Browns lose, commit crimes against entertainment
September 15, 2013Browns’ Weeden suffered a sprained thumb in Week 2 abomination
September 16, 2013While We’re Waiting is a space on the WaitingForNextYear website where we share links to Clevelandish sports stuff, or at least things I think are interesting. Links are the currency of bloggers. We give out five or so everyday. Sometime it would be cool if the sites we linked to reciprocated. You know the drill: Email us with suggestions at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“So the (multi) million dollar question of course is whether or not this is a pleasant blip on the radar for Jimenez, or whether these long-needed tweaks in his mechanics are here for the long haul? Jimenez has been historically inconsistent with his multi-part, herky-jerk delivery, so who’s to say that he didn’t just stumble across this improvement almost by accident and will be unable to maintain it with any sort of regularity? That’s the question that a team is going to have to pay millions of dollars to answer, and that’s an awfully risky proposition. See the recent past of 2012, when Lindbergh was applying his graphical talents to show a precipitous decline in Ublado’s velo, and Thorburn was devoting 2000+ words and 8 full-motion GIFs to reflect just how far removed from Ubaldo! that Ubaldo had become. The more I think about it, the less I think that the Indians will be the team that finds out firsthand whether or not Jimenez has re-invented himself on the mound. At $8 million for one season, the Indians would absolutely take him back at this point. But I think he can get more money (and a longer deal) on the open market, and I just don’t see the Indians making a significant financial commitment to such a question mark. Not with Masterson, Salazar, Kluber, McAllister, Bauer, Carrasco, House, Tomlin already vying for the 5 spots in the 2014 rotation.” [Ciammaichella/The DiaTribe]
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“Later, Singleton watches as the players’ families and friends start lining up at the ticket office. Each player has four tickets to give out, and Singleton must ensure that none is going to agents, boosters, recruits or others who are banned from receiving them.
Before the tattoo scandal, Ohio State randomly checked about 10 percent of the names players provided. Now, officials call every person a player thinks he might invite to a game — as many as 4,000 people — before the season starts. This year, a half-dozen officials and volunteers spent nearly two weeks calling five hours a day.” [Pyle/Columbus Dispatch]
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“Brandon Weeden is not the guy. Jason Campbell is not the guy. Brian Hoyer is not the guy. The answer to the Browns quarterback is not on the roster, so if fans and the media want to argue over which should start or play, they can feel free to waste their breath. Weeden’s injury status might have a big impact on who plays next week, but it really does not matter. The question is figuring out which quarterback who is currently playing on Saturdays is the best fit and right answer to the situation and figuring out how to acquire them.” [Smith/Dawg Pound Daily]
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“Yesterday was just the latest example as Ohio State fans invaded Berkeley, filling 50% of a stadium situated some 2,400 miles away from Columbus.
Though a large contingent was expected, it looked as if even those expectations were exceeded as a scarlet-clad stadium rocked O-H-I-O to the delight of Urban Meyer and company.” [Lauderback/Eleven Warriors]
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Wow. Orlando station scrolls an apology for having to show the Jaguars game. [Deadspin]
18 Comments
WOIO should post a similar message about the Browns.
I would not give Ubaldo a multi-year deal. This little run has been very nice, but I really doubt he’s going to put it together consistently over a season, let alone multiple years. That money would be best spent either locking up Masterson or acquiring another bat.
Sure feels like Ubaldo’s current run is the result of Mickey Callaway’s care and feeding, and Ubaldo’s best chance of sustaining the run is keeping his fragile psyche right next to Callaway. But given the desperate market for good starting pitchers in their prime the Tribe will be outbid, probably by plenty.
Seems destined that the winning bidder will be the loser. The real winners will be Ubaldo’s wallet and Callaway’s reputation.
both those winners make the Indians a winner too though. “reclamation” pitchers will see Cleveland as a way of working with Mickey to get the most out of a season to score $$$ in FA the following year.
some fans may not want to hear that, but it’s a great way to get “free” lottery tickets for the Tribe. it’s an important part of a small payroll to have a bunch of the better lottery tickets and be able to cash a few in each year.
Loved the White Sox series. Yes, it was just the lowly CWS, but we needed it badly to balance out how bad we were against Detroit this season.
Current WC standings:
Texas
Tampa
Cleveland 0.5GB
Baltimore 2.5GB
NYY 3GB
KC 3.5GB
that is true. Also, woop-dee-doo. What we traded had high value at the time and he’s been a horrible drag on the staff and fan psyche until his final two months here. Hard for me to take much feel good from the three year Ubaldo Experience.
That’s true, and just a couple of weeks ago I figured he’d stay another year if the Indians picked up that option because of the coaching staff and a certain level of comfort where he’s at. Since then he’s only gotten better though. At this point, you don’t have to look at splits to see he’s having a pretty great year, but in addition to his nearly-best-in-baseball post allstar break performance he’s got an era of 2.52 going all the way back to May 27th. In fact, if you just remove his three bad April starts he has an era of 2.67. A repeat of this year at 8 million would be one heck of a bargain. I can’t imagine a better moment for Jiminez to become a free agent. It may be a risk, but guys who put up numbers like that get paid.
Our rotation prospects for next year still look good, but it will kinda suck if he puts up three dominant years for somebody else after what we’ve been through.
Don’t forget, we’ve benefited too, at least for this year. A lot of people didn’t realize what he was doing until late August, but without Jiminez we’re not in the playoff hunt right now, and if we do make the Wild Card, he’s probably the guy who gets the ball in that game. (given Masterson may not be ready)
The Indians are finally doing what they had to do the problem for me is I can’t get past the schedule being the main reason this team is as close to a possible playoff birth right now. I sorta kinda wish they were playing better caliber teams and winning but hey, you play who they schedule. I mean it’s not like they are the mighty BoSox tearing up playoff caliber teams one after the other.
I’m not afraid of Boston. Would welcome a series against them. In fact, I think the Indians matchup better against them than the A`s or Tigers. You never know what can happen in October.
and, we have the only manager who’s won anything with the Red Sox in October. so, we have that going for us, which is nice.
not if he wins a WS ring here first!!!!
hey, why not 🙂
if we make the playoffs and do “any” damage in them, then he’ll get alot of credit (rightfully so).
yes, I’d still rather have gotten Gio Gonzalez (the other established starter traded a few months after Ubaldo), but the A`s have a standout scouting dep’t and there’s no way knowing if they would have taken Pomeranz/White for him.
it’s not the return we wanted, but I’m still going to enjoy that we actually ended up getting a return this season from him (and when we needed that return the most w/ a team around him that could keep up their end too).
Just think another team will be paying high for fool’s gold. A lot of that ERA was because Francona would pull him due to pitch counts and his fragile confidence after like 5 innings every game. He put a heavy load on our pen until very recently. A team that pays premium for him won’t do that – they’ll have expectations, expect him to work through jams and Ubaldo doesn’t seem to handle that load very well.
The whole trade is still just sad to me.
Story on why Kerry Rhodes is still unemployed in the NFL. I post it since many of us talked about him as a help for the Browns secondary.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/why-doesn-t-kerry-rhodes-job-nfl-002216784–nfl.html
Man that is a scary thought an entire season resting on Ubaldo’s shoulders.
Why should you be afraid you aren’t playing them but you just don’t get it, you continually ask for it, time will tell ‘lil buddy. As far as a match-up goes I don’t see it but glad you do even though I think your Speed Racer goggles are probably fogged up from all of the excitement of the possibility. Best thing the Tribe has going for them is Francona but that’s ok because the Sox have Ferrell.
ok, let’s slow this down. if the Tribe manages the rest of the season AND wins the WC game, then Boston is the one of the 3 likely teams available that I would like to face.
would we be favored? no.
would it be easy? of course not.
but, given the other options (Detroit? yuck. Oakland? doesn’t look great), I would actually like Boston. now, we are just 1-6 vs. Boston (5-2 vs. Oakland), so perhaps I should want them, but it’s how I feel at the moment.
and, regardless, Boston/Oakland/Detroit would ALL love to get the WC team rather than each other, but it looks impossible for anyone to catch Boston at this point.
No slowing down this locomotive baby it’s like “Unstoppable” with the Indians – the little engine that could is en fuego – TOOT TOOT!
You know I kid I can’t help but rib ya about the mighty BoSox, it’s what I do. But I’m glad you came to your senses and realized that Oakland was far and away the better match-up. Let the other big boys nuke each other while the Wahoos continue to use the back doors to the promised land. Lets just hope the Wahoos don’t get back doord in the end!!!!
Not as sad as it is for Colorado, and now Houston. 🙂
Say what you want about Ubaldo’s handling, but he got those results. (and frankly, our bullpen wasn’t very good at stranding inherited runners for a good chunk of the year) Going back to that May 27 start where he really started to turn things around he’s averaged 5.9 innings per start while giving up an average of 1.65 runs. I agree it’s a big risk to think he’ll continue like he’s done this year, but if he even gives somebody 5.9/1.65 and not the dominant post all-star break line they’ll be happy. (and I hope if he does it’s in the NL)