tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11805401.post114117722529484256..comments2024-03-16T08:21:16.037-04:00Comments on The DiaTribe: SportsTime OhioPaul Cousineauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03490622970961409253noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11805401.post-1141338259171741642006-03-02T17:24:00.000-05:002006-03-02T17:24:00.000-05:00One last thought on this STO and the showcase of y...One last thought on this STO and the showcase of young talent:<BR/>MLB lacks something that the NFL and NBA take for granted - a feeder system that is nationally followed, in the NCAA.<BR/><BR/>Nobody watches college baseball and you can't watch miLB on TV, so the prospects lack that "known quantity" feel of an NFL or NBA rookie.<BR/><BR/>When Braylon Edwards or Luke Jackson is drafted, most people know their games from watching them on TV. The only unknown is how their talent will translate to the Show.<BR/><BR/>MLB doesn't have that luxury, making rookies (mostly) unknowns - with no buzz or anticipation.<BR/><BR/>When a guy like Carmelo Anthony (who was the youngest player in the NCAA, yet dominated) gets drafted, everyone projects superstardom. Yet when Andy Marte (who was always also the youngest player, with dominant numbers) comes into the league, it's seen as "settling" for a rookie.<BR/><BR/>Steps can be taken to make it right by the STO.<BR/><BR/>Let's see it done.Paul Cousineauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03490622970961409253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11805401.post-1141334211691187262006-03-02T16:16:00.000-05:002006-03-02T16:16:00.000-05:00God [Peter Gammons] chimes in:Don't sleep on the I...God [Peter Gammons] chimes in:<BR/><BR/>Don't sleep on the Indians<BR/>posted: Thursday, March 2, 2006 <BR/><BR/>When spring training begins, the teams that have the buzz are the ones that spent the most money or made the most moves. Like Toronto. The Mets. The White Sox. It's only natural.<BR/><BR/>The Braves now are used to lowered expectations, as ownership does not spend for the club the way it did five years ago, and still they find a way to win division titles every year, at least dating back to when Dan Quayle was vice president and Deion Sanders was a backup outfielder.<BR/><BR/>With the Indians, it is a little different. A year ago they charged to win 93 games, two fewer than the Yankees, more than any team in the three-division era that did not make the playoffs. But because of the convergence of a number of factors, attendance at The Jake has not come back to the way it was in the wild 'n' wonderful era of Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, et al.<BR/><BR/>So because they could not go out and spend the money necessary to get a proven closer like Billy Wagner, or enough to get Trevor Hoffman to leave home, conventional thinking says they took a step back. They had to settle for Bob Wickman. They lost two starting pitchers -- the AL ERA leader, Kevin Millwood, and Scott Elarton -- who were a combined 20-20. They lost Bobby Howry. They traded one of their best and most popular players, Coco Crisp, for what they hope will be a future star (Andy Marte) and a power arm for the bullpen (Guillermo Mota).<BR/><BR/>But if they stay healthy, the Indians can be every bit as good as they were last year -- OK, the record might not show it because Minnesota and Detroit might be better and they might not dominate interleague play as they did -- and challenge Chicago if its pitching in any way breaks down. The two core players in the middle of Cleveland's lineup, Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner, are in their primes (at 27 and 28, respectively) and top-of-the-game offensive players at catcher and DH, with Martinez emerging as a team leader.<BR/><BR/>Grady Sizemore is on the brink of stardom, third in OPS among AL center fielders a year ago. Jhonny Peralta might be the most overlooked offensive player in the game, with 63 extra-base hits and a .886 OPS at shortstop at age 23. Aside from Peralta, Ronnie Belliard had 54 extra-base hits and, despite his Manny look, turned the double play as well as anyone. What the Indians need is for Jason Michaels, as he did in Philly, to give them 450-500 at-bats in the two hole behind Sizemore and in front of Peralta; for Aaron Boone to bounce back; and for first baseman Eduardo Perez to give them power against left-handers. And who knows? By August, they might get contributions from one of their two impressive young outfielders, Brad Snyder or Franklin Gutierrez, or Marte.<BR/><BR/>"Last winter I was rehabbing," says Boone. "This winter I could work out and prepare for the season. I feel totally different. I remember I was hitting .151 in the middle of June."<BR/><BR/>But typical of Boone, he volunteered to be Marte's mentor. "That's what we hope we have working here," says manager Eric Wedge.<BR/><BR/>The front three of C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Jake Westbrook won 48 games in '05. GM Mark Shapiro went out and signed Paul Byrd and Jason Johnson to replace Millwood and Elarton and to eat innings and time until the next wave of starters arrives, led by Jeremy Sowers. And it will not be long with Sowers. The sixth pick in the '04 draft out of Vanderbilt has an uncanny ability to throw pitches wherever he wants whenever he wants. The staff even believes he might be better in the majors because he is so capable of executing game plans.<BR/><BR/>They always worry about Wickman, but the depth around and in front of him should be every bit as good as last year's crew, which led the league in bullpen ERA. Rafael Betancourt only has a 159-35 strikeout-walk ratio the last two seasons. Fernando Cabrera, Mota, Scott Sauerbeck, Matt Miller and perhaps Andrew Brown (who hit 97 on the gun Tuesday) are potential setup men, and Steve Karsay and Danny Graves have shown promise in their comebacks. Graves has shown flashes of his old sinker.<BR/><BR/>"I'm throwing better than I have in years," says Karsay. "It's amazing what not throwing during the winter can do."<BR/><BR/>The Indians, like the Braves, will not rely on flashy trades or signings to refuel. In the next 12 months, they will get their energy from within, from Marte, Snyder, Gutierrez, Sowers, Fausto Carmona, et al. Like Bobby Cox, Wedge has the attention of his players, in whom he has tried to instill the values of playing the game the right way.<BR/><BR/>Do not sleep on the Indians. They will be very good again, and, if healthy, for the foreseeable future.t-bonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557582144953901789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11805401.post-1141324034591768902006-03-02T13:27:00.000-05:002006-03-02T13:27:00.000-05:00Nice! CC has dropped out of the WBCNice! CC has dropped out of the WBCCy Slapnickahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10109399114263980881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11805401.post-1141271888309171072006-03-01T22:58:00.000-05:002006-03-01T22:58:00.000-05:00Another thing not mentioned....the cable companies...Another thing not mentioned....the cable companies are concerned about bumping up people's cable bills $1.50 a month? Seriously, if you can spend $50/mo on cable, I feel pretty comfortable saying that not too many people will cancel if they have to pay a Van Halen album instead.<BR/><BR/>I just want to know if they are going to offer this on dish. I'm probably going to be moving and I would be stoked if I could get all the games. No need to worry though, my final choices are AL cities, so I'll still be able to get my fix live occasionally.Cy Slapnickahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10109399114263980881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11805401.post-1141248218529307822006-03-01T16:23:00.000-05:002006-03-01T16:23:00.000-05:00I agree with you 100%.The cable companies are play...I agree with you 100%.The cable companies are playing the victim, which I find hilarious. <BR/><BR/>The cable providers are concerned that adding the Indians network will raise prices for their consumers? So, in other words, they'll pass the cost on to the consumer. Why should they care, unless what they're really doing is to get a bigger piece of the broadcasting pie? <BR/><BR/>The Indians are probably the biggest ratings draw in NE Ohio. So I don't see any logic in the "people will pay for a channel they won't watch." If that's the case, then maybe everyone should pay for only the channels the watch, right? But that'll never happen.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00901005508617852416noreply@blogger.com