Friday, June 30, 2006

The feud continues
Hawk Harrelson took time in the ninth inning today to address one of his favorite people. He started by talking about Cubs' reliever Scott Eyre. The former Indians outfielder turned Chicago broadcaster started out normal enough. Then something happened.
"When Scottie was with (the White Sox), he was one of my favorite people. He was just a fun guy to be around. Never says a bad word about anybody or anything ... He's just like Jay Mariotti."
Thank god for TIVO. I knew more was coming
"Just like Mariotti. Where is he anyway? We got the Sox and the Cubs; we got the NBA draft (?), and where is Mariotti?"
Sox commentator Darren Jackson advised Harrelson to watch his blood pressure.
"I'll tell ya, he somethin.' It's starting to go up. Everytime I think about that hiney bird."
I think that's what he said. I've never heard the expression before. Thankfully, Hawk helps us out.
"(The producer says) I better be careful, because if the commissioner finds out what a hiney bird is, I'm lible to go in for sensitivity classes."
Still, the funniest comments were yet to come.
"I know one thing. I know Bud Selig, and Bud Selig's done a hell of a job as commissioner of this game. No matter what people say, he's done a hell of a job."
HA! Now, that's comedy. A steroid scandal, a canceled World Series, competitive imbalance. Yeah. A Hell of a job indeed.
Hawk just keeps going.
"In fact, in all the years I've been here ... of all the commissioners, by far, Buddy's done the best of any of them."
Wow.

Indians trade Perez
Cleveland has started its raising of the white flag, trading first baseman Eduardo Perez to the Mariners in exchange for AAA infielder Asdrubal Cabrera. Cabrera will report to Buffalo. Cabrera will turn 21 in November.
So we'll see where this goes.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Brandon Phillips is just what the Indians need
It is difficult to write a bad word about Indians general manager Mark Shapiro.
Given a small budget, the Indians boss has too be right on almost every move. Make a mistake, and there are no band-aids.
Shapiro has been terrific given his team's limitations. Despite the Indians' struggles this season, Shapiro built a 93-win team a season ago with a payroll just over $40 million. He deserves a great deal of praise.
Having said that, the Indians sit in fourth place right now and are 18 games out of first.
Forget a great second half. The Indians will need Christopher Lloyd of Angels in the Outfield fame to turn the season around.
So I don't want to bash Shapiro for sending second baseman Brandon Phillips to Cincinnati for what amounts to sunflower seeds. Maybe single A 22-year old reliever Jeffrey Stevens, who was obtained from the Reds to complete the deal, will turn in Doug Jones. But until then, the Phillips trade makes Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas look like an even deal.
Certainly, I was among those who doubted Phillips would ever become the type of player the Indians thought he would when they aquired him for Montreal. Last season, he looked lost at the plate during the brief period he was up with the club.
What was known is Phillips had a great spring. That usually means nothing.
Still, the Indians don't have any promising middle infielders ready to come up from the minor leagues. Current second baseman Ronnie Belliard is having another solid season, but if the Indians thought he was a long-term answer, he'd have been signed last winter. Well, actually, if the Indians were interested in giving him a deserved pay-raise, they would have already done it.
So who plays second next year? The Indians will probably be looking for another Belliard -- a solid, effective and cheap veteran, to fill the void.
Also, shortstop Jhonny Peralta has been improving offensively, but is a disaster with the glove. Do they keep him at short, one of the toughest positions, or do they move him to first or the outfield (Third base belongs to Andy Marte)? And then who plays short?
Much of this could have been avoided had the Indians held on to Phillips. While Peralta (11 errors) and Belliard (six errors) have been spotty at times, Phillips has been at least as good defensively (six errors), with a .310 batting average and seven homers.
There has also been talk of moving Grady Sizemore to the third spot in the order. But then who bats first?
Phillips on-base percentage (.358) is not what Sizemore's (.381) is. But anyone who can steal 15 bases in 15 attempts can work his way into a good leadoff hitter.
Phillips is just what the Indians need. As it turns out, he was just what the Reds needed.
Also can be read at www.blogcritics.org

NBA Draft
Don't look here for expert analysis. Check out Erik's site instead. All I know is what ESPN has told me: Be loud and aggressive, scream when possible, and make yourself part of the story. Oh, and it also said the Cavs' picks were solid. Fine.
Erik's fine take is here.
My take is I don't care as long as LeBron James signs.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Gammons suffers aneurysm
Peter Gammons, one of the most prominent baseball journalists ever, has been stricken with a brain aneuryism.
Gammons has long been one of my favorites at ESPN. I took a dig at him last season (over a remark over Indians attendence), but I have never stopped respecting his opinion and his perspective.
Here's hoping he has full recovery. Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
UPDATE
Gammons is listed in good condition in ICU.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Great Moments in Indians broadcasts
From Monday's 10-3 win over the Cardinals:
John Sanders: The question would be ... he faced the Reds, will he face the Reds again?
Rick Manning: You know, I think that's what the question is.

OK then.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Guillen is out of control
There is no defense for Ozzie Guillen.
There is nothing anyone can write or say that can justify his latest outburst. Actually, the Chicago White Sox manager’s past diatribes have been pretty questionable. But Guillen went further than ever before, referring to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti as a derogatory term for homosexuals.
For his remark, Guillen should have faced more than a fine and sensitivity training. Baseball does have a precedent for this kind of thing, and from the looks of it, Guillen didn’t receive a slap on the wrist. It was more of a firm handshake.
For his remark, Guillen was fined an undisclosed amount and told to undergo sensitivity training.
Most of us would be on our knees thanking the commissioner for his kindness (and spinelessness). But Guillen still thought the punishment was too harsh, implying in an interview he wouldn’t go to sensitivity classes.
Forget what Guillen said he meant. He knew very well what he was saying. Most of us, I’m sure, have been called the term he called Mariotti at some point in our lives.
Of course, the last time I was called that was in eighth grade. It hurt then, but I look at it now as 13-year old immaturity. It didn’t make it right, but it was at least explainable.
The 42-year old Guillen has no such excuse. Instead of apologizing, the manager continues to dig.
He defended his remarks by saying he went to WNBA games. One can only guess what he was implying there.
Mariotti is not a very sympathetic character (I call him such because he appears to play one on Around the Horn), but to his credit, he has taken the high road on this one, saying he’s been called worse. He has not lashed back at Guillen so much as said what most of us seem to think: Ozzie needs help. He suggested a two-week suspension for Guillen in a Chicago Sun-Times column Thursday. He also suggested Guillen use the time off to think and go to sensitivity classes.
Of course, Mariotti is right. But Since Guillen does not seem so keen on the sensitivity training, perhaps a more radical course is needed.
When Reds owner Marge Schott referred to former players Dave Parker and Eric Davis with derogatory racial remarks, she was suspended a year. After years of incidents, Schott was eventually forced out of the league completely in 1999.
That same year, Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker was suspended for a month (later cut to two weeks by an arbitrator — gotta love that player’s association) and forced to go through sensitivity training. Curiously, Guillen was a teammate of Rocker’s in Atlanta for two seasons. He apparently learned nothing.
Schott got a year, and Rocker got a month. Why nothing major for Guillen?
I have no answer for that. But in light of his lack of understanding, a suspension is in order. Two weeks, as Mariotti said, is fine. The sensitivity training will probably have as much effect on Guillen as a band-aid on a broken arm. Still, baseball should take one more step.
A Chicago skipper has never managed an All-Star game. Even though the manager earned that right with a World Series title, I’d keep that streak going and remove Guillen from the festivities. Let Buck Showalter (a former target of Guillen’s) manage. Don’t let Guillen select any players.
Baseball needs to prove it can get tough. But more than that, the Chicago manager needs to be stopped, before he becomes a bigger story than the game on the field.
Maybe it’s too late for that.
This can also be read at www.blogcritics.org

Friday, June 23, 2006

Those crazy Dolans
As unhappy as I am with Indians owner Larry Dolan, he has nothing on James, who owns the Knicks:
Since James Dolan became owner of the Knicks and Rangers, Madison Square Garden policy specifies that any interviews must be done with a public relations official present -- with no exceptions, according to a person familiar with the policy, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because this matter has not been resolved.
What a mess that franchise has turned into. Spike Lee may have to alter his sales pitch to bring LeBron to the Big Apple.

My fear for this weekend's Reds-Indians series
Basically, it's a repeat of what happened in 2004: The Reds looked to be in contention, while the Indians did not. Cincinnati came to Cleveland, only to be swept by the Indians, a blow the Reds never recovered from.
My fear is the Indians, not content to ruin their own season, will again sweep the Reds, sending them to just two games over .500.
The worst part of this is the Indians are not going anywhere. But they always seem to play their best against my second-favorite team, one that has actually exceeded expectations, rather than fallen way below them.
For the first time since 2004, I find myself weary of the Indians playing their best baseball. There have just been so many teases during the Eric Wedge era. Meanwhile, this is traditionally the time of the year when the Reds go in the tank.
We will see.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Some like it hot
According to a recent study, the earth is as hot as it has been in 2,000 years.
All this raises a number of questions:
What were environmentalists doing 2,000 years ago? Here they were, soaking up the sun. Where was the outrage? Julius Caesar must have had his hands full. Marcus Junius Brutus may have just been mad because Caesar wasn't conserving enough energy.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

WMD in Iraq?
The blogs are all over this one. Fox News has it as a lead story. CNN's site has, uh ... nothing? Look, I know having a story about a guy building a mini-Graceland is important. But I was wondering if this could be at least touched on. I rarely read Fox News anymore. But CNN's silence ... is puzzling.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Note to Indians: Give it up
No one wants to say it, but I will.
Despite what Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge have been saying, and in spite of what I'm sure are very fine intentions, it's time to face some facts.
* The Indians have lost 11 of 14 games. Since starting the season 6-1, the team is 25-37.
* Cleveland has lost four straight, against teams under .500.
* Swept by Kansas City in May. I just can't get it out of my head. Maybe because Kansas City has had more than a fourth of its 19 victories against the Indians.
* Here's the big one: The Indians pitching staff, among the best in the sport a year ago, has a 4.98 earned run average. The bullpen has been failing more often than I did on high school math tests. Only one of the Indians relievers (closer Bob Wickman) has an ERA under four. Want more? Three of the Indians' active relievers (Guillermo Mota, Jeremy Guthrie, Fernando Cabrera) have ERAs over six. Suddenly Danny Graves (5.79 when demoted) does not look so bad.
My message to the Indians is to make a decision that in reality has been made for them: Give up the season. The Indians are 15 games behind first-place Detroit and 13 games behind the second-place White Sox.
There's no point wondering what unloading veterans (Eduardo Perez, Wickman, Ronnie Belliard, Ben Broussard) might say to the fan base. The reality is the Indians have no reason to believe, with the pitching staff the way it is, a second half surge is even possible.
Meanwhile, the Indians are in need of some help at the minor league level. Since giving Brandon Phillips away to Cincinnati (where he has turned into Joe Morgan), the Indians have a lack of promising middle infielders.
If the Indians lose 90 games this year, it will be better to have it be with a stronger farm system and a more promising future.
And sadly for Indians fans, the future is not now.
Also can be read on www.blogcritics.org

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Media off base on Woods at U.S. Open
After three days, the U.S. Open’s biggest story was about who didn’t make the cut.
Did anyone else find it perplexing that so many commentators spent the week leading up to golf’s biggest stage preparing for a heartwarming story?
The final day of the U.S. Open is played on Father’s Day. Ever since Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, died in May, golf commentators and others wrote and talked about what a “great story” it would be if Tiger won one of the game’s biggest tournaments.
Around the Horn’s Jay Mariotti used those exact words.
Somehow, I think there’s something missing here. Woods lost his dad and hadn’t played in nine weeks. His father taught him the game, and was there for a number of his big moments. All of Tiger’s wins are due, in part, to his father.
I’m troubled by terms like “great story” because it underscores what matters. Winning a golf tournament will not bring Earl Woods back. So what is so great about this story? Why is it important, especially in light of the tragedy Tiger’s been through? I’m sure Tiger wanted to win, but I doubt it would take away from his grief.
Some analysts, such as NBC’s Roger Maltbie predicted Woods would use his father’s death for motivation to win.
“He didn't quit being the best golfer in the world just because his father passed away,'' Maltbie said in a Mercury News article by Mark Purdy before the tournament started. “I think the way Tiger is made up mentally, he'll use his father's passing as a motivational tool.”
I doubt Mariotti, Maltbie, and others meant to come across as insensitive. It’s just sometimes sports analysts look for storybook endings, and in doing so, put too much weight on the value of sports.
Maltbie meant his remarks as a compliment, no doubt.
I don’t know Tiger Woods. In fact, Maltbie knows him better than I do. I don’t know how Tiger felt about the media coverage. But it struck me as a tad off base.
As I write this, the Open is just starting its final round. I glance at the current leaderboard and see David Duval is tied for 21st, seven shots behind the leaders.
This is actually one of his best tournaments in a long time. Duval's second-round 68 put him in the hunt, but a 75 Saturday all but ended his hopes.
It was not too long ago Duval was one of the best in the sport. He won the 2001 British Open and has 13 tour victories, but has struggled mightily in recent years. This year, Duval has missed eight cuts, and his highest finish was a tie for 22nd at the Wachovia Championship three weeks ago.
A number of injuries, and his adjustments to them, appeared to have derailed his career. Still, it has been good to see him and good to see him being competitive. A few articles have already been written about redemption but the story is incomplete until Duval wins again. Perhaps he has made a big step on that road.
This article can also be read at www.blogcritics.org

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Moderate Dems
Where are they? Joe Lieberman may not even win his primary. That's a scary thought. Even as I have become a tad disenchanted with some Republicans, I am finding it harder to even find a Democrat I relate with politically. Joe has always been one, but he's considering a run as an Independent.
There is a concern that each side is getting further and further to one side, and moderates end up being left out. I don't think I qualify as a moderate. I used to be, before ... well, I was introduced to the blogosphere.
But as I've often written here, in politics, we rarely define ourselves; it's left to others to do it.
There have been a number of columns over the last few years about the loss of the moderate Democrat. This one is actually the best I've read so far.
On a personal note, it's nice to know there are some other semi-conservative songwriters out there. Maybe I should welcome Mr. Swirsky to one of the smallest monorities in the country.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Song quote of the day
Everyone has choice
when to and not to raise their voices
It's you that decides-- George Harrison

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Coulter
As a conservative, I'd just like to say Anne Coulter is nuts and don't think anyone should ever listen to her. The fact that she at times supports the same candidates I do is irrelevant. Her comments about 9-11 widows are as destructive as Michael Moore's when he compared jihadists to minutemen.
That's not to give Coulter any kind of break, but rather to make a point. I jump on Moore and Hollywood celebrities for their ridiculous remarks. Then I get upset when people say "Yeah, it was wrong, BUT I enjoyed his film."
Look, what Coulter deserves is to be forgotten, ignored and kept away from the cameras. She can say what she wants, but she speaks for no one other than herself. Perhaps she's the right's Moore. If that's the case, the right needs to stay away. And make sure she doesn't share a box at the next convention with Gerald Ford.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Roethlisberger injured
Thirteen months after Kellen Winslow, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been injured in a motorcycle accident. The injuries are not life-threatening, but it is known the former Findlay and Miami University standout was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
His head apparently collided with a windshield.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

A note on my sports columns
If you write a column about one of your favorite teams, and the team promptly loses three in a row, consider it a learning experience.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Whitlock goes nuts; Marinello sets him straight
A connection between Nancy Reagan, Willie Horton and Barry Bonds? It's all here, according to Jason Whitlock. BC's Sal Marinello responds, taking the words right out of my mouth.

Sure Enough
I pen a glowing column about the Reds, and they promptly fall to Chicago. Ah well. They'll rebound. Edwin Encarnacion is on the DL, but that means Rich Aurilia will see time, as will Ryan Freel. No problem with that.
-The Indians keep finding ways to lose. Certainly, there will be those who will call for Eric Wedge's head. While Wedge doesn't exactly look like Gil Hodges these days, he's hardly to blame for the Indians slump.
Erik makes this point all the time, and he's right. The Indians are not the Yankees or Red Sox. When GM Mark Shapiro makes an error, he has to live with it; he can't just go out and trade with Kansas City for the one effective reliever it has.
Wedge irritates, to the extreme sometimes. But he wasn't the one who stranded 14 runners in last night's loss to the White Sox. Jhonny Peralta looks like a AAA hitter right now, and that's not Wedge's fault.
Jason Michaels has no idea how to bunt. Not Wedge's fault.
The bullpen blows leads with the frequency of a ham radio. Not Wedge's fault.
The bottom line is, the players are not producing, and the Tribe can't just fix it. With the budget the way it is, all Shapiro and Wedge and do is cross fingers and hope the team comes around.
Right now, the season is on the brink. But on the upside, the Browns start training camp eventually.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Are the Reds for real?
It seems the Reds do this every year. Cincinnati starts out hot, then fades down the stretch.
In 2004, the Reds were in first place in June, only to collapse and finish 29 games out of first in the National League Central. This year, the Reds are 36-24 on June 9. The Reds were on the cover of Sports Weekly this past week, as the world is taking notice.
Are the Reds for real?
There is reason to believe the answer is “yes,” with the caveat that it’s June. That seems to be the phrase for Ohio baseball this month, with Reds fans reminding themselves things can fall apart quickly, while up north, Cleveland fans are trying to stay hopeful in the face of obvious mediocrity.
In Cincinnati’s case, the success is due to the starting pitching, an area all but certain to be a weakness before March 21.
That’s when new Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky made the first in a series of brilliant moves, trading hard-hitting outfielder Wily Mo Pena to Boston for Bronson Arroyo. When Arroyo joined the Reds, he became the ace almost immediately. He’s 8-2 and has a 2.31 earned run average. He’s on pace to win 22 games this season. It’s unlikely he’ll do that, but he has given the Reds innings and wins — something they haven’t had much of in recent seasons.
With Arroyo settled into the aces’ spot, Aaron Harang (7-4, 3.72 ERA) and Eric Milton (4-2, 4.14) have given the pitching staff a solid starting point.
Brandon Claussen has been poor, and the Reds are depending on 23-year old Elizardo Ramirez to hold down the fifth spot.
But the pitching staff has been solid, especially with the addition of new closer Todd Coffey, who has a 1.85 ERA.
So far, so good.
Of course, talk about the Reds inevitably turns to Ken Griffey Jr., and his inability to stay healthy. This season, he missed over a month because of an injury, and has missed a few games this week.
When he’s played, Griffey has played very well. Pundits want to compare his success to his days in Seattle. Let’s not forget Junior launched 35 homers a year ago. When healthy, the outfielder is as good as ever. He’s hit 10 homers in 32 games and had driven in 34 runs.
One of Krivsky’s least-noticed moves came when he traded for Brandon Phillips at the end of spring training. With the Indians, Phillips showed a good glove but little else. In Cincinnati, the former top prospect (six homers, .316) looks like the best Reds’ second baseman since Joe Morgan.
Phillips combines with All-Star shortstop Felipe Lopez to give the Reds strong defense up the middle, as well as some pop. Lopez is batting .286 with six homers.
Of course, it could all fall apart. Griffey could get injured again, and the starting staff could crumble because of an inconsistent bullpen. The Reds are depending on clutch performances from so-so veterans (Rich Aurilia, Scott Hatteberg), all-or-nothing power hitters (Adam Dunn) and some unproven youth (Edwin Encarnacion), and productive utility men (Ryan Freel).
But so far, it’s working. The Reds are a half-game up in the Central.
It’s only June. But if the Reds are still contending when it’s only July, it might be time to take them seriously.
Also can be read at www.blogcritics.org

Thursday, June 08, 2006

A major success in Iraq
One of the most brutal men in the world has met his end. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. If it's a victory for the Coalition troops, it's also a victory for the Iraqi people, who have had to deal with this thug as much as anyone.
Opinions on the significance of his death are varied. But there are a few worth looking at:
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki:
"Every time a Zarqawi appears we will kill him."


Rohan Gunaratna, Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore
"If that information is true, it is the most significant victory in the fight against terrorism. He was certainly the most active terrorist in Iraq. More than that, he was using Iraq to mount operations in the neighborhood, for instance the Jordan attacks [last year] were by his group...
"He had an extensive network overseas, in Europe and in the Middle East, and he was expanding this network...
"Zarqawi didn't have a No. 2. I can't think of any single person who would succeed Zarqawi...In terms of effectiveness, there was no single leader in Iraq who could match his ruthlessness and his determination. It will be very difficult to replace a man of the stature of Zarqawi."


Let's hope.

Update
Hitchens comments.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Steroids and all kinds of other drugs in baseball
Former Indians pitcher Jason Grimsley looks to be in quite a bit of trouble. What I find interesting about this is how many pitchers have been caught. The one thing is also shows is how little the new baseball policy has affected some users.
There is no effective test for Human Growth Hormone. So what's stopping players from using it?

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Billy Preston, RIP
It's sad to write consecutive posts on people who have died. A day after Eric Gregg's passing, music legend Billy Preston has died of kidney failure at 59.
Preston worked with just about everyone in music at some point, playing a brilliant organ on The Beatles' Get Back.
A few weeks ago I watched The Concert for George, where Preston played and sang Harrison's Isn't it a Pity. He had an excellent voice.
It's too bad.

Eric Gregg, RIP
Former umpire Eric Gregg's death Monday was sad for a number of reasons. Normally, if you know an umpire's name, it's for bad reasons. Maybe they missed an important call, as Don Denkinger did in 1985. Maybe they take forever to signal a strike, as Joe Brinkman used to do.
And certainly the obituaries for Gregg, who died at 55 from a stroke, noted his large strike zone in the 1997 National League Championship Series. But Gregg's career should not be defined by one game. Lord knows we have all had strange days in our profession, days when we were not at our best.
Besides, Gregg was an umpire in four NLCS's, and one World Series - not to mention to get to the show at all, you have to be one of the best. Gregg was also only the third African-American to umpire at the top level. But Gregg is also remembered for how he tried to fight his weight problem.
When his friend, fellow umpire John McSherry, died before an opening day in Cincinnati, Gregg took time off to join a weight-loss program at Duke University. He returned to the game, but lost his job in 1999 after a failed strategy by the umpires' union.
Twenty-two umpires resigned, but instead of panicking, MLB showed (for once) it could get tough. It accepted the resignations, and though many umpires were re-hired, Gregg was not one of them.
Reading the remarks of those who knew him, it seems Gregg was what he appeared to be: a good man who loved the game. In that regard, the fact he lost his job because of some odd labor strategy is sad.
Still, people like Gregg are in a thankless profession. There were probably 99 games out of 100 where Gregg was terrific, and no one noticed. But a strange game, and there's the first line of your obituary.
It's the same for a number of people: Charles Rocket was remembered as the guy who swore on Saturday Night Live. Donnie Moore was remembered as the guy who served up a homer to Dave Henderson. But everyone knows there is more to these men than that.
As a baseball fan, it's important to remember how important Gregg and others like him are to the game. In an era of selfish athletes, steroids and God knows what else, we can be sure there are some in the game who are in it for the love of it. Gregg's kind will be missed.
This article can also be read on www.blogcritics.org

Monday, June 05, 2006

56 games in
The Indians have won 28 and lost 28. Surprisingly, the team is only 8 1/2 out. And is there help on the horizon? Curtis A. took in a Bisons game, and described Andy Marte's play as "sluggish." He also said Danny Graves is finished.
Well, the second part of that is not exactly news. But anyone expecting Marte to provide the spark the team is missing is misguided.
The only way the Indians turn it around this season is if the starting pitching improves. C.C Sabathia was rocked last night, but you can't expect brilliance every time out. Paul Byrd has been better, but not strong.
Jason Johnson has been either great or awful. Cliff Lee has been a disappointment. Jake Westbrook has been inconsistent at best. We know four of these guys are capable of being good. We don't know if all four can be good at the same time. There's no reason to believe Johnson will be any better than he's been.
If the pitching improves, Cleveland will get better in spite of themselves. It plays poor defense. It runs the bases as badly as any pro team I have ever seen.
We know the Indians can contend. That doesn't mean they will.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

State Track ends
For sports reporters around the country, the golden part of the year has begun. I plan on playing golf, watching baseball and riding roller coasters until the middle of August.
- Not much to comment on right now in regards to the world outside. For the last two days I have been locked into work, and so I will once again direct everyone to Matt Sussman and Erik Cassano for the commentaries.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Spelling Bee
Kudos to ABC for moving this to primetime. It's the best comedy ABC has had in it's lineup in years.