Why the negativity?

[sweick]

I've never got the excess of negativity some have for the 07 Indians. (For examples see :

http://www.swerbsblurbs.com/article_detail.php?id=1059

http://www.swerbsblurbs.com/article_detail.php?id=1057

and most of the stuff at Scout.com and Cleveland.com)

Yeah, bad frustrating year last year, but we had a really good one the year before.

Our average wins the past two seasons is 85+ wins. The past three 83+ wins.

The core is young and improving. We have some good young talent in the pipeline, especially starters at AAA. We have ability to add contracts with payroll flexibility. And we have chips to make a trade both pre and mid season.

Last year wasn't as bad as it turned out. Looking at BPro's adjusted standings

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/st.../standings.php

we should have won 88 to 89 games, just four games behind the frontrunners.

The reasons why we didn't are obvious, bad infield defense and bad bullpen.

We've fixed the infield with Barfield and Marte replacing two bad defensive players. Blake should be better than Broussard/Perez. Jhonny should have a better year defensively, which shouldn't be too hard.

It sounds like we will get a couple veteran arms in the pen to help, and our young bullpen pitchers should bounce back.

All in all, we have a team with very good depth, very good talent, and a very good chance to contend. It does have flaws, as every team does, but why so negative against a good team, I just don't get.

[macbdog]

Like people who thought that last year was a 'disaster?'

This division was the best in baseball last year, and will be again this year. The Tribe has now had the two reigning pennant winners in our division to contend with for 21 games each. The Tribe had flaws, and woah! they were exposed in the best division in baseball. Who would have thought??

What is just as hysterical is how this club has a terrific base of young talent, possibly the best in the division, and yet b/c 1/4th of the equation needs work the team 'will be a failure again.' It is alll a joke....

[Ninersrule]

From Jayson Stark on ESPN:

"Well, this team has already upgraded its outfield with David Dellucci (three years, $11.5 million) and bullpen (Joe Borowski, Roberto Hernandez and Aaron Fultz, all on one-year deals) without spending a lot of money or tying its hands with long-term commitments. So if the rest of its offseason is as productive as the first month has gone, this is a team to watch out for. "


I said that in 2005, and if the hitting had been there for the first 2 1/2 month of that year, then there would have been no White Sox, and unfortunately
last year the bullpen went sour.

2007 will be a different flavor... I promise you. The Tribe will be the team
to be in the Cental Division and perhaps in the AL period.

THe offensive leaders have to be Hafner, Martinez and Grady Sizemore.
Then Peralta, Blake, Marte and Barfield just have to add to the puzzle to make this a complete team along with Michaels. This will be a team to fear in
07. The pitching will be better, and defense greatly improved.

[Damnitmike]

we should have won 88 to 89 games, just four games behind the frontrunners.

The reasons why we didn't are obvious, bad infield defense and bad bullpen.

We've fixed the infield with Barfield and Marte replacing two bad defensive players. Blake should be better than Broussard/Perez. Jhonny should have a better year defensively, which shouldn't be too hard.

Yes we should have....While I'm excited about the Barfield signing, the type of player we need on this team.....Marte still is a questionable....Jhonnys play was frustrating.....

I still question why take our best arm in the outfield (Blake) and move it to first.....

Inconsistancy is aggravating....and so far this team has promoted it....

Is the negativity serious ?.......No, I think its more of the frustrated type, and fans need to vent it....

[SportMcAllister]

Doesn't Choo have a good arm too?

and is Choo's arm better than Blake's > Blake's ability at first being better than Garko's?

as to why the negativity - not entirely sure- maybe a bit of being spoiled by the run in the 90s and expecting that would never change?

personally, i am looking foward to this season - hesitantly, but still with a positive feeling...

[NYCWahoo]

Inconsistency is aggravating, sure. But the alternative is less talent, not someone better who is consistent.

And inconsistency never really goes away either. Look at the Yankee fans who are rying to run Arod out of town.

[Damnitmike]

and is Choo's arm better than Blake's >

You asking? I would say No......But Choo does have a good arm, his accuracy needed improvement....

I guess I should have said "one of the best, and that there was 2...."

[mcreek]

Other than adding Barfield what have we done to improve enough to be anything other than a 500 team?

We added a bunch of ancient has beens from MLB's MASH unit in Boroski-Foulke Hernandez who will be 44 yrs old or whatever.

Paul Byrd is still in the rotation, Cliff Lee is very inconsistent and we don't know what Sowers will do.

Peralta is a liabilty in the field and with the bat,

Casey Blake is a joke at firstbase. He had a career year last year and should have been traded while he had value.

We have a Catcher who can't throw out runners.

Not being negative but realistic.

This is a 500 team at best. You don't win 78 games by accident.

[wildrex]

garko is a hack at first maybe a dh ,but we have hafner.We need a first baseman blakes like 35 not the answer martinez maybe