What Impacts Us

Its funny to think of the people who made an impact on us as we were growing up. When I was in high school I got a chance to go to a National Baseball Hall of Fame camp that included hitting instruction from Johnny Bench, baserunning tips from Lou Brock, and even a dream come true of taking ground balls from Brooks Robinson. Those memories and lessons were something I will not soon forget. With that being said, there was one man who created a lasting impact on my life that day.

John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil was someone I had never heard about until that steamy July afternoon, but someone I will never forget. He was an above-average player, but not good enough to enter the Hall of Fame when the committee made a special election of 17 individuals from the Negro Leagues in 2006. It was widely thought that Buck would be included on this list of people because of the impact he had on the game off of the field, and that he was a shoo-in to be enshrined with the other immortals of America's pasttime.

Buck's Hall of Fame story doesn't end with him being excluded however. When he found out he didn't make it he immediately asked who got in (which is a natural feeling). Then he heard that those 17 individuals from the Negro Leagues had all deceased, and he asked if he could represent them in Cooperstown. Not because he wanted a piece of their glory, but because he wanted those who made it through some of the worst times America to be properly honored. His speech from that day is below, and hearing him speak automatically brings me back to that day all those years ago, listening to Buck talk to us, and singing his favorite song...

The Vacation of a Lifetime - Part One

There are a few ways that you can have the vacation of a lifetime. One would be to go to an exotic place that you've never been (maybe you'd always dreamed of going there) and having an amazing time. Some of my friends have gone to Europe, Hawaii, the Caribbean... you get my point. Another would be to get the family together and go to Disneyworld. Sorry to those out there who don't believe in the magic of Disney, but I do. One of my most memorable vacations to date was going to Disneyworld with my family and seeing my little cousins' eyes light up at each new character, ride, shop, etc. that they would see.

My 2014 vacation, and the one I'm going to spend the next two days writing about (it was THAT amazing!), was neither of these. In fact, if I put my vacation at its core up next to the two I previously mentioned, I'd probably get laughed at. My wife and I spent the better part of June in the great state of Ohio, the Heart of it All!

After spending the first few days at my in-laws, I finally got back to Fort Loramie, my hometown. I could probably spend another blog talking about the impact this little town has had on my life. Most days I'm glad I got out, but only because my career isn't really possible there. It was great to be home, and I was fortunate enough to get together with some of my high school buddies and it was like nothing had changed. I am proud to call Fort Loramie my hometown, and always will.

But the reason this vacation was so amazing was revealed shortly after I got to my parent's house. Included in my birthday card was a pass to the Cleveland Indians' Hall of Fame luncheon the next Saturday. This was amazing for multiple reasons. 1) The 2014 Indians' HOF inductee was Omar Vizquel, my favorite player of all time. 2) The other guests at the luncheon included Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, and Charles Nagy. These men probably had the most influence on my Cleveland fandom other than my dad. 3) My dad and my sister were coming too.
I knew my dad had bought us tickets to the game that day before I came home, but this extra gift was unbelievable. The Tribe Hall of Famers sat and talked about each other, the 90's teams, and just about everything under the sun for nearly two hours, and I could have spent another 10 just listening. The outcome of the game that evening really didn't matter to me after that experience, which is a good thing because the Indians lost in extra innings.

(This was my view for the whole luncheon. Not too shabby.)

This memory alone would have made for an ultimate dream vacation, but it would get a little bit better in an unexpected way soon.

Tony Gwynn

In 2008 my parents took me to Cooperstown, N.Y. to visit the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. We were in Cooperstown the week before the '08 induction ceremony and I wanted to makes sure that I got my picture taken with the Class of 2007 before the new faces were added. I remember being excited because Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn were at the top of my list as my all-time favorite non-Cleveland baseball players. Even though I missed the beginning of both of their careers, I had been alive and remembered some of their biggest milestones. When Gwynn was poised to hit over .400 in the strike-shortened 1994 season (.394 when the strike hit, raising his batting average from .386 on June 16th, he WOULD have done it) he became one of my favorite players. Maybe part of it was his rounded figure, or the fact that I had a Swingaway in my basement that he endorsed, but I started to try and be more like him in my approach every day. No, I would never swing from the left side and pepper the hole between short and third with precision as he did, but I would hit three buckets of balls to the opposite field off the tee before I started hitting. And I'll always remember the words he was known to say and play by when he said, "Remember these two things: Play hard and have fun."

Listening to Gwynn talk about hitting was fascinating. Not just because he was so knowledgable about the his craft or the fact that he was about as scientific about his approach as Ted Williams, but because he had that distinctive voice. I could listen to Tony talk about hitting for hours.

When we left the Hall of Fame that day I made it my mission to find a Tony Gwynn Padres shirt. I'm glad to say that I did. I'm also glad that I was able to spend the first part of my baseball fandom rooting for one of the best men to play the game. Today my heart is with the many Padres fans who mourn the loss of their legend. Like Williams for Red Sox, Gary Carter for the Expos, and Bob Feller for the Indians, Gwynn stood for many things that go far beyond the game of baseball and meant more to San Diego than anyone else.

Thank you Tony Gwynn, for all the memories.

** For your listening pleasure here is Ted Williams and Tony Gwynn talking hitting. I'm hoping that these conversations are continuing in heaven **

Kenny Hogg's ESPN Debut

Over the past two years at Palm Beach Atlantic, I have had the distinct pleasure of watching one of the NCAA's best men's soccer players do what he does best: score goals. 29 goals in 2012, 24 goals in 2013, and hopefully moving on to bigger and better things after PBA. Here's the local TV story on Kenny Hogg, one of the nicest guys and best soccer players I have ever met.

The Amazing Game 7

Let me start my first blog post of 2013 with a rant.

Manu “Mr. Rogain” Ginobli’s comments after Game 6 last night made me sick to my stomach. As a former athlete, and someone who still works in athletics, I was appalled by his remarks stating, “I have no clue how we're gonna be re-engergized. I'm devasted. There's no Game 8. We're gonna have to play our best game." Are you kidding me? I went from being in the, ‘Manu annoys me, but I don’t mind rooting for his male-pattern baldness hanging around,’ camp to the, ‘Holy crap, did he just say that? I can’t stand this guy,’ camp. If you can’t get energized by the Game 7 for the NBA Championship, get out of professional sports. I realize that last night’s game had to be emotionally draining for him; single-handedly giving the game to Miami in overtime will do that. But let’s be serious here.

With tomorrow’s Game Seven looming as one of the biggest NBA Finals games of the 2000’s, I got curious about the Magnificent Game Seven. Everything is riding on the outcome of this one game. The legacy of LeBron James and the Miami Big 3 rests on tomorrow’s outcome. Of course, the conspiracy theorists out there will say that this Game Seven was inevitable from David Stern and the NBA, and this made me curious. If Game Seven is the ultimate money-maker for the league, there should be a lot of them, right? There are three major sports that use a series format to decide their ultimate championship (NBA, NHL, and MLB). As a result of ignorant bar-talk conspiracy theorists, I'll explore the "money-making" Game Sevens of each league.

NBA Playoffs
I'll start with the NBA Playoffs, since it is most relevant to the times. In order to keep this in true games of significance, I will be looking only at the Conference Finals and the NBA Championship. In the last ten years (2004-13), there has been seven Game Sevens. Five of those seven have been Eastern Conference Finals matchups (2005 Detroit over Miami, 2006 Detroit over Cleveland, 2008 Boston over Cleveland, 2012 Miami over Boston, and 2013 Miami over Indiana). The only NBA Finals to go seven games is this seasons (Miami and San Antonio) and 2010's Finals (LA over Boston). Wouldn't there be more Game Sevens of the NBA Finals if a it was such a money maker? Why has there only been seven in the last ten years?

I'd like to hear/see responses to this one. Leave comments below or in the Facebook comments section. What's your opinion on Game Sevens? What do you think of Manu Ginobili's comments? Who will win Thursday night's NBA Finals Game Seven? 

One of my Most Memorable Broadcasts to date

Heading to the park on Wednesday night seemed like just another trip. I couldn't take the highway because my wife's car can't handle it. I was drinking a Diet Dr. Pepper for dinner. And it was extremely overcast and looking like rain. That's when things started to go my way.

As I got to the park I hooked up my recording device for the first time and it worked, making this post (and its subsequent audio) possible.

While I was filling out the lineups, I noticed a #40 Giancarlo Stanton batting third for the home Jupiter Hammerheads.

To top it all off, a decent crowd showed up, which always makes broadcasting a little more enjoyable.

And because I know there were a large number of people (or four) anxiously awaiting their mentions on the broadcast, here is my subtle mentions of some of my buddies from back home in my 6th inning trivia contest.
Here's the second walkoff home run call of my career:

RIP Uncle Guy

Everyone has a certain person who has a lasting impact on his or her life. They may be people God simply gave to us (family) or people we choose (friends), but they are ALL in our lives for a reason. We learn things about life, loss, fear, and hope from these people, and its what takes people from the “acquaintance” level to being “loved ones.” Guy Parrot was one of those people. Early Saturday morning, he lost his battle with cancer, a family lost a loved one, the world lost a great man, and Heaven gained the best homemade ice cream ever.

My Grandpa Ludlow passed away in 1979. That’s nine years before I was born. Even with only one biological grandfather to help teach me lessons the way only grandpas can, I never felt like it was an issue. Why? Because of my Uncle Guy. Uncle Guy traveled to my baseball games, cheering loudly for me and my teammates, though he never actually knew of them. He’d stop over for a birthday party, come watch my sister’s basketball games, and he always loved an opportunity to make some homemade sweets. Uncle Guy loved my sister and I like we were his own grandchildren, and that’s something that I’ll never, ever forget.

Growing up, he always had this uncanny ability to make me laugh when he called our house. Sometimes he’d call to talk to my dad, but end up having a conversation with my sister or me and then completely forget what he was calling for in the first place! He always cared so much for how we were doing, and we were just his great-nephew and niece.

When Kenleigh and I were in high school, Uncle Guy, Aunt Lil and Grandma Ludlow came over on a school night to make all sorts of sweets with us. Uncle Guy had been wanting to come over for years to do it, and we finally got the chance. I never would have imagined that I could have had so much fun! We made hard tack candy, peanut brittle, and of course, the most amazing candy buckeyes that I’ve ever tasted. That night was filled with so much love and even more laughter that I will no doubt remember it for as long as I live.

Of course I have to mention the homemade ice cream in a little more detail. I can’t even specifically recall all the times we had it when we were visiting with him, but boy, do I remember how much better it is than any ice cream ever. No Faulkner family reunion was complete without it. No matter what place we go to as a family (and the Ludlows go to a LOT of ice cream places), no place ever compares to Uncle Guy’s homemade ice cream.

The last time I saw Uncle Guy was at my wedding in June, and I would trade anything to have been able to say a proper goodbye. I consider myself blessed beyond words that God put such an amazing man in my life. My hope is that he knew that too. My other hope is that he has some of his ice cream waiting for me when I get to Heaven one day.

We’ll all miss his stories, jokes, candy, ice cream, and uncanny ability to make us smile. But most of all, we’ll miss him. Rest in peace Uncle Guy. We love you.

Notre Dame's Move to the ACC is about More than Dollars and Cents

Long title, I know. I have to preface this entire article with this: I am not a Notre Dame fan. I grew up in the heart of Buckeye country, and always cheered for the University of Dayton. Then my best friend decided to become a member of the Fighting Irish nation, and I became a casual fan. In the past few weeks, there has been a lot in the media about Notre Dame, some bad (like Rick Reilly's article) and some good. I do really enjoy the business side of sport. Whether it is professionally or collegiately, there is always a financial reason behind every major decision. This move for Notre Dame is just a tad different though.

Everyone has always said that Notre Dame should join the Big Ten. I want people (especially some of the tweeters from Notre Dame) to know, this isn't because we think of the Big Ten as the supreme conference in the Midwest. If you want to make the argument that other conferences are stronger, you have every right to do so. The reason Notre Dame would join the Big Ten isn't because of sports though. The Irish joining the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, etc. would be because financially it is MUCH more affordable. How? Think of the travel between these cities. I know that a big program like Notre Dame doesn't think about that too much, but the difference between sending an entire team to Syracuse, NY isn't going to be nearly as expensive as it is to send them to Bloomington, IN, or any of the other schools in the conference. A team like Notre Dame doesn't really need to worry too much about this, but this is my main reason why the Big Ten and Notre Dame would be a great fit. "Minor" sports (like baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, etc.) can't fly everywhere like the basketball and football teams. A move to the Big Ten would make absolute sense for those programs who, even though part of a great athletic tradition, have to worry about a budget.

Staying in the Big East is no longer a viable option, and I completely understand the move to a new conference. With teams like Boise State, UCF, Houston and SMU joining the conference, the travel aspect of things are out the window, and suddenly the Big East has become the Big Joke. Those teams being in the conference for football is fine, but Notre Dame is still independent in football, so this means nothing to them. Pitt and Syracuse are already leaving, so two of the best basketball programs in the conference have made the switch. If trying to make the most money, amass the most wins, and keep the football program happy, then staying in the Big East makes sense. Notre Dame is about more than making money though (which it clearly does: sell outs for every home game and that NBC TV deal are huge), and that brings me to why the ACC actually makes sense with the University of Notre Dame's philosophy.

The current Big East, has one university in conference that is in the Top 40 of US News Top College rankings (Georgetown). The Big Ten has two (Northwestern, Michigan) and the Big Twelve has zero. The ACC, with Notre Dame included, now has six institutions in the Top 40 (Duke, ND, North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest, and Boston College). When the Notre Dame officials say that they want to move to the ACC because they will be with like-minded universities, THIS is what they mean.

I used to think that Kentucky basketball and Notre Dame football were very similar: they won a bunch of championships before schools really cared about athletics. Now I realize there is so much more to the University of Notre Dame. Here's another great article about Notre Dame from Pat Forde that I have to include in this post. I am proud of what Notre Dame is doing as both an institution and an athletic organization, and my only tie to the school is my best friend. This is an institution whose students, faculty, staff, alumni, and die-hard fans around the country deserve to be proud of.

Day 9: Designated Hitter

I apologize for not posting anything the last few days. Palm Beach Atlantic hosted a seven-team volleyball tournament that ran my life from Friday morning until about 7 PM on Saturday. After a mini-coma Saturday night and two naps Sunday, I'm feeling better and ready to get back at it today!

Here's another option for the Indians that seems to be a no-brainer. The designated hitter has been a spot that hasn't given us much production since Pronk was awarded his fat contract. I have to say, I love Travis Hafner as a clubhouse guy, but have to admit I think he was on the juice. He doesn't have that pop he used to, and I know we could blame the constant injuries for that, but let's just be honest with ourselves here.

It is time to move on from Hafner (which as a sidenote, does anyone have an idea of when he last hit a ball into "Pronkville"? I feel like its been at least 2+ seasons) and start using the DH as the majority of minor league teams do. What do I mean by that? Well, I personally don't see the advantage with a team with limited talent (like the Indians) to handicap themselves with a full-time DH. Its a perfect spot to rotate guys like Santana, Kipnis, Choo and Cabrera during the week to give them time off without completely taking their bats out of the lineup. I would much rather have a revolving door there that includes our best hitters as opposed to trying to work matchups out (like this years' team tried with Jose Lopez, Shelley Duncan, and Johnny Damon). On the days that all of those guys are playing, it'd be great to see Russ Canzler there. The Indians don't have a lot of sluggers in the minor league system, so unless there's a trade made to accommodate that weakness, which I highly doubt, this is probably the best option.

Now, would I give Hafner a very small, incentive-based contract like the one I'd give Sizemore? No. Sorry Pronk, but you can't play any position BUT designated hitter, you aren't worth one of the twenty-five spots anymore. Love the guy, but the final verdict is let him walk.

Day 8: Left Field

Today's post will be a short one. Why? Because the Indians options in left field are HORRIBLE. It was a need last offseason and it was simply ignored. I'm fine with Ezekial Carrera (or however the heck you spell his name) for the remainder of the season. In fact, I'd like to see Russ Canzler get a shot out there as well. He was mentioned in the first base post because that is one of his positions, but I see him as a more valuable piece here. If he can play an adequate left field, bop 25-30 homers, and not look awful against offspeed pitches (like LaPorta), he'd be awesome! I know you could literally say that about anyone, but Canzler has that potential in him. I'm anxious to see his September because he will undoubtedly be getting his "cup of tea."

Why is this post short? Because thats all there is to talk about! The Tribe has NO options in the minor leagues, and absolutely no chance at signing a free agent to play there. What was their biggest mistake from last offseason? Letting Josh Willingham go to the Twins over one additional year to his contract. 3 years is a fine length for a guy with as much upside as Willingham had, the Tribe balked at it, and what do you know, he has a fine season with the Twinkies on maybe the only roster in the big leagues worse than ours.

I should mention that Shelley Duncan was designated for assignment just yesterday. Thankfully that experiment is over. Although Shelley seemed like a good guy and someone who gave his best effort all the time, he simply wasn't good enough. My hope is that the Indians will use Cabrera/Choo/Perez to bring in an upper-level outfielder (Jared Hoying perhaps??) who can step in and play.

Final verdict: GET HELP FAST!

Day 7: Center Field

If you would have told me five years ago that we would even be talking about centerfield at this point I would have called you crazy. The Indians at one point had the BEST young centerfielder in the game with Grady Sizemore and life was good. That's not the case anymore, as the most talented and most injured player of my era is gone for good after this year. If it would be possible to get a one-year contract for around $1 million with a lot of incentive-based deals, I'd take him back. Maybe he could play right field instead?

The reason that the Indians would have Sizemore in right is because Michael Brantley patrols centerfield, and does it quite well. On a team that is better put together than the Tribe, he's a great hitter for the two spot who can bunt, hit and run, hit for average, and steal bases. The Indians have to bat him as the fourth or fifth batter in the order instead of where he's a natural fit. I absolutely LOVE the way this guy plays because he always has such a calm demeanor about him. In a big situation, I know exactly who I want up. Not Cabrera, not Santana, and not even Choo (though he's probably my second choice). Brantley is the only redeeming factor of the CC Sabathia trade, and even though its not the astronomical performance Tribe fans were hoping/expecting from LaPorta, Brantley (aka Dr. Smooth) has turned into one of, if not THE, most productive players the Indians have.

The only way I would want Brantley NOT to be in CF next season is if the Indians made a trade of Choo or Cabrera (or any number of guys really) and brought in a guy who is stronger in center. This would be if the trade was done with Arizona probably (they have the best, major-league-ready prospects in the outfield in my opinion). The luxury we have with Brantley is that he can play left field as well.

Unlike the rest of the organization, centerfield actually does have ONE bright spot in the minor leagues. LeVon Washington has a lot of skills that have yet to be harnessed. He was on a TEAR to start the year in Lake County (where he spent all of 2011 and was quite overmatched) before being injured. He's just now getting back to action and has actually skipped up to Advanced-A Carolina. The only reason that I don't see this as yet another mistake by the front office in their draft is because Washington was actually a former first round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. He didn't sign, went to JUCO, then was drafted by the Indians in the first round again. He's, dare I say it, Kenny Lofton-like with the way he plays the game. Lets just hope he one day plays CF for the Tribe like Kenny.

In conclusion, the verdict on the present centerfielder is STAY PUT! And for the first time since starting these articles, I don't have a dire feeling after I finish them! The future doesn't appear to be awful either with Washington working his way up. Ahhhh, finally, a breath of fresh air.

Day 6: Right Field

Today I'm bitter. I was supposed to broadcast a Jupiter Hammerheads and St. Lucie Mets double header tonight and no one thought to inform me that the weekend broadcasters "just felt like" coming to the part and broadcast tonight. Not that it was a 40 minute trip for me or that I wanted to eat dinner with my wife or anything.

Naturally, the next place to go with that bitterness is to the Indians' right field situation. Shin-Soo Choo is awesome, and one of the ten guys on the entire roster who are legitimate major league baseball players. It is a foregone conclusion that Choo will leave Cleveland, and honestly, I can't blame him at this point. He's got a chance for a nice pay day, which the Indians certainly won't give him, and an opportunity to go out and play for a contender, which also, the Indians won't give him. He is a position that seems to be in high demand both as an above-average defensive outfielder who can hit anywhere at the top of the lineup.

There isn't really much else to say about Choo. He had his little DUI episode last year and his play suffered from it, but until writing this article I had completely forgotten about that. He has a laser arm, can play either corner spot, was awesome as the lead off man, and now continues to contribute as the three hitter. We have absolutely nothing in the system that will replace him, so when the trade eventually comes, we better get some major-league-ready talent. Letting him walk after next year simply isn't an option.

There are a few places I could see Choo winding up: Chicago (NL), Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Texas, Los Angeles, and maybe even Philly or Atlanta. I really like some of the players that the Cubs, Pirates, and Rangers have at or near the top of their systems. Choo could very well put the Pirates over the top, and I want to know, would one year of success in a position they are currently thin at be worth it? The Buccos have run out of seemingly run out of steam, and I'm willing to guess there's a package deal available to get Sterling Marte, Andrew McCutcheon, and Choo into the same outfield. Plus, as a rival GM to the Reds in the NL Central, I'd give up a LOT to get Choo on my squad. His lifetime numbers against the Reds are phenomenal, which gives the Reds another incentive to sign him.

The fact of the matter is, if we make a deal getting rid of Choo, we have to find someone to replace him. That will not happen with this GM. In the best case scenario, the Tribe is able to take advantage of a team in a desperate situation for a leadoff man that can actually get on base and play the outfield very well. Maybe Josh Hamilton will walk and the Tribe can send him there for a Jurickson Profar/Jared Hoying deal?

Wishful thinking. Final verdict: Trade Choo Choo.

Day Five: Catcher

This is a spot where there will be a lot of discrepancies. Carlos Santana might be the most frustrating player in the Indians line up. After giving us so much hope with a great year last season, Santana looked like he was swinging a guitar every at-bat and, though improved, still had trouble throwing guys out. Having a solid catcher is one of the keys to having a solid team, and all in all, Santana gives the Indians a better than solid backstop.

Since the All-Star break, Santana is batting .279 (which brings his yearly average up to .242), with 8 home runs (giving him 13 for the year), 26 RBI (almost as many as his first half 30), and has more walks (25) than strikeouts (22). He had a horrible June, but now has an OBP nearing .400 and is starting to show some of that amazing talent more consistently. If the Indians don't want to be the laughingstock of the AL Central (which they're dangerously close to becoming), they need to keep Santana as their catcher.

Now I know, each reader out there will be saying, "now's the perfect time to start listening to offers for him!" and "if we're going to rebuild again, we need to trade away our best pieces." In fact, I personally said the latter statement when talking about Asdrubal Cabrera. Here's the difference though: the number one prospect in the organization is a shortstop, and both of the catching prospects in the top 20 list are fringe guys at best. (Plus the Indians have two or three other high-ranking SS in the org) After seeing Alex Monsalve myself for 8+ games last season, I can safely say I was not impressed at ALL***. The other catching prospect according to the list on indians.com is Chun Chen, but he has played the majority of his games at first base and DH, and he only hits singles.

Another guy that I know you're all thinking about is Lou Marson. Here's the thing about Sweet Lou; I would be completely okay with trading Santana and having LouMar as the filler guy to our next catcher if we had a stud waiting in the wings. We just don't have that luxury. He went on a hot streak right before the All-Star Break and saw his batting average as high as .297, but a .138 average since (including a .196 mark at Progressive Field) has brought that plummeting downward.

I don't think a minor league return on Santana would justify trading his major league production, even if it is inconsistent. Other teams realize his inconsistencies as well, and there is simply no way we could trade Carlos for anything close to what he means to the Indians lineup. Final verdict for the Indians' catchers: Santana is a keeper and so is Marson. This gives the Indians four total players that I've deemed worth keeping (Chisenhall and Kipnis as well).



***I wanted to add another note of my prospect evaluation skills. It was easy for everyone to see last year that Billy Hamilton was a special player, but I can honestly say that I called one of the MLB's top prospects well before he leaped up every "experts" watch list. Oscar Taveras, outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, was my personal most exciting player to watch last season. (Here's a great article on him, if you're interested) I know how to evaluate the tools of minor leaguers, so my evaluation on Monsalve, though not "expert" can be taken with confidence.

Day Four: Third Base

To start off what is likely to be my shortest post of the series, I'd like to take a moment to thank Sean Jackson for reading every single post. Its nice to hear back from people and hear another opinion on the matter. Jackson brought up a good point about the first base debacle with the suggestion of Russ Canzler, who just last season was the Triple-A Player of the Year for Durham. I personally was saving him as an outfield option, but he could play first base as well. In fact, with Hafner coming off the books this winter, I could really see Canzler fitting in as the 4th outfielder/DH/first baseman, providing he can hit major league pitching. More on him later though.

Third base is such a boring position for the Indians, with a similar situation to second base. Lonnie Chisenhall is no longer the future at third base. Once the 2013 season rolls around, he should be named the starter. He has had some tough luck on the injury front, breaking his wrist this year shortly after he was called up, but its nothing to be worried about. We're not talking about Grady Sizemore-type injuries here, where hammys are being pulled or obliques torn or something like that. Its a broken wrist. I see it more like a Shin-Soo Choo injury, where you get back on the horse and ride again with no problem.

The interesting part about it will be what they decide to do with Jack Hannahan. I personally love the guy, his attitude, and really appreciate the way he plays the game. I just don't know if he'll have any interest in staying with a team that won't compete and he'll just be a backup. I see him being a great fit on someones roster as insurance for an oft-injured starter, but there's no way the Indians can justify paying $1.4 million for a backup. All that being said, if Jack was willing to be a backup and could also play first base, I'd keep him, but I know that's pretty unrealistic.

Final verdict for the Tribe third basemen: Hannahan let walk. Chisenhall pray he gets/stays healthy.

Day 3: First Base

After saying a hypothetically goodbye to one of my favorite players Thursday (Asdrubal Cabrera) and crowning Jason Kipnis as one of the only players worth keeping Friday, I want to take a look at a position that has often been a gaping hole in overall production. The Indians' first basemen on Opening Day since the departure of Jim Thome in 2002 have been:
2003: Ben Broussard
2004: Ben Broussard
2005: Ben Broussard
2006: Eduardo Perez
2007: Andy Marte
2008: Ryan Garko
2009: Ryan Garko
2010: Matt LaPorta/Andy Marte/Russel Branyan
2011: Matt LaPorta
2012: Casey Kotchman

Broussard, Perez, Marte and Garko haven't been heard from in years (aside from Benny's newest solo album maybe), Branyan was just cut by the Yankees, and LaPorta and Kotchman are both still on the Indians' rosters with batting averages of .200 and .238 respectively, with a combined 11 HRs.

Here's the problem: any sort of trade that I could conjure up that would bring in a good fit for the Indians (Mark Trumbo for instance), would mean that the opposing teams' GM would have to be drunk in order to accept it. This, in my opinion, is THE biggest hole on the team. There is only one first baseman in the Indians' organization (Jesus Aguilar) that is in their Top 20 prospects, and he is struggling in Double A right now. Here's the problem: I have no faith in the Indians' ability to develop legitimate power hitters through their own organization. When's the last time we have seen someone blasting homeruns into the night on a consistent basis? If Carlos Santana finds some consistency maybe we can say him... It's been since 2008 that Indians have had a player hit over 30 home runs (thanks Grady!), and its been since 2006 that Tribe has had anyone over 35 bombs (and thank you, PED and injury-free Travis Hafner). Grady's power has never been his calling card though, and his $5 million gamble didn't pay off, so he doesn't count.

FIRST BASE! Right. LaPorta has been a major disappointment since he was supposed to be the key player in the CC Sabathia trade. He's getting a chance now to prove himself over the course of the last month+ of the season, and please remember people, he's still only 27 years old. Mark Trumbo is 26. Not all prospects will be like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. I'd be OK if LaPorta was playing first base next year for the Indians because of this: there are no better options! Before I go on, I want to say thank you to Casey Kotchman for a year of service. Your glovework was splendid, your batwork awful, and you will be sorely missed by 1,205 fans.

There are a lot of different rants in this piece tonight and I apologize for that. My thought process on the  first base debacle is about as clear as Chris Antonetti's. The only free agent I would even slightly smile if the Indians went after would be James Loney, but I know there's no chance for that. There are no players in the farm system that make it seem like an answer can come from within. Maybe Aguilar will find a rhythm, but he's still a full season away from the big leagues, at best.

In conclusion, the final verdict on the revolving door that is the Indians' first baseman: Kotchman let walk. LaPorta one final year. Kudos if you read this all the way through.

Day 2: Second Base

I struggled with the direction of where to go after Asdrubal Cabrera. I could take the "who should go first" route and have moved on to Shin Soo Choo or Chris Perez, but I decided to hit the infield before moving anywhere else. That naturally moves us to Cabrera's double play partner, Jason Kipnis. The best way for me to describe his year in a nutshell is, "Supernova." Burned brightly for a short period, then was gone.

Kipnis started the year a bit slow, but then caught fire in May/June. At one point, we were talking about this kid as a potential All-Star player. He had 11 home runs, a .277 batting average, and 20 stolen bases at the break. We were looking at a 20/20 guy from a spot where there is not traditionally a lot of production. It actually seemed ridiculous to think Kipnis WOULDN'T hit the 20/20 plateau. The Indians were in 2nd place in the AL Central and even though the pitching staff was underperforming, life was good.

Then the star fell to earth.

Since the All-Star break, Kipnis has hit a measly .203 and went the entire month of July without a home run. He's hit one in August. Granted, Kipnis going an entire month isn't the same as Jay Bruce (or someone who relies on power as a major part of his game) having a power outage, but that was just the beginning. His OBP dropped 70 points, his strikeout rate went up, and the whole 24 hits in 118 at-bats thing is no good either. Now I realize there are a lot of reasons for this; first full season in the MLB, improved advanced scouting reports from other teams around the league, or having to bat in the third spot in the order for a while. I've hung on to Kipnis on my fantasy team and I believe he is absolutely worth the Indians staying faithful to as well. I don't find it a coincidence though, that as Kipnis' production has dipped, so has the Tribe's.

Kipnis is a cornerstone of this team's future. I love his attitude, his grit, and the way he plays the game. I'm confident that we'll see a more consistent game from him in the future, and I'm sure glad we'll at least have Kipnis to lead us through the colossal struggle that will be the next few seasons. This is one of the few positions on the Indians that I don't feel there should be an upgrade, so the final verdict on Kipnis' future as an Indian: keep him.

A look at what the Indians should do...

Over the next 14 days I'm going to write about each position in the Tribe's starting 9, some relief pitching, and front office staff, as well as give my opinion on what they should do to limit their futility in the future. I find it flat out embarrassing as a fan of this team that our front office claims our lack of success is because they "overvalued some of the core pieces of this years' team." WOW. So you're saying whoever is in charge of deciding whether or not this team can compete needs fired? Owner Larry Dolan? President Mark Shapiro? GM Chris Antonetti? Manager Manny Acta? Director of Player Personnel Derek Falvery? Someone needs to be held accountable. I'm not saying fire everyone. I'm saying they need to re-evaluate the way small market teams contend, develop an organizational philosophy, find a style of play that fits that philosophy and build each and every team (from the AZL to Cleveland) from there.

Clearly there are some small market teams that are thriving in baseball's current top-heavy culture. The first that comes to mind is the Tampa Bay Rays. They compete in the toughest division in baseball at a fraction of the payroll with homegrown talent and castaways from other teams. I think it helps that Joe Madden is such a good manager, but I'll save managerial talk until my post on Manny Acta. You could also look at the Cincinnati Reds, who have taken a lot of their home grown talent (Cueto, Votto, Stubbs, Bruce, Cozart, Frazier) and combined it with other teams' castoffs (Ludwick, Rolen, Phillips).

I want to start today with one of the Tribe's few bright spots: shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. ACab (or Drubie, as I fondly refer to him as) has been a consistent bat all season long, whether batting second or third in the order. His power numbers have returned to their normal range (13 HR), and he's committed 16 errors on the season at shortstop. He's been a guy that Cleveland fans have loved having, and would hate to see go, but the first step in rebuilding this team is trading what few assets we have for valuable players. With a contract that is small-market team friendly, there are a variety of options that could open up. Teams that need a shortstop and are close to (or are) contending now (Arizona, Oakland, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and even teams like Philadelphia, San Diego and Milwaukee) could all be potential spots. The D'Backs have a great upper-level farm system that could offer some solid return that is close to major league ready, and each of the other organizations have pieces that would work too. It'd be fun to see a trade to Seattle bring Cabrera's career back to where it started.

How would the Indians fill the hole left by Cabrera's absence? Well quite frankly, they won't get production like his until Francisco Lindor is in the big leagues. Until then, Jason Donald has proven to be a very capable shortstop, and should start there every day without Cabrera. Lindor is having a rather pedestrian first year in pro ball (hitting .263 with 27 SBs), but its nothing to worry about. Once he gets used to the grind and knows how to prepare himself physically during the offseason, he'll show why he's the #1 prospect in the organization. What would the Indians get back for Cabrera? How about some outfielders? I know that LeVon Washington has Kenny Lofton-type tools, but he's currently rehabbing for the AZL Indians. Someone who can play LF would be nice, and maybe a starting pitcher as well. I'm not asking for a Mike Trout or Dylan Bundy, I'm talking about guys that scouts see as every day players or middle of the rotation (at best) guys. This is another reason why I like the D'Backs for a landing spot. The strengths of their minor leagues are in starting pitching and outfielders, so its a natural fit.

In conclusion, as much as it pains me to say it, my final verdict on Asdrubal Cabrera is to trade him. He's brought me many great memories as a Tribe fan, and I'll always appreciate what the wide-eyed second baseman turned shortstop who wore pearls as a rookie and made great defensive plays did for this team.

Episode 23: Melky's Whoopsie

I talk about the Melky Cabrera 50 game suspension and what it means for the NL West, Todd Frazier for NL Rookie of the Year, and talk about why Johnny Cueto (NOT Aroldis Chapman) should be the NL Cy Young award winner.

Constructioncast!

I try to have a podcast for the first time in 10 days while the construction crews work on Get Better Today studios... Talking Indians, MLS Soccer, and Fantasy Football.

On hiatus until...

I am on a break from my podcast until the Cleveland Indians break their losing streak, which currently sits at 11 games. It could be a while.