NBA Season Awards Probably An Empty Affair For Cavaliers Organization
March 29, 2010Gammons: 2010 Indians are a Team to Watch
March 29, 2010
What many saw coming weeks ago became official late yesterday as the Cleveland Indians announced that first baseman/designated hitter Russell Branyan will begin the 2010 season on the 15-day disabled list.
“He’s made consistently positive progress,” general manager Mark Shapiro said of the recently acquired Branyan. “He has a good chance to get into a game this week – we’re comfortable saying sometime in the first two weeks of the season he’s going to be ready to play, if there are no setbacks.”
Still recovering from a herniated disc in his back, Branyan’s absence will give way to 25-year old Matt LaPorta who will start the regular season at first base.
Apparently taking the news well, LaPorta drove in five runs in yesterday’s win over the LA Angels thaanks to a two-run home run and a two-run double. Acquired for CC Sabathia in 2008, LaPorta has long been considered one of the better hitters during his run through the minor league systems. In 52 big league games to this point, LaPorta has a slash line of .254/.308/.442 with seven home runs and 21 RBI.
“It’s not like we can’t field a team without [Branyan],” Shapiro said. “He represents upside to our existing club.”
That existing club also consists of Michael Brantley, who also came over in the Sabathia deal. The 22-year old Brantley will be one of the players impacted the most by this injury as LaPorta vacates left field to play first base. Despite starting Spring Training off in excellent fashion (.343 BA, .909 OBS heading into this week), Brantley is widely expected to start off this season in Triple-A due to his service time.
Head coach Manny Acta is slated to be making his decision on the matter later this week. Brantley will be battling with Trevor Crowe and Austin Kearns for the starting left field position. Crowe is a switch-hitter with speed, but has failed to make a large impact at the big league level. Kearns is a veteran who has eclipsed the 90-game mark only one time in the last five seasons.
Discussing this very matter just two weeks ago, TD had the following…
“Michael Brantley is clearly the future in left field and as the leadoff man. Yet, despite a .313 September with the big club playing every day, the Indians seem content, no matter what happens, to send Brantley back to Columbus for more seasoning. […] I’m calling my shot – Branyan will start the season on the DL and the Indians still will have Brantley in AAA. Your starting left fielder will be Austin Kearns.”
His prediction is not too far off as of now. The rest will be decided in a matter of days.
Those keeping score at home realize that Branyan will join the high-priced Kerry Wood on the disabled list to start the season. Both players were categorized as “non issues” just two weeks ago, yet both now apparently have issues well beyond what was originally reported. Chris Perez will move to the closer role until Wood returns. It is expected that Branyan is back well before his relief pitching colleague.
18 Comments
I hope he will recover and be able to score the baseball soon.
Upside? At 34 with a bad back? Spare me, please. This guy sucked 8 years ago when we had him.
Technically, his projected wOBA does provide upside in terms of run-production this year. From a strategic standpoint, however, Shapiro’s quote is questionable.
I’m not sure what we can expect from Branyan, but you would think his stats last year from playing in Seattle would be the most accurate… good power, low average and mediocre on-base percentage, tons of strikeouts. I’d rather see what LaPorta and Brantley can do, but that ain’t gonna happen.
Last year was also the first and only season in his career that he hit 30 homers.
Geez, at least Juan Gonzalez gave the team one at bat before breaking down on his return. Can’t the Tribe just release him now and avoid the nonsense of him taking at bats away from the young players who need them?
I’m hoping they start Brantley and the kid rips it up…he rips and rhymes, he rhyme and he rips…give me the best 5 leadoff hitters all time…
Brantley, Brantley, Brantley, BRANTLEY, and brantley.
(hopes someone understands that)
no offense, but I think Cabrera is your #2 hitter, Sizemore 3, Choo 4, and Pronk 5th with Brantley leading off.
IMO.
@7 No excuses not to play Brantley now which is a good thing. The signing of Brantley didn’t make alot of sense before and now it makes even less. If the Indians wanted to spend the money they should have given Jermaine Dye a shot instead of Russell The Love Muscle.
At least Keith Foulke had the decency to retire and not keep all of the money he signed for. Sheesh. I didn’t know it was possible for me to hate Branyan anymore than I did.
@ #8 – there’s still one excellent reason not to play Brantley: major league service time. I still think you’ll see him in Columbus to start the season so that the team can squeeze out one more year of control.
And yes, this only makes a puzzling signing look even more puzzling/just plain bad. Does anyone wonder what the heck is going on with the Indians medical staff? Between giving contracts to injured players, having players continue to play through injuries to the detriment of the team and constant nagging injuries that don’t ever seem to go away…could this team possibly have the worst medical staff in baseball?
@DP Sheesh I forgot about Foulke I guess the signing of Branyan who was injured last year shouldn’t have come as any surprise. For a team with such fiscal concerns you’d think they’d be more careful huh?
I’m still finding that image of Branyan hilarious. Keep using it!
It’s not like we can’t field a team without [Branyan],” Shapiro said.
Hey, he only realized it a couple months too late! I guess this means a release is imminent.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Yet another great signing there Mark. So will we see 2005 all over again and let Brantley take the role of Sizemore and stay in the big leagues?
Coulod they have given Branyan a physican BEFORE they signed him?
Yeah, can we please use that picture for EVERY Russell story this season, in front of various backgrounds?
Yea like in front of a Bank cashing that check from the Dolans. Oh wait Branyan isn’t laughing in that picture, nevermind. 😉
I’m disappointed that out of the two linked stories at the bottom of the article, neither has this picture of Russ.
And the fact that the sequence is
“You might also like:
Russell Branyan’s addition will impact younger players”
In fact, I don’t like it. So much for your predicting power, WFNY bot thing.