Video: Kyrie Irving on The Pete Holmes Show
February 27, 2014The Lakefront Pipeline
February 28, 2014Cleveland sports fans are waiting. Thus, while weâre all waiting, the WFNY editors thought you might enjoy reading. Because you never know how long we might be waiting. So here are assorted reading goodies for you to enjoy. Send more good links for tomorrowâs edition to tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
A must read on the Indians’ epic comeback win over the Mariners. “Thatâs Kenny Lofton getting tagged out at home with one down in a five-run game. What you donât see is that Lofton hesitated before breaking for the plate. We know now how the game ended, but at the time, this was a terrible mistake. There wouldâve been very little benefit had Lofton been able to score. His getting tagged out lowered the Indiansâ win expectancy from about 6% to about 1%. The break-even rate on the play was about 99% â that is, for Lofton to go, he wouldâve had to be 99% sure heâd make it safely. Maybe he couldâve made it if he didnât hesitate. This was just a player getting over-excited, and as part of the Marinersâ late-inning collapse, they were given a very fortunate break. They still gave the game away.” [Sullivan/FanGraphs]
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“Simply put, all Santana has to do is carry that over to spring training these next few weeks and convince Francona and the rest of the Indians brass that he can handle the job. If he does that, then Chisenhall will likely pack his bags and go to Triple-A Columbus to play every day and be a fallback option in the event Santana gets hurt or proves during the first few months of the season that he can’t play there every day.
But that’s the thing. He won’t be able to really prove that this spring. The Indians will need to take a leap of faith on him based on how he looks this spring and their comfort level with him there in order to put him to the test for real when things get cranked up in the regular season and the grind of the season kicks in.” [Lastoria/FSO]
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Top 150 NFL Free Agents. “9. Center Alex Mack — Plus-sized pivot (6’4/311) has started 80-of-80 career games. 21st overall pick in 2009 draft. Turned 28 in November. Top-ten center in Pro Football Focus’ ratings five straight years, including No. 4 finish in ’13. The Browns have begun negotiations to keep him.” [Silva/Yahoo]
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“There were points last night when the Thunder were playing at 75 percent and going punch for punch with a Cavs team that was playing its ass off (relative to, you know, the way the Cavs usually look). Cleveland was without C.J. Miles, Dion Waiters, and Anderson Varejao. But the additions of Luol Deng and Spencer Hawes finally had a trickle-down effect. When you have a couple competent veterans in the mix, the streaky, unpolished young guys donât look so exposed. Anthony Bennett ended the night with four points, but didnât look like a disaster. (He didnât look like a no. 1 draft pick either, but I think weâre learning that most of his draft mates donât look like NBA players, so everything is relative here.) Tristan Thompson had 11 and 11. Itâs not like Deng and Hawes were the reincarnation of Pippen and Barkley, but they gave the Cavs an air of âreal productionâ and not âblind children performing Shakespeare in a Dumpster.” [The Triangle/Grantland]
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Cavs Rank continues with #14 Jim Chones. [Mourton/Fear the Sword]
32 Comments
Being a huge Tribe Fan, growing up in Fort Wayne, IN, and being the second oldest of ten kids, we didn’t have much of a chance to go to games. We watched what we could on TV, which was mostly just the playoffs, but we were paper boys. Scanning the boxscores and reading the standings every day before we went out for our deliveries was the routine. In 2001, I was 14, and we went to exactly one game, August 5, 2001. My dad, six brothers and I in tow, we saw it. Remember a couple of my siblings falling asleep on the seats around us because the game was so long, and hell, everyone left. Great baseball memory.
I see some intriguing names on the FA list…
G Geoff Schwartz, CB Alterraun Verner, WR Jeremy Maclin, G Chad Rinehart, FS Malcolm Jenkins, G Jon Asamoah, FS Nate Allen.
And…I’ve loved this guy since college…RB LeGarrette Blount.
Here are the names I am interested in (in order per position):
OG: Geoff Schwartz, Rodger Saffold, Jon Asomoah, Travelle Wharton, Zane Beadles, Chad Rinehart
ILB: Dansby, Riley, Daryl, Smith
WR: Decker, Maclin
FS: Byrd, Clemons, Kendrick Lewis
CB: Vontae Davis, Alterraun Verner, Tarrell Brown
RB: Knowshon Moreno (but really, I suspect that all RBs will be asking for too much in FA and we’ll wind up drafting a couple. Unless we go cheap with Gerhart).
I completely agree with the writer that Chones got ranked too low. It happens, but Chones was better for a longer period of time than alot of guys they will now have to rank ahead of him. Oh well, glad to see he took the news with a smile (as anyone who has seen/heard interviews with him in the past could have predicted). He’s just a great person.
I really think we can get some reasonably priced quality starters off that list.
EDIT: YOUNG starters.
http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/hh604/frenchtoast97/gifs/Crossing%20Fingers/crossingfingers_zpse97a454a.gif
Sweets!
A lot of the guys who started out in the ABA kind of get screwed that way. The NBA has no inclination to count those seasons in their history books. It was only 2 years, but in a 10 year career that’s a pretty big chunk of stats.
I was under the impression that the Cavs Rank is only to include their time with the Cavaliers anyway. Otherwise, Kemp or Thurmond could crack the top3 despite not doing nearly that much in their time with the Cavs.
Good point.
Surprised no mention here of Masterson saying that he thinks he thinks he’ll be in Cleveland for a few more years. Or maybe I missed it.
I was at that Tribe-Mariners game. Outstanding experience! It was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, and I remember I was unhappy that ESPN flexed it so they could show it on Sunday Night Baseball, it being a “school night” and all. Four of us went, and three of us stayed until the very end (I never leave a game early, no matter what). The other person left around the 7th or 8th inning.
Afterward, it was one of those times during that heyday when strangers were high-fiving each other all over the place. And it seemed that the horns on E. 9th St. were honking a little longer and a little louder.
I really, really, really don’t think Santana is going to displace Chiz at 3B. Especially right out of the gate. This franchise is going to let Lonnie sink or swim over the first few months of the regular season. And I can’t see them sending him down while expecting Santana to play 80+ games at third or something. I think, at best, the Santana at 3B experience results in him starting 20-30 games and being a late inning sub when Tito starts playing match-ups and needs to move people around.
One of the things I love about baseball is how you can be a huge fan without going or even watching the games. The box score tells you most everything you need to know.
Amen. Thanks for that one Mr. Henry Chadwick!
I agree, I would be very surprised if Lonnie isnt in the lineup on opening day. The big question is, where will they put Carlos? He’s still our best hitter, except now he apparently doesnt have a position.
I agree with you on all fronts. I know Decker is getting a lot of talk with a lot of teams. Now, it was probably all the weapons at the Broncos disposal, but I thought he kind of disappeared in a few games. I would say the Super Bowl (1 rec, 6 yds) but everyone disappeared that game haha. But again, 1200+ yards isn’t anything to sniff at certainly. Gerhart has always intrigued me. Would love to see him in Brown and Orange and we could get him on the cheap.
Thanks. Btw, here is an official welcome to the comment boards. From what you have been posting the past couple of weeks (and more the last day or so), you have shown you have some really good knowledge. Glad to have you and keep posting.
He said he thinks he’ll be in town for “a couple” years and was said in the larger context that his agent is working with the Indians and he isn’t worried about any negotations. If they come to an agreement, then he’ll get called in to sign.
He was good to not make any promises either way.
He’s got three already C/1B/DH. They’ll find plenty of ways to get him into the lineup every day. I figure Gomes plays like 90-100 games at C. That leaves 60-70 for Carlos. Figure 30-40ish at 1B, 30-40ish at DH, and maybe a handful at 3B. There’s nearly a full season.
On a larger note, I think position versatility is becoming a new thing in MLB. We definitely do it as do the Rays and Athletics. And as has become apparent, the Rays and Athletics are usually at the forefront of trends.
my personal opinion is that Santana is the “everyday DH” while playing 3B against LHP (because Lonnie stinks against LHP) with a few at 1B and some at C to give guys rest.
He’s really changed his tone though. At the beginning of spring training, he was much more bearish when asked about getting a deal done. Good signs….
Lonnie was unlucky as all get-out last season. Sink or swim is right. He’s only 25, and many metrics/statistics will tell you his career is progressing, despite the traditional slash line. Oliver projects him out the next few years to be a .260-.265 hitter.
ok, I did miss those ones. I’ll take any positive sign đ
I’m basically quoting a Jordan Bastian tweet and if you can’t trust a reporter on MLB’s payroll who can you trust?
Much obliged! Been reading a heck of a long time. Love the Tribe and Browns. Being an Indiana kid (parents are from Lima, so there’s the Ohio connection), never got into the Cavs. More of a Pacers kind of guy. But this is a great community, not nearly as much cynicism as a lot of other places; which I like.
Nah. No cynics around here. lol
Just bright rays of sunshine. đ
Like your list. We need to fill 3 of the positions from the list. This would really help us when we draft. It would allow us to focus on the few remaining positions, and then draft for some young depth.
Maclin just signed a 1-yr extension with Philly.
http://cube214.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/e7d6shoot_the_messenger.gif
Hey now. He was on my list, too.
yeah, I know. just one less WR to go after and was hoping Chip & company undervalued him after the ACL tear. sad day is all.