Kenny Roda will be writing a weekly blog on Cleveland Scores covering the entire Cleveland sports universe. Check back often for his updates!
What is the one common denominator about the Indians over the last three plus seasons? Veterans have come and gone. High priced free agents haven’t been retained. Some young prospects have made the big league squad, while some haven’t. All are different variables but the one constant through all of this is manager Eric Wedge. For the fourth straight season the Indians will head into the month of June at the .500 mark or below. If the manager and the players aren’t going to show up for the first two months of the season, why should the fans? Maybe Eric Wedge shouldn’t show up at all.
Let the Wedge Watch Begin!
MORE INDIANS
The Tribe is ranked second in the majors with a .291 batting average. That’s the good news. The bad? Well, there’s plenty. The Wahoo Warriors are 23rd in the Bigs in pitching with a 4.79 team ERA. In the fielding category, the Indians are 25th with a
.979 percentage and 38 errors. In stolen bases, the Tribe has given up 37 in 42 attempts, ranking them 29th in the league in stopping the running game. Last season the Tribe finished a major league worst 22-36 in one-run games, a miserable .379 winning percentage. This season they are already 4-5 in these kind of games. At least they’re consistent! As far as where they rank in the base running category, let’s just say they’re a notch or two below the Bad News Bears! So what does all this mean? The Indians continue to be fundamentally inept, which is directly related to the leadership, or lack thereof, they get from manager Eric Wedge. As the old baseball saying goes, “A team takes on the personality of its manager”. What exactly is the personality of this team?
Let the Wedge Watch Begin!
BARRY BONDS
Barry Bonds just passed Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time home run list with 715. Thirty-eight year old Andrew Morbitzer, who cared so much about Bonds and his chase of passing Ruth, was at the concession stand getting his new bride some peanuts and beer when Bonds came to the plate and hit the historic home run. Somehow the ball was dropped by a few fans in center field and ended up around the concession stand where Morbitzer was standing. He quickly picked it up and was escorted away by security for protection. I can honestly say that if I were Morbitzer I would see how much I could get for the ball and try to cash in big time. But there is also a part of me that would take that ball and buy a syringe and all of the steroids that Bonds allegedly took, and put it on display. I’d take the ball, stick the syringe into it, surround it with all the different types of steroids and put my ticket stub with it along with baseball cards and photos. Don’t you think that would be an appropriate way to pay homage?
Oh yeah, one more thing on the egomaniac and control freak, Barry Bonds. Nice to see that while he was struggling to tie and break “The Bambino’s” mark he wouldn’t speak to the media. But as soon as he eclipsed it, he couldn’t wait to do the press conference and hear how great he was from some members of the media and, of course, himself. Wouldn’t it have been great if the media just ignored him? The Barry would have had to interview Barry and a new reality show would have been born, “Barry Talks to Barry”. Would Barry have answered his own questions? Only Barry knows.
CAVS NEWS AND NOTES
As my buddy Michael Reghi likes to say, “You can book this one to the Cavaliers!” In the upcoming June 28th draft, the Wine and Gold will select a point guard with one of their three picks and then look to get a rebounding big and possibly a shooter. They have picks 25, 42 and 55 in the two-round draft. This draft is considered average, with no true superstars and only a handful of projected starters. In fact, there is no standout, true number 1 pick. The Toronto Raptors are reportedly listening to offers already because they’re not sure who to take with the first overall pick. The good thing for the Cavs is there should be a number of point guards to choose from by the time it is their turn to draft in the first round. Consider the following. Kyle Lowery – Villanova, Rajon Rondo – Kentucky, Jordan Farmar – UCLA, Mardy Collins – Temple, Curtis Stinson – Iowa St., Dee Brown – Illinois, Guillermo Diaz – Miami, Sergio Rodriguez – Spain, and Quincy Douby – Rutgers.
The best point guard in the draft, who unfortunately won’t be available, is UConn floor general Maurice Williams. He should go in the top ten, if not higher. If he falls, it would be a smart move for General Manager Danny Ferry to get on the phone and see if he could move up to get him. But that’s more wishful thinking than anything.
WHO”S #1?
Here are three candidates to be the first overall pick.
PF – Andrea Bargnani – Italy. He’s 7’0”, 225 pounds and only 20 years old. He’s compared to Dirk Nowitski because of his feathery outside touch, great first step and his knowledge for the game.
PF – Tyrus Thomas – LSU. The 6’9”, 230-pounder has a great wing span and uses it on the defensive end effectively. Scouts also love his heart and desire and many consider him to have the biggest upside of anyone in this draft.
PF – LaMarcus Aldridge – Texas. At 6’11”, 240, he has the build that most NBA GMs are looking for to play the power forward position. Add to that an above average basketball IQ and great athleticism, Toronto is going to have a tough time passing on this kid.
So while this isn’t considered to be one of the better drafts in recent years, there’s a good chance that the first overall pick will be a power forward, most likely one of the three names above.
One final thought. Let the Wedge Watch Begin!
You are wasting your breath on Wedge. He’s not going anywhere, nor is he the problem. When your starters go out there and get bombed on a regular basis, how’s that the skippers fault? Who’s the Tribe’s second best starter? It’s Paul Byrd. Westbrook, Lee, and Johnson have been awful in four of their last five starts.
You just hate Wedge because he won’t come on your show. If you would admit that, I’d have more respect.
partially true, the manager has only so much control ovr players on the field – for example the terrible ptiching on this team is as much wedgies doings as it was last year when they were an awesome pitching staff. it’s like when a president takes the blame or credit for how the economy is performing.
BUT when i team still cannot perform the fundamentals on the field – errors, laziness, base running, cut-off men mishapps, etc – i think you have to look beyond the idiocy of the players and wonder why it hasn’t improved after 3 years. this is where wedgie or shapiro have to take some responsibility.
i’m at the point where i want to see wedgie blow up on the player, throw some crap, break stuff in the locker room, make scene.
the play of this team is pathetic, beyond just the pitching.
I usually support Wedge, but the sub-par play is getting annoying. The Tribe completely ignores the running game, even though they lost so many one-run games. At te end of last season it was embarassing watching them try to lay down a bunt.
That said, I’m still optimistic. The offense has been great, so they need to settle down the pitching. If Jason Johnson doesn’t get his head straight, the Tribe has a ton of young pitching to step in.
They need a set-up man to emerge in the bullpen. If no one does it, they need to go out a get one in a trade. With the bad season the Cubs are having, maybe Bob Howry is available
The mental lack of effor t mistakes is pathetic. I can type till my fingers bleed on what the Tribe does wrong but its a waste of time. Where is the heart, the passion to want to play this game? Until the front office, manager, and players all show the attitude of we will settle for no less than perfection the same old talk year after year will continue until the owner (Dolan’s discounts), puts the product on the field that can compete w/ the Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, Cardinals need I go on. The team we have now cannot compete with the big boys of this league its been proven since Jacobs sold the team and our last playoff berth in 01. We were so good in the late 90’s why because we had the superstars of the Major Leagues on our side, to win championships now you have to spend the money and bring in big players, veterans to fill holes, and also have young talent that has proven themselves which we have in Grady, Hafner, C.C, Victor but we don’t have the big name players like the Big dogs of MLB do.
wedge cannot even spell fundlementals, let alone teach them. he’s talking about correcting them as the season rolls along. i thought that’s was spring training was for. even in tonites 4-3 win over chicago, the tribe’s fundlementals sucked.
Roda, they’ve won 2 in a row against the white sox. you still think they should fire wedge? they’re back to .500!
“wedge cannot even spell fundlementals, let alone teach them.”
Apparently, neither can you.
It’s always easy to blame team struggles on a manager, and while Wedge certainly has his faults, he’s not the reason Jason Johnson is struggling and Jake Westbrook is inconsistent. Does everyone calling for Wedge’s job expect him to go out to the mound and physically remove Johnson’s head from his ass?
It seems no one talks about what was obvious to me when the season started. You can’t give away defensive assets, mainly Omar Vizquel, and expect that pitchers are going to perform as well as they did last year. Westbrook is my favorite pitcher to watch on this staff. When he’s got middle infielders that actually dive for the ball and no where to throw, he’s very efficient and will give the offense a chance to win.
As long as I’m ranting, turn my last comments around to the offense. Omar was the only guy in the lineup who had any sense of fundamental hitting. He’d get a hit when needed, drop a bunt, or sacrifice. Yes, these guys have the ability to hit a baseball very well, but they are so sporadic because they clench up in situations. Who has won anything on this team? You give away Kevin Millwood, Bob Howry and Omar, but then try to tell us you’re better? There’s no veteran leadership on this team. It’s a team of talented minor leaguers, a couple career .260 veterans, and a minor league manager. Someone needs to show these guys how to win, because they can, but not if there isn’t someone with any knowledge on what it takes to get there.