The Grady Syndrome

The Indians’ fire sale of the past several weeks – which saw Mark De Rosa, Cliff Lee, Ben Francisco, Ryan Garko, Rafael Betancourt, Victor Martinez and Carl Pavano leave town – radically altered the roster and left fans with another who’s-not-who list of names to cheer for.

It also highlighted a peculiar perspective that many fans and members of the media seem to share: “Next thing you know, they’ll be trading Grady Sizemore.”

These are the same people who call Sizemore a perennial MVP candidate. And they’re the folks who are blinded by what I’ll call The Grady Syndrome.

Somehow, people with this affliction have lost touch with reality. They have convinced themselves that Grady is a superstar. Grady is one of the best hitters in the game. Grady is the best centerfielder in the game. Grady is the kind of guy you build a team around.

Sizemore is an exciting player. If you plopped him into the middle of the Yankees or Red Sox or Angels or Phillies lineups, there’s little doubt his stock would rise and he’d be an integral part of their teams.

But that’s not what’s happening in Cleveland. Not by any stretch.

Let’s be honest. In five-plus seasons, he has a lifetime batting average of .275. His career best is .290. That’s decent, but not superstar caliber. He’s won three Gold Gloves, and been to three All-Star games. Like I said, exciting. A solid pro. No doubt a great guy and a solid teammate.

But he’s not headed to Cooperstown, at least, not yet. Look, in his first five seasons, Rocky Colavito hit more than 40 home runs twice, drove in more than 100 runs twice, and even batted over .300 one season. He was on the cover of Time magazine (left) in August 1959. He went on to dazzle the baseball world with 45 homers and 140 RBIs for Detroit in 1961. He had superstar written all over him. But it never fully materialized, and there’s no place in the Hall of Fame for “The Rock.”

Sizemore has accomplished a lot, but nothing remotely close to what Colavito did in his first few years. That’s why it wouldn’t be a crime to trade Sizemore, any more than it was to trade Lee or Martinez. When you’re rebuilding, guys like Grady are exactly the kind of guys you deal. Good market value. Young. Enormous upside with a contender.

The Indians’ dilemma is that Mark Shapiro’s master plan for building a contender crashed and burned in the aftermath of the 2007 loss to the Red Sox in the ALCS. 2008 was a struggle, and 2009 has been a disaster. Left with a choice of trying to make do with what was left in the rubble or having to rebuild yet again, Shapiro chose to rebuild. It’s the better move, and his only real option.

And if the right offer came for the Tribe’s centerfielder, let’s hope Shapiro isn’t afflicted with The Grady Syndrome. Sizemore may yet be the centerpiece of the Indians’ next rebuilding effort; time will tell. But he’s far from untouchable.

THIS Is My Tribe?

Well, the dismantling of the Indians – at least, as we’ve known them the past few years – is complete. Victor Martinez was shipped to Boston today, on the heels of Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco going to Philadelphia, Ryan Garko going to San Francisco, and Rafael Betancourt journeying to Colorado. Wasn’t Mark DeRosa on the team at one point, too?

So, who’s left?

Let’s see, there’s a pitcher named Mike Gosling. Another named Tony Sipp. And don’t forget Jose Veras. Or Chris Perez.

At times, they’ll all have the chance to throw to Wyatt Toregas behind the point. Chris Gimenez, too, although he’s listed as an infielder.

Who? I mean, who?

There are three outfielders on the roster. One of them is Trevor Crowe. Talk about going from uncertainty to security; Crowe has to feel lucky to be in Cleveland during this fire sale.

Wow, what a season it’s been.

Fans are crying for Mark Shapiro’s head, but you really can’t blame the Indians’ general manager. This season is lost. And the pitching has been horrendous. Losing Lee is tough, but otherwise he surrendered some bats, and they can’t throw strikes. So stocking up on pitchers (nine of the 11 players obtained) revealed his strategy – fix the rotation, and fix the bullpen. Trust the guys who are here (Hafner, Cabrera, Sizemore, Choo, Peralta) to hit. Trust that one or two position players in the minors (LaPorta, Santana) develop into big league hitters. And hope that lightning strikes twice in the Shapiro era, and that this current crop of youngsters gets it done.

I’m not upset by it all, I’m really not. Admit it: The Indians weren’t going anywhere – this year, or next, or ever – not without better pitching. Now, we’ll sit back and watch to see if they can recharge their batteries and develop into a contender in a season or two.

Finally, how great was it to see the emotion Martinez showed after the trade? He could barely speak to reporters in the locker room. It was clear that when he said recently that he wanted to play his entire career in one uniform, he meant it. Martinez’s loyalty to the Indians, and his sadness over leaving the team regardless of their won-lost record, speaks volumes about him. Would that there were more players with his attitude in professional sports today.

Who'da thunk it? Barfield Back, Cabrera Gone

The merry-go-round continued for the Indians Monday, as Josh Barfield returned to the fold from his exile in Buffalo. Although hitting only .255 as the Bisons' leadoff hitter, Barfield will get the chance to win back the second base job that eluded him after a disastrous start in '07. Back to Buffalo, meanwhile, goes Asdrubal Cabrera, he of the sparkling glove and, this year, the .184 bat. It's simply a reversal of roles from a year ago, when the two switched places in the other direction and Cabrera sparked a late-season surge by the Tribe, both in the field and at the plate.

One wonders, though, if the tandem won't be together in Cleveland someday -- Barfield at second, Cabrera at short. Both have a long way to go before that scenario even hits the radar screen, however. For now, Barfield joins Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo as former Bisons now trying to lift the Tribe offense.

Cliff Lee did just enough to get the win Monday night in Detroit, earning the Indians a split of their four game series with the Tigers. Lee pitched around a one-hour rain delay to get in the required five innings and run his A.L.-leading record to 10-1. His excellence continues, as evidenced by his 2.52 ERA.

That's two series splits in a row, to Texas and Detroit. That's better than the awful 3-12 mark the Tribe posted while losing five consecutive series in the three preceding weeks.

Griffey belts #600

It was about time -- that's all I could think. There was a time when I, and just about everyone else, expected Ken Griffey Jr., not Barry Bonds, to challenge Hank Aaron's lifetime home run record. Fate had other ideas, as an injury-plagued Griffey watched the enigmatic Bonds pass him by. Still, 600 is 600, something only five other players have done, and Griffey's arrival in the club is long overdue. He's a sure first-ballot Hall of Famer, and one of the all-time greats, a member of the All-Century Team at age 29! By that time he had already amassed 398 home runs in 11 seasons with Seattle. Since then he's hit only 202 homers in nine years with Cincinnati. Who thought he would average only 22 home runs a season over that span? But it is what it is, as they say, and 600 home runs is certainly a cause for celebration, and a tip of the cap to one of the best ever.

Could the Indians' Bats Be Coming Alive?

The Indians exploded for 17 hits to outlast Texas, 15-9, in a wild one in Arlington Wednesday night. Manager Eric Wedge announced the other day that the Tribe's hitting slump was over, but that it wasn't obvious because the hits just weren't falling in, and the team wasn't winning. Well, they left no doubt last night.

Call it beginner's luck, call it the scouts not having had enough time to watch him, call it what you want, but Ben Francisco is on a tear. He was 5-for-6 Wednesday to raise his average to .343 on the season. Wherever the ball has been thrown, he's hit it, and usually hit it hard. Francisco has been a fixture in the lineup and will remain so as long as he's hitting. Amazing stat check: He already leads the Indians in doubles (13) despite having played in only half of the team's games.

Nice to see as well: Ryan Garko's 4-for-5, 6 RBI performance. He's bumped his average up to .260. Garko needs to continue his strong hitting for the Indians' offense to shift into high gear. And give David Dellucci credit. He had two more hits Wednesday, including his sixth home run, and he now has more RBIs this season (22) than Victor Martinez (20).

Speaking of RBIs, Casey Blake has managed to knock in 37 runs to lead the team, despite his low batting average. He's on a pace to drive in 100 runs, something he's never done in his career.

And what to make of Cliff Lee? The lefthander raised his season record to 9-1, while his ERA rose right with it, to 2.45. To be fair, Rangers Ballpark is a hitter's paradise, and Lee got knocked around for six runs before exiting after six, but still got the win. Over time, hitters adjust, too, so scouts are no doubt getting a line on Lee and forwarding it to their coaching staffs. It was nice to see Lee get the run support he needed Wednesday night after all the times he's bailed his teammates out this season. Here's hoping C.C. Sabathia gets the same tonight in the final game of the series.

Red Wings do it again...

A tip of the cap to the Detroit Red Wings, who defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 Wednesday night to capture their fourth Stanley Cup title in 11 seasons, and their first since 2002. They jumped out to an early lead and held off a furious Pittsburgh rally as time ran out.

But what a rally it was. Marion Hossa's power play goal with 1:27 remaining pulled the Penguins within one. Pittsburgh had already pulled Game 5 hero Marc-Andre Fleury from the net to create a 6-4 skating advantage, and they put on one last, furious attack to try to tie the game up as the seconds ticked away. Sidney Crosby's last second backhand attempt was deflected wide by Detroit goalie Chris Osgood, and Hossa's desperation attempt to tip it in trickled harmlessly across the crease as the horn sounded.

It was great theater, and a fitting end to a hard-fought, well-played series. The Penguins are young and likely to compete for the crown again next year. In the meantime, congratulations to the Red Wings, winners of the Stanley Cup for the eleventh time in franchise history.

A Snapshot of What Ails the Tribe

The Indians dropped another winnable game Wednesday, this one by a 6-5 score to the White Sox. Patrick McManamon wrote in today's Akron Beacon Journal that Eric Wedge was openly angry with his team after the game, as he should have been.

In addition to Wedge's frustration with reliever Rafael Betancourt -- something with which I have no firsthand knowledge but can't blame him for, either -- the skipper expressed disappointment, and rightfully so, with the final two at bats of the game, by Ben Francisco and Victor Martinez.

With one out in the ninth and runners at second and third, Francisco swung at the first pitch from Sox closer Bobby Jenks. The first pitch! Pop up, two outs.

Then Martinez, long the best hitter on the team, took a low and away pitch. On TV, Rick Manning mused that Jenks would waste another pitch and, if Martinez didn't bite, probably walk him to load the bases and create a force at any base.

He didn't have to. He wasted a pitch, alright -- high and outside, and Martinez bit. Pop fly to left, game over. You had to believe Manning's blood pressure rose a bit, watching that.

Let me issue a bit of a disclaimer here. I've coached sports at various levels for 30 years, most of it with kids. Yes, I've managed baseball teams. But I've never considered myself an expert at it. For that, I've attended seminars, and listened to those who have coached at levels far beyond mine. I also spent a couple of years broadcasting minor league baseball, and had the chance to talk about the game with coaches and players along the way.

One thing I've learned from it all, and tried to convey to teams I coached: When you've got a situation that's in your favor, be smart. Jenks was in trouble. Yes, he's good. But the Indians had the ideal situation. One out. Tying run on third. Winning run on second, in scoring position. Logic dictates that you work the count. Make Jenks throw strikes. Keep him on his heels. Wait for a mistake.

Instead, on three pitches, the game was over. No work. No sweat. No worries. Just, game over.

I was stunned, watching it. I'm sure Manning was stunned. The fans in the stands sure were. As Wedge himself put it, "They swung at pitches you're not going to be able to do anything with." And the Indians took that now customary long walk down the tunnel, while another opponent celebrated a win in a scene becoming all too familiar this season.

It needn't have been that way. But the Indians are shooting themselves in the foot with regularity. And it's mystifying.

I don't envy Wedge or Mark Shapiro right now. Who do you bench? Who do you send packing? What do you do to shake this team out of its lethargy before it's too late?

One is reminded of the two-bit carny hypnotist in "The Natural," who said, "Losing...is a disease."

He later added that it's "curable." For the Tribe's sake, let's hope so.

Platoon, Schmatoon

I've never been a big fan of the platoon. Somebody always gets nipped in the bud, and this time it was Jason Michaels' turn.

A serviceable .270 hitter in two previous seasons with the Indians, Michaels -- who I guess now qualifies as a "journeyman" -- was designated for assignment Monday. He was hitting only .207 in 58 at bats this season, making him vulnerable in this less-than-stellar early season for the Tribe.

Called up to fill his roster spot is the much-heralded Ben Francisco, who himself was hitting only .228 in 92 at bats for Triple-A Buffalo. However, he won the International League batting title last year at .318, and came in at .274 in limited callup duty for Cleveland, so it's time to put him to the test for good.

GM Mark Shapiro said that Francisco will get a lot of time in right and left fields, and that he's "not a strict platoon guy."

Well, let's hope not. Platoons are agonizing. Michaels really didn't have a chance to do much, with 58 intermittent at bats this season. Either you've got the horses, or you don't. Play your best nine. If you're a championship team, it will show. If you're not, it won't.

It's early, and no time to panic. But the Tribe bats had better make some noise this month. Travis Hafner's '07 funk has, unfortunately, extended into this season (.209 through 110 at bats). Jhonny Peralta (.216), Casey Blake (.202) and Asdrubal Cabrera (.191) have yet to heat up. As Harry Doyle might put it, the Tribe offense has been offensive -- just not in the right way.

Hopefully, Francisco will help. But please, not as part of a platoon. David Dellucci's a pro, but no moreso than Michaels. Give Francisco a shot, and see what happens.

In the meantime, good luck to Jason Michaels. A .277 lifetime hitter deserves a job somewhere.