Fuck I hate the cheap ass dolans. Dumb fucks.

There is no defending them, but amazingly they may not even be the cheapest owner in town anymore (1 and 1A I guess).

How we got owners in 2 different sports in this town that both have assholes that pucker so tight at the thought of spending money they could turn coal into diamonds is beyond me. What are the freaking odds that the same city gets 2 of the worst owners in their respective sports when it comes to spending money?

.^^^so since we seem to be the favorites to win it all this year, and since our GM is getting no support from ownership, Chris Antonetti is the best GM in MLB?

HitsRus;1716841 wrote:.^^^so since we seem to be the favorites to win it all this year, and since our GM is getting no support from ownership, Chris Antonetti is the best GM in MLB?

Tito is the straw that stirs the drink in this town.

This same roster with Manny Acta as manager wins 15 less games at least over the past few seasons. Tito is so good he papers over absolutely everything.

We got him at a discount rate because he wanted back in the game and there were questions swirling about him after that last season in Boston.

We lucked into a HOF level manager that offered this ownership/management group a facade of credibility that neither deserve.

Tito is solely responsible for us not being a bottom feeder right now, as Shaponetti were bad before he got here and will be bad again whenever he is gone.

So this starting rotation that has been assembled is all due to Tito?

Zac Mac fanned 9 and Kipnis hammered a 2 run bomb to CF to pace the Tribe to a 3-2 win today.

HitsRus;1716901 wrote:So this starting rotation that has been assembled is all due to Tito?

I think they do fine with what they're given, which is a roll of quarters and some Big League Chew. Where they lose credibility with fans is toeing the Dolan company line in interviews. Sure, they have to in order to keep their job, but we all know better and it's frustrating.

We all know any pitcher worth a shit is gone at contract time.

http://www.forbes.com/teams/cleveland-indians/

Forbes valuations....payroll at $101 M......average.

HitsRus;1717036 wrote:http://www.forbes.com/teams/cleveland-indians/

Forbes valuations....payroll at $101 M......average.

Interesting to note in that profile:

But the team's second consecutive winning season (85-77) in 2014, after four straight losing campaigns, helped push ratings up 14% on Sports Time Ohio. The Indians average rating of 6.17 was the fourth-highest in baseball.

Grantland AL Central preview. More Tribe love. This is starting to feel like 2008.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/2015-mlb-preview-al-central-indians-tigers-white-sox-royals-twins/

TBone14;1717229 wrote:Grantland AL Central preview. More Tribe love. This is starting to feel like 2008.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/2015-mlb-preview-al-central-indians-tigers-white-sox-royals-twins/

Not really. The Indians were one game from going to the world series the previous year, thus they deserved the love.

like_that;1717234 wrote:Not really. The Indians were one game from going to the world series the previous year, thus they deserved the love.

You are right. I was referring to the massive hype and the ultimate bitter disappointment in general.

In other news, Tito has officially set the rotation. As we knew, Kluber/Carrasco/Bauer will go 1-2-3. McAllister will be the 4 and will start the Tribe's home opener vs the Tigers and TJ House has beat out the rest of the bunch for the 5th spot. No surprises here as Salazar was already told he would start in Columbus.

Anthony Swarzak has officially made the opening day roster. He will be a workhouse in the bullpen and eat up all the innings when we are getting killed. In the last 3 years, he is #2 in the bigs in inning pitched at over 237.

The Clippers should be pretty damn good. The will start the season with Salazar, Tomlin, Chen and Marcum as their 1-4.

I anticipate Tomlin and Salazar to be in our rotation by Mid May.

I think the Indians need to improve their hitting to become a real threat for a big run. With the lack of power in todays game it seems you have to be a top contact hitting team to challenge, last years playoff teams in the AL were 1,2,3,6 and then Oakland was kind of the outlier at 12. Cleveland had no problem getting on base ranking 6th in the AL which also was Oakland's strong suit last year, but again that next step needs to be taken.

I know it's just projections but Grantland's stats have Brantley being the only one hitting above .270 (I think he'll be a .300 hitter btw) while it shows Kansas City with 6, Detroit with 5 and Chicago with 3 and two more a point away. Should be a fun and competitive year in the division which rocks with for ticket plan owners

Classyposter58;1717402 wrote:I think the Indians need to improve their hitting to become a real threat for a big run. With the lack of power in todays game it seems you have to be a top contact hitting team to challenge, last years playoff teams in the AL were 1,2,3,6 and then Oakland was kind of the outlier at 12. Cleveland had no problem getting on base ranking 6th in the AL which also was Oakland's strong suit last year, but again that next step needs to be taken.

I know it's just projections but Grantland's stats have Brantley being the only one hitting above .270 (I think he'll be a .300 hitter btw) while it shows Kansas City with 6, Detroit with 5 and Chicago with 3 and two more a point away. Should be a fun and competitive year in the division which rocks with for ticket plan owners

Gomes and Bourn will hit .270 or higher. A lot of people think Kipnis will revert to 2013 form and hit in the 280's. Nobody can project Ramirez numbers either. I just love these baseball gurus who think they can tell the difference between their ass and a hole in the ground.

The tribe is loaded this year and should win the division, in spite of having the lowest payroll in the division. Even Minnesota is spending 20 million more than Cleveland this year.

Footwedge;1717591 wrote: I just love these baseball gurus who think they can tell the difference between their ass and a hole in the ground..

If you're going to be a smartass, first you have to be smart. Otherwise you're just an ass. Based on your arguments against percentiles and percent increases, we know you're not smart.

So stop being an ass.

Footwedge;1717591 wrote:Gomes and Bourn will hit .270 or higher. A lot of people think Kipnis will revert to 2013 form and hit in the 280's. Nobody can project Ramirez numbers either. I just love these baseball gurus who think they can tell the difference between their ass and a hole in the ground.

Gomes is not batting above .270, and I would put a bet on that.

Dr. KnOiTaLL;1717630 wrote:Gomes is not batting above .270, and I would put a bet on that.

Gomes hit 294 in 2013. 278 last year and hitting 303 this spring. Yeah, what the hell was I thinking?

How much Doc?

lhslep134;1717596 wrote:If you're going to be a smartass, first you have to be smart. Otherwise you're just an ass. Based on your arguments against percentiles and percent increases, we know you're not smart.

So stop being an ass.

Great substance there Shemp. Take a bow. How's Ubaldo doin?

Take the bet dr, footwedge has a great track record of bets[emoji23][emoji23]

Footwedge;1717633 wrote:Great substance there Shemp. Take a bow. How's Ubaldo doin?

How'd Pomeranz and White do in Colorado? Ubaldo helped lead the Indians to a playoff berth. Anything else is irrelevant.

I'm not sure you know the definition of irrelevant given your lack of general knowledge and even further lack of basic mathematical functioning.

lhslep134;1717637 wrote:How'd Pomeranz and White do in Colorado? Ubaldo helped lead the Indians to a playoff berth. Anything else is irrelevant.

I'm not sure you know the definition of irrelevant given your lack of general knowledge and even further lack of basic mathematical functioning.

I think, by Foot's Ubaldo logic, that you guys lost the Colon trade because Bartolo is still active in the bigs, while none of Sizemore, Phillips or Lee are still with the Indians.

I mean, stupid opinions are one thing, but constantly saying a trade was horrible when Ubaldo played a big role in getting you to the playoffs, while the Rockies got virtually no benefit from either player they received is just ridiculous. Made doubly so when, as of last year, he was using the fact Ubaldo was sucking with a different team, while Pomeranz was having some success with another different team (after going 2-14 w/ an ERA of over 5 over parts of three years with the Rockies) as "proof" he was right all along.

Jebus fucking Christ, stupidity is one thing, but this "I called it back in the day and I'm sure as hell not letting any latter evidence to the contrary get in the way of saying I was always right!!!" stubbornness is just pathetic.

Heretic;1717650 wrote:
Jebus fucking Christ, stupidity is one thing, but this "I called it back in the day and I'm sure as hell not letting any latter evidence to the contrary get in the way of saying I was always right!!!" stubbornness is just pathetic.

And when, as here, the two are combined? You have the holy grail of pathetically stubborn stupidity; which I guess describes Footwedge's entire existence in a nutshell.

I hope for the sake of his potential offspring that Footwedge didn't procreate, or, alternatively, that he didn't pass along his penchant for intellectual incompetence.

Heretic;1717650 wrote:I think, by Foot's Ubaldo logic, that you guys lost the Colon trade because Bartolo is still active in the bigs, while none of Sizemore, Phillips or Lee are still with the Indians.

I mean, stupid opinions are one thing, but constantly saying a trade was horrible when Ubaldo played a big role in getting you to the playoffs, while the Rockies got virtually no benefit from either player they received is just ridiculous. Made doubly so when, as of last year, he was using the fact Ubaldo was sucking with a different team, while Pomeranz was having some success with another different team (after going 2-14 w/ an ERA of over 5 over parts of three years with the Rockies) as "proof" he was right all along.

Jebus fucking Christ, stupidity is one thing, but this "I called it back in the day and I'm sure as hell not letting any latter evidence to the contrary get in the way of saying I was always right!!!" stubbornness is just pathetic.

Another Lunatic meltdown. You forget a lot of the details on Shemp....coming on these boards...touting his sorry ass on how wonderful the Ubaldo trade was.."can't miss" "proven veteran" blah blah blah ad nauseum. His tude was that his opinion is the only fuckin one that should count. The fact is.. Ubaldo was absolute garbage except for one 6 week stretch. But it doesn't even matter if the trade panned out or not...in this case...it was a total tribe flop. But it had everything to do with Shemp and his
'great trade for the tribe"... andeverybody that thinks differently from thee,, the Almighty law student,t is wrong, wrong, wrong. So Shemp turned out to be wrong....everybody can be wrong...but that pompous POS needs to be reminded of it...and I will continue to do so. Now run along Lunatic, lick you wounds and come fight another day.

lhslep134;1717652 wrote:And when, as here, the two are combined? You have the holy grail of pathetically stubborn stupidity; which I guess describes Footwedge's entire existence in a nutshell.

I hope for the sake of his potential offspring that Footwedge didn't procreate, or, alternatively, that he didn't pass along his penchant for intellectual incompetence.

LOLOL. Shemp in complete and total MD mode. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. LOLOLOL. Now tell the board another Bill James story.

Now..back to tribe talk...a great article today again in the PD regarding tribe payroll. Kluber and Allen...a Cy Young winner and a really good closer combine to earn just a hair over 1 million dollars combined. The Tiger payroll is just about double...and even the lowly Twins are spending 20% more than the Indians.

People bitch and moan about tribe management but they have done very well in assembling this team with the worst fan draw in baseball.