old Mark McGwire (33 homers before the break), 23-year-old Jose Canseco (18), 24-year-old Bo Jackson (18) and 22-year-old Barry Bonds (13).
Moves, deals and decisions

1. Tigers outfielder Anthony Gose was demoted after an incident in the minors.

2. Veteran right-hander Bartolo Colon will open the second half for the Mets' rotation.

3. The Orioles are promoting another reliever.
NL East

• The Marlins are already looking forward to hosting next year's All-Star Game. The All-Star logo for Miami will be revealed this month.

• Phillies prospect Jairo Munoz faces another hurdle.

• The Phillies open the second half amid a lot of questions, writes Matt Gelb.

• A first-half report card for the Nationals, from Mark Zuckerman.
NL Central

• Defense has been a consistent problem for the Cardinals, writes Ben Fredrickson.

• Here are five Cardinals to watch in the second half, from Derrick Goold.

• Travis Sawchik addresses the buy or sell question for the Pirates.

• Zach Buchanan presents some second-half storylines for the Reds.

• Junior Guerra's career has been saved by the splitter, writes Gary D'Amato.

• Anthony Rizzo implied the Cubs took their foot off the gas.

• Mark Gonzales writes about the chances of the Cubs trading injured outfielder Kyle Schwarber.
NL West

• A few All-Stars talked about the Diamondbacks' struggles.

• The Rockies hope to improve, writes Patrick Saunders.

• Dodgers rookie Corey Seager has remained humble throughout this incredible season.

• Padres pitcher Drew Pomeranz is drawing interest from a lot of teams.
AL East

• Roger Mooney presents a day in the life of Rays pitcher Alex Cobb's rehabilitation.

• Ken Fidlin writes about what the Blue Jays need to do to reach the World Series.

• Richard Griffin has a midseason report card on the Blue Jays.

• The Red Sox have had plenty of surprises so far, writes Peter Abraham.

• Michael Silverman presents a Red Sox report card.

• Orioles rookie Hyun Soo Kim has made some adjustments.
AL Central

• Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin is an AL Rookie of the Year candidate.

• Some midseason grades for the Tigers.

• Detroit is in position to fight for the postseason, writes Chris McCosky.

• Rustin Dodd writes about Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer's biggest fear.

• The Twins have failed to draft and develop their own pitchers, writes La Velle Neal.

• The Twins have enough to envision competence next season.
AL West

• Houston's streak into the All-Star break could set up the pennant race we all expected, writes Gerry Fraley.

• An Astros draft pick is staying in school, writes Angel Verdejo Jr.

• Susan Slusser wonders if the emergence of Ryan Dull will allow the Athletics to trade another reliever.

• The Angels should consider a reunion with slugger Mark Trumbo this winter, writes Mark Whicker.

• The Angels must decide when to wave the white flag.

• Some of Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto's moves have panned out, and some haven't.
Lastly

• As part of a four-part series, Brendan Kennedy writes about the light-bulb moment in baseball analytics.

• Joel Sherman thinks the All-Star Game is broken, and he has some ideas to fix it.

• Smokeless tobacco has been banned in Chicago's ballparks.

• Katie Uhlaender, the daughter of longtime player and scout Ted Uhlaender, wonders if she should be a bronze medalist.

• The Giants won a humanitarian award.

• Justin Terranova writes about the time that Mike Piazza quit baseball.

• Cal Ripken spoke with Joe Brescia.

• Bob Nightengale writes about the lasting impact of Tony Gwynn.

And today will be better than yesterday.

Reds willing to deal to stock up on young talent
Cincinnati could be looking to move Bruce, Cozart

By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | 2:00 PM ET

CINCINNATI -- When the Reds resume their season on Friday, they will be under increased scrutiny that has less to do with the results on the field and everything to do with who might be moved before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

The rebuilding program that moved out veteran players wasn't entirely completed in the offseason. Two players in particular -- right fielder Jay Bruce and shortstop Zack Cozart -- have rebuilt their market value, and they could be two of the most sought after players over the next 2 1/2 weeks.


Bruce is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, and he can become a free agent if his option isn't picked up, making his departure all the more likely. Cozart can become a first-time free agent after the 2017 season. Although his value likely won't get much higher than it is now, he could stick around if the Reds don't like any offers they receive for him.

Less likely to be moved is second baseman Brandon Phillips, a 35-year-old former All-Star who has full no-trade protection and is signed through 2017. Phillips, who turned down a trade in the offseason, would likely clear waivers for any deal after Aug. 1. The Reds do have 22-year-old infielder Jose Peraza, but he needs more playing time to develop.

Cincinnati's previous trades largely helped it add pitching prospects. Now the Reds are seeking young talent, especially hitters, that they can contractually control for five to six years.

TRADE SCENARIO
Bruce has a limited no-trade provision that includes eight teams. He's already on record that he would be open to waiving it, but only if the trade is beneficial to both him and the Reds. One of those teams, the Indians, need lefty-hitting outfield help while it waits for Michael Brantley to return. The Blue Jays, who are not on Bruce's no-trade list, almost acquired him before Spring Training, but the deal fell though over a medical red flag on a returning player. Toronto could still use a bat to get ahead in their heated contest in the American League East race.

Fox Sports predicts 7 deadline deals for Miller, Chapman, Lucroy, Bruce etc. guess what guessing none go to Cleveland [they suggest Tigers get Lucroy]but do make this Tribe comment in reference to Bruce:

"There's certainly plenty of speculation around Bruce and the Indians but Cleveland is likely to get OF Michael Brantley back at the end of this month, and that's one of the best midseason pickups anyone in baseball could get. It's certainly better than Burce... Bruce's high strikeout rate and poor defense should scare off some teams [they project he goes to Toronto