Opening Day, 2008

Instead of posting game summaries (there are a lot of places you can go to get game summaries), this year, Pronk Needs You will be posting quick-hitting impressions, as well as continuing Mojo Watch.

I was at work trying to get a market study out the door, so pretty much all I could do yesterday was listen to the game on Gameday Audio, and since the game went long and we had errands to run, I missed portions of the game call.

My impressions:

• Yes, CC made a few mistakes, but, sheesh, people, don't panic. It's one bad game.
• Nick Massett has clearly been replaced by a Beta Unit.
• To paraphrase Bill Cosby, talking about his friend Harold in one of his classic stand up routines: "Mark Buehrle's gettin' a beatin'? I love to see Mark Buehrle gettin' a beatin!"
• Joe Still Knows Closing
• Victor is day to day, but, to quote Keith Olbermann, "then, again, aren't we all?" Seriously, keep your fingers crossed on the MRI. No word yet on how serious his injury is.
• Casey Blake hit with RISP? Enjoy it, crimestoppers, because if history is any indication, you won't see another one for awhile.
• Frank the Tank! Bringing the lumber!
• Yes, the bullpen was bad. Hope it's not a trend. Senor Slow saves the day again.
• Still think we should have traded Gutierrez to the Royals last year for Dotel? Thought so.
• After all the complaining they did, maybe we need to call them the "Whine Sox" (credit for this belongs to a Let's Go Tribe poster).

Mojo Watch

Franklin Gutierrez -

Casey Blake:

CC Sabathia:

Victor Martinez: Before the injury, it would have been 5 Elvi.

Pronk: 1 for 4, with a double, RBI, and two Ks.

The weather:

Off day today, so enjoy the rain and bask in the glory of yesterday's victory.

Free Andy Marte! and Other Spring Training Thoughts

Some Pre-Opening Day Thoughts

Free Andy Marte!

Andy Marte is on the 25-man roster to open the season. He's out of options. If Eric Wedge's past trends are any indication, Andy Marte won't play much - maybe once or twice a week. Wedge has proven himself smitten with the league average production of Casey Blake, Super Utility Mountain Man. The problem with this is two-fold:

1. Andy Marte has been a notoriously slow starter at every level.
2. If he doesn't produce right away, fans who don't know any better will be screaming for his release or trade.

Therefore, I declare that it is time to Free Andy Marte! Play him every day or trade him. We've never seen what he can do at the major league level because he's never had enough at bats to make the adjustment propertly. Let's find out what we have. He's not going to adjust to the majors playing a couple times a week, because when he does get in, most likely he will be pressing.

Left Field

One of my co-workers, a lifelong Indians fan, had a discussion with me this week about how he was upset that the Indians optioned Ben Francisco and kept Dellucci and Michaels to platoon in left field. I can't really say I blame him too much. Francisco lit up spring training like a Christmas tree. However, given the Indians' proclivity to stick with veterans (see Blake, Casey), as well as Francisco's status (with options), it is not surprising that the Indians would send him down. Also complicating things - Shin Soo (Big League) Choo, who is out of options, and will likely be ready for the bigs after a month or two on rehab at Buffalo.

So, the bottom line here is that something will happen in the next couple months to straighten this mess out. When Big League Choo is ready, someone will go. So, relax and enjoy the fun, because there will be some dealing coming down the line.

Spring Training Mojo Watch:

Ben Francisco: Ben's ben en fuego.

Andy Marte: Marte has looked tentative in the field, and has shown flashes of power, but his spring average has been hovering near the Mendoza line.

Starting Pitching: Sabathia, Carmona, and Westbrook have all looked dominant at times. Byrd looks like Byrd. Cliff Lee has pitched just well enough to win the 5th spot, but that is as much a testament of how poorly Laffey and Sowers have pitched.

Pronk: He had occasionally looked Pronk-like this spring.

Grady Sizemore: Grady is ready. Hide the women and children, because Grady is going to set fire to the American League.

Aaron Fultz:

Pronk's Mojo

Pronk's Mojo appears right now to be busy with the Davidson Wildcats, after helping the New York Giants pull off an amazing Super Bowl upset. With any luck, Pronk's Mojo will come home in time for Opening Day. Remember, as always, if you see Pronk's Mojo, please nudge it in the general direction of Cleveland.

Meet the New LOOGY

Aaron Fultz, the Tribe's LOOGY who could not get enough batters out regardless of which side of the plate they were hitting from since returning from an oblique injury last year, will be DFAd by the Tribe according to a variety of sources.

The new LOOGY: Craig Breslow. The Red Sox tried to sneak him through waivers, but the Indians were not fooled.

What we know about Craig Breslow:

• He had great statistics in Pawtucket in 2006, but has not yet put it together at the major league level.
• He is in the middle of starting the Strike 3 Foundation to fight childhood cancer.
• He's not Aaron Fultz

Spring training is almost over and most of the major decisions have already been made. Cliff Lee has been named the fifth starter, with Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers sent down to Buffalo. The only drama left - who gets the last bullpen spot. Jorge Julio and Scott Elarton appear to be the frontrunners, with Julio most likely based on his ability to throw hard and previous closer experience.

And we're off!

Spring training games begin today at 1:05 PM Eastern, with the Tribe going up against the Astros. Radio coverage on the station formerly known as WWWE or Gameday Audio for those out of market. Jeff Harris will start on the mound for the Tribe, in place of Jake Westbrook, who was scheduled to start but is being held out with a "sore right arm."

Big Day in Cleveland Sports

Yesterday was a big day in Cleveland sports, as all three major franchises made transactions.

The big news was the trade that reshaped the Cavaliers, who traded their spare parts and overpaid veterans for two other teams' spare parts and overpaid veterans. The Cavs gave up Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Cedric Simmons, Shannon Brown, Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall for Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak (to be henceforth referred to as Wally, or Wally Eyechart), plus a 2009 second round draft pick (Chicago's).

In doing so, the Cavs take on enough salary to have luxury tax implications this year, but also take on players with complementary skills to LeBron James and that should fit in well with what Mike Brown wants to do with the team (ie, play tough defense and let LeBron do his thing). Let's break this down player by player, starting with the new hires:

• Ben Wallace: if motivated, a key enforcer down low with tough defense - we probably won't be able to truly measure his impact until the playoffs. With Chicago - big contract, not much performance. With Cavs? Who knows? The Cavs are gambling that a change of scenery will inspire him.
  
• Wally Eyechart: 3-point shooter, defensive liability. All he has to do to help this team is spot up on the 3-point line and wait for the kickout. His presence should open up more room for LeBron to do his thing.
• Delonte West: combo guard with more point guard skills and better outside shooting ability than Larry Hughes. Should be able to provide a perimeter threat as well as the ability to distribute the ball and provide another late game ballhandler other than LBJ.
• Joe Smith: solid veteran forward having a good season.
  

What they lost:

• Larry Hughes: slasher who was miscast as a point guard. Solid perimeter defender. In hindsight, he was never a good fit for the Cavs because he is more of a slasher than an outside shooter and point guard. He was starting to make some progress offensively in the last few weeks. Often hurt and cast as a villain by fans upset with his inability to play up to his contract and tendency to get hurt. Genuinely seems like a good guy and will likely perform better in Chicago assuming he can stay healthy.
• Drew Gooden: when he's good, he can be very good. When it's not his night, you might as well sit him early. Excellent offensive skillset - defensive skillset questionable. Should do well in Chicago with former KU running-mate Kirk Hinrich to set him up.
• Cedric Simmons and Shannon Brown: Projects with some potential upside
  
• Ira Newble: solid perimeter defender, occasional offensive skills. Defense will be missed.
• Donyell Marshall: streaky shooter capable who has run hot and cold throughout his career. With the Cavs, mostly cold.

The question now is how well the Cavs can integrate the new team with the holdovers. How good of a coach is Mike Brown? We're about to find out.

The Browns have resigned Jamal Lewis, apparently to a 3-year deal, believed to be worth $17 million. Good for the Browns, and good for Lewis, who genuinely seems to like playing for the Browns and being in Cleveland.

The Indians signed Jason Tyner to a minor league contract, without an invitation to the major league camp. Even with the glut of fourth outfielders in the big league camp, it seems that Buffalo will need outfielders, too. What does it say about Jason Tyner that no team wanted to give him as much as a non-roster invitation to their big league camp?

Longtime PD portswriter, Chuck Heaton, dies at age 90

Longtime Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter, Chuck Heaton, succumbed to complications arising from pneumonia at age 90.

You may have seen his daughter, actress Patricia Heaton, on a TV show or two. Bob Dolgan wrote a fine obituary.

Chuck Heaton was most known for covering the Browns in the early days, but he also covered the Indians extensively over the years, and retired from writing with BBWAA Card #1, indicating the longest tenure of active members when he retired in 1993.

Pitchers and Catchers Report, But How Long Will CC Stay?

First, the good news. Pitchers and catchers report to Winter Haven today.

Now, the bad news: C. C. Sabathia has released a statement via his official website saying, in essence, that he has ceased negotiations with the Cleveland Indians on a contract extension.

This move makes it overwhelmingly likely that Sabathia will not be an Indian beyond the 2008 season. Some other team, desperate for pitching, will go well beyond what Cleveland is willing to offer Sabathia in both cash and years. If Sabathia were willing to give the Tribe a hometown discount, he would have done it already.

The Indians now have a hard choice:

• Option A - go for it all this year and ride one of the best pitchers in the major leagues, knowing that at the end of the year, he will leave and all you will get will be draft picks.
  
• Option B - trade one of the best pitchers in the major leagues for lots of prospects to a big market team that can afford to sign him , knowing that if you do this, there is the possibility that doing so potentially closes the window of opportunity for this year and alienates the fans, who will likely be showing up at the ballpark again this year after last year's exciting postseason.

Not much of a choice, is it? It seems clear that the Indians have chosen Option A. Their window to win it all is now, and they've finally won back the fans who deserted the team after their terribly underperforming 2006 season. If they do win it all, then it will be easier to justify publicly letting Sabathia go, as Tribe fans will be giddy and hungover with glee. If they don't win, however, and cannot resign Sabathia, then all we'll be hearing, once again, is how cheap Dolan is, while CC likely puts on pinstripes and plays for the FEDBU.

Even Option B looks bad - let's look at the teams who can afford Sabathia: FEDBU, FEDBU-lite, the Angels of the OC, the Dodgers, and the Mets. The Mets are out - they ponied up for Santana. The Angels have the prospects to make a trade and the money to sign Sabathia, but have made it clear in the last couple years that they're not trading prospects. The Dodgers have prospects and money, but the NL West is wide open, and it looks like they're going to try to win with the pitching they have. Both the FEDBU and FEDBU-lite have the prospects and the money, but with the Indians having their window as this year, what incentive do they have to trade their best pitcher, during their window of opportunity year, to teams that might slam that window shut in the postseason? Can you imagine what it would be like in Cleveland if the Tribe trades Sabathia to either one of these teams, and then Sabathia pitches the clinching game in a postseason series that knocks the Tribe out of postseason? If CC is set on filing for free agency, he has even less value as a rental than Santana did, as Santana was very clear that he would likely sign an extension with the right team.

Bottom line - unless the Indians win the World Series this year, they are screwed. When CC walks, they lose fickle fan support, Dolan's reputation for being cheap gets unfairly renewed, and their ability to compete takes a major hit with their loss of an ace.

It's hard to be an Indians fan today, even with pitchers and catchers reporting. The pressure to win now just increased dramatically.