2007 Home Opener -- The Snow Game

Once again, Major League Baseball has shown that incompetence is running rampant in the front office. Yes, those brainiacs scheduled a team that only comes to Cleveland once in '07 to a four game series in April.

Friday was the home opener for the Cleveland Indians. They were playing the Seattle Mariners. This is the most celebrated game in Cleveland all year and MLB managed to rain on Cleveland's parade. The first problem, they scheduled the game on Good Friday. It would be nice if MLB had a little more consideration for Cleveland's faithful and stop scheduling home openers on Good Friday. This really causes dilemas for people who want to be part of the celebrations and also want to keep the sacredness of this most holy day. There have been two Friday home openers in the last 12 years and they both fell on Good Friday.

Second, by scheduling the game with a team that only visits Cleveland once, they don't leave the home team any option for postponing the game. They had no business playing on Friday, but, because of the scheduling, they had no choice but to try to go ahead as planned.

I've been going to home openers ever since I was 15. I've gone to the last 15 of 16 home openers and this was the craziest thing I've ever seen. There weren't only flurries, there were actual white-outs!! There were times we couldn't see the field. That didn't stop the party in Cleveland. The bars were filled well before game time. People enjoying cold beverages on the restaurant patios leading to the Jake. And by game time, I would guess, there were at least 20,000 in their seats. Many more in the several bars/bar areas around the Jake. The fans made the best of the cold and the snow. The Indians played I'm dreaming of a White Christmas and Let it Snow during the delays. A fan ran out onto the field and made a snow angel. The grounds crew used leaf blowers to clear the snow off the field. Despite the cold, the fans had a blast!! The Indians made the best of it as well, as they took a 4-0 lead into the 5th. And then, the final blow was delivered by MLB...

The umpires did not have control over the game. With the Tribe leading 4-0, two outs, bases loaded, a 1-2 count on the batter, in the top of the 5th; they allowed Mike Hargrove to come out and argue that the batter could not see the ball. At this point, the snow was no worse than at any other point in the inning. One more out, and the game was official. Instead of telling Hargrove that they were finishing the inning and to get back in the dugout; the umps allowed Hargrove to argue until the snow got so bad, they had no choice but to stop the game. Eventually the game was suspended. Meaning, the game needed to be replayed from the beginning. The Indians lead - Paul Byrd's victory - erased. The fans sat in the cold cheering their team for at least 4 hours for nothing. It would have made sitting in the cold worthwhile to see a victory.

Despite everything that went wrong, this will be one game that everyone in Cleveland tells their grandchildren about. I can hear it now; "Back in my day, we went to Home Openers in blizzards. And we loved it!!!"

Why the Indians Won't Make the '07 Playoffs

The Indians wasted a scrappy performance by Jeremy Sowers Thursday. This game is a textbook example of why the Indians will not make the playoffs as long as Eric Wedge is the manager. I know it's early; but, what I saw (well...actually I heard) on Thursday is what I've been seeing ever since Wedge took over. He is incapable of playing small ball, which is critical when playing good teams. When facing good pitching, you have to manufacture runs and Wedge does not know how to do that; nor, does he prepare his team to do that.

The White Sox won a championship because they knew how to play small ball. They won Thursday because they manufactured runs. In the first inning, Scott Podsednik leads off with a hit. Steals second. Then Darin Erstad was able to get the ball to the right side of the infield, allowing Posednik to move to third. This is something Wedge's team has always struggled to do: advance base runners. Then Paul Konerko grounds out scoring Podsednik. Wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, one quick run. Nothing fancy, nothing spectacular, just a very ordinary run. When the Indians had the chance to do that, they failed.

It was the ninth inning. After David Dellucci walked, Jhonny Peralta steps up to the plate. He takes two horrible tries at bunting the man over. He struck out on three pitches. I don't entirely blame Peralta, although a major leaguer should know how to bunt; but, the manager has to make practicing bunting a priority. A major leaguer not being able to bunt, is like a Le Bron James not knowing how to make a free throw. Tom Hamilton, the play-by-play guy for Indians baseball, pointed out that Chicago dedicates an entire field to situational hitting in spring training. They practice stuff like bunting and hitting the ball to the right side. That's why they are so good at advancing runners. In fact, Peralta should have been benched Friday for failing to get the job done. I want guys on the team that are willing to do what it takes to win. If he's not willing to learn how to bunt, sit him and bring up someone that is. I heard that in an interview, Wedge said that he would not have had Peralta bunt in that situation. Why? Because Bobby Jenks is a good pitcher? What do you see in the playoffs; bad pitchers? I can't remember the last time I saw a team with a bad closer in the play-offs. Next time, make sure Peralta is able to do his job. Being able to do the little things is how you win games.

Another mistake he made was letting Marte hit. He had Trot Nixon on the bench. Why let a rookie hit when he has a veteran on the bench. This is a guy he brought to the team so he would have a good hitter to go to in key situations. We needed a hit in that situation, not a home run. Why pinch-hit for Garko, who has proven he can hit in key situations, and not pinch-hit for Marte? Wedge continually makes the wrong moves.

He compounded his offense mistakes with making the wrong pitching changes. In the late innings, he uses the same guys over and over again. Why let Rafael Betancourt and Roberto Hernandez pitch 3 games in a row? He still hasn't learned that you can't use relief pitchers game after game. I understand that everyone has to have their role; which is fine. But, you need to use some common sense when making decisions. If a guy has pitched in every game of a series, you don't bring him out again. First of all, their arms are tired. They can't throw as hard and the pitches are flatter. Second, Chicago had seen them twice already. They are know what to expect from these guys. So, what you have is the Chicago hitters looking for a certain pitch and when they get it, its easier to hit. Why have 12 pitchers on the roster if you're only going to use 9? He had Davis, Carmona, and Cabrera he could have used. Why didn't he use someone that hasn't pitched yet this season?

Wedge can't manage close games. His stategy is to swing hard and hope to hit the ball far. If his team can't homer, they can't score. He does not prepare his team to be able to do the little things it takes to win ballgames. He's got the talent, he just doesn't know how to use it.

Wedge was out managed once again.


"Thursday's victory also was reminiscent of so many taut contests that ended in the White Sox favor during the 2005 championship season. The White Sox finished with five hits but made the most of them through good situational hitting to manufacture two of the first three runs." Scott Merkin, reporter for MLB ~ Chicago White Sox website

Let The Games Begin!!

S-w-w-w-w-i-n-g and a miss and the '07 baseball season was on its way with Westbrook's first strike-out. Baseball is back and once again all is right with the world. It's great to hear the best radio guy in sports, Tom Hamilton again. He brightens the gloomiest of winter days. Although, there are a lot of questions for the Tribe this year, Hamilton's enthusiasm makes it hard not to be excited about this team.

Tom Hamilton and partner Mike Hegan continue their best to sell this team. They keep saying how great this team is and how excited they are about watching this team; but, it's hard to buy into the belief this team can win. There are bright spots and improvements have been made; but, they won't be enough to propel this team to the playoffs.

Even with his new eyes and being in the best shape of his career, Jhonny Peralta does not carry the weight of an everyday shortstop. While it was nice to see Wedge and Indian's management taking a proactive stance this year and prescribe an off-season work-out schedule for Peralta, he has a lot to make-up for with his 2006 performance. He was extremely poor on both sides of the ball last year. He can't get to anything hit to his left and only batted 257 -- and that was with a big surge at the end of the year. He's below average defense was acceptable to the Tribe because of his offensive numbers. Since he didn't hit last year, I don't see any benefit he brings to this team. I still can't believe the Tribe's brain trust thought this guy was capable of taking Omar's spot. It's very funny to hear the Tribe talk about how they are looking for an utility infielder that can play short day in and day out and produce if Peralta gets hurt. Shouldn't they find an everyday player that can do those things first?

To add to the left side of the infield woes, third base is another big concern. Andy Marte is hitting a blistering 204 in 74 games in the big leagues. Last year he made 6 errors in 50 games with the Indians. That means the entire left side of the infield is wide-open -- both in fielding and hitting. What is frustrating is that they have already have given Marte a spot, a player with a poor big-league while they are making Ryan Garko, a top-rated prospect with a stellar track record, sweat-out the spring. He must hope that Joe Inglett can play shortstop up to the Indians expectations in order to make the team.

Garko is going to be one of the best hitters in the majors and he's not guaranteed a spot on the team? If Garko does not make this team, it would be the biggest injustice the Tribe has seen since Belle was suspended for leveling Fernando Vina in '96. I'm looking forward to seeing him play -- all year.

Another bright spot is Josh Barfield. In the first game of the spring, he combined with Peralta to turn an amazing double play. The ball was hit softly to short. Peralta fielded it quickly and threw to Barfield who spun and with just using his arm, fired a strike over to first for the DP. It sounds like watching him play defense is going to be fun. It also sounds like he's going to create some excitement on the base paths this year -- if Wedge doesn't get in his way. He's got speed, he has National League experience (he can bunt), and boy, can he play. It'll be interesting to see if he can distract pitchers enough to allow Hafner to have a Monster year. He's one of the leading regulars this spring with a 324 average. I hope that translates into the regular season.

Speaking of Sizemore, he keeps on shining. He made a spectacular diving play, fighting the sun, on a sinking line drive. This kid is fun to watch!!

However, he's only batting 116 this spring. The numbers for the offense are bleak this year. Hafner is batting 237, Blake, 211, Nixon 200, Marte is one of the higher ones at 268. Although this is spring, those numbers are concerning. It's not good to be coming out of the spring in a slump.

However, it doesn't seem that management is concerned about starting slow. While the Tigers and White Sox have gotten off to blistering starts the last two seasons, management feels that they put too much pressure on getting off to a fast start last year. So, it looks like the Tribe will be playing catch-up once again this year -- if they ever get going. I don't understand why the Tribe isn't more concerned about this. If the White Sox and Tigers can do it -- and the Tigers were coming off a horrible year -- why isn't the Tribe wondering why they can't do it? Management is complacent with mediocrity. The Astros have finished first or second 12 out of the last 13 years and they've had four new managers. The A's went to the ALCS last year and Ken Macha was fired. Why is management happy with a manager who's team was the biggest disappointment of the 2006 season? Why don't they want to find a manager that wants to play well -- and can -- from the first game to the last?

This team is a house of cards, it looks pretty from the outside, but, the inside is ready to crumble. The starting rotation is good. The closer should be good. But, what about middle relief? Bettencourt and Hernandez aren't the bridge we need to get from the starter to the closer. They are shakier then one of those rope bridges. Our line-up with Michaels, Marte, and Peralta is far from solid. Add a manager who doesn't know how to get the most from his players and you have what the management is looking for -- mediocrity.

It's not all gloom and doom with the Tribe this year. Sizemore and Barfield are going to be fun to watch. Peralta is going to be better than last year -- but, that's not hard to predict; he can't get much worse than he was last year. The starters should have a good year. But, in the end, the won't have all the pieces they need to solve the playoff puzzle this year.

Spring Training '07

The 2007 season is just beginning and things have already started off on the wrong foot -- or should I say elbow -- once again for Dolan's Discounts.

I've been a Tribe fan for all my life. Normally at this time of year, I can't wait for the start of baseball. The season is full of hope. This is the year I'd always say. My neighbor would always tell me that the only way I'll see the Tribe in first place would be to turn the newspaper upside down. He was always right (back in those days, it was a pretty safe bet). However, this year, I'm not the least bit excited about the upcoming season. The reason -- Eric Wedge.

I'm tired of watching his teams' lackadaisical play in the field and constant errors. I'm not talking about strategy or decisions he makes during the game. I'm talking about basics. His teams are completely unprepared for their opponents. To start with, we have no philosophy for different pitchers except swing hard and often. Last year, they started off so well being patient at the plate. I was impressed. I thought that they learned something from the previous year. But, that only lasted a couple of weeks, then they went back to their old habits of swinging recklessly.

I can't watch another season full of errors that characterizes Wedge's teams. It's horrible. They make mental errors, defensive errors, and base running errors. Are these coaches doing any type of training with these players? We have outfielders that don't want to hit cut-off guys, we have fielders that boot the ball, pitchers that don't have a clue what to do with the ball if they catch it.

Speaking of pitchers, I think we are the only team that has a pitching staff that doesn't know how to hold a man on first. I can't believe major league pitchers are capable of being this bad at holding runners. To compound matters, we have a catcher that can't throw down to first. May be he should use Rube Baker's method of throwing and recite old Playboy profiles.

Even when the team can overcome it's poor play -- as they did in '05; Wedge's inexperience certainly becomes a factor. He was out-coached at the end of the '05 season when they had a chance to make the play-offs. Look at what Lou Pinella did that year with Tampa Bay. They had much worse personnel than we did, but, he had the second best record in the league that year. In that last week of the season; we saw who was the better manager.

The Indians should have gone after Sweet Lou. But, Dolan is content with watching mediocre play as long as it's cheap. And, Wedge comes about as cheap as you can get. I'm tired of hearing it's not Wedge's fault the team is not living up to expectations and that he's not under a microscope. I don't believe he's done one good thing since he's been here. I think the only reason we had a chance at the playoffs two years ago was because of Kevin Millwood. I don't believe that it was a coincidence we had the best pitching staff in the league the year Millwood spent with us; nor that we were the worst the year he left. We don't have quality coaches on this team (with the exception of Derek Shelton) and it starts with Wedge. He doesn't have the experience to be a major league manager. He has the ability to become one; but, he should be a coach for a quality manager first, such as Pinella or even Leyland.

This team has the ability to contend (which from the letters that the Indians send out, that's all they want to do) with the right manager. It's time for management to put Wedge under the microscope and see exactly everything he's not doing for this team. I know I'll be.