Month: April 2005 (Page 14 of 18)

If the reports suggesting that the Browns prefer to trade out of the third spot in the draft are true, I’d be surprised if they didn’t find a willing trade partner next Saturday. We’ve already highlighted on this site Tampa’s interest in moving up, but they shouldn’t be the only ones. The way I see it, the Browns are in a pretty sweet spot.

Everyone’s talking about three or four guys: the two quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith, the top running back, Ronnie Brown, and arguably the top receiver, Braylon Edwards. So let’s say Rodgers and Brown go 1-2, as expected. Suddenly, teams like Tampa or maybe Arizona who are looking for their franchise quarterback will be speed-dialing the Browns to move up and nab Smith. If the two QBs go first, then everybody looking for a back in the first round will call Phil Savage. Or maybe, since the rumors have the Browns strongly considering Edwards if they’re stuck at three, teams interested in getting the Michigan receiver will try to swap spots with Cleveland.

Regardless of how the first two picks unfold, the Browns appear to be in a position of power and, if they truly are interested in moving down to stockpile picks, Savage shouldn’t have much trouble finding an appealing offer.

A few years ago, Eric Wedge was this brilliant minor league manager that was in such demand that the Tribe overlooked a more experienced Joel Skinner to nab him. Three years later, all I see is an undisciplined, fundamentally-retarded baseball team. What was Cliff Lee thinking when he threw the ball into the stands? What was Broussard thinking when he bare-handed a slow grounder and didn’t go for the sure out? What was Boone thinking when he couldn’t simply move the runner over with NO OUTS? Could somebody tell the Indians spring training is over and these games actually count? I know it’s early, but it’s obvious thus far the White Sox and the Twins are better, hungrier, and play much smarter baseball than the Indians. It’s time for Wedge to start showing us why he was chosen to manage this team. The honeymoon is over.

These tough losses to the Sox need to stop. Wednesday’s game went to extra innings, with Bob Howry allowing the decisive run in the top of the 10th. Travis Hafner, the ink not even dry on his new extension, ripped a double off the wall in the bottom of the inning but Victor Martinez popped out on the first pitch he saw to wrap up the 5-4 loss for the Indians.

Grady Sizemore hit a bomb with two outs in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4 but it wasn’t enough. And who else cringed when Wedge called on Wickman in the top of the ninth with the game tied? He got through it fine (1-2-3 with a K) but I covered my eyes on every swing.

Just a week after locking up Victor Martinez, the Indians announced that they’ve agreed to a three-year contract extension with Travis Hafner. The deal, reportedly worth $7 million, runs through 2007 and also includes a club option for 2008.

This is just one more fantastic move by GM Mark Shapiro, reminiscent of the mid-90s when John Hart inked guys like Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome and Charlie Nagy to long-term deals at bargain prices. You knew Shapiro would move on to Hafner shortly after extending Martinez, and now you’ve got to wonder if he’s working on someone else. Regardless of his next step, Tribe fans should be thrilled with the direction Shapiro is taking this team. Another stretch of AL Central crowns and Jacobs Field sellouts may be just around the corner.

Aside from back-to-back match-ups in weeks two and three with Green Bay and Indianapolis, Romeo Crennel will have a rather easy non-divisional schedule during his first season as an NFL head coach. Of course, the Browns play the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals a total of six times, all of which will be tough games, but the rest of the 2005 schedule, just released by the NFL, is pretty tame. The two games with the Packers and Colts, along with a week-12 meeting against the Vikings and a game the following week with Jacksonville, will certainly pose some problems but beyond that, the Browns play patsies like the Lions (6-10 last year), Bears (5-11), Titans (5-11), Raiders (5-11) and Dolphins (4-12).

Of course, the Browns are patsies too, so that may not matter all that much. Still, a schedule that features six sub-.500 teams from a year ago offers some hope for the ’05 season. In fact, if you take the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals out of the equation, Cleveland’s 2005 opponents were a combined 71-89 last year. Looks like the NFL took some mercy on the Browns.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering…no, you won’t find the Browns on any nationally televised games next season. I know, shocker.