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I’ve always been a thankful Cleveland Indians fan.  Perhaps the feeling is based in being a fan of this baseball team in the dreadful 1970s.  Not a single Tribe team during between 1970 and 1970 finished above fourth place in A.L. East, and only two teams finished above .500.

It just got worse in the 1980s, with the Indians never finishing above fifth place, with only one team finishing above .500 (the now infamous 1986 Tribe, that led SI to put them on the cover of their 1987 preseason baseball issue, only to have the Tribe lose over 100 games).  No, it wasn’t pretty at all.

Growing up with those sad-sack teams has made it very easy for me to find the silver lining of just about any baseball club that Cleveland can field.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said, “Yeah, but he’s scrappy,” or “Sure he can’t throw a strike, but he hits 95 on the gun!”  I’ve learned to cope in a world in which coping is the only way to remain a fan.  No, the current version of the Indians aren’t going to remind anyone of the 1927 Yankees, but there certainly is a lot of good, mixed up with the bad.

Here are 10 reasons we all can be thankful for as Cleveland Indians fans.

No. 10: Asdrubal Cabrera could possibly be Cleveland’s version of Derek Jeter.

We all know that Cabrera didn’t have the year he could have had if he didn’t break his forearm last May.  We all know that Cabrera struggled a bit in the field for the first time in his career.  No, he wasn’t horrid, but compared to year’s past, he wasn’t up to par.  With that said, Cabrera did improve after struggling immediately after his return in mid-July.  His stick improved in both August and September, some of his power returned, and he began stealing bases again. 

In other words, the real Asdrubal Cabrera began to show up.  This kid is a slick fielder.  No, he’s not Omar Vizquel (who is), but he’s really good.  Offensively, this is a kid that can hit for .300, can steal 20 bases, can score 80-100 runs (on a good Tribe team) and can be to

the Tribe what Derek Jeter was to the Yankees, a quiet leader (no, not a guy asking for $24 million a year when he’s 37).


No. 9: Tom Hamilton really is one of the best announcers in baseball.

We have been blessed to have had Tom Hamilton announcing Cleveland Indians baseball games for the past 20 years.  It’s hard to believe that it has been that long.  I was talking to my Dad the other day, and he said, “You know, maybe we had all those good teams in the 90’s to make sure that Hamilton would stay in Cleveland.”  While I’m not going to go that far, it’s a good bet that Hamilton would have found a new home.  There was a day when San Diego, or San Francisco (can’t remember now) offered the great Hamilton a deal to become their play-by-play man, but Hamilton stayed. 

Now, his signature drive reverberates through my mind whenever I think of Indians baseball, “A swing and a drive, deep left center, awaaaayyyyy back…GONE.” As a matter of fact, one could make a case that the only entertaining part of Cleveland baseball is Hamilton these days.  The bottom line for me with Hamilton is that he embodies everything that is being a Cleveland Indians fan.  When things are going bad, being upset oozes out of his mouth like cement being poured out of a cement truck.  When the Indians are winning, he announces like the fans are feeling, with his emotions on his shoulder.  Here’s to you Tom Hamilton, the best announcer in baseball not named Vin Scully.

No. 8: Tim Belcher, are you “the one?”

I was never a Tim Belcher fan when he was a pitcher.  There was something about him that always annoyed me.  He was a cocky, in your face, I’m better than you kinda pitcher, that always used to just rub me the wrong way.  Let’s fast-forward a bit to 2010, and Tim Belcher was hired as the Indians pitching coach. 

Prior to that, he spent the past eight years working for the Tribe as a special assistant, helping instruct big-league and minor-league pitchers in spring training, instructing pitchers in the minors and doing advance scouting for the big-league club.  He’d been with the club for years and knew this organization.  Go figure, the very thing that irritated me when he was a player is what makes him a solid pitching coach. 

He teaches the Tribe pitchers to pound the strike zone and attack the hitters.  Virtually every pitching statistic improved by leaps and bounds from the year prior.  Still, his most impressive feat may have been his remaking Fausto Carmona into a big league pitcher.  There were moments when the kid looked every bit as good as he did in 2007.  No, Belcher didn’t have any Cy Young guys to work with, but sometimes that’s when a pitching coach really proves his mettle.

No. 7: Terry Pluto is one of the good ones. 

There are some really cruddy journalists here in the city of Cleveland, and many of them report on our very own Cleveland Indians.  Fortunately, in the midst of most of that fodder is perhaps the best Cleveland sports writer in recent memory. 

Pluto never jumps the gun, and almost always has original thoughts on what the Indians should have done, is doing, or what they might do.  He never falls into the typical entrapments of the other local media that just aren’t as informed or always reporting the next pratfall.  Instead, Pluto reports with sense and a bit of sensibility.  He also mentored Brian Windhurst, who is one of the best NBA reporters in the business, even if he did leave Cleveland for the murky waters of Miami and ESPN.

 
No. 6: Chris Perez has the stuff to become one of the best closers in baseball.

Cleveland has had closers with a lot of saves over the years (Joe Borowski and Bob Wickman), but rarely have they had a closer that was equated as their best reliever.  Perez likely could be that guy.  He has a plus fastball and slider and has a similar matter-of-fact mentality with regards to closing that Mariano Rivera and Joe Nathan have. 

No, I’m not putting Perez there, but he’s less of a weirdo and more of a “get-the-job-done” kind of guy.  He was dominant last year, saving 23-of-27 games and rolling out a 1.71 ERA, a 1.08 Whip and an 8.9 K per 9 innings.  We all know the volatility of the closer position, but at the very least, we’ve got this kid locked up for four more years.  With a solid group behind him and the likes of Rob Bryson, Cory Burns and Nick Hagadone waiting in the wings, things will only get better.

No. 5: The Diatribe and the Indians Prospect Insider are the best thought out blogs in the land of the Tribe.

I’ve followed the Diatribe faithfully over the past five years, and if you haven’t had a visit yet, you need to.  While I don’t subscribe to Sabrmetrics, I do subscribe to the view that there is some validity to their usefulness.  Still, reading a blog about the wonderful world of sabr is about as exciting as watching Michigan football. 

Paul Cousineau (formerly known as Pat Tabler) writes with the emotion of being a lifelong Cleveland fan on his sleeve, while adding a solid mix of sabr to match his thoughts.  It’s not exactly off the beaten path, but Cousineau is way ahead of the curve of most Indian writers, Pluto included. 

As a matter of fact, in recent days, PC has “scooped” Pluto and his thoughts.  For example, PC recently commented on the potential of the Indians going after Kevin Kouzmanoff.  A couple of weeks later, there is Pluto, talking K2.  When you have the best writer in Cleveland following your lead, well, it doesn’t get much better than that, does it.

Tony Lastoria started off at Swerbs Blurbs/ The Cleveland Fan, before developing his own site, Indians Prospect Insider, to continue developing his thoughts on the Tribe’s minor league system.  IPI is now the definitive Tribe minor league site, with substantial information on all levels of the Tribe system.  You can currently find Tony’s work at the Ashtabula Star Beacon, as well as at Sports Time Ohio, where he’s writing an independent blog entitled, Minor Happenings.

Seriously, it’s rare for big market teams to have two quality sites like The Diatribe and Indians Prospect Insider (Don’t miss out on The Cleveland Fan either).

No. 4: A side order of Jason Kipnis, Carlos Carrasco, Lonnie Chisenhall, Austin Adams, Cord Phelps, Alex White, Nick Weglarz, Matt Packer, Joe Gardner and Chun Chen, if you please.

These certainly aren’t all of the top prospects in the Tribe’s minor league chain-of-command (and I haven’t even mentioned the 2010 picks), but these should be at the top of the pecking order heading into the 2011 season.  I’m not going to give you a play-by-play today of all these guys, but they are good. 

My personal favorites on this list are second baseman Jason Kipnis, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, right-handed starter Alex White and big lefty, Joe Gardner.  The system is loaded, and there are potential superstars waiting in the wings.  Now, if these draft prospects pan out, and the Indians begin to fix their draft program, it can only get better.

No. 3: Thank goodness for the 1948 Cleveland Indians, led by Lou Boudreau!

I recently received an e-mail asking me why I had a Cleveland Indians blog named Bringing Back Boudreau.  After picking my jaw up off the ground, I replied, “Type these three items into your search engine—Lou Boudreau, 1948, and World Series.”  Boudreau was the player/manager of that team in 1948, which just happens to be the last time the Tribe won the series.  I wasn’t anywhere close to being alive then, but hope upon all hope that I can someday change the name of this blog to, “Brought Back Boudreau.”

No. 2: Shin-Soo Choo, the most unsung baseball player in the majors.

I am certain that if you asked 50-of-100 baseball fans about Shin-Soo Choo, they would say bless you.  Choo is a good ballplayer.  Wait, that doesn’t do the kid justice.  Choo is a fantastic ballplayer, and without him on this team over the past two-and-one-half seasons, I’m not sure if there would be any offensive players of note over that same time period. 

He hit .300 again last season, with 22 homers and 90 RBI.  He had a .484 OBP and an .885 OPS.  He stole 22 bases for the second straight year and scored 81 runs in only 144 games.  Choo isn’t all that unsung, as he did finish 14th in the MVP voting, but boy, you do have to wonder just how bad it could be without our favorite South Korean.  Choo also gained exempt status from the South Korean military this offseason just as tension escalated with North Korea.  Lots to be thankful for here. 

No. 1: A main course of Carlos Santana.

Santana only played in 46 games last season but did manage to prove that average doesn’t mean a thing.  He “only” batted .260, with six homers and 22 RBI.  He walked a stellar 37 times, while only striking out 26 times.  His OBP was .401, and his slugging was a stellar .467.  He’s got a cannon for an arm, calls a good game and can play in the infield, with rumors everywhere from first base, to returning to third base. 

Santana is a prodigious talent and has the potential to be a special, special major leaguer.  Think back to when Manny was coming up; he’s that kind of player.  You can tell he was built to be a ballplayer, and he’ll be the centerpiece of the Tribe offense for years to come.

You see what I mean…if you close your eyes long enough, finding 10 reasons for us Tribe fans to be thankful isn’t all that difficult, now is it. 

Remember, at least we aren’t Pirate’s fans…;)

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It’s that time of year when the Major League Baseball top prospect lists start pouring in.  Normally, it’s just a part of the normal hot stove season for each major league team. 

You know the drill: sign some free agents, make some trades and reevaluate your minor league system.  For the Indians, that drill should be a much simpler proposition thanks to Paul Dolan’s recent revelation to Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer:

“It’s not the right time to spend. No question about that. It’s not the right time to spend in the cycle of this franchise. The spending is deficit spending. When New York and Boston spend, they’re spending from their profits. It’s a riskier proposition for clubs like us to spend. We’re taking a far greater financial risk than whatever it is a large-market club spends on a large free agent. It’s the unfortunate nature of our game.”

While the conversation about Dolan’s statement will take the better part of the winter months, and likely the entirety of the 2011 baseball season (you know, the one in which Mark Shapiro believe the Indians would be in contention again…oops), let’s instead discuss the first of the baseball prospect ratings that have come out.

On November 17th, Baseball America released their top 10 rankings. BA’s rankings always tend to veer towards the current drafts and/or trades, and while there is value to their rankings, the definitive rankings tend to come from Tony Lastoria via his prospect book and website, Indians Prospect Insider. To give some perspective, let’s take a look at last year’s rankings, compared to this year’s, both compiled by Baseball America’s Ben Badler:

Looking at last year’s ranking, No. 1 Carlos Santana, No. 5 Michael Brantley and No. 8 Carlos Carrasco have all been promoted to the major league level.  Santana likely remains the true No. 1 prospect in the organization. 

While establishing himself as a major leaguer during the 2010 season, Santana sprained his lateral collateral ligament on the outside of his knee during an early August collision at home plate and missed the rest of the season.

Brantley spent the beginning of the season in Cleveland, but after early struggles, made a quick exit back to Columbus.  After a solid two months for the Clippers, Brantley returned and slowly began to show off some of the skills that the Indians saw when dealing for him in the CC Sabathia deal. 

During the first half of the season, Brantley batted .118.  In the second half, he rebounded nicely, batting .284, and bringing up his overall average to .246.  He also managed to steal 10 bases, while only getting caught twice.

Carrasco was a September call-up after a fabulous season in Columbus, and he continued to pitch well for the big league Tribe.  Carrasco never went less than six innings in seven starts, while going 2-2 with a 3.83 ERA.  He struck out 38 batters in 44 2/3 innings, while only walking 14 batters.

Hector Rondon dropped out of the top 10 after having a season to forget.  The lanky righty went 1-3 with an 8.53 ERA before the Indians shut him down for rest and rehab.  Then, in late August, Rondon had Tommy John surgery, and likely won’t be a factor again until next season.

The other six prospects on the list, remain on the list.  Lonnie Chisenhall, Nick Weglarz, Alex White and Jason Kipnis all moved up, while Nick Hagadone and Jason Knapp both dropped.  Newcomers to the top 10 are 2010 draftees, Drew Pomeranz, Levon Washington and Tim Wolters, and 2009 draftee Joseph Gardner.

No. 1: Lonnie Chisenhall

Chisenhall, the No. 1 pick for the Tribe in 2008, is certainly one of the top three prospects in this organization. He had a fantastic 2010 season. While the numbers may not scream future All-Star, you have to keep in mind that “Chis” spent much of the season battling through injury issues.

The Aero’s third baseman hit .278, but slugged 17 home runs, driving in 84 and scoring 81. He led the team in runs, RBI, hits and total bases. With one more solid year in Columbus, he’ll be on the fast track to the majors. While I do feel that Chisenhall got passed this season by another infielder, I have no problem raking him No. 1.

No. 2: Alex White

White was the No. 1 pick for the Tribe in 2009, and he did everything he could to prove that during the 2010 season.  In his professional debut, White was solid, if a bit spectacular in two levels of the Indians organization. 

At High A Kinston, White went 2-3 in eight starts, but don’t let the win-loss confuse you.  His ERA was a solid 2.86, striking out 41 in 44 innings, while walking only 19.  He was promoted early to Akron and went 8-7 with an even more impressive 2.28 ERA. 

His overall ERA was 2.45, and it looks like this kid knows how to pitch.  He did struggle a bit with only 6 1/2 K’s per nine innings, and I think you’d want more at a guy this high, but he’ll only get better. 

Look for White to start the year off in Columbus, and make some noise to join the big league club earlier, rather than later.  I would have White in the top 10, but I’m not sure he’s a No. 1 starter down the road…more like a No. 2 or No. 3.

No. 3:  Jason Kipnis

Kipnis was the second-round pick of the Tribe in 2009. Understand that Kipnis made the move from the outfield to second base this season and did it as seamlessly as possible.

How seamless? Kipnis started the year off in High A Kinston and ended the season winning titles in Triple A Columbus. In 54 games in Kinston, Kipnis hit .300, with six home runs, 33 runs and 31 RBI. He did have 10 errors, but this would improve.

In Akron, Kipnis continued to improve, batting .311 with 10 homers and 43 RBI. His defense also improved, with 13 errors in 75 games.

After finishing the regular season, the Tribe sent him to Columbus to help out in the playoffs. Kipnis exploded, hitting for the cycle in the Clippers game-clinching game for the Governor’s Cup, the trophy awarded to the best Triple A team.

In the five games he played for Columbus, he hit .455 with a 1.045 OPS. Kipnis is a shooting star in this organization. He’ll start the year off in Columbus, but look for the Kipnis watch to begin in spring training. This guy may be the top prospect in the organization.

No. 4:  Drew Pomeranz

Pomeranz was the Indians top pick in 2010. Without knowing much about the big 6’5″ lefty, it appears as if this kid is the type of workhorse that the Indians have been stockpiling over the past 2 1/2 years.

He has a nice fastball that’s in the 91-92 range, but can bring it up to 95. It’s extremely explosive, but not his best pitch. That would be his 12-6 curve, which may already be the best curve in the organization.

He has a decent offspeed pitch, but it’s likely the Indians will be tinkering with this over the next couple of years. I wouldn’t have him this high yet, but there’s no doubt this kid is going to be good.

No. 5:  Nick Weglarz

Weglarz was the third-round pick of the Indians in 2005. It’s unknown where Weglarz is going to play, whether it be outfield, first base or DH. This year, he hit .285, with 13 homers and 47 RBI.

He had a .503 OBP, and an .893 OPS. Weglarz is in the Jim Thome-mold…a mountain of a man, who walks as much as he strikes out. The only concern with the kid is health. He had less than 400 at bats this year. If healthy, I fully expect Weglarz to show up in Cleveland.

No. 6: Jason Knapp

Knapp was a second-round draft pick of the Phillies in 2008 and made his debut for the Tribe in rookie ball with six weeks left in the season.  The kid is talented and has a lot of stuff, but it’s really hard to figure out what we’ve got with this kid. 

He made nine starts, to the tune of 28 1/3 innings.  He went 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA, striking out an incredible 47 batters, while walking only 12.  If you’re counting at home, that’s 15 K’s per nine innings.  He is a long way from the Majors, but he clearly has the best stuff of any Tribe pitcher.

No. 7:  Levon Washington

Washington was picked in the second round of the 2010 draft.  Here’s another kid I don’t know a lot about, other than the fact that many consider him to be the best overall athlete in the entire draft.  Washington is a raw talent, he’s fast and has above average offensive talent. 

Many compare the kid to Johnny Damon and/or Carl Crawford.  While I can’t go there yet, there is a lot of hope for this kid down the line.  His biggest knock is on his arm, and many say it may cost him from being a centerfielder.  I just don’t see the kid in the top ten yet, but what do I know.

No. 8:  Tony Wolters

Wolters was picked in the third round of the 2010 draft.  The Indians hadn’t really drafted a top SS prospect since Jhonny Peralta about 200 years ago.  Wolters is just that, a top prospect.  Many believed that Wolters was going to college, and that there was no way that he’d sign. 

It caused him to slide, and the Indians did what they normally don’t, they took a chance at him and signed him. He’s a fantastic fielder, but his specialty is his bat, which is special from both sides of the plate. 

He’s a small kid, but he’s tenacious.  The kid eats, sleeps and drinks baseball.  His biggest comparison is Dustin Pedroia.  When you look at the kid, he’s not going to blow you away on paper, but when you put all the pieces together, he may be the Tribe’s best draft pick.  Again, not sure I’d have him in the top 10 yet, but he’s certainly earned that right.

No. 9:  Joe Gardner:  Joe Gardner was selected in the third round in the 2009 draft.  Gardner made quite a splash in the Indians organization this year.  Gardner started the year in Low A Lake County, and made quick work there, going 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA in only six starts. 

He moved up to High A Kinston, and did an even better job, going 12-6 with a 2.65 ERA in 22 starts.  He finished first in the organization in wins and K’s, and had an overall 2.75 ERA.  Opponents hit .197 against him.  He has a wicked sinker and commands the lower part of the plate, and has a 3.21 GO/AO ratio. 

There’s nothing about this kid that doesn’t sound off the alarms of being a solid top-of-the-rotation starter.  Will his breaking stuff translate to AA and higher?  I believe it will.  Look for Gardner to really rise to the top this season.

No. 10:  Nick Hagadone

Nick Hagadone was a first-round selection by the Boston Red Sox in 2007.  Hagadone may have had the best stuff in this organization coming into this season, after coming over in the Victor Martinez deal last year. 

He had Tommy John surgery in 2008, so this was likely the first we got to see him at the top of his game.  Cleveland was extremely careful with Hagadone, so much so that they moved him in the bullpen when he struggled a bit in Akron. 

Hagadone is another big lefty, who has a mid-90’s fastball, a plus slider and a changeup.  He had a solid season in Kinston, (1-3, 2.39 ERA) before heading to Kinston.  Once there, Hagadone struggled as a starter, so they moved him to the pen. 

It’s still not sure where he’ll end up, but it’s likely the pen.  Hagadone has much to prove, before he gets to the bigs.  This may be too high for him.

The Indians certainly have their doubts heading into the season with regard to the big league club.  What is sure is that the Tribe has a slew of prospects moving up through the organization that should make an impact over the next five years. 

We’ll be taking a long look at many of them over the next three months. It’s not like we have anything else to talk about, do we?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

This week, the Seattle Mariners rebuffed fan demands and shunned fan favorite Bobby Valentine in favor of former Cleveland manager Eric Wedge.    

Perhaps it’s not the end of the world, because the last time the fans had a favorite, it was for the bench-riding, manager-in-waiting Joey Cora of the Chicago White Sox. Not exactly a household name known for multiple pennants, and not someone other teams have jumped to hire, Cora is known more for cute pins on his baseball cap than his management prowess. 

In Seattle, most fans feel they know more about hiring baseball managers than the Mariners‘ team management does.  

Long-suffering Seattle fans have been very patient with their sports teams, but that patience seems to be wearing thin if initial reactions to the hiring of Eric Wedge is any indication.  Most were aghast with worry, with some older fans still gnashing their teeth at the bad-luck loss of the beloved and cherished Lou Piniella nearly a decade ago.  Nobody seemed to be in a mood for parades or celebrations.   

Yes, we all giggled at the press conference yesterday, with all the witty comments made by kiss-up pundits.  

Yes, we patted Chuck and Howard on the back and thanked them for saving baseball in Seattle and their wonderful two decades of stellar leadership.  

Yes, we acknowledged the seven years of Cleveland bliss under Eric Wedge.  

Yes, we heard all of the futuristic comments of what winning will be like. 

But nevertheless, fans clearly are not buying the sales pitch like they have in years past.

Now I gotta admit, neither was I, which is very odd because normally I’m such a positive guy budding with optimism.  When a used car salesman tells me “this car was driven by an old lady to church”  in spite of the clearly tampered-with odometer on the dented 1973 Dodge Dart, I celebrate!   

When Bill Clinton said he “did not have sexual relations with that woman” and that he used the cigar for smoking and not for—well, you know—I believed Bubba. 

When George W said the “Mission was Accomplished” and the troops would soon be home soon and the world was saved from unsavory terrorists with WMDs, I believed that too! 

When Obama promised the new health care bill would cover everyone in this country and possibly others for “not a dime more than we’re now spending,” I was so very happy!    

Why? Because I am an optimist. That’s just how I am. I believe what most people tell me.

But with this new managerial change for the Mariners, like most fans, I’m finding myself just a tad bit skeptical.   Perhaps it’s because I’ve heard this so many times before? 

Half a dozen times since Lou, we Seattle fans have been told the same thing: that the losing days of old are gone, that the culture will be changed, that this is the guy who will lead us out of the wilderness and into the promised land of milk and honey and World Series rings.

Yesterday, the mystified Mariner management seemed dumbfounded over public skepticism. “Why would they not trust us, we of incredible baseball wisdom long since demonstrated?” And as radio hosts and newspaper columnists danced on tables and were downright giddy over the Eric Wedge hiring, we fans…not so much. There was a muted suspicion of being conned once again, with most fans saying they would wait to pop the corks until they saw what this guy actually did. No, they were not pronouncing judgment of impending doom, but they weren’t caught up in yesterday’s hoopla either.  

Now why would fans be skeptical?  Well, let’s take a look at the press conferences of the last seven managers hired and you might see a pattern:

On November 16, 2002, the Mariners hired 41-year-old Bob Melvin, saying “We think we’ve got a real gem in Bob, as you’ll all learn when you get to know and respect him. He’s going to bring us a winning team and a championship.” 

The local press speculated that Melvin was more even-tempered than the fiery Piniella. Mariners chairman Howard Lincoln said, “He brings to this position not only baseball expertise but high energy, good judgment, intelligence, leadership and communication skills.” Others noted that since he was a catcher and was so much younger than Lou, he would communicate better with the players.  

Less than two years later they fired him.

On October 20, 2004, the Mariners announced the signing of Mike Hargrove, who had led the Cleveland Indians past the Mariners in the 1995 ALCS. 

Mariner management said, “We went for an impact manager, one who can have immediate success on the field.” Others wrote that Hargrove “is saltier, a more savvy figure than Melvin, more along the lines of Lou Piniella, who will be the gold standard for all subsequent Mariners managers.” Still others penned, “As with Piniella, he sees season-long clubhouse management as his top priority.” 

Turns out Hargrove shared one other trait with Piniella.  He was burned out, tired of managing, and thus drove out of town in a red pickup during an eight-game winning streak on July 1, 2007.

Hargrove was succeeded by 55-year-old John McLaren, who the Mariners were again very optimistic about.   Upon accepting the job, McLaren said, “I am really looking forward to the challenge of taking over this club and continuing to build on what Mike has established here. When I came back I said I wanted to be a part of taking this team to the postseason, and back to what our fans expect and deserve. That’s still the case. My focus, and the focus of every one of my coaches is to help these players achieve what they are capable of, and that’s getting this team back to the postseason.”

McLaren had managed in the Toronto minor league system for eight years prior to working as a major league coach. He made his managerial debut with Medicine Hat in the Pioneer League in 1978. He guided Kinston to the first half title in 1981 and managed Southern League Championship clubs in 1984 and 1985. He was named Co-Manager of the Year in the Southern League in 1985. 

But on June 19, 2008, he too was fired by the Seattle Mariners, replaced by Jim Riggleman. 

What did the Mariners say about Riggleman when he got the job? “Jim’s going to bring what we think is a different style than Mac had.  Just the depth and breadth of his experience and how he presents himself.  We’re happy to have Jim!” Others in the community wrote, “He’s a pretty standard-issue manager. It’ll be a huge improvement in terms of consistent lineups and bullpen usage.”  

But apparently experienced standard-issue managers were also not what the Mariners wanted, and he too was fired at the end of the same season, replaced by then 45-year-old and relative unknown Don Wakamatsu.

Wak had no major league experience as a manager.   He had spent five years as a bench coach and third-base coach in Texas, then one year as bench coach for the A’s before Seattle called.  He had never managed above Double-A prior to the Mariners hiring him.  In fact, none of the six candidates interviewed by the Mariners had big league experience as managers.

Nevertheless, pundits exclaimed how Wakamatsu was the first Asian-American manager in major league history, and how he was the first significant hire in the new era of new general manager Jack Zduriencik. The New York Times wrote a special article celebrating how his family had overcome unjust internment during World War II and noted his heritage.

Wakamatsu himself said, “I welcome the challenge here to bring a world championship to Seattle and the fans of the Mariners” and added that “communication and leadership will be key and this will carry over to the team.”

Observers, mostly quite pleased with the hire, noted that the Mariners had a league-worst offense in 2008 and that Wak “had a daunting task to reverse the culture and performance of a team that last season became the first to lose 100 games with a $100 million payroll.” 

In his first year as Mariners manager, the team put up 85 victories, of which a MLB season-high 35 were one-run triumphs, as well as 13 walk-off wins.   Everyone was optimistic and giddy. 

During the spring of this past year, general manager Jack Zduriencik gushed about his own confidence in the Mariners’ clubhouse culture.  “Don Wakamatsu lets players be themselves, and the veteran Ken Griffey Jr. keeps teammates loose with biting humor and nearly nonstop commentary on everything that crosses his line of vision.”

Don Wakamatsu was fired this past August 9th because of the clubhouse culture.  This month team philosophy apparently reversed once again, and now is focused only on experienced managers with a depth of big league experience, according to the same yet unhired Joey Cora.   The Seattle Mariners have settled on Eric Wedge in spite of wailing from the fans yearning for the four decades of experience offered by Bobby Valentine.

Yesterday at the press conference, questions were fired off by hundreds by writers and TV personalities, all skippy and happy (or at least putting on a good act). Optimism was flowing. We the fans are told we should jump for joy over this wonderful new hire for the Seattle Mariners. Things will change. You’ll see. This time it will be different!

Yes, and perhaps that flat-white, dented Dodge Dart did actually only have 10,000 miles on it.

But with a league-worst offense and a spotty pitching staff, surrounded by bad-attitude underperforming free agents with multi-year contracts, this team again looks to be in trouble, and no manager is going to change that without serious help from the front office.   Like years past, and it probably wasn’t a manager issue in the first place.  

Perhaps the team is cursed by a field built over an ancient burial site? 

Whatever the problem is with baseball in this city, I wouldn’t bet your house on the Seattle Mariners going to the World Series with Eric Wedge at the helm.  And I’m sorry if that sounds negative and pessimistic, but we’ve been down this road six times since Lou.

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Times are tough in Cleveland, Ohio nowadays. The local economy, seemingly on the rebound everywhere else, continues to stagnate near the bottom of the national conscience. 

It is the middle of October, and the Indians are left at home watching playoff baseball for the third straight season. The Browns, with their third string rookie quarterback, lost to the Steelers, again—only by 18 points this time.  

Still, all of this pales in comparison to the Cleveland’s iconic son embarrassing the city on national TV before turning his back and joining his cohorts in Miami. 

The pulse of the city’s faithful may be at an all-time low, and that’s before baseball’s ultimate free spending team kicks a downtrodden organization, once again. 

C.C. Sabathia is the last homegrown superstar talent the Indians organization has drafted and developed. Fans patiently waited for him to blossom from a green 20-year-old to a legitimate frontline starting pitcher. 

Stardom has a price that a handful of teams can pay—including the Indians. Unfortunately, Sabathia pitched himself in another stratosphere—a place reserved for the elite money making machines.

Former GM Mark Shapiro, in a highly unpopular, but completely reasonable move, traded the big lefty to a contending team for a plethora of promising players. 

Enter. Cliff Lee.

Lee was obtained in another highly unpopular, yet, extraordinarily rewarding trade.  In hopes of accelerating the last rebuilding effort Shapiro traded Bartolo Colon, another former ace, for Lee, Brandon Phillips, and Grady Sizemore. 

In another universe, perhaps, a more favorable place for underdogs and small market baseball teams, the pairing of Sabathia and Lee would have rewarded an organization bereft of a World Series title.

Welcome to Cleveland, the unforgiving cosmos.

During the magical, if unsustainable, playoff run in 2007 Lee looked less like a major league hurler and more like a smile on Albert Belle’s face. Something just didn’t seem right. The formerly consistent league average pitcher morphed into a present day version of Steve Blass. 

Lee struggled through injuries and ailments including a right abdominal strain and a bad case of gopheritis. He was eventually replaced by Fausto Carmona—another burgeoning ace—and left off the postseason roster all together. 

Then, by some magical touch Lee started pitching and he continued to pitch. Past stardom, past superstardom. Now he has settled somewhere in between Sabathia and Sandy Koufax. Somewhere past the allowable limits of Paul Dolan’s purse strings. 

Enter the New York Yankees. 

The New York Yankees threw gobs of money towards Sabathia, and he accepted without hesitation. This offseason following another year, including continued dominance in the postseason, the Yankees will pursue, and more likely than not, sign Lee. 

The combined contracts of both lefties will settle in $40-45 million range—approximately 70 percent of Cleveland’s 2010 payroll. 

Next season’s Yankees will once again challenge for a World Series title, only this time 40 percent of their rotation will consist of former Cy Young Award winning Indians—and 100 percent of the Cleveland fans’ lost hope.

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It’s been a bad year for Cleveland Indians fans.

Most of us Tribe faithful had low expectations when the season began. This was supposed to be a transition year, as the fruits of one of the deepest farm systems in the game got their first taste of the big leagues.

But even if they weren’t supposed to be serious contenders, it’s hard to see the Indians flailing behind even the Kansas City Royals in the basement of the AL Central without wondering how things went this wrong.

It wasn’t just the kids’ growing pains that sent the season off the rails—it was consistent ineptitude from the established veterans who were supposed to set good examples for their whippersnapper teammates.

Face-of-the-franchise Grady Sizemore got bitten by the injury bug again in 2010, (not that he did the team much good when he was healthy). Travis Hafner continued his decline, and guys like Jhonny Peralta, Luis Valbuena, and David Huff all were mediocre at best.

And yet, buried somewhere in the metaphorical pile of vomit that has been the Indians’ season (I don’t think that really makes sense, but it’s a fitting image) there have been some things that should make us Tribe fans feel hopeful and—dare I say?—proud.

Here are 10 reasons why Cleveland still rocks.

Begin Slideshow

Welcome to the Cleveland Indians Trading Post, a weekly segment meant to help my fellow Tribe fans sort out which of the few familiar faces left on the team won’t be around much longer.

This week’s potential trade bait is Fausto Carmona.

The basics

Three years ago today, Fausto Carmona was in the midst of a breakout season. With nine wins and a 3.21 ERA in his first 14 games, he had teamed with Tribe ace CC Sabathia to give the Indians’ rotation arguably the best one-two punch in baseball.

But in 2008, just months after finishing fourth in AL Cy Young voting, Carmona’s game went down the toilet (13-19, 5.89 ERA in 2008-09).

This year, the 26-year-old right-hander is enjoying a resurgence (6-5, 3.31 ERA), though his peripherals (1.58 K/BB rate, 4.46 xFIP) indicate that his success is largely due to luck. He’s under team control through 2014, with just under $9 million guaranteed through 2011, followed by three years of club options.

Why he has value

Did you miss the last paragraph? He has a 3.31 ERA, good for 15th in the American League. When a player like that becomes available, teams take notice.

He throws 97 mph (92.7 average fastball velocity this year, 14th in the league) and can burn worms with the best of them (56.6 percent groundball rate, behind only teammate Justin Masterson).

As we discovered in 2007, he has Cy Young-caliber upside. He’s only 26 and is under team control until he’s 31. Wake up—I think you’re drooling.

There’s always a chance that he’ll bust again, but if that happens the team can cut ties with him after next year. So what is there to lose?

Why he’s expendable

First, let me make it clear that if I were Mark Shapiro, I wouldn’t be actively shopping Carmona. But I’d listen carefully if another GM called with an offer.

Carmona’s 2007 campaign looked like a fluke even before his collapse. That year, a .281 BABIP and 78 percent strand rate kept his ERA down at 3.06—almost a full run lower than his good-not-great 3.94 FIP.

Not much of a strikeout pitcher to begin with, Carmona struggled with massive control problems the next couple seasons; in 246 innings from 2008-09, opposing batters actually saw ball four more often than strike three.

He’s definitely made some improvements this year, but he still doesn’t look like an ace.

With a 3.2 BB/9 rate, Carmona appears to be getting the walks under control. But his strikeout rate (5.1 K/9) has actually decreased since last year (5.7 K/9).

The difference between his sterling 3.31 ERA and mediocre 4.46 xFIP shows that the winds of fortune have been blowing in from the Progressive Field bleachers. His .262 BABIP, 72 percent strand rate, and seven percent HR/FB rate are well below, above, and below his career averages, respectively.

More importantly, though, the Indians have more exciting young pitchers than we know what to do with—guys like Carlos Carrasco, Nick Hagadone, Jason Knapp, Hector Rondon, and even Justin Masterson. All probably have higher upside than Carmona and will be available at or near the league minimum for the remainder of his contract.

It’d be nice to keep Carmona around for a while, but if we can get a solid package in return, I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

Where he’d go

Any team looking for a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter with the ability to absorb a bit of salary would likely be interested in Carmona.

As mentioned earlier , the Mets would love another starter to bolster their rotation. While they have yet to engage the Indians in trade talks, the Mets are already discussing Carmona internally.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim could use some pitching help as well. Joe Saunders and Scott Kazmir are scuffling; each has an ERA over 5.00.

The Halos’ edge over the Texas Rangers was supposed to be their pitching. If they’re going to complete their comeback, they’ll need to solidify their staff.

An intriguing sleeper candidate might be the Arizona Diamondbacks. They won’t be trading for any two-month rental stars, but having a proven player under team control through 2014 could certainly pique the interest of GM Josh Byrnes.

The D-Backs have plenty of talent and were a popular sleeper pick coming into the season. They could turn into contenders in the near future, and Carmona could make a solid deputy for ace Dan Haren.

What do you think? Will the Indians trade Carmona? Where will he go, and who will we get in return?

More Trading Posts

May 13: Austin Kearns

May 20: Jake Westbrook

May 27: Mitch Talbot

June 3: Jhonny Peralta

June 10: Russell Branyan

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Welcome to the Cleveland Indians Trading Post, a weekly segment meant to help my fellow Tribe fans sort out which of the few familiar faces left on the team won’t be around much longer.

This week’s potential trade bait is Russell Branyan.

The basics

Ranked the 26th-best prospect in baseball before the 1998 season, Branyan bounced between the Indians and the Triple-A Buffalo Bison until 2000, when he became a semi-regular part of Cleveland’s lineup. He was revered as a source of tremendous untapped power, but his all-or-nothing mentality (39 percent career strikeout rate) made him a poor contact hitter (.234 career average).

In 2009, Branyan went to the Mariners (his ninth organization in seven years), and finally got a taste of regular playing time. He excelled, mashing 31 homers with an .867 OPS in 116 games.

Branyan signed a one-year, two million-dollar contact with the Indians before Spring Training, with a five million-dollar mutual option for 2010. This is his fourth separate stint with the Indians organization.

Why he has value

Branyan might not hit the ball with great frequency, but when he does, it goes a long, long way. His moonshots are so massive that even fans of the opposing team often applaud in awe.

He started off slowly as he struggled with injuries and a good old-fashioned slump. On May 10, he was hitting .200 with just two RBI and a .586 OPS. A man whose entire game revolves around the long ball had yet to hit a home run.

But on May 11, Branyan hit two homers in what seems to have been the turning point of his season.

In 86 at-bats since, Branyan has smacked seven long balls—on par with Albert Pujols and Ryan Zimmerman over the same time period—and driven in 13 with a .535 slugging percentage.

Don’t try and call this an unsustainable hot streak, because his numbers in the last 30 days are right in line with what he did last year. Assuming the injuries are behind him (at least for now—Branyan always seems to have something wrong with him), it is the slump that will end up looking fluky.

He’s not your prototypical middle-of-the-order guy, but what team wouldn’t love to have a slugger like him?

Why he’s expendable

The Indians aren’t contending in 2010, so having him around this year doesn’t do the team any good. However, this situation is more complicated than Austin Kearns’ or Jake Westbrook’s because of his option for 2011. And unlike Jhonny Peralta , there’s a legitimate case to be made for the Tribe keeping him around past this season.

No one’s expecting a pennant run in Cleveland next year, but the Indians certainly have the potential to contend in 2011. By the end of next season, the Tribe’s lineup will likely be boosted by prospects like Carlos Santana, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Nick Weglarz, while the rotation could feature the likes of Yohan Pino, Hector Rondon, and Carlos Carrasco. Throw in a healthy Grady Sizemore and another year of seasoning for the Indians’ young current regulars, and you’ve got the makings of at least a respectable team.

If Branyan keeps up this pace, picking his option would be a no-brainer for Cleveland. But remember that it’s a mutual option. If he finishes with 35 homers, he’d probably be able to claim more than five million dollars on the open market.

Plus, if the Indians hold onto him past the Trade Deadline because they plan to pick up his option and he ends up going down with one of his trademark injuries, we’ll have missed a potentially lucrative opportunity.

Where he’d go

A half-season of a power-happy slugger who will make only about a million dollars over that time—what contending team wouldn’t be interested? The most interested teams, though, would probably be those that are looking to replace their injured or struggling first basemen.

The Colorado Rockies certainly fit the bill. For the first time in 14 big-league seasons, franchise icon Todd Helton is looking like a below-average hitter. His .240 batting average and .309 slugging percentage are by far the worst of his storied career. The man who once reached 49 homers and 146 RBI is currently on pace for just three dingers and 31 men knocked in.

The Rockies are sitting in fourth place in the ultra-competitive NL West. Just keeping pace with the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants will be a challenge, let alone making up the lost ground. If they want to return to the playoffs, they can’t keep looking the other way with Helton.

And what of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? We’ve looked at their offensive struggles before , and things have only gotten worse with the loss of Kendry Morales.

With the Wild Card spot all but claimed by the AL East, the Halos’ only hope of making the playoffs is by winning the wild, wild AL West. They need a bopper to help fend off Texas and Oakland.

Finally, Branyan may be courted by the New York Yankees. The Bombers are looking up at the Rays and have the resilient Red Sox breathing down their necks, and first baseman Mark Teixeira is having the worst season of his career. How long can they wait before pulling the plug on the slumping $180 million man?

What do you think? Will Branyan be traded? Where will he go, and who will we get in return?

More Trading Posts

May 13: Austin Kearns

May 20: Jake Westbrook

May 27: Mitch Talbot

June 3: Jhonny Peralta

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com