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July 4, 2008 - By Erik Cassano
When Mark Shapiro woke up one morning in 2006 and found the Indians hopelessly adrift and six miles out of first place in the AL Central, he knew he had to make a decision. So he did. He traded away several of the team's expendable veterans for young players. Fast forward to 2008. Another lost season, another moment of truth for Shapiro. To trade or not to trade? But this time, the stakes are much higher. Papa Cass talks about it in his latest piece.
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July 3, 2008 - By Tony Lastoria
It is Thursday, and that means it is Minor Happenings time again here on the site. As we get ready for the holiday weekend, Tony gives us another thorough rundown of the Indians farm system, touches on the sizzling hot Trevor Crowe in Akron, gives an update on the proposed move of the Indians Triple-A affiliate to Columbus, the emergence of Hector Rondon and Stephen Head, Asdrubal Cabrera playing shortstop in Buffalo, Akron and Buffalo All Star selections, and lots more!
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July 3, 2008 - By Steve Buffum
Here is where I would type something interesting about the Cleveland Indians if there were something about the Cleveland Indians that was interesting. Well, the B-List is interesting, so read that instead. Sabathia's start, Sizemore's brilliance, a trio of Tinfoil Hats ... it's better than watching A.J. Pierzynski beat you with a walkoff homer, I'll tell you that.
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July 3, 2008 - By Brian McPeek
Browns season is right around the freaking corner. Three weeks until training camp. Two months until the home opener with the Cowboys. And it can't come soon enough given the way the Cavs season ended and the way Indians are playing. In Peeker's latest, he starts to look ahead to Browns season, noting fan enthusiasm is so high, he fears a slight letdown. And talks about the '08 Browns, their expectations, and the coming season.
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July 3, 2008 - By Gary Benz
This season we've seen a lack of progression from our young players, a healthy amount of regression from our veterans, and in many cases, a robotic lack of overall effort and enthusiasm from the team. In Gary's latest, he tries to figure out why this is happening, and feels the buck stops with Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge. Regardless of how the rest of this season plays out, both will be brought back by the Dolans. But is it the right move?
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July 2, 2008 - By Mitch Cyrus
"Wanted" opened last weekend in theaters with some pretty big hype as a potential summer blockbuster. It has big named stars (Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy), laughs, gore, non-stop “Matrix” level action, incredible stunts, eye candy galore, and a killer soundtrack. So we dispatched the trusty Mitch to the theaters to give us the 411 on this one. Did it deliver? Or disappoint? Mitch gives us his thoughts in his latest film review.
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July 2, 2008 - By Steve Buffum
I'm not sure what's more comical. The fact that Joe Borowski's fastball is 82 MPH and straight, or The Atomic Wedgie continuing to send this bum out to the bump to close games for this team. Buff is downright angry in today's B-List, saying that Jo Blow absolutely destroyed what should have been a fun column to write today about a brilliant pitchers duel between two All-Star caliber left handed starting pitchers. But alas, it was not to be.
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July 2, 2008 - By Paul Cousineau
If ever the Indians' 2008 season needed to be presented in a nice, tidy package for the world to examine, look no further than the 2 hour, 44 minute gift that was bestowed upon Tribe fans last night in Chicago. In one game, in the middle of July, we were treated to a game that served as a microcosm for the season that put to rest any questions that could have remained in anyone's head regarding where 2008 is headed.
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July 2, 2008 - By Sam Amico
I'm sure you've heard by now from one of the paranoid Cavaliers fans out there that's been sucked into the ESPN LeBron to NY hype machine. At a Team USA media blitz, LeBron was asked to name his favorite city in America, and said New York, listing Akron fifth. ESPN ran with the story, and people were stressing out about it in our Cavs message forum minutes later. In his latest, Sam Amico says that LeBron revels in the attention comments like that create, and that Cavs fans shouldn't look too deeply into them.
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July 2, 2008 - By Dan Wismar
It's less than two months until the Ohio State 2008 season opener against Youngstown State on August 30, so it's time to start taking a look at the personnel we'll be seeing on the field this Fall for the Buckeyes. Over the next several weeks, Dan Wismar will run down the position groupings for us, starting with today's summary of the offensive line personnel.
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July 1, 2008 - By Tony Lastoria
Dustin Realini is now playing in his third minor league season, and at age 24 he is much older than a lot of players on the Captains roster. In fact, the league average age is a shade under 22, so he is much older than most of the players in the South Atlantic League. Given his age, Realini has become somewhat of a father figure to the young guys at Lake County. In addition, Realini has been having a real nice season playing first base for the Captains. Tony had a chance to talk to him on a recent trip out there.
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July 1, 2008 - By Steve Buffum
Is it the All-Star break yet? Please? The Tribe lost their third straight last night, falling to 37-46 on the season, and a season high 10.5 games out of first place. In today's B-List, Buff introduces us to Jeremy Sowers and the Temple of Doom, talks about Jhonny Peralta's career night, and says that David Dellucci enhanced his trade value from "Ebola virus" to "warm spit." I need a drink.
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July 1, 2008 - By Paul Cousineau
Today is July 1st. The Major League Baseball trading deadline is July 31st. With the Indians all but out of it, and C.C. set to chase the last penny in free agency this off-season, it's becoming more apparent by the day. The Indians are going to trade C.C. Sabathia, the lynch pin of the team's starting rotation for the last half decade. In his latest, Paulie C talks about the difference between trading C.C. now and right at the July 31st deadline, and also talks about what he wants to see come to Cleveland in return.
July 1, 2008 - By Mike Furlan
Coming in at number four in Furls countdown of the ten greatest Buckeye football players ever is the most dominant collegiate offensive lineman I've ever seen play. Orlando Pace won the Lombardi Trophy twice at Ohio State, then was the number one pick in the NFL Draft as an early entry ... an astonishing feat for an offensive lineman. The term "pancake block" which is now commonly used, was made popular by Pace during his three year reign of terror in Columbus.
June 30, 2008 - By Adam Burke
He checked in last week with a recap of the draft efforts of the Columbus Bue Jackets, and now this week, Adam Burke previews the impending NHL free agency period from the perspective of a Jackets fan. In a game now controlled by a salary cap, the National Hockey League has become a business where critical spending decisions are pretty much the only way to succeed. Adam gives us his thoughts on what players may be good fits for Columbus as they strive to become a playoff team.
June 30, 2008 - By Steve Buffum
The Battle of Ohio came to a close as the Reds took two of three from the Indians this weekend. With the glaring exception of C.C. Sabathia's brilliant outing Friday, the Indians looked about as pointless as a Police Academy sequel, and Buff addresses the various degrees of pointlessnessosity in the B-List, including an unusual look at backup catchers and too many Rick Bauer sightings.
June 30, 2008 - By Jesse Lamovsky
Six times since the beginning of World War II, the Ohio State Buckeyes have gone through a season without a single loss. As the 2008 campaign approaches, we're counting down those six seasons- 1944, 1954, 1961, 1968, 1973, and 2002- in order of greatness, from #6 to #1, the greatest season in the history of Buckeye football. We start with season #6- 1961.
June 30, 2008 - By Bob Fergus
Great stuff from Bob Fergus here, who has penned a five part series for us that really digs deep in understanding the origin and nature of the 3-4 defensive scheme that Romeo Crennel has brought to the north coast. In the first two parts of this series we looked at the history of Romeo and the coaching influences that helped develop his version of the 3-4 defense. In this segment we will look at the type of personnel that the Belichick/Crennel two-gap 3-4 seeks on the defensive line and the roles that they play.
June 29, 2008 - By Brian McPeek
Losers of back to back series to the Giants and the Reds, things have hit a new low this season for the Tribe ... and Peeks resorted first to soccer, then to cleaning the gutters to get away from his TV on Sunday. In the Weekend Wrap, Peeks saves his energy for a couple of topics a little more exciting. The Cavs selection of J.J. Hickson and the arrival of his Browns season tickets. Just three weeks 'till training camp ...
June 29, 2008 - By Scott Swerbinsky
Big interview after big interview. My cousin has been landing em, one after one. Teddy Freakin Atlas, Andre Berto, Juan Diaz, Richard Steele, Cung Lee .... the list goes on and on. And he just landed his biggest. UFC superstar Georges St. Pierre, one of the top couple pound for pound fighters in the world. My cuz tracked him down, asked him about his coming fight at UFC 87, potential fights with B.J. Penn and Anderson Silva, and his thoughts about his rise to super-stardom in the sport. Nice work cuz!
June 29, 2008 - By Jarad Regano
The tug-o-war between Indian fans holding onto dear hope of a 2008 postseason and ones eager to make the necessary changes for 2009 is becoming lopsided. With an onslaught of injuries added to a club that was not going anywhere anyway, it appears the promising season has come to an abrupt end. Jarad Regano is ready to talk about the future, and lays out the five things he thinks the team should do this season to help improve the team going forward.
June 29, 2008 - By Mike Furlan
Coming in at #5 in Furls' countdown of the ten greatest Buckeye football players of all-time is Howard "Hopalong" Cassady. Hop was a standout running back and defensive back for the Buckeyes, leaving OSU as their all-time leading rusher, and waltzing to a landslide victory in the Heisman trophy balloting. Cassady went to to have a successfull career in the NFL after that, also playing on both side of the ball at the next level.
June 28, 2008 - By Gary Benz
In Gary's latest, he says more than anything else, what this season is revealing, particularly placed in context with the previous four, is that the Indians remain in perpetual rebuilding mode. At times, that yields a team good enough to compete with the best in the league. At other times, like now, it finds itself looking up at the Kansas City Royals. And that being fine, no matter how much fans are told otherwise, is not the new better.
June 28, 2008 - By Paul Cousineau
Six weeks ago, the Indians sat atop the AL Central with a six and a half game lead. At the time, Paul Cousineau wrote a piece that looked at the Indians coming schedule leading into the All Star break, suggesting it was soft enough to the point where the Indians may be able to separate themselves from the pack. In his latest, Paul now takes a look back at the past 37 games, and talks about where things skidded off the track this season for the Indians.