Indians’ GM Mark Shapiro has narrowed his list of managerial candidates to four names:  Former Washington skipper Manny Acta, former Rangers and Mets manager Bobby Valentine, Dodgers’ bench coach Don Mattingly, and the Tribe’s AAA skipper Torey Lovullo.  All are interesting names with different backgrounds.

 

The thought here is that Acta is the frontrunner, although the team is still going through the interview process.

 

Acta’s record looks terrible, but you have to remember that the Nationals are one of the worst run franchises in baseball.  He went 73-89 in his first year, and followed that up with a 59-102 record in 2008, before getting fired at the all-star break with Washington sporting a 26-61 record. 

 

Before you dismiss Acta, remember that Casey Stengel didn’t have a sterling record as a manager before taking over the Yankees, and Terry Francona was run out of Philadelphia before leading the Red Sox to two world championships. 

 

I have no idea how Acta runs a game, but he managed with horrible talent, and didn’t win.  That’s not a crime.

 

Valentine seems like an odd fit for the Indians, but maybe he is the “different” voice the Tribe needs.  He’s had some initial success in turning losing teams into winners, and won a pennant with the Mets in 2000.  He took over the Rangers, a seventh place team in 1985 (he managed the last 129 games) and guided them to second in 1986.  He had five finishes over .500 in eight years.

 

With the Mets, he inherited a team that finished 78-84 in 1996, and guided them to five straight winning seasons before being let go following the 2002 campaign.  He’s a baseball lifer.

 

However, he probably didn’t help himself with the front office by admitting he knows little about the Indians’ players and the other teams in the Central Division.  In an organization that prides itself on preparedness, this didn’t help Valentine.

 

Mattingly has an impressive resume as a player, but has not managed at the big league level.  He has been on Joe Torre’s coaching staff with the Yankees and Dodgers, but has always been in the background, and has always been involved with big market franchises. 

 

I doubt Shapiro will take a chance on someone who hasn’t managed before. 

 

Which brings us to Lovullo, who probably is really being considered for a position on the new skipper’s coaching staff rather than as a manager.  Lovullo has managed in the Tribe farm system for a long time, but it would be a tough sell to the ticket buying public to hire a minor league manager whose team finished last in the International League last season.

 

Look, hiring a manager is important, but it’s more important to acquire talent, particularly starting pitching.  The previous manager’s biggest weakness in my opinion was handling the pitchers, especially the bullpen.  So, hopefully the guy Shapiro picks will be better in that regard. 

 

Still, no one would win if there weren’t better talent, especially in the starting rotation.  You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.  Just ask the guy who will likely be the Tribe’s 40^th manager, Manny Acta.

 

KM

 

The Denver Broncos hired a new coach this year and they are currently 6-0.  Josh McDaniels, the former Patriot offensive coordinator and a northeastern Ohio native has made some changes in the Mile High City, and as of this point in the season, those alterations have had a profound effect.

 

Meanwhile, back here in Cleveland, the Browns hired a new coach and they are struggling along at 1-5.  Eric Mangini, a former Patriot defensive coordinator and head coach of the New York Jets, has made sweeping changes here and seems willing to make more. 

 

Will the Browns ever reach the heights the Broncos are now enjoying?

 

McDaniels even traded his so-called “franchise” quarterback, Jay Cutler, received what many would consider a journeyman in return in Kyle Orton, and still Denver in winning.  Most experts thought the Broncos were devoid of talent going into the season, yet here they sit as one of the NFL unbeaten teams after six weeks.

 

Because of the trade, McDaniels picked up an extra first round pick, and although Robert Ayers and Knowshon Moreno are both contributing, they haven’t been difference makers.  Why have the Broncos zoomed to the top of the AFC, while the Browns look to be preparing for another top ten pick in the 2010 NFL Draft?

 

Both teams have outstanding tackles to anchor the offensive line in Joe Thomas and Ryan Clady.  However, the Broncos have better skill players, such as Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal at wide receiver.  The Browns have nobody of this ilk, and in fact, traded one of their few playmakers in Braylon Edwards. 

 

The difference is McDaniels looked at his roster, saw talent there, and decided to work with it, making some additions of players he liked.  Mangini decided to gut the roster, and bring in only guys he was comfortable working with.  That process takes more time.  Whether it will be more successful in the long run, only time will tell.

 

Coaches earn their money but handling some difficult players, something Mangini doesn’t seem to want to do.  McDaniels worked things out with Marshall, one of the many diva wide receivers in the NFL.  For Mangini, if you aren’t a certain type of player, then you are out of here.  Good coaches look at the talent available, and figure out how to get the most out of it.

 

Also, gutting the roster and getting draft picks in return seems like a good strategy, but you have to make the correct picks.  So far, no one can feel confident that the Browns will cash in on the extra picks they have accumulated.  The fact that out of the three second round picks from this past draft, only one is a regular contributor (Mohammed Massaquoi), doesn’t give fans a sense of optimism. 

 

Mangini’s method may ultimately work, but from a fans’ standpoint, most people were looking for improvement in 2009.  The people in Denver have seen a big step up, the people in Cleveland have not as of yet.  Most people thought the Browns underachieved last season, and the right coaching would lead to more wins.

 

As of now, it’s difficult to make that case.

 

JD

 

We have been a proponent over the past few years that a successful football team needs to run the ball to win, especially in the division the Cleveland Browns are in, the AFC North.  The past two weeks, coach Eric Mangini's squad has shown improvement in that area, having 100 yard rushers in each game.  Even in yesterday's 27-14 defeat in Pittsburgh, Cleveland averaged 4.0 yards per carry. 

 

The "wildcat" formation worked well in the first quarter yesterday, but after Josh Cribbs finally threw a couple of passes, and God forbid, one was picked off, the formation was shelved until midway through the third quarter.  That's a coaching mistake.

 

However, they have no passing game whatsoever. 

 

Yes, they did show some improvement because they completed two passes in the first half of the game, compared to two successful throws in the entire game against Buffalo.  That meant in their last six quarters of football, the Cleveland Browns completed just four passes.  Collegiate wishbone attacks of the 1970's and 80's had a better throwing game.  It really is absurd.

 

The Browns put together a nice drive in the third quarter by passing with Derek Anderson hitting a long one to Mohammed Massaquoi to set up a TD toss to FB Lawrence Vickers to cut a Steeler lead to ten points.  However, that was pretty much it in the air, as Brian Daboll's "air attack" netted just 106 yards for the game.

 

The thing we've learned is it doesn't matter who the quarterback is, Anderson or Brady Quinn, the offense philosophy designed by Daboll is archaic at best.  Experienced receivers or not, there have to be play designed to get guys open.  I believe we have found Bernie Kosar's first assignment in his new position with the organization.  Design a pass pattern that will result in an open receiver.

 

In regards to the quarterback, he continues to have problems playing decent on the road.  This is a problem because the NFL mandates that half of a team's games are away from home.  He also continues to struggle on short passes with touch.  Chansi Stuckey was said to have "dropped" a ball that he got one hand on running a short, maybe 10-yard pattern.  He really didn't have a chance to catch the ball, it was a poor pass.

 

Defensively, you knew it was a bad day when Kamerion Wimbley was sent home with the flu.  The team missed his pressure, although David Bowens did okay putting some heat on Ben Roethlisberger.  There were open receivers all day long in the porous Browns' secondary, as Big Ben threw for 417 yards.  Many times, Steeler receivers didn't have a Cleveland player within ten yards of them, as the coverage schemes were ineffective.

 

The defense did control the running game, holding Pittsburgh to under four yards per attempt, and that includes a 21-yard end around by Mike Wallace, who gained some extra yards after a missed tackle by CB Brandon McDonald, who Deion Sanders thinks is a poor tackler.  Seriously, McDonald's tackling is a huge problem which may land him on the bench next week.

 

Despite his interception, Cribbs was the bright spot of the game.  He ran for 45 yards in six attempts, and scored on another kick return, this one for 98 yards on a kickoff.  He is clearly one of the Browns' best players regardless of position.  Mangini and Daboll should be getting him the ball from scrimmage at least 10 times per game.

 

Who knows what the score of this game would have been had Pittsburgh not turned the ball over four times?  It could have been 48-14.  The Steelers looked like a sloppy football team yesterday, and their lack of a decent running game doesn't bode well for their future success. 

 

Also, I've never seen a game where the officials blew a measurement.  The league said it was a bad camera angle, but the players who were a yard away from the chains didn't have a bad angle.  It was a terrible call and hopefully the NFL will apologize for it this week.

 

In the same vein, maybe the Browns will also say they are sorry they haven't put in a passing offense.

 

JD 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you a fan that is depressed about the terrible state of the Cleveland Browns?  Are you still upset about the way the Indians’ season turned into a mess?  There is a remedy for the Cleveland sports fan, and they will start playing in less than two weeks.  There is a championship caliber team in this city, and they are the Cleveland Cavaliers!

 

They even have an owner that gets it (and is trying to bring a casino to the North Coast) in Dan Gilbert.  He understands that having star players and a great team puts people in the seats, and not vice-versa.  The Cavs front office is unafraid to take risks.  For example, they needed a post presence on offense and defense, so they went out and got Shaquille O’Neal, a future Hall of Famer. 

 

It’s reminiscent of the Indians of the late ‘90’s when John Hart would identify a weakness and owner Dick Jacobs would sign the check.

 

Can you imagine the Indians or the Browns making such a move now?

 

This team is poised to win a title.  They have the reigning league MVP in LeBron James and the aforementioned O’Neal, who has hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy four times in his illustrious career.  They have another starter who made the all-star team in Mo Williams, and their backup center has been an all-star three times (Zydrunas Ilgauskas).

 

After adding O’Neal, Anthony Parker, and Jamario Moon over the summer, this is a team with few weaknesses.  And they are deep.  In fact, they can put out a second unit of Ilgauskas, second year man J.J. Hickson, Moon, West, and Daniel Gibson and beat a lot of team’s front line players. 

 

The wine and gold needed to improve their mid range shooting, so GM Danny Ferry signed Parker as a free agent.  They needed a perimeter defender to help stop the Rashard Lewis’ of the NBA, so they ink Moon as a free agent. 

 

Couple that with the improvement that Hickson has shown thus far in camp, and this is a very much-improved team from last season.  Remember, the Cavaliers went 66-16 last season.

 

Don’t be fooled by the final record either.  It would be very difficult to top those 66 victories, but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t better.  The Cavaliers under Mike Brown were always a tougher matchup in the playoffs than they were in the regular season.  Last year was the exception.  The moves made by Ferry makes the roster better for the playoffs. 

 

Many experts are saying that the Celtics and Magic are still the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference.  Let them say whatever they want.  Boston’s key players are aging.  Yes, Rajon Rondo is an improving player, but he’s not the type of player who can carry a team as of yet.  Orlando lost a key player from last season in Hedo Turkoglu and a promising young player in Courtney Lee.  Their acquisition of Brandon Bass concerns me more than getting me-first Vince Carter.

 

People forget that James will be just 25 years of age this December.  He’s still improving as a player, which has to be a frightening thought for other NBA coaches.  And you know O’Neal wants to get a complete set of rings for his hand before his former teammate Kobe Bryant.

 

Will they bring home Cleveland first title since 1964?  That’s uncertain, but what is for sure is that this edition of the Cavaliers is the best bet since those Indians teams of 1995-97 to get the job done.

 

JK

 

 

The game of baseball has a growing problem.  Not the umpiring, which has been horrible in the post-season.  Not performance enhancing drugs, which keeps rearing its ugly head with every name leaked from tests conducted several years ago.  It’s the growing disparity between the big market teams and everyone else, and the sport doesn’t seem concerned about it.

 

Commissioner Bud Selig likes to point out how only the Red Sox have won two World Series this decade (’04 and ’07), and that 22 out of the 30 MLB teams have made the post-season since 2000 as signs that competitive balance is alive and well in baseball.  That’s creative math in my eyes.

 

The problem is not how many cities have seen their teams in the playoffs over the last ten years, it’s that certain ballclubs are there every year.  The Yankees have qualified for the post-season in all but one year since 1995.  Boston and recently, the Los Angeles Angels are playoff regulars.  That’s the problem.  There is no down year for the big market teams. 

 

Supporters of the current system will point to Minnesota’s consistent success and Tampa making the World Series a year ago.  However, for all of the Twins winning, there are many more mid to small market teams struggling to be good on a yearly basis, such as the Cleveland Indians. 

 

And the Twins are the only smaller market team making the playoffs on a regular basis during this decade.  The Indians did the same thing from 1995-2001, but at that time the Tribe had one of the larger payrolls in the game.

 

In the next couple of years, great players such as Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, Seattle’s Felix Hernandez, and Tampa’s Carl Crawford are going to hit free agency.  All of those teams have the same dilemma that the Indians had with C.C. Sabathia, Victor Martinez, and Cliff Lee.  Is it better to trade these guys a year early and get more in return or play out the free agent season and risk getting nothing in return? 

 

It would be a shame if these players had to go elsewhere because their contract offers will be so bloated that only the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Angels can afford them.

 

Having a strong farm system is very important for smaller market teams, but teams with money have an advantage in the draft because they can pick amateur players who are viewed by some teams as unsignable, and they can supplement their choices by signing high-ticket international free agents.  And the large market teams can use these prospects to trade in salary dumps by smaller market teams who can’t pay their star players.

 

Last year, the Yankees missed the playoffs.  They “rebuilt” by signing a former Cy Young Award winner, another serviceable starter, and a 40-home run guy.  Must be nice.  Imagine if the Indians could go out this winter and add Tim Lincecum, Prince Fielder, and Kyle Lohse.  Do you think they would be significantly better in 2010?

 

In the past, I sided with the players in baseball’s labor issues, because the owners were making way more money that the players, and competitive balance wasn’t a huge issue.  Think back to the early 1990’s.  Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Oakland were three teams making the post-season on a regular basis.  Heck, Montreal might have been the best team in baseball during the strike year of 1994.

 

This is also not to excuse the poor performance of the Indians’ organization over the past ten years.  The farm system has not been productive, and when they have spent money, it has not been spent wisely.  Being in a middle of the road market is not the only reason for the Tribe going to just one post-season since 2001, and only contending one other time in that span.

 

If things don’t change in the next collective bargaining agreement (can you say strike), the gap between the haves and have-nots is just going to get larger.  And if that happens, the chance for any team outside of the major media markets to have sustained excellence will be slim and none.  That’s not good for baseball.

 

MW

 

It’s a win.  No matter how you slice it, the Cleveland Browns won a football game yesterday, defeating the Buffalo Bills 6-3.  I wouldn’t recommend using this formula to win any other games this season, but it worked yesterday.  It’s a win.  Keep repeating, it’s a win.

 

The Browns won on a day where their quarterback completed just two passes on the afternoon.  Derek Anderson completed 2 of 17 throws for 23 yards.  Yikes!  Still, Eric Mangini got his first victory as coach of the Browns, and the team is now 1-4 for the season. 

 

The brown and orange’s best player on the day was their punter, Dave Zastudil, who pinned the Bills inside their own 5-yard line three times, and kicked the ball on the game’s deciding play, a fumble by returner Roscoe Parrish, who tried to pick up a rolling ball with less than three minutes to go.  The ensuing recovering by Blake Costanzo gave Cleveland the ball on Buffalo’s 15-yard line, and soon Billy Cundiff’s 18-yard field goal won the game.

 

The Browns had an effective running game for the second straight week gaining 171 yards on the ground, led by Jamal Lewis’ 117 yards on 31 carries.  If the running game wasn’t working, Cleveland may never have picked up a first down.   However, they struggled against the run once again, allowing 145 yards rushing by the Bills, although 40 of those were quarterback scrambles by Trent Edwards. 

 

Offensively, the third down conversion rate was terrible once again at 4 of 16 for 25%.  This is due to the total ineptness of the passing game, although to be fair, the Browns’ receivers dropped a number of catchable balls, most notably Robert Royal’s drop of a perfect Anderson pass in the third quarter which would have been a 30-yard gain.

 

The defense did hold Buffalo to just 6 of 17 third down conversions, had two more sacks, and won the turnover battle forcing three Bills’ mistakes compared to just one interception by Anderson. 

 

Completing just two passes is awful, but the offensive game plan was out of the Stone Age.  In the first half, the Browns attempted passes on first down just twice.  Granted, the running game was working, but after awhile, the Buffalo defense was stacking the middle of the line, and still offensive coordinator Brian Daboll kept jamming it in the middle.

 

Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler would have been proud of this offensive strategy.

 

At first, you figured the conservatism came from the wind conditions.  The Browns were going into the wind in the first quarter, and the philosophy would get more aggressive when the team had the wind to their backs.  But, it didn’t.  It was run the ball on first down, second down, and if the down and distance were favorable, run it again on third down.

 

Whether Anderson is calling signals, or it is Brady Quinn, this kind of attack isn’t going to make the quarterback look good.

 

Defensively, Rob Ryan’s crew was aggressive and put pressure on the Edwards all day.  Kamerion Wimbley continued his rebirth with a sack, his fourth of the season, equally his total from all last year, and just one off of his 2007 total of five.  Moving him around on defense has changed him back into the player he was in his rookie year, when he had 11 sacks.

 

Yesterday, the Cleveland Browns won with defense and special teams, a defensive coach’s dream.  However, you can’t win that way consistently in the NFL.  Still, a win is a win, and the Browns have their first one of the year.  More importantly, they have had two straight games where they have run the ball effectively, which is a must in the AFC North. 

 

If this team wants to have more success, their offensive philosophy has to get in line with the way the game is played today.  Yes, they have inexperienced receivers, but they have to develop a passing attack to be competitive week to week in the NFL.

 

JD

 

The Cleveland Indians just concluded their worst season since 1991, finishing with a 65-97 record, which included a 7-24 disaster from the first of September through the end of the campaign.  Now, it’s time to look forward to 2010 and for the first time since 2003, a new manager will be at the helm.

 

We have no idea who that will be, but hopefully it will be someone from outside the organization, a person with a fresh perspective on the talent that exists within the organization. 

 

And there is talent in the organization, without question.  Today, we want to take a look at who, barring trades, is a lock to be in the lineup or pitching staff going into the 2010 season—

 

There are three obvious fixtures in the ’10 Tribe lineup:  Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo, and Grady Sizemore.  At 23 years old, Cabrera has become arguably the second best shortstop in the American League behind Derek Jeter, hitting .308 with 42 doubles.  As he gets older and stronger, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to imagine him as an 15-20 home run in the future.

 

The left-handed swinging Choo proved that last year’s outstanding second half of the season was no joke.  He batted .300 and ranked 8^th in the league in on-base percentage.  He had an OPS of 883, which is slightly higher than his career mark of 877.  He did strikeout 151 times (6^th in the AL), but says that is not acceptable.  He can hit in the middle of the order or at the top.  Pencil him into RF in 2010.

 

Sizemore suffered through an injury-plagued season and still had an OPS of 788.  He is also just 27 years old, the same as Choo.  Yes, he strikes out too much and his arm is weak, but he is still a very productive player.  The new manager may want Sizemore’s extra base power in the middle of the order, but he will most definitely be in the lineup next season.

 

There are several players who would probably have to play their way out of the starting lineup in spring training:  Matt LaPorta, Luis Valbuena, and Lou Marson.  LaPorta showed enough after his recall in August that he should be an everyday player in 2010, whether it is at 1B or LF.  Valbuena surprised everyone with his pop, getting 38 extra base hits in 398 at bats.  He will be just 24 years old entering spring training, the same as Cabrera, and barring an awful time in Arizona will be the starting 2B. 

 

Marson, another youngster who will be just 24 next season, should hold down the starting catcher’s job until Carlos Santana is ready.  Marson showed a good arm, is pretty patient at the plate, and has doubles power. 

 

Assuming his shoulder gets stronger and he stays healthy, Travis Hafner will be the DH, leaving 3B and either 1B/LF open. 

 

Some would say, you forgot Jhonny Peralta, but with his poor 2009 campaign (outside of his RBI total, it was mediocre) and his inflated salary, my guess is he will be moved in the off-season leaving the hot corner vacant. 

 

Here’s hoping GM Mark Shapiro opts for a couple of veteran right-handed bats, and the current make up of the team is heavily left-handed. 

 

As for the starting pitching, I don’t think anyone should be guaranteed a job, although it David Huff and Justin Masterson should have a leg up on the competition.  If Fausto Carmona is throwing strikes in camp, then fine.  If Jake Westbrook is healthy, then he is in. 

 

It has been written that southpaw Aaron Laffey is etched in stone as a starter, but his poor finish to the season should make him another in the possibility column.  It should be an open competition, so if Carlos Carrasco and Hector Rondon are lights out in Goodyear, they should open the season with the big club. 

 

This is another area in which a veteran innings eater needs to be obtained, either by trade or free agency, because the Tribe needs a reliable starter to keep pressure off of the bullpen.  Going with five guys who haven’t proved much or are coming off injuries is a recipe for disaster.

 

It was interesting to note that among the things Shapiro listed in qualities for a new manager was handling diverse personalities and handling a bullpen.  Part of the relief woes stems from the starters’ ineffectiveness, but another problem was the manager’s use of the ‘pen.  Wedge stayed with guys not getting the job done way too long (Rafael Perez this year, Rafael Betancourt and Joe Borowski last year), instead of going with the hot hand.

 

If Kerry Wood is not back, and I don’t think he will be, that puts guys like Chris Perez and Tony Sipp in line to close games.  It would not be a surprise if Jose Veras and Jess Todd were in the mix late in games as well.  Todd was handled poorly, being sent out for an extra inning many times after a good inning early in his call up instead of letting him build some confidence. 

 

The Cleveland Indians do not have a lot of money to spend because attendance will be down after a disappointing season.  Therefore, they have to use their resources wisely, and not pay big salaries to superfluous people.  They need starting pitching.  Here’s hoping they figure out a way to get some reliable arms.

 

KM

 

The Cleveland Browns announced today that they sent controversial wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets.  The Browns get two draft picks, reportedly 3rd and 5th round picks, WR Chansi Stuckey and LB Jason Trusnik, a special teams standout in return.

 

Edwards has been a polarizing figure since he was made the third overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Michigan.  He had a huge year in 2007 when the team went 10-6 and just missed the playoffs, catching 80 passes for 1285 yards and 16 touchdowns.  It was his only year of over 1000 yards receiving or more than 10 touchdowns, those figures being the goals of great receivers.

 

Obviously, the alleged incident late Sunday night in a nightclub was the last straw for Eric Mangini.  That, and the way Mohamed Massaquoi played on Sunday against the Bengals.  It has been reported that Edwards would likely have been traded before the NFL trading deadline even before this latest thing.

 

Edwards mentioned last week that he would likely leave after his contract ended at the end of this season, so at least the Browns picked up some draft picks and a couple of players, instead of getting nothing if he indeed left as a free agent.

 

The former University of Michigan standout's problem was basically that he thought he was better than he really is.  Elite wide outs have seasons like 2007 every year, not once in five seasons.  Edwards seemed to act and wanted to be treated like the Larry Fitzgeralds and Terrell Owens of the NFL, and he clearly isn't in that class. 

 

Stuckey is in his third year out of Clemson, and caught 32 passes last season, scoring three touchdowns, and so far this year has caught 11 balls for 120 yards and a TD.  He is more of a slot receiver and will likely be moved into a starting role for the Browns soon.  Trusnik is from Ohio Northern, and had six tackles and a forced fumble for the Jets in 2009.

 

The extra draft picks will help bring in more talent for next season, although the team will have to do a better job in picking players than they did this year where two of three second round picks can't do anymore than play special teams.

 

Getting back to Edwards, he seems like a good kid, but he needs to decide whether or not he wants to be a great football player, or a self-promoter who happens to play football.  The Browns got tired of waiting for him to grow up. 

 

JD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cleveland Browns came close yesterday.  They showed improvement.  They didn’t get blown out.  However, they still dropped to 0-4 after yesterday’s 23-20 loss in overtime to the Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns Stadium. 

 

By the way, they showed enough improvement to no longer be considered the worst team in the NFL (see Rams, St. Louis).

 

The recurring theme for this football team is handling the running game and third down efficiency.  In both areas, the Browns improved on one side of the ball.  They rushed for 146 yards with Jerome Harrison leading the way with 121 yards in 29 carries.  Remember that the previous regime wouldn’t use Harrison, and I believe he is one of the legitimate playmakers this team has on offense.

 

However, the Cleveland defense still could not stop the run, allowing 154 yards rushing on 30 attempts, an unacceptable average of 5 yards per carry.  The defense also allowed the biggest play of the game, Carson Palmer’s keeper on 4^th and 10 with two minutes left in overtime.

 

On third down, the defense did hold their own, allowing the Bengals to convert just 5 of 18 conversions.  To be fair, they allowed 3 of 3 fourth down conversions including the previously mentioned key play of the game.  Unfortunately, the offense could convert just 6 of 19 third downs, meaning this area of the attack still needs improvement. 

 

Yesterday’s game marked the return of Derek Anderson to the quarterback position, and the emergence of rookie wide receiver Mohammad Massaquoi.  Anderson put 20 points on the board with a solid performance marred only by an interception in the red zone in the third quarter.  That’s what you get with Anderson. 

 

Besides the pick, the Browns had to settle for a 31-yard field goal after taking possession on the Bengal 14-yard line following a 50-yard punt return by Josh Cribbs.  That’s unacceptable.  You have to come away with a touchdown in that situation.  That’s why you cannot call Anderson’s day “great”.

 

As for Massaquoi, perhaps he can become someone who can take pressure off of Braylon Edwards, who was consistently double teamed yesterday and didn’t catch a pass.  Maybe Brian Robiskie can get involved in the offense next week.

 

Defensively, the Browns put pressure on Carson Palmer, recording two sacks and holding the Bengals to a net 221 passing yards.  Not bad, considering the weapons Cincinnati has on offense.

 

The team now takes its winless season to Buffalo Sunday for a game against the Bills.  The biggest question on offense is what we will see from Derek Anderson.  In the past, he had struggled to show consistency.  His performance is the key as to the Browns hopes of getting their first win next week.

 

JD

 

 

It’s never a pleasant thing to see someone lose their job, but it’s part of the deal in professional sports.  The Cleveland Indians have had disappointing seasons the past two years, so manager Eric Wedge was fired effective at the end of this season. 

 

While we advocated letting Wedge go early this season, it’s still tough to see a good man get let go.  And Eric Wedge is a good man and a class act. 

 

It’s kind of sad that his tenure will be more remembered for the collapses at the end of the 2005 season and in the 2007 ALCS than anything else.  However, baseball is a win and loss business, and after seven seasons, Wedge lost more games than he won.

 

An online survey asked fans to assess Wedge’s performance as manager of the Indians, his strengths and weaknesses.  Given the choices, it was funny that some of the things I thought were his strong points were also liabilities.

 

I respected his day-to-day; take one game at a time mentality because it is perfect for baseball and all sports for that matter.  You can only win today’s contest, and once that game is over, you play again tomorrow.  When you think about it, he’s correct.  Fans get caught in looking at the next ten, or twenty, or a month’s worth of games, but the players and manager can’t do that.  All they can control is the game at hand.

 

On the other hand, Wedge seemed to give his players too much of the benefit of the doubt at times.  He wanted to show confidence in those players who performed well for him in the past, but at times he stuck with them too long.  Think about how long guys like Rafael Perez and Jensen Lewis were trotted out there with the game on the line when they clearly were not effective.

 

This confidence extended to his coaching staff.  The only changes to the coaching staff since 2005 involved first base coaches and bullpen coaches.  Perhaps a different bench coach, hitting instructor, or pitching coach would have made a difference when things got stagnant.

 

He also seemed to only be comfortable handling one type of player.  He could have never handled the Indians of 1995-2001 with some of the wild personalities on those teams.  He was right about Milton Bradley, but he seemed concerned that Brandon Phillips would turn into a carbon copy of him.  So, he didn’t get a second chance after failing in his rookie year.

 

I’m not one of those who think Phillips is the next coming of Rogers Hornsby, but he is a quality major league player.  He didn’t get a real chance in Cleveland.

 

I also think he relates well with younger players.  His “grind it out” mantra plays better with kids just trying to establish themselves at the big league level than with veterans.  Usually, the Tribe doesn’t have a lot of experienced players, but I don’t know how seriously some veterans take this advice. 

 

His most damning problem though was getting the team off to good starts.  Only once in Wedge’s tenure have the Indians had a winning record at the end of April, and that was in 2007 the skipper’s only division title.  That meant that Cleveland was always playing catch up.  In 2005, they caught up only to hit a cool streak on the last week of the schedule, but in the other years it was too much to overcome.

 

Next year, the Indians will have a new manager for the first time since 2003.  The new man may win more games (hopefully) and may be more open with the media, but it’s doubtful he will handle the job with more class than Eric Wedge. 

 

Good luck to him and his family.

 

MW

 

 

Lost in the poor quarterback play and the question of who should start this Sunday for the Cleveland Browns, is how ineffective the defense has been since the first half of the season opener against Minnesota.  Rob Ryan’s defense is allowing over 150 yards per game on the ground and has just one sack in the last two games.

 

Yes, the offense scored only three points against the Ravens, bringing the heat down on the quarterback and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.  However, the defense allowed 34 points.  It isn’t as though Cleveland lost 10-3 to Baltimore.  The Ravens did anything they wanted offensively.

 

After the Browns first possession that ended in a Quinn interception, the Ravens went 31 yards in six plays, the last 18 yards on the ground, in taking a 7-0 lead. 

 

The Browns got the ball back, gained one first down before punting the pigskin away.  Baltimore took over on their own 14-yard line and marched 68 yards in 11 plays before settling for a field goal.  There were only two third down plays on the entire drive, a 17-yard completion to Kerry Washington on a 3^rd and 8 from the Raven 42-yard line.  The other was the last play of the drive that resulted in Cleveland’s only sack on 3^rd and 7 from the Browns 9.

 

Down 10-0, Quinn directed a drive, which started on their own 24 and stalled out after moving into Baltimore territory at the Ravens’ 44-yard line.  The possession took almost six minutes off the clock.  Baltimore took over on their own 3, and promptly moved 82 yards in 15 plays for another field goal to make the score 13-0.  The defense forced only three third downs on this drive, none of less than five yards to go.

 

The defense had a decent rest and still couldn’t stop the Raven attack. 

 

After a three and out offensive possession by the Browns, Baltimore took over on their own 20 and moved 80 yards in eight plays, all passes accept the 15-yard run for a touchdown by Willis McGahee that made the score 20-0 at the half.

 

Notice that one word was missing in describing the Ravens first half plays:  Punt. 

 

In fact, the Ravens’ punter Sam Koch did not appear until two minutes into the second half. 

 

The defense could not stop drives of 11 and 15 plays in the first half, thus causing the game to get out of hand.  To repeat, the first half!  It wasn’t a case of the unit being worn down by a lopsided time of possession statistic.  The defense couldn’t get a stop and couldn’t get off the field. 

 

That has to change just as much the offense has to improve.  Even if the Browns can score more points, they will not be a prolific offense this season.  That means the defense has to keep the team in games.  They did not against the Vikings and Broncos, but last Sunday, they failed miserably.

 

Can’t run the ball, can’t stop the run.  Being deficient in these two areas mean a football team cannot control a game.  Until the Browns improve in these two areas, it will be difficult to win consistently.  The lack of decisiveness at quarterback is one problem, but not being able to stop teams defensively will lead to blowouts and embarrassing defeats.

 

JD

 

 

Yesterday, the Detroit Lions defeated the Washington Redskins, ending their 19 game losing streak.  Why is this significant to Browns’ fans? 

 

Because the Cleveland Browns are now the worst team in the NFL following yesterday’s 34-3 beatdown at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. 

 

The Browns have been outscored 95-29 in their three games, meaning the average result of their games is a 32-10 defeat.  They were out gained on the ground once again, allowing 142 rushing yards and gaining just 73 years.  This team is a flat out mess.

 

If I’m Randy Lerner today, Eric Mangini is in my office this morning and is being asked, “What the heck is this?”  (NOTE:  Really, if I’m Lerner I’d sell the team or I would have had a more open interview process)

 

The only thing that has improved on this football from last year’s debacle is the pressure being put on the quarterback by defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.  The Browns now have five sacks on the season, just eleven shy of their 2008 total, and they still have 13 games remaining.  However, four of those sacks came in the first game of the season.

 

How depressing is that…13 games remaining.

 

The only other positive thing you can say about the Browns is that the three teams they have played are a combined 9-0 (Minnesota, Denver, and Baltimore).

 

No one is saying the coach should be let go after just three games, but hopefully someday the Browns will hire a head coach who has a clue on the offensive side of the ball.  They need to get a guy who doesn’t treat the quarterback position like it’s the left guard. 

 

Three games into the season, and this team has a quarterback controversy.  That’s a huge problem. 

 

Of course, it started with the head coach’s idiotic decision to play games up until the first snap of the season.  The old saying that if you have two quarterbacks, you have none has never rung more true than in the Browns’ case.  A starter should have been named after the second pre-season game, and he should have had at least half the decision to play the position, whether the choice was Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson.

 

Quinn appears to be playing scared, and his fears appear to be founded as he was pulled at halftime after putting up zero points against one of the league’s best defense.  Yes, Quinn’s interception was a poor throw, but he has had just six starts in the NFL, and completed just four of them. 

 

Since Quinn has been drafted, rookies Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco have led their teams to the playoffs.  Another rookie this year, the Jets’ Mark Sanchez has his team off to a 3-0 start and the Lions’ rookie Matthew Stafford has put a win up on the board. 

 

And if you are a supporter of Anderson, remember that his Pro Bowl season in 2007 came with a running back that gained 1300 yards in Jamal Lewis.  These Browns can’t run the ball, and they couldn’t last year.  Without a good running game, Anderson doesn’t seem to have a clue either.

 

The Browns have no clue offensively, and the coaching of the quarterback position, perhaps the most important position in team sports, has been awful.  That’s on the head coach and ultimately the man who hired Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, and Mangini.

 

Former coach Chris Palmer put up 24 points in a game in 2000 where he was lining up WR Kevin Johnson at quarterback, and the starter at the position was Doug Pederson.  It just shows you can put points on the board if you use a little imagination.

 

No matter whom Mangini decides to start this Sunday against Cincinnati, he has to commit to that guy for at least the rest of the season, barring injury.  The coach then has to remember who his playmakers are.  Stop messing around featuring Mike Furrey and Robert Royal, and get the ball as many times as you can to Braylon Edwards, Jerome Harrison, and Josh Cribbs. 

 

As for Cribbs, it’s clear he is not a wide receiver, but where was the wildcat formation yesterday?  Line him up at QB, let him run and THROW the ball once in a while.  Use some imagination!

 

This is a team that needed a talent infusion, yet three of the four players selected in the first two rounds of the draft cannot get on the field.  Only first round pick, Alex Mack, is a starter.  The three second rounders are either on special teams or on the inactive list.  Meanwhile, other players picked after this trio are starting for other teams, including Ray Maualuga, who will be here Sunday with the Bengals. 

 

Mangini will take his usual close-lipped stance today at his press conference.  However, the fans want answers.  There is no improvement for this football team.  They have become a laughing stock and there need to be changes.  Whether or not they are made is up to the coach.  My guess is he is too stubborn to do anything.

 

JD 

 

Ten games to go!

 

That’s all that’s left of this tortuous season for the Cleveland Indians.  It’s likely it’s also all that’s left of Eric Wedge’s tenure as manager of the ballclub.  The skipper’s job was tenuous for next year after the disappointing start to this season, but a 3-19 September probably seals the fate of Wedge, who has managed the Tribe for the past seven seasons.

 

Wedge and his coaching staff are among the people not likely to be back with the organization in 2010, as we probably have seen the last of Jamey Carroll, Andy Marte, and Kelly Shoppach as well.  Carroll is a free agent, Marte will be released, and Shoppach will probably be non-tendered so as to avoid going to arbitration in the off-season. 

 

It would not be surprising to see Kerry Wood be traded away in the winter, either.  Wood will not finish enough games to trigger the third year option in his contract, which oddly enough will make him more marketable.  The big Texan is now basically working on a one-year contract with the second year based on incentives.  It should make him easier to deal.

 

Hopefully, if the Indians can swing a deal for Wood, the ownership will see fit to put that money into starting pitching.  Right now, there is no need for a closer because the team is trailing pretty much every game 5-0 going into the sixth inning.  The 2010 Tribe needs some pitchers who give them quality starts.  They can’t put their eggs into the Jake Westbrook’s coming back and Fausto Carmona will get straightened out basket.

 

They have to improve the starting pitching greatly, and they have to get guys who can throw strikes.

 

The Indians’ pitching staff is second in the league in allowing walks and are second last in the AL in striking out hitters.  That’s a bad combination.  In essence, it says the pitchers don’t miss bats very often, and they compound that problem by falling behind in the count.

 

Just look at some of the walk to strikeout ratios for some of the Tribe starters:  Jeremy Sowers (46 walks/47 strikeouts), Aaron Laffey (52/50), Fausto Carmona (67/68), Anthony Reyes (remember him? 23/22), and Carlos Carrasco (10/10).  That, my friends, is simply unacceptable.

 

The bullpen collapse was an early factor in the pitching problems, but since the all-star break, the problem has shifted to the rotation.  And in September, the Tribe is out of most games early because of the inability of the starters to give them quality outings. 

 

You simply cannot count on any of the existing pitchers to step up at the beginning of next season.  GM Mark Shapiro has to find some reliable starting pitchers, whether by trade or by free agent signings.  They obviously are not going to get a guy like John Lackey, but there should be some hurlers available who can be counted on to keep a team in a game.  Who knows, maybe Carl Pavano could be back with the ’10 Indians.

 

People should be cautioned about the September performances of rookies.  Everyone is getting carried away with Michael Brantley, and some are even penciling him in as next year’s leadoff hitter.  Be careful!  Brantley does get on base, but at this point in his career, he has very little power.  Not home run power, but the ability to get extra base hits, and have outfielder respect his talent to do that.

 

If that pop doesn’t develop, opposing teams will start to play shallow in the outfield, stopping Brantley’s fly ball and line drives from falling in.  Also, pitchers will start pounding the strike zone against him with the knowledge that Brantley can’t hurt them.  He needs to develop an ability to drive the ball, not over the fence, but into the gaps.

 

The Indians still need two wins to avoid 100 losses for the season.  Here’s hoping they can at least avoid that embarrassment.

 

KM

 

The Cleveland Browns are jumping from the frying pan into the fire this weekend as they take on the Baltimore Ravens this week in the Charm City.  The Ravens are known as an excellent defensive team while the Browns have shown almost no offense this season so to speak.  The question is will the Browns even cross the 50-yard line, let alone the end zone.

 

One thing is for certain; the offensive philosophy has to change.  Running the ball into the line on first and second down and putting the quarterback, whether it be Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson, in terrible situations on third down, isn’t getting it done. 

 

What can offensive coordinator Brian Daboll do?

 

First of all, you can run a ball control offense by passing the ball as well as running it.  The Browns can run some short passes on first down to get themselves into 2^nd and 4 or 5 situations.  If the offense can stay out of long yardage situations that will quell the Ravens’ pressure somewhat.  It’s not rocket science folks, pass when they think you’re going to run, and vice-versa is a good strategy on offense.

 

Granted, you still have to execute, but it does keep the defense off balance.

 

This doesn’t mean ignoring the running game, either.  Once you show that you are willing to throw the ball on first down, the defense is on its heels.  It will be easier to run at that point.  Right now, opponents know Daboll is going to try to establish the ground game early and they are stacking the line to make it more difficult.

 

The other thing that can be done is to use the few weapons that the Browns have better.  Josh Cribbs is not a #2 wide receiver.  Play second round draft picks, Muhammad Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie, at the spot and use Cribbs in different ways.  How about a bubble screen?  How about the wildcat formation with Cribbs throwing a pass every once in the while?  The former Kent State quarterback still has thrown less than five passes as a Brown.

 

Other teams have figured out how to get the ball to their playmakers as many times as they can.  The Browns don’t have many, but Braylon Edwards and Cribbs, and perhaps Jerome Harrison can make plays.  Get them the ball in space and let them make plays. 

 

The other thing Daboll can do with the blessing of his head coach is playing the younger players.  This team is not going to the playoffs, and if veterans aren’t doing the job (John St. Clair), then why continue to play them.  Play Massaquoi and Robiskie.  They were second round picks after all.  If they aren’t ready to play in the NFL, then a mistake was made in picking them.

 

This is not to exonerate Quinn in the poor play of the offense.  He has looked extremely uncomfortable in the pocket, either not letting the play develop long enough, or holding the ball too long and taking a sack.  He doesn’t look anything at all like the guy who made three starts last season and was putting points on the board. 

 

However, no matter who is the quarterback, they are being put in terrible positions by the play calling.  It’s time to unbutton the offense and start trying to score instead of “managing the game”.  Otherwise, what figures to be a losing season could turn into an ugly one for Browns’ fans.

 

JD

 

We have stated many times the Cleveland Browns’ biggest problems since 1999 have been running the ball and stopping the run defensively.  Two games into the Eric Mangini era, the weaknesses are still there as the Browns were hammered by Denver 27-6 in the Mile High City yesterday. 

 

A corollary of this problem is the third down conversion rate, which once again was poor both offensively and defensively.  The brown and orange converted just 3 of 14 third down so the offense couldn’t stay on the field, that led to a defense that tired in the fourth quarter, when the Broncos scored more than half their points. 

 

On defense, Cleveland allowed Denver to pick up first downs and keep the ball on 8 of 15 opportunities, so the Browns had chances to get off the field, but couldn’t do it.

 

Brian Daboll is a first year offensive coordinator and right now the offense looks like a junior high school attack.  The conservative attack seems to prevent the team from putting points on the board, as the Browns have scored just one offensive touchdown in two games, and that was in garbage time against the Vikings.

 

QB Brady Quinn looks lost and the attack has no identity.  They tried just 21 rushes yesterday in a game where Cleveland was within a touchdown of the lead until the fourth quarter.  In fact, the Browns are averaging less than 70 yards per game on the ground, not a good statistic for a coach who wants to control the game by running the ball.  Yesterday, Daboll and Mangini gave up on the run too early.

 

Quinn did find WR Braylon Edwards yesterday, as Edwards caught six balls for 92 yards in the defeat.  The only other receiver who averaged more than 10 yards per catch was TE Robert Royal, who caught one ball for 13 yards. 

 

Quinn was sacked four times, all by Elvis Dumervil who made John St. Clair look like a human turnstile.  However, at times the quarterback held on to the ball too long, making his offensive line look bad.  Whether or not his receivers are not getting open, or he’s not going through his progressions quickly enough, he has to get rid of the football faster, especially if he’s supposed to be a guy who “manages the game”.

 

If you are having problems scoring points, and you recover a fumble on the opening kickoff, you have to try to score a TOUCHDOWN!  On first and goal at the Denver 7, two short runs by Jamal Lewis and a pass that falls short of the end zone.  In a condensed area like inside the red zone, you have to try the unexpected, especially if you cannot dominate your opponents physically.

 

The defense didn’t record any sacks, but they did put pressure on Kyle Orton.  Unfortunately, since he didn’t get him, it exposed the secondary particular CB Brandon McDonald and nickel back Hank Poteat, who should be replaced by Mike Adams or Coye Francies following yesterday. 

 

However, you have to be able to stop the run and Rob Ryan’s defense has allowed over 175 yards per game on the ground thus far.  Yes, the total was inflated in week one by Adrian Peterson’s long run, but the goal should be to hold opponents to under 100 yards per contest.  Even without Cornell Buckhalter’s 45-yard run in the fourth quarter, where CB Eric Wright rode him for ten yards instead of tackling him, the Broncos averaged almost four yards per attempt. 

 

That doesn’t get it done.

 

It doesn’t get any easier next week as the Browns travel to Baltimore to take on the 2-0 Ravens.  Right now, Mangini and his staff have some serious work to do.  The coaching staff knew the weaknesses of this team when they took over.  So far, nothing has been done to correct them.

 

Meanwhile, no Cleveland professional sports team has won a game in over a week.  When does the Cavaliers’ season start?

 

JD

 

 

Today, it’s a Cleveland Sports Potpourri…

 

·          When a team is an underdog, why don’t they take more of a gambling attitude?  Why not take more risks?  That’s why Ohio State should have gone for a touchdown in the second quarter instead of settling for a field goal.  It’s also why the Browns should have thrown the ball in the second quarter instead of giving it to Josh Cribbs in the wildcat formation twice.

 

·          It appears Tribe manager Eric Wedge seems resigned to his fate.  Last night, a pick off play at second resulted in Oakland baserunner Adam Kennedy stepping on the glove of SS Luis Valbuena, which was on the bag.  The runner was clearly out.  Wedge never came out to argue the call.  You have to wonder what Valbuena and the other players think about that.

 

·          Major league baseball has a problem again with the umpires.  The men in blue are back to being more antagonistic in dealing with players and managers, and the strike zone is getting smaller and smaller.  The Angels complained about the zone against the Red Sox after Wednesday’s game, and in Minnesota earlier this week, Tribe lefty Tony Sipp couldn’t get a strike call against Joe Mauer despite throwing a couple of pitches right over the plate. 

 

·          Still can’t believe that Shaquille O’Neal will be wearing a Cavalier jersey this season.

 

·          Defenders of Eric Wedge say that his team never quits.  They haven’t been watching the Indians performance since Grady Sizemore was shut down for the year. 

 

·          Did you see Ryan Garko has just two at-bats for the Giants in the past two weeks?  San Francisco is playing Juan Uribe at 3B, moving Pablo Sandoval to first.  Garko is the odd man out.  Don’t the Giants know he can play the outfield?

 

KM

 

It’s interesting to note the Indians PR department is no longer charting the standings from some arbitrary date.  This is probably because the Tribe has lost 12 of their last 15 games since August 30th, confirming the fact that they are, indeed, a bad baseball team. 

 

The Indians are now 21 games below the .500 mark and a 90-loss season is becoming more of a reality everyday.  They also received bad news on the power arm said to be the key to the Cliff Lee trade, as young right-hander Jason Knapp will need arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder to clean out some “loose bodies”.

 

Knapp may wind up being what the Tribe thought when they acquired him, but it’s another blow to a management team that quite frankly hasn’t had a good year the past couple of seasons.

 

Especially when you figure in that the front office has been very smug lately, dismissing critics with an attitude of “you don’t have a clue what you are talking about”.  This is the same front office, which has given fans dog seasons three of the last four years.

 

Another example of this is the non-recall of Jordan Brown.  The Indians have said they are not a “rewarding organization” in their defense of not bringing up the Columbus first baseman.  Actually, they are correct about that.  They haven’t rewarded their fans with a consistent winner since 2001. 

 

Brown may not ever turn into an everyday major league player, but he deserved to get some playing time based on hitting .335 at the AAA level.  However, it’s another example of the Tribe brass thinking they are the only people who know baseball.

 

The Colorado Rockies, who turned their season around with a managerial change, have been the focus of many media stories because of this turn around.  When quizzed about the revival, Jim Tracy said he told his club to be more aggressive, and he decided to go with a set lineup.  A set lineup?  What a revelation!  This is the opposite approach to the Indians, who seemingly have a different lineup everyday. 

 

Look at how many first basemen this team has used this season as starters:  Victor Martinez, Ryan Garko, Mark DeRosa, Matt LaPorta, Chris Gimenez, Andy Marte, and Niumann Romero.  Keep in mind that Eric Wedge also mentioned Jhonny Peralta playing there as well. 

 

At one point this season, it appeared the manager threw the names into a hat and pulled out a position and a name to make out the lineup.  As recently as a week and a half ago, the skipper was still moving Shin-Soo Choo around from right field to left field depending on the ballpark they were playing in.

 

On another note, there was much ado about Derek Jeter breaking Lou Gehrig’s hit record for the fabled New York Yankee franchise.  Would there be as much hubbub if it were the Tribe team record falling?  The Indians current franchise hit leader is Napoleon Lajoie, who had 2026 hits while wearing a Cleveland uniform.  This record wouldn’t get as much coverage.

 

It does point out how teams like the Indians can’t hold on to its star players.  Surely, Lajoie’s record, as well as most of the team’s batting marks for a career would have been surpassed had guys like Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez played the balance of their baseball in an Indians’ uniform. 

 

Lajoie was a great player, but these kinds of moments are just another thing fans of mid-market franchises are denied.  It’s the sad side of the game.

 

MW

 

In the first half of yesterday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, the Browns looked like the team that Eric Mangini envisioned.  They played solid defense and although the offense left some points on the table, they were reasonable efficient.

 

In fact, the Vikings’ points were set up by uncharacteristic poor special teams play.  A bad punt by Dave Zastudil gave Minnesota the ball in Cleveland territory, and a very good punt return set the Vikes up inside the Cleveland 30 yard line.  Minnesota converted these two mistakes into their ten first half points.

 

However, the second half reverted back to the 2008 season.

 

The defense couldn’t get off the field as Adrian Peterson gashed them for large chunks of yardage, and once the offense took to the playing surface, it couldn’t convert first downs.  The most telling stat of the game was the Vikings third down conversion rate was 6 of 14, while the Browns managed just 4 out of 12.  Getting the defense off the field and keeping them off could have made for a different result.

 

The first drive of the third quarter was started at the Minnesota 45 after a 41-yard return by Percy Harvin, another poor special teams play.  The Vikings then marched 55 yards using just one pass play, a 13-yard pass from Brett Favre to Vinsathe Shiancoe, and they picked up another 16 yards on a pass interference penalty on Brandon McDonald as Minnesota took a 17-13 lead.

 

The offense could only stay on the field for three plays since Brady Quinn threw an interception after Jamal Lewis, who played well, gained 22 yards on his first two carries of the second half.

 

The Vikings then marched 82 yards to make it 24-13 mostly due to the running attack of Peterson and Chester Taylor.  Since stopping the run was a major concern coming into the season, allowing 225 yards on the ground in their opener is not an encouraging sign. 

 

It was a good sign to see the Browns get four sacks, two on safety blitzes.  Coordinator Rob Ryan moved guys around in his schemes, which was a welcome sight after last season’s mostly vanilla sets.  Ryan gets a first game benefit of the doubt since he was going up against the league’s premier running back in Peterson.  However, improvement needs to be made against the run.

 

Quinn wound up the game 21 for 35 for 205 yards with a late meaningless touchdown to Robert Royal.  However, he threw the interception and had another turnover when he fumbled trying to throw a pass in the fourth quarter.  Since he was supposed to be a guy who controlled the ball, this was not how he or Mangini wanted to start the season. 

 

In Quinn’s defense, the play calling seemed a little odd as well.  Remember that this is Brian Daboll’s first experience as a coordinator, so hopefully he will improve too.  Using three running plays, two using the “wildcat” formation on first and goal at the Viking 6 in the second quarter was hardly imaginative play choices. 

 

On the other hand, Minnesota has a very good defense, leading the NFL against the run the past few seasons.  They are a Super Bowl contender, and will be one of the better team the Browns face all season.  If he plays the same way against Denver next week, then there will be cause for concern.

 

The special teams were supposed to be a strength, The Sporting News ranked the Cleveland unit as the second best in the NFL, but they didn’t play like it yesterday.  There are plenty of new faces on these units, so that could be a reason for the slippage Sunday. 

 

One could question the head coach’s non-decision at quarterback as a reason for the inconsistency during the first game of the season.  Mangini has a lot to emphasize this week at practice.  Hopefully, the same improvement made from the first pre-season game to the second will apply to the regular season. 

 

JD

 

The Cleveland Browns start their season this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings with what seems like their 12^th makeover since rejoining the NFL in 1999.  They have a new coach in Eric Mangini, only the second coach in team history with previous NFL head coaching experience, and a new general manager in George Kokinis, who hasn’t been seen or heard from in weeks.

 

They have a new starting quarterback, we think, in Brady Quinn, picked in the first round in 2007, and over twenty players who were not with last year’s edition of the Browns, which won just four games.

 

Even with all these changes, it would be a good season if the team shows improvement to six or seven wins, which is where we think the Browns’ record will fall in 2009.  The biggest reason the record will not be better is the power of the AFC North.  If Mangini’s crew can win two division games this season, it will be better than we have seen in the past. 

 

Defensively, this team needs to stop the ground game and they have to put more pressure on the quarterback.  The Romeo Crennel defensive style of bend, but don’t break, doesn’t win in the NFL.  The Browns didn’t allow an excessive amount of points last year, but watching the games no one could say this was a good defense.

 

Bringing in former Jets like Eric Barton and Kenyon Coleman will help the rush defense.  They are major upgrades from the people who manned those spots last year.  However, time will tell if they are good enough to stop the running games of the Steelers, Ravens, and this Sunday’s opponent, Adrian Peterson.

 

Last year, the Browns averaged about one sack per game, which is a disgraceful total.  Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has a low bar to leap over in this regard in his first year.  Kamerion Wimbley and Alex Hall have to put pressure from the outside, and Shaun Rogers will put pressure up the middle.  The emergence of Ahtyba Rubin will keep Rogers fresher, which will mean he will be even more of a beast when he is in the game.

 

Here are some more predictions for the ’09 Cleveland Browns:

 

·          The team will win one game against either the Steelers or Ravens this year.

·          Quinn will play well and prove himself as a solid starter in the NFL.

·          Jamal Lewis’ decline will continue and by the end of the year, rookie James Davis will be getting at least half of the team’s carries per game.

·          Braylon Edwards will have a solid season, but the offense’s shift to a ball control passing attack will leave him short of ten touchdowns.

·          Josh Cribbs will emerge as a good wide receiver, one who gets lots of yardage after the catch.

·          When the Browns lose two in a row for the first time this season, Edwards will express displeasure with the play calling.

·          The Browns will get at least 30 sacks in 2009.

·          The defense will not be great against the run, but it will be an improved unit.

·          CB Eric Wright will emerge as a very good cornerback, one that if the team had a better record would go to the Pro Bowl

 

Then again, I could be totally wrong.  The NFL is a league of attrition, and the improvement predicted for the Browns is based on staying relatively healthy this season.  If Richard Bartel is back and starting at QB late in the season, all bets are off.

 

JD

 

Thank goodness the Cleveland Indians don’t have to see the Texas Rangers anytime soon.  Texas opened the season by battering the Tribe pitching staff, and they did it again in a doubleheader on Tuesday night, scoring 21 runs in the two games.  Then, they tacked on another 10 today for good measure.

 

Only Aaron Laffey beat the Rangers this season, and Texas repaid him by getting 12 hits and scoring seven runs off him in Game 2.  This might be one of those times the Indians throw away the scouting report on the Rangers’ hitters, because it is obviously not the correct information on how to get them out.

 

One thing that raised my eyebrow over the weekend was WKNR’s Mark “Munch” Bishop bringing out his Travis Hafner bashing stick about Hafner being a singles hitter, and advocating signing potential free agent Jim Thome to replace him. 

 

First, no one, I repeat, no one is going to take Hafner’s bloated contract off of the Indians’ hands.  Not at over $10 million per year for two more years.  Second, it doesn’t make any sense to do this for the Tribe.

 

Hafner has a slugging percentage of .498, which is the best on the team.  This disputes Bishop’s assertion that Hafner has turned into a slappy.  What is Thome’s slugging percentage?  It’s roughly the same at .493. 

 

Of course, Thome spent his season playing in one of the American League’s best hitter’s park in US Cellular Field while Pronk plays at Progressive Field which is the AL’s best pitcher’s park, at least it is in 2009. 

 

Hafner is a victim of his past.  He will probably never reach the power numbers he had in 2004-06, but he has 15 dingers in 273 at bats.  What the Indians need is for the big man to get 450-500 at bats next season.  At the pace he is currently at, he would hit 26 homers in 2010.  It’s not the Pronk of the past, but it’s still a solid season.

 

On another note, the team made its final September recall by bringing up Niumann Romero from Columbus.  Congratulations to Romero on making his major league debut despite hitting just a combined .240 with 1 HR and 35 RBI at both Akron and Columbus this season.  Romero started yesterday’s game at…1B, of course, making him the 34^th person to play the position for the Indians this year.

 

However, they ignored 1B Jordan Brown, who hit .336 with 15 HR and 67 RBI with the Clippers.  Why?  Skipper Eric Wedge said they couldn’t find at bats for Brown.  However, I found some.  He could have taken the four at bats given to Romero today!  Are the Indians so filled with great offensive players that they can’t find chances for a guy who hit .336 in AAA? 

 

The ownership wants to know why the fans have lost confidence in the organization.  I suggest they ask Jordan Brown.

 

KM