Tribe Talk Indians 2007

Should Victor Martinez Move to First Base?

2007-04-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

Can the Indians face facts and realize Victor Martinez doesn't have the defensive skills to catch in the big leagues. When Kelly Shoppach catches, the Indians have an ERA of about 2 runs less a game than when Martinez pitches. That is no suprise. The Indians should make the move and trade Casey Blake. That way, you can have Ryan Garko and Victor backup Shoppach. What are they waiting for. For more of my Indians coverage check out www.Clevelandleader.com.

Tribe Starters For 2007

2007-01-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

Winter is here (well not really it seems to have taken a break in Cleveland this year) and you maybe unaware of the going-ons in the Tribe World... Not To Worry. Here is what the starters are shaping up to look like:

CF Grady Sizemore
LF David Dellucci
DH Travis Hafner
C Victor Martinez
1B Casey Blake
RF Chin-Soo Choo
SS Jhonny Peralta
3B Andy Marte
2B Josh Barfield

Rotation:

LHP CC Sabathia
RHP Jake Westbrook
LHP Jeremy Sowers
LHP Cliff Lee
RHP Paul Byrd

Tribe Loses Two Prospects

2006-12-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

The Rule 5 draft cost the Indians 2 prospects today. The first pick of the draft was former Buffalo Bison Ryan Goleski. Goleski was quickly traded by Tampa Bay, who had picked him, to the Oakland A's for cash. This begs the question: Why didn't the Indians trade him over there and get something for him? Goleski is a right handed hitter with loads of power. He had 27 HR's and 106 RBI while hitting over .300. He also has a cannon as he was voted the best arm in the minor leagues by Baseball America.

The Indians also lost right-hander Jim Ed Warden to the Phillies. The 27 year old is 6 foot 7. Both Warden and Goleski will have to stay on big league clubs for the entire season or the Tribe will get them back. The Indians will pick up $50,000 for each player selected today.

Tigers Even Up Series

2006-10-22T23:23:00.001-07:00

It looked like the Tigers were going to have a cakewalk, leading the whole game. They then made things interesting in the 9th with score 3-1 and closer Todd Jones on the hill. He induced a ground out with bases loaded. Molina grounded out to end the game.

Kenny Rogers once again pitched like the second coming of Whitey Ford and Babe Ruth (famous for not allowing runs in World Series play). Rogers went 8 scoreless innings and has not allowed a run all postseason. He was a the suspect of doctoring the ball has FOX Sports had a clip of a strange substance that may have been used to doctor the ball. The series moves on to St. Louis on Tuesday night at 8:30pm.

Cards Take Game 1

2006-10-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

The Saint Louis Cardinals took game one of the World Series tonight in large part because of a homerun by Albert Pujols in third inning. With a base empty and leading by one Detroit Tiger manager Jim Leyland choose to pitch to the National League's most dangourous pitcher and it cost him dearly. That took the lead to 4-1 and the Tigers could never regain momentum or pose much of a threat against Cardinals starting pitcher Anthony Reyes.

What looked like a series had the makings of a walkover for the American League Champion Detroit Tigers now looks like it may become a dogfight. Although it looks like the Tigers have advantage when it comes to matchups one has to wonder if the wind has been taken out of their sails after a long delay waiting for the National League Series to end. The Tigers Justin Verlander took the loss for the Tigers as he pitched 5 Innings giving up 7 runs. Scott Rolen also hit a homerun for the The Cardinals.

The final score was 7-2, with the Cardinals taking the first win of the series.

World Series Matchups

2006-10-22T23:20:00.000-07:00

World Series Matchups

The World Series is here and here at Cleveland Leader we predict that the Tigers will take the series in 5 games against the Cardinals. The difference will be the Tigers pitching. The Cardinals were already lacking starting pitching and the relief pitching is probably too tired to make any sort of difference in the series. Here is how the teams stack up:

First Base:

Detroit: Sean Casey is hurting and but the Tigers are counting on him playing the in the series. The Ex Indian hit .245 with 5 Home Runs and 30 RBI since coming over from the National League in a trade.

St Louis: Albert Pujols is the best hitter in the game right now. He hit .331 with 49 HR's and 137 RBI's in an injury shortened year. The Tigers better beware.

Edge: We think St Louis has at the edge at this posisition (suprise suprise)

Second Base:

Detroit: Placido Polanco has been the Tigers go to guy in the Post Season. He his hitting .471 and has onbase percentage over .500 in October. The Second hitter in the lineup hit .295 with 4HR's.

St Louis: We know Ronnie Belliard well around these parts. His bat hasn't been as potent since coming over to the Cardinals in the midseason trade but I think Belliard is the type of player who could shine in the national limelite.

Edge: EVEN

Shortstop:

Detroit: Carlos Guillen is a leader on the Tigers. Hitting .320 on the year with speed and power he is an offensive force for the Tigers. He will be the Tigers 1st Baseman if Casey is unable to go.

St Louis: David Eckstein is struggling through injuries. The shortstop has World Series experience but his aching body probably will force him to be a liability in this years Fall Classic.

Edge: Detroit

Third Base:

Detroit: Braden Inge is a not hitting this post season. He is a low average power hitting sort of offensive player. Defensive he'll make all the plays.

St Louis: Scott Rolen seems to be one of those players that can hit in the regular season and is a wreck in postseason. It has happened time and time again. He also has bad luck getting robbed of a sure homerun in game 7 against the Mets. His defensive is great. Scott Spezio has subbed in for him of late because he has had the hot hand.

Edge: Even

Left Field:

Detroit: Craig Monroe is another low average big power guy. 28 HR's and 92 RBI make him a real threat.

St Louis: This is left field by committee for the Cards. Preston Wilson hit .263 with 17 HR's and 72 RBI along with 12 Stolen Bases this year. So Taguchi and Scott Spezio will sub in.

Edge: Detroit

Center Field:

Detroit: Curtis Granderson has had a huge postseason. The leadoff hitter for the Tigers looks to continue the success he has had in the World Series. Putting the bat on the ball is the main concern as he struck out 174 during the regular season (not what you want from a leadoff man)

St Louis: Jim Edmonds is a throwback kind of player. Old and gritty and will do anything it takes to catch a ball. He battled injuries this year but look for him to come back strong in the spotlite.

Edge: St Louis

Right Field

Detroit: Magglio Ordonez is the Tigers Albert Pujols. A great hitter who seems to come through in clutch situations. He hit .298 with 24 HR's and 104 RBI this year.

St Louis: Juan Encarnacion is a player that the Cards probably they wish they hadn't signed. He is making 15 Million over 3 years and is doing what any average outfielder can do in the league. He hit .278 with 19 HR's this season.

Edge: Detroit

Bench Play: The Tigers and Cardinals both have classic benches. Probably a reason they got as far as they have this year. The Tigers have the luxury of having great defensive and timely bats. The Cardinals have Scott Spezio who plays in the infield and outfield and So Taguchi who will most likely play a role in the Series. Both benches are good so there is no edge going either way.

Pitching

Detroit: This is where the Tigers will take the World Champonship. They have better Starting and Relief pitching the Cardinals. Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman, and Justin Verlander make up a great threesome. The Relief Pitching is deadly Todd Jones as closer surrounded by fireballer Joel Zumaya. Look for the Tigers to turn the game into 6 or 7 Innings and close it out in the end. The scary thing for the Cards is that Tigers pitching is well rested. Watch out!

St Louis: Jeff Suppan, Anthony Reyes, and Jeff Weaver are average starting pitchers. Chris Carpenter is last years Cy Young Award Winner but he can't win the whole thing by himself. The Bullpen has been solid but there are no standouts.

A Look Back At 2006

2006-10-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Team Outcome:
Season Record: 78-84
Division Finish: 4th
Offensive Ranking: Tied for 2nd in AL (Tied for 2nd in MLB) - Based on Batting Average
Pitching Ranking: 6th in AL (11th in MLB) - Based on ERA
Fielding Ranking: 12th in AL (24th in MLB) - Based on Team Fielding Percentage

Individual Offensive Leaders:
Batting Average Leader: Victor Martinez (.316)
Home Run Leader: Travis Hafner (42)
RBI Leader: Travis Hafner (117)
Stolen Base Leader: Grady Sizemore (22)
Total Bases Leader: Grady Sizemore (349)
Offensive MVP: Grady Sizemore

Individual Pitching Leaders:
ERA Leader: CC Sabathia (3.22)
Wins Leader: Jake Westbrook (15)
Saves Leader: Bob Wickman (15)
Innings: Jake Westbrook (211.1)
Strike Out Leader: CC Sabathia (179)
Pitching MVP: CC Sabathia

Its kinda of scary looking at the stats. When your team is second in the league in offensive stats and your pitching is sixth in the league you should most likely make the playoffs. However, if you just followed the team a little, you know that the Indians problems revolved around defense and relief pitching. I have stated my times that the Tribes problems when the Indians signed journeyman starter Jason Johnson for a large contract and let star reliever Bob Howry sign with another team.

So where does that lead us to 2007? Well, the offensive and starting pitching look fantastic, With bats like Sizemore, Hafner, Martinez, and young sluggers that are coming into their own the team does not need to worry about putting runs on the board. Starting pitching is a dream that most teams dream about. Lee, Wesstbrook, Sabathia, Byrd, and Sowers make a great starting five. Defense and Bullpen help, and a catcher is what the team needs to shop for this offseason.

The defense's problems will be resolved for the most part with a new catcher. Victor Martinez cannot throw out Babe Ruth if he was stealing and he has been dead for 60 years. The bullpen is going to be costly for the Tribe to fix and hopefully the Dolan's will be able to afford it and the Tribe is able to find someone to fit the needs.

For the most part the Indians outlook looks good. I am a little scared that anytime the Indians look like they are on the way to something they choke. In 2004 they melted down once they were in contention, in 2005 it looked like a World Champion team until the last week when they started to get beat by sub 500 teams in the last week, and this years expectations seemed to bring the team to play poorly. Hopefully Wedge and Shapiro will be able to fix these problems with a veteran leader that will bring this team deep into the playoffs in 2007.

How One Player Can Ruin a Year

2006-09-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

Jason Johnson is a name that Indians fans will remember for a long time to come. It is not for masterful pitching performances or one big win but its how he spoiled an entire season for the Indians. I was against getting this bum from the start. They gave him millions of dollars that could have gone to Bob Howry. The Tribe could of promoted either Sowers or Carmona to be the seldom used 5th starter in April and May and see where they stood but they threw money at Johnson and the season has been ruined because of it. Since they have gotten over the Johnson hangover the Tribe looks like the team we saw in the second half of 2005. I really think that Mark Shapiro owes the fans an apology for letting the team and the city down with what was probably the worse off season movie in all of baseball this year.

Indians Fall To Angels Blake Put On DL

2006-08-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

The Indians Rallied back from a 4-0 deficit yesterday but lost again. More bad news for the Indians as starting right fielder Casey Blake has been put on the DL with an ankle injury and is most likely finished for the 2006 season.

Lee Agrees to Extension

2006-08-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

Indians Left Hander Cliff Lee has agreed to a 3 year contract extension. Lee, who won 18 games last season, is thought to be a major piece of the Indians future.

Indians @ Detroit

2006-08-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

The Indians head to Detroit this weekend for a 3 game series against the first place Tigers. Cliff Lee (9-8 4.70) takes the hill against the Tigers Jeremy Bonderman (11-5 3.65). Lee is 0-3 against the Tigers this year despite having an ERA of 3.44 against the club. Bonderma is 2-1 against the Indians with an ERA of 5.44. First pitch is at 7:05.

Indians Split The Series With The Red Sox

2006-08-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

The Indians Hit 3 Homeruns off Josh Beckett including a Grand Slam by Shin Soo-Choo as the Indians hung on to a 7-6 victory. Travis Hafner and Brett Boone also went deep at Fenway Park as Jake Westbrook provided 8 solid innings of pitching with Jason Davis picking up the save. Westbrook improved his record to 8-7 on the year as Josh Becektt fell to 13-6 on the year.

Carmona Meltdown Costs Tribe

2006-08-03T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Tribe was one out away from a victory when Rookie stopper Fausto Carmona couldn't find the plate. He was flawless getting the first two outs and the pressure got to him hitting the next two and walking the next. The next batter doubled off the green monster bringing in the tying and winnng runs. Don't you miss Bob Wickman? He was sure worth that Class A catcher right Shapiro?

Sowers Goes For 3rd Straight Shutout

2006-08-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Jeremey Sowers and The Indians are facing the Red Sox and Jon Lester. Lester is The Red Sox version of Sowers. A young left hander who is comes into the game at 5-1 with an ERA 3.49. Sowers is 3-3 with an ERA of just below 4. After struggling giving up the long ball in his first few starts Sowers looks like the second coming of Warren Spahn throwing back to back shutouts in his last two starts. It should be interesting game tonight in Boston. You can catch it on SportsTime Ohio @ 7:05.

Sabathia and Tribe Down Red Sox 6-3

2006-08-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

CC Sabathia went 8 innings giving up one run in a 6-3 victory against the Boston Red Sox. Former Indian Jason Johnson went 5 2/3 and took the loss for Boston. Victor Martinez and Casey Blake provided the offense for the Tribe with both driving in 2 runs and scoring a run each.

Belliard Trade Is Eyebrow Raising

2006-08-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

I understood the past few trades by the Indians but this one makes no sense to me. You can live without Bob Wickman and Ben Broussard but why would trade Ronnie Belliard for a ham sandwich. The Indians probably will use Boone at 2nd and Marte and 3base but the Indians got a nothing for Belliard. He wasn't making all that much and to dump a contract like that is just being cheap. Shapiro probably begged and pleaded teams to take Boone off his hands and had no takers but if that was the case they could of just released him. I am of the opinion that you don't get any better by losing. By trading Belliard the Indians got a lot worse very fast.

David Ortiz Gives Tribe a Heartbreaking Loss

2006-08-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

David Oritz, one of the most clutch hitters in all of the Major Leagues, hit a 3 run home run in the bottom of the 9th to give the Red Sox a 9-8 win tonight. He ruined what looked like a stellar game for the Indians with Casey Blake hitting 2 HR's and driving in 5 runs. F Carmona Lost for the second straight day and Kyle Snyder picked up the win for the Sox.

Tribe Losses Mount. Jason Davis Back

2006-07-21T19:56:00.000-07:00

CC Sabathia has a birthday he wishes he could forget. He lasted only 3 innings giving up 8 runs (3 earned) as the Indians) continued their losing ways. The Tribe had the Twins starter Jose Silva on the ropes early but couldn't get the knockout punch. The Twins just needed one mistake in the fourth capitalizing on an error that led to a big inning. The Indians tried to come back until a but a pair of two run innings by the Twins knocked the Indians out of the game for good. The Indians offense produced 17 hits but it was the Twins 18 hits that led to the 14-6 loss for the Tribe.

In Other news: Jason Davis Is back with the Tribe for the traded Bob Wickman.

Fausto Carmona Player Bio

2006-07-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Fausto C. Carmona (born December 7, 1983) is a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball.

Carmona, a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, made his major league debut with the Indians on April 15, 2006. He was initially used as a starting pitcher but later in the season was turned into a reliever.

He is known for his hard sinker and exhibiting good control of his pitches. He did not throw exceptionally hard when he first debuted in the minor leagues at age 18 but has since developed a fastball that can reach 97 mph. He also throws a slider and a changeup.

Carmona was the first non-rehab start player and full-time roster member of the the Lake County Captains to play a game in the big leagues.

Tribe Back In Town

2006-07-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

The Indians are back in town for the first time since the All Star Break. They face the Twins today. CC Sabathia(7-5 3.59)goes for the Tribe tonight as he faces Carlos Silva(5-9 6.75). Its a nine game homestand for the Indians as they face the Twins, The Tigers, and The Mariners in three game series.

Wickman Traded For Minor Leaguer

2006-07-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

Well, if you start trading your players away for Class A talent we all know the that season is a goner. But hopefully Carmona will be able to show us something. I don't get why they don't want Cormona to be another arm in the rotation though. Look for Paul Byrd to be the next one to go. Maybe they'll get someone from double A for him.

Make It 5 Straight Losses For Indians

2006-07-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

Earth to the Indians: When you fave a pitcher who has never started in the Major Leagues for two straight games please win ONE of them! Well instead of that they made Joe Saunders look like the vet as he gave up one earned run over 7 innings as the the Angels beat the tribe back to back nights. The final score was 7-5 with the Tribe waking up in the 9th Inning with 3 runs that didn't mean a whole lot. Cliff Lee got hit hard giving up 5 runs in the 4th inning. He dropped to 9-7. I wonder if he wishes he signed that extension now in the last offseason? All and all another ugly game for Indians fans. How many days till Browns season?

Westbrook Rocked Indians Lose Again 10-5

2006-07-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

Westbrook Rocked Indians Lose Again 10-5

The usually reliable Jake Westrbook got chased after less than 4 innings on Monday night against the LA Angels giving up 12 hits and 7 runs (5 Earned).

Box score | Play by Play | Highlights | How they scored | Game story

Major League Baseball

July 17, 2006 Angel Stadium of Anaheim-Attendance: 43,921 (45,037) Time: 2:59

Cleveland 5 L.A. Angels 10

FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Indians 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 5 12 1
Angels 3 0 2 2 1 0 0 2 X 10 17 0

W: D. Moseley (W, 1-0); L: J. Westbrook (L, 7-5)
HR: CLE: J. Michaels (8), T. Hafner (28). LAA: G. Anderson (8), O. Cabrera (7).

Batting
Cleveland
Name AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
G Sizemore CF 5 1 2 0 0 1 1 .289
J Michaels LF 5 1 2 2 0 1 2 .267
T Hafner DH 4 1 1 1 0 1 2 .320
V Martinez C 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 .309
R Belliard 2B 4 0 2 1 0 0 1 .290
B Broussard 1B 4 0 1 1 0 0 2 .318
J Peralta SS 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 .253
T Hollandsworth RF 4 1 2 0 0 1 1 .250
R Vazquez 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .185
Team totals: 38 5 12 5 0 7 6

Individual Batting:
Doubles: R Belliard (20), T Hollandsworth (11)
Home runs: J Michaels (8, 4th inning off D Moseley with 1 on, 2 outs) , T Hafner (28, 3rd inning off D Moseley with 0 on, 0 outs)
RBI: R Belliard (44), J Michaels 2 (31), B Broussard (42), T Hafner (77)
Grounded into double play: J Peralta (1)
Left in scoring position: V Martinez (1), T Hollandsworth (1), J Michaels (1), J Peralta (2), B Broussard (1), G Sizemore (1), T Hafner (1)

Team Batting:
Left on base: 6
Left in scoring position: 4
Hits with runners in scoring position: 12 at-bats, 2 hits

Fielding:
Errors: R Vazquez (4)
Double plays: 2: (#1: J Peralta, B Broussard), (#2: B Broussard, J Peralta)

Pitching:
Wild pitches: R Perez (1)

Batting
L.A. Angels
Name AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
C Figgins CF 4 0 2 0 1 1 0 .269
M Izturis 3B 5 3 4 1 0 0 0 .276
O Cabrera SS 5 1 1 2 0 0 5 .291
V Guerrero RF 5 1 3 2 0 0 0 .314
G Anderson DH 4 1 2 2 0 0 1 .271
M Napoli C 3 1 0 0 1 0 1 .282
J Rivera LF 4 2 2 1 0 1 1 .282
K Morales 1B 4 0 2 1 0 0 1 .247
A Kennedy 2B 4 1 1 1 0 1 2 .262
Team totals: 38 10 17 10 2 3 6

Individual Batting:
Doubles: J Rivera 2 (12), M Izturis (5)
Home runs: G Anderson (8, 1st inning off J Westbrook with 1 on, 2 outs) , O Cabrera (7, 4th inning off J Westbrook with 1 on, 1 outs)
RBI: J Rivera (40), G Anderson 2 (49), K Morales (21), M Izturis (13), A Kennedy (33), O Cabrera 2 (50), V Guerrero 2 (70)
Grounded into double play: G Anderson (1), O Cabrera (1)
Left in scoring position: K Morales (1), O Cabrera (4)

Team Batting:
Left on base: 6
Left in scoring position: 2
Hits with runners in scoring position: 10 at-bats, 6 hits

Base Running:
Stolen bases: M Izturis (8), C Figgins (36)
Caught stealing: C Figgins (9 for season)

Fielding:
Double plays: 1: (#1: M Izturis, A Kennedy, K Morales)

Pitching
Cleveland
Name IP H R ER BB SO ERA
J Westbrook (L, 7-5) 3.2 12 7 5 1 1 4.44
E Mujica 3.1 3 1 1 0 1 1.50
R Perez 0.1 1 2 2 1 1 4.15
G Mota 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 5.80

Pitching
L.A. Angels
Name IP H R ER BB SO ERA
D Moseley (W, 1-0) 5 10 4 4 0 2 7.20
H Carrasco 2.1 2 1 1 0 2 3.75
S Shields (H, 15) 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 2.36
B Donnelly 1 0 0 0 0 2 4.19

Individual Pitching
Cleveland
Name Batters Faced Pitches Strikes Ground Balls Fly Balls
J Westbrook 23 86 58 9 7
E Mujica 11 29 21 2 6
R Perez 4 17 9 1 0
G Mota 2 11 5 2 0

L.A. Angels
Name Batters Faced Pitches Strikes Ground Balls Fly Balls
D Moseley 24 92 56 5 10
H Carrasco 9 31 23 2 4
S Shields 2 6 4 0 1
B Donnelly 3 23 17 1 0

Bob Wickman Player Profile

2006-07-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

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Robert Joe Wickman (born February 6, 1969 in Green Bay, Wisconsin) is a closer in Major League Baseball who has played with the Cleveland Indians since 2000. Previously, Wickman played for the New York Yankees (1992-96) and Milwaukee Brewers (1996-2000). He bats and throws right-handed.

During his career, Wickman has compiled a 60-55 win-loss record with 228 saved games and a 3.64 ERA in 749 appearances.

On May 7, 2006, Bob Wickman became the Indians’ all-time franchise leader in saved games with 130, surpassing the record previously held by Doug Jones.

During a childhood farming accident, Wickman lost part of his index finger on his right hand, to which he credits much of the sinking motion on his fastball.

Wickman’s nickname in the clubhouse and to his friends is known as “wickywoo” based on the online internet game.

School-Career

* At Oconto Falls High School, Wickman played football, baseball and basketball, being named an All-State pick in basketball. After high school, he attended University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 1990 amateur draft (2nd round). In 1992, he was sent by Chicago to the New York Yankees in the same trade that brought Steve Sax to the White Sox.

External links

Spring Break Fun!

2006-07-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Whats better than Spring Training? Spring Break! If you have never experience spring break what are you waiting for? I go Punta Canta and have a great time on the beach and at the casinos. Check out http://www.studentcity.com/?utm_source=payperpost&utm_medium=blog to reserve your spot for Spring Break 2007. Its better than the winter blues.

Tribe Loses 3rd in a Row

2006-07-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

Jeremy Sowers was a victim of bad luck. The old adage in baseball is if you give a team an extra out it will most lucky cost you. That it did today against Minnesota when in the 4th Inning Todd Hollandsworth lost a fly ball and turned it into a double for Rondell White. Jason Tyner then turned that mistake in driving in two runs with the next pitch giving the Twins a 4-2 lead wich they never surrendered.

Sowers again struggled keeping the ball in the park giving up 3 homeruns in his 7 innings. The Indians offense couldn't get it going against Jose Silva and left 9 men on base. The final score was 5-2.

What to Say What to Say?

2006-07-16T04:42:00.000-07:00

The world is your forum and your wondering what to blog about. I will tell you about the top three things I like to write about. I love talking about sports as you can see. I can go on for hours and hours about the Major League Baseball, College and Pro Football, and a little basketball here and there. Baseball is my favorite sports topic because it lasts a whole season and has a Soap Opera feel where you really don't know whats going to happen next.

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Ronnie Belliard Starts at 3B

2006-07-16T02:43:00.000-07:00

The tribe employed a new yesterday starting Ronnie Belliard at 3B (the first time he has played there in 4 seasons) amd starting Joe Inglett at 2nd. Could this mean the Indians are looking to swap their struggling Third Baseman Aaron Boone?

Looking For Links?

2006-07-16T02:42:00.000-07:00

http://www.linkexperiment.com is a place where, Brandon Rowe, a 23 year old amateur runner from philadelphia is doing an experiment . If you run a website or blog you know how important it is to get your link out there. How would you like to do it for as little as a penny with sites that get regular traffic!??! This is a great way to market your sites and increase your own traffic for pennies. Try it out!

Silva Vs Sowers

2006-07-16T01:42:00.000-07:00

Pitching matchup
CLE: LHP Jeremy Sowers (1-2, 7.47 ERA)
The home run ball has been a problem for Sowers in three starts since being called up from Triple-A Buffalo on June 24. After allowing one home run in 73 1/3 innings at Buffalo, Sowers has given up four homers in 15 2/3 innings. He allowed seven runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings against the Orioles in his last start.

MIN: RHP Carlos Silva (4-9, 7.00 ERA)
Silva suffered a minor knee injury during the first inning of his last start against the Rangers. It definitely wasn't a start to remember for Silva, as he gave up five runs on six hits over just 1 2/3 innings. Silva still seems to be trying to find the mechanics that made him so successful over the past few seasons. In his career against the Indians, he has gone 2-3 with a 5.28 ERA.

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2006-07-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

Are you a Christian searching for a job? Well here is a great website that has the biggest database of its kind on the web. Its easy to use and if your an employer you can search over 5,500 resumes. Check out this site for more info: http://www.christianplacements.com.

Tribe Falls To The Twins

2006-07-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians lost 6-2 to the Minnesota Twins. The win goes to Santana, and the loss to CC Sabathia.

My New Song "The Blogging Blues"

2006-07-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

I love http://www.payperpost.com so much that I have written a song about it. If your looking for a great place to advertise check this out. Hope you like the tune :).

Jason Michaels Player Bio

2006-07-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

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Jason Drew Michaels (born May 4, 1976 in Tampa, Florida) is an outfielder in Major League Baseball currently playing for the Cleveland Indians of the American League Central division. He's sometimes nicknamed "J-Mike".

Minor League career

Michaels was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1998 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Miami. He played with the Batavia Muckdogs in 1998 (A-short season), Clearwater Phillies in 1999 (A, now Clearwater Threshers), the Reading Phillies in 2000 (AA), and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in 2001 (AAA), all in the Phillies farm system.

Phillies career

Michaels first appeared with the Phillies in 2001, and was a regular on the major league roster, accumulating a batting average of .291 with 235 hits, including 21 home runs, through the end of the 2005 season. In the outfield, he had become the go-to backup outfielder for the Phillies. However, Michaels' shot at a starting position with Phillies in the 2005 season came to a halt when the Phillies acquired outfielder Kenny Lofton from the New York Yankees in the offseason.

During the 2005 season, Michaels and Lofton received comparable playing time, with Michaels starting for the Phillies during Lofton's 2005 injury and primarily against left-handed pitching, as this matchup is more favorable than Lofton's left-handed bat. Both normally occupy the number two spot in the Phillies batting lineup. He also served as a periodic replacement for Phillies RF Bobby Abreu and Phillies LF Pat Burrell. Lofton was replaced by Aaron Rowand in the 2005 off-season, which made Michaels expendable.
[edit]

July 3, 2005: Arrested in Philadelphia
Michaels was arrested around 3am on July 3, 2005, after allegedly punching Philadelphia police officer Timothy Taylor as he left the "32 Degrees" nightclub in the Olde City section of Philadelphia. "He punched a Philadelphia police officer and wrestled him to the ground, in the process ripping the police officer's shirt," Philadelphia police spokesperson Jim Pauley said.

It reportedly took four Philadelphia police officers to subdue Michaels, who spent nine hours in detention, and then, upon his release, promptly reported on time for a July 3 Phillies game against the Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, broadcast nationally on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball".
[edit]

Assault charges

Michaels faced charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, simple assault and reckless endangerment. A hearing on the charges was scheduled for September 21, 2005 in Philadelphia but was rescheduled for December 15, 2005. The courts granted the second continuance due to the fact Michaels had obtained new counsel.

On December 15, 2005, Michaels was placed into Philadelphia's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program for first-time offenders of non-violent crimes. Michaels appeared back in court on Friday, January 20, 2006 when the conditions of the ARD, which typically include community service and anger management course requirements, were set.
[edit]

Community service and probation
On January 20, 2006, Michaels, accompanied by his father Earl, attended his second hearing in Philadelphia. He is required to complete 100 hours of community service with the Police Athletic League (PAL) and serve six months probation. Provided these conditions are met, his record will be expunged.
[edit]

Traded to the Indians

On January 27, 2006, the Phillies traded Michaels to the Cleveland Indians for left-handed relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes. This prompted a larger deal for the Indians, who then traded outfielder Coco Crisp to the Boston Red Sox as part of a multi-player deal. Michaels has replaced Crisp as a starter in left field for the Indians.

Yum Yum!

2006-07-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Just stopped in at White Castle on the way home from watching the Tribe at a buddy of mines. They have the best cheeseburgers and if you haven't tried the Cheese Sticks or Onion Rings your really missing out! And what about the prices! You could feed an army with prices like that. If you haven't stopped at a White Castle check out their menu at http://www.whitecastle.com.

Sabathia Vs Santana Battle of the Aces

2006-07-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

The aces of the Indians and Twins go tonight at 7 PM on SportsTimeOhio tonight. The Indians Sabathia is 7-4 with a 3.51 ERA this year and Santana of the Twins is 9-5, 2.95.

Plan Your Vacation To Check Out The Tribe!

2006-07-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

Hey all you out of town Indians fans. Are you sick and tired of the same old vacations? I have a great website you should check out: http://www.infohub.com/. This site has things like Lake Erie Fishing Trips, Canton Pro Football Hall Fame Tours, and trips focused on seeing 5 baseball parks in 5 days. No matter what your interests this site will have exactly what you need to plan your perfect vacation!

Tribe Beats Twins in Game 1

2006-07-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4. 5 of the Indians' 6 runs were brought in on 4 home runs. The win goes to Cliff Lee, now 9-6 for the year.

Tight Rolled Pants Back In Style!

2006-07-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

This is great! The comedian Will Hessler is launching a site to bring back the 80's style of Tight Rolled pants. Check out his MySpace link at: http://www.myspace.com/willhessler .

Cliff Lee Profile

2006-07-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee (born August 30, 1978 in Benton, Arkansas) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He attended University of Arkansas and has a career ERA of 4.38. Lee bats and throws left-handed.

Lee was taken in the 4th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft by the Montreal Expos. He made his Major League debut on September 15, 2002 for the Cleveland Indians. In 2005, Lee finished the season with an 18-5 record along with a 3.79 ERA, earning him 4th place in votes for the AL Cy Young Award.

Position Starting Pitcher
Team Cleveland Indians
Years of Experience 3 years
Age 27
Height 6'3" (1.91 m)
Weight 190 lbs. (86 kg)
Bats Left
Throws Left
College Arkansas
2005 Salary $406,200
Place of Birth Benton, Arkansas
Selection 4th Round, 2000.
Drafted by Montreal Expos
Major League Debut September 15, 2002

Looking For Sports on TV-This is better Sports on your CPU!

2006-07-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.4tv.com Check out baseball action (and whatever other hobbies you may enjoy) right on the internet! Whether your looking for the latest score or want to watch a movie this site is perfect.

Sauerbeck Fesses Up

2006-07-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

Former Tribe Relief Pitcher Scott Sauerbeck has plead guilty to obstruction of official business and permitting someone intoxicated to drive his car. He was caught on video and the incident later led to his release by the Indians. He now pitches with the Oakland A's.

Blogs In Space!!!

2006-07-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

I wonder if I have made any alien life forms a tribe fans? http://www.bloginspace.com is a website that actually beams your blog to space. If you check out your website you too can register your own blog to be beamed up to the stratosphere. So if your looking for a bigger audience for your blog you could do a lot worse than having it travel through the whole galaxy!

First Part In A New Series Profiling a Tribe Player

2006-07-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

Were starting with the future: Jeremy Sowers.
Jeremy Sowers (born May 17, 1983) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.
High School Career
He attended Ballard High School in Louisville, KY where he was named National High School All-American by Baseball America...Named Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, Mr. Kentucky Baseball and Kentucky High School Coaches Association Athlete of the Year as a senior at Ballard...Recorded a 10-2 record and 0.75 ERA, with 156 strikeouts, 18 walks and nine earned runs in 89 innings as a senior...Threw 13CG and 8SHO in his final high school season...Posted a 13-0 mark and 0.16 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 85.2IP as a junior...Threw 13CG/7SHO as a junior...Tossed four career no-hitters as a Bruin...Named All-State, All-Section, All-Region and County Player of the Year while leading the team to consecutive appearances in the state championship game as a junior and senior...Selected by Cincinnati in the first round (20th pick overall) of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft, but opted to attend Vanderbilt.
College Career
Prior to the 2004 First-Year Player Draft Sowers was ranked by Baseball America as the 2nd best collegiate pitcher in terms of command and was ranked 3rd among college pitchers in terms of being "closest to the majors"...He was rated the top prospect in the SEC by BA...Led the USA Baseball Junior National Team to a silver medal finish at the Pan American Tournament in Camaguey, Cuba in July 2001, registering a 3-0 record and 0.00 ERA... Named to the 2001 Pan American All-Tournament team...Twin brother, RHP Josh, pitched at Yale and was a 10th round pick by Toronto in 2004 after being named Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and District I Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association...Returned to Vandy and graduated with a degree in Political Science in December 2005...Enjoys movies and music from the 1980s. In 2004, this left-handed pitcher was the first round selection of the Cleveland Indians, 6th overall, in the 2004 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft. He signed with the Indians after completing his junior year. He had previously been selected out of high school in the MLB draft, 21st overall, by the Cincinnati Reds. He was granted permission by the Indians to finish his last credits to complete his senior year in the off season.
Minor League Career
Went a combined 14-4 with a 2.37 ERA in 27 starts at A Kinston, AA Akron and AAA Buffalo in his first season as a pro (159.1IP, 141H, 42ER, 149K, .235 avg)...Led organizational pitcher in wins and strikeouts and was 3rd in ERA and IP and was named Minor League Pitcher of the Year (Bob Feller Award)...His 2.37 combined ERA was seventh-lowest in all of Minor League Baseball...Walked 30 batters the entire season w/a 5.0:1 SO/BB ratio and averaged 1.7BB/9.0IP... Started the year at A Kinston where he worked into the 5th inning in all 13 of his starts and fanned 6 or more in 8 of those outings...Went 3-2 w/a 2.38 ERA in 6 May starts (34.0IP, 28H, 9ER, 35K) and was promoted to AA Akron on June 16...Lefty Carolina League hitters hit .173 (13-75) and batters hit .210 (13-62) with RISP, .083 (2-24) with RISP-2outs... At the time of his AA promotion, he was tied for the Carolina League lead in wins (8) and was 4th in ERA (2.78) and strikeouts (75)... He suffered the loss in his AA debut on June 22 vs. Reading...After that, he did not lose a regular season decision, going 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 12 starts (77.1 IP, 66 H, 20 R, 15 ER, 7 BB, 67 SO)...Jeremy pitched 24.0 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run from July 3-22... Was promoted to Triple A Buffalo on September 1 and made one start for the Bisons...He picked up the win on September 2 @ Ottawa (5.2IP, 7H, 1R/ER, 4K) and returned to Akron for the Eastern League Playoffs...In two post-season starts for the EL Champion Aeros, Jeremy was 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA (12.0 IP, 13 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 5 BB, 10 SO)...Opposing left-handed Eastern League batters struggled against Jeremy, batting just .186 (11-59) and on the year lefties also hit .186 (26-140)... After the season was named the 2nd best prospect in the Indians organization by Baseball America. He received a non-roster invitation to attend the Indians' 2006 spring training. He did very well in 3 outtings, but not well enough to make opening day roster.
Named as the Baseball America cover boy in 2006, Sowers pitched for the Indians' AAA team, Buffalo. In 15 starts this year for Buffalo, he posted a 9-1 record with a 1.39 ERA. Considered by many analysts to be a top pitching prospect, Sowers was called up to the Major Leagues by the Cleveland Indians on June 20, 2006, for his Major League debut against the Cincinnati Reds on June 25.
MLB Career
In his first MLB game, Sowers struck out Adam Dunn for his first career strikeout. He later gave up home runs to Ken Griffey, Jr. and Dunn.

I Wish I Won The Lottery

2006-07-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

I was watching that new show Windfall the other day and a million things were jumping through my head if I were to become an instant millionare. After thinking about for a little bit I came to the conclusion I would buy a low level minor league team and run it like George Steinbrenner. Maybe one of those Independent League Teams. I would be the Owner/Manager and drive everyone crazy. I would probably have Bill Veck type promotions to so the fans wouldn't know whether to hate me or to love me. Well, thats my dream anyway.

http://www.nbc.com/Windfall/money_tracker/

Andy Marte Shows Why He is a Top Prospect

2006-07-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

29 homeruns will get people talking. Andy Marte showed off his big bat at the Triple A All Star game in Toledo yesterday blasting them out left and right. The Tribe's 3rd Baseman Prospect looks like he is ready to come and do the same thing in the primetime.

Spring Training 2006 Memories

2006-07-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

It’s the midpoint of the year and its time to reflect on the year. I will go back to earlier in the year when I was in Florida. Staying in Winter Haven and taking in all the scenes there was just fantastic. I can't believe it was so many months ago that I was in Disney and drove up to Bradenton. Playing tennis in 80-degree weather in March is something I could get accustom to. I hope the tribe stays in Winter Haven too because its such a nice little town. Everyone treats you like your family when your at whether your at the ballpark or just at a restaurant. Spring training and Florida is a great place for anyone to visit.
http://www.flausa.com

Its Shapiro's Mess But Wedge Will Take The Fall

2006-07-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Remember Those Tribe teams of the Mid To Late 90's. Odds are that the first thing you thought about was the big bats of Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez , Jim Thome, David Justice, Matt Williams, and the list goes on and on. What many do remember is the bullpen. The bullpen was the key to a lot of those wins. Eric Plunk, Mike Jackson, Paul Assenmacher, and Jose Mesa were the key to a lot of those wins. So, after years of anguish the Indians finally found a winning formula. It seemed that the formula was coming back into the fold with Bob Wickman, Bob Howry, and Arthur Rhodes last season. Rhodes was traded for a ham sandwich because he went AWOL . But Bob Howry could have and should have been signed . The biggest mistake the Tribe made was giving a boatload of money to a journeyman right hander named Jason Johnson when they could of spent it on Howry. It is a lot easier to win a game when you make it a 7 inning game instead of 9. They could have made Jeremy Sowers a man and let him sink or swim in the majors. You don't need a solid 5th starter until late May. They could of tried their luck with Sowers and if he wasn't the answer pay for a 5th starter.

So that leaves us to Wedge. He was left with a mess. The offense looks great on paper. They are hitting .286 with a ton of Runs Scored. The defense is a mess . Victor Martinez couldn't throw out a runner to save his life making walks and singles into doubles so long as the runner at first feels he wants to steal a base. Why wasn't that addressed in the off season? Any fool could of seen that. They could of traded Brousard after his hot start to a team like the Cubs who lost their power hitting first baseman in early April. Instead were left with a team with 3 first baseman in Hafner, Brousard, and Martinez. Jhonny Peralta is going through part softmore slump part I am rich and you can't stop paying me. Jason Michaels is on track to be a career long journeyman that is doing his best job he can being an everyday player.

What it comes back to is the bullpen though. When you have a Bullpen that has its best ERA of well over 4.00 there is a major problem. When you sign a washed up pitcher like Danny Graves the sirens should be sounding that there isn't much there. And that's the reason the Tribe is in deep trouble . The Indians have a good enough offense to win despite the Pen but not to the tune of the 90 plus games that's needed to be a playoff contender. I think the second half will have a lot of exciting 10-8 games but Wedge will be let go because this team needs a wake up call fast.

Sizemore Looks to Make a Name For Himself

2006-07-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

Grady Sizemore, the lone Indian invited to the All Star game, looks to increase his national exposure and win some news fans tonight. Sizemore is hitting .291 with 15 HR 41 RBI 71 Runs Scored and 13 Steals. He also plays a great center field.

Free Agent Signs w/ Tribe

2006-07-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

CLEVELAND The Cleveland Indians signed free agent Sung-Wei Tseng (sung-WAY' sen), a 21-year-old who pitched for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic. He most recently pitched 5 shutout innings for the Taiwan national team against a team of College players on July 4th. He is regarded as the top prospect coming out of Taiwan.

Tribe Loses Series To O's

2006-07-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

Javy Lopez finished 3-for-4 with a solo home run as the Baltimore Orioles rolled into the All-Star break with a 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians to wrap up a three-game set at Jacobs Field. Brandon Fahey had three hits and a run scored and Miguel Tejada had two hits and an RBI for the Orioles, who have taken their last two games after dropping four straight. Rodrigo Lopez started on the hill for Baltimore, but didn't factor in the decision after giving up four runs -- two earned -- on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts in five innings of action. Kurt Birkins (4-1) got the win for pitching two-thirds of an inning.

Tribe and Sowers Go For 2 In a Row

2006-07-08T04:48:00.000-07:00

Pitching matchup Game Time 7:05 TV: Sports Time Ohio Radio 1100 WTAM

CLE: LHP Jeremy Sowers (1-1, 4.50)

Sowers showed his poise and composure in his start against the Yankees on Monday. In just his second big-league start, he wasn't rattled by the first-inning home run he served up to Jason Giambi. He pitched seven strong innings in which he allowed just two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

BAL: LHP Erik Bedard (9-6, 4.40)

Bedard is in the midst of what manager Sam Perlozzo called the best streak of his career. He has only given up one run in his last 24 innings, and held the White Sox to two hits in his last outing. In three games against the Indians in his career, Bedard has not earned a decision, but pitched 17 innings with a 3.18 ERA.

CC Sharp!

2006-07-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

CC Sabathia went the distance and struck out 7 in the 9-0 win against the Baltimore Friday Night. CC now has 3 Complete games on the season and is tied for the lead in American League. Sabathia now has a record of 7-4 with an ERA of 3.51. Travis Hafner hit a grand slam in the second inning giving him 25 HR's this season with 74 RBI's. The Tribe banged 17 hits in the ballgame to Baltimore's 3. Hafner now has 5 Grand Slams this young season.

Wedge Loses It!

2006-07-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

If you didn't see Eric Wedge after last nights game I am going to warn you. He looks like a shattered wreck. It looked like he was having a breakdown while getting interviewed. Not to mention his beard looks like he should be on the Cleveland Lumberjacks and not the Cleveland Indians.

Can The Season Be Salvaged?

2006-07-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

A lot of the talking heads are talking about trading the veterans. While I believe someone like Hollandsworth is expendable I think it would be very silly to dismantle the whole team. No team has ever gotten better by throwing the season away by trading all their veterans. If that were to happen the whole city and team would sour and it would be a diaster. I think the Tribe can finsih over the 500 hundred mark. Thats not what we were looking foward to in the beginning but will show that the tribe has a little fight in them. Its interesting that after everyone was counting them for dead they started showing up. A couple tough losses against the Cards and Reds and they are only two under 500 baseball. The 19-1 win against the Yankees show the players haven't thorwn in the towel and hopefully will be able to build off it. Although they are well on their way to a loss tonight.

Updated Tribe Stats

2006-07-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

1.	G Sizemore*

CLE

339

101

181

.371

.534

.298

2.	J Peralta*

CLE

312

117

.327

.375

.250

3.	R Belliard*

CLE

295

125

.343

.424

.292

4.	V Martinez*

CLE

287

132

.364

.460

.296

A Boone*

CLE

265

.316

.362

.253

T Hafner*

CLE

262

165

.456

.630

.313

7.	J Michaels*

CLE

242

.338

.393

.277

C Blake*

CLE

214

111

.388

.519

.304

9.	B Broussard*

CLE

211

111

.373

.526

.332

10.	T Hollandsworth*

CLE

113

.254

.469

.239

11.	F Gutierrez*

CLE

.245

.288

.231

12.	R Vazquez*

CLE

.208

.159

13.	K Shoppach*

CLE

.323

.296

.222

14.	L Merloni*

CLE

.286

.263

.211

15.

T Laker*

CLE

.308

.385

.308

16.	C Sabathia*

CLE

.222

17.	J Inglett*

CLE

.143

.286

.143

18.

C Lee*

CLE

.167

19.

P Byrd*

CLE

.250

20.	J Westbrook*

CLE

.500

.750

.500

21.

R Garko*

CLE

.500

1.000

.500

C Lee*

CLE

4.69

103.2

117

2.	J Westbrook*

CLE

4.37

103.0

105

P Byrd*

CLE

4.10

98.2

102

4.	C Sabathia*

CLE

3.90

80.2

5.	F Carmona*

CLE

4.34

37.1

J Davis*

CLE

5.04

30.1

G Mota*

CLE

6.53

30.1

8.	F Cabrera*

CLE

5.86

27.2

9.	B Wickman*

CLE

4.50

26.0

10.	R Betancourt*

CLE

5.40

23.1

11.

D Graves*

CLE

5.79

14.0

12.	J Guthrie*

CLE

6.59

13.2

13.

J Sowers*

CLE

4.50

12.0

14.

M Miller*

CLE

5.63

8.0

15.

R Perez*

CLE

2.84

6.1

16.

B Slocum*

CLE

7.71

4.2

17.

E Mujica*

CLE

0.00

2.2

Sowers Gains First Win and Hollandsworth Stock Rises

2006-07-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Big win for the Tribe last night. Jeremy Sowers confidence has to be soaring after defeating the Bronx Bombers for his first career win. Todd Hollandsworth fared well as well with two great catches in the outfield and his 4th homer in a week. Hollandsworth most likely will get traded before the deadline because you know that a National league team would love to take him off the Indians hands. Hollandsworth wouldn't complain either as the Indians season doesn't hold much promise.

Yanks Vs The Tribe

2006-07-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

The New York Yankees invade Cleveland for the holiday series against the Tribe. Jeremy Sowers tries to pick up his first big league win against Chien-Ming Wang. Wang has 8 wins this season and has beaten the tribe in is only start against them back in May. July 4th's festivities kick off at 6 PM (whatever happened to holiday day baseball?). The game is concluded with fireworks. S. Chacon (4-2, 5.68) is on the hill for the Bronx Bombers, J. Westbrook (6-4, 4.37) hurls for the tribe. July 5, has The Yankees ace M. Mussina (9-3, 3.17) going against P. Byrd (6-5, 4.10). Game starts at 7:05.

Can the Tribe take another series? Tune in and find out!

Hmmm... Can you see I know what I am talking about yet?

2006-06-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

I told you about Strawberry Fields... Ok thats John Lennon but what I did predict the last few series right on the money. I think the tribe will again lose the series. I think it really hurts that Sowers is going to have to have to face the same team twice. They'll know what he throws and they will hit him. Hopefully he won't have his confidence slashed.

An aside: Isn't amazing that Jake Westbrook seems to be the only person on the Tribe Roster that can advance someone with a sac bunt? And did you see him run down the line. I imagine he is one of the fastest guys on the team. I always was a fan but even more so now that I see how good of an athlete he is and that he hustles.

Aside II: I may start a blog called WedgeWatch that will detail the short lifespan of the Tribes Ill fated manager. You ever hear the one that if the GM keeps denying that they are firing him that he is that closer to being out the door. And another favorite: Easier to fire one manager than 25 players.

Boy am I good

2006-06-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

I told you the Indians were gonna lost the series to Cincy and start their rebound against The Cards. Well? Was I right? Tonight is a tossup. I like both pitchers and its really hard for a team of the level of the Cardinals to lose 9 straight. So I will go with the Cards tonight just because of the law of averages.

An aside: I think Eric Wedge could have really screwed up yesterday. It didn't cost them and no one else in the media will make issue of it but in the 7th inning with Victor up and runners on 1st and second I think it was very silly not to pinch run for Hafner. That could have been one more run in a tight ballgame and its not like Hafner is going to win any Gold Glove Awards. Just my two cents.

Told you!

2006-06-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Tribe would lose 2/3 at best. Well, the next series have is the Cardinals. I like the chances in this one with Cliff Lee and CC going in the next couple of games. Cards are having fits against the AL Central so I think the Indians take 2/3.

Now about Jeremy Sowers. Didn't I state over and over what a mistake it was to bring in a stiff like Jason Johnson. The tribe has this great prospect and they do not show enough faith to let the kid pitch. Imagine if they would have giving that money to the bullpen or a legitimate corner outfielder. We would have been in much better shape. Wedge is gonna take the fall but this whole mess is Shapiro's fault.

Fading Fast

2006-06-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Tribe is gonna lay an egg this weekend and lost at least 2 of 3. Then the PD and other media outlets will be banging even louder for Wedge's firing.

Boy is this team bad!

2006-06-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

Don't say I didn't warn everyone about Jason Johnson. I say the tribe fire Wedge and make a statement. Indians are done this year and need a new direction.

Alright Jason Michaels

2006-04-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

Jason Michaels stole the show yesterday. 4 hits and none of them bigger than the game winning RBI in extra innings. A lot of Tribe fans were worried about getting rid of Coco but Michaels looks like the type of player Tribe fans will love. Kind of a throwback player. Looks like he doesn't mind getting his jersey a little beat up. Great relief pitching against the Sox and as much as I thought Wickman was washed up he can still rack up those saves.

I feel for all of you that are going to the game tommorow. Weather forcast seems rather gloomy. Got my tickets for Sat and I hate to say it but I hope tommorow rains out so I can see opening day myself. Go Tribe!

CC out 3-5 weeks

2006-04-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

CC was placed on the DL today and Jason Davis was brought back from Buffalo to replace him. Here is the full story from MLB.com

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060403&content_id=1381643&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

In brighter news: The tribe is crushing the white sox today. They are up 7-1 banging around 10 hits to the White Sox 4. Good news considering Garcia is a topflight pitcher that gives the Tribe fits and Westbrook took a half a season to get into form last year. Lets keep it going! Victor Martinez went deep for the Indians.

Oh, the pain the of an Indians Fan

2006-04-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Being a lifelong Tribe fan does waiting a winter and getting smacked around by the defending champs while seeing the ace of the staff get hurt suprise me? Of course not! This is what lifelong Indians fans come to expect. CC getting hurt is actually not that big of a deal. April you really need only 4 starting pitchers and of course the Indians have that in Lee, Byrd, Johnson, and Westbrook. CC has battled these types of injuries before and the cold weather in Chicago probably was to blame. Which leads me to another thing: A few years back Major League Baseball had enough forsite to start the season on the West Coast and Domes. I am sure Eastern and Midwestern Owners didn't like that it took a week and half before they cashed in on their home openers but who in their right mind wants to go to a game in drizzle and cold? I am content to watch the season progress on TV and wait till the weather is halfway suitable to watch a game. Anyway, the Tribe goes back at it tommorow @ 2pm EST. Here is the scouting report brought to you by Indians.com.

Scouting Report:Westbrook (15-15, 4.49 ERA in 2005) was inconsistent in 2005 and needs to have regular control of his sinker to get quick outs and be as effective as he was in '04. He struggled against the White Sox last season, going 0-4 with a 5.13 ERA in five starts.
Garcia (14-8, 3.87 ERA in 2005) gets the honor of being the starting pitcher on the day the White Sox receive their World Series rings. Of course, Garcia also has to work instead of joining in the celebration. Garcia is known as a big-game pitcher, having worked up or down to the competition during the course of his stellar 99-62 career. But Garcia already has been tested even before the regular season begins, turning in two tremendous efforts for Venezuela during the World Baseball Classic. Garcia has struggled during his career at U.S. Cellular Field, posting a 10-9 record and 4.67 ERA. But he is 6-3 with a 3.04 ERA lifetime against the Indians.

Tigers get a tough break

2006-03-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

Troy Percival is out! The Tigers are gonna have to eat his huge contract. I may not feel as bad as having Wickman now. In other baseball news China got their buts kicked by Japan in the World Baseball Classic. This World Cup of Baseball will only be good if about 4 more countries can match up with the US, Japan, Cuba, Puerto Rico, D Republic, Venezuala, and Mexico. And these team owners crying about it (like the Boss) is getting a little annoying. C'mon any kind of tourney thats gonna help baseball grow is a good thing. Even I watched a little of the World Cup of Soccer and I HATE soccer!

About a month to go

2006-03-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

And we'll see how this 2006 team is built. I think its a good thing CC opted out of the World Baseball Classic. The whole things a joke anyway. At first the US wasn't even allowing Cuba to be in it! Is it called the non Commie Baseball classic or the World Baseball Classic. Prediction for this year. Tribe wins 89 games and fails to make the playoffs. Hate to say it but Dolan needs to go the extra mile and grab another bat and a couple arms in the pen if he wants to win this year.

A couple days from Spring Training

2006-02-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

So here is a look at what the Tribe looks like going into Spring Training.

Starting Pitching: The strong point of this club. Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia our both bona fide Cy Young contenders. Cliff is a proven winner and if CC can hone in his talent for a full season there is no reason he can't rack up 20-24 wins. Jason Westbrook is a strong #3 starter coming off a 15 win season (at the start of the season many wondered if he would stick around to see the end). Paul Byrd is the #4 as he brings a solid veteran that any team would like to have at the bottom of the rotation. Jason Johnson is another free agent pickup from Baltimore and although his career record is lousy he does rack up a lot of innings each year.

Bullpen: Ouch! It was a bad off season for this once solid pen. A Rhodes and Bob Howry are gone. Riske is gone too but I also thought he was a stiff anyway. Wickman returns but how much will he have left? The Tribes brass is hoping to get something out of two former tribe hurlers Danny Graves and Steve Karsay. Graves got booed out of town in Cincy and Karsay has seldom pitched since 2002 and has had a long history of arm problems. We have ussually suspects M Miller, R Bentacourt, and Sauerback rounding out the staff. The tribe thinks they are gonna get something out of this Mota charactor but he is often injured and well past 30. It looks like the tribe bullpen is suspect.

Catcher: We all know Victor Martinez. Hopefully he will start faster this year because the Indians need that bat in the lineup. Backing him up is rookie K Shoppach who came over in the Coco Crisp trade. Shoppach had a great college career but expecting much out of him this year is probably a bad idea. Lets pray that Victor doesn't miss many games this year.

Ok, so the pitchers and catchers repor this week. Check back on the position players in the next couple days. Go Tribe (and take the Browns and Cavs with ya!)

How I see the Central

2006-02-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I am an Tribe fan but it does kinda scare me with how the offseason developed. Our Bullpen is depleted and we may have a big gaping hole in the outfield. We get rid of Coco Crisp and keep that bum Casey Blake. The press is saying that Detroit is the darkhorse this year. Don't they say that ever year only to see them crash and burn. I feel bad for KC. I know its hard to watch a team that fields a 4A MLB team every year. As soon as a player develops they get shipped off to a great team and they show what they can do (Beltran and Damon). Kinda amazing that they had such a good thing going on there in the late 70's through 80's. Minnesota still is stocked with talent in our division and its amazing that no one is really talking about them. They know how to win the division and could easily challenge our Indians or the Sox. Speaking of the White Sox, doesn't it scare you that they have all kinds of new revenue from that World Series win. I hope Shaprio has something up his sleeve because we are still short on Bullpen help (RIP RISKE-he sucked) and a corner outfielder who can hit 25 HR's.

Indians Preview 2006

2006-02-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

Its Feb 7 already. Can you believe that the baseball season is ony 60 days away! Well thats good news for us Cleveland Indians fans. This is the place to get all your Tribe Info! In the next couple of days I will detail the devolpment of your 2006 Cleveland Indians. First I will provide the projected starters, then I am going to give insight on the Rookies to watch out for, detail the problems I forecast on this up and coming team, and overall hope to entertain you all at the same time. So sit back and check back at this blog for your best Tribe coverage on the planet. If you live in Cleveland you have to deal with that hack Paul Hoynes and with me you I won't annoy you half as much. Or better yet if your from out of town and miss Cleveland or your just a displaced Tribe fan this is your number one space on the web for tribe news, rumors, and stats on the web. Check back!