CLEVELAND, Ohio: Baseball is back and I’m trying to figure out what it means for the Cleveland Indians.
QUESTION: Who cares if the Indians win, when the season is a mess and only plays 60 games?
REPLY: Given that the season is a mess … and fans are angry … imagine yourself in the front office of the tribe trying to sell tickets, advertisements, or anything else related to 2021 . It’s going to be a tough job, even if the tribe plays well. Unless…
Q: Do you really believe that?
A: It can be argued that it is not fair because the tribe has had the best record in the American League in the past seven years. They are respected throughout Major League Baseball for their smart front office, strong managers / coaches and a farm system that develops pitchers.
Q: Come on, just say it: “The Dolans are cheap!”
A: That is my point. Fans focus on economy and miss the excellence the team has shown on the field. Under the regime of Chris Antonetti / Mike Chernoff / Terry Francona, the tribe did everything but win the World Series. You have won at least 91 games at least five times in seven years.
Q: Bla, bla, bla. I know.
A: I am upset about the owner and player union. I’m angry with baseball’s refusal to have a cap. But I appreciate what the Indians have done in this area. I grew up with the tribe of the 1960s / 1970s. You can throw in the 1980s and early 1990s when it comes to futility. I appreciate the product they launched, be it from 1995 to 2001 or the youngest teams.
Q: So what should we do with this season?
A: It’s a TV show with no fans in the stands. It’s a distraction from the headache of virus statistics, unemployment, political and social unrest. These things are important. But if that’s all we think about, who wants to get up in the morning? We need relief. This season can offer some of this for baseball fans.
Q: Do you really believe that?
A: My nephew Chris is home and is recovering from a broken tibia. He wants the season to start yesterday. He thinks it will be fun because who knows what will happen? In his opinion, there will be surprises and many teams that are contested. The only downside is that the union is so persistent that it refused to approve extended playoffs from 10 to 16 teams.
Q: What do the fans tell you?
A: Unlike my nephew, most say they won’t see an inning. They want everyone involved in MLB to eat dirt and die.
Q: Do you think the Indians will trade with Francisco Lindor?
A: Caught you You start talking about baseball. The answer is … I don’t know. I doubt the Indians know it. Who knows what kind of retail market there will be. Teams can now complete trades and have until August 31st.
Q: Did you hear the rumors about the tribe’s dumping salaries?
A: You could do that. You have cut wages and salaries in the past two years. Who knows?
Q: So what do you know?
A: The Indians built a winner based on young players. That won’t change. Young players have to play. Shutting down the entire season would have been a disaster in terms of development. The Indians rely on pitching. Yes, Mike Clevinger and Carlos Carrasco are veterans. But all-star Shane Bieber is only in his second full MLB season. Others seen include Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, Adam Plutko, and Jefry Rodriguez. I also like prospect Scott Moss. Triston McKenzie is talented but has to prove that he is healthy.
Q: Aren’t you just a fool for baseball?
A: Guilty, especially if the Indians could have a good team.
Q: But they don’t have outfield players!
A: In spring training, Franmil Reyes seemed to be in the right field and on the plate he seemed ready to get at least 40 HR. They have young people: Oscar Mercado, Jordan Luplow, Daniel Johnson, Bradley Zimmer (if healthy) and Tyler Naquin (if healthy). Maybe Jake Bauers will find out. Delino DeShields is a veteran that the Indians like.
Q: Come on, that’s the weakest part of the team, right?
A: Let’s hope so. Because I’m worried about bullpening and pitching in general. Who knows if these guys will be able to play meaningful games after three weeks of spring training? Injuries will be a big problem for any team. I count COVID-19 in this category because positive tests will put players on the sidelines for a while.
Q: Why are you talking baseball?
A: Because I like to talk about baseball when it comes to business. I like to think of young players. I like the voice of Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus on my radio. My father gave me the Indians more than 60 years ago and I got stuck with them.
F: What if the virus shortens the season?
A: As my father said, even if he knew that something outside of his control was possible, “Don’t even think about it.” I’m in that mindset. Today I think of baseball and the Indians and I feel good about it.
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New Indian face masks for sale: Here you can buy Cleveland Indian-themed facewear to protect against corona viruses, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a 3-pack ($ 24.99). All MLB earnings are donated to charity.
