I wonder if we're "Real" in 2011.
keets
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The Cleveland Indians appears to be off to a running start this year while other more affluent and supposedly talented teams are standing still or trodding through quicksand. This marks perhaps the fifth season since renovation of the franchise in the early 1990's that a minimalist approach to winning Baseball has apparently proved successful for a decidedly small market. The Tribe's most recent runs have been thwarted by either injury or abandonment by proven veterans. The one which sticks out most for me is C.C. Sabathia who left to "win it all" elsewhere when what he really needed to do was step up against Boston a few years ago to grab the ring with the Indians, but I digress and turn my attention to this new group of hungry unknowns who are starting to play competitively.
Things started to turn around in Cleveland when the entire Farm System and organization of same was revamped starting in the early 1990's and culminating in the last few years with a switch back to Arizona for Spring Training. Currently all three levels of Minor League play are located within a few hours of the big league club which allows easy shuffling and observation as well as access to the facilities at the Jake to everyone as needed. Pitching prospects and young position players are starting to prove themselves, but the season is young.
Last year was a case of injuries to key players and luck------------too much of one and not enough of the other!!! I truly believe that those two factors shape the season at the Major League level for most teams. With the Cleveland Indians in 2011 it will be a simple formula; with the day-to-day position players be able to stay healthy and will the young pitchers be able to make it through the sometimes grueling summer without wearing out?? Thus far a short beginning the plan seems clear. There are enough horses in the stable to let someone sit when they're cold, players can be kept close by in the bushes while they play day to day and the bullpen(the only real experienced group) seems capable of allowing the young starters to rest after only 6-7 innings of work.
I'm encouraged but not overly excited. The "experts" and most dedicated fans looked for a good year, one with improvement and perhaps contention, but 2012 was what we all were looking forward to. I for one am pleasantly surprised so far.
Al H.
Things started to turn around in Cleveland when the entire Farm System and organization of same was revamped starting in the early 1990's and culminating in the last few years with a switch back to Arizona for Spring Training. Currently all three levels of Minor League play are located within a few hours of the big league club which allows easy shuffling and observation as well as access to the facilities at the Jake to everyone as needed. Pitching prospects and young position players are starting to prove themselves, but the season is young.
Last year was a case of injuries to key players and luck------------too much of one and not enough of the other!!! I truly believe that those two factors shape the season at the Major League level for most teams. With the Cleveland Indians in 2011 it will be a simple formula; with the day-to-day position players be able to stay healthy and will the young pitchers be able to make it through the sometimes grueling summer without wearing out?? Thus far a short beginning the plan seems clear. There are enough horses in the stable to let someone sit when they're cold, players can be kept close by in the bushes while they play day to day and the bullpen(the only real experienced group) seems capable of allowing the young starters to rest after only 6-7 innings of work.
I'm encouraged but not overly excited. The "experts" and most dedicated fans looked for a good year, one with improvement and perhaps contention, but 2012 was what we all were looking forward to. I for one am pleasantly surprised so far.
Al H.
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all good points. Hafner hasn't been 100% since his hand was broken in September of 2007 and the main reason the potential of 2008 forward was split up was due to injuries. when Santana and Sizemore went down last year it was a punch to the gut and i bet many, many loyalists thought "Here we go again!!" with Choo, well, i think it's a foregone conclusion that he'll hit, i just wonder how long the team can hold onto him. you mentioned OC and i think you should mention both of them; AC always seems to be in the thick of things, too. perhaps they need a whole starting lineup of Cabrera's.
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Ralph
I'll be there on the 12th with our daughter. They have some weather class thing there for school and then we get to go to the game.
My wife, kids, and I will all be at the game on the 13th.....Dollar dog nite and fireworks! Just snagged 5 bleacher seats in the 3rd row with Terrace Club passes for 60.00.
Also took the Steelers (Lost), the Sabres (Lost), the Bengals (not likely), the Bills (even less likely), and the Buckeyes for BCS (maybe?).
Right now I'm hanging on with hope.
Go Tribe!!!
<< <i>Just as long as the idiotic WSox lose every game they play, I'm good!!! >>
Thank you for not saying the Twins!
But I have no problem being beaten by good baseball which the Twins normally display healthy or not. And I can deal with the 3 game sweep our Tigers were handed by the clearly improved Tribe. This will be an interesting division and may the best team truly win!!!
Walk off HR by Hafner. I took the whole family and we sat in the 3rd row of the bleachers.
Perfect weather and a perfect ending.
i haven't even been able to even listen to a game on the radio all week but it appears that Tampa Bay extracted a measure of revenge for that string of losses at the Jake. what is it about these Florida teams playing so good on the road but sort of sucking at home, first it was the Dolphins and now the Rays?? i have two questions...........................
1.) what's the word on Sizemore??
2.) will Acta sit Choo for awhile and let him get his head together??
CDsNuts, 1/9/15
Is that his nickname in Cleveland?....me and my buddies have a slightly different version....a$$ dribble.
I will say he is quickly rising up the ranks of top SS in the league though....I'd take him on my team any day.
it's hard to tell exactly what happened but it hasn't been pretty. sometimes it's pitching that falters, sometimes hitting and sometimes fielding...........................this has been all three at once and what looked to be a promising season of surprises is getting very ugly. at the top of my list are two things-----Carmona needs to be sent somewhere, anywhere, until he can figure out what he's trying to do and where the strikezone is at(a clue: above that white thing in front of your catcher is where you should be aiming) and the hitters need to figure out something, anything. this is on the verge of a complete collapse.
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