Boom Goes the Dynamite!

A 10 run third keyed the Tribe's 7th straight win, all over NL West opponents. Clifton Phifer didn't have his best stuff going but, as usual, Lee scrapped his way through his start to get the W. Lee is now 8-3 and making a strong push for the All Star squad (after being passed over in 2004), but the more important thing to watch is if he can continue this torrid pace in the second half, which he certainly did not accomplish last year.

The offense looked great last night, with the new catchphrase "Keep the Line Moving" (apparently replacing "One Through Nine") philosophy keeping the Tribe bats smoking. I'll consider voting for Derek Shelton for mayor in November if this keeps up.

Over 3,000 walk-ups last night indicate that the town may be getting on board. I haven't seen a Tribe hat on the Moses Cleaveland statue, but let's be patient. As the manager formerly known as Magnum P.I. has stated, "It's still early."

Brett Butler was in the Jake last night as the Snakes' 1st Base Coach, causing me to reflect on the scrappy outfielder's 3 year tenure with the Tribe ('84-'86). Butler was a fan favorite in the midst of the Dark Days ('84-'89), and got out before things really bottomed out.

Interestingly, Butler was not named one of the Top 100 Indians of All Time in 2001, causing me to wonder how many players that played during the aforementioned Dark Days, from 1984 to 1989, actually made that list. So, without further ado, here it is: Candiotti, Carter, Franco, Jacoby, Jones (of the Special Delivery variety), and Tabler. Thornton and Hargrove also were in that timeframe, but I wouldn't include them in that whole "Indian Uprising" Era that dominated my youth. How anyone who grew up during those years in Cleveland remains a Tribe fan is a minor miracle.

Speaking of "Indian Uprising", I saw a fan at the Jake on Thursday who had the jersey that the White Knight and Carter wore on the SI 1987 Season Preview cover. It's the same jersey worn in Major League, with the block "INDIANS" on the front and the racing stripes going up the sleeves. I've been looking for that jersey online for 3 years, trying in vain to have a "Tabler 10" made. He was too far away for me to become that creepy stranger, asking breathlessly where he got his jersey.

Your Boy Elarton goes against B-Webb tonight, so we'll see if this streak is truly meant to last.

Draft Day Thoughts

With the Big Event (whom one person has called "his Christmas") happening at noon today, a few random thoughts:

• I woke up this morning to find my paper completely soaked through, thanks to a beautiful 4o degree rainy day in Cleveland. As I pulled out the hair dryer muttering to myself, "of all the days that I actually want to read Grossi" and "there goes your tip Helen Malloy" (our local paper carier, whose name for some reason I know off of the top of my head), I was hoping that the heat would kick in so I could dry the paper from 2 sources. My bride then bounced down the stairs and said, "you want me to go out and buy you a dry paper?" Gentlemen, when you find someone who is able to know you better than you know yourself (without immediately judging or mocking a 27-year old in his pajamas sitting Indian style on the dining room floor holding a hair dryer over the sports page), don't let her go.
• Am I a loser to sit by myself in a Browns jersey in the middle of April, surrounded by draft magazines and depth charts? Don't answer that.
• I'm watching Channel 19's pre-draft coverage with Bob Golic and I'm reminded when I ran into Golic at a bar before a Browns game this year. After marveling at the size of his head and admiring his mullet, my buddy C-Badd asked him what the most challenging part of playing "Mike" on "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" was. End of conversation.

On to some Tribe thoughts, as I did watch the game last night with the Crooked Cap looking very strong. Maybe the light switch has finally been switched on for C.C.

Here's a note from Peter Gammons latest column on the potential free agent pitchers after the 2005 & 2006 seasons:
Soon C.C. Sabathia, who would be a top free agent after the 2006 season, will begin working on an extension because of his belief in what the Indians are building. For some perspective: Sabathia won't be 25 until July. He has 54 career wins. The next highest total for any pitcher under 25? Jake Peavy has 33.

Think about that. C.C. (after last night) has 55 wins. Let's do the math-if C.C. pitches for 10 more years, until he's 35, and averages 15 wins a season; he's got 205 wins. And that's a pretty cautious estimate. Say he pitches until he's 40 (15 more years) and averages 16 wins a year-that's 295! In this day and age when, after Greg Maddux got his 300th win, most pundits said that the era of 300 game winners is essentially over, that's incredible.

C.C.'s return means even more to this team when you look at the impact of his place in the rotation to Westbrook. If C.C. can bring it against the #1's (Santana, Buehrle, etc.) that frees up Jake to take on lesser pitchers, which (hopefully) means more wins for Sinkbrook.

Does Travis Hafner look skinnier all of the sudden? I know that is difficult for a man who's 6'3", 240; but his neck, in particular, suddenly looks thin. Maybe it was just the TV's at the West End.

Question: Who got the best of the Randy Winn-Lou Piniella deal? Answer: Every other team in the AL West.

Carlos Silva and Justin Morneau came off the DL for the Twins yesterday. Did you see how Gassner (who shut down the Tribe in his first start, and was sent down when Silva came back) got shelled in his second start? I don't want to think about that.

I still can't get used to seeing Grover in another uniform. It would be like seeing Thome or Omar in another uniform. Oh, wait...