Another Brilliant Performance

Derek Anderson (aka "Mopey" as I like to call him, as does Brian McPeek) had a brilliant performance yesterday. Once again, Mangini looks like a genius. Wait, wait, wait... Let me wake up...

31-3 was the final score, Browns on the wrong side of that, of course. I saw Anderson stats and said "Wow, better than I thought." Then I started thinking about the last 3 games he played in and started looking for some totals. Thanks to Bud Shaw, here is what it looks like:

"In the past three games he's 23-for-70 with one TD, three interceptions and four fumbles -- two of them lost. Drops didn't sabotage him Sunday. In three games, Anderson has thrown for 244 yards total."

Now, let me get this straight. Brady Quinn was performing worse than that? Anderson should still start? In 2 1/2 games, Quinn had 45 completions, 400 yards passing, 1 TD, 3 INTs, and 2 fumbles lost. Put that up against Anderson's 4 1/2 games, I think Quinn deserves another look.

Here is what I think Mangini the Mystery Man's possible plans are:
1. We all know Quinn will get $11M if he plays 70% of the snaps this year, so Browns don't want to pay him and save the money for next year's draft.
2. Waiting until Quinn is statistically eliminated from 70% of the snaps and then play him
3. Mangini is actually playing for the first pick in the 2010 draft.
4. There is some rift between Quinn and Brian Daboll (offensive coordinator - won't capitalize that title because he doesn't deserve it) or Quinn and Mangini
5. Waiting for the Bye week to get Quinn ready for the rest of the season

I don't get it and Mangini doesn't answer any questions asked about this situation. His long term plan is a mystery.

The depressing thing is the stands are becoming wastelands and the few that are left chant "Brady, Brady!" with no one listening.

A Brief History of Eric Mangini's Tenure...

Here is what Eric Mangini has done so far as head coach of the Cleveland Browns:

1. Snubbed Shawn Rogers, Rogers wants out...

2. Starts QB competition to find the best QB

3. Keeps QB competition going to "confuse" the Minnesota Vikings

4. Starts Brady Quinn

5. Fines player $1701 for an unpaid $3 bottle of water

6. Gets fined by the NFL for not disclosing Favre's injury

7. Pulls Brady Quinn and starts Derek Anderson

8. Players fight over rookie hazing

9. Named worst hire ever

10. Under investigation about James Davis' practicing without pads

11. Trades Braylon Edwards

12. Brady Quinn puts house up for sale, starting rumors that he is next to go

13. Rumors start that Josh Cribbs wants out

What a great start for Eric Mangini. Wonder if Randy Lerner has any regrets...

Let's see who is next to go...

"Play with abandon..."

When I played basketball in the fifth grade, my Dad would always tell me to "play with abandon." I would look at him and think, "How do I play like that? And why are you using two verbs in near succession?"

Abandon, the noun, is defined as "a thorough yielding to natural impulses," which I later translated as playing without fear, letting your instinct take over.

I finally figured out how to play that way too late in my life, so I was always cut from the team. I was always too concerned about where I should be on the court, what should I be doing, instead of just playing basketball. In other words, I was a stiff.

As Eric Mangini starts Derek Anderson in place of Brady Quinn, I can't help to think what Quinn must feel like. He looked confused, corralled by what the coaches have been telling him - basically a stiff. I am a Quinn fan, no doubt about it. I looked (hence, past tense) forward to see what he could do with a 16-game schedule this year, to see if he had what it takes to be a NFL Quarterback. But, that went out the window.

10 quarters and Mangini pulls the plug on the Quinn Experiment. Now comes Mr. Inches Away From Sulking, Derek Anderson, to save the day. I hope he succeeds, I hope he wins the next 13 games. Really, I do. I want him to become an All-Pro QB and throw for 50 TDs this year.

Will Anderson do all that? I highly doubt it.

Why do I wish he would do that? Because I would like to see Brady Quinn move on and function under a real coaching staff, a real offense, and a place where he is backed by ownership down to the waterboy. I still feel that Brady Quinn will not be in a Browns uniform next year, no matter what happens.

After reading Joe Posnanski's article, I think many of the players should move on. I give Brady Quinn credit for taking the high road on this. I like that he is still a team player, one who wants to do what he can to help the team win.

I started this article (or rant) with "play with abandon." I feel that is what someone on the coaching staff should have told Quinn. He should have been smiling and enjoying it all, instead of being instructed. If only my Dad was on the coaching staff, maybe he could have saved Quinn...

QB Controversy?

As I do not agree with most of the Cleveland fans that Brady Quinn should be replaced by Derek Anderson, I do agree with Terry Pluto's comment:

"I have a bad feeling about Sunday's game with Minnesota. It's hard to imagine a worse team for the Browns' opener because the Vikings do two things very well: 1. Run the ball. 2. Defend the run.

As you know, the Browns don't run the ball well, nor do they defend the run"

Do I blame Quinn for the loss? No. Do I think he could have played better? Yes.

The idea that I cannot come to grasps with is that Derek Anderson will do a better job than Brady Quinn. Think about this -- if Quinn is only to run the plays that Brian Daboll (the Offensive Coordinator, and boy, was it offensive!) sends in, what would make Derek Anderson do that much better?

I think the issues that the fans miss is that Jamal Lewis was running the ball extremely well against the top-rated defense of last year. Also, I counted (and I may be wrong because I was never good at math) three drops by Robert Royal, two by Braylon Edwards, one by James Davis and Mike Furrey. So, plug in Derek Anderson, and will that change things?

What I noticed is that Quinn did not call audibles and did not look comfortable in the pocket. In my opinion, I think it was not enough time with the first team in pre-season, which would lead me to believe Quinn believing an audible would or would not work.

I actually agree with Bud Shaw's comment (and this is extremely rare):

"But the way his players regurgitated the script was downright Cyborgian."

It did look like that the players were just running plays, not playing football. If that is what Eric Mangini wants then the talent of the staff has to be increased.

Denver is up next and if I see the Wildcat formation twice in a row on the 2 yard line and gaining nothing, I would look for a new Offensive Coordinator.

Quinn or Anderson - Does it matter?

After suffering through Eric Houdini, I mean Eric Mangini and his "Let's Play the Not-Naming-The-Starter-Game Because It Might Give Us An Advantage For One Game" game, I thought "What does it matter? If we cannot run the ball with stutter steps Jamal Lewis and Butterfingers Braylon Edwards keeps it up, we are going nowhere fast."

For the Browns to win, the run is the most important thing they need to get established. Jamal Lewis may have a comeback year, which is what I am betting on, but in the long run, the Browns need to determine the future of the team at primary positions. Is it Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson? Is it Jamal Lewis or James Davis or Jerome Harrison? Is it Brian Robiskie or Braylon Edwards? See what I am getting at?

I have heard the arguments for Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, as well as the bashing and name-calling from the fans and bloggers. The bottom line is this: We have seen Derek Anderson for almost two years during his decline and have only seen Brady Quinn for 10 quarters, four of them with a broken finger.

Does Quinn deserve to start? Yes. Does Derek Anderson deserve to start? No. I have seen Derek Anderson mentally buckle under the pressure and his depressed reactions after an interception or a errant pass. I have seen enough of Derek Anderson.

I would like to see Quinn have a full year in the NFL to see his stuff, to see if he has the talent to win games. Opponents say he had the chance to take the starting job, but didn't. One game against Denver in which he was winning until the defense blew it and Kellen Winslow let a pass go through his hands? One game and two quarters of another in which we saw a healthy Quinn. To me, what was he supposed to do with a receiver who drops balls and a running back who was practicing the two-step in the backfield before hitting the holes.

Will Quinn take them to the Super Bowl this year? Probably not. So, why not Derek Anderson and his deep threat ability? I think that Anderson had his chance. I think we will see a mopey QB that throws too many interceptions and makes too many mistakes.

After all these games from Eric Mangini and his coaching staff about the QB situation and injuries, it comes down to leadership. Players thrive of a leader and the leader is the QB, in my opinion. Not naming a QB can only hurt the team in ways a fan may not see, like me. Who do the players rally around? Who do they trust? Who can they rely on in tough situations? Both?

If Eric Mangini has any sense left, he will name Brady Quinn the starting QB and give him a year of NFL experience. If he falls flat on his face, we will know. If he has an All-Pro year, we will know. My guess is something in-between.

Oh yeah, one more thing, Brady Quinn sneaks the Browns into the playoffs with a 9-7 record as a Wild Card, defeating the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Will I wake up? Nope.

Wedge = Done, Part 2

After last night's collapse to the Kansas City Royals -- that's right, the Royals, not the Red Sox or Yankees, the Royals -- I believe that Eric Wedge has to go.

You can say the bullpen is a mess, you can say the hitters aren't hitting, and you can say Wedge can only play the players he has. You can say that all you want, but the bottom line is, he cannot manage his pitching.

Cliff Lee was at 97 or 98 pitches last night going into the 9th and Wedge made the decision to put in his closer. Sounds like a good idea, but this is last year's Cy Young award winner who could have used the confidence of putting a complete game win under his belt.

Now, back to Kerry Wood. Wouldn't a manager see the first home run and say, "Gee, maybe he doesn't have it tonight, I should get someone else in there." That's what Joe Torre, Ron Gardenhire, Jim Leyland, Tony LaRussa, etc. would have done -- even if there bullpen was a mess.

Eric Wedge, Carl Willis, and Jeff Datz have to go. I know the Dolans love them because they are cheap, but the bottom line is, the fans will not go to watch this team.

Will another manager fix all this? Probably not, but it couldn't hurt right now.

Can the season be saved? Believe it or not, I think so.

But how? Easy -- trade, release, and send down/bring up. Things have already changed -- Peralta has moved to 3rd, where he should stay. Cabrera is at short, where he belongs. Place Josh Barfield or Jamey Carroll there for now, until Luis Valbuena gets his bat back in the minors.

Trade who? Ryan Garko, Jhonny Peralta, Josh Barfield, and Ben Francisco for nothing but pitching.

But that will leave some openings? Nope, Mark DeRosa plays 3rd, Victor Martinez/Matt LaPorta platoons 1st, and Matt LaPorta plays left.

OK, who to release and send down/bring up? Release David Dellucci. Send down Luis Valbuena to play every day and bring up anyone right now. They have already released Masa Kobyashi, which is the right move and sent down Rafael Perez.

The AL Central is the weakest division in the majors. All is not lost. It comes down to Mark Shapiro and his braintrust on whether or not they want to make these moves. Not if, but want. Shaprio has an unhealthy relationship with Eric Wedge -- he thinks that Wedge is the second coming of Lou Boudreau.

Eric Wedge is a AAA manager who is not ready for the bigs. Will Shapiro ever see that? Let's wait and see.

Time for a change...

I heard Eric Wedge last night about changes are coming, whether inside or outside the organization. To me, this means he is in agreement with GM Mark Shapiro. It means that this is serious. It means that promotion and/or trades are in the works.

However, what does this mean to the players who are struggling? It means that Wedge and his staff lack the capacity to motivate and even help the players.

Yes, the season has been a "win one" then "lose one" ride, but Wedge has found his out. Instead of trying to motivate these players or talk to them, he will just get rid of them.

Now, I do agree with the possibility of changes. I like change, especially in this season. I agree that some players are taking up space, such as David Dellucci, Masa Kobayashi, Jhonny Peralta, Ryan Garko, and Rafael Betancourt.

The thing that gets me going is that Wedge is talking about the changes with the players. What about his staff? Carl Willis should have the capacity to motivate and help a pitcher. That is his job. If he is not doing his job, he should be replaced. Derek Shelton was under fire last year for hitting and should be raked over the coals again. If he is not doing his job, he should be replaced. Oh yes, one more thing, what exactly does Jeff Datz contribute to the staff?

I see the bullpen as the #1 issue right now with the Indians. What about the bullpen coach? Oh, right, Wedge fired the last coach, Luis Isaac, and brought in his man, Chuck Hernandez. I am not a baseball analyst, but in my opinion, I think that Chuck Hernandez is not doing his job and should be replaced.

I think the one thing you should take away from this is that Eric Wedge and his staff determine who makes the team, who is sent to the minors, and who is let go. That says a lot about his ability to put the best team on the field.

The finger pointing has begun and that means the coaching staff does not have his players vote of confidence and he has lost the team. Threatening with changes should be last on the list of motivation techniques. But since it is Eric Wedge, that seems to be his first.