Prelude To Tribe-Sox Game 7

Where Legends Are Made
Look, if I told you before the series started, three of the Indians’ four best pitchers (CC, Carmona & R. Perez) weren’t going to show up at all, you would have bet the house the Tribe would lose in four or five, right?

We felt it would go seven, so were are not totally surprised. Remember, these two teams had the best records in baseball in 2007. It should go the distance and it has. The Red Sox are a tough out. This is where legends are made. Let’s hope this will be a memorable night for Indians’ fans for years to come, instead of Red Sox Nation.

This isn’t basketball or football, where home field advantage is huge. This is baseball. If they pitch well, get some key hits and catch the ball, there is no reason the Tribe can’t advance.

By the way, if they (Tribe) lose tonight, give half the credit to the Sox for coming all the way back.

Wedge
I missed the first two innings last night. I was attending a father–daughter function. But I’m told Carmona was being squeezed in the first inning and Victor got into it with the home plate umpire because of it. Wedge complained during the half inning break, then went back to the dugout and folded his hands in that familiar pose. Why not get tossed right there and then? In fact, why not make the statement with Carmona still out there in the first inning. If your catcher thinks the pitcher is getting squeezed, then he is. Most catchers don’t complain unless they have a reason to. They know the strike zone just as well as umpires. There is a time to defend you people – especially a young, struggling pitcher like Carmona. Wedge missed that opportunity.

Travis
I can't let this go. If Shapiro gets kudos for signing Eric Wedge early when many of us were calling on him to wait, then he deserves some criticism for signing Hafner early as well. You can’t have it both ways.

I hope this is a one-year phenomenon, but I keeping thinking of Carlos Baerga when I see Hafner hit right now. CB broke a bone in his wrist and was never the same hitter after. He also had a reputation as a heavy partier. Hafner seems to be a straight-arrow, hard-working guy, who does a lot of good community work, but he too is coming off an injury (September ’06). He just hasn’t look right at the plate since. He’s missed pitches all year long he should be driving. You don’t lose it all at once. And I have no answer as to why this is happening. I'm not that smart. I hope it's a combination of lack of confidence and bad mechanics and not the lose of bat speed. If that's the case, he could return to pre-September '06 numbers next summer.

Let’s hope he shows up tonight – they need him to deliver badly.

Bullpen
Wedge is in a quandary. Who does he turn to if Westbrook needs help in the middle innings? Perez is a mess and his other options are all kids. Betancourt may have to give him as many as three or four innings tonight. CC may have to give him an inning or two as well.

Meanwhile, Francona has an ace up his sleeve if necessary – Beckett. The bullpen match up for tonight favors the Sox going in. Let’s hope someone other than Betancourt can man up for the Tribe tonight.

Joe Torre
Here is my take on Torre leaving New York.

First, who cares? If an athlete, coach or manager in New York breaks wind, the national media is all over it for a week.

Secondly, if Yankee management wants to make a change, it’s there prerogative to do so. He has been there a long time, he’s been well-compensated, he has the most resources in baseball and he gets a bye in to the post-season every year because of that roster.

I am not saying he isn’t a good manager, but there are a lot of managers who would not mind managing a $200 million roster. Because of baseball’s uneven playing field in terms of salaries, Yankee and Red Sox managers are evaluated by what they do in the post-season, not the regular season. I have no problem with that.

Steinbrenner should have handled it better, but it is within his right to make a change and I can buy some of the logic for the move.

Look at tonight’s match-up, the Sox are throwing a guy they invested $100 million in. Meanwhile, the Tribe’s complete payroll is at $62 million in ‘07. That’s why I still have a hard time getting into baseball these days. I just don’t like the system and haven’t for a while. Here’s hoping the Tribe hammers the $100 million man tonight.

Reality Check
This board is all about getting on record early - unlike most observers who don't have the stones or the knowledge to do so.

So I want to state this here and now – If the Tribe loses tonight, it will still have been a very good season in Cleveland. The roster ranked 23rd overall in terms of payroll and they had the best regular season record in the game (along with the Sox). That’s getting your money’s worth.

Wedge, who has gotten the most out of the talent at hand, should get AL Manager of the Year honors. Shapiro’s resume in 2007 hasn’t been perfect (i.e. Barfield & Hernandez), but he gets credit from this observer for being in charge of an organization that has produced numerous quality arms in 2007. That’s why they are where they are. With a middle-of the road payroll, you have to be able to develop from within. He’s done that.

Finally, Shapiro’s best move by far since the Colon deal, seemed a minor move at the time – acquiring Cabrera for a part-time first baseman. I hope the Tribe gave a large bonus to the Tribe scout who pushed for Cabrera.

Enjoy game #7. Let's hope they compete tonight!