Why do I say that? Because Eric Wedge is hoping that a leader will emerge from the players. He has now put the blame on the team that a leader is not leading this team, in so many words.
Not only has he lost control of the team by this statement, he has just sent in his resignation letter.
Why do I say that? Because if he is such a player and front office favorite, he should be putting the blame on himself, on Carl Willis, on Jeff "Not sure of my Role" Datz, and on his new bullpen coach - won't say his name, since Luis Isaac was canned. He should take the blame for not preparing his players, both hitters and pitchers.
Eric Wedge, who is he really? What are his qualifications? Besides managing for pennies, which the Dolan family loves, he has only been to the playoffs once in his 7 years on managing. He has had 2 Cy Young award winners in that time as well as All-Stars, Golden Gloves, and Silver Sluggers. He even had an AP Rookie of the Year a few years back.
Believe it or not, the season is not over. It can be saved and they can win the Central, since no one is running away with it. Eric Wedge needs to open his mind.
Why do I say that? Because he is extremely veteran-focused in his players. He needs to let the young kids play and dump the veterans, such as Dellucci and Carroll.
Baseball is a kids game when it comes down to it. Kids bounce back from a bad game, they don't think too much about failures, and they are having fun. Smiles abound, laughter is there too.
Eric Wedge brings none of that to this team. His demeanor is about as fun as a funeral. His players follow his lead.
I miss the smile and laugh of Omar Vizquel in the dugout, the bubble gum bubbles on players heads from Dennis Martinez, and Manny being Manny. The players would feed off a player like that, not Eric Wedge.
Baseball is job now with the Indians, it is not fun anymore. Not fun to watch, not fun to read the results the next day.
Eric Wedge may make it through the season, make it to the playoffs, and win the World Series. But that would be done by the players themselves and their talent, not by anything Eric Wegde may have to add to the season.
Eric Wedge = Done.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
How To Fix The Indians
I have been suffering through the win one, lose one pattern of this season and thought that it could be over in the next week or so. So, to save my summer, here is how I would fix the Indians.
1. Trim the Fat: If the front office really thinks David Dellucci is the second coming of Manny Ramirez, then there is something in the water there. Let Dellucci go (or run him over with a bus), dump Vinnie Chulk, Tony Graffanino, Jamey Carroll, and Masa Kobayashi. I don't see any of these guys making a difference soon.
2. Back to School: Send down Ben Francisco and Rafael Perez to work on their game. Francisco has potential, if not, we'll find out as he struggles in AAA. Perez was one of the best relievers in the past two years, let him get his confidence back. And once again, if not and he struggles, we'll know.
3. Visit the Doctor: Put Travis Hafner on a medical rehab assignment in AAA. Let him get this bat speed up and build the shoulder again. He has hit a few home runs, but let him get the power mentality back and put the fear back in the pitchers he faces.
4. Trading Routes: Work on trades for Ryan Garko and Jhonny Peralta. I would look into a reliever or two. Put Asdrubal Cabrera at short, bring up Matt LaPorta and put him at first, and give one more chance to Josh Barfield at second. If Barfield doesn't work out, we'll know now and can move on.
5. Bank Withdrawal: The Dolan family overpaid for the Indians - we know that. However, if they want to get the fans back in stands, they will have to pay. What do I mean by that? I mean, take on some more salary for a big name pitcher and stop crossing your fingers, hoping Carl Pavano, Vinnie Chulk, or Scott Lewis will win the next Cy Young.
6. Clean House: This season, the Indians have the talent to win the Central. It is not a tough division to win and anything can happen in the playoffs - just get there. It comes down to Eric Wedge and his staff. It comes down to how he manages his pitchers. It comes down to him letting the young kids play and stop relying on veterans past their prime. It comes down to actually showing a little emotion on the bench and let the kids have fun. If he cannot get the Indians on a 5 game win streak in the next week, it is time to clean house - Wedge and his staff must go.
7. Roll The Dice: I read earlier during Spring Traning, that the Indians were interested in Pedro Martinez and he asking for around $5M guaranteed to pitch for one year. Sign him. Period. Get him the rotation. I am not a fan of Pedro, with his arrogant attitude and smug comments, but he would bring such a competitive attitude to the staff.
The next two weeks will determine the season and if some of these changes sound good, I hope they don't wait too long, or Progressive Field will be looking for like Municipal Stadum circa 1977.
1. Trim the Fat: If the front office really thinks David Dellucci is the second coming of Manny Ramirez, then there is something in the water there. Let Dellucci go (or run him over with a bus), dump Vinnie Chulk, Tony Graffanino, Jamey Carroll, and Masa Kobayashi. I don't see any of these guys making a difference soon.
2. Back to School: Send down Ben Francisco and Rafael Perez to work on their game. Francisco has potential, if not, we'll find out as he struggles in AAA. Perez was one of the best relievers in the past two years, let him get his confidence back. And once again, if not and he struggles, we'll know.
3. Visit the Doctor: Put Travis Hafner on a medical rehab assignment in AAA. Let him get this bat speed up and build the shoulder again. He has hit a few home runs, but let him get the power mentality back and put the fear back in the pitchers he faces.
4. Trading Routes: Work on trades for Ryan Garko and Jhonny Peralta. I would look into a reliever or two. Put Asdrubal Cabrera at short, bring up Matt LaPorta and put him at first, and give one more chance to Josh Barfield at second. If Barfield doesn't work out, we'll know now and can move on.
5. Bank Withdrawal: The Dolan family overpaid for the Indians - we know that. However, if they want to get the fans back in stands, they will have to pay. What do I mean by that? I mean, take on some more salary for a big name pitcher and stop crossing your fingers, hoping Carl Pavano, Vinnie Chulk, or Scott Lewis will win the next Cy Young.
6. Clean House: This season, the Indians have the talent to win the Central. It is not a tough division to win and anything can happen in the playoffs - just get there. It comes down to Eric Wedge and his staff. It comes down to how he manages his pitchers. It comes down to him letting the young kids play and stop relying on veterans past their prime. It comes down to actually showing a little emotion on the bench and let the kids have fun. If he cannot get the Indians on a 5 game win streak in the next week, it is time to clean house - Wedge and his staff must go.
7. Roll The Dice: I read earlier during Spring Traning, that the Indians were interested in Pedro Martinez and he asking for around $5M guaranteed to pitch for one year. Sign him. Period. Get him the rotation. I am not a fan of Pedro, with his arrogant attitude and smug comments, but he would bring such a competitive attitude to the staff.
The next two weeks will determine the season and if some of these changes sound good, I hope they don't wait too long, or Progressive Field will be looking for like Municipal Stadum circa 1977.
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