Vinny and the Hornless Rhino

MLB Player Draft

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:50:00 +0000

MLB completed three rounds of the draft, or as it's been known in Cleveland for the last decade, an utter waste of time. This year may be a little different. I'm pretty happy with the first three picks as a whole.

In the first round, the Indians surprised no one. They took a college pitcher. UNC rhp, Alex White, fell 6-8 spots lower than expected, and the Indians grabbed him. White has good size and throws 90-94 pretty consistently. He looks like he can be a strikeout pitcher. His problems...and you knew he had to have some, are that he walks a lot of batters and he really throws only two pitches well. Starters need to have at least 3 solid major league offerings if they're going to prosper. Both of these problems can be fixed, but they require good coaching. In my mind, that's been a deficiency of the organization. If the Indians fix themselves, they'll fix White. If they can't, he may be able to scuffle along and have a solid career. Some baseball people and analysts think that White can pitch in the majors this year. I think those people are nuts.

In the second round, the Indians pounced on Jason Kipnis, an outfielder from baseball factory, Arizona State. Kipnis was a very good college hitter, who controlled the strike zone pretty well. At ASU, he was an on-base machine. That's something that the Tribe has traditionally lacked. He's got moderate power and moderate speed. If this were basketball, he's the kind of guy announcers like to describe as a "gym rat." He hustles his ass off and plays beyond his abilities. His negatives are that he's a little undersized ( 5'11" and 175), doesn't really have the power to play a corner outfield spot, and isn't a classic centerfielder, even though he can play the spot. I'd heard a week or so ago that the Indians had been looking hard at him, but I really don't know why. They must be convinced his on-base ability will translate to the bigs. He looks like a guy with limited upside but who could be a solid part-time role player. I hope I'm wrong. If he can continue to get on base and the Tribe can develop a bopper at some other position, he can help the team.

In the third round, the Indians went pitching again. That was a good move because they took Joseph Gardner, a rhp from UC Santa Barbara. He's a big guy who throws between 89-94. His pitches are all solid, but like White, Gardner throws too many balls. Walks have killed him this year. He needs to work on his control. But, the bottom line is the guy has some talent. He just needs to refine his mechanics.

In sum, I like the draft ok. They took two pitchers who throw hard. For some reason, the Tribe could never figure that out and their drafting in the early rounds has been abysmal. The outfielder is ok and could perhaps develop into a player. Personally, I think his upside is Ben Francisco with better on-base, but if the pitching pans out, I'm ok with that. I'm just thrilled that they didn't draft another slow, one dimensional first baseman/left fielder/DH. Historically, the organization has LOVED those guys. Even though the Indians have been almost barren of any middle infielders or centerfielders of any note in the minors since Jhonny Peralta graduated, the Tribe's deep thinkers never felt it was necessary to waste draft picks on them. Perhaps that's why they're gone. This is a new group picking for the Tribe, and so far (last year and these first three rounds), I'm satisfied.

Since I'll likely know nothing about the guys picked tomorrow, I'm done on this topic.

Basketball Inquiry

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 24 May 2009 01:48:00 +0000

Is it just me or does Stan Van Gundy look like Ron Jeremy with combed hair?

Baseball Update

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:53:00 +0000

The Indians are better than the Nationals.

That's it. End of update.

The dust has cleared.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:48:00 +0000

The second day of the draft wasn't as suspenseful or strange as the first one.

In the fourth round (pick 104), the Browns went defense again taking 6'0," 230 pound USC linebacker, Kaluka Maiava. Don't get excited. The elite defensive talent was gone at that point. Maiava's impressive but undersized. His likely role will be to be a special teams demon. He'll get a few snaps each game in the linebacker rotation, but I don't see him ever winning a starting job.

In the sixth, the Browns made good use of their three picks. With the first (177), the Browns grabbed CB, Don Carey. He's 6'1," 180 pounds and played at Norfolk State. Carey is a good solid cornerback who's never played against top competition. It will be interesting to see if he can use his considerable talent to develop into the kind of corner who can cover big-time receivers.

With pick 191, the Browns made what looks to be a terrific late round pick---Coyie Francies of San Jose State. He's 6'0" and 185 pounds with the speed and athleticism to cover almost anyone in the league. I was surprised that he was still on the board in the sixth. Francies is talented but a little undisciplined. A good secondary coach could help this kid turn into a strong DB. He's worth watching.

With pick 195, the Browns picked another guy who I was surprised to see still on the board---James Davis, RB of Clemson. He's 5'11" and 218 pounds. Most importantly, he's a strong runner who doesn't give up the ball. He can also block. There's a chance Davis can develop into a feature back or at least a strong back-up.

The three guys taken in the 6th all have a chance to be starters or primary back-ups. That's due in equal parts to their talent but also due to the Browns' extreme needs at CB and RB. Each of the three will be given huge opportunities to contribute to the team.

So, in the end, here's what happened.

In exchange for Mark Sanchez, the Browns receive a starting center ( Alex Mack), a project at outside linebacker (David Veikune), sixth round prospects, Coyie Francies (CB) and James Davis (RB), a starting defensive end (Kenyon Coleman), a starting safety (Abram Elam), and a third string quarterback (Brett Ratliff). That's not a bad haul, but it's not very exciting.

The rest of the draft added a starting possession receiver (Brian Robiskie), a back-up receiver (Mohamed Mossaquoi), a special teams player who can help out at inside linebacker (Kaluka Maiava), and another CB with some potential to play (Don Carey).

All of that manuevering gave the Browns one difference maker---Mack. The rest of the guys are filler and depth, which teams need but which won't raise the Browns to a playoff contender. The wild card---the one pick that will likely make or break this draft ---is David Veikune. If he can play OLB and provide a pass rush, it will be a good to great draft. If, on the other hand, Veikune ends up solely as a special teamer, it was a mediocre draft because a huge need---the ability to stop offenses---went unaddressed.

First Day Grade: Gentlemen's C

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:53:00 +0000

Well, "Super Bowl" Saturday came and went, and much like if the Browns ever made it to the real big game, the good people of Cleveland were left with sick feelings in their stomachs.

For years, those in the know have pleaded with the Browns to trade down and load up on guys to play in the trenches. Sitting pretty at # 5 and watching Mark Sanchez's momentum build, it looked like the Browns were finally going to be the ones fleecing someone on draft day. Then the news came---pick # 5 to the Jets for pick # 17, pick #52 (second round) and three guys, Kenyon Coleman (DE), Abram Elam (S) and Brett Ratliff (QB). In terms of picks, Coleman is probably worth a 4th or 5th. As the back-up safety, Elam's probably worth a late 5th or 6th. Ratliff is just a guy.

When pick #17 rolled around, the Browns traded again. This time #17 went to Tampa Bay in exchange for pick # 19 and pick # 161 (sixth round). Here's where I started getting nervous. I suspected that the Browns were considering linebacker and bad man, Rey Maualuga, and I just wanted them to make the pick. In my mind, the additional 6th wasn't that big of a deal because most of the time, a 6th round pick turns out to be a cut or special teams player.

Well, pick # 19 came with Maualuga still on the board, and the Browns traded down again. They sent pick #19 to Philly for picks #21 and #195 (sixth round again). Maualuga survived to 21.

This time the Browns picked...Alex Mack, center from California. Judging by talk radio commentary, most people hated this pick. I didn't. In fact, at Thursday afternoon's Tribe game, I told the Hornless Rhino that I'd love for the Browns to grab Mack or another center, Max Unger, in the 2nd. Let's face it. The O line regressed last year, and part of the blame fell on Fraley for failing to seal the middle. Mack should be able to do that. He's a big, strong guy. He's 6'4" and weighs 311 pounds. In college, he just pounded the middle of the defensive line and punished defenders. He won't dominate tackles like that in the pros, but he immediately upgrades the line. He could be the kind of center the Browns thought they were getting when they signed LeCharles Bentley. He's that good. I'm very happy that the Browns grabbed him. I just think they took him too high. I think there was a strong possibility that he'd be there at 36, and even if he hadn't been, Unger was. The Browns passed on some good defensive talent to get Mack. But, this was a solid need pick, and I think Mack will be around for years manning the pivot. Great ballplayer. Good not great value at pick # 21.

When pick #36 rolled around, there were still stud defenders on the board. In addition to Maualuga, cornerbacks, Alphonso Smith, Darius Butler and Jairus Bird, and outside linebackers, Everette Brown, Clint Sintim and Connor Barwin, were available. Most of those guys were given first round grades by various analysts. More importantly, the Browns sucked at stopping other teams' offenses. This is when the draft went very wrong for me. The Browns picked 6'3", 209 pound, wide receiver from Ohio State, Brian Robiskie. I was utterly stunned. Sure, the Browns need a receiver, even if Braylon Edwards is still on the roster, but I didn't want to use this pick on one, and certainly not on a guy who'll more likely be viewed as a possession receiver rather than a # 1 guy. He doesn't have big-time speed and won't be the guy to "stretch defenses." He will, however, catch the ball when it's thrown his way.

Pick #50. This was the one received for Kellen Winslow. Most of the elite defensive talent was gone, but there was one guy who I liked---Paul Kruger, DE of Utah. He's a big boy who has a knack....
Nevermind. The Browns didn't get him. They took another friggin' receiver, Mohamed Massaquoi of Georgia. He's 6'2" and 198 pounds, is pretty good at hauling in passes, and will be a good target for the QB. Like Robiskie, he lacks the kind of speed to pressure a secondary. He'll be good at working seems and catching slants.

The Browns received pick #52 in their trade with the Jets, and with it, they finally took a defensive player, David Veikune. He's a 6'2", 257 pound defensive end from Hawaii, who the Browns will ask to switch to outside linebacker. He had 16.5 tackles for loss and 9 sacks last year. Unlike Cameron Wimbley, this kid is strong. Real strong. I don't think he'll get shoved around when he's rushing the passer. I just don't know how good he'll be making the switch to outside linebacker. There's part of me that likes this pick very much, but I'm terribly disappointed that the Browns passed on more reliable outside linebackers. Veikune is a project in the same sense that Wimbley was. He'll play in his first year. We'll just have to see how he adapts.

After the first day, here are my thoughts. I'm thrilled with Alex Mack, but wish they had drafted him later. I'm scratching my head about Robiskie and Massaquoi. They're both nice receivers, but neither is a game-breaker. And I'm pretty damn sure neither is going to tackle anyone. I like Veikune a lot but would have really preferred a few other guys who were taken earlier. I think the Browns didn't get enough for the # 5 pick. If you look at the pick value chart, the Browns should have gotten # 17 and next year's first from the Jets. They received a late second and a few players. Mangini must love getting Kenyon Coleman to play defensive end. I guess he thinks Coleman will be a difference maker on the defensive line. He'd better be considering the defensive talent that they let pass.

I think this is clear. Mangini will want to run the ball a lot. Jamal Lewis will run left behind Thomas, Steinbach and now Mack. He'll play a possession game with steady but unspectacular receivers, who will catch the ball in traffic and hang on to it. That means that Brady Quinn is probably the QB. Drafting two receivers really has me puzzled. After all Braylon Edwards is still a Brown, and two rounds of picks are gone. That means if he's going to be traded, it's going to be for next year's picks or a significant player. I'd been hoping that that player was going to be defensive end, Mathias Kiwanuka . He was allegedly the Braylon Edwards deal breaker from the Giants perspective. Anyway, that's probably not the case now that Mangini has his boy, Kenyon Coleman. Maybe Braylon's not going anywhere. That's why Mangini picked two complementary receivers rather than a deep threat. Maybe Mangini believes the Browns can win this year.

Stay tuned for day two of the draft. The Browns don't have a third, fifth or seventh, but they've got a fourth (104) and three sixths (177, 191 and 195). Maybe they'll grab a receiver.

Here comes the draft...

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:18:00 +0000

This Saturday is, and for 10 years has been, the Cleveland Browns' version of the Super Bowl. It's the NFL draft. Each year, the good people of Cleveland pray that the guy the genius of the month selects will put an end to decades of futility. It's never happened. Rather than the Super Bowl, the draft has been more like Waterloo for the Browns. In my lifetime, the Browns have never, never been good drafting players. Never.

Sure, they've grabbed a few mediocrities and role players who've become fan favorites, but they've never drafted a true stud (with perhaps the exceptions of Ozzie Newsome, Clay Matthews and Joe Thomas). The saying is that victory is the son of many fathers, but defeat is an orphan. In the case of the Browns, it's the other way around. Disaster and incompetence had numerous architects and co-conspirators. The faces and titles have changed over the years, but the inability to select talent never has. Even during the blessed days of the Kardiac Kids and Bernie, Bernie and the Dawgs, the Browns won in spite of their drafts, not because of them.

So, what do we do with 45 years of consistent failure in preparing for this Saturday's draft? Perhaps, as the French philosophes suggested, we should ignore the past and strive for the perfectibility of man. That sounds pretty sweet, but really, Kokinis needs to pull his head out of his ass, quit jacking around with the league-wide smoke screen about the fifth pick, and take a stud.

That's easy.

I'm worn out.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:32:00 +0000

I just read the story that Alex Rodriguez allegedly has been diddling around with Kristin Davis, who used to be Eliot Spitzer's favorite madam.

I guess I find it mildly amusing, but I'm really worn out by hearing about Rodriguez's antics. Plus, this sounds like another case where he got all creepy and solicitous. while patheticly falling all over some other hooch. Following Alex's steroid mea culpa, this is gonna play really well with the media. The best part is that Madam Kristin is poised to violate the milleniums-old hooker's code and is going to name names in her upcoming "book."

I could really care less about Rodriguez's paid sex games. Like I said, I'm pretty worn out hearing about this guy. And with respect to Ms. Davis, yeah, the massive jugs are pretty impressive, but she looks a little mannish to me.

Beware the ides of March.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Remember March, the ides of March remember:

Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?

What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,

And not for justice?

What, shall one of us

That struck the foremost man of all this world

But for supporting robbers, shall we now

Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,

And sell the mighty space of our large honours

For so much trash as may be grasped thus?

I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,

Than such a Roman.

~~~ Brutus, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

I'm troubled.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:28:00 +0000

I have that weird feeling you get when you're out somewhere and one of your paisans is trying to hard to impress a hot chick and starts to do goofy stuff. The kind of stuff that sort of taints you in the eyes of anyone who knows you're with him. The kind of stuff that he would never want anyone to mention again, ever. The kind of stuff that every single regular guy he knows will bust his grapes about every time they're together with drinks in their hands.

It's pretty funny after the fact, but it's damn strange and somehow pathetic when it's happening. That's why it causes the people around it so much discomfort. Well, that's how I feel after reading the quote: "He has the heart of a poet trapped inside an insanely gorgeous body."

That wasn't said by any of the attractive women who know me or the Rhino. No. That's what the Material Girl said about Alex Rodriguez. Apparently, he's been writing her long rambling love letters and occasional missives about his feelings.

Ok. Ok. I concede that Ms. Ciccione probably has some mad skills when it comes to keeping a guy pretty happy. But, as Tony Soprano lamented on more than a few occasions, "whatever happened to the strong silent type--- Gary Cooper?" Why's Rodriguez got to get all mushy, especially when he should be learning how to hit in the clutch?

Then again, maybe it's just his master plan to hook up with every woman Jose Canseco has had, no matter the cost. After all, Canseco tried to out him about steroids (but that never gained any traction) and bitched about Rodriguez trying to bag the then-Mrs. Canseco. Maybe this is just pure revenge. If that's the case, do you think that, during sex with Madonna, Rodriguez is thinking about Canseco?

I'd appreciate your insights.

And so it begins...

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:09:00 +0000

On this election day, the Browns elected to try a new starting QB. So, much to the glee of 70,000 chanting fans and young girls throughout the state, it looks like the Brady Quinn era dawns in Cleveland. Maybe it's more accurate to say that Brady gets his shot. He'll obviously have to produce. Because if he doesn't, someone will wake Romeo up from his nap to tell him to send Quinn back to the bench.

Why the sarcasm? It sounds like Romeo didn't know about the change. Either that or that sly old dog was just faking us all out.

Well, buckle up and watch the kid play.

Fields of Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Hornless Rhino) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:44:00 +0000

ESPN.com has posted its list of the 14 best high school stadiums in the nation. Ohio is the only state with two stadiums on the list: Canton's Fawcett Stadium, and -- of course -- Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. These are both great facilities and worthy representatives of The Buckeye State's proud tradition of high school football.

Of course, when it comes to Ohio high school stadiums, the real problem is narrowing the list of classic venues down to only one or two. We are blessed with some of the greatest high school football stadiums in the nation, and many of those can give Fawcett and Massillion -- as well as the rest of the stadiums that ESPN selected -- a real run for their money.

For example, I think ESPN overlooked what just may be the crown jewel of Ohio high school gridirons -- Steubenville's Reno Saccoccia Field at Harding Stadium, better known as "Death Valley." If you want even better views of Death Valley, go to this website, then click on "Death Valley" on the menu, and then click again on the photo of the stadium. (Yeah, the website designer could've done a better job with navigation, but his photos are worth the effort.)

ESPN also bypassed Cincinnati's Elder Stadium, better known as "The Pit." Home of the legendary Elder Panthers, The Pit was rated one of the nation's top ten high school venues by USA Today.

ESPN selected one field in an urban setting, San Francisco's George White Field. I've seen this place, and it's more quirky than anything else. It is carved into a very small spot of land in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood and its goal posts are only a few feet from the street. You want a first rate urban stadium? Try St. Vincent-St. Mary's John Cistone Field at Green Street Stadium in Akron, or Toledo Central Catholic's Gallagher Stadium.

There are other gems scattered throughout the state. For example, there's Martin's Ferry's haunting Alumni Stadium, where you can almost hear the poet James Wright's lines as you look out at the field; Dover's Crater Stadium, Lima's Lima Stadium, Toledo-Waite's Jack Mollenkopf Stadium, and Chagrin Falls' C.S. Harris Stadium (which looks like it was designed by Norman Rockwell).

There are other states with some spectacular high school venues, and the list that ESPN has compiled is worth a look. Nevertheless, there's no reason to plan a trip out of state to take any of them in -- there are plenty of fields of dreams right here at home.

Things only get better.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:58:00 +0000

Next week the Browns go to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars at 4:05 pm. The Jags are 3-3 but I think they'll be tough to beat.

The former expansion teams, Jacksonville and Carolina, have been able to assemble some impressive talent. Here's an example of the type of athlete Carolina can run out on the field (LEFT).

How the hell are the Browns supposed to compete with that?

Nuff' said.

O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:37:00 +0000

The Browns lost another one yesterday. With six games in the books, they're 2-4. That means that, to get to a ten-win mark, the Browns have to go 8-2 the rest of the way. Ain't gonna happen.

I'm not going to waste time this morning writing about how Braylon dropped a couple more balls; how D.A. just sucked; or how I'm tired of K2 looking for a flag every single time he doesn't catch the ball. I'm more pissed off about the way this team just doesn't seem ready for the season, even though they're seven weeks into it.

The team lacks urgency, organization and discipline. Other than that, Romeo and his staff are doing a helluva job. Actually, RAC, as the players refer to him, must be doing at least one thing right---the guys love him. Through all the false starts, dropped passes, bad passes, poor clock management, and dumb coaching decisions, every single player continues to praise him. That's 'cause RAC has their backs. And I don't mean that he's holding them by the shoulders and sticking a boot in their asses. In RAC's rosy world it seems there's never any fault to go around. One of his favorite post-defeat phrases is "we just didn't get it done." Really? No shit. I thought you did and that the scoreboard just got it wrong.

In light of the high expectations for his team, Savage went out and acquired defensive playmakers and Donte Stallworth for this year...to win it all this year. Although mathematically speaking, the Browns' playoff hopes are still alive, even the most rabid fan has to admit that, other than for four glorious quarters against the Giants, this team hasn't remotely looked like a playoff team, nevermind a champion.

At some point, Savage is going to intervene, call the season a loss, instruct RAC or the interim coach to play Quinn, and start manuevering for April's draft.

It's heartbreaking.

Same Ol' CC

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:40:00 +0000

Well, I guess it's fair to say that CC Sabathia is in post season form. He got lit up last night by the Phillies. In 3.2 innings, he gave up 6 hits, 4 walks and 5 earned runs, including a 2nd inning bomb from Shane Victorino.

Fans of the Brewers have to be bummed. After all, the guy pitched like Superman after they acquired him from the Indians. Maybe 252 regular season innings were too many for the big fella.

I'm just glad that he got them to the playoffs. I've always liked the Brewers, even though Proud to Be Your Bud Selig was one of the worst owners in baseball. I like them even more now that he's not around and now that their drafting and player development are both, as Judge Elihu Smails would say, "top notch, top notch!" More importantly, I'm happy the Brewers made the playoffs because it improves Cleveland's choice of minor leaguers for the PTBNL ("player to be named later") from the deal. If Milwaukee hadn't made the playoffs, it would have chosen who the Indians received. Since they're in, the Indians get the choice. The top two candidates are Michael Brantley and Taylor Green. You can read about them here. I suspect they'll grab Brantley; stick him in LF; and let him leadoff.

Now what?

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:45:00 +0000

As bad as the Browns have been organizationally since their return, fans could console themselves with the thought that it could be worse. They could be fans of the Detroit Lions. You could bet that each year the Lions would do something truly idiotic and destructive. They made horrible draft choices, bad trades, hired the wrong coaching personnel, and generally meandered around with no idea of how to run a football franchise. All lot of the credit for that consistent crappiness goes to the guy who was running the show---their GM, Matt Millen.

Well, the Ford family had finally had enough, and Millen won't be at the controls in April when the Lions are on the clock. I know Lions' fans are thrilled, but what's that mean for the devoted followers of the pumpkin heads?

It means that there's now plenty of room at the bottom.

CLICK !

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:53:00 +0000

That was the sound of a few hundred thousand TV's getting switched away from Sunday's debacle against the Rat-birds. I can't believe that many fans of the Browns toughed it out to watch the end of that one. I didn't. There was nothing to watch. More importantly and more tragically, there was nothing to care about.

For too many people, each Sunday's game is a reason to get out of bed; to be excited; to plan their entire day around the kick-off; to cheer with friends; to plan parties; and to live and die with every play. Not now. As B.B. King sang, "The thrill is gone. The thrill is gone away. The thrill is gone baby. The thrill is gone away. You know you done me wrong baby. And you'll be sorry someday."

I get the feeling that I'm not alone in my indifference to this team. The Rhino, Chocolate Starfish and I went to the Steelers' game together. Afterward, we walked over the bridge that's painted like a football field as Steelers' fans taunted fans of the toothless puppies. No one said anything in response. How could they? If beating the tar out of your so-called rival just about every time you play them doesn't earn you the right to jaw at their fans, what does? The Browns' fans around me just sighed wearily and shuffled on in the unforgiving post-game night. That was all that the Browns had left to them.

Since their schedule is one of the toughest in the NFL this year, the Browns won't have the opportunities they had last year to right the ship against patsies. This year, it looks like the Browns are the patsies. That means that it's going to be a long year with a lot of long, cold post-game walks back to the parking lots.

The fans' rides home won't be much better. After the Steelers' game, I listened to one caller rip unmercifully into Syndric Steptoe. Syndric Steptoe??? You've got to be shitting me. That guy had about as much to do with the outcome of the game as I did. It's not his fault that he's there or that he's asked far too often to block a linebacker in a running play. It's also not his fault that he was on the field for more plays than Kellen Winslow. Who do you think makes those decisions?

It's time for one of the marketing geeks in Berea to take the long walk down to Phil's office to tell him that it's time for the usual cosmetic change to mollify the fans. That means Romeo's ass. In this case, it's probably deserved. Sure, he's a great chum to the players, and that matters if it means the guys play hard for you. But winning matters too, and when you're the head coach, that's more important than being somebody's pal. My impression is that Romeo's just there. "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin."

That's our guy. He never seems to have answers, but he neither toils nor spins.

Olympics update: Don't miss the javelin.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:18:00 +0000

I'm usually pretty interested in the track & field events in the summer games, but this year, you don't want to miss the women's javelin event on August 18th at 9:00 pm. I have no idea who will win, but I'm rooting for one plucky contestant from Paraguay---Leryn Franco. She ended up 42nd in the 2004 games, but she's poised to rocket up the leader board to, at least, the mid-30's. She's 5'8", 119 pounds, and 26 years old.

I've included her photo so you won't miss her.

I'm not sure, but I suspect she's pondering her next throw.

More on Mr. Wonderful.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:35:00 +0000

If you had any doubt that Roger Clemens is an extraordinary individual, check this out. Through some weird and errant magic, the seven-time Cy Young winner has transformed convicted drug dealers, Kirk Radomski and Brian McNamee, into credible guys. That's really something.

He's simply amazin'.

See ya' CC

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:10:00 +0000

"A man's got to know his limitations."
~~~Dirty Harry Callahan, Magnum Force

Sometime two weeks ago, Mark Shapiro woke up; read the sports page; stumbled to his bathroom feeling like he was gonna vomit; looked in the mirror; thought about Larry Dolan's empty wallet and preternaturally short arms; and just knew.

He knew the Indians were in last place.
He knew it was a team without its third and fourth hitters and without two of its starting pitchers.
He knew it was a team without heart; without courage; and without character.
He knew it was stuck in the basement and the likelihood of challenging for the playoffs had become a bitter fantasy.
He knew, like he did in February this year, that there was no chance that CC would sign an extension and forgo free agency.
He knew that the two extra compensatory picks he'd get for CC becoming a free agent would be wasted due to inept talent evaluation and Dolan's legendary cheapness.

In short, he knew he had gambled and lost. He'd built this team. He'd promised that it would be built to remain competitive.

He was wrong. His day of reckoning had come.

So, he picked up the phone and let it be known throughout MLB that he'd start returning the calls from other GM's he'd been avoiding. Those guys knew they had him by the short hairs. Low-ball offers started rolling in. Shapiro tried to blow smoke and let rumors circulate that the Indians would make another effort to resign CC. Do you really think that happened?

Nah. Me neither.

In the end, Shapiro grabbed the best prospect he could get---Matt LaPorta---and some assorted junk that's just potential. LaPorta's not a bad haul. He's a big ugly mug who strikes out way too much, but boy, can that s.o.b. hit. The so-called experts thought Milwaukee overreached when they grabbed him with the 7th pick in the 2007 draft. They said he was a "signability" pick. Well, LaPorta started hitting home runs and made those same experts look like fools. This year, he kept hitting home runs and made himself into a bona fide blue chip prospect. But, don't get like those goofy optimists who think the Tribe just snagged the ever-lovin Babe. The kid is good, but he's got holes in his game. After all, the Southern League managers didn't think he deserved to make the all-star team. So, calm down a little. Having said...er... written that, he is good. His massive strikeout totals are offset by his impressive walk rate. He projects as a guy who could hit .270-.290 with 35 + home runs and an on-base average over .380 during his peak years. Folks, that's a real live middle of the order hitter.

The other two pitchers are filler. Each has some potential.

Zach Jackson, LHP, was a Blue Jays first round pick, who's sucked. He's a lefty and those guys get lots of chances. I'm guessing that the Tribe feels like it misjudged and mishandled its own former first round pick, Jeremy Guthrie, and maybe the Blue Jays and Brewers did the same with Jackson. I doubt it, but if that's what keeps Shapiro warm at night, Ok. I suspect he's really just filler for the Buffalo AAA rotation, and that's where he'll rot. Just for kicks, check out his biography. When's the last time a team tried to pawn off a guy with a 7.85 ERA as a building block for the future? That Shapiro really has some stones.

Rob Bryson, RHP, was a draft and follow guy. He was picked in the 31st round of the 2006 draft. He throws hard. He can get his fast ball up to 95, but the scouting reports say that it's incredibly straight and "flat." That means it's pretty hittable. He has a nice slider that can get big-time hitters out. He's a guy who just really needs to find himself and learn a little about pitching. Since he's only 20, he should have an opportunity to do both. This year, he's struck out 73 in 55 innings. That's pretty sweet, and it's those numbers that leave Paul Dolan and his old man giggling that they just nabbed their closer of the future. I'm not giggling, but it's at least an interesting proposition to have a guy who can really throw hard for a change.

The Tribe also gets a PTBL---player to be named later. Sometimes teams do that because they're prohibited from trading a pick until one year after the draft. I don't think that' s the case here. I've heard, but can't confirm, that the Tribe will have its choice at the end of the season between third baseman, Taylor Green, or outfielder, Michael Brantley.

Green's a stocky third baseman, who resembles Ron Cey---The Penguin. He was Milwaukee's Organizational Player of the Year in 2007 after he hit .327. He has a nice compact left-handed stroke and walks almost as much as he strikes out. He's a nice player, but doesn't project to have a lot of power. If you can live with a 3B who hits for average, has a high on-base percentage, and hits 15-20 homers, he's your guy.

Brantley is one of the fastest guys in the minors. He's 6'2" and after last year was rated as the Brewers' minor league player with the best strike zone discipline. He's true to form in '08. In over 300 at-bats, he's only struck out 18 times. He has twice as many walks as strikeouts this year, and had more walks than strikeouts over two levels last year. He's a prototypical leadoff hitter. His problem is that he's a very mediocre outfielder and has a weak arm. He can only play left.

The best thing about the two of them is that they're both 21. They have a lot of time to fill out and refine their games. Unfortunately, the Tribe is not particularly good at helping players refine their skills. My impression has always been that it's a sink or swim organization, and that's recently been confirmed by a player in the organization. But, that's for another day.

In the end, Shapiro recognized his limitations and made a deal. Everyone hates it, but if LaPorta hits, Shapiro will be a hero. I think he will.

Not with a Bang, But a Whimper (Again)

noreply@blogger.com (Hornless Rhino) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Today's announcement that the Tribe has offloaded C.C. Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for four prospects officially marks the end of the 2008 baseball season. With a bunch of guys on the DL, and mired in last place in the Division, a woeful 14 games behind the front-running White Sox, the Indians made the unsurprising decision to throw in the towel on the 2008 campaign and make the best deal that they could for the unsignable Sabathia.

So let the recriminations begin!

How did this happen? How did a team that was just one game away from a World Series appearance last season not even manage to make it the All-Star break this year before the wheels came off? The short answer is that they can't hit, they have no bullpen, and their roster looks like a M*A*S*H unit.

But there's more to it than that. This is at least the second time this allegedly talented "core group" of Indians has seen a season of tremendous promise end in a downright embarrassing fashion, and then responded to that challenge by throwing in the towel at the start of the following season.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, huh?

It's easy to point the finger at the bullpen, or the injuries, or even --if you're a cynic--the crackdown on performance enhancing drugs. But what bothers me more than the numbers is the attitude. This team is not only bad, but it also doesn't seem to play very hard. I think a lot of fans can't figure out whether the team's just lacking in leadership or if the players just don't care if they win or lose.

Personally, I'm tired of trying to figure out the answer. I just want to see them win the World Series, and I've lost faith that this core group of players is ever going to do it. Sure, you can complain about the alleged tight-fistedness of the Dolans, you can bemoan some of the decisions that Shapiro's made in recent seasons, and you can spend hours trying to figure out whatever it is that Eric Wedge actually does to "manage" the ball club. But none of those things explains how infuriatingly passive the players seem to be about this team's performance. Where's the frustration? Where's the anger? Where are the guys knocking over the buffet? Where are the fights? Where are the snarky comments to the media?

Maybe those kind of reactions are all too "old school" to expect from today's players -- although the Red Sox aren't afraid to mix it up with each other, are they? On the other hand, I think there's plenty of anger among the fan base. I had a funny feeling that this season might turn out like this, and I doubt that I was the only one. Unfortunately, my problem isn't that the Indians didn't live up to my expectations, it's that they did.

Over the past four seasons, the Indians have played well when the wind is at their back, but they haven't shown much heart in the face of adversity, and this is just the latest example of that. Yeah, they've had more than their share of problems this season, but their reaction to them has been to quietly wilt. I said they were gutless in April, and they've spent the better part of the last three months proving that I was right.

You're a Better Man Than I Am, Brady Quinn

noreply@blogger.com (Hornless Rhino) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:37:00 +0000

For those of you who are long-time readers of my drivel, you know I've never been a big fan of Brady Quinn. Heck, I started bashing the guy even before the Browns drafted him. But I've got to admit, after watching Quinn deal with his situation as a back-up QB for the past year, I think I was wrong about the guy.

To me, Quinn was a guy who, despite smashing almost every ND passing record, never beat USC and never led the Irish to victory in a single bowl game during his career. Quinn's individual achievements against sub-par competition just didn't impress me very much. He came across as a guy who was a creation of the Notre Dame spin machine and its willing accomplices in the national media. What's worse, he also appeared to have "drunk the Kool-aid," and struck me as an arrogant, pampered jock who believed in his own press clippings.

That's the Brady Quinn that I thought the Browns drafted, and it's taken me a long time to shake that image of the guy. Now, however, I think it's time for me to reassess my opinion of Quinn. What's prompted my change of heart? It's simple, really. I've watched and listened to what he's said and done over the course of the past year with the team, and I think he may be a lot more mature and a lot less self-centered than I gave him credit for being.

This was really brought home to me over the past week, as we watched LeCharles Bentley bolt the team when it became apparent to him that the Browns weren't ready to name him as a starter after his first practice in two seasons. At the same time, the media descended upon Quinn, in their endless attempt to stir the pot at the QB position. Quinn didn't take the bait. In fact, he did the exact opposite. You simply could not craft a more positive, team oriented response to questions about his role with the team than the one that Quinn delivered to the media last week.

I'm not intending to bash LeCharles Bentley. This is a guy who had a tremendous setback, heroically battled his way back into the game, and just wasn't willing to accept the idea that the wasn't "The Man" as far as the Browns were concerned. For a guy like Bentley to react like he did isn't a surprise. He's been The Man his whole life. Bentley was an All-American, All-Pro, All-Everything big money free agent when he came here in 2006. Hell, his photo even hangs in the lobby of the Wexner Football Complex at Ohio State (something I found out last week when I took my oldest son there for a long-snapping camp). So when I read that Bentley had asked for his release, I wasn't angry. In fact, I kind of sympathized with the guy. (If you read Sunday's column from Terry Pluto, you might have sympathized with him too).

But regardless of how you feel about LeCharles, his reaction to the adversity that he was facing is very different from Brady Quinn's reaction to his own situation. While Quinn hasn't faced the devastating physical injury that Bentley has dealt with, he's faced some psychological challenges that are perhaps almost as difficult. Maybe the worst of those was the one he faced on draft day in 2007, as he sat among the other elite college players and watched himself passed over by teams he thought certain would select him.

For a player who most had projected to be a top 10 or even a top five pick in the draft, the fall to #21 would have been difficult enough to deal with, but Quinn's humiliation was compounded by the fact that it was broadcast live by ESPN to the nation's football fans. Ultimately, Roger Goodell had the decency to come to Quinn's rescue and have him escorted off stage. Still, imagine if you're everybody's All-American and have to endure that in front of a national television audience? Wow. I mean, talk about a humbling experience.

At the risk of sounding like Bill Livingston, there's a Latin saying that goes "ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes viros." It means that fire is the test of gold; adversity is the test of strong men. Brady Quinn and LeCharles Bentley have faced their share of adversity over the last couple of years. I can't fault Bentley at all for his reaction to it, but I admire Quinn's reaction more. Brady Quinn has been the consummate team player ever since he signed his contract, and while he makes it clear that he wants a chance to compete, he continues to resist every attempt by the media to put his own interests ahead of the Cleveland Browns.

So, maybe I was wrong about Quinn all along, or maybe that miserable draft day in front of the cameras provided him with the kind of perspective about himself that most "Golden Boy" types never manage to get. Whatever the reason, Brady Quinn has earned my respect and the respect of all Browns fans. Don't get me wrong -- I know that like most 25 year-old millionaires, Quinn's not exactly a candidate for sainthood, but I also know that he's handled the challenges he's faced on the professional side of his life with a lot more dignity and class than many others in similar situations. And it's time for Quinn bashers like me to give him a little credit for it.

Huh??? OH SH*T !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:42:00 +0000

That's what everyone's favorite seven- time Cy Young award winner must have said when he read this one.

What the hell happened while I was enjoying a little baseball?

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:43:00 +0000

Well, it's the off season for football. So, that means some calamity has to strike the Browns. It has.
Ryan Tucker broke his hip and will miss two months, or so SI reports.

Two months is probably the estimate some deluded physician gave, but that's the
normal projected recovery from a break. I'll bet those two months don't include any time for the all-but-certain staph infection that Berea seems to guarantee each year.

It's good that Savage kept Kevin Shaffer around and picked up Rex Hadnot. It looks like the Brownies will need 'em.

Speed Racer

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Speed Racer is a pretty cool movie. My kids, who are 8 and 5, loved it and wanted to stick around and see it again. We didn't.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

Christina Ricci looks great as Trixie. I can see why Speed's nuts about her. She's makes a great comic book heroine.

John Goodman looks a lot like Pops, and better yet, he flashes some of the wrestling moves Pops Racer used when surrounded by bad guys.

If you liked the cartoon, you'll love the movie. If not, you'd better have liked playing with Hot Wheels when you were young. Otherwise, you'll probably hate it.

There were more adults than kids, and they loved it. Lots of them were singing the theme song on the way out.

Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer
He's a demon on wheels
He's a demon and he's gonna be chasing after someone
He's gaining on you so you better look alive
He's busy revving up the powerful Mach Five
And when the odds are against him and there's daaangerous work to do
You bet your life Speed Racer's gonna see it through
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer go
He's off and flying as he guns the car around the track
He's jamming down the pedal like he's never coming back
Adventure's waiting just aheeeeeeeeaaaaad
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer Go!

How about that...

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:25:00 +0000

I saw a little baseball history last night at the Prog. With runners on first and second and the Blue Jays trying a hit and run, Asdrubal Cabrera snagged a line drive, stepped on second, and then tagged a runner, who'd rounded second and had been heading to third. When the dust cleared, Dru was hanging on to the ball and the inning was over---an unassisted triple play!

That was only the 14th one in the history of Major League Baseball. I was there. It was very cool.

Here's a quick bit of trivia: The Cleveland Indians lead all teams with 3 unassisted triple plays.