It just goes to show

I was talking with some folks at work today. I brought up how the Indians are playing their hottest ball of the year. I say to a co-worker: "Watch, in our weak division, we'll be three out by the end of the season and Lee/Martinez could have made a difference." He replied with a reasonable thought, the pressure is off now, so it's easy to win games.

I get in the car to go to a staff meeting at my part time job, and WTAM 1100 starts up like it always does on my radio. I hear Hammy talk about the M&M boys being at it again, when a double put the twins up 9-0. First of all, as a side note, who the hell called Mauer and Morneau the M&M boys. That's Mantle & Maris, no body else. Period. Secondly, thanks to some pitcher by the name of Huff, and some other pitcher by the name of Lewis, our Indians are where they are?

I've had enough of this second rate team. Thank God we are only 11ish days away from the start of pre-season football...if only to let me hope for 3 weeks before I realize the Browns will be terrible too.

"Why do all the trees in OH bend to the southeast?"
"Because Michigan blows and Pittsburgh sucks!!!!"

Out with the old and in with the young

Gone are the days of watching number 41 beat everyone else out of the dugout to mob a teammate after a walk-off hit. Gone are the days of watching Victor effortlessly swing the stick. Gone are the days of watching Martinez calm down the young pitching staff one word at a time. Victor Martinez was traded Friday for 2 prospects and one major leaguer. Justin Masterson was the headliner of the deal, a tall, young flamethrower coming out of Boston's bullpen. The other two are not even worth mentioning yet, pitching prospects who we can only hope will have careers with some meaning to them, but who, in all likelihood will end up with bios in the media guides that we will line our birdcages with.
I was very upset with the Cliff Lee trade. I slowly accepted it. He was leaving after next year anyways. Victor, on the other hand, only wanted to play in Cleveland. You can't trade for that, you can't buy that and you can't teach that. After 13 years in the Indians' system, they said goodbye to a player with character that will most likely never be seen in this town again. Not often does a player who says "I want to stay with this team" mean it as was evident with Martinez. I think our pitching staff and perhaps our ball club are better suited for the future after these trades, but our city is not.