While We’re Waiting… A Busy Weekend At Browns Training Camp And Antonetti

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

Leading off, Steve at IPI goes Around The Farm with the Tribe system, including Clipper starter Jeanmar Gomenz, “Gomez has had a strange few starts for the Clippers since his demotion. It seems as if he’s either on or off, but he definitely brought his A-game Friday. The right-hander dominated as the Clippers earned a narrow 1-0 win. The performance was markedly different from Gomez’s last two starts in which he allowed four and six earned runs, respectively. Gomez will almost inevitably become a part of the Tribe’s big league plans in the future, and that future could come very soon if Chris Seddon struggles in his start for the Indians Sunday.” [Indians Prospect Insider]

Also at IPI, Jim Pete made some great points referencing Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” as it compares to Chris Antonetti, “There Antonetti stood. In front of him were two paths. Down the first was the Indians modus operandi: do nothing, save money, and hope that “internal options” could take the Indians past the Tigers. We like to call it divine intervention in Cleveland, and lord knows there hasn’t  been much of that in the sporting world. Down the other, less traveled path for Cleveland (but not other teams in the AL Central), was another path.  The Indians could make a major trade. Last season, the Indians had something they hadn’t had in awhile: commodities. In Columbus, Cleveland and Akron, the Tribe had four players that were either in the bigs already, or ready to make the move soon. Jason Kipnis, Drew Pomeranz, Alex White and Lonnie Chisenhall were four guys that many teams coveted.” [Indians Prospect Insider]

The Orange and Brown Report had Pat Shurmur’s press conference from Saturday covered. Here’s what he had to say about the potential replacements for Chris Gocong, Kaluka Maiava and James-Michael Johnson, “Yeah, they are very flexible position wise. They really can play inside as well, Kaluka, JMJ, and some of the young linebackers that we have on our roster. Anytime there’s an injury, it’s unfortunate when it happens. It’s the unintended consequence of playing this game. As safe as you try to be sometimes it happens. It drives the coach nuts for sure. I worry about that when we come out here. You don’t want to see guys get hurt. I think the important thing though, is when that happens, you quickly get your eye right back on the ball and you get guys in there that can compete. It’s also a lesson to guys that play behind people, it’s a play away from being in there and being in there full time. That’s what you have to learn from that.”” [OBR]

Jamison Hensley at ESPN’s AFC North Blog adds more commentary on the ownership situation and other camp items for the Browns, “This offseason rebuilding project in Cleveland has turned an unwatchable, 29th-ranked offense to the city’s best attraction since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Drawing the most fans to camp since they started tracking attendance seven years ago, the Browns watched 4,200 fans show up for the second practice. How impressive is that? The Browns’ facility only holds 3,000, which meant more than 1,000 fans waited outside for people to leave so they could get a glimpse of the team’s future. ” [ESPN AFC North Blog]

Finally, for you gamers, Madden has Colt McCoy and Brandon Weeden ranked very similarly, “Weeden comes in at an overall rating of 74, which ranks him a whopping 45th in the game among quarterbacks. Generally, within the context of the game, that’s pretty bad. Surprisingly enough, the guy whom the Browns draft him to replace, Colt McCoy, has a full point on Weeden in that category, 75 overall. Taken at first glace, I assume the reaction of many Browns fans will be to assume the ratings are simply inaccurate. Although, upon further inspection you’ll see that Weeden is actually rated very favorably in the eyes of the Madden developers.”  [Dawgs By Nature]