Kuzul

In articles like this, many websites give readers a list of the best overall prospects at any given position, but the intention here is to focus on those prospects that are most likely to provide a significant fantasy impact in the 2011 season. Thus, a guy like White Sox prospect Dayan Viciedo—who should be beaten out by fellow prospect Brent Morel—is not on my list.

Ditto for Josh Bell in Baltimore, who has been blocked by the recent acquisition of Mark Reynolds.

Here is my list of the five third base prospects who will likely have the most impact at the major league level in 2011:

1. Mike Moustakas, KC
2010 Performance: .322, 36 HR, 124 RBI, 2 SB, 94 R (combined stats at AA and AAA)

Moustakas, 22, is clearly the best of the class of prospects at third base. He pummelled Texas League (AA) pitching to the tune of .347 with 21 home runs in just 259 ABs before being promoted to the Pacific Coast League (AAA). After his promotion to Omaha, he hit .293 with 15 homers (in 225 AB) and demonstrated that he is close to being major league-ready.

It has been suggested that “Moose” is capable of making an early-season jump to the major leagues in 2011, just as Mike Stanton (ATL) did last year, but it is likely he will either start the season as the Royals’ Opening Day third baseman or return to Triple-A for a full half-season.

He lacks plate discipline and while his selectivity improved in Double-A last year, he hit just .293 and drew only eight walks in the PCL—a league considered to be a hitter’s mecca.

I think he needs more seasoning before making the jump to the big leagues for good, so the betting here is he’ll start the 2011 season in the minors and make his debut with the Royals in July.

2. Brent Morel, CWS
2010 Performance: .322, 10 HR, 64 RBI, 8 SB, 65 R (combined stats at AA and AAA)

Morel, 23, has the inside track on Chicago’s third base job as spring training approaches. He was a September call-up last year and while he hit only .231 with 3 HR in 65 ABs, he showed his glove is ready for the big leagues.

The likelihood he sticks as the 2011 Opening Day starter increased when the White Sox signed DH Adam Dunn and re-signed 1B Paul Konerko and C AJ Pierzynski—their power capabilities in the middle of the lineup will permit the team to be patient with Morel’s offense while taking advantage of his defensive skills.

Mark Teahen started last year as the club’s third baseman but struggled at the hot corner and is being viewed as a super-utility player. Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo, who is known for his powerful bat, lacks plate discipline and defensive refinement and is still probably a year or two away from taking his place in the White Sox lineup.

Thus, Morel would seem to be the guy you want to target in your auction/draft. You can likely expect him to hit around .240-.250, with 15 HR (+/-).

3. Lonnie Chisenhall, CLE
2010 Performance: .278, 17 HR, 84 RBI, 3 SB, 81 RBI (at Double-A Akron)

Chisenhall is one of the best hitters in the minor leagues. He is a plus-hitter with excellent bat speed, a short stroke and solid power to all fields. He projects to hit for 20-plus HR in The Show.

He has accumulated over 600 plate appearances at Double-A and should start the season in AAA. His competition in Cleveland is not especially formidable, with Jayson Nix (.224 in 2010) and Luis Valbuena (.193) seemingly the only obstacles keeping him from taking over as the Tribe’s starting third baseman.

It is a near-certainty that he will be the Tribe’s starting third baseman by Opening Day 2012, but it would seem that a solid start in Columbus (AAA) could lead to a promotion after the All-Star break.

4. Zack Cox, StL
2010 performance: .429, 9 HR, 48 RBI, 11 SB, 67 R (at Univ of Arkansas)

Cox was considered one of the top hitters coming out of college last spring. He was selected by St. Louis out of Arkansas in the first round of the June draft (No. 25 overall) and will eventually take over as the Cards’ starting 3B.

The question is, whether the ballclub, starving for offense in a somewhat punchless lineup, is prepared to promote him to the major leagues in his first full professional season.

The organization considered promoting him late last season, but ultimately decided not to do so. But that doesn’t mean they won’t give him a shot this year in spite of the fact he played in just four pro games in 2010.

The club will likely start David Freese at third base as the team heads north out of spring training, but it’s entirely possible Cox will move through the Cardinals system quickly and join the major league team sometime after midseason.

He has exceptional bat speed and is projected to hit for a solid BA and 20-plus home runs, but I expect it will take a couple of years for him to get settled in The Show. I can only say, “buyer beware” if he makes the Cardinals in 2011.

5. Matt Dominguez, FLA
2010 Performance: .252, 14 HR, 81 RBI, 0 SB, 61 R (at Double-A Jacksonville)

The Marlins have already announced they are going to give Dominguez a shot to win the job at third base during spring training.

The former first round pick (No. 12 overall in 2007) was a shortstop in high school but has been transferred to third base due to the presence of Hanley Ramirez in Miami.

It seems like an awfully big step for a guy who hit just .252 in Double-A, but the Marlins are committed to their plan. He is an excellent defender with a plus arm.

Caveat emptor! As with Cox, I expect Dominguez will have a negative impact on his fantasy league owners in 2011.

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In Major League Baseball today, fans are privileged to see several star hitters and pitchers square off every season.

The MLB schedule allows every team in their respective league to play each other, while mixing in inter-league play in the middle of June.

In 2011, the Boston Red Sox and their potent lineup will try to dismantle the Philadelphia Phillies, who have perhaps the best starting pitching staff on paper since the Atlanta Braves of the mid 90’s.

Aside from the prime sluggers and Cy Young candidates, 2011 refreshes bitter rivalries between New York Yankees great Alex Rodriguez and Athletics ace Dallas Braden; and Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips Vs. Cardinals youngster Jaime Garcia.

It was difficult to narrow the list of premiere match-ups down to 20, but the following hitter-pitcher duels will surely cause headlines…

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This past Saturday was SABR Day, and Cleveland’s Jack Graney Chapter celebrated with a meeting in the press room of Progressive Field.

One of the star guest speakers was Mike Chernoff, the new Indians assistant general manager. Chernoff is a 2003 Princeton graduate, where he studied economics and played baseball.

Chernoff’s dad was in the back of the room; father and son have played a game of catch monthly for as long as the two remember.

The elder Chernoff works on the Mets radio team, and the younger’s career began as an intern with that very same team. Since then, Mike has worked his way up from Indians intern to Indians AGM.

Here are his thoughts on this year’s team.

• The front office expects to contend and surprise ahead of schedule, like it did in 2003 and 2004.
• Carlos Santana will start the season and in fact should be ready at the start of spring training.
• Chernoff compared Matt LaPorta to the Cliff Lee of 2007-2008—a player struggling with injuries and inconsistencies who spent some time in the minors and was poised for a breakout.
• Because of all the time Asdrubal Cabrera lost to injury last year, his return is like a “new acquisition” for the team.
• Other teams call all the time for Michael Brantley as their CF.
• Shin-Soo Choo is an elite RF, but “don’t tell his agent I said that.”
• Austin Kearns was re-signed as insurance in case Grady Sizemore can’t play every day at the start of the season. (Kearns would play left field with Brantley moving to center.)
• Jason Donald and Jayson Nix are in the mix at third, with Luis Valbuena at second.
• Second and third base are the biggest holes right now, but also the biggest positions of strength in the future.
• It would be unrealistic to start Lonnie Chisenhall in the majors without more time in AAA, but Chis may prove the team wrong in spring training.
• Understandably, the team gets a lot of calls about Chisenhall.
• Cord Phelps is ahead of Jason Kipnis right now, but both have similar star power.
• The second half of the season was much better than the first for the Indians, especially the pitching.
• Fausto Carmona, Justin Masterson, Mitch Talbot and Carlos Carrasco are set in the rotation. The fifth spot will go to one of the guys from last year or a free agent.
• The Indians have 10 to 12 available bullpen arms who are young but good.
• The front office, which has struggled putting together an effective bullpen in the past, has determined that it needs to get tons of guys with flexibility (options) so the team can swap parts in and out as needed.
• Bryce Stowell, Josh Judy and Zach Putnam are all candidates for a bullpen spot.
• Travis Hafner is still productive, but not a “seven-day” (everyday) player. He’s most effective against right-handers, so hopefully playing Pronk against righties and Kearns/Shelley Duncan against lefties will give the combined production of a top five DH.
• Mike Hargrove will have a variety of roles with the Tribe, on the field and off. For example, he will be an instructor at spring training. He also will serve as a liaison between the front office and fans, both by spreading the team’s message to the fans and by relaying fan feedback to the team.
• For what it’s worth, the business and baseball departments are now more closely tied to each other.

Chernoff also fielded a few questions:

• A SABR member asked why Manny Acta seemed so distant and reserved. Chernoff was a bit surprised, as he sees the manager as an open door guy with the team and the community. As an example, Chernoff noted that Acta is often out on the field with a fungo bat in his hands. Personally, I’d side with Chernoff on Acta—an aloof manager wouldn’t be out enjoying Snow Days.
• Another question was asked about Valbuena. Chernoff didn’t sugarcoat things, saying, “It’s not like you’re sitting there saying he’s terrible, and I’m sitting there saying, ‘Oh wow this is great!'” He said that the team sees a player that is still young and has tools, with a good minor league track record and one option left. If they get decent defense and good power out of him, he’ll stick around. If he plays like last year, he won’t just be off the field—he’ll be off the team.
• Someone asked about Hafner’s shoulder. Chernoff said that the shoulder is in the best condition it’s been in in three to four years, but Hafner still needs to work on it constantly.
• There was a very good question about psychological tools employed by the team. The Indians do have an on-staff psychologist that meets with the players regularly. Scouts notice players’ makeup on and off the field. All potential draftees are given a psychological test as well.
• One questioner mentioned the concerns about Drew Pomeranz‘s throwing motion. Chernoff said that because of the injury risks, the Indians may consider fast-tracking Pomeranz to maximize what they can get out of him.
• Alex White is the furthest along of any minor league pitcher. He’ll start in AAA but may reach the majors this season.

Chernoff kept referring to the Indians as a small market team, so there were a few questions about that.

• He said that the mid ’90s were essentially a perfect storm of consequences (my words, not his) that allowed the team to have such a high payroll. The stadium was brand-new, the Browns were gone and Cleveland’s economy was doing well. Now, the stadium is one of the oldest in the league (there were cherry pickers parked outside the stadium in several locations for renovations), the Browns are once again the most popular team in Cleveland and the economy hasn’t been great for anyone in the area.
• The quote of the day from Chernoff: “Really? The Angels can just take on the entire Vernon Wells contract?”
• Someone asked how the Indians can go from small market to middle market. Chernoff really didn’t have an answer, except to say that if the Indians aren’t bringing in money in ticket sales, they can’t put that money into payroll. He did say the team was working to figure out why Cleveland finished behind teams like Pittsburgh and Kansas City last year when the Tribe has had more recent success than those two clubs.
• Chernoff said the best way to handle free agent attrition was to focus on trade returns and diversify the “portfolio” of players gotten back. He pointed out that Casey Blake was signed as a 29-year-old minor league free agent, and the Indians eventually got Carlos Santana back for him.

This article originally appeared on Kanka’s Sports Page.

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Three years ago, the Cleveland Indians were one win away from appearing in the World Series before the Boston Red Sox came back to win the 2007 American League Championship Series, four games to three.

In subsequent years, the Indians unloaded their potential World Series roster with a series of blockbuster trades.

Over the next two seasons, the Indians traded away starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee, third baseman Casey Blake and starting catcher Victor Martinez. In exchange, Cleveland added a wealth of young prospects, the likes of which may not be felt for this year, but at some point down the road.

Through their trades, the Indians added outfielders Matt Laporta and Michael Brantley as part of their deal with the Milwaukee Brewers for C.C. Sabathia. Laporta, the seventh overall pick from the 2007 Major League Draft and the No. 1 rated prospect for the Milwaukee Brewers at the time of the draft, is expected to start at first base this season, allowing Travis Hafner to start as the designated hitter.

In dealing pitcher Cliff Lee, who was coming off of a Cy Young season the year before, the Indians added the Philadelphia Phillies top prospect at the time, pitcher Carlos Carrasco.

As part of the Casey Blake deal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Tribe added stud-catcher Carlos Santana (no relation to the musician), who entered the 2009 season as the Indians No. 1 prospect in the minors.

The Santana deal allowed the Indians to trade away their best player, catcher Victor Martinez to the Boston Red Sox. In that exchange, the Indians ended up with hard throwing pitcher Justin Masterson.

In two season, the Indians unloaded most of their best players, electing to hold onto Gold Glove outfielder Grady Sizemore and first baseman Travis Hafner, who from 2004 through 2007 batted in over 434 runs.

Since then however, Hafner has just 123 RBIs in the following three seasons.  

Sizemore, who was considered by many to be one of the best young players in baseball hasn’t been healthy the last two seasons, only playing in 33 games in 2010 before a knee injury ended his season.

The Indians middle infield is solid as Asdrubal Cabrera and Luis Valbuena return for their third season together.

With injuries and unproven young stars, the Indians best player may be outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who last season homered 22 times and drove in 90 runs while hitting .300 in 144 games. Choo has batted .300 or better each of the last three seasons.

The ace of the Tribes pitching staff, Fausto Carmona, who last season was awarded with his first All-Star appearance, was the subject of heavy trade rumors and may be again this season.

The rest of the Indians staff remains young, full of potential, and for the most part, untested. Masterson, Carlos Carrasco and a combination of Aaron Laffey, Mitch Talbot, David Huff and Josh Tomlin all could push for the fifth spot in the rotation.

After coming off of a 34 save season in 2008 for the Chicago Cubs, the Indians signed Kerry Wood to a two-year deal. Halfway into his second season with the Indians, Wood was traded to the New York Yankees. In a season and a half with the Indians, Wood managed just 28 saves.

This year; however, the Indians will enter with Chris Perez as their new closer. Last season, Perez finished with 23 saves and gave up just 12 runs in 63 innings of work, good enough for a 1.71 ERA, third best in the league for players with over 20 saves.

The 2011 Cleveland Indians are young, talented and unproven, yet the the Tribe have some good reasons to look toward the future.

From 1994 to 2001, the Indians made the playoffs six times and appeared in the World Series twice.

After a rough rebuilding period, the Indians were one win away from making their third World Series appearance since 1995.

If history has shown us anything, it has proved that the Cleveland Indians will once again be contenders in the near future.

It’s only a matter of time.

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Major League Baseball features some of the most talented athletes in the entire nation, and it has done so for over a century.  Over the years, stories are told about Major Leaguers having dominant seasons and becoming champions, but being a winner does not make a player unique.

In the history of baseball, there have not only been very talented players, but also very unique players whether it is a missing arm, or a job as a secret agent while regularly playing for a Major League team.  Many players are unique, but which players top them all?  Here is my list, hope you enjoy:

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As the 2011 Major League Baseball season is just over two months away, it’s appropriate to start thinking about the key pieces for every team this season.

While we saw the Giants win the World Series with a pitching-heavy formula, their championship counterparts, the Texas Rangers, road Josh Hamilton’s bat the majority of the way there.

Every team has high expectations coming into the season, and here is a list of players who will have to produce in order for their teams to meet them.

Be prepared for some surprises, as several big-name players have changed teams.

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The numbers are staggering: 266 victories, over 3,800 innings pitched, 279 complete games, 12 one-hitters—all while missing nearly four seasons due to military service.

Oh, he was also a World War II hero (gun captain on the USS Alabama), World Series champion and an eventual baseball Hall of Famer.

When I first heard about the death of legendary pitcher Bob Feller recently, I immediately thought, “Man—there was a guy who did it ALL.”

He was a cherished sports icon in Cleveland, for sure. Elsewhere, he was sometimes thought of as being a bit stuffy, grumpy and a bit full of himself. One thing was never debated, though: The man could flat-out PITCH like few others EVER have.

I look back on Feller’s 1946 season with Cleveland and just say, “Wow.” People were wondering before Feller’s first start that year if the guy could ever be a dominant starting pitcher again. Yes, he HAD pitched effectively in nine games after returning from the service in 1945, but the question still remained: Could he ever shake off the extended military-stay “rust” and be a 20 to 25-game winner once again?

Feller’s answer: 26 wins, 36 complete games, 371 innings (you read that correctly) and 348 strikeouts. Yes, Bob Feller never DID have a problem answering critics throughout his lifetime—and when he spoke, he made SURE he was heard.

I met Bob Feller for the only time back in 1980 at a West Haven Whitecaps (Eastern League) game; he was there during a promotional tour—available to sign autographs for the first few innings.

I was in college at the time and was keenly aware of the man’s legendary status—mostly due to my dad having always told me that Feller and Sandy Koufax were the best pitchers he’d ever seen (ironically, my dad knew the woman who’d later become Feller’s second wife—Anne Gilliland—and carried her books to school on occasion as a youth).

I just HAD to get a ball signed by him that evening; it’s not often that you’re in the company of true baseball royalty. I had also known that Mr. Feller could be a bit standoffish and gruff; how would he react when I reached the front of the line? Should I say something? What would I say?

When I finally handed him the ball to be signed, I recall nervously saying, “Mr. Feller, it’s an honor to meet you—and my father STILL says you’re the best pitcher he’s ever seen.” I remember him replying something like, “Thank you, kid. Was your father a Cleveland fan?” I think I was too nervous to answer at that point, and my friend Bob, who accompanied me to the game, proceeded to engage in some small talk with the legend.

It didn’t take long for Feller to realize that we were true baseball fanatics, as my friend and I proceeded to start reeling off some famous Indians over the years. Then, while exchanging handshakes, our jaws nearly dropped when Feller said, “When I’m done here, boys, I’ll come look for you in the stands and we’ll talk more baseball.” I didn’t fall down/pass out at the time—but I came close.

Would baseball Hall of Famer Bob Feller REALLY seek us out and spend some time with us? I had my doubts as we returned to our usual, behind-the-plate bench seats.

Two innings later—almost inconspicuously—Feller and an aide entered the ballpark seating area; we waved at him, and he simply pointed back at us. Without hesitation, he walked up the stairs and took a seat next to us; yeah, the game suddenly became secondary. I kept thinking/wondering: So this is the ornery, uncooperative man with the questionable personality? I didn’t see it. Not that night.

I recall us talking about some modern-day players, how the game has changed over the years and then finally asking him who the toughest hitter was he ever faced. He replied, “Ted Williams was the best hitter—but DiMaggio and Tommy Henrich always gave me more trouble.”

After another few minutes of stimulating conversation among “the three Bobs” (he also talked about his military record, which he took great pride in), Feller excused himself, lamenting, “Well, guys, I have a flight to catch. A pleasure meeting you.” The autographed ball is still displayed in my bedroom; I gaze at it from time to time and remember that special conversation from 30 years ago. Yeah, I always smile.

My Monday Night Sports Talk co-host Tony DeAngelo on Feller: “I had to laugh when he (Feller) went to the Baseball Encyclopedia once and asked them to put In the Service of Our Country next to the names of players who missed time during the war; they told him it would be an “inconvenience” to do so.

“Feller then remarked, “Inconvenience? What do you think it was for me getting bombed and shot at on an aircraft carrier every day?”

And this came from a man who did his running and throwing on the boat between attacks. Yes, what an inspiration for those who will choose to listen.”

Yeah, I guess there was only one Bob Feller, “Bullet Bob” back in the day. Again, many fans/colleagues didn’t care for the man due to his disdain for the modern-day player (he consider them spoiled, and hadn’t earned what they reaped); they also considered Feller egotistical—on the verge of being boisterous.

Yes, perhaps it came down to which Bob Feller you met on a particular day. I’m just glad I was able to meet the Bob Feller who simply enjoyed talking baseball with two “pie-eyed” young men on a summer evening a few decades ago. I’ll prefer to remember him in a positive way the rest of my life too.

Rest in peace, “Rapid Robert.”

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Robert Alomar and Bert Byleven have been elected to Cooperstown this year. Both men narrowly missed out on being elected last season.

Alomar spent time with seven different teams during his Hall of Fame career. It is amazing to that a player of his caliber bounced around so often and never spent more than five seasons with one team. Alomar was a 12-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Gloves as a second baseman. In addition, he also won four Silver Sluggers and was the 1992 ALCS MVP, as well as the 1998 All-Star Game MVP.

Alomar received 90 percent of the writer’s votes this year. It should also be interesting to see what cap he will be wearing on his Hall of Fame plaque.

Byleven will also be enshrined in the Hall of Fame this year. Byleven had a lengthy 22 year career in which he played for five teams. He did spent half of his career with the Minnesota Twins. Byleven won 287 games in his career and also ranks fifth on the all-time strikeouts list with 3,701. He was selected for two All-Star Games during his career.

Byleven received 79.7 percent of the votes this year after narrowly missing out and receiving 74.2 percent last year.  It has been argued that the advent of sabermetrics greatly helped Byleven’s Hall of Fame chances. This certainly makes sense as he lacks some of the awards and milestones (such as 300 wins), that many Hall of Fame pitchers have. Byleven actually has the 13th highest WAR for pitchers in MLB history, which certainly helped his case.

There were only two other players who received more than 50 percent of the writers’ votes. Barry Larkin received 62.1 percent of the votes and is someone to keep an eye on in next year’s voting. Jack Morris received 53.5 percent of the votes, which is only slightly more than the 52.3 percent he received last year.

The other story of the voting is tied to players who have been involved with steroids.

Mark McGwire, despite his outstanding career and the fact that he at one point held the single season home run record, was only able to garner 19.1 percent of the votes. Additionally, McGwire’s 583 home runs rank as 10th all-time and he was a 12-time All-Star. McGwire publicly admitted this year that he took steroids.

Rafael Palmeiro was only able to get 11.0 percent of the writers’ votes. Palmeiro is 12th on the all-time home run list with 569 homers. He is also a four-time All-Star. Palmeiro went in front of a congressional committee and testified that he had never used steroids. Just months later, Palmeiro was suspended for violating the MLB’s steroid policy.

Jeff Bagwell was able to get 41.7 percent of the writers’ votes. There is a lot of speculation going around that Bagwell took steroids, but it has never been proven. Bagwell is a four-time All-Star and is also one of the few players with at least 400 home runs and 200 stolen bases.

It is clear that the baseball writers have taken a strong stance on steroid users. McGwire and Palmeiro, both who have been proven to have used steroids, struggled to get votes. Bagwell, who was never physically linked to steroids, was able to get a good percentage of votes for his first year on the ballot. It should be interested to see if this trend continues in the future and how it affects the voting on players such as Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. 

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Yesterday, the baseball world lost a legend.  Due to leukemia and pneumonia, plus other health problems, Hall of Fame pitcher, war hero, and Cleveland Indians icon Bob Feller passed away at the age of 92.

Being a New York Yankees fan, I never knew much about Feller’s career growing up.  Honestly, my only experience with him prior to writing this article was meeting him on a summer camp field trip to a minor league baseball game when I was 14 or 15.  I remember fans mobbing him before the game, and he was more than happy to sign autographs.

When I passed him my baseball glove, he of course signed it.  Yet, his attitude wasn’t one that I would have expected of a baseball Hall of Famer: he smiled, asked me my name, shook my hand, and even asked if I did well in school before handing me my glove back and telling me to enjoy the game.

To this day, I can’t remember experiencing that same feeling any other time.  A Hall of Fame pitcher had just taken the time to talk to a kid he’d almost definitely never see again.  Where was the arrogance?  Where was the “just going through the motions” look on his face? 

As he threw out the game’s first pitch (and after learning more about him in the past week), I saw a simple man.  He loved the fans, he loved his life, he loved his country.  But most of all, he loved baseball.

I could go on and on about Feller’s career stats.  266 wins (probably could have hit 300 if not for military service), 162 losses, career ERA of 3.25 and 2,581 career strikeouts. But, instead, I’m going to talk about Bob Feller the man.

Ever since his days growing up on an Iowa farm, Feller seemed to love baseball.  His family even built a baseball diamond on their property so he could practice outside of school, where he was the ace of the team’s pitching staff.  He was drafted by the Indians at age 16, making his debut two years later in 1936.

He of course made an immediate impact and remained humble about his success, but showed a whole new side of himself after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.  Immediately after hearing about it, Feller became the first MLB player to voluntarily enlist! 

In four years with the U.S. Navy, he reached the rank of Chief Petty Officer.  To this day, he is the only member of the Hall of Fame with that title.  When asked why he enlisted, his answer was simple: “I don’t consider myself a hero. I did the job that most Americans should have done, and most of them didn’t do. Serving my country was the proudest moment of my life.”

Even after retiring in 1956, Feller stayed close to the city that had embraced him for nearly 20 years.  He and his wife lived in the Cleveland suburb of Gates Mills, and even after his playing days were over, Feller remained involved with the Indians organization.  His number 19 was retired in 1957 and just this past season, at 91 years old, Feller threw out the first pitch at the Indians’ first spring training game.

So, Chief Petty Officer Feller, what can I say that hasn’t already been said?  What honor can I bestow upon you that you haven’t already received?  Eight All-Star berths, one World Series ring, your number retired, and being possibly the most beloved athlete in Cleveland sports history.  That’s quite a list.

I was never an Indians fan.  Heck, most of the time I was cheering for them to lose badly!  Yet, my one short encounter with you proved to me that you weren’t like all the rest.  You loved your work, you loved your country, and most importantly you loved your fans. 

And I’m going to say, if there is “another side,” I hope to see you there someday and would be honored to have a catch with you.  That all being said, Mr. Feller, I salute you!

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Bob Feller, one of the greatest pitchers in major league history and a true icon in Cleveland sports, has passed away.

The 92-year-old was diagnosed with leukemia in August and underwent several additional health problems before moving to a hospice and passing away last night.

“Bob Feller is gone. We cannot be surprised,” said Indians owner Larry Dolan. “Yet, it seems improbable. Bob has been such an integral part of our fabric, so much more than an ex-ballplayer, so much more than any Cleveland Indians player. He is Cleveland, Ohio.

“To say he will be missed is such an understatement. In fact, more to the point, he will not be missed because he will always be with us.”

Here is a brief tribute to the fabled right-hander.

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