Or does paying attention to the Browns feel like a big chore this year? Looks like Frye is gonna get a start this Sunday at home, we’re on the verge of a 1,000 yard rusher in Rueben Droughns…but that’s about all that is interesting about the Browns right now.
Plus when you’ve got the Cavs to get excited about at 10-4, a 4-7 Browns team stumbling to yet another losing season just starts to take more emotional energy than they are worth. Or is it just me?
But the convergence of a home game Sunday, Dilfer’s injury and mounting pressure to evaluate Frye makes his starting debut likely. On Wednesday, Frye had the first-team offense all to himself for the first time since he arrived as a third-round draft pick from Akron.
Could be a fun Sunday. I have a good feeling about this.
Giles re-signs with the Padres, and I’m bummed out.
People said all along that Giles wanted to stay in San Diego but it didn’t look like the Pads were going to meet his contract demands. Well, scratch that. At least the Yankees didn’t get him, right?
But where does this leave the Tribe? It looks like they won’t re-sign Millwood…and they missed out on Giles…and Ryan…and Farnsworth…. Coming off a 93-win season and sporting one of the youngest, most talented rosters in baseball, it looked like the Indians were in a prime position to make some key acquisitions this off-season, just as the Cavaliers were this summer. Unfortunately, Larry Dolan is proving you can’t make much noise in the free-agent market when you’ve got a cheap owner signing the checks.
There’s still time to get something done, of course, but now that you’re not spending the money on Giles — and I hope they don’t invest a lot of money into one of the senior citizen closers out there (Hoffman or Gordon) — why not throw a little more cash Millwood’s way to get that done? What else are you going to spend your money on? Ninety-five games of Nomar Garciaparra? Please. Sure, the upside is great with Nomar, but unless you get him real cheap, the risk may be too much.
Beating a team with 10 wins, at home, in OT, definitely gets you off the schnide. Looked to me like Drew Gooden was being taught a lesson for something…only 17 minutes. Not a great performance defensively, but I’ll take it.
Sure, he’s old, but a healthy Nomar Garciaparra could be a great addition to the Indians’ lineup. ESPN’s Buster Olney agrees:
He got off to a terrible start last season, batting .157 in April before tearing his groin, but Garciaparra hit .338 in August and .311 in September. When healthy, he would fit in perfectly with the Indians in the middle of their lineup, perhaps batting behind Travis Hafner, lending some experienced and right-handed protection; he’d be playing for former Red Sox prospect Eric Wedge in Cleveland.
Nomar could be the right-handed bat this team needs. He has a lot to prove, and he can play first, third and in the outfield. Of course, Shapiro and Dolan would still have lots of work to do, but this guy should come cheap, and the upside could be huge.
Meanwhile, it looks like Brian Giles is re-signing with San Diego and Paul Konerko will be back with the White Sox. Shapiro better get to work.