Spring training is less than a month away.  In fact, in a little over two weeks, pitchers and catchers will report to the Indians’ new home in Goodyear, AZ.  There is no question, the players, manager, and the front office feel the 2009 Tribe can compete and win the Central Division title for the second time in three years.  However, there still are questions…

 

1).  The starting rotation.  As of today, the rotation is led by ’08 Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona.  It would be ridiculous to think Lee can match his 22-3 record of last season, and in fact, if he wins 16-18 games, that would be a very good season.  If Carmona is healthy, he can be dominant.  He did have problems throwing strikes before he hurt his hip last year, so that is a concern.

 

Currently, the oft-injured Carl Pavano is in the #3 hole, with righty Anthony Reyes as the 4^th starter.  The fifth spot is up for grabs with Aaron Laffey the front-runner, but with Jeremy Sowers, Zach Jackson, David Huff, and Scott Lewis in the mix.  You can see why there is cause for concern.  Manager Eric Wedge and GM Mark Shapiro cannot let one of these guys struggle for two months without making a move, and you can make a scenario where all of them could have problems.

 

This is definitely the biggest question mark for the 2009 Indians.  The sleeper is the bunch is Huff, who throws harder than the rest of the southpaws mentioned, who would all be considered soft tossers.  Pavano is the biggest gamble here.  Although did make seven starts for the Yankees last season, his ERA was 5.91 in 34-1/3 innings.  His best two starts were against Toronto (6 IP, 1 ER) and Baltimore (5 IP, 2 ER), hardly offensive juggernauts.  To have him as the third starter is a huge leap of faith.

 

2).  The Infield Defense.  I know Mark De Rosa says he prefers the left side of the infield, and I’m sure that Jhonny Peralta would prefer to stay at shortstop.  However, you cannot convince me that the Tribe’s best infield defensive alignment would have Asdrubal Cabrera at short, with De Rosa at 2B, and Peralta making the move to 3B. 

 

Cabrera can be one of the better gloves in the American League at SS, and it is mystery as to why the Indians aren’t making the move.  Perhaps they are waiting to see Cabrera when he arrives at camp.  Last year, he came to Florida overweight and got off to a terrible start at the plate.  He was eventually sent back to the minors in mid-season. 

 

This might just be a test for the youngster who was called up late in the ’07 season, and helped the Tribe to a division title.  If he is in shape, then Eric Wedge will make the move to improve his infield defense.  I am not one of those who feels Peralta is awful defensively at short, but there is no doubt the defense would be better with De Rosa at 2B and Peralta at the hot corner.

 

3).  Leftfield.  The Indians have ranked in the top half of the American League for several years now without getting real production from the corner outfield spots.  To compensate, the Tribe has had good offensive numbers out of the shortstop position (Peralta), centerfield (Grady Sizemore) and catcher (Victor Martinez and Kelly Shoppach), non-traditional offensive spots.

 

This year, the Tribe is going to go with Ben Francisco as the regular LF.  If David Dellucci in still on the roster, he will get a chance to play against some tough right-handed pitchers.  Francisco hit .266 with 15 HR and 54 RBI’s a year ago, but faded badly down the stretch.  Is that good enough for a championship contender? 

 

If Travis Hafner returns to a guy who can hit 30 HR and knock in 100 runs, then Francisco is fine.  However, Hafner’s comeback goes into the Carl Pavano territory.  You really can’t count on it.  If Ben Francisco hits like he did through the end of July, the offense will be okay, but if he hits like he did the last two months, it’s a problem. 

 

One thing about Francisco, he should benefit from batting lower in the order.  Last year, he was thrust into the #3 spot in the order, while this year he will probably hit in the lower third of the order.

 

KM

 

Let’s face it; the Cleveland Browns are a public relations nightmare.  And their horrible record since the late 1980’s is just one reason this team is alienating their fans on a consistent basis.  The owner of the team is a virtual recluse.  Players are not fan friendly, and the team treats their operation like it is part of national security. 

 

Of course, some of these problems would be minor points if the team were winning.  There are very few complaints about a winning organization.  When a franchise is losing, people want to know how it will be fixed.  This is why the Browns’ silence is a problem. 

 

With the Indians, GM Mark Shapiro is always out front and ready to answer questions when the Tribe is struggling.  As for the Browns, there is no “face” of the franchise.  Apparently, Eric Mangini will be the point man for the organization, but he doesn’t appear to be a media dynamo.  He is like most football coaches; everything is treated like a state secret.

 

If Randy Lerner doesn’t want to be the team spokesman, then he needs to hire someone who will be, preferably a person who is dynamic and shows a passion for bringing the Browns a title.  You can criticize Shapiro and Cavs’ GM Danny Ferry if you wish, but you can’t dispute the passion they bring to their positions.

 

The secrecy that the Browns work under doesn’t help them.  The whole situation with Kellen Winslow’s staph infection this past season is a prime example of that.  I understand the laws that go along with the privacy issues, but the way his illness was treated by the team made perfect fodder for all the rumormongers out there. 

 

Now, there is the dismissal of some long-term employees, including Direct of Media Relations Ken Mather and Browns.com writer Steve King, supposedly because of the tough economic times.  We all realize that times are tough, but why are the Browns taking heat for these dismissals?  Other teams are making cuts.  Just yesterday, the Colts let 25 people go from their office staff.

 

The criticism is due to all of the contracts ownership has bought out over the years.  Following last year’s 10-6 record, Lerner rushed to give Romeo Crennel, Phil Savage, and Rob Chudzinski contract extensions and raises, despite the head coach and the general manager having just one winning season in three years.  Both men were under contract, and the prudent thing would have been to wait one more successful season before extending their deals.

 

If Randy Lerner wants to waste his money, that’s his business.  However, if that waste causes people to lose their jobs, it irritates people.  Once again, if the Browns were winning, nobody probably would have said a word. 

 

The Cleveland Browns’ public relation problems are magnified because they are losing.  Winning cures a lot of ills, but until they get things turned around, every move they make as an organization will be under a great deal of scrutiny.

 

JD

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers come home tomorrow night for a game against the Sacramento Kings after a very successful west coast trip where the wine and gold took three out of four, winning in Portland, Golden State and Utah after dropping the trek’s opener in Los Angeles.  The fact, overlooked by many, that the team won despite missing two starters makes the performance even more impressive.

 

These wins were no gimmies, either.  Portland and Utah will more than likely make the playoffs, and although the Warriors have a poor record, they do play a different style of basketball, which if you are not used to it, can be tough to defend.  The Cavs next trip out west could be a little easier opponent wise, as they will take on the Clippers and the Kings. 

 

Although LeBron James and Mo Williams were the standouts, Mike Brown got contributions from just about everyone on the trip, including an unlikely very good game from Tarence Kinsey, who played his best game as a Cavalier against Golden State.  Kinsey played solid defense, which is his calling card, but he contributed with 11 points, hitting several outside jumpers.

 

Rookie J.J. Hickson continued his maturation by playing solid minutes on the trip.  Hickson was said to already have a variety of post moves when the Cavs drafted him, and he is starting to put them on display.  His footwork, which resulted in a drop step dunk against Utah on Saturday night, should be put on a highlight tape of how to play low-post offense.

 

The good trip keeps the Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference standings, just ahead of Boston and Orlando.  The Magic has now lost two straight games, to Boston and Miami.  Including the Lakers, it is necessary to note that of the four top teams in the NBA, the Lakers and Celts have had a decided edge in terms of the number of home games played.

 

The Lakers have played a whopping 25 of their 43 games at The Staples Center, while Boston has played two more games at home than on the road.  The Cavaliers have done just the opposite playing two more on the road than they have at home, while Orlando has played three more games away from Orlando than they have at home.

 

This is an important thing to look at when evaluating the NBA’s “Big Four”.  Early in the season, Boston was playing an inordinate amount of games at home.  When they hit the road for a long period, they dropped some games.  I’m sure the Lakers’ record will suffer when they encounter a similar situation.

 

I also agree that many “experts” are overlooking the Cavs’ injury problems.  Last week, the Hornets lost David West and Tyson Chandler, and dropped a game to Minnesota.  Sure, the wine and gold lost a game to the Bulls without West and Ilgauskas, but that was the game West was injured.  Since the players and coaches have adjusted to the injuries, they haven’t lost a game they weren’t supposed to.

 

This trip just reinforces that the Cleveland Cavaliers are one of this season’s elite teams.  The national media is drooling for a Boston-LA rematch in The Finals, but Thursday’s Cleveland-Orlando game might be a match up of the two best teams in the NBA.  When the Cavs get healthy, this team might just finish with the league’s best record when the regular season ends.

 

JK

 

In watching the NFL conference championships on Sunday, I was struck by the fact that three of the top four defenses, in terms of yardage allowed, were represented in the two title tilts.  The Steelers, Ravens, and Eagles all have excellent defensive units.  That’s why they win. 

 

Then it struck me.  When was the last time the Cleveland Browns had a dominant defense?  I couldn’t remember the Browns ever having a defense like Pittsburgh or Baltimore, and I’ve been following the team since the mid-1960’s.  Even in those years, when they were a perennial playoff team, they didn’t shut their opponents down.  It was always a bend, but don’t break philosophy.

 

So, I decided to check the Browns defensive stats since Blanton Collier retired as head coach, as this was really the end of the period where Cleveland was recognized as one of the NFL’s elite franchises.  I remember hearing my father and grandfather tell me that at that time, the Browns had the highest winning percentage in NFL history.

 

Someone born in 1970 or later cannot fathom that, as the Cleveland Browns have really been a mediocre team since that time, save for the Marty Schottenheimer/Bernie Kosar/ Hanford Dixon teams of the late 1980’s that went to three AFC Championship games.

 

I decided to focus on the yardage allowed by a defense rather than points allowed, because to me, a dominant defense isn’t one that bends, but doesn’t break.  An excellent defense allows an offense no breathing room.

 

In the 35 seasons the Browns have played since 1970, the team has finished in the top ten in yards allowed just eight times, most recently in 1994, the year Cleveland made the playoffs with Bill Belichick as head coach.  The team finished 11-5 that season, beating New England, ironically in the playoffs before losing to Pittsburgh, of course.

 

Only twice has the franchise finished in the top 5 in yardage allowed in this period, both in the 80’s in the Schottenheimer era.  The first time was 1984, the year Sam Rutigliano was fired and replaced by the then defensive coordinator as head coach.  The team went 5-11 that year and finished 2^nd in total defense, but the foundation was built in ’83 and ’84 for a defense that ranked in the top ten six times in seven years.

 

The other top five finish was in 1987 when the Browns made the second of their AFC Championship appearances, finishing with a 10-5 mark. 

 

The other trademark of a great defense is putting pressure on the quarterback.  On NFL.com, team statistics for sacks are only available starting with the 1982 season.  That would give me 27 years of data, 24 seasons for the Cleveland Browns. 

 

In over two decades of football, the Cleveland Browns have finished in the top ten in the league in sacks just five times, with three of those seasons coming in the Belichick years (’92, ‘93’, and ’94).  The high water mark was a 3^rd place ranking in 1993.  The other years, the Browns ranked 7^th (1994) and 8^th (1992).  Of course, we know the team made the playoffs just once in those years. 

 

The team ranked 7^th in sacks in Bud Carson’s first year as head coach, a season in which the brown and orange made they last appearance in the AFC Championship game.  The team’s last top ten ranking was in 2002, the only post-expansion finish involved, when they ranked 10^th, the last season the Browns made the playoffs.

 

What this shows is that for all the talk about offense and scoring points, the Browns generally win when they have a respectable defense.  They just haven’t had a good defense all that often.  Hopefully, Eric Mangini and new GM George Kokinis realize this and start building up the organization on the defensive side of the ball.

 

The Steelers have realized this for years, that is why they are making their 7^th Super Bowl appearance in a little over a week in Tampa.  It isn’t just a cliché, offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.

 

JD

 

Monday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers suffered their biggest loss of the season, a 105-88 beat down at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.  It was the way the Cavs were beaten that was disturbing.  LA big men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol dominated them in the paint. 

 

Gasol hit 11 of 13 shots from the floor, mostly from in close as Ben Wallace struggled against him.  Bynum hit a variety of short shots as he gave Anderson Varajao fits.  Lakers’ Coach Phil Jackson admitted during the telecast that without Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the lineup, he wanted his team to pound it inside.  They did and they were highly successful.

 

Before anyone panics about the Lakers, keep in mind a couple of things.  One, remember that Ilgauskas is out and his outside shooting would draw Bynum away from the hoop, thus opening things up for James and others to penetrate.  LeBron drove to the basket several times and ran into a brick wall.  Also, his height would make it more difficult for Bynum to get easy buckets from in close.

 

Second, remember what Mike Brown made his bones at in the coaching profession…DEFENSE.  If the Cavs and Lakers would meet in The Finals, I feel quite confident that Brown would devise a defense which would prove a deterrent to Los Angeles’ length inside.

 

Another thing that will need to be done if the Lakers are the opponent is put LeBron James on the blocks.  There is no question that Kobe Bryant is an excellent defender, and he gave #23 some trouble when he was guarding him on the perimeter. 

 

However, James has a two-inch and about 40 pound advantage on Bryant.  If James went down there on a consistent basis, Bryant would not be able to handle him.  Likely, Jackson would change his defensive match up and put someone else on James, but if he switched to a guy like Gasol, LeBron would own the quickness advantage.  To put it simply, James’ versatility and size can give the Lakers fits, and in a long series, Mike Brown would use that to his advantage.

 

There is no question that the team’s chemistry is off because of the injuries to Z and Delonte West.  It took the Cavs five or six games at the beginning of the season before they started rolling, and West has only been out three games, so Mike Brown has some time before restoring normality.  Then again, the play of the Magic and Celtics don’t give him that much time.

 

The best situation for the Cavs is to finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference.  Obviously, getting that spot means they will have home court advantage until The Finals, at the very least.  But, it also would mean Boston and Orlando would have to match up in the second round of the playoffs, while the wine and gold takes on the #4 vs. #5 series winner.  Letting the Celts and Magic beat up on each other just might pay dividends in the conference finals.

 

JK

 

 

The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl.  This is a little like the Los Angeles Clippers going to the NBA Finals or the Washington Nationals going to the World Series.  The Cardinal franchise has long been regarded as the dregs of the NFL, but they will be in the Super Bowl before the “storied history” of the Cleveland Browns.  Let’s put an end to that crap right now.  The Browns are one of the worst run franchises in the league, ranking right with the Detroit Lions, who went 0-16 this year.

 

Today, owner Randy Lerner will have a second interview with George Kokinis, and he likely will be hired as the new Browns’ General Manager soon, perhaps as early as today.

 

The delay in hiring the GM came as a result of hiring Eric Mangini to be the head coach after talking to just four candidates, one of those being former defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, who was likely interviewed in compliance with the “Rooney Rule”, which makes sure minority candidates are considered.

 

The rationale the Browns will give you is that it is more important to hire good assistant coaches than to get a highly qualified leader for the organization.  That’s why they decided to go ahead and hire Mangini before a general manager was in place.

 

Now the Browns are in a position where many fine candidates for the position didn’t want to come here because they would like to bring in their own coach.  That’s why Scott Pioli went to Kansas City, and not Cleveland.  He wanted the ability to hire or fire the coach. 

 

The other problem is that some view Mangini as a pariah because he broke the unwritten code by turning in his old boss, Bill Belichick, in the “Spygate” controversy. 

 

Giving your head coach the most power in the organization works when your head coach is Bill Parcells or Belichick.  Eric Mangini has not earned that type of trust in his three years in New York with the Jets.  And because owner Randy Lerner made the decision to put his eggs in the Mangini basket, he can’t find anyone to take the General Manager gig.

 

These candidates know there is no power in their position.  They likely are coming into the position with the okay of Mangini, so if they don’t get along with the head coach, they will reappear on the unemployment line.  I understand that Mangini has talked about working together with the GM, but why would a guy like Pioli or Rich McKay take the job knowing they are here at the mercy of the head coach, especially one with a whopping three years in that job in the NFL.

 

That’s why George Kokinis will be the new GM.  Eric Mangini recommended him.  Hopefully, he will feel free to speak his mind if he and the head coach disagree, and there will be meaningful dialogue.  Eric Mangini has not done enough in the NFL to merit a dictatorship.  Unfortunately for Browns’ fans, there is no one in charge of both of them to monitor the situation.  That’s why the team needs someone to be in charge of all football operations.

 

Again, Mangini and Kokinis could be a great duo, and could lead the team back into the playoffs.  It’s the process that troubles me.  Lerner needed to uncover every stone in turning this franchise around.  Instead, he hired one of the first people he was impressed by, and let that guy pick the General Manager. 

 

It doesn’t seem like a winning combination.

 

JD

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a double blow last night, losing in overtime to the Chicago Bulls 102-93 and losing guard Delonte West for a while with a fractured wrist.  The wine and gold took the Bulls to overtime despite LeBron James, who was suffering with a cold, playing horribly, and and missing 13 shots in a row at one point.  The amazing thing is he didn’t play well and still ended up with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists.

 

The Cavs are now 30-7 on the season and dropped another road game to a below .500 team.  However, the loss of West hurts much more.

 

West is a glue guy.  His importance to the team was never more in question than the entire team going over to him while trainer Max Benton attended to him after his fall underneath the Bulls basket following a collision with the Bulls’ Derrick Rose. 

 

Preliminary reports have West missing two to three weeks of action.  The best thing about the injury is that in happened in January, not in April or May.  West will be back well before the playoffs start. 

 

The worst part about the injury is that is comes before a critical west coast trip, and a bigger problem is the Cavs don’t really have anyone who can replace their starting shooting guard.

 

Sasha Pavlovic will likely start in place of West, and he needs to step up in a big way.  He has been a huge disappointment so far this season, but Coach Mike Brown likes his defense more than that of Wally Szczerbiak.  However, neither player provides the defense nor ball handling that West gives the team.

 

I would expect Brown will give Tarence Kinsey some time as well as he is reputed to be a plus defending and gives the team more athleticism than either Pavlovic or Szczerbiak provides.  Either way, losing West might just be the toughest thing the Cavaliers would have to go through, besides losing James for any length of time.

 

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a key member of the team for sure, but in his absence Anderson Varajao has stepped up, and outside of last night, J.J. Hickson has improved his play.  Even Lorenzen Wright contributed in the last two games with Ben Wallace down with the flu.  Wright is a veteran who provides quality minutes.

 

Daniel Gibson provides shooting off the bench in the backcourt, but he doesn’t have the size to defend #2 guards.  West is also a good enough ball-handler to spell Mo Williams when he is resting.  The injury means that LeBron James will have to take on more playmaking responsibilities. 

 

Tonight’s game against New Orleans will be a huge challenge and another one will follow on Monday when the wine and gold take on the Lakers in L.A. 

 

The thing you can bank on with this edition of the Cavaliers is their mental toughness.  James, Brown and everyone else on the team will not make any excuses.  They will expect to go out there tonight and defeat the Hornets, even without Delonte West.

 

However, make no mistake.  This loss will have a profound effect on this basketball team.  But it is better to have these injuries occur now.  It may even make the Cavs a better team come playoff time.

 

JK

 

The Cleveland Indians do not like the salary arbitration process.  They haven’t been involved since the early 90’s when Jerry Browne took the team through the process.  They avoided going there again this off-season by inking catcher Kelly Shoppach to a one-year deal.  It appears this might the last move the Tribe makes this winter prior to spring training in Goodyear, AZ.

 

If it is, the Indians have a major decision to make at 1B and catcher.  Victor Martinez should be healthy in 2009, and was arguably the best catcher in the American League in 2007, when he batted .301 with 25 HR and 114 RBI.  It has been said that Martinez, who just turned 30 in December, would like to continue to catch on a regular basis. 

 

With Martinez injured much of last season with elbow problems and hamstring issues, Shoppach stepped in and performed very well, batting .261 with 21 HR and 55 RBI.  The glaring statistic for Shoppach, who will turn 29 this spring, is his strikeouts.  He fanned 133 times in 352 at bats last season, which projects to 189 K’s in a 500 at bat season.

 

Shoppach’s presence allows skipper Eric Wedge the flexibility to keep Martinez fresh by playing him at 1B or DH in the event Travis Hafner doesn’t come back from his shoulder problems.  Of course, another option at first is Ryan Garko, who had an off year in 2008, but still knocked in 90 runs with 14 homers and a .273 batting average.  Garko’s track record makes me believe he will bounce back to his form of 2006 and 2007, when he hit .290 (834 OPS) with 28 dingers and 106 RBI in 669 at bats.

 

If Pronk returns to even his 2007 level when he drove in over 100 runs, Wedge will have a very enjoyable time dividing playing time between these four players at three spots.  It will allow him to rest Hafner against tough southpaws, thereby keeping his shoulder strong.  Martinez will not get worn down by catching 135 games per season. 

 

It will also provide GM Mark Shapiro with trade options if another weakness on the ballclub emerges. I know this sounds like a broken record, but with the Tribe’s top prospect, catcher Carlos Santana on the horizon, Shoppach becomes the most likely trade bait.  Keep in mind that Shoppach is no youngster, being just a year younger than Martinez, who has been around Cleveland for a long time.

 

Assuming no injuries in the everyday lineup, here is how it looks like the Tribe will open the season in Texas on April 6^th—

 

Grady Sizemore               CF

Mark DeRosa                   3B

Victor Martinez                   C

Jhonny Peralta                 SS

Travis Hafner                   DH

Ryan Garko                      1B

Shin-Soo Choo                RF

Ben Francisco                  LF

Asdrubal Cabrera            2B

 

However, something tells me the infield positions are marked in pencil, and that Peralta may still shift to third, with Cabrera moving to short, and DeRosa to second. 

 

KM

 

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers embark on their first extended trip of the year starting tonight.  They take on the Grizzlies tonight in Memphis, the first game in a stretch of six of the next seven games, which will be on the road.  It will be interesting to see where the wine and gold is in the Eastern Conference standings after these road games, as they are currently two games ahead of Orlando in the loss column and three ahead of the Celtics.

 

Friday night’s 98-83 resounding win over the Celtics put a punctuation mark on the Cavs’ early season success.  LeBron James put a lock on Paul Pierce, holding him to 11 points on 4 of 15 shooting, making a claim to be included on the NBA’s All-Defensive team for the first time.  ESPN analyst Mark Jackson even went as far to say James should be the Defensive Player of the Year.

 

The performance cemented why I believe there is no question that #23 is the best player in the world.  He simply dominated the game on both ends of the floor, making steals, blocking shots, diving on the floor for loose balls, and, of course, scoring 38 points, dishing out 6 assists, and grabbing 7 rebounds in 36 minutes.  What was surprising to me was that LeBron hit just 4 of 12 outside shots, because it seemed to me that his jumper was falling.  It just shows that he made shots when the Cavs needed them.

 

Yes, the Celtics were struggling going into the game, but the wine and gold were missing Zydrunas Ilgauskas, their starting center, and a key outside shooter.  Boston has rebounded with a pair of wins against Toronto, but the second of those was an overtime win in Beantown, hardly a sign the green has emerged from their funk.  Celts’ Coach Doc Rivers even tried to send Ben Wallace to the foul line repeatedly in the fourth quarter in an effort to get back in the game, but Big Ben hit half of his charity tosses to foil the strategy somewhat.

 

That struck me as somewhat of a desperate move by Rivers, who obviously is concerned about the performance of his team since the end of their 19 game winning streak on Christmas Day.

 

These first two road games (Memphis and Chicago) are critical because the Cavaliers are coming off of the huge win against Boston, and quite frankly, neither team is very good.  Will the wine and gold learn a lesson after losing to the Wizards in Washington a week and a half ago?  This team can demonstrate their mental toughness by winning both games before returning home to play New Orleans on Friday night.

 

JK

 

Wow!  What a big week for the professional sports teams in Cleveland.  Each team made news, some bigger than others, with the highlight being the hiring of Eric Mangini as the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns.  Here is our “perspective” on all the news—

 

Browns Hire Mangini.

 

Eric Mangini might very well become the next great NFL head coach, but he also could be the next Romeo Crennel.  It has been said he had problems with his assistants and some players, but so did Bill Belichick, and he learned from his mistakes to win three Super Bowls.  Perhaps Mangini will learn as well, and be a better coach than he was with the Jets.

 

The biggest problem was the process taken by owner Randy Lerner.  Lerner interviewed four people for the job, excluding names like Titan defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, and former Bronco coach Mike Shanahan.  Why not wait and interview these seemingly qualified coaches? 

 

The answer is Mangini infatuated Lerner, the same way Romeo Crennel did four years ago.  We all know how that turned out.  I would feel better if someone with a football background, whether it would be Scott Pioli, Rich McKay, or Tom Heckert made that decision, rather than the owner. 

 

The other part of the equation is that the new General Manager will likely be George Kokinis, currently the Ravens’ director of pro personnel.  It appears that Kokinis will be in the office on a daily basis, which differs from the style of Phil Savage, who spent much of his time on the road.  This is a key aspect for Lerner. 

 

There are some who say the head coach is more important than the GM, but I would have preferred to hire a football professional to head up the organization, and allowing that man to decide on the football coach.  To me, that’s the best way to run an organization.  That’s why I am skeptical about the hiring of Eric Mangini.  He hasn’t proven enough at the NFL level to wield that kind of power.

 

Tribe Signs Pavano.

 

The Indians signed a free agent starting pitcher, that’s the good news.  The bad news is the signing doesn’t exactly ease my concerns about the starting rotation.  That doesn’t mean it isn’t a good deal for the Tribe, however. 

 

Why not sign Pavano for a one-year incentive laden contract?  If he comes back from the assortment of injuries he suffered during his tenure with the Yankees, they get a pitcher who has won ten or more games in the majors twice in his career.  In his last healthy season, he went 18-8 for the Marlins in 2004.  I don’t think anyone is expecting that, and if his arm isn’t right, the Indians can release him at little financial cost.

 

The Indians still need another middle of the rotation starter who is healthy and capable.  The only free agent available who fits this bill is Jon Garland, but he likely is too expensive for the Tribe.  GM Mark Shapiro has said the Pavano signing is likely the team’s last move unless he can get rid of some payroll, which means any move would be a trade. 

 

The team has some bullpen depth, and could look to move RHP Rafael Betancourt to free up some cash.  I keep hearing that Texas would like to unload Kevin Millwood’s contract and I wouldn’t be shocked to see a deal bringing the right-hander back to Cleveland if the Rangers eat some of the money.  He would be a perfect fit in the middle of the Tribe’s rotation.

 

Big Game at “The Q”

 

Don’t look now, but the Cavaliers have the best record in the Eastern Conference and tonight they take on the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year, the World Champion Boston Celtics.  The Celts have struggled lately, dropping six of their last eight, but still this might be the biggest regular season in years for the Cavaliers. 

 

With the wine and gold embarking on a west coast trip next week, they definitely need a win tonight to maintain an edge on the green.  The Cavaliers are short-handed with the loss of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, so it will be a big test especially on the defensive end without the big man.  This is where playing J. J. Hickson could be considered a risk, but on the other hand, it will be a great experience for the big man.

 

Who knows, tonight’s game could help determine home court advantage in the playoffs, and anyone who watched last year’s series knows how important having the seventh game on your home floor is.  The Cavs know it too.  They made getting off to a good start a priority to make sure they had home court advantage in the playoffs this season.

 

There is no doubt that tonight’s game will have a playoff feel.

 

MW

 

It was another loss in a BCS Bowl game for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but it was much closer than many expected.  In fact, Texas probably has no claim to a National Championship now because they did not dominate OSU in Monday night’s Fiesta Bowl.  Heisman Trophy runner-up Colt McCoy rallied the Longhorns in the fourth quarter, throwing a game-winning TD pass to Quan Cosby with :16 left on the clock.

 

I have several comments regarding the game—

 

1).  If I were an NFL General Manager, I wouldn’t touch Buckeye RB Chris “Beanie” Wells with a ten foot pole.  Wells suffered a concussion in the second half, another in a long line of injuries suffered by Wells in his time at Ohio State. 

 

Wells has first round talent, but undrafted free agent durability.  He simply can’t stay healthy.  And the guys in the NFL are bigger and faster than the ones Wells played against in college.  I don’t think he can be a feature back in the NFL.

 

2).  It appeared that freshman QB Terrelle Pryor regressed as a passer in the six weeks of practice leading up to the bowl game.  Pryor missed several open receivers, and also appeared indecisive as to whether or not to throw when flushed out of the pocket.  In fact, on the drive leading to the Bucks third field goal, Pryor could have easily run for a first down to keep the drive alive, but instead fired a pass into the ground.

 

This is not to give up on the freshman.  Remember, Jim Tressel and the coaching staff made Troy Smith a terrific passer by the time he left Columbus.  However, Pryor has to improve greatly as a passer to be a great college quarterback and pro prospect.  He came to OSU because there was more potential to be NFL ready when he left, so I expect he will put the work in during the spring.

 

3).  Once again, the Buckeyes have a problem with a “fast-break” offense.  The Buckeyes controlled the pace of the game with the running attack in the first half, but when that didn’t happen in the third quarter, OSU was in trouble.  It may be time for Tressel to bring in some new blood on his coaching staff, particularly people who have experience in dealing with the high-powered SEC and Big 12 offenses.

 

4).  The senior football players at Ohio State had a remarkable run, going to three BCS bowl games, including twice playing for the National Championship.  However, they will likely be viewed as a disappointment because of the losses to Florida and LSU in the title tilts.  They won two Big Ten championships outright, and shared a third. 

 

The biggest disappointment was probably this season.  Many players eschewed the NFL for another year in Columbus after last season, figuring they would make another run at the National Championship.  It didn’t happen, and several players, such as Brian Robiskie, Todd Boeckman, and Brian Hartline probably will be drafted lower in 2009 than they would have in 2008.  They may be disappointed, but they accomplished a lot in their time in scarlet and gray.

 

5).  The Bucks need to get more athletic upfront, particularly on the offensive line.  Tressel recruited some top linemen last year in Michael Brewster, J.B. Shugarts, and Mike Adams.  Perhaps the head coach was a little over-protective of some upper classmen who weren’t getting the job done.  Because of graduation, the offensive and defensive fronts will be much different in 2009.

 

The most telling play was the penultimate play of the game, when Texas rushed three and still sacked Todd Boeckman.  Even with a two-man advantage, the Buckeyes couldn’t keep the Longhorns out of their backfield.

 

KM

 

The greatest fear I had about the search for leadership by the Cleveland Browns is coming true.  Owner Randy Lerner is making the decision the wrong way, and by that I mean he has become enamored by a coach, and is considering letting that man beside what direction this franchise is going in.  I believe this will be a mistake, and the Browns fans will have to wait longer before their team gets back into contention.

 

It appears that Lerner has developed a yearning for former Jets’ coach Eric Mangini, and now is considering Ravens’ Director of Pro Personnel George Kokinis at the team’s GM.  What I’m wondering is what has Eric Mangini done in the NFL to merit wielding this much power.

 

Count me among those who believe Lerner should find the man he wants to run the football operations first, and then let this “football man” decide who should be the next coach.  Remember, Lerner did the same thing four years ago with Romeo Crennel and hired him first.  That didn’t work out so well, did it?

 

Mangini spent three years as the Jets’ coach and he did take New York to the playoffs in his first year, showing great improvement from the 4-12 record the year before.  The Jets went 10-6 that season, but they did benefit from a ridiculously easy schedule.  Remember that the 4-12 Browns handed New York one of their defeats in that first season.

 

The Jets dropped to 4-12 in 2007, but rebounded to finish 9-7 this past season.  They were 8-3 before playing poorly down the stretch losing to teams like the Raiders, Seahawks, and 49ers.  Part of that was the poor play of Brett Favre, but still as Bill Parcells says, “you are what your record says you are”. 

 

That makes Mangini 23-25 in his three seasons as the Jets boss.  Considering the Browns have hired only one head coach with previous NFL head coaching experience in the history of the team (Nick Skorich), this qualifies as getting a winner.  Mangini may well develop into the next Vince Lombardi, but he should definitely not be handed over the football operations of an entire franchise.

 

As for Kokinis, he might be a very qualified personnel person.  However, no one had heard of the guy until a couple of days ago.  His biggest qualification is that Mangini likes him and they enjoyed a good working relationship with the Browns and Ravens. 

 

Randy Lerner needs to hire someone with experience and with a history of success.  There is no timetable for the hire, it is much more important to get it right.  Find someone to run the football operation and let him hire the head coach.  If that guy is Scott Pioli, great, if he doesn’t want to leave New England, fine.  Rich McKay has had success at both Tampa Bay and Atlanta and would be a fine choice to take over here.

 

Lerner is acting like a fan, not an owner.  He was very impressed with Mangini in the interview process, and it seems like he has stopped talking to other prospective coaches because he liked the former Jets’ boss.  What is there to lose by talking to Titan defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz?  Why not talk to Mike Shanahan, who has two Super Bowl victories on his resume. 

 

Hire a football man first.  Let him talk to your prospective coaching candidates, and then make your decision.  You are running this football team backwards, and the results are showing up in the win-loss record. 

 

JD

 

Tribe GM Mark Shapiro filled one of his pressing needs yesterday by acquiring infielder Mark DeRosa from the Chicago Cubs for three minor leaguers, most notably right-hander Jeff Stevens, who was a candidate for a bullpen job until the Indians picked up Kerry Wood and Joe Snith in off-season moves.  DeRosa will be 34 prior to the beginning of the '09 season, and has one year remaining on his contract. 

 

Basically, Shapiro picked up a replacement for Casey Blake at less years and less money than Blake received from the Dodgers as a free agent.  DeRosa has the same versatility as Blake, as he can play 2B, 3B, 1B, and the outfield.  He is a solid bat, a lifetime .279 hitter with an OPS of 770 for his career.  He carries an on base percentage of .348, so he likely will hit in the #2 spot in the batting order, right behind Grady Sizemore.

 

He did have a career year last season, batting .285 with 21 HR and 87 RBI, but over the last three seasons has averaged 15 dingers and 80 runs batted in.  And he's not a whiff machine, striking out about 100 times in 500 at-bats per year.  He hit .316 at Wrigley Field last season, but over the past three campaigns, which includes one season in Texas, he doesn't show much of a home/road differential.  He does hit lefties very well, batting .302 for his career against southpaws, compared to a lifetime mark of .275 against righties.  He's also known as a "grinder", which will play well in the Tribe clubhouse.

 

He's a solid pick-up, and cost the Tribe two young minor leaguers and Stevens, who is expendable because of the acqusiitions Shapiro made earlier and the move of Adam Miller to the bullpen.  Stevens ranked behind Miller, Jon Meloan, and Tony Sipp in the young reliever pecking order. 

 

The odd thing about the trade is that the Indians have said DeRosa will play 3B for Cleveland, not 2B, as he spent most of his time in Chicago.  A Cub insider said DeRosa's best defensive position was the hot corner. 

 

However, weren't we led to believe that one of the team's objectives was to move Jhonny Peralta to third?  This could have been done by playing DeRosa at second, and moving Asdrubal Cabrera to shortstop.  I'm sure the Tribe will counter that this weakens the team defensively at both 2B and 3B, where Andy Marte was solid with the glove.

 

Still, didn't Shapiro deal for Luis Valbuena with the idea he would be the Tribe 2B in late 2009, and definitely 2010 (remember DeRosa has just one year remaining on his deal).  When Valbuena is ready, doesn't the move have to be made then? 

 

Of course, the Indians are very smooth when it comes to these things, and when Opening Day hits, Peralta just may be at third with DeRosa at 2B and Cabrera at SS.  They may have a good reason why they are saying DeRosa will play third.

 

The Indians' GM now has to address the starting rotation, which still has a hole in the middle of the rotation.  It appears he doesn't have a great deal of money to spend, which means it may have to be taken care of with a trade.  Remember, I still advocate a deal of Kelly Shoppach, who I don't believe will repeat his 2008 season.  The organization also has depth at this position with prospects Carlos Santana and Chris Gimenez in the wings.  Also, remember that Shoppach is less than two years younger than Victor Martinez.

 

With six weeks to go before spring training, Shapiro strengthened his hitting and solidified his infield.  I still wouldn't mind getting a bat in LF, but there is no question the starting rotation is the bigger concern.  A contender can't go into the season with so many questions in the rotation.  I see another move happening before the Tribe opens its new training complex in Goodyear, AZ.

 

MW