Box Score: White Sox 11, Indians 0
October 2, 2012Pitchers’ Duel Crumbles Into Chicago Slugfest
October 2, 2012While 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.
Five key question about the Cavs heading into training camp, beginning with the rookie from Syracuse: “1. How will Dion Waiters fit? Waiters was drafted (No. 4 overall) with the idea that he’ll start at shooting guard right away and help replace the loss of Antawn Jamison’s 17.2 points per game. Can Waiters do it? That remains to be seen, and we won’t really know until a week or two after camp. But say this much – the kid isn’t lacking confidence. Nor is he above being humble, as Waiters openly admitted on media day he learned from his lack of conditioning at summer league. Either way, a quick contribution is vital.” [Sam Amico/Fox Sports Ohio]
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Speaking of Waiters, here he is writing again for Dime. Did someone say he’s confident yet? “I’m just working right now. That’s the biggest thing. I’m now back in shape. I’m back in shape a lot. I’ve lost a lot of weight. I’m more active. Before the draft, I really didn’t have to do anything. That hurt me a little bit, but I have no excuses. Like I said, what happened is what happened. But I’m back in shape, and I can’t wait to get back out there and show everyone the real me. I ain’t worried about it.” [Dion Waiters/Dime Magazine]
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News and notes from our good friend Brendan on Kyrie the Kid from media day yesterday: “At Cleveland Cavaliers Media Day today, Kyrie Irving told those in attendance that his right hand is “110% percent” heading into training camp. He also added that his “left hand floater is something serious”. This after being without his strong hand for much of the summer, the result of slapping a padded wall at Vegas Summer League practice. Appearing without a brace on his right hand for the first time since suffering the injury, Kyrie Irving was sporting a new scar.” [Brendan Bowers/Stepien Rules]
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Some really good points here about how the Browns always end up in close games, which doesn’t really mean anything: “I don’t believe in moral victories. Losing a game close that most people don’t expect you to compete in is still a loss. There can be positive things to take note of, but if the final score is still in the opposing teams favor, there’s no victory. This year the Browns have kept three of the four games within one possession. The other was within two. As a Browns fan, this feeling should be familiar. In the past two seasons Cleveland has had at least half of their losses within one possession.” [Jon Stinchcomb/Dawgs By Nature]
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Looking at what the Browns can do to stay in games: “Down 13 points with a quarter to go? That’s an insurmountable spread for this Browns team. Yet with 1:05 left in the game, the Browns trailed by seven points and had the ball at their own 10-yard line. Six plays later the Browns were 33 yards away from tying the game. It’s OK. Like the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles or the week after against the Cincinnati Bengals, it was a valiant effort, but too many key mistakes doom a young team like the Browns. It’s something this team cannot make nor afford. The Browns did both Thursday night and now find themselves 0-4.” [Don Delco/The Orange & Brown Report]
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ESPN Insider is required on this one, but a decent-sized read here on why Terry Francona might actually be a good fit for the Tribe: “Like so many former managers, Terry Francona’s preference is to be back in the dugout. He spent this season in front of the TV camera, and there’s little doubt in my mind that if Francona chose to remain as a broadcaster he would be just as successful as he was as the manager of the Boston Red Sox. However, based on my conversations with him this year, I got the firm impression that if he had the right opportunity, he would return to managing. That team would need to have two prerequisites: 1. A team with which he felt he could win in the near future. 2. A front office with which he felt he could have a good working relationship. I think both elements exist with the Cleveland Indians.” [Jim Bowden/ESPN Insider]
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In this recap of Francisco Lindor’s 2012 season, these two paragraphs stood out to me: “Lindor’s numbers dropped off during the second-half, when he put up a less impressive slash line of .228/.335/.299. He did manage to steal another 13 bases, but those aren’t the kind of hitting numbers that make you feel good about a player. To some extent, pitchers/teams may have figured him out a bit, and it’s possible he hit the wall to some extent, but I think it’s also worth pointing out that his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) dropped from .330 in the first-half to .261 in the second-half.” [Jason Lukehart/Let’s Go Tribe]
11 Comments
“That team would need to have two prerequisites: 1. A team with which he felt he could win in the near future. 2. A front office with which he felt he could have a good working relationship” What makes anyone believe that the Indians are a team that can win in the near future? Or is this guy looking at best possible scenario projections? I think Det is going to be much better next year, and it does not look like it will be easy to get into playoffs without winning div.
Bad coaches also contribute to teams losing close games.
What a surprise that an Indians prospect may not be as good as the front office has led us to believe.
Perhaps the fact that they play in what is, by far, the worst division in the sport?
i’m definitely not complaining about it 🙂
NL Central has StL & Cinci and I don’t understand Milwaukee’s plan but it works to some extent. They are probably the closest to the next worst division though.
NL West has been the worst the past few years but with the Giants & Dodgers making strides and gaining local TV $$$ that looks to be coming to an end now. Zona is a well run organization as well.
Glad to hear Weighters has lost some LBs!!
Never been a fan of drafting high schoolers myself. You’d think an organization with as depleted a farm system as this team has would be looking at college level players instead of kids who will take 5-6 years and a few prayers to hopefully develop into professionals.
i see what you did there. clever, very clever.
the reason our farm system is as depleted as it is stems partially from Mirabelli being infatuated with the “closer to MLB-ready” college players rather than going for the incredibly high ceiling HSers.
More like he didn’t choose the correct players if anything.
How good did the front office tell you Lindor was? Most of the reports you read (if you even read any) were from independent 3rd parties.
Also, Lindor just played his first season with a wood bat, and was the youngest hitter in the league. That his bat isn’t major league ready does not lessen his shine.
in his last draft, he picked college player Beau Mills. the next pick was HSer Jason Heyward.
that’s just the last example, but I think it embodies how he valued things. he liked a higher floor over a higher ceiling. and alot of times it came back and bit us in the rear.