It's Time

With apologies to the Tribe, who will go for the series win against the Royals today with El Diablo on the mound, this day belongs to one team – more specifically, one man.

Throughout the LeBronification of the Pistons’ series, the thought that kept running through my head is, “what is this kid going to do next…what will he do for an encore”.

Using the King’s favorite, Jay-Z, and his unbelievable song with Linkin Park “Numb/Encore”, I present some alternate lyrics, worthy of a King.

To optimize your viewing experience, watch the video on YouTube here in one browser and read along with the lyrics on this page in another browser.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're far too kind

Now can I get an encore, do you want more

Cooking raw with the Akron boy

So for one last time I need y'all to roar

Now what the hell are you waiting for

After me, there shall be no more

So for one last time, make some noise

Get ‘em Bron

Who you know fresher than King? Riddle me that

The rest of y'all know where I'm physically at

Can't none of y'all mirror me back

Yeah seeing me play is like seeing the big O in his prime

I'm, young G.I.., rap's Grateful Dead

Back to take over the globe, now break bread

I'm in, Boeing jets, Global Express

Out of Summit County but the blueberry still connect

On the low but the yacht got a triple deck

But when you young, what the hell you expect? Yep, yep

Grand opening, grand closing

Damn your man King cracked the can open again

Who you gonna find doper than him with no pen
Just draw off inspiration

Soon you gonna see you can't replace him

With cheap imitations for THESE GENERATIONS

Now can I get an encore, do you want more

Cooking raw with the Akron boy

So for one last time I need y'all to roar

Now what the hell are you waiting for

After me, there shall be no more

So for one last time, people make some noise

What the hell are you waiting for

Look what you made me do, look what I made for you

Knew if I paid my dues, how will they pay you

When you first come in the game, they try to play you

Then you drop a couple of hits, look how they wave to you

From St. V’s to the Q

To the only thing that matters in just a matter of years

As fate would have it, Bron's status appears

To be at an all-time high, perfect time to say goodbye (to the Spurs)

When I come back like Jordan, wearing the 4-5

It ain't to play games with youIt's to aim at you, probably maim you

If I owe you I'm blowing you to smithereeens

Tim Duncan take one for your team

And I need you to remember one thing (one thing)

I came, I saw, I conquered

From NBA records, to sold out arenas

So Cavs fans if you want this encore

I need you to scream, 'til your lungs get sore

I'm tired of being what you want me to be

Feeling so faithless lost under the surface

Don't know what you're expecting of me

Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes

Every step that I take is another mistake to you

And every second I waste is more than I can take

I've become so numb I can't feel you there

I've become so tired so much more aware

I'm becoming this all I want to do

Is be more like me and be less like you

I've become so numb

Can I get an encore, do you want more

I've become so numb

So for one last time I need y'all to roar

One last time I need y'all to roar

Cleveland…it’s time to roar.

Boobie Sunday

Please allow me to get something off of my chest:
THE CAVS ARE GOING TO THE FINALS!!!

Behind the young man who may be Robin to LeBron’s Batman, the Cavs rode the hot hand of a man called Boobie to set up this moment that was only a dream on that night when the ping pong balls bounced the Cavs’ way.
On to San Antoine to see if the Cavs can continue their roll through the playoffs on the substantial shoulders of our King.

Meanwhile, across the plaza (which looked like this), the Indians fell victim to the law of averages (and another effort by Cliff Lee to head to Buffalo) and finally lost to the Tigers.

This despite Grady Sizemore not only going retro in his uniform, but in his stirrups as he took that next step to look like a baseball player in 1977.
I hope this becomes a new look for SuperSizemore, but it’s unlikely.

Without dwelling on the only negative thing that happened last night, let’s take a Lazy Sunday:

No sooner had the word “negative” appeared in the intro, does Sheldon Ocker throw some cold water on everybody who’s feeling pretty good about the Indians these days. Let’s see, according to the Bitterman, the Indians have given up on Marte and are unlikely to have Casey Blake on the roster next year.

Does anyone ever wonder if Ocker actually goes to these games or really “talks to scouts”? His write-up of the heart pounding victory on Friday is laughable in that it focused ONLY on the negatives. I was at the game, and sure there were negatives, but if the ABJ ever wonders why their circulation is down, they need to go no further than this dreadful “recap” of what my brother described as “the most exciting game at the Jake in 10 years”.

It is almost a weekly desire stated here, but please…PLEASE, ABJ – take Ocker off of the Tribe beat and promote Stephanie Storm, who covers the Akron Aeros so well.

Here’s the weekly Brad Lidge trade talk, as well as the weekly Rangers’ fire sale talk.

Andy Call has a great story on Pronk’s signing with the Texas Rangers over Frostys at Wendy’s.

Jim Ingraham finally addresses the elephant in the room regarding Cliff Lee in print. While it’s been discussed here (and dissected very well in the comments section by new serial poster Halifax), Ingraham is the first newspaperman to put it in print that Cliff Lee has just as much of a chance to vacate the rotation as Jeremy Sowers does when Jake Westbrook returns from his rehab stint.

While Westbrook certainly didn’t impress in his first rehab start (1 1/3 IP, 4 ER 7 H, 1 BB), Lee is making it a two-horse race to be sent to Buffalo as he still retains two options.

Consider the numbers in their last 3 starts:
Sowers
18 2/3 IP, 12 ER, 5.78 ERA, 1.28 WHIP

Lee
13 2/3, 16 ER, 13.66 ERA, 2.16 WHIP

While Sowers certainly hasn’t evoked those comparisons to a young Tom Glavine recently, Cliff Lee has performed significantly worse. Sowers at least has moments of being in control and has been victimized by poor relief pitching after him (CaBBrera), while Lee continually walks the tightrope and taxes the Tribe bullpen because of his short starts.

Each will probably get one more start (not counting Sowers this afternoon), but it will be interesting to see which direction the Indians decide to go and if, by chance, Lee becomes trade bait to shore up a beleaguered bullpen (which I promise to dissect at some point this week).

Not to just throw something against the wall (OK, maybe just to throw something against the wall), but would San Diego be willing to part with a piece (or pieces)of their magnificent bullpen (Scott Linebrink or Heath Bell perhaps) to see if Lee’s fly ball tendencies play out well in Petco?

Or maybe the Dodgers (with Jonathon Broxton or Joe Biemel) to get Mark Hendrickson or Brett Tomko out of their rotation and see if Chavez Ravine is kind to Five and (F)Lee?

The Indians will have to part with a valuable piece to shore up their bullpen at some point this season. And Brian Slocum and Ben Francisco aren’t bringing Akinori Otsuka, so the question needs to be thrown out there – is Cliff Lee that piece?

He has a track record of winning (ugly, yes…but still winning), with a fairly reasonable contract ($2.75M in 2007, $3.75M in 2008, $5.75M in 2009, club option for $8M in 2010) that runs for quite a while. So, he is an attractive commodity to other teams. But, are the Indians confident in their current stable of pitchers and their arms just below the surface (Atom Miller, Chas Lofgren, etc.) to trade Lee to shore up the back end of their bullpen?

It can certainly be argued (and has been, by me) that solid starting pitching is a commodity too valuable to trade, particularly for a team in contention. But, if Lee no longer falls under that “solid” category, and is on a downward spiral that will result in him either eventually being moved to the bullpen or falling out of favor in the organization altogether, isn’t it time to at least explore those options, when a 28-year-old pitcher with 51 career wins has some trade value?

Today’s start by Sowers and the next starts by the two LHP will go a long way to determine how this all plays out, but don’t be too surprised if that arm that we all assumed at the beginning of the season to be Paul Byrd to shore up the bullpen becomes Cliff Lee.

Still a great chance for the Tribe to take 3 of 4 from the Motor City Kitties today, as Bonderman has struggled since coming off of the DL.
It’s time to go all LeBron and put that foot on the Tigers’ throat and announce the Central as Indian Territory once more.

Finally, the most poignant moment of the night – LeBron searches out Z, the only player remaining from LBJ’s 1st practice with the Cavs who has endured some hard times in a Cavs uni, to give him this bear hug at center court.Cleveland is rising, enjoy the ascent.

Keeping Up With the Joyces

With tickets to the first game of the “Battle of Ohio” (not a rivalry, regardless of what anyone says) with my buddy Joyce (a Cavs’ season ticket-holder) and the wives, I knew I was in for an interesting evening. The Cavs were showing the game at the Q for free, the Reds were in town, and downtown was actually THE happening place to be on a Friday night.

After watching the Tribe treat Kyle Lohse like…well, Kyle Lohse, the game was well in hand behind Garko’s blast (we decided that his ancestors had a name like Garkopopadopolous or Garkowskivich, which was shortened at Ellis Island) and, honestly, the Reds being on the field.

The Tribe game was, of course, overshadowed by about 15 people in our section checking their cell phones to get the score of the Cavs-Nets game because the Jake offers no updates on the scoreboard. As the Nets crept closer in the 3rd quarter (we had no idea why), the decision was made to forsake the last 3 innings of an Indians win to see the final quarter of the Cavs game. Hustling down the ramp from upper deck, not spilling a drop of beer, we found our way to the main concourse and a TV that was showing “The Donyell Marshall Show” to us and 300 of our closest friends packed around the TV.

We decided that we needed to either go to the Q or a local watering hole to catch the end of the game to (fingers crossed) celebrate a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. After chugging our beers, we sprinted (yes, sprinted) from Gate B (near the bleachers) to “Local Heroes”, which is the old “Cooperstown”. After nearly throwing up everything that we just Frank the Tanked at the Gate B exit, we caught our breath to make it into the bar for the final 5 minutes of glorious basketball.

There is no more satisfying feeling than sitting in a bar full of Cleveland fans, watching LeBron jump on Marshall’s back during a post-game interview while the Tribe put the finishing touches on a win.

That is, until you start stressing about the Pistons series.

Ah…the joy of being a Cleveland fan – never able to enjoy the moment, only dreading what you assume to be the inevitable.

What Have I Done?

After witnessing all 4 games of the current 4 game losing streak, I am seriously banned from the Jake for a while. I was so upset at my role in the losses, I spent the drive home figuring out what I have been doing differently or what I can do to change the luck. The decision was made that the new belt that I had gotten last Sunday and had worn to all the games was the culprit. As I held the belt over the trash can last night, I said, "what the hell am I doing?" Had I become that superstitious that I truly think that I can change the outcome of the game?

I wondered where this philosophy could have come from. It couldn't be those countless Browns games when nobody could change seats if the Browns were winning and HAD to change seats after an interception or a fumble, could it? During the Browns-Jets OT playoff game, my father didn't let my friend's mother (who was at the house watching the game) leave our downstairs bathroom for the whole OT, because "it would ruin the momentum that we had going". In retrospect, how insane is that? But it made perfect sense to everyone there at the time. During the Tribe-BoSox Game 5 in 1999, me and my buddy C-Badd changed seats 3 times during Pedro's pitching performance to see if we could "change things up a little bit". My buddy Dozer's family are big Illinois fans and he said they switched seats over 10 times during the Final Four games. Maybe it just makes us feel like we're doing our part to bring home the W.

I think that in Cleveland (where the only "luck" we've ever had is bad), it's amplified. I hear conversations of people that say that LeBron is certain to leave, but maybe if they get a LeBron jersey, it'll change the mojo to make him stay. As if, one Saturday as the cashier is bagging a 23 jersey in Great Northern, LeBron (sitting at home in Bath) will have this revelation come over him that he should stay in Cleveland. It's such an insane premise, but normal, intelligent people subscribe to these superstitions every single day.

I remember this one TV movie when I was a kid called Tiger Town, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086439/, with Roy Scheider (the guy from Jaws), with the premise being that this little kid's favorite player was this washed up vet (Scheider). When the kid went to the games, and prayed real hard when Billy Young (Scheider) came up, Young would always go yard. The movie ends with the player finding out about it, and the kid not making it to the big playoff game in time, but the player hits a homer to win it at the end, without the kid's help.

It's a ridiculous movie, but there I was, about 7 years old, whenever the Tribe was up at old Municipal, head in my hands, deep in prayer. Never worked for the Indians teams of those days though.

What's wrong with us?

On a Tribe note: Let's be patient and see how they close out the homestand. They should've touched Milton up for a ton more runs and it should not have been that close at the end. There is no production coming from the corners.

On a Cavs note: The draft is rapidly approaching, they've cut ties with Traylor and Harris (no argument here), reportedly almost traded Gooden for Kurt Thomas, and are trying to deal Jiri Welsch to get into the draft. One question: WHO'S MAKING THESE DECISIONS? Wouldn't it make sense to have someone in place WELL before the draft and the Free Agency period begins?

Interestingly, they showed on the scoreboard that yesterday were birthdays for George Vuckovich (remember how he always made his hat fall off?) and Doug "Special Delivery" Jones (what a horrible nickname).

I'll recount the conversation between me and my wife about what's wrong with Cleveland sports fans tomorrow. I promise to be nowhere near the Jake tonight.

Snakebitten

Westbrook's bad luck continued last night as the Fatolo Colon shut down the Tribe's bats, running Jake's record to 0-4. This despite a 3.81 ERA, a WHIP of 1.04, and 2 complete games. Outside of his one hiccup, he's been very steady and the worm will turn for him. Let's hope it's sooner rather than later.

Some items of note I saw on the Tribe Website (which annoyingly asks me to download Macromedia Flash THREE times every time I go on the site):
-Tribe is last in AL in Batting Average and RBI's (on a related note, also Runs)
-Tribe is 2nd last in AL in OPS (only Jose Hernandez is over .800, at a blistering .802)
-Tribe is 2nd best in AL in team ERA (behind the ChiSox)
-Tribe is 3rd best in AL in team WHIP (behind Minnesota and ChiSox)

The bats have to turn around. Don't they? Last year, the offense cruised while the bullpen blew up. When will everything come together all at once?

On another note, the Cavs fired Jim Paxson today, giving a sense of closure to The Collapse. Watching the scores last night and hearing that the Cavs would not be in the playoffs, it made me think:

People in their 50's often say that they remember exactly where they were when JFK was killed, then a later generation knew where they were when the Challenger exploded (Miss Vercilleno's 3rd grade classroom).
As a long suffering Cleveland sports fan, there are certain events that I can pinpoint where I was. Though they certainly pale in social significance to the events listed above, I can clearly remember where I was for The Drive, The Fumble, and The Shot (all in my old house's family room), Game 7 (236 Kiefaber, Dayton OH), and when the Ping Pong ball turned up for the Cavs to get LeBron (in my current kitchen, listening to the TV in the other room). I don't think The Collapse makes this list. Are there any events that I'm missing? Where were you when these things happened?
After The Shot happened, I ran up to my bedroom to tear down all of my Jordan posters and ripped up my Air Jordan Flight Club Membership Card. After Paul Alten told me that the Browns had moved (in my freshman year dorm room, Sheehy Hall 3rd floor), I tore my Browns shirts and posters apart in a fit of rage.

As I write this the bases are loaded in the first against Washburn (a solid lefty, something we've struggled against). Hernandez just hit bases-clearing double. God, I love this game. There's some run support K-Mill.