Shapiro's Admission of Failure & NFL Camp

The Indians’ recent trade of Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee was an organizational admission of failure.

This current regime took control approximately eight years ago when Shapiro, Wedge and company were promoted. They pushed a rebuilding agenda that would lead to consistent contention, we were told.

What we got in reality was one post-season trip, a couple near misses and what we have today – a fire sale of talent.

This corner predicted this organization would not push the panic button and sell off Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez. We were wrong.

Our assumption was based on the following reasoning – the Indians could advance the argument that contention in 2010, within this relatively weak division, was possible with the healthy return of Jake Westbrook, Fausto Carmona finding himself and the addition of a couple of decent relievers.

This argument could certainly be advanced as the organization’s sales staff pushed its season ticket packages this coming off-season.

Instead, the Indians decided to fold the tent, cut budget and make the extraordinary admission they didn’t have enough overall organizational talent to contend next summer.

Remember, this regime touted, over and over again, how it was spending huge sums of money on player development over the past eight years.

By trading Lee with over one year remaining on his deal, what Shapiro did, in essence, is tell the baseball world the Indians’ brass misjudged its big league talent level, the organization’s farm system is in shambles, and what we all knew - the Dolans weren’t willing to take on the additional payroll to content in 2010.

Now a brief history lesson is in order.

Indians’ fans were spoiled during the 1990s, as the organization successfully established a contending run while being planted in a medium size market. The perfect storm – a new ballpark, good, young talent, and locking up those talented kids early in their careers to team-friendly deals – made the Tribe the model mid-size market team.

John Hart and his apprentices, including Mark Shapiro, were the darlings of the baseball world, and rightfully so. Several of those who worked under Hart went on to bigger and better jobs because of their Cleveland resumes. Good for them.

The Indians had a sustained run and came close to winning a championship. While this was going on, one could slowly see the building blocks coming apart, piece by piece, as Hart tried to fill the gaps, knowing all the while, the good times would soon end.

Belle, Ramirez and Thome all jumped ship when their contracts expired. Hart was torn. He knew the right thing to do long-term was to deal them before they left, but he couldn’t or wouldn’t because they needed these players in the line-up come October and the fans would riot.

Soon after, Hart left as well, as did the owner, Dick Jacobs, all seeing the writing on the wall. The run was about to end.

Such is life in baseball’s uneven playing field.

It isn’t complicated - if you run a small or mid-size ML team and have an excellent batting average with your acquisitions, signings, etc…, you have a chance to make a sustained run, but it will eventually end.

The numbers are cruel and real – Cleveland, Oakland, Minnesota and company can’t keep most of their best players.

At least those teams have had runs, fans in Pittsburgh and Kansas City complain. Their executives have not been able to post the batting averages necessary to even get competitive for a short period of time. The Pirates, for example, have posted a-record 17 consecutive years of sub .500 baseball, coupled with the yearly dumping of salaries come July.

Enter Mark Shapiro, who knew exactly what he was getting into when he was promoted to run the show in Cleveland. He knew the template to follow – his former boss (Hart) showed him the way.

There was one problem – Shapiro and his minions, over the last eight years, were not able to develop enough homegrown (drafted) talent to offset misses in free agency and a mediocre track record in trades.

Think about it – Hart and company, including Shapiro, who has been with this organization for 18 years, drafted, signed and developed the likes of Belle, Ramirez and Thome. Those Hall of Fame caliber players were ALL homegrown.

Name the Indians' current top players, and with few exceptions (i.e. Victor Martinez), they came from other organizations. It’s especially evident in the pitching department – where this organization, time and time again, used high draft choices on players who have fizzled out in the minors, or have had minimal impact at the ML level.

This all eventually catches up to you when you are in this baseball market in 2009.

In Boston, you can spend $100 million on one foreign born pitcher who had never thrown one pitch in the majors, and if the investment blows up in your face, no big deal. In New York, you can have a $207 million payroll and adjust on the fly, if necessary.

Not here, not Cleveland. Not even if your payroll stood at a somewhat competitive $80 million in April of 2009. You see, when team got off to its usual horrid start, Carmona imploded, the bullpen flamed out and Sizemore and company went down with injuries, the Indians were stuck.

Shapiro knew Dolan was not about to open up the check book to trade for established players who could fill the gaps. Dolan gave him $80 million to work with – that was his limit in this market, in these economic times. Period. It was up to Shapiro, Wedge and company to make it work.

Yes, it’s that margin for error again coming into play.

There was little margin for error in this town, at this time, with this team. And, more importantly, there was no relief, literally, coming from Columbus, Akron, etc…

Shapiro’s farm system and talent evaluation experts let him down. This didn’t happen over night. Years upon years of using high draft choices on fourth outfielders (i.e. Trevor Crowe) and mediocre, soft tossing lefties (i.e. take your pick) caught up to this organization.

So here we are. Dolan gave Shapiro the approval to blow it up – again. This latest move tells me he (Shapiro) will likely be back in 2010. Wedge will be sacrificed, even though the Dolans owe him his 2010 salary. Bringing Wedge back as well would just be rubbing salt in the wound. I can’t imagine they’ll go there.

The team will take a massive PR hit. You see, many current Cleveland baseball fans are spoiled. Remember, a whole generation of Tribe fans grew up during the 90s – when times were good. This group of fans did not realize how good they had it. Some of us did.

You see, many of us have been through this (rebuilding) numerous times before. Actually, these Indians are starting to look a lot like the lovable Tribe I grew up watching on the Lake Front with 3,000 other diehards back in the 70s and 80s.

Actually I long for those days. I have complained on numerous occasions, publicly and privately, that I can’t stand baseball’s current structure, where the rich get richer and the rest have to hope for a double bank shot to win a title.

I can understand and guess what Paul Dolan told Shapiro this past week as the trading deadline approached – “Mark, if we are going to win just 75 games next summer, it doesn’t hurt my portfolio nearly as much if we are doing it with a $40 million payroll instead of $80 million.”

The truth is there is no reason not to dump as many salaries as possible if you are starting over. That's the reality of the situation.

As for the generation of spoiled Indians fans who have just come to realize ML baseball is on tilt and consistent contention is rare and fleeting in most markets, I suggest you follow the advice of that famous philosopher, Bobby Knight – “Relax, sit back and enjoy it!”

In all seriousness, it's still ML baseball. It's just baseball with lowered expectations for a couple years. A slightly lowering of ticket prices to accompany a likely inferior product would ease the pain somewhat, but don't hold your breath that will happen.

The good news - if they get it right and the dumping of high priced talent is accompanied by Shapiro and company getting it right in terms of actually obtaining future quality major leaguers in return, then another run is forthcoming in this division.

Just remember one thing if that does occur - when that talent matures, it's leaving. The sooner you prepare for that, the better - that's ML baseball.

NFL Camp Opens
One reason I like watching NFL football is because it has the opposite system of ML baseball. Everyone competes on an even playing field. I firmly believe that is what has made it the most popular sport in the country by far.

Fans in most markets appreciate the fact that their teams can win if they do it right. The Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins are last year's examples of literally going from worst to first. And as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, some NFL team will do the same in 2009. That's one reason why we all look forward to September after watching the yearly Yankees/Red Sox soap opera in baseball.

A few thoughts on the upcoming 2009 campaign.

First, Michael Vick deserves a chance to play. He paid dearly for his misdeeds and will never recover his image - which wasn't stellar to begin with. I do believe you have a right to make a living. I doubt most teams will want to touch him in July, but that may change come October when quarterbacks start going down.

As for using him in the "wildcat" offense a few times a game - bull! He's a starting quarterback, not Josh Cribbs. Yes, I know he hasn't played in two years. But do you really think Tavaris Jackson is better than he is right now?

Vick is barely a lifetime 50% quarterback in terms of completing passes. That's not where he excelled. He excelled with his legs. The last time I checked, they didn't amputate either leg in the can. The guy can still run. As for his completion rate, a wise offensive coordinator will bring him along slowly until he regains some semblance of touch.

The question is - when will some team blink and take on the circus that awaits if you sign Vick? And no, I don't think it will be the Browns. Can you imagine the "dogpound" jokes if Vick plays in Cleveland?

I also expect Brett Favre to be in uniform by October. This guy simply craves the limelight too much. He not only played the game like a kid, but acts like one. You know the type - the kid that can't come inside after playing all day when mom calls hm in for dinner. He loves it too much and can't give it up. It isn't that complicated.

He doesn't care it's affecting his legacy somewhat. He's still going down as one of the best ever with all the records next to his name. If he's irritating some fans and media types by his childish behavior, so what? He's still a first ballot HOFer. That's not going to change. He's a kid, remember? Kids act stupidly at times.


Finally, let me reiterate what I want from the Mangini-led Browns in 2009 - be more physicial and more organized. That alone should get them to 7-9 in the medicocre NFL.

Those who "hope" for a six win season don't realize what league they play in. If you can run the football a little bit, stop the run some, play solid special teams and not turn it over much, you can win half your games in this league. The talent level is that even.

Unfortunately, in Cleveland, the generation that grew up in this current Browns Era
(1999-present) expects the roof to cave in by October.

Magini has a reputation of being a no-nonsense, well organized coach. Good. Let's see it play out and expect better than 6-10. It's about time the bar is set higher around here.

By the way, Brayon Edwards seems to be making great strides early during his contract year. He came into camp late and is hurt, although the injury is not ecpected to be serious. Nice.

I will be curious to see how Mangini handles this primadonna. My guess is BE will be on a short leash. How Mangini handles Edwards will be closely watched by the rest of the players who work for Mangini and company.