Power Outage, Until...

A very strange scene at the Jake tonight with about half of the lights going out, causing about a 15 minute delay in the game. Up to that point, the Tribe bats had been ice cold and the team hadn't even had a chance to be fired up from Wedgie's meltdown and ejection. Why weren't they hitting? What, was Millwood starting?

But the lights came back on and the light operator may have turned the switch as well on Benny B., who popped a 2 run HR in the 7th to tie the game, then a 3 run jobber in the 8th. I also love how Millwood didn't miss a beat and came back after he delay to get the third out of the inning.

What a game, though as Benny's bat (Garko who?), Millwood's grittiness (he now leads the AL in ERA), and Sticky's ballet moves in the 9th (imagine seeing that keg of beer falling down in front of you as you move down the first base line) contributed to the Tribe improbably coming back to win.

The power outage did allow me to catch some of the classic New Jack City on BET, with the incomparable Wesley Snipes (pre-Passenger 57's "Always bet on black") as Nino Brown. The movie is such a blatant attempt at recreating Scarface, having Nino quoting Tony Montana the whole movie, it's ridiculous. But to an 8th grader, the movie and the soundtrack (which includes Color Me Badd's I Wanna Sex You Up) were great. Speaking of Nino Brown, did anyone catch Braylon Edwards' press conference upon signing with the Browns, when he wore a New Jack City T?

After Jelly Belliard turned some of those magical DP's (particularly the one where he faked the flip to Jhon and tagged the runner, so Swisher didn't go Belle-Vina on him), Shapiro should have his contract extension in the locker room to be picked up.

Art Rhodes left the team for the year on personal reasons, which means that Rocky B-Court, Sauerbeck, Riske, and the F-Cab will move up in the bullpen as well as meaning that some of the young arms (notably, Andrew Brown) may see more action than originally thought. Watching Cabrera throw in the second half of this season makes me think that he could have a similar impact to the one that K-Rod had in the playoffs a few years back for the Halos. I'm not saying that Cabrera is K-Rod, but F-Cab's stuff is filthy and Rhodes' departure may expedite his trip towards the back end of the bullpen.

A sign seen Monday night on FSN - "Super Sizemore". Looks like the copyright office is going to be keeping my checks.

C.C., although he lost his first game in 8 decisons Monday night, showed the maturity that has often been lacking for the (Not so) Crooked Cap. C.C. didn't have his best stuff, but still limited the A's to 1 ER in 6 innings. I realize that the A's are not the 1927 Yankees, but C.C. was able to bear down and work his way out of jams, something that has always been lacking in his repertoire. It seems as though Millwood's composure on the mound has had the desired effect on C.C., Cliff, and Jake. All three calmly work their way out of jams, rather than letting the big inning kill them.

Great game tonight. As Johnny Cougar Mellencamp tells me as I'm leaving the Jake after a good night, Again Tonight.

Browns' Town

The Tribe did it again last night as they pulled victory from the jaws of defeat through persistence, solid bullpen work, and surviving a Wickman 9th. My buddy Dozer, who was among the 17,000 actually in attendance (his estimate, not mine), said that the standing ovation that the team received after coming back to take the lead in the 1st was like nothing he's ever seen at the Jake. This from a guy who STILL wears a Thome jersey regularly and has Chief Wahoo on his ankle. It must have been a pretty special moment, which could've been more special if more than 20,000, much less 40,000, people were there.

I'm not going to harp on attendance much more, but please don't ever tell me that Cleveland is a baseball town and that 455 consecutive sell-outs proves anything. I remember mocking Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and (particularly) Atlanta for not selling out playoff games, thinking, "How could people be that nonchalent about an exciting baseball team". Well, it's happening here, so let's hope that the Jake is filled if the Tribe makes the playoffs in 2005.

With Katrina dumping water on the North Coast and Tuesday's game cancelled (with Wednesday's game very much in question), I thought that I'd share a letter written to Bud Shaw, in response to his column in Tuesday's PD. The letter was written by serial poster Cy Slapnicka and articulates many of the issues that I'm having with the support that this team is receiving, both from the fans and the local media.

Bud,
After reading your column today, I have a question. How was it a throwback night? Was it because they came from behind to win or was it because they won based on runs and not pitching?

This team is completely different than the 1995 Indians. They embody the word team. They are well rounded and seem like quality people. While they have taken some time to gel, the result is far supierior to that of the late 90's Indians. Not to take anything away from that team, as I still fondly remember that summer working as an usher at games and watching them hit the cover off the ball. However, that is the past and I've moved on to the new team. The Kool-Aid Shapiro is serving tastes like wine.

I find it a lot more fun to watch Grady evolve into one of the best players in the AL. Jhonny Peralta has shed Omar's shadow and become his own brand of SS. The class clown Hafner brings a constant threat to the plate and a smile to everyone's face. Boone's bat has reappeared to complement his glove and leadership. And of course, there is the pitching. Bob Wickman wears his heart on his sleeve and as Joe Ladd (wickman's warriors) said in an ESPN article, "He looks like he's from my neighborhood." Kevin Millwood has shown this staff what veteran leadership is, both in the clubhouse and on the mound.

I am tired of Cleveland media comparing this team to the team of the late 90's. Can we just embrace this team as its own and get over 1995? What is not to like? Yes there are flaws, but the Indians of 1995 had theirs as well. And why hasn't the media questioned the faith Indians fans? Where have they gone? Is it because the novelty of the Jake has worn off? Did we ever have that many fans or was it just the thing to
do at the time? Its obviously not good baseball that will lure them to the park.

How can the PD not be interested in this? If attendance at Browns games dropped off to 30,000 a game (their play warrants it), I can only imagine the media uproar. Especially if that continued even after they started winning. I am not sure if you or anyone at the PD will respond to this (I've grown used to responses from Beacon Journal writers). But I'd be very interested to hear why you aren't writing about some of these things.

Why isn't this a big deal and why are there only fluff pieces on this? Lets face it, the Indians are a good baseball team and are contenders, yet the fans refuse to come. That's not worth writing about?

Well said. I'll let you know if he gets a response.

Rumor has it that Todd Walker may be coming to town, which is fine with me as an extra bat off of the bench and glove in the field.

While most are excited that Walker can also play 1B, did you realize that Broussard, after a hot stretch, now has the 9th best OPS for 1B in the AL, ahead of Morneau, Millar, Erstad, and Hatteberg? The position is certainly in line for an upgrade next year, but let's remember that when Benny gets hot, he adds another run-producing bat to an increasingly potent lineup.

Wednesday is the last day that the deal can go down though. With the second trade deadline on Wednesday and rosters expanding on Thursday, how could you not love this game?

I'll work in the "building through FA" vs. "building from within" soon.

1994 vs. 2005

Despite taking the series (2 of 3) from the Jays, the Tribe finds itself behind the Yankees, who took advantage of playing the Royals to stake a lead in the Wild Card. Interestingly, the A's have pulled ahead of the Angels, who were swept by the Rays in St. Pete, in the West. That's right, those same Rays, that the Tribe took 3 of 4 from, knocked the "mighty" Halos off of their perch in the AL West.

Elarton will lead the Tribe into the Jake tomorrow to face Jeremy Bonderman. I'm hoping that a crowd of more than 20,000 show up; we ARE in a playoff race at the end of August. I guess that taste of letting Sandy Alomar go is still bitter in a lot of mouths.

Speaking of Sandy, I was thinking about how this year's Tribe reminds me of the 1994 team, with young talent sparking the way to meaningful games late in the season (strike notwithstanding). This team, however, seems to be made up of more players that fit into the "Cleveland" profile of hard-workers, accessible players, and overachievers.

The teams of the late '90s had players that, while immensely talented, never embraced the city the way that Cleveland begged to be embraced, particularly after the Browns left. In addition to the obviousness surliness of Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton always carried himself with an arrogance (remember how he dropped his bat on home after ball 4?) that Cleveland fans believed was a "swagger" that set the tone. In fact, I think that most of those players were out for themselves and their stats while subscribing more readily to the old "25 players, 25 cabs" relationship, allowing their unbelievable talent to make up for shortcomings in chemistry. How many of those players were genuinely likable? Carlos Baerga was, as was Alvaro Espinoza. The argument can be made that Manny, Thome, and Omar were likable; or was it that we wanted SO badly to have that one true hero that we threw the mantle of "Cleveland's Best" on those three, in that order, until they ultimately left town for greener (pun intended) pastures.

Those teams were likable for the brand of baseball that they played (pummel opponents into submission) and because of the improbable 1995 season, when it seemed like they won every other game in the bottom of the 9th. That season is what truly captured the city's attention. You feared to miss a game, lest you miss Belle's bomb off of Lee Smith or Eckersley walking off the mound saying,"WOW" after Manny did what he does. The players became heros because of what they did individually, not how they played as a team.

The 2005 team, however, seems to have players that play well together, often conveying a chemistry that probably isn't seen too often in an MLB clubhouse. Between Victor's ridiculous handshakes, Grady's almost otherworldly confidence (not to be confused with Lofton's arrogance), and Pronk's quotability (he said that he finished in the top 10 academically in his high school class, later chiming in that it was a class of 8), I cannot help but root for this team.

Since 2001, I've been determined to live by the idea that you cheer for the name of the front of the uniform, not the back. As the end of the '90s showed, becoming emotionally attached to individual players only leads to resementment towards the modern professional athlete.

However, I'm on board of this talented group of players, who seem to play their guts out every game (to use a Butch Davis term), never giving up.

Let's look at this weekend. Grady had a straight steal of home with 2 strikes on the player with the 3rd highest Average in the AL! Hafner hit two MONSTER bombs! The Stick had 7 straight hits! Millwood responds to the fact that he gets ZERO run support by saying, what's he going to do cry about it? He'd rather have a beer.

How is this town NOT embracing this team?!?

Off of the soapbox, with Miller and Rhodes on the DL, the bullpen remains lights-out as Bobby Howry seems to have hit another level as a set-up man. Seeing as how Wickman, Howry, and Sauerbeck are the only relievers not under contract next year, I see the 2006 bullpen shaking out like this:
Howry, assuming we sign him to close
Riske
Rhodes (not a true match-up lefty)
Cabrera
Betancourt
Miller/Brown
A Match-Up LH (either a FA or Tallet, Stanford, Traber, etc.)

Now, assuming that Scott Elarton signs a deal with the team (he apparently realized after Colorado that being in a comfortable situation is more important to him than counting every last dollar, which Millwood and Boras will certainly do this off-season), the Tribe has 4 starters in line:
Lee
Westbrook
C.C.
Elarton
The fifth spot could go to a FA, though the names out there aren't going to set the Cuyahoga on fire, or giving Fausto Carmona a shot at the fifth spot, with more young stud starters (Sowers, Miller, etc.) in the pipeline. I'd like to see what Carmona could do, though I'd like to see it as an open competition to force him to earn a spot, as C.C. memorably did a few years back.

Who's noticeably absent from this list? Jason Davis, who I believe will be part of a trade to land either a 1B or RF for next year. I would guess a RF because Ryan Garko (the top 1B prospect) seems a lot closer to being major league ready than the outfield prospects (Gutierrez, Snyder, and Cooper, to a lesser degree). Davis is still young and has a live arm, but as has happened to Tallet, Traber, and Cruceta (claimed off of waivers by Seattle), more talented arms have emerged and staked their claims into figuring into the future of the organization, perhaps more than Jason Dangerously.

With all of the thoughts and options on my mind about next year, I'll touch on building through Free Agency (a la the Yankees and the Cardinals) vs. building from within (a la the A's and the Braves) in the next post.

In the meantime, if you're anywhere near the Jake in the next three days, head to the game. I'll be there on Wednesday, which coincidentally is my anniversary. The Bride's comment after sweeping the Orioles, "If they're hot when they get back to town, we'll skip dinner and hit the game". That date will also be the year anniversary of the 22-0 drubbing of the Yankees in the Bronx.

Jhonny Be Good

An afternoon win, keyed by our young SS, for the good guys today with the offense and the bullpen coming through to get Westbrook a W despite not having his best stuff.
An interesting note from Justice B. Hill on the official site:

At 64-55, the 2005 Indians have a better record than the 2000 team, which was 63-56 after 119 games. The starting lineup for the 2000 Tribe in game No. 120:
Kenny Lofton
Omar Vizquel
Roberto Alomar
Manny Ramirez
Jim Thome
David Segui
Travis Fryman
Wil Cordero
Sandy Alomar Jr.

Looking at that lineup and reading that the current team has a better record at the same point in the season illustrates a point that has been hammered away at - pitching wins championships. The lineup above boasts 2 probable HOF's and 2 possible HOF's (though Thome's chances are getting very slim). Yet the current incarnation of the Tribe, with two 23 year olds leading the offense has a better record. And the reason is simple: solid starting pitching and a strong bullpen.

Which leads to the question of the day: With Millwood, Wickman, Gonzalez, Elarton, Howry, Sauerbeck, and Hernandez off the books for next year, where do you put the money? Do you invest in a stud starter and fill in the holes on the offense on the cheap? Or do you make a big splash offensively, sign Elarton and another reclamation project and hope for the best for the staff.

If I'm in the front office and I'm given carte blanche, here's the plan (keep in mind that I'm talking ideal situations):

1. Throw a 3-4 year deal at Millwood worth $10 million per to stay. Millwood is 31 in December and will command some big dollars on the market, but make him think about staying in Cleveland. Granted, when Scott Boras is involved, he may ask for one of Dolan's grandchildren in the deal.
2. Offer Wickman the chance to sign another one year deal and when he turns it down, give Howry an offer to close with something like a 3 year, $7.5 million contract.
3. Sign Elarton to a 2 year deal at about $2-$3 million per. His relationship with the Tribe (and Shapiro in particular) is strong enough that a deal like that makes him stay.
4. Promote Cabrera and Davis into the pen full-time and let either Tallet or Traber become your go-to lefty. If neither pans out, find a lefty and trade them.
5. Package some prospects to the Brewers for Lyle Overbay, a solid LH bat to shore up the bottom third of the order.
6. Package a boatload of pitchers who may not fit into the long term Indians' plans for Kevin Mench. The Rangers are desperate for pitching and may take a combination of arms to part with Mench.

Both Overbay and Mench are arbitration eligible this offseason, and both the Brewers and Rangers may be willing to talk about getting some prospects as well as some "major league talent". The Tribe could sign Overbay and Mench to manageable contracts and get two young hitters who would fit in well, not only in the lineup, but in the clubhouse as well. I purposely didn't throw names into the trade options, as I have no idea who Milwaukee or Texas would ask for.

We'll see how the Tribe plays against the resurgent O's this weekend and whether they can continue to make up ground in the tightening Wild Card race.

I'll be cheering from the in-laws house in Milwaukee, where I'll see if Overbay's name hits the local news for trade talks.

Welcome to the Big Dipper

The ups and downs continue as the taste of getting swept by the Rays AT HOME is finally starting to leave the mouth after watching the Tribe take the first game from the Rangers and the Gambler last night. Lots on my mind, so here come some tomahawks:

• Watching Howry work the eighth, in free and easy fashion, lead me to believe that he's the front-runner to close for the Tribe next year. He's closed before and Shapiro went on record to say that he's not going to throw a rookie into the closer role (sorry, JDangerously and the F-Cab), which means it's either Wickman, promoting a bullpen arm under contract for 2006 (Rhodes/Riske - both of whom have closed with disastrous results), re-sign Howry while giving him closer money, or signing a FA. As Let's Go Tribe wrote, I think that Sticky's arm is shot and he's currently saving games on guts and guile. Local 26 also doesn't strike me as the type to stick around just for the paycheck. As for promoting Rhodes or Riske, not only does that option look the scariest, it also means you weaken the pen by needing a new set-up guy (those in the Rocky Betancourt and F-Cab corner are OK with that, but it's too early). Looking at recent FA closers (Percival, Urbina, Benitez), the best two words are "Buyer Beware". And so, you're left with giving Howry a nice contract and letting him save for 2 years, until Cabrera is ready to take the reins (a la Anaheim & K-Rod of the past few years). Plus, Howry's got good stuff, rarely gets rattled, looks like a bit of a bad ass out there, and has closer experience. Bottom line - Give Wicky a shot if he wants it, but keep Howry's agent on speed dial.
• How great has Honey Peralta looked? He's suddenly a solid 3 hitter in this lineup and seems to be getting more comfortable; not only at the plate (where he's scorching), but also in the field (where he realizes that he no longer needs to be Omar). The only uncertainty with Peralta is whether he'll eventually outgrow SS and make the move to his right to be a 3B of the future. To me, I'd rather have a left side of Boone/Gatreau/Kouzmanoff & Peralta than Peralta and Phillips/Torres/Ochoa in the next few years, if only for the fact that most 3B are going to be more productive offensively. For now, let's enjoy the maturation and development of a special talent.
• It looks like the bell has tolled for Benny Broussard. Limited to being a late inning defensive replacement, he may as well put the house on the market. As good as his swing normally looks, it's too bad that Ben can't seem to put together enough consistency to force himself into the future (the way that Coco and Westbrook have in the last 2 years). As I've said before, don't be surprised if Broussard is packaged with a young pitcher or pitchers (Traber/Dittler) to a team that would like to have a solid defensive 1B and young arms (Boston) in exchange for an outfielder (Trot Nixon?).
• It seems as if the Atomic Wedgie has a longer leash on C.C. when it comes to pressure situations. Last night was a perfect example as Michael Young strode to the plate with men on first and third and one out. The Crooked Cap had thrown about 100 pitchers, but Wedge let him pitch to the righty. C.C. responded by getting the 6-4-3 to end the inning, but it seems that Wedge wants Sabathia to learn from these situations (remember pitching from the wind-up lesson in NY last year?) more so than the other pitchers. There is some merit to it, as well. Every time Westbrook or Millwood (two pitchers who handle adversity well) are asked how they stay so calm in tough sitiuations, the answer invariably is that experience is the only way to cope and learn how to deal with the pressure cooker of a potential big inning. We must remember that the Hefty Lefty is only 24 and still needs some refinement to become a pitcher, as opposed to a thrower. Maybe there is a method to Wedgie's madness.
• An off-season name to watch for the Tribe: Lyle Overbay. He's keeping 1B warm for Prince Fielder in Milwaukee, so the Brewers will probably look to move him. He would fit into the lineup very well as a LH bat to hit 6th after The Stick, while providing some stability to 1B. Is he going to make the splash that acquiring Ken Griffey Jr. would make? No, but he's unquestionably a better target for this team. Acquiring him and a solid RF would go a long way to filling out the lineup.
• Shapiro's comment that Garko is hitting under .200 against leftys in Buffalo is baffling. He's a RH stick that can't hit lefties, and crushes righties? Further explanation is needed on this one.

The Tribe got the tough arm out of the way last night in the Gambler, so hopefully they can make a move on the suddenly scuffling A's.

Cruisin'

The Tribe motored out of Detroit with a three game sweep, which should get the month off on the right foot. Even Kasey Blake is making a move to have his name spelled correctly, with a 9 game hitting streak. Another big step was taken as the Tribe won while giving some players some days off (Belliard yesterday and Martinez today).

However, with the A's, Angels, Red Sox, and Yankees all staying hot, the Tribe hasn't moved up much in the standings. But they're taking care of their business and can hope that those teams beat each other up through the end of the season. The Orioles are officially out of the Wild Card (barring a miraculous turnaround) and Minnesota's offense is causing the Twins to go south in the standings.

As promised, following is the list of Free Agents after this season, which I've heard called "thin" and "weak". No argument here with only a couple of attractive names. I would say the Indians' needs would be RF, 1B, backup C, and dealing with the FA pitchers to make sure that the staff stays solid in 2006. So, without further adieu:
Catchers:
Ken Huckaby
Gary Bennett
Kelly Stinnett
Todd Pratt
Ramon Hernandez
Benito Santiago
John Flaherty
Brad Ausmus
Eddie Perez
Mike Piazza
Alberto Castillo
Bengie Molina
Pat Borders
Ivan Rodriguez (Poss. Team Void Option)
Einar Diaz
Todd Greene (Team Option)
Gregg Zaun (Team Option)
Paul Bako
Mike DiFelice

First Base/DH:
Rafael Palmeiro
Jose Offerman
Frank Thomas (Player + Team option)
J.T. Snow
John Olerud
Dave Hansen
Brad Fullmer
Julio Franco
Tim Salmon
Doug Mientkiewicz (Vesting Option)
Kevin Millar
Paul Konerko
Dimitri Young (Team Option)
Scott Hatteberg (Team Option)
Eduardo Perez
Robert Fick
Greg Colbrunn
Mark Sweeney
Tino Martinez (Team Option)
Tony Clark
Travis Lee
Olmedo Saenz
Erubiel Durazo
Brian Buchanan

Second Base:
Ray Durham (Player Option)
Carlos Baerga
Damion Easley
Mark Loretta (Team Option)
Frank Menechino (Team Option)(arb.)
Tony Graffanino
Bret Boone
Todd Walker (Team + Player options)
Eric Young (Team Option)
Damian Jackson
Manny Alexander
Marlon Anderson
Mark Grudzielanek
Pokey Reese (Team Option)
Miguel Cairo
Enrique Wilson
Denny Hocking
Dave Berg
Joe McEwing

Third Base:
Bill Mueller
Lenny Harris
Abraham O. Nunez
Jared Sandberg
Wes Helms
Joe Randa
Chris Stynes
Jeff Cirillo
Geoff Blum
Brandon Larson

Shortstop:
Royce Clayton
Ricky Gutierrez
Jose Vizcaino
Chris Woodward
Alex Gonzalez (FLA)
Nomar Garciaparra
Deivi Cruz
Jose Hernandez
Jose Valentin
Luis Lopez
Ramon Martinez
Alex Gonzalez (TB)
Desi Relaford (Team Option)
Rafael Furcal
Benji Gil
Lou Merloni
Chris Gomez
Rich Aurilia
Rey Sanchez
Neifi Perez

Left Field:
Reggie Sanders
Eli Marrero
John Mabry
B.J. Surhoff
Quinton McCracken
Carlos Lee (Team Option)
Bobby Higginson
Rondell White
Randy Winn (Mutual Option)
Jeff Conine
Todd Hollandsworth

Center Field:
Jacque Jones
Carl Everett (Team Option)
Craig Biggio
Preston Wilson
Kerry Robinson
Jay Payton (Team Option)
Marquis Grissom
Bernie Williams
Kenny Lofton
Roosevelt Brown
Johnny Damon
Dee Brown
Peter Bergeron
Trenidad Hubbard

Right Field:
Michael Tucker
Sammy Sosa (Team Option)
Larry Walker (Team Option)
Juan Encarnacion
Gabe Kapler
Matt Stairs
Orlando Palmeiro
Jose Cruz Jr.
Jacob Cruz
Richard Hidalgo
Dustan Mohr (Mutual Option)
Moises Alou (Player Option)
Jeromy Burntiz (Mutual Option)
Brian Jordan
Matt Lawton
Brian Giles

Pitchers:
RHSP:
Steve Sparks
Pedro Astacio
Andy Ashby
Woody Williams (Team option)
Matt Morris
Scott Elarton
Ariel Prieto
Elmer Dessens (Mutual Option)
A.J. Burnett
Jeff Weaver
Jason Schmidt (Team Option)
Jeff Suppan (Team Option)
John Thomson (Team Option)
Steve Trachsel (Team Option)
Brett Tomko
Kevin Brown
Brian Moehler
Jason Johnson
Paul Byrd
Joe Mays (Team Option)
Aaron Myette
Jamey Wright
Jose Lima
Ismael Valdez
Kevin Millwood
James Baldwin
Rick Helling
Esteban Loaiza (Mutual Option)
Aaron Sele
Roger Clemens
Scott Erickson
Ramon Ortiz (Mutual Option) (arb.)
Tony Armas Jr.
Greg Maddux (Vesting Option)

LHSP:
Dennys Reyes
Kazuhisa Ishii (Team Option)
Tom Glavine (Mutual Option)
Al Leiter
Brian Anderson
Mark Redman (Mutual Option + Player Option)
Jamie Moyer
Kenny Rogers
Kirk Reuter
Ted Lilly
John Halama (Mutual Option)
Shawn Estes
Jarrod Washburn
Glendon Rusch (Player Option)

LHRP:
Jamie Walker (Team option) (arb)
Donovan Osborne
Scott Eyre
Valerio de Los Santos
Mike Stanton
Mike Remlinger
Felix Heredia (Team Option)
Alan Embree
Joey Eischen
Ricardo Rincon
Scott Sauerbeck
Terry Mulholland
Mike Myers
Jason Christiansen (Team Option)
Chris Hammond
John Franco
Mike Matthews
Buddy Groom
B.J. Ryan
Tom Martin
C.J. Nitkowski
Gabe White

RHRP:
Bob Howry
Dan Miceli
Danny Graves (Team Option)
Byung-Hyun Kim
Grant Roberts
Mike DeJean
Kyle Farnsworth
Cal Eldred
Steve Karsay
Russ Springer
Ryan Dempster
Julian Tavarez
Tim Worrell
Felix Rodriguez
Paul Quantrill
Tom Gordon
Mike Timlin
Scott Sullivan (Team or Player Option)
Doug Brocail
Shigetoshi Hasegawa (Vesting Option)
LaTroy Hawkins (Player Option)
Matt Herges
Lou Pote
Rudy Seanez
Jason Grimsley
Todd Jones
Shingo Takatsu (arb)
Al Reyes
David Weathers (Team Option)
Antonio Alfonseca (Vesting Option)
Brian Meadows
Terry Adams
Chad Fox
Roberto Hernandez
Scott Williamson (Team Option)
Jay Witasick
Antonio Osuna
Ricky Bottalico
Steve Reed (Mutual Option)
Jay Powell
Jeff Nelson
Jim Mecir
Kerry Ligtenberg

Closer:
Trevor Hoffman
Octavio Dotel (Rehab)
Braden Looper (Team Option)
Billy Wagner
Jose Mesa (Team Option)
Bob Wickman
Eddie Guardado (Mutual Option + Player Option)
Ugeuth Urbina
Matt Mantei
Danys Baez (Team Option) (arb)

After viewing the list, I was struck at how many of the more attractive names (Millwood, Howry, Sauerbeck, Elarton, Wickman) are OUR players.
Terry Pluto's column this morning mentioned that Elarton is inclined to re-sign with the Tribe, as reward for sticking with him. It doesn't hurt that Elarton is represented by Shapiro's father's agency.
I still would like to see them re-sign Millwood, to make that big splash for the fans. I would give him a 3 year deal worth $9-$10 million per.
Wickman's possible return seems more based on his willingness to pitch another year and Howry may have pitched himself into closing for someone next year (maybe at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario?)

As for the position players on the list, no name jumps off of the screen. Jacque Jones, Juan Encarnacion, Preston Wilson, Reggie Sanders and Brian Giles all would look nice in RF; but we're not talking Vlad Guerrero here. That's why I'm more inclined to think that Shapiro will make a deal (giving up some young pitchers) to acquire a young bat to fit into the lineup. The Rangers reportedly broke off contract extension talks with Kevin Mench, which means that he may be available in the offseason.
Additionally, I don't see a 1B that is an automatic, leading me to believe that Broussard and Garko will platoon next year, if Garko isn't given every chance to win the job in Spring Training.
As for backup catcher, Josh Bard (as bad as he is offensively) rates pretty comparably to those listed.

The next 6 games are against the Royals (who just made wholesale call-ups from the minors) and the lowly Devil Rays. The Indians stand at 60-52 with 22 games remaining in August. With the weakness of the schedule, there's no reason they can't go 15-7 in that stretch (at the worst) to end the month at 75-59. We'll see if that's enough to pack the Jake in September.

Did someone say we'd be contending in 2005?

Eyes on the Prize

After last night's BRUTAL loss in the 9th (which proved that the victory on Tuesday with me in attendance was an aberration as I saw Giambi's homer come into my kitchen in the 9th), I could rant and rave about Millwood, Wickman, and Wedge. But I can't force myself to revisit the pain.

Not surprisingly, Terry Pluto's article sums up many of the emotions felt last night and this morning. Pluto always clearly articulates the emotions of Cleveland fans.

And we did take 2 of 3 from the Yankees in August, so let's not get greedy. It would've been great (I was chanting SWEEP, SWEEP up until the A-Rod moon shot), but I think that this team realizes now that they can play with any team at any time - a huge step for a young team. One can only hope that the swagger that they took into Boston and Baltimore in June is back for a very winnable stretch of the schedule.

The next three weeks schedule should be a cause for optimism as the Tribe has a chance to really make some ground up (assuming that the A's don't remain on this tear).

Breaking it down, the Indians have games against the following teams to end August (rankings in parentheses refer to ESPN's current power rankings, out of 30 teams):
Tampa Bay - 7 games (25/30)
Detroit - 6 games (23/30)
Kansas City - 3 games (30/30)
Baltimore - 3 games (18/30)
Texas - 3 games (16/30)
Toronto - 3 games (10/30)
For comparison's sake, the Tribe is ranked 9 out of the 30 ML teams.

What all of that means is that all but 3 of their next 25 games are against teams in the lower half of the league. This is the time of the schedule to put together a major run and put some pressure on the other teams fighting for the Wild Card. Maybe then, the fickle PD writers will decide if this team is good or bad, as opposed to taking a different view every day.

Other tomahawks:

• Millwood and Riske's suspensions (though deserved) are made difficult by the fact that Hasegawa, the pitcher who started the beanings, only received a fine and no suspension. The reasoning by MLB is that K-Mill and Riske hit players after warnings had been issued. To me, that's just semantics, not a legitimate reason.
• The way that this lineup is set up now (with the streaky Broussard apparently getting hot) looks good for the stretch run. Did you ever think you would hear that? Seriously though, Peralta and Martinez stepped up in Pronk's absence and should only improve with the return of the big North Dakotan. The top 5 players in the lineup (Sizemore, Crisp, Peralta, Hafner, Martinez) should be written in ink for the next 4 years. With Boone and probably Belliard (assuming they pick up his option) coming back for next year, you have 7 of the 9 positions set for next year. The only holes are at 1B and RF. With that in mind, I'll get the available 2006 Free Agent List up this weekend.
• Great crowd at the Jake last night (40,000+), but it would've been even better if the Yankees fans didn't have the last laugh. I've come to a conclusion: There is no reasoning with a Yankees fan, because they lack the ability to be reasonable.
• Two great jerseys spotted last night - Rocker 49 & Torre 6. Who wears these out of the house? Wouldn't the whole "John Rocker released by the Long Island Ducks" thing prevent that jersey from making it out of the drawer? And who wears a manager's jersey? I mean, I've got a Charlie Manuel jersey, but that was because I lost a bet.

With the upcoming schedule, I feel like the Indians' next few weeks should be accompanied by the song "Something Tells Me I'm Into Something Good" that plays over the "Falling in Love" montage in Naked Gun (with the classic beach clothesline). Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but with our pitching and young hitters coming around - Confidence is High.

This is How We Do It!

Before we get to the Yankees' games, the Tribe picked up Aaron Boone's 2006 option and restructured his contract to include a mutual option for 2007. Before the Boone detractors come out in full force, let's remember that Boone's average has steadily risen as his solid defense has been a HUGE upgrade over Kasey Blake's of 2004. Additionally, the 3B that are available in Free Agency this offseason are as follows:
Bill Mueller
Lenny Harris
Abraham O. Nunez
Jared Sandberg
Wes Helms
Joe Randa
Chris Stynes
Jeff Cirillo
Geoff Blum
Brandon Larson
Any of those names really jump out at you?
Me neither, which makes Boone at 3B for (probably) the next two years look even better. Rather than complaining about extending a player's contract who's hitting under .230, I wish that people looked at the big picture in these instances. No, Boone is never going to give the Tribe great numbers from 3B, but the fact that Peralta and Martinez are two run-producing players, playing positions that are not traditionally power positions allows this team to take advantage of Boone's glove and solid, if not spectacular, offensive numbers.

The offense is still without Le Pronk (who continues to shake the cobwebs out in Akron), but he may be back for the finale of the Yankees series or join the team in Detroit for the weekend. The offense, though, has looked good in the first two games, mainly because of Jhon and the Stick (plus a renewed commitment to patience and seeing pitches). But, boy, adding Pronk to the mix really makes this lineup look better for the dog days of August.

I love watching Cliff Lee work when he's rolling. He, like Millwood and Westbrook, looks like he's in total control - dictating the tempo of the game by throwing strikes and retiring batters seemingly the way that he wants to. He doesn't let a 3 run job by Georgie Porgie Posada allow him to become unraveled; he bears down and gives the team a chance to win.

Breaking the 9 game personal losing streak (though, barely), I was at the Jake last night to shout down Yankees fans and lose about 10 pounds in water weight. The crowd was solid last night, though (as always), I'm floored by the bandwagoners. I've never seen so big-boned girls in Jeter jerseys. One of the best comments was that only girls whose weight starts with a "2" can comfortably wear the "2".

I ended up yelling at some kid in an A-Rod jersey, asking him what borough he was from, then pointing out that Wadsworth and Brunswick are not technically boroughs of NYC. He shot back that A-Rod was better than Boone. REALLY?

The infuriating thing about Yankees fans at the Jake (outside of their obnoxiousness) is their sheer ignorance of baseball and their belief that counting World Championships ends arguments.

I'll take the Indians and their brand of baseball, strong pitching combined with timely hitting (of late), over the Yankees current strategy (outslug all opponents) any day.

The game was not broadcast on ESPN (as promised) tonight, so I'd be interested to hear from our out-of-towners how the game was handled by the national announcers. We got to hear the enthralling banter of Rick Manning and Mike Hegan, 2 color guys without a lot of color.

Assuming that the bullpen can hang onto a 7-4 lead over the last two innings, Millwood will go for the sweep tomorrow night against Shawn Chacon.

Indians Fever is thick in the air, like the humidity. Can you feel it?

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick...Nothing

The July 31st trading deadline has come and gone with the Indians (and most teams, for that matter) standing pat. One of the bigger trades involved two familiar names as Matt Lawton was traded for Jody Gerut (making a short stay in Chicago for Gerut); but the Tribe, A's, Twins, Yankees, Rangers, and Orioles made no moves today. The Blue Jays were the only Wild Card team to make a significant move, trading John McDonald to the Tigers for a PTBNL on July 22nd (oh wait, they traded him away). The Tigers, interestingly, traded Kyle Farnsworth for a highly touted Braves prospect (despite the fact the Tigers are 3 games behind the Tribe).

While there is disappointment for not adding the needed right handed RF or 1B, it sounds like the "Sellers" are asking for the sun, moon, and stars to make significant moves. The report this morning from the New York Times that Soriano was going to the Twins for Lohse, Bret Boone, and two minor leaguers was probably the most ridiculous one that was circulated. That would be like the Tribe trading Elarton, Aaron Boone, and two minor leaguers for Soriano. Nice work, did Jayson Blair come back to write that article?

While looking at the Wild Card standings and seeing those teams stand pat made me realize that the teams in the hunt for the Wild Card are all "flawed" teams, just like the offensively-challenged Wahoos. So, here are the contenders (assuming that the Red Sox, White Sox, and Angels win their respective divisions) in their current pecking order with a bit of analysis:

• A's - The A's are probably the most dangerous team in the hunt due to their momentum, their tremendous starting pitching, and the fact that GM Billy Beane filled their two needs with the additions of Jay Payton and Jay Witasick after the All Star break. Oakland's offense, though, is still not the strongest. Though the pitching staff can overcome a lot of their offensive flaws, the A's have 33 less HRs, and only 20 more runs, than the Tribe. The A's look like the front-runner, riding Harden and Zito for the rest of the season.
• Yankees - Despite a ridiculously strong lineup, the Bombers were forced to acquire Hideo Nomo, Shawn Chacon, Al Leiter, and Alan Embree (with 3 of the 4 being released by their former teams) to shore up a pitching staff that looks like a Veterans' Hospital. With Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, and Chien-Ming Wang (not to be confused with the immortal Long-Duck Dong) on the DL, the Yankees are going to have to outslug their way into the playoffs. Unable to add another arm, the Yanks are going to have to go with what they've got on the mound and hope that they can win a lot of 12-9 games (when the Big Unit and Mussina aren't pitching).
• Twins - The injury to Torii Hinter and the struggles of Justin Morneau have made the Tribe offense look like the 1927 Yankees compared to the current Twinkies O. Bret Boone has knocked all of 9 hits (all singles) and 13 Ks since joining the Twins. On a sidenote - this is the same guy that hit 37 HRs in 2001 and 35 HRs in 2003, before the advent of any kind of drug testing; not that I'm saying anything. Santana, Radke, Mays, and the bullpen will be pressured to throw some gems with the way that the Twins offense is producing. For comparison, the Twins have 16 fewer runs, 29 fewer HRs, and 18 fewer hits that the "anemic" Tribe offense. And now Spiderman is gone for 4-6 weeks, which means mid-September is the target return date. Can Kirby Puckett still suit up?
• Rangers - Failing to move Soriano for any pitching help means that the Rangers are going to have to MASH to try to stay in this. Factor in that Kenny Rogers will be suspended for 20 games and Chan Ho Park is in sunny San Diego, and Chris Young will be their "ace" through August, not to mention their only available pitcher with more than 8 starts this season (the immortal Ricardo Rodriguez has 8). Is that enough to discount the Rangers, despite a phenomenal offense (does that sound familiar to any Tribe fans?). If the consensus is that pitching wins championships, why hasn't John Hart caught on?
• Blue Jays - Despite a strong push by this forgotten team, Ted Lilly just hit the 15 day DL, leaving Gustavo Chacin, Dave Bush, and Josh Towers behind the dominant Roy Halladay. Toronto is capable of a run, but seeing as most of their remaining games will come against the Red Sox, Yankees, Angels and Orioles (with a series at the Jake in late August to boot), the Blue Jays have a tough path to follow to October.
• Orioles - The Orioles' young pitchers have struggled and injuries have mounted for the fading O's. Unless Tejada can pitch from the SS position and Sammy gets back on the juice (allegedly), the O's are on their way down. The O's dropped under .500 yesterday and look like more of a spoiler down the stretch (against the Sox, Yanks, and Jays) than an actual player in the Wild Card race.

Feel any better about the Tribe's chances? With Millwood, Lee, and Westbrook leading to a solid bullpen, the Tribe needs a few offensive players to find their groove to really stay in this.

Combine The Stick's revival, SuperSizemore's hot streak, and Jhon's nice transition to batting higher in the order to the return of Hafner (who is 2nd in the AL in OPS, behind the other-worldly A-Rod) and I like our chances. With all of the negativity surrounding the team, though, I feel like the only optimist in town. I feel like Lloyd Christmas telling Mary Swanson (after being told his chances are "more like one-in-a-million"), "so, you're telling me there's a chance".

Seriously, watching the Baseball Tonight Deadline Special, the focus on the Indians was whether they would be "Sellers", with Steve Phillips saying that Millwood and Wickman were their two biggest chips. Meanwhile, according to Harold Reynolds, Minnesota just needs to add that one big right-handed bat. What!?!

Wait, aren't the Indians one game back of the scuffling Twins? And isn't the Indians' schedule littered with games against Tampa Bay and Kansas City? Why the lack of respect or national attention? It's baffling.

On another note, with the Tribe not making a deal for a bat, Terry Pluto has an interesting suggestion to get a RH bat into the lineup. Call up Ryan Garko (the Sharko), when B-Phil goes to Buffalo to test his "Atomic Wedgie Hitting & Life Lessons", to platoon with Broussard. Broussard has been shredded by left-handed pitching, while Garko's hit .292 with 15 HRs and 60 RBI in Buffalo. Sounds good to me - as always, the level-headed Pluto simply calls it like he sees it.

A win today puts the road trip at 6-4. 16 of 28 games in August against the Royals, Devil Rays, and Tigers.

"So, you're telling me there's a chance"

Some Tomahawks

• The blown save by Wickman was bound to happen. You can't dance on the edge of the cliff that frequently and never take an occasional fall. It did look like there were a few grounders hit that were just out of the reach of Broussard and Boone. Move those over a few feet and we've got a W.
• That being said, the Tribe just played the hottest team in the AL at home, and almost took the series. A C.C. meltdown notwithstanding, the Tribe played the A's at their own game and played them tough. Granted, we didn't see Rich Harden (who's on fire), but we also didn't throw Millwood or Lee.
• To watch the A's series (again, omit the C.C. debacle), it's easy to see how a team can be built on pitching and win the majority of their games. The starters were great, and the bullpen pitched well (until the 9th today). The A's beat them in the area that the Indians are still weak in - situational hitting. The amount of Indians left on base is staggering.
• I wish that this town would decide what kind of team they want. Back in the '90s, everybody said, "The offense is great, but pitching wins championships". Now, despite a solid pitching staff and some very promising young players, people seem to lament the fact that there isn't an All-Star at every position. NEWS FLASH - That's a good thing. Look at John Hart's Rangers - they're very exciting to watch because they play in 13-11 games on a regular basis. Remind you of anyone? I'll take Westbrook tossing 2 hit ball for 7 innings over empty offense anyday. The A's are a perfect example of how strong pitching and timely hitting by solid, but not necessarily spectacular, players can win ballgames and make the playoffs.
• Now, onto the elephant in the room: C.C. His start on Monday was an absolute train wreck. He started the game throwing nothing but fastballs (RockDawg's comment about how Zito said that the A's were sitting "Dead Red" is a telling sign), then suddenly threw nothing but breaking balls. He's shaking off pitches, he's not mixing pitches, he never throws change-ups, and (as always) he lets his emotions get in the way. His comments after the game that he's "forgotten how to pitch" and that he "doesn't know a good pitch from a bad pitch" reinforce the belief that the problems are all between his ears. It's certainly not physical - the fact that he's throwing 98 MPH regularly shows that there are no mechanical problems. What C.C. needs to do is skip a start (Davis' and Carmona's next scheduled starts in Buffalo coincide with Sabathia's next turn), throw a simulated game with Willis and Wedge (and Nagy?) to teach him game situations, then ease him back into the rotation. When he gets back, though, Wedge should call the entire game from the dugout and NOT allow C.C. to shake off pitches. Maybe he'll pick up how to mix pitches and locate his pitches better than he has. I don't think that sending C.C. to the minors is going to do much. C.C. would be able to blow away minor league hitters with a 98 MPH fastball, so he wouldn't learn how to pitch, he would just continue to throw hard. If that doesn't work, I'm at a loss for what can straighten out the ol' Crooked Cap. Maybe bring in Rick Sutcliffe or Moose Haas to talk to him?
• On to some lighter notes: Is Bobby Kielty the ugliest player in the Major Leagues? He looks like a clown. In fact, he has to be up there with some of the wierdest looking guys in sports. The ugliest guy, still, in the history of sports (in my lifetime) was a basketball player for N.C. State in the mid-90's. I don't know what his name was, but he was a point guard, and I would watch most NC State games just to try to figure out what was wrong with him.
• The rest of the A's look like a crowd from a Candlebox concert. They're all in the late 20's with scruffy hair, are unshaven, and look like they're more comfortable in a baggy flannel shirt than a baseball uniform. Have you ever noticed that the whole team is white? The only player that is not full blown caucasian is Eric Chavez, and he was born and raised in LA.
• The A's, wearing those white hightops, look like they're wearing the crappy shoes that every 5th grader wore in CYO back in the day. Why do they wear white shoes? Is there any other team that does it?
• Jeff Liefer had a nice debut, with an RBI double on Tuesday night. Looking at Liefer in the media guide made me wonder about his career stats against our own Kasey Blake (yes, that was misspelled for a reason). So here it is, Liefer's career numbers over 723 AB's vs. Kasey' career numbers over 1569 AB's:
• Liefer - .232 Average 30 HR 105 RBI .693 OPS
• Blake - .254 Average 58 HR 193 RBI .753 OPS
• Jeff Liefer, in about half of the AB's of Kasey Blake, averages out pretty comparitively. Plus, Liefer's a year younger. So what does this tell us, that Jeff Liefer is the answer in RF? Certainly not, but neither is Kasey.
• So where do we go with the position players for 2006, namely RF, 1B, and possibly 2B and LF? Forget about 3B, Boone needs 500 AB's to vest his 2006 option, and he's over 300.
• The way that I see it, I would target a run-producing RF and a more consistent 2B in the offseason. Let Belliard, Broussard, Hernandez and Bard go. Let Ryan Garko take over at 1B (with a contingency plan), allow Jake Gatreau and Blake to play infield utility (I know that we would lack a back-up SS, maybe Ramon Vazquez). Get a C who can actually hit to give the Stick an occasional night off (or at least an Eddie Perez type). And, if it's possible I would look for a LF, only if he's an upgrade over Coco.
• On the pitching staff, I would sign Millwood (now, if he'll entertain offers) for about 3-4 years at $9-$10 million a year. That way, you pencil Millwood, Lee, Westbrook, C.C. (I hope), and Davis (or whomever) into the rotation. Elarton pitched his way out of Cleveland the past two months. I would try to sign Wickman again and let some of the young arms in Buffalo meld with some holdovers and some new arms to form the pen.
• Can you tell what I think about in bed when a Tribe game is going on? And don't tell me to take a nap so I can stay up. It's not a good scene when you come home from work, have dinner with the wife, then take a nap, only to wake up when she's going to bed. That formula is not in the marriage handbook for success.

This crucial 10 game set (which goes through the Yankees series) can still finish at 6-4, but the Seattle series has to be pretty one-sided (in the Indians favor, of course).

Matsafooey Yamamori, of the Hank Yu Braves - on top of the wall...and OUT!

Back on Track?

After the debacle of the last 2 games, the offense exploded for 10 runs today to give Jake a W. With C.C.'s performance and the anemic offense against the Royals, this was a much needed boost for the skidding Tribe.

Casey Coleman had an interesting point in today's pre-game that had to do with last night's lineup (which looked like the Buffalo Bisons', maybe worse). His comment was that with the night game followed by the day game, Wedge had to sit some starters for one of the games. One could argue that Wedge would want to play them in the game that he thought he had a better chance of winning (with Westbrook or Sabathia on the mound). Whether or not that was the case, it was certainly an interesting perspective.

Looking at this team, there are some things in an overview that are becoming obvious:

• The starting pitching will continue to be the strength of this team for years to come. Guys like Millwood and Elarton may come and go, but the groundwork is laid with Lee, Westbrook, and C.C. (warts and all) to consistently put a strong rotation together. Mix in the fact that the rotations in AAA and AA are absolutely stacked with young talent (not to mention High A players like Adam Miller) and the future looks good, assuming of course that championships are built on pitching (which they are).
• The core offensive players on this team right now are Sizemore, Hafner, Peralta, and Martinez (slow starts and all). The complementary players on the team are Coco and Boone (if healthy). The rest of the positions, as far as I'm concerned, are up for grabs at the end of the year. Much more consistency is needed from 1B, 2B, and RF. Broussard, Belliard, and Blake are all decent players in their own right; but, if and when the Indians put a serious push together, I don't anticipate any of them to be around. Broussard and Blake are too streaky (and when they're cooler than cool...they're ICE COLD), and Belliard's annual swoon (coupled with the fact that it looks like he's not trying half the time) lead me to believe that FA's will be added in those spots (unless Dubois or prospects like Garko or Gatreau are given a chance). An All-Star is not needed at every position, but a player who doesn't constantly leave runners on the bases by whiffing or hitting into DP's is needed (and would be a welcome change).
• The bullpen will remain a work in progress, as evidenced by the high expectations and dismal performance of 2004 and, conversely, the early uncertainties and steady production in 2005. The pieces are there for the future in Riske, Cabrera, Betancourt, and even The Frisbee Thrower, Miller. There will always be relievers available in the offseason, and there are a few nice arms in the minors who translate well into the big league bullpen (Brown, Mujica, and Sipp). After 2004, the Indians' front office will never take this aspect of the team for granted.
• This team still needs to do a lot of maturing and learning how to win by playing smart baseball. A veteran presence (who's not hitting .220) is necessary to help this team establish some consistency, rather than letting streaks dominate their season. This team still gets too high and too low and can't find that middle ground of consistency. That, though, comes with time and experience of being there.

This team still has a legitimate shot at this Wild Card. Despite a lot of teams making a STRONG push right now (A's, Spankees), it is the middle of July. There are 2 1/2 months left in the season, where a lot can happen.

The Saturday Seattle game is on FOX nationally at 3:15. Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one? What's the angle? Grover coming back? Rhodes facing his old mates? My guess is the programmer who scheduled this one is back working at the FOX Tulsa affiliate.

How bad is summer TV? Between the 2nd rate reality shows (The Scholar, I Want to be a Hilton), and reruns of those AWFUL shows on during the normal schedule (Joey, every comedy on ABC), I find myself watching those VH-1 and E! "lists" more and more. If I see 101 Celebrity Oops' one more time, I might throw up. God forbid I go outside, for fear of melting. Seriously, though, when do Lost and Arrested Development start back up? Thank God (and the in-laws) for the Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld DVD's.

But I digress. Tribe faces Moyer tomorrow, who turns into Sandy Koufax in his prime whenever he faces the Indians' lineup. Hopefully, the Tribe can sweep and finish the homestand at 5-6 after a disastrous start.

Goodbye, Joseph Diego

The trade of Jody for Jason Dubois is probably not the kind of splash that Shapiro was hoping to make in his pursuit of a RH upgrade. I doubt that the walk-up ticket lines tonight exploded to see Jason "Let's Hear it For" Dubois (a dime to TB) bat 8th and DH.
But could this move be the first of a few to get this team ready for the home stretch?

Dubois looks like a solid RH minor leaguer who hasn't had much of a chance in Wrigley, blocked in years past by Sosa and Alou, and by his own defensive shortcomings this year. Whether he is this year's Ryan Ludwick/Josh Phelps or can become another Tribe "find" (in the vein of Broussard, or dare I say, Hafner) remains to be seen. We'll have to see how the next few weeks play out before passing judgment on Dubois.

Jody wasn't fitting into the Indians future, with Grady and Coco entrenched in the outfield, and Wedge forcing Blake into the lineup. Add into the equation the strength of the Indians' farm system (offensively) is in the outfield and at 3B, and Jody becomes expendable (and probably marketable as a 4th outfielder). Better to get something for him now before his already long swing gets longer and he is further exposed as a career singles hitter who burst on the scene in 2003 after a new summer "training regimen".

The question now is whether Dubois will be banished to the bench (as Phelps was) in favor of Blake, Boone, and Broussard or if Wedge will give him some AB's. The guess here is that he gets some AB's quick, but at whose expense? The most likely candidates are Blake, Broussard, and Boone; as Dubois is a RF, 1B, and DH (with Pronk pretty entrenched at DH). Blake may be used as more of a 4th outfielder and reserve 3B/1B, with Hernandez becoming trade bait (along with Howry, Broussard, and Blake).

As I said earlier, I think that this is a first small step to re-creating this lineup to compete for the Wild Card. Shapiro sees what he has and realizes the strengths and the deficiencies.

The positions that have been lacking in production all season are 1B, 3B, C, RF, and to some degree LF. Dubois MIGHT be able to fill one of those holes. But with the asking price so high on the established hitters on the market, Dubois presents a nice alternative without disrupting the team too much.

Now, though, I have to convince the bride (whose 2 favorite players are Gerut and Blake) to embrace Dubois for putting on the Tribe uni. It did not go over well that he chose Jody's #9. It was likened to taking the clothes off of a corpse at a funeral.

New links on the right bar to check out at your leisure.

At 2-0 in the 6th, let's get some offense for Millwood tonight. He's earned it.

Squarely on These Shoulders

I'll be hitting the game tonight, then getting out of town. The next three days will be the real test of my 1-8 record (including 6 losses in a row).

I couldn't help but envision Soriano in the lineup last night as a WHOPPING 21,000 watched the 1-0 game with me. I would make the trade of Soriano for Brad Snyder and Andrew Brown in a heartbeat (mentioned in the comments by TB, straight off of the ESPN pay to read section). In fact, I'd give up A LOT more. Can he play RF? Who's the odd man out? Hernandez? Blake?

Actually, the 21,000+ crowd was the most into the game that I've seen this year (no wave, standing up for 3rd strikes, nice ovations to Millwood).

I'm in for retiring Olin's #31 jersey (again, see the comments if you're confused). Though I think that the current set-up probably makes more sense.

If they lose tonight, I may never go back to the Jake.

At the Break II

After the enthralling Midsummer Classic last night (has anything good happened in the All Star Game in the last 20 years outside of Bo Jackson and Sandy Alomar's HR in the Jake?), it's one more night without baseball.

You would think the PD would have an analysis on the first half today, but nothing. Maybe Hoynes is getting it together for tomorrow, or maybe they'll do a big piece on Doug Johnson (the new backup QB). We wonder why the town hasn't embraced this team yet and you have to look no further at the negativity and overall lack of optimism in the local sports page. People read the same sarcastic comments from the luminaries at the PD and scoff at the progress being made. Don't even get me started on WKNR.

This perception that Dolan is a cheapskate (despite the Tribe spending the most of any ML team on player development in the past few years) is truly ignorant. People rant and rave that Omar and Thome and Manny aren't here, neglecting to remember that Dolan offered Manny $18M to stay here, Shapiro was right on the length of Thome's contract because of his back, and Peralta is a budding star at age 23.

Let's look at what we would have if we had kept that "Golden Era" team intact (just counting the players still in the league):

• Manny - too much $, remember the Sawx tried to cut him
• Thome - will be unproductive for the remainder of his contract, which runs through 2008
• Omar - the Giants are already trying to move him, and he's under contract until he's 41
• Lofton - once he lost his legs, was exposed as an athlete playing baseball
• Sean Casey - would look nice here, but has no power
• Sexson - again, would look nice here, but not for his contract
• Giles - a mistake
• Colon - I'd make that trade every day and twice on Tuesdays
• Sandy - a backup catcher

Who am I missing? Where have you gone Albert Belle, Carlos Baerga, Matt Williams, Travis Fryman, Robby Alomar?

There's such a thing as fiscal responsibility in baseball. That's why what the Indians are doing is the right way to approach building a baseball team. Call it the Atlanta Braves method: develop home-grown talent and add pieces, where needed, to put a consistent product on the field. Is anyone arguing that the Braves do it correctly? Right now, the Indians are at the stage where they're developing young talent and finding out what they have before adding the needed pieces.

As as been said many times, it's time for the fans of this town to turn the page and embrace this team. Root for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back.

Moving on to the pitchers, here's what the starters are on pace to achieve:
The stats are listed as Wins - Losses - ERA - K's - WHIP
C.C. Sabathia
11 - 9 - 4.50 - 129 - 1.33
Kevin Millwood
5 - 13 - 3.58 - 133 - 1.30
Jake Westbrook
11-20 - 4.67 -127 - 1.23
Cliff Lee
17 - 7 - 3.89 - 145 - 1.31
Scott Elarton
11 - 5 - 4.72 - 114 - 1.31

The Sticky one is on pace for 42 saves. Looking at these numbers, you can't help but be optimistic for the second half. No way that Westbrook continues his losing, or Millwood doesn't get W's.

Biggest Surprise:
The consistency of Lee and Elarton has given the Indians a shot all 5 days of the rotation. Expect Lee to get Westbrook money in the off-season, with Elarton getting a long look.

Pitching MVP:
Wicky gives balance to the strong bullpen and, though he quickens the heart rate, gets the job done.

Biggest Disappointment:
The Crooked Cap, in a landslide. I can't get into it right now, or it will ruin my night. Just for a snapshot, look at C.C.'s numbers against Elarton's.

Enjoy the second half. Against the protests of everyone, I'll be in the stands for the first game of the White Sox series tomorrow.

Crawling to the Break

The Indians have looked like a tired team the last 2 nights against Detroit, allowing Mike Maroth and Jeremy Bonderman to turn into Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, circa 1995.

They are in the midst of playing 18 games in 17 days, so there's definitely a reason for it. Maybe it's a good thing that Sticky is the only All Star, so these guys can get some rest (assuming of course they don't use the break for some sort of Vegas bender).

Alex Cora was traded to the Red Sox for a minor league utility INF this afternoon, prompting Brian Tallet to be called up from Buffalo for the Yankees series. The trade is less of a condemnation of Cora's spotty play (he really never got consistent AB's) than it is a statement on the progress of Jhon. Cora was acquired as insurance, in case Peralta wilted under the pressure of replacing Omar (who, coincidentally, may end up in a White Sox uniform before the year is out...and the next 3 years) and to prevent the annual Jelly Belliard August Disappearing Act, but Peralta has responded with a very solid first half and Brandon Phillips is ready to step into the Cora role, to give Belliard some days off.

The move also frees up about $1.3 million this year and $1.4 million next year that can be used in a bigger spot of need. And, I hate to harp on this, but at last night's game (yes, I went, to run my season record to 1-7) there were at least 3 conversations in the Mezzanine about how a RH stick would look great protecting Victor in the lineup. Hopefully the Cora money can be thrown at a RH bat, which looks more and more to me like a Mench or a Wily Mo.

After the All Star Break, expect B-Phil to be called up to play SS and 2B when Jhon and Jelly need a break. Maybe this approach of easing Phillips into the majors will have better results than thrusting him into the lineup under the title of "the next Barry Larkin".

C.C. looked horrible last night, again letting any and everything fluster him and allowing things to snowball around him. Driving home from the game, WTAM was reporting that the Crooked Cap had some choice words for a heckler that were caught on the FSN mikes. What exactly did he say? Then he said all the right things that make you think that he really gets it. That part of the act is getting old for me. If you know what you have to do, how to be an ace, blah, blah, blah...JUST DO IT!

Jody Gerut had some interesting comments after the Tuesday game's attendance of 18,500 regarding the marketing of the players on the team, who are exciting but still may be somwhat of an unknown quantity. Terry Pluto captured the feelings of many Tribe fans in his Wednesday column:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/columnists/terry_pluto/12064105.htm

I'm still blown away that people aren't coming down to the Jake to watch this team, particularly after the 4th of July Show. I actually heard callers to sports radio asking if there's a chance of getting Omar back and moving Peralta to 3B, then another caller asking if we should try to get Thome. Are you kidding me? Are people in this town THAT clueless about the happenings of the 2005 baseball season. We're not in 1995 anymore, people. Learn about this team and embrace it.

Another Pluto gem addresses what we've talked about here before, Shapiro's trading history:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/12066335.htm
If you're not getting his e-newsletter, sign up today. It's the only TRUE analysis of the Indians available in Northeast Ohio. Let's be honest, everything in the PD is just game summaries and notes (unless you like Roger Brown's mindless ramblings). In addition to that, I once was having trouble getting the newsletter and sent an e-mail, only to have it responded to by Pluto, who stayed on the case until the problem was rectified.

In response to some questions asked earlier:
Where does Jason Dangerously fit into this team's plans?
I think that he'll finish the year as a starter, bouncing between Buffalo and Cleveland, and will provide some insurance (along with Traber and Tallet) if Millwood (and Elarton) leave. I still think his stuff translates better to the pen (looking mainly at his success of 1st and 2nd time through the lineup), but for now, he's a starter.

Who is the leader (Varitek) of this team?
I love this question. I think that the leader of a team is based more on personality and work ethic than years in the league, strict performance, or sound bites. Current leaders of teams that I can name off of the top of my head are Varitek, Jeter, Tejada, Erstad, Chipper, and Rolen. Most of these guys are GREAT players, but they all have that intangible that makes other players follow them. The risk of just naming your best player your leader is what the Cubs ran into last year when "Cap'n Sammy" alienated the clubhouse and went to Baltimore.

With all of that being said, I would say that of all of the players on the team, Sizemore is probably the most likely to emerge as a leader. Much like Jeter when he broke in, Sizemore will establish himself as a star by quietly leading by example (his hustle, will to win, and enthusiasm). Hafner's goofiness and Victor's antics prevent them from being real leaders and C.C. seems to say everything right, but can never back it up. Give Sizemore another year, and he will have the universal respect of the locker room and will show himself to be the leader of this new Indians team.

Let's take a few from the Yanks.

Taking the 'Wood to 'Em

The Tribe got some revenge for last week's sweep last night in Boston, with Millwood dominating the potent BoSox lineup in the 7-0 win. Some quick hits:

• Has Millwood priced himself out of the Tribe's 2006 plans? I don't think that it's happened yet. But if he continues his current pace, it's very possible. His ERA is hovering around 3.00, which brings the closest thing the Tribe has to an ace every time he takes the ball. If he continues his torrid pitching, you've got to think that he'll be in the $8-$10 million range with 3-5 years on his next contract. If that's the case, I don't think that fits into the Tribe's plans for 2006 (and rightfully so). When you look at the players the Tribe need to lock up (Super Sizemore & Lee), you can't overpay for one player, especially if there's a risk of a Jack McDowellesque flame-out. As Cy e-mailed me, it's time to lock up Grady until 2015.
• Just when I was going to say that Broussard's beard made him look old enough to buy beer, he shaves it into a goatee. Someone needs to tell him that he's not Eddie Vedder and should stick with the tight beard.
• Interesting to see Shapiro in the stands last night with his good friend (and Patriots player personnel guru) Scott Pioli. With the hiring of Danny Ferry (another Shapiro buddy) by the Cavs; had the Browns pursued Pioli further, there was a possibility of these 3 buddies running the 3 major teams in a town. To put that in perspective, think about yourself and two of your friends running the major sports teams in a city. Unreal.
• I've looked through the RH sticks that might be available in a trade and the pickings are slim.
• The first option is Moises Alou, who is 38 and is paid $7 million a year. Alou's numbers so far are .315/12/33/.931 OPS. The Giants, though, would probably want Tallet/Traber, Cruceta, Hernandez, and probably another minor-leaguer to make it happen.
• Another option is Kevin Mench, who had been rumored to be coming in a trade a few years ago. Mench is 27 with a $345K salary. He's hitting .290/12/37/.903 OPS in the young season. With the Rangers (still!) deep in position players and weak in pitchers, this could be a Hafneresqe trade, giving up Tallet/Traber (probably Traber) and Hernandez.
• The final RH option out there is Juan Encarnacion, who's 29 and pulls down $4.4 million a year. He's recently shown some signs of displeasure in Florida, where he's hitting .269/9/40/.795. The Marlins would like Howry (and maybe Hernandez) to stabilize a battered pen.
• As you can see, the pickings are slim. There are other RF's out there, but most are overpriced LH (Berkman, Jenkins, Ibanez). So, if the Indians are buyers, I'm interested to see which direction they'll go to add the "middle of the lineup" hitter that Shapiro has referenced. Mench might fit the bill (and the budget) the best, but I can't see my Uncle Joe tearing his way down to the Jake to see Kevin Mench.
• One of the WKNR Update guys refers to Cliff Lee as "The General". I'm not sure if I'm on board with that one yet. He also called the Indians "Team Windex" last year. Get it, they're streaky?

Last night's lineup looked like it should for the rest of the season (barring a trade). To recap, check out the boxscore online.

Any thoughts on the lineup?

With an dime from TB, I was able to get the Organizational Depth Chart, which will remain on the sidebar and be updated as is necessary.

All right, the Red Sox just cut the lead to 4-3 on the "General" (Nope, sorry. I don't like it). I've got to focus.

Ace? More Like a Joker!

The first loss in 10 games falls squarely onto the large shoulders of #52. Despite the Indians scoring 9, C.C. couldn’t keep a lead. It was a very exciting game at the Jake, despite the presence of about 10,000 Sawx fans, 100,000 Canadian Soldiers (that descended on the stands like a plague of locusts in the 7th), and two wave attempts by Indians’ fans (both at critical junctures of the game).

Some Tomahawks:

• I was waiting at the gate next to some guy saying, “You know, if we start to fill this place and Dolan still doesn’t spend money, I’ll stop being an Indian fan.” All of the sheep around him nodded in agreement. It took everything I had not to blurt out, “Good, don’t come back here, because you’re not a fan. You probably haven’t been here since 1999 and wouldn’t even know where good money could be spent. Go home, put on your Thome or Omar jersey, and remember the good old days.”
• Then, I have to sit in front of some guy who felt that the solution to every problem was for an Indian to “go yard” and say “Swing, and a miss” like Hamilton for every whiff. Down 9-4, with a nice rally going and no outs? “C’mon, Hernandez, go yard!” The bashers of the ‘90s made Indians fans dumb in that they simply do not understand good, fundamental baseball. Ronnie Belliard was booed for a sac fly in the 6th for not “going yard”. Maybe I’m a snob, but get a clue.
• C.C., a “#3 pitcher…at best” said the guy next to me, letting the big inning get the best of him again. Why doesn’t Willis come out to the mound to settle the Crooked Cap down, when it’s obvious to everyone at the Jake that he’s becoming unraveled?
• I’ve got to agree with my neighbor last night, and will take it one step further. Right now, I’ve got:
  1) Millwood
  2) Lee
  3) Westbrook
  4) Sabathia
  5) Elarton
  Any arguments?
• Only 30,500 last night, on a 9 game winning streak, against the defending world champs. People must’ve been looking up Doug Johnson’s career stats at home (a “Here We Go, Brownies”, not Indians, chant started in the Batters’ Eye Bar at one point).
• The Wickmans’ Warriors T is 0-1 after last night.
• Saw a #99 Vaughn jersey in the men’s room. It was more of a T-Shirt than a jersey, but not bad.
• Slider is becoming Public Enemy #1 very quickly as I attend more games.
• Can you tell yet that I was disappointed in the results last night?
• Finally, I made my first appearance on the JumboTron, due to the knuckleheads a couple of rows back who had painted their chests. Not knowing if I was on, I simply waved and the camera was off of me. It went against everything that I had ever said, that I would flash the “4” for Four Horseman, to honor the great Ric Flair. I’m only disappointed in me.

See you tonight at the ballpark.

6 and Counting...

Sitting in the Right Field Mezzanine (where we got a great view of Joe D-G's catch) with my buddy TC tonight brought up some interesting topics:

• If the Indians fall out of the race by the trading deadline, do you trade Millwood, Wickman, and Howry?
• If the Indians are right in the race by the trading deadline (which I think they will be ), what do they add? What does this team need? Everyone harps on Dolan's "unwillingness to spend money", but really what would you add to the mix here and who would go? The only pressing need that I see is a RH bat, possibly as an OF. It seems that the two-headed monster of Hernandez and Blake is not doing the job.
• What starter conveys the attitude of an "ace" the most? Or, what starter, when on the mound, gives you the most confidence? Consensus in the Mezzanine was Lee, Millwood, Sabathia, then Westbrook. Sabathia #3, you say? The reasoning is that despite his claims that he wants (and needs) to be this team's ace, C.C. still seems to let things pile on when the inning gets tough. The other 3 don't seem to have that problem.
• Is Bob Howry expendable to get a RH bat in the lineup? With Cabrera tearing it up in AAA and Howry's contract up at the end of 2005 (he's sure to get a multiyear deal with the way that he's pitching), do you trade Howry with a minor leaguer to get a RH bat?
• Who are the core players on this team? Super Sizemore is obviously the best position player on this team right now (the Baldelli comparisons have started), but who else will be here in 3 years? With no obvious Manny, Thome, or Vizquel here, who's going to stay for a few years, and who will pull a Paul Sorrento?

Other things seen and heard at the Jake and afterwards:

• The Team Shop is selling #48 Pronk jerseys. If I see a #52 Crooked Cap or a #41 The Stick at the Team Shop, I'm asking for a commission.
• The lineup was introduced to The Crue's "Kick Start My Heart" to get the crowd in the mood. Very well done video montage that got me ready for baseball, more so than "We're talkin' baseball...Indians Baseball...talkin' Tribe!" Who still hits the play button on that one? Is someone in the Indians' front office related to this singer? Let's bring back "Indians Fever, Be a Believer".
• Why does the crowd start the wave with a Tribe runner on first and nobody out? Because Cleveland is not a baseball town. I'm sorry, but it's not.
• WTAM's postgame with Kevin Keane and Mark Schwab gives a voice to the intelligent Tribe Fan. They give a cautiously optimistic view on the team while not getting too high or too low, while also remaining subjective and sometimes critical.
• At a street vendor's stand on Bolivar en route to the game, I saw the script "C" on a hat, which I feel should be incorporated into the uniforms. The other symbol that REALLY needs to be brought back is the silhouette of the full Chief Wahoo against the baseball (think the old Chief sign at Municipal Stadium). Why can't that be the depiction of the Chief, rather than just that big, smiling, red face?

D-Backs in time for the weekend. In the words of Lou Brown, "starting to come together, Pepper...starting to come together." Still shooting for 40-33 out of the homestand.

California Love

The Tribe, always surprising, takes 2 of 3 from the division leading Padres (could've been a sweep if Broussard catches the DP ball in the 2nd), continuing the Season of Uncertainty. Despite taking 2 of 3 from the Friars, the Wahoos remain 11 games behind those Amazin' Sox. A few thoughts as the Indians head up the Left Coast to face Omarvelous and the Giants (who are 8 games under .500...but Omar wasn't looking for the money or a long-term deal, just a team who would contend):

• Who is the Indians' All-Star? I don't think they're going to have the All-Star representation of last year, but someone has to go. The guess here is Cliff Lee, who has put together a solid first half and has a W-L record that isn't frightening (Sweatbrook, 2-9). Grady "Super" Sizemore is probably the best position player thus far, but his numbers pale in comparison to other available OF's in the American League. The other possibility is the Sticky One, who represents the back end of one of the best bullies in the bigs. I don't know if the manager of the AL has the stomach though for a typical Wicky inning (put 2 guys on, get a K and a DP as the tying run is 3 feet away from home) in the Midsummer Classic. So, I'm thinking Lee. When it happens, I will think about wearing my Lee jersey, but K-Mill took #34 away from Clifton this year (Cliff currently wears #31), leaving me looking like the guy who has the Winslow #11 jersey, a little premature and very embarassed.
• I struggled last night to watch the game with Coldplay on VH1's Storytellers. It was a great episode with the Brits tearing it up as usual, but you can't help but look at the drummer and bassist and think that they're just along for the ride, a la Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton of U2. The most amazing thing, though, is to watch Chris Martin (lead singer) and know that he's married to Gwyneth Paltrow. I know that she's a bit of a loon (British term): she did after all name her child Apple, but c'mon. I can go to the pulpit for Free Trade and not shave for a week and pull off what Martin's got going on.
• What's the deal with Le Pronque? Terry Pluto nailed it the other day by saying that Hafner's season has been "Blah...not bad, not great." Where is the clutch hitting and the opposite field moon shots? I wonder if his right elbow is bothering him more than the Dakota in him will let on. Or maybe he's upset about Shrek 3 not coming out this summer (and don't say you never noticed his similarity to the green ogre).
• I heard a commercial on the radio promoting the Padres series saying, "Catch Coco Crisp and the Indians take on Brian Giles and the Padres, tonight on FSN" then Coco hits 3rd. I was waiting for the punch line...still am. And don't come to me with 3 hits and 1 HR, Coco is not a core player on this team.
• The Super One (Sizemore) has established himself as a true keeper for years to come, but who else on this team is? The Stick and Le Pronque are the only two position players that come to mind, with C.C., Jake, and Cliff representing the pitching staff (Riske & Rocky Betancourt if you count the pen). Where is this next "wave" of players that Shapiro talked about a few years ago? Buffalo is stocked with guys that have been in the minors for about 8 years (think Jeff Manto).
• Anyone notice that the Polanco trade happened for Urbina and an INF (the day before the move was made, I had referenced a rumor of Polanco for Howry and Hernandez). Shapiro seems cautious to make a move that is going to disrupt this team. His comments in the PD that the Indians' schedule in August is favorable only strengthen the idea that this is the team, regardless of where they are at the trading deadline. However, if the Sox don't slow down, it doesn't do any good to have cupcakes in August if you're 15-20 games out.
• Ryan Drese (of TB on Shooters' Deck Fame) was given his walking papers yesterday by the Rangers, confirming the theft of Hafner as one of Shapiro's Great Heists.

Off to the land of fruits and nuts in SF, where I'm sure Omar's yellow suitcoat and Porsche are going over like gangbusters.

Back on Track?

As has been noted in the comments section, it’s been a while since a post (I was waiting for something positive to happen), but after a long weekend in Milwaukee and a day at the Clinic, it is on.

Last night’s game kept me stressed after my bedtime as Wickman (as he always seems to) made it interesting until the very last strike. Wick striking out LeCroy to win the game was like Tiki Barber running over Ronde Barber at the goal line to win the game. Despite the win, the offense still baffles in its inability to get a clutch hit.

Westbrook looked tentative and worked slower than his normal frenetic pace at first, but hit his groove in the 6th and cruised. I hope that it’s a sign of things to come. With C.C. fully operational, the rest of the rotation needs to take his lead and go after it. We’ll see how Millwood looks tonight against the Twins.

Watching the Twins lineup last night got me worried. I think that they’re deeper and have better hitters than the Tribe. Maybe it’s the Tribe’s slow start, or the amazing fact that Mauer is 21 and Morneau is 24, but I’m officially getting worried. Combine that deep lineup with Santana, Radke, J.C. Romero (mini-Johan), and Joe Nathan, and the Indians are really going to have to get hot for a long period of time to turn it around (not to mention the Amazin' Sox).

While in Milwaukee, I hit a Brewers game vs. the Reds. Seeing a game in a domed stadium (the roof was closed) is a weird feeling. You feel like you’re at the IX Center. The sausage race was a pleasure (as usual) and they have PBR on tap (also a pleasure).

Also, while there, I spent one night at a local establishment that was full of plasma TV’s. The NBA Playoffs were on, but at the end of the game, they put on “Back to School” with Rodney Dangerfield on all of the screens (no sound). I glanced over when the better parts of the movie (Kinison, Robert Downey Jr. in full drug stage, Johnny from The Karate Kid as the rival diver) were on, but made sure to catch the final diving meet. As Dangerfield completed his famous dive, I scanned the bar to see if anyone else had just caught the classic moment. Some guy from across the bar saw me and mouthed “Triple Lindy”. I love it. When I mentioned to my brother-in-law the next day that the bar showed “Back to School”, the first thing he said was “Triple Lindy, right?”. Is there anything else like that, where everyone in the world immediately thinks the same thing about some obscure movie?