In Savage We Trust

Wow. That's all I can say. The first 72 hours of free agency have left me speechless. Savage has spent the last several years preaching to us the importance of draft picks...and now we don't have a pick till the fourth round. Makes the draft much less anticipated, if nothing else. Lets look at the moves so far:

• Browns trade their 2nd round pick for DE Corey Williams from Green Bay. The Browns would have been picking towards the end of the 2nd round with the choice they dealt to the Packers. Williams can be a difference-maker on the DL, the likes of which we would not have been able to take with that choice. Williams had seven sacks last year. Kamerion Wimbley led the Browns with five sacks last year. I can go on about this until I am blue in the face (which I have), but the bottome line is we need guys who can make plays along the DL if we are going to make the playoffs this year. With the exception of the Smith Brothers, the DL was invisible last year, and even they weren't great. This allows offenses to scheme specifically to stop Wimbley, and it showed. He was double or triple teamed in nearly every passing situation, because there was no one on the DL who could command that type of attention. D'Quell Jackson can move sideline to sideline and tackle with the best of them, but he is a smaller LB who has trouble getting off blocks, so we need DL in front of him to take on blockers and let him run free to the ball. I like this trade. You can find a corner, WR at the end of the 2nd round, but not an impact DL.
  
  
• Browns trade their 3rd round pick and Leigh Bodden to Detroit for Shaun Rodgers. I was on the record the day Detroit announced they would trade or release Rodgers as saying this was a guy the Browns needed to go after aggressively. He can be a high impact player on the DL against both the run and the pass. Its no secret he has clashed with coaches and put on a lot of weight, and he was a non-factor during the 2nd half of last season. I think its worth the risk. Look at the players we have drafted in the 3rd round under Savage; Travis Wilson and Charlie Frye (we didn't have a 3rd round pick last year). Not exactly impact players. Hell, lets even go back to the Butch era, just for comparisons sake. Davis took James Jackson, Melvin Fowler and Chris Crocker with his 3rd round picks. And those picks were a lot earlier in the 3rd round than the one we traded away. I hate losing Bodden, who I think can be an outstanding corner, but he was inconsistent last year and made some costly mental errors as well. Who can forget when he pulled a Phil Dawson after we had stopped the Cardinals on 3rd down, leading to an Arizona TD?
  
  
• Browns sign Donte Stallworth to a 7 year deal worth $35 million, with $10 million guaranteed. Its a big contract for a guy who will be playing for his 4th team in 4 seasons, but he will bring a game-breaking dynamic to the offense playing opposite of Braylon. Stallworth had a great season with the Pats playing opposite Randy Moss, and Braylon demands almost the same attention from a defense that Moss does with the Pats. Stallworth can also play in the slot, or allow Jurevicius to move into the slot where he will be about a foot taller than the nickel corners who will have to cover him. Either way, it improves the offense and makes it even more explosive.
  
  
• Which brings us to D.A. He signed a 3-year, $24 million deal. Lets hope he earns it. I like having depth at the most important position on the field. I like that Quinn is saying and doing all the right things. I hate everything D.A. has done since the Cincy game kicked off. First he played that entire game with both hands wrapped around his neck. Then he went out and layed an egg in the Pro Bowl, in both the practices and the game from all reports. Then he calls PDBMMTG and berates him over the phone for having the gall to criticize him. Crazy. D.A. has not handled his time in the spotlight well, that's for sure. Lets hope that all changes when the curtian drops on next season.

All in all, pretty good so far. We have jumped out ahead of the AFC North for now, but there will be some course correction during the draft when we don't pick until the second day. Go Browns!!!!

Shaun Rodgers to Bengals

This day just keeps getting worse. Shaun Rodgers dealt to Cincy for 3rd and 5th round picks....

DA re-signs with Browns

Reports are out that D.A. has re-signed with the Browns. I heard 3 years, $25 million with $14 million guarenteed. Developing.....

Savage begins blitzkreig on the DL

The tanks are rolling into Poland. Phil Savage has reportedly shipped the Browns 2nd round pick to Green Bay for 6-4, 320lb DT Corey Williams, who had been franchised by Green Bay. Williams played DT in Green Bay's 4-3 defense, but is probably destined for one of the DE spots in the Browns' 3-4. He will have to be signed to a long-term contract, and will likely try to use the ludicrous contract that Oakland gave to average DT Tommy Kelly as leverage. So the Browns basically just used their 2nd round pick on Williams, which I can live with. He is 27 years old, and had 35 tackles and 7 sacks last year as a DT. The year before that, he had 34 tackles and 7 sacks. So he is consistent. With most of the top talent along the DL being franchised this year (Suggs, Haynsworth, Williams etc), this move was necessary if we wanted to make a real impact along the DL. And if we want to make the playoffs, we have to make a real impact along the DL. More to follow. Go Browns!!!

Playing catchup

Things have been busy at the real job. Believe it or not, 3U3D doesn't pay the rent. So to make up for my lack of activity, here is a flurry of links along with my quick-hit thoughts about each:

• Browns cut Orpehus Roye. Big O was a warrior, played on some really bad teams, and was the best player on the defense in my mind for a couple of those seasons. Never got the recognition that he deserved simply because those teams and defenses were just so bad, but he played at a high level. If you ever needed to be reminded that football is a business, this should satisfy that. The move did save the Browns about $4.5 million in cap money, so you knew the move was coming. They are also planning to non-tender Simon Fraiser. We need defensive lineman...but you already knew that.
• Within the Roye article, PDBMMTG says the Browns and Anderson have in essence agreed on a 3-year deal, and are just hammering out details on the $$ (probably around $20 mil...as I predicted a month ago). Whatever. I have said from the beginning, a 3-year deal with reasonable $$ actually makes D.A. more tradeable, not less. If the Browns can get anything for him, they will, and if not it won't hurt to have him around. Terry Pluto agrees with me, and thats some pretty good company!
• The Browns might be interested in Justin Smith. Newsflash: the Browns might be interested in every DL with a pulse. I have heard rumblings that Smith might not be a great fit in a 3-4. To that I say, "neither was Simon Fraiser." Seriously, I think Smith can play DE in the 3-4. He isn't the ideal, prototypical 3-4 end, but last time I checked Richard Seymour wasn't available. Personally, I am waiting for some movement on the Shaun Rodgers front.
• The Cavs lost a heartbreaker last night. Michael Redd traveled before he hit the winning shot thanks to some good defense by Wally World, but of course this is the NBA so it didn't get called. Tough, tough game tonight on the road against Boston on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. We will see just how good the trade is, hopefully Big Ben can shut down the Big Ticket.
• The Indians split squad employed the Boudreau shift against Travis Hafner on his 1st AB of the spring. Seriously? Let the guy hit. And if you don't know why its the Boudreau shift, look it up. As a Tribe fan, you have an obligation to know.
• Jake the Snake was scratched from his 1st spring start due to soreness in his arm. Great. Westbrook says its no big deal. Well, at least we have 8 starters, right Shappy?
• Adam Miller is temporarily sidelined with blister issues. Josh Beckett had the same troubles and he turned out OK. It would be nice to see Miller reach the potential that everyone was forcasting for him before last year. "Best pitching prospect this side of Felix Hernandez," "member of the 'dream rotation' along with Hernandez, Dice-K, Cole Hamels and Tim Lincecum." Lets see it, kid. Otherwise you will be remembered along with Jaret Wright as guys we could have traded for top-flight MLB talent and never panned out.

OK, thats it for today. Coming up in the near future I'd like to take a look at potential Browns FA targets, NFL mock draft now that the coins have been flipped and the order has been established, the return of the ADS (yes, its still around), MLB predictions, fantasy stuff and the Cavs chances in the playoffs. Also the Terrelle Pryor watch continues. I wanted to have a chance to really devote some time to those subjects rather than half-ass them, hence the lack of activity recently. Go Browns, go Tribe, go Bucks and go Cavs!!!!!

Fun to watch!

This is what I am talking about! Sure it was against the Grizzlies without Mike Miller, but a dominating victory is a dominating victory. Ben Wallace went for 12-10 in his debut, and even hit 2-2 free throws in the 1st quarter. Delonte West's shooting reminded us of Larry Hughes, but he had 6 assists. Joe Smith went for a solid 14-6. Wally World chipped in with 10 off the bench. They played hard defensively, and while there were some communication issues, those things will get better with time. Remember, these guys only had one practice together before last nights game!

ESPN's Sports Guy weighed in on the trade, and he likes it for the Cavs as well. He had the same concerns with Drew Gooden that I had, mainly his incredible inconsistency and ability to space out on the floor during games. Not space out while he was on the bench mind you, but when he was actually on the floor. Also within the article, we learn that Sports Guy sees the Cavs as the favorites in the East right now. I like it! Go Cavs!!!

Media take on the big trade

So now that the big trade has gone down and we have had time to digest it a little, lets take a second look. First of all, the readers of Three Up, Three Down are overwhelmingly in favor of the trade so far. Cleveland fans have a reputation for hating everything our teams do, so I'll take that as a big positive. With poll numbers like you see in the upper left corner of this page, the fans LOVE the trade so far.

What about the national media? ESPN's John Hollinger breaks down the trade here, and gives the Cavs an A- for the deal. He breaks it down by PER per player, and the Cavs come out on top across the board.

Chris Broussard (not Ben), also of ESPN calls himself a Cavs fan. He also has the Cavs getting better in the deal, with the key being Wally World. He also is a big fan of the production of Joe Smith, especially when he starts. We agree that the Cavs got physically tougher with the addition of Big Ben, and like the thought of having him in the lineup against the Pistons.

Ian Thomsen of CNNSI.com offers nothing new in his brief analysis.

Our own Brian Windhorst did a guest piece for ESPN on the trade. He is pretty non-commital about the trade for ESPN, so lets take a look at his piece for Ohio.com that runs in the Beacon-Journal. Also pretty vanilla, breaks down the attributes of the players we got, but never really says whether or not he likes the deal. In his blog, he identifies Big Ben as the key to the deal. If he can be the defensive enforcer and rebounder he was in Detroit, or even 80% of that guy, we win the deal. Come on Brian, you're better than that! Tell us what you think!

Terry Pluto says to wait till the playoffs to judge the deal. Similar to what I said yesterday. Terry also points out that over the past 4 seasons, Wally World has missed 73 games to 93 for Larry Hughes. So we didn't get any softer.

Branson Wright breaks down the probable starting lineup, what the Cavs lost, and what they got back. He also takes a look at the $$ involved in the deal, which can never be forgotten. I disagree with his assessment that we lose a lot of low post scoring with the swap of Gooden for Smith. Most of Gooden's big point totals came when he got hot from midrange and hit jumpers, not when he was banging on the block.

What does the other side think? Chicago seems excited to get rid of Ben Wallace and his contract. Umm...do they not realize they are getting Larry Hughes and his contract in return? Have they not seen the Cavs play this year? Have they not seen Larry hoisting up bricks at the beginning of the shot clock? Have they not seen how the best player in the league sometimes doesn't even touch the ball during a posession because Larry thinks he can score?

The Chicago Tribune is typically non-committal. Grow a pair, will ya?

At any rate, worst case we made a lateral move, best case we build a better team for the playoffs and win it all. Reality? Probably somewhere in between. But I am excited to find out! Go Cavs!!!

Blockbuster deal at the deadline

In the immortal words of Teddy KGB, the Cavs have "laid down a monster." In case you haven't heard already, Danny Ferry pulled off a three-team deal at the deadline that saw the Cavs give up Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Ira Newble, Shannon Brown, Donyell Marshall and Cedric Simmons in return for Ben Wallace, Wally Sczerbiak, Delonte West, Joe Smith and a 2nd round pick from Chicago. Whew! Lets break this baby down, 3 up, 3 down style (since that is supposed to be the theme of the blog and we haven't done it in a while):

3 Up:

1. We get rid of Larry Hughes

Larry tried hard. He really did. But he couldn't stay healthy, and even when he did, he looked more like he was interfering with the offense than he was helping it. Bad jumpers with 18 seconds left on the shot clock, poor passes, no passes...you name it, Larry had tried it. Addition by subtraction. Yes Michael Scott, it is possible.

2. We upgrade our 3-point shooting ability

Wally World can shoot the 3. He is shooting 42% from behind the arc this season, and defenses will have to respect that which can only serve to open things up for LeBron. He is only averaging 13.1 points this season, but hopefully coming back to OH...IO can rejuvinate him and get him going.

3. We get better rebounding/defense, not to mention tougher with the addition of Wallace

Teams have been roughing up LeBron a little. And its only going to get worse in the playoffs. Wallace will provide some intimidation and be able to act almost as a "hockey goon" for LeBron. And if you don't thing Big Ben will be fired up with the chance to knock the Pistons around in the playoffs, you're crazy. Mike Brown is a defensive coach, and we now have a significant defensive presence for the first time. Go to work!

3 Down:

1. Can Wallace stay out of the way on offense?

Ben Wallace is offensively challenged. He is shooting 37% from the field and 42% from the line this year. The 37% is 10% off his career average. Whether or not this trade succeeds or fails hinges on Wallace's ability to snap himself out of his Chicago funk and become the at least a reasonable impression of the player he was in Detroit.

2. Can Wally score?

With LeBron creating, I think the answer is yes. I think he can average 15 a game from here on out. I think.

3. Can the team mesh in time for the playoffs?

This is my main concern with the deal. We now have 3 new starters. I expect to see a lineup of Delonte West at the 1, Sasha at the 2 when healthy, LeBron at the 3, Wallace at the 4, and Z at the 5. Thats 2 new starters, and 2 more FNG's who will be expected to contribute significantly in the rotation in Smith and Wally. Thats a lot to take on at once, and we only have 28 games left in the dress rehearsal for the playoffs.

Again, I think the key to this deal is what Wallace brings/doesn't bring to the table, especially in the playoffs. As we have seen, especially in the East, the playoffs are a different brand of basketball. Wallace can help us matchup with the Pistons and Celtics, and we are going to have to go through one if not both if we want to get out of the East. Salaries are pretty much a wash (although I couldn't find exact figures for the duration of the contracts..help?). We won't be able to accurately judge this deal until after the season. Until then, all those out there who thought this was just a smoke and mirror job by Ferry....you owe him an apology. He did something! Go Cavs!!!!

Browns officially re-sign Jamal

Terms of the deal have not been announced yet, but the Browns have re-signed Jamal Lewis. Offseason priority #1...check. Now lets do something about that defensive line. Go Browns!!!

Mike Miller to Cavs?

I saw the headline, and the first thing that ran through my mind was "this is too good to be true." So I allow myself to click on the link and started reading. PD is reporting that ESPN's Chad Ford is hearing of a potential deal that would send Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and KyleLowry to the Cavaliers for Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall, Shannon Brown, Cedric Simmons and Dwayne Jones along with cash and "at least" one first-round pick. Wow! Sign me up! Lets go Cavs! But wait...there's a catch. Chad Ford simply mentioned the deal was something he had heard was kicking around, but nothing concrete. Seems that Memphis wants actual talent in return (not that they got any for Gasol). And the local Memphis paper says nothing is imminent with either Lowry or Miller, who several teams covet. Miller would look amazing in the Cavs lineup. He shoots 40% from behind the arc, can drive to the basket, create his own shot and hit it, rebound a little...in short, everything Larry Hughes can't do. Lets cross our fingers, but not hold our breaths. You know, the Cleveland way! Go Cavs!!!

ESPN Poll on Browns QB situation

Looks like ESPN's Sportsnation doesn't agree with Browns nation. Over 70% of the 11,000+ that voted when I cast my vote chose Anderson over Quinn. Maybe this means someone will trade for him!

Savage sees D.A. deal as imminent

Phil Savage thinks D.A. is going to sign soon. I've said it before and I will say it again; D.A. signing a 3-year deal does not make him less tradeable. The Browns hold all the cards here, and Savage is sticking to his plan. Lets briefly play out a few possible scenarios:

1. D.A. doesn't sign the 3-year deal. He is tendered at the highest level and no one trades the 2 picks for him. He goes out and lights up the scoreboard on his way to another Pro Bowl season. The Browns can try to sign him to more of a Romo-type contract in the offseason, or franchise him and try to trade him. Win-win.
2. D.A. doesn't sign the 3-year deal. He is tendered at the highest level and no one trades the 2 picks for him. He goes out and sucks, and is replaced by B.Q. 5 games into the season. He is let go after the season, and is signed by the Falcons to backup whoever they draft to play QB this April.
3. D.A. doesn't sign the 3-year deal. He is tendered at the highest level and no one trades the 2 picks for him. He has an average season, and is franchised after the 2008 season and traded for a mid-2nd round pick.
4. D.A. doesn't sign the 3-year deal. He is tendered at the highest level and someone trades the 2 picks for him.
5. D.A. signs the 3-year deal. He goes out and lights up the scoreboard on his way to another Pro Bowl season. The Browns sweeten his existing deal and extend it to a Romo-type contract.
6. D.A. signs the 3-year deal. He is then traded before the season for a 1st rounder this year and next.
7. D.A. signs the 3-year deal. He goes out and sucks, and we are only on the hook for 2 more years at less than $6 mil per year.

These are only some of the options but as you can see, with just the 3-year deal on the table, there is really no way for the franchise to be hurt badly in the long run. Worst case scenario, he plays well and we have to franchsie him. That is certinally a situation I can live with. We all want what's best for the Browns in the long run. I am on record as saying I beleive B.Q. will be the better QB. That is not saying I hate D.A.; far from it. I just don't want the team to have to commit big, long-term $$ to him just yet. Savage is doing the right thing here in sticking to his original offer. I also believe that if a team signs D.A. to an offer sheet, Savage will let him go and collect the picks. In Savage I trust. Go Browns!!!

MVP! MVP!

LeBron won the all-star game MVP, again. Maybe this will take some of the sting off the fact that Atlanta traded for Mike Bibby. More on that later though, this is supposed to be a positive post. LeBron went for 27/8/9, had probably the best highlight with his dunk over Amare to give the East the lead, and was promenintly featured in the most exciting 2 min of the game, tossing an alley-oop to Dwight Howard off of a Kidd lob, and finishing a dunk of his own off a Howard assist. Howard had some rim-rocking dunks of his own, following up his impressive performance in the dunk competition with 16 points on 7-7 "shooting" from the field. I think 6 of his 7 "shots" were dunks, and all of them impressive. Ray Allen had an impressive showing as well, going for 28 points and hitting 3 straight 3's down the stretch to preserve the East's lead. If the East hadn't won, Brandon Roy would have likely been named MVP for the West, so the work Allen did preserved the MVP for LeBron. Also, somewhere, Rasheed Wallace is still throwing up 3's. Go Cavs!!!

Pavlik wins, again

Big congrats to Kelly Pavlik, who took down Jermain Taylor for the second time on Saturday. Pavlik won a unanimous decision after Taylor managed to hang around for all 12 rounds. The fight was the 1st time in his last 10 that Pavlik didn't score a knockout, but he dominated the fight. It wasn't quite as exciting as the 1st fight, both guys seemed a little less willing to stand and trade punches this time around. UFC is still better than boxing as far as I am concerned, but its great to see Pavlik succeed, and I enjoy watching him fight. Before anyone points it out, yes I am aware that picture was from the 1st fight, not the most recent one.

Tribe fans, buy this book

First off, let me say that this is not a paid endorsement. Not that anyone would pay for my endorsement. This is simply going to be a great book and a must-have for any rabid Indians fan. It will also be a great resource for fantasty baseball, especially if you play in a franchise or long-term keeper league. Tony Lastoria, frequent contributer to Theclevelandfan.com, runs his own website dedicated to the Tribe's minor league affiliates. Click on the link for more info, but the gist of it is he is compiling his reports on the Indians top 50 prospects as well as a rundown of the 2007 draft, projected 2008 minor league rosters, scouting reports of players in the pipeline from Latin America, and much more. Pick up the book, it will be a great reference and great reading for any serious Indians fan. Go Tribe!!!

Really?

Simon Fraser wants to test free-agency. I like Simon Fraser as much as anyone. Probably even more than most. But this isn't a huge blow to the Browns. Fraser was never and will never be a 3-4 DE. He just doesn't have the body type to play the position, and got killed trying to defend the run. I do think he can go somewhere that plays a 4-3 and help out as a reserve DE, but he's hardly in line for a big payday somewhere else. The mere fact that he was counted on to make a significant contribution at DE shows you just how bad the line was for the Browns last season. Here's hoping Fraser catches on somewhere else, and we get a real 3-4 DE of our own in free agency. Go Browns!!

MVP! MVP! MVP!

So its only the Rookie-Soph game, but Boobie is the MVP. 33 points on 11-20 from the field...with every shot attempt coming from behind the arc. If Boobie can have a performance like this tonight in the 3-point shootout, Bob Sura can strap it up and win the dunk competition, and LeBron can win the all-star game MVP again, the Cavs can sweep all-star weekend in New Orleans. Go Cavs!!!

Some quick links

Been a crazy couple of days for me, so here are a few quick links to keep you up on all things Cleveland Sports:

• Paul Byrd and the Indians hope he won't get suspended for what was in the Mitchell Report. He is still being pretty cagey about his HGH use. Don't know what to think about this one, but it sure changes the makeup of our entire staff if we lose him for a significant period of time.


• Jason Kidd probably isn't going to Dallas. Also, Jerry Stackhouse is a jackass. This article mentions Cleveland is still trying to figure out a way to get Kidd, but Dallas is the only "realistic" destination out there.
  
• Kelly Pavlik is ready to fight Jermain Taylor again this weekend. After his big victory in their 1st fight, Pavlik got to throw out the 1st pitch at a playoff game against the Sox, talk to the Buckeyes before the Big Game, and toss the coin at a Browns game. Pretty cool!


• Scouts Inc on the needs in the AFC North. They correctly ID the Browns 2 biggest needs as NT and DE, in that order. The problem with this is 3-4 NT and DE's do not exactly grow on trees. And they are not cheap. Most colleges play a 4-3, so lineman that can step on the field and play right away in a 3-4 are not as prevalent in the draft, and the ones that are will be gone long before the Browns pick (Chris Long). The Browns chances for the playoffs hinge on their ability to improve the defensive line through the draft and free agency. Improve the DL and it will have a domino effect on the entire defense.


• KC Joyner from ESPN on 8 "overrated" players. Joyner calls D.A. overrated and says he shouldn't have made the pro bowl as an alternate. Joyner is an ass who I have really never cared for as a writer.

Again, sorry for the lack of activity the past couple days, look for the ADS to return either this weekend or early next week. Also, if anyone knows where I can get a pair of shorts like Pavlik is wearing in the fight above, please let me know; those things are awesome. Go Tribe, Browns, Cavs and Bucks...and Pavlik!!!!

C.C. cuts off contract negotiations

C.C. has announced that he wants to focus on this season and has therefore cut off all contract negotiations until after this year. "There will be time after the season for the Indians and my representatives to discuss my contract status. I remain hopeful that these discussions will result in a contract extension that will keep me with the franchise for many years to come. In the meantime, in order to avoid any distractions, my representatives and I will not make any further comment about my contractual situation beyond this statement." He's still saying all the right things, and is hardly burning any bridges with this move. He likely saw what happened to Zambrano, Hafner etc in contract years when negotiations were hanging over the season, and decided to put everything off till afterwards. As usual, there are plenty of gloom and doom fans who are ready to order a XXXL #52 Yankees jersey for C.C. right now, and those who now want to trade him immediately. Relax and let it all play out, folks. Shapiro has a plan. Go Tribe!!!

ADS-Third Base

Third base is not one of the strongest positions for the Indians. Casey Blake will likely start at 3B this year and bat 9th. You can do much worse for a #9 hitter than .270/18/78, which is what Blake hit last season. He is a versatile guy who can play either corner OF spot as well as 1B and 3B. Blake is never going to be a middle of the order presence, but he is one of those guys championship teams need on their roster to win. He's great in the clubhouse, and the biggest complaint around him is probably his lack of production with RISP. This criticisim is valid, as he only hit .190 with RISP last year, but did come up with two big walk-off HR's in less than a week. He had a 26-game hitting streak last year, and can grow a great beard. Keep in mind folks, this is our #9 hitter. Brandon Inge hit #9 for the Tigers last year (and played 3B), and his .236/14/71 was below Blake's production. Melky Cabrerra was in the #9 hole for the Yanks, and he went for .273/8/73. Boston's primary #9 was Julio Lugo, .237/8/73. The point here is that if Blake plays every day as our #9 hitter, we can not only contend but succeed. Blake is becoming expensive, as the Indians signed him to a 1-year deal worth $6.1 million to avoid arbitration this winter. 2008 could be his last season with the Indians.

Andy Marte was the Indians' prize acquisition in the offseason prior to 2006, when they dealt Coco Crisp and Josh Bard to Boston for Marte and Kelly Shoppach. Marte has been dissapointing at best, and thus far Shoppach has been the best player for either team in that deal. Marte has battled an assortment of injuries and managed barely 200 AB's with the Indians since coming over from Boston. Those at-bats have been less than impressive, as Marte has struggled to find the Mendoza line and has yet to show the power that was forcasted for him when he hit 20 HR in just 389 AB's as a 21-year old in AAA. Marte was widely regarded at that time as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. He is still only 24, but now out of options and has to either make the big club out of spring training or be lost to waviers. With the Brandon Phillips fiasco still fresh in their minds, Indians brass is ready to give Marte every opportunity. Blake's versatility allows for this, and hopefully Marte will remember how to hit early and often this year. Check out this article from the Cleveland Indians Minor League Insider for a great take on what Marte and Barfield can do for the Indians now and in the future, and also consider picking up the book advertised there.

3B is a position the Indians have organizational depth at. Besides having both Blake and Marte at the ML level, there are a number of prospects coming through the system who will be options at 3B should Marte falter. Youngster Beau Mills has already been covered in the ADS when we looked at 1B because that is where I think he will eventually end up, if not DH. Wes Hodges will be in Cleveland before Mills though. Hodges was a 2nd round pick out of Georgia Tech in 2006, and last year Baseball America picked him as having the "best tools" in the Carolina League. Hodges has dealt with some injuries dating back to his days at Tech, including a stress fracture in his leg and a broken toe. If he can stay healthy, look for him to open the season at Akron and move to Buffalo around the all-star break as there is really no one ahead of him keeping him down.

Go Tribe!!!

Pitchers and Catchers report today!

Enough said. Go Tribe!!!

B.Q. used a bad word!

Hold the phone everyone...a drunk 20-something on New Years called a guy a "faggot." This has got to be the first time in history anything like this has happened, and it proves B.Q. is an immature punk who will never be a good quarterback and we should trade him right now for a 6th round pick.

First of all, this happened almost a month and a half ago. Nice reporting, PD. Second, who cares. Third, the Sally on the 911 call obviously was calling with an axe to grind. Just listen to it, "he" is almost in tears, and ID's Quinn specifically at the outset of the call. "He" probably thinks if he calls attention to "his" plight and ID's a celebrity/pro athlete as harassing "him," then "he" will get more attention to the cause of gay rights. Give me a break. This is the perfect example of a non-story that the media is blowing waaaay out of proportion. Its not like B.Q. or any of his friends attacked the "guy" or anything like that. Worst case, he called "him" a name. Quit your crying, go home and have a cosmo and watch Sex in the City and forget about it. I highly doubt this is the first time in the "guys" life that anyone called him a name. What does "he" do, call 911 anytime someone is mean?

Also, for people who think this "proves" B.Q. is really gay...get a life (picture above nonwithstanding).

Go Browns!!!

ADS-Second Base

The Indians were spoiled at 2B for a few years when Robbie Alomar held down the position from 1999-2001, and have been searching for a permanent answer there ever since. Brandon Phillips was thought to be the 2B of the future, and he was; for the Reds. Josh Barfield was aquired from the Padres for Kevin Kouzmanoff and expected to be the 2B of the future. He responded by posting a slugging percentage of .270. The latest to assume the mantle of 2B of the future is Asdrubal Cabrera, who we stole from Seattle in return for part of a season of Eduardo Perez. Only time will tell for sure, but as of right now that looks to be one of Mark Shapiro's better deals. Cabrera was brought up from Buffalo late in the season and played in 45 games for the big club. During those 45 games, the switch hitter batted .283/3/22, with a respectable OPS of .775 in the #2 spot in the order behind Grady Sizemore. Coming up through the minors, Asdrubal's calling card was his spectacular defense, and he did not dissapoint in this department either, flashing some impressive leather. While it remains to be seen whether Cabrera can hit for an entire season, he did enough in his audition last year to convince the club to hand him the job going into spring training this year. His bat still worries me, as does his batting average of under .200 (last I heard) in winterball, but I think his defense and the little things he does with the bat (sac bunts, hitting behind runners, running) can be enough to make up for it, as long as he doesn't go into a Barfield-level slump on us. He is only 22, and should get better with the bat in the years to come.

I haven't given up on Barfield as a long-term contributer for the Indians either. The speedy 2B played excellent defense when he was in the lineup last year, and hit the ball very well his rookie year with the Padres. He has outstanding speed and is a good baserunner. I think some time in AAA with less pressure can allow him to re-discover his swing and contribute at the ML level. Barfield is just 25, so while he should be entering his prime, he is far from on the downside of his career. If he can hit again, the Indians have some options on the infield. They can shift Peralta to 3B, Cabrerra to SS and have Barfield play 2B if Marte can't seize the 3B job. Or they can trade one of the 3 for some help in the outfield.

Jamey Carroll was aquired from the Rockies to allow Barfield to start the season in AAA. Its tough to get excited for that trade, but if he can run a little and play decent defense, he can't be worse that Rene Gonzalez.

Jared Goedert is the "top prospect" in the Indians system at 2B. He was shifted from 3B to 2B to fill an organizational need because other than Barfield and Cabrerra (who is really a SS), the cupboard is pretty bare at 2B throughout the system. Goedert has been an outstanding hitter through the minors and dating back to his days at Kansas State. He had some shoulder problems last year which limited his development, but tore the cover off the ball when he was playing with a 1.020 OPS at Lake County and Kingston. He hit 20 HR in only 290 AB's, which is almost unheard-of power from a 2B in the minors. He is still learning the position, but once he gets quicker turning the double-play, look for him in Akron or possibly even Buffalo next season if he can stay healthy.

Go Tribe!!!!

OSU over Meatchicken, again!

OSU beat the team up north last night in wrestling. The #7 Buckeyes took down the #6 Wolverines in front of a home crowd of over 5,000. Who was serving as honorary coach you ask? None other than The Vest himself. Honestly, at this point Tressel could be coach of the womens water polo team and guide them to victory over Meatchicken. For those of you keeping score at home, Tressel is now 7-1 against them if you count victories as honorary wrestling coach. Go Bucks!!!

Big Road W for the Cavs!

Is anyone else picturing Danny Ferry frantically working the phones after last night's Cavs game? Larry Hughes dropped 40 on the Magic, mostly with a guy 5 inches shorter guarding him (a big thanks to Orlando coach Ron Jeremy). Ferry was probably calling every team in the league, e-mailing highlight clips, and trying to convince other GM's that it could someday happen again. You laugh, but have you seen some of the insane trades that have been pulled off in the past? You have to believe the Knicks are interested!

Great win for the Cavs, playing on the road against a good team without 3 of the mainstays in their rotation. After laying an egg against Denver last night, the Cavs rebounded to play excellent basketball, and for once LeBron not only had some help, but he didn't even lead the team in scoring. He still went for 29/7/10, but Hughes' 40 (including 23 in the 3rd quarter) stole the show. The Cavs continued their pattern of dominating the 4th quarter, outscoring Orlando 32-25. Finishing strong has been a halmark of this team, and that bodes well for the playoffs. I don't expect Hughes to suddenly average 25 a night from here on out, but if he can mix in a few nights like last night and be a little more consistent the rest of the time, we will really have something going. Go Cavs!!!

ADS Series: 1B/DH

First base is a position of depth for the Indians. While they don't have a Prince Fielder/Ryan Howard/Albert Pujols type there, they have an abundance of professional hitters available, with more on the way in the minors. Ryan Garko is the starting 1B, and in his first full season in the majors went for a very respectable .289/21/61 with an OPS of .842. Garko has hit at every level thus far, with the only question mark around him being where to play him. He came up through the system as a catcher, but was never a great defender there. Hard work has turned him into a serviceable 1B who will likely improve over time. He'll never remind anyone of Keith Hernandez, but shouldn't bring back memories of Bill Buckner c. 1986 either. I like Garko a lot hitting in the 5 or 6 spot in the order, and he brings a nice presence from the right side of the plate. Garko just turned 27, so he is entering his prime as a hitter, and I think I can reasonably forcast numbers in the area of .295/28/95 this season.

Expect to see Victor Martinez (covered earlier), Travis Hafner (covered below) and possibly even Casey Blake get some time at 1B this year as well. The Indians want to ease the strain on Martinez but still keep his potent bat in the lineup, so they are going to increase his innings at 1B this year. Vic actually looked decent defensively at 1B in his appearances there last year. Hafner will get enough time at 1B to qualify as a 1B in fantasy leagues, but thats about it. Look for him primarily in the NL parks during interleague play. If Blake plays much at 1B this year, its a good sign. That means Andy Marte will have performed well enough to give him the 3B job and turned Blake into a super-utilityman.

Travis Hafner should bat 3rd and serve as the DH for the Tribe this year, and we need a big year from him in the worst way. After a 2006 where he went off to the tune of .308/42/117 with an amazing OPS of 1.096, the man we call Pronk took a step back in 2007. An almost inexplicable regression to .266/24/100 with an OPS of only .836 occured. Several excuses have been thrown out to explain this, from the "Pronk Shift" to the fact that it was a contract year, and we even heard the "S-word" (sterioids) whispered around in some circles. As you can no doubt tell by my nom de guierre, I am a huge Hafner fan. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when he was not included in the Mitchell Report. I didn't expect him to be in it, but it was a relief nonetheless. I think Hafner is in line for a huge bounceback year, and expect him to be much closer to his 2006 numbers than his 2007 line. A man of Hafner's skill level does not just forget how to hit overnight. He can flat out rake, and has power from the left side of the plate like no one I have seen in a Tribe uniform other than Jim Thome. Last year, I saw a guy who was putting some pressure on himself in a contract year, and who tried to re-invent himself as a hitter to go the other way and beat the shift most teams employed on him defensively. This season, I think we see a more relaxed Travis Hafner, and one who will just go out there and do what he does best; hit the baseball. He needs to take a page from the Manny Being Manny book and just see ball, hit ball. If he gets a few hits taken away from him because the 2B is playing in RF, so be it. He has always had power to all fields, and that dissapeared last year because he was staying too far back on the baseball. I think this year he brings a much simpler approach to the plate, and just goes out there and hits. Grady is the catalyst to get the lineup going from the top, but Pronk is the engine that will drive this team to the playoffs.

The Indians have two hot prospects at 1B, and one former hot prospect who has been dealing with a lot of injuries. The first we will discuss here is actually playing 3B in the minors, but I don't see that continuing past this year. Last year's 1st round draft pick Beau Mills tore the cover off the ball in college, posting an OPS of...get ready for it...1.589(!) at NAIA Lewis and Clark State. NAIA ball isn't the best in the world, but 1.589?? Thats hitting the baseball. He continued to slug in the minors last year, finishing the year with 10 games in Kingston, hitting .275 with an OPS of .875 in his first taste of pro ball. Mills is a big, strong lefty who projects as a DH or possibly 1B in the majors who could end up hitting 30+ HR every year (sound familiar?) Mills is listed as a four-star prospect by Baseball Prospectus, and could be in Cleveland as soon as 2009 if he continues to hit. Mills is only 21, but expect to see him in Akron by the all-star break.

Jordan Brown will start the season in Buffalo, and is listed by Baseball Prospectus as a two-star prospect. They also label him as a "professional hitter" and project him to be similar to Lyle Overbay in the majors. He is already 24, so scouts don't see him developing power overnight, but can lace doubles into the gaps with his eyes closed. Another lefty, Brown won the Carolina League MVP in 2006 and the Eastern League MVP in 2007 by hitting .333 with an OPS of .905. Average in the field, Brown would likely hit if he managed to see time with the big league club in 2008, but due to the crowded situation at 1B is likely to remain at AAA until September.

Michael Aubrey was a top prospect when he was drafted, but thus far has seen a promising career derailed by injuries. Drafted out of Tulane in the 1st round of the 2003 draft, Aubs has only played in 243 games in four seasons, meaning he has missed almost 400 games due to injuries. When he has played, he has flat out hit the ball, but the challenge has always been in keeping him on the field. If he can stay healthy, Aubrey has a chance to push Brown for playing time at AAA this year. IF he can stay healthy.

Go Tribe!!!

D.A.'s Pro Bowl

So by now its pretty clear that D.A. didn't have a very good game in Hawaii yesterday. 10-26 for 103 yards, 1 INT, 1 fumble and 3 points in the 2nd half for a 34.7 rating. The only question remaining is, does it matter one way or the other? Its the Pro Bowl, for God's sake. Personally, I don't beleive this changes the bargaining position for either side. The Browns will stick by their 3-year offer and give D.A. the high tender if he doesn't sign, and D.A. will continue to hold out for a longer deal with more $$ upfront. Again, its the Pro Bowl. NFL talent evaluators are not sitting around breaking down tape from this game, especially in the 2nd half when most of the players were thinking more about the after-party than the game. D.A. struggled, yes. But in the long run, it really doesn't matter. Go Browns!!!

New Poll up!

Simple question (I think). If a team near the middle of the 1st round signed D.A. to a reasonable contract and thus was prepared to give up their 1st and 3rd round picks for him, would you do it?