May 23, 2013

While We’re Waiting… Kearns Signing, Colt and Watson

December 21, 2010 by 12 Comments

While We’re Waiting is like a trusty pooch bringing you the morning paper. Except that it’s not really a dog. But it does bring the news. WFNYish material from around the web to tide you over until the day begins. And without all the slobber. It’s a win/win really. Got something we should see? Send it to the tips email- tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

“Like the Indians, Austin Kearns went into the off-season likely not expecting much, self-aware enough to know that he wasn’t going to get a multi-year deal or even a guaranteed starting spot from any team, despite resurrecting his career with a 2010 season that showed (at the very least) that his career was not completely over.” [The DiaTribe]

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Let’s focus on some positives instead of just Mangini love or hate for a change- “Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy looks like the player we were hoping for. He looked stronger and faster in the pocket, and most importantly was able to make plays while on the run. Some of the throws he made were ill advised, but most were clear and concise. While he forced some throws, they were not detrimental to the team, and cost them the game. The touchdown pass to Robert Royal on the first drive couldn’t have been placed any better. McCoy is a real breathe of fresh air.” [No Logo Needed]

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Speaking of positives, how about McCoy’s big target- “Watson was the team’s leading receiver again this week, catching 7 passes for 92 yards. The most difficult throws a quarterback can make are the ones over the middle between coverage, with the receiver knowing he is going to get clocked. Watson showed his route running abilities to get open whenever McCoy targeted him. To cap it off, Watson would hold onto the ball as he absorbed contact.” [Dawgs by Nature]

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What in the world has happened to the Browns defense? Is it really just the injury bug?- “The past month of games has seen opposing offenses emphasize the run. Last week against the Bills, the Browns’ run defense was continually gouged between the tackles. Sunday’s game more resembled parts of last month’s Carolina contest, as the Bengals’ rushers hit the edges of the Browns’ defensive wall for a series of consistent gains.” [DK/The OBR]

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Worried about a potential work stoppage, Governor Strickland gets involved. [Dispatch]

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  • Joe in Wooster

    The defense has been a bigger letdown to me than anything else, especially because of the way that they played through the middle of the season. There has been though a VERY noticeable difference since Fujita has been gone…

  • oribiasi

    As Jim Donovan said last night on the news regarding Kearns, “Yeah, this signing will really get the fans into the seats!”

  • Mark

    And what signing will “get fans into the seats?” An overpriced Jason Werth? Carl Crawford? Cliff Lee? Fans didn’t come when we had Lee! And how many more wins will one of those guys give the Tribe? 4? 8? 10? “Hey, with one of those guys we can still finish under.500! Let’s go spend a $140 million on one guy and still have a losing record!”

    Seriously, its a dumb argument that I’m getting tired of hearing.

  • Mark

    @oribiasi – my little rant isn’t aimed at you directly. I’m just annoyed about the “sign this guy, it’ll put fans in the seats” argument.

  • oribiasi

    @ Mark — Hey, I know, you’re frustrated. So am I. We are working within a broken system (the MLB) which, until fixed, is just a game of chance. We had a good team in the 90s…was it all because of money we spent? I don’t know; I think we got lucky with acquisitions, scouting, etc. But, with the league the way it is now and no real hard-cap and free-agency and all that nonsense, there is little/no chance for a small-market team to compete with the resources of a New York, Boston, et al.

    There is a lesson here, though; all those big-market teams that are perennially playoff teams have one thing in common: they spend a good deal of money on star players. Hell, they court star players constantly. If the Indians did that, they’d be good; and when they’re good, we fill the seats. You can’t deny that, especially not with the home field sellout steak written on the walls of the Jake.

    Our glorious leader for the Indians said we’re not going to be in a buying phase. Well, then we also won’t be in a winning phase. I don’t anticipate our team breaking .500 this year, do you? And this makes me mad, too, by the way.

  • 5KMD

    Giants won with pitching and all of their pitching was home grown before their free agency years. Their offense stunk. It can be done…in the NL of course.

  • mike

    baseball needs to fix itself. period. teams like cle, etc. will always be on the outside looking in for top free agents from here on out. a team like Mil, which just acquired Greinke, HAS to go all in because the writing is on the wall. they have to win now, because they have to blow it up in a few years. they wont be able to afford prince fielder, ryan braun etc. they also wont be keeping Greinke long-term once he becomes a free agent. so it makes sense for them to get him now, then see what happens. if it fails, then they can just flip him for new prospects later. Tampa is a good example. they have a great core of players, but now have lost Crawford. they will slowly be dropping players until it is all blown up.

  • mike

    the indians could compete for a few reason in the 90′s. they got lucky with prospects who all became stars on the same timeline and stayed healthy. they also were generating high revenue via ticket sales, before the real big TV revenue money started up. at that time, although the yankees were a big money team, a team like the indians could still sort of keep up via normal business revenue if everything came together – which it did. but once the yankees started YES around 2002, thats when things just got out of control and teams like the indians cant compete on a yearly basis just with stadium revenue and a small market TV network. even if the indians sold out every single game now, they wouldnt be able to compete with the yankees and redsox from a revenue standpoint.

  • mike

    selig likes to point out how the yanks dont win the WS every year. thats not the point. by definition, a team from AL central, NL central HAS to make the playoffs. chances are, at least one small/medium market team makes the playoffs every year. once you are in, anything can happen. a young, home grown team like SF can get hot and have things go their way in the playoffs and then win it all. thats not the issue. the issue is every year, the yankees and redsox are in contention. they never rebuild, they just keep reloading and then outspend their mistakes. everyone else has to hope and pray for a 3-4 window of opportunity then start all over.

  • oribiasi

    @ Mike — Selig is a joke. That’s like saying, during WW2, “Well, Germany didn’t win every battle in 1940.” Sigh. And we all buy this horse manure.

  • john paxson

    WE dont buy it. but ESPN certainly does.

  • NJ

    @3 – Glad to hear I’m not the only one who makes that rant.

    I’m very tired of the cynical, bitter Tribe fan schtick. Yes, Dolan is cheap. Yes, the Yankees are evil. Yes, we’ll trade away our young studs eventually. Yes, baseball is broken. Do we really have to bring it up every time the Indians make any roster move?