GAME OVER
If ever the Indians’ 2008 season needed to be presented in a nice, tidy package for the world to examine, look no further than the 2 hour, 44 minute gift that was bestowed upon Tribe fans last night in Chicago. In one game, in the middle of July, we were treated to a game that served as a microcosm for the season that put to rest any questions that could have remained in anyone’s head regarding where 2008 is headed.
Lest you forget (or have attempted to erase last night from your synapses) the Tribe starting pitcher was brilliant, going 8 strong innings giving up one run while the feeble offense, unable to put any rally together, had knotted the game at 1-1 with their favorite tool, the solo HR. After the offense was able to put another solo shot over the fence in the 10th, the bullpen laid waste to the game by allowing the opposition to tie the game with one swing (and with two out)..then win the game on consecutive hits.
Haven't I seen this show before?
And, as Brodzoski (The Close) strode off the mound to the Indians’ dugout, any thought of some magical run through the beginning of July and their AL Central opponents to force themselves back into the discussion had passed. Hope doesn’t live in the Indians’ dugout anymore, having been given the ultimatum by their manager that these 8 games were essentially their season, and they’ve dropped the first two to drop to 11 ½ back in the Central.
Guys…it’s over.
Let the retooling begin and let the auctioneer’s gavel that should be arriving to the Tribe offices this morning with a note on the package “ATTN: MARK SHAPIRO” serve as a not-so-subtle way to say that he better have his auctioneer’s voice tuned up for the next four weeks: CanIgetayoungsluggerreadytostepintothelineupforthisCyYoungAwardwinningpitcher…maybethrowinsomeyoungarmstofillouttherotationandthebullpen?
DoIseeaJamesLoneyormaybeanAndreEthierhowaboutaChadBillingsley?
ReidBrignacandJeffNeimann…replaceNeimannwithDavidPriceanditsadeal.
Backovertothemanontherightoftheroomwiththemustache…whatsthat?
MattKempandJonathonBroxton?
Sold!
Movingon…
CanIgetsomebitesonthemanwitha.406battingaveragewithrunnersinscoringpositionandwith47RBI? Hesasuperversatileplayerwhocanstepinforyourplayoffteamandbeyoursuperutilitymanforthestretchrun…whatarewelookingathere?
Won’tcostyoumuchmorethanadecentAAplayertogethimandaplayoff-testedveteran…
And so it goes – because the floor has been opened and the bidding has begun.
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18 comments:
what an exciting game. Yes, the loss hurts, I am human and a bitter tribe partisan after all, but what a fine game, final outcome excluded. I know in the end all that matters is the W, so I'm way off base here, but as far as the type of baseball I best like watching, this was it.
I was actually singing for joy while up 2-1, and had eerie faith in the Close (he even struck out Swish!), right up until that kid who looks like he should not be able to manage a ground rule double much less a HR hit that towering drive to left.
some random thoughts:
so, I am ssuming the Beard cemented his departure last night with that bomb off a 97mph fastball that he even managed to be ahead of somehow, and nearly pull out of bounds. Blakesly, we hardly knew yee.
Last game for the crooked cap as an Indian v. the WhiteSox at the Cell tonight?
So, I'm thinking a big no on this, but what do you think Clifton's trade value is right now? Do you think anyone would overreach and buy high?
The Scarecrow continues to impress me. I hope he really has gotten his swerve back after a few rocky outings earlier this year. He sure owns Thome, made him look downright foolish.
and... *sighs*
i think the thing that might hurt the most is how nobody on this team looks like they give a rip about losing all these games. there seems to be a real non chalant attitude towards everything lately. i swear it seemed that when borowski gave up that walk off hit, he had the look of "good deal. get on out of here, grab me a bite to eat and still catch an episode of cops before i hit the hay."
i hate him.
i dont know man. im broken. dont have much to say i guess.
DAMMIT!!!
So why should Mark Shapiro necessarily be the one to conduct this latest rebuild? What is it about his 2 winning seasons and 1 playoff appearance in 7 years that gives him the right to have this job as long as he wants?
The Indians need some of the same accountability they're insisting on in Seattle. The Shapiro era has been a disappointment, if not an outright failure. They promised that tearing the team down in 2002-03 would bring a great new era on the other side. It didn't happen.
I was trying to stay positive in my first post but i'm definitely getting your 'finality' moment from last nights game though. Microcosm of the season in a single game or not, it certainly felt like a coffin nail on a fitfully disappointing year.
on the plus side, this team has a lot of young talent that won't be going anywhere. make the proper trades and augment them and... well, i really don't/didn't want to be talking about this in early July.
If I were Shapiro, I would trade The Close for a club sandwich and a beer, but I think that is a little steep. How did I know that Joe Blow would provide the official end of the Tribe's season? (It is official because PTC said so)
Anyone else get severely choked up over Alonso's "My Wish" on SC?
I'm now tuning in to Rays games on my MLB.com package, I even bought July to watch them.
I think some of the CC trade projections are a little ambitious. In the end, I think we are going to be disappointed (Kevin Kline style) with what we get. I also bet that nobody except PTC gets the Kevin Kline reference.
Charlie,
I understand the frustration with the FO…but the Mariners as a comparison
Mariners 2004-2007
298-350 (.460 WP)
$90,922,708 average payroll over those 4 years
Indians 2004-2007
342-301 (.535 WP)
$48,381,641 average payroll over those 4 years
If you’re going to make a comparison to two situations, at least compare apples to apples.
RD,
You may or may not remember this nugget:
http://clevelandtribeblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/im-disappointed.html
Might not have been seen late last night, but after getting home from last night's debacle, all I can say is... UNCLE!!!
Randy, Phil and Romeo must be LOVING this.
Paul, adjusted for inflation (I wouldn't even know how to go about adjusting it for the increase in revenues in baseball overall), the Mariners' payrolls over the last few years have been lower than the ones the Indians ran at the beginning of this decade. The Tribe doesn't get a pass from me because they voluntarily decided to become a low-spending team, particularly since they've never backed away from the "we'll spend when the time is right" promise.
If you're not going to be in the free agent market at a level beyond Paul Byrd, and you're not producing an above average amount of minor league talent, and you're at best breaking even on trades (A. Cabrera may someday erase the memory of Phillips), then you're a mediocre front office. I don't think that's good enough.
My brother is in town from Tennessee and we're getting together tonight at my dad's house to watch C.C.'s going away party (hopefully not, but just to be safe, don't wanna miss it!).
GO TRIBE!!!
Not in the free agent market beyond Paul Byrd? Glad the team's out from under the huge Westbrook and Hafner contracts...
after back to back losses in the 10th, i think that might just do it for me.
im starting to develop chest pains.
Is it really time to give up. Has anyone else noticed how the twins have come back from the bottom and ended up being a pain in the ass. Hope about it's tribe time now to be a thorn in someone's side. Shake up the bullpen, get rid of JoBo (whom Wedge didn't support like normal in his latest convo about the bullpen - so that's a good sign) and come back and start winning those late inning close games. I have to believe they can and will do it. There's a lot of talent on that team, they just aren't showing it, we're not the only team blowing games right now. Sure the Red Sox are well ahead of us in the standings, but they just got swept by the Rays of all teams. Yes best record, I know. Right now.
Come ahhnnnnn.
who wants the honor of responding to the comment above. the energy for me to do so has been knuckle-punched out of me.
I...
This season hurts my feelings.
PTC, I don't remember that post, but it is great reading the "vibe" from one year ago...That picture is awesome by the way.
I'd be curious if the Dodgers would be interested in dealing Clayton Kershaw, they just sent him down to AA.
Also, their shortstop Raphael Furcal is undergoing season-ending back surgery. They were a good offensive team with him, not-so-good without him. Now, Nomar is slated to replace him at short, a position he hasn't manned for over three years.
Perhaps a doozy could be in store between the Tribe and the Dodgers. As much as we may dislike him, Jhonny Peralta is a playoff-proven commodity who can hit at short, but here he seems to be more of an aggravation and a road block to Asdrubal Cabrera.
If CC (ace) and Peralta (ss) can be packaged, it would have to be an attractive thought for the Dodgers. It's not like Peralta is bringing home Furcal money. He'd be a lot more reliable than Nomar and would sweeten the pot to the point where Kershaw's name can at least be in the conversation, making Chad Billingsley (or potential closer Jonathan Broxton)a more attainable fallback for the Dodgers to move along with OF Matt Kemp.
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