The Cavs Will Win It All; the Tribe and Browns, Not So Much

As I write this entry, the Cavs have opened up a 13-2 lead to start the season opener against Boston.

But that's not why I'm going out on a limb and saying that Cleveland will win the NBA title this year. Nor is it Shaq. Or Anthony Parker. Or Jamario Moon. Although, those three will make a huge difference, as I said last time.

It's because the Cavs lost to the Orlando Magic in last year's Eastern Conference finals. Face it, they didn't expect that to happen. They were supremely confident, and certain that they were going to make it to the Finals -- and win.

They didn't. It was a tough pill to swallow. But it was the last piece of humble pie that they needed to eat, apparently. I wrote about this in detail in an article on BleacherReport.com.

Acta Skips the 'Stros to Skip the Tribe

OK, so the Indians went ahead and hired Manny Acta as their new manager. I was skeptical about Acta last time, but, now that the deed is done, I'll be pulling for him to do well.

Acta -- unlike, say, Bobby Valentine (what was his deal, anyway?) -- said all the right things after his interviews. He talked like he was enthusiastic about the Indians and wanted the job badly, and then put his money where his mouth was.

He says the Tribe has great young talent. I'll take his word for it. No question, Acta's appeal had a lot to do with his Latino heritage, and the fact that the Indians' system is loaded with Latino players.

But Acta has his work cut out for him. Not only does he need to nurture the Tribe's young talent, he has to win over a cynical fan base in Cleveland. It seems like longer than two years ago that the Indians were on the verge of advancing to the World Series, but that's all it was -- two years ago, in 2007.

Cleveland fans are jaded. Add in the debacle that is the Browns, and it doesn't make the situation any easier for the Tribe's new skipper. It will be an interesting offseason and crucial spring training for Acta as he begins his tenure at Progressive Field.

Anderson? Why?

Derek Anderson followed up a pitiful game in Buffalo with equally pitiful games against Pittsburgh and Green Bay. To his credit, he got the Browns a win, somehow. But he's not exactly instilling confidence in the Cleveland faithful.

No point laboring the statistical comparison to Brady Quinn. Quinn's number's in 10 quarters of play are better -- significantly so, some would say -- than Anderson's have been in the 18 since.

The 31-3 loss to the Packers has been called by some the worst Browns performance since their return to the league in 1999. And Anderson was at the helm. Yet Eric Mangini won't budge in his commitment to D.A.

Apparently, Quinn's window of opportunity in Cleveland has been closed. If so, it was shockingly short. But why? Anderson is proving he's not the answer.

At this rate, Mangini would be better off cutting his losses and going to his third QB, Jets import Brett Ratliff.

Or, he could do something interesting and go with Josh Cribbs. Make it a wildcat offense on every play. Cribbs was Kent State's quarterback for four years. Could he possibly be worse than what we've witnessed? One thing's for certain: He wouldn't be as boring, and the team would likely score some points.

What a sad state of affairs for a once proud franchise.

Whatever. At least the Cavs are back, and for that, Cleveland fans can be grateful.

A Dark Day on the Lakefront

This is what it has come to.

In the same day, all three Cleveland sports teams dominated local news and garnered national media attention, each with bizarre twists that seemingly can only happen in Cleveland – at the same time, anyway.

The Indians? They fired manager Eric Wedge…but said he and his staff will stay on to finish the season. “In this game, situations often dictate decisions, and often the blame or the change occurs in one place when the reasons for that and the accountability for that lies throughout an organization,” said GM Mark Shapiro, stopping short of resigning himself.

The Browns? After spending five months conducting a quarterback contest between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, and choosing Quinn to be the starter, Eric Mangini reversed himself and switched to Anderson. Of his new starter’s 30-minute, three-interception relief appearance against Baltimore, Mangini said, “He did some good things.” Well, so did the captain of the Titanic.

The Cavs? Starting guard Delonte West remained a no-show at training camp, somehow knocking the LeBron James-Shaquille O’Neal pairing off the front pages for the second straight day. Because West continues to battle depression and various inner demons, I’m inclined to leave this one alone.

Nonetheless, for Cleveland sports fans this was – to borrow a phrase from my favorite funny man, Lewis Black – the “trifecta from hell.” Think about it: All in Cleveland? All in the same day? Really?

Some thoughts:

Regarding Wedge, Shapiro and team president Paul Dolan were correct in the vaguely describing the firing as, well, “the tried and true way of baseball.” Right or wrong, that is how it works. When the house is tumbling down around you and you need to give the impression of making a quick fix, you fire the manager – and they did. That’s not to say Wedge didn’t have it coming. His teams’ perennial slow starts, coupled with his frequently odd personnel decisions and lineup switcheroos, have a lot to do with the current mess. But, to his credit, Wedge conducted himself with class over the whole thing. He wanted to know his status now for next year, and they told him. Case closed. He’ll move on, probably to something better. And he’ll collect $1.25 million next year, regardless. Why do I get the feeling he’s getting the good end of this deal?

Regarding Anderson…who cares, really? I’ve been in favor of giving Quinn a chance, and am not persuaded that 10 quarters of football as the starter constitutes “a chance.” On the other hand, it’s becoming apparent that Quinn is not the kind of quarterback who is capable of rallying a miserable team to play above its skill level (think Culpepper, McNabb or Vick in their primes). Passes have been sailing behind or over targets, and others have been surprisingly wobbly. Perhaps his confidence has taken a beating playing for the Browns (who’s hasn’t?), but still, he’s struggled. So it’s back to Anderson, and…who cares? Honestly, being a Browns fan in Northeast Ohio has become surreal. Since 1999 they’ve been a shell of what the franchise was before the Modell move, and it’s not unusual anymore to see Steelers memorabilia worn and displayed in neighborhoods from Cleveland to Canton and all points in between. That never would have happened in the Jim Brown-Brian Sipe-Bernie Kosar eras. But it happens now, and, sadly, people care less and less and less.

Regarding West, as I said, I’m inclined to leave this one alone. He says he’s troubled, the Cavs openly admit it, so I believe it. Getting arrested riding a motorcycle (something banned by his contract) and carrying three firearms (something banned by common sense, if not a few laws or ordinances) is a clear warning signal. West was present for media day earlier in the week, then disappeared from view. All the Cavs are saying is that GM Danny Ferry has been in touch with West and had at least one long conversation with him. His teammates are expressing support and letting him know, publicly, that he’s always welcome back. It’s all you can do, and the Cavs – Cleveland’s beacon of hope in an otherwise stormy sports sea – seem, as usual, to be handling the situation with respect and professionalism. The question confronting them is, How long can they ride out this storm before it has a permanently negative effect on the team?

Anyway, I’m amazed at all that happened Wednesday. I don’t know if September 30, 2009, was a day that will go down in Cleveland sports infamy, or what. But it was some kind of day, that’s for sure.

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.

One Down, Two to Go

Another out-of-this-world performance by LeBron James allowed Cavs fans to exhale Thursday night as Cleveland topped Orlando 112-102, to stay alive in the Eastern Conference Finals. This ridiculous stat line: 37 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists.

Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith cautioned on the TNT postgame show that LeBron can't possibly do that every game; it will simply wear him down. In the fourth quarter, he scored or assisted in 32 of the team's 34 points. But as James said to Craig Sager after the game, losing just wasn't an option.

So it's back to Orlando for Game Six on Saturday night. If you're the Cavs, you know you did what you had to do, battling out a win. If you're Orlando, you feel confident knowing you're going home with a chance to close it out.

You have to pay attention to what Barkley, Smith and Reggie Miller said after the game, however. They played in the NBA and know first-hand the rigors of the pro game. Their concern: Have you ever seen anyone do what James did -- dominate the fourth quarter completely and control every offensive play in the period -- for three straight games?

Miller added a great observation about Daniel Gibson, Wally Szczerbiak and Mo Williams: Is their game going to travel? Will they be able to contribute in a do-or-die game against a hot team on the road?

Williams, in particular, was superb Thursday night, with 24 points, including six three-pointers. Can he do it again Saturday? Gibson tossed in three triples. Can he do the same in a hostile arena? If so, the Cavs have a chance. If not, it may be too much to expect James to hoist the team onto his shoulders yet another time.

Speaking of Gibson, it was great to see him finally resemble the player he was supposed to be this whole season. So is it really necessary for him to mug with the three-finger salute and grin on his face after making his shots? Really? We've all gone from expecting him to hit those shots, to holding our breath when he pulls the trigger. He's as relieved as we are when they go in. So, ditch the mugging, Daniel. Win this series first, OK?

And as for Barkley, Smith and Miller on TNT; when you stop and think, they're a living, breathing illustration of how hard it is to win an NBA championship. Guess which one of the three did it? Kenny Smith. Look again. Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller, as great as they were, never won a title. It's not an easy thing to do, and individual greatness only goes so far in such a team sport.

The Indians: Remember Them?

It's been too easy to ignore the Cleveland Indians thus far this spring. A terrible start has had them languishing in the A.L. Central cellar since Opening Day. However, they just completed a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, including an improbable ninth-inning comeback in an 11-10 win on Memorial Day. They're still in last place, but a sweep's a sweep, and they're showing signs of life. Still, it's a little depressing to think about the prospect of the Cavs bowing out right now and our having to endure a long, hot summer with the suddenly feeble Tribe.

Go Cavs. Please.

Feel-Good Stories from a Not-So-Good Tribe Season

Now that the Indians' every-other-year funk is out of the way, a few upbeat notes from an otherwise disappointing season:

Cliff Lee. Duh.

Kelly Shoppach. Talk about taking advantage of an opportunity. The guy proved that he's an every-day big league catcher. Anybody notice that his 21 homers was tops among A.L. catchers? One of the best acquisitions the Indians have made this decade.

Jamey Carroll. Don't look now, but Carroll (left) had a better batting average than Grady Sizemore or Ben Francisco. Again, he took advantage of an opportunity (when Asdrubal Cabrera fizzled early and Josh Barfield went down with an injury) and made the most of it. Whodathunkit?

Shin-Soo Choo. Quietly the best hitter on the team down the stretch. In fact, in just over half a season, he had 14 homers, 66 RBI and 68 runs scored to go along with a team-best .309 batting average. Should come into 2009 with a starting outfield spot all sewn up.

Jhonny Peralta. I wasn't exactly in his camp early in the season, but he settled down and put up some solid numbers (like Carroll, posting a better batting average than Sizemore). I'm not a big fan of his at short -- I happen to think that his growth spurt a few years ago hindered his quickness and mobility -- and hope that he meant what he said this week when he told reporters he'd be willing to consider a move to third base if that's what's best for the team. Good for him. He would instantly become a solid presence at the hot corner, both defensively and offensively.

Grady Sizemore. I'm torn on this one, because his batting average took a disconcerting drop, but he still managed to put up big numbers for an average team. A career-best 33 homers, with 90 RBI and 38 stolen bases. Excellent defense, tremendous hustle. Cornerstone of the team.

Jensen Lewis. Hey, he produced as the closer when asked to do so. After the nail-biting adventures of Joe Borowski and company all season, Lewis got the job done, with 13 saves and a 3.82 ERA. Don't know if he'll be there next year, but the team could do worse, as we all know.

Scott Lewis. OK, call it beginner's luck. But he pitched like a seasoned veteran at the end of the season. In fact, he was as good or better than Cliff Lee in his late-season starts. Maybe it was a flash-in-the-pan thing, I don't know. But it was fun to watch, after a year of disappointments.

Casey Blake and CC Sabathia. Both good guys, who left fond memories behind, and now are in the N.L. playoffs. Good for them, and give Mark Shapiro credit for sending them places where they had a chance to taste the postseason. I hope they meet in the N.L. Championship Series, and may the best man win from there.

Finally, does anyone remember Jorge Velandia? It was that kind of season in 2008....

Random Thoughts for the Week

Some random thoughts that have occurred to me over the week:

How cool is it that Greg Norman continued to play brilliantly through the second round of the British Open, just one stroke off the lead? I’ll tell you how cool: At 53, he’s two years older than I am. That's not necessarily old -- except in golfing terms. To compete in a major at his age is amazing. To win it would be legendary. Then again, it is the British Open, once his favorite stomping ground. Besides, is it any wonder he’s playing great? He recently married again, to tennis legend Chris Evert. Hey, at least he didn’t marry her for her money. Go get ’em, Greg…

Don’t know why I never commented on the men’s Wimbledon final, but Rafael Nadal (left) and Roger Federer put on a show for the ages. It reminded me in so many ways of Borg-McEnroe in 1980, and even the Borg-Connors slugfests before that. The match was wonderful and awe-inspiring and may, over time, live up to Sports Illustrated’s breathless, instant labeling as “the greatest match ever played.” (No hype among today’s media, is there?) Nadal and Federer are great for men’s tennis – moreso than is the awkward pairing on the women's side of the Williams sisters, who, despite their greatness, make it difficult to watch with enthusiasm when they play against one another in a major final. It’s not fair to say that, but even they admit it. Nadal-Federer, meanwhile, will rank with the greatest rivalries in the history of sport. Just great to watch, anywhere, any time…

How stupid is it that Josh Hamilton is not the 2008 Home Run Derby champion? The other contestants should have just walked off and conceded after his stunning first round performance, during which he blasted 28 long balls. This was more awesome than what Bobby Abreu did a few years ago; Hamilton’s tape-measure shots had the Yankee Stadium crowd, and a national TV audience, gasping in amazement. (Not to mention Chris Berman, who, I do believe, would gasp in amazement announcing a turtle race.) So, Justin Morneau was the derby champion, huh? Yeah, right…

Let’s see now: James Posey gets tons of press as a possible free agent signing for the Cavs…and signs with New Orleans. Baron Davis? The Clippers. Elton Brand? Dealt to the Sixers. Even Corey Maggette signed with Golden State. Some major names have moved already, and so far the Cavs are standing pat. Michael Redd remains a possibility, but, with the addition of Richard Jefferson to the Bucks’ roster, it looks less likely that Redd will end up in a Cavaliers uniform. I appreciate that the Cavs pushed Boston to the limit in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but the fact is that it was just the semifinals, and the Celtics went on to win it all. The Cavs can’t afford to stand pat with the roster they have. Signing Daniel Gibson (left) to a long-term deal was a solid and necessary move, but more will be required if the Cavs are to compete for an NBA championship…

Hate to see Joe Jurevicius lose a third of the season to knee surgery, but that’s the way it is. It's hard to quantify the leadership and grit he brings to the Browns. He’s a crafty, veteran receiver, and I guarantee you that his influence rubbed off on his younger counterparts last year. It’s not likely he has a lot of time left. Here’s hoping he can come back and contribute in ’08. (By the way, has anybody else wondered if Jurevicius [left] and Drew Bledsoe [right] were separated at birth?)...

Finally, Asdrubal Cabrera (left) is back with the Tribe, and deservedly so. His month in Buffalo produced a .326 batting average, with four homers and 13 RBI. He’ll probably displace Jamey Carroll at second base, which is a shame because Carroll has been a consummate pro since taking over the everyday duties. What’s interesting to contemplate is how long it will be before Cabrera is the Tribe shortstop. He played short in 29 of the 34 games he played with the Bisons, and it’s my hunch that he hit better because he was playing a position he enjoys more, not because AAA pitchers are that much worse than big leaguers. If Eric Wedge is going to experiment with the rest of this season, why not move Jhonny Peralta to third (do we really need to see any more of Andy Marte?) and install Cabrera at short? Peralta has turned into a power and RBI machine since being moved to the cleanup spot in the order. That’s more suited to a third baseman. So make the move and get ready for ’09.

And that’s all I have to say about all that.

Tribe Shows C.C. 'La Porta'

The confirmation today of the news that C.C. Sabathia had been traded by the Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers brought recollections of the deal in 2002 that sent Bartolo Colon to the Montreal Expos. A flame-throwing, top-of-the-rotation pitcher who promised to be difficult to re-sign, sent packing in exchange for some solid prospects.

In Colon's case, the Tribe stole some bonafide major leaguers right out from under the Expos' (now Nationals) noses. In addition to journeyman Lee Stevens, Cleveland nabbed then-minor leaguers Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips. The company line has always been that Eric Wedge and the Indians had their reasons for parting with Phillips in 2006, but the guy would sure look good in a Cleveland uniform right about now. In his third year in Cincinnati, he's been a .285 hitter during that span. Meanwhile, Lee and Sizemore will represent the Indians in this year's All-Star Game.

In today's deal, the Indians received four minor leaguers in return for Sabathia. The centerpiece of the deal for Cleveland is Matt LaPorta (left), an outfielder/first baseman considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball. LaPorta, thought to be on the fast track to the big leagues, was batting .288 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in 84 games for Huntsville, Milwaukee's AA minor league affiliate. (Note to Ryan Garko: No need to check out the picture to see Mr. LaPorta. Just look over your shoulder.)

The other prospects shipped to Cleveland in the deal -- pitchers Rob Bryson and Zach Jackson, plus a player to be named later -- will be discussed by others, elsewhere, ad nauseum. The bottom line is, Sabathia's gone. And there was little that Tribe G.M. Mark Shapiro could do about it. The big lefty seems set on testing the free agent market (remember, he turned down an extension during spring training that would have paid him $18 million a year), so the Indians had to get something in return rather than letting Sabathia leave the way Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez did over the years.

This is the reality of small-market baseball. A few years ago Shapiro was pointing to 2005 as the year he expected the Indians to blossom into a contender. Sure enough, by 2007 they were again the A.L. Central Champs, and came within a whisker of another trip to the World Series. But this year it all came tumbling down, and the rebuilding begins all over again.

C.C. was solid, if not always spectacular, for the Indians over the years. His departure, coupled with injuries to Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook, leaves the once-vaunted Indians pitching rotation depleted and scrambling for cover. Such is the life of a team caught once again in the "rebuilding" cycle.

A friend of mine is a lifelong Pirates fan, and he concedes that there's no reason for the team's ownership to field a winning team. They're a small market, and fans support the team as it is -- so why go out of the way to bring in big-name talent at big-name prices? The Indians' situation is similar. If LaPorta or one (or more) of the other prospects develops, great. If not, the team (and their affiliate network, SportsTime Ohio), make money regardless. What more could an owner want?

Grady Being Grady, and Tiger Being. . .Well, You Know

One of the mysteries of the first two months of the baseball season was the inability of Grady Sizemore to get things rolling. The Indians' centerfielder is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the majors, and, with a batting average hovering around .250, he was performing at a level far below expectations.

That's changed of late, and, with it, so have the Tribe's offensive fortunes. He's not alone in picking things up, of course. Ryan Garko, Jamey Carroll and Casey Blake have shown important signs of life as well, to go along with the solid hitting of Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo.

But as Grady goes, so goes the Tribe, and his hot streak continues of late, just as -- no coincidence here -- the Indians have won two consecutive series. His batting average has gradually climbed to .266, and his 17 home runs (five in his last five games) rank second in the American League.

Baby steps, to be sure, but Sizemore must continue to sizzle if the Indians are to climb back into contention in the A.L. Central.

Playoff classic

When we last wrote about the U.S. Open, Tiger Woods had just climbed back into contention after a remarkable finish to Saturday's third round. It's no surprise that he sank a putt to tie Rocco Mediate and force an 18-hole playoff, and no surprise that he won that playoff to claim his 14th major victory.

But what a great story. Mediate was Everyman for a day, if not for a weekend, and twice almost pulled out the victory -- once on Sunday, and again on Monday. His engaging demeanor and the way he handled the spotlight with such optimism and grace made the golf world fall in love with him, and, truth be told, root for him to win the first major of his career. Mediate has 15 PGA Tour victories, so he's no slouch, but he's also 45, and only the Nicklauses of the world won majors that late in their career. Well, maybe until Tiger is that age.

Mediate battled Woods tooth-and-nail throughout the day and actually led the playoff by one stroke heading to the 18th hole. But he drove his tee shot into a bunker and opened the door for Woods to tie it up, which, of course, he did. No one handles the pressure of the big stage better than Tiger Woods. One extra hole was all that was needed for him to wrap up his 65th career win, which, oh by the way, moved him past Ben Hogan for third place on the all time list, eight behind Jack Nicklaus and 17 behind Sam Snead.

An honor for C.C.

Amidst all the contract talk -- will the Indians trade him or keep him? -- C.C. Sabathia was honored as the A.L.'s Player of the Week Monday, after winning a 1-0 complete game victory over Minnesota last Wednesday and outdeuling Greg Maddux and the San Diego Padres on Sunday. He issued only one walk in 17 innings in the two games, while fanning 15 to pass Charles Nagy on the team's all-time strikeout list. Sabathia leads the A.L. with 97 strikeouts in 99-1/3 innings pitched (also a league best).

The Big Hurt of 2008

Along with the news Thursday of Victor Martinez heading to the disabled list came the double-whammy item of Josh Barfield, he of the Monday call-up from Buffalo, heading to the DL as well. Barfield sprained the middle finger on his left hand trying to check his swing Wednesday. Poor guy couldn’t even last a week in his latest audition as the Tribe’s second baseman. So Jamey Carroll (left) takes over, and the honest truth is he’s been as dependable as anyone else in the infield. Carroll had four hits in Thursday’s drubbing of the Twins and was 8-for-9 in the three-game set to raise his season average to .273. Stephanie Storm of the Akron Beacon Journal recently wrote a nice article about Carroll that’s worth a read.

Martinez’s faulty elbow came as news this week, although he’s apparently been plagued by it much of the year. Why he and the team weren’t more forthcoming about the problem earlier in the season is anybody’s guess. Has it affected his hitting? “Just look at the numbers and you’ll see,” he said Thursday. Trainer Lennie Soloff said Martinez has been playing in pain and didn’t want to come out of the lineup. Nobody does, but doesn’t there come a time when you have to pull a guy for his own good?

The Beacon Journal’s Sheldon Ocker quoted manager Eric Wedge in today’s edition as saying that “whether you shut a guy down depends on whether he is better than the alternative.” Wouldn’t the player’s overall health and well-being be more of a factor? One presumes Wedge considers that a given, but, the way the team kept sending the likes of Martinez and Travis Hafner onto the field with injuries this season, one also wonders.

Meanwhile, it comes to this: Called up from Buffalo to replace Martinez and Barfield were -- wait for it -- catcher Yamid Haad and infielder Jorge Velandia. Haad was hitting .159 with the Bisons, although he did hit .301 in 35 games last year. He’d previously been to the majors with San Francisco. Velandia, shown here wearing a Pirates hat when he was in their minor league system in 2005, was signed last month after being released by Toronto and was hitting .235 in 16 games at Buffalo. He’s also suited up for San Diego, the Mets, Oakland and Tampa Bay in his career. (Question: Should the fact that Asdrubal Cabrera was left in Buffalo be interpreted as a statement by Tribe brass about this season?)

POLITENESS AWARD: Referring Thursday to the absence of Hafner and Martinez, Ben Francisco said, “We have to be tough with our two biggest hitters out of the lineup.” It was a nice thing to say, considering Francisco has actually been the biggest hitter in the lineup.

ENCOURAGING NEWS: Grady Sizemore has been swinging a hot bat of late. He’s batted .342 (13-for-38) with three homers and six RBI during a nine-game hitting streak. . .Jake Westbrook had Tommy John surgery Thursday in Los Angeles to repair his right elbow. See you in 2010, Jake. . .Fausto Carmona is expected to make a rehab start next week. . .Aaron Laffey picked up his fourth win last night in the 12-2 shellacking of Minnesota. His ERA is 2.83. If Jeremy Sowers can make a strong showing tonight in the series opener against San Diego, perhaps the pitching will hold things together yet this season. . .Still, you have to wonder how long C.C. Sabathia will be in a Tribe uniform. Despite three straight losses by the White Sox, the Indians are 6-1/2 games out, and the spate of injuries doesn’t bode well for the stretch run. As Tribe fans learned with Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome, there’s no hometown discount when it comes to star players and contract negotiations. If the Indians can get value for Sabathia as they look to 2009, you couldn’t blame Mark Shapiro for pulling the trigger on a deal that brings some solid prospects or experienced big leaguers to get things back on track.

Random Notes

The LeCharles Bentley era in Cleveland ended before it started. A mysterious tour with the Browns came to an abrupt halt Wednesday when he asked for, and was granted, his release. Go figure on this one. Bentley didn't say much, and neither did the Browns. What was said was rather cryptic, on the part of all parties. GM Phil Savage called it "a chapter that finally comes to an end," said the team had "some closure" and acknowledged that it "just didn't work out." Asked by the Plain Dealer's Marla Ridenour if he had requested his release, Bentley replied, "Why would I do that?" OK, we get it, everybody's saying the right things. But this had to be one of the weirdest odysseys in Browns history. Well, it's over. Good luck to Bentley, and Go Browns. . . .

2008 has gradually shaped up to be a season that Victor Martinez would rather forget. A .278 batting average, with no homers and 21 RBIs? Hardly Martinez-like numbers. He strained a hamstring on Opening Day, and it's clear he's never been 100 percent since. Now he's scheduled to have an MRI on a right elbow inflammation that forced him out of Wednesday's loss to Minnesota. It flared up after an awkward swing in the first inning. Manager Eric Wedge later revealed that the elbow has been an issue for Martinez for a while. The question now is whether the combination of the hamstring and the elbow might land Martinez on the disabled list. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, a tip of the cap to Aaron Laffey. The young lefthander moved into the starting rotation when Jake Westbrook was lost to injury. Laffey was honored as the AL Rookie Pitcher of the Month for May, when he was 3-2 with a 0.79 ERA. Opponents hit just .220 against him over 34 innings during the month. Overall he's now 3-3 with a 2.98 ERA, and has most likely cemented his stay in Cleveland. . . .

Apparently Stark County's Kosta Koufos made a wise decision when he chose to leave Ohio State for the NBA after just one season. Word is his stock continues to rise and that he's looked good in personal workouts for NBA teams. Winning the MVP while helping lead Ohio State to the 2008 NIT Championship was a stroke of timing genius. Todd Porter of the Canton Repository recently wrote that NBA teams are focusing on wingspan more than height when it comes to big men in the draft. In other words, the fact that Koufos is a shade over seven feet tall is one thing; but the fact that his wingspan is almost 7'6" is more significant. Koufos has excellent skills for a post player, including his ball handling and his outside shooting ability. A number of mock drafts have Koufos going in the first round -- in at least one of those, to Cleveland. He'd be an intriguing pickup for the Cavaliers, who will need to groom a replacement for Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the next couple of years. If he falls to them in the draft, it could be another gift from the basketball gods for the franchise. . . .

An interesting side note to the NBA Finals is the presence of Ira Newble on the Lakers' roster. The former Cavalier, traded to Seattle in the deal that brought Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak to Cleveland, later signed with the Lakers and is enjoying a second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. He's mostly a practice player and has logged a grand total of one minute in the postseason for L.A., but he's admittedly got the best seat in the house for the grand stage, and, if nothing else, he can boast of playing with the two best players in the league -- LeBron James and Kobe Bryant -- over the last two seasons. And Newble isn't alone as a former Cavalier enjoying the ride -- Chris Mihm is still with the Lakers, also in a benchwarming role. The two were teammates in Cleveland during the 2003-04 season.

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.

The Triple Crown Remains as Elusive as Ever

Big Brown was a big bust at the Belmont. The disappointment hung like a cloud over the track and, one sensed, over just about anyone viewing on television. From the start, he was in an awkward position, as Da' Tara jumped in front and moved to the rail. At one point it appeared that Big Brown made contact with the leader and had to pull back a bit. A move to the outside around the first turn seemed to give Big Brown the position he would need to surge to the front, but the surge never came. As the crowed roared in the hope that the colt would put on a burst of speed around the far turn, Big Brown instead began to fade. Jockey Kent Desormeaux eased up and guided him home at the back of the pack, knowing the "foregone conclusion" of a victory -- so arrogantly proclaimed by trainer Rick Dutrow -- was not to be.

As much as anything, the result confirmed the greatness of the 11 previous Triple Crown winners, along with the realization of how difficult a feat it is to pull off racing's hallowed trifecta. In the 1970s we were spoiled, first by the incomparable Secretariat, then by Seattle Slew and Affirmed. Three Triple Crown winners in one decade. . .and none in the 30 years since. The schedule -- three races in six weeks -- along with the varying distances and track conditions make it a grueling test. And seeing Big Brown simply run out of gas was a testament to how truly great Secretariat was. Just recalling Chic Anderson's famous call of Secretariat's blowout victory at the '73 Belmont ("He is moving like a tremendous machine!") elicits chills. (Watch it here -- it's simply amazing.)

But Big Brown wasn't up to the task, joining the ranks of recent predecessors like Funny Cide and Smarty Jones. Da' Tara won for only the second time in eight starts, a 38-1 long shot stealing the show on a day when racing fans longed for a coronation. Casino Drive, considered earlier in the week to be Brown's biggest threat, was scratched because of a bruise on his left hind foot. Once that news became known, people were expecting to witness history. But it wasn't to be.

It's disappointing, in one way. But folks in the racing game weren't crying. While expressing admiration for Big Brown, few sympathized with Dutrow or his employers, International Equine Acquisitions Holdings. To find out why, read Peter Thomas Fornatale's op-ed piece in Saturday's New York Times.

Are the Indians still playing?

Well, sure. It's just hard to get excited about them, that's all.

One day, they pummel an opponent. The next, they lose. Then they win. Then they lose. And so on. And so on. And so on.

Yesterday they couldn't hold on in a tight game at Detroit. Rafael Betancourt (left), who has been as terrible this year as he was amazing last, erased all doubt by surrendering a late grand slam in an 8-4 loss. Well, thanks, Rafael. The suspense was killing me, anyway.

Step back for a moment and it's easy to see that this season ain't exactly on cruise control. The Tribe's number one starter is 3-8, their number two starter in on the disabled list, and their number three starter, Jake Westbrook, is now out for the season. Their number three hitter, who hasn't exactly been hitting, is on the DL, and their number four hitter has no home runs. Their middle infielders can't decide who's going to hit worse, so their utility man is seemingly always in the lineup.

It's a long season, and nobody's showing signs of running away in the A.L. Central, so the Indians aren't out of it. But it's June, and the team is still stumbling along. Note what Boston did in their recent series with Tampa Bay. They reconfirmed their status as champions and sent the Rays packing with their stingers between their legs. There appear to be no such playground bullies in the Central Division.

Jim McKay

There's little I can add to the volumes of praise that flowed from the sports world and the nation after word came of the death of legendary sportscaster Jim McKay, who died Saturday at the age of 86. He was, quite simply, one of the voices of a generation of sports fans who were drawn to their TV sets in the era of three networks and little else, and he was the defining voice of ABC Sports. Seeing clips of his work being played this weekend, and hearing the sound of his voice, took me, and millions of other fans, back to a simpler time, before the din of noise that is 24 hour televised sports. We eagerly anticipated the stories that McKay would deliver, regardless of the topic, and trusted his sure, steady demeanor. His groundbreaking work on "ABC's Wide World of Sports," and his understated, sobering reporting of the 1972 Olympic tragedies in Munich cemented his reputation as one of the greatest reporters of his time -- and all time. The voices of McKay and Chris Schenkel, his colleague at ABC, were comfortable and reassuring, week after week. They're both gone now, and, with them, our fond memories of a golden age in televised sports.

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.

Think This Year Is Bad? Check Out These Tribe 'Stars' of '67...

The Indians lost 6-1 to Kansas City on Sunday. They dropped two of three to the Royals and tumbled to 25-31 on the season. ESPN's Jayson Stark recently wrote that since the introduction of the wild-card playoff system, only 13 of 104 teams that had losing records at the end of May went on to make the playoffs. Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer boldly opined today that if the Indians return home on June 10 more than six games out of first (they're five out as of this writing), they should look to the future and trade unsigned veterans like C.C. Sabathia and Paul Byrd. Not sure how popular that would be among the Tribe faithful, but I'm inclined to agree.

With such dire news coming out of the Tribe camp these days, I couldn't resist pulling out a few more items from yesteryear -- when dire news was the order of the day. These photos are from the 1967 Indians yearbook, which was actually a pocket folder with individual color photos of, presumably, the team's top players going into the season. On the backs of the photos were printed the career stats and a brief bio of the players. While there were some solid performers in the bunch, the collection that season was pretty much made up of nobodies and never-would-bes.

Of the nobodies, the name I remember best is that of Gus Gil. When I pitted the Tribe against opponents with my trusty baseball card game during '67, Gil was often penciled in at second base (that is, when I was giving the equally illustrious Vern Fuller a night off). He only lasted one season in Cleveland, thanks to a .115 batting average. He managed to hit .222 with the Seattle Pilots the next season before finishing up with two forgettable seasons with the franchise after they moved to Milwaukee. I love this from his bio: "One of the brightest infielders the Indians have ever acquired is this young second baseman who bears a strong resemblance to all-time Indian great, Bobby Avila." That's the best selling point they could come up with -- that he looked like somebody? Also mentioned: the fact that Gil was a draftsman during the off-season. Players up to and during that era typically held down off-season jobs to make ends meet.

Next up was another light-hitting infielder, Pedro Gonzalez. I guess he wasn't always a light hitter; Gonzalez did bat .277 in part-time duty for the 1964 New York Yankees, who won the A.L. pennant before losing the World Series to St. Louis. He was also a .300 hitter three times in the minors, peaking at .371 with Modesto in 1959. Gonzalez was traded to the Indians early in the '65 season and was out of baseball after the '67 campaign, bowing out with a .244 career average. The bio on the back of Gonzalez' photo described him as "a smiling, polite resident of the Dominican Republic." I wasn't aware that the country was otherwise populated by frowning, rude people, but I guess the Tribe's PR staff felt it was important to point that out. He is also referred to in the bio as "Speedy" Gonzalez. Nothing like trotting out a few stereotypes. This obviously wasn't the era of political correctness.

I have little recollection of Bob Allen, really. A check on Baseball-Reference.com reveals that he was a lefthanded reliever who had experienced modest success as a starter during seven minor league seasons, compiling a 57-46 record during that time. His major league totals in parts of five seasons were 7 wins, 12 losses and a 4.11 ERA. Like Gonzalez, Allen would be out of baseball after this 1967 season, when he was 0-5 despite a 2.98 ERA in 54 innings. In this day and age, a 2.98 ERA would earn a pitcher a lucrative contract, but this was 1967, after all. Of course, in those days players didn't necessarily leave the game because they couldn't cut it anymore. Many left for purely economic reasons, to start other careers while they were still young. That's hard to fathom today, when utility infielders like Jamey Carroll make a million bucks a year, but such was the case in that day and age. Six-figure salaries were rare, and the free agency boom was still several years away.

Equally undistinguished was the career of Steve Bailey, who pitched in 32 games for the Tribe in 1967 -- and one more in a lateseason stint in '68 -- never to see the majors again. He, too, had experienced modest success in the minors, winning 43 games over six seasons. "This high-kicking relief pitcher is a resident of Lorain, Ohio," says his bio, which goes on to document that he pitched his Lorain High School baseball team to the state title his senior year, during which he threw successive no-hitters at one point. Bailey won 2 games and lost 6, with a 3.88 ERA, during his brief time with the Tribe. Of course, this was the era of the pitcher -- Bob Gibson and Luis Tiant posted unthinkable ERAs of 1.12 and 1.68, respectively, in 1968. So ERAs around 4.00, like Bailey's and Bob Allen's, weren't considered to be as impressive as they would be in today's offense-oriented game.

Regardless of the less-than-illustrious stats of Tribe players of this era, they were still our heroes, from "Our Tribe," as Pluto dubbed the team in his 1999 book by that name. And they wore what I think are some of the coolest uniforms in team history. Don't ask me why, but I loved the vests, the abundance of red, and the Chief Wahoo emblem sewn on the front. It's probably the connection to my childhood that causes me to recollect them with such fondness, but the uniforms alone made the dog days of the 1960s bearable. After all, the '67 Indians finished in eighth place in the then 10-team, pre-division American League, 17 games behind the pennant-winning Boston Red Sox.

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.

The Grandstand Managers Association

Check out my official Grandstand Managers Association membership card for 1973. I still have one from '72, and I'm sure I had them in the years before that. The Grandstand Managers idea was the brainchild of the late Hal Lebovitz, the legendary columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The name was borrowed, I believe, from a famous promotion by Bill Veeck when he owned the St. Louis Browns in the 1950s. All you had to do was send in a coupon that appeared in the PD, and you received your membership card and a general admission ticket for an Indians' game. Hey, tickets were expensive back then -- a whopping $2 for a general admission seat! But we loved it.

This was in old Cleveland Stadium, of course -- the home of the Tribe until they moved to Jacobs Field in 1994. What a cavernous place to watch a ball game. But it was the only stadium most of us knew back in those days -- certainly was for me. It's the only place I saw a major league game until I lived in Southern California in the late '70s and early '80s and took in games at Dodger Stadium and Anaheim Stadium.

I also came across a scorecard from an Indians doubleheader on July 12, 1970. They lost both games to the Red Sox, 6-2 and 8-2. Vada Pinson had a big day for the Tribe, going 2-for-5 in the first game and 3-for-5 in the second. But there wasn't much else to shout about. Tony Horton homered for Cleveland in game one, and Ted Uhlaender followed suit in the nightcap. Carl Yaztrzemski had a hit in each game for Boston.

More significant, to me, were my notes for game two. Remember, I was 13 at the time: "In the first inning Lasher hit Tony C. Yaz went to 2nd. Tony C. charged Lasher, exchanged punches. Both benches emptied. Tempers flared, Tony C. ejected, replaced by Fiore who went to 1st. Yaz to left field, Billy C. to right."

"Tempers flared?" Who did I think I was, Red Smith?

Of course, "Tony C." was Tony Conigliaro, who had an understandably short fuse when it came to beanballs, having been seriously injured when he was struck in the eye by a pitch from the Angels' Jack Hamilton in 1967. Conigliaro, a rising star at the time of that beaning, never achieved the level of stardom that was originally expected of him. So when Fred Lasher nailed him, out to the mound he went.

By the way -- "Billy C." was, of course, Billy Conigliaro, Tony's brother.

And now for some lighthearted fun -- some selected concession prices as listed in that program:

Beer .50
Soft Drink .25
Coffee .20
Peanuts .25
Popcorn .25
Pizza Slice .30
Hot Dogs .40
Hamburger .50

And so on. This was also a time when you could buy cigarettes in the stadium for 60 cents, and a cigar for 15 cents. Smoking was, of course, permitted everywhere.

Reading those prices confirmed one thing: If the Indians ever have a "turn back the clock to 1970" night at Progressive Field, with prices to match, I'm there.

Hole-y Bats, Batman!

Somebody at CBS Sportsline has been having some fun with the Indians.

In the site's article about last night's 4-1 loss to Chicago, they named Grady Sizemore as Cleveland's "Player of the Game." Sizemore went 0-for-4, but apparently earned the designation by driving in the Tribe's only run. Pretty meager stats, but what's an editor to do these days? The Indians' bats are as silent as a Charlie Chaplin film.

And so it goes in this strange odyssey that is the 2008 season.

Last night it was four hits, one run, and yet another wasted outing by a Cleveland starter. Once again it was C.C. Sabathia, who surrendered only two runs -- both on solo home runs -- in seven innings while striking out eight. The score looked worse because Jensen Lewis blew up in two innings of relief.

The problem with writing a column like this, during seasons like this, is that there's little to say that readers don't already know. Pitching's great. Defense is OK. Hitting stinks. Next?

However, some ominous signs are developing. Jhonny Peralta's on-again, off-again career is apparently in an off-again season. He went .292 with 24 home runs and 78 RBIs in 2005, dropped .257-13-68 in '06, rebounded to .270-21-72 last year, and so far is stumbling along at .225-8-15.

But hey, he should be really good next year.

Travis Hafner has been struggling for so long that it might be time to face facts. Either something's wrong, or he just can't hit like he used to. That's rather hard to fathom after the numbers he put up from 2004 to 2006, when he averaged 34 homers and 111 RBIs while batting over .300 each season. Given that track record, Eric Wedge has to wait for him to try to work out of it -- but how long can Wedge afford to wait?

Peralta and Hafner are symbolic of what ails the entire lineup. There may be no quick fixes, other than to bring Shin-Soo Choo up from Buffalo when he's ready and see if he can team with Ben Francisco to pump some life into the offense. Barring that, GM Mark Shapiro will have to consider a trade or two to overhaul what has become a shockingly anemic attack.

"I know coming up soon we're going to explode," said Sabathia after the game. Well, that was nice of him. Of course, he might also want to add that if "we" don't, "we" can all expect to see him in another uniform next season. It can't be satisfying to lose as many games as Sabathia has over the years because of no run support.

The hitters have to get it done. That's what they're paid to do -- millions of dollars a year, at that. Wedge and the coaching staff can only do so much. It's up to the guys in uniform.