While We’re Waiting … New York Giants Prep, Browns’ 0-4 Starts, Indians Changes Ahead

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

A usual CLE writer shares his thoughts on a bigger stage about one key difference between the Browns and Giants: “On Sunday, the Browns face the defending Super Bowl-champion Giants. Though QB Eli Manning gets most of the publicity, he, like any quarterback, wouldn’t be where he is today without his wide receivers. … For the Browns, they still haven’t been able to find a No. 1 receiver, let alone build the Giants’ championship-level depth at the position (remember, New York was gluttonous enough at the position to let Mario Manningham leave through free agency). And now, with the injury bug biting the Browns’ wide receivers — this includes Josh Cribbs (concussion), Travis Benjamin (hamstring) and Mohamed Massaquoi (hamstring) — the time for a true No. 1 receiver to emerge has been expedited to right now.” [Steve DiMatteo/Pro Football Weekly]

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A nice back-and-forth with a great Browns writer and Ed Valentine from Big Blue View: “Chris: ‘If you could name one area or position that the Giants have underachieved in through four games, what would it be?’ Ed: ‘That has to be the secondary, where Corey Webster has not played well and injuries have forced reserve cornerbacks Justin Tryon and Michael to play too many snaps.'” [Chris Pokorny/Dawgs By Nature]

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Looking at history repeating itself this coming Sunday: “Really, it’s grasping at straws to even think about it, but we have to think about it. The fifth game of the year for the Cleveland Browns is against the New York Giants, the defending World Champions. Hey, the formula is there, and history can repeat itself, right? A hapless Browns team can take this team behind the woodshed, and beat them like they stole something, just like last time. It may not be a Monday Night game, but they’re getting CBS’s #1 announcing duo, so it’s pretty much the same.” [Jeff Rich/River Burn]

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This is a pretty cool like at the differences between now and the last time the Brownies started 0-4: “After playing four games in the span of 18 days, the Cleveland Browns find themselves at the quarter-mark of the 2012 NFL season. The Browns are 0-4 for the second time in the last four years … The last time the Browns started the season this poorly, in 2009, they were outscored by 69 points in the first four games (an average of 17.25 points a game); while this year the four losses have come by a total of just 25 points. While 0-4 is not what you want to see from the guys in Orange and Brown, things are certainly better than they were in 2009 – maybe not playoff-caliber better, but better nonetheless.” [Thomas Moore/The Cleveland Fan]

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Fare thee well, Omar: “For anyone in college or just beyond, Omar Vizquel WAS the Indians in the 90s. He arrived in a trade from Seattle in 1993, right before the Jacobs Field Era began. Omar came in with little fanfare; he hit a decent .252 in his first five years with Seattle and won a Gold Glove that final season. In Cleveland, Omar did it all (except hit for power). He became a dependable contact hitter and force on the basepaths. The field, however, was where Omar built his legacy.” [Corey Barnes/Buckeye Nerd]

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I think I could read Castro all day, every day. Either way, here he is with his latest Tribe talk on the 10 most pressing offseason decision topics: “TERRY FRANCONA/SANDY ALOMAR JR.: We can’t rule out the possibility that others get involved in the managerial search, but for now all we can do is focus on these two. And if Francona is as interested in this job as he’s been telling people, I humbly and happily rescind everything I wrote in this space a week ago. I think Alomar is absolutely deserving of this opportunity, and I think a team in the Indians’ position – a team that will be young, by default, in 2013 – can afford to go with a rookie skipper. But if Francona really wants in, I think you’ve got to bring him aboard.” [Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com]

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Tony Lastoria is usually one of the most optimistic/pro-administration Indians writers out there. But for his annual awards recap, he always gives out a Disappointment of the Year, and the team’s 2011 second-rounder takes home the gold this season: “Dillon Howard (RHP – Arizona) 1-7, 7.90 ERA, 12 G (10 GS), 41.0 IP, 65 H, 53 R (36 ER), 3 HR, 18 BB, 35 K, .348 BAA — Howard came into the season ranked as the Indians #3 prospect by IPI. There was a lot of excitement over him because many felt he was a first round talent the Indians got in the second round of the 2011 Draft, but things never got off on the right foot for him this year. He did not come into camp in the best of shape, struggled with a knee injury in spring training that set him back, and then had a right elbow issue in extended spring that slowed him. All of that set him back and really affected his performance the entire time he was out in Arizona as the velocity and command were just not there on a consistent basis.” [Tony Lastoria/Indians Prospect Insider]

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Finally, here’s a quick primer and some thoughts from the Nebraska side of the field before Saturday’s big game: “This Saturday night, the newbie of the B1G rolls into Columbus, in search of another victory over the Buckeyes. Their historic comeback against the Buckeyes in Lincoln last year was heartbreaking for Ohio State, who now comes into the game with a chip on their shoulder. Despite an unexpected loss to the Bruins in Week 2, the Huskers have made some improvements, and their second greatest comeback in program history, against the Badgers last week. Here to dissect this 2012 Huskers team, and what to expect to see in the Shoe on Saturday, we welcome Erin Sorensen of Bleacher Report, and Husker Extraordinaire.” [Elika Sadeghi/Eleven Warriors]