One of the problems with starting the season 0-3 is it doesn’t allow you any room for error going forward.  The Cleveland Browns have one three of their last four games and are coming off a huge road win last Sunday at Jacksonville.  However, this week’s game at home against the hated Baltimore Ravens is just as big.  A loss this Sunday drops the Browns to 3-5, but more importantly drops them to 1-3 within the AFC North.

However, a win ties the brown and orange with the Ravens at 4-4, evens their division record at 2-2, and would enable the team to split the season series with Baltimore.  It’s pretty much a two game swing.  And with the Steelers playing on the road Monday night against the Redskins, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Browns could be just a game out of first place come Tuesday morning.

What do the Browns need to do this Sunday?

Defensively, they need the same type of effort against the run, and if they can force the Ravens into passing situations, they need to put big pressure on rookie QB Joe Flacco.  They can’t let Flacco be comfortable in the pocket.   They have to keep him confused.

Remember that Baltimore scored more than half of their points in the first meeting as a result of Derek Anderson interceptions.  This Sunday, Cleveland needs to make the Ravens go the length of the field. 

Offensively, the Ravens are susceptible to the deep pass, but the trick there is giving the quarterback enough time to throw.  Therefore, the Browns need to establish Jamal Lewis early; he needs the ball more than the 12 carries he had in September.  They have to be aggressive, be the ones to punch the Baltimore defense in the mouth.  And don’t be afraid to take advantage of the Ravens’ aggressiveness on defense.  Rob Chudzinski needs to use all of his weapons. 

Romeo Crennel cannot watch his quarterback struggle for more than half the game either.  Anderson played okay last week, but he was hardly spectacular.  If he is struggling on Sunday, Crennel needs to give Brady Quinn a shot.  The time for protecting Anderson’s fragile ego is over, the Browns need to win games, and have to exhaust all methods to get the job done.

Romeo Crennel is 3-0 at home against Baltimore.  If the Browns can eliminate the mistakes they made in the game at the Charm City, they will continue that streak.  The only way the Ravens can score enough points to beat the Browns is if Cleveland helps them out.

JD

The national pundits are already showing no love to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  I’ve already seen national magazines picking the wine and gold for 5^th or 6^th in the Eastern Conference.  The new object of these writers’ affection is the Philadelphia 76ers, which acquired Elton Brand as a free agent.  They also love how the oft-injured Jermaine O’Neal will boost the Toronto Raptors to the elite teams in the conference.  I just shake my head.

The Cleveland Cavaliers went to the NBA Finals in 2006-07, and took last year’s champs, the Celtics, to a seventh game in their conference semi-final series last year.  Plus, they employ the league’s best player, LeBron James.  Now, I’m rolling my eyes.

These idiots have no idea what they are talking about.  The only writer who shows the Cavs any love is ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard, who used to cover the team for the Akron Beacon-Journal.  He picks the wine and gold to go to back to The Finals.  He knows better.  And I agree with him.  It will be a fun winter and spring at The “Q” in 2008-09.

Here is one thing to remember, LeBron James is just 23 years old and will not turn 24 until the end of this calendar year.  That means he is still improving as a player.  And that, my friends, is a scary proposition for the rest of the NBA. 

The addition of Mo Williams gives the team another player who can create his own shot, and that will help #23 in a big way.  Williams also likes to push the ball, and there is no question that when The King is in the open court, he is all but unstoppable.  I believe James will come as close as anyone to averaging a triple double since Oscar Robertson in 1962.  Figure 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per night for the gold medal winning James.

The Cavs are not a perfect team.  They have some age in the frontcourt where Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Ben Wallace are on the wrong side of 30, and the only proven offensive performer is Big Z.  However, they have the very tradable commodity of Wally Szczerbiak’s expiring contract to trade during the season to bolster any weak areas that creep up during the season. 

This is the most athletic team the wine and gold have put on the floor in the James era.  Besides #23, Williams, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, Anderson Varajao, and Sasha Pavlovic can all get up and down the floor, meaning if the Cavs can play good defense, they can create easy opportunities to score.  Remember that they have the best finisher in the game in James.

This city should be excited by what is starting tonight.  The Cleveland Cavaliers are a legitimate contender for an NBA championship, and their season starts this evening in Boston.  The last time we had this level of anticipation was with the Indians in the late 90’s, but even those teams didn’t have the best player in his sport.

JK

If you can figure out the Cleveland Browns this season, please drop me a line.  The Browns went to Jacksonville with their season on the line, and emerged with a 23-17 heart stopping victory to raise their record to 3-4 after an 0-3 start.  If you don’t think this team doesn’t have a shot at the playoffs, take a look at the standings where outside of the AFC East, the second place team in every division is no better than 4-3.  If Cleveland can continue to play like they did yesterday, they definitely have a chance.

Perhaps the most telling comment after the game came from Jamal Lewis, who stressed the victory was a result of playing as a team.  You can read anything you want into that comment. 

The defensive stars were nose tackle Shaun Rogers, who was immense in body and play, and reserve safety Nick Sorensen, who knocked the ball away from WR Matt Jones, saving a game-winning touchdown on the penultimate play of the game. 

Rogers was all over the place, getting nine tackles and one sack on Jaguar QB David Garrard.  He spearheaded the much-maligned defense against the run, as the Browns held the Jags to 113 yards on the ground.  It was even more telling that Garrard picked up 59 of those yards, as the defense held Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew to just a combined 53 yards on 20 attempts.  At least on this day, Cleveland stuffed the run.

Even though Jacksonville held the ball for 35 minutes, the Browns controlled the line of scrimmage and thus won the football game.

Offensively, it was a return to the big play attack of last year.  Early on, Jamal Lewis ran through some gaping holes in the Jags’ defensive front, and then it following by big plays.  Derek Anderson threw for 246 yards, but more than half came on three plays.  The fourth and one call that resulted in a 53-yard pass and run to Steve Heiden, was a huge play.  So was the pass over the middle to Syndric Steptoe that set up the go ahead field goal was also big.

However, the attack sputters near the goal line.  On first and goal at the one with the score tied at 17, the offense could not punch it into the end zone.  The first down pass to Braylon Edwards was almost picked off and returned for a touchdown.  I think too much imagination is being used.  The Browns have two Pro Bowl offensive linemen on the left side in Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach.  Why not run Lewis behind them?  Once again, I think it’s a case of trying to outsmart the opponent instead of just showing who’s better.

This week, the Ravens come to Cleveland and the Browns have a chance to tie them at 4-4.  The problem this team has had is following up a good game with another solid performance.  Hopefully, no one, not even Edwards will take Baltimore lightly. 

Also, Anderson’s performance next week shouldn’t buy him a full game of terrible play next week.  If he’s not getting the job done, Romeo Crennel needs to make a switch.  It’s another huge game.  A loss puts them two games behind the Ravens and make a wild card spot all but impossible.  That’s the challenge the Browns face this week. 

Jamal Lewis is right.  When the Browns play as a team, they can win.  Understand, Braylon and Kellen?

JD

With their season teetering on the brink with a 2-4 record, the Cleveland Browns should be pulling together to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday, thus remaining in the playoff hunt.  Instead, the entire week has been spent talking about Kellen Winslow and the fact the team has suspended him for one game.  Not exactly the way to prepare for a big game, eh?

First off, let me say that I like Phil Savage.  I think he has done a good job bringing talent in to the organization, which was devoid of it after the Butch Davis regime.  However, he was wrong in two areas regarding the Winslow situation. 

He should have picked up the phone and contacted Winslow in the hospital.  It has been reported that the GM did not contact LeCharles Bentley or Joe Jurevicius when each player was suffering from a staph infection, and if that is the case, he is wrong in each instance.  This type of infection is very serious and it would be the class thing to do to find out how the player is doing.  It certainly isn’t the same as a knee injury that requires arthroscopic surgery.

Savage also should have been the person announcing the decision to the media instead of releasing a statement and letting Romeo Crennel address the press.  Savage is the team’s General Manager, and he is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the franchise.  He should have been there to answer the questions people have about the decision and the situation.

This is not to take blame away from Winslow, the Browns’ best player.  After a tough defeat, and with their season teetering on the brink, the last thing this football team needs is one of its stars being a distraction.  Yes, Winslow is an emotional player who wears his heart on his sleeve, but he’s also an adult, and should understand the ramifications of his comments.  He put his coach and his teammates in a situation where they had to answer questions about this stuff all week.

By the way, many people have defended Winslow based on the “freedom of speech” argument.  This is ridiculous.  The citizens of this country have many rights, including free speech, and the government is not supposed to allow punish people for this.  However, this protection doesn’t include employers.  Try going into your boss’ office and exercising your freedom by telling him what you think is wrong about the company.  You likely will not be employed there very long.  You can’t criticize the boss!

On the other hand, it did deflect attention on what has happened to the team’s offense.  The high-flying attack of last year has all but disappeared, showing itself in only one of the six games played year to date.  The deep passing game is a rumor.  The pass protection is not nearly what it was in 2007.  And the offensive coordinator, Rob Chudzinski, has been slow to adjust.  What are defenses doing differently to stop the Browns?

Also, no one is talking about Derek Anderson’s extreme decline from last season, and no one is discussing the fact that Braylon Edwards has more excuses than catches.  So, maybe KII’s outburst was well timed.  No one is talking about the play of this 2-4 football team.

Regardless of all of the extra stuff, the Cleveland Browns have to win this week if they are to have any chance of making the playoffs.  If they win Sunday at Jacksonville, they will say the controversy pulled them together.  If they lose, it will be considered a huge distraction.

JD

The San Diego Padres have put 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy on the market, looking to move their ace right-hander in an effort to speed up a rebuilding process.  Peavy will turn 28 years old next season and is signed through 2012, with a club option for the 2013 season.

The Cleveland Indians need starting pitching.  It says here that they probably can’t do better than to make an offer for Peavy, a proven major league ace who will include cost certainty for the foreseeable future.  The Tribe also can put together a good package of players and prospects, which should interest San Diego.

This, of course, assumes the Indians front office gets over its fear of trading prospects that have never done anything in the major leagues for someone who will be here a minimum of four years.  This is not to say a farm system isn’t important, in fact, it most certainly is for a smaller market team.  The Tribe needs to keep developing low cost players so they have a shot at keeping their better players when free agency arrives. 

In putting together a package for Peavy, you have to notice that the only catcher on the San Diego roster is young Nick Hundley, who has a total of 198 big league at bats.  That means they would have to be interested in Kelly Shoppach.  Shoppach is the Indians primo trading chip and cashing him in for a pitcher like Jake Peavy seems like a perfect fit.

The Padres will also want young prospect pitchers, which means the Indians will have to part with either David Huff or Adam Miller.  Miller has had all kinds of injury problems, so the Pads will probably prefer Huff.  Even though it appears Huff has a higher ceiling than the other southpaws Cleveland has (Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, Scott Lewis, Zach Jackson), he still has yet to pitch above the Class AAA level.  And, of course, Peavy is signed for at least four more seasons.  It’s not as though the righty is a one and done guy.

San Diego will want one more premium prospect, so the Tribe can dip down into the lower levels of the farm system for a hurler like Hector Rondon or Kelvin De La Cruz.  Rondon had a good year at Kinston, and pitched in the Futures Game on All Star weekend.  De La Cruz has been described as a left-handed Fausto Carmona. 

The Indians can also throw in an outfielder such as Ben Francisco or Franklin Gutierrez.  Francisco has the better bat, but the Padres need a guy to patrol the spacious centerfield in Petco Park, and Gutierrez is an elite defender.  They could also throw in another lower level prospect to sweeten the pot. 

This is not to advocate gutting the Indians’ farm system.  However, when an elite player who is signed for at least four years becomes available, a team has to be willing to trade some prospects to get them.  Remember that a guy like David Huff might turn into a Cliff Lee, but he also might be Jeremy Sowers.  Adding Peavy to a rotation that includes this year’s AL Cy Young Award winner and a pitcher with the stuff of Carmona would be the first step to returning to the playoffs in 2009.

I doubt the Tribe can pull off such a move, but this is the type of bold move that the Cleveland Indian organization needs to make. 

MW

The high-octane offense the Cleveland Browns showed on Monday night against the Giants obviously sprung a leak on the flight to Washington.  The reality is this:  The Browns have played six games this season, and their offense has played well in exactly one contest.  Yesterday, it was inaccuracy by QB Derek Anderson and four more dropped passes by Braylon Edwards, who amazingly admitted the team was a little “lax” in practice this week.  Are you kidding????

For some reason, this team, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2002, started out the season 0-3, and has played one good game out of the first five this season, decided to not take a game against a 4-2 team against Washington very seriously.  It makes you wonder about the make up of the players and the respect they have for the coaching staff. 

Of course, I’m sure not every player had this attitude.  Not perhaps a word from the greatest of them all, #32, Jim Brown should be in order.  I would love to hear Edwards tell Brown about his focus in practice.

Meanwhile, back to the game.  It is a minor miracle that the Browns had a chance to win this contest after the way the offense performed yesterday.  In the middle of the third quarter, Anderson was 5 of 22 passing.  If not for his performance against the Giants, Brady Quinn, who is more effective in the short passing game, should have replaced him.  Besides the dropped balls, Anderson was horribly inaccurate, missing open receivers all over the field.

At the end of the game, it was Rob Chudzinski that had me scratching my head.  After Anderson’s sneak gave Cleveland a first down on the Washington 37 yard line, Chudzinski eschewed short passes which appeared to be open to throw the ball 20 yards downfield.  Why not move the ball to the 25 yard line, in certain Phil Dawson range, and then try to go for the kill.  Nothing is for certain, but you sure feel better about a 42-45 yard field goal attempt than a 54 yarder.  This was definitely a coaching mistake.

Somehow, the defense kept the Browns in the game despite being run over by the Redskins, particularly Clinton Portis, who gained 175 yards on 27 carries.  The run defense has not shown improvement so far this season.  However, outside of the Dallas game, this defense has allowed the offense to stay in the game, giving up just 78 points in the last five games, and the 24 against the Ravens was aided by turnovers by the offense.

Eric Wright’s outstanding strip of Portis with less than five minutes left allowed the Browns to get within three points, and then the defense forced a three and out to get the ball back with a little less than two minutes to go.  However, the offensive got greedy and couldn’t cash in.

We haven’t even touched on Anderson’s on field tiff with fullback Lawrence Vickers, Kellen Winslow’s disagreement with Phil Savage, and disappearance for three quarters of Jerome Harrison.  All of which are subjects for another time.  The Cleveland Browns are showing themselves to be an inconsistent team, which means they are a mediocre team.  There is nothing more frustrating to coaches and fans than that.

JD 

The baseball post-season is winding down, the winter leagues are starting up, and soon the sport will be in full hot stove league mode.  Indians’ GM Mark Shapiro talked about the needs of his ballclub for the 2009 season, particularly a closer, an infielder, and taking care of the lack of experience and depth in the starting rotation.  Yesterday, the Tribe made news by picking up the option of utility man Jamey Carroll, a good move when you consider his production in 2008.  He played more than he was scheduled to and he played well.

Here are some things I hope the Indians DO NOT do this off-season:

1).  Sign a closer.   The Angels’ Francisco Rodriguez is too expensive, and likely will decline before the end of any five-year contract he demands.  Any other closer on the market, and I’m including the Rockies’ Brian Fuentes, has failed in the role.  Therefore, you don’t know what you are going to get for at least $10 million per year.  I would rather fill the role internally with a guy like Jensen Lewis, or trade for a guy like Huston Street.  Remember former Indian GM John Hart’s comment about closers:  They fall out of trees.

2).  Re-signing Casey Blake.  Blake made $6 million this year, and actually brought one of the best prospects in the Tribe farm system in catcher Carlos Santana.  You have to figure Blake will be seeking a raise after a year in which he hit .274 with 21 HR and 81 RBI.  The Indians should not put that much cash into a player who likely will not put up those numbers in 2009.  Blake was a solid player here, and a great teammate.  But, Shapiro should pass at a chance to have him on the roster in 2009, unless he would take a minimal contract.

3).  Assuming Travis Hafner is okay.  In fact, the front office should take the assumption that Pronk will not be available to play.  They have to put a contingency plan in place at the DH spot.  If Hafner’s shoulder recovers and he can return to somewhere between his 2006 and 2007 seasons, then it’s a bonus.  Based on his shoulder’s lack of progress during rehab, the Indians simply cannot count on anything from Hafner in 2009.

4).  Sign bits and pieces.  Hopefully, the David Dellucci and Jason Johnson signings have scared Shapiro from giving guys like these prominent roles on his ballclub.  There is a reason that no one is offering players like these big contracts, and that reason is they aren’t good enough to hold down everyday jobs.  Paying a guy like Jamey Carroll is fine, because he is a back up player.  Shapiro would be better off pooling the money and inking one impact player.

5).  Be Satisfied with the Young Arms.  Anthony Reyes pitched well after coming over from St. Louis, and Scott Lewis did okay after being called up in September.  However, these guys, as well as Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey shouldn’t lull the Indians’ front office into a sense of security.  Shapiro realizes the starting rotation is unproven and not very deep.  He needs to acquire an established starter.

With the correct combination of moves, the Indians can return to contender status in 2009.  With the limited resources the ownership has, Mark Shapiro has to spend money wisely.  Using cash on a closer, older players with no upside, and limited players is not the way to go this winter.

MW

It was turn back the clock night at Cleveland Browns Stadium last night.  The Browns wore their throwback jerseys and helmets from the late 1950’s, and their offense went back all the way to last year in a 35-14 upset win over the New York Giants.  It was a game in which Kellen Winslow, who was inactive for the game, and punter Dave Zastudil both, played the same amount of time.  Neither got on the field.  It was that kind of night for the brown and orange.

We wrote last week that offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski needed to open up the attack and use the weapons that are on the roster.  Last night, he did just that.  He used the “wildcat” formation a couple of times with Joshua Cribbs taking the direct snap.  He ran a double reverse with Jerome Harrison for a big gain.  And he utilized Steve Heiden in the passing game for the first time this season.  This may have been a result of Winslow missing the game, but hopefully he will remember that Heiden can be used this way more often.

However, the biggest improvement in the offense came with the return of the 2007 version of Derek Anderson.  Anderson went 18 for 29 for 310 yards and two touchdown tosses and no, repeat no interceptions.  DA stood tall in the pocket and had outstanding protection from his offensive line, which also played at last season’s level.  The running game was successful as well, gaining 144 yards with Jamal Lewis leading the way with 88 in 21 carries.

In addition to using Heiden, Anderson also found Darnell Dinkins for a 22-yard TD pass in the first half.  Harrison accounted for 67 yards of offense, carrying the ball twice from scrimmage and catching two passes.  The only thing not used by Chudzinski was Cribbs throwing a pass.  I guess you have to save something for later in the season.

The only disappointment on offense were the many false start, illegal motion, and illegal shift penalties which seemingly made an 87 yard drive in the third and fourth quarter a 150 yard drive.  This has to be cleaned up if the Browns are going to get back into playoff contention.

Defensively, the Browns made enough big plays (i.e. turnovers) to hold the Giants to just 14 points.  Why New York decided to stop running Brandon Jacobs is a mystery.  The Browns could not stop him, so Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning were doing Cleveland a favor by throwing the ball.  In fact, the Giants gained 181 yards on the ground.  However, the three interceptions killed the G-Men.  The backbreaker was Eric Wright’s 94 yard interception return which turned the game from a possible 27-21 Browns lead into a rout. 

The defense has to do a better job stopping the run going forward.  I guarantee you will see Washington try to pound the ball at the Browns this Sunday in D.C.  The secondary seems to be improving as Wright and Brandon McDonald are becoming above average cornerbacks. 

So at 2-3, the Cleveland Browns are back in the playoff hunt if they continue to play like they did yesterday.  They have to keep being aggressive on offense.  That’s not saying they should take risks, but they need to use the weapons they have on the team.  Still, they have to keep it going.  The Redskins are a good football team, their upset loss to the Rams notwithstanding. 

A good offensive performance this weekend could mean that the 2007 Browns are back. 

JD

Since the Browns don’t play until tonight, here’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that on Cleveland sports—

·          The best line of the weekend in the newspaper was by The Plain Dealer’s Doug Lesmerises, who wrote that Ohio State won’t pass, so they can’t run.  That describes the Buckeye attack in a nutshell.  I realize that Terrelle Pryor is a freshman, but Coach Jim Tressel has to open up the offense a little bit.  Mix in a pass on first down every once in a while.  Until that happens, opposing defenses are going to bring more and more men in the box to stop Beanie Wells.  Pryor is young, but he is a tremendous weapon.  He needs to be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. 

·          Speaking of college football, doesn’t it seem like the pollsters now vote with the BCS system in mind?  It should work the other way with the polls being part of the formula to determine the BCS standings.  How else can you explain how #2 Alabama doesn’t jump to the top spot after Oklahoma lost?  Texas jumps from the fifth spot to #1, and last year remember that LSU jumped from below the fifth spot to #2 after winning the SEC Championship.  If you thought Alabama was the second best team last week, how do you not think they are best team today?  It doesn’t make any sense; although that’s not the first time someone has said that about college football.

·          Isn’t it amazing the national media now realizes that Manny Ramirez is the best right-handed hitter of this generation?  The fact that he put the Dodgers on his back and into the playoffs is apparently the capper on his great career.  Even when he was in Boston, he was over-shadowed by first Nomar Garciaparra, and then David Ortiz.  It’s also funny that no one remembers that Ramirez was part of two World Series teams in Cleveland, which helped him build his great post-season numbers. When Manny’s career ends, the numbers he will put up will rank among the all-time greats.

·          For all the people who want the Indians to sign players to big contracts, what are your thoughts on the signings of Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner?  I was in favor of the Hafner signing and lukewarm on the Westbrook pact, but both were hurt within a year of inking those deals.  Now you know why smaller market teams avoid making these kinds of deals.  If Hafner can’t return to his former self, his contract is a huge albatross on this franchise.

·          If you are a Tribe fan and want something to pay attention to at this time of year, keep an eye on the Arizona Fall League and Hawaii Winter League.  Several top prospects are playing this year, namely Beau Mills and Wes Hodges.  Hodges, a third baseman, has started quick, hitting two home runs in his first three games.  If the Indians are going to move Jhonny Peralta to the hot corner, Hodges could be the type of prospect other teams would covet.

MW

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first exhibition game on Tuesday night and no one blinked an eye.  Such are the expectations for the wine and gold this year after last year’s makeover and the acquisition of Mo Williams during the summer.  This year’s edition of the Cavs looks to be contenders for a division title and perhaps even the top seed in the Eastern Conference.  But, one thing that has been overlooked about this basketball team is its depth.  That should enable Mike Brown to play an up-tempo style and put more pressure in his defense.

Most of the depth is in the backcourt and small forward spots.  Even though most of these guys aren’t star players, and they certainly have weaknesses, most of them have shown they can be contributors in the NBA.  I’m talking about Williams, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Daniel Gibson, Sasha Pavlovic, and Terence Kinsey.  Pavlovic screwed up his entire season by holding out during training camp, but remember he was the starter at shooting guard when the Cavs went to The Finals in 2006-07.

Adding him and Williams to the backcourt that finished last season creates more than ample depth.  Plus, Kinsey comes to the team with some size (6-6) and a solid defensive reputation, which is something the other big guards do not bring to the table.  Williams and West will spend most of their time at the point, which leaves four guys vying for time at the two guard spot.  Gibson’s minutes are pretty much guaranteed because of his past performance, so Szczerbiak, Pavlovic, and Kinsey give Mike Brown a lot of flexibility in his backcourt.

It also helps that Szczerbiak has experience playing at the small forward spot, where LeBron James spends most of his time.  It has been discussed that the Cavaliers may use more of a small lineup this season, using James at the power forward and either Szczerbiak or Pavlovic at the small forward.  With more teams in the NBA going to smaller, quicker lineups, this has to be a plus.  Another advantage is the match up problem James would enjoy against any power forward.  He is simply too quick for any of them, and likely just as strong.

Giving #23 some minutes at the #4 spot also covers the lack of depth at power forward and center.  Currently, the Cavs have Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ben Wallace, Anderson Varajao, and Lorenzen Wright as experienced big men, but only Z can be regarded as any offensive threat.

That’s why it is important to get first round draft pick, J.J. Hickson ready to play as soon as possible.  I know Hickson will not be ready to play the type of defense Brown demands from all his players, but he needs to get playing time right off the bat.  Give him six minutes in the first half, and 2-4 minutes after halftime, preferably in the third quarter, when the game isn’t on the line.  Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer said Hickson might already be the team’s best low post scorer. 

At this point, it appears the 15-man roster will only have maybe one player that Mike Brown will be hesitant to put into a game.  The 2008-09 edition of the Cavs looks to be not only talented, but deep.  That will give their coach more options as the season goes along.

JK

The Cleveland Browns resume play following their bye week at 1-3.  There is a common belief that they would be 0-4 if Carson Palmer had started at quarterback for the Bengals in the Browns’ 20-12 victory rather than backup Ryan Fitzpatrick.  However, Palmer didn’t play and the brown and orange took their good fortune into their week off, and resume play on Monday Night Football.

Did I mention they are playing the World Champion New York Giants?

The same Giants who led the pre-season game they played in August 30-3 just shortly after the first quarter ended?

The Browns have started the season 0-2 at home, and are staring in the face of a three game losing streak at Cleveland Browns Stadium if they can’t beat the Giants on Monday night.  When you play a 16 game schedule, every game is important, but Monday night’s contest is huge.  This team quite simply can’t drop to 1-4 and 0-3 at home.

How do you avoid this situation?

You pull out all the stops.  I understand the Browns wanted to get back to the running game against the Bengals, and there is no problem with that.  Jamal Lewis is a weapon, and the pounding he provides wears down defenses as games go on.  It also eases some of the burden on the struggling Derek Anderson.  However, if offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has to call some gimmick plays to open up the Giants’ eyes early in the game, this is the game to do it.

Why not let Josh Cribbs throw a pass?  Why not run end arounds or flea-flickers?  On defense, why not blitz Eli Manning?  Pull out all the stops.  Leave nothing on the table.  To quote Al Davis, “It’s time to just win, baby”.  Of course, Davis said that when we was trying to win football games, instead of being in the firing coaches business.

If the Cleveland Browns want to get back in the playoff mix, they have to win against the Giants.  Romeo Crennel needs to send that message to every player and coach in the organization.  A loss likely means that the vultures will be circling each and every week for the remainder of the season.

JD

The Cleveland Indians are at a crossroads.  In 2005, the team went to the last weekend of the season before being eliminated, and since then they have been considered by many as a team that could win the AL Central Division, if not win a World Championship, but have only made the playoffs once, in 2007.  The even numbered years in that span, 2006 and 2008, have not been kind to the Tribe.  This is an organization that needs some self-examination.

The Dolan family runs the team the way you want a ballclub to be run.  That is to say, they let their baseball people make the baseball decisions.  Many teams have continued to wallow in mediocrity because the owner interferes and doesn’t allow the proper decisions to be made for many reasons, including how the fans will perceive it.  No team should be run that way.  Although there is no question fans are needed, they shouldn’t be considered in baseball decisions.  Every move made must be to bring a World Championship to the organization and therefore the team’s fan base.  Fans are too emotional to be included in the process.

However, the organization needs a swift kick in the pants, and the owners must provide it.  It is time for the Dolans to sit down with Shapiro and ask what will be done differently in this off-season.  The farm system is important to be sure, in fact, it is the lifeline of any successful baseball team.  But, it is time to trade some of the excess in order to get a good, proven major league player who can help this team in 2009.  If that is Brian Roberts from the Orioles, that is fine, he can help you get back to the playoffs.  Look at the logjam in the organization at 1B/LF:  Ryan Garko, Ben Francisco, Matt LaPorta, Nick Weglarz, Trevor Crowe, Michael Brantley, and Beau Mills.  Not all seven of those guys can play the two spots, so some of these guys can be moved.

Also, take a look at left-handed starters.  The candidates for one spot in the starting rotation include Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, David Huff, and Scott Lewis.  Huff is showing the most potential, but the others are pretty similar in terms of stuff.  You don’t want to unload three of them, but certainly one of them can be included in a deal to get help in other areas.

Another thing that has to change is the attitude toward spring training.  This team has not had enough success for the opening day roster to be pre-determined before camp starts.  There should be some competition.  For example, if LaPorta hits .480 in the exhibition games with 7 home runs, why shouldn’t he get a spot on the big league roster, and if he does that, he should play.  The idea that players have to serve an apprenticeship is old.  Other successful organizations give young guys a chance to play if they’ve earned the shot.  Based on that type of thinking, Manny Ramirez would have opened the 1994 season at AAA.  He hit his way on the team, and the rest is history.

Another thing Shapiro needs to do is exert the fact that he is the boss on his manager, Eric Wedge.  Wedge has a number of excellent traits as manager, but the fact is he has made the post-season once in six years in charge.  Wedge does a great job getting guys to “grind it out”, but has had problems connecting with some players who are talented.  Can anyone imagine Wedge getting along with Albert Belle?  Wedge has to be more flexible in his thinking, because once again, this team has only made the playoffs once in his tenure.  It’s one thing to believe in you, it’s another to be too stubborn to realize some change is needed.

I have always been a supporter of how Mark Shapiro runs this ballclub, but that doesn’t mean it is blind faith.  This team needs to look inward and make some changes to be a contender, not just in 2009, but also for a sustained period of time.  Hopefully, the front office doesn’t follow the same direction they have in the past.  Let’s look at the road less traveled.

KM

A little bit of this and a little bit of that…

·          I’m sure the C.C. Sabathia critics will be out in full force today after he allowed five runs in 2-2/3 innings last night in Philadelphia.  In fact, Sabathia ranks second last all-time (behind Doyle Alexander) in ERA among pitchers who have thrown 25 innings in the post-season.  I think it is a matter of fatigue for the big lefty.  It was too much to expect him to keep being dominant on three days rest, and last year he threw 30 more innings than his previous career high.   He needs to be kept to around 210-220 innings in the regular season, and he will do fine in the playoffs.  He’s too good of a pitcher to have post-season stats like that.

·          Remember in Game 5 versus Boston last year in the ALCS, the Red Sox led 2-1 at the end of the sixth inning.  Sabathia should have been pulled then, but he was left in and gave up two more tallies.  Let’s say the Tribe had scored four runs off of Josh Beckett instead of one, and then C.C. is a hero, pitching the Tribe into the World Series.  The game wasn’t the big lefty’s fault; the reason the Indians lost was they ran into a hot pitcher.

·          With this in mind, this is another weakness of Eric Wedge.  Cliff Lee appeared to tire late in the season, and there were some games where the likely Cy Young Award winner was left to complete games when he probably should have been removed.  I know the skipper had a shaky bullpen all season, but last year he didn’t and Sabathia still was gassed.  He has to be more aware of the innings he is putting on his starters.

·          Speaking of pitching a lot of innings, Tribe legend Bob Feller is one who talks about how today’s pitchers are babied.  In 1946, Rapid Robert threw 371 innings, 30 more than his previous career high.  He had 36 complete games.  He also was never the same again, and never topped 300 innings in his career.  You can look it up.

·          The Tribe is evaluating their 40-man roster in order to protect some prospects from the Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings.  Look for the following players to be removed:  Pitchers--Brendan Donnelly, Juan Rincon, and Brian Slocum; Position players--Sal Fusion and Michael Aubrey.  Reliever Tom Misty and Andy Marta might also be released to create more spots on the roster.

·          It’s hard to argue with people who say the national media is biased against Ohio State.  The Buckeyes dropped to 14^th in the polls after the beat down at USC, and didn’t really move up despite all of the upsets last weekend.  Remember, the Bucks lost to the then #1 ranked team in the country, something that Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin, and the Trojans cannot claim. 

·          It’s amazing how that loss to USC has destroyed everyone’s view of the Buckeyes.  Most people are convinced they will get hammered at Wisconsin this weekend.  Three weeks ago, these same pundits had Ohio State going to their third consecutive BCS title game.  That one loss has people now expecting an 8-4 team instead of a National Championship.

KM

Confidence.  It’s been a long time since sports fans in Cleveland have had it.  Not winning in 44 years does that to a city.  I thought about this as I watched the Browns game on Sunday.  Our football team has to start playing better if this season will amount to anything, and I thought about whether or not I have any confidence that it will happen based on the current leadership.  Here are my thoughts on the three major league teams in Cleveland and the people who run them.

BROWNS

This is the fourth season of GM Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel’s regime.  Since Savage has been in charge, it has been an up and down ride:  6-10, 4-12, and 10-6.  This year, it appears the team will not reach or exceed the ten wins from last season.  However, Savage has been adding talent year by year to the organization.  When he arrived, you could argue the only impact players on the team were Kellen Winslow and Sean Jones.  In Savage’s tenure, he has brought in Braylon Edwards, Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, and Shaun Rogers.  There are others who look like they could develop, such as Eric Wright, Brandon Mc Donald, Kamerion Wimbley, Corey Williams, and Alex Hall.  I have confidence that Savage can continue to bring in good football players.

I don’t share the same feeling for Crennel.  He doesn’t seem to have a feel for the quarterback position, which is the most important spot on the team.  He flipped a coin to start Charlie Frye last season, and this year was unable to make a definitive decision to make a change going into the Bengal game.  He was raised coaching a 3-4 defense, but even though his linebacking corps is shaky, he sticks with the scheme.  He also seems to focus more on what a player cannot do, than what he can do.  Jerome Harrison doesn’t pick up the blitz, in his rookie year; he didn’t play Edwards because of blocking issues.  A coach’s job is to maximize the strengths and minimize the weakness of players.  I’m not sure Crennel does that.  I’m also not sure he is a coach who can lead this team to a Super Bowl.

CAVALIERS

This is the fourth season of the Danny Ferry/Mike Brown regime.  The three seasons have resulted in two trips to the Eastern Conference semi-finals (2006 and 2008) and one Conference title in 2007.  Ferry is not afraid to take risks, perhaps buoyed by the fact that having LeBron James means you won’t be a terrible team.  He brought in Flip Murray to stabilize the team when Larry Hughes got hurt in 2005-06, and rebuilt the team on the fly last season, making an 11 player deal at the deadline, and then trading for Mo Williams this summer.  The Cavaliers appear poised to make a run at a Central Division title, and another conference championship and a return trip to the NBA Finals.  Ferry has proven he will not sit idly by and watch the season slip away.

As for Brown, there is no question his defensive philosophy has made the wine and gold an elite team.  How much the offense improves will determine how good the Cavs will be in the regular season.  In the playoffs, Brown has demonstrated he can negate an opponents’ strength and make them pursue other options to defeat his squad.  He is a much better coach in the post-season, but he needs to do better in the regular season to help the Cavs get home court advantage.  Brown also seems to have a partnership with his superstar, an important factor for any NBA coach.  I can definitely see Brown coaching the Cavaliers to an NBA title.

INDIANS

Mark Shapiro has been the Tribe’s GM since 2002 and has made the post-season once (2007).  To be fair, Shapiro took the job with an aging team, which needed to be rebuilt, and he had the Indians back in contention late in the season in both 2004 and 2005, however 2006 and 2008 must be considered disappointments.  His strength has been evaluating talent in other teams’ farm systems, acquiring players such as Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo, and Asdrubal Cabrera in trades.  He has also done well signing pitchers from the amateur level.  His weakness is holding on to prospects too long, and being reluctant to include them in deals for proven talent.

I have had confidence in Shapiro, but it is starting to wane.  He has made only one trade for an established major league starter since dealing for Matt Lawton prior to the 2002 season, the deal for Josh Barfield.  Neither worked out very well, although Lawton did make an All-Star team in 2004.   He has signed platoon players and picked up Kenny Lofton for the stretch drive in 2007, but he has been hesitant to fill a hole with a trade involving prospects. 

As for Eric Wedge, he got the Indians to within one game of the World Series last year, so it is difficult to say he can’t get it done.  However, he is slow to change, especially his use of relief pitchers, and making mistakes in that area costs the ballclub games.  He also doesn’t make use of his entire roster, which limits himself in making moves.  I do like his day-to-day approach.  The players can’t do anything about yesterday’s game, nor should they worry about tomorrow’s contest.  You also have to give him credit for not allowing the team to quit when they were 16 games under .500.  On the other hand, you would like more than one post-season appearance in six seasons.

It’s another reason that it is a huge off-season for the Cleveland Indians this winter.

MW