Yardbarker: Jason Michaels

End of the Year Feathers: 2008

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:12:19 -0500

Welcome to the First Annual Tribe Time Report Feather Awards for the 2008 Season!

It's been a great year, despite the success the Indians had wasn't were we thought it would be.

This site was something I put a lot of effort into, and I know not many people read it, but that's why I'm working hard, I want more people to read it. For those of you who started reading, at whatever point in the season, I thank you. For everyone who's left a comment or sent me an e-mail, I thank you as well.

Stick around, because I'm keeping this going as long as I can and I'll continue to promote it the best I can to get a wider audience. Right now though, I'd like to give out some end of the year love and outlook.

These are the End of the Year Feathers. I want to do it every year, so why not start now. Five Feathers is the best of the best that the Tribe had. One is not the worst, but the players who didn't get the job done this year. Three is average, two is below average and four is exceptional. At the end I'll give out two special feathers, gold and silver. A gold feather is to our Team MVP. A silver feather is the unsung hero of the team.

With out further ado, the first ever End of the Year Feathers. 2008 is officially over!

Hitting numbers are listed like this: AVG(Batting Average)/OBP(On Base %)/SLG(Slugging %)
#Lead AL
*Lead MLB
^Lead Team
300 ABs to be considered for Team Leads

Cliff Lee: (31 Starts) 22-3*, 2.54 ERA*, 1.110 WHIP, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 223.1 IP, 170 K, 34 BB, 12 HR
What can you say about Cliff Lee that already hasn't been said? His homerun numbers from his last two complete seasons (05-06) were 22 and 29 and this year, just 12. His walk numbers have decreased and of course his strikeouts have gone up. All this while pitching twenty more innings and having his hits land in between the numbers he put up in 2005 and 2006. What has Cliff Lee changed? His mentality really.

He's become much more focused at the job at hand and he says it himself. He goes along pitch by pitch and doesn't look ahead. That's why Cliff Lee has become successful and that is why this isn't some one year wonder. Will he win 22 games and post a 2.54 ERA next year? Probably not, but don't expect those other numbers like walks and innings pitched to take a hit. Things like his WHIP should remain the same as Cliff Lee progresses through his career. This is Cliff Lee and the way he pitches. The only change is his attitude and demeanor. It's a change for the better and as long as he isn't going back to his old ways. I give five feathers to Cliff Lee and his 2008 breakout season.

Grady Sizemore: (157 G, 634 AB) .268/.374/.502, 33 HR^, 90 RBI^, 38/43 SB^, 101 R, 77 XBH#2nd, 11 HBP
Oh Grady...Where would our faith be without Grady Sizemore? His breathtaking catches in the outfield and his sudden power surge have fans chanting Hall of Famer, and he's only 26 years old!

Even though he only hit five more home runs than he did in his career high year in 2006, Grady Sizemore's power stroke has come a long way. He's making strides at the plate as a hitter year by year and this was by far, his most productive one. He joined the 30-30 club and became the first Indian to do so since Joe Carter. If production continues to increase as he enters his prime, there is no doubt he has the potential to reach the hallowed 40-40 club.

His defense is, as always, prime stuff and he surely is on his way to yet another gold glove award. People want to know if Sizemore should move down in the order to the three hole, I want to know why? Such a lethal weapon at the lead-off spot, as proved by what is now his record of most lead-off home runs in club history. If Sizemore can give you 90 home runs from the leadoff spot and you can find that production in other places, this lineup is dangerous.

Should it be any surprise to you that Grady Sizemore has earned five feathers? Continued All-Star and future Hall of Famer, Sizemore's just starting.

Jhonny Peralta: (154 G, 605 AB) .277/.331/.473, 23 HR, 89 RBI, 3/4 SB, 103 R^, 42 2B, 68 XBH
Jhonny Peralta's year can only be summed up in one thought. How did this happen? Not so much his numbers, but his performance in the situation he was in is somewhat surprising. He put up 89 RBI mostly from the cleanup spot in the order. This was a guy who struggled to hit in the three hole when he was put in there, now he's cemented himself into the middle of the order!

Peralta had a fantastic year. After a rough start with most of his RBI's coming off the home run, he finished the year as the teams leader in runs scored, average amongst starters that started for the entire year and was second in extra base hits. Peralta still has issues with striking out, but he's nearing that .500 mark in slugging percentage which is phenomenal for a shortstop. He did lead the league in home runs at his position and he continues to flourish as a hitter.

Defensively, Jhonny still has range issues, but he had another decent year. Unfortunately decent isn't good enough with a gold-glove caliber youngster manning the reigns at second. Jhonny however gets five feathers for carrying the middle of the order through most of the year with injuries to Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez.

Shin-Soo Choo: (95 G, 317 AB) .309^/.397^/.549^, 14 HR, 66 RBI, 4/7 SB, 68 R, 28 2B, 45 XBH
What can you say about Shin-Soo Choo's second half of the season? What can you say about him as a hitter? I'll admit I counted Choo out at the start of the season and even when he came back I wasn't real impressed.

But this kid is for real. The way he takes an at-bat and the way he swings. He is a pure hitter with great plate discipline and plate vision. He knows how to work a walk or take a pitch the other way for a double; he's just a good hitter.

Choo gets five feathers for establishing himself. He's going into next year as a starting outfielder; there is no doubt about that. He had a terrific second half and really put up impressive numbers, but watching him tells you the whole story. He is for real.

Carl Willis: Pitching Staff ERA: 4.44 (20th in MLB)
You might be asking yourself why a pitching coach who's team ERA is 20th in the entire Majors has earned himself five feathers.

The Indians pitching woes do not lie with Carl Willis. They lie with a multitude of reasons beyond Willis' control. This pitching staff to start the year was lights out. They had a huge streak of scoreless innings by the starters and they were returning one of the best bullpens in the major leagues.

Trades, injuries and just let downs from certain players have led to the inflated ERA, but make no mistake about it, Carl Willis is one of the best pitching coaches in baseball. He's a friendly guy, who teaches and molds his pitchers into high caliber competitors.

Two years straight now, he is the proud coach of two AL Cy Young award winners. He's brought around Fausto Carmona, Aaron Laffey and is now working another Cliff Lee-like reclamation project in Anthony Reyes.

What did Carl Willis do to Cliff Lee to make him a great pitcher? Nothing much really, he just told him he believed in him. Something he will continue to tell Anthony Reyes as he tries and molds him into a reliable starting pitcher.

Carl Willis earns five feathers for his work. He's done an outstanding job, despite whispers about firing him a few years ago. He's a great coach and a great guy and he deserves some publicity for the success his starting pitchers have been having.

Rafael Perez: (73 Games) 4-4, 3.54 ERA, 1.179 WHIP, 2 SV, 25 HLD, 76.1 IP, 86 K, 23 BB, 8 HR
Just another day at the office for Rafael Perez. A shaky start to the season for Perez, but he found himself and became the Indians most dependable reliever. He can come in and give you two innings, face a left-hander, pitch one inning against right handers. Perez's versatility is so valuable to this bullpen.

Perez will continue to grow and will probably be next year's prime set-up man. He gets four feathers for rebounding from a tough start and being Mr. Rubber Arm and Mr. Dependable.

Kelly Shoppach: (112 G, 352 AB) .261/.348/.517, 21 HR, 55 RBI, 67 R, 27 2B, .217 CS%
Kelly Shoppach's mammoth power is something to marvel at. We always knew he had power, but did we know he could hit home runs at the major leagues at that sort of pace? He lead the entire league in home runs from the catching position and he had only half the at bats than most full-time catchers! He was just two behind the National League leaders, Geovany Soto and Brian McCann.

Shoppach sort of digressed defensively, letting up a lot of passed balls and making some poor throws behind the plate to nail base runners. But he still has his arm and if he recommits himself to that aspect of the game, he can be one of the best.

Lots of questions will surround Shoppach in the off-season. He'll be a hot commodity among teams looking for a catcher. But this year, Shoppach has earned four feathers for his breakout season. He needs to cut down on the strikeouts and his defense needs to get back to that level, but he is destined for great things.

Jensen Lewis: (51 Games) 0-4, 3.82 ERA, 1.439 WHIP, 13 SV^, 66 IP, 52 K, 27 BB, 8 HR
I've been shouting from the top of my lungs that Jensen Lewis is this team's future at closer. He's got moxie and the bulldog attitude you need from a closer.

I think his early struggles were a product of lack of fire and emotion. Jensen is a guy that feeds off the pressure and the emotion of a crowd. The situations he was put in were just not like that. This guy was BORN to be a closer where he can feed off the crowd's energy and pump a fastball in there.

I'm giving Lewis four feathers for coming in and solidifying the back end of the bullpen. We'll have plenty of discussion on where he belongs, no doubt. But for now, he had a fantastic end of the season, didn't blow a save once he got the job and when he was put in tight situations, like facing Josh Hamilton with runners on, or giving up a home run in the inning, he bounced back and found himself.

Ryan Garko: (141 G, 495 AB) .273/.346/.404, 14 HR, 90 RBI^, 61 R, 36 XBH, 8 SF^, 15 HBP#3rd
You can say what you want about Ryan Garko and the year he had. But when all is said and done, you can't deny the fact that he had one of the better batting averages and he lead the team in RBI along with Grady Sizemore.

Garko's defense has also come along way. You may be surprised by this number, but he's committed just four errors this year. While he isn't a guy who covers a lot of ground, he's work so hard at becoming a respectable first baseman. Garko also has one of the best Range Factors among American League first basemen.

Offensively, his power numbers were definitely not there. He didn't have as many doubles as I was expected and of course the home runs were not there. But he got the job done anyway you look at it. The most important thing that Garko did this year was grow as a hitter. He went through a period of time where he learned a lot about himself. He became pull-happy and was in constant denial that he was doing anything wrong.

Then, a benching for not running out a ground ball and Garko was a changed man. Not only did he get back to basics, he got humbled. He realized he could admit when he was wrong and he went back to work. You may laugh at the fact that I've given him four feathers, but he deserves them the way he bounced back late in the year. We need to hold onto Garko in the long run, he could be primed for a break out in 2009.

Jamey Carroll: (113 G, 347 AB) .277/.355/.346, 1 HR, 36 RBI, 7/10 SB, 60 R
Where would this team be without Jamey Carroll? I'm going to get this out of the way right now and tell Mark Shapiro to pick up Carroll's option. Carroll earned the nickname sparkplug from me for his ability to energize this team. He was inserted into the starting lineup after Asdrubal Cabrera was sent to the minors and Josh Barfield got hurt. He quickly energized this team and is a big reason they finished the year at .500.

He is a super utility guy that this team has needed for awhile and could be a crucial cog in the team's success next year. He can play the infield, he has a decent glove and he is a scrappy veteran hitter. He can swipe a base and he is great in the clubhouse as he energized the team with some spunk.

Jamey Carroll gets four feathers for being a professional and for being one of the bright spots in Shapiro's recent additions. It was a crafty move to bring in a solid utility player in Carroll, now let's hope we make the move to keep him.

Mark Shapiro: Traded CC Sabathia for Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, Zach Jackson, PTBNL; Traded Luis Perdomo for Anthony Reyes; Traded Casey Blake for John Meloan and Carlos Santana; Signed Masahide Kobayashi; Traded Sean Smith for Jamey Carroll; Traded Jason Michaels for PTBNL/Cash; Signed Jorge Juilio, Brendan Donnelly, Juan Rincon to Minor League Deals
These are just some of the notable deals by General Manager Mark Shapiro and what he's done this year and in the off-season. By far the moves with the most impact were the trades of Casey Blake and CC Sabathia. Shapiro did a great job by taking advantage of a few free agents having good years and or good reputations to restock the farm system. It wasn't the move he wanted to make, but he still traded CC Sabathia mid-season after Sabathia rejected the Indians final offer for a contract extension.

When it became apparent that Shapiro had to deal Sabathia and Blake, he not only did it, he did it well. He got a great haul of players in return for Blake and Sabathia that has put the Indians farm system, back near the top. We all know about Matt LaPorta and Carlos Santana, but the prospect of John Meloan, Rob Bryson and the much debated, talented player to be named later all panning out makes these deals important.

Let's not forget the other deals he made, including the low-risk move of bringing in Anthony Reyes, trading for a bonafied utility man in Jamey Carroll, and he added another arm to his bullpen in Masa Kobayashi. He didn't make many off-season moves, but he made up for it with his mid-season deals. Shapiro gets four feathers for restocking the system and bringing in Anthony Reyes. Next year he could get five feathers for having a stellar off-season or one for making all the wrong choices, we'll see soon enough.

Ben Francisco:(121 G, 447 AB) .266/.332/.438, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 4/7 SB, 65 R, 12 Assists#2nd
For awhile there, the Indians thought they found their solution to the number two spot in the batting order in Ben Francisco. Injuries arose though and Francisco was placed into the three hole. Obviously, not something you want to do to a rookie player, but Francisco came up after the Jason Michaels trade and lit the world on fire.

He was the only hitter in the lineup that was hitting, eager to prove himself after most think he was wrongly sent to the minors after beating out both Jason Michaels and David Dellucci in spring training. Francisco cooled off, perhaps being a fastball hitter caught up to him as the league adjusted.

Francisco gets three feathers because of his fizzle and defense. He has an underrated arm in the outfield, throwing out 12 base runners, and second best in the American League. But Francisco is still learning the nuances of left and right field. He needs to make adjustments in his second year if he wants to remain successful. A player who has always hit for a higher average in the minors will need to get his average up and learn to take the ball the other way. He's definitely a dangerous threat with his power potential and quick swing.

Fausto Carmona: (22 Starts) 8-7, 5.44 ERA, 1.624 WHIP, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 120.2 IP, 58 K, 70 BB, 7 HR
Fausto pitched enough for me to give him some feathers. With that I decided that Fausto's injury would impact his feather count. I think after he got back from the hip injury he wasn't the same Fausto. All year he seemed to have problem with his control, but earlier in the year he got the double plays when he needed them.

Once he got back, he just wasn't the Fausto we know and love. He got off to a good start if you ask me, but after he returned he just wasn't the same and that's why I'm giving him three feathers. He was average, which I think is suitable.

Carmona will be back next year and hopefully he'll be healthy and ready to be himself. We signed him to a great friendly contract that could keep him here until he is 31 years old. A frustrating year for Fausto, but wasn't it for everyone not named Cliff Lee?

Aaron Laffey: (16 Starts) 5-7, 4.23 ERA, 1.431 WHIP, 93.2 IP, 43 K, 31 BB, 10 HR
Aaron came up and seemingly earned himself a rotation spot for the rest of the year, after he filled in for the likes of Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook.

But then, something hit Laffey and he was sent down. Laffey was spectacular, sort of Fausto-esque as he filled in for injured pitchers. He was in serious contention for rookie of the year until he hit a wall and was sent down. His numbers prior to the setback were phenomenal and just looking at them now they aren't bad. It turns out Laffey was dealing with some injuries down in Buffalo and he got shut down with a month left in the season.

He was better than expected, but didn't contribute enough to earn more than three feathers. Laffey is a lock down contender for a rotation spot next year and I'd expect him to win one after not winning the fifth spot last year.

Anthony Reyes (w/CLE): (6 Starts) 2-1, 1.83 ERA, 1.252 WHIP, 34.1 IP, 15 K, 12 BB, 2 HR
Anthony Reyes made quite a statement in his little time with the Tribe. He suffered a little bit of arm issues and it caused the Indians to take the cautious approach and shut him down, but since coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals, he's been brilliant.

Reyes was looked at as a low-risk, high-reward type move by Mark Shapiro, and so far the move looks like a good one. Reyes, along with Laffey will fight for a rotation spot and he is easing all Indians' fans minds in terms of what the plan is in the rotation next year. With CC Sabathia gone, Reyes was a big pick up for this team going forward.

Reyes gets three feathers for his excellent start with the Tribe, mainly because he didn't pitch enough to earn anymore. Dave Duncan might be a great pitching coach, but Carl Willis is right on his heels and Reyes will be his next success story. Anthony is comfortable in Cleveland and his talent is finally going to be able to blossom.

Asdrubal Cabrera: (114 G, 352 AB) .259/.346/.366, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 4/8 SB, 48 R
Asdrubal Cabrera has had one rocky year. After being the fan anointed "savior" to the Cleveland Indians 2007 season, Cabrera hit a wall. He was the butt of a lot of criticism from Eric Wedge, but also the butt of a lot of praise. Cabrera's glove kept him in the lineup despite his porous hitting, but it eventually sent him down to the minors.

Cabrera got the picture in Triple-A Buffalo, hitting from the moment he was sent down and not stopping until September 28. Maybe he's a second half player, I don't know, but I'd put my money on that not being true. Cabrera has worked hard with his hitting and has started to evolve, adding in the bunt single to his arsenal. Wedge had a lot to say about Cabrera's game shape and diet, so not only did he adjust hitting wise; Cabrera took a lifestyle change as well.

He needs to put on some more muscle and become a fit youngster, but Cabrera's future is bright. He gets three feathers for his outstanding defense, including the first unassisted triple play by and Indian since 1920, and his bounce back at the plate. Cabrera has put himself in the thick of next year's lineup, it just is a matter of what position will he be playing and where in the lineup will he hit.

Masahide Kobayashi: (57 Games) 4-5, 4.53 ERA, 1.419 WHIP, 6 SV, 55.2 IP, 35 K, 14 BB, 8 HR
It was a rocky debut for Masa Kobayashi to the United States. He battled through cold weather and the strange phenomenon called Wal-Mart. Joking aside, Kobayashi had to get used to the American way and the MLB, but when he did he was a joy to watch.

He isn't Hideki Okajima like everyone thought he was going to be, but he surely established himself as a reliable option out of the bullpen. He closed some games and the results were mixed, but closing in the MLB is a different animal than Japan. Going forward, Kobayashi will be much more conditioned for the 162 game season as he was pretty much not used down the stretch.

It was the most innings he's thrown in a year as a professional. But Masa has earned three feathers for his solid year. He is primed for a better 2009 with a year in the MLB under his belt, but his 2008 was not bad at all.

Sal Fasano: (15 G, 46 AB) .261/.340/.348, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R
Cleveland Indians' fans got a look into why Sal Fasano is some what of a folk hero around the Major Leagues. Not only for his signature mustache, but his calm, cool, and welcoming demeanor was something to cherish on this team.

This is a club that lost Trot Nixon, their leader of 2007. They then lost their emotional leader in Victor Martinez, so the arrival of Fasano couldn't have come at a better time. This team was fooling itself if they were going to go with Yamid Haad as their back-up catcher with Victor Martinez out almost two months.

Fasano didn't play much, but when he did, he played as well as you could hope for in a backup catcher. His rapport with Jeremy Sowers was outstanding and he really helped him grow into a better pitcher.

Fasano probably won't be back with this team as a player in 2009, which is a shame. But his value couldn't be measured. He's got a future in this game as a manager and his knowledge for not just the game, but in life is so amazing. Fasano gets three feathers, but he really deserves five.

Edward Mujica: (33 Games) 3-2, 4.45 ERA, 1.448 WHIP, 1 HLD, 38.2 IP, 27 K, 10 BB, 5 HR
No longer the shuttle reliever between Buffalo and Cleveland, Eddie Mujica finally got a shot to prove himself. He didn't really handle it that well. Mujica got a legit shot to pitch in the big leagues with all the injuries and failure and while there were some bright spots, he wasn't consistent.

He seems to struggle when used close together; he needs a lot of rest to be effective. Mujica is out of options, so this was a big year for him in terms of his future with the club. He didn't show enough to earn a spot, but he's shown some promise and he is still young enough to fight for a job next year. He gets three feathers for his year, which wasn't bad, but it wasn't spectacular.

Victor Martinez: (73 G, 226 AB) .278/.337/.365, 1 HR, 35 RBI, 30 R
Victor Martinez's year was derailed by a hamstring injury on opening day and then a floating bone chip in his elbow. It hurt his power stroke, not hitting a home run until he made his recovery and was playing again in September.

This was a lost year for Martinez, but he'll be back in 2009. He gets three feathers for showing that the injury was the reason for his struggles as he really came back and provided a spark in September. He also sort of stepped up as the emotional leader for this team with no one else there. His willingness to share the catching duties with Shoppach also shows he's thinking for the betterment of the team.

Eric Wedge: 81-81 Record
Eric Wedge had a year that he probably will want to forget.

You can't blame him for the failed expectations; he was not the reason for that. A lot of the hitting woes can be placed onto the shoulders of Derek Shelton. However, this team got decimated with injuries to key cogs, so it's hard to judge just how well of a job Eric Wedge did.

It isn't an excuse, but rather a hindrance on ones ability to properly grade Wedge. So for that, he's getting the average three feather salute. Wedge did his best to make due with what he had, but you can look at some of the decisions he made, and praise him or bash him.

Start with the Ben Franciso debacle, talk about the Andy Marte situation and end with the bewilderment of Jamey Carroll and Casey Blake obsession. Wedge has made plenty of questionable calls this year. But he's made due the best he can with what he had and for the most part, when his job was to find out about what we have, he did that. He still wanted to win games, but he did find out about players like Shin-Soo Choo. For that, Wedge earns three feathers. He wasn't good, but he wasn't bad.

Franklin Gutierrez: (134 G, 399 AB) .248/.307/.383, 8 HR, 41 RBI, 9/12 SB, 54 R
It was a good omen seeing Franklin Gutierrez hit a grand slam home run on opening day, at least I thought it was. Gutierrez had a pedestrian year at the plate after his great start to the season. He had every opportunity to win the starting right field job, but just could never find himself.

Gutierrez could go into next year as the fourth outfielder or he could be traded. His talent potential is high as a kid who can do it all. He has the arm, he can play defense, we know he has some pop in his bat. He is a loaded player but he needs it to click. Luckily he is still young and hope is still around. He had a sophomore dip, especially with his numbers, but I wouldn't be giving up on him. He gets two feathers for his defense, but he needs to get better at the plate.

Rafael Betancourt: (69 Games) 3-4, 5.07 ERA, 1.420 WHIP, 12 HLD, 4 SV, 71 IP, 64 K, 25 BB, 11 HR
The thing that sticks out the most about Rafael Betancourt's down season was his home run total. Last year he gave up just four home runs. This year he gave up his fourth home run in May.

Betancourt's control from last year didn't carry over, which is understandable. But, Rafael was stubborn and constantly disregarded the words of his pitching coach Carl Willis and Eric Wedge. He would not pitch inside, as many times as he would go out there, he'd continue to throw the ball outside. Because his control was not there, that ball would no longer hit the outside corner, it would float in and get hit the other way.

Betancourt started to come around down the stretch, but his year was a huge disappointment. He will have a chance to redeem himself next year, but this bullpen will not be the same if he doesn't bounce back. He had a career year in 2007, no one expects him to replicate it. But he needs to heed the word of his coaches and try and regain a little bit of that magical control. He gets two feathers for the extreme disappointment.

Josh Barfield (Cle+Buf): (85 G, 332 AB) .243/.292(Buf)/.368(Buf), 5 HR, 25 RBI, 9/14 SB, 33 R
I took into account Josh's numbers from Buffalo, seeing as he played half his year there. He wasn't what you were hoping for, but you are talking about a player who was a significant piece to San Diego's playoff run in his rookie year. He probably doesn't think he deserves to be in Triple-A.

That isn't what Barfield is thinking, but I'm sure that explains his pedestrian numbers. In Cleveland he got his shot with Asdrubal Cabrera's struggles but promptly dislocated his finger and was sidelined for two months. I think Barfield did a good job in the off-season with recommitting to the game and seeking advice from his dad. I thought he'd have the chance and he'd run with it this year, but he simply was on the bad end of luck.

He only gets two feathers, but this isn't a reflection on his performance with the big league club. He got his real shot in September and he looked like he was starting to come on. I want to see him do well in Spring Training next year before we give up on young Barfield, he has all sorts of talent.

Zach Jackson: (9 Starts) 2-3, 5.60 ERA, 1.427 WHIP, 54.2 IP, 30 K, 14 BB, 7 HR
Zach Jackson sure had an interesting by baseball standards. Four teams, including two major league ones, a trade and a first win in legendary Fenway park against Josh Beckett.

Jackson came on strong in his second batch of starts, picking up a couple of wins. He came over in the Sabathia trade as a "throw-in" and a guy the Brewers had given up on at the age of 25. Jackson probably doesn't have much of a future as a starting pitcher, but he showed he can get outs at the big league level. He might have a place on this team as a long-man next year.

Two feathers for Jackson as I was real impressed with him down the stretch. He is definitely in the mix next year, but because he is out of options, he'll have a lot to prove. I would give him three for exceeding expectations, but he didn't pitch enough.

Jeremy Sowers: (22 Starts) 4-9, 5.58 ERA, 1.488 WHIP, 121 IP, 64 K, 39 BB, 18 HR
Jeremy Sowers' had some tough luck winning games this year.

After spending the year in Buffalo, Sowers got his shot when Jake Westbrook got hurt for the second time and CC Sabathia was traded. He really started to find himself with the guidance of Sal Fasano.

Sowers has put himself in a position to compete with the likes of Aaron Laffey and Anthony Reyes next year in spring training. But, Sowers still hasn't shown the brilliance of his rookie year, which has many skeptical if he can really be what we think he can. Two feathers for a great effort, but still, Sowers is not meeting expectations.

Brendan Donnelly: (15 Games) 1-0, 8.56 ERA, 2.195 WHIP, 4 HLD, 13.2 IP, 8 K, 10 BB, 2 HR
You may want to rag on Brendan Donnelly for the high ERA and his shaky outings. But Brendan Donnelly was battling back from a tough injury. The Indians put some stock into him and let him rehab through their organization.

We'll see if that stock pays off in the off-season as they debate whether to bring him back and see if he wants to come back. Donnelly's MLB year was okay, not impressive or eye opening. His WHIP is something to scream about but Donnelly is a pro and he's been there before.

If they can bring him back on a low-risk deal, he might be worth it as a veteran. Donnelly gets one feather for his performance, but he is much better than that.

David Dellucci: (113 G, 336 AB) .238/.307/.405, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 3/5 SB, 41 R
David Dellucci is a poster child of the 2008 year, which I've deemed as the year of "Frustration." Whether it's his play or the fact that he is still on this team, Dellucci is frustrating. He "beat out" Ben Francisco to start the year, along with Jason Michaels.

Wedge claims that Dellucci is a leader in the clubhouse, which I can buy to an extent. But if he is leader, he isn't an emotional leader. Dellucci doesn't get it done with the bat the way they play him. If he was a leader and his sole purpose was to "lead" he shouldn't be playing as much as he is.

I don't think Dellucci has a place on this team, especially not with the potential of Choo and Francisco. That would make him the fourth outfielder, but he can't run, he can't play defense and he can't play every outfield spot. That makes him utterly useless. I'd rather waste a spot for Sal Fasano as the designated leader.

Either way, Dellucci had another poor year. His OBP continues to decline since his days in Texas and he is no longer a useful player. His one feather is a combination of taking up space from Francisco, Choo and Gutierrez and the fact that he is still on this team.

Travis Hafner: (57 G, 198 AB) .197/.305/.323, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 1/2 SB, 21 R
Like David Dellucci, Travis Hafner could be a fitting poster boy to that frustration mantra, but for different reasons. Hafner's injury is frustrating, as it was one that basically made his 2008 a lost cause.

Perhaps it was good though. I gave him one feather because I didn't know where else to put him. Considering this an incomplete feather, because Hafner's grade will depend on how well he plays next year. I do believe that his strength will be back next year and once he gets his timing back, we may see a rejuvenated "Pronk." I think its forced him to get back to the basics and no longer flail at those outside pitches that pitchers make him hit. He got away from what made him a dangerous hitter and when he gets back to how he used to hit, which I think the injury has made him do, he'll be the Hafner of old.

Brian Slocum (Cle+Buf): (32 Games-11 Starts) 3-7, 5.37 ERA, 1.527 WHIP, 1 SV, 3 HLD, 87.1 IP, 82 K, 42 BB, 14 HR
I included Brian Slocum in the mix because this was an important year for him with this team. He spent most of the year in Buffalo but Slocum appeared in Cleveland a few times to get absolutely lambasted.

Slocum in my opinion has no future with this team. His time is running out, he's getting older and he is a man without a pitching role. He might come into next year competing, but he'll end up on the wire. I give just one feather for Slocum for his combined effort in Buffalo and Cleveland.

Andy Marte: (80 G, 235 AB) .221/.268/.315, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 1/2 SB, 21 R
Oh Andy, Andy, Andy! Andy Marte's season is one of disgust and wonderment. First, we knew and I think most were perfectly fine keeping him around on the bench as a backup. But he simply didn't get any at bats what so ever. Then it got to a point where the team was going no where and Casey Blake was traded. Marte got his shot to prove himself.

He wasn't impressive and he didn't do what we thought he was capable of. Marte is probably a bust when it comes to high ceiling prospects. He just doesn't look like he can hit at the big league level. His glove is something to rave about, I love his defense. But he needs to hit and he is simply not doing that. He looked better once he got his shot full time, but you have to wonder about a kid who can't get it done.

He is still young, but if not now, when? Marte he has had ample time at the big league level to prove himself. Maybe he needs a change of scenery. I've given him one feather and it hurts to do so because I really like him. But, unless he comes to Spring Training in much better shape, something he didn't do this year, and starts hitting the cover off the ball. I see no future for Andy Marte in Cleveland.

Juan Rincon (w/CLE): (22 Games) 1-1, 5.13 ERA, 1.540 WHIP, 2 HLD, 26.1 IP, 19 K, 8 BB, 3 HR
Considering Juan Rincon pitched just as much for the Cleveland Indians this year as he did for the Minnesota Twins, I'm looking for improvement.

I don't really see much, other than he fixed his control problems and didn't walk as many hitters. But he still gave up runs and he still wasn't effective as he used to be.

I think Donnelly has more potential going forward than Rincon does. But, never underestimate the power of a clubhouse. Rincon has a lot of Venezuelan teammates here in Cleveland, including catcher Victor Martinez that he might be able to benefit from. I'd bring him in for a competition if he's willing. He gets just one feather because I wasn't totally impressed with what he did, like I said, he only improved in one aspect.

Derek Shelton: Runs Scored - 805, Team Average - .262
Derek Shelton's season was a rough start.

The turnaround might have saved his job, but if this team has another cold opening to the season, he will find himself on the hot seat. Shelton deserves a lot of the blame for the poor batting averages that were there at the start of the season. His sound ways of taking pitches and making the pitchers pitch to you was no longer working. Pitchers adjusted to the style of play the Indians had and they threw a lot of first pitch strikes.

Shelton did not adjust accordingly and for that he deserves just one feather. The team came on strong at the end of the year and ended up scoring an MLB top ten 800 plus runs. But it is unacceptable to start the season the way they did offensively.

Cliff Lee
Is there any other option to pick for Team MVP? It has to be Cliff Lee, who is the hands down favorite to win the AL Cy Young award and has accounted for 27 percent of his team's victories. It was Lee that was always there to stop a streak or derail a funk. He stopped multiple losing streaks on more than one occasion and when he pitched, there was a sense of immortality, as if the team wouldn't lose. He energized a defense to play well and excited an offense to support him. Cliff Lee is the hands down MVP of this 2008 team. Without him, there would be no season and there would be no good thing to look back on. He made Indians baseball watchable in the bleak periods and made it must-see TV in the bright ones. Cliff Lee is the first recipient of the Golden Feather, our Cleveland Indians Team MVP!

Jamey Carroll
This award could go in several different ways, but because the little guy is always the most liked, I bestow the silver feather onto Jamey Carroll. Carroll was big for the Indians when they didn't have a second baseman or a hitter in the two hole. Carroll stepped in and stepped up as the team's spark plug. Most memorable will be his battles with Travis Hafner over fantasy football transactions, but Carroll's clubhouse presence is also something to praise. Jamey Carroll is the silver feather recipient for the 2008 Cleveland Indians, our unsung hero!

There it is...The end of the year feathers for the 2008 Cleveland Indians. This is just the begining of our 2008 wrap-up. There is more to come!

If the Pirates Lose, and Nobody Sees It, Did It Really Happen?

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:40:37 -0500

Well, they lost, and nobody saw it because it wasn't on TV [Dejan explains why].
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Jimmy Barthmaier did not pitch particularly well. His first inning was so ugly that the PBC Blog [link above] was compiling a list of things he'd rather be doing instead of pitching at the moment:

A list of things Barthmaier would rather be doing: Root canal without novocaine, playing Olympic team handball, watching the final two minutes of an NBA game ... sitting at a red light in Bradenton ... winning an all-expenses paid vacation to Phoenix in mid-August...

(there are more in the comments).
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Anyway, he gave up 3 runs in 5 innings, and all the Bucs mustered was an Adam LaRoche RBI double and a Jason Michaels RBI triple.
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With the 3-2 loss, the Pirates have sealed the #4 draft pick next season. San Diego cannot lose 100.
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Charlie at [Bucs Dugout] breaks down how bad the Pirate defense has been this year and how much it has hurt the pitchers.
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And finally, [this player poll] reflecting on the season is mildly entertaining. They voted on team MVP (Nate), best pitcher (Maholm), high point of season (comeback against St. Louis), best defenseman (McLouth), and team leader (Mientkiewicz).

Ending On a Good Note

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:40:36 -0500

Well, we won, so it stays raised all offseason, right?

Adam LaRoche and Steve Pearce (who had a monster final week) homered. Ross Ohlendorf was O.K. but did not last long enough to get a win. Michaels had a big day as well. Final score 6-1 good guys.

Look for the season wrapup stuff to start coming at you later this week.

Tough to believe we're officially finished. But watching the postseason is always fun.

Tribe's first half offense - God awful but getting better

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:39:32 -0500

As some of you know, I've recently been asked to join MVN's Tribe Report, where a team of three writers - myself, James Pete and Brian La Shier - provide extensive and sophisticated (well the other two do any anyway) coverage of the Tribe.

Below is the first part (my contribution) of a three-part series which will look at the Tribe's first-half and a bit of what we might see the rest of the way. The other two posts will be coming over the All-Star break.

You should check out the site. You'll be glad you did.

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I could sum up the Tribe's first-half offense with one five-letter word. S-U-C-K-S !!

But since you came to this Web site for info, I assume you are looking for a little more than that.

So here goes.

For much of the first half of the season, the Indians' offense was just plain dreadful. The team was last in the league in hitting - with a team BA in the low .230's. Those are 1968-like (Year of the Pitcher) numbers.

Watching the Tribe bat for most of the first half of the season was painful to the eyes - and the nose (the stink made it all the way through to my TV set).

Making it even tougher to watch was the fact that the Tribe had a stretch of games in late April and early May where the starting pitchers were throwing like it was 1968, but they could never get more three games above .500.

In a stretch from April 18 to May 15, Indians pitchers gave up three or fewer runs in 20 of 25 games - 7 of which were shutouts. The team was 22-19 at the end of that stretch - the high-water mark of the season.

With its low-.230's BA, the Tribe was last in the league in hitting and also at, or near, the bottom in runs scored for most of the first half.

Hobbled by injuries to, and ineffectiveness of, the three-hole and clean-up hitters - Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner respectively - most of the rest of the hitters (term used loosely) in the Indians' lineup uderpeformed. (Ryan Garko, David Dellucci, Franklin Gutierrez you know we're talking about you.)

Others - Grady Sizemore, Casey Blake and Jhonny Peralta - are performing at about expected levels .

Jamey Carroll is about the only Tribesman who is performing better than expected simply because he is now an everyday player, something no one had imagined during spring training.

No one really could say with any certainty they knew what Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo would do. Choo started out hot after returning from Tommy John surgery but has been a bit of a disappointment after the hot start.

Ben Francisco is having a solid first full season and was on fire heading into the break.

But, the Tribe's offense has gone from unbearably bad to about average in recent weeks.

In the past 30 days the team has hit a more-respectable .263 and the team BA is now at .248 - still last in the league but lot's better than the low .230's and just behind 13th-place Oakland at .250.

The turning point seems to have come in a series in Texas at the beginning of June, when the high winds and hot temperatures helped both teams propel balls out of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington . Since the first game of that series, in which the Tribe scored 35 runs in three games, Cleveland has averaged 5.08 runs a game in 36 games. That's up from 4.03 average in the first 56 games of the year.

While the Texas series seems to be the jumping off point for the offense, some folks point to the insertion of Peralta into the clean-up spot as the a catalyst. But that doesn't seem to have been the difference, at least for the team overall. The Tribe is averaging 4.9 runs a game in the 17 games since Peralta was put into the No. 4 hole, virtually the same as their output since that memorable series in Texas.

The change has done Peralta a world of good though. He's hit an even .300 in those 17 games, with four homers, 11 runs scored and 14 RBIs.

To me, the key to the Tribe's offensive surge-ette has been the decision to correct two serious mistakes.

Hafner last appeared in a game on May 25, and Martinez on June 11 - both roughly around the time the offense started to pick up. It seems clear to me that the long-overdue decisions to put two hurting and hampered players on the DL instead of the middle of the lineup has made all the difference.

How can a team expect to score runs with their No. 3 hitter (Martinez: hamstring and elbow surgery) and No. 4 hitter (Hafner: shoulder) unable to swing a bat anywhere close to normal and making weak outs in the middle of the order? Of all the mistakes the Tribe deep thinkers have made this year, allowing these two to try to play through debilitating injuries was the biggest.

Other reasons for the offensive brownout in the first half include:

- The regression of Garko who at .237 is hitting nearly 40 points below his lifetime average

- The utter failure of Gutierrez, who is hitting only .215 with three homers and is now riding the bench

- The failure of the David Dellucci/Jason Michaels platoon (Dellucci .226; Michaels DFA'd)

- Literally no contribution from Asdrubal Cabrera (hit .184 before being sent to Buffalo in June)

On the other side of the ledger, the brights spot in the first-half were:

- Blake, who has hit so well in the clutch that he has 51 RBI on only 82 hits

- Sizemore - has 21 SB's and a league-leading 22 homers, making a 30-30 season very likely

- Francisco - .288, 8 HRs, 34 RBIs and 816 OPS

Kelly Shoppach is not exactly ripping it up, but he is hitting about .250 with a little bit power in his first full-time role, which are typical starting-catcher numbers.

Peralta, another Tribesman tearing it up heading into the break, is having his typical season overall - spurts of greatness and periods where he looks like he's never grabbed a bat in his life. That usually amounts to roughly 20 homers a year and a .260-or-so average. That seems to be where he is heading this year as well, with his .257 average and 15 dingers at the break.

Carroll is at .267, has taken over as the starter at 2B and plays an intelligent game. He's able to bunt, move a runner and slap a single when you need it, which is just what you want in the No. 2 hole.

While the offense seems to be hitting its stride as the teams take a three-day break, it's hard to say what to expect the rest of the way

Were Hafner's hitting woes a result of his shoulder injury, as seems likely? Or were they just a continuation of the deterioration that Pronk had started to show throughout most of last season? Will we even see Hafner - whose shoulder is at about 50% - again in '08.

Will Victor get his power back with his elbow repaired and his hammy rested? He didn't hit a single homer prior to his injury.

The team's second- and third-highest RBI men, Blake (51) and Peralta (45), are also the most-often-mentioned players in trade rumors, with the deadline looming.

Cabrera - now ripping up Triple-A - is likely to come back up in the second half. Will he resemble the confident, competent creative hitter of last year or the early-season disaster we saw this year?

Will we see the newly acquired Matt LaPorta? What can we expect from him given he's never played above Double-A and has the weight of fan expectations on his shoulders as the key piece in the CC Sabathia trade?

Unfortunately the answers to those questions won't matter much for the rest of this season. But they will make a big difference in the planning for '09, as the Tribe and its fans wait - once again - for next year.

(note to nit-pickers: The stats in this article are through Friday night's games and do not include Saturday or Sunday due to edit time requirements .)

Bucs Lose in Extras

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:16:50 -0500

As good as the Pirates have been in extra innings, they weren't quite good enough today. But they were darn close.
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Two good young pitchers started, Maholm and Kershaw, and neither got a decision (meaning Paul will have just one more shot at a 10th win), although both pitched quite well. The score was 3-3 after nine innings that featured clutch hits by Andy LaRoche and Luis Cruz, plus lots of walks. Lots and lots of walks.
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In the 10th, Nyjer Morgan was hit by a pitch leading off. After an out and walk, he was on second base when Jason Michaels tapped one back to the mound. I did not see the play (game wasn't on TV) but [Paul Meyer] did:

Michaels hit a bouncer to [pitcher] Park, who tried to throw out McLouth at second, but nobody covered. Park's throw almost zipped into center field, but Dewitt [2B] was able to make a diving stop. The ball rolled out of his glove and Morgan tried to score, but catcher Martin made a great stop on a short hop and survived Morgan's charge into him to get the out at the plate. Joe Beimel is in to face Adam LaRoche — who flied to left on the first pitch. On to the 11th.
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Nyjer was on base all day (and has been ever since getting called up) but the baserunning is becoming absolutely ridiculous. My impression was that the Dodgers made a great play rather than Nyjer making a stupid one, but the man has made so many plays like that in so little time, it's unbelievable.
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Nothing happened in the 11th, but when Craig Hansen came out, you knew what was going to happen:
Walks. Lots and lots of walks.
Alas, the leadoff man...........walked. Hansen went 3-0 on the next guy but struck him out somehow. He then intentionally walked Manny, then proceeded to UN-intentionally walk the next batter to load the bases. Beam was able to get out of it with just one run scoring, but that was just another display of Craig Hansen's terrifying control problems.
That made it 11 Pirate walks allowed. 11.
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The Bucs got Nyjer to 2nd with one out, 3rd with two outs in the bottom of the inning, but Michaels did not come through in the clutch.
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Sorry for no GameDay this morning. The 12:35 games are always tough, last night went kind of late and it isn't as if today's game was absoultely earthshakingly huge. Hopefully you caught the mini-update in the box in the upper right corner.

Steve Pearce--Met Killer

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:45:48 -0500

Two straight Monday afternoon games against the Mets.

Two deficits.
Two game winning hits by Steve Pearce.
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Pearce has been very unimpressive since his callup, but this makes two weeks in a row that he did in the Mets in the Pirates' final at-bat.
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Paul Maholm was shaky early and gave up a run in the first (shocking, I know), but limited the damage and allowed just one more run in his 7 innings. The Pirate offense was remarkably silent once again--until Doumit led off the 6th with a single and Adam LaRoche homered to tie things up. That happened as soon as John Maine exited the game, despite having not allowed a run through 5.
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The game stayed tied through 7 and a half--although Yates loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the 8th, but Burnett bailed him out by inducing a Delgado pop up.
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With one out in the bottom of the inning, Adam singled. Michaels did the same after a pitching change. Little LaRoche (0/3 at that point) was intentionally walked. Mistake: Pearce came through with a single to give the Bucs a lead. Jack followed up with a double to open things up and build the 3 run lead.
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No doubt you'll hear all about how bad the Mets bullpen is on Sportscenter tonight.
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Grabow saved it despite two walks in the ninth. And as a result, Burnett picked up his first win in about 4 years.
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Phillies 6, Pirates 3

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:23:06 -0500

The Bucs were in a good position to take a win and this series from their cross-state rivals.
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The Pirates took a 1-0 lead on a Minky double after a Moss double. Shortly after, though, Jason Davis threw away a bunt, Michaels made another error on the same play, and the Phillies took a 2-1 lead. Davis pitched well and did not allow an earned run, but those two hurt. Still, it's the 5th Pirate quality start in a row. Can't complain.
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Another thing we can't complain about--Jason Michaels. With 1st and 3rd and 2 out, down 1 in the 6th, he laced a double down the line off Moyer to give the Bucs a 3-2 lead. Absolutely huge hit. The Bucs cruised along for an inning.
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Yates came in. Yates stunk. Horribly. He allowed two straight doubles to the No. 8 hitter and a pinch hitter (game tied), then threw a wild pitch (go ahead run to 3rd with no out), then got our hopes up by getting 2 outs without allowing the run, then threw it all away when Chase Utley (who was hitless in the whole series) hit a bomb to put Philly ahead.
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Craig Hansen allowed the last run (he is REALLY wild...) and the Philly bullpen shut it down from there. Bummer.
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The Bucs went 3-6 on the road trip against all first-place teams. They have a make-up game with the Mets tomorrow before returning home.

Phillies 6, Pirates 3

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:23:06 -0500

Pirates Beat Josh Fogg

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:23:05 -0500

5-2 Bucs was the final. I saw none of the game and am typing this from a hotel with limited internet access, so check the [recap] for details. Paul Maholm pitched well, and Doumit and Michaels keyed the offense. If I don't get a chance to write a Gameday tomorrow, the matchup is Cueto vs. Snell at 7:05.

Adam LaRoche is coming back. Jose Bautista goes to the minors--a slightly surprising move, but I agree with it.

The Bucs signed 5th round pick Justin Wilson--the pitcher who threw a gem in the deciding Game 3 of the College World Series for Fresno State.

Disaster in South Philly

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:19:48 -0500

I have to be honest. The Phillies have finally left me speechless. I really don't want to sound like one of those stereotypical "Negadelphians", but after watching last light's loss to the Pirates, the taste in my mouth from Thursday's loss to the Marlins has intenstified. Despite a superb pitching performance by starter Joe Blanton, who pitched seven one-hit innings, the Phillies offense was never able to get it going against Paul Maholm (7IP, 5H, 3BB, 10K), Sean Burnett (.2IP, 1H, 0BB, 1K), Denny Bautista (.1IP, 0H, 1BB, 0K), John Grabow (1IP, 0H, 0BB, 0K), TJ Beam (2IP, 0H, 3BB, 0K), and Craig Hansen (1IP, 0H, 2BB, 0K). It's not like the Phillies didn't have any chances, they left 13 men on base. They just couldn't get a base hit when it counted. In the first inning Shane Victorino was left on third base when Ryan Howard grounded to second. A rally in the second was squashed when Eric Bruntlett hit into an inning ending double play. In the third, Jimmy Rollins was left on second base when Chase Utley struck out. Rollins was again left on second base in the fifth (with Victorino at first), when Utley struck out for the second time. In the eighth, Victorino was stuck at second when Pat Burrell flied out to left (in Burell's defense, that did appear to be a home run, that the wind held in the park). In the bottom of the tenth Burell popped up to first base with the bases loaded. Finally in the twelfth Rollins was left on second after Utley flied out to left (on a beautiful diving grab by Brandon Moss), and Victorino was doubled off first base, ending the game. As I said, the Phillies had plenty of chances. While the offense continued to struggle the pitching once again held up, well at least until the 12th inning. After Blanton departed after seven innings Chad Durbin and J.C. Romero each pitched an inning and a third of perfect baseball. Brad Lidge came in with two outs and the bases empty in the tenth inning, only to load them on a single and two walks. He got out of the jam when former Phillie, Jason Michaels, fouled out to the catcher. The twelfth inning was a different story. With Les Walrond on the mound (entering his second inning of work), Ryan Doumit doubled to left field. He moved to third when Moss grounded to Utley. Doumit scored when Steve Pearce doubled down the left field line. After Jose Bautista was intentionally walked, Clay Condrey replaced Walrond and gave up consecutive infield singles to Jack Wilson and Freddie Sanchez, allowing Pearce to score and giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead. There's absolutely no excuse for this loss. The Pirates are one of baseball's worst teams, and have one of the leagues worst pitching staffs. While they will win their share of games, they're not a team that shuts you out for 12 innings. How any of the Phillies players left the clubhouse last night with any shred of pride is beyond me. The Phillies haven't scored a run in 23 consecutive innings. This is the second longest streak since 2000 when they didn't score a run in 24 consecutive innings. It's also the first time they've been shut out in consecutive games since 1999. I don't care how talented this offense is, there is cause for concern. Excuses like Rollins telling the media "at least they're still in first place" is getting real old. The Phillies need to quit making excuses for their inconsistant play. Someone needs to take responsability for these scoring lulls and if the players aren't going to do it, it needs to be management, be it Milt Thompson or Charlie Manuel. The Phillies look like a team only concerned about winning the division, and as long as they're still in first place all is well. They fail to see the bigger picture, which is winning a World Series; something this team isn't ready to do. With the Mets defeating the Marlins 3-0, the Phillies find their lead only one game ahead of hte second place Mets and 1 and a half over the Marlins. The Phillies will turn to Brett Myers (4-9 5.34) tonight, as he looks for his third consecutive strong outing. He'll face Ian Snell (4-8, 6.14). Knowing the Phillies inconsistencies, this will be the game they score 20.

TYPICAL PIRATES; TYPICAL (ANDY) LAROCHE

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:06:02 -0500

If anyone had the stomach to endure what turned out to be a very difficult Pirate game to watch, you were treated to what you've noticed for the past four months or so. Good hitting, lousy pitching. There was your standard lousy start followed by the pitcher being demoted, Jason Michaels depositing a momentum changing homerun late in the game and a bullpen implosion. The Pirate bats looked good in the top of the first, getting to Cy Young candidate Dan Haren for three early runs, thanks in large part to Brandon Moss' two-run double. Doug Mient…whatever his name is and Jason Michaels each hit solo homers that kept it close, but it was pretty apparent that our pitchers were either jet lagged, missing their Cuban families or just plain awful last night.

Last night was hard to watch, but otherwise, I'm rather entertained by the group of players we're putting out there. It's fun to see McLouth, Doumit, Andy LaRoche, Moss and Pearce all batting next to each other. That might not last long as it was reported today that Andy LaRoche has a strained right thumb (same injury sustained earlier this year) that might require some rest. One of the major knocks on Andy LaRoche has been the injury bug. He's always been considered a "top prospect" but injuries have hung over him like a black cloud. I would hate to see this require a stint on the DL, since he has yet to have a chance to play regularly at the major league level, but judging by his track record, I shouldn't hold my breath.

TYPICAL PIRATES; TYPICAL (ANDY) LAROCHE

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:06:02 -0500

Tribe's first half offense - God awful but getting better

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:39:55 -0500

I could sum up the Tribe's first-half offense with one five-letter word. S-U-C-K-S !! But since you came to this Web site for info, I assume you are looking for a little more than that. So here goes.

MVP's Of The Day July 12th

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:57:24 -0500

These are the MVP's of the day in no particular order -3B Alex Rodriguez: hit his 537th career home run passing Mickey Mantle on the all time list -SS Derek Jeter: hit his 200th career homerun -1B Kevin Youkilis: hit his first career grand slam and had a career high 6 RBI in a win against the Orioles -OF Reed Johnson: walk off hit in the 9th against the Giants -OFJason Michaels: walk off homerun in the 10th to beat the Cardinals

MLB Trade Rumors July 13th

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:57:10 -0500

The tallest player in baseball reliever Jon Rauch is drawing interest from the Rays,Redsox and D-Backs. The Phillies have little interest in trading for starter A.J. Burnett and the Phillies are on Burnetts 15 team no trade list in his contract. The Angels are not interested in aquiring Matt Holliday but the Dodgers,Redsox are still intersted, even the Nationals are interested. The Yankees are interested in aquiring Xavier Nady from the Pittsburgh Pirates.