Josh Barfield Gets Lost in the Shuffle
June 30, 2009Clip Show: Keeping an Eye on the Tribe’s AAA Squad – 6/30/09
June 30, 2009
Back on March 26th, I wrote a piece calling for a moratorium on all things related to the Cleveland Browns. The main focus of the piece essentially was the Browns being a circus of an organization, yet getting all of the love, adulation, and passion of the fans of this great city. Meanwhile, I was fawning all over the Cavaliers, Cleveland State Vikings Basketball team, and of course, my Indians.
I finished the piece with the following:
So to all WFNY readers, I implore you, sideline the Browns talk and give your love an attention to the teams who ACTUALLY HAVE A CHANCE to win something. I am speaking of the Cavaliers and the Indians.
And with that, I am here to eat crow.
The Indians have fallen flat yet again in the face of high expectations. Everyone knows what has happened, so there is no point in recounting the damage with minutia. Anyone who blames injuries to Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Rafael Betancourt should just change their last name to “Dolan” while they are at it. The bottom line is that the bullpen has been worse than anyone could have ever imagined and certain young players who were being counted on to step up their game into major roles have regressed (yes Kelly Shoppach and Ben Francisco, I am talking about you).
Blame the front office. Blame Eric Wedge. Blame the players if you want. But today, I’m telling you that if you want, go ahead and blame me. Yes, I will take my share. Call this lost season “The Curse of the Moratorium.”
Did I really write this?
As for the Indians, Spring Training at the beautiful new Goodyear, Arizona complex is still a few weeks from completion, but things are starting to take shape. Scott Lewis jumped to the front of the pack and grabbed a spot in the rotation. Anthony Reyes has been healthy and effective as well. Carl Pavano, who struggled early on, opened eyes yesterday with six innings of two run ball (I’m still very concerned about him). Kerry Wood is ready to take the ball for the ninth. The bullpen depth is among the best in the league.
Grady Sizemore is raking, hitting over .400 this spring. Jhonny Peralta is absolutely killing the ball and seems happy to be set at shortstop. Mark DeRosa and Shin-Soo Choo are back from successful stints at the WBC. Victor Martinez looks back to full strength and ready to return to his role as the emotional leader of the Tribe. Sure, Travis Hafner is still a major concern, but Eric Wedge’s 1-9, top to bottom lineup shouldn’t fall into the April and May swoon it did last season.
Ugh.
So in this lost season where you are currently staring at a bullpen that has Mike Gosling, Matt Herges, Jose Veras, Tony Sipp, Rafael “over 10 ERA” Perez, Chris “greatest debut ever” Perez, and Joe Smith in it, there is one set of moves that can make the rest of the way watchable.
Ship out Ryan Garko and Ben Francisco and call-up Matt Laporta and Michael Brantley.
You want to make something out of your second half, then lets see what the kids have got for us? Play LaPorta at first base four times a week and twice a week in left field and stick with it. Wedge’s handling of him during his first go-round in Cleveland was appalling. At this point, he is on borrowed time as is. It’s Shapiro’s job to tell Wedge “this is what you will do and its not up for negotiation.”
As for Brantley, play him five days a week in left, one day a week in center spelling Grady, who will DH when Hafner takes his customary day off. Hit him ninth, let him hit the ball on the ground and show off his legs.
Wouldn’t it be nice to see an outfield of the future start playing right now? Brantley can begin to get his major league experience so that by the start of 2010, he can be ready to break out. If Brantley is as good as the scouts say he is, then you’ve got a pretty good outfield including Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo. Meanwhile, LaPorta is still hitting over .300 in Columbus and obviously has shown he is ready for regular time at the next level.
Lets just start the 2010 season now. Its audition time for the kids. In the meantime, I’d like to apologize to all Tribe fans out there for the curse I injected into the 2009 season.
As for the Browns moratorium, consider it lifted. Maybe that will reverse the mojo around Progressive Field.
22 Comments
The moratorium is lifted! Oh happy day. Hey Denny, let’s do a post together about how sweet it is that we have Brady Quinn on the Browns!
Denny?
Are you there?
Is Mike Gosling the one with the eight kids?
True fans are true fans, not front-runners, and we stick with our teams during the lean years . . . or decades, as the case may be.
As Phil Savage might say, (&(*^^&%^#* off, go root for the Cowboys.
Self-indulgent piece on a pseudo-act you devised? why don’t you just shout “DO THESE JEANS MAKE ME LOOK FAT?” and be done with it. There really is no difference.
As for Brantley (foreshadowing alert!), what I want to see is if he can get on base and create havoc on the opposing batteries the way he is in AAA. He’s 30-for-33 in SBs so far on the season, and swiped EIGHT this week. His average isn’t where you might want it to be, but his OBP is up to .341 after a very slow start (hamstring injury).
I think I cursed the Indians in my own way, but starting July 1st, I can pretty well guarentee they will start winning….
just wait and see….
I like your idea to bring up the young studs. If the season is tanked, why not spend the rest of it watching them develop.
Bringing up LaPorta and Brantley is a BAD idea.
In a vacuum, calling them up is a good idea – let them get playing experience with the stakes low to hopefully build confidence and prepare them for next year.
Here’s the problem though. We’re not in a vacuum, and for some inexplicable reason, Eric Wedge continues to be the manager of this team.
For all of the sound arguments in favor of firing Wedge, my favorite is that he has an awful track record with getting young players to develop. Bottom line, I don’t trust Wedge with LaPorta and Brantley, and if he truly is a lame duck manager, I don’t want him screwing with their heads.
Keep them in AAA until Wedge finally gets dumped.
My moratorium runs until week 4. I’m tired of speculating, and will wait for results.
Had my own Browns moratorium before anything made official here. Because they deserved it. The Indians tank job doesn’t necessitate my attention being turned to another which must prove itself worthy of my affection. I’ll be back when they seem competent.
To those who go on about being “true fans” (as opposed to “front runners”), after the better part of a lifetime spent watching mediocre teams I just reject that attitude. Life is short and can be difficult. The accident of my birth here doesn’t entitle a team to my affection. Sports is a pleasant diversion, like a music or theatre. If my favorite band gets old and no longer sounds decent, or my favorite actor hits the juice and can’t act, am I no longer a “true fan” if I stop watching? Entertainment is a meritocracy. Likewise in sports. I don’t need my sports team to win a championship, or even win most games. I like spending my precious free time following a young, promising team. But I won’t support consistent incompetence in a front office, or in a coaching staff. I won’t follow players if I get the impression that I care more than they do, or a team if I think the owners don’t have the resources to attempt to be competitive. Want a piece of my attention, time and dollars? Earn it. Had my fill of organizations building a bridge to nowhere. ( Sorry for the diatribe)
@Scott-
I love that you said that…
(and yes Im a chick)
No one seems to understand that Wedge is not going anywhere. Him and Shapiro are too buddy buddy for that to happen this season.
Needs less Browns!!
@SJ – Glad someone appreciated that!
@ Craig – Brady Quinn will save the Browns from any harm. He will miraculously save the team from Randy Lerner and coach, manage, and QB the team to seven straight Super Bowls. Brady Quinn can do no wrong. Even my wife knows who he is.
@ Denny – You forget he almost has the cure for cancer completed. He is… The most interesting man in the world.
TD — Just remember I spell my last name with an “I” and not an “A,” and will definitely not change it.
“Over”? Did you say “over”? Was it over when John Elway hit that shot over Ehlo? Hell no, and it . . . uh . . . well actually, I guess it was over, wasn’t it? Never mind.
One might assume that Ghosts of Deceased Natives Nationwide are gravely insulted by this notion that you caused a curse with your moratorium. You might have just brought something bad on yourself with this post, Todd. I recommend smoking a peace pipe and leaving a fresh hit on Joc-o-Sot’s grave.
I recommend using a skull as a jock, a-la Family Guy. Worked out well for him.
He undoubtedly should do that too. Better safe than sorry.
sharpio and wedge are to the tribe like hair products are to charlie V…..worthless