Just for the record, Bill Simmons predicted that the Cavs to win less than 40 games and LeBron will request a trade.
Needless to say, I disagree.
Look, I can understand why people are down on the Cavs. I get it. They're a flawed team whose roster hasn't changed in basically two seasons. Anderson Varejao is holding out (Pavlovic just inked a reasonable deal). The East has improved (but, honestly, by that much?). I get the negativity. I have some of it as well.
But the Cavs are the 9th best team in the conference? Really? I mean, I can't honestly think that Simmons actually believes this (I honestly think he's just tweaking Cleveland fans). Worse than Indiana? Worse than Atlanta? Why would they slip behind New Jersey? Or Detroit?
Do people really think that Anderson Varejao means that much? Hustle points and flops are an 11 win difference?
Personally, I think the Cavs will match their win total of the last two seasons. 50 games. Two years ago they overachieved to reach 50, while last year they kind of underachieved. This year, I think they'll 'achieve' and get 50.
Sure, they're gonna have a brutal start (a West coast trip right out of the gate) and they'll miss Varejao. But for the first half of last season, LeBron played with a back court of Snow and Hughes. This year he's upgrading his PG from 'terrible' to 'lights out'. You think that won't help with some double teams?
At age 22 and entering his fifth NBA season, James has never been in better shape or worked harder on his game at this stage of the season. In theory, this is good news for the Cavs: A motivated superstar is perhaps the grandest weapon in the modern NBA.
LeBron didn’t shoot much but he passed well and, most interestingly, Mike Brown ran a bunch of post up plays for him and he worked down there well. He may very well have the best season of his career if he keeps this up.
So you're telling me that the Eastern Conference Champion is returning everyone but their backup power forward, they're replacing Eric Snow's jumper with Daniel Gibson's and LeBron James is not only in the best shape of his career, but he's sporting an improved jumper AND he's working well in the post... they're going to get worse?
Don't get me wrong, I expect this team to struggle at times. I have no faith in Mike Brown's offense. I hate Larry Hughes with a passion. I wish they'd use the post more often (meaning, sometimes).
However, despite what you saw in the San Antonio series, the Cavs aren't terrible. They have issues, but they aren't awful. They may struggle at first (and I expect them to) but they'll be fine.
Juwan Howard accepted a buyout from the Minnesota Timberwolves last weekend, which could lead to Howard joining the Cavaliers prior to Wednesday's season opener against the Dallas Mavericks.
The opening day roster of 15 players must be set by 6 p.m. today.
Howard, according to league sources, spoke with the Cavs over the weekend about joining the club. Howard is also considering Dallas and Boston.
Hooray for 34 year old power forwards!
(all snark aside, it wouldn't be a terrible move but it isn't great either. This team has needed to be shaken up for two years now...)
In a column about how we shouldn't dwell on the Tribe's ALCS loss, Pat McManamon says this:
Any team that wins 96 games and comes within a win of the World Series has had an outstanding season. And when that team has its core of players back the following year, it must be considered a favorite, especially if you figure General Manager Mark Shapiro continues his magic and improves the team in the offseason.
And, for the most part, I agree.
But what kinda Mark Shapiro "magic" has he been seeing? I don't want to come across as trashing Shapiro, because obviously, he's done a fantastic job. He's rebuilt the Indians. There's young talent littered across the diamond.
But the task he has to complete now (adding veteran players and key free agents), hasn't exactly been a task he's excelled at. Shapiro has built the Indians through the farm system. His best moves have been the ones where he trades an aging veteran for a prospect (and he gets a Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner or Coco Crisp). He's drafted well and has had a good eye for prospects. In that regard, he's been phenomenal.
However, the moves he's made that haven't worked out tend to be his free agent signings. Despite his Game 2 heroics, I can't believe anyone thinks that the Trot Nixon signing went well. How about Matt Lawton? Ricky Gutierrez? Roberto Hernandez? David Dellucci?
I'm not saying that there hasn't been some good ones (Paul Byrd), but Shapiro's track record with free agents isn't exactly stellar. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a lot of this also has to do with his budget constraints; he's had to go for bargain basement guys and mediocre talent. That's fine, I understand that.
But right now, the Tribe is in a position to compete for years to come. They should be past the stage of bargain shopping.
Shapiro needs to add solid veteran talent this offseason. A run producing corner outfielder would be a nice start. Or maybe a veteran starting pitcher with big game experience. Whatever he adds, via free agency or trade, it needs to be a non-platoon player; he needs to be legit.
And for all the success that Shapiro has had (and he's had a lot) his strength hasn't been finding veteran talent to compliment his young ball club.
Which is exactly what needs to be done this offseason.
I sure sound rather hopeless, don't I? That series collapse was brutal. There's no way to enjoy blowing a 3-1 lead (especially to Boston). And yes, Ohio has been playing the role of the bridesmaid for all of 2007. So I should be pissed off and gloomy right?
Nope.
Look, obviously, I'd rather the Tribe had beaten Boston. I'd rather the Buckeyes beat Florida (twice) and I wish the Cavs could've found a way to beat San Antonio four times (and I wish that the Columbus Destroyers could've beaten whoever they played in the Arena Bowl). But despite all those (bad) postseason losses, there's no way you can tell me that Ohio sports fans haven't had a pretty damn good year.
Sure, the losses hurt. To get that close to a title only fall apart... I'm not gonna lie, it sucks. There's no denying that. But even with those losses, can any Ohio sports fan honestly say that this past year hasn't been a blast?
I can't believe anyone would say that 2007 sucked. Really? Did you experience the same year I did? I got to see LeBron drop 48 on the Pistons. I got to see the Tribe make Joe Torre expendable. I got to see Troy Smith win the Heisman. I got Number 1 Ohio State beat Number 2 Michigan in a battle of undefeateds. We got to watch Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. wear scarlet and gray. Hell, the Browns managed to draft a franchise tackle AND quarterback in the same draft!
Sure, our teams lost late, but you know what? At least they were still playing late. Which Tribe season do you remember more fondly, 1997 or 2003? Yeah, we had to watch Jose Mesa blow a save in Game 7 (I'm still waiting for him to throw an offspeed pitch) but you can't say that you didn't enjoy the Baltimore series. Like those six games weren't fun as all hell. I'd much rather follow my baseball team into October only to see them lose than to lose interest in mid-July. It's not even close.
I refuse to believe that Cleveland has had a bad year. At least our teams were in it. Would you rather be a Pirates fan? A Royals fan? Atlanta Hawks? Golden Gophers? How about Tampa Bay, you wanna root for those teams? Didn't think so.
Yes, Ohio teams have lost big games this past year. It's been gut wrenching. But you can't tell me we aren't in a good spot. These teams weren't one shot deals; they're young and they should compete for the foreseeable future.
I mean, look, in the coming years we get to watch LeBron James, Boobie Gibson, Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, Brady Quinn, Joe Thomas, Victor Martinez, CC Sabathia, Fausto Carmona, Grady Sizemore and Eric Snow. Plus, the Ohio State football and basketball programs are run by Jim Tressel and Thad Motta respectively (I trust those two, anyone disagree?).
Mistakes were made, there's no denying that. Joel Skinner probably should've sent Lofton (and Casey Blake probably should've taken a pitch or two). Maybe someone should've D'd up Tony Parker. Or blocked a defensive end or four.
But I dunno, maybe I'm weird, but I just can't see myself complaining about a year in which my basketball team made the NBA Finals, my baseball team made the ALCS and my alma mater played in two national championship games.
First of all, Joel Skinner. Lay off FOX. Seriously, the ball bounced hard and directly to Manny. He holds Lofton up at third because he doesn't want to force the issue. If Casey Blake puts together a decent at bat, maybe its different. Instead he swung at the first pitch to hit into a double play and then proceeded to boot a grounder and watch it roll away the next inning (and then he ran into Peralta in the 8th).
Thats the ball game right there. Not converting in the top of the 7th and subsequently blowing it in the bottom half of the same inning. I honestly have no issue with Skinner holding Lofton. I have a issue with guys swinging at first pitches in big situations.
I also have a bone to pick with Lofton getting thrown out at second base despite beating the tag (and if that happened a Boston player, FOX is shitting themselves. Instead, it's simply an unlucky break, but even I'm getting sick of this rant).
As for Jake Westbrook, what can you say? The guy has guts. He kept the Tribe in the ballgame despite having mediocre stuff. He pitched his ass off and gave them a chance to win (and I fully expected him to get shelled tonight).
The bullpen imploded. Raffy's run ended. The defense screwed up. Everything went wrong.
It happened. They managed to do it. The Tribe scored 5 runs in 29 innings. They were outscored 30-5 over the last three games. They blew a 3-1 lead to Boston. The cocky fans. The cocky players (can more Boston hitters watch their home runs please? That'd be great). The hype. For a while there I almost forgot that I was rooting for a team from Cleveland. I'm extremely angry and yet completely numb.
Not only did they blow a 3-1 lead, they did it against a team and fanbase I absolutely despise. Both aces failed to show up (twice). And the entire time I sat watching the sad, predicable debacle unfold, I had to listen to Tim fucking McCarver. Just... wow.
I feel like I'm going to be sick. This is happening again. 1999. 2001.
These playoffs were supposed to be different. The 90s were full of teams with ungodly hitting and no pitching. This time around, Cleveland had the pitching. Not one, but two aces! If they would've had one of these guys last decade, they'd have a World Series title under their belt. Sabathia and Carmona were the different makers.
And they both have failed.
I thought Fausto was going to make it out of the first inning unscathed. He had only given up two infield signals and a walk but nothing was really hard hit; he just unlucky. But he was getting behind hitters. How he got behind J.D. Drew is beyond me. You can't blame the game on the ump, because Cleveland basically self imploded, but if Schilling's 2nd pitch to Hafner was a strike, then Carmona's first pitch to Drew should've been one as well. But he got behind. He got behind hitters all night. The ump was terrible (and I think they've been terrible behind the plate all series long- to no ones advantage) but it didn't even matter.
Why Wedge chose to bring in Rafael Perez to relieve Carmona is beyond me. Once Perez walked to the dugout, the game was over. I can't even begin to describe how frustrated I felt watching this game. It turned into a comedy of errors.
I want to try to stay positive. I want to say "hey, if you would've told me 5 months ago that Cleveland would be playing Game 7 of the ALCS in Boston, I'd be thrilled". But I don't really believe that. That's almost fooling myself. The Tribe had two chances to close out Boston with their two best pitchers on the mound and not only did they fail, they failed spectacularly.
If you're a Cleveland fan, can you really 'stay positive' right now? Your two best pitchers just got shelled. Manny Ramirez is batting somewhere around .450. Boston's lineup actually showed up for Game 6. Cleveland's lineup has been non-existent for the past two games. Your number 3 hitter can't even make a productive out at this point. The Tribe's pitchers are scared of Boston's hitters while Cleveland's hitters are pressing.
Confidence? More like dread.
We're all thinking "not again". All of Cleveland's playoff follies are coming back. The Drive. The Fumble. The Shot. Mesa blowing game 7. The Tribe blowing a 2-1 series lead in the 1998 ALCS to New York. The Tribe blowing a 2-0 lead to Boston in the 1999 ALDS. The Tribe blowing a 2-1 ALDS lead to Seattle in 2001. It's gone from 3-1 to 3-3 and in those two losses, they've been outscored 19-3. Game 7 is in Boston. Paul Byrd is being linked to HGH. Everything is falling apart (except for Victor Martinez. That guy is a fucking rock). Lord help
It feels like 1999. At this point, all I want for Game 7 is a close ballgame, just not another blowout. Please. Lord help me if Josh Beckett trots out of the bullpen to shut the Tribe down like Pedro.
I just have a sick feeling we're going to see some final score of 13-6. I dunno, the team looks shellshocked. Wedge is leaving pitchers in too long. He hasn't moved Hafner down in the lineup (seriously, move Peralta up. It's time). He keeps throwing out Raffy Perez.
1995 ALCS, Cleveland leading 3-2 (after losing Game 1), Game 6 in Seattle (against Randy Johnson): Cleveland 4, Seattle 0 1997 ALCS, Cleveland leading 3-2 (after losing Game 1), Game 6 in Baltimore (against Mike Mussina): Cleveland 1, Baltimore 0
2007 ALCS, Cleveland leading 3-2 (after losing Game 1), Game 6 in Boston (against Curt Schilling): ?
Well, that sucked ass. God damn I hate the Red Sox. Just... God damn I hate them.
What can you say about Josh Beckett? He was dominant. His curve ball is freaking ridonkulous. He kept his cool all game, came back from long layoffs and basically just pitched his ass off. He's been the best pitcher in the playoffs. Simply ridiculous. Simply dominant. I hate him.
Sabathia... struggled, labored but pitched relatively well until the 7th. I was kinda surprised he came out for the 7th, since he had had trouble with top of Boston's order all evening (and C.C. was over 100 pitches). But I was really surprised when Wedge kept him in after the lead off double.
Manny Ramirez is a spectacular baseball player. Ya, he does dumb shit (not run hard, pose for home runs, get picked off first base, etc). Ya, he says stupid things. But wow, can he hit (and hit and hit and hit). Can you name me a better right handed hitter over the past decade? He hits for average, power and he shows up in the playoffs.
Travis Hafner is struggling, badly. He's looked uncomfortable for most of the series and didn't fare any better tonight.
I really needed this weekend off for school work...
I'm more mad than worried about the Tribe heading to Boston. Now we're gonna hear all this '2004' shit blah blah blah. I'm more annoyed by it, if that makes sense... I'd rather not have to deal with it (the Boston fans, the media, the extra game(s)). But hey, they're still up 3-2 and pitching Fausto Carmona (hello?! He's really really good!). Neither Schilling nor Dice-K really worry me either. If Boston had won the middle game of the homestand, we'd be thrilled to head back with a 3-2 lead and Carmona taking the ball.
Country music artist Danielle Peck will sing the national anthem and "God Bless America" at tonight's Indians game.
She will not sing, "Stand by Your Man."
Peck, it turns out, dated Red Sox pitching ace Josh Beckett, who is starting tonight's do-or-die game against the Tribe and who handed them their only loss in the American League Championship Series.
They met last summer. They're not an item anymore.
Anyone see Around the Horn and PTI today? That's kinda what I'm talking about. Did Kornheiser or Wilbon even mention the fact that Boston has to face Sabathia tomorrow night? Woody Paige made it sound like the pressure was on the Indians. I know Boston came back in 2004, that's great. But that is rare. The Indians closed out the Yankees on the road and now they're throwing a Cy Young contender in a close out game at home. The Red Sox are in a tough spot. Cleveland has better pitching top to bottom, can we agree on this? And what wins in the playoffs?
All this Kobe talk: if I'm the Phoenix Suns, I'm calling Dr. Buss every day with offers of Leandro Barbosa, Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw or any similar combination. Steve Nash only has a few years left at a MVP level and Kobe's contract is only another 2 years. Make the push now while Nash's back is still healthy. Plus, Marion wants to be traded anyway. I would imagine that any offer than Phoenix can put out (with just two of those three) would be better than anything Chicago can give LA. (Note: I have no idea if the salaries work. I'm too lazy to look this up).
One of my favorite musicians, Sondre Lerche, composed the soundtrack for the new Steve Carrell film Dan in Real Life and it is quite fantastic (I'm really digging 'To Be Surprised'). The soundtrack has 12 new compositions as well as some choice cuts from his earlier albums (including one of my all time favorite songs 'Modern Nature' off of Faces Down). It's mostly an acoustic affair, with some sparse arrangements complimenting Lerche's guitar (and some of his older stuff stands out, almost jarringly, due simply to the differences in production). I can't recommend it enough. Lerche will be in Cleveland on November 21st.
How can you not love this team? New guys contribute every night. Tonight it was Casey Blake hitting a home run and a RBI single in the 5th inning. Last night it was Lofton hitting a 2 run homerun. Or it's Peralta. Or Sizemore. Or Westbrook. Or Byrd. This is a very good baseball team.
Paul Byrd... what can you say? He threw a shut out through 5 and it looked like the long bottom of the 5th (7 runs!) tired him out (back to back home runs to start the 6th). Bonus Byrd quote: "I hit 90 tonight, out of nowhere. I don't know what happened"
It's weird, but ever since 7 run 11th on Saturday, I have complete confidence that the Tribe will pull these games out. I thought they were going to win the whole way in both games at the Jake. I was absolutely terrified for the bulk of Game 2 (I was surethat Boston was going to win that game).
On the similar note, I've come to trust Eric Wedge completely. I'm not questioning any move he makes; I have complete faith in the guy. Starting Paul Byrd in Yankee stadium? Yup. Tom Mastny pitching to the heart of Boston's order? OK. Playing Trot Nixon, at all? Well, why the hell not? At this point, I want Wedge choosing stocks and lotto numbers for me.
I know I should be used to this by now, but it still always bugs me. In both series that the Tribe has played in thus far, the other team has gotten all the attention. And I know that part of this is because they've been going against the Yanks and the Sox, but still. It's not often that my team makes it this far and I'd like them to get a bit of recognition. Boston knocks out Sabathia but the Tribe didn't knock out Schilling or Dice-K, they 'didn't pitch well'. It's always about what Boston's players do, not whether or not the Tribe is actually beating them (I think this is semi-coherent). It shouldn't bother me, but I can't help but get annoyed (though the Yankee series was worse).
How many pressure games has Boston faced this year? They jumped out to a big lead early this season, cruised the rest of the way and then pounded he Angels in the ALDS. They haven't exactly responded since the marathon that was Game 2.
Except for Ortiz and Manny (and to a certain extent, Youkilis), Boston's lineup doesn't worry me that much. Granted, those three scare me to death, but still, I'm more than comfortable with any of the other six hitters batting.
Can you praise the Indian bullpen enough? The job that these guys have done is mind boggling. If the starters can get to the 6th, the Tribe has a very very very good chance of winning the ball game. Betancourt is simply dealing and Jensen Lewis has given them more than solid middle relief.
Byrd and Westbrook have put the Tribe in a very nice position. They can pitch Sabathia in a possible clinching game, against Josh Beckett, in Cleveland. And if that doesn't work, they get to throw Fausto Carmona the next game. You gotta feel good about this, right? Anyone really think that if Sabathia and Carmona combine to pitch four games in this series, they'll pitch poorly in all of 'em?
Someone tell Joe Buck that both sides got shitty calls tonight. Was the 3-0 pitch to Ramirez inside? Yes, yes, it was. Did Ramirez luck out a few innings earlier when the ump missed the outside corner on a 0-2 pitch? Yes, yes he did. Hafner got also got some shitty calls (one strike was like a foot outside) and so did Garko. I thought the home plate ump for Game 1 of the ALDS was terrible, but this guy was just as bad.
Speaking of Fox... dear lord guys, does anyone really care about Beckett pitching on three days rest in Game 4? I mean, that is a nice little tidbit to talk about at some point, but they just went on and on and on and on and on... we get it, there's a chance that he might go for Game 4 but everyone says he won't. Please waste 20 more minutes.
Westbrook faltering in the 7th worked out perfectly. The Tribe got to have Raffy face the heart of Boston's order in the 8th rather than have Borowski face 'em in the 9th. That is huge (for my heart).
Kenny freaking Lofton... what can you even say?
Dice-K didn't pitch too poorly, but he threw a ton of pitches.
Westbrook pitched a great game; his sinker was working, he got out of jams and the defense backed him up nicely. Plus he pitched into the 7th (6.2 innings) and he saved the bullpen.
If Game 4 gets rained out and the Tribe can pitch C.C. on Wednesday on full rest and Carmona in Game 5, do you do it? Do you go for the kill? Sabathia and Carmona at home? If Game 4 does get rained out, I'd think long and hard about it. Giving both of them a start in front of the home crowd.... I don't think Wedge would, but I'd like him to at least mull it over a bit.
1. Who to root for? OSU vs Kent State. Undergrad vs Grad. Past vs Present. Ya...
2. OSU looked good. Of course, it's versus Kent State. Either way, the lopsided final score really helps Ohio State when it comes to polls. Winning is good, winning big is better.
3. Though some things still worry me. I still don't trust Ohio State's run game in big situations. Meaning, those 3rd and 1 plays, where the defense knows they're running, the fans know they're running and OSU runs Beanie Wells... and can't convert. It's not the biggest problem to have and since Ohio State is blowing people out, it doesn't matter too much. But it still worries me.
4. Brian Hartline is good. That is all.
5. I'm still baffled by their ranking. Number freaking one? Really? Maybe I'm weird, but I don't think too highly of this OSU team. Don't get me wrong, they're good, but at this point they are ranked first by default.
6. Seriously, #1? OSU's schedule breaks out pretty nicely for them. They have Michigan State, Wisconsin and Illinois at home (basically they have to avoid upsets) and Penn State and Michigan away. The away games will be the tough ones (Penn State is at night) but I think it's going to come down to the Michigan game.
7. A lot of one-loss teams. I really hope we have a lot of one-loss teams at the end of the year. I'd almost be willing to sacrifice the Michigan game for a chance to really screw up the BCS (almost. My reasoning? This was supposed to be an off year, being a one loss team was more than most of us were expecting anyways. almost)
8. How bout them Browns? 3-3 baby! .500! Hell, I felt so confident this weekend that I picked Cleveland in my suicide league (or maybe the Dolphins stink that bad). Anyways, the Browns are starting to look like an actual, honest to God football team. Who'd have thunk it, especially after the first week?
9. Props to D.A. I haven't been a big fan of Derek Anderson, but he's done the job (and then some). He makes the offense actually look offensive (though it helps that Eric Steinbach and Joe Thomas keeps his jersey pretty clean) and he can make the throws he needs to (though he still has trouble with those pesky linebackers). He's kept Brady on the bench (and more impressively, he's kept the Brady chants to a minimum).
10. I like Jerome Harrison. A lot. He's always looked good in preseason but hasn't done much during the year. Well, in playing backup to Jason Wright yesterday, Harrison got 8 carries and put up 57 yards. Wright had 59 on 20 carries. I think Harrison is one of those players who, once they get a shot, don't let go. He runs hard, he makes people miss and he's fast.
11. I think Braylon Edwards has won over Browns fans. At this point, I don't even remember what the problem with Braylon was last year (seriously, did he act out? speak out? show up late? do I care? Should I?). This year, he's working hard and has turned into an elite receiver.
12. I guess Brady ain't starting after the bye week, huh? Anderson's play probably means that, barring injury, Quinn won't see meaningful playing time til next season.
13. I love K2. I know he's easy to hate (the solider comment, his best TE at 80% comment, etc). But the dude works hard as hell. He takes hits, he runs good routes and he always seems to be dragging guys. It's a shame we always hear about stuff like his feud with Joey Porter, because I think it just plays into his reputation as a me first guy. Winslow has sacrificed a lot and plays through a lot pain for this team.
14. I still don't trust their defense. The Browns gave up yet another 100 yard rusher (though barely) and at times, looked completely lost on the defensive end (like the Dolphins' opening drive of the second half). They don't get nearly enough pressure on the quarterback and they don't tackle well (they're often in position, but they arm tackle or go for a big hit instead of securing the runner).
15. How bout those Indians? Here's the thing, if I were to tell you before the series started that Sabathia and Carmona would combine to pitch 8.1 innings, give up 12 runs, 11 hits and 9 walks in the first two games, you'd swear that the Tribe would be coming back to Cleveland down 0-2. But they aren't. Even if both CC and Fausto had pitched lights out, the best we could've hoped for was a split in Beantown.
16. But that's the way the entire season has been. If I were to tell you in April that Trot Nixon, Dave Dellucci, Josh Barfield, Keith Foulke and Roberto Hernandez would all be flops, Travis Hafner would only hit .266 with 24 homeruns, Grady Sizemore would only hit .277 and Joe Borowoski would have an ERA over 5, you'd think the year would've been a waste. But the Tribe kept getting contributions from everyone, all year long. I don't know if I'd call the lineup 'slump proof' but it's close. They don't rely on just Hafner, Sizemore, Sabathia and Carmona. They get contributions from the entire ball club.
17. Which is why I feel really confident about this series. The Tribe is tied without either of their two best pitchers pitching particularly well. I expect Sabathia to respond in his next start and I'd be shocked if Carmona pitches two bad games in a row. Obviously, anything could happen, but I feel a lot better about things now than I did at around 11pm on Saturday night.
18. Ken-ny! Ken-ny! It really is neat that Lofton is back on the Tribe for this playoff run.
19. Could be. Terry Pluto comes dangerously close to calling the Tribe a team of destiny. I can see what he's getting at (see #15 and 16) but at this point, I'd have to give the 'Team of Destiny' title to the Rockies.
20. The pressure is on Boston. They have to rebound from their first postseason loss and they have to pitch Dice-K, who I'm not that high on. I think Westbrook will bounce back from his Game 3 loss; I'm not expecting much, but I think 6 innings and 4 runs should be about right (and right now, I trust the Tribe's bullpen a lot).
21. I'd be wary of pitching Betancourt tonight.He says he's ready and he has been dominant, but Game 2 was his longest outing of the season, in both innings (2.1) and pitches (42). It's not a huge deal, due to the off day, but I think he should only go an inning or less.
24. I love how Eric Gagne has turned into the goat. Boston trading for Gange was one of those moves where you're like, "did you really even need to do that? You already have a dominant closer, you need another one? Just because?". It seems like only Boston and New York make these moves. It seemed completely unnecessary and arrogant. The rich getting richer and bloated, trading for a closer they don't even need. And I absolutely love the results.
26. Oh, goody.Apparently Mike Brown's new 'offense' doesn't include much of Z. I'm sure some fans will love this, but not me. Z has the best post moves on the team and probably the best mid range jumper. I'm not saying feature the guy, but if I start seeing box scores that show Larry Hughes with double the shot attempts, I'll be one unhappy camper.
27. Kevin Durant doesn't sound all that confident. I'm sure he'll be fine, but if Greg Oden said some of these quotes, Bill Simmons would have a entire column centered around the words 'alpha' and 'dog'.
How will Joe Torre come back and use the bullpen for Game 3... wait... sorry...
A split in Boston is all you could've hoped for. Sure, neither C.C. or Carmona pitched particularly well, but at the end of the day, the series is tied 1-1.
You can't keep falling behind Boston's hitters. That seemed to be Carmona's big issue, first pitch balls. Carmona and other Tribe pitchers have also blown a lot of 0-2 counts.
Manny Rameriz scares the crap out of me (and apparently Cleveland's pitching staff). A few of those blown 0-2 counts came against Manny.
Am I still allowed to hate Trot Nixon? I've hated that guy all my life (including this season) and now he just saved the Tribe's ass. *tipping the hat*
"It seemed like a Boston Marathon, but Cleveland rocked tonight". God dammit Fox, come on!
Fox has been better than TBS in recognizing that two teams are involved, but it's still heavily titled towards Beantown. When Boston's batters are up, they talk about Boston's batters... when Cleveland's batters are up, they talk about Curt Schilling. Awesome.
I don't know what it is, the fans, the media, my lack of total confidence in the Tribe, but every time the Red Sox scored, it felt like the world was ending. Fenway erupting, everyone acting like the win was inevitable... plus Ortiz and Ramirez always seemed to be involved...
But every time Boston took a lead, Cleveland stormed right back scored the very next inning. That was huge for the psyche (theirs, mine, whoevers).
What was with the strike zone? Nothing made sense to me, the zone seemed to change throughout the game (neither team really benefited, but it was just weird).
Jhonny Peralta is playing out of his God damned mind. At this point it's ridiculous.
One run lead.... shit Borowoski, get him another run... Two run lead... ok... I can breathe... but one more... Three run lead... alright... Four run lead... ok... not a save, but Joe will probably make it one but pull it through... Seven run lead... I think he's got this one in the bag...
So who's going to be the first columnist to write the 'Playoff games start too late and kids won't be able to stay up and watch with their dad like I did growing up' column? I say Bill Livingston, but Terry Pluto could pull it off, albeit in a more palpable way.
Will Bud Shaw throw Carmona under the bus, like he did to Sabathia? I say no.
Dice-K and Tim Wakefield versus Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd? I don't know... I'd say you give the edge to Cleveland, but its pretty close. I have a sick feeling that Wakefield will do well, though I think both Westbrook and Byrd will do decent. Dice-K? Who the hell knows?
Cleveland lost Game 1 of the ALCS in both 1995 and 1997. Just sayin'.....
Case in point: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, the Foo Fighters' terrific sixth studio album. At first listen, it seems Dave Grohl & Co. aren't doing anything radically new (except perhaps integrating the acoustic/electric schism they showcased on their last CD, 2005's In Your Honor, into individual songs). Yet it isn't long before you realize how frickin' right it all sounds, how damn near flawless the tone of the whole set feels. The band has taken everything it's always done best, from giddy power pop (''Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make-up Is Running)'') to country-tinged musings (''Summer's End'') to wistful acoustic ballads (''Home''), and brought it to the next level. Like the greats, the Foos have found a way to create their own archetype, with an instinctive feel for what constitutes a killer song. From this point on, ''Fooey'' will be as august an expression of approbation as ''Beatlesque.'
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As far as I'm concerned, LeBron James is worthless scum. The sooner this son of a bitch hauls his ass out of Ohio, the better. And any Cleveland "fan" who pays to see the bastard play after this should follow him out of town and straight to hell.
Wow, that is mighty dumb. Not Bill Simmons dumb,("My initial conclusion was this: Because the Cavaliers haven't yet signed Anderson Varejao or Sasha Pavlovic, the hat was LeBron's way of telling his front office, "Thanks for sticking me with another lousy supporting cast. I'm signing with the Knicks in three years." " Makes sense to me, the Cavs have no supporting cast, so I'm going to go to the team with a bloated payroll and no cohesion. Oh, logic...) but still, pretty God damned dumb.
And the thing is, I have the exact opposite reaction. If you're a "fan" who loves Cleveland sports and gets his panties in a bunch because a 22 year old basketball superstar roots for the wrong baseball team, fuck off and die. Look, I know Cleveland fans are moody, fickle and oversensitive but dear lord, shut the fuck up.
This is a kid who revitalized the Cavaliers, is one of the 5 best players in the world (who works his ass off) and you want him run out of town because he had the gall to wear a baseball cap you don't approve of? Who the fuck are you?
And did you see the Yankees (or Red Sox) games that were played at the Jake this year? Let's just say that LeBron isn't the only Northeast Ohio resident who prefers the Bronx Bombers.
This is so ridiculous. Because LeBron wore a Yankees cap, we Bill Simmons loudly crowing that James is going to go to the Knicks and some asshole is Esquire is telling him to not let to door hit him on his way out. What the hell is wrong with you people?
I can't wait for the ALCS to start so we can get past this inane bullshit (and I'll be able to get pissed at Simmons not for having no clue about the Cavs, but for having no clue about the Tribe).
The Cavs were already lacking one big man (Anderson Varejao) before Simmons reinjured his ankle against the Wizards on Tuesday:
Simmons, who suffered a left high-ankle sprain in July, reinjured the ankle during the preseason loss Tuesday to the Washington Wizards. He was scheduled to have an MRI exam late Wednesday to determine if there is any more damage. His status for the games with the Detroit Pistons and Seattle SuperSonics this week, and beyond, is up in the air.
Regardless, the athletic but spindly Simmons is more suited to play forward than center, where the Cavs are devoid of a reputable backup. Dwayne Jones played Tuesday behind starter Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and not all that well. Jones, who played just 18 minutes all of last season and is with the team on a nonguaranteed contract, has not shown that he can be a viable backup.
I know I haven't written anything about Simmons, but I really liked the pick up. The Cavs have had mostly quality big men since LeBron's arrival, but none of them have been especially athletic; Drew Gooden is the most athletic of the bunch, but he's never been a leaper/shot blocker, Varejao runs the floor the best, but isn't all that quick and saying that Z and Donyell Marshall are slow is being kind. I've really wanted to what LeBron would do with a really athletic big man- a leaper, a shot blocker, a raw dunker if you will. I want to see LeBron play with a guy who can grab alley-oops from LeBron all night. Some one who can just 'go get it'.
Simmons fills that athletic big man description quite nicely, its a shame that he already has the Larry Hughes bug.
I hope this injury and lack of depth doesn't make the Cavs do anything stupid, like sign Varejao to a contract worth $11 million a season. I'm all for the Cavs getting him into camp and starting the season strong, but they can't afford to tie up even more money long term.
This wasn't an upset. This was taking care of business. That's what happens when the better team wins.
So I was a bit wrong on Paul Byrd. I convinced myself that I wanted to see Sabathia go Monday night but Byrd pitched well... 5 innings, 2 runs, 8 hits... can't ask for much more than that. Well done Paulie.
Now C.C. and Carmona pitch Game 1 and 2 in Boston. That is gonna be fun.
Dear Fox, please don't make the same mistake that TBS did. There will be two teams playing in the ALCS, its okay to talk about both teams. TBS had all these neat little stats on the Yankee players, they focussed on Joe Torres' and A-Rod's future and all this crap. The announced seemed genuinely shocked that the Tribe kept playing well. FYI, the Cleveland Indians are a good baseball team. They have a lineup with multiple All-Stars, they have two Cy Young candidates, they have a ridonkulous bullpen; they won 96 games for a reason! Even with the lead, it seemed like they were just waiting for the Yankees to come back, like this Boston-New York ALCS was pre-ordained.
Please everyone pick Boston (oh God... the Sports Guy's team in a playoff series against a Cleveland team... I may go insane).
Kenny Lofton does not look 40. He's still fast. He's still slapping the ball all over the place. It's weird.
How can anyone not feel good for some of the mainstays on this Tribe roster. Sabathia, Blake, Martinez, Sizemore, Peralta, Westbrook... these guys have been here seemingly forever and it was great to see them whooping it up in the clubhouse after the game.
2. It wasn't nearly as hostile as I was expecting. We saw a ton of Ohio State fans while tailgating and I first estimated it was about it broke down to 70-30 Purdue. But as the afternoon went on and we got closer to game time, it was probably closer to 60-40; OSU fans were freaking everywhere. I know we travel well and all that, but Purdue was 5-0, I figured they'd be out in full force.
3. Boeckman still scares me. I know his INTs were on long bombs, and none of 'em came back to haunt OSU... but still.
4. The schedule favors Ohio State. Realistically, OSU should be undefeated going into November 17th's game at Michigan. They have Kent State and Michigan State at home the next two weeks before playing Penn State at night on October 27th (which doesn't worry me nearly as much as it once did). After that they have both Wisconsin and Illinois in Columbus (though games, but they should be favored).
5. Anything can happen in OSU-Michigan. Ya, Michigan stinks this year. They never play road games, they've lost two games and they always choke blah blah blah. But that OSU game will be their entire season. They'll be playing for Lloyd Carr's job. They'll (possibly) be playing to ruin OSU's national championship hopes. They'll be at home with nothing to lose. Should be fun.
6. How has this happened? Before a season starts, you kind of map out the year in your mind, you figure you have a good idea of what your teams' prospects look like; how far they'll go, what you should expect, etc. I was not expecting Ohio State to be anywhere near the position to control their own destiny. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. New quarterback, new players, licking our wounds after the debacle in Arizona... and now they're ranked number 3 in the country? They have a shot to go undefeated? This dumbfounds me.
7. However, this could be the year that the BCS gets completely screwed. What if USC wins out (beats Cal), OSU loses a game (Michigan), Oklahoma wins out and LSU loses one of its remaining tough games... basically, we'd end up with a bunch of Big Time one-loss teams. These are all top tier teams (not Auburn), what would happen? We'd have complete chaos (and inevitably some ESPN personality saying all this discussion is 'good for college football'). It would less the hurt if I knew that an OSU loss to Michigan helped fuck up the BCS (not that I'd ever root for that, but if OSU had to lose...)
8. A prank? Someone mentioned to me that Henton's prostitute fiasco was part of some prank he was playing on someone. I haven't seen this anywhere (though I haven't exactly looked), just a rumor from a buddy.
9. Was anyone else kinda surprised at how un-awful the Browns looked Sunday? They didn't exactly play well (Derek Anderson had a Charlie Frye moment or two) but they moved the ball quite well on offense (they just turned it over). 34-17 at New England isn't too bad, especially when one TD was a fumble recovery.
10. Every time I want to write something about Derek Anderson, I almost start typing Kelly Holcomb. It's really quite weird. I'm not sure what that says about the Browns QB situation, Anderson or myself.
11. Brady Quinn put on a helmet! And the CBS cameras were right there. I'm pretty sure this was the first time we saw 'Quinn Cam' this year. At one point late in the first half it looked like Anderson got roughed up and might come out for a few plays, but he didn't let Quinn step on the field.
12. This is the Browns. They aren't a bad team, but they aren't a good team. They look like they can play with anyone, they just can't have many (any) mistakes. The offense moves pretty well, the line blocks well, the defense isn't terrible... but a big play here or there ruins them. I was expecting much worse on Sunday (though I am a Browns pessimist) and I was pleasantly surprised at how well they played New England.
13. They held Moss in check. Sure, everyone else beat them, but they had Eric Wright matched up on Randy quite a bit and he did a decent job.
14. I want more Josh Cribbs. He's electric every time he touches the ball.... so why not give him the ball more often. Also, I want to see him unload a bomb to Edwards. Just once. Please.
15. I don't think Winslow fumbled. I would've called it an incomplete pass, but I think it was one of those plays that was so close, whatever was called on the field would've stood up to a challenge.
16. Has Anderson bought himself the entire season? Or will we still see Quinn start at the end of the season? Anderson hasn't looked bad, but he hasn't looked good either. The line has looked really good and receivers are catching freaking everything... plus the Browns don't look like they need to Win Now, playing Quinn wouldn't be the worst idea... Unless Anderson cuts down on the turnovers...
17. How about those gnats? Yes, only New York had to deal with the gnats. The Tribe was impervious. It was unfair for Joba Chamberlain to have throw those (wild) pitches while Fausto Carmona had to strike out the AL MVP. Totally unfair.
18. Dear lord I've missed October baseball. We had Game 2 on the radio in the car on our way to West Lafayette on Friday night and I've forgotten how awesome these games are. Every pitch matters, the pressure situations, everything being magnified... Tom Hamilton informing us that it was 10 years ago to the day that Sandy Alomar hit a home run off of Mariano Rivera to win Game 4 of the ALDS was a nice touch.
19. Game 2 will go down as historic. Pettite pitching out of so many jams. Carmona throwing an absolute gem. The gnats. 1-17 with RISP. Extra innings. Just wow.
20. Game 3... meh. I though we'd see Westbrook, if not cruise, make it through six with minimal damage, especially after he started off getting ground ball outs in bunches. But he went South and the Tribe never recovered.
21. Paul Byrd? I'm not sure how I feel about this. Byrd has been good all year, he's earned a chance to start a playoff game... but he gave up 7 runs in two innings (that's a 31.50 ERA!) against the Yankees this season (0-3 with a 6.86 ERA in his last four starts against NYY) and was 2-3 with a 5.21 ERA in September. Plus, the article says Byrd is "anxious" to pitch Game 4. If he gets pounded...
22. But Sabathia on three days rest? At first I wasn't a big fan of the idea at first, but I'm slowing warming up to it (or it could just be dawning on me that Paul Byrd is starting for the Tribe tonight).
But I can say that I really would like to see this Indians team break the spell. And I’m seeing heartbreak ahead. The Indians lost Sunday night. Now, they’re going with Paul Byrd, which probably means another loss — and an eventual Game 5. I cannot believe they’re starting Paul Byrd. I mean I know Paul, I’ve written about him — he’s gutsy enough. He has done what he can with his abilities. I respect that. But come on.
To me, you have to win one of the next two games, and you have two of the best pitchers in baseball, C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. You HAVE to start them in Games 4 and 5 and give yourself the best shot to win. You cannot start Paul Byrd. That’s all.
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As a fan, that’s all I want from my manager or coach. Do everything you can to win. If it doesn’t work, hey, losing is part of the deal. If Sabathia gets racked in Game 4 (he has only gone on three days rest once in his career, and that was back in 2001 — though he did throw a one-hitter for five innings in that outing), so be it. If Carmona loses Game 5, OK, you tried.
But if you lose the series because you just gave away Games 3 and 4 by starting Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd, well, that’s just a whole lot harder to live with. And yet, that’s the way they’re going. Yep, heartbreak. I can almost feel it now.
The Indians are a fine team, but there's just one thing that sets them apart: They've got the best one-two starting pitchers in the majors. Amazingly, the screwy playoff format allows the Indians to use those two pitchers in four out of five games. Frankly, if they lose this series without having done that, they deserve their fate.
Cleveland manager Eric Wedge is making a gutsy decision to throw Paul Byrd on 10 days of rest in Game 4 of the ALDS. His other choice was to throw ace C.C. Sabathia on short rest with Fausto Carmona sitting there fully rested if a Game 5 is played. (Sabathia has only one career start on short rest.) But if the Indians need five games to advance, that scenario would leave him without Sabathia and Carmona for the first two games of the ALCS. Wedge is playing the ALDS with an ace in the hole (Sabathia in Game 5) -- and one eye on the ALCS.
26. Even more. From Howard Bryant (and about that ALCS):
At first, it appeared Wedge's strategy was to set up his rotation for the ALCS against the Red Sox that starts Friday night. But even if Sabathia started, he would be available on normal rest for Game 2 in Boston.
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Were Sabathia merely a good pitcher who won a lot of games this season but lacked the sufficient ace mentality, Wedge and the Indians would be justified in being cautious.
But Sabathia is a franchise pitcher, and the Yankees are a dynasty for a reason.
The decision fits Wedge philosophically as well. His season has been all about the Indians' refusal to panic, about depending on each other.
This isn't sheer sentimentality at work, just as Joe Torre's decision to bring back Chien-Ming Wang tonight on short rest isn't a knee-jerk to owner George Steinbrenner threatening the manager's job.
It's all about position in the series. Torre's call is the right move for a team facing elimination and a Game 5 on the road. So is Wedge's.
There are two other words that might comfort those who feel these are desperate times in camouflage for the Indians.
Bartolo Colon.
Mike Hargrove's decision to pitch Colon on three days against Boston in 1999 ended in a score more fitting for a Patriots-Browns game. The Indians proceeded to blow the series.
But none of this should quiet your nerves. As soon as Wedge announced he'd go with a four-man rotation, you knew these games in New York were iffy.
Are the Indians making the correct move here? Sabathia has not pitched on three days rest all season. He's made 27 starts on 4 days rest (2.97 ERA), just three starts on five days of rest (4.05), and only four starts on six or more days of rest (4.33). Even though Sabathia threw a lot of pitches last Thursday in Game 1 and has only started on three days rest once in his career, wouldn't he give the Tribe a better chance than a veteran control pitcher like Byrd, who is facing a Yankee offense that is finally feeling confident?
After all, Fausto Carmona would be available to pitch on normal rest if the series moved back to Cleveland on Wednesday. Byrd actually pitched better this season the more rest he had, ending the season with 15 wins. But his ERA (4.59) was higher than league average (4.42), and while they would never admit to it publicly, you'd have to imagine that the Yankees would rather take their chances against Byrd than Sabathia.
29. My thoughts. I understand why Wedge is pitching Byrd (he's done well all year, he's a veteran, he doesn't want to use C.C. on three days rest, etc) but I don't like it. C.C. is your ace, I know it's three days rest and blah blah, but I figure Sabathia on three days rest is better than Paul Byrd on ten days (!!!!) rest. Plus, you still have Carmona (on full rest!) for Game 5 if C.C. doesn't pull it out. And if Sabathia does win tonight, he can still pitch on full rest for Game 2 of the ALCS (so Boston would still face C.C. and Carmona in the first two games, just reverse the order). Sabathia is your ace, he's a beast, he's favored to win the AL Cy Young and he's not named Paul Byrd, use the big man. I'm with Rob Neyer on this; the Tribe's biggest asset is their pitching, namely Sabathia and Carmona and they have a chance to have them start 4 out of 5 games. If Tribe loses with Sabathia and Carmona going twice apiece, you tip your cap to the Yankees. But if Byrd gets spanked and the Tribe loses Game 5, you're going to wonder 'what if' for the entire offseason. Pitch Sabathia.
31. I concur.Terry Pluto sounds like he's losing his mind over the reaction to LeBron's Yankee cap flap:
Randal Lee Dowler wrote: "Would Kobe Bryant wear a Seattle Mariners cap in lieu of a Dodgers cap? Would Terrell Owens wear a Kansas City Royals cap in lieu of a Texas Rangers cap? How bush for LeBron to act' this way! LeBron, you should be ashamed of yourself."
OK, I have no clue what Owens would do, I just know he makes James look liked a monk who took a vow of silence. As for Bryant, I think the Lakers would have preferred that he had worn a Yankees cap rather than drag the organization through a rape trial (he was acquitted) a few summers ago. Bryant also has made noises more than once about wanting to be traded, and about not liking his coach, etc.
Let's be fair and mention how James has done a lot -- especially for Akron -- in terms of backpacks for school kids, rehabbing local recreation centers and other charities. And do we blame him for being born into a poor family?
This is a great talk radio subject, and it was not James' finest moment. But has he not played well for the Cavs? Has he not led them to the highest level the franchise has ever reached?
Has he not represented the community well in terms of staying out of trouble and saying nice things about his hometown? Aren't those the big issues? And while it seems he's been around forever, James is only 22. Here's my advice to James: Throw out the Yankees cap. But I'd really be more worried if he showed up in a Knicks cap.
Speaking of Cleveland, how 'bout LeBron's wearing a Yankees cap to the Yanks-Tribe game last night? Why not just hold a press conference to say, "I'm signing with the Knicks in two years?" Has there ever been a bigger and more random slap in the face to an entire city of sports fans? Even if you're a Yankees fan, don't you have to hide this in a PLAYOFF GAME THAT'S IN CLEVELAND???? I'm still speechless. I'm without speech. We're within three years of Knicks GM Anucha Browne Sanders introducing Bron-Bron to the New York press as Spike Lee sobs happily in the background.)
Did Simmons miss the part where Craig Sager called LeBron on being a front runner? He grew up a Cowboys, Yankees and Bulls fan (I hate fans like him). But I got no beef with him representing the team he roots for- that's fine. But it looked like LeBron was taken aback by how angry some of the Cleveland fans were and was he looked kinda shocked at their reaction (cause we've all known he's been a Yankees fan for years), like he was suprised we'd take offense. He probably thought he was being playful, but it really was almost insulting. He's Ohio's favorite son right now and he's wearing the opposing teams' hat in Cleveland... He shouldn't have done it. Root for your team, but don't wear their shit here. He misjudged the situation, but who cares?
As for Simmons saying LeBron is going to sign with the Knicks.... why? If he showed up to a Browns-Cowboys game wearing Dallas cap, would Simmons think that LBJ is signing with the Mavs? I doubt it. The Cavs just built at state of the art practice facility. LeBron is building a giant house with a freaking casino. The Knicks stink. They are a terrible franchise (Simmons even references the sexual harrassment case). Why would anyone want to play for that organization?
I don't have a lot of time but I do have a few random thoughts...
I forgot how much I've missed October baseball. Sure, I've watched other playoff games over the years, but it's different when it's the Tribe.
C.C.: ya, he struggled with his control (6 walks) but none of them came around and scored. He pitched his ass off despite not having his best stuff.
Everytime C.C. gave up some runs, the Tribe came right back the next half inning. That is huge confidence-wise (if not for the pitcher, though I believe it is, but for my own sanity). Whenever Sabathia faltered, the hitters picked him right back up.
Come on Carmona!
Who knows, maybe Cleveland will get on the first half of Sports Center...
Craig Sager cracks me up. He was interviewing LeBron about wearing the Yankees cap and James said something along the lines of "I want the Tribe to do well, just not against the Yankees. I want the Browns to do well, just not against the Cowboys". Which is fine, to each their own (I really could give a shit less about which baseball team LeBron James roots for. I'm more concerned about him winning basketball games). Then Sager came back with something like "let me get this straight: you rooted for Michael Jordan and the Bulls, you root for the Yankees and you root for the Cowboys. LeBron, are you a front runner?" I can't say I didn't smirk (and I think that's the first time, ever, I've seen someone challenge LBJ during an interview).
