Indians Tidbits (2007 Season)

[LitlBuck]

He forgot how to get people out and apparently wouldn't listen to advice on the matter.

Might be good trade bait. He has a very friendly salary and a track record if you do not include last year.

 

[WoodyWorshiper]

I am not sold on Borowski as a closer at all. How many of his saves did he get becasue the Tribe had a 2 or 3 run lead, and he only gave up 1 or 2 runs for the save? I was never comfortable when he came in a game, and it cost the Indians in the long run. He blew two ninth inning leads in Seattle by way of the long ball the last week of the season. if he doesn't blow either one of those games, the Tribe has the best record in baseball and home field advantage throughout the playoffs and World Series. I think that the ALCS is a whole different series had we played 4 games at the Jake. Borowski does not have good enough stuff to be a lights out closer like Pappelbon, or Rodriguez of the Angels, or even Rivera. It's a crap shoot everytime he steps on the field wondering if he will get the job done. I say the Indians do need a better closer, or move Bentancourt to the closer position, and pick up a big HR / RBI guy for the middle of the lineup. Hopefully Hafner will be back to normal next Spring, but he didn't have a very good season and was horrifc in the post season. The bright side is how young the team is and it should be another run at it next year if they stay healthy.

Thanks for a pretty decent analysis, although I'm going to disagree on most of it. For one. Borowski led the league in saves, plain and simple. Pretty? Nope. Effective? Without a doubt. He's also seemed to have taken on a bit of a "leadership" role here, and is one of the toughest (And I mean kick your ass in a fight) players on the team. Closing doesn't have to be classic "blow you away" dominating. For every Gossage there is a Sutter. For every Rivera there is a Rollie Fingers. Remember Doug Jones, who was lights out for afew years with a Changeup as his "out" pitch. Agree with picking up a big bat in the middle of the lineup. Personaaly, I'd take either one of Dave Duncan's kids. These kids are tough as nails and are going to mature into stars. As far as the team being young, it really isn't. If you look at players that are "young" then you're pretty much down to Cabrera, Carmona, and Sizemore.

I would love to be able to predict what Josh Barfield will ever be able to do, if anything. If barfield could progress into a solid everyday player, it opens up shortstop for Cabrera and makes Peralta available. Shit, if it was my team I'd move Cabrera to SS in the spring regardless.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

commentary
Tribe fans might have been spared greater pain

Wednesday, October 24, 2007 3:43 AM
By bob hunter

This was supposed to be a column about how the Cleveland Indians were facing another former expansion team tonight in the World Series. When the idea was hatched late last week, it seemed perfect, with the Indians one win from the Series and the Colorado Rockies waiting.
The Tribe isn't in the World Series, of course, and in some ways it's probably just as well. If Joe Borowski, cast in the role of Jose Mesa, had blown Game 7 against the Rockies and cost the Indians another chance at their first World Series title since 1948, it would have been beyond cruel.
My memories of the '97 World Series crash against the Florida Marlins are vivid. I didn't grow up a Tribe fan, but it would have been nice to see the Indians win. I knew plenty of long-suffering Tribe fans -- not the horde of fans who climbed aboard the team's victory train in the 1990s, but the real thing -- and it was clear what it would mean to them. Even for a cynical columnist who had seen Albert Belle berate good people for no apparent reason, it was a feel-good story.

Continued.....

 

[AKAK]

Antoher issue may be Marte at third......how long before he makes an impact? As much as I like Casey Blake, he is not the long term answer.....we could see a change at third if Marte continues to progress. He is one talented player just waiting to get experience.

The problem at 3rd for the Indians is that Casey Blake is a pretty good 3B offensively... and... not a good RF offensively... (Yeah, I know they haven't gotten better production from others... but... if you want to improve the overall offense, RF is an easier place to do it.) As for long term... Marte is going to have to do something and fast. Matt Whitney (though a bit old for his level... he did miss a year with a knee a couple years back.) hit 32HR and drove in 110+ in about 120 games in A ball... he does strike out some... but... Marte's stints in the bigs have been less than inspiring...

Speaking of hititng prospects... this sort of begs the question of what will happen with Michael Aubrey... and... can Ryan Garko play the OF? Just some thoughts...

But... the bottom line is that the Indians will continue to bring guys up and give them a go... and... Marte was supposed to be that guy in '07 that they were taking a risk on developing in the season... (Somewhere they decided not to worry about Garko in that the worst he could do would still be better than Ben Broussard, Gutierrez and Cabrera were more necessity). The question is... does he get to be that guy again? I have to think the leash will be short.

Whatever happened to Cliff Lee?

See the other posts... about Cliff... but... yeah... I think that he needs to have a list of guys who got traded and bounced around for years before the "figured" it out... because they finally found out that no matter where they went, they were gonna get the same advice. I think Cliff comes to camp with the Tribe.... and... either he pitches well, or unfortunately they have to get rid of him for a pack of gum and yesterdays Beacon Journal... he's damaged goods right now... you can't get anything for him. (Actually worse than damaged goods, he's a head case) Lets hope he can get straigtened out.

As for the closer... keep in mind that the signed Borowski as a set-up guy... so... dunno... reality is that the Indians will probably will just fill the pen up with arms and see what shakes out... dunno if anyone is available... and... I'm kind of curious about how they see Jensen Lewis long term.

I would love to be able to predict what Josh Barfield will ever be able to do, if anything. If barfield could progress into a solid everyday player, it opens up shortstop for Cabrera and makes Peralta available. Shit, if it was my team I'd move Cabrera to SS in the spring regardless.

Was going to mention this in my 3B ramblings... but... you're right on the money, at least in the sense that I don't think we should take it for granted that Peralta continues to be the SS of the future.... of course... that doesn't preclude another position in Cleveland... if you think about it. But... Peralta is still only 25... and Barfield is 24... and this was only his second year in the bigs... hmm... lots of Middle infielders... who have all hit at least some in the past... good problem to have.

 

[MolGenBuckeye]

As for the closer... keep in mind that the signed Borowski as a set-up guy... so... dunno... reality is that the Indians will probably will just fill the pen up with arms and see what shakes out... dunno if anyone is available... and... I'm kind of curious about how they see Jensen Lewis long term.

Looks like not a whole lot out there as free agents. Gagne, Rivera, Wickman, Jones, Benitez, and Francisco Cordero are the ones I could come up with.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Paul Byrd's HGH use shows the real face of baseball cheating

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/pdworld/about.html"][EMAIL="[email protected]"]Bill Livingston[/EMAIL][/URL] October 24, 2007 04:06AM

"The belief here is that many of the 1990s Indians will be implicated. Too many guys suddenly got really big."

Many who have met him want to give Paul Byrd a pass for cheating because he is, literally, a good guy. When the Cleveland chapter of the baseball writers association gave him their Good Guy award last season, he seemed genuinely moved and shook hands with the voters, thanking them.

Being Mr. Congeniality shouldn't get you off, though.

We are seeing in Byrd what the forthcoming report by investigator George Mitchell seems likely to indicate: the banality of cheating in baseball.

The big suspects are Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire, who trashed the game's most cherished records. But the real face of this plague could be guys like Byrd, an ordinary-looking man with a modest, self-deprecating sense of humor. Perhaps that is because, as Winston Churchill once said of a rival, there was much to be modest about.

The Mitchell Report, due to be released sometime after the World Series, is not going to be composed only of stars. It will name good men at heart, who loved the game (and the lifestyle it gave them) too much not to cheat, either because almost everyone else was or because they could not perform effectively while clean.

Continued.....

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Tribe's moves already hinted at in offseason Left field on table when talks begin next week
By Sheldon Ocker Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Thursday, Oct 25, 2007
CLEVELAND: The wheels are only beginning to turn in the Indians' front office, but General Manager Mark Shapiro gave a hint of what moves he will make in the offseason.
In basic concept, Shapiro likes what he has. He would not hesitate to go into the 2008 season with virtually the same roster.
''I think about (changes) all the time,'' he said Wednesday at Jacobs Field. ''But one of the greatest benefits of the way the team has performed is that I don't need to fill spots this year. We have a unique situ ation in that we can be opportunistic in the offseason. If we are open-minded, opportunities will present themselves to us.''


Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Indians GM Mark Shapiro talks to the media at Jacobs Field

Posted by cleveland.com staff October 24, 2007 16:00PM

Categories: Audio
Listen to what Mark Shapiro had to say today as he met with the media at Jacobs Field following the Indians' American League Championship Series loss to the Red Sox.
The GM touches on the following:
Moving on from the defeat and feeling of losing
C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona
Paul Byrd's situation
The expectations for next season
The team's offseason plans
and more
Listen to streaming audio or
Download MP3 Also, listen to Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes' take on the ALCS and the offseason.

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Players name Sabathia AL's best pitcher

Posted by Mark Gillispie October 24, 2007 14:32PM

The Indians' C.C. Sabathia was named the best pitcher in the American League in a vote of major league players.
San Diego Padres' pitcher Jake Peavy was the National League recipient of the 2007 Players Choice Award, which recognizes the best players, pitchers, rookies and comeback players of the year in their respective leagues.
Sabathia, considered one of the frontrunners for the Cy Young Award, finished the regular season with a 19-7 record and a 3.21 earned run average. He struck out 209 batters in 241 innings.
Like the Cy Young award balloting, Players Choice Award voting occurred prior to the playoffs.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Tribe hosts White Sox in ?08 debut
Thursday, October 25, 2007
By Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND If just the sight of Manny and Big Papi still makes you sick to your stomach, the Indians had some good news for you Wednesday.

The team released its 2008 schedule, a slate that includes just one visit to Jacobs Field by the Boston Red Sox. And that series consists of just two games, April 15-16.

The Indians will finish their season with a seven-game road trip that begins with four games in Boston and concludes with three games in Chicago. The Red Sox eliminated Cleveland in the American League Championship Series on Sunday.

Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

MJ

Shapiro: Sox were better
Jim Ingraham, Morning Journal Writer
10/25/2007




CLEVELAND -- Hey, sometimes the better team wins. Indians fans might not want to accept it, but that's Indians general manager Mark Shapiro's view, and he's sticking to it.


''They were the better team,'' said Shapiro, of Boston's win over the Indians in seven games in the American League Championship Series.

''Experience was some factor, but talent was the ultimate factor,'' said Shapiro.


Cont...

 

[buckeyemania11]

I dont think Marte will ever pan out, It might be a good idea to trade him

im looking at Wes Hodges making his way through the minors in the next few years and eventually becoming the 3rd basemen

 

[Brutus1]

and then the worst power hitter on their team hits a homerun

WHAT A FUCKING JOKE

this team is the most pathetic team I have ever seen

typical Im so sick of rooting for these fuckin cleveland teams

how pathetic is this team though?

giving up a homerun to Pedoria what a fucking joke

Haf 1st pitch swingin WTF?!?!?!?!

way to go hafner, choke some more

if he woulda made contact it woulda been another Haf DP ball:(

2 on no out and NO FUCKING RUNS

How Fucking PAthetic

Fuck the indians too

Fire Joe Skinner

just wanted to throw that out there

thats was nice

continue to be pathetic boys

"...makes me wanna puke."

only fiiting for this team to go down in a huge fucking ball of flames like this either they'd do it in the WS or in game 7 ALCS

FUCKING PATHETIC

Hafner = Choke
Sizemore = Choke
Sabathia = Choke
Carmona = Choke
Perez = Choke
Skinner = Choke

that about sums it up

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch
Shapiro expects quiet offseason

Thursday, October 25, 2007 3:46 AM



Associated Press




Fans can point fingers, second-guess managerial decisions and debate incessantly over reasons why the Cleveland Indians collapsed in the American League championship series against the Boston Red Sox. General manager Mark Shapiro has his theory.



Cont...

 

[LitlBuck]

can Ryan Garko play the OF? Just some thoughts...

No. He is the second slowest guy on the team after Victor.